A Povvo Play
Tax rebate of one hundred and seven dollars was supposed to have saved me by now.
This July's an expensive month. First there's Thom Yorke's solo album The Eraser coming out at the start of next week. Please keep your eyes pield if you like (caution of: desiccation). Sigur Rós's Saeglopur EP, which will feature the title track along with three new compositions, and come with a bonus DVD featuring the music videos for all of the singles that have been released from the album Takk... so far, is due around the same time.
I'm looking forward to seeing the Australian Pink Floyd Project at the Aotea Centre on the twenty-second. They're a ten-piece rock band who will be accompanied by the full-strength Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra as they perform a Pink Floyd tribute concert with a twist -- a specially-written orchestral score that will no doubt give an even more epic interpretation of Pink Floyd's music. It's going to be brilliant.
Dungen are a reknowned Swedish progressive rock band who are scheduled to visit New Zealand for one show at the Kings Arms in Auckland on the twenty-fifth of this month. I'm interested in going to the gig not only because we don't get enough chances to see these sorts of acts perform in New Zealand, but on the basis of how great I think their music sounds as heard on their MySpace page, and having read rave reviews of Dungen's live performances, with their extended psychedelic wig-outs punctuated by Zeppelin-like riffing. It could also give me a chance to meet some other people in Auckland who, like me, might aspire to seeing the meshing together of a proper local art rock scene.
In order to cover the costs of these numerous expensive events that will be taking place throughout the month of July, as well as the bill of almost nine hundred dollars for the servicing and repair of my car (trust me, the old Oculus is a different beast now... No more engine gagging and bunny-hopping at speed in the cold, to name but one massively significant improvement), I have had to take up full-time work at my dad's work for the rest of the holidays, performing “the bum jobs.” That means I'm sacrificing every weekday remaining in the holidays for money. It's an interesting working environment. I've worked there several times before.
The job involves factory work and the types of people appropriate to such activities. They speak in a different dialect entirely to my usual student co-workers – a dialect that I've found I'm able to tune into quite well after my constant dual piss-taking and embracing of the Radio Hauraki-listening tradesman stereotype in the company of friends. But it's not all like this at the factory. One individual in particular has proved interesting -- an ex-philosophy student of the University of Auckland, now a middle-aged factory worker who boasts that because cannabis stays in one's system for six weeks after one has smoked it, he has technically not been clean since 1970. His voice is constantly cracking in excitement as I tell him of Arts lecturers that I know of at the University of Auckland whom he apparently had for classes in his time and that are still teaching the same classes now.
This afternoon, after he illustrated to me an alternative, more effective method of assembling a certain component, I made the observation, "Oh, logic," to which he classically replied, "It's as if Aristotle was never even born to you, isn't it?" A few moments later he sought assurance from me that Aristotle was in fact the person who invented logic. After I confirmed this, he laughed, "This is going back a few years." His face then took on a more serious expression -- "I should know by now not to doubt myself." People at work call him a "weirdo" behind his back, but I think that everybody needs to make more of an effort to understand this guy and his choice of car, a humble Hillman Imp. He's obviously awesome.
This July's an expensive month. First there's Thom Yorke's solo album The Eraser coming out at the start of next week. Please keep your eyes pield if you like (caution of: desiccation). Sigur Rós's Saeglopur EP, which will feature the title track along with three new compositions, and come with a bonus DVD featuring the music videos for all of the singles that have been released from the album Takk... so far, is due around the same time.
I'm looking forward to seeing the Australian Pink Floyd Project at the Aotea Centre on the twenty-second. They're a ten-piece rock band who will be accompanied by the full-strength Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra as they perform a Pink Floyd tribute concert with a twist -- a specially-written orchestral score that will no doubt give an even more epic interpretation of Pink Floyd's music. It's going to be brilliant.
Dungen are a reknowned Swedish progressive rock band who are scheduled to visit New Zealand for one show at the Kings Arms in Auckland on the twenty-fifth of this month. I'm interested in going to the gig not only because we don't get enough chances to see these sorts of acts perform in New Zealand, but on the basis of how great I think their music sounds as heard on their MySpace page, and having read rave reviews of Dungen's live performances, with their extended psychedelic wig-outs punctuated by Zeppelin-like riffing. It could also give me a chance to meet some other people in Auckland who, like me, might aspire to seeing the meshing together of a proper local art rock scene.
In order to cover the costs of these numerous expensive events that will be taking place throughout the month of July, as well as the bill of almost nine hundred dollars for the servicing and repair of my car (trust me, the old Oculus is a different beast now... No more engine gagging and bunny-hopping at speed in the cold, to name but one massively significant improvement), I have had to take up full-time work at my dad's work for the rest of the holidays, performing “the bum jobs.” That means I'm sacrificing every weekday remaining in the holidays for money. It's an interesting working environment. I've worked there several times before.
The job involves factory work and the types of people appropriate to such activities. They speak in a different dialect entirely to my usual student co-workers – a dialect that I've found I'm able to tune into quite well after my constant dual piss-taking and embracing of the Radio Hauraki-listening tradesman stereotype in the company of friends. But it's not all like this at the factory. One individual in particular has proved interesting -- an ex-philosophy student of the University of Auckland, now a middle-aged factory worker who boasts that because cannabis stays in one's system for six weeks after one has smoked it, he has technically not been clean since 1970. His voice is constantly cracking in excitement as I tell him of Arts lecturers that I know of at the University of Auckland whom he apparently had for classes in his time and that are still teaching the same classes now.
This afternoon, after he illustrated to me an alternative, more effective method of assembling a certain component, I made the observation, "Oh, logic," to which he classically replied, "It's as if Aristotle was never even born to you, isn't it?" A few moments later he sought assurance from me that Aristotle was in fact the person who invented logic. After I confirmed this, he laughed, "This is going back a few years." His face then took on a more serious expression -- "I should know by now not to doubt myself." People at work call him a "weirdo" behind his back, but I think that everybody needs to make more of an effort to understand this guy and his choice of car, a humble Hillman Imp. He's obviously awesome.
posted by Gary at 5:22 pm
5 Comments:
I had a wee listen to the Thom Yorke album at work on Sunday and I thought 'twas rather lovely.
I've heard mixed reviews of it. It seems to me that the critics who don't like it are simply those who don't like Thom Yorke's dark lyrical themes. From what I've heard it sounds like it's something of an ambient electronica album (which in my opinion would be a good thing) -- do you think that's accurate?
I'll buy it regardless, it's more an issue of when. If it's a total must-have, I'll try pick it up when I'm in town tomorrow.
I think that's a good way to describe it, there are definite electronica elements that remind me a bit of the Radiohead album 'Kid A'. The album is quite dark at times but that's only natural and I wouldn't really expect any less. I definitely need to listen to it more/buy it which I will also hopefully do very soon. Did you get yours?
I must say I do like the contrast of his voice (which I've always been a sucker for) with the electronica sound of the album.
and isn't the album art awesome?!
On Wednesday I made the mistake of listening to a single track off the album at Real Groovy whilst I was in town. It was a mistake because I was instantly sold but I hesitated from buying it (I'm in heavy debt to my parents and was made to promise them that I wouldn't buy any CDs until I've paid them back).
As I caught myself singing Analyse to myself as I walked up Mayoral Drive towards uni ("...you're just playing a part, playing part, and there's no time, there's no time, to analyse, analyse, analyse..."), I realised just how sold I was and that the material on the album needs to be given time to soak in. I had been transported by that mere small sample I'd heard. I knew I was going to be craving listening to the album until I bought it, and craving it is exactly what I'm doing now!
I heard another song on bFM on the way home today and absolutely adored that. Needless to say it's enraged my craving even more.
I agree with you very much about the contrast of Thom's voice (he's my favourite singer personally) with the electronics. The synth washes and beats are minimalistic and to me provide a feeling of spasmodic spaciousness, whilst the vocals counterpoint it with this great, twitchy claustrophobic feel. I love it.
I've really liked the album art ever since I first saw it on the semi-promotional Web site. It is faithful to the sort of imagery that I would associate with Thom Yorke's lyrical work and also reflects the wonderful structure of the music on the album, and the minimalism. Gosh, I really am sold.
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