The Almighty Oracle

A new collection of songs, all released between January and June 2009. My selection started with various remixes but ended up being ecclectic with some piano driven songs hence Not Exactly Danceable.

Enjoy!

mel :: Jul.01.2009 :: Mix CDs :: No Comments »

On Sunday, I went to the movies. You may think this isn’t worth mentioning but knowing I hadn’t seen a film on a big screen since summer 2008 and The Mummy : Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (don’t judge, I was invited) it IS an event.

I picked Coraline because I love animation films plus the theater I go to offers the opportunity to see it in 3D. The story is kinda basic but the imagery is wonderful and the whole 3D experience sucks you in immediately. It is funny, cute and spooky all at the same time in very well-balanced proportions. Small detail I liked : in the original version they have Teri Hatcher and Dakota Fanning doing voice-over and for the dubbed version (yes, they sadly only offer French versions) they cast the usual French voices for Teri and Dakota. It’s very probable nobody noticed or even cared about that but these are the little things that catch my attention. Anyway, if you haven’t seen Coraline yet, go see it when you get the occasion, it’s brilliant.

Since there’s an offer running this week that gives access to every other movie for 3€ after one at full price (11€! in this case – it reminded me why I don’t go to the movies that much any more) I headed to State Of Play starring Ben Affleck and Russel Crowe. Despite an already seen scenario – 2 and a half deaths lead to huge conspiration theories – the realisation has good rhythm, the supporting cast does a very good job – props to Rachel McAdams as Della Frye – and there’s not a minute when nothing happens. A very tight thriller, recommended.

Tonight was time for a comedy : Ghost of Girlfriends Past. I didn’t expect much from it but it was very ok. Matthew McConaughey plays some kind of jerk you actually end up having sympathy for, Jennifer Garner plays the girl in love with the photographer (just like she did in 13 Going on 30) and Michael Douglas‘ character is quite colouful. It’s fun and despite the story being simple and predictable, you tend to get drawn into it. Not the movie of the year but a  sweet movie nonetheless.

I have four more movies scheduled for this week, maybe I’ll share a word or two about them, maybe not.

*If you’ve been wondering where the title for this post comes from, prepare for a little trip through my tortured mind : Coraline was originally written by Neil Gaiman who also wrote the stories to illustrate Amanda Palmer’s The Big Book of Who Killed Amanda Palmer? (they’re also dating, but that’s not relevant) and Amanda Palmer once covered Death Cab For Cutie’s song I’ll Follow You Into The Dark and well, theaters are places where they turn off the lights and then it’s dark. Voilà. You’ll find me in the last room down the hall on the right, the one with the white padded walls.

mel :: Jun.30.2009 :: Coraline, Ghost of Girlfriends Past, Movie, State of Play, movie of the day :: No Comments »

I think I like this version more than the album one. The harmonium + marxophone without the drums work surprisingly well.

Looking forward to the concert in Lille on May 19!

mel :: Apr.10.2009 :: Bat For Lashes, Daniel, Video :: 1 Comment »

This one comes up today because I’m angry at the absurdity of the world and I’d like to wake up from the nightmare today’s been. So, Goodnight Moon, bring in a new day and make it a better one.

mel :: Apr.02.2009 :: Goodnight Moon, Shivaree, Song of the Day :: No Comments »

Let’s be honest here : I love Metric. I doesn’t mean I’ll love everything they release, on the contrary, I kind of have high expectations when it comes to them. So, does Fantasies live up to my cruel standards? The answer comes after the jump.

Continue Reading »

mel :: Mar.31.2009 :: CD Review, Fantasies, Metric, Twilight Galaxy :: 3 Comments »

Kaki King never does what people expect. Everybody Loves You was 1 acoustic guitar and nothing more (didn’t require anything more, really), Legs To Make Us Longer added a few more layers plus very little vocals, …Until We Felt Red kept adding vocals and percussions plus switching to electric guitar at times and this naturally lead to the ultimate pop song that is Pull Me Out Alive, present on the fantastic Dreaming Of Revenge. The progression is logical, adding one feature each time. So what’s next, you ask? Kaki King goes heavy metal, maybe?

Not quite but it’s close enough. Continue Reading »

mel :: Mar.30.2009 :: CD Review, Kaki King, Mexican Teenagers :: No Comments »

I don’t listen to the radio. Mostly because I could never find one that would play the music I like.

Some weeks ago, I found out about Penguins In The Desert, “Best Radio Show on WHRW… that’s hosted by twins!“. I don’t quite remember how it happened, probably via Twitter, Myspace or Facebook but the important point is that Hayley and Jeri play songs by Dredg, Jeff Buckley, Band of Horses, Muse, Placebo, The Dresden Dolls, Ambulette, Alanis Morissette, Weezer, Pedro the Lion, Neutral Milk Hotel, Radiohead, The Cranberries, Regina Spektor or Vermillion Lies [among many other] and that’s a pretty good selection, in my opinion.

The show focuses on the music and it’s very pleasant not to have any annoying comments every 2 minutes, they accept requests before and during the show, plus they gave me a shout out yesterday so everyone should tune in next Friday from 1pm to 4pm ET (that’s 6pm to 9pm if you’re GMT+1 like me).

Links :

Live webcast : http://whrwfm.org/listenlive.php
myspace :  www.myspace.com/whrwpenguins
facebook : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Penguins-in-the-Desert
twitter : http://twitter.com/WHRWpenguins
imeem : http://www.imeem.com/penguinsinthedesert

and if you want to listen to past shows, click here.

“Although you can expect to hear alternative rock and indie rock, be prepared to discover new music and hear songs you’ve always loved!”

mel :: Mar.28.2009 :: Penguins in the Desert, radio show :: 1 Comment »

Just because.

Send us a blindfold, send us a blade
Tell the survivors help is on the way
I was a blind fool, never complained
All the survivors singing in the rain
I was the one with the world at my feet
Got us a battle, leave it up to me

Find us a trap door, find us a plane
Tell the survivors help is on the way
I was a blind fool, never complained
All the survivors singing in the rain
I was the one with the world at my feet
Got us a battle, leave it up to me

What it is and where it stops nobody knows
You gave me a life I never chose
I wanna leave but the world won’t let me go
Wanna leave but the world won’t let me go

I was the one with the world at my feet
Got us a battle, leave it up to me
Leave it up to me

mel :: Mar.21.2009 :: Blindness, Fantasies, Metric, Song of the Day :: No Comments »

“Everybody loves you, baby; of course, they do
Do you miss me? I miss you.“

Yesterday was New Year’s eve but it’s spring already? This year is passing me by unlike any other before.

Poor light but this is my calendar.

These past 3 months have been quite good, musically speaking. With new albums by Andrew Bird, Antony and the Johnsons, Beirut [double EP but still], Morrissey, LGS, Mansfield.Tya and some promissing upcoming releases from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Metric, Placebo and Bat For Lashes you can’t honestly say there hasn’t been good music around.

Then, you have the gigs. Emiliana Torrini was amazing and I have a feeling every concert I’ll choose to attend this year will be just as special. First one coming up : Kaki King in Cologne followed by Moriarty, LGS and Mansfield.Tya the same week and Loney Dear, Gossip, Andrew Bird, Laura Marling and Bat For Lashes before June. Insane.

Here are my favourite songs these days :

[Metric - Sick Muse / Beirut - My Night With The Prostitute From Marseille / Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll / Schuyler Fisk - Hello / Bat For Lashes - Siren Song]

(side note : if you live in or near Cologne, Germany and have a couch or soft enough carpet I could crash on next week (Friday night,  March 27th) after Kaki King’s gig, do tell! Please. I don’t snore, don’t sleepwalk nor need any special attention. Driving 3 hours is ok, but at night it can be harsh.
And if you just want to hang out before the concert, have some awkward silent moment [I really am not a big talker! be warned.] or anything, let me know! I’m in Germany only once or twice a year, after all) didn’t happen; family happened.

“Did they tell you
You should grow up
When you wanted to dream?

Did they warn you
Better shape up
If you want to succeed?

I don’t know about you
Who are they talking to?
They’re not talking to me

All the questions
And suggestions
They mean nothing to me”

mel :: Mar.21.2009 :: Andrew Bird, Antony and the Johnsons, Bat For Lashes, Cologne, Emiliana Torrini, Germany, Gossip, Kaki King, Loney Dear, Metric, Moriarty, Placebo, Random :: No Comments »

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! [Lá Fhéile Pádraig, in Irish]

A real update is coming. Stay tuned!

mel :: Mar.18.2009 :: Uncategorized :: No Comments »