A younger me would probably have reacted with disbelief at the thought that folky music would end up comprising so many very favourite releases as my life went on, although hopefully said younger self would have had the sense to imagine the gradual opening of the mind, both musical and otherwise (well, the one usually insists on the other following it).
It may be that they or some of them used to be The Hare and The Moon, not an artist I was previously familiar with so I’ll probably hunt and listen at some point.
As I have a very rare Sunday afternoon to myself in the wake of last nights shenanigans, I had been planning to record some acoustic guitar parts. But I’m a bit hungover, so instead here’s a couple of albums I’ve been saving up until that moment when I feel like posting something.
Subduxtion are on Aagoo Records, and Aagoo have form here on Soundbergs; the marvellous Zulus and Inutili, to be precise.
This thing sits in my head under the category ‘doom-dubstep.’ Probably it’s nothing like dubstep since my knowledge of dubstep is very superficial.
A good thing or two to read whilst you listen to this: Groupname for Grapejuice‘s most recentposts have been right up my alley, philosophically speaking.
I’ve probably mentioned before but I can’t be arsed to go through my old posts looking for the references but I played bass in a band called Sons of Itto between 2005-10, and had a lot of fun in so doing.
Anyway, the guitarist/singer, who shall henceforth be called Milo, is engaged to a lovely lady called Jenny who I hadn’t met until yesterday. A few weeks ago, she is alleged to have said words to the effect of ‘I really wish I could have seen your band play…’
SO yesterday, she had a surprise birthday party. Milo had rounded up myself and drummer Colette (who played in the latter incarnation of the Itto) for a quick couple of jams to remind ourselves of stuff and to dust off the cobwebs, and last night we played 8 or so songs in front of an invited audience at The Chameleon Arts Cafe in Nottingham.
It was an absolute blast. The force was with us last night. The Chameleon is a great venue, it most reminded me of the much missed Attik in Leicester, perhaps a bit larger but much harder to find.
Colette, Milo, Flipdog: Sons of Itto 2019
Also – Colette plays in two other bands, very different from each other. You Want Fox is a two piece that she does with Nat, and Punch Drunk is a three piece grunge-pop thing that, as I sit here typing and listening to it is putting me most in mind of late-80s Soul Asylum and also Husker Du. Keep an eye out for them wherever you put your eyes – I exacted a promise from her to get at least one of her bands to play Leicester so I intend to hold her to it.
But we may do another Itto thing again next year after the fun we had doing that, so I’ll pop details up if we do another one.
Because literally everything is merely coincidence and chance, it logically follows that there is no such thing as causality.
I first discovered Dragontears back in 2010. I’d just had my then current PC for recording music die on me, and had a 9 month period without any means of recording music as the PC that was available laboured mightily with just the merest of tasks, and it was often all I could do to persuade it to let me at least surf the net a bit whilst I listened to music.
Just for the record, the album I’d just finished was Luna Takes Asylum.
During the last few weeks I’ve found myself listening to Dragontears’ three albums again, and remarking on just how bloody wonderful they are. I even found myself wondering what made me forget these albums even existed; it must be a good 6 or 7 years since I’ve listened to them. I realise that this sort of thing happens, I mean, how can it not when you have a sizeable collection of music and yet you still go looking for more? But still, this re-visit has this music really resonating with me this time, probably more so than when I first discovered them.
Just for the record, Luna Takes Asylum is now the album I wish it was back in 2010. It was also accompanied by the last rites for a PC, completely coincidentally.
So the other two Dragontears albums are 2000 Micrograms From Home (below) and Tambourine Freak Machine. I cannot recommend them enough.
Soundbergs 