I really do like electronic music. Sure, sometimes it's cold and less emotive than a "more human" acoustic ballad. But, like rock music using typical arrangements (i.e. guitar, drums, etc.), smart electronic music can prove to be just as emotional. Problem is, most electronic music becomes outdated very quickly. Really, when was the last time you picked up a techno record from the mid 90's? Technology advances at such a rapid race that equipment that was once cutting edge becomes obsolete.
Take, for example, The Notwist's Neon Golden and the Postal Service's Give Up. Both groups have created great pop records that I thoroughly enjoy listening to. Unfourtunately, I already feel like these records have become dated. The Notwist, in particular, is a great pop record, but still sounds too synthetic with its clicks, bleeps, and drum machines. I know that the point is to combine the electronic with the pop melody, but something gets in the way--the "state of the art" machines they used. This record is no longer fresh. And freshness is key in listenability.
Enter: Keith Fullerton Whitman's Playthroughs. (Note: I'm not a pretentious asshole who only supports the avant-garde.) Now I could give you a whole back story on Whitman, but that would downplay how good this record is and trivialize where it is coming from. Yes, it's great. It stands alone, apart from almost all other electronic records that I've heard in the last few years. Aside from that, one can listen to the record repeatedly, finding something new each time. It's a thrilling listen that exists independent of genre, time, and place.
So what does Playthroughs sound like? OK, I'll try my best. Basically, Whitman has made a record of hums, drones, guitar feedback, and other harmonic noises that gently melt into one another. Think shoegaze without drums. This record has the capability to dismiss rhythm and still sound more interesting than 95% of electronic music. Strike that, music in general. The "songs" (it's recorded in 5 parts) layer innumerable amounts of warm tones on top of one another creating an electric blanket of sound. The music washes over you, causing the hair on your neck to stand up. Occasionaly a click or bleep finds its way into the mix, but not really for rhythm's sake--these pops remind you that, no, you're not in heaven, just listening to what it might sound like. I really don't think it's an accident that the cover has photos taken from a plane looking down upon the earth.
I know that in 5 years I'll be able to listen to this record an think, "damn this is some beautiful music." It won't be pigeonholed to an area. It won't sound dated, because Playthroughs sounds like it was created with wind, fire, water, and earth. And it won't be compartmentalized or stuffed into a genre, because it doesn't sound like anything else.
Or, at least I hope it'll sound as new--who knows what the future has in store?
Wednesday, July 30, 2003
Wednesday, July 23, 2003
::Song Review: Superchunk's "Throwing Things (Acoustic)"::
I must admit that I haven't fully understood Superchunk until the last few years. Yeah, they're nothing new, especially now, for someone who missed factions of the indie rock boat in the early 90's. One thing I'll give Superchunk is that in between the buzzsaw guitars, punk rock drums, and shrieked vocals is an incredible pop song that ocassionally gets lost under walls of distortion. And, if you've read anything other than this article, you'll probably notice that I'll claim over and over that there is nothing better than a great hook that gets stuck in your head.
The problem with Superchunk is that a cursory listen won't provide much. You will almost always miss the hidden melodies and songcraft buried beneath a pop-punk exterior. This means a casual listen will reap no benefits of a Superchunk song. The original, electrified version of "Throwing Things" (off of No Pocky for Kitty)is nowhere near as captivating as the acoustic version on Incidental Music 1991-95, their singles collection. The electric version practically chews up the song and spits it out, resulting in an average indie rock song with (seemingly) little emotional weight.
Once the electric guitars are removed, drums are simplified, and a leisurely pace is employed "Throwing Things" becomes a stripped down masterpiece. Mac McCaughan's lyrics about trying to prove his love are suprisingly great. He is at once whole-heartedly sincere yet unbelievable. Mac admits "I'm making a promise and that's a start", painting the girl as one who knows all his past failures in romance, obviously a difficult position for the protagonist to be in when trying to start over. We never find if he does win the girl over, but we can be sure that he's sure he needs her companionship or, in looser terms, lovin'.
While McCaughan does sound sure that he wants the girl, he still cannot escape his past, making him unsure of the courtship. Will he wind up with a "skinned back", will he win her over, or will he realize that mabye he's put this girl on a pedestal? After all, she's treating him like shit. She's putting herself above him, throwing shit at him, and making him grovel for her respect. Yet still, he has his "hand on [his] heart" as if he's pledging allegance to her. But mabye that's just love, eh?
The problem with Superchunk is that a cursory listen won't provide much. You will almost always miss the hidden melodies and songcraft buried beneath a pop-punk exterior. This means a casual listen will reap no benefits of a Superchunk song. The original, electrified version of "Throwing Things" (off of No Pocky for Kitty)is nowhere near as captivating as the acoustic version on Incidental Music 1991-95, their singles collection. The electric version practically chews up the song and spits it out, resulting in an average indie rock song with (seemingly) little emotional weight.
Once the electric guitars are removed, drums are simplified, and a leisurely pace is employed "Throwing Things" becomes a stripped down masterpiece. Mac McCaughan's lyrics about trying to prove his love are suprisingly great. He is at once whole-heartedly sincere yet unbelievable. Mac admits "I'm making a promise and that's a start", painting the girl as one who knows all his past failures in romance, obviously a difficult position for the protagonist to be in when trying to start over. We never find if he does win the girl over, but we can be sure that he's sure he needs her companionship or, in looser terms, lovin'.
While McCaughan does sound sure that he wants the girl, he still cannot escape his past, making him unsure of the courtship. Will he wind up with a "skinned back", will he win her over, or will he realize that mabye he's put this girl on a pedestal? After all, she's treating him like shit. She's putting herself above him, throwing shit at him, and making him grovel for her respect. Yet still, he has his "hand on [his] heart" as if he's pledging allegance to her. But mabye that's just love, eh?
Monday, July 21, 2003
::Some Quick Reviews Of Shit I Have In My CD Booklet Right Now (Pt.2)::
Yeah, I wanted to do this on Friday, but I was too lazy to get around to it. So here you are...
- Loose Fur Loose Fur: Although this isn't nearly the masterpiece that Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was, this collaboration between Jim O'Rourke, Jeff Tweedy, and Glenn Kotche is nothing to immediately dismiss. The three players on this record have an incredible chemistry together. They trust the direction the song is going rather than forcing spontaneous ideas. As always, O'Rourke's production is amazing. Some standouts include (and some of Tweedy's better songs) "You Were Wrong" and "Chinese Apple".
- Blur Think Tank: I like this record, although I really need to be in the mood to listen to it. A very interesting departure for the band from their acclaimed 13. Since Graham Coxon, the band's former guitarist, has left, Damon Albarn has obviously taken over and created an electronically-oriented pop album, perhaps too ahead of its time. Althought the Norman Cook produced (read: Fatboy Slim) tracks fall very flat there are some redeeming qualities in "Ambulance" and "Out of Time". But none of the tracks hold up to something like "Coffee and TV".
- Bonnie "Prince" Billy Master and Everyone: Fuck the haters. Who says this album is bad? It's a simply beautiful, worthwhile album full of perfect singer-songwriter folky type stuff. There is no disputing that. I've heard Will Oldham compared to James Taylor on this new record. That's unbelievable. First, Oldham doesn't write songs that are boring as shit. Second, Oldham doesn't use the same harmony in every tune. Finally, Oldham's lyrics are actually captivating--always on the brink of sanity/insanity yet always seemingly in control. Songs of heartbreak have never sounded so pretty before. Try "Ain't You Wealthy, Ain't You Wise?" and "Joy and Jubilee" if you don't listen to the whole thing.
- Summer Hymns Clemency: Athens, Georgia. I visited there last fall during a school break. It's really kind of strange. (More than) half the town seem to be fratty jocks rooting for dem Dawgs, brother! The other half have blue hair and are the resident arty folk. I don't really understand how these two groups survive together, in the South no less, but it seems to happen effortlessly. What's even more strange is that countless great indie rock bands have come from this town and called it home. R.E.M., Olivia Tremor Control, and all the Elephant 6 groups got thier start here, and now we have Summer Hymns. At first, I was very apprehensive about this album. That is, I thought is was another run of the mill alt-country album. That is not the case, my friend. This is an incredibly gorgeous pop album perfect for the summertime. Lots of pedal steel and slow ballads, but an abundance of hooks that could fill three records. Listen to "This Hip Hop", "Upon Your Face", and "Pete Rose Affinity" (weird) to get a taste.
- Prefuse 73 One Word Extinguisher: Atlanta, Georgia. I also visited this shithole of a city on that school break. Atlanta is spread out into something that looks like 80 towns in one, is hot, and is not fun. You could probably tell me that I looked in all the wrong places, but, I doubt it, Altanta is boring. It suprises me that anyone could live there and make music as beautiful as Scott Herren's new record under the Prefuse moniker. This record, like Atlanta, is all over the place with 23 tracks in 60 minutes. Herren, dabbles in glitch-heavy hip-hop that builds heavily upon the ambient factor. Really, this is the record that DJ Shadow should have made. Very bright towards the second half of the album. Some good ones are "Choking You", "Perverted Undertone", and "Huevos With Jeff and Rani" which features Def Jux MC, Mr. Lif.
- The Kinks The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society: Goddamn the Kinks are good. The Kinks really hit their stride with this record which is perfect from start to finish. Listen to "Big Sky" over and over and over and over.
- Q and Not U Different Damage: This DC band, is doing what that whole boring post-punk scene can't. Be interesting. I really like this record, because it doesn't seem to subscribe to a formula. Rather, Different Damage branches out into exciting, unvisited territory. There are some hallmarks here, the choppy guitars, spazzy drums and vocals, but there's one thing that is pleasantly missing--heavy bass. Now, I like the bass as an instrument, but that shit is getting out of control. Every recent post-punk record relies on the bass so heavily that its becoming the next electric guitar or something. Q and Not U instead relegate the bass to lower volumes, that is, if it's there at all due to the departure of their bass player. Bonus points for the drummer who was playing with a broken foot. Punk Rock! "Soft Pyramids" is hot, brothers and sisters.
- Rocket From the Crypt Group Sounds: So I saw RFTC when they were on tour for this record. It was kinda cool, they all had snakes embroidered on their shirts. Also, they play rock and roll music. Of the balls-out sort. I would recommend Scream, Dracula, Scream over this record, but this one's good too. They all kinda sound the same, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it's kinda comforting. Plus John Reis is a genius just because he's written some great tunes for Drive Like Jehu, RFTC and Hot Snakes. "Venom, Venom" is new territory for the band.
- Radiohead Hail to the Theif: Radiohead can do no wrong in my book. Unless, of course, they go back to The Bends. But they didn't with this record. Thanks for that boys! Great record, but my favorite track is still "There There".
::That's all...more tomorrow or later today if I feel so inclined::
- Loose Fur Loose Fur: Although this isn't nearly the masterpiece that Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was, this collaboration between Jim O'Rourke, Jeff Tweedy, and Glenn Kotche is nothing to immediately dismiss. The three players on this record have an incredible chemistry together. They trust the direction the song is going rather than forcing spontaneous ideas. As always, O'Rourke's production is amazing. Some standouts include (and some of Tweedy's better songs) "You Were Wrong" and "Chinese Apple".
- Blur Think Tank: I like this record, although I really need to be in the mood to listen to it. A very interesting departure for the band from their acclaimed 13. Since Graham Coxon, the band's former guitarist, has left, Damon Albarn has obviously taken over and created an electronically-oriented pop album, perhaps too ahead of its time. Althought the Norman Cook produced (read: Fatboy Slim) tracks fall very flat there are some redeeming qualities in "Ambulance" and "Out of Time". But none of the tracks hold up to something like "Coffee and TV".
- Bonnie "Prince" Billy Master and Everyone: Fuck the haters. Who says this album is bad? It's a simply beautiful, worthwhile album full of perfect singer-songwriter folky type stuff. There is no disputing that. I've heard Will Oldham compared to James Taylor on this new record. That's unbelievable. First, Oldham doesn't write songs that are boring as shit. Second, Oldham doesn't use the same harmony in every tune. Finally, Oldham's lyrics are actually captivating--always on the brink of sanity/insanity yet always seemingly in control. Songs of heartbreak have never sounded so pretty before. Try "Ain't You Wealthy, Ain't You Wise?" and "Joy and Jubilee" if you don't listen to the whole thing.
- Summer Hymns Clemency: Athens, Georgia. I visited there last fall during a school break. It's really kind of strange. (More than) half the town seem to be fratty jocks rooting for dem Dawgs, brother! The other half have blue hair and are the resident arty folk. I don't really understand how these two groups survive together, in the South no less, but it seems to happen effortlessly. What's even more strange is that countless great indie rock bands have come from this town and called it home. R.E.M., Olivia Tremor Control, and all the Elephant 6 groups got thier start here, and now we have Summer Hymns. At first, I was very apprehensive about this album. That is, I thought is was another run of the mill alt-country album. That is not the case, my friend. This is an incredibly gorgeous pop album perfect for the summertime. Lots of pedal steel and slow ballads, but an abundance of hooks that could fill three records. Listen to "This Hip Hop", "Upon Your Face", and "Pete Rose Affinity" (weird) to get a taste.
- Prefuse 73 One Word Extinguisher: Atlanta, Georgia. I also visited this shithole of a city on that school break. Atlanta is spread out into something that looks like 80 towns in one, is hot, and is not fun. You could probably tell me that I looked in all the wrong places, but, I doubt it, Altanta is boring. It suprises me that anyone could live there and make music as beautiful as Scott Herren's new record under the Prefuse moniker. This record, like Atlanta, is all over the place with 23 tracks in 60 minutes. Herren, dabbles in glitch-heavy hip-hop that builds heavily upon the ambient factor. Really, this is the record that DJ Shadow should have made. Very bright towards the second half of the album. Some good ones are "Choking You", "Perverted Undertone", and "Huevos With Jeff and Rani" which features Def Jux MC, Mr. Lif.
- The Kinks The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society: Goddamn the Kinks are good. The Kinks really hit their stride with this record which is perfect from start to finish. Listen to "Big Sky" over and over and over and over.
- Q and Not U Different Damage: This DC band, is doing what that whole boring post-punk scene can't. Be interesting. I really like this record, because it doesn't seem to subscribe to a formula. Rather, Different Damage branches out into exciting, unvisited territory. There are some hallmarks here, the choppy guitars, spazzy drums and vocals, but there's one thing that is pleasantly missing--heavy bass. Now, I like the bass as an instrument, but that shit is getting out of control. Every recent post-punk record relies on the bass so heavily that its becoming the next electric guitar or something. Q and Not U instead relegate the bass to lower volumes, that is, if it's there at all due to the departure of their bass player. Bonus points for the drummer who was playing with a broken foot. Punk Rock! "Soft Pyramids" is hot, brothers and sisters.
- Rocket From the Crypt Group Sounds: So I saw RFTC when they were on tour for this record. It was kinda cool, they all had snakes embroidered on their shirts. Also, they play rock and roll music. Of the balls-out sort. I would recommend Scream, Dracula, Scream over this record, but this one's good too. They all kinda sound the same, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it's kinda comforting. Plus John Reis is a genius just because he's written some great tunes for Drive Like Jehu, RFTC and Hot Snakes. "Venom, Venom" is new territory for the band.
- Radiohead Hail to the Theif: Radiohead can do no wrong in my book. Unless, of course, they go back to The Bends. But they didn't with this record. Thanks for that boys! Great record, but my favorite track is still "There There".
::That's all...more tomorrow or later today if I feel so inclined::
Thursday, July 17, 2003
::Some Quick Reviews Of Shit I Have In My CD Booklet Right Now (Pt.1)::
OK. Like most people, I have a short attention span. I like it when things are stripped to their bare minimum, but still retain the main idea. That's why I've always liked 'zine reviews. They're concise, yet good ones try to achieve the overall feel of a record. That's what I'm about to attempt. Some of the records I'm going to review will take longer than others, I'm sure. Read the ones you like. Without further discussion....
- David Bowie The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust: I bought this about a year ago and I still feel like I haven't completely absorbed this disc. Mabye that's just because it's really fucking good and I can listen to it again and again. I'm sure its irrelevant for me to point out that Bowie's alter ego was in full swing at this point, marking the beginning of rock theatrics and glam rock. Even though this album came out over 30 years ago it has aged very, very well never seeming rudimentary or played out. Also, it is worth noting that Bowie is quite possibly the greatest frontman ever and also, quite possibly, the greatest rock n' roll vocalist. Check out the one-two punch of "Ziggy Stardust" and "Suffragette City". Rock n' roll for the slightly sleazy set.
- Iron Maiden Live After Death (Disc One): Recorded live in L.A.'s Long Beach Arena, this record showcases some of the best popular heavy metal of the 80's. I understand many people's association with this band are the stoner losers in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. This is a very unfortunate connection. Although Iron Maiden can be kitschy (after all, what rock music isn't?) at times, they always fucking rock. The set is comprised mostly of their hits, and you can understand why these were such chart-toppers. They're pop songs trying to be hidden by a metal band and the outcome is great. Everything is just as you'd expect--the guitar solos are fast and long, lots of double bass drum is used, and the vocals are shrieked. Highlights include "2 Minutes to Midnight", "Run to the Hills", and "The Number of the Beast", obviously.
- Spoon Girls Can Tell: I automatically think that everyone knows this record as well as I do and in a way, they do. Recycled and refurbished pop hooks make great songs. The innovation comes across in the delivery. From Britt Daniels' vocals to Jim Eno's sparse and picky drumming, this is a truly great rock album taking chances and succeeding effortlessly. Also, the production is huge yet intimate. Girls Can Tell is quite possibly Spoon's most accessable effort (sucks for you Interscope!), but not quite as good as their minimalist masterpiece Kill The Moonlight. Check out "Everything Hits at Once", "Lines in the Suit", and "Fitted Shirt".
- Modest Mouse The Moon and Antarctica: Modest Mouse's finest hour. Although I still don't understand how they got signed to Epic, this record definetly has reaped the benefts of the label's resources. Namely, money. This is a record, like Girls Can Tell, that showcases excellent production, this time focusing upon space courtesy of ex-Red Red Meat member Brian Deck . Issac Brock's vocals are especially chilling on this record focusing on death and more philosophical territory more than before. Rather than capatilize on their spazzy The Lonesome Crowded West, Antarctica focuses on more subdued material that finds Modest Mouse sounding suprisingly sincere. Listen to "3rd Planet" and "The Stars are Projectors" for highlights, although the whole is better than its parts.
- Tomahawk Mit Gas: I'm not going to lie and try to justify my purchase by saying this is a great record. I'm not going to tell you that Tomahawk are the best rock band out there. I'm not going to talk about Mike Patton. I'm not going to review the bands the other members were in. I'm not even going to tell you what this record sounds like because you probably already know. All I'm going to say is that Tomahawk is a fucking rock band, that put out a fucking rock record, and I like it. Try "Birdsong".
- Chic The Very Best of Chic: Fuck you, I like wearing headphones and walking to this record. That way I can time my paces.
- King Geedorah Take Me To Your Leader: Daniel Dumile a.k.a. MF Doom has made a great record under his new alias King Geedorah. Featuring more unknown talented MCs than I know what to do with, really great production, and a weird B-Movie theme, Dumile's new project is brimming with ideas. This is the best hip-hop record I've heard in a very long time. Possibly since BlackStar. Yeah, that good. Try "Fast Lane", "Monster Zero", and "Next Levels".
- Trans Am Red Line: I don't really know what to do with this record. I want to like it, but something is incredibly abrasive, boring, or just generally not good about this record. Clocking in at around 74 minutes, it might be the overall length that keeps on scaring me off. Very atmospheric, ambient at times, but occasionally a new wave slice of goodness beats you over the head. Mabye I just bought it for the song titles. Check it: "Where Do You Want to Fuck Today?", "Play in the Summer", and "Shady Groove".
- Marvin Gaye What's Going On: What, honestly, can I say about this record that has never been said before? It's perfect? Nope, been said. Marvin Gaye's got a voice sweeter than honey? Nay. Never has an artistic endeavor dealing with social issues been so accessable? Sorry, no. What's Going On is just one of the best albums made--ever. Everything fits together perfectly but the record never comes across bland or one-dimensional. Can you say that about political punk-rock? No, because there is no sloganeering on this album, just perfect pop songs capturing a changing America. Listen to the whole thing over and over again.
- The Flaming Lips Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots: I bought a copy of The Soft Bulletin in high school and I found it to be an incredibly difficult album to comprehend. Once I finally figured out what was going on, I realized how great a songsmith Wayne Coyne is. Ironically once I started to "get it", the Lips were about to release a new album and make me reevaluate again what I think pop music is. Fortunately (for my lazy ass, at least), Yoshimi is an entirely different affair than their previous masterpieces. The record is at once accessable, thrilling and experimental. The record retains The Lips' ability to write profound ruminations on death, love, and life, all while disguising them behind beautiful melodies and lyrics about karate and pink robots. The Flaming Lips are an incredibly vital, interesting, and innovative band that has changed the topography of popular music as we know it and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots shows that they're nowhere near slowing down. I think "Fight Test", "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt.1", and "Are You a Hypnotist?" are great tracks.
- Meat Puppets II: Well, this, along with the Mekons Fear and Whiskey, started the whole alt-country deal. This is a damn good record. Curt Kirkwood's guitar playing is some of the best I've ever heard and fits perfectly with the country fried psychedelia that was II. Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr. and countless other bands claim the Meat Puppets as influences and they undoubtedly are. The Meat Puppets took the punk energy of bands like Black Flag and X and applied it to pop-rock songs without sounding too abrasive. Oddly, even though I love the vocals on this record, my favorites every time are the instrumentals "Aurora Borealis" and "I'm a Mindless Idiot" because they flow like water.
::I'm through with this for today...it's taking longer than I thought. Tune in tomorrow for more....::
- David Bowie The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust: I bought this about a year ago and I still feel like I haven't completely absorbed this disc. Mabye that's just because it's really fucking good and I can listen to it again and again. I'm sure its irrelevant for me to point out that Bowie's alter ego was in full swing at this point, marking the beginning of rock theatrics and glam rock. Even though this album came out over 30 years ago it has aged very, very well never seeming rudimentary or played out. Also, it is worth noting that Bowie is quite possibly the greatest frontman ever and also, quite possibly, the greatest rock n' roll vocalist. Check out the one-two punch of "Ziggy Stardust" and "Suffragette City". Rock n' roll for the slightly sleazy set.
- Iron Maiden Live After Death (Disc One): Recorded live in L.A.'s Long Beach Arena, this record showcases some of the best popular heavy metal of the 80's. I understand many people's association with this band are the stoner losers in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. This is a very unfortunate connection. Although Iron Maiden can be kitschy (after all, what rock music isn't?) at times, they always fucking rock. The set is comprised mostly of their hits, and you can understand why these were such chart-toppers. They're pop songs trying to be hidden by a metal band and the outcome is great. Everything is just as you'd expect--the guitar solos are fast and long, lots of double bass drum is used, and the vocals are shrieked. Highlights include "2 Minutes to Midnight", "Run to the Hills", and "The Number of the Beast", obviously.
- Spoon Girls Can Tell: I automatically think that everyone knows this record as well as I do and in a way, they do. Recycled and refurbished pop hooks make great songs. The innovation comes across in the delivery. From Britt Daniels' vocals to Jim Eno's sparse and picky drumming, this is a truly great rock album taking chances and succeeding effortlessly. Also, the production is huge yet intimate. Girls Can Tell is quite possibly Spoon's most accessable effort (sucks for you Interscope!), but not quite as good as their minimalist masterpiece Kill The Moonlight. Check out "Everything Hits at Once", "Lines in the Suit", and "Fitted Shirt".
- Modest Mouse The Moon and Antarctica: Modest Mouse's finest hour. Although I still don't understand how they got signed to Epic, this record definetly has reaped the benefts of the label's resources. Namely, money. This is a record, like Girls Can Tell, that showcases excellent production, this time focusing upon space courtesy of ex-Red Red Meat member Brian Deck . Issac Brock's vocals are especially chilling on this record focusing on death and more philosophical territory more than before. Rather than capatilize on their spazzy The Lonesome Crowded West, Antarctica focuses on more subdued material that finds Modest Mouse sounding suprisingly sincere. Listen to "3rd Planet" and "The Stars are Projectors" for highlights, although the whole is better than its parts.
- Tomahawk Mit Gas: I'm not going to lie and try to justify my purchase by saying this is a great record. I'm not going to tell you that Tomahawk are the best rock band out there. I'm not going to talk about Mike Patton. I'm not going to review the bands the other members were in. I'm not even going to tell you what this record sounds like because you probably already know. All I'm going to say is that Tomahawk is a fucking rock band, that put out a fucking rock record, and I like it. Try "Birdsong".
- Chic The Very Best of Chic: Fuck you, I like wearing headphones and walking to this record. That way I can time my paces.
- King Geedorah Take Me To Your Leader: Daniel Dumile a.k.a. MF Doom has made a great record under his new alias King Geedorah. Featuring more unknown talented MCs than I know what to do with, really great production, and a weird B-Movie theme, Dumile's new project is brimming with ideas. This is the best hip-hop record I've heard in a very long time. Possibly since BlackStar. Yeah, that good. Try "Fast Lane", "Monster Zero", and "Next Levels".
- Trans Am Red Line: I don't really know what to do with this record. I want to like it, but something is incredibly abrasive, boring, or just generally not good about this record. Clocking in at around 74 minutes, it might be the overall length that keeps on scaring me off. Very atmospheric, ambient at times, but occasionally a new wave slice of goodness beats you over the head. Mabye I just bought it for the song titles. Check it: "Where Do You Want to Fuck Today?", "Play in the Summer", and "Shady Groove".
- Marvin Gaye What's Going On: What, honestly, can I say about this record that has never been said before? It's perfect? Nope, been said. Marvin Gaye's got a voice sweeter than honey? Nay. Never has an artistic endeavor dealing with social issues been so accessable? Sorry, no. What's Going On is just one of the best albums made--ever. Everything fits together perfectly but the record never comes across bland or one-dimensional. Can you say that about political punk-rock? No, because there is no sloganeering on this album, just perfect pop songs capturing a changing America. Listen to the whole thing over and over again.
- The Flaming Lips Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots: I bought a copy of The Soft Bulletin in high school and I found it to be an incredibly difficult album to comprehend. Once I finally figured out what was going on, I realized how great a songsmith Wayne Coyne is. Ironically once I started to "get it", the Lips were about to release a new album and make me reevaluate again what I think pop music is. Fortunately (for my lazy ass, at least), Yoshimi is an entirely different affair than their previous masterpieces. The record is at once accessable, thrilling and experimental. The record retains The Lips' ability to write profound ruminations on death, love, and life, all while disguising them behind beautiful melodies and lyrics about karate and pink robots. The Flaming Lips are an incredibly vital, interesting, and innovative band that has changed the topography of popular music as we know it and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots shows that they're nowhere near slowing down. I think "Fight Test", "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt.1", and "Are You a Hypnotist?" are great tracks.
- Meat Puppets II: Well, this, along with the Mekons Fear and Whiskey, started the whole alt-country deal. This is a damn good record. Curt Kirkwood's guitar playing is some of the best I've ever heard and fits perfectly with the country fried psychedelia that was II. Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr. and countless other bands claim the Meat Puppets as influences and they undoubtedly are. The Meat Puppets took the punk energy of bands like Black Flag and X and applied it to pop-rock songs without sounding too abrasive. Oddly, even though I love the vocals on this record, my favorites every time are the instrumentals "Aurora Borealis" and "I'm a Mindless Idiot" because they flow like water.
::I'm through with this for today...it's taking longer than I thought. Tune in tomorrow for more....::
Tuesday, July 15, 2003
5 Reasons Why Stephen Malkmus' "1% of One" Is Good
5.) One percent of one is actually 1%. In fact, 1% of 1 is .01. If you turn it into a percentage .01 is 1%. Therefore, the central statement is true making the song not only believable, but in essence, a fact. Since many people pride themselves on knowing facts both for their own satisfaction and to function reasonably well in society, listening to this song almost mandatory.
4.) When the Jicks fully take hold of this song, live or on the recorded version, its fascinating. Never does the song get boring or belabored--you do not want this song to end. Now can we say the same thing about a cover of "Cortez the Killer" that lasts for 24 minutes? No, we cannot.
3.) Have I mentioned that Stephen Malkmus is one of the greatest lyricists ever? Well, sort of. He is. In addition to that, Malkmus is a fucking great guitar player. This isn't the kind of shit you'll read about in Guitar World. It's stuff that way too inventive for that rag. This is guitar playing that implies more that the actual music played.
2.) Never have the Jicks seemed so loose and out-of-control while keeping their focus. This was probably one of the best things about Pavement and it has finally transferred over to the Jicks. Completely in control while on the brink of disaster. And we all know Pavement was great.
1.) It's a great pop song with sweet melodies guaranteed to stick to your ribs.
4.) When the Jicks fully take hold of this song, live or on the recorded version, its fascinating. Never does the song get boring or belabored--you do not want this song to end. Now can we say the same thing about a cover of "Cortez the Killer" that lasts for 24 minutes? No, we cannot.
3.) Have I mentioned that Stephen Malkmus is one of the greatest lyricists ever? Well, sort of. He is. In addition to that, Malkmus is a fucking great guitar player. This isn't the kind of shit you'll read about in Guitar World. It's stuff that way too inventive for that rag. This is guitar playing that implies more that the actual music played.
2.) Never have the Jicks seemed so loose and out-of-control while keeping their focus. This was probably one of the best things about Pavement and it has finally transferred over to the Jicks. Completely in control while on the brink of disaster. And we all know Pavement was great.
1.) It's a great pop song with sweet melodies guaranteed to stick to your ribs.
Tuesday, July 08, 2003
Dead Meadow - Shivering King and Others - Matador
Live music is incredibly important to any rock n' roll band. Those who commit themselves to creating music as a living simply must survive by touring. It is the only way for many bands to make money. Of course, touring can be a double edged sword. People get exhausted from incessant travel, egos collide due to limited space, and songs become worn out through daily play. Sometimes touring is the reason for a band's demise. After all, a floor or a van can become the home of the professional musician--certainly not the glorious Cribs vision of rock superstardom.
While some bands may fall apart because of touring, some seem like not touring will tear the group apart. Dead Meadow is one of those bands. Each of their albums seem like warehouse jams that just happened to fall upon rolling tape. They thrive in the live atmosphere. I have seen the band twice: once in New York City and another time in the lovely, tiny Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Each time the band had a no-holds-barred performance. That is, they fucking floored me. Not only were their songs stretched out to the breaking point, but the power trio created a wall of sound that the Grateful Dead only could have hoped for. I couldn't imagine Dead Meadow ever just putting records out. They simply wouldn't hold up to the live experience.
For Shivering King and Others Dead Meadow have finally made an album that adequately transfers their live performances to tape. From the opening thud of "I Love You Too", Dead Meadow drop bass heavy psychedelia that commands to be cranked at maximum volume. Fuzzed out guitars and bass creep their way patiently overtop of Mark Laughlin's gigantic drumming. Heavy emphasis is placed on reverb and echo, especially with Jason Simon's otherworldly squeak and rocketship guitar. The song results in a journey through the past 30 years of hard rock, without recycling any ideas or sounding stale in any way.
While heavier Dead Meadow recalls early Blue Cheer and Black Sabbath, their slower and (mostly) quieter songs are recognizible as no one but themselves. Songs like the droning canyon jam "Everything's Going On" and the acoustic "Good Moanin'" fill the gaps between the sludge with beautifully organic gems of songs. The natual factor cannot be emphasized enough--these songs breathe like a living being and are definitely some of the best material on the album.
Shivering King and Others only weakness is its length. All of the songs seem to arise out of the great monolithic powerchord, so after 62 minutes (average track length: 6+ minutes) sometimes the jams can get tedious. Ironically, this never happens live, as their songs can stretch to lengths over 15 minutes without any sense of boredom setting in. Apparently the sheer volume that they accomplish live is not as captivating on tape.
Once Dead Meadow learn how to hone their songwriting chops a little better they will become unstoppable. As of right now, they have not yet learned the difference between a live performance and a recorded version. For now we'll just have to settle for this close approximation of their live capabilities. I think its a good deal.
Rating: 8
While some bands may fall apart because of touring, some seem like not touring will tear the group apart. Dead Meadow is one of those bands. Each of their albums seem like warehouse jams that just happened to fall upon rolling tape. They thrive in the live atmosphere. I have seen the band twice: once in New York City and another time in the lovely, tiny Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Each time the band had a no-holds-barred performance. That is, they fucking floored me. Not only were their songs stretched out to the breaking point, but the power trio created a wall of sound that the Grateful Dead only could have hoped for. I couldn't imagine Dead Meadow ever just putting records out. They simply wouldn't hold up to the live experience.
For Shivering King and Others Dead Meadow have finally made an album that adequately transfers their live performances to tape. From the opening thud of "I Love You Too", Dead Meadow drop bass heavy psychedelia that commands to be cranked at maximum volume. Fuzzed out guitars and bass creep their way patiently overtop of Mark Laughlin's gigantic drumming. Heavy emphasis is placed on reverb and echo, especially with Jason Simon's otherworldly squeak and rocketship guitar. The song results in a journey through the past 30 years of hard rock, without recycling any ideas or sounding stale in any way.
While heavier Dead Meadow recalls early Blue Cheer and Black Sabbath, their slower and (mostly) quieter songs are recognizible as no one but themselves. Songs like the droning canyon jam "Everything's Going On" and the acoustic "Good Moanin'" fill the gaps between the sludge with beautifully organic gems of songs. The natual factor cannot be emphasized enough--these songs breathe like a living being and are definitely some of the best material on the album.
Shivering King and Others only weakness is its length. All of the songs seem to arise out of the great monolithic powerchord, so after 62 minutes (average track length: 6+ minutes) sometimes the jams can get tedious. Ironically, this never happens live, as their songs can stretch to lengths over 15 minutes without any sense of boredom setting in. Apparently the sheer volume that they accomplish live is not as captivating on tape.
Once Dead Meadow learn how to hone their songwriting chops a little better they will become unstoppable. As of right now, they have not yet learned the difference between a live performance and a recorded version. For now we'll just have to settle for this close approximation of their live capabilities. I think its a good deal.
Rating: 8
Thursday, July 03, 2003
The Microphones: Mount Eerie: K Records
::Ok, this is only going to be a short review, mabye I'll post a l o n g e r one later. It is vacation time, y'all::
The Microphones' fourth (and final?) album, Mount Eerie, is truly Phil Elvrum's masterpiece. The record no longer sounds like The Microphones' previous experiments, this is the real deal: the conclusion. Mount Eerie is truly epic in scope. It is a concept record about Phil's (I assume) own personal journey into the afterlife.
All the elements are here. First the record begins with the faint sound of a heart beat, the same noise that ended The Glow, Pt. 2. Gradually tribal drumming swirls in and out of the speakers creating a disorienting effect that feels like one is both arriving at and leaving civilization--like one is losing and regaining consciousness. At around the 10 minute mark, Elvrum's voice overtakes all field recordings and we get his biography and the omnious presence of his death.
Then, amidst cymbal crashes and audio-chaos arises a compressed acoustic guitar and Elvrum's angelic vocals about watching himself from above. The protagonist is not completely comfortable with his situation as we see later he looks upon himself with a mixture of hope and meloncholy. Elvrum sings "Soon a big black cloud will come/ Soon a big black cloud will come/ And press you to the ground/ The air will leave your chest/ And you'll fade from where you're found."
Along the protagonist's travels into the afterlife he meets the Devil (Calvin Johnson) and other supernatural forces all causing him to look forward and back all while forcing him to remain in the present situation. Truly remarkable. The album ends in a state of limbo/heaven/peace. We float along for minutes in melodies not far removed from a Sigur Ros album. A truly blissful state.
The Microphones' Mount Eerie is quite possibly the best album of the year. I have yet to hear something better. With an album so epic in scope, it is pulled off remarkably well. Never has death and all it encompasses seemed so convincing for 40 minutes.
Rating: 10
The Microphones' fourth (and final?) album, Mount Eerie, is truly Phil Elvrum's masterpiece. The record no longer sounds like The Microphones' previous experiments, this is the real deal: the conclusion. Mount Eerie is truly epic in scope. It is a concept record about Phil's (I assume) own personal journey into the afterlife.
All the elements are here. First the record begins with the faint sound of a heart beat, the same noise that ended The Glow, Pt. 2. Gradually tribal drumming swirls in and out of the speakers creating a disorienting effect that feels like one is both arriving at and leaving civilization--like one is losing and regaining consciousness. At around the 10 minute mark, Elvrum's voice overtakes all field recordings and we get his biography and the omnious presence of his death.
Then, amidst cymbal crashes and audio-chaos arises a compressed acoustic guitar and Elvrum's angelic vocals about watching himself from above. The protagonist is not completely comfortable with his situation as we see later he looks upon himself with a mixture of hope and meloncholy. Elvrum sings "Soon a big black cloud will come/ Soon a big black cloud will come/ And press you to the ground/ The air will leave your chest/ And you'll fade from where you're found."
Along the protagonist's travels into the afterlife he meets the Devil (Calvin Johnson) and other supernatural forces all causing him to look forward and back all while forcing him to remain in the present situation. Truly remarkable. The album ends in a state of limbo/heaven/peace. We float along for minutes in melodies not far removed from a Sigur Ros album. A truly blissful state.
The Microphones' Mount Eerie is quite possibly the best album of the year. I have yet to hear something better. With an album so epic in scope, it is pulled off remarkably well. Never has death and all it encompasses seemed so convincing for 40 minutes.
Rating: 10
Wednesday, July 02, 2003
::Some Songs for Summertyme::
It's most defintely summer at this point. I'm very excited, as you have probably already noticed from my review yesterday. I love the summer and everything about it. Even though I digest dreary-as-fuck music, films, and books daily, there's no way to deny a blue-skied, warm summer day. And what's better than a beautiful summer day than a few tunes to provide the soundtrack for it. (Answer: Nothing. Unless, your preferences are different, of course.) So here's just five of my (rock) favorites. Which should be yours:
Sonic Youth - "Disconnection Notice" - Murray Street: Now I know what you may be thinking. "Bullshit, man. Sonic Youth reminds me of a heroin addict face down in the gutter." Fair enough, but that's not what this sounds like. This seamless rock for 6 minutes that feels just like a cool sea breeze. It sounds the huge orange summer sun looming on the horizon threating to end the day before you want it to.
My Bloody Valentine - "Sometimes" - Loveless: Now I don't know what Kevin Sheilds is singing about, but I'd venture to say it doesn't really matter. Either that, or I don't really care because this is such a beautiful song. This song has always reminded me of salt air in my nose and a cool breeze through my hair. This song screams to be played at nighttime, at about 65-70 degrees, with a clear sky and endless stars.
My Morning Jacket - "Bermuda Highway" - At Dawn: Something about bands with "My" at the beginning of their name makes them summertime music. This song, about a quarter of the way through MMJ's epic second album must be heard to believed. Jim James' honey-sweet voice floats perfectly over a single acoustic guitar all while swamped in reverb, creating an incredibly captivating performance. Straddles the line between warmth and overheating perfectly.
Secret Machines - "Still See You" - September 000: A perfect song from an all too short mini LP by New York by way of Texas rockers Secret Machines. A soothing long instrumental intro rides along until--BAM!!--here's the hook. And what a hook it is. Pure joyous pop that no one could hate. This song is like a dip in crystal clear waters underneath a bright blue sky.
TransChamps - "First Comes Sunday Morning" into "Then Comes Saturday Night" - Double Exposure EP: I don't think anyone should be without this. This is the best supergroup I've ever heard and the five track album is a tease. Just imagine, indie-metallers The Fucking Champs and indie-everythings Trans Am. The first song is all pretty and sunny acoustic guitars perfect to float on a raft to. The second half, on the other hand, kicks in and The Fucking Champs and Trans Am stop being pussies and crank their Marshall stacks--motherfucker, this is what summertime is about. Weed, booze, and broads all compacted into a 7 minute instrumental suite. An ode to partying, if you will.
Sonic Youth - "Disconnection Notice" - Murray Street: Now I know what you may be thinking. "Bullshit, man. Sonic Youth reminds me of a heroin addict face down in the gutter." Fair enough, but that's not what this sounds like. This seamless rock for 6 minutes that feels just like a cool sea breeze. It sounds the huge orange summer sun looming on the horizon threating to end the day before you want it to.
My Bloody Valentine - "Sometimes" - Loveless: Now I don't know what Kevin Sheilds is singing about, but I'd venture to say it doesn't really matter. Either that, or I don't really care because this is such a beautiful song. This song has always reminded me of salt air in my nose and a cool breeze through my hair. This song screams to be played at nighttime, at about 65-70 degrees, with a clear sky and endless stars.
My Morning Jacket - "Bermuda Highway" - At Dawn: Something about bands with "My" at the beginning of their name makes them summertime music. This song, about a quarter of the way through MMJ's epic second album must be heard to believed. Jim James' honey-sweet voice floats perfectly over a single acoustic guitar all while swamped in reverb, creating an incredibly captivating performance. Straddles the line between warmth and overheating perfectly.
Secret Machines - "Still See You" - September 000: A perfect song from an all too short mini LP by New York by way of Texas rockers Secret Machines. A soothing long instrumental intro rides along until--BAM!!--here's the hook. And what a hook it is. Pure joyous pop that no one could hate. This song is like a dip in crystal clear waters underneath a bright blue sky.
TransChamps - "First Comes Sunday Morning" into "Then Comes Saturday Night" - Double Exposure EP: I don't think anyone should be without this. This is the best supergroup I've ever heard and the five track album is a tease. Just imagine, indie-metallers The Fucking Champs and indie-everythings Trans Am. The first song is all pretty and sunny acoustic guitars perfect to float on a raft to. The second half, on the other hand, kicks in and The Fucking Champs and Trans Am stop being pussies and crank their Marshall stacks--motherfucker, this is what summertime is about. Weed, booze, and broads all compacted into a 7 minute instrumental suite. An ode to partying, if you will.
Tuesday, July 01, 2003
V/A : Miami Sound -- Rare Funk and Soul from 1969-74 : Soul Jazz Records
First of all, let me start off by saying that its unbelievable that no one has heard this before. (Well, almost no one. Don't be that pretentious record-collector asshole.) This is summer music. Hot yet cool like a nice breeze. I can only imagine how fun it could've been if I was in a club (pre: discoteque) rocking to these jams. So, so smooth.
Miami, as much as I do not want to admit it, is responsible for many dance music trends. See, I hate Miami. It's all plastic, neon, and pink. But damn, this record makes me want to move to Miami, buy a Cadillac, and rock a light blue suit. It's so easy to swallow, but doesn't make you sick to your stomach like some lite-R&B jizz. This is the real deal. This sounds like Miami always was supposed to look.
Dance music these days is a hot commodity in the independent music world. Lots of chugga-chugga rhythms and fat bass. From even a cursory listen of Miami Sound it's obvious where all this started. This is the beginning of angular rhythms and melodies that stick to your ribs. Only thing is, this is so much more sincere than the its-ironic-to-pretend-we're-not-ironic dancepunk scene. And the vocals are gorgeous.
The greatest treasure on this disc are the songs by James Knight. Hands down. These songs have been overlooked for 30 years, and only now do they sound just as fresh as they did at their conception. "Save Me" really should rank up there with Sex Machine-era James Brown, only replace the animalistic grunts with blacksploitation funk-and-speak. Hot.
Miami Sound is the soundtrack for a summer by the beach. If there only were field recordings of seagulls, waves, and ice-cream trucks I would get tan from listening to this.
Rating: 9
Miami, as much as I do not want to admit it, is responsible for many dance music trends. See, I hate Miami. It's all plastic, neon, and pink. But damn, this record makes me want to move to Miami, buy a Cadillac, and rock a light blue suit. It's so easy to swallow, but doesn't make you sick to your stomach like some lite-R&B jizz. This is the real deal. This sounds like Miami always was supposed to look.
Dance music these days is a hot commodity in the independent music world. Lots of chugga-chugga rhythms and fat bass. From even a cursory listen of Miami Sound it's obvious where all this started. This is the beginning of angular rhythms and melodies that stick to your ribs. Only thing is, this is so much more sincere than the its-ironic-to-pretend-we're-not-ironic dancepunk scene. And the vocals are gorgeous.
The greatest treasure on this disc are the songs by James Knight. Hands down. These songs have been overlooked for 30 years, and only now do they sound just as fresh as they did at their conception. "Save Me" really should rank up there with Sex Machine-era James Brown, only replace the animalistic grunts with blacksploitation funk-and-speak. Hot.
Miami Sound is the soundtrack for a summer by the beach. If there only were field recordings of seagulls, waves, and ice-cream trucks I would get tan from listening to this.
Rating: 9
Check this out. Some real nice artwork by a friend (Chad Pugh). See if you can find the Wake Radio poster from this year. Its real nice. The bible-toters were kind of freaked out by it.
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