Bumped into this video, and couldn't resist posting it. Not for the faint-hearted, nor for those who have only a passing knowledge of Jefferson Airplane. If you're looking another "Somebody To Love", you'll be tripping over a whole lot less salubrious music - but if you love guitar and can listen to jammy grunge (and can excuse a little psychedelia), stick around. A wonderfully ensemble piece, with great work by original guitarist Jorma Kaukonen.
Jefferson Airplane, live in 1970: Ballad of You and Me and Pooneil
Showing posts with label guitar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label guitar. Show all posts
Monday, November 14, 2011
Friday, February 13, 2009
My Morning Jacket and the different sound sydrome
I located another track by My Morning Jacket amongst my CDs.
They were the band that rapidly won me over as support for Neil Young in Sydney recently. Wonderful singing and wonderful guitar work - and I'm saying this as one who could easily be jaded by a lifetime of guitar music.
The two tracks are both from the 2005 album Z; Anytime, and Gideon, the latter of which was played at the gig. But the recorded music gives scant clues to the live feel of the music: uplifting and transfixing. Something that can't easily be squeezed out of a CD.
Honestly, a live band presents an altogether different music experience to a recording. Sometimes both work; sometimes only one does. Take Solomon Burke. His concert was a wonderful communal experience of secular gospel; neither the early or recent music of his that I've heard gives a clue to this. Sonic Youth's recordings give some indication of their live sound, but not the holistic experience. The Church have different virtues live and recorded, some of which certainly overlap; but the best of each are rather different experiences from each other.
There's a song by Shayne Carter (from Straightjacket Fits) and Peter Jeffries called Randolph's going home. In some ways it sounds so rough that you wonder how it could have taken drummer Jeffries ten hours to perfect his work. But in other ways it is a sublime work, a yearning, soaring paean to a dead friend of Carter's. It may have been wonderful live - if it had ever been performed - but it could equally have come out somewhat flat. It's so often hard to tell.
Ideally, the purity of good opera is something that can transcend the medium. But rock music is not the same. You have to take it as it comes, and enjoy the transcendent experiences wherever you find them.
They were the band that rapidly won me over as support for Neil Young in Sydney recently. Wonderful singing and wonderful guitar work - and I'm saying this as one who could easily be jaded by a lifetime of guitar music.
The two tracks are both from the 2005 album Z; Anytime, and Gideon, the latter of which was played at the gig. But the recorded music gives scant clues to the live feel of the music: uplifting and transfixing. Something that can't easily be squeezed out of a CD.
Honestly, a live band presents an altogether different music experience to a recording. Sometimes both work; sometimes only one does. Take Solomon Burke. His concert was a wonderful communal experience of secular gospel; neither the early or recent music of his that I've heard gives a clue to this. Sonic Youth's recordings give some indication of their live sound, but not the holistic experience. The Church have different virtues live and recorded, some of which certainly overlap; but the best of each are rather different experiences from each other.
There's a song by Shayne Carter (from Straightjacket Fits) and Peter Jeffries called Randolph's going home. In some ways it sounds so rough that you wonder how it could have taken drummer Jeffries ten hours to perfect his work. But in other ways it is a sublime work, a yearning, soaring paean to a dead friend of Carter's. It may have been wonderful live - if it had ever been performed - but it could equally have come out somewhat flat. It's so often hard to tell.
Ideally, the purity of good opera is something that can transcend the medium. But rock music is not the same. You have to take it as it comes, and enjoy the transcendent experiences wherever you find them.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Neil Young and My Morning Jacket
Seldom can I go to a concert and look forward to anything the band plays. Usually I have a level of anticipation for certain high spots; usually the band has some rather average moments.
Neil Young has behind him 40-odd years of experience in his craft, and just as much material to draw upon. Appreciating his guitar style alone is enough to appreciate the whole of his concert. He can improvise with consummate ease; and he clearly loves what he does.
I don't remember too much of the song list: much of it wasn't immediately familiar to me. He played Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere; one of the more trivial songs from the eponymous album, but possibly something that he simply enjoyed playing. He played a rousing Cinnamon Girl too, and The Needle And The Damage Done, but to my memory nothing more from his first seven albums. The centrepiece was an extended take on Cortez The Killer, which was truly mesmeric. Four Strong Winds was also included but again, as an acoustic song it seemed to be no match for those where he was electric. It's also worth mentioning an instrumental piece he played solo, on a miniature pipe organ and harmonica. Haunting; very well done.
There are few concerts to match such an experience that was captivating from beginning to end. Most of those for me have been guitar bands (The Clean, The Verlaines, Sonic Youth and The Church), but to that list I would add Solomon Burke, whose secular gospel style was truly spiritual.
My Morning Jacket was quite a surprise. They have (to me) a somewhat shoegazer ethic, but their guitar work is ultimately a mark of respect for Neil Young. Yet the guitarist is also a singer, with a voice that aspires to the heights of Thom Yorke. It is a wonder to see the two talents in one person, but it is unsurprising that he doesn't do both at the same time. Definitely a band to watch out for.
Neil Young has behind him 40-odd years of experience in his craft, and just as much material to draw upon. Appreciating his guitar style alone is enough to appreciate the whole of his concert. He can improvise with consummate ease; and he clearly loves what he does.
I don't remember too much of the song list: much of it wasn't immediately familiar to me. He played Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere; one of the more trivial songs from the eponymous album, but possibly something that he simply enjoyed playing. He played a rousing Cinnamon Girl too, and The Needle And The Damage Done, but to my memory nothing more from his first seven albums. The centrepiece was an extended take on Cortez The Killer, which was truly mesmeric. Four Strong Winds was also included but again, as an acoustic song it seemed to be no match for those where he was electric. It's also worth mentioning an instrumental piece he played solo, on a miniature pipe organ and harmonica. Haunting; very well done.
There are few concerts to match such an experience that was captivating from beginning to end. Most of those for me have been guitar bands (The Clean, The Verlaines, Sonic Youth and The Church), but to that list I would add Solomon Burke, whose secular gospel style was truly spiritual.
My Morning Jacket was quite a surprise. They have (to me) a somewhat shoegazer ethic, but their guitar work is ultimately a mark of respect for Neil Young. Yet the guitarist is also a singer, with a voice that aspires to the heights of Thom Yorke. It is a wonder to see the two talents in one person, but it is unsurprising that he doesn't do both at the same time. Definitely a band to watch out for.
Monday, June 09, 2008
Music: Maladies
Sunday 8th June at the Annandale Hotel, headliners were Front End Loader and Spurs For Jesus, two longtime Sydney bands. But the band that really impressed was The Maladies.
They're a relatively young band. Daniele, the singer/guitarist, told me they'd been in existence for two years, although he'd been playing for five. They have not yet released a CD, although they are recording at the moment.
The music? Very lively, passionate, very rock. Reminds me somewhat of Nick Cave, although there's no way Cave and co would be this energetic. All the musicians were very accomplished. The drummer, who sometimes beat drums with rather unusual sticks, including a maraca at one stage; the singer's delivery was riveting, his voice fluid, and his talent on acoustic guitar good enough to stand out on its own; guitarist and bassist both noticeably skilled, as well as having the musical ideas to make it all interesting and exciting.
They have a MySpace page here. The guitarist, also a Daniel, apparently teaches guitar in Sydney - here. But ignore a website called themaladies.com - that's some US band unfortunately sharing the name.
An exciting and thoroughly impressive band. I'm eagerly awaiting a CD.
They're a relatively young band. Daniele, the singer/guitarist, told me they'd been in existence for two years, although he'd been playing for five. They have not yet released a CD, although they are recording at the moment.
The music? Very lively, passionate, very rock. Reminds me somewhat of Nick Cave, although there's no way Cave and co would be this energetic. All the musicians were very accomplished. The drummer, who sometimes beat drums with rather unusual sticks, including a maraca at one stage; the singer's delivery was riveting, his voice fluid, and his talent on acoustic guitar good enough to stand out on its own; guitarist and bassist both noticeably skilled, as well as having the musical ideas to make it all interesting and exciting.
They have a MySpace page here. The guitarist, also a Daniel, apparently teaches guitar in Sydney - here. But ignore a website called themaladies.com - that's some US band unfortunately sharing the name.
An exciting and thoroughly impressive band. I'm eagerly awaiting a CD.
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