I Just Smell Funny
 

I'm not dead, I just smell funny

So, hey everyone. I know my last two journals died after a few days. That's my fault. I'm consolidating things, so that I'll be able to actually focus. I promise, this one will last longer.

I'll be talking about movies, music, literature etc. I'll try to throw out the occasional review, but they'll be shorter than before, because that's not my focus this time around. Things are more free form now, so hopefully I won't loose interest.

I'll be back in a bit to post a thing I wrote. Until then.

Pord – Wild Review
http://i.imgur.com/yBoB7nM.jpg
Pord is a noise rock trio hailing from France made up of drummer Sébastien Daudé, bassist Max Quintin and guitarist/vocalist Mike Paulhac. This is basically my first solid introduction to them, but they've been around since 2002, when they dropped their debut, “N'importe Ou”.

Pord has a lot of things going for them. The playing is tight. The production is solid, even though the bass gets lost behind the guitar at times. The vocals heavily accented, but also suitably pissed off. The bass is fuzzy, the guitar is sharp. From the straight ahead buzz of “Staring Into Space” to the Mathy angularity of “I'm Swimming Home” to the lengthy constantly shifting closer “On The Couch”, Pord sounds like a band that's played together long enough to truly have a feel for what they're doing.

Unfortunately, most of what's offered here sounds sort of safe, and that's not good for a noise rock band. Nothing new is really being done. I feel like, if you've listened to a bit of 90s noise, most notably The Jesus Lizard, you'll have heard most of what Pord has to offer. There are a few moments where I feel real viscera (like the tracks “My Bloody Galantine” and “What Are Tuesdays For?), but for the most part this album is lacking. Where's the pain? Where's the blood, sweat, tears and other bodily fluids? This album could have done with a bit more spontaneity.

So, if you want yet another solid, well played noise rock record, Wild is worth checking out, but if you're new to the genre, there are better places to start.

5.5/10

http://i.imgur.com/7nDZFnO.jpg
So, my friend was getting rid of this old futon. Other than some stains, it's actually a perfectly fine piece of furniture, and I'm cheap, so I took it.

The cover on it is kind of gross and needs to be replaced, but it's comfy. Especially once I covered it up with a blanket.

Needless to say, I'm a happy camper.

Getting Into Jazz, Day 1
 

Okay, so, it's time to stop dicking around. I've been a casual fan of the odd jazz record for a while, but I've never really explored that way I'd like to.

So, over the course over the next month, I'm going to make a point of listening to two jazz records per day. I'm not going to really post reviews until I think I've got a handle on jazz, but I will post general thoughts.

I'm going to start off with some so called "seminal" records, before eventually venturing further into foreign territory.

http://i.imgur.com/6nMFTVn.jpg

Starting things off is the 1957 Hard Bop album "Blue Train" by John Coltrane.
Coltrane does a good job on Saxophone. Most of the time, he's backed by drums and bass. A piano sometimes roams around and... uh... does stuff. There are a few trumpets here and there, too.

I enjoyed this album. It's got a lot of energy. I'll be checking out more of Coltrane's Stuff for sure.

http://www.progarchives.com/progress...4265122010.jpg

So, Miles Davis, then. I listened to Bitches Brew a while back, and dug it, so I decided to give this a listen. It doesn't really have the same rock n' rock type influences of Bitches Brew by virtue of the fact that it is not, in fact, a fusion record. This is part of the reason why I chose it. Maybe some jazz fusion stuff will come later, but for now I need to listen to straight jazz.

This album is my favorite of the two. I noticed that the bass is doing a lot more on it's own, rather than just playing similar sounding patterns in the background. I also like the production more. It feels fuller, more engrossing.

Wikipedia describes it as a pioneering modal jazz album. I'm not 100% sure what that means, but I dig it what's being done here.

For tomorrow, I was recommended another Coltrane thing, as well as a Herbie Hancock record.

Beyond that, I'd sure appreciate some recs from people. I know y'all have something for me to listen to...