Wax on, wax off, wax on again

Spinvis is this 40-something Dutch ex-mail man (from Nieuwegein) who finds poetry in the mundane (regret, aging, cold hands when you drive to work on your bike on a winter morning, candy getting stuck in your nose). He is arguably one of the most interesting Dutch artists. After two albums he recently released a b-side compilation, and even this one's quite brilliant. On of the most interesting songs on 'Goochelaars en Geesten' (Magicians and Ghosts) is 'Was' (wax) which is a cover of 'Poupée de cire, poupée de son' (Wax doll, sawdust doll) which was composed by Serge Gainsbourg and sung by France Gall.
Now Arcade Fire have covered it on their split 7'' EP (backed with LCD Soundsystem).

Note you Canadian hipsters; Spinvis was first. Nieuwegein is the new Montreal!

1965 Eurovision Song contest’s winning entry: Arcade Fire - Poupée de cire, poupée de son

The beautiful title track: Spinvis – Goochelaars en Geesten (myspace)

Spinvis - Voor Ik Vergeet (video)

The Everlasting Black Desire

---Newsflash!---
Bertrand Cantat is to be released from prison tomorrow (October 16th).
---end---

Seems to me we've got something to look forward to! Some recaps for now:

Noir Désir - Sober Song (mp3)
Noir Désir - À L'Envers, À L'Endroit (video)

Noir Désir - Le Vent Nous Portera:

Or, to quote Loffe: "Lökkerisirruuunogakohoma!"

So, who needs music that sounds like people would actually enjoy it out of their free will? Music you can imagine people listening to in the car, on the bus or in the supermarket while looking for the prettiest broccoli?



I sure don't. And it so happens that the Swedish comedian Loffe has made a song, years ago (in 1975, in fact), which I can't imagine anyone listening to. Ever. That's the beauty of it. 'Mdssan' has got everything I need in a song: A crazyperson singing high, singing low, playing the piano like a crazyperson does and laughing maniacally during the finale. Oh, and there's a choir. You heard me right. A choir. I'll give it a steady 8.5 on my personal Crazy Music Meter with a scale from one to ten ('Mdssan' is crazier than a swingdance version of Kate Bush's 'Wuthering Heights' - which got an 8 -, but not as crazy as a rusty robot singing Stevie Wonder's 'Part-Time Lover' - which will never be topped.), so it's quite crazy. However, since we all know the greatest music in the world comes from Sweden, and Loffe has jammed frequently with Jimi Hendrix, 'Mdssan' is PC, too. Try to listen to it while looking for the prettiest broccoli. You might bring home an artichoke, instead.


Loffe - Mdssan (mp3)

Taken By Trees has Amy Millan and Amy Millan has Taken By Trees

I do believe Feist is getting enough attention (okay, last time: 1 2 3 4 (video) ) while the other female vocalists from Broken Social Scene aren’t given enough and are also quite succesfull, with or without band.
First up is Amy Millan who also sings in Stars who recently released their new album ‘In Our Bedroom After The War’. Which is fantastic and gives me a reason to mention her solo-cd ‘Honey From The Tombs’ from 2006. Which sucks. Ass. Then why the hell mention it at all? Because it has one song you should hear. One amazing song that I keep coming back to. The rest of the album is country-twang crap (sorry Amy) but do yourself a favor and listen to Skinny Boy.


Lips I could spend a day with: Amy Millan – Skinny Boy (download on myspace)

Perez Schmerez.

So nowadays, when telling someone you're listening to Feist, you suddenly have to prove you're not necessarily against Britney Spears or anything... Why, for heaven's sake, why?
Maybe one of my fellow editorial staff members could write a review on her latest album, just to show the world we give Britney a fair chance.

Or actually, no. Me and probably a substantial part of the other staff members started listening to Feist way before Oprah's Bookclub Perez ordered us to do so. Want proof? Here: you got proof.

Or, well, now I come to think of it... whatever. We don't have to prove anything. Perez recently admitted to visiting Ulkedoof on a weekly basis. Wanted to join forces and all that. Turns out someone ripped-up and ate all his chickens just a couple of days after that.

Nostrils

Oh dear, oh dear.

So much nice new music to write about - The Octopus Project + Black Moth Super Rainbow, anyone? Also, why doesn't anyone like The New Young Pony Club except when you've seen the keyboard girl?

So much old music to get to know! (Guided by Voices! Songtitles like "Kicker Of Elves" and "Tractor Rape Chain"! A lot better than I had expected! And a nice book, too (see Hera's last obsession))

So much current goings-on! (Of Montreal coming to the Netherlands! Modest Mouse shouldn't have been so modest - they've got Johnny Fucking Marrrrrr! Oh yeah, Control is coming out next week!)

Why, O why, is it then that I can only listen to mid-90s-a-like noise at the moment?

It started off with http://ulkedoof.blogspot.com/2007/09/rockethouse-was-its-elementary-dear-my.html
but then a fellow co-blogger had to 1-up me by posting the following http://ulkedoof.blogspot.com/2007/09/tap-supersonic-fuzz-gun.html.

All that got me back to Ride and Mudhoney and J&MC and looking forward to Asobi Seksu playing in Amsterdam. Maps wasn't exactly noise, but it was kind-of-My-Bloody-Valentinish.

That's awesome! Break those eardrums! But on second listen, I don't see how APTBS could claim the title of 'Loudest Band in New York' - them mp3s all sound the same loud to me :-) .

Err, the youtube videos also look and sound all the same to me.

There is only one way to settle this: let them both play in the Netherlands - I'll stand in the middle - and whichever band gets me to put earplugs up my nostrils first, wins.

Disclaimer: I have been to a Motorhead concert, so my hearing may have been damaged!

Did they hate Amsterdam?

Like Sid and Nancy as musicians, that's how the husband and wife duo of Dan Boeckner and Alexei Perry came across to me yesterday. Armed with boredom and discontent Handsome Furs charmed the audience and with the constant battle between his guitar and her raw syth-beats they grabbed our attention. A constant battle is also the theme of their record Plague Park. The battle between hating the city ('Handsome Furs Hate this City') but also hating the small towns ('Dead + Rural').

With all this boredom, discontent, battling and hating I would've expected a less charming duo. Not so.


Handsome Furs - What We Had (mp3)

Handsome Furs - Handsome Furs Hate This City (myspace)

Handsome Furs - Dumb Animals (video)