Sunday, January 27, 2008

Guts - John Cale 30.08.1983 Sydney

Sydney concert is from tour promoting Cale's 1983 album "Caribbean Sunset". Completely brilliant performance. It's only Cale, piano and choice of his best songs (among them my personal favourite - "Paris 1919"). Music is very emotional. Sometimes touching and sometimes throbbing from his shrieks.
Even if You don't like Cale's solo works, listen to this. It have absolutely stunning performance of The Velvet Underground standard "I'm Waiting for the Man". Probably best version i ever heard (not counting "The Velvet Underground & Nico" one of course). And i heard a lot of covers of this song.
Haunting "Hertbreak Hotel" is a outstanding cover of Elvis song. So rearranged it's hard to guess who was original performer.

John Cale's official website
great fansite

John Cale 30.08.1983 Sydney

01. Intro [0:30]
02. Riverbank [3:25]
03. Paris 1919 [3:57]
04. Guts [3:20]
05. Chinese Envoy [3:55]
06. Taking It All Away [2:40]
07. I'm Waiting for the Man [4:55]
08. Fear is a Man's Best Friend [4:31]
09. Heartbreak Hotel [4:53]
10. Close Watch [2:33]
11. Outro [0:24]
total [35:03]

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Don't Panic, We're From Poland!!! part 14 - Armia

Armia was by established Tomasz Budzyński (ex-Siekiera vocalist) and Robert Brylewski (guitarist for Kryzys, Brygada Kryzys and Izrael). At the beginning they treated it like a experimental project. Now band have over 25 years of history and still plays great music.
First recordings of Armia were strongly influenced by punk/hard core. Soon they developed their own sound and played like no one else. It was post punk with symphonic-like impetus. One of the reasons of such special sound was use of french horn. At that time among they favourite bands were: Killing Joke, New Model Army and Swans.
All lyrics were made by Budzyński. At that time He was stronly influenced by gnosticism. lyrics were mainly about spirituality and mystical side of life. "Aquirre" is inspired by Werner Herzog's movie "Aquirre - Wrath of God".

Here you got their gig from Jarocin. It was biggest rock festival in Poland. Although sound is little rough, music is very powerful so you shouldn't be disappointed.

Armia's MySpace (in English)

Armia 02.08.1989 Jarocin Rock Festival

01. Intro [0:40]
02. Sędziowie / Judges [1:55]
03. Kochaj Mnie / Love Me [3:22]
04. Saluto [1:05]
05. Hej szara wiara / Hey Grey People [1:24]
06. W niczyjej sprawie / In Nobody's Cause [2:04]
07. Siódmy / Seventh [0:49]
08. To czego nigdy nie widziałem / What I Have Never Seen [3:24]
09. Dla każdej samotnej godziny / For Every Lonely Hour [1:57]
10. Gdzie ja tam będziesz ty / You Will Be With Me [4:12]
11. Legenda / Legend [5:27]
12. Podróż na wschód / Journey to the East [3:10]
13. Nie ja / Not Me [0:21]
14. Jestem drzewo, jestem ptak / I'm Tree I'm Bird [2:34]
15. Aguirre [2:42]
16. Święto rewolucji / Revolution's Celebration [3:02]
17. To moja zemsta / It's My Revenge [2:52]
18. Jeżeli / If [2:24]
19. Trzy bajki / Three Tales [0:54]
20. Niezwyciężony / Invincible [4:09]
21. Niewidzialna armia I / Invisible Army I [5:25]
22. Niewidzialna armia II / Invisible Army II [1:29]
23. Zostaw to / Leave It [4:20]
total [55:41]

Monday, January 7, 2008

Old music in new year

Today one of my favourite bands - The Birthday Party. Many moons ago I promised to post some of their music. Here it is - great concert from January 1982.First Cave's band Concrete Vulture started in Melbourne, Australia around 1973. It evolved into more punkish sound and in 1977 changed name to The Boys Next Door. When Roland S. Howard joined in 1978 band begun to developing unique sound. In 1980 they changed name another time. This time to The Birthday Party. Band moved to London and later to West Berlin. In 1984 The Birthday Party collapsed due to the drug problems and tensions in the band. Cave started solo career. Harvey and Howard played in Crime & the City Solution and some other projects.
Although they released only two full albums ("Prayers on Fire" and "Junkyard"), their influence couldn't be exaggerated. Their angry, dark and noisy postpunk could be described as fusion of blues and punk. Always wild at heart The Birthday Party was one of the most intensive rock bands on planet earth. Cave's expression could be compared to Iggy Pop only. Howard's full of feedback guitar was exceptional.

The Birthday Party 06.01.1982 Sydney

01. Cry [03:06]
02. She's Hit [05:54]
03. Dim Locator [03:24]
04. A Dead Song [03:10]
05. Nick the Stripper [04:15]
06. Zoo Music Girl [03:21]
07. Bully Bones [03:24]
08. King Ink [05:55]
09. Release the Bats [03:17]
10. (Sometimes) Pleasure Heads Must Burn [04:42]
11. Loose [04:35]
total [45:13]