Good evening!
Our mp3 deliberations are (mostly) over, and thanks to the generosity of our anonymous patron, things are (mostly) back to normal here. We won't, however, be putting last week's songs back online, so for those of you who missed out, my apologies.
Today's tracks are both from a terrific and strange little Vancouver band called P:ano. For a time, I had thought that no-one could use a colon to make a band-name more awkward than Songs:Ohia, but wouldn't you know it, Nick Krgovich & friends proved me wrong. The group plays a hushed chamber pop that falls somewhere between Low, The Microphones and The Beatles' "Julia." It's acoustic and loose, Nick Drake fronting The Unicorns.
P:ano - "Tut Tut". Quite likely my favourite track from the band, this is taken from their lovely When It's Dark and It's Summer (2002). Krgovich and Larissa Loyva duet above the sound of light through blinds: piano, clarinet, the kindliest of drumrolls. An organ nudges in just in time for the softest, wussiest, finest ode to a Jackson 5 song that's ever been recorded. And then it ends with the sound of a seaside memory.
P:ano - "Working". From 2004's The Den, here's a brisk little number that shows Nick singing happily along over piano and some mixed-up percussion: "I can see this getting worse / for me". Flute and harp flutter in, tiny zippy airplanes, then some operatic voices hurtle down, like thick yellow bands of sunshine.
Go catch the trailer to Jim Jarmusch's new film, Coffee and Cigarettes. Witness as Bill Murray chats with the RZA and the GZA, as Iggy Pop and Tom Waits get all passive-aggressive. I can't wait. (Anyone out there catch it at the Toronto Film Fest or SXSW?)
Thanks to all those who commented on my Vaganza tracks; any further comments remain most welcome! And for those who care, twas a fun, if gruelling 24-hours.
A heady thanks to John Sakamoto, as well, for the kind words about StG in this week's Anti-Hit List (we're apparently a "passionate, culturally literate blog"). If any of you are visiting for the first time, please stick around! There's no more Wilco to be heard, but I promise more good stuff, every day.
Posted by Sean at March 29, 2004 12:52 AMglad to see you back.
Posted by justin at March 29, 2004 6:46 AMyay. p:ano is great. but i don't know how to pronounce their name. i tend to say "puh-ano," but that's quite awkward.
Posted by Hillary at March 29, 2004 10:27 AMDig the trailer for the Jarmusch movie, seems very "Blue in the Face" tho.
Posted by Jack at March 29, 2004 10:33 AMThanks Justin! Hillary, I always assumed they were just called "piano" but with a pretentious wink. I could be wrong, though...
I've never seen "Blue in the Face," so it that a good thing or a bad?
Posted by Sean at March 29, 2004 11:22 AMBlue in the Face starts from a similar conceit: just record people talking about smoking, whereas this movie seems to be about taping people talking WHILE smoking and drinking coffee. Jarmusch was actually in Blue in the Face, so he is undoubtedly aware of the connection. Sean, have you seen Smoke? That is the companion piece to Blue in the Face, but it is actually a well written and structured film. Blue in the Face is more of a novelty film, albeit a good one.
Posted by Scott at March 29, 2004 1:05 PMNo more Wilco? Screw this, is Fluxblog still hiring?
Posted by forksclovetofu at March 29, 2004 5:32 PMI don't quite get you, forks...
Yeah, Scott, I think that you're right about the "WHILE" thing. Which appeals to me a lot more, since I'm not really a coffee-drinker, and am definitely not a smoker. I'll look into "Smoke," though...
Caught "Fog of War" last night and found it surprisingly flawed. A good film, certainly (Errol Morris is a master), but the movie seemed conflicted about what it wanted to be...
Posted by Sean at March 29, 2004 5:48 PMAgreed (with caveat) on FoW. I think it is actually Errol Morris's worst film, though obviously still very good. His visuals were clunky and at times heavy handed (numbers falling from planes? Is this a film strip?), and the pace seemed off.
As for the conflicted part, in some ways that's what I liked about it. I am conflicted about McNamara. McNamara is conflicted about McNamara. A less conflicted film might feel forced. To the extent that the movie works, it is because R.M. is an amazingly compelling figure, not as much for Morris's technique or structure.
Posted by Scott at March 29, 2004 7:55 PMi think if you say "p:ano" out loud it's the same as saying "piano". because if you say "p", then say "ano"... same thing. crazy kids!
little messageboard anecdote, some people were having a discussion on the xiu xiu messageboard about how to pronounce it the "correct" (as in, how the band says it) is "shoo shoo". but "show show" is also considered correct. but anyways all these people were typing various (and odd) suggestions of how they'd been pronouncing it, and someone said "dashboard confessional."
comedy genius!
Posted by justin at March 29, 2004 8:15 PMjk, sean. just playin' witcha. still looking forward to fog of war.
Posted by forksclovetofu at March 30, 2004 12:29 AMp:ano. Ugh. What a name. It remind me of the horrible hair product I use, a pomade called d:fi.
Posted by JKelly at April 5, 2004 1:49 AM
and it will begin playing. All songs are also available to download: just right-click the link and choose 'Save as...'
