Local Media, River Gods Regulars, Music Fans and
Friends,
We're gonna chill out tonight. With its recent arrival
on made-for-TV compilations and questionably-priced imports, the "chill out"
subgenre has really gotten a bad rap. Names like Air, Kid Loco and
Boards Of Canada codified its sound: ambient leanings, tonal melodies,
lush production and a slow, rolled-up beat. It has an air of sophistication
and the jetset [that the fesitval is in Naxos, Greece should be a tip-off]. But
it really found its audience as an early retreat to the jammering beats of the
club, or a retreat from the come-down of its drugs. Blue States does it more
organically, with an acoustic guitar and live instrumental accompaniment.
Relaxing stuff. Dan Spurling makes his debut to start, and the quite able hands
of Alise lets us down easy tonight at
eavesdrop.
A
Weekly Listening Party
Tuesday Nights from 9 pm to 1 am
Album Playback
10:30 pm
125 River St., Cambridge, MA 02139 [map here]
21+ / FREE
Just 4 blocks west of the Central Square
T stop on River St.
++ TONIGHT ++
:: September 24th, 2002:
BLUE STATES "Man
Mountain" [ESL Music]
It takes a discerning ear to make downtempo or "chill-out"
music not sound cheezy. Despite what you may think, it's actually even
difficult. Most of the genre can be borderline Enya, coping from various
third-world styles to create an upper-crust sound. The
Blue
States, on the Thievery Corporation's ESL Music label, is soulful, lush, but
with just enough true dolor to make it human. Contemporaries include Zero
7, the Kompakt Ambient series and Royksopp. Andy Dragazis combines textured
guitar, string sections and backbeats to great effect. You just have to
give it up. Dan Spurling has been honing his breaks for months on the decks in
his living room. Alise will drop more recent minimal grooves, but just as
plesant. Altogether, a real low-key night.
:: 9pm - 10:30pm :: D. Spurling [Improper
Bostonian]
:: 10:30 Featured Album: BLUE STATES "Man
Mountain" [ESL Music] out: October 1st
++ NEXT WEEK
++
:: October 1st, 2002:
ROYAL TRUX "Hand Of
Glory" [Drag City]
To underground/indie music fans, Jennifer and Neil [Royal
Trux] reign supreme. Possessing and unquenchable desire to rock, the couple
pushed their minds and bodies to the brink. They'd tour and record when they
could stomach it, move to a major label, do all sorts of drugs, inspire legions
until finally breaking up after 6 years. Along the way, they recorded music that
would often be compared to the Rolling Stones: captivating
and indestructable. They've even been labelled the "most erotic music in
the world." And it might be. "Hand Of Glory" is an unreleased album of
legend, and its magnificent. And as one of their earliest recordings it is, at
times, very noisy. You've been warned. DJ Tinobeat and the always-reliable
Tenderloin rock out.
:: 9pm - 10:30pm
:: Tinobeat
:: 10:30 Featured Album: ROYAL TRUX "Hand Of
Glory" [Drag City] out: October 8th
:: 11:30pm - 1am: :: Tenderloin [Soltero,
Eavesdrop]
:: October 8th, 2002:
AMON TOBIN "Out From Out
Where" [Ninja Tune] The dark, melodic brazilified sounds of Mr. Tobin return to
blunt your soundsystem.
:: October 15th, 2002:
STEREOTYP
"My Sound" [G-Stone/K7] The last great electronic album of 2002. Guests
vocals provided by Tikiman. "Massive."
:: Thanks to the Improper Bostonian and Dan Spurling
for writing us up this week [See scan here].
It's nice to have a little attention for this music now and then.
Music is played at:
RIVER GODS125 River
St.
Cambridge, MA 02139
[map here]
Just 4 blocks west of
Central Square on River St.
:: EAVESDROP Highlights anticipated releases from the
finest artists and labels. Eavesdrop will preview an entire album a week or so
in advance, with tasteful guest DJs providing music before and after. It's
pretty fun. And it's free.
// Please consider this an email
invitation from Rory
Keohane, Amy Lee Grill and David Day // If you would like to be
removed from this electronic list, please reply to this email
[eavesdrop@mindspring.com] and say REMOVE. It's no problem // We would
never give your email to anyone for anything no matter what they said or did to
us or our families // More about Eavesdrop here //
Thanks for yr continued support.
[program: Gill Sans : 12 : Blue
]
