Old Wind
Hello, world. I goofed around on a melodica, starting with its lowest F as a drone, then adding notes as I felt like it. Kept things simple — light drums punched into a quantizer by Neil!
Worth Your Time
I first heard Nergal on Cornelius’ Radio Kyoto Alpha Station. After that first listen I checked out the whole album and played it every day for a month.
I was already a Chick Corea/Return to Forever fan, and this matched up nicely — but it also sounds futuristic in a way that genuinely baffles me. Recorded in 1976 in Rio and unreleased for 45 years, Marcos Resende handed over the tapes in 2018 after the label (Far Out Recordings) spent 25 years begging him. He died of cancer in November 2020, weeks before it came out. He never got to see people lose their minds over it.
Nergal hits like a person falling forward and catching themselves in a shuffle. The congas and vibraslap, in combination with the synth work, are some of the best use of those instruments I’ve ever heard. Then the band takes over: funk guitar placed exactly what’s needed, bass hooks that repeat until you’re bobbing along, great Rhodes integration, and a horn section that comes out from the shadows. I wish I could see it live. I genuinely hope a high school jazz band covers it someday (there are more of those than adult performing groups if you think about it).
This album makes me feel way cooler than I actually am. Check it out!
Marcos Resende & Index — Bandcamp
Ah shit, here we go again
Pokemon Fire Red and Leaf Green are back tomorrow for Nintendo Switch, and it’s had me pacing on a trip down memory lane.
My parents gave me Pokémon Red for my eighth birthday. While playing, I could barely comprehend what was happening, and for the longest time didn’t know how to catch Pokémon — either because I wasn’t paying attention or because I couldn’t read. Probably both. My parents, not knowing Blue was essentially the same game, got me that for Christmas a few months later at my request. Those few months made an incredible difference — while school definitely helped me build the comprehension I needed, the games gave me the motive and interest to keep going and learn more.
Here’s what I’ve been thinking about for years: Pokémon gives kids what society won’t let them have. Total freedom to go wherever you want, do whatever you want, and spend time with animals. I look at my 18-month-old son and watch him lose his mind over every animal he sees. At our core when we’re born, most of us simply love animals. Pokémon nails that. You want to know all of them. Be friends with all of them. You want to challenge yourself, grow, and take down an evil organization until they’re questioning their own purpose and respecting you. This game is a chance for kids to be free at a time when kids they so restrained by school, society, and its rules. I’d play for hours on weekends and hear the music ringing in my head until I fell asleep. And Lavender Tower’s ghost genuinely scared me (but not enough to stop playing forever).
27+ years ago this game changed my life and I’m looking forward to learning why again.
Shoutout to Nob, the original English translator, who followed me back when I found his account on Substack. I don’t know if he ever reads this, but it’s worth mentioning that I learned to read from his work. Thank you, Nob.
What’s your Pokemon story? Let me know in the comments!
My mom has a story she loves to tell from when I was playing Pokémon Blue (shout out to my blue crew) in first grade or so and I came over while playing to ask her what "illumanint" meant.
I didn't know how to pass through mt moon without being told I needed to "illuminate" the caves. I eventually figured it out and learned what the word meant, but only after a surprised exclaim of "Wait!? You can READ".
I had been learning the basics in school, but Pokémon helped me apply it. I get such a specific feeling too whenever I see art from that era, it's pretty indescribable and nothing else gives me that type of nostalgia feeling. Monumental stuff.
Thank you Nob for also teaching me how to read <3