When I am addicted to objects are they objectified or am I objectified?

DVD, poster, tshirt and details avalable at Plexifilm.

Nice retro sideboard

Designed by Abdul Ghafoor for Kursi. I like a design that wears its influences proudly. Looking very much like the fifties sideboards found in the secondhand stores where I live. Dimensions are 220 cm x 50 cm x 78 cm. I'd like to know how the drawers move (Blum, Hafele, perhaps?)

Just in case you are wondering, it costs roughly $Aus6,000- and takes about 12 weeks to make. I can get an old but working original for about $50-00 here, not as nicely made of course and possibly not as well designed.

Ultra Lounge - The Crime Scene

This is fun. Some great music & good humour. I'll start with the humour 'Music to be Murdered By', Jeff Alexander with Alfred Hitchock narrating. Delightfully corny scary music introduced by Hitchock with several overly self conscious puns. If that puts you off don't worry it's the last track so you can just delete it. The rest are scores for various well known films and television series in the crime/noir genre. The orchestras of Billy May and Count Basie and particularly Ray Antony make a big impression. 'The Untouchables,' 'Dragnet,' 'James Bond,' Mission Impossible,' and of course the 'Peter Gunn Suite' are all present.

The reviewer at Allmusic didn't like it as much as I did.

One of the kitschier installments in the Ultra Lounge series, Vol. 7, Crime Scene features a cross-section of easy-listening and movie music culled primarily from Capitol Records' vaults. All of the songs are allegedly "about" or inspired by detective and crime novels and films, so you have movie and television themes (Nelson Riddle's "The Untouchables," "Peter Gunn Suite" as performed by Ray Anthony), as well as songs whose titles imply a crime connection of some sort. It's an enjoyable collection, but it's too incoherent and campy to really be consistently entertaining. by Stephen Thomas Erlewine


Ultra Lounge - The Crime Scene

Pervert / Artist

from

Silhouette Masterpiece Theatre

Fatman iTube valvedock - review

This a very nice little amplifier. I use it as a headphone amplifier for listening to music from my computer. I used to have the whole system including the speakers and iDock, but I sold the speakers and iDock as I didn't really have much use for them.

As a headphone amp this is excellent, I use Sennheiser HD600 headphones, the difference between playing music through headphones directly from the computer and playing through the valvedock is clear. The sound is much more coherent, much less brash and brassy and the can be played at higher volumes with clarity.

I once rigged up the valvedock amp to my stereo to see how it sounds in a bigger system. Compared with what it is replacing (Sugden A21a - see my previous review) it does a pretty good job, doesn't hold the bass as well and higher volumes are pretty much off limits, but for a 12watt amp it drives the speakers very sweetly.

Before I sold it, the iDock part of the system was pretty good too, the remote was excellent, with very good tone, volume and track controls. We did have one problem with it though. One of our iPods would not work with it no matter what we tried. We rang the distributor, tried every forum fix suggested and it never worked. Every other iPod including those of friends worked every time. The speakers are the let down part, not very good, you would be better to sell them and get something a bit better Tannoy Mercury F1's would be pretty good I think.

I see that 'What HiFi' has given the system back its 5 star rating, it lost a star a year back for reliability problems. I highly recommend the amp and dock, with better speakers the system would be terrific.

I'm so glad we don't have 'settlers' in Australia

In Australia if you believe someone is living on your property without permission you go to the courts and apply have them evicted. All you have to do is prove that you have a legitimate title to the land and you will be fully supported by the courts and if necessary the police.

If you do not have a legitimate title you will be denied access to the property.
This is where Australia and Palestine differ. In Palestine, if you are Jewish, you simply organise sufficient intimidation:- burn the crops, cut down the olive trees, terrorise the residents and drive them out. You are unlikely to have to worry about the police.

In Australia if you persisted with this method you would be locked up in a hospital for the criminally insane. And if you persisted with the story that 'god gave the land to you' the same result would apply but perhaps the medication would be different.

I am not sure what medication the people in the video need, in Australia they would be locked up.

Woolworths - 'the not stale enough to throw out yet people.'

Well it has finally happened, the frustration and boredom of shopping at our local Woolworths has finally overtaken the convenience. I will never, ever, set foot in Woolworths again. I hate them. They are mean, petty and have no consideration for their customers.

The convenience of having a range of foods all available in one shop is completely overtaken by the fact that you cannot find anything. The stuff is arranged in such an obscure, confusing and frustrating way that it is impossible to find whatever you are looking for without walking up and down every aisle: - scanning from both ends does not work as the spaghetti you are looking for is in the middle of aisle 8 between shoelaces and soap. Peanut butter is not next to jam, yoghurt is on the other side of the shop from cream, tomato chutney is five aisles from tomato sauce.

Even the layout is confusing. If all the food was at one end and all the non-food at the other, it would at least cut down the searching, but no, tissues is in aisle 3 with 4 aisles of food between them and toothpaste.

Even if you become accustomed to the various locations of the stuff that you are shopping for, they are all moved on a regular basis. This is to ensure that each and every customer experiences the maximum level of frustration it is possible to endure before getting in the queue.

The queue gets longer every week, every second checkout chick/guy is on valium. No matter how long the queue, or how long you have been waiting, they sleep speak the compulsory line 'How are you today,'. "Not bad thanks, shot the wife and kids this morning feeling much better." You can say whatever you like, they're not listening.

They now have 'self checkout.' This is where you, at your expense, do the job that the checkout chicks used to do. By following the instructions of a machine and then waiting and waiting until the pimply guy that used to be the checkout chick flashes his card at the machine and lets you go.

As you may be able to tell my patience with Woolworths has been running thin for some time. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad if they didn't insist on such a patently dishonest catch line, 'The fresh food people.' Try asking one of the green jacketed dills in the store when anything was picked. You will get a blank stare and 'I'll ask the manager,' after which the dill will disappear through a back door and never be seen again.

The Woolworths catch cry should be 'the not stale enough to throw out yet people.' At least that would reflect their modus operandi.

Bye bye Woolworths.

Shelby Lynn - Just a little Lovin.

Deservedly listed in numerous top album lists for 2008. This might sound like heresy but I like her versions of these songs more than that which inspired them. Magnificient production by Phil Ramone - each and every sound in its place.

Shelby Lynn - Just a Little Lovin' - 2008

Bill Henson - Paris Opera Project

Blue Velvet - Soundtrack

A sometimes tormented soundtrack by one of my favourite composers for film. Mostly dark and moody, Badalamenti modelled much of the sound on Shostakovich. However, the music is entirely his own and the use of various pop songs in addition to Badalamenti's score makes this CD compelling and disturbing listening.

Blue Velvet OST

AA Gill - Table Talk: Sweet and Sour, Salt and Bitter

Have been reading AA Gill's book 'Table Talk'. I guess he is the Hunter Thompson of restaurant critics. He is I believe friends with Jeremy Clarkson another peculiar English git with wild and critical approach only Clarkson devours cars.

Gill is completely sane, it is a relief to read someone who can, with erudition and perspective, talk about food and food service. He is also tremendously funny.

His writing on fast food, waiters, chefs, fish and chips, nouvelle cuisine, and numerous other topics is succinct, pithy, accurate and hilarious.

"The mushrooms wouldn't have tasted wild if you'd soaked them in ecstacy and given them guns."

Table Talk: Sweet and Sour, Salt and Bitter, by AA Gill is published by Orion

Goodbye Blossom Dearie

Blossom Dearie is one of my favourite singers. Every song just right. She was perfectionist with a delightful sense of humour.

On the album below 'I won't dance,' is my favourite.

Personnel includes: Blossom Dearie (vocals, piano); Bobby Jaspar (flute); Herb Ellis, Mundell Lowe, Kenny Burrell (guitar); Ray Brown (bass); Jo Jones, Ed Thigpen (drums); Russ Garcia's Orchestra.

Recorded at Fine Sound and WOR Recording Studios, New York, New York in 1956 and 1957; Nola Recording Studio, New York, New York in 1958 and 1959; United Recorders, Hollywood, California in 1960. Includes liner notes by Todd Everett.

This is part of the Verve Jazz Masters series.



























Blossom Dearie - Jazz Masters 51

Antony and the Johnsons - Another World

This was released last year. I found these new songs to be disconcertingly pessimistic. Nevertheless Antony has such a captivating voice that it is hard not to listen again and again.
NOTE, this is an ep, there are only four tracks. In a digital world devoid of vinyl singles I am not sure that the acronym EP (extended play) has much real meaning. Especially when a CD can play for 70 minutes, perhaps the acronym SCD would be more appropriate (Short CD).

Antony and the Johnsons - Another World - 2008

Israeli rockets - Victorian bushfires

The bushfires in Victoria have brought to Australians an awareness of tragedy and vulnerability.

Yet we would need to multiply the fires by tenfold to see the same scale of destruction as that wrought by Israel on its neighbour, Gaza.

The photos are from Gaza and Victoria, only the faces give a clue as to the location.

Congratulations

Dave Graney 'n' the Coral Snakes - The soft 'n' Sexy Sound

This is very enjoyable tongue in cheek lounge music of an Australian variety. Graney's discography goes back to 1984, this album is from 1995.

From the smartartists website.

“He abounds in sublime thought and love of humour, in dignified feeling and malignant passion, in elegant wit and obsolete conceit. He alternately presents us with the gaiety of the ballroom and the gloom of the scaffold, leading us among the airy pleasantries of fashionable assemblage and suddenly conducting us to haunts of depraved and disgusting sensuality….he turns decorum into jest, and bids defiance to the established decencies of life.”
George Gordon Brummell speaking of a person remarkably identical to that fronted by Australian performer/enigma Dave Graney , who lives 188 years in the future.

We also find there that Dave - likes, white socks, jazz, hip hop and licorice. Dislikes, parsnips, any kind of rock music but especially “post” rock music and “new” rock music. Drunks and the colour pink.

Dave Graney 'n' the Coral Snakes - The soft 'n' Sexy Sound

Yusef Lateef - Eastern Sounds

One of my all time favourite albums.

Yusef Lateef - Eastern Sounds - 1961

Zorba the Greek - Australian aboriginal style.

I guess I'm one of the last people on the internet to discover this, (1 million plus views so far) but if you are after me you are in for a surprise, this is wonderful. A cross cultural performance by a group of young dancers called the 'Chooky Dancers'.
They are from north-east Arnhem Land.
Under the direction of Witiyana Marika (a traditional leader from Yothu Yindi) and Banula Marika (dancer with Bangarra and Yothu Yindi), these young people from the Yirrkala region began dancing early, some have been dancing for more than 12 years.

Anybody know what happeneed to Stefan ?

'Moodswings music' is down, anybody know what happened to Stefan's wonderful blog?

Laurie Anderson - Talk Normal

For anyone unfamiliar with Laurie Anderson's work this is a good introduction. Most of her more famous pieces are included. I still enjoy 'Big Science,' and this compilation starts out on CD one with 'O Superman,' 'From the Air,' and 'Big Science', all great. The Compilation was released in 2000 and covers works from 1981 to 1995. She is a charming performer and someone who managed to go from being an avantegarde performance artist in the 60's (her first performance-art piece—a symphony played on automobile horns—was performed in 1969) to a commercial artist without compromising her ideas. She married her longtime companion Lou Reed last year. Her film 'Home of the Brave' was released in 1986 and is still not availbale on DVD, which is a pity.


Talk Normal CD1
Talk Normal CD2

Bomb bomb and Drill drill

The title refers to McCain's 'Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran,' song on Youtube and Palin's 'Drill drill drill' mantra during her vice presidential debate. We may yet see a new gang of murderers and vandals running the United States.

Chord Chameleon Silver Plus - review

I have read people in various forums suggest that speaker cables and interconnects just transfer signals and have no influence on the sound. Wrong, wrong, wrong. I have recently upgraded to these interconnects from QED Qunex 1's, the Chameleon Silver are about 6 times the price so I was expecting some noticeable improvement. I am not disappointed, the sound is clearer with bass transmission much improved. I have also noticed that the placement of instruments within the soundstage has also improved, that was a surprise I did not expect. Unlike QED cables they are not directional, at least no directions are given. (If anyone has advice about this I am happy to get comments). They don't look sexy, bit plasticky looking, but do the job, as far as I am concerned that is all that counts. Are they worth it to me, well yes, are they worth it to you? I have heard the figure of 10% mentioned repeatedly in Hifi circles as being the appropriate budget for cables as a percentage of total system. As a rough guide it seems about right to me, the cables cost a bit less than 10% of the cost of my amplifier and give at least a 10% improvement in sound. I bought mine from Divine Cables UK, £10 delivery to Australia but that still leaves them much cheaper than from local dealers.

Diamanda Galas - The Singer

I saw Diamanda Galas perform recently. It was a memorable experience. I can't say that I admire her as person or as a performer. She was unfriendly, almost contemptuous of the audience. She had an air of superiority which did not allow for any interaction outside of her set. I believe Nina Simone had a similar aura about her, though I never experienced it myself. The performance I attended was of her interpretations of popular songs, not one of her operatic extravaganzas. She is a majestic performer, brilliant pianist and a vocalist of extraordinary ability. Some of her playing was spellbinding.


I recently noticed that stefan at mooodswings has posted 'The Sporting Life,' from 1994, so I thought I would add 'The Singer'. The Singer came out in 1992, but quite a few of the songs on it she performed recently, perhaps they are her perennial favourites, 'I put a Spell on You,' & 'Gloomy Sunday,' were particularly memorable.

Diamanda Galas - The Singer
Gloomy Sunday was missing here it is

Bird and Fortune - Subprime Crisis

.... furnishing the home

from the exhibition ' . . furnishing the home' photos by Roger Valentin Mandt.

Patti Smith - LAND (1975-2002)

I first heard Patti Smith some time after she released 'Horses', (1975). I was instantly attracted to her music. Of my remaining vinyl I still have Horses with its wonderful cover portrait of her by her friend Robert Mapplethorpe. I also have a copy of her book 'The Coral Sea.' The book is named after one of Mapplethorpe's photographs and is her tribute to him. It is a beautiful book, Mapplethorpe's black and white photographs are so sensual and intimate. Even when his subject is something as expansive as the ocean his vision can make it seem close and seductive. The book reminds me of another book about love, loss and photography - Rolands Barthe's 'Camera Lucida - Reflections on Photography.' Whereas Barthes book is in part about his mother, Smith's is about her friend and friendship.

The double CD LAND, is in the first part a greatest hits compilation of the usual kind. The second CD contains previously unreleased material, demos, and live performances. For those wishing to purchase, it does not come in a plastic jewel case (hooray) the presentation and brochure that come with CD's are interesting and informative. It is the kind of presentation that make you actually want to purchase CD's rather than just download. (Maybe one day the recording industry will wake up and realise that when you produce something good enough to buy, people will actually go out and buy it. Plastic jewel cases are ugly, cheap and nasty.)

One charming part of the brochure is a reproduced letter by Clive Davis then President of Arista records dated 17th November 1975. It is addressed to Patti's mother, he encloses three copies of her new album, and congratulates her on her family. "I just wanted to personally tell you that not only is she extremely talented but also a very rare and human person as well." A delight.

Patti Smith LAND cd1

Patti Smith LAND cd2

Henry Mancini - The Blues and the Beat

This is the remastered for CD version of the original 'Living Stereo' recording. Released in 1960.

"If jazz could be taken into a laboratory and put through a distilling process, two
things would remain after everything else had evaporated: the blues and the beat.
The blues would remain because jazz began as the voice of an oppressed people
who used music to ease the burden of living. The beat would still be there
because the physical motion of rhythm helps release the whole body from tension,
making everything more bearable." from the liner notes by Henry Mancini.

The Blues and the Beat - 1960

Unchained Melody - The Film Themes of Alex North

It says on the cover that Alex North conducted each of these scores, but the orchestra is not credited. The tracks are all from North's early years in Hollywood (1950's).

Unchained Melody - The Film Themes of Alex North

Alex North - Unchained Melody - sung by Gene Vincent

I thought that seeing as I was going to post the film music of Alex North (see above) I'd put up a video of his most famous composition. 'Unchained Melody' has been recorded by almost everyone. I chose Gene Vincent's over all the other versions because I think his is the best. The Righteous Brothers version comes a close second, with Roy Orbison in third. Of course Elvis Presley used the song on numerous occasions and his versions are well represented on Youtube, (never been an Elvis fan). There are scores of dreadful covers with U2 and Barry Manilow topping the heap.

Waltz with Bashir

Saw this last night; stunning.

The film focusses on the directors participation in the Sabra and Shatila massacre which occured during Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon. There is always a lot to say about war and politics much of it by people like me who comment from a safe distance. In this film the director says 'this is what happened to me.'
The candour and simplicity of his journey of self discovery allow the audience to empathise, which makes his/our discovery at the end all the more dramatic.

I cannot imagine anyone being dissapointed with this film. For a first hand account of the aftermath of the massacre see Robert Fisk's report, here.

Johnny Mandel - I Want to Live

From its cool, dark and lazy opening track you know this is going to be great.

'I Want to Live,' by director Robert Wise is a film noir classic and one the first films to explore the morality of capital punishment. It is the story of Barbara Graham the first women to be executed in the American state of California.

The score is played by Gerry Mulligan, Art Farmer, Bud Shank, Red Mitchell and Shelly Manne.

"Though jazz had been fused with orchestral scoring in several previous Hollywood films—most notably Alex North's landmark 1951 score for A Streetcar Named Desire, and Elmer Bernstein's The Man With the Golden Arm in 1955—I Want To Live was the first film to be completely scored in an authentic jazz mode. The real life Graham had been a fan of saxophonist Gerry Mulligan, who was at the height of his popularity in the late 1950s. Mulligan and his combo appear in the opening club scene, and perform all the source music in the film." from film reference.com

The film was nominated for six academy award categories but, inexplicably, an award for the soundtrack was not among them.

'I Want to Live,' soundtrack - 1958

Soft Machine 5

I was a teenager when this album caught my attention. A radio show 'Room to Move' used to play avant garde music from around the world on the national radio broadcaster ABC. I can't remeber if I heard this in that show, or a little later. In any case the recording brings memories of my youth, where music provided an escape from the drab suburbia that I found myself in. These cosmic sounds promised an elsewhere that I could not imagine or desire but one that held me fascinated by its every note and nuance.

Soft Machine 5 - 1972

The Kransky Sisters - Psychokiller

Went to see the Kransky Sisters on Saturday night. Hilarious, they do wonderfully funny renditions of 'Born to be Wild,' 'Psychokiller,' 'Beat It,' 'Thriller,' 'Sexual Healing,' 'Highway to Hell,' et al. Their droll humour and parody of small town communities is spot on. Best musical comedy I have seen in a long time, right up there with Victor Borge.  

Youtube video below of the sisters doing Talking heads hit, 'Psychokiller,' on Australian television.

Underbelly - soundtrack to the TV series.

Having grown up in Melbourne and lived in the inner suburbs for many years, I followed this TV series with some enthusiasm. Not up to the standard set by The Sopranos, but nevertheless worth watching, particularly if the locations and stories are all familiar to you. The show follows about 8 years of gangland warfare in Melbourne during which there were a large number of murders, mostly of rival gang members. Some of the characters in the show have now cashed in on their celebrity status, while others are more deservedly behind bars.

The soundrack is a mixed bag. Nick Caves version of 'The Carnival is Over' is a highlight. The Panics, 'Don't Fight It' is pretty good too. Burkhard Dallwitz writing for the show -  'The Underbelly Suite' and 'Its a Jungle Out There' are appropriately dark and foreboding. If you liked the show you will probably get something out the 18 tracks selected for the OST release.

Underbelly OST

Carpet Python

This snake has taken up residence in my shed. It hangs around the rafters about a metre from my head when I'm working. I don't mind it living in my shed, I just wish it would ring a bell or something when it decides to move. Catching sight of a 3 metre python approaching when I look around isn't good for my heart. 

Sean O'Boyle - Concerto for Didgeridoo & River Symphony

I bought this from the remainder bin at JB hifi for a dollar. Couldn't go wrong really. The Concerto for Didgeridoo is worthwhile and reminded me very much of Peter Gabriel's score for 'Long Way Home.'   The music is worth listening to for the didgeridoo, an instrument that does not get a lot of airplay outside of Aus rock.

The second piece 'River symphony' features the Queensland Orchestra, the South Brisbane Federal Brass Band, the Willoughby Symphony Choir along with sopranos Anna Fraser and Jane Sheldon. Over the top? Well yes, the piece manages to be pompous, overblown and trite. I've added below the review from 'all music' which is also pretty scathing. 

"Didgeridoo virtuoso William Barton has played a leading role in bringing his instrument into the arena of Western concert music, and major Australian composers like Peter Sculthorpe and Ross Edwards have written for it. His touring schedule sounds like that of a major international soloist, with appearances with the London Philharmonic and at the Venice Biennale and the Aldeburgh Festival. Composer Sean O'Boyle shares credit with writing his Concerto for Didgeridoo with Barton, who supplied much of the basic musical material for it. The concerto is a pleasant piece, and while it's not strong on substance, it does provide Barton with a terrific opportunity to show off his formidable talent. O'Boyle wrote his Riversymphony for Brisbane's Riverfestival, so it's essentially civic music. In his program notes, the composer writes that the music is intended to symbolize all the rivers of the world, and for such an ambitious effort he enlists a symphony orchestra, brass band, symphonic choir, and two soprano soloists. The result is embarrassingly trite. For the most part, it sounds like mediocre (or bad) movie music, and when the wordless chorus enters, the effect is reminiscent of a kitschy Disney score from the 1940s or 1950s. The composer leads the Queensland Symphony in spirited readings of both pieces." review by Stephen Eddins.

Sean O'Boyle - 2007.

Sugden a21a - review

I have had the pleasure of listening to this wonderful British amplifier and thought I would share my impressions.

Out of the box you can see that this is a fine piece of manufacturing. The solid aluminium faceplate, horizontal cast iron (?) fins, weight and feel of the controls are all about taste, refinement and craftsmanship. There are no tone controls, no headphone output, no balance control, in fact nothing more than a choice of input and a volume control. Every penny has been spent on producing amplification and nothing else. For a modernist like me that has a kind of nobility to it that I like. There is a remote control for volume which also operates a CD player, it surprised me to find that it operated my Arcam CD73.

It is true what everyone says about Class A amplification, it is different. For a small integrated amplifier rated at 23 watts per channel it is powerful, I have speakers rated at 90dB, I rarely turn the dial past 11 o'clock. At that level the music is very clear and very loud. The amp does run hot, I guess that during the summer it will become too hot to touch after an hour our two of listening. During winter it is a welcome addition to the heating. Some forums discussing class A amps have questioned whether the amp should be left on or off when not in use. The warm up time for the amp is ten minutes, when not in use it should be turned off.

The sound it produces is very very clear, especially in the upper registers and mid range. It sounds bright, brushes on cymbals sound very much like brushes on cymbals, vocals are clear and natural. Bass is very present but I find it a bit slow, I guess this is my only criticism. I think that with an appropriate power amplifier and biamped speakers this problem would be overcome.

I have read a little about recommended speakers to suit this amplifier and I guess the last word goes to the people from Sugden who use top of the range Proac and B & W to demonstrate with. Some people reported good results with Spendor 6's.

I have attached the manual below.

Sugden do not spend much on manuals or slick publications. I see their previous model of the A21a scored 4.86 out of 5 over 33 reviews on audioreview so I guess slick manuals don't affect ears much.

Sugden a21a series 2 instruction manual.

Added 27 August. My impressions have changed a little with more listening. Clarity and transparency are the amps biggest attributes. The bass, which I worried about, has come to sound more natural, in fact a bowed double bass sounds absolutely gorgeous. I think this partly due to becoming accustomed to it, and also to do with the amp, cd player, speakers and cables becoming accustomed to each other, I think its called 'burning in.'

Other equipment,  CD player Arcam CD73t, speakers Tannoy DC2, Kimber biwire speaker cables and QED1 interconnect. 

Amália Rodgrigues - Cansaço. 4'27"
Art Tatum - Begin the Beguine. 3'00"

Nick Bartsch - Modul 41_17. 14'51"
Linton Kwesi Johnson - Loraine. 4'09"

Charlie Haden - Travels. 6'44"
Andy Bey - It Ain't Necessarily So. 7'00"