Jim O'Rourke

These days he seems like the antidote to everything that is wrong with music. Come back to America Jim!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vPdNlzgkhw

'Get a Room' manages to be simultaneously one of the funniest and bleakest song I know.

I absolutely <3 this song. One of a kind.

I'm very happy to hear Mego releases a series of archival recordings by Jim (although I'd prefer cd's to vinyl), I bought the re-release of 'I'm Happy...' just for the extra tracks. If this video is a teaser of what's coming this is going to be good:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oORVZwlSIgs&feature=related

on a curious note, what's going on here exactly?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIzPi4JcJ84&feature=related

http://themoviewire.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/sean1.jpg

Eric, it's Jim on Japanese tv getting taught Enka. See this as well.

Looking forward to the archival releases, I hadn't heard! I didn't buy the "I'm happy..." reissue yet; already own the original on lp and cd.

that clip was first posted over here: Jim O'Rourke S/D and got a few comments.

I hadn't seen the other topic : )
Looking at the Mego website, I see there's another Jim lp announced (collaboration with Oren Ambarchi) for July as well, apart from that Archive-series.

speaking of ambarchi and o'rourke, anyone heard their latest album with keiji haino? i liked timo formosa but haven't been able to find the new one.

a preview of 'Old News no. 5'. 'Pedal and Pedal' reminds of Boards of Canada or something similar pastoral.

http://soundcloud.com/experimedia/jim-orourke-old-news-5-album

nice.. looks like there are two recent recordings on the album. i'm guessing that preview is the track from 2003?

http://editionsmego.com/release/OLD+NEWS+5 .. looks like vinyl only

that preview contains parts of all four tracks, and yes, there are two tracks from 2010.

Eureka just gets better and better for me...

http://devonrecordclub.wordpress.com/2011/07/14/jim-orourke-eureka-round-12-toms-selection/

I can picture Eureka being more enjoyable as background/record music for a music critic type person

Of course I love it, and I love Insignificance more, and they don't really gather dust for me, and Jim's still an idiot for not coming back to pop rock songs

For once I agree with CaptainLorax. This guy is such an asshole. How can someone who writes such good songs not realize how BORING the rest of his music is?

I won't go as far as saying that his other music is boring - well, I guess a lot of it is - it's just that his other music isn't pop rock masterpieces when it could be

Well, considering how high "Bad Timing" placed on this poll, seems like some people are 'ok' with his idiot/asshole/Gastr Del Sol side

For once I agree with CaptainLorax. This guy is such an asshole. How can someone who writes such good songs not realize how BORING the rest of his music is?

he's this generation's brian eno

Bad Timing is ok. The Visitor is pretty good. I like Gastr Del Sol. I'm talking about the records that are like "YOU HAVE TO PLAY THIS LOUD ON GIANT AUDIOPHILE SPEAKERS SO YOU CAN HEAR THE SUBTLE BLEEPS AND THE SOUND OF PAPER CLIPS DRAGGING THROUGH SAND"

Guess you're talking about his improv/solo stuff then? Seems like kind of a silly thing to be mad about imo. He's moved on, he's into something you're not into, these things happen. No guarantee his pop craft would be as strong now anyway since he's obv in a different headspace these days.

Also, the first two fenn o'berg records and I'm happy, I'm singing... are some of the best things he's ever put out.

How can someone not like this song?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NerhUR8GE6w

Yeah that is so, so sublime

Yeah, that's a great record. Definitely not talking about that.

old news #6 announced!
http://editionsmego.com/release/OLD+NEWS+6

Interesting primer article on J'oR in this month's Wire magazine (with added wtf? @ pics of Zomby)

thanks for mentioning that Wire article, it was of great interest. Wished it was longer : ) Enjoyed the Zomby article too.

Apparently Streamline already released two cd's with material by O'Rourke and Christoph Heemann, called 'Plastic Palace People vol. 1 & 2". Right now listening to 'Shinjuku Growl' by The Thing and O'Rourke.

did anyone here this one yet? first track bij O'Rourke is fantastic.
http://www.normanrecords.com/images/covers/118/125868.jpg/

http://www.billboard.com/images/album_images/cov200/pop/cov200/drq000/q068/q06839bhi6r.jpg

yeah, love it!

The new The Thing album with O'Rourke on geetar is a beast. Really great to hear him shredding it alongside Gustafsson and co.

The Thing with O'Rourke is indeed a beast (Shinjuku Growl). But maybe even better is the one with FIRE! on Rune Grammofon (Also with Gustaffson but other drummer and bass player than The Thing). O'Rourke plays some beautiful harmonica in track 3 (album is called 'Unreleased').

Hells yeah, that's a great album. O'Rourke's been on so much great stuff of late it's hard to keep up . I appreciate a lot of it was recorded live over the past 2-3 years, it just seems to be coming out all at once. Got his record with Gustaffson and Merzbow lined up for a listen too.

If anyone out there is looking for something approaching/approximating that Insignificance steez, P.G. Six's newest/forthcoming one actually reminds me a LOT of that period of O'Rourke (along with some British folk sensibilities, naturally):

http://www.dragcity.com/products/starry-mind

Never realised that "Women Of The World..." was an Ivor Cutler song until a friend posted a video for the original on facebook today.

You just blew my mind

o_O

I'm still reeling. In a good way.

Saw him on the Eureka tour (with Pita & Fennesz!) and he opened with it: "Here's one by Ivor Cutler".

I think I learned that from a visiting Scotsman at a Holly Golightly show ca. 2002.

ha yeah, i saw o'rourke open for sonic youth in ...1998? and his entire set consisted of a 30 minute version of "women of the world". didn't know it was ivor cutler then (probably hadn't heard of the dude tbh).

that new P.G. Six album sounds very promising, thanks!

women in the world was used in a wal mart commercial recently

of **

the j'or version?

did anyone hear the 'United Red Army' cd Jim did? That's really nice stuff I think. The 'Indeed' lp on Mego with Oren Ambarchi could have been better but it's nice nonetheless.

I heard that soundtracks. Fun Bill Fay cover.
It is impossible to catalogue this guy, with all that he's involved with.

Did United Red Army the movie ever get a US release? i think it's been "saved" on my Netflix for like four years. Anyone got a line on an English-subbed DVD?

Jim O'Rourke mixtapes: http://soundgenetic.blogspot.com/2008/12/jim-orourke-mixtapes-198889.html

Unreal. Thank you very much for sharing the link!

rad - thanks!

That's fantastic, thanks!