A Moving Stance

Dntel shares new song...Beirut performs on Jay Leno...Holograms really?...Neil Young and Led Zeppelin...

Well...let's start with Dntel. I first became acquainted with Jimmy Tamborello's music in high school when my group of friends would play Postal Service, his collaboration with Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie. But, a friend of mine introduced me to his solo work, IE: Figurine, Dntel, etc. Not being an electronic aficionado, I merely listened to them in passing, not taking more than a few stale glances, and not really caring about what they had to offer, until his Dumb Luck album came out, and his collaboration with Jenny Lewis, in the form of the song "Roll On," graced my ears. That's when I thought there was more to Tamborello than meets the ear. I saw him about 9 months ago in Austin, and let's just say that my disappointment was overshadowed by the cheap vodka. If I wanted to see someone play on their computer, I could have done that anywhere else for free. Nonetheless, he's coming out with a new album, titled Aimlessness, and you can hear a track from the album on Stereogum.

Also...Beirut played another track off their latest release, The Rip Tide on Jay Leno the other night. I've only heard the album in full once, so I definitely need to go back and revisit that one, but you can view the performance of the song "Santa Fe" here.

Also...just a bit of a rant here...what the shit is going on with these holograms? First I hear about a hologram of 2pac performing at Coachella, and then I hear that the guy responsible for that fiasco is thinking of having an Elvis hologram perform with Justin Bieber? Forgive me for not being as excited as some other people...but where the fuck did the human element to music and performing go? Must one rely solely on light shows, camera affects and sound manipulation to make a performance enjoyable? Most of the performances that I've seen, some that I consider the best, were intimate, yet lively...human, yet eccentric...collaborative, yet distinctive...you get where I'm going with this? I just don't think that holograms work, much less holograms of dead legends. I do think there is a level of respect that is being breached, and if people want to see Justin Bieber play a show with a hologram Elvis, then so be it...but bear in mind that once you're dead, they just may make a hologram of you...and what if it's more enjoyable than the actual you...makes you think, doesn't it?

LISTENING: I've spent the better part of my morning, obsessing over Fiona Apple's new track. Still? YES...it's fucking brilliant, and her wordplay is the shit...which is one of the many things that I love about her. Aside from that...I've been listening to Neil Young and Led Zeppelin, via Pandora. The only Neil Young album I own is Harvest, and I know that would probably make some of you ask, "What? Not After The Gold Rush?" Well, I'm ADD in most respects, so once I buy one album by an artist, I take some time with it before delving into their other work, unless my brain becomes selectively impressed. either way, here's one of my favorite Neil Young songs, which is the opening track from Harvest. Enjoy...



That's all. PEACE.