OK, 2006. An arbitrary delimitation is about to be celebrated, as it does every 365-6 days. I live in the first country in the world where this non-milestone is marked, which is as sigificant as Samoa being the last country. Do you know that people come from all over the world to New Zealand - and to Gisborne in particular - to see first light on a new year? I get why they do it, but I still think it's goofy.
Lots of stuff happened politically that was very interesting and frightening, both at home and abroad. But I'm not going to talk about that sort of shit at all, because this has always been like most people's blogs: it's all about my own self-obsession, and fuck the bigger picture. Let's just say that I am very worried about the future of my own country and the whole world right now, but remain optimistic (perhaps naively so) that people will not allow the bullshit to go on indefinitely. At least in New Zealand politics don't kill many people... Yet.
How to summarize the year from a personal standpoint? It was not a Momentous Year in either good or bad ways. I spent too much time at my job working really hard, but in 2005 there was more work and it was harder.
I think the best thing I can say about 2006 is that at the end of the year, I feel like I am a better man than I was at the start of the year. Just being able to say "man" in a context other than "yeah man" is a thing in itself; in 2005 I thought of myself as still a boy.
It was a year when I put more serious work into my writing than I ever have before; where I dated extensively but did not fall into a hopeless crush; when I overcame (at least for the moment) at least five personal defects that had been bugging me; I'm pretty sure I was nicer to my friends and family than I have been previously but that's not for me to judge - so if I was a cock to you this year, let me know and maybe I'll do better in future. Or if you prefer you could not let me know, sit and brood on it, and then take your heinous revenge, by which time I will be like Henry Fonda in Once Upon A Time In America trying to work out why the fuck Charles Bronson has such a hard-on for him. Just shove your harmonica in my mouth while I lay dying - I still won't understand what grieves you, but I will appreciate going out on a reference to a great movie. (Incidentally, "harmonica" is not a euphenism; watch the fucking movie.)
I met some wonderful people this year in all sorts of capacities. If I met you this year, my life is probably better for it so thank you.
All in all this year was not amazing, but I feel like it was necessary. I have big plans for 2007.
OK, I've just peered over last year's end-of-year post. Hm, looks like I really enjoyed 2005. "Getting someone so stoned he thought he saw Satan" is pretty hard to beat. The closest I can come to that is that I got so incredibly drunk at Bodega on my birthday I could not function for the entireity of the next day, then still managed to make it to a party the next night while incredibly hungover, ran into a woman I had met at the pub the night before, and still managed to be charming enough to impress her. On the other hand that might say more about her than it does about me.
Enough self-indulgent rambling. Peace, I'm gone. Fnord!
This has been a cracker year for me, and part of that is because a whole bunch of new music came out that I thoroughly enjoyed. I think one reason I don't need religion because I have music.
The best album I've heard with an '06 release date was also the first I heard: The Greatest by Cat Power. Strong songwriting, top-notch band, her best album yet. Essential.
The biggest disappointment was Feedback by Jurassic 5, who did not survive the loss of Cut Chemist to a solo career (his The Audience Was Listening was good, but not great). Runner up with In My Mind by Pharrell, who after a brilliant producing career seems to have saved his worst beats for himself.
Michael Franti & Spearhead released a surprisingly mainstream-sounding rock album called Yell Fire!, which was quite listenable (that's a slam) but kept afloat by his earnest charisma. It also served as the soundtrack for his documentary on the Middle East.
Nelly Furtado did an album with Timbaland called Loose, which I enjoyed. Justin Timberlake & Timbaland did a similar one called FutureSex/LoveSounds, which I enjoyed less (as the title suggests, it tries too hard).
J. Dilla died. A moment's silence please.
J. Dilla also released two albums, the superior Donuts and the great-but-too-much-guest-rapping The Shining. He also contributed to the second best album of the year - more below.
RZA still did not release The Cure. I don't think I heard a single new RZA beat this year.
Ghostface Killah released the second best album of the year, hands down. Some of the beats were taken from previously-released instrumental albums (eg "Whip Me With A Strap" was originally "One For Ghost" on the aforementioned Donuts; "9 Milli Bros." was originally "Fenugreek" on MF Doom's Special Herbs & Spices Vol. 1") but that mattered not a jot. Endlessly long and unfunny skits were fortunately skippable. Fave song: either "Underwater" or "Kilo".
Prince's 3121 was disappontingly third-hand: Mr. Nelson imitating The Neptunes imitating Prince. It spent the shortest time in my CD player of probably any Prince album ever.
Isobel Campbell released the brilliant country album Ballad of the Broken Seas with Mark Lanegan and the excellent folk album Milkwhite Sheets on her own.
Neko Case released possibly her strongest album yet in Fox Confessor Brings the Flood and still seems to stand poised on the verge of the massive success that will probably continue to elude her for as long as she refuses to have publicity photos taken. (She's not even on the album cover this time!) I cannot recommend this album highly enough to anyone wanting acoustic music marked by an edge of darkness, great unconventional songwriting, and one of the best voices in the world today. She's not even really country anymore. This is great stuff.
Jarvis Cocker released an interesting solo album that I have not properly digested yet. Flaming Lips came out with the disappointing At War With the Mystics.
Slayer released Christ Illusion, possibly their best album since Reign In Blood 20 years ago. Is Dave Lombardo the best drummer in the world?
Jolie Holland was one of at least three artists releasing career-best albums this year. (She also put on a topo show at Indigo.) Springtime Can Kill You built on 2004's Escondia beautifully, and emerged as a wonderfully coherent album. In an ideal world she would be topping the charts, but unfortunately most people's taste in music fucking sucks.
The best release of the year, hands-down, was Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers and Boozers by Tom Waits. Three CDs, 26 previously-released soundtrack & compilation appearances, and 30 brand new songs. If you ain't down with Tom Waits yet there's something wrong with you.
Fave songs:
"Still Dirrty" by Christina Aguilera (great DJ Premier beat)
"Underwater" by Ghostface
"We're Not Alone" by Peeping Tom
"Shade And Honey" by Sparklehorse
"Living Proof" by Cat Power
Tune in next time, when I'll probably talk about being interviewed for a documentary on New Zealand cultural identity.
I seem to have two tickets for The Glass Menagerie by Tenessee WIlliams, at Circa on Friday evening.
Does anyone want the second one? Leave a commenty thing.
Does anyone still read this confounded thing? First time I've posted in, um, a while and it's blatant spam. My flatmate asked me to pimp his friend's haunted church installation that's happpening this weekend, and it sounded genuinely cool so I agreed.
Press release-type thing follows.
FUTUNA
Light uncovers the histories of Futuna Chapel.
Where: 15-17 December 10am-10pm
When: Futuna Chapel, 62 Friend Street, Karori
Designers Andrew Brettell, Sven Mehzoud, Amanda Jelicich-Kane and Andrew Simpson have created a site-specific video installation that presents the stories of Futuna Chapel. From 15-17 December 10am -10pm the public are invited to explore the Chapel, now haunted with video projection and a soundscape.
John Scott was asked to design a retreat chapel for the Karori retreat site in 1958. Being of Te Arewa, Irish, Scottish and English descent Scott produced the first building ever designed on bicultural
principles in Aotearoa.
The Marists sold the retreat that was developed into townhouses while the Chapel was used to store lumber. Recently the Friends Of Futuna Charitable Trust have been campaigning to raise money to purchase the
land Futuna Chapel rests on.
This installation is part of an effort to raise awareness of Futuna Chapel's importance
Along with the installation, at 8:30 each evening on 15-17 December Nick Blake will talk about the architecture of Futuna Chapel, including the story of Saint Peter Chanel: the first martyr of the
South Pacific.
This installation is an exciting, vital way of presenting Wellington's heritage. Projection is used around the Chapel to allow visitors to
make surprising discoveries.
During our design process we will film an eke, a traditional dance, that was originally performed in penitence by the people of Futuna after the death of Saint Peter Chanel.