this lossy codec

Ahhh. 4 whole says off in a row. Refreshed. Back on set today but in a novel environment. ‘Inside.’ Specifically, inside the Masonic Hall in downtown Santa Fe. Very comfortable (ie. Not freezing). That, combined with the fact that the script for the day seems to reflect a complete lack of any dialogue whatsoever and the fact that only 4 more days of this picture remain, takes the edge off of the whole “waking up at 4am on the Monday following a holiday weekend” thing. As today will, most likely, be uneventful, I’ll unload my Thanksgiving for you.
The Playlist
What defines Thanksgiving music? To some it never goes further than ‘Alice’s Resaraunt’. To me it is some kind of Amercana aesthetic combined with the autumnal folk vibe of those gathered around the fire. The basic progression was something like this:
1. Incredible String Band – ‘Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter’. What can I say about ISB? Everything sounds too trite. Let me just say that I will play the song ‘A Very Cellular Song’ on occasions that warrant an uplifting of the spiritual in the tones of youthful, innocent, worldly folk songs.
2. John Fahey – ‘the Transfiguration of Blind Joe Death’
3. ‘Last Kind Words’ – various artists. A collection of blues songs from the 20s & 30s.
4. Pentangle – self titled first record. Folk rock at it’s best.
5. Sandy Bull – ‘Phantasies for Guitar & Banjo’. While possibly classifiable as a ‘folk guitarist’ in the most broad sense, Bull’s ‘Blend’ (as well as ‘Blend 2′ & ‘Electric Blend’) takes the style of folk guitar and applies it to the driving tempo of the middle eastern oud. The piece is long and meditative, stretching to the entire length of an albumside. Not sure how it applies to the theme, aside from being an American playing a guitar. Just an excuse to play one if my favorites I suppose.
6. Harry Partch – ‘The World of…’. A shift into the avant garde. Still, Partch’s independent thinking, whether in inventing homemade instruments or his passion for hobo life exemplify the american pioneering archetype. Plus, for avant garde music it is pretty ‘folky’.
7. David Hykes ‘Hearing Solar Wind’. In case you missed my blog about it, I met Hykes a couple weeks ago and so he has been on my mind. Solar Wind is a masterpiece of acapella chant. Indescribable in it’s novelty. An amazing, moving and inspiring work of sound.
8. Nick Drake ‘Pink Moon’. Brooding but beautiful songs by a guy who makes the soundtrack to sadness, loss an lonliness so beautiful its almost appealing.
9. Vashti Bunyan ‘Just Another Diamond Day’. Whispering, breathy psych folk from the late 60s. Like Drake, Bunyan was also missed in her own time, leaving her records to be rediscovered in 2000. Nowadays we can listen back to and be glad we never had these songs drilled into our heads by popular radio.
10. Terry Riley ‘Shri Camel’. Like icing on the cake or a night cap to settle the mind, Riley’s rolling reputations of ‘just intoned’ organ are a kind of massage on the brain, bringing about a meditative state convulsively.

(In the midst of these were brief cameos of Neil Young’s ‘Tonights the Night’ & an obscure Folkways lp of songs by Allen Ginsburg (recorded by Harry Smith!).

What else? Hmmm. Thanksgiving sandwiches the day after. Mmm good. Thanksgiving shake anyone? Anyway, it was good. And today wasn’t too bad either. Ended up wrapped by 2:30! An 8 hour day? Whoa! Apparently, the next 3 days won’t be so easy…

This entry was posted on Monday, December 1st, 2008 at 7:56 am and is filed under outernet, records. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.