What my Development of Creative Imagination in the arts does, Happenings.

One could say that 2009 was a fairly eventful year for Texas indie/post-rock quintet Balmorhea. With the release of two records (All is Wild, All is Silent in March and remix of the record in August) playing SXSW, and touring close to 70 dates in the US and Europe, you’d think the band would take the time to relax, maybe pull an Explosions in the Sky and wait a couple of years to put out another record. Well, you would be wrong because Balmorhea has released Constellations almost a month shy of All is Wild, All is Silent‘s release last March. For fans of All is Wild… expect a rather drastic change in the feel of Balmorhea’s music; where “Settler” came in with rising piano chords and sweeping strings, “To the Order of the Night” comes with a very soft piano, and as “Settler” set the tone for All is Wild…,  “To the Order of the Night” sets the tone for the rest of Constellations. The records difference from it’s predecessor is the style of music that is being produced here, the feel of Constellations is more akin to a minimalist style, while before there was something that seemed more polished and modern in terms of studio work, this record feels like everyone went to the studio, sat in the booth together and recorded in a one-shot deal. Now this is not meant to demean the  quality of the music that is being played here, no, no, no, what I’m saying is that the aesthetic choices involved in the creation of the record might be offsetting for some listeners. For instance, there’s a lot of ambient noise in the studio, the sound of piano benches creaking, bows being picked up off the ground, and the like. Prime example is the records title track, which opens with what initially appears to be the sound of wood being rubbed together until the audible sounds of piano notes becomes apparent, also, there sounds like the faintest use of a timpani drum in the background, it sounds like rolling thunder. To be honest I’m not sure if this is indeed an aesthetic choice or something done completely by accident, because either the mic setup is supposed to let you hear EVERYTHING that’s going on in the studio on purpose, or it is an amateur’s mistake. Either way it makes everything feel kinda chaotic.

Where All is Wild‘s backbone was the strings, the acoustic, and electric guitars, Constellations entire body is practically made of piano chords, playing a very prominent role in most of the songs on the record. Though gorgeous and very well played, the one piano rich song that stands out is “The Steerage and the Lamp” which Balmorhea’s masterful use of slow builds. But, in the mind of this reviewer there is no doubt in my mind, the records most standout track is “Bowsprit”, slowly starting with muted acoustic and bass notes, building with strings, then banjo, emphatic foot stomps and claps, finally all of these things coming together in a single peace of beautiful music, and then slowly, slowly fading out. It’s the most standout track to me because it was the most emotionally involving song on the record. Though, at first I was not entirely thrilled with the direction Balmorhea took with Constellations, but like most new records it grows on you. What you have to appreciate with this record is the diversity and experimentation that they have gone through to make this an interesting piece of music. The use of ambient noise, numerous instruments, and styles that range from classical, to folk, to even some gospel elements being thrown in, makes Constellation a record I recommend for fans and newcomers alike. 4/5

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Thank you geektool….

Though Sigur Ros is on that dreaded word “indefinite hiatus” ::shudder:: I’m looking forward to Jónsi’s new record “Go” which will be coming out in early April. For now, another little teaser.

Jónsi’s Website

Courtesy of Game Over

I want this girl to tour the U.S. and do my chest piece, her work is fucking awesome.

Da’ WordPress

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On the release date of Balmorhea’s newest release Constellations, there will be a review of the record on the blog. “Bowsprit” has been released as a teaser and it sounds pretty promising.

The Bands Website
The Link to the Western Vinyl site where you can preorder dis shit.

Hunter causing chaos on the set of Conan with his tales of accidentally shooting his assistant, going to a shooting range with Conan, and bootlegging Nike sneakers in his basement.

Band:I Would Set Myself on Fire for You
Album: …….Believes in Patterns.

Alfred Eisenstaedt,
One of  the greatest photojournalist of all time.

Bill Brandt
Master of the London Night, Portraiture, Abstracts, and Nudes

Andreas Feininger,
Brilliant technical photographer.

Jacques Henri-Lartigue
Followed the Decisive Moment philosophy  before it was established, applied it to car races, airplanes, and women.

André Kertész,
Master of composition and the photographic essay, considered one of the most important contributers to the development of photojournalism.

Ansel Adams,
One of the most recognizable photographers in history, chronicled the untamed wilds of the Sierra-Nevada.

I encourage everyone to look at these photographers, and if possible try and look at the BBC documentary series Master Photographers.