/devices/pseudo/bitbucket@0:bitbucket: Musings from the bitbucket

On Saturday I popped into the Chatswood HMV store because their 'fresh in-store' display featured the new Jamiroquai album. I've known the album was coming for ages, and a few weeks ago they released a teaser single. Oh, and I bought the album right there and then because it was only AUD21.99 rather than the more usual AUD30 or more. The album also doesn't have any of that annoying copy protection crap on it, so I didn't have any problems with playing it under Solaris using standards-compliant drivers and applications. I like this album a lot more than the previous one (A Funk Odyssey), mainly because the group seems to have returned to a more disco+dance style, and not let the mind-blowingly boring (musically and words-wise) 'Corner of the Earth' style back onto the platter.

I also picked up Ben Folds' latest album (including NTSC dvd ;< ) called Songs for Silverman and it too is on high rotation right now. It's a disc that builds on his previous solo work more so (in my opinion) than when he was part of Ben Folds Five.

One thing about this album that annoys me somewhat is the inclusion of an NTSC dvd rather than a PAL dvd. There's a wealth of good reasons why NTSC (aka Never The Same Colour --- try googling for "ntsc never the same color" and hit "I'm feeling lucky") should not be used, starting with the fact that Australia (where I live) just doesn't use NTSC. Makes me think that this is either a straight import from the US (unlikely given the price), or that the local distributor was unwilling to do any thinking about what was being packaged up. Much more likely...

Still, the music displays Ben Folds' expansion and development into what might be called larger works. There are a variety of other instruments, some other people providing backing vocals (including his wife Frally), and some complex rhythms and harmonies. And (I've just noticed after listening to it 10 times) that there are little interlude bits too --- quite soft background-style music with muted keyboard, drums and (I think) string bass. Interesting!

I really like this album. Now I just need a few spare cycles to sit down and look at the DVD as well.

Actually, there isn't any background-style music on this album --- just The Cat Empire's website hijacking my /dev/audio. Hmmmm not very nice!

I don't really know how to describe The Cat Empire - are they hip-hop, folk, funk, jazz, disco (!) or what? They seem to be a mix of all sorts except possibly thrash, metal and hard rock. So listening to them is quite enjoyable.

I picked up their latest album Two Shoes a few days ago and as is my habit it's now on high rotation. They've got a nasty habit though with their website of hijacking one's /dev/audio and playing a track from their album.

This is rude and obnoxious behaviour for a website.

If I want to listen to their music, I will do so when I choose to. I do not want to have it forced on me.

Anyway, the group is touring Australia at the moment. I didn't go (and haven't gone) to their shows at the Enmore Theatre - I figured that their sort of music is better suited to a place where you can get up and dance (maybe even mosh a bit). The Enmore Theatre is very much a sit down sort of place. Now maybe if they were appearing at The Metro instead....

I'm listening to a now-defunct English group by the name of Corduroy, one of the so-called Acid Jazz bands. There's a bit of discography etc at this site along with links to CDNow and suchlike. I first heard their single "Mini" in 1994 on JJJ which got me totally hooked on them. Back then I had to order the album via Virgin Records in Sydney -- took months to arrive back in Brisbane. I thoroughly blame Richard Kingsmill and Arthur wotsisname for introducing me to the long, cool and funky period of time since I got the album, and opening my eyes to this style of music. For a long, long time the only album of theirs that I had was Out Of Here, and then last year I was in HMV in the Pitt St Mall and found that there was more! I picked up the 2cd best-of collection and when I get back to Aus I'll be going back to get the rest and see about ordering in the newer (post-1994!) albums. Reading through some of the info at the links above I discovered that another of my favourite groups, Jamiroquai was signed to the same label at one point.