The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 148

We know, we know, We are a bit late again. But it has been another really long, busy, stressful week... just before getting abducted by next week's Primavera Sound Festival (for those who will be there, see you at Forum!). Anyway, here's our new TOP TEN Jukebox! Besides, there has been too many great tunes lately to be skipped, some dropped by familiar 'faces' like our beloved Courtney Barnett (come back to Barcelona!), The Popguns or the stunning return to the Luxembourg Signal, plus an eclectic bunch of new discoveries like Breakfast Muff's feminist song or the wobbly keyboards of School Damage. Hope you have a nice Sunday! Remember, all songs are available at our Soundcloud. (Join Us!).

Direct links to 2017 Jukebox playlists

Week 126  Week 127  Week 128  Week 129  Week 130  Week 131 Week 132  Week 133
Week 134  Week 135  Week 136  Week 137  Week 138  Week 139 Week 140  Week 141
Week 142  Week 143  Week 144  Week 145  Week 146  Week 147

The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 147

Due to several aspects (personal and working stuff), last week we were'nt able to post our TOP TEN Jukebox. Because you know, there are crazy, exhausting, stressful weeks and REALLY crazy, exhausting, stressful weeks. So you probably understand how in need of a break are we. But, as seems impossible right now, at least we have our new playlist for regaining energy. And what are we offering you this time? New discoveries (of course, it's a must for us) and some (recent) 'usual' faces like Amber Arcades or VLIVM. Enjoy and remember, all songs are available at our Soundcloud. (Join Us!).

Direct links to 2017 Jukebox playlists

Week 126  Week 127  Week 128  Week 129  Week 130  Week 131 Week 132  Week 133
Week 134  Week 135  Week 136  Week 137  Week 138  Week 139 Week 140  Week 141
Week 142  Week 143  Week 144  Week 145  Week 146 

Primavera Sound 2017: my draft schedule

Time to honour another Blog tradition! As the timetables of the Primavera Sound Festival 2017 have been unveiled, here's our personal schedule on a first, draft, impression (we are still working on it, and some additional bands could/should be added. Being honest, this isn't the best edition for us, on the contrary. Plus, some overlaps (as usual), are also eroding the choices on a year with some gaps with 'really nothing mandatory to listen'. Time to do some 'research' to complete the routes... but hey, discovering interesting bands is one of the most attractive things of Festivals. Anyway, this is what our PS 2017 looks like right now (we are open to suggestions)!

Tuesday, May 30th, Sala Apolo
20:00 Les Sueques (Sala Apolo)
21:00 Let's Eat Grandma (Sala Apolo)
22:00 Cigarettes After Sex (Sala Apolo)
As we are pretty unsure about Wednesday, why not starting the Festival on Tuesday?

Wednesday,  May 31st, Parc del Fòrum
20:30 Local Natives*
22:00 Saint Etienne*

Still under serious consideration, worth going to the Fòrum for just two gigs that are not exactly our 'cup of tea'?

Thursday, June 1st, Parc del Fòrum
17:00 Kokoshca (Adidas)
18:00 Kevin Morby (Heineken) or Jens Lenkman (Hidden Stage)
19:15 Alexandra Savoir (Pitchfork)
20:05 Julia Jacklin (Adidas)
21:45 The Molochs (Adidas)
22:40 The Afghan Whigs (Ray-Ban)
Pretty comfortable and reasonable day with only two choices to make. We have doubts between see Kevin Morby or Jens Lekman (not an enthusiast of Lekman's last record, but never seen him live, going to be a close call). And maybe The Zombies for The Molochs as last minute change. Also, if we have the day off at work the next day or we really want more music we would stay for Kate Tempest and The Damned.

Friday, June 2nd, Parc del Fòrum
17:00 Lawrence Arabia (Hidden Stage)
19:15 Mitski (Pitchfork)
20:15 The Magnetic Fields* (Auditori)
20:50 Mac Demarco (Heineken)
22:35 Grandaddy (Ray-Ban)
22:50 Swans (Pitchfork)
00:40 Sleaford Mods (Ray-Ban)
Just plain 'meh' day for us. It's a pity we have to decide between Mitski and Whitney on a day with not a lot to see (for our tastes, of course). We have to choose which day are we going to see The Magnetic Fields, as our main concert of Friday or as the earliest gig of the day on Saturday.

Saturday, June 3rd, Parc del Fòrum
16:00 The Magnetic Fields* (Auditori)
17:40 Weyes Blood (Primavera)
19:45 Van Morrison (Heineken)*
21:30 Teenage Fanclub (Primavera Sound)
22:35 Hamilton Leithauser (Pitchfork)
23:30 LVL UP (Adidas)
02:30 Preoccupations (Pitchfork)
Probably our 'biggest' day, but painfully affected with the cruel clash between our beloved Angel Olsen and Van Morrison (really? same time? makes no sense at all). The rest of choices should combine well... Teeenage Fanclub, finally!!!

Sunday, June 4th, 
Huge questions marks also for the closing day. Need to listen!

The System Awakens, The National Returns!

Welcome back excitement. Welcome daily mysteries of the human condition wrapped in four minutes. Welcome back Bryan's rattle and snare. Welcome back that inner tension within each song. Welcome back Dessners interplaying guitars (guitar solos?, this one rules). Welcome back choruses propelled to heavens. Welcome back interesting and intriguing lyrics. Welcome back Matt. Welcome back, The National, It's been a long time...

'The System only dreams in total darkness' (what a mind-blowing title for a song) is the first single of forthcoming album 'Sleep Well Beast' (same as aforementioned) out September 8th, plus first world tour dates (no Spain yet, but that can be managed). WE CAN'T WAIT!!



The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 146

First week of May and plenty to do ahead! A lot of work, obviously, but also very exciting things, like book fairs and, of course, the forthcoming edition of Primavera Sound Festival (working on our schedule, to be unveiled very soon). So, in order to warm-up this full event's month, here's a new round of our TOP TEN Jukebox. This week we have compiled a really eclectic playlist, almost full of discoveries, with only three proposals Dianas, Juanita Stein and Tunabunny, already featured at the blog previously. Have fun and remember! All songs are available at our Soundcloud. (Join Us!).

Direct links to 2017 Jukebox playlists

Week 126  Week 127  Week 128  Week 129  Week 130  Week 131 Week 132  Week 133
Week 134  Week 135  Week 136  Week 137  Week 138  Week 139 Week 140  Week 141
Week 142  Week 143  Week 144  Week 145

"I Am Not Your Negro" the song remains the same

I Am Not Your Negro

“The story of the negro in America is the story of America. It is not a pretty story.” And you only need seconds to realize this is not going to be an average, entertaining yet easily forgettable movie. By no means.

‘I Am Not Your Negro’ is based on ‘Remember This House’, an unfinished project the GREAT James Baldwin began in 1979, where he wanted to trace a personal journey & account of the lives and murders of three beloved friends of him and fundamental African-American civil rights activists (and political leaders & social icons) Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. Unfortunately, when the masterful writer died in 1987 the manuscript was still merely started (only thirty completed pages). Luckily, filmmaker Raoul Peck found there was a story to be told, to be completed. A story so important and powerful today as it was when Baldwin envisioned his work.

‘I Am Not Your Negro’ is a fascinating piece from every point of view. First, as a documentary itself, it’s just surprising how much, considering the little stuff Peck had initially, there’s to say. It’s not really the somewhat expected historical reconstruction, rich on archival material, but the ability of the director to grasp and build the connections within the film and propel it into today. From slavery to John Wayne or Doris Day movies (oh, the lies we told kids that become fantasies that become political slogans that turn into idiotic policies, now let’s build a wall). From criminally offensive advertising and insufferable injustice to Martin, Malcolm and Medgar to Watts riots. From ultra-dumb reality shows to the latest Ferguson riots caused by the despicable police violence. Here’s why #BlackLivesMatter. ‘I Am Not Your Negro’ examines race relations in a very scary country. Because what this film shows is that America really stands for doesn’t have much to do with the "land of the free", but with the "kingdom of fear" forged by white Middle America. You know the guy who now runs the oval office? Enough said...

Second, because of its starring, involuntary main character. It’s Baldwin’s figure, powerful and delicate, pessimistic and hurt, even broken (the TV interviews reveal a human being so passionate and afflicted it is absolutely compelling), but always bright and lucid, who steals the show. And, needless to say, his words, hauntingly performed (not just spoken) by Samuel L. Jackson in the film, both his writings as well as the fragments of the aforementioned interviews, are not just the brilliant account of his times and the struggles suffered during the country ancient & recent past by a essential part of America’s population, cornered, left behind, oppressed and humiliated by their fellow Americans. They are, sadly, prophetic, revealing, enduring. The wounds are still open and bleeding.

‘I Am Not Your Negro’ is not an easy film. Obviously because of the subject addressed. But also because Peck/Baldwin have things to show and say, and they are keen to sacrifice the rhythm sometimes, as well as, more importantly, they are willing to respect the viewer, not treating her/him as someone stupid that needs everything to be highlighted and pointed out. Instead, a Sidney Poitier classic film can say so much, a meeting with Bob Kennedy can be such a slap in the face for the white (frequently liberal) hypocrisy, making the documentary a movie that goes beyond racism, to talk about the nature and perverse mechanisms of power: win, dominate, maintain the privilege by convincing, creating the mindset you are always the “good guy”. As an European, it makes you think immediately on how the EU is shamefully behaving with the refugee crisis, or how we deal with inmigration at home.

There’s also confusion and fear on the black movement side. Who was the president during the arise of #BlackLivesMatter? And Baldwin himself has real fear, he feels and sees himself as an outsider, and all the clarity he has in his speeches and discourses turns into vulnerability when considering his position (the “accepted” intellectual, the power of the radical but maybe not-so-radical TV-goer). Couldn’t be any other way? Things are really complicated. The task is titanic, challenging, defying. As ‘I Am Not Your Negro’ is. Striking must-watch.

SCORE: 8,5/10