Iggy Pop, Tarwater, Alva Noto
Leaves Of Grass

Here's a truly original trio. Presented in this way, it might almost sound like a joke. What are three (four) seemingly, but not even that much, different musicians doing together like Iggy Pop, the Tarwater (Bernd Jestram and Robert Lippok), and Carsten Nicolai aka Alva Noto?

'Leaves of Grass' (Morr Music) is a collaboration between these artists and consists of seven songs. Each of these songs is dedicated to a composition by the American poet and journalist Walter 'Walt' Whitman. One of the most significant and influential figures in the history of American poetry, he is generally defined in the USA as the 'poet of democracy'. Of him, Ezra Pound said that more than being a great American poet, Whitman was, and is America itself.

At the same time, needless to say, we're talking about a controversial and eccentric figure. He took part in the American Civil War, was a patriot aligned with the Unionists, but at the same time, there are a lot of doubts and perplexities about what his ideas were regarding slavery and its abolition. It seems he was opposed and, more so, deeply believed that African-Americans should not have the right to vote. Besides this, adding to the scandal and discussions about his figure, there has always been much chatter about what his sexual orientation was: homosexual according to some, bisexual according to others.

But what really matters is his influence on American poetry and poetry in general—something that is still evident today. One of his most famous compositions, after all, ('O Captain! My Captain!), written on the occasion of the death of the President of the United States of America, Abraham Lincoln, is incredibly popular today because of the film 'Dead Poets Society' by Peter Weir (1989). A film that, among other things, was awarded three Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor to the late Robin Williams.

This certainly isn't the first time that poetry and music intersect. In a way, and in many cases, these can easily be considered the same thing. Many songwriters are also poets, and according to some, there would be no difference between writing a song or a poem. I don't know. My thoughts, however, immediately go to Jim Carroll, one of my primary points of reference in general and one of the most significant 'alternative' personalities of recent times, but, what to say, I recently wrote about the latest album by Richmond Fontaine, whose singer, Willy Vlautin, is known for being an excellent writer as well.

We're not facing anything 'new' or too experimental, but there are many reasons for interest in this record. There are three fundamental reasons. The first is that maybe you're passionate about poetry and Walt Whitman's poetry in particular. The second is that the compositions are recited by Iggy Pop and well, there has been much discussion recently about his latest album with Josh Homme, 'Post Pop Depression' (Loma Vista), and the fact that according to many, he no longer has a voice. But I disagree and still find him fantastic. His voice is deep, whispered, and at the same time somehow cavernous—not as rough as Tom Waits' might be and not as furious as Lou Reed's in 'Lulu'. Iggy simply sings, recites with his voice, and as far as I'm concerned, that's perfectly fine.

The third reason is that this album is a great opportunity for electronic music enthusiasts because the partnership between Tarwater and Alva Noto (who just worked on the soundtrack for 'Revenant' with Ryuichi Sakamoto), an experiment and a kind of 'miracle' (still in quotes) that probably only Morr Music could have brought about.

What else is there to add? Iggy says that Whitman has something in common with Elvis Presley—a comparison that might seem curious. But why not? Whitman means a lot to the world of poetry, but at the same time, he contributed to creating what could be defined as an 'American culture' and, from this point of view, it's undeniable that Elvis also did a lot, if not more. Coincidentally, both figures are somehow loaded with contradictions. But that's just right, otherwise, we wouldn't still be interested in them after all this time.