[...music...]: 2007-04

2007-04-17

although i am not as big of a nine inch nails fan as i was back in high school/cegep, i still follow the album releases, usually every four/five years. that is why i was surprised to find out that trent reznor was releasing material this year, so fast after "with teeth". a new album in just two years? will it suck?

i got the new "year zero" today. it's not his best work; it doesn't compare to my favourite "the fragile" (go ahead and hate me, hardcore nin fans). but "year zero" is still pretty good. i'll probably like it more after several listens, as i alwasy do, with nin albums.

there is nothing exceptionally new here. it sounds angry, with the bad teen-angst poetry (weak lyrics). sound effects and glitches here and there. typical nin.

however, i am quite impressed with the whole promotion of this album. with the clue in the tour t-shirts, the websites, the idea of some near-future dystopia, the presence, etc. very well done.

when i got home, i put the cd in my laptop drive and played for a while. when i took it out to store it away, i momentarily freaked out; i thought i had gone crazy, a slight glitch in my memory.

~~~

Labels: cd purchase, nine inch nails

2007-04-10

bright eyes

i had a taste of bright eyes last month, with the ep release. today, the full length "cassadaga" was out.

in terms of the music, i've listened to so much bright eyes, that i have an idea what to expect. on this album, nothing really surprises or impresses me. there are the songs about love, about hate, the songs about people, about places, etc. his singing hasn't changed either; that slightly quivering voice, with the peculiar inflexions. still, i quite enjoy this album; i will remain a bright eyes fan. it is harmless music, suitable for all occasions.

as always, wonderful lyrics. conor oberst never disappoints in that area.

favourite tracks include:
- four winds
- middleman
- coat check dream song
there will surely be more, as i listen to this several more time.

however, in terms of packaging, it is quite cool. it comes with a 'spectral decoder' to be hovered all over the digipak, to reveal hidden images. i had a bit of fun, before the novelty wore off.

~~~

Labels: bright eyes, cd purchase

blonde redhead

i found out about blonde redhead when i saw the unicorns open for them. they put on such an electrifying show; i've bencome a fan since then. i found the singer's voice pretty irritating at first. but once i got used to it, it's actually quite nice, and adds an uniqueness to their music.

i got their newest "23" released today. it's what i expected. ghostly pale vocals, fuzzy syrupy guitars.

my favourite track is "silently". despite what the lyrics say, the beats on that song are so optimistic.

~~~

Labels: blonde redhead, cd purchase

2007-04-08

placebo @ metropolis

when i found out that placebo were finally playing in montreal in support of "meds", i had momentarily stopped breathing. tonight, i got the chance to see them live again. this time, i went with yeni; it was her first concert ever.

the openers were evaline, some wannabe hardcore band. they had just been on the taste of choas tour, but none of the band members seemed particularly hardcore. need i say more?

despite trying to be charismatic, the singer was the creepiest-looking member of the band, in that scruffy, hasn't-showered kind of way:

the blond guitarist was the cutest. or i think he was; it was hard to tell, with his hair hiding his face:

group pic:

although i wasn't charmed by the singer, i was quite impressed at his playing the cello:

when placebo came on stage, i went crazy. the sixteen-year-old fangirl in me came out. i was dancing, and singing, and screaming, and cheering the whole time. i had so much fun! i was surprised at how much of the lyrics i knew, as i sang along with most of the songs.

it's too bad that brian molko was not really chatty tonight. he only spoke to the audience once, something along the lines of "bonsoir mesdames et messieurs. nous sommes placebo. nous venons d'une île où nous sommes les seuls à parler le fançais." i would have loved to hear more of that french accent. and they did not perform any french version of their songs either.

i did not write down or memorize the setlist. i do remember some of it. they started strong, with "infra-red", "meds", and "drag". a power trio; that really got the crowd hyped up. then, they slowed things down with "sleeping with ghosts". after that, i don't know the order of the rest, but i know they played a mix of new and old songs.

from "meds", they played:
- space monkey
- follow the cops back home
- because i want you to
- one of a kind
- song to say goodbye

from "sleeping with ghosts":
- the bitter end
- special needs

from "black market music":
- special k (my favourite from that album.)

from "without you i'm nothing":
- without you i'm nothing
- every you every me (my favourite placebo song ever. but they played like a more rock version of it, which was slightly disappointing, as it lacked all the subtleties i love so much about this song.)

from "placebo":
- bionic

during the encore:
- running up that hill (a kate bush cover, that i found out about today, and the fact that it is somewhat of a hit, being featured in a certain teen tv drama.)
- taste in men
- twenty years (featuring the singer from evaline on cello.)

i must confess that i had such a fangirl crush on brian molko, back in high school, while he was still in his androgynous phase (mmm...). and apparently, years later, i still have a fangirl crush on him, judging by the insane amount of pictures i took at this show. plus, the show was very well-lit; i didn't even have to use the awful flash at all. here are a few photos.

some less-blurry band pics:

a funny pose of brian:

more brian molko pics, because he is so sexy. total eye candy, yum... all the girls and even the boys love him. as another fan remarked: "everyone in this room wants to do him." agreed.

a pic of stefan, because he looks pretty sharp:

nice derrière:

pics from the encore:

placebo approaching the audience:

at the end, goodbyes:

finally, a sight of steve:

as i expected, this was a damn good show...!

~~~

cd purchase: none. they were only selling shirts at the merch table. besides, i have all their albums.

hearing damage: ears ringing, from the loud music, and the loud fans screaming.

~~~

Labels: evaline, metropolis, placebo, shows