lovely new wonky lullabyisms and monged moanery from inca ore (pseudononymously eva saelens), the shaky knot, the twisted scribbling, the musical fault-line running from portland to oakland with the whole freaking freakout world in betwixt.
the story goes that silver surfer school began life as little song-sonnets based around her neighbours – preteen sisters, a halfway home for the mentally ill, a clairvoyant witch, a karaoke-ing vietnamese family… and i suppose if one was inclined to, one could describe the whole shebang as one giant sonic poem. y’know in that pointillist way of taking lots of tiny things and making one big thing.
always happy sets out her fizzing fuzzy fussy hissy stall from the get-go. sounding like a fourtrack recording of shirley collins underwater, ghostly-moaning into a flugelhorn. kindof like a doubleya doubleya two handgrenade exploding in a paddling pool full of broken yamaha synths. and it doesn’t let go; through the mutant pop haze, body percussion and dubby whoomp of ruff ridin (which reeks of some william basinski-esque disintegrating tape recording of happiness is a warm gun) to the gorgeous unfurling voice-piano balladeering on shine on from the heaven above and adventure of light, which sound as exotic and otherworldly as they do earthy and human. as much of the sky as of the ground.
and in this way it reminds me at times of a kindof unhinged gospel record. know she’s had some skewed blooze influences going on before. all that fizz and crackle of needle scrape on shellac, the scratchy scratched clack of harry smith’s garbage-rescued 78’s. but this, this is a decidedly vocal beast; hiccups and gasps, moans and sighs atop junkyard klank and electrikal abstractions. the whole thing wired and dripping with séance ectoplasm. the whole thing some blurred haunted polaroid of memphis minnie.
there’s something warm and honest about it too. one of the (many) things i also dig about liz harris’ work. kinda feel sometime that when boys do this sortofthing, it tends to be with an arched eyebrow, or with some intellectual distancing. so while parts of silver sea remind me of the skaters schmeared hoom and klang, they tend to get into my skullspace rather than into my ribcage if you get what i’m stumbling at. more of a head thing than a heart thing. whereas saelens seems to be birthing something rather more personal, more honest, more human.
it’s as confusing and sad and joyous and ugly and beautiful as life is. which is about as high a compliment as you can pay a bit of art. i think anyway.
usual limited not not fun sensual vinyl rules apply. compact disc available on acuarela.
I like this place! I love the idea and wish there was a place like this in Astoria, Queens. I am a surfer and found a “real surfer bar” in Point Break NYC. I am kinda jealous ;0PIts filled with surfers, people who like surfers, people who like the beach and people who don’t want to live close to town. I really like this place. You know what they have these real Proctor and Channel One surfboards on the wall. It’s nice for coming any day of the week and eating a late brunch. The food was outstanding. The brunch and sides were prefect and tasty. It is a perfect “escape” from city living. It is probably one of the only places where you can get a nice frozen pina colada or margarita. The service was on hit. They came up and checked on us so many times and made sure everything was up to par. It gets very active and the bartenders keep everybody having a good time. The bartender was very accommodating. He was nice enough to make a drink, that wasn’t on the menu, for me :0) Did I mention the bartenders are nice eye candy. It was amazing to see their “das boot” which is shaped like a boot filled with beer. Don’t get me wrong, I am not drunk…it’s an actual boot shaped beer container ready to be emptied. Try it ..You will love it!! Oh. How can I forget, they even have a wheel o’ shots where you just have to spin it and have to drink whatever shot it lands on!! Now call that bar creativity at its best!!! And when I spill a tray full of shots on myself, the bartender so kindly remakes them for me? Good music, too, and the decor helped us weather an otherwise overcast and rainy day. You know that old song “Brandy”? It goes, “Brandy, you’re a fine girl, what a good wife you would be. But my life, my lover, my lady is the sea.” I believe Brandy works here. No reason, I just do. And that song happens to be a guilty pleasure of mine, so that’s a plus in my book. You can simply waltz over to this colorful and warm establishment, enjoy some drinks with friends, and walk home. The bar is right at the center, so you can walk to either side for drinks, and the bartenders are friendly and at your service. There is a variety of seating, good music, and friendly neighborhood people to make your time more enjoyable. Not pretentious, very cozy, I think Point Break is a fabulous place to spend some time with friends.
I like this place! I love the idea and wish there was a place like this in Astoria, Queens. I am a surfer and found a “real surfer bar” in Point Break NYC. I am kinda jealous ;0PIts filled with surfers, people who like surfers, people who like the beach and people who don’t want to live close to town. I really like this place. You know what they have these real Proctor and Channel One surfboards on the wall. It’s nice for coming any day of the week and eating a late brunch. The food was outstanding. The brunch and sides were prefect and tasty. It is a perfect “escape” from city living. It is probably one of the only places where you can get a nice frozen pina colada or margarita. The service was on hit. They came up and checked on us so many times and made sure everything was up to par. It gets very active and the bartenders keep everybody having a good time. The bartender was very accommodating. He was nice enough to make a drink, that wasn’t on the menu, for me :0) Did I mention the bartenders are nice eye candy. It was amazing to see their “das boot” which is shaped like a boot filled with beer. Don’t get me wrong, I am not drunk…it’s an actual boot shaped beer container ready to be emptied. Try it ..You will love it!! Oh. How can I forget, they even have a wheel o’ shots where you just have to spin it and have to drink whatever shot it lands on!! Now call that bar creativity at its best!!! And when I spill a tray full of shots on myself, the bartender so kindly remakes them for me? Good music, too, and the decor helped us weather an otherwise overcast and rainy day. You know that old song “Brandy”? It goes, “Brandy, you’re a fine girl, what a good wife you would be. But my life, my lover, my lady is the sea.” I believe Brandy works here. No reason, I just do. And that song happens to be a guilty pleasure of mine, so that’s a plus in my book. You can simply waltz over to this colorful and warm establishment, enjoy some drinks with friends, and walk home. The bar is right at the center, so you can walk to either side for drinks, and the bartenders are friendly and at your service. There is a variety of seating, good music, and friendly neighborhood people to make your time more enjoyable. Not pretentious, very cozy, I think Point Break is a fabulous place to spend some time with friends.
hmmmm…