SXSW 2010: Carsick Cars

So I was just stumbling full of free beer from Red 7 after the Beach Fossils show when I realized Carsick Cars was playing at the Emo's tent right around the corner. I had time to catch them and then get back for a good spot for Neon Indian. I was curious about Carsick Cars as they are from Beijing and how often do you get the chance to hear a Chinese garage band, right?



This video was shot at the show I saw. The guy must have a beef with the bass player or something because he gets about 3 seconds of screentime.

Anyway, they were up there doing their thing and I was kind of unimpressed. I remember this song, actually, and thinking, "Why am I watching these guys play two chords over and over and over?" I was just about to leave (I really was moving quick like a drunk brontosaurus) when I realized my foot was tapping. I looked at it. It didn't stop tapping. I looked at the band and began to imagine them playing in some tiny Chinese club packed with kids jumping up and down. They really believed in what they were playing up there, and apparently my foot did, too. I was beginning to get it.

I mean they aren't going to change the world like Foghat did, but they are pretty enjoyable none-the-less.

Songs for Jackie Chan

Seems quite silly, and it is. But I love this album. I bought it in some chain-store CD outlet more than 10 years ago. Track 2 appears to have disappeared. There's Chinese pop, Chinese electro-pop, Chinese disco, kung fu pop, stirring monk-humming montage music--all vintage from the 80s. Serious fun.

And somehow it all has to do with Jackie Chan, even though he doesn't sing on any of the tracks. And he's a trained singer! (See Peking Opera Blues for what his childhood was like.) BTW, I was glad to see "Supercop" on Tarantino's list of the best movies since 1992. For meltmaster, before he discovered Herzog, he had Hong Kong action flicks. And Chinese and Hong Kong pop is IMHO superior and more interesting than J-Pop or K-Pop. (Although Korea has got both countries on their toes on the movie front, again I refer you to Tarantino's list of movies.)

[Yes Tarantino is annoying and hasn't really made a good film since Reservoir Dogs (although I haven't seen Basterds yet!) but he gives props to Asian movies. Glad he put the masterpiece "Memories of Murder" up there. Although "Oldboy" is conspicuously absent; instead he chooses "JSA," probably just to be snooty. Anyhow, I digress.]

Here is the ending of Police Story. Skip to about 2:20 for the end credit music that Jackie belts out. Damned catchy!!!! I love the hook.

Here is a link to the mp3 rips on my CD.

Stop the presses! When looking for images for this CD, I found a blog with what appears to be a vinyl rip of a Japanese version of the same CD. I haven't downloaded it yet, but here's the link!

Zhu Zonglu: music for when your Xanax runs out

I really hope you like this one. When I'm in other countries I try to pick up a few CDs at random, and this is probably one of the best; I picked it up in a Beijing superstore in 2007 when I did the tranmongolian-siberian. There were so many CDs of traditional music--I had only about half an hour for browsing. I liked this guy's face so it was fate. "Chinese Original Ecosystem Folk Song," it says on the CD cover, by the China Record Company. There's actually some extensive liner notes, and a fairly decent translation too, which is nice. But the music speaks for itself. It is ancient, rural music, performed by one of the most incredible singers I've ever heard. It is mostly composed of vocal acapella performances, a few with some flute, and a couple of orchestra tracks. In all seriousness, when I'm feeling serious existential despair, this stuff puts it all in perspective.

The ethnic minority he belongs to seems to be "Hua'er." His style thankfully survived the cultural revolution. According to the liner notes it was regarded as "Poisonous Grass," by the Cultural Revolution leaders. So this is precious stuff. It is to me.

As the professor, Wang Jie, in the liner notes states: "Let's salute to our Hua'er artist Mr. Zhu Zhonglu."

http://www.mediafire.com/?vdwja3jz3ww

If anyone is really interested, I can type up the list of track names. Well, I'll give you a taste:
Track Listing

1. Climb up the high mountain to oversee the plain (Primary Song of Herzhou)
2. Telescope hidden in the sleeve (Song of Bao' an)
3. Hot pepper and garlic with boiling oil (Tertiary Song of Herzhou)

(I'll finish the list if there is a request. And while we're on the subject of requests: SubHino: you made me a mix-CD of some rockin stuff from India. There was a vintage quasi-psychedelic tune on there I really love. Anything of that sort I would love. And to Erroneous: Renaldo and the Loaf.)