Elliott Smith has apparently taken his own life. I’d recently been wondering what he’d been up to, not knowing whether to expect a new album or news like this. Obviously, I’d have liked him to keep making his haunting, beautiful, but undeniably sad music.
Category: Music
Lame
Microsoft’s response to yesterday’s unveiling of iTunes for Windows, along with access to the iTunes Music Store:
“Unless Apple decides to make radical changes to their service model, a Windows-based version of iTunes will still remain a closed system, where iPod owners cannot access content from other services. Additionally, users of iTunes are limited to music from Apple’s Music Store. As I mentioned earlier, this is a drawback for Windows users, who expect choice in music services, choice in devices, and choice in music from a wide-variety of music services to burn to a CD or put on a portable device. Lastly, if you use Apple’s music store along with iTunes, you don’t have the ability of using the over 40 different Windows Media-compatible portable music devices. When I’m paying for music, I want to know that I have choices today and in the future.”
Lame. Microsoft is lecturing music fans about choice? When their crappy Windows Media Player won’t even let people rip MP3s? When their software is so full of DRM nonsense that has more to do with keeping lawyers happy than consumers? When the “other services” referred to have been pitiful failures so far even with the huge market open to them? Puh-lease.
A Dose Of Joy
Last night, I met up with Josie and Carla and we saw The Polyphonic Spree.
It’s not too often you get to experience a shot of joy. And that’s quite hard to describe in words, actually. The concert was great. A highlight was the cover of David Bowie’s “Five Years” and the harp lullaby at the end of the show. Another cover I fully expect to hear next time is “Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In” by the 5th Dimension. I’m actually surprised I haven’t heard more comparisons between the two bands. And since I’m mentioning a song from Hair, how about a Broadway revival starring the Spree?
Openers The Starlight Mints were also very good, though we arrived halfway through their set.
The Polyphonic Spree
Can I just tell you how great The Polyphonic Spree is? I’d heard of them as long as two years ago, since they’re a Texas band and they usually play at South By Southwest. I finally picked up their CD a few weeks ago, and just want to recommend it.
The Polyphonic Spree are a “band” of more than 25 singers and musicians, all dressed in gospel choir robes, and singing the most joyous music I’ve heard in a long time. They have a gospel-hippie vibe that’s infectious and I have to admit that their music almost makes my heart burst every time I hear it. It’s so full of joy that I want to cry. Wacky, eh?
Check out some live performance video here (crappy RealPlayer software required). Lots more video available at the band’s site, too.
Gah! I just checked their site and they’re playing in Toronto on September 29th and 30th. Anyone wanna come hear some great music and watch me crying?
Billy Bragg on CBC Radio 3
The always-beautiful CBC Radio 3 web site has a great feature this week on Billy Bragg, including a handful of live tracks. Definitely worth a look. Because it’s all Flash, though, I can’t bookmark the exact pages.