Ode to Japan

For the past week I’ve been in a little town called Kyodo, part of a
larger district named Setagaya which is part of a larger city called
Tokyo.  It’s my third time here so it seems more like central
Jersey than a nation steeped in Samurai history.  My wife was
born here and becomes more Japanese when we visit.  Japan is an obsessive-compulsive disorder of
perfect service and exaggerated design.  The beauty of Japanese culture is
its respect for order and pragmatism.  Nothing is
wasted here. 

The other day my wife and I attended a 5, 6, 7, 8’s
show at the Shelter in Shimokitazawa.  The lead singer was
amazing and shatters any stereotypes of Japanese femininity you may have from reading cutesy manga. 

Here’s a bento box mix for you:
5, 6, 7, 8’s : Various tunes by way of Real Player
Nobukazu Takemura : Cogwheel
Cornelius : Point of Viewpoint
Buffalo Daughter : Five Minutes
Cibo Matto : Birthday Cake
Electric Eel Shock : Rock & Roll Can Rescue the World

Takako Minekawa : Various

The songs that almost, but not quite, changed my life (this year).

I’m not a “top tenner” or “albums of the year” type of person, but
since this is my first year running this site, I thought, what the
hell.  This year I’ve had the great fortune of coming across
newmusic from a wide array of artists I would probably not have
encountered at my local record shop (because I spend more time
searching online these days).  Consider this a “Best of” episode
of 4F.   Many of these tunes were sent to me by labels and artists
that wanted extra exposure, while others I found using my trusty old
Mp3 Aggregator.  Enjoy and good tidings this holiday season!

GBV : Gonna Never Have to Die
Joanna Newsom :  Sprout & the Bean
Antibalas : Hypocrite
Arkham : 30 hours
Single Frame : The Slip
Astrojet: Beautiful Life
Jason Lowenstein: Done No Crimes
Mugison : 2 Birds
Damien Jurado : Texas to Ohio
The Impossible Shapes : The Perfect Timing

el Archer : think slow
At Dusk : We Could Do Anything
The Occasion : A Dulcimer’s Fancy
The Walkmen : The Rat

The Mother of all “Essential Albums” lists up to 2009!

Someone sent me this list today by a
person called James Cooper who has compiled a ‘best of’ list up to the
year 2009!  I agree with most of his calls for the years I’ve
lived thus far, that is, up to today (except for the exclusion of Wilco’s “A Ghost is Born”).   I am very much looking forwad to future bands such as The Slide Projectors and to the release of Bright Eyes‘ Wild Eyed and Stagnant
in 2009.  Oh, and I hope Waits makes it to 2009, but  maybe
he should start working on musicals with Elton & Billy. 
Here’s a sample of 2009:

1. Jeff Koons – Bubbles Bbles
2. Fiber Optics – The Fiber Optics
3. Brother Danielson – Encircle Your Brothers, Fold Twice
4. Stars and Sons – Are We Floating Yet?
5. Tom Waits – Raw Deal
6. Darcy Binewski – I See A Lot of Me In You
7. Nizzie Ahola – Awwww Shitt
8. Junior Boys – Factory Tour
9. The Slide Projectors – OK Broken
10. Wrens – The New Deal

Go here for the full list.

The Occasion

It’s cold and overcast today in San Francisco.  Healing from my
sake hangover will take some time. It’s the perfect day to listen to
The Occasion.  Their self-titled album is out on the label
Say Hey Records from NYC.  They’re a five piece including piano and a tape
looper.  Their sound is reminiscent of Low with hints of Velvet Underground and Mellow Drunk. 
If you are recovering from a heroin addiction, you may want to be
careful when listening to The Occassion.   Their blend of
piano, filler tambourine, soft but booming bass with a twang of subtle
atmospheric loops in the background can alter your state of mind
(without the
heroin).  The final tune, Annika
is a haunting trance of sonic devastation that deviates from the mood
of the rest of the album, but doesn’t disappoint.  For those of
you in NY you can catch them live Friday DEC. 10th @Southpaw, Brooklyn NY w/Radio 4 and Saturday JAN. 8th @Sin-e,
w/ Psychic Ills, Dirty Rainbow and Mike Wexler.  Check out some of
the mp3’s they make available on their website below. 

The Occasion : A Dulcimer’s Fancy
The Occasion : Smoke & Mirrors
The Occasion : The Deserters
The Occasion : I Can’t Stop Falling
The Occasion : The Midwife

Lee Walton is at it again!

Some artists get bummed and complain about life while others play with Shaquille O’Neal? 
The multi-media artist Lee Walton is currently competing with the Shaq
to see who is the better free thrower (judging from previous years, I
think the Shaq is going down big time). 

The latest spectacle being documented by Lee is his film “Making
Changes” where he gives New York a taste of his quirkiness.  This
has got to be one of the best films of 2004!

The Shaq link

The “Making Changes” Link

Some of his other films

His home page

and also check out an article I wrote about Lee’s “Baseball Art”