Useless Clatter...[Hear This] Brian Jonestown Massacre Announce New Album + Latest Single "Blue Order New Monday"

      I wouldn't be going out on a limb in saying that The Brian Jonestown Massacre could be the most diverse band out there right now.  But whether that's because of the numerous genres they've tapped into throughout the years or just due to the immense line up changes that have come their way, The Brian Jonestown Massacre are truly in a class of their own.  Those of you who've seen DiG! know what I'm talking about. But to base the band's reputation solely on the hot headed temper of band leader Anton Newcombe is a bit one sided.  Maybe he is a little wacky, but the stuff he and his band-mates put together in the studio completely makes up for it.

      On that note, I am thrilled to report the news of a new BJM album to be released May 7th called Aufheben.  As of late, Anton's made his home in Berlin so its not completely bizarre to see the German word appears as the album's title.  And thanks to the possibilities of web translation, I've tracked down the meaning of the word which now leads to an assortment of interpretations on why he chose that word.  Aufheben (pronounced auf+he•ben) is a verb lending itself to a variety of actions- 'to pick up, to abolish, to lift, to reverse, to capture to preserve' to name a few.  Anton could have had any number of these in mind when choosing the word and unfortunately I don't think we'll ever  know what he truly intended.  But that's alright because the greater concern, as it always is with a new BJM album, is what the stuff will sound like.  Thankfully we won't have to wait until May because with this news came the release of the first single from Aufheben titled "Blue Order/New Monday." 

      The song's title is a clever reference to a song by New Order titled "Blue Monday" that came out in 1983 and was a huge hit in the U.K.  Like the New Order song, "Blue Order/New Monday" is a stretched out seven and a half minute song in which for the most part singing gives way to instrumentals.  New Order's song was one of the first techno/club songs to make it onto London's top 40 chart- a big surprise given its duration and long sequences of no singing.  The Brian Jonestown Massacre take that same sort of non-conformist spirit (as they always have) and add a little oriental-sounding twist to it.  "Blue Order/New Monday" is much more pop-based and synthesized, a trend the band seems to be moving towards in their later years.  I would normally pass up on a lengthy song like this, but knowing given that it's the The Brian Jonestown Massacre, I lend my ears.  The song carries the same sort of beat for just about all of the seven and a half minutes, but for some reason I don't find myself getting bored or anxious with it.  Its just one of those songs you can't turn off.
      If this is considered techno then I''d go as far to say its my favorite techno song.  No thumping bass or hysterically up beat tempo, just a mellow, drawn out track.  This song has no place on the dance floor; rather, more appropriately, your better off kicking your feet up, relaxing and letting the song just sink in.


+Anyone not familiar with The Brian Jonestown Massacre is welcome to get a listen from one of my previous posts, Five Songs From...The Brian Jonestown Massacre