In Memoriam: Amy Farris

Amy Farris
By David Chiu

I was shocked to find out last month on the Internet that Amy Farris, a Los Angeles-based singer and fiddle player, died on Sept. 26 at age 40. (The Los Angeles Times recently reported that her death was ruled a suicide by the county coroner’s office). Farris has played with the likes of Exene Cervenka, Brian Wilson, Kelly Willis, Alejandro Escovedo and Bruce Robison. In 2004, she released her only album Anyway, which was produced by the Blasters’ Dave Alvin. Most recently, Farris was a member of Alvin’s latest group the Guilty Women, which put out an album earlier this year.

On Farris’ Web site, her family requests that instead of flowers, donations should be made to Hungry For Music, a nonprofit organization that gives musical instruments to underprivileged children.

Five years ago, I interviewed Farris for NewBeats.com, in which she spoke about the record, her life and influences. She cited the Los Angeles punk band X as a favorite and even covered their song “Poor Girl” on her album. She once said about being her own artist after playing the role of a side musician for others: "It feels great. I knew I wanted to do it for a long time but for one reason or another it's taken me to have the confidence and finances and everything else together. Now it feels wonderful."

You can read my interview with Farris from 2004 here.

Photo by Loren Minnick

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Noteworthy Albums of 2009

Not a complete list…but here are the ones that stood out to me so far:


(in no particular order)

Bruce Springsteen: Working on a Dream
Sharon Van Etten: Because I Was In Love
Orenda Fink: Ask the Night
The xx: xx
Gossip: Music For Men
Echo and the Bunnymen: The Fountain
Black Gold: Rush
Metric: Fantasies
Camera Obscura: My Maudlin Career
Neko Case: Middle Cyclone
Bob Dylan: Together Through Life

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Noteworthy Reissues of 2009

1. The Beatles: Remasters (Capitol/EMI)
2. Daryl Hall and John Oates: Do What You Want, Be What You Are: The Music of Daryl Hall and John Oates (RCA/Legacy)
3. R.E.M.: Reckoning (IRS/UME)
4. Big Star: Keep An Eye on the Sky (Rhino)
5. The Feelies: Crazy Rhythms/The Good Earth (Bar None)
6. The Rolling Stones: Get Yer Ya Ya’s Out (ABKCO)
7. Duran Duran: Rio (Capitol/EMI)
8. King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King (DGM/Inner Knot)
9. The Jayhawks: Music From the North Country (American/Legacy)
10. Bee Gees: Odessa (Rhino)
11. George Harrison: Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison (Dark Horse/Capitol/EMI)


Image: Amazon.com

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CD Review: Enya

Enya
The Very Best of Enya
Reprise
By David Chiu

For someone who is mainly known in the genre of New Age music, Enya has the popularity of a major rock star. The proof lies in the millions of albums she has sold in the last 20 years beginning with Watermark, which contains the hit “Orinoco Flow.” But beyond the commercial success of her music, there is no denying what makes Enya a one-of-a-kind artist: her voice and the spiritual words of lyricist Roma Ryan. It is those signature elements that can be found in each and every number on this latest Enya compilation, which has a slightly different and updated tracklisting than the 1997 best-of, Paint the Sky With Stars: in addition to "Storms in Africa," the breathtaking “Carribbean Blue” and "Anywhere Is," Very Best also tacks on “Only Time” (from the smash 2000 album A Day Without Rain), “Amarantine” and “May It Be.” Not every song in the Enya canon is ornamental and pretty; a song like the somewhat-ominous “Cursum Perfico” shows a serious, perhaps edgy, side to this artist. The Very Best is a radiant collection and an introduction for those who have been so far immune to Enya’s music.

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CD Review: David Bowie

David Bowie
Space Oddity: 40th Anniversary Edition
Virgin/EMI
By David Chiu

It was 40 years ago that an artist named David Bowie released a single called “Space Oddity,” which became his breakthrough single. Recorded in the same year of the historic moon landing, the song, whose lyrics evoke the loneliness of being in space, has since become somewhat of a signature work for the artist. And while the rest of the album of which the song appears on may not be distinguishable from Bowie’s best works, it does, however, offer some flickers of the genius to come. Most of the tracks on Space Oddity are very folkish in nature such as “Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed” and the lovely ballad “Letter to Hermione,” about a former lover. There are also some of the ambitious songs that arguably are precursors to Bowie’s later adventurous work such as the 9-minute protest song “Cygnet Committee” and the orchestral “Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud.” The record ends on a unifying note with the catchy “Memory of a Free Festival.” But clearly the best song on this album is the title track, which it is still haunting and profound after four decades. This special anniversary edition also contains a bonus disc of tracks including a demo of “Space Oddity,” single (and glammed-up) versions of “Memory of a Free Festival,” and an Italian version of “Space Oddity,” albeit with different lyrics.

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CD Review: Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen
Live at the Isle of Wight 1970
Columbia/Legacy
By David Chiu

Those who have seen Leonard Cohen live earlier this year were surely impressed by his wonderful performances, even in his mid-70s. Then seeing and hearing him on stage 40 years earlier is equally, if not, more poignant as this new DVD film (directed by Murray Lerner) and CD from his Isle of Wight show in 1970, documents. Appearing in the wee hours of the morning after Jimi Hendrix’s set and disruptions amongst the festival goers, Cohen delivered a masterful performance that was a combination of wit, grace and passion. One can hear and see through this package the soulfness in his voice and the poetry of the words and music as he delivered songs that have been part of his legendary repertoire: “Bird on the Wire,” “Hey That’s No Way To Say Goodbye,” “Suzanne,” “Famous Blue Raincoat” and “The Partisan.” (The concert film on the DVD is also interspersed with recent interviews with Judy Collins, Kris Kristofferson, producer Bob Johnston, and Joan Baez). Certainly for a rock festival that was going through the motions, Cohen brought a calming influence to the proceedings—this film and the accompanying music importantly captures this important artist at his prime.

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CD Review: Echo and the Bunnymen

Echo and the Bunnymen
The Fountain
By David Chiu

In a press release, Echo and the Bunnymen singer Ian McCulloch said that the band’s latest album, The Fountain, is their best work since Ocean Rain. Regardless of whether you agree or not with that pronouncement, The Fountain is an electrifying and vibrant work that is on a par with the Bunnymen’s finest stuff from the ‘80s. it’s hard not to get caught up with some of the album’s rocking tracks like “Think I Need It To,” “Everlasting Neverendless” and “Do You Know Who I Am”; “Life of a Thousand Crimes” is a perhaps uncharacteristic track showing the band’s funky swing side, while “The Idolness of Gods” is a very soulful ballad that closes the album. The group sounds revitalized on The Fountain, and McCulloch still possesses that distinct vocal charisma.

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Live Review: Meaghan Smith

Meaghan Smith
Rockwood Music Hall
Dec. 3, 2009
By David Chiu

Newcomer Meaghan Smith may not be familiar to most American music listeners…for now. However, there is a good chance you may have heard of her if you picked up the soundtrack to the film (500) Days of Summer: she did a cover version of the Pixies’ classic “Here Comes Your Man.” It’s a taste of what’s to come from this Canadian singer/songwriter as she prepares to release her full-length debut album, The Cricket’s Orchestra, on Warner Bros. next year.

So far it looks pretty promising for Smith judging by her recent performance at Rockwood Music Hall on the Lower East Side this past Wednesday. Accompanied by a guitar player and a stand-up bass player, Smith performed songs that can be best described as autobiographical and romantic lyrically, verging between exuberance and introspection. The material draws on different influences including country, folk and ‘20s pop. Certainly songs “If You Asked Me” and “You Got Out” have this very jazzy swing feel; “Poor” is a tender and romantic love ballad with a country-folk feel.

As far as a singer, Smith has a really lovely voice that can also be torchy, especially on the last song of the set, which was a dreamy and atmospheric ballad. Although she is relatively new, Smith had a fetching personality of a seasoned pro, and that showed in her confident performance even in the small confines of Rockwood.

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