Less Than Zero

I exaggerate, but it was pretty damned cold. What to do (music-wise) about it?

Embrace it, I say. It may seem like the cold embrace of death, but that's the chance you take.

Eno: On Land (1982)

Every time I say something about a Brian Eno album, I fear I'm not adequately conveying how alien his work can be. And as that goes, this album is a pretty good example. No pretty piano or voices like Music for Airports. No specially-treated piano sounds like The Pearl. No concessions to pop music (guitars, drums, melodies, etc.) like Another Green World. In short, no obvious heart. It's here. He just doesn't flaunt it. It is, as we say, what it is.

And what it is works perfectly for me at the moment. A recent medical setback has me yearning for the minimal input I can still handle, and this does the trick.

Slightly out of reach, but when I check, it's still there, asking nothing of me. It's a deal.

A-

"Dunwich Beach, Autumn, 1960"

One Is Not Enough:

But I can't play it all day. I need some other records that hit the mark as well. So I tried to find something new to match the mood: cool, almost sterile, coming from the vast surrounding darkness: 

• Dove Ellis: Blizzard (2025): I was hoping for something more stark. But this Irishman is one of those expressive ones. Weird. A bit like John Martyn but less bluesy. And having had two blizzards in the past two weeks, I thought it might be apt. But the title could refer to the repose you may experience if you're stuck inside your house for days at a time. Or more obviously, the storm itself. I assumed the former and was mistaken. So I'm in no real position to judge it at this time. All I know is that I can't listen to it right now.
• Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever Ago (2008): Based on its reputation, I thought it would be cold and barren. Not so. Annoyingly, not so. Given its reputation, I had much higher hopes for it. But I just may not be in a position to judge. So I put it aside.

So rather than another swing and miss, I decided to check what I already have:

• Joanna Newsom?: Practically no "production" at all would seem perfect. Alas, she's a bit...wacky.
• Tallest Man on Earth?: Spare, but a bit too much enthusiasm. 
• Iron and Wine?: Too folky. Too slow.
• Aphex Twin?: Too Suicidal. 

I did eventually find a couple of suitable records:

Low: I Could Live In Hope: Glacial pace, minimal harmonies. Anything more would be too much.

Cindy Lee: Diamond Jubilee: I thought it might be too recent, but it did get me through the earlier phase of this medical issue, so why not now? And it works.

A Break?:

My health being what it is, in the event that I'm not up to all this I may take a little break. 

I'll keep you posted.

My 2012: The Second Annual Jaybee-bies

And what a mediocre year it’s been!  - Jaybee
No, that’s not really true.  I wrote that in November, just before everything came together.

That’s what I get for getting sucked into that very common, but very bad, habit of reviewing something - like a year - way too soon.

And, it has the paradoxical effect of stretching things out into the new year. My unofficial resolution to get this done much sooner than last time has fallen in the crapper. It’s almost February for God’s sake. I’ve already gotten new music. Time to get my ass in gear and put 2012 to bed.

How did I do on those other resolutions anyway?


2012 Resolutions:

1. Getting More Current Music: On this, I totally sucked, managing to get only one measly 2012 album (Fiona Apple) and that one only on December 31. Nutboy is laughing his ass off right now. On the one hand, it was due to there being so many possible candidates, none of whom I trusted enough to follow through on. There were dozens of records that somebody was enthusiastic about. I just couldn’t distinguish the momentary enthusiasms from the keepers. Every time a promising record appeared, there was old Christgau
snickering at it, or not liking it quite enough. I had to wait for the year end polls to enlighten me.  While I waited for it all to get sorted out, I got distracted by records that just happened to come out, oh, forty years ago.

My middle name is After the Fact. C

But the other thing was that most of the highest rated records fell into the soul and hip hop (Frank Ocean, Kendrick Lamar, Killer Mike, etc) genres - ones that I’m not too good with. Or not as good as I should be. So rather than waste a lot of time trying to make myself a better, more rounded person, I’m opting for happiness.

I feel bad that I’m shying away from these genres. I guess it’s selfish, and short sighted, but when I look ahead I’m not seeing all that much time. I can’t afford to experiment like I did when I was in my twenties, assuming what I didn’t like today, I might like years from now.  I don’t know how many of those I have. This wasn’t even a resolution but I’m giving myself a C on it anyway.

2. More Downloads, Fewer CDs: I did pretty good. By my rough count I ended up with 19 CDs and 16 MP3s. So it’s evening out. Still too many CDs, though.  B+

3. More Current Books: Well, I started off pretty good and read a handful of books from this century (Zazen (very powerful), The Hunger Games (brilliant) and Ready Player One (great fun) but then trailed off, and by the end of the year, I hadn’t read all that many from last century, either. C+


So the 2013 Resolutions are:

1. No CDs: Mrs. Jaybee is REALLY doubtful about it.  As long as I can stay away from downtown, where J&R and Other Music are located, I’ve got a shot.

2. At least 3 albums released in 2013: Nutboy’s probably managed more than 3 already.

3. Get Less Music: I did get more MP3s, but I didn’t get fewer CDs. I got way too much music, and need to focus. (I have to, before I toss out a family member.)  But Amazon is doing their yearly 50 million albums for $5, and I’ve already gotten three. None from this year, by the way.

4. More music books!  I had great fun doing this in 2012, and realized I’d been remiss for many years. I don’t know why. Probably some combination of the books not being available at my library and me being too cheap to buy them. I also have a fear of reading about music at the expense of listening to it, as well as a dread of the potential Deadening of Joy Via Theory Effect, which happens to me when the writer is thinking it, but JUST NOT FEELIN' IT.


So How Good a Year Was It?

Things were so good that I’m not going to just mention one or two Best Albums of the Year with a handful of runners up.  I’m actually going to supply a top 10 list, which goes something like this:
1. Ogden’s Nut Flake by the Small Faces (1968)  
2. Sea Change by Beck (2002)
3. On by Imperial Teen (2002)
4. The Wild Hunt by the Tallest Man on Earth (2010)
5. The Mysterious Production of Eggs by Andrew Bird (2005)
6. Give Up by Postal Service  (2003)
7. Music for Airports by Brian Eno (1978)
8. So Beautiful or So What by Paul Simon (2011)
9. Whitechocolatespaceegg by Liz Phair (1998)
10. Spinning Around the Sun by Jimmie Dale Gilmore (1993)


Biggest Disappointment:
Wild Flag - Just not feelin it.

Strangest:
Jens Lekman - Expecting pop, got a big lump of cheesey weirdness, which I didn’t think was possible.

Biggest Stretch (for me):
Wu Tang Clan - Strong music, stronger subject matter.

Artist of the Year:
The Small Faces - For blowing away my assumption that they were just another 60s band.


Onward:

So that’s it. I’m finally done with a very rewarding year and hoping I can keep it going without wasting a lot of time and money on misfires.

Well, are you going to help me out with that or what?

My 2012: Sliding into Home

The end of the year came with a bang, in the form of Christmas gifts (that I orchestrated via my Amazon.com Wish List, of course), and a 2012 New Year’s resolution to get current music. Which I finally got around to on December 31.

So my grades are even less considered than usual.

Tallest Man on Earth The Wild Hunt
Nutboy was raving about this one, and I finally got around to it on Christmas. This one catches you immediately, with the elfin, early Dylan-ish vocals and spare arrangements. After a few listens you notice there are real tunes here, and words, too. Perfect for early winter mornings, when you’re feeling a little weird, and weird is the only way to go. A-


Steve Earle: Guitar Town
A little too straightforward country for me, but better than last year’s dabblings (Miranda Lambert and Brad Paisley). So I’m more willing to stick around, and let it work its magic. B+


Jimmie Dale Gilmore: Spinning Around the Sun
Now here’s a paradox. This one is more conventionally country than Steve Earle, but I like to more. Maybe because it’s so damned pretty. (And Mrs. Jaybee is tolerating Gilmore’s quavery voice better than Iris Dement’s. But by this point, she observed “You didn’t tell me you liked country music before we got married.”) He manages to keep it from getting too cloying, all the while hitting you with strong melodies. Highlights include a great version of Hank Williams “I’m so Lonesome I Could Cry” and the brilliant “You’re Just a Wave”. A-


All year long, I waited for some clear choices for current music, but my limited success with rap and r&b kept me from trying Frank Ocean or Kendrick Lamar. By New Year’s Eve, my desperation to appear cool forces my hand:

Fiona Apple The Title Goes On and On and On (jk it’s The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do:
Well, so far I can’t say that the music I’ve heard so far is any better or more attractive than what I typically hear from her. As spare as the arrangements are, after a few listens, it’s still kind of a blur. She’s very smart and and very tough, though. Mommy, I’m scared! B+

So that’s 2012 in all it’s gory detail. Next time, I’ll cut to the chase and give you that all-purpose summary of anything and everything of any and sometimes no consequence: a top 10 list.

Chronicles of Nutboy: 2011 Redux

Nutboy tells me I'm full of shit, but he’s about to buy a round, so I don’t argue. 

He goes on, telling me I'm not as fully engaged in the zeitgeist as I should be. My words. His exact words were more along the line of “Your top 2011 album list sucks. You've got exactly one album from 2011 on it.  What the hell is that? Complete bs.”

Well, that is the title of the blog, I'm thinking. But again, I say nothing. 

“You don’t really tell people about current music.  You go off on your little educational excursions, or you get stuff that’s decades old.  He’s right, of course.  After posting a song on Facebook once, a friend said thanks for the oldies.

“And when you do try to be current, you’re still a year behind, what, with your research.”  He spits out this last word with such vehemence that he starts to cough. And now, reminded of his own thirst, walks off to buy the round.

I want to object, but all I can muster is “I’ll have a Sam.”  First things first. If he’s going to insult me, he may as well pay for it.

But I do take this time to mull over his words, which he has every right to say. After all, his 2011 album list is made up entirely of, get this, albums from 2011.

I see him talking to the bartender, sharing a laugh, and I can’t help thinking it’s at my expense.  When he comes back with the beers I half expect to see a napkin with the bartender’s 2011 list on it.

But, hey, I’m not eighteen anymore. I can’t just sit in my room listening to current music all day. Who has the time, or the money? These days I need a buffer. I look to Metacritic, Pazz and Jop, Robert Christgau, etc. to separate the genuine talent from the hype, and distinguish what sounds good at this moment from what will sound great for years to come.

And it’s not to help me choose one record over another.  It’s to choose one record out of a thousand others. The Village Voice 2011 Pazz and Jop listed over 1,700 records, and that’s just ones that at least one person liked. When you add in what didn’t get mentioned, there’s got to be many times that number. So there isn’t enough time to listen to everything even once. 

I react to that daunting reality by doing my “research”. Nutboy deals with it by just diving in.

And I’m kind of slow taking in records to begin with, often not knowing whether I like something or not until the tenth listen at least. So, by the time I recommend something to you, dear reader, it’s gone through quite the gauntlet of opinion.

But I have to do this not only because I don’t have the time.  It’s also because I don’t have the time left. I’m closer to the end than I am to the beginning of…. you know, life.  So can you fault me if I want to spend it wisely?

Nutboy’s having none of it. His point is that by the time I’ve done all my research, it’s a year later. Part of pop music’s attraction is that you can enjoy it as part of a community. Now.

Nutboy’s a jump-into-the-pool-headfirst kind of guy, maybe even before he knows there’s water there.  I’m the type to check for water. Twice. Even at the beach.

And the other thing is that by focusing on great albums I probably miss a lot of great moments from the not-quite-great albums. So I’m guessing my method is more efficient – you know, more good songs per dollar or hour, depending on what’s more important to you - but Nutboy’s gets more good songs overall.

So who’s to say who’s right?  Which one of us has the better batting average? I don’t know.

  

But here’s his list, along with my reasons for holding out:

#1. 21 by Adele

Nutboy’s comment: Flat out great !! Cap G. 

Jaybee: And the world would seem to agree. Nutboy called this one way back in the spring when we first got to know each other. I’m mortified that I still haven’t heard a single one of these songs all the way through. It’s not like I haven’t had the chance.  I’m surrounded by the damned thing. And that’s why I haven’t gotten it.  I assume that I’m going to hear it ad nauseum anyway.  But I haven’t yet.  Something’s got to give. I should get it, but I’m usually underwhelmed by popular records.  Championed by Americana stations, who I’ve found to be pretty tone deaf.

2. El Camino by The BlackKeys

NB: By far the best rock n roll record of the year.  “Little Black Submarines” is fantastic.

JB: It’s showing midway up on a lot of year end lists. I’m holding back for now.

3. The Whole Love byWilco

JB: I’m very ambivalent about Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and I make a point of distrusting any band that is popular on Americana stations.

4. Bad As Me by Tom Waits

JB: I like Mule Variations, but Waits has got so many records out I don’t know what to get - this well regarded record or something more deserving in the back catalog.

5. The King is Dead by The Decemberists

JB: I almost went for The Crane Wife, got scared off by The Hazards of Love and just don’t know if I’d like this other Americana favorite.

6. Wasting Light by The Foo Fighters

JB: Mrs. Jaybee and Jaybee Jr (Michael, actually) really like this record, but I’m not warming up to it.  I don’t hear them listening to it now, either.

7. Ceremonials by Florence And Machine

JB: Another one I don’t trust because I just see it around so much.

8. Dye It Blonde by The Smith Westerns

JB: Michael loves this record too. It’s got an early seventies feel to it that I have trouble placing.  10cc possibly, but like them I’m not in love.

Nutboy: And finally, two hidden gems:

9. Diamond Mine by Jon Hopkins with King Creosote

JB: Hmmmm, interesting. The sheer fact that I never heard of it gets me curious…

10. Wild Hunt by Tallest Man on Earth

Ditto. Another obscure one that’s I’m thinking about.

I’ve no doubt that all these reservations have prevented me from getting some great music. Next time I see Nutboy I’ll be asking him about what he thinks the downside is to his approach. What records didn’t work out for him?

The bottom line, though, is that we’ve both found our “method”. If it wasn’t working for us, we’d be a lot more jaded by now. We’re both still passionate about music. Both having a good time.  Both feeling younger than we have a right to feel.