Festivus

music won't save you from anything (but silence)

I can't fully concur with the statement of the title, but I think this is one of the finest songs I've heard in a while. It's an excellent piece of post rock, not dissimilar to what you'd expect from, say, Fly Pan Am. I like this side of Piano Magic.

Sunn O)))

I'm getting myself top notch earplugs and a new camera for Christmas this year. This in preparation for the first concert of the new year; Sunn O))). I have no doubt that this will be the loudest and most majestic concert I will attend in 2010. I have very high expectations and will not come unprepared for the doom. I cant' wait to stand there in the thick smoke, eyes watering, surrounded by massive window vibrating drone. It's going to be a religious experience! Just watch this:

Molina&Johnson

I would like to send thousands of get well wishes to my idol and inspiration, Jason Molina. Molina has apparently fallen ill and been forced to cancel both his American and European tour with Will Johnson.

Do yourself a favor and check out this union. They've collaborated on an album together simply entitled "Molina And Johnson", which was released this week on Secretly Canadian.

Molina And Johnson - Twenty Cycles To The Ground

Joensuu

Another Finnish November has passed, mercyless as always in its relenteless testing of the endurance of our spirit. Hope you made it out ok. Turning to music can be a great way to light up the dark days. Last Friday I saw a band that made me feel really excited about the musical climate in this country. I went to see Joensuu 1685, a band that everyone's speaking fondly of these days. I now understand why, I really didn't before. I just didn't feel that there was much behind the flawless exterior. I'm glad I went to see them. I mean, I could've stayed at home and listened to Jesus&Mary Chain.

It was the way they delivered a cover of one of my favourite Springsteen-songs,"I'm on Fire", that really impressed me and won me over. They spent minutes building it up by lingering in a ritualistic ceremony of distortion and reverberation. Unaware of what was on the other side, tunnel visioned, I experienced a stockholm syndrome moment. Then all of a sudden release came when it all descended into the finest vocal performance of the evening. The singer sang it just the way it feels. The way he dragged that melody around, and not to mention the way he sang those lyrical lines, proved that this band does not lack direction. This song is dangerous, it's one of the must chilling songs in the history of rock music. Just the fact that Joensuu 1685 dared to take it on gives me the impression that they have much more up their sleeves.

Hope sings

Maybe being completely blinded by sunshine could illustrate the way that Hope Sandoval sweeps into your life if you let her. I remember when Mazzy Star came along for me. I had just left home and it felt as if life had finally begun. The move also marked a musical shift for me. After mainly feeding on hard, aggressive and angst ridden music for most of my life the time had come to let something else in. "Flowers in December" had actually caught my attention years before so I thought this Mazzy Star-group ought to be explored. I figured it was soft enough without being mushy. I couldn't stand to listen to music that was too demure.

I listened to Mazzy Star a lot that fall and all through winter. Walking home from school with Sandoval's voice in my headphones on clear winter days made the season magical. Winter still sounds like her to me. I remember those days fondly, everything seemed to move so slow. Maybe it was the dazed songs of Mazzy Star that brought the stillness. How could you rush when Hope Sandoval sings? She won't let you. Maybe I owe serenity to her, maybe she taught me to slow down and take a look around the moment.

Listening to her nowadays makes me feel the vast distance between now and then, yet she is still as relevant. I was reminded to go back to the Mazzy Star albums when I found out that she had recently relesed her sophomore album with The Warm Inventions. It's been eight years since debuting Bavarian Fruit Bread was released and eight years worth waiting for Through the Devil Softly. If you find yourself blinded by all the uglyness in this world then direct your attention to this album. It encapsulates everything that is its complete opposite.

Sets The Blaze - Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions

Blanchard - Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions

Missa inte nya videon från Totalt Jävla Mörker! <3