December 2001

Moments in the Realm of Music

jimmy

December 28, 2001

The (International) Noise Conspiracy: They do quite a bit of subversive revolting with their new CD A New Morning, Changing Weather. Not only do they include a manifesto and lyrics, but they also include a reading list that expands the topics of each song. And their music is good!

Bjork: With that dress people are still talking about, she set about with her new album Vespertine. The definite highlight for me is “Pagan Poetry”. I still need to get my hands on that video that people are talking about so much.

Radiohead: As much as they are tiring me, I still find them fascinating as all hell. Yeah Amnesiac can be construed as Kid A Part II, but who gives a shit? Their music makes me smile. I don’t know if that’s too morbid.

X: God bless Rhino Records! They just reissued their Elektra albums and they are great!!!!!! This gets my vote for reissue of the year.

Boxed Sets: I just see more and more of them. The difference is now, I’m actually buying them. The Joy Division set heartandsoul is full of hard-to-find BBC recordings.

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jimmy

December 26, 2001

Here are some albums that I thought were really good this year (in no particular order).

Bjork — Vespertine
Depeche Mode — Exciter
Radiohead — Amnesiac
Fugazi — The Argument
Rufus Wainwright — Poses
Blonde Redhead — Melodie Citronique
Milemarker — Anaesthetic
Jon Wahl and the Amadans — Sour Suite
The Screws — Shake the Monkey
Joy Division — heartandsoul
Ex-Girls — On To the Mono Kero
The (International) Noise Conspiracy — A New Morning
ohGr — Welt
Unwound — Leaves Turn inside You

I think that’s it. I might have forgotten some. Oh well.

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jimmy

December 4, 2001

Regrettably, there is nothing to look forward to in our culture of hyperconsumption. As the marketing and advertising agencies grab hold on what is the consumer’s primal desire to show off to society, they have created this culture of “more is better”. Consumers are falling for this ploy buying more products that are mostly identical. As the bottom lines of companies grow and grow, the creativity of the consumer diminishes. We are being herded into the field of conformity as each year passes.

The dreary landscape of our consumer culture has led to increasing political apathy. Consumers are becoming more aware (whether consciously or not) that corporations control government. After Reagan’s years of greed, our political landscape has evolved more into a meritocracy (or perhaps an oligarchy). The poor masses don’t control the policies that affect them. Rather, the rich and the privileged get to make these decisions. As each year turns bleaker for the impoverished, voter participation decreases among them (see statistics comparing voter turnout for the richest 1% compared to the poorest 20%).

Something that might be in a zine I’m starting to do. I’m unsure as to the title of it, but I’m starting to do something with my presently useless mind.