Nils Frahm- Spaces

A record review. Sort of. 

For years, I hated Brussels sprouts. A lot. There was no amount of bacon or egg or honey and sriracha that was ever going to convince me to like them. I hated their “I’m a baby cabbage and I’m proud to be bitter” attitude. I hated that they always showed up on menus right after Halloween. Hated them. Seriously.

Then one day I was at one of those Korean fusion restaurants- you know, the ones that trot out a bowl of rice with a poached egg and some grapefruit in it and name the dish sunrise- anyway, I was at this place and the dish I ordered had Brussels in it. I didn’t know, because those fusion places can never just say what is actually in the dish, but when it arrived I was horrified. I took a gulp of water and a deep breath before I took the first bite.

It was amazing. AMAZING.

Now, I eat Brussels sprouts about 4 times a week in the colder months.

I used to feel that way about live records too. Outside of a few classics, stop making sense comes to mind, I’ve never really cared for them. I like the idea of building something piece-by-piece in a real studio. I like to imagine the singer putting his lips on a pop screen in an iso booth. It makes more sense to me.

So, much like the Korean-fusion-Brussels-sprouts epiphany, Nils Frahm and his new record “spaces” changed my mind forever. How many records can you say did that to you?

I’m not going to waste any time talking about the record. Just go listen to it. It might be your Brussels sprouts; it was for me.