Richard Wilbur - Mind

MIND

Mind in its purest play is like some bat
That beats about in caverns all alone,
Contriving by a kind of senseless wit
Not to conclude against a wall of stone.

It has no need to falter or explore;
Darkly it knows what obstacles are there,
And so may weave and flitter, dip and soar
In perfect courses through the blackest air.

And has this simile a like perfection?
The mind is like a bat. Precisely. Save
That in the very happiest of intellection
A graceful error may correct the cave.

– Richard Wilbur

I don't know if I fully understand the last verse, but it paints an amazing image.

I've heard this song on Radio 6 so many times, and never noted what it was and then came across it elsewhere by accident. I love it. It's got such a cool and simple swagger. The band are from Brooklyn, New York and have only been together since 12th September 2010! I think this is their 2nd single and it's released on 31st October on Lucky Number Music. Enjoy!

This next band foxed me for a while there. I thought they sounded a bit English putting on an accent of sorts and subsequently discovered they come from Oxford. I subsequently subsequently found out it's Oxford, Mississippi! So there you go. From their facebook page:

Young Buffalo was born in the summer of '09 in a small house in the country. Without much more than song ideas and one booked show, the guys began crafting a sound steeped in 3-part harmonies and pounding percussion. Young Buffalo self-released the Catapilah Demo with plans to release an EP in spring '11.

Here's their website http://www.youngbuffaloband.com

LCD Sound System, LEGO and Uranium

How could LCD Soundsystem get any better? LEGO!!! THAT'S HOW!!!!! 

How could LEGO get any better? LCD BLOOMIN SOUDSYSTEM THAT'S HOW!!!!!!!

How could uranium get any better?! Radioactive Man - THAT'S HOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Swimming - Sun in the Island

I know nothing more at this juncture.

Marconi Union - A Shower of Sparks

I just heard this group on Jarvis Cocker's radio show. I couldn't find the track they played, but I loved the title of this. The track starts opening up around 1.35 and it gets really nice towards the end.

Here's their website:

www.marconiunion.com/index.asp

Shabazz Palaces - SWERVE The Reeping of All that is Worthwhile (Noir Not Withstanding)

Golly gosh, this is amazing. It's the same group as yesterday. According to Wikipedia they are a Seatle hip-hop collective led by Butterfly of Digable Planets.

Aphex Twin - On [µ-ziq remix] and Shabazz Palaces- The King's New Clothes Were Made By His Own Hands (Yours Truly X Gorilla vs. Bear)

µ-ziq is an amazing artist! As is Aphex Twin.

YTGVB: Shabazz Palaces "The King's New Clothes Were Made By His Own Hands" from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

First time I heard these! Sounds really interesting.

 

We Are Amused

Chiharu is Japanese and when we were in a bar one time, and I'd let my stubble grow a bit too long, she started pointing at my chin, saying "Red, brown, black, gold" etc. It was the first time  I'd noticed that I had different coloured beard hairs. It was a big novelty for her. It's one of my favourite memories, since it made me chuckle!


Counting my whiskers, 
which've grown far too long, 
as if they're autumnal maple leaves -

"Red, brown, gold,
 red, brown, gold,
 red, brown, gold,
 red, brown, gold,"
 
scarcely believing 
her eyes aren't in wrong, 
it appears she's amused 
and amusingly pleased!

King Midas Sound - Earth A Kill Ya (Gang Gang Dance Rework Hyper Dub 2011) )

This guy is called Kevin Martin and just the list of labels he's worked on is amazing on its own. He's got a handful of pseudonyms and has worked with some great artists, including El-P and Alec Empire. I shall be investigating the chap further. I love the video (don't know who by) and the rework by Gang Gang Dance, an experimental band from New York. Here's the original tune, which is hypnotic and pretty amazing:

The funniest man on Earth

David O'Doherty is the funniest man on Earth and I shall share his funniness... NOW:

Bare Branches

This is a short poem I wrote trying to finish another one. I like this one better though!

Autumn's here,
avert your stare,
the trees have stripped
their branches bare.
Their leafy robes
lie everywhere.