[Seattle Greycat] And Dream of Sheep

Another person I've been listening to again, and a lot, is Kate Bush. I
don't know why, but I've favorited most of her videos on youtube and
have been watching/listening to them.

As i get older, my love and appreciation for her music, her voice and
her dancing/artistry increases year by year. Even her videos
for "Wuthering Heights" I adore, especially the Red Dress Version - and
they are a little out there with her combination of ballet and
interpretive dance. "Cloudbusting" has Donald Freakin Sutherland in it.
My favorite videos of hers though are "The Red Shoes" and "The Sensual
World", with "The Red Shoes" winning slightly as it was not only my
favorite Hans Christian Anderson story as a child, but the video is
very whimsical and fantastic.

It's too bad she is so shy to tour. Doesn't she know how many of her
fans adore her?

EDIT: It was "The Little Match Girl" that was my favorite story of his. But "The Red Shoes" was also one I loved.

[Seattle Greycat] The Little Punk/Goth band that could

So...I have yet to hear The Horror's "Primary Colours", myfriendBruce
says he's listened to it a few times since he heard it (on his Twitter)
- and if he listens to an album more than once in a week, well, I know
it's got to be spectacular.

So, in way early 2007, I saw the video for "Sheena is a Parasite". It
was directed by Chris Cunningham, who is, by far, my most favorite
video director, even if he is way way crazy in his imagery (he did
Aphex Twin's "Come to Daddy" and Windowlicker" the latter being one of
my favorite videos of all time.) It was the fact that he did the video
that i heard about the Horrors. I liked the song, I really liked their
promo EP for "Strange Houses" and in 2007, they came to SXSW, and to
see them was my main goal, more even than Tuung or the Buzzcocks, which
i also wanted see badly. Ahh..the Platnium Pass year.

So, I took tons of photos of the Horrors at the show. They were the
first band in a long time to really energize me while seeing them and i
was craving more. I think my photos show that - even if they are kinda
crappy. (I was in the front row, but I was using my cheap kodak camera
to get in with.) I was totally jazzed about this band...

So...two years have passed...let's see how I feel about the new album.
(i'm writing as I discover the album)

"Mirror's Image" - Hmmm...different. Starting off somewhat mellow.
That's not expected. Nice dark bassline. And then it throws itself into
a tradional old school goth sound. They have matured greatly!
Wow...great shoegazy/goth guitars. The vocals are moving and deep.

"Three Deacades" - Jangly guitars...and then they sort of go the Smiths
gone circus freeksow. I'm digging this old school sound a lot. Very
much a mix of JD keyboards, Banshees sound and honestly, Cure-Like
vocals.

"Who Can Say" - Rough and grainy, in a good way - though maybe over
produced. So far, the songs have been so much more mellow and the sound
is very late 70's darkwave. Oh, this part reminds me a lot of Velvet
Underground. Back to sweet vocals.

"Do You Remember" - The guitars are very U2 like, I like. *sigh* this
song is quite shoegazy. Oh wow - it's nice to hear a band pay tribute
to the sound of underground music in 78-83.

"New Ice Age" - Lots of feedback/effects -love the downtempo! Classic
Horrors sound but a fantastic merging into their current sound. So far,
this song is the closest to their first album sound. Is it really 2009?
It sounds like it's 1982!

"Scarlet Fields" - A little stripped down, vocalwise. Farris has a good
voice, though. I'm glad to hear they are taking advantage of it. Oh! I
like the keyboards in this! Very bass driven - good, their bass player
is talented. Wow, it's vaugly Psych Fursish - but without the ego. It
reminds me of when I was little and heard so much great music coming
out, but was too young to understand.

"I Only Think Of You" - A blend of Velvet Underground and Siouxsie. The
vocals - slightly Nick Cave like. I like it though. Wow, I'm so hearing
Siouxsie's version of "Dear Prudence" in the courus. The keyboards and
effects at the end remind me so much of "Carnage Visors".

"I Can't Control Myself" - OHH! Original Horror's sounding driving bass
at the beginning. Keyboards are veering into psychedelic. Farris sounds
the same as he did on the first album. Ok, this is classic Horrors. A
little slower, but this is what i saw in them when hearing the first
album and seeing them live. The energy is very much there and alive in
the sound. So far, this is my least favorite song, BUT I still like it
very very much.

"Primary Colours" - The vocals and sound is very current of the
revival. I'm not unhappy with this, but comparied to the rest of the
album, this is becoming the weakest part. I will say...if this is the
weakest part, then this album deserves to be on some "best of" lists
for the year. It's still different, still refreshing, even if it's not
new.

"Sea Within a Sea" - Nice vocals. Reminds me of Joy Division, but not
in a tired way at all. OH! This guitar sounds Cure-Like - from 1979.
Not bad. Now, the guitars have gone into Siouxsie-ville. I'm glad. No
one had yet tried to copy the Banshees sound and succeeded. Oh, the
keyboards at this part are fun! This song sounds...well, happy. That's
weird - but nice. I like the way it's taking me through so many
emotions and sound periods. Good keyboards at the end!

Ok, that's the end.

My summary is this:

The Horrors have matured as a band in ways I never thought they would.
I honestly felt they would fight to be this dark punk band they were 2
years ago, no matter what. BUT, as much i kept hearing sounds from
bands past, I was so happy to hear them being utilized, because they
were ignored for so long. How many bands now sound like The Banshees?
How many have grasped the magic of the Cure's first few albums? Not
many.

I love this album. If I wasn't already going to see the Horrors this
(next) Friday in Seattle because they are the Horrors, this album would
have made me buy a ticket to see them. I love it. Maybe I can sneak a
camera into the show and take more great pictures. :)

[Seattle Greycat] Geiko?

Well, I have to say...

Geico - and their Gecko are being very smart with their understated
campaign of inserting themselves into youtube videos. It's a bold and
honestly smart move for them to attract 18-30 yr old drivers with very
slick product placement.

Normally, I'd be sick about this, but the way the Geico people have
done this, well...it's very ingenius. Just search for "itsthegecko" and
see what i am talking about.

As much as I hate this sort of thing, I can't deny that this is a VERY
good move on their part.

(Did you guys know that i was seriously considering a career in
advertising creative (long long ago)? I would have DIED to be on a
campaign like this.