Elliot Smith, A Musical Mastermind, Driven by the Depts of Life

On March 23, 1998 Elliott Smith walks up on the stage of the Kodak Theatre to perform his song ‘Miss Misery’ from the film ‘Good Will Hunting’. 5 years 7 months later, the musician is found dead in Los Angeles, CA. The rumors claim that Smith had stabbed himself numerous times in his chest. The music, Smith left behind him reflects the tragic death in many ways. We don’t know much about Smith and his deeper thought, the only proof of his emotional journey through life is what we hear from his music, that lives on with us to today.

Elliott Smith was born in Nebraska and later moved to Duncanville, near Dallas in Texas where he was partly raised. After moving to Portland, Oregon, Smith wrote his first songs at the age of 14. He became a member of the band Heatmiser and debuted in 1993 with an EP called ‘Dead Air’. One year later a terrific solo career took it’s start as Smith released his first full length album, ‘Roman Candle’. It was not until 1997, at his third album release with ‘Either/Or’ that Smith reached the main room of the musical independent industry.
Smith’s dark, emotional music had great influences from as well as Nick Drake, as his lifetime idols ‘The Beatles’. What he came to discover was and give his fans was a deep view, that reflects around life and the larger meanings of it. Picked up by Gus Van Sant in 1997 for the movie production of ‘Good Will Hunting’, Smith’s ‘Miss Misery’ was nominated for best original song at the 1998’s Academy Award.

As far as we know, Smith was suffering from a serious depression, which reflected through his music. And after have releasing ‘XO’ in 1998 and one of the heavier, more emotional albums Figure 8’, Smith started working on what came to be his lifetime project called ‘From a Basement on a Hill’.
Elliott Smith never got see his finished project due to a suspected suicide in Los Angeles on October 21, 2003. The murder/suicide is still to this day unsolved and the investigation is yet until this day open. What we know of Smith is not much, a shy person with deep thought of life has left behind us more than we know. Many like to think that Smith’s music reflects his emotions, he is therefore one of the first and most original true talents in the em/folk/alternative genres that has received that huge of success. The music of Smith is phenomenal, the beauty, sentimental depth is something we find in many musicians today. The truth of emotional music with the basic simple tools of acoustic strings and a piano is the truest we will get inside the musical genius of Elliot Smith.

'Quadro Q' on 'St Saddam' Q(&A's)

In the last post the ‘Quadrophenia Q’ revealed information about the first band that will be interviewed on ‘Music, Truth and Tunes’. Through a chat session with Johannes Roth from Stockholm, Sweden here is the answers to the ‘Quadro Q’s’ asked to the St. Saddam guitarist.

Q: Thank you for participating, lets get started , you’re currently working on a new record on your record label RMI, if I’m correct? How is it going and what can we expect from the new album?
A: Yeah, that’s correct. We started working on it last fall and we can’t say much more than that it is rushing forward slowly. We have been trying to experiment with our sound or rather than experiment, develop it. The album will probably be somewhat calmer and softer but we can guarantee that we won’t be holding in on the, rocking stoner riffs.
Q. Sounds great! You’re Currently working on a new record on your record label RMI, if I’m correct? How is it going and what can we expect from the new album?
A. Yeah, that’s correct. We started working on it last fall and we can’t say much more than that it is rushing forward slowly. We have been trying to experiment with our sound or rather than experiment, develop it. The album will probably be somewhat calmer and softer but we can guarantee that we won’t be holding in on the, rocking stoner riffs.
Q. Promising, do you think it can It be likened with your previous EP, ‘Biohazzard Blues’?
A. It will be easy to draw parallels to our older songs. It might even be that one or a few tracks are from the older material, but re-invented and developed in a new sound. Hopefully it will be a nice mix between old, unrecorded and most all new material.
Q. Ok, and about your genre, you’re probably the only Atom/Rock band that i know of, it’s original but you’ve got to have influences, where to you get your inspiration?
A. I believe that our biggest influence is simply everything that happens around us, life in general in a more simplified and easily described way.
Q. Just a question in between, is it accurate that you are a 100 per cent ‘jam’-session band?
A. Yes and No. When it’s about recording in the studio the songs are very often, well structured but they’re arranged as time goes by. When it comes to our live performances and gigs we are often experimenting and playing with the sound and we consider that improvisation is one of the main parts of our performance.
Q. From your start, you’ve been possesing some kind of mystique around you, would you call that you’re appeal or is it a larger purpose for this mystique? Are you trying to reach more of a musical atmosphere rather than concerts where you’re profiled by the audience?
A. The first time we jammed together we created an atmosphere in the rehearsal space that was almost touchable. That atmosphere is something that has been following us until this day and hopefully it will continue to do so even in the future. If it seems mysterious, light, strange, good or bad is up the audience or the listeners to decide. We are not trying to reach for a forced ‘image’. And maybe that is one of the main reasons why it feels so real or true.
Q. So what about your atom-test-bombing video, across your relatively small fan circle it has become somewhat a disscussion subject, is there a deeper purpose to the video and it that case what is it
A. Once again it’s all about the interpretation of the audience. For some people it has no meaning and for others it strengthens, both the visual and musical experience. For us it has become a part of St Saddam.
Q. Good reviews, positive critcism, why aren’t you doing more music and more gigs?
A. The biggest reason is probably the logistical problems. We are divided in four cities and in two different countries so we have a hard time organizing rehearsals and gigs.
Q. So a direct question to you Johannes, what are you listening to right know? Any Tips you’d like to share?
A. U2’s new album, ‘No Line On The Horizon’ is currently at repeat. Otherwise it’s very much The Doors, Mogwai and Miles Davies for the moment.
Q. So back to you guys and the upcoming record, when can we hear it?
A. I don’t dare to say much more than, during 2009.
Q. From the record to your name. St. Saddam might be seen as quite controversal, what is the background or the history of the name, how come it became St. Saddam?
A. The meaning is that a thing/human/belief/religion and so on, can be possessed by one being and at the same time be hated by someone else. The name itself doesn’t have anything to do with Saddam Hussein himself, like many choose to believe. It’s more a reflection of good and evil in a ironic kind of sense.
Q. I’ve heard the band is currently not as active, is this album the end or the beginning of St. Saddam?
A. It’s hopefully the beginning of a very long end.
Q. So final thing I’ll ask for you, describe the music of St. Saddam with five words.
A. Powerful, Superb, Generous, Sharp and Unified.
Thank you Johannes and good luck to the new record.

Visit St. Saddam on Myspace or on RMI Sweden

Introducing 'Quadro Q' on St Saddam

Now proudly introducing the ‘Quadrophenia Q’. A section of ‘Music, Truth & Tunes’ where I interview upcoming and unsigned musicians, bands or artists about their visions, their music and goals.

The first band to be interviewed is the Swedish, experimental/rock band St. Saddam. The band is currently working to finnish their first full length album on the the swedish indie label RMI. It’s now two years since St. Saddam released their first EP, ‘Bioharrard Blues’ and their most well recognized song ‘Art Of Exhile’. The band call themselves ‘Atom/Rock’ and is a heavier version of instrumental acts like ‘Explosions In The Sky’, ‘Ef’ and ‘Maybeshewill’ with huge influences of postmodern stoner/rock.

Since the beginning of the bands history there has always been a special atmopshere around St Saddam, originated from the Swedish east coast town, Oskarshamn the band recieved great press for their first performances and created a controversy with a political atom test bombing video on a screen stretched over the stage for none to see the band as they give a performance. A Controversial name, constantly mistaken and directed toward Saddam Hussein, St. Saddam has created a name for themselves. As their new album is on the way I choose to interview guitarist and producer Johannes Roth, member of St. Saddam to sort things out and to get a deeper look at the mysterious St. Saddam.

Read all of it tomorrow at Music, Truth & Tunes and check out St.Saddam on myspace.

Truth about 'No Line on The Horizon' by U2 (Rewritten)

Maybe all art requires a moment of processing. ‘No Line On The Horizon’ was in my previous review a disappointment. 24 hours later, I am not so sure anymore. Sure it’s not what the greatest of U2 is and maybe that’s the point, maybe this is something entirely different. Maybe it required a night of listening instead of a first impression. Maybe I was caught up in what should be and what shouldn’t.

Due to the previous review I ask for an apologue. I’ll keep the first part of the review where I write what a magnificent opening the album has because it opens as strong as it could possibly do and I don’t know on which planet I spend my last afternoon, because the middle is influencial, it’s beautiful and ‘No Line Horizon’ becomes a ‘Viva La Vida’ phenomenon. As I listen to it my fourth time I realize that I had the same problem with Coldplay’s ‘Viva La Vida’. I regret my mistake to try the quickness instead of relying on the art of music.

What ‘No Line On The Horizon’ really is, is a better version of a ‘How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb’ and ‘All That You Can’t Leave Behind’ and the grey pieces of ‘All You Can’t...’ are composed together with the colorful energy of ‘How To Dismantle...’ which creates a new atmosphere. That ‘exclusive’ thing of ‘No Line on The Horizon’ that I closed my last review with is not especially strong. It’s weak and it’s changeable, because the thought of this as a jam session instead of a blueprint totally works and in a time frame of 24 hours ‘Moment of Surrender’, ‘Unknown Caller’ and ‘Cedar’s Of Lebanon’ joins the terrific opening of the album with ‘No Line..’ and ‘Magnificent’, and resembles into a still mellow but somewhat ‘brilliant/but not really yet’, journey in a not at all negative blurry line on the horizon, but a deep, beautiful blurry line on that horizon.

I beg a pardon for my ignorance to the art that I love.

Truth about 'No Line on The Horizon' by U2

I expect for a lot when I press play on 'No Line on The Horizon' and after song one I am thrilled about the next one. The opening intro and 'No Line on The Horizon' kicks off the beginning of a promising after noon. I love how U2 has done this thing of opening up their albums with terrific songs, just look at 'How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb' and the song 'Vertigo'. 'All That You Can't Leave Behind' had 'Beautiful' and not to even mention the 1987, 'Joshua Tree' opening with 'Where The Streets Have No Name'. Classic songs of U2, modern as old has come through this sequence of opening up the albums.

'No Line on The Horizon' feels like a little coming back to the technical instrument aspects rather than the raw musical instruments like in 'How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb'. Which is fine and 'Magnificent' holds on to much beauty. The in between just makes me tired. After 'Magnificent' I am facing 6 experimental tracks with onky one thumb up and that is; 'I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight' but even though the rather mellow before and after tracks I find myself not quite paying attention to the album at all anymore. The album of March is gone, the album of the year? What are expectasions, when the result takes you down.

Still 'No Line On The Horizon' has a brave closure to it. But that doesn't mean that it isn't quick. 'White as Snow' is a beautiful technical, little experiment that I dig. 'Breath' aims it up at bit and I, that thought that I had a rock & roll album in front me. The outro signifies the rather weak album that hoped so much out of and maybe 'No Line on The Horizon' is a more litterary title that I would think it would be. The album is blurrly little line that never really comes together, it's cool for two songs and then it loses me still even though my dissapointment didn't get me sold I do agree that it was an okay album, okay but not much more. The conclusion is that even if this was a no-blueprint planned album and more of a jam session I still would like to say, stick to the blueprints. In the end I presume that this album will be either recalled as greatness or blunder, when and what that will be I am not sure of, therefore I lay myself in the middle only for it to get better as I am sure it will be as time goes by.

Proudly Presenting the Quadrophenia Q

Now introducing the 'Quadrophenia Q', a series of short interviews and personal opinions on hand picked musicians and artists struggeling for recognizion will be revealed on 'Music, Truth and Tunes'. Starting off this upcoming two weeks, two interviews will be posted. Unknown artists will get a chance to talk of their art and get more listeners.

The Quadrophenia Q reflects to the 70's film about mods and the power of free expressionism. It also reflects the society where we want our young talents to receive recognition by the world in order to preserve the great in music as an artform and a way of expressing itself. The 'Q' stands for 'Questions' and in this case my questions will give you easy views on what these people hope for, what they do and what their goals are. Taking off this first week the Swedish, Atom/Rock band St. Saddam will give us a comment on their upcoming album on their new label 'RMI' and also the meaning of what the bands music reflect to themselves as well as to the crows. This including short bio and links so you can listen for yourself and see what you think.

The first 'Quadro Q' will be posted in the end of this week.

Looking forward to getting started!
Have yourself a terrific and great tomorrow!

Truth about 'Astral Weeks: Live at Hollywood Bowl' by Van Morrison

It doesn't come as s suprise, that if Van Morrison where about to choose one album to perform live, it would be 'Astral Weeks'. The 1968 'Astral Weeks' is a timeless classic but there's always this worrying criticism that he could ruin the mythic around the album with a live performance. I have heard the Hollywood Bowl is suppose to be a terrific spot and this is where this live concerts take place. I found it a shame to myself that I haven't actually been there and watched a singe concert since I moved here but I'll just have to do like everybody else. Listen to it on my iPod and say what I think.

In this case, a catastrophy is far away from what the result becomes. The opening with 'Astral Weeks/I Believe That I Have Trancended' aholds up somewhat a terrific touch of settle, which is needed for a version of a classic rock album. After a not so strong 'Beside You', Van Morrison creates a timeless version of Slim Slow Slider. There's a calmness and softness that relies on the original version I can image Van Morrison sitting on a stool as the crowd falls into the fantastic rythm of the song. It surprises me that this strong of a song comes this early and this only brings me hope to the rest.

The concert goes along great and it really keeps this terrific, magical atmosphere and it's not untill the peak when you'll get surpised by the magic eloded into the bowl. 'Cyprus Avenue' comes out terrifcly well, it's timeless and probably the edge of the concert so far. It keeps me settled in my bed. I can't think clearly, if I'm just glad or if the bittersweet and tender music controls my mood. Followed by 'Ballerina', 'Madame George' and a side kick from 'Astral Weeks' with 'Listen to The Lion/The Lion Speaks, originally from 'Listen to The Lion' that appeared on Morrison's fantastic 'St Dominic's Preview' from 1972.

Van Morrison finishes off, perfect. You can sense the jazz influences from the great rock poet and the music, the atmosphere and deapths of this concert becomes timeless in a large sense. The fresh mix, the hard jazz sounds and the amazing violin played by Tony Fitzgibbon captures the beautiful pieces that makes you wish you where there that night.