In the early 80s Philip Glass attempted to go pop with his Glassworks album - an album deliberately designed for the Sony Walkman (invented in 1979). Two decades later German electronic composer Wolfgang Voight recorded an album of atmospheric drones under the name Gas and called it Pop.
Philip Glass Glassworks
Tom Waits Foreign Affairs
Thievery Corporation The Mirror Conspiracy
Tangerine Dream Ricochet
Gas Pop
Richard Hawley Truelove's Gutter
This week sees the first entry for 2 1/2 years from Washington DC electronica duo Thievery Corporation who make the most of their overdue reappearance with a typically classy set of down tempo swing and groove via The Mirror Conspiracy. The album, their second official studio release, came out in 2000, but I first became aware of them the year before through their excellent DJ Kicks compilation which must be one of the best of that series.
Through 6 relatively short pieces Glass takes us on a whistle top tour of the Glass that we feel that we know - we have the solo piano (Opening), the abrasive organ (Floe), the haunting pipes over minor chord string arpeggios (Island), the frenetic abrasive keyboard loops (Rubic), the beautiful clarinet melody over string loops (Facades), and the repeated embellished piano coda (Closing). Like a Russian doll the opening and closing pieces envelope the two alternating pairs - the beauty and the bombastic, or the order and the chaos if you like - bringing the album together as a satisfying whole.
It could be a greatest hits record, but serves more as an introductory compilation to Glass music. To call such music minimalist does it a disservice. There is a lot going on here and rather than being in any way generic, Philip Glass is unique and instantly recognisable.
Glass succeeded in his intention - Glassworks remains his most commercially successful record today.
This week sees the first entry for 2 1/2 years from Washington DC electronica duo Thievery Corporation who make the most of their overdue reappearance with a typically classy set of down tempo swing and groove via The Mirror Conspiracy. The album, their second official studio release, came out in 2000, but I first became aware of them the year before through their excellent DJ Kicks compilation which must be one of the best of that series.
I'm really enjoying the Gas album POP. It almost goes without saying (almost) but this sort of music does require several hours of listening before the subtleties are absorbed. This is slow burning ambience, with some beats too (heartbeat pulses). It's much less dynamic than the Fennesz album I acquired at the same time (Endless Summer), but equally unique and original. The circular drones come at you in waves which have a wonderful lulling effect as you drift across the surface of the peaks and troughs of Wolfgang Voigt's oceanic soundscapes.
I'm pondering seeing Richard Hawley at a forthcoming concert in my area. I think I should go. I love his records. The thing that's holding me back is he is just about to bring a new album out and current set lists reveal he is playing practically the whole thing (obviously at the expense of much from the earlier albums I so love - in particular this one, Truelove's Guitar, which is an absolute masterpiece).
Have I missed his peak, or will the new album be equally as good (albeit less familiar even if I get it immediately)? I have a similar dilemma with the Felice Brothers who I was very sad to miss 2 years ago when they cancelled their UK tour. They are returning in the new year but with a new album and a new band. Will they be the same? I think I'll go to them too. Both of these artists have been favourites of mine for a while so even if I may have missed their absolute best I'll still regret passing up the opportunity.
In so much as this can be ever possible Philip GLASS attempted something more commercial with his 1982 Glassworks album. Temporarily putting aside his symphonic and operatic works:
Have I missed his peak, or will the new album be equally as good (albeit less familiar even if I get it immediately)? I have a similar dilemma with the Felice Brothers who I was very sad to miss 2 years ago when they cancelled their UK tour. They are returning in the new year but with a new album and a new band. Will they be the same? I think I'll go to them too. Both of these artists have been favourites of mine for a while so even if I may have missed their absolute best I'll still regret passing up the opportunity.
In so much as this can be ever possible Philip GLASS attempted something more commercial with his 1982 Glassworks album. Temporarily putting aside his symphonic and operatic works:
Glassworks was intended to introduce my music to a more general audience than had been familiar with it up to then.
Through 6 relatively short pieces Glass takes us on a whistle top tour of the Glass that we feel that we know - we have the solo piano (Opening), the abrasive organ (Floe), the haunting pipes over minor chord string arpeggios (Island), the frenetic abrasive keyboard loops (Rubic), the beautiful clarinet melody over string loops (Facades), and the repeated embellished piano coda (Closing). Like a Russian doll the opening and closing pieces envelope the two alternating pairs - the beauty and the bombastic, or the order and the chaos if you like - bringing the album together as a satisfying whole.
It could be a greatest hits record, but serves more as an introductory compilation to Glass music. To call such music minimalist does it a disservice. There is a lot going on here and rather than being in any way generic, Philip Glass is unique and instantly recognisable.
Glass succeeded in his intention - Glassworks remains his most commercially successful record today.
