feeling dump

This year has been such a crucial year in my life, from music, studies, cybersecurity, relationships, cities, travels, people and so on. This was almost painful to live because I did not have the time I needed to process everything, I had to move quickly to another subject without taking a deep breath. One thing for sure, the soundtrack this year has been really wonderful, so wonderful that I doubt it will be another year like this.

January

El Nervio Del Volcan

Let’s start with a Mexican rock album, El Nervio Del Volcan. It starts with Afuera what a chorus seriously. The albums ends with La Llorona, deep dark song that makes me feel awkward, lovely.

Rock n Roll Animal

One, if not my favorite album of all time. This is a live album recorded in 1974, during the Glam Rock era. Our beloved Lou Reed and his crew performed the old Velvet Underground songs, but turned into a psychedelic - glitter improvisation with a long guitar solos. As I said, every song are issued from the Velvet, but one that I find way better than the original: Lady Day. This song got me thrills every time, I can dance, scream and play air guitar every time I hear it.

February

Cosmic Messenger

What a discovery. I discovered the song Cosmic Messenger and what a journey. From the cover album, the name of the album and all the songs. Oh man, this is a journey. A thrilling jazz-fusion journey full of violon. Give it a shot absolutely. Such a discovery that this only album took me the whole month. I strongly recommand to listen to the full album and then Enigmac Ocean, Mystical Adventures and Civilized Evil.

March

Lust For Life

On March, pretty things happened. I went to the Incubateur InterCERT for almost the full month in Paris. Apart from the formation, I went to the cinema a lot, and lucky me, Trainspotting was on air one night. I went to see it for the third time I guess, but this time was a revelation:

The tumultuous intro scene backed with Lust For Life by Iggy Pop stunned me. I understood the movie in a way that I couldn’t even imagine before. I saw the struggle, the choices, the characters, the motivations. It stunned me. I have nothing else to add, except that we might all need to rewatch Trainspotting. If you haven’t seen the movie yet, maybe watch this video.

Surrender

In March, I also played a lot Surrender by the Chemical Brothers, it sounds so coooooooool. I think the Daft Punk and Chemical Brothers has to fight (but the Daft Punk Alive 2007…).

April, the disquaire

I went to a record shop in April, I asked the disquaire “I love Iggy Pop, I love Lou Reed, what should I listen next?”.

Personnality Crisis

The disquaire told me that the New York Dolls are such a essential to understand the following music genre. It had such a huge impact on the Glam Rock, Punk Rock music and so forth. The eponymous song is a must-ear. Their looks inspired me for the following month hehe.

Here are The Sonics

Along with the New York Dolls, the disquaire told me that The Sonics created a sound that no one managed to achieved since and before. The sound is rough, raw, powerful and enraging. The intro The Witch is outstanding. This was back in the 1965, no one ever did this before.

May

During this month, I took the CDSA by HackTheBox exam, it was hard ngl. During the whole exam week, I was looping on a few albums, among them, there was:

Hot Rats

The best album of 1969? Might be! (but check this, this, thisand this). Peaches En Regalia might be the best song ever composed (cc Ponty), a perfect instrumental song, mixed between rock, jazz and classical. Funky, melodic, powerful, oh wow.

La Planète Sauvage

Such a beautiful movie, directed by René Laloux in 1973. The film’s score is composed by Alain Goraguer.

“The main theme is very reminiscent of Pink Floyd’s “Atom Heart Mother Suite” (same half-time tempo, mellotron, harpsichord, and wah-wah guitar), and the other two are a ballad and a circus-like waltz. The music is very ’70s-clichéd and will appeal to fans of French and Italian ’70s soundtrack stylings. Although repetitive, the album itself creates an interesting marijuana-induced sci-fi floating mood, blending psychedelia, jazz, and funk… [It] has been sampled by a few hip-hop artists.” Source: Wikipedia.

June

Funhouse

Back in June, I saw the documentary “Gimme Danger” by Jim Jarmusch, which was another big step in my life. The documentary focuses on the three first albums of The Stooges: The Stooges, Funhouse, Raw Power. Iggy Pop himself tell the tale of his group. Before Punk, there was The Stooges, retro-labelled Proto Punk, because it has set the full Punk scene almost 10 years before the Sex Pistols. The album is composed of pure rage and probably acid. It might be the best rock album of all time. Steve MacKay was the sax guy, I think he played under acid-free-jazz-punk-rock influence. All the tracks are so powerful, T.V. Eye is for me the best song of the album. L.A. Blues and Fun House are that psychedelic that I did not found anything like this since.

And yes, I got it

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

David Bowie when you hold me….. I don’t know what to say about this album, it’s just splendid, lovely. He was on cocaine while making the album tho.

July

Here Comes The Warm Jets

And here’s my favorite album of the year, or all time maybe. This is such a well structured album. It was release in 1973 by Brian Eno, after his period with Roxy Music (2 first albums). This album is a among the pioneer of Glam Rock, starring Eno’s outfits:

I cannot tell how much I love this album, this is such a master piece, from Baby’s On Fire, On Some Faraway Beach, to Here Come The Warm Jets. This album is everything to me this year. I mean, his look, the guitar on the album, especially on Baby’s On Fire (Composed by Eno, Paul Rudolph, Robert Fripp). This is everything. I cannot state how much it means to me. I really encourage to read the Wikipedia page of this album. I also watched the documentary Brian Eno - The Man Who Fell To Earth during my travel between Liverpool and Dublin this summer.

I bought this record in Bristol this summer :p

Pop Crimes

During my glam / punk era, I met someone who was a total fan of Rowland S. Howard. I started to listen to this guy and wow. Such a badass voice, dark feelings and alcohol abuse. I love his style so much

August

Definitively Maybe & (What’s The Story) Morning Glory?

I went to the United Kingdom and Ireland during this summer. Oasis was performing at the exact same moment. I was in London when they were here, same for Dublin and so on…. A little bit cliché but I was so pleased to dive inside those two wonderful albums. And soooooo Sally can wait………. Supersonic might be their best song.

September

Strange Days

Back from my summer trip, starting my final year, new city, new people…… Strange Days is an album that perfectly fits this mood. I love how warm and cold this album can be. It might be the best Doors album, at least my favorite.

She Wants Revenge

Still September, the dark and sexy vibes from this album is sooooooo hot. I want to dance all night on this one. Personnal recommandations: Red Flag and Long Nights, Tear You Appart, Out of Control. And the album Up And Down is a masterpiece!

Entertainment!

Post punk ? Who said post punk ? I want to dance ! Yeah I dance every time when I hear this album, especially Damaged Goods. This album is considered as a Post Punk but also “Dance-Punk”. The album’s cover artwork, shows the influence of the Situationist International, a left-wing organization which became famous for inspiring the events of May 68 in France. Oohhh goosebumps! (i love the wikipedia page again)

October

Nocturne

This was my spooky season album. Ooooh the live album recorded in Halloween 1983. It featured Robert Smith at the guitar, when he was pissed with The Cure lol. I think I listened to this album for the full month of October. Among all those marvellous live songs, two really comes to my heart: Cascade and Helter Skelter.

Germ Free Adolescents

X-Ray Spex!!! This live album is so great because it takes all the best tracks sang with an enormous rage, a goofy sax and a dirty microphone. What a lovely record. I love Poly Styrene <3 The documentary Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché is really great btw. Personnal recommandation: Identity and Oh Bondage Up Yours!

November

Marquee Moon

What the zip??? The riff in Marquee Moon are so powerfull ? I am still listening to this album almost every day. The voice of Tom Verlaine is transcending. I love the Wikipedia page for this album. The riffs, the voices, the poetry, every thing. This album is so great.

The Downward Spiral

Trent Reznor was fighting many burdens at this time. He finally managed to release The Downward Spiral, which embodies his struggles. I was feeling this, deep inside. The album is hitting every time.

In The Flat Field

Did you notice something? Yes, I am slowly slipping into the post punk / new wave / goth music. It began in march, and pursuit through the months, from Iggy Pop to Siouxsie and The Banshees, stepping by The Doors… Bahaus is a pioneer when we talk about the goth music. I really love Bahaus. Very much. The performance during Coachella 2005 must be acclaimed, wow.

December

Substance

Joy Division made only two albums, Unknown Pleasures and Closer, two wonderful albums, pioneer of the post-punk genre. Ian Curtis, the singer, killed himself two months before the release of Closer. Joy Division has been heavily influenced by the punk scene, but quickly they developed their sound, the link between Elvis Presley and Siouxsie and The Banshees. For this one, I chose a compilation.

Pink Floyd at Pompeii

And to finish my museum of album: the live at Pompeii, by Pink Floyd. Did you ever heard Echoes - Part 1 ?

Podium

And here’s my top three album of this year:

1 - Lust For Life - Iggy Pop

2 - Here Comes The Warm Jet - Brian Eno

3 - Funhouse - The Stooges

… and the officiel Spotify wrap

culture club