Ought
More Than Any Other Day

I conclude this phase of reviews with, in my opinion, the best album of 2014, obviously up to today's date, which is November 9, 2014. Today is a special day; 25 years ago the Berlin Wall fell, there was a sense of change, of a balanced world, of a bright future. The music of the early 90s did not at all represent the feelings that led the two Germanys to unite. After 25 years, can I say I am satisfied with my life? I was born in 1989, and I am always told that I was born in an important year, that I can say I have never lived through a Cold War or the fear of being wiped out at any moment, that I did not live in terror during the Years of Lead when our politics seemed constantly in the hands of blacks, reds, and above all, the mafia. But what has really changed? United Europe is a mirage, the 2008 crisis is sinking our savings and hopes, Putin’s shows of strength and the crisis in the Middle East are a threat to global stability. I, personally, do not see a future for myself, for this nation and for this world.

Taking refuge in music sometimes frees me from these thoughts. Light drugs are not effective; they only cloud the mind and with convoluted passages, press on the open wound and send you into paranoia. Ought are Canadian and they know what they want, maybe they don’t see a future, but they know what they like to do. I too know what I like to do: I like to play, sing, make music, share it, and then notice through web 2.0 that it doesn’t even get noticed, a relevant factor for my self-esteem.

Ought are the Talking Heads, the Slint, the Velvet Underground, the Pavement; they manage to amaze and be amazed. I found the album superlative; in 8 tracks there is a history of modern music (not all of it, but a good slice), of revolution and involution all in LP format. They disappoint in certain passages but never enough to make you wrinkle your nose, they don’t take themselves seriously and despite this they continue to improve and personalize their sound. I don't like to talk about songs and I won’t do it this time either, but I will expand my review with a mini-brainstorming of last night’s Live at the Covo Club in Bologna:

The singer-guitarist is completely fused; every now and then his voice sounded like a moan during intercourse, his androgynous movements marked his tall stature and thin frame, the white tank top was a punch in the eye and his face reminded one of Jarvis Cocker. The keyboardist was completely possessed, pounding on the keys like a whore in Pontebbana (or on the ring road, wherever you want), with clients who didn’t give her a moment’s respite. The bassist was "uncomfortable," holding the bass in an absolutely improbable position, but how cool was he? The greatest surprise was in "forgivness," when the drummer picked up his electric violin and continued to play the hi-hat and bass drum and then, holding the violin with one hand towards the amplifier to send it into feedback, with the other he struck the snare drum and tom, special. The songs were nervous and celestial; the Covo doesn’t have the best acoustics but all the energy of the quartet could be felt.

Maybe the future isn’t rosy, but I like gray a lot.