22 June 2013

If you're just tuning in, walk into the light

So it's been a while since I wrote anything here, but I've resolved to use Facebook less this week and, as I need somewhere to share all the gems I come across in my travels through the internet I'll be updating the blog a bit more (I say hopeful of commitment to it this time...).

Here's a few things I've been getting into this week - I hope you find something you like.


Aesop Rock is one of my favourite MC's. I love the way he uses metaphor to transform what could be a mundane story into something layered with meaning (check Fryerstarter from Skelathon for the perfect example of this - and the source of this week's title). He's bringing Beat poetry back to our generation and that's got to be a good thing. Here's a  whole (short) set of his from an instore performance at Amoeba Records last year.



Watching that performance got me onto a day long Aesop binge, culminating in The Uncluded - a collaboration between Aesop Rock and anti-folk singer Kimya Dawson. This is a pretty cool video, and a nice tune as well. The whole album is pretty good, and these two work off each other so well.



Speaking of Kimya Dawson, I've been listening to this track a lot lately and everytime I hear it I still get goosebumps. It's just so open, raw and honest - if you've been  reading my other blog posts, you'll know that those are pretty strong requirements in any music I listen to, and Kimya has them in spades. This is from her album Thunder Thighs, which has some other great songs on it (but also some that I can't really get into; her music can be a bit like that I think). Oh, and funnily enough this one also features a bit of Aesop Rock (but no more of him this week, I promise).



I'm also about half way through last years fantastic biography of Leonard Cohen, I'm Your Man. I've been a fan of Leonard Cohen since I was a moody 14 year old (not much has changed, including still being a big fan). Seeing him live a couple of years ago was completely magical, and one of my favourite concerts of all time. Story of Isaac is probably my favourite song of his, and always has been. Here's a live version from 1985 (although it could really be any time).



I've also just finished reading the first volume of William S. Burrough's letters (1945-59) which are a great insight into his early years as a writer and struggles with addiction. Many of his early "routines" feature throughout the book, some of which made it into his early books, including Naked Lunch. There are a lot of good interviews with him around, which are well worth checking out. Below is one of my favourite routines for you to check out, and heed.



I cam across this via Dangerous Minds, one of my regular sites for finding interesting diversions. There are a few of these one minute versions of movies around, but being a massive Hunter Thompson fan (some may say almost to the point of obsession) I particularly like this one.



That's enough for now I think. Not a bad collection of odds and ends for a first visit back in a while (was it really October when I last updated this thing?). I hope you've enjoyed it.

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