So, as it always goes, Finland invites a load of little and big names from abroad to come and hear the music made here. The guests eat reindeer and drink drink drink and back home some weeks later they try to recollect what it was that caused the headache: the music or the weather?
Here is one such review of events (go to post 'finland 5.')
For me this year's Music&Media, or Lost in Music actually did a load of good and I met some really nice people to work with plus witnessed some roulette action. And to Andy: the hats are here to stay, but maybe we can match the guys' shirts a bit better for you next time!
2009/11/09
2009/11/04
Some more shows to come in 2009
Today I am happy to announce an added Helsinki date for December at Kuudes Linja on 3.12.2009
Here is the rest of the year in Astrid Swan & The Drunk Lovers dates:
19.11. Suisto-klub, Hämeenlinna
20.11. Dynamo, Turku
21.11. Blue Pool, Forssa
03.12. Kuudes Linja, Helsinki
BTW: January 2010 will begin with some Helsinki dates and continue with a tour of Europe, which I will tell you more about shortly!
Here is the rest of the year in Astrid Swan & The Drunk Lovers dates:
19.11. Suisto-klub, Hämeenlinna
20.11. Dynamo, Turku
21.11. Blue Pool, Forssa
03.12. Kuudes Linja, Helsinki
BTW: January 2010 will begin with some Helsinki dates and continue with a tour of Europe, which I will tell you more about shortly!
2009/10/27
Chapter II: Album Reviews
I have gone from pleading that nobody reads me my own album reviews in the early 2000s to willingly reading reviews both good and bad. I have become the critic of the critics who is more interested in internal flow rather than how many stars they gave my music...
I have been the reviewers' pet for a long time. Always appreciated, never horribly misunderstood, ridiculed or hated. Maybe it is due to this safe feeling that I have begun to read reviews with a genuine interest in the writer's way of thinking, in their approach to music.
With the explosion of on-line media there are millions of platforms for music reviews these days and therefore all guidelines or common principles have been washed away. I think this suggests both immense possibilities and the danger of complete chaos. As the pretense of objectivity and unemotional evaluation is vanishing, album reviews now have the potential of rising from the listener's subjective experience. Putting this experience to a context that is informative or on some other level justified seems to be the problem at present.
What is the purpose of album reviews in magazines and on-line publications? Has it shifted as the printed press prints smaller and smaller reviews and the virtual reality knows no limitations of length? Has it changed when there is continually more and more music to be written about?
Are we reading the reviews to know what to buy, what is in or to learn about one person's experience? Does any one reviewer have authority to decide what we will listen to? Is the loss of authority in criticism a facet in dwindling sales of music?
At best a review of an album is in discussion with the music. It is inspired by it, it responds and creates onwards from there. I am still in search for such a review. I guess writing it would take a long time...In the meantime, I will keep reading.
I have been the reviewers' pet for a long time. Always appreciated, never horribly misunderstood, ridiculed or hated. Maybe it is due to this safe feeling that I have begun to read reviews with a genuine interest in the writer's way of thinking, in their approach to music.
With the explosion of on-line media there are millions of platforms for music reviews these days and therefore all guidelines or common principles have been washed away. I think this suggests both immense possibilities and the danger of complete chaos. As the pretense of objectivity and unemotional evaluation is vanishing, album reviews now have the potential of rising from the listener's subjective experience. Putting this experience to a context that is informative or on some other level justified seems to be the problem at present.
What is the purpose of album reviews in magazines and on-line publications? Has it shifted as the printed press prints smaller and smaller reviews and the virtual reality knows no limitations of length? Has it changed when there is continually more and more music to be written about?
Are we reading the reviews to know what to buy, what is in or to learn about one person's experience? Does any one reviewer have authority to decide what we will listen to? Is the loss of authority in criticism a facet in dwindling sales of music?
At best a review of an album is in discussion with the music. It is inspired by it, it responds and creates onwards from there. I am still in search for such a review. I guess writing it would take a long time...In the meantime, I will keep reading.
2009/10/26
On Reading My Own Album Reviews chapter 1.
Here's the Woody Allen case: Woody goes to Europe to make a string of movies mostly slated by the film critics for reasons such as 'not enough Woody in them', 'what does he know about English culture or Barcelona', and he should go back to New York and do what he does best. Woody's stock goes down critically (while a new generation who did not get Annie Hall do get Vicky Christina Barcelona).
Now Allen has gone back to New York (at least for this one film), he has found an old script on which he worked in the 1970's (his golden period) and has done a funny, twisted New York comedy which tackles with his beloved question: what's the point in life when we all die in the end? Classic Woody.
I watched Whatever Works in a cinema called Angelica in SoHo (on Mercer and 18 West Houston). It was a humid and overheated day in last August. I laughed with the responsive and explosive audience–popcorn was kicked and spilled and a man kept commenting loudly to the characters on the screen. We had fun and felt good about Woody's return and his recent victory over American Apparel.
But what do the film critics who hated Allen's European adventures say this time around? Well, they have reversed into 'we preferred his European films'. Plain and clear if not contradictory.
Tomorrow I will discuss the Finnish album reviews so far for Better Than Wages.
Now Allen has gone back to New York (at least for this one film), he has found an old script on which he worked in the 1970's (his golden period) and has done a funny, twisted New York comedy which tackles with his beloved question: what's the point in life when we all die in the end? Classic Woody.
I watched Whatever Works in a cinema called Angelica in SoHo (on Mercer and 18 West Houston). It was a humid and overheated day in last August. I laughed with the responsive and explosive audience–popcorn was kicked and spilled and a man kept commenting loudly to the characters on the screen. We had fun and felt good about Woody's return and his recent victory over American Apparel.
But what do the film critics who hated Allen's European adventures say this time around? Well, they have reversed into 'we preferred his European films'. Plain and clear if not contradictory.
Tomorrow I will discuss the Finnish album reviews so far for Better Than Wages.
2009/10/21
Stranded in Stereo & Lost in Music
American blog Stranded in Stereo has posted my video for download today.
The video was directed by Sami Sänpäkkilä (visual artist, filmmaker and the man behind Fonal Records) and it was shot in my home!
Tomorrow, Thursday we are playing at this year's Lost in Music festival in Tampere@Yo-talo.
We will share the stage with Cats on Fire and Regina.
The video was directed by Sami Sänpäkkilä (visual artist, filmmaker and the man behind Fonal Records) and it was shot in my home!
Tomorrow, Thursday we are playing at this year's Lost in Music festival in Tampere@Yo-talo.
We will share the stage with Cats on Fire and Regina.
2009/10/20
Cocktail parties
It started last week with an invitation to an event that somehow related to the new subway line.
Then yesterday a good smelling invitation with candy, big red lips and the name Jade Jagger.
I was asked to enter one of those glitzy new night clubs in town, to wear red, drink champagne and eat canapes. If ever there was a chance to see the bare shoulders of rally drivers' wives and footballers maybe, it would be here...and maybe the infamous Mr. Mouth will be in town himself for his daughter's exclusive Finnish party. I was also sent an invitation to an auction house this week. Do they think they can lure me into bidding on some paintings now that I am a recording artist?
Thank you for the invitations, but I will be working on those dates. I will be in the unglamorous green rooms of small clubs and if anything on me will be red, it'll be my warm woolly leggins from Marimekko.
22.10. Yo-talo, Tampere w/ Cats on Fire and Regina
30.10. Bar15, Seinäjoki
19.11. Suisto-klubi, Hämeenlinna
20.11. Dynamo, Turku
21.11. Blue Pool, Forssa
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