Re: (TV) Anyone care to translate

[OwenGwilliam@cs.com]

In a message dated 6/5/2002 4:46:43 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
CaseyL@VOLPE.DOT.GOV writes:
> http://www.chez.com/syberpop/marquee.html

The Babelfish translation (as always, not great, but it's a start). And how
can you resist text referring to NYC as the "Large Apple"?

       -- Owen

New York, New York:  in 1977, after several businesss year, and without
Richard Hell (who leaves Blank Generation at the same time), the explosion of
Punk makes it possible Television to record its first album. Their the best,
by far, and the disc most representative of New-Wave New-Yorker. Like his/her
English cousin, this New-Wave there limits the field of its instruments,
privileges the concision, and concentrates on the interpretation of the
singer, here the lyric and distressed voice of Tom Verlaine, who tightens
time with other towards the androgynie, all devoted to celebrate the life in
Large Apple.

Crystalline solos: but contrary to Punk English, the rupture with the past
total, is not asserted. On the contrary, Television has sometimes accents
stoniens, and does not hesitate to engage in solos of guitar. But of the
fluid, limpid, crystalline solos. After so much of year when one did all and
anything with the guitars, where they in the place of the stars, Tom Verlaine
and Richard Lloyd became the stars make use of it again like instrument.
Shouldered by a bass player, Fred Smith, and a beater, Billy Ficca,
irreproachable.

Aggressiveness and frankness: because on disc, Television is less aggressive,
infinitely less destroy that it was, appears it, on scene. On Marquee Moon
prevails the same disillusioned romanticism, sometimes aggressive sometimes
ingenuous, inspired of the French poets of the end of last century (Tom was
called Verlaine for nothing), which one finds at the brother group, that of
Patti Smith. Romanticism declined throughout the eight titles which are only
the variation, more or less long, more or less slow, of the same formula. Who
allows this disc to offer to the Punk sound larger masterpiece, whatever the
bank of the Atlantic which one fixes.

See No Evil: the minimal and obsessing riff of "See No Evil" offers from the
start to Marquee Moon its title most obvious. Verse, refrain, melody.
Television rediscovers the simplest receipts of the pop genius, unfortunately
forgotten in the 70' S, to the punk alarm clock. More running and lyric that
before, the guitars occupy also the first role on one "Come" also removed.
"Friction" is more direct and rock' N roll that its predecessor, with a
rhythmic guitar with the first cabins. A piece almost stonien in fact. Except
that the voice of Tom Verlaine systematically reaches a level of emotion
little known of Mick Jagger. Television, contrary to their congeneric English
punks indeed never spit on the old stones, at least never over the time of
their splendour. And did not hesitate to take again "Satisfaction" at the
time of their famous concerts.

Double riff: "Marquee Moon", piece iponyme of the album, most famous of
Television, clot the first face. Nobody is likely to forget both riffs
intersected this intro memorable, which does not cease crossing then along
the ten minutes of the title. In particular when the desperate and
vindicatory voice of Tom Verlaine yields the place to the long romantic
frescos of its guitar, pleurnicher part, without geindre for as much, before
carrying themselves. Without none of the other instruments ceasing
accompanying it.

If, if and if: the second face is agitated than the first. Even if it is a
gimmick funk which introduces however slow "Rise". If the refrain were less
rough, if Tom Verlaine did not have the tied throat, if if and if, one
appelerait that a slow fox trot. "Guiding Light" is even slower. The guitars,
increasingly clearer, limpid and minimal are accompanied here occasionally by
a piano. The spleen of Television calms down. Also, emerging from this
depressive environment, "Prove it" it makes appears of passage guilleret,
almost dancing, by moments.

Tears: second end of face, second long masterpiece. The piano and the guitar
of "Torn Curtain" would learn some with the best pieces of Lalo Schiffrin,
before leaving on a asiatisant minimalism, and the choruses most concise, and
yet most lyric, of the album. One of these perfect ends which devote major
works of Pop And discourage from the listener more extremely seeking. For the
remainder of its career, indeed, with or without Television, Tom Verlaine
will alternate the good and the bad one, but without reaching, if not
episodically, sublimates it of Marquee Moon .


Owen Gwilliam
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/otg
http://shadowy.brainiac.com (The Shadowy Site On A Shadowy Web)

"Thank you for coming to the concert ... you don't call, you don't write, but
you look good ..."
    -- Tom Waits addressing the crowd at a 1999 Vancouver concert
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