THE HIGH FIDELITY DISCUSSION HOUR
Broadcast I: Sie ruhn wie in der Mutter Haus / I Don't Think We Have Met - 21 September 2001
Aside from a rough start, the debut broadcast was a personal success. This was a hybrid of a new broadcast and another one that I planned to air last Friday. Half of it were song blocks played in honor and memory of those fallen from the attacks at the World Trade Center, Pentagon and the plane crash at southwestern Pennsylvania. The first half of the title is from the Friedrich Rückert (1788-1866) poem "Kindertotenlieder" (or "Songs on the Death of a Child"). It translates to "They rest as if in the house of their mother." So here are the songs that were broadcasted:
Introduction: AIR - Radio #1 - 10,000 Hz Legend
MOBY - Why does my heart feel so bad? - Play
MOBY - Everloving - Play
MOBY - My weakness - Play
September 11, 2001 was not only another date which will live in infamy but also Richard Hall's (better known as Moby) thirty-sixth birthday. When I was reminded of that fact, I played a couple of songs of the 1999 critically acclaimed album Play that I thought would be appropriate for the occasion and the mood. I always thought that musically, Moby has the ability to make techno/house music that is very human. This album has eighteen tracks that speak to the soul and I have known that ever since I bought it for myself around April 2000. I think the other cool thing about the album is that it contains the most licensing agreements out of any album (the reason why you hear a Moby track with a commercial or a trailer... "Everloving" was used as the trailer music for the Darren Aronofsky film Requiem for a Dream) Even it was a horrible day... Happy Birthday, Moby.
Information about the album here (including samples)
(22:15-22:30): Ranting and Raving on Recent Events
SIGUR RÓS - Olsen Olsen - Ágćtis Byrjun
Acclaimed and praised by Thom Yorke of Radiohead (even opening for them during the 2000 Europe tour), this Icelandic group is now doubt a band of the future. Consisting of Jón Ţor "Jónsi" Birgisson (vocals, guitars), Kjartan Sveinsson (keyboards), Orri Páll Dýrason (drums) and Georg Holm (bass) - their sound is unlike any other. Jónsi's vocals (described as not even close to a combination of Yorke's and a choir boy's - thanks to Paul McAllister and this site) is heavenly and a paintstroke of sound is created using a cello bow. This song (the language of the song title is called "Hopelandic," a language specific to the band combining Icelandic and a bunch of other things) is very hopeful and beautiful and I wanted that to be shared. At the last minute, an excerpt from "Avalon" was tacked on as well. The album title means "A Good Beginning."
Information about the album (including samples)
AUTECHRE - Vletrmx21 - Tri Repetae++ [Garbage]
This 1995 release returns to the radio board once again. This track is the last track from the Garbage EP (one-half of the second disc of the US release of Tri Repetae++). It's minimalistic to the extreme with a simple loop that changes very little (in terms of volume and EQ settings). And yet it contains a reflective and meditative spirit that when one listens to it, he/she is in a personal and mental sanctuary. Good track
Information about the album (including samples)
NINE INCH NAILS - Head Like a Hole - Pretty Hate Machine (Halo 2)
NINE INCH NAILS - Terrible Lie - Pretty Hate Machine (Halo 2)
NINE INCH NAILS - Down In It - Pretty Hate Machine (Halo 2)
This 1989 album took industrial music made it into something that anybody can listen to. Made at the age of 24 using Atari and Apple computers, Trent Reznor (along with several others including friend Chris Vrenna, Flood and Adrian Sherwood) constructed songs that would launch Nine Inch Nails and would dawn the angst-ridden rock that would be popular during the early 90s. Part of the reasoning for playing these tracks is to jolt the music listening audience back on a normal level. Clear Channel suggested several songs that radio station should refrain from playing due to the tragedy that happened. "Head Like a Hole" was one of those (and "Stairway to Heaven" was on there!). The "halo" designation is something NIN does with all major releases.
Information about the album (including samples)
RECOIL - Drifting - Unsound Methods
RECOIL - Strange Hours - Liquid
Recoil is the project created and maintained by Alan Wilder, formerly of Depeche Mode fame. Began around 1985 from tapes he personally created discovered by head of Mute Records Daniel Miller, Recoil has developed into an artistically motivated project with dark themes (more dark than Depeche Mode), the occasional homage to spiritual/gospel, interesting layering and arranging and a revolving cast of collaborators including Nicole Blackman, Diamanda Galas, Douglas McCarthy and even Moby. I got introduced to Recoil unknowingly through the fact that Liquid was played before NIN performed (I went to the Merriweather Post Pavilion performance).
Information about Unsound Methods - Information about Liquid
RADIOHEAD - Fitter Happier - OK Computer
RADIOHEAD - Electioneering - OK Computer
RADIOHEAD - The National Anthem - Kid A
Radiohead - Thom Yorke, Ed O'Brien, Phil Selway and Colin and Jonny Greenwood - had an interesting start as being a grunge band but proved to the world that they are beyond genres and should not be put into a musical box. After buying OK Computer two months before Kid A came out, I sort of knew that this would be a group to pay attention to. After getting Kid A (second day it came out), I was right. And man did the hype pour in on Radiohead. However, it's all about the music and continuously searching for a new voice and a new way of expressing yourself. "Fitter Happier" has the best scathing insights into the idea of living a perfect life. And although I know the context and their politics, I like "Electioneering" for the same reasons I like the former - it's scathing and intelligent. "The National Anthem" has a pulse that's very appealing.
Information about OK Computer - Information about Kid A
VANGELIS - Messages - Voices
VANGELIS - Dream in an Open Place - Voices
Vangelis returns to my broadcast universe with the last two tracks from the 1995 release Voices. Throughout the 90s, Vangelis' style has become more symphonic with the soundtrack to the Ridley Scott film 1492 and the fundraising album that will later be released to the general public as El Greco. He also takes advantage of more digital synthesizers and fully develops his personal sequencing software to create more layers of sound. "Messages" has a very festive atmosphere and "Dream in an Open Place" has a special place for me as one who looks back while he moves forward.
Information about this album (including samples)
Click here to get back to the HFDH index, here to contact DJP and the logo above to get back home