Apparently, I seem to have a growing baroque pop obsession. After this post, I just had to tell you about Owen Pallett. He has been introduced to you before, but an interesting artist like him, more than deserves a new plug.
I usually don't get into details about an artist's biography, but this time, you I think that having a peek at this lad's life is more than worth it.
- Owen Pallett is a violinist and singer from Toronto, the principal member of the band Final Fantasy, which is essentially a solo project. The name Final Fantasy is a tribute to the well-known video game series, of which Pallett is a fan.
- He has been noted for his live performances, wherein he plays the violin into a sampler controlled by foot pedals, which then loops back one or more of the previously played musical phrases as he plays additional parts simultaneously.
- Pallett's father is an avid church organist who provided a background in solely classical music until early preteens. From toddler age, he studied classical piano and composed his first piece at age 13. A notable composition includes some of the music for the game Traffic Department 2192, to scoring films, to composing two operas while in university (he received a Bachelor of Music for Composition from the University of Toronto).
- Patrick Borjal, Pallett's boyfriend, began working as his manager in 2006, and formed the management company Boyfriend Management.
- Adventure.exe from the album Has a Good Home was used in a series of 2006 commercials by Orange in the United Kingdom. Pallett did not intend to sell the song for this purpose, but its use was authorized anyway due to a miscommunication with his record label, Tomlab. All of Pallett's income from this use is donated to Doctors Without Borders.
- Pallett's second album, He Poos Clouds, consists entirely of string quartet arrangements. Eight of the ten songs are about each of the schools of magic as described in the rules to the RPG game Dungeons & Dragons. The album was named winner of the inaugural Polaris Music Prize. Uncomfortable with receiving a prize sponsored by a mobile phone conglomerate, Pallett gave the money away to bands he liked who needed financial assistance.
- Pallett has also recorded and toured with Jim Guthrie, The Hidden Cameras, Royal City, The Vinyl Cafe, Gentleman Reg, and Arcade Fire (he co-wrote the orchestral and string arrangements for their albums Funeral and Neon Bible, and has often toured with them).
- He contributed remixes for the bands Stars, Grizzly Bear and Bloc Party. He also wrote string arrangements for the Canadian bands Immaculate Machine and Fucked Up, and the Beirut album The Flying Club Cup, as well as providing guest vocals on some tracks. Most recently, he provided orchestration for the solo debut of Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner (with Miles Kane, as The Last Shadow Puppets), entitled "The Age of the Understatement". Pallett also conducted the London Metropolitan Orchestra in the recording of this project.
- In 2007, the song "This Is The Dream Of Win & Regine" was used in a commercial for Wiener Stadtwerke without Pallett's permission. Instead of litigation, Pallett and his booking agent Susanne Herrndorff approached the company for sponsorship for a music festival of their curation. The resultant Maximum Black Festival featured Final Fantasy, The Dirty Projectors, Deerhoof, Frog Eyes, Max Tundra, Six Organs Of Admittance and others. It played Vienna, Berlin and London.
{all from wiki.}
This Lamb Sells Condos:
Arctic Circle:
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anything with the word poo in the title is cool in my book.
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Me likie a whole lot. I was planning on going out today to get new music, and this just made my list.
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There is a gigantic red button in my post.....do you come in pooce? ;P
Excellent, Kevin! Isn't it great that you guys can find albums like this one in record stores? No, I'm not bitter... :)
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whats pooce? it sounds kind of kinky.
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Sorry to be of a kinkiness-related disappointment, but it comes from poo + peace.... :o)
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ha. I get it now. As August always says about me....I'm a little slow on the uptake from time to time.
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Anna, if I find it then I will be happy. Sometimes here in the states music like this takes a back seat to crap like "modern" hip hop. If I cant find it then I will make sure to pick up the latest Justin Timberlake release
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Kevin...it is nice to see your name floating around the MOG halls once again.
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I'm afraid that it was because my play on words was lame :o)
Kevin, ah so you have your own type of problems then. I have lack of a credit card as an added obstacle, and you can see how I end up not owning many of the CDs I'd like to! Good Timberlake luck :)
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I must confess I'm a bit overwhelmed by the miscellaneous information you've gathered about Mr Pallett. Despite your efforts to hide the true reason behind your liking FF, you didn't manage to conceal the fact that Owen had been with your Alex Turner... Hence the charisma of your title, no doubt!
You're a diabolical indie minx, Miss Anna. Always trying to smuggle your monkeys and puppets to us... But you didn't fool me this time. I know your game and I won't fall for the angelic music of Final Fantasy nor the cherub charms of Mr Pallett's incredible array of talents!!!
No, no. Your philtre wiIl not work this time. I won't like the incredible string arrangements oddly reminiscent of Haydn's works more than baroque. I refuse to endorse the lyrical scales of "Artic Circle" or the dreamlike qualities of "The Lamb Sells Condos."
Your words will not make me taste the poison I've already drunk from FF... And no, I will not thank either :p
PS: Did you hear Owen's cameo on Montag's "Softness I Forgot Your Name?"
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"it comes from poo + peace"
Ha, ha.
That's the first I've heard that one.
;-)
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Michael, ahahhahaahahhahaahhahaha Although I enjoy the phrase "diabolical indie minx" more than my words can say, my likeness of him connects more to my likeness of Arcade Fire and Beirut. I found out about the Puppets' connection after I started to research monsieur Pallette (I've never been a gal to mind a cherry on top). Poison poison everywhere and not a drop to drink.... ;) PS Do tell me more.....
hehehe Dave :) I should trademark it...pooce™...there...I feel better now ;)
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° ° ° B TW happy to see Anna is alive and kicking, i've heard rumours of an earthshake across Greece and worried a bit...
O h i was a worried !
O bviously...
B ut it was nothing but our Anna pounding words together, just like something "à la" Hephaïstos :)))
S eriously ? :)))))
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Montag is yet another talented Canadian artist from Montréal (Perhaps I should write a quick post this multi-faceted man) -- It's like a giant Canadian conspiracy to take over the world right now.
I too made Final Fantasy acquaintance through his collaborations with AF and Stars. Really like the man and his music.
PS: Now that you've mentioned baroque, Monsieur Pallette does bear a resemblance with Purcell
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° ° ° Purcell...
...or Gotthard's Leo Leoni
Great Look-a-like game :))))))))))
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Francois, I'm touched by both your consideration and your BOOBS ahhahahha ;)
Michael, I know that I'd be more than happy to read about your Canadian. I showed you mine, now show me yours! :)
Owen Pallette and Patrick Wolf, gentlemen:
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He did the strings for ""The Age of the Understatement"? No wonder I like that song so much. I saw him open up for Bloc Party, his live show really is something that needs to be experienced.
Thanks for shedding some more light on him!
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You won't be surprised to find this is right up my street, darling, thanks.
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Jules, you lucky cat you. When researching him, I stumbled into many live reviews of his shows, all ecstatic! You're very welcome :)
Joxy...wha! You likey? Where is this world coming to? It's been my pleasure, as always :)
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You must be shocked to see me listening to someone who isn't a hot Swedish girl, huh?
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Final Fantasy... It's strange, when I first came on Mog I thought gameplay and film music was expanding and would become a major force....obviously deluding myself again....although I'm sure the are plenty of people out there collecting this kind of stuff..(Kicks off 5.20, looks and sounds stunning on a big screen)
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ANNA, EMCD, STRIKES AGAIN! AAARRRGHHH!!!
At least he isn't bloody wearing a scarf.
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Neill, I'm sure that was a treat for the senses on a big screen. And don't worry, it's just that we are too old for that expanding. The next generation will justify you, mate. Even the ones that only fancy listening to hot Swedish girls ;)
Michelle, sure....
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"I showed you mine, now show me yours! :)" -- your wish is my command, Madam.
Here is your Nutella-splattered post: http://mog.com/Bartleby/blog_post/166527
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that first vid is one of the coolest ive seen in a long time. i dont understand how people come up with these, so called 'ideas'
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OOOOOh, you are soooo evil you Greek witch you, I hope you drown in Nutella.
Okay, not drown, just struggle a little bit.
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Nice, not heard of him. Sounds kind of like Patrick Wolf. And it's so not true what Marigold said, I only said he's slow on the uptake once or twice, not always, haha!
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Pallett's a genius. My eyebrows raised a bit when I saw who you were posting about, but I'm glad you did. Never saw the Arctic Circle video before. I can't wait to see his live show. In 3 months :)
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the reintroduction is much deserved. i have loved FF/OP since the album He Poos Clouds, my own introduction to them. their mix of Your Ex-Lover Is Dead is also among my favorites on Stars' Do You Trust Your Friends? i secretly love Canadians ...oops, i guess i just outed. (;
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Oh Michael...the secret behind her smile is now revealed! ;)
Sam, oh yes. The video of He Poos Clouds is a very smart one as well:
Michelle, that might be the best death scenario I've ever seen! :)
Uncle A, I couldn't agree more with your Wolf thought. That Mike dude is such a sycophant! ahhahah
Why did those pony eyebrows of yours got raised, Ty? I'm not jel. Nor am I green with jel. Nope :P I expect a review, mister! :)
I'll have to find that remix, since it's poe-recommended! All secrets should be outed, is what I always say. No fun if you keep them to yourself ;)
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"I seem to have a growing baroque pop obsession". Personally, I'm getting more into gay pop. But this was a nice change. V cultured, indeed. Ta!
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final fantasy poos clouds nicely.
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Fluxy, yup, I noticed your Madonna post ;P
One can only try to culture (by which I mean "EMCD"). You're very welcome!
Pat, I bet that that's a sentence you never thought you'd say ahahhaha