Autumn Faves - WXPN's Fred Knittel & Judson Claiborne

As the leaves turn color in Pennsylvania, we've been speaking with our friends and compadres from around the globe. We like to share what keeps them motivated, what makes them tick, what nostalgia is triggered by the changing season.  Music, food, films, yoga positions, home remedies; all of the great condiments of life.  For our fourth fall '11 installment, we caught up with Fred Knittel & Judson Claiborne's Chris Salveter.



Fred Knittel


As host of WXPN's Folkadelphia show and proprietor of Be Frank Records,  it's an understatement to say Fred is a torch-bearer and enthusiast.  He's shared the following:


For me, autumn is a time for introspection, a time to turn inward, ponder, and slow down. As the leaves turn color and fall off the trees, I find myself revisiting certain films. It's something about their pacing, their themes, their cinematography, and the difficult questions they often raise about life that keep me coming back. Here are a few top movies of my Autumn:




Autumn Sonata (dir: Ingmar Bergman, 1978)
 It's Ingrid Bergman's last feature film and one of the last films directed by Ingmar Bergman. The rich earthy colors, the long shots (care of legendary cinematographer Sven Nykvist), and the musical centerpiece of Chopin's Preludes makes this a go-to Fall film for me.


Three Colors: Red (dir: Krzysztof Kieslowski, 1994)
The final chapter of Kieslowski's Three Colors trilogy (and his last film) features an amazing chemistry between the two leads Irène Jacob and Jean-Louis Trintignant. The mood of the movie just reminds me of Autumn, so I find myself watching it and thinking about it during these months. 


Days of Heaven (dir: Terrence Malick, 1978)
Seriously one of the most beautifully shot movies I've ever seen. As the weather gets colder and the nights come quicker, I imagine the landscapes and scenes that play out in 'Days of Heaven'.


My Night At Maud's (dir: Eric Rohmer, 1969)
Another one with Jean-Louis Trintignant (much younger, of course)! Jean-Louis plays a character who finds his strict moral code compromised by his brief relationship with the bold Maud. In my opinion, a perfect movie to reflect on and talk about during this time of year.


In the Mood for Love (dir: Wong Kar-wai, 2000): Wong Kar-wai is a master of all things visual. You can actually physically feel the longing between the two central characters; you see it in the slowed down scenes, the drifting cigarette smoke, and the significant glances. Without fail, I watch this movie every Fall. 

Relaxing in Delaware Water Gap, PA

Chris Salveter  / Judson Claiborne


When he's not on the road, Mr. Salveter is in Chicago making music and teaching yoga (we've heard demos of the new Judson Claiborne record, and we're excited).  He's taken some time to share with us his top five inspirations of this particular fall season:





The Music of Ted Lucas 
Folk dude from the 60's & 70's...An amazing writer who will remind you of how nice it is to get stoned.

Cambodian Grrl Self Publishing in Phnom Penh
Artist & Writer Anne Elizabeth Moore's brilliant account of her zine-making workshops for teenage girls in Cambodia. 

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Supported Bridge Pose) 
For back pain sufferers, the supported bridge pose offers a set of challenges to the body and mind that together provide an entryway into the benefits of having a yoga practice. Like most yoga poses, the supported bridge pose involves the entire body.

The Legend of Old Gregg
WTF?

Michael Zerang
One of the finest percussionists and improvisers I've ever heard & seen. So fortunate to be in the same town with this guy.

Favorite Autumn Jams - Mako Sica and Rich Hughes

Autumn in Cambridge photo: Rich Hughes

As the leaves turn color in Pennsylvania, we've been speaking with our friends and compadres from around the globe. We'd like to share what keeps them motivated, what makes them tick, what nostalgia is triggered by the changing season. Music, food, films, yoga positions, home remedies; all of the great condiments of life. 

For our third Fall 2011 installment,  we spoke with Brent Fuscaldo of  Chicago's deep-psych exploration trio Mako Sica. We also spoke with Rich Hughes, Co-Founder of The Liminal and lover of literature and technology. 

Brent Fuscaldo of Mako Sica:

Alfred Apaka - Makalapua

King Tubby & Soul Sydicate -

Freedom Sounds in Dub
Miles Davis - Get Up With It 
(Double LP)

Harold Budd - Lovely Thunder

Krzysztof Komeda -Live in Copenhagen Volumes 1 & 2

Pierced Arrows - Paranoia" 7

Son House - any and all!

Rich Hughes:

Talk Talk - Ascension Day
After The Colour of Spring and Spirit Of Eden came Laughing Stock, and the album cover hints at the passing of the seasons with a leaf-sparse tree hosting some lonely looking birds. There's a rumbling darkness to Ascension Day, the hollow guitar crackling with an alien energy, as if something has passed and the future holds something new but unsure. 

Neil Young - Old Man

Perhaps a little obvious to have a song from Harvest, but the album perfectly sums up Autumnal feelings and colours. With it's reflective nature, Old Man makes me think of the year passed so far - what have I achieved? Have I done anything of any worth so far this year?

Wilco - Poor Places

It's the finality of this song, of wrapping up of feelings, that strikes me when I play this - a quiet emptiness that comes over me, of the light slowly dimming.

Do Make Say Think - A Tender History In Rust

Another obvious track - the slow, rust like colours that my surroundings take on now, a gentleness, an interface between seasons and sounds.

Joy Division - Atmosphere

The soundtrack to evenings walking back from pubs and clubs with clear skies that are illuminated, spectacularly, with stars - a crisp and cold atmosphere that heightens the senses.

Favorite Autumn Jams - Dragon Turtle / We Have Heaven

As the leaves turn color in Pennsylvania, we've been speaking with our friends and compadres from around the globe. We'd like to share what keeps them motivated, what makes them tick, what nostalgia is triggered by the changing season. Music, food, films, yoga positions, home remedies; all of the great condiments of life. 


For our second Fall 2011 installment, Brian Lightbody and Tom Asselin from Dragon Turtle, along with Eric de Jesus of We Have Heaven, share their autumn favorites. They've just finished a collaborative recording that we'll be releasing in the form of a 7" piece of vinyl. 


Brian Lightbody / Dragon Turtle:

Brian, Looking ahead to winter.

Frank Sinatra - The Capitol Years

As some La Soc mates know… I could easily fill a blog about my obsession with Frank Sinatra. I'll just say this is one of the only fitting soundtracks to have in your head if you are ever hastily running down to city hall to get married in the perfect autumn magic of NYC.

Sea And Cake - The Fawn
I always listen to this record in the late fall. It is completely unlike any of their other records, before or after. The songs blur together without notice, in a darkness that never feels heavy. I have this amazing memory of picking this up as well as Joyce's impossible Finnegan's Wake at the same time. Bringing them both back to the house and trying to figure them out. The two are always linked for me in that; the same way I've only ever read a handful of pages of Finnegan's Wake at a time, I've never tried to understand what Sam Prekop is singing on the Fawn — I like to think of them both occupying the same world of intangible dream.

Nick Drake - Pink Moon
Nick Drake in fall almost feels too obvious to list, but there are certain universal truths, aren't there? This record is playing at a coffee shop or used book store somewhere in a college town right now — it's a right of passage.

Jawbreaker - 24 Hour Revenge Therapy
I can't even say how huge this record was for me in high school. Great memories of driving around the dark and lonely Pocono Mountains with this record on. The sound and emotions were raw but the words were smart and crafted, that opened me up to Bukowski and Kerouac and made some of the other records in piles on my floor feel juvenile. I owe those guys big time.

Fripp & Eno - Evening Star
I got this in the late fall in college and it was the perfect soundtrack for the leaves last triumph into the winter. At the time I was doing 4 hours a day commuting to NYC from Jersey, and then working a night shift with about 4 or 5 hours sleep. If you are that cracked out driving a desolate late-night highway - I recommend Robert Fripp's solo's and frippertronics mixed with coffee for a unique sleepy euphoria.

Tom Asselin  / Dragon Turtle:

Tom @ the HQ in Delaware Water Gap, PA

Like some of my peers I am having a hard time limiting this list for fall. To make it easier on myself I am making a list of my top 6 favorite bands I saw (or have tickets to see) this fall.


Thee Silver Mount Zion

I finally saw these folks a few weeks ago with Matana Roberts. I love the V formation on stage. Horses In The Sky is a top 10 fall album for me and the songs were better live. The new song they played was also amazing.

A Winged Victory For The Sullen
I am very psyched to see this in a few weeks. I wind down almost every night listening to thier album.

Shinji Masuko
Shinji recently played in a warehouse space in Allentown. There is a link above to the show I was at. Checking it out for yourself is much better than anything I could say.

We Have Heaven
These guys opened for Shinji Masuko and killed it.

Dick Dale
I am amped to see Dick Dale. I wrote my senior research paper in high school on him. I was always so disappointed that whenever he came around it was 21+. Wikipedia tells me he is 74 years old and youtube tells me he still kicks ass.

Mystical Wizard Business
I am currently recording their debut LP. These guys are tight. The music is kind of like an instrumental version of Hawkwind but without the flute sounds. Their current set puts the posted youtube video to shame(they are now a quartet). They have some shows coming up in NY and Wilkes-Barre, PA.


Eric de Jesus  / We Have Heaven: 

Cheers!

THE FREE DESIGN - 
butterflies are free
Reminds me of being a little kid back in school again and ruminating over how badly it sucked while staring out the window of Notre Dame Elementary at the blue mountains out of reach by the distance of a whole school year to the north.


BARCELONA, CATALUNYA, SPAIN -

I was hanging in barcelona last fall. I couldn't believe how good and warm and sunny it was. and all the longboards. I still cant believe how good that city felt. I want to go back there right now.

THE PHOTON BAND - genius
This song is totally about back to school for me. Walking across Temple campus with Art, heads down talking like young english majors and serious, in old earthen jackets from thrift stores, while never wearing socks, our pants rolled up above our ankles. in October air.

SONIC YOUTH - teenage riot
I was living in London, al wobegone and goopy, the fall this came out, on a flexi disc with art screen across it by Savage Pencil himself. Probably the best subculture video ever made.

FAREWELL POETRY - the bold jaws of bear traps
Last October I was sneaking around Paris with Beth, selling books and digging book and record shops. Upon entering Bimbo Tower, this amazing Farewell Poetry song was on the system. I asked wtf it was and then immediately bought the shop's own single copy of this compilation, on Colin Johnco's awesome Leep label. Their new LP and Jayne's DVD on Gizeh records is my current no 1 fave.

The brand new TWIN CITIES release on Future recordings, esp song 2, which is my current fave no.2. So great so emo so live and gnarly so autumnal so sad....

Favorite Autumn Jams - Columboid

It's that time again, folks. Over the next few weeks as the leaves turn and fall in Pennsylvania, we're going to be speaking with our friends and compadres from around the globe. We'd like to share what keeps them motivated, what makes them tick, or what nostalgia is triggered by the changing season. Music, food, films, yoga positions, home remedies; all of the great condiments of life.

For our first installment, Ryan Hamilton and Neil Benjamin from Columboid share with us their fall favorites:

Ryan, Russell, Neil

Ryan:

While I'm bored here at work on this beautiful autumn day, I thought it might be a good time to let everyone in on my five fave fall jams. (none of them are by The Fall, unfortunately).

Autumn has always signified change in my mind, and these five are probably the ones I associate with the biggest of those:

1) As I entered Eigth grade and started shedding my sports team clothes for ripped sweaters and vans sneakers, the song that I most identified with was 'Dumb' off Nirvana's In Utero.

2) After moving to Philadelphia, qutting school and deciding to try to conquer the world with music full time (hasn't quite worked out for me yet), I can remember listening to 'Everything Is In Its Right Place' off of Kid A by Radiohead.

3) The Autumn after my mother passed away i remember turning to The Smiths big time. I guess if I had to pick one song in particular it would be 'Stop Me if You Think You've Heard This One Before' off of Strangeways, Here We Come.

4) The Fall I moved to Brooklyn I remember buying every Beach Boys album I could find as if maybe the Nazis were going to burn them all. My pick from all those is 'Til I Die' off of Surfs Up.

5) The last song isn't one that represents any real major change, but rather one that has tended to enhance my autumnal mood as of late. That song is 'The Wraith of Loving' of the self-titled album by Songs of Green Pheasant.

Neil:

Fall tends to be a very reclusive period for me. I listen to albums that nurture that state.

Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts I

Common - Like Water For Chocolate

Flying Lotus - L.A. EP1 X 3

Beck - Sea Change

J-Live - All Of The Above