Topic: The Magical Mystery MP3 Player

[NatchDan]

Okay, so I traded it in for a PS2 with Guitar Hero, but I promised a review thing.

The story, basically, is this: I bought a Creative Zen 30GB a couple of years ago. I updated the firmware on it and that made it stop communicating with my PC, apparently a common problem caused by Microsoft's PlaysForSure (Hah!) firmware. There was a lot of music on it, though, so I kept using it - but then the headphone and power sockets stopped working.

A couple of weeks ago I saw a 40GB Zen for £80 less than I'd paid for my 30, second hand. I picked it up. Now, unfortunately, whoever had owned it previously had installed the updated firmware, meaning that I couldn't put any music on it. It did, however, come with roughly 1,000 songs from the previous owner on it; songs which all fit within the margins of my music taste, which was awesome. I took it back to the store because it wouldn't communicate with my PC, but I listened to the songs on it in that time. Below are a few things of note.

Bjork
Okay, so she's hardly new or unheard of, but I never really got into her despite my thoughts that I probably should. After hearing what I believe to be at least most of her discography on this thing, I am resolute to get into her. The highlight of the collection was the Livebox set, four discs of live music. The song which most caught my ear was An Echo, A Stain, which has led me to think that a Bjork live show must be something really special to experience.

Juno Reactor
Now, these guys I'd never heard of before, though apparently they contributed a fair amount of music to the Matrix soundtrack - particularly Mona Lisa Overdrive, which features during the freeway chase scene. From that, you kind of know what to expect - electronic music with big beats, but it's also pretty interesting stuff. They've got a pretty heavy world influence as well as being able to create almost rave tracks.

Nouvelle Vague
Now these guys I particularly like. There's not an especial amount to say on them, only that they produce laid back, bossa nova and jazz style covers of some of the new wave hits of the 80s. My personal favourites are The Clash's Guns Of Brixton and The Cure's A Forest. Apparently their cover of Too Drunk To Fuck featured in Grindhouse.

Kitchens Of Distinction
I still know very little about this band, except that the songs that I heard kicked ass and you should get them.

Catherine Wheel
I've known about Catherine Wheel for a while, but I was pleased to hear them turn up here. Kitchens Of Distinction and Catherine Wheel are both "shoegazer" bands, much like Starflyer 59 or Velour 100, both of whom I know Que loves. Catherine Wheel and KoD seem to have more of an edge to them (Catherine Wheel's Sparks Are Gonna Fly being an excellent stomper), but that whole genre was pretty changeable.

Also appearing, Tori Amos who is batshit insane but cool.

[TheOtherBelmont]

I remember Juno Reactor because they did the opening song for a weird anime called Texnolyze.  The song was called "Guardian Angel" and it was pretty good.  Also, I honestly don't get people's fascination with Bjork, I really don't like her all that much.

[NatchDan]

She's certainly an acquired taste.

Like black pudding.

[gpw11]

I'm not going to lie - I'll listen to Tori Amos' Siren when there aren't other people around.  I'm hard like that.

But, there really should be a way around it not communicating with your PC.  I can't see a company releasing a firmware update that pretty much breaks their product and just leaving it at that.

[NatchDan]

You'd think so, wouldn't you? However, they offered a workaround that only works half the time and then stopped supporting it.

[Quemaqua]

I'm definitely going to check out Kitchens and Catherine.  Juno Reactor I've kinda' heard before, and I'm somewhat familiar with Bjork.  And really can't say if I like her or not.  There are a few songs I've heard that I really dug and wasn't expecting to at all, yet there are some songs I've heard that I didn't care for.  Still haven't made the leap into trying to see whether or not there's actually anything there I really want to listen to.

[sirean_syan]

I went on a Juno Reactor stint a few months back and am pretty familiar with their stuff now. I guess I'm something of a fan. I just like how the different styles are generally mixed up and I'm a sucker for most styles of electronic/ravish/trancish stuff.

I'm also a fan of Bjork. That doesn't necessarily mean I dig her music all that much. I love her voice, especially when she sings in Icelandic, but after a song or two I've had my fill (sort of like Enya... not that I listen to her). Most of the reason I like her has to do with interviews and stories I've heard. She's a nut, but a freaking cute one. The best one involves her walking into a club/bar/whatever and when asked what she wanted to drink she thought for a moment and responded, "I think I'll have something blue." The story doesn't work unless you can imagine her saying it in a high little voice, yet saying it straight out like it's a completely normal response.