donderdag 22 december 2016

That's it!

My um, short flashback.

2016: A year marked by unexpected deaths of  "Saying farewell to so many"
....in domino styled fashion.

2016: Dumb, dumber, Trumpest. (bad press is good news)

2016: The medium is definitely the message  (trending)

2016: JoosTVD (glad I did) release 2 albums:

Open Up My Parachute (april 2016)
Received some fine reviews/feedback and radio exposure. Songs aired: Chalky, Dancing Dutchman, Everything Is A-Okay, It's A Struggle Honey, Parachute, Jump For Your life, Cosmopolitan Circus.


For Your Pleasure Vol.3 (instrumentals for videomakers) (september 2016)


2016: Musical high and lows
My oh my, what a wealth of tunes to listen to! Music for everyone. Mostly the extensive reissues and archive releases (King Crimson, ELP, Frank Zappa, Pink Floyd) dominated my listening hours.
Field Music, Jacob Collier, Ezperanza Spalding and Snarky Puppy represent the younger talents.
Of the 2016 releases I was dissapointed by: Sting, (man you just needed the Police!), Jeff Beck (is he for real? he's a guest on his own album!), Laura Mvula (her debut was just too good, the songs don't linger this time) and Michael Kiwanuka (not bad, too heavy-handed, retrofactor is too big, difficult second album).

                                                                     My favourite albums of 2016:

                                                                                   Field Music - Commontime
                                                             Quirky XTC, Talking Heads nerdy, catchy, fresh melodic pop.
                                          

                                                                                      David Bowie - Blackstar

                                                                                      His last star that will linger forever

                                                                           Snarky Puppy - Family Dinner Volume Two
                                                                        Real musicians, intense groovy, expressive impressive
                                                                                                        

                                                                                      Jacob Collier - In My Room
                                    Eclectic young talent, spectacular harmonies, instruments, tight arrangements

                                                                                 Esperanza Spalding - Emily's D+Evolution
                                                                   So (too?) many explosive ideas, Joni Mitchell style

                                                                                  Adrian Belew - Flux By Belew Volume One
                                                                                Fun, varied short stuff, melodic

                                                                                 David Crosby - Lighthouse
                                                                   High points: his voice, guitarpicking and harmonies
                                                   
                                                                                      Paul Simon- Stranger To Stranger
                                                 Although the layered songs are no singalongs, his lyrics are still subtle
                                          
  Recommended Books I've read:

Alyn Shipton- Nilsson (there's only one Harry!)
Alejandro Jodorowsky- The Dance Of Reality (magic)
Alejandro Jodorowsky- Sacred Trickery (more magic)
Carly Simon - Boys in the Trees A Memoir (selreflecting)
Chrissie Hynde- Reckless (tough lady)
Gary Wright- DreamWeaver (spiritual)
Kerry Acker- Nina Simone Women in the Arts (intense)
Michael Sheridan- A Man Called Harris (rugby)
Ruth Pointer- Still So Excited (sisters)
Holly Warren- A Man Called Destruction Alex Chilton (loner)

2017? Bring it on.

donderdag 15 december 2016

News about what?

Caught!

Hai folks! 15 december already...?! Just to let you know: everything is fine. I've got to take care, just like everyone. Some back problems have kept me from writing this update, but here we are.
The new songs (12) are in their finishing stages. I'm very excited, because I've learned so much more about mixing and recording the last year, it makes the overall workflow so much easier. It's gonna be a groove you have to move by, a lot of upbeat songs that will not make you cry. It will be released around spring if the world let me.

There will one last post, my overview of 2016. CU there!