We're Running Out of Geniuses: RIP Milton Babbitt

Yesterday, due to unknown causes (perhaps simply from old age), avant-garde composer and innovator of the first synthesizer, Milton Babbitt, passed away. Babbitt was known for his brilliant and complex compositions and musical theories extremely advanced for his time.  In fact, Princeton didn't honor his dissertation on the 12-tone system of modern composers until 46 years after the fact, awarding him his doctorate at 75 years old in 1992 (Princeton admits retrospectively that they were unable to properly evaluate something so ahead of its time).  As one of the first electronic composers with over 60 compositions under his belt, Babbitt will be remembered and missed.

What to Expect in 2011

This may be our last peaceful year before the onset of Armageddon in 2012.  Here's some pleasantries to look forward to in the meantime.


Deerhoof "Deerhoof vs. Evil"
This one is slowly being leaked, technically already out in Japan, and officially in American stores on the 25th (I think).  I haven't heard all of it yet, but it's very... clean.  Polished.  This could be good or bad.


Belong "Common Era"
It has already been 5 years (god, I'm old) since Belong first gifted us with their debut, October Language, recorded in the flood of New Orleans (or something), and now more of their Tim Hecker-inspired beautifully damaged swellings of orchestration will be available on their sophomore offering due out March 21.


Danielson "Best of Gloucester Count"
It has also been 5 years since Danielson's Ships, which was absolutely brilliant.  This record may or may not be as good.  I don't know.   Out February 22nd.


Tim Hecker "Ravedeath, 1972"
Ah, and speaking of Tim Hecker, here he is!  Tim Hecker and I share a love/hate relationship with music, consisting of mostly hate.  Hecker channels that hate into his new drone-y masterpiece, featuring the wonderful "Hatred of Music."  Due out February 14th, the day of love/hate.


The Rum Diary - Bruce Robinson
Johnny Depp in another Hunter S. Thompson adaptation.  Worked last time.


A Dangerous Method - David Cronenberg
This film could very well be terrible. I'm not a big Cronenberg fan; I think Videodrome sucked. Please don't email me about that. Despite my skepticism, and perhaps the historically inaccurate Hollywood exaggeration of how much Sabina Spielrein ruins the relationship of Freud and Jung (and not instead the fact that they came to a crossroads of psychodynamic theory), I have to see this potential dump of cinema as a huge fan of both men and a student of psychology.

2010's Best List of the Best of 2010

2010 had its moments, along with a few inevitable disappointments, the greatest disappointment being most publications' choices for what they deemed the best of the year.  It's always frustrating to read the year-end best-of lists, I know, thus I have compiled an elite best-of-the-best-of-2010 list, including selections from the year's music, film, and literature, as well my personal favorite art exhibits.  I also have refused to apply ordinal rankings to these, as such is a simplistic and cheap approach to the art of a best-of list.  It is important to note, as is always the case with this blog, that I only included what I personally experienced in 2010 and that ultimately the list is entirely subjective and somewhat autobiographical (as a few of my friends may appear in the list).  This list will be lengthy, so for the first time ever on The Esoterrorist, you must continue reading after the jump.