Adem - Takes (2008)
This is Adem Ilhan's covers record. Here, he leaves the touring band behind and plays every part himself. This can be a bit twatty in some cases (unless you are Prince) yet his remit for doing this way is that he did not 'have to wait for someone else to come and then wait some more while I explain how I imagine it to be and then wait for them to do it'. Also, being a covers record, this was never going to be a vanity project.
The choice of tracks is really interesting. Everything comes from between 1991 and 2001 when his musical tastes were forming. The bands/artists covered are not in any way the normal cover record fodder and include PJ Harvey, dEUS, Aphex Twin, Yo La Tengo, Smashing Pumpkins, Bjork, The Breeders and Low.
I really liked this album when it first came out but have not really listened to it much over the last 10 years. It's something that when it comes up as a part of my iTunes or Spotify feed reignites my interest yet now, in this modern age, listening to the whole album feels a bit of a twee/acoustic overload. For this I blame advertising. I cannot listen to anything with even a hint of twee without imagining it sound-tracking propaganda for Legal and General or a new brand of kitchen roll. And that is not a good thing.
The idea from this album came from fans asking if the covers he played live were available on record. Having seen Adem (unexpectedly supporting someone in Portsmouth), I expect that to hear these interpretations live would add a level of engagement that is somehow missing from the record. Saying that, the versions of Yo La Tengo's 'Tears Are In Your Eyes' and Bjork's 'Unravel' are really rather good.
Chris
This is Adem Ilhan's covers record. Here, he leaves the touring band behind and plays every part himself. This can be a bit twatty in some cases (unless you are Prince) yet his remit for doing this way is that he did not 'have to wait for someone else to come and then wait some more while I explain how I imagine it to be and then wait for them to do it'. Also, being a covers record, this was never going to be a vanity project.
The choice of tracks is really interesting. Everything comes from between 1991 and 2001 when his musical tastes were forming. The bands/artists covered are not in any way the normal cover record fodder and include PJ Harvey, dEUS, Aphex Twin, Yo La Tengo, Smashing Pumpkins, Bjork, The Breeders and Low.
I really liked this album when it first came out but have not really listened to it much over the last 10 years. It's something that when it comes up as a part of my iTunes or Spotify feed reignites my interest yet now, in this modern age, listening to the whole album feels a bit of a twee/acoustic overload. For this I blame advertising. I cannot listen to anything with even a hint of twee without imagining it sound-tracking propaganda for Legal and General or a new brand of kitchen roll. And that is not a good thing.
The idea from this album came from fans asking if the covers he played live were available on record. Having seen Adem (unexpectedly supporting someone in Portsmouth), I expect that to hear these interpretations live would add a level of engagement that is somehow missing from the record. Saying that, the versions of Yo La Tengo's 'Tears Are In Your Eyes' and Bjork's 'Unravel' are really rather good.
Chris
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