writing - visual - misc - huh?
einstürzende neubauten are coming to vancouver in a few months. could i be any more excited? they're one of the few bands i've always wanted to see play live.
the range of their work is impressive, and their latest album, perpetuum mobile sounds beautiful. they've mellowed sonically over the years, but this has only led to more subtle textures and moods.
ende neu is a great album for someone giving them a first listen, as is tabula rasa. the earlier stuff is much heavier, and albums like halber mensch, fuenf auf der nach oben offenen richterskala (five on the open ended richter scale), and o.t.will knock you over with their ferocity. and then there is strange stuff like die hamletmaschine (von heiner müller), which is a peculiar dramatic take on the play, with frontman blixa bargeld as hamlet.
they've shifted directions somewhat with silence is sexy, and perpetuum mobile is a definite continuation of that sound. perhaps their warmest effort to date.
blixa has had a curious career, spending a good many years as the guitarist for nick cave and the bad seeds. if i recall correctly he also did a book of photographs of bathrooms in hotels he's stayed in while on tour (this sticks in my mind because i was wanting to do a series of bathroom photographs until i heard about this).
the only time i've seen blixa was when nick cave played in vancouver years ago as part of lolapalooza. some idiots threw packs of cigarettes at nick and he got pissed off and called the show off (after several warnings). the few songs they played were wicked - from the great let love in album.
check out the e.n. website for archived live stuff and heaps of info.
again, could i be any more excited? probably not.
{February 08, 2004 10:15 PM}