Alain de Botton
Writer Alain de Botton answers the five questions, answering against pessimism, for Stendhal.
Andrew Womack
Fugazi, Repeater
This record is highly recommended—inspiring, heartfelt, profoundly intense. Fugazi’s pleas for social responsibility and the devotion with which they approach their cause ring loud and clear on every song. Favorite tracks: ‘Turnover,’ ‘Repeater,’ ‘Sieve-Fisted Find’
New Order, Get Ready
New Order make a triumphant return with Get Ready, their first record since 1993’s Republic. They’ve definitely tweaked their setup a bit (more guitar—a lot more), but they've retained their distinctive sound and, in many ways, have improved upon it—especially in ‘Primitive Notion,’ which
The Faint, Danse Macabre
Do I hate to make another Faint album the album of the week so soon? No—not when it’s this good. Intricate, engaging songs make the follow-up to their strong Blank-Wave Arcade a thoroughly good listen, over and over again. Goth? Pish-posh. And so well-thought-
Public Image Ltd., The Flowers of Romance
Tribal, synth-laden—oh, and you better believe it’s avant-garde—this 1981 release from PiL is a head-trip of violence and beauty. John Lydon’s lovely sing-song lyrics carelessly riding atop the stark instrumentation only add to the fun (?). Definitely not for everyone, but certainly a
I’m a Survivor
Richard Hatch, the winner of the first Survivor show, was arrested yesterday in a domestic dispute with his boyfriend. How interesting is this? Well, the answer is ‘not too.’ In fact, it’s just an excuse to show to you – once again – his weird Web site, Rich Hatch – Dynamic, Versatile
Vitesse, Chelsea 27099
Bright, persistent synth-driven pop—just what’s needed to get us all (those in New York, anyway) out of this rain-fueled slump, though the skill with which Vitesse craft these apparently simple, yet misleadingly elegant songs is reason enough to hear this album. Yes, Vitesse owes a debt
The Fall, This Nation’s Saving Grace
Abrasive? Anarchic? Just nuts? I don’t know and I don’t think they ever knew, either—or cared—and in that may be what makes this 1985 release such a worthwhile listen: it’s wholly original. Quite seriously, in an age of reprocessed/recycled culture and music (that being,
Marketing
I love end-of-the-world/paranoia/disaster movies – you know the ones: Planet of the Apes (the original, thanks), The Omega Man, Soylent Green (why these all have Charlton Heston in them I’ll never know…). Well, I am very disturbed to have to report this, but there is
Chris Clark, Clarence Park
Warp Records wunderkind Chris Clark will change the way you feel about experimental electronic music. Though continually pushing the envelope, Clarence Park never loses sight of being listenable. Clark's debut album showcases his ability to run a wide gamut of emotion: sometimes bleak (‘A Laugh With Hills’), occasionally