31-Jul-2006 5:21 PM - Robots/mannequins, by Shinichi Yamashita, like Metropolis meets anime.

31-Jul-2006 4:03 PM - Rapunzel, like Mary Poppins, Faceless, Darth Vader, are just a few examples of comics / short animations made by Bad and Ugly, that is Ross Butter, a 16 years old dude of pure genius (i can see his acne), - totally black, hellhound, brilliant, fierce - to laugh a little.. - i love His stuff.

31-Jul-2006 1:36 PM - Link to the Cranes' 1989 peel session restored! Read below for details. It features an unreleased track, Till Tomorrow! Thanks a lot Kris! ^_^ - I really need a dose..
ƒ¬ zip (via blog):
.peel session July 19th, 1989

31-Jul-2006 1:23 PM - If You're not new to komakino, You already know that chromewaves weekly features a rare/unreleased cover song. So, it's time for Sonic Youth, performing the Beach Boys' I Know There's An Answer, originally from classic Pet Sound. Enjoy, and hurry up until it's online.
ƒ¬ mp3 (via blog):
.Sonic Youth - I Know There's An Answer

31-Jul-2006 9:33 AM - I just come from reading that Dustin O'Halloran (from beloved Devics) is going to release a new new chapter of His piano recordings in october, Piano Solos - vol. 2; and some shows have to be announced. That's fine. - personally i'm still enchanted by His former release.. and i long to hear the new compositions, - new oxygen.. read my past komareview here.

30-Jul-2006 6:30 PM - Cat Claws, 29/07 live Roma @ Linux, v. di libetta. - Non ero mai stato al linux, - carino il locale. Mi è sembrato gestito tipo da dei truzzi, però lo hanno tirato sù bene, con tanto di postazioni internet gratuite e gran cura dei dettagli. Insomma, un posticino tranquillo che mancava a roma x l'indie. In palinsesto ieri sera c'erano un gruppo coatto barocco darchettone del luogo (non dark, ma darkettone), una sfilata di 'moda' gothica, - e i Cat Claws, cioè il motivo per cui mi trovavo lì. Avevo già visto in giro il loro nome per qlc altra data, ma sinceramente li avevo snobbati sinchè poi non mi sono imbattuto nella Loro pagina su myspace, mi sono ascoltato dei pezzi e quindi mea culpa x il ritardo. E posso dire che sono il mio gruppo romano favorito del momento. - Quartetto di sonorità indie sonica tra Frumpies e Star Pimp, la cantante/chitarrista è nata a new york, e regala ai pezzi un'aria scanzonata capricciosa col suo cantato tra il delizioso e l'urlato garage. Mentre i darkettoni de' noantri facevano su e giù con le loro mise metasadomaso/reginadelraccordo (minigonne giropassera in lattex e comodissimi zatteroni a iosa), Marco il chitarrista portava i ciabattoni da mare e Lavinia una maglia 'campioni' della nazionale (ahimé) e scarpe luccicolse con i tacchi.. non esattamente rockstar, ma il contrasto col tema della serata andava bene. Avrebbero dovuto anche iniziare l'esibizione con il tormentone da stadio dei white stripes, ma si sono vergognati (grazie al cielo), senonchè la cantante ha giusto urlato simpaticamente un 'siamo campioni del mondo!!', un pò imbarazzante, e come ho sentito dire in seguito ad una gentil pulzella 'è meglio che non parla e canta solo, gli avrei messo una patata in bocca'. A parte ciò, ottimi davvero, come ottime sono le divagazioni lo-fi delle chitarre, batteria e basso accattivanti. Difficile stare fermi. Gli schemi viaggiano sul rancido, e portano una serie di hit come A Day as a Cat, Joseph, Make a Wish. Più o meno 30min di concerto. - Nota: ho fatto diverse foto ma sono venute tutte uno schifo, ne salvo giusto una.. riguardo il video, sorry, ma ogni 30 sec mi si interrompeva la registrazione, quindi è un collage che non rende giustizia.. // In brief: last night i went to see the Cat Claws's show, local indie band with female singer born in newyork. - I can't but praise Their qualities, seen They move in a sort of Frumpies/Star Pimp parenthesis, lo-fi and garage, with the vocals both sweet and well rude when it needs. A gigantic dose of what the roman no-scene needs: noise, caprice, rancid pop songs, and perfect hits like A Day as a Cat, Joseph, or Make a Wish. . I apolgize, all the pictures i took were crap, so only one is barely decent, and about the video, each 30sec it stops, so, it's a kind of collage.. it's just for the memory, - i warmly suggest You to download the below free ep.
ƒ¬ live video:
.opening (mp4, 12.8mb).
ƒ¬mp3s (via homepage) from A Day As Cat:
.o1 A day as a cat
.o2 Ugly girls
.o3 S-banhof
.o4.Death of Joseph (home mix)
.o5 Sweetly

30-Jul-2006 10:20 AM - After years and years The Jesus & Mary Chain are still one of my ever favorite Bands.. am i retrò? Anyway, at the Perfumed Garden blog, there are lots of peel sessions to download for free, - like two of J&MC from early 80s (i think it's hard-to-find releases or maybe even un-released)... oh jesus (^_^), that's noise mayem control. Anyway, unfortunately some rapidshare-links are dead, - like Cranes' 1989 session - but i requested to this kind guy to re-upload it somewhere (just waiting an answer ^_^).. so, besides J&MC, let me suggest You a few other stuff, btw the list is pretty long..
ƒ¬ mp3s (via blog):
# Broadcast 29th sept 2005 (absolutely gorgeous!)
# The Jesus & Mary Chain 31st oct 1984
# The Jesus & Mary Chain 3rd feb 1985
# Slowdive 21st april 1991 (Song 1 is Albatros)

28-Jul-2006 6:39 PM - Isobel - Fioca? (5tx ep, 14'42" - Smartz/Fooltribe rec 'o6) - Fioc(c)a? Nevica? Magari con questa estate soffocante ce ne fosse da chiederselo. Membri ex di Bellicosi, Kirsch, e altre venture dell'hc canavese anni 90, formano a 4 gli Isobel, - ma ma ma prima di recensire questo gioiellino c'è qui c'è da fare una parentesi storica sul termine Emo. Emo non è l'emo di oggi come d'altronde il punk modaiolo da boyband di mtv non è Punk. Emo non è assolutamente le stronzate di questo articolo apparso sul corrieredellasera (grazie Sté) o i finley che fra un anno saranno scomparsi. Emocore stava ad esempio per emotional hardcore, e una delle prime volte che una cara amica me ne parlò, al mio punto interrogativo rispose dicendo che per lei emo era emoglobina, aveva a che fare col sangue oltre che con l'emozione. Gruppi come Fugazi, Sunny Day Real Estate, rappresentavano meglio le polarità hc ed emo, sino poi al salto mainstream dei Jimmy Eat World. Insomma, appena qualcosa viene inghiottito dalla massa, as usual, diventa una capigliatura, un abbigliamento alla moda, e una decina di piercing, - e della radice niente più. Su wikipedia c'è la descrizione di 3 ondate emo, praticamente tre generazioni, - interessante, opinabile, ma interessante. - Tornando a Fioca?, - segue all'esordio omonimo su vinile 7" dello scorso anno, ora coprodotto con FoolTribe (vedi perle quali Redworms' Farm, Bob Corn). In un quarto d'ora il termine emo meglio si giustifica con quell'insoddisfatto continuo tiro veloce dei lirismi e percussioni mitragliate, con il salire di pathos delle chitarre quasi stile primi Motorpsycho (senti che cavalcata fa la disperazione su Iihty) e con il cantato di Antonella De Paola, sempre su un unico tono, quello dello scontento, del disilluso, - anzi, mi correggo, della pagatezza dell'essere disillusi, - tutto il disco è una corsa felice incontro alla lucidità della malinconia. Ad esempio By-End, che ha la stessa impronta iniziale di Futurism vs Passeism dei Blonde Redhead, spiega le ali per un'intera lunga fuga, a montare una tensione post-punk valevole diversi repeat sul lettore, sfogata infine solo dall'ultimo lontano innesto di voce di uno degli altri Isobel. - Un valevole tentativo di successo di bellezza emo, lontano dalla moda. [vedi sotto per gli mp3] // Isobel - Fioca? (5tx ep, 14'42" - Smartz/Fooltribe rec 'o6) - Fioc(c)a? that is, Is it snowing? - Oh dear, i'd love to ask something like that in this hot suffocating summertime. Former members of Bellicosi, Kirsch, and other indie north italian hc Bands from 90s are the 4 pieces core of Isobel, - but but but, before i go and review this little jewel release, let me open a brief hystorical parenthesis about what Emo means (form me). Today emo of mtv boybands (as well the so-called punk wannabes) has nothing to see with its origins. Emo is absolutely not a whateverwhoever myspace eyeliner teen group with 100thousand friends/contacts. In origins Emocore was for emotional hardcore, and when a dear friend of mine answered to my question, She talked of something between haemoglobin and emotions. Bands as Fugazi, Sunny Day Real Estate best represented for me the two coordinates between polarity of hc and emo, until the mainstream jump of Jimmy Eat World. I mean, as usual, as something becomes more popular and then for the masses, mainstream machines swallow it and turn the moniker in odd hairstyle, fashion, a bunch of piercings, - and You can forget of the real roots. Ok, so fucking what, I know that, and You know that, - and that's what is important. At wikipedia it's written about three emo waves, principally coinciding with three generations. Ok, it's moot point, btw it is of interest. Now, - Isobel's Fioca? follows to the former self-titled 7", now co-released with FoolTribe rec (see gems as Redworms' Farm, Bob Corn). In little less that 15 minutes, the word emo best recalls its origins with that continuous dissatisfied drift away, runned fast, through the lyrism and strong drumming over the guitars pathos often dear to early Motorpsycho (listen how Desperation rides on with Iihty), and where Antonella De Paola's vocals are always over an undiscussed sad tone, - like imprisioned in one's own skin, - or best, like the paid happyness of glum's certainty, - and all the whole ep is on this wave, like a 15minutes getaway to the lucidity. - Like By-End, track with a initial riff soul dear to Blonde Redhead's Futurism vs Passeism: it mounts a long post-punk tension worthy more and more playback, barely finding an end with the far background male vocals of someother of Isobel's. A valiant and successful attempt of emo beauty, far from vogue.
ƒ¬ mp3s (via homepage)
5. By-End
1. Something Better (from previous s/t 7")

ps. il bassista, Lele, è un caro amico da anni, - però giuro che sono stato obiettivo nella recensione ^_^.. // Lele, Isobel's bass player, is a dear friend of mine since years, - but, i swear, my review is impartial ^_^

27-Jul-2006 2:38 PM - Tengo a sottolineare che komakino non è una fanzine politica. Cioè per questo o quel candidato. Per quanto la Musica (vedi il punk, quello vero) sia talvota influenzata da un certo status politico reggente, specie se soffocante, - beh in genere al 99% non troverete su queste pagineweb interventi in merito. E' chiaro che komakino non è di destra o cattolica, ma nemmeno oltranzista o rincitrullita dalla sinistra. Insomma, sono per il male minore. Cmq, io sono uno di quei cretini che ha votato no al referendum sull'indulto su larepubblica. Ok, non fa statistica, il suo valore è opinabile, e quindi non è servito ad una mazza. Questo è un paese di merda. Di scambisiti. Non che servisse conferma. Nemmeno sono rimasto deluso. Si sapeva. Paese di e per i furbi, di leggi ad personam, anzi, ad quella personam lì. Ho votato DiPietro alle scorse elezioni, e per citare un amico 'meno male che ho votato dipietro, mi sento meno in colpa'. Personalmente mi dispiace di non aver partecipato al sit-in di protesta di qlc giorno fa davanti Montecitorio (scusa: lavoro), per quanto non sarebbe servito ad una mazza anche quello. - L'approvazione dell'indulto, l'astensione di chi si è astenuto, la faccia come il culo di chi canta 'giustizia finalmente è stata fatta', chi ha abbandonato l'aula, - tutto ciò mi fa sentire un cretino, e sinceramente ancora una volta (vedi lavoro sottopagato, vedi precarietà casa/affitti, vedi costo della vita e servizi, vedi scena e offerta Musica, vedi ossigeno), più che mai mi dico mapperchè sto ancora in italia? Inerzia, that's it. Ok, in albania si sta peggio, in africa di più, nella banlieu parigina pure. Ma tanto in tv e sui giornali l'indulto in primo piano, salvo domani, come vera notizia sarà quello per calciopoli. E sì, siamo noi i campioni del mondo.

26-Jul-2006 11:27 AM - Personally i ignore the demographics of an existing kind of shoegaze scene or related form in Indonesia. Ok, i even wonder if there is one in italy too. Btw, here You are the evidence: Along Side The Quay, from Yogyakarta, - five young men into mellow romantic dreampop, broken heart lyrics, - still somewhat unripe and melodical (guess They're very young), although with some good melancholic moods and riffs. Orphan and Khatarsis are two songs ranging from early Radiohead to Sigur Ros, thanks to good keyboards and bow on guitars. - I'm happy to see there is someone playing Music differently over there.. Check it out.

26-Jul-2006 10:23 AM - Superman returns to the cinema.. what a boredom! i wonder what superheroe is next (actually, i know: iron man).. btw, there's someone (besides me) thinking that Superman is a dick: lots of comic book covers prove it..

24-Jul-2006 10:37 AM - Polvere - s/t (12tx cd, 37'16" - Wallace rec, 06) - Second chapter for prolific Mattia Coletti (see past komareviews about Sedia, as well His soloist project..) and Xabier Iriondo (read about Uncode Duello, Tasaday). Microphones are open to the concrete sounds of pastoral nature, clinking glasses (the so-called 'field recordings', practise dear to Gastr Del Sol, just to cite a Name), avant-garde movements of acoustic guitar plays, minimal percussions and electronica, blues lullabies, meta indian cants and suffocated grudges. Twelve tracks of self-satisfaction in free improvvisation. Good for reading a book, to work, to fall asleep, not exactly for a relax, - although its low volume will never interrupt Your attention. // Polvere - s/t (12tx cd, 37'16" - Wallace rec, 06) - Capitolo secondo per i prolifici Mattia Coletti (leggi passate komarecensioni x Sedia, come per il suo progetto solista..) e Xabier Iriondo (leggi riguardo Uncode Duello, Tasaday). - I microfoni sono aperti ai suoni concreti della natura campestre, al tintinnio dei vetri (i cosìddetti field recordings, pratica cara ai Gastr Del Sol, giusto per citare un Nome), movimenti d'avanguardia in gioci di chitarra acustica, percussioni ed elettronica minimale, cantilene blues, canti indiani e grugniti soffocati. Dodici tracce di autocompiacimento nell'improvvisazione più libera. Buono per leggere un libro, per lavorare, per cadere addormentati, non esattamente per rilassarsi, per quanto il volume basso non interromperà mai la Vostra concentrazione.
ƒ¬mp3 (via wallace):
.1

24-Jul-2006 10:19 AM - My babyblue let me know of this youtube_video excerpt of The Strokes together with Regina Spektor, live performing Modern Girls & Old Fashioned Men, some years ago when They were touring together.. nice indeed.

The Strokes & Regina Spektor, Modern Girls & Old Fashioned Men

21-Jul-2006 2:47 PM - You know me, no You don't, btw, when i cross into these kind of websites, i wish i have a big house (and related money) just for the good taste to fill-furnish it... i know, it's only objects, but i love when design is so fucking brilliant (and so simple at the same time!).. btw, here You are a few blogs/company homesites to browse..
.inhabitat;
. mattsudio;
.  uhuru;
.   everyspace (check this piece);
.    espaciominga (related).

20-Jul-2006 4:13 PM - Oh my, Youtube is priceless (until it stays free..), it's constantly updated.. - and i'd love to download all the following Cranes' videos.. - well, to be honest, i love the People who uploaded the stuff.. - so, are You ready? Love the Cranes..

Cranes - Leaves of Summer Live 03:34 From: Spacirelei

Cranes - Interview, Reach, 6th Of May 07:25 From: eborsisk

The Cranes - Beautiful Friend 03:18 From: zantheum

The Cranes - Jewel 02:55 From: zantheum

The Cranes - Everywhere 02:34 From: zantheum

The Cranes - Inescapable 02:42 From: zantheum

The Cranes - I hope 03:43 From: zantheum

The Cranes - Starblood 03:31 From: zantheum

The Cranes - Shining Road 04:15 From: zantheum

The Cranes - E.G.Shining' 03:32 From: zantheum

The Cranes - Tomorrow's Tear 03:39 From: zantheum

20-Jul-2006 1:15 PM - Personally i haven't watched yet Super Size Me - that documentary about macdonalds & alikes and health released a couple of years ago, on the wave of Michael Moore's stuff. Probably now i'll do, because at Iklipz (payoff: see, show, share) the full movie is online (on stream), for free. ps. i remember because i didn't watch this movie yet: i don't need a movie to know macdonalds sucks.

20-Jul-2006 12:36 PM - Copio & incollo da comunicato stampa di una serata di discoteca arrivatomi poco fa, - ometto dati sensibili...
'- THE CURE night
Ospiti: [nomeband]
di cui se ne è parlato durante il programma di Maurizio Costanzo, hanno suonato insieme ad Alberto Camerini e sono stati ospiti in tv a radio casbah. '
Maddiosanto, o costanzo è un derkettone, o i darkettoni sono maurizio costanzo? cos'è peggio? E facciamone un vanto.. (salvo che il costanzo abbia detto 'questi mi fanno cagare').. Mavvaff..! I Cure me li ascolto a casa mia da solo. E lasciamo stare le tristi parentesi camerini e radiocasbah, che non si può fare di tutto l'indie un fascio..

20-Jul-2006 11:07 AM - Lovesliescrushing - Voirshn (10tx cd, 55'1o" - Projekt rec 'o2) - Ask me the name of a Band, closest as ever to the Bliss-form of Music, and contemporaneously graced of the sparkle, and my answer will be Lovesliescrushing, Voirshn, album of Pure Bliss and last chapter for instrumentalist Scott Cortez and seraphic Melissa Arpin. No hesitation. Here, more than on former releases, They have walked the line of traditional song form, to step into hypnagogical state of dreampop vibrato, where percussions and chorus-verse-chorus are totally absent, fully replaced by ethereal borealis guitarnoise washies, filtered sounds, infinite loops, and wordless whispered vocals which gently shift the stars in a continuous fragmented embryonic time-space. The risk is You got completly swallowed into this deep sea of dreams and pre-life memories, with mesmerising angels capturing sounds and luminous mutations of nature.. Riuj's glitch bliss, Sovfx' elevation, Ckaif's calm breathing, are just a few examples of this special melt of instrinsic ambience and shoegaze, Image of Seefeel, My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, and the next fragment to place an end to the word end is Lovesliescrushing.
ƒ¬ m3u stream audio (via cdbaby):
2. Riuj
3. Sovfx

19-Jul-2006 1:57 PM - And if You are about of my tv-generation, You may remind of this horror cartoon faeturing a laughing golden skeleton named Ogon Batto aka Fantomas aka Golden Bat: here You are a trailer from the original '66 movie by Hajime Sato.
ƒ¬ video trailer (via foxybronx):
.Ogon Batto

19-Jul-2006 12:04 PM - This excerpt from Ellam Inba Mayam, bollywood movie of '81, kicks Your Ass. Solla Solla Solla Solla Enna Perumai!! Che voglia di ballare! Che molleggiato! Che ganzo! [download here]
more info:
This film Ellam Inba Mayam (1981) had a situation where Kamal (hailing from a poor class) gets married to a rich girl and comes to stay in their bungalow, with all his near and dear. They naturally start singing in a folksy base and Raja cleverly bases the tune on a carnatic raga (Bilahari). The lyrics are in funny Chennai slang and brings smile in our faces. Music creates a celebratory mood. The original pallavi is from the Carnatic song Ra ra Venugopala (its also hinted at the start of the film song). Those interested to learn notes for this song can see here.

19-Jul-2006 11:24 AM - Well, Threadless and Oddica drove me to Kenneth Lavallee's website (can i say i proudly already have one of His tshirts?): totally weird and sensational, maybe kind of disturbing sometimes, but You won't know exactly why.. i love His illustrations.. blow my mind His dreams of morbid nude and world bizzarre.

19-Jul-2006 10:01 AM - Ok, it's a matter of fact that Threadless is ultracool. But what about Oddica too? Watch this, this, this.

19-Jul-2006 9:17 AM - Cabaret Mechanical Theatre is now featuring the brilliant work of columbian artist Carlos Zapata, - author of surprising poetic automata pieces, spinnable objects of simple beauty and vintage style. More than Toys.

18-Jul-2006 2:42 PM - interview with Soundpool.
Past month i reviewed Soundpool's release On High (read here), special album similar to a fast space trip through an universe of cascading sounds. Now, Kim Field and John Ceparano (of italian origins!), Soundpool's core, rispectively q-chord and guitars, together at vocals, answer to a few question i emailed Them, - just to know something more.

komakino. You know, it's the old-classic theme.. who are the Soundpool? Any detail from the difference between being Clark Kent and Superman?
kim: clark kent by day.. superman by night...... we have a photo loft space in nyc... aloftnyc.com.. we rent for photo shoots.. i am a set/prop stylist during the day... john co-manages the studio and tinkers around in pro-tools and on my space and sends out cd's for review etc. since we also run aloft records out of our photo loft... hence the name. mark sometimes does sets/props with kim and is also a tech wiz... and designer.. he designed and created soundpools website, myspace, album art etc... he also has a blog site about sharks.. also known as mark the shark... www..com.... james has a day job that requires a suit.. we are fooling around with bass players at the moment... we are all about the band outside of this.. but all of the odd jobs collectively support the music as our ultimate experience.

komakino. Soundpool is the perfect Band name for a song like On High, i can't think of any better, - it's a complete shoegaze sound bath, - and when i first heard this opening track, initially i though "ok, i know what kind of Music i'm going to hear now", but, songs as Moonglow or Eurostar added a special unexpeted 60s space lounge / pop sense to everything, - so my attention stood on, and i've been captured by the beauty of the whole album. Oops, this is not a question.. just pure flattery.. - maybe i can ask: there was a particular guide-idea behind the whole album composition?
john: i think we just evolved in to the sound that ended up being the vibe of the album. we're definitely coming from space lounge... and other 60's influences.. but after putting out two albums under the name "hypschords" which were more on the 60's/80's electro lounge psycho pop bossa side of the spectrum... our sound started to develop more of a hard edge.... the shoegaze was almost unintentional.. and more a side effect of our natural tendencies toward a bigger more rock sound
kim: this really stemmed mostly from playing live... and doing really psychedelic slow songs.. spacey ethereal songs... and feeling like really for live... it would be so much more fun for us & the audience to have more up temp... danceable... guitar driven... wall of sound sort of music. i guess this naturally probably happens to a lot of bands because of the live experience... there's so much energy in a live setting... and to just calmly sway back and forth to a dreamy song... well... you know...

komakino. Where is from Brand New Dawn [currently available only as video]? - It's so poppy 60s (especially because of the pa-pa-pa chorus).. anyway somehow renewed and made 'something fresh'
john: no you're not dreaming... the space element is definitely present... space is a pretty big influence on our sound. and the movement i guess i would take to mean the fact that the chord structures tend not to stay in one place. but take you on a trip via melody, modulation & harmony. 
kim: space is life... life is space.. it's all in motion... so naturally...

komakino. i read of Your deal with Itunes store, - as well i also know Your account at myspace (what band doesn't have one today?), and if i'm not wrong, the Band is self-produced, - so, we can state the Soundpool are total  d.i.y., - for choice or necessity? who does manage everything? it is a collective thing?
john: soundpool is totally diy! i would say both by choice and necessity... we are totally self produced and do all of our recordings at our own home studio. we make our videos and visuals... and run aloft records. mark does all web design and packaging. pablo who was playing bass with us a while mastered the cd as well. there is a certain satisfaction from being self produced this way. not to mention the autonomy over our own creative vision. i think with the state of the record industry today it only makes sense to do as much of it yourself as you can. ummm... and also i feel like the listener gets a more pure vision of what the artist is really about and what they're going for. 
kim: myspace may be cliche but.. we love it.. we have met so many people... great bands... d.j.s.... writers... promoters.. clubs.. music fans... etc. there is so much good music out there that it's depressing. myspace has literally opened up the world to artists. we can practically thank it for our u.k. tour... we should call it our myspace tour.. because almost everyone who is involved and helping us with it is via myspace....

komakino. A couple of videos can help to get more exposure, and You have two (Eurostar and Brand  New Dawn), - does mtv have them?
john: ummmm.... no..... i don't know what mtv is like in europe... but over here it's very homogenized. we haven't actually done a lot to promote our videos as of yet... but we are actually in the process of producing a video for on high with a video artist.. who has plans to really get it out there... this will be the first time that we've collaborated with someone outside the band to do a music video.
kim: we actually have other music videos..just not available to the public... maybe some day we'll release them on a dvd for fun.

komakino. Did You ever hop on a eurostar train? In italy 'eurostar' trains (link) are always in late..
john: actually the footage taken from the inside of the eurostar in our music video was shot by good friends of ours on their honeymoon in italy! 
kim: we've never been on the eurostar.... just liked the name.. and idea of it.. metaphorically... and also.. thought.... it a good idea karmically/cosmically to open up the doors of travel for us as a band in europe.
john: yes... we've always wanted to play in europe... ummmm... we feel like we have many influences from over there..
kim: we could end up going over there.. and never coming back to the states.. which become scarier every day....

komakino. I see You have some live shows to come, whose one in London.. is Your first time in Europe? Your sound can be considered more european than american?
john: yes.. it'll be our first time playing in europe.... and we are naturally very excited! we've been getting so much love and support from across the pond. and we feel like our sound may be appreciated more by a european audience. 
kim: although new york has an amazing community of artists and music lovers...who have been unbelievably supportive as well. there are really cool things happening in new york musically right now...and in little bits and pieces throughout the country as well..but new york as a real hub..

komakino. Who does write the songs?
john: i write pretty much all of the music...and kim & i share lyrical writing. i feel like my role in this project is almost that of writer/producer. 
kim: i give all credit to john...he is the most focused & passionate artist. i am mostly here for support and some inspiration.
john: i think it's all about kim as the focal point and the group as a whole...
kim: really?
john: yes... you're the lead singer it's all about your voice and your sincerity and everything else...
kim: it's all because of john.... i would have never been singing and in a band otherwise
john: i think at the end of the day though we are a group and everybody's contribution is essential to the sound of the whole. many times we'll put on marks synth last and it'll be the thing that really makes the track. 
kim: we love mark... he's amazing.. he's so much about the sound of this project.
john: we love james too!

komakino.  Is there any movie You would have loved to write a soundtrack for?
kim: john ummm.... there are so many good movies... first thing that pops in to john's mind 2001 a space odyssey.. although i don't think i could do better than the existing track. it's a hard question to answer because so many movies that we love have great soundtracks already. we definitely are very much influenced by great movie composers like henri mancini or enio morrocone. 

komakino. So, of course, what are the plans for the next future.. 
john: of course we are already thinking about another album. but there is still so much to do to promote this one. 
kim:   it's so much about now...but secretly...we hope to tour the world... we love playing live... and it would be the ultimate to take that everywhere...
john:  i think for us it's very much about the experience. i feel like we're going to the u.k. mostly for the experience of playing over there. not that there aren't any ambitions attached to the trip... but i almost feel like the ambitions are secondary to the experience. isn't that why we play music in the first place? for the joy and feeling it gives you... and why we create music in the first place? to bring a sound that was in your head in to the world.... and play it for somebody who might appreciate it as much as you do...
_____________________________________
more info at soundpoolmusic.com, myspace.com/soundpool

18-Jul-2006 10:45 AM - It's tuesday morning downhere, and what's best than watching and listening to the two shows that beloved Devics performed at kcrw's Morning Becomes Eclectic?
ƒ¬watch (via kcrw, requires realplayer):
.aired June 26th, 2006;
.aired July 26th, 2005.

17-Jul-2006 5:41 PM - the WTF genre (aka What the fuck?) have a special number with this kind of 'batman against all'.. and --all-- indeed! - It's somewhat stupid (at least as alien vs predator..), but well done. Credits here.

17-Jul-2006 4:31 PM - As You probably already know, Syd Barret has died some days ago. Chromewaves.net, a nice website weekly featuring rare cover songs, posted Golden Hair, early 90s bbc session performance by Slowdive, - originally its studio version was on Holding Our Breath ep, - and after, this track has been included in a 2005 reissue of Just for a Day (and i got It! ^_^).. Before You'll be overflown by Barret-tribute discs, get this.
ƒ¬ mp3 (via chromewaves):
.Golden Hair [available for a week only]

17-Jul-2006 2:56 PM - The Piano is a animation short film by Aidan Gibbons, delicate and sweet, also thanks to the melancholic drift of Yann Tiersen well known score.

17-Jul-2006 9:11 AM - The Strokes - live in Torino @ Traffic fest, 14 ^th July, free entry.

Must say the Strokes were f**king good in live performing last night. Precise, powerfull, funny, nothing left aside, - i felt fine. - I won't comment what seems to be behind the organization of 'traffic' festival, because as i wrote and as it was said it's been a free-access event, altough it seems that the torino citizens have paid for it in some other ways, like cancelling some more usefull services the town needs more (some flyers well explained the case), and more, well the fact that the audience were continuosly invited to send a sms to donate money, - it was kind of annoying. So, is it free or not? You decide. - Talking about the show itself, - well, the guys were great, even if mr. Casablancas could avoid to state rubbish like 'this is the ever best show/audience we ever had' and so on.. he didn't look exactly as an einstein, - but, He's good guy, with a great voice. and i have to mention he wore a leather jacket all the night long (in italy summer is somewhat hot and wet).. oh my god, you must be absolutely a rockstar to do smething like that. anyway. Opening act, Joan as a Policewoman: fully boring, - i can't see why they were there on stage (maybe because of the rumours about her relationship with Jeff Buckley). That's my feedback about this band. The Strokes opened the show with Juicebox (i appreciate that, like lots of other bands, they didn't place the hit song at half of the tracklist), and followed with pieces like velvetian The Modern Age, Last Nite, Is this it, Take It Or Leave It, Hard To Explain, - of course, especially focusing over the last release First Impressions Of Earth, with special mention for Electricityscape, Vision Of Division, Heart In A Cage, You Only Live Once, - and without forgetting an early track as NYC cops. Some memories: Julian and Albert playing in two Ask Me Anything, with the latter always smiling (kind of 'it sounds so good' over his face); a public ovation to Fabrizio, calling his name out loud, - it's a kind of national pride having an italian in a such so cool Band; the White Stripes' Seven Nation Army - now hopelessly renamed in 'po-po-po-po-po_po', initially sung by the audience (some italy flags were waving, - world cup after taste..), then accompanied by Christopher and Fabrizio, before NYC Cops. Two special mentions go to: 1. mosquitos: the gig taken place in a park, in the park You can find lots of nice creatures of god that only ask for Your blood. Luckly some friends of mine brought some Off. 2: the people selling beers under the count, absolutely business-people, yelling and calling the best price.. ps. forget the quality of my videos, i haven't been able to reach a closer position, and overall, i was continuosly thrusted by the people, moshing and dancing.. [videos] // Devo dire che gli Strokes mi sono davvero piaciuti dal vivo: suonano precisi, trascinanti, divertenti, nessun dettaglio trascurato, - insomma sono stato bene. Non commenterò troppo l'organizzazione del traffic festival, gratuito ma con sforzo, - come diceva + o - un volantino che veniva distribuito: insomma per farla breve, il traffic pare sia stato pagato dai cittadini torinesi per altre vie, cancellando altri servizi + necessari, spendendo in malomodo soldi pubblici, e dando la gestione dell'evento alle solite lobby. Poi aggiungiamo che il pubblico veniva sovente invitato a mandare sms ad un numero a pagamento per 'sostenere il gratis'. - Ma che discorso è? - Ok. Quando arrivo al parco della Pellerina a Torino, qualche anima pia mi ha già passato dell'unguento antizanzare (bello essere preparati), e il primo vero spettacolo cui assisto sono quelli che vendono birra sottobanco: gente che ha fregato qlc frigo sammontana da qlc parte riempiendoli di moretti, o nascondendo il tutto in delle borse o girando pirata con una cariola piena di lattine.. in paricolare (seguirà domani il video) una donnona urla neanche vendesse il pesce al mercato, - mentre l'alternativa ufficiale (quella venduta sotto i tendoni) era una birretta bavarese venduta al doppio e servita in una bottiglietta molle di plastica che da lontano sembrava di vetro = in due secondi diventava brodo, visto le temperature.. Verso le 20.30 sale sul palco un terzetto, sono i Joan as a Policewoman: totale noia, sinceramente non so perchè fossero lì (forse bisognerebbe dare retta ai pettegolezzi sulla relazione della cantante con Jeff Buckley). Niente altro da aggiungere tant'erano scialbi. Quindi ci siamo fatti un giro, e tra le varie bancarelle ci siamo imbattuti in Anomalyze, che, nonostante il sito web faccia un pò cagare, ha delle tshirt davvero carine. - Poi gli Strokes. - Dopo un'introduzione penosa dei due presentatori gggiovani (sulla riga del 'il gruppo più famoso del momento'), i quattro baldi saliti sul palco attaccano subito con Juicebox (ho apprezzato il fatto che a differenza di tanti altri gruppi, l'hit lo sparino subito invece che piazzarlo a metà scaletta), - e noto con orrore che Julian indossa una giacca di pelle, quando io in maglietta già colavo di sudore.. Seguono a raffica The Modern Age, Last Nite, Is this it, Take It Or Leave It, Hard To Explain, - naturalmente focalizzando sui pezzi di First Impressions Of Earth, con speciale menzione per Electricityscape, Vision Of Division, Heart In A Cage, You Only Live Once - e rispolverando un vecchio pezzo come NYC cops. Un paio di memorie: Julian e Albert suonano a due Ask Me Anything, con il secondo perennemente sorridente, a mò di 'ma come viene bene questo pezzo'; un'ovazione pubblica a Fabrizio (il pubblico chiama il suo nome): beh, è puro orgoglio avere un italiano in un gruppo così cool..; e poi l'odioso po-po-po-po-po-po, una volta noto come il riff di Seven Nation Army dei White Stripes, - prima intonato dal pubblico (sventolava anche qualche bandiera) e poi abbracciato da Fabrizio e Nick con plauso collettivo.. Julian non mi è sembrato esattamente Einstein, ma era simpatico (anche se si poteva risparmiare il "questo è il pubblico più pazzo e migliore che abbiamo mai avuto", - sì come no), specie nelle goffe movenze. Il bassista era ingessato, e Nick era sempre curvo sulla chitarra ascellare. - Note particolari: 1. le zanzare torinesi, - off gli fa poco e niente. 2. seguirà video della regine dei venditori di birra. 3. scusate la qualità dei video, - a parte gli strattoni continui, e la voglia di ballare anzichè riprendere il concerto, - ero anche un pò lontanuccio.
ƒ¬ (live videos):
.Heart in a cage (23mb);
.Is this it (18mb);
.Iz of the world (32mb);
.Ask me anything (25mb);
.Last Nite 21mb);
.Vision of division (29mb);
.NYC cops (15mb, uncomplete).
ƒ¬ (special:)
. bIIrrrraaaAAAAAAAA

14-Jul-2006 5:33 PM - Let me share with You a few links i collected today.. this is for the weekend.. no time now to comment these random (as well brilliant) founds.. see You, oops, better - i'll be back next monday..

• gabina.net
• sp-studio.de
• spill.sesam.no/stuntstup
• spill.sesam.no/katapult
• blog.coolz0r.com/2006 /06/30/nokia-excuses
• blog.coolz0r.com/2006/06/21/thai-privacy-thougths
• hitech-fetish.at/page/index.html
• flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=167865447&size=o
• mcphee.com

14-Jul-2006 15:34 PM - Aethere - Il Giardino Epicureo (6tx cd, 46'51" - Prodistri rec, 'o6) - While former Pulvis et Umbra Sumus (read past komareview) was pretty focusing over soundscaping cold-wave ambient music with a brief baroque parenthesis, this new chapter signed Aethere walks a more aggressive path, a post-mortem plan populated by evil creatures and misery, parallel to a more concrete life of squallor and violence. Like on We Are All Losers: it starts nearly heavenly as quite forthright passage to the other side, and suddenly it's swallowed in a reign of hell, with war-like drumming, heavy gates with doors slammed hard by the wind and infernal voices of distress, - swinging between goth electronica and industrial/techno. And like on Formatted God and Lost Forever (title embarrassingly spelled in italian by a virtual voice too), - where the music is tragic soundtrack for a rape episode (pretty disturbing), - audio excerpt (You can hear a sex fiend outraging a woman, terrified) taken from a not-specified b-movie. - What the hell am i listening to? Nothing my mom would be happy for, - nothing i'd ever spend my money for; btw there's a good work of drum programming, wisely sharp, synth and black pathos sound, - nothing new, but perfect in its genre. // Aethere - Il Giardino Epicureo (6tx cd, 46'51" - Prodistri rec, 'o6) - Mentre il precedente Pulvis et Umbra Sumus (leggi passata komarecensione) era piuttosto focalizzato su musica ambient cold-wave con una breve parentesi barocca, questo nuovo capitolo a firma Aethere passa sù un percorso più aggressivo, un piano post-mortem popolato da creature malvage e misera, parallelo ad una vita più concreta di squalore e violenza. Come su We Are All Losers: comincia pressappoco celeste, come un candido passaggio dall'altra parte per poi sprofondare improvvisamente in un regno d'inferno, con batterie di guerra, cancelli pesanti sbattuti dal vento, e voci demoniache, - passando tra elettronica goth e industrial/techno. E poi c'è Formatted God and Lost Forever (titolo con imbarazzo pronunciato anche in italiano con quella voce robotica nota una volta al numero verde delle ffss), - dove la musica è tragica colonna sonora per un episodio di stupro (piuttosto disturbante), - estratto audio (si può sentire in italiano un maniaco sessuale che violenta una donna terrorizzata) preso da un film di serie b non specificato. Quindi checcazz.. mi sto ascoltando? Nulla di cui mamma sarebbe felice, e niente per cui spenderei soldi.. ciò non toglie che è un buon lavoro di programmazione di batteria, saggiamente taglienti, synth, e pathos nero nei suoni, - nulla di nuovo, ma perfetto nel suo genere.
ƒ¬audio @ myspace.com/aethere.

14-Jul-2006 9:55 AM - Again, i find myself eulogizing Internet Archive (see past threads here, here), non-profit website offering permanent access to historical collections in digital format, - this time for featuring great early films like Chaplin's His New Profession, as well as Murnau's Faust, .. - As always, free download.
ƒ¬films (via archive.org):
. Faust - A German Folk Legend (1926, Murnau)
. Das Kabinett des Doktor Caligari (1919/20, Murnau)
. His New Profession (1914, Chaplin)

13-Jul-2006 5:50 PM - Hasselhoff is pure trash. The King. Una chicca imperdibile, specie il finale. C'è tutto. I don't know if he's ironic or if he believes in what he does..
ƒ¬videos [via youtube]:
.Jump in my car
.Secret Agent Man

13-Jul-2006 3:45 PM - i feel totally astonished, i feel like shit, i feel totally enraptured as i browse through Webesteem's contents: totally inside Art (contemporary and not) and complete of details. Don't miss the new issue, #16 (in particular: Erwin Olaf, Tom Bagshaw, Lucyna Bąkowska, - anyway, there's much more).

13-Jul-2006 10:24 AM - Cyriak [read past therad] has got a new scary animation Queenish video..

12-Jul-2006 5:40 PM - The Sound of Indie blog captures one more time my plause, for these two tracks: Jeremy Parker, live performance by beloved Swirlies, and the -hardtofind- Big Song, from a early rare Blonde Redhead's 7inches (i thought i had EVERYTHING of BRH!). Have fun.
ƒ¬mp3 (via blog):
.Jeremy Parker (orig. from Blonder Tongue)
.Big Song (orig. from s/t 7")

11-Jul-2006 5:16 PM - What's funnier? The random goth lyric generator, or the goth and black metal random generator? ok, there is a emo one too. And i remember of a shoegaze band name generator too (lost link). oooohh what clichés..

11-Jul-2006 10:27 AM - Anyway, the today nice found is The Sound of Indie, which features a great collection of videos, oldies (like Bauhaus, as well one - amazing - Slowdive live performance) and (kind of) not (Ladytron, The Cure), and very not (Metric!) - and songs (Braniac).. great [thanks to Sten].

11-Jul-2006 10:25 AM - I'm sorry for the lack of posts during these days, - but i'm swallowed by my work 'duties'..

10-Jul-2006 2:10 PM - I'm a Lomo fan. I proudly have a LCA and one Holga. Now, my bittersweet Half passed me a link to this fantastic retrò usb phone, Hulger, able to be plugged to cell phones and skype calls (it stays 'pc only', but the laptop in the picture is a mac powerbook.., and anyway, it uses in/out devices).. BUT, the sad thing is the price, about 75€... are You joking?

09-Jul-2006 7:57 PM - Squillano le trombe. Non sono quelle dell'apocalisse, e nemmeno quelle di corte. - Sono quelle di tutti gli italiani. E io sono italiEno. No, sinceramente, non mi importa nulla del mondiale, né di chi vincerà. E se mai la 'nazionale' vincerà sui francesi, certo non mi sentirò superiore a loro per questo. Non è una forma snob di intellettualismo, e nemmeno di presa di posizione. E' una tendenza naturale a rispondere 'perchè mai dovrei sentirmi coinvolto?' Personalmente stigrancazzi. Lo scrivo solo, perchè, caro il mio o la mia random komalettore/rice, no, non sei sol*, e non c'è niente che non vada in Te se Te ne sbatti anche stasera di vedere la coppa del mondo, o se non sei in quella piazza lì o là sotto un maxischermo, facile preda dell'abbraccio di qlc sudaticcio essere umano urlante. Almeno, non è per questo motivo che c'è qlcs in Te che non va. E magari stasera Ti ritroverai sol*. Ok, è una scusa x stare insieme, per sentirsi uniti (maddeche?), per rimorchiare, per urlare e dare sfogo a tante repressioni.. i bambini si sentiranno come i grandi urlando dalla finestra insieme a papà forzaitalia, mamma sarà un pò eccitata da tanto scalpitio, la nonna farà sorridere qlcn perchè le scapperà un 'mavvaffa...' e le bestemmie avranno amnistia se stasera qlc sbaglierà un rigore. E poi TUTTI, dico tutti, perchè oramai Tu non fai + numero (la storia dell'eccezione e della regola), TUTTI a festeggiare o a piangere.. NESSUNO escluso.. Noi infinitesime caccole nell'universo.

07-Jul-2006 10:40 PM - This is the weirdest short movie i seen since ages.. - i really didn't expect that.. do You wanna see my bug? Beware of blind dates. - In Sex. ... creepy.

06-Jul-2006 5:16 PM - Oleo Strut - s/t (3tx minicd, 19'56" - Wallace rec 'o6) - Wallace mailseries#9, ovvero un nuovo capitolo della linea minicd intimo intimo, confezionato in bustina da letterina in cartoncinA. Wikipedia insegna, Oleo Strut era una coffee house che stampava underground manifesti di contestazione alla guerra in Vietnam, - quindi niente a che fare con macchie di olio e strutto. - Un minicd, - eppure nasconde un supergruppo ita/fra di sette elementi, dove figurano in line-up Xabier Iriondo (oramai obiquo sul catalogo Wallace) oltre che akaBondage (vedi vecchia komarecensio) e Alessandro Stefana di Lumière Electrique. Le tre tracce formano una spaventevole cornice di suoni vibranti e in ronzio, rotti da percussioni 'concrete' e riverberi, a chiudere un ritratto di fantasmi, galvanizzante inferno e stridio di incubi da attiva fase rem, - quasi un Penderecki in stile minimale laptop, il tutto strumentale, - salvo voci rubate a trasmissioni da scatola nera o radio am. - Fossero state più di 3 tracce, sarebbe stato un lunghissimo trip. // - Oleo Strut - s/t (3tx minicd, 19'56" - Wallace rec 'o6) - Wallace mailseries #9, that is, a new chapter (next to the last) from inmost inmost minicd line in cardboard envelope. As Wikipedia states, Oleo Strut was a coffeehouse in early 70s running an anti-war press movement; - so, nothing to see with oil and lard (at least in italian it sounds similar..). A minidisc, but it features a super ita/french seven pieces line-up, like seeing Xabier Iriondo (kind of everywhere over Wallace's catalogue), besides akaBondage (read past komarecensio) and Alessandro Stefana from Lumière Electrique. The three tracks form a scary frame of vibrating sounds, sometimes buzzing, broken by 'concrete' percussions and reverbs, to draw an haunting painting of ghost, galvanizing hell and rancid noising nightmares dear to an active rem phase, - kind of a Penderecki in minimal laptop style, - all instrumental, - if not for some voices à la black-box or stolen from a AM transmission. - If it was more than three tracks, it would be a perfect trip.
ƒ¬mp3 [via label]
.3

05-Jul-2006 3:04 PM - Long legs cabaret/circus girls painted by Rozi Demant are between dreams and blooming seasons, with a special decadent magic accent - and vomiting necklaces... So creative, symbolic, and.. feminine. I love Her Art. Looks like a Dresden Dolls' fantasy.

05-Jul-2006 2:40 PM - One last video for today, - and that's so 80s and kitschy: Mister T breakdancing. - just joking, he just watches. - Did You know that "T" stands for "Trouble Man"? Or maybe, simplier, it's his surname "Tero", originally "Tureaud" (wikipedia docet)

05-Jul-2006 2:24 PM - Ok, this advert is not exactly original, although the photography is funny (even if the cut&paste of subject with the background is not technically perfect, - see their feet) and the actors (Their face!) too.

05-Jul-2006 2:20 PM - I don't like and neither i drink coke, - btw this is a fucking good commercial video (even if too self-celebrative)

05-Jul-2006 12:46 PM - Falling from Grace is a fantastic piece of Music by The Gentle Waves, that is, former Isobel Campbell project, before She chosen to use Her own name to sign Her releases. - This video is porno for (60s)vintage-lovers, and Her eyes were completly allucinated. [ps. i guess You already watched/read about Her recent (not so recent) show in Rome, photographed and filmed by Yrbelovedfanzine komakino)

02-Jul-2006 9:44 AM - i want to renew my thank-You to Harmonique, for making available all those videos from The Gossip show in Milan of past week.

01-Jul-2006 4:19 PM - june never been easy, even if with the help of::
:. shannon wright - perishable goods
:.:. mi and l'au - mi and l'au
:.:.:. ramones - !adios amigos!
:.:.:.:. stereolab - fab four suture
:.:.:.:.:. the rakes - capture/release
:.:.:.:.:.:. sound pool - on high
:.:.:.:.:.:.:. pretty girls make graves - good health
:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:. metric - live it out

-> -> -> even june has gone away before You did that thing