The photo has a sound

[imomus]

Comments

no need to sleep..

[shanghaiagogo.livejournal.com]

shaved ice deserts are simply delightful! why sleep when is night is so pretty.

Re: no need to sleep..

[imomus.livejournal.com]

Yes, these photos were taken on a long, long walk around Osaka last night. At night it becomes marginally cooler. You can do a spot of late-night shopping (cue David Sylvian track of the same name, which contains the same aching sensuality as Japanese August), watch people queuing round the block for the opening of the Osaka Apple Store, eat octopus balls with spring onions and gooey mayonnaise, or go to the Muji Cafe for a shaved ice dessert from Vietnam. (These were all consolations for having missed the Takeo Toyama concert we went out to see. I'll also miss the Nobukazu Takemura concert at the Apple Store (http://www.apple.com/retail/jp/shinsaibashi/) tomorrow, cos I'll be in Kyushu doing my own show.)

Words of comfort in the midst of heat

[imomus.livejournal.com]

I'd like this entry considered as a shochya mimai postcard. The Japan Times explains (http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?ek20040805ks.htm):

'The Japan of old knew the perils of summer stress, and so devised the custom of writing their shochyu mimai (words of comfort in the midst of heat) postcards to send to friends and acquaintances. A shochyu mimai card is easy to write and wonderful to receive, with none of the formality of New Year's greetings. Usually, they say nothing more than "take care in the heat," with perhaps a line proposing a meeting when the weather gets cooler. Sadly, as with other great Japanese customs, this, too, is on the decline. And so, in the hope of reviving it here: "Tsutsushinde, shochyu omimai moshiagemasu (With utter modesty, I wish you comfort in the midst of the summer heat)."

[everybabyweeps.livejournal.com]

the photo cheers me up.

[masnomas.livejournal.com]

Did you take those pictures yourself?
I would like to see more of that cat.

[malo23.livejournal.com]

"War at last"? Hmm. Is that like "For your beautiful life," I wonder?!

P.S. Off-topic, but...Has anyone ever compared your music/vocal style to that of Edward Ka-Spel (of Legendary Pink Dots fame) before? Just curious as to whether he has had any influence on you or not. Very nice website, BTW. :)

~m

[imomus.livejournal.com]

The cat was feral and ran away, frightened by the flash.

[imomus.livejournal.com]

I have heard talk of this Ka-Spel fellow. Did check his solo stuff out once and found it... I don't know... sort of electro-gothy-cabaret. I didn't see much overlap with my own work.

[klasensjo.livejournal.com]

What kind of ice dessert creation is that? Never seen anything like it. The picture calls for an explanation, or perhaps not? Is that jello or amber? Is it healthy?

[peteya.livejournal.com]

it looks like it could be shaved ice with condensed milk topped with grass jelly or some other kind of mild and sweet jelly, red and green mung beans, and other kinds of legumes and grains. It tastes sweet, cold, and slightly creamy (from the condensed milk). It probably doesn't contain artificial flavoring and is probably pretty healthy for being a dessert.

[malo23.livejournal.com]

Ka-Spel is quite brilliant, IMO, particularly as a lyricist. The (loose) comparison was meant as a complement! :) I'll have to go back and listen to more of your work, at any rate (I liked what I heard)...

I'd recommend checking out LPD's The Maria Dimension (http://www.amazon.co.jp/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000007QWX/qid=1093745896/sr=1-24/ref=sr_1_0_24/249-1834427-8189132) if you have a chance. Very unique.

Best,
~m

[ex-ebb439.livejournal.com]

The large food image looks both delicious and gross at the same time; kind of like a pile of goodies on top of rice (or something) or a neat pile of vomit on top of rice (or something).

I've really been enjoying your pics of Japan.

[sarmoung.livejournal.com]

The pictures, and particularly the sound, are filling me with a rather maudlin nostalgia, but I should note I am battling a gin hangover. The chilly aisles of the convenience store, the heat of the street outside, wandering aimlessly and contentedly. Never looking over my shoulder for fear of I don't know what.

I definitely miss those octopus balls, but that dessert should dispel any lingering beliefs that all Japanese possess an innate sense of aesthetic balance. That's a glorious mess, no matter how tasty or refreshing. There's that phrase used for Osakans of 'kuidaore' (eating yourself bankrupt), I'm not sure exactly how true these days, and that dessert seems to express that desire for excess as it's got about every bean/jelly combination going on it. That's probably the gin still talking, I should stop looking at it!

[insomnia.livejournal.com]

Edward Kaspel has a few solid albums with his groups Legendary Pink Dots and The Tear Garden, but I hate comparisons. "Electro-gothy-cabaret" seems a fair description of most of what he does, however.

Quite different, though. It always seems inappropriate to compare particular musicians. I could say you were a little like Robyn Hitchcock or Jaques Brel or Tiny Tim and be equally way off target.

Que est-elle Momus? It's a mystery. Fortunately for you, lots of people like mysteries.

[insomnia.livejournal.com]

I quite like the environmental recording, btw. I wish I had a library of such "environments" that I could randomly listen to throughout the day, as it might spark a few neurons.

What the internet could use is a site which collects and archives environmental / "found" sounds like this. Have you heard of anything of the sort, because I haven't...

If something of the sort really needs to be created, I could perhaps talk to some people I know over at The Internet Archive (http://www.archive.org) and see if they would be interested in hosting a section of their site dedicated to sound effects, environmental recordings, etc. Chances are that they would do it, but the sounds would have to be released under some sort of licensing that allows unrestricted non-commercial use.

Perhaps an LJ community where people post found sounds is in order!