FOG #4: Lio - Amoureux Solitaires

In 1980, Wanda de Vasconcelos is 18, a Portuguese exiled in Belgium and already better known as Lio, thanks to the immense success of her very first single, "Banana split". She asks Jacno and Elli Medeiros, who have recently disbanded their punk combo the Stinky Toys but still perform as a duo, to adapt in French their song "Lonely Lovers". They agree, Elli taking care of the lyrics, Jacno of the music (as composer, producer and arranger), and here we go: "Amoureux solitaire" will become a hit.
Despite some up and downs in her career, Lio still performs nowadays.

There are several reasons for choosing that particular song as our fourth installment of "Frenchies Oldies but Goodies".

• You know very well that I can't resist lovely young brunettes, of course.
  
• Lio's first hit seemed too obvious a choice: after all, there is a trope in pop music where ingenues sing lyrics full of double-entendre (think Gall and Gainsbourg "Les Sucettes a l'Anis"), and "Banana split", like "Les Sucettes...", is an ode to fellatio. I'm still surprised that Cars Can Be Blue haven't covered it yet.
  
• The production is quite characteristic of Jacno's at that period. He just had a huge hit with the instrumental "Rectangle", inspired by his meeting with Kraftwerk in a train. And in a way, Jacno is the naughty godfather of contemporary french electronica...
  
• The lyrics of "Amoureux Solitaires" have a melancholy and an accepted self-delusion that appeal to my twoth side.

Hey you, tell me you love me
Even if it's a lie and we don't stand a chance
Life's so sad, tell me you love me
Every day's the same, I need some romance
A bit of plastic beauty to erase the shadows under our eyes
Some chemical pleasure for our brains too dull
Let our lives look like a perfect movie
Let's forget everything, ourselves included, what we really are
Lonely lovers in a dead city
Imaginary lovers, after all who cares
Let our lives look like a perfect movie






MP3s
Lio: Amoureux Solitaires
Elli Medeiros: Lonely lovers . 2007 cover of the Stinky Toys' original. Kinda stinks.
Jacno:Rectangle. 2002 reprise of the 1980 classic.

Last week in show

Wow I'm later than a white rabbit, so let's not wait and start our "Last week in show"...


Mon. 02/18

Killick & Tatsuya Nakatani - Flicker

Technically, I didn't attend that show, I was outside, sipping a PBR after having bought some cigs, and waiting for Caledonia to open their doors. Anyway, I'm utterly impervious to this kind of improv' on percussions (Nakatani) and cello (Killick), even if I recognize the talent and the technique, so no comment.


Wedge & Evangelicals & Headlights - Caledonia

Tommy Wedge, a native of Indiana, relocated to Athens in 1999. Last year, he released his solo album, "Heavensville", publicized as "a lush, ambient foray into territory first charted by bands such as Cocteau Twins and Xymox". Be warned however that Wedge doesn't sound anything like the Twins or Xymox at all, but more like Slowdive, Sigur Rós or even Radiohead. That brand of generic dream-pop makes me want to crawl up in a hole and die. At least, stay outside the venue till the end of the show, even if it was in the low 30es and I wasn't properly layered up. Quite a feat indeed.

The Evangelicals are a quartet - Josh Jones (vocals/guitar), Kyle Davis (bass/keyboards), Austin Stephens (drums), Todd Jackson (guitar) - from Norman, OK, who took way too long to set-up (but I was cold and therefore impatient). However, that was definitely worth the wait. I had purposely avoided reading or listening to anything about them as to not impair a first experience, and it was a good move. They completely blew me away with their sound, as if Flaming Lips were collaborating with Animal Collective on some Queen covers (cliché, I know, but to the point). They made a fairly extensive use of lights and fog machine, to the extent that at one point, you couldn't see the stage if you were more than a dozen feet away. The Evangelicals just released their second album, "The Evening Descends", a more complex follow-up to their 2006' "So Gone". Both are heartily recommended.

In comparison, the Headlights, a combo from Champaign, IL, paled a bit. Oh, not that this wasn't a good show, quite the contrary. Tristan Wraight, Erin Fein, Brett Sanderson, Nick Sanborn and John Owen were promoting "Some Racing, Some Stopping", the praiseworthy successor of "Kill Them With Kindness". It's a great album, but I had seen the Headlights earlier, so there was no surprise factor. Besides, I couldn't help remembering Tilly and the Wall, go figure...

Photos of the Monday shows are available at www.deadlydesign.com. Thanks Mike.

_____

Tue. 02/19

"Persepolis", the animation feature based on Satrapi's series of autobiographical comics, was done by 11PM. I underestimated the time I needed to catch Edgie Sedgwick at the Caledonia (I've been told it was really great dance-pop), but I had enough time for

Joe Lally - Caledonia

Former Fugazi bassist Joe Lally was performing in front of a sparse but extremely respectful crowd. Not a word could be heard from the audience during or even between tracks. Not a lot of cheering either, it felt like attending a concert of classical music in a church. Maybe it was, I've never been a fan of Fugazi, so Lally's presence wasn't some kind a religious experience for me. Interesting show, that taught me a new taunt seemingly popular among third graders: "You got cheese in your plate".
To summarize, it was very quiet, very grown-up, very cozy. But I'm still not ready for that yet.

_____

Thu. 02/21

Leaving ATH for ATL for once...

Spring Tigers - Smith Old Bar

It was only the third show of Spring Tigers (after a first one opening for the Lodger at Flicker last November, and a second one a few weeks later at Caledonia), but the first with the new configuration (Kriss on lead vocals and guitar, Brian on keyboards, Shane on second guitar, Eli on bass and Chase on drums). Eli and Chase are an ideal addition, they were really tight. All of them were tight. All in all, it was really great performance for the best brit-pop band this side of the pond. My only regret is that there were not enough backing vocals, but no doubt that'll change as the rest of the band gains more confidence: after all, it was only the second first show. The new mini-LP is just about to be ready, more news very very soon.


Silver Seas - Smith Old Bar

The next band of that evening was the Silver Seas, a quarter from Nashville, TN, who play some kind of neo-yacht rock formatted to please the whole family. Ideal for weddings, bar-mitzvahs or retirement parties. I couldn't tell if one of the songs they played was an original or a cover of Van Morrison, but it sure did sound a lot like "Jackie Wilson Said". And thankfully, we had to leave to go back to ATH.

_____

Fri. 02/22

Black Skies & Subrig Destroyer - Caledonia

What do you want ? Sometimes, the Caledonia Lounge is more of a social club than an actual venue. At least, it's how I take it. So, no comment either on Black Skies, a heavy metal trio (Kevin Clark on guitar/vocals, Michelle Temple on bass and Cameron Weeks on drums) from Chapel Hill, NC, nor on Subrig Destroyer, a heavy metal duo (Chris Holcombe on drums and Joel Martin on bass) from Athens, GA. Not that they were bad or anything, it's really not my cup of tea, so I cannot comment due to a lack of references.
However, nice creative chats with some friends.

_____

Sat. 02/23

A busy day, with an afternoon of beers and rugby (France-England in the Six Nations Tournament, we lost), that finished with

AUX2 - Flicker & Little Kings & Ciné

That was the second edition of a local art festival focused on electronic and experimental music. Going into the details of it would take far too much time, as the event was spread on three venues and mixed music, video, dance, art installation, and the best honey-pecan vegan cookies I ever tasted. Anyway, I only caught a bit of Black Swan Network (mostly OTC members), Pterodactyl Wingspan (mostly Dark Meat members), Maps and Transit that I really liked, and, er, that's about it. Eric Harris (of OTC fame) was also presenting the prototype of the Magic Tape Cube, a clever device that automatically composes your very own "pop"-song depending on some settings you select by turning some knobs. It works !
Overall, the whole event was kinda like a big family reunion, everybody who has ever been in any band in Athens was there, it was really heartwarming. Which was needed because of the sudden drop in temperature we experienced at sunset.


The Buddy System - Caledonia

Fifth show of TBS, and last one in town before a few weeks. No new animation this time, but a very smart trick. Ryan Lewis (guitar) had some last minute commitment that prevented him to play. Instead of canceling the show, he recorded himself on video with the help of his brother Mat, and the footage was shown on four displays stacked one on top of the other on stage.
The result was of course a virtual Ryan, scratching his beard between songs, and shredding during songs (with and without a bear mask). Quite original, very well done (even if a minor, temporary screw-up made our Ryan lose his head for the mac equivalent of a BSOD), and actually a really cool idea that deserves to be used again...
Pictures available at www.deadlydesigns.com, thanks Mike again...



OK, that's it. No MP3s this time, I'm way too late for that. Blame deadlines and cracks in the spatiotemporal continuum.

Message personnel

In 1973, Françoise Hardy was in studio with Michel Berger, recording "Message Personnel" and the eponymous single which immediately became a hit (and now the third installment of our FOG series).

I was only a toddler but this song was so popular that you just couldn't avoid it growing up. It is still played nowadays and can be considered as part of the French psyche: take "8 women" as an example. Anyway, the piece speaks for itself. The change in lexical register in the original French lyrics in particular always makes me melt.

I grew fond of that song, and it always pops back in mind at various intervals, depending obviously on the circumstances. After all, it is well known that standard side-effects of the condition of a pop lover are a taste for sugar, an addiction to predicaments and a tendency to drama-queenhood...

An english translation of the lyrics is available here.

Dolcezza, in bocca al lupo !
Rimaniamo in contatto, chiamami, mi manchi già
Mille baci...

I love me recordshop

Even today, in this age of internet and file sharing, my favorite way to discover new music is to frequent local record stores, the mom and pop kind of operations where you can bring your coffee and chat with the staff for hours at time. Here in Athens, we're blessed with Wuxtry, a true institution since 1976.

I stopped there a few days ago as Mike was working, to show off my shiny new hot pink cellphone and its Wired up ringtone (how tacky is that ?). Mike greeted me with a smile and a "you gonna love that" light in the eyes. And he was right.

Bubblegum Lemonade
According to his official website, Bubblegum Lemonade is the solo project of a Scot from Glasgow, Laz, and his 12-string Brickenbacker. After a first tune released last October on Matinée Hit Parade sampler, Laz gives us his new EP, "Ten Years Younger". That's an understatement: the first 10 seconds drove me instantly back 15 to 20 years ago, at the height of jangly pop, a time where as a teen I was discovering Jesus & Mary Chain, Lush, My Bloody Valentine, Stone Roses, the Velvet Underground and so many many more. You, in your mid-thirties, do you remember those afternoons of ecstasy and wine spent with friends listening to what would become the soundtrack of your lives ? Buy the EP now and get 12 minutes of youth back. And here's a piece of advice for you, the younger ones: get with your significant other(s), put "Ten Years Younger" and make yourselves some memories. This EP is a pure gem, layered vocals, catchy harmonies, subtle feedback, everything's there. I wouldn't be surprised if Laz and I grew up more or less at the same time and with more or less the same record collection...

And if 12 minutes are not enough, do not worry, rejoice ! Laz has a second project:

Strawberry Whiplash is Laz on instruments and Sandra on vocals. Our duo just released their first EP, "Who's in your dreams", once again on Matinée, and once again four little jewels that'll stuck with you all this summer. I know it's only February, but their "feeback wall of sunshine sound" and a song like "It rains on other planets" will disperse winter clouds and make flowers grow around your steps. Like for Bubblegum Lemonade, 10 seconds were enough for me to fall head over heels.

So yes, I'm a sucker for twee and jangle, but I do love heavier stuffs as well, which brings us to

A Place To Bury Strangers, publicized as "the loudest band in NYC". A trio from Brooklyn fronted by the ex-Skywave Oliver Ackermann, APTBS does indeed play some loud, pedal-intensive noisy-pop/shoegaze with some surf music overtones. You'll recognize some influences of Jesus & Mary Chain's "Psychocandy", MBV's "Feed Me With Your Kiss"/"You Made Me Realize", Boo Radleys' "Kaleidoscope", The Cure's "Pornography", I gonna stop there, you should have an idea by now. Not original by any means, but formidably efficient.

Mike also tried to push the reissue of Adorable, but nah. I thought they sucked back in the days (1992, 2 to 5 years too late, mates), I had forgotten about them, and no regret whatsoever. I'll stick to our Glasgow friends for the time being.

MP3s
Bubblegum Lemonade: Ten Years Younger
Strawberry Whiplash: It Rains On Other Planets
A Place To Bury Strangers: She Dies

The "we never made it" week in shows.

Tue. 02/12

A: - Hey, what are you up to tonight ?
B: - Dunno, maybe gonna try to catch a show...
A: - Who's playing ?
B: - Dunno
A: - OK, gimme a call when you're downtown and let's meet.
B: - We have a plan.

Fact Not Fiction - Caledonia
Fact Not Fiction is a 4-dude, generic indie-rock band from Northeastern Georgia, with already two albums behind them. They are tight, they definitely know how to play, but the tunes are plain and insipid. I foresee success, in the tracks of Modern Skirts. Count me out.
MP3: Fact Not Fiction - Stars and UFO

B: - So, where are you ?
A: - Oh, I'm just calling it a night, actually. Stick around Flicker, Bell Hollow are playing, they're supposed to be good.
B: - OK, catch you later.

Bell Hollow - Flicker
Bell Hollow is an all-black clad quartet from NYC, currently touring with their sound engineer. As their outfits hint, they play some guitar-based cold-wave inspired dark music. I wasn't especially impressed by their performance: weak vocals (but we were warned not to pay too much attention to it), music too much in the lines of your generic mid/late-80es band, not enough punk-rock in the goth. They were headlining for Misfortune 500, which should give you an indication. Anyway, touring bands always need gas money, so I purchased their latest EP ("Sons of the Burgess Shale") and album ("Foxgloves"). Still mediocre on CD, eh, but it gives the urge to relisten to Vancouver's now defunct The Organ which is (was) far far superior in the same genre. Bah.
MP3: Bell Hollow : The Bottle tree

__________

Thu. 02/14

B: - Let's go see Blade Runner, there's the final cut at Cine.
A: - Can't do it. Let's meet at Go round 23:00 instead.

I found myself attending the 7PM showing (that was good...), which left me enough time to catch

Sex Robots - Caledonia
Sex Robots are an excellent punk trio from Saint Louis, MO. You may recognize Mario from the famous combo Bunnygrunt. Ah, there's something with the immediacy of pop-punk, the energy, that often leaves me with a smile on my face. And that was the case that night.
MP3: Sex Robots - Take Me Out Dancin'

So it was on springs that I went to Go. Unfortunately, I showed up at 23:15, too late for the electropop-duo of La Chansons, from ATL. Sad, because I'd been told that they were purely adorable (coming from Dan Geller, famous half of Ruby Isle and I'm the World Trade Center, that's a compliment to be trusted), and because I'll never have the answer to the question of whether they don't know enough French grammar or whether their name is a subversive statement. I stuck around for a little while, listening to the tunes of Twin Powers, before leaving for another dance-party at Little Kings where DJ Mahogany was spinning. So many parties, so little time, but always a good one when Mark is behind the tables. And he played some mean Jackson 5...

__________

Sat. 02/16

B: - Hey, there's a show in this new studio, round 21:00. Fancy coming ?
A: - Er, we'll see.
B: - OK, I'll call you.

The Glow studio was founded in January 2007 by Jesse Mangum and Chase Prince in Jacksonville, FL, and is best known for being where the Black Kids recorded their "Wizard of Ahhhs" EP. Jesse and Chase just relocated to Athens a few weeks ago, and were having their grand opening Saturday. Incidentally, Chase also recently joined Spring Tigers on drums, along with Eli (The Goons) on bass. To celebrate their new venue, Jesse and Chase set up a 4-band show:

Zeeg had already played when I showed up, so can't tell.

Manatella (Alissa, Lauren, Nate and Chris) hail from Jacksonville, FL. Chris recently moved to Jax from Gainesville, FL, home of our friends Oh Sanders for whom he still drums. Manatella just released their latest CD, "Fashionable Neighborhood", filled with jangly guitars. The balance that night was rather sub-par, and one of the guitar amps got possessed by the evil ghost of Eric Clapton and had to be bypassed, but being introduced to their music was still a good surprise.
MP3: Manatella - Eye Spy

The Shylights, from Atlanta, GA is the solo project of Josh Blanton. The night was warm on the deck, the beer was cold, I was with some friends that I don't have the luck to meet as often as I wish, so I missed it.

Lazerstar is Chase Capo, from Jax also, and also a solo project with a laptop, keyboards and guitar (occasionally). Imagine that a universe where Kevin Barnes came from Northern Florida and never met Bryan, Derek, Andy, Dottie or Jamie and you'll get a somehow good idea of what it's like: pop-fresh, electro-camp, irresistible. Highly recommended if you're into neon blue spandex bike shorts (or not).
MP3: Lazerstar - My myopic vision (last drop mix)

[Edit 02/18: moved files to fileden]

Just because ...

...it's today, it's one of my favorite movies, and you know, whatever.
Baci a tutte.

FOG#2: les Calamités

FOG#2 : Les Calamités

New Frenchies Oldies but Goodies installment, spurred by a recent post on Skatterbrain...

Early 80es, three chicks from Beaune (a small town in Burgundy), Caroline Augier, Isabelle Petit and Odile Repolt decide to keep boredom at bay and to form a rock band. Les Calamités (the Calamities) are born. After placing a song on a compilation, the girls release a first 9-tracks album in 1984, "A bride abattue", which could be translated as either "Riding like the wind" or "All straps down". Distributed on New Rose in France, the album was released in the US on Posh Boy. About half the songs are covers (The Who, The Troggs, The Dovells, The Isley Brothers), but the original songs in French are cute and refreshing, which prompted many TV shows to invite them. A single was excerpted from the album, "Toutes les Nuits" ("Every Night"), about the predicament of having a sleepwalker for boyfriend. A second 4-track will be released in the same year.

College brought their career to an halt, with Caroline relocating to London (UK), until Isabelle and Odile reformed in 1987 for a last 45, "Les Vélomoteurs" (the Mopeds). More produced than their earlier songs, with a sleeve photographed by the at that time omnipresent Pierre et Gilles, the single will be a huge hit, topping in 13th place. The last one: cooled off by six months of relentless promotion, Odile and Isabelle throw the towel early 1988. A compilation, "C'est complet" will eventually be released in 1997. Rideau.

More info about the Calamités here.

An extract of the clip for "Les Vélomoteurs":


The clip of "Toutes les Nuits":


MP3:
Toutes les Nuits (my boyfriend is a sleepwalker)
Vélomoteurs (screw your car, I prefer mopeds that go papapapa)
Le Supermarché (no malls in France, so kids hang around supermarkets...)

[Edit 02/18: moved files to fileden]

A guilty pleasure

The nice side effect of living under a rock is that you tend to get good surprises when you leave your little shelter.

Let's take the example of Calvin Harris. This young (he turned 24 a few weeks ago) Scot from Dumfries released his first album, the very modestly titled "I Created Disco", in June 2007 in the UK and in September 2007 in the US, and I just heard about it this very morning.

So you know the story, EMI discovered his myspace page in 2006, signed him and sent him in studio with his old Amiga to produce not only his album but also singles for Róisìn Murphy, Kylie Minogue and Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Two EPs and an album in the UK Top 10, a tour of UK and Australia fronting a full live band later, Harris will eventually cross the pond to attend the Winter Music Conference in Miami, FL at the end of next March, and Coachella next April.

OK, the album is not original, it really drags at times, it's a tad childish (yay! drugs! girls! drugs and girls!) and lacks the depth of, say, a LCD Sound System whose influence can be felt throughout the disc (the opening of "Merrymaking..." sounds an awful lot like "Daft Punk is playing..."), but it's a first album by an early twentysomething and it's tongue-in-cheek enough, so we can be forgiving.

In any case, a song like "Acceptable in the 80s" is quite infectious. "I got hugs for you/if you were born in the 80es", that's so totally like my love life. (OK, let's forget about the second half of the 80es, it's enough of a mess as it is that I don't want any legal complications on top of that).

MP3: Acceptable in the 80s (GTI)

This week-end in shows

Fri. 02/08

The Buddy System [40W]
Fifth show of our friends from the Buddy System, and a new animation ! TBS keep their CMYK trademark, but exit the cats, the cute monsters and evil horses. This time, Mat and Lauren's actual profiles appear face-to-face in their respective color, each pronouncing part of the lyrics. Musical departure as well from TBS' usual pop, as the song ends in a tribute to 2-tone (well, with some variations that you can guess). Excellent tune, quite original, one of their best so far. Moremoremore !


Dancer vs. Politician [Flicker]
Sanni Baumgärtner's Dancer vs Politician used to have two incarnations: one in Berlin (EU), and one in Athens, GA. Now that Sanni moved back to Athens for good, she recomposed the band's line up. The emotion is still intact, don't worry, you'll recognize the quiet and soothing ballads of "A City Half-Lost", a highly recommended album that has a very special place in my heart.
MP3: Mach Dich Los
MP3: Justin Fairborn


Sweet teeth [40W]
Sweet Teeth is a super band composed of members of Dark Meat, Long Legged Woman, among others. If you have never seen Sweet Teeth, picture some drony, hypnotic, improv' jam, with a million people on stage. It's actually better than you may fear.
MP3: Improvisation.


Mouser [40W]
I only caught a bit of Mouser, which is OK, as a little goes a long way. There are nights where the chaotic horn section really support the band, other nights where they don't. I can't tell which one was which, I wasn't very attentive.


Knyfe Hyts [40W]
More psychedelic heavy droning with Knyfe Hyts, a trio from Brooklyn, NY, who made me believe I was in the middle of some sun dance.

And then, I had to leave to attend some friends' dance party. And yes, I ruled the floor, thanks to the loveliest help possible. "Daft Punk is playing in my house, my house..."
__________

Sat. 02/09

There should be some kind of law or city ordinance for restaurants to have two waiting lists in parallel, one for kids under 24 (unaccompanied, I won't shoot myself in the foot more than necessary) and another for the rest of us normal people (put ironic smileys where suitable). Else, you'll end up waiting far too long before switching to another place, and you'll eventually be late for the first show of the evening:

Andy From Denver [Flicker]
Andy plays a very short set, so it's easy to miss most of it. I caught only three songs, about half the set, and that's a shame. It seems I missed some episode involving the famous Nintendo power-glove I mentioned in a previous post.

Miwa Gemini [Flicker]
Miwa Gemini, with Brian (on xylophone) and Sasha (her porcelain cat) delivered us her gentle, endearing ballads. Her cover of "Que sera sera" got the whole audience singing. Miwa's new album, "This Is How I Found You", will be released on Mar. 18. It definitely has a Southern feel to it, more so than on "Forgetful Ocean": in a way, it reminds me of Julee Cruise. You want it.
MP3: Crazy Over You
MP3: Forever For Never
MP3: Sad about Joe


Ham 1 [Flicker]
Athens' Ham 1 were headlining. Their shows remind me a family reunion where the cousins grab their instruments and start rocking out (supposing that on top of being great people, your cousins are also very talented musicians). Their first self-titled album had one of the best melancholy pop-folk song ever, "The Gift", that fortunately is now played live on a regular basis. The latest album, the excellent "The Captain's Table", was released last September on Orange Twin. Check the video of "Saluki", a track that would have fitted well on the second half of The Pixies' "Bossanova". A new album has already been recorded, and it should be available online some time next month. For now, there are no plan for the release of an actual CD, which definitely cuts costs, time and worries.
MP3: The Gift
MP3: Hare Lipped Bust
MP3: White Rat


Dark Meat / Face Off [40W]
Special evening at the 40W, organized like the day before by Mercer West. Take a member of the ever-expanding Dark Meat band/collective, pair him or her with another musician not from the band (a "civilian"), and give them 10 minutes. You can end up with some surprising moments. The last piece I managed to catch was disappointing, however, with some naive video made of old and new U.S. propaganda pieces overlaid by some droney keyboards and guitar that could have been interesting if the white-mask-wearing duo that was on stage had actually bothered writing a full tune, and not just an intro. Oh well.
__________

As a friend noticed, between Dark Meat and Ham 1, that was a butcher's delight night. That observation initiated another discussion: we already have several super-bands in Athens (Sweet Teeth, Supercluster...), all connected one way or another to Dark Meat. There's the need for a new one, The Vegan Option. Apply within.

[Edit 02/11: some spelling/grammar corrections]
[Edit 02/12: Go check out Mike White's photos of Friday evening !]

Frenchie Oldies #1

Mmh, according to google-analytics, I have a base readership of about 10 people, mostly from Georgia, US. Guys, I know who you are. I know as well you'll be kind enough to let me indulge in some educational nostalgia. So, let's start a new series, "Frenchies Oldies".

1981 was a pivotal year in France. Mitterrand was elected in May, the first socialist president of the Ve Republic. Hopes were high. Would times be a-changing ? What would come next ?

Then, that. Chagrin d'amour, "Chacun fait (c'qui lui plaît)" (which translates as "Everyone does (what they want)").
Written by Philippe Bourgoin and Gérard Presgurvic, performed by Gregory Ken (real name Jean-Pierre Trochu) and Valli Kligerman (a NYC native), remixed by Dominique Blanc-Francard, "Chacun fait" quickly became a hit. Remember that at that time, rap music wasn't popular at all in France, and you would have to wait 1982 and Grandmaster Flash's "The message" for rap to gain some mainstream visibility.

The plot is quite simple : 5:00AM, a lonesome alcoholic suffering from insomnia runs out of booze and cigarettes. He drives through Paris to get a last drink, ends up in a dive bar, where he picks up a hooker. Hotel, he doesn't come, she goes back home.

The story is narrated at the first-person (by the guy on the first three verses, by the girl on the last two, the fifth verse being an almost word-for-word repetition of the first one), with some interruptions by a third party on the mode of interview (or police questioning, as hinted by the video-clip ?) before the chorus, supposed to be playing on the radio. Partly psychological analysis, partly social commentary on a playful yet melancholy tone, "Chacun fait" illustrates a feeling of alienation, foreshadowing the individualism of the 80es. Of course, it's only now that I can understand the content(s) of this song. The lyrics were way over the head of the third grader I was at the time. But I knew some of them by heart, like many of my schoolmates, and they still resonates more than 25 years later...

Unfortunately, Chagrin d'Amour never really made it and remained a one-hit wonder. They released two albums in 1982 and 1984 which never achieved any real commercial success. Gregory Pek was the voice presenting the programs on Canal + in the 90es, a trendie channel at the time, until he passed away in 1996 from a throat cancer. Valli got a solo career in the 80es, before having her own radio show about the music industry. Presgurvic wrote songs for several French artists, composed soundtracks and wrote a musical based on Romeo and Juliet in 2001 (with another based on "Gone with the wind" in preparation) (God help us). Bourgoin also wrote songs for other artists in the 90es. "Chacun fait" remains a classic. It has even been recently covered in Japanese...

The clip (an extract of):

Chagrin D'amour - chacun fait ce qui lui plait - clip video

MP3: Chagrin d'Amour: Chacun fait (c'qui lui plaît).
MP3:Tomuya: Chacun fait (Lost in Paris).

Super Ash Wednesday

No, I didn't vote (I'm not allowed to in the States), no I didnt' get to eat any bugnes, but I let the good times roll by attending a show in the Hidden Hamster, a famous DYI venue a few blocks away from my place.

Christopher's Liver opened the evening. I don't have to introduce them if you leave in Athens. If you don't, Christopher's Liver is a duo of very kind people, Christopher Ingham on guitar, Laura Swindall on drums, who play some very heartfelt folk-pop. It's lo-fi, it's a tad off-kilter at times, but that's just charming. The duo will soon take a break for a few months, as Christopher planned to spend some times in Lyon, FR. The bugnes' season will be over, but that shouldn't matter much, eh ?

Vytear is Jason Begin from Philadephia, PA, playing solo keyboards, samplers and loops for a fairly efficient cocktail of electro/drum and bass/industrial jungle, with the occasional reference to Aphex Twin. That kind of danceable electro is relatively uncommon in our neck of the woods, so that was a pleasant surprise. And Vytear produced the first album of our next band:

Pony Pants, a trio from Philadelphia, two brothers (Steve and Ryan Ellis) on guitars and Emily Kovach on vocals, with a drum machine for the beats. They play some kind of dance-punk with heavy metal riffs. Even if I'm slowly getting used to metal and its derivatives, it stills tend to get on my nerves rather quickly. However, it worked great with them.

Athens' Pegasuses XL closed the evening with their heavy synths and live beats, after a fairly long break (a couple of kids got robbed by gun-point on the other side the venue, which brought us police forces but got us rid of the polo-shirt parasites. Everything's fine, don't worry). The show was chaotic, with shoes and pants flying around, but that was exactly the point: they were full of energy, unashamed and unabashed, they were having lots of fun and it was quite communicative. Mercer West (Mouser, Quiet Hooves and many, many more...) even joined them for an harmonica jam, certainly an highlight of the evening. Remember that their EPs are available for donation download at Quote Unquote Records, and that their next record, "The Antiphon", will very soon be available on EJRC.

A side note as conclusion: DIY venues such as the Furtive Ferret provide a service to the indie community, it's a place where to discover new bands or support the ones you know already. The donations may be on a voluntary basis only, that doesn't mean it's free. It's not a keg party, it's a show. Don't look offended when you're asked for a spare buck, it helps the band to pay for gas. Kids nowadays...

MP3:
Christopher's Liver: Thank you for the nostalgia...
Vytear: Milli Vanilli Midi Moves
Vytear: Keyed
Pony Pants: Slay The Ego
Pony Pants: Haircutz
Pegasuses XL: Run The Gauntlet
Pegasuses XL: Every House Is Not A Homie

[Edit 02/08]: Spelling corrections.

Think about a happy place...

...and it may look like Athens, GA.

I mean, where else can you get a PBR and end up watching "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (the 1935 version) while listening to some indie-pop ?

Where else could you run into friends just past midnight, and find yourself in a restaurant attending a show from New Sound of Numbers ? That was Fri. 02/01 evening. Pretty good show, actually. Randy B. is a perfect addition to the band, bringing a more organic aspect to the music. And they sounded great !

And then, there are the local dens. Sat. 02/02 at Caledonia brought us The Buddy System, The Young Sinclairs and 63 Crayons.
Great show of TBS, as usual. With the upcoming free Jammy Jamm gig at the 40W next Friday (08/02), that'll be their fifth show, the third in barely two weeks. With such a busy schedule, they couldn't give us any new song this time, but they're working on one for Friday, the goal being to have a 20 min set for SXSW. The night's surprise was the introduction of the guitar hero controller to control some of the animations...
The Young Sinclairs, from Roenoke, VA, play some awesome 60es British invasion / psychedelic pop à la Kinks. They have already three albums behind them, none being distributed yet. And yet is the operational word here. The show itself was great, if you forgot some sound problems, the voices being far too in the foreground. And between us, I'm no big fan of the singer's voice. He must have heard this one fairly often, as one of their songs start with the lines "I know you don't like the way I sing my songs / But does it mean we cannot get along ?". Rest assured that we can, mate. Anyway, I can urge you enough to go and check them out. The lead guitar/singer used to drum for the next band:
63 Crayons broke their sampler as they were going on stage, which created yet more confusion soundwise, so much that I left relatively early. I liked what I heard, or could hear should I say. Yep, there are nights like these.

Or afternoons like today that remind you that in Athens, GA, springtime can be right around the corner. And before leaving, have a look on Saturday's pictures on Mike W.'s site. You'll get an idea of what you missed.

Another Z movie...

Blood of the Beast, by Georg Koszulinski (2003).

2012 marks the end of the Third World War. One third of the total population of the globe died from the chemical warfare, 98% of the surviving male population is sterile, and cloning becomes the principal mode of reproduction. "All is for the best in the best of all possible worlds" until 2031, where problems arise. Clones of the first strand start exhibiting strange behavior: nose bleed, epileptic convulsions, necrosis of the front lobe, hyper-aggressivity, and a certain taste for human flesh: in short, they become zombies.
Three groups of characters are followed in parallel: three hikers in their early twenties, one of them has been bitten to the arm by a zombie; three youngsters fleeing town and trying to catch up with the hikers; a father and his teenage daughter, who found refuge with a Southern Baptist preacher in the countryside. Meanwhile, chaos reigns in town, and some First Strand inmates escaped from the local military base.

Shot on DV with a microbudget around Gainesville, FL and the Ocala National Forest, Blood of the Beast is rather trying. Forget the Blair Witch Project meets the Night of the Living Dead plot, the inexperience of the actors that give rather terrible performances, and the overall very cheap-looking aspect, that's sort of part of the charm of the movie. My beef is simple : the whole movie reeks a UFL film school graduating project. As writer-director-editor-actor, Koszulinski aims at artsyness: slow-motions (oh, Atom Heart Mother), surimpressions, experimental soundtrack, weird camera angles supposed to emphasize the confusion of the protagonists, pseudo-philosophical consideration, heavy handed references (Brave New World, Murnau's Nosferatu...)... The end of the movie is characteristic: shot with a night-vision lens, the scenes are silent, the dialogs appearing as inserts. Call me square or bourgeois, but effects of this kind do not bring anything to the story and look gratuitous and fake. The movie tries far too hard for its own good (and the pleasure of the audience). According to imdb, it was Koszulinski's first full-length. Since then, he released a few other fictions and documentaries, that I haven't seen yet. I can only hope that they avoided the artistic pitfalls of this Blood of the Beast.

As you guessed, I didn't enjoy the movie at all. But I didn't enjoy hating it or laughing at it either, on the contrary. I feel actually compelled to support the approach: after all, it's a first movie, it's indie, and we all know what a dreadful place the world would be without alternatives to mass cultural products. Despite all its shortcomings, Blood of the Beast exists as a piece. That should be enough. Hey, not everybody can be Marker. So forget what I said, forget this movie, and keep it going.