Music Review: Gudrun Gut, Wildlife

By Julie Finley

Wildlife is the new album by Gudrun Gut, released on Gudrun’s very own Monika Enterprise label. Her last musical outing prior to this was her collaborative project known as Greie/Gut Fraktion (a partnership with Antye Greie), but Wildlife is an actual solo outing (her second official solo album since I Put a Record On from 2007).

Wildlife is an exquisite collection of themes that are definitely in touch with nature. What I mean is that the focus is on nature in more than one context. No, this is not a tree-hugging manifesto; it has more to do with being aware of your surroundings, in a physical, as well as an emotional manner. It focuses on the vulnerability of humans, as well as all other living organisms.

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Best Of 2010: Ann Clarke

2010 was ridiculously limp regarding any newly released tangible media; I enjoyed older stuff much more. There were plenty of mediocre bands with new albums, boring reunion tours, and remakes of films . . . and I can’t even comment on books because the only ones I ever bother to read anymore are reference materials (travel, art, or kitschy humor).

However, here is some 2010 entertainment that I did enjoy!
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Bettina Köster, Queen Of Noise

By Ann Clarke

I love it when you put on an album, and it just kicks ass immediately. I love it even more when it continues to kick ass, and then when it’s over, you feel compelled to listen to it again! That doesn’t always happen, even with some of your personal favorite albums.

Bettina Köster’s Queen of Noise might not be my favorite album, but it certainly falls into the realm of the type of album I just described. It just kicks ass, and continues to kick ass! (I apologize for my lowbrow description, but I guess it sort of brings the cave-girl out of me!) I mean, seriously; when something just rocks your lame ass, you know it instantly.
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Best Of 2009—Albums: By Julie Finley

This year was actually a MUCH better year than last year, in regards to album releases. Lots of anticipated stuff (at least for moi) came out, and made me quite positive and hopeful. Last year I was starting to wonder why I still bothered to pay attention, but this year made me bite my tongue. The only thing this year lacked regarding music? There weren’t enough concerts worthy of attendance; it seems those who released stuff that I liked didn’t play anywhere I could get to!

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She Put A Record On: An Interview With Gudrun Gut

Interviewed by Julie Finley

Gudrun Gut isn’t a household name (not in North America, anyway). You’re not going to hear her on any Top 40 radio stations, but you might hear her whilst shopping in those bath and body stores called The Body Shop (true story, I actually heard a song of hers whilst shopping in there). However, her level of North American obscurity doesn’t make her any less important.
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