Concert Review: A Short Fazed Hovel Tour, The Decemberists with Other Lives

You're turning black tables, and you're making your head whirl.

It's roughly 8:30 PM, approximately thirty minutes before the opening band takes the stage (Other Lives), an amazing band in their own right. While this review should devote most of its time toward the main act, as far as opening bands go, this might be my favorite of all time—such a great presence and great sound. Meanwhile, as I wait for my dad to show up to the theatre, I'm bobbing back and forth from the crowded concert hall to the lobby looking out toward the street entrance. The opening band starts at about , and my dad shows up at around 9:30, just after they play their best song (Black Tables) which, although great on the record, is even more powerful live. Listen to it on their myspace.

You'll learn soon enough, the prettiest whistles won't wrestle the thistles undone.

One by one, each band member slowly makes their way onto the stage, first Jenny (playing "Prelude"), and as the song goes Chris, John, Nate, and Colin (each to their own applause). The intro song ends, and softly Colin's guitar enters to a roar from the crowd, his voice loudly taking control of the hall. Of course, most of us in the room had heard the album all the way through, probably multiple times that day even. But nothing on a CD could prepare me for how it would be presented live, for whatever sound cannot tell was told this night. Every bass note, every rough chord, every plucked string, every key, every cymbal crash, every second of lyric blew me away.

I think what took me by the most surprise, although I had seen her live before, was Shara Worden's stage presence. It's hard to appreciate what amazing talent she possesses just from listening to the record. But on stage, to witness what power she commands was such an incredible experience, one I will never forget. It's just something I cannot quite explain, but suffice it to say that nothing can really compare to it. When she came out from the back of the stage to sing for her first song (The Wanting Comes In Waves / Repaid) her sheer power overtook me. Honestly, Colin sings in a way that can put himself into any role, he does this very well. He plays William, and the Rake, and whatever other male character is on the album, so this ability comes in very handy. But Shara was the Queen when she was on stage. Her power to become that role was an amazing feat. And furthermore, its incredible all the more to see where her voice comes from, when from the sight, it doesn't seem like she could possibly have that good of a voice, it just amazes me. And just as she ends the song, she fades back to her regular spot in the back by John (drums), and picks up an acoustic guitar and plays (An Interlude), which is possible the most beautiful chord picking I've heard before.

I could go on about each and every song from the album, but I've already said my words on that (see my review of Hazards of Love). And besides, the best of the night is yet to come.

And the water rolls down the drain, the blood rolls down the drain.
O, what a lonely thing in a blood red drain.

To much of my amazement, they played a very long second set after nearly an hour of straight music. Granted, they took a break between, but still, it was surprising. Also, they played a pretty wide range from their repertoire, starting with "Sporting Life" and "July, July!" And to a fanfare, they broke into "We Both Go Down Together." By about this time, I felt the most enjoyment thus far. I felt that my foresight of possible disappointment crushed, that they could still fulfill my needs for old material even after such a dedication to the newest of their work. Next they played a cover of a song I hadn't heard before, a country song named "If I Could Only Win Your Love," a duet with Colin and Becky Stark (who voices Margaret in Hazards), quickly followed by their own duet in "Yankee Bayonet," with Shara. I felt very proud of myself for guessing Colin's next song (although I cheated by listening to many live performances of his) prefaced by his calling it "the worst song he ever wrote" to which I easily thought of "Dracula's Daughter" (which was a fore-version of a song that would eventually become "O Valencia!"). It then lead into Valencia, which I also guessed (out loud) would follow to my friends nearby. They ended the set in Decemberists fashion, and I mean that in every sense.

(I also guessed this would be the song played prior to them playing it.) Colin does this usually, as well, when introducing this song, calling it an autobiographical song (at this point I say to my friend "i'll bet you my life that it's Chimbley Sweep, which it was). And when the normal solo section came, I said to the same friend, "here comes 10 minutes of solos." I was about right. But, I was not right in how it would be presented. Roughly a minute or two in, Colin heads back to John behind the drum set, and proceeds to give him his guitar, and then takes his spot at the set. Meanwhile, Chris and Nate switch instruments, leaving Jenny alone on her original instrument, and much to Chris's dismay, it would stay that way. For the next four minutes, hilarity ensued. John sings a song that I couldn't understand, but it consisted of very high, shrill vocals, which made me crack up. At one point, he wants to return to the song they were playing, and he says this aloud, but (as he also says) he didn't know this words to the song, and asks Jenny what the words are. And although I didn't get to enjoy the true ending to the song, I was so happy to see Colin wildly (and childlike) playing the drums at the closing of the song, and then go on to tossing John's sticks into the crowd. The latter half of the solo and song can be seen here.

Colin then simply stated, "I don't know how to follow that." He also said that he wasn't to be blamed when something like that happens, which was hilarious. In his attempt to follow it, they played their regular set ending "Sons & Daughters" employing the crowd to chant "hear all the bombs fade away."

Remember what she does when you're asleep.

After much applause, they returned to play more songs. And it hit me that it would first be "Raincoat Song" when it was just Colin and John on stage (John does the back-up vocals for most of their songs), and indeed it was. Colin then prefaced that the next song would be their last, but that was an understatement to say the least. One would imagine that after how they ended their second set, they wouldn't have the energy for another amazing outro. But they did.

I knew it was going to be "A Cautionary Song" when he said the song would be a lesson. Any true fan knows this right away. But little did I know it would actually include an extra lesson apart from the one in the song itself. My first tip-off that something wasn't "regular" was when the drums kicked in, John (drummer) wasn't on stage, but wandering about in the crowd, followed by Chris, Becky Stark, and Shara Worden.

And then Colin changed everything that I believed about Decemberists concerts, that there were rules. Now there aren't any rules. He brought our attention once more to the band members in the crowd, labeling them the "Decemberists Family Players" and continued to present to all of us a story entitled: A Voyage on the Oregon Trail, to which each player was given a role. I have a video in full of the entire experience up on youtube, so I won't go into much detail. Suffice it to say that the story included two parties competing to make it to the pacific, audience members on my side of the theatre were cast as mountains, those on the farther side were cast as the Columbia river, and some in between were cast as marauding desert gypsies on camel back, who then raided the pioneers.

All I can say is that the night compared to none other of my life prior, and I doubt it will be beat by anything yet to come. For almost four hours, my life was changed forever.

-The Decemberists live at the historical McDonald Theatre, Eugene, OR, on the 21st of May, 2009. Opening band: Other Lives.

Blink-182 Returns

Maybe if you've been in a musical coma since 2004, this won't be that shocking to you. Maybe if you were listening to or watching the last Grammy Award Show, then maybe this was all but expected. Maybe you're psychic... I don't think you are, and I mean, I know that one time you mentioned you were, but I won't really call you on it... Anyway, maybe if you're indeed telepathically endowed, this was just one of the millions of voices floating through your cerebellum. Maybe you learned from Twitter (everything's there these days, so much so it's a bit traumatizing). Who knows.

The fact is, I hadn't the faintest idea, but the truth was revealed on Jay Leno. Yes, blink-182, classics of pop-punk, have returned. "To put it simply, We're back. We mean, really back. Picking up where we left off and then some." That's their official quote. It's a mere snippet, but for fans, there is nothing more that needs to be said. Three short sentences is all it takes.

Let's have a review. It was way back in the naïve years of the 90s when blink-182 had their humble beginnings to be the latest and greatest punk rockers to creep onto the scene. First the Cheshire Cat, then Dude Ranch, Enema of the State, Take Off Your Pants and Jacket, and their fifth eponymous studio album; like the band or not, these guys have more hits than most people care to count, more memorable music videos and on-stage antics than most can muster, and a more impressive fanbase than many contemporary artists could hope to achieve.

It was after the release of Blink-182 when tensions began pulling the trio apart. And without even so much as a bow-out, blink-182 completely disappeared off the scene. Sure, there was that Greatest Hits album, but that's nothing. These guys just left all their fans hanging because the record label didn't want to admit the bands break up/hiatus/exploration of other ventures, whatever you want to call it. Tom DeLonge had Angels & Airwaves, Mark Hoppus had +44, and... well, Travis Barker had that MTV reality show bit, but what the hell was that, right? It seemed that the tensions were too taught - that blink-182 may never be through with this indefinite, nearly unannounced hiatus - that these legends of modern rock, affixed firmly within our culture, may never return.




Well, as it turns out, they are indeed back. Not only are they in the studio working on a brand new as of now untitled, 6th studio album, but they are also launching on their 2009 Summer Tour beginning July 24th, which will quite nearly everywhere - to be entirely frank - and won't have a chance to rest until October. Talk about making up for lost time, eh?

So what now? Well, unfortunately, this is the part of the diatribe where Voilà! is forced to leave you hanging. As it happens, there has been no release of any new material in conjunction from blink-182 with this huge announcement; all musical material off the new albums remains a mystery! But, this leaves you the perfect opportunity to catch up on blink-182's tremendous repertoire of pop-punk hits. All three of the guys have Twitters, so you can mosey over to their official website for that. Or, if you want to be every bit as shocked as I was when I saw them on national television, catch Monday's episode of Jay Leno, where the intrepid trio performed "The Rock Show," straight from Hulu. By the time this is written, I'm willing to bet that their second performance for Tuesday night's episode of Jay Leno will be available on Hulu as well, where they played "All The Small Things."

Now excuse me while I continue to gasp in sheer amazement. Wow.

Band of the Week: Clã

[May 18 - 24]

Clã
Sounds Like: Indie-Pop
Drinking Buddies: Via Audio, Quruli, The Acorn

Synopsis: Quaint Portuguese indie-pop prominent with passion.

Makes You Want To...: Dance; Learn a foreign language; Sing
[Myspace] / [Official Website]

One week, one band. You know the drill.
This week, the featured artist is Clã.


Unique is a difficult term to nail down. There are a lot of folks you might who'll say, "Uniqueness is hard to come by." But I beg to differ; uniqueness is EVERYWHERE. But there are different types of uniqueness, from what I see. And since this is true, it's difficult to figure out which brand of uniqueness is actually the most unique and interesting. I tend to focus my effort (in music, anyway) toward those who are willing to have fun and play around with their sound. Folks who aren't afraid what folks will think; folks who want to play good music for the sake of playing good music.

It's in this land where boundaries that once seem to matter crumble under the pressure of freedom. Genres? Pishposh. Language? Never-you-mind. What's important here, in music without boundaries, is enjoying the neat sounds that spill forth from the speakers. And who better enjoy than Clã.

Clã hails from Portugal, and plays a unique, uplifting, invigorating pop rock with a European twist and tang. Clã has been around for quite a long time, first picking up their instruments back in 1992. They've expanded their repertoire with perky pop music and Portuguese lyric - tunes that just make your heart feel like beating, and that will make you feel like smiling. They've released quite a few studio albums - Kazoo, Lustro, Afinidades, Rosa Came, and more - and seemed to have really picked up in a more international fanbase with the release of their most recent album, Cintura, which was released in 2007. The pickle about Clã is that they are indeed independent, and they are indeed based strictly out of Portugal. This means it's VERY difficult to go about acquiring their music. But if you're willing to snoop around for your songs, then Clã is a band you definitely don't want slipping under your radar.

Presently, Clã is going to be touring around Europe for the Summer. If you were playing really close attention to Voilà! too, you may have even noticed that Clã made my list of bands to pay attention to during this year's South by Southwest; need I repeat Clã should not be overlooked? They have quite a sophisticated, sexy looking official website, with everything you need to know about Clã, in both English and Portugese. Or if you're the traditional Myspace type, you can even find Clã on Myspace as well.

It's time for something a little more unique, reader! Have a great week.

Peachcake and the Harrows of the Internet

Oh you silly internet, you! You ridiculous little blogosphere. You feisty technological piece of genius. You're so fickle! You giveth, and yet, ye taketh away! On whims, no less! O, silly Internet, your ways our fickle indeed, but you have hurt dear friends to us. Why would you, fair Internet? What sort of strange karmic retribution doth ye wish to assail Planet Awesome with, in some strange form in intergalactic warfare in on all things that are beautiful.

Enough of the esotericism, reader, because I have finals today, and this is no time to be blabbering about music (for too long, anyway). I bring grave tale from the Peachcake camp. It seems the silly internet has taken its tole on Peachcake, when a hacker snuck within Peachcake's Myspace and ruined the account. Lame, eh?

Well, Peachcake accepts the ignorance of hackers angrily, but with open arms and hugs as usually (you can't stop the peace-giving of these boys). They have started up a new Myspace in the former's stead. Sure, it's a hassle to add a new Myspace, but Peachcake is ready to compensate! How? Let's just say that Peachcake is currently working on new songs, for a brand new record that is currently in development, have announced some great tour dates for the summer, along with so much more news. I could continue, but live I've been telling myself for the last week, "Come on Chris, you have to focus! Study study study!!!!!!"

That being said, wander over to Peachcake's brand new Myspace. It's spiffy and sexy, and still has that new smell. Listen to some of their great music off their studio album, What Year Will You Have the World?. Check out their new tour dates - find out if Peachcake is coming to a venue near you - you will not want to miss one of their inane performances. Finally, check out Peachcake's video update, either here on Voilà! or straight from Peachcake. Bon chance for my fellow college students, working up a storm as summer is just beginning!

Band of the Week: The Mooney Suzuki

[May 11 - 17]

The Mooney Suzuki
Sounds Like: Garage Rock / Old School
Drinking Buddies: Albert Hammond Jr., Tokyo Sex Destruction, The Rolling Stones

Synopsis: Old school stylings with new school feelings.

Makes You Want To...: Chant; Wild out; Drink.
[Myspace]

One week, one band. You know the drill.
This week, the featured artist is The Mooney Suzuki.


Anyone can blither on all day about modern music like it's the melodic saviour descended upon high from the mighty rock n' roll guitar gods in the form of "the artistic use of distortion," complex song structure, and unique instrumentation. Anyone can, and some do it better than others, but that's not the point. The real shining beacon here can be seen in the last post on Voilà!, about The Soft Pack. These guys play simple rock, all of that high fructose pop-rock bled out of their sound, leaving them with a gritty, raw, and absolutely delicious style. The Soft Pack's style is almost dated it's so simple, and that's what makes them so good. Because as many of us know, real rock n' roll has been absent for some time now.

There are millions of folks out there who have long ago resigned to not pay attention to modern music, for it is, as they would say, a paled excuse for music from the former self of rock music. A world where most of the bands are far older than us. Classic rock: The Rolling Stones, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Jimi Hendrix; the list goes on. But its all these folks who are ostensibly the reason why rock music is the way it is in its contemporary form. These folks ardent pursuit of loud, raucous rock, flailing guitar solos, and general ridiculousness has spawned an uncontrollable, unstoppable movement known as modern rock, and we owe them a bit of gratitude.

And if wealth could be measured in tribute and gratuity, the The Mooney Suzuki would be musical millionaires, which judging by their sound and songs, you'd be hard pressed to doubt their potential. The Mooney Suzuki hails from New York, New York, unless the truth was that they somehow slipped through a time warp from back in the 70s (it's entirely possible?). These guys play a sound that... well, it sounds like it's classic rock, but they're way to modern to be considered as such. With a wonderfully blended style of The doors, The Rolling Stones, as well as the progression of music since such great musical artists were actually around and kicking, The Mooney Suzuki results in a sound unprecedentedly old school. And that's an extremely huge compliment.

These guys aren't afraid to represent the music they love, probably because they do it so darn well. It has everything you would expect in good classic rock: simple chord structures, fast pace, the obligatory (yet still always somehow random sounding) piano, high energy, and of course, guitar solo after guitar solo. Sex, drugs, and women - the rock clichés - are quite pervasive in The Mooney Suzuki's lyrics, and are happily touted along the way. And their energy... the energy these boys exude - especially in their live performances - is off the Richter scale. When the solo guitarist runs out into the guitar blaring his guitar licks while pushing through drunk onlookers, only to run back to the stage and scale a huge speaker for his final solo of the night... well, I think you might get the idea.

The music is where these guys truly shine, and sadly, the best way I can explain their style is to send you speeding to them to catch a listen for yourself! The Mooney Suzuki has four studio albums, People Get Ready, Electric Sweat, Alive & Amplified, and Have Mercy, all of which I'm willing to bet can be found at your local music retailer and on iTunes. Words have been scarce out of Camp Mooney Suzuki lately, but I'm willing to bet they've been feverishly endeavouring toward a new album. But maybe that's me just starting a rumour...

One thing is for certain, and that is you need to listen to The Mooney Suzuki while you have the chance, before they grow old too. Maybe you'd like to visit The Mooney Suzuki on YouTube. That's fair. But they also have a really sleek, sexy looking website which would be nice to witness. And if Myspace is more your style, you can find The Mooney Suzuki's Myspace right here. Get a'listenin' to their old school stylings, reader, and have a very nice week.

The Soft Pack on Daytrotter

"I've got news for you. I don't owe anything to you." That's the lyrics of a certain song called "Extinction," anyway. But reader, I as a humble music writer certainly owe you something. That something being some wondrous news.

I end up patrolling the usual music blogs here and there. It's an easy way to find some great new music, or some news I may have skimmed over myself. You Ain't No Picasso, La Blogotheque, Black Cab Sessions... the list goes on and on. But my favourite music website by far - which I admittedly, constantly tout, is Daytrotter. They use advertisements to fund a huge music dedicated to unique, live musical performances from your favourite independent musicians. They've got a studio where they invite folks to play and record their stuff, and lay down the law like nobody's business while amidst the northwest Illinois area.

Well, as it happens, our good friends of San Diego, The Soft Pack, raw rock music extraordinaires, have finally gotten featured on Daytrotter themselves! And talk about laying down the law, because all the cards are on the table with their quick, always eclectic performance. The Soft Pack play four songs - part of Daytrotter's own law - two from their debut album, The Muslims, and two unreleased tracks. And wouldn't you know, they weren't recorded at Futureappletree Studios at all, but down in Austin, TX, during Daytrotter's sojourn of SXSW.

What now? Wander over to The Soft Packs' Myspace and say hello, maybe even listen to their previously recorded material. Or you could read about them right here on Voilà!, if you'd prefer. But the real treat is going to hear The Soft Pack on Daytrotter right about now. Go go go!

Band of the Week: The Scene Aesthetic

[May 4 - 10]

The Scene Aesthetic
Sounds Like: Alt-Pop / Acoustic
Drinking Buddies: Daphne Loves Derby, Nevershoutnever!, Secondhand Serenade

Synopsis: Think Kings of Convenience with a dash of Manifest Destiny. And guitars. Did I mention acoustic guitars?

Makes You Want To...: Sing; Dream; Hang out with friends
[Myspace]

One week, one band. You know the drill.
This week, the featured artist is The Scene Aesthetic.


Humble, reader. I'm a huge fan of humble. I try to keep Voilà! as low key, easy to read, and humble as possible most of the times. Yeah, maybe we have some lofty standards for our writing, but that doesn't prevent a relaxed atmosphere for some neat musical reviews and literature. We're outspoken here at Voilà!, but certainly without arrogance and pretense. Humble is a great thing, and the same goes for music. Sûr, some bands climb so pretty impressive pedestals (no doubt built by the best of the best in ancient Greek architects), stand at the top, and cry aloud, "Hey, wimpier musical folks, we're on top, and cooler than you!" But where's the fun in that?

Voilà! prefers humble. If you're expecting Grammy award winning, international celebrity superstars, or deliberately confusing, overcomplicated slosh that is trolling the musical community for fellow pretentious music listeners; well, reader, you're not looking in the right place. Now, if you're hoping for something a bit more modest, you couldn't find a more honest, vibrant pool of music to dip your toes in. Sure, something gregariously huge like I'm From Barcelona, or something wildly intrepid like the Broken Social Scene are good sometimes, but there's nothing wrong with music that's toned down. It's the whole appeal for bands like Bon Iver, Iron & Wine, Kings of Convenience, and Madeline.

Well it's time to add another band to this list of humble hipsters. They're not unknown; neigh, these boys are almost like friends to us. Old friends. The sort of friends you almost forgot about, but noticed walking down the sidewalk when they said hi to you. Old, great friend, that foster memories of parties gone by, singing in chorus with hearts, and minds, and smiles all as one. I'm talking about The Scene Aesthetic.

Oh yes, I have a feeling there are quite a few people frequenting Voilà! who know of these boys. The acoustic duo hailing from Everett, Washington - Eric Bowley and Andrew de Torres (of Danger Radio) - over their years pursuing some bubbly, budding musical - is humbleness at its finest. I remember the day and age when The Scene Aesthetic was just starting off. Two guys, some amateur demos recorded on sub-par equipment, a camera for a couple intimate live performances just for the viewer... these guys found me back in the day - not the other way around - and I've loved The Scene Aesthetic ever since.

Simplicity is key when trying to see what The Scene Aesthetic is all about. They started from bare basics - only two members, two voices, and two guitars. And that's all they needed, because their style - their poetry - their message - their music, was perfectly suited for the sound; The Scene Aesthetic didn't need complex instrumentation to raise the musical standards, nor did they need to lather up their sound in esotericism; they needed to play their guitars and sing. And that's all anyone wanted: two humble musicians who loved what they do.

Do you still doubt their appeal of The Scene Aesthetic, reader? When is the last time you have seen a small, new band disappear for nearly two years after the release of only a single record, and maintain well over 95% of their fanbase? Such a lofty accomplishment is all accredited to The Scene Aesthetic. After the release of the band's debut album, Building Homes from What We've Known, and some touring in support, Eric Bowley was scheduled to take a mission trip. He wandered off to Argentina for who knows how long now, yet fans poured love and support on the band throughout the entire hiatus. Now Bowley and de Torres are again reunited to their former dynamic, and that means more vibrant creativity is set light up in the extremely near future. You can expect some fabulous music, that's for sure, reader.

Upon Eric's return to the United States, The Scene Aesthetic launched a mini-homecoming tour in Washington and Texas. Now they're back home, minding their own; this certainly doesn't mean The Scene Aesthetic is quiet though. Both Andrew and Eric love to communicate with their fans; Andrew and Eric respectively have Twitter, and if you meander to Eric's, you can find the tracklisting to TSA's latest endeavour, A Type & A Shadow EP. If you're an artist, draw something Scene Aesthetic related, and send it to them! Or even call TSA , and leave them a message for them to hear online! You can go check The Scene Aesthetic and get to know them right here on Myspace.

But I digress... To music music: as mentioned, A Type & A Shadow EP has literally been announced in the last couple weeks, so there is quite a bit of buzz a'buzzin' 'round. Some of the songs from the brand new EP are floating around on The Scene Aesthetic's Myspace, including "Humans" and "Grace Looks Back (Where You Need To Be)." Also hovering about their Myspace is an infamous new cover song, pop sensation Taylor Swift's hit, "Love Story," which TSA recorded for the compilation Rockin' Romance. It's... it's really good guys... I need say nothing more about the song, so just listen! And finally, The Scene Aesthetic has their debut album, Building Homes from Places We Know, which you can find at your lovely place of music purchasing.

I hope you come to love The Scene Aesthetic as much as I have, folks. Give them a thorough listen. Since I'm feeling a bit nostalgic, here's a treat for newer fans of The Scene Aesthetic, from back in the good ol' days. But to all, have a wonderful, humble week, and be sure to smile. Peace, reader. Love, reader.

All About Lily Chou-Chou

A love for music. A passion for music. An obsession for music. However you want to describe it, the truth is that there are tons of ways for people to represent how strongly they feel about the music they listen to. For some it's simple: When the album of your favourite band drops, be there to pick up the latest release. But others are more diligent, dare I say, obsessive with their music tastes. Sometimes this obsession is relished, dare I say, a compliment; it all depends on the listener.

The truth is, whether a band is the most mainstream band in the nation, or the most independent artist you can find, you'll probably also see some fans tucked in tow, some fans more infatuated than others. And in our day and age, with the viral internet world, it's incredibly easy to express your passion for almost any band on Earth.

In my experience, Japanese bands are the best at gathering a hardcore fanbase, to the point of being wildly mad for the band. While many bands can garner a huge following with graceful ease, I simply haven't ever seen anyone top what some J-rock and J-Pop bands have done. The Pillows has transcended all sorts of barriers: international boundaries, language barriers, and even genre barriers, as their music was prominently featured in the Japanese anime FLCL. Quruli has amassed a wildly extensive fanbase with their perky J-pop, while An Cafe seems to have listeners in every nook and cranny of every continent. Don't even get me started on Dir en grey, the infamous J-rock meets visual kei meets metal band that has quickly began seeping into mainstream American alt-rock. The devotion of these bands fans is incomparable.

Music and the obsession that can pervade it. The idea can almost seem ethereal at times. Neigh, at times, music can seem to have an ether flowing through it. There are a few who are graced by this mysterious ether, but they're the artists who shine forth stronger and brighter than any star in the sky. They transcend the barriers of the world with their own interpretations of the Ether, and their ability to change the world around them without batting an eyelash is what makes their Ether so strong - what makes these artists so powerfully prudent, and so unfathomable (dare I say) utopian. There is one musical artist who's Ether never needs to be judged (besides Debussy, of course). Her name is Lily Chou-Chou.

Let's talk all about Lily Chou-Chou. That's [ree-ree shu-shu] for us off the Islands of the Rising Sun. Lily Chou-Chou is in touch with the Ether. She flows with the Ether. She welcomes you to the Ether. She welcomes you with open arms. Her music is her expression of the Ether, and all us simple peasantfolk need to do is to kokyuu [breathe], and embrace the Ether with our own soul/love/ideals/passions. Lily Chou-Chou is one of the most inspirational, facinating artists to ever create music. Did I also mention she's fictional?

The movie is titled, リリイ・シュシュのすべて [All About Lily Chou-Chou], and was created and directed by Shunji Iwai. All About Lily Chou-Chou was conceived as an online novel through a Japanese BBS titled Lilyholic; some of the fictional characters from the story posted to the BBS; thus, readers of the internet novel were free to post alongside the fictional characters, integrating themselves into the novel as their own web-based characters - becoming a physical presence within the story of Lily Chou-Chou, the mysterious, reclusive, subtle, beautiful Japanese songstress her was entwined with the omnipresent, indescribable force known as the Ether.

From this online novel came All About Lily Chou-Chou, Shunji Iwai's eerie, slightly demented, yet wholly enlightening and masterfully created feature film. Telling the story of several obsessive Lily Chou-Chou, stuck in their country town surrounded by green rice fields in all directions, All About Lily Chou-Chou is truly a one of a kind film. The kids of the story are forced to grow up in reckless abandon, all the while Lily Chou-Chou is planning a huge concert at a local venue. The movie stands a triumphant masterpiece of Iwai's work as a filmmaker and writer.

All About Lily Chou-Chou is easily one of the best films of the last decade, and is definitely something you don't want to miss. How does Voilà!, a simple music blog, tie this in? Easily: All About Lily Chou-Chou offers a very honest expression of the oddity that is music in the modern age, albeit the strange story that accompanies it. It goes into everything from live shows to internet obsession (Lilyphilia, if you will); a diligently crafted story about love and loss - about growing up and learning of life's true Ether - it's true oddity and depravity - all surrounded by beautiful sounds of the fictional Lily Chou-Chou.

It's abstract, yeah, but it's a movie for true music lovers. The movie tops out over two hours, and is entirely in Japanese. It's also contains some extremely intense imagery, and is definitely not for the lighthearted. But if you're the type to stomach something intense, powerful, and magnificent all wrapped together, All About Lily Chou-Chou is right up your alley. You can find yourself a copy of All About Lily Chou-Chou on Amazon.com, at your leisure, or you can hear the wonderful sounds of Lily Chou-Chou herself (vocaled by the singer Salyu) right here, on her Myspace. Welcome to the Ether.