Back soon...

Yeah, been missing lately, but for good reason. Been seeing a ton of shows, some more are on the way. Saw Spoon last Sunday, Lightning Bolt yesterday, going to see the Dismemberment Plan reunion tomorrow and LCD Soundsystem in a couple of weeks. Once I'm back, "D" will be devoted to the D-Plan. Cheers!

Videos...

I was thinking about doing "D" on the Drones, and I still might, but here's some videos in case I don't. This band kills.

"Sharkfin Blues" solo:

"Jezebel" video:

C: Cryptograms by Deerhunter

For a band that’s come from a perennially uncool city (Atlanta), these mothers have been drudging up some pretty heavy hype. Rightfully so, one tends to cast a shifty eyeball on any art that comes out of nowhere to near unanimous praise. It seems unfounded, unwarranted, unearned. But backlash for backlash’s sake is shit (see the smart review of the new Klaxons album on Pitchfork, which isn’t all that bad): it’s just lazy, let’s make an argument by taking the opposing view journalism.

Regardless, by reflex, I tend to get disinterested when the hype machine starts steamrolling. Still, my brother recommended I check them out as someone that I’d like. (By the way, he and his friends at 16 have way more advanced musical tastes than I ever knew existed at that age. I thought Fat Wreck Chords was as underground as it got.) So I did. And he was right.

Starting off with swirling psychedelic guitars submerged in delay pings and synthetic effects, I’m never sure where the hell things are going to end up. And it’s the inherent fun in Cryptograms: you’re thrown into the melee, occasionally allowed up for air, or floating in an ambient dust cloud. The stationary instrumentals, which at times sound like label-mates Windy & Carl, intermingle with 1,000-yard stare post-punk that reads from the Sonic Youth book, but draws its own conclusions. Yet while those two groups couldn’t sound more different next to one another in form or principal, Deerhunter manage to straddle a very large divide and deliver quite impressive results everywhere.

The title track, “Lake Somerset”, and “Octet” represent more of the college radio friendly fare (and indicative of Deerhunter’s “traditional” songwriting chops?) from the first half of the album, those representing the aforementioned delirious no-wave and noise rock. Their trance inducing minimalism-is-maximalism is flooring, similar to the way Spacemen 3 were able to wring out tons of weight from simple chord progressions and repetition. That first half is rumored (we don’t fact check here, asshole) to be recorded about 2 months prior to the second. The second half, starting with “Spring Hall Convert”, arrives with magnificent Technicolor harmony, subverting the minor-key My Bloody Valentine half for more candy coated noise pop that swells and swells until it reaches the breaking, but unfortunate stopping point. Once you hit “Heatherwood” it almost seems like you’re listening to a completely different band or album, but one that, looking hard enough, comes full circle.

Weirdly, on track 9 of 12 of the distant Cryptograms the singing finally comes into plain focus on “Strange Lights”. Frontman Brandon Cox sweetly coos that “Walking’s half the fun”. It couldn’t be more appropriate: Deerhunter’s a band that emphasizes the absolute joy of tension-building and repetition. The process is always better than the payout.

B: Bonham, John Henry

I read somewhere that everyone goes through their Led Zeppelin phase, no matter how old or for how long. To paraphrase the text I’m not going to be able to reference or describe eloquently, you could be a 15-year old awkward teen or a 30-year old stockbroker, but Zep takes hold and it’s all you want to hear. Like, nothing sounds better than “Black Dog” or that incredibly massive riff in “Moby Dick” and all it makes you wanna do is drink beer or sit on the hoods of Thunderbirds. It’s definitely happened to me, and tends to happen at least once a year. I was a late bloomer, not really digging them until my summer before Freshman and Sophomore years at college when I felt obliged to pick up Led Zeppelin I sensing that the emo well was kind of drying up.

Well.

From the first moment of “Good Times, Bad Times” it’s fairly obvious who’s in charge here. Yeah, there’s a great guitar line, but it’s one of the dime a dozen blues based riff that are pretty interchangeable in the Zep catalogue, so it’s not Jimmy Page. Plant can wail, but not here, he’s pretty reserved. Obviously it’s not John Paul Jones – guy plays bass and this ain’t Primus. It that crazy sonovabitch John Bonham and his maniacal right foot. He makes this group absolutely explode with drive. He punctuates bars with the perfect thundering fills and literally sounds like an octopus at times. (In trying to figure out what I was gonna write for this I listened to their live version of “Moby Dick” where Bonham solos for what seems like 3 hours. I’m surprised that dude’s arms are still on after that tour de force.)

I’m a guitar player, but I’ve always been way more drawn to the sounds of drums. Nothing’s better when a band has someone that can kick the shit out of their kit. But nothing’s better than if that same virtuosic drummer can fit in the pocket and give a song its pulse all while fleshing out and coloring a song with their skill. It’s obvious why Led Zeppelin split after Bonham died – they lost the guy the foundation of the group.

Check out:

I was gonna do "B" tonight and write about Black Flag, but it's pretty painfully obvious that I don't need to add much to the discussion. What I do know: this picture rules.

Hope to see you tomorrow with something.

A: Amon Duul

A: Amon Duul

Krautrock is as good as people say it is. It served a great purpose in the development of music: a simple, motorik beat repeats ad nauseum while minimalist melody unfolds over top, for often a 10+ minute duration of the songs. And apart from that, some of this stuff was just plain great – just try to not love Can’s “Oh Yeah” at about the half-way point. Without krautrock, most electronic music wouldn’t exist and, for that alone, respect is due. Yeah, sometimes the ideas formed didn’t seem to go anywhere. (Example: you can fault Can on some the second half of Tago Mago in the wrong frame of mind.) But, in the right mood, it’s some of the best stuff you’ve ever heard – stretched out minimalism that’s both disorienting and occasionally transcendent.

More than any of their contemporaries, Amon Duul are recognized as the forefathers of the whole krautrock movement. They originally consisted of, what I assume to be, hippie commune burnouts in late 60’s Germany, making appropriately stretched-out and red-eyed rock music on their debut Psychedelic Underground. At the time, psychedelia was just blossoming, but their take on the scene was distinct, unusual, occasionally terrifying/uplifting and incredible. Most popular rock music at the time (Beatles, Stones, Who, etc.) borrowed heavily from American foundations, whereas Amon Duul and the burgeoning krautrock scene favored something unearthly and individual – (poorly recorded) drum circle focused freakouts (try “Ein Wunderhubsches Madchen Traumt Von Sandosa” with time/patience), confounding tape experiments or baroque musings. For my money, Psychedelic Underground may have kick started the krautrock movement, but Amon Duul didn’t move in a different or more exciting direction until they became Amon Duul II.

Amon Duul II’s configuration dropped (some of) the hippie commune vibe for more straight forward rock tropes and way higher production values. Granted, we’re not talking three chord pop songs, but the guitar and therefore song composition began to become more of a focal point. Both Phallus Dei and Yeti are high points for this, balancing experimentation with tunefulness, particularly Dei’s title track and Yeti’s “Soap Shop Rock”, “Archangels Thunderbird” and, even if it’s short, “The Return of Reubezahl”. Amon Duul began to approach a way further out version of Yes. Their turn into songwriting yielded occasional singing that was (and is) pretty embarrassing, but they still honed their flourishing improvisational chops. Particularly on Yeti, my favorite Amon Duul record by a narrow margin, they sound tight as hell on “Yeti (improvisation)”. But listen to the drums – it’s not a krautrock song by definition – they’re playing rock music here.

Unfortunately, in the mid-70’s, Amon Duul took an ill-advised plunge into mainstream songwriting territory, but for a short while there, they were able to balance joyful improvisational power with exuberant songwriting. Thankfully, we have a few records left of the magic: a band that masterfully could span the divide of improv and composition.

Check out: Yeti, Psychedelic Underground, and Phallus Dei.

B is for Boring Idea

Driving back from Northern NJ today for work I came up with a wonderful idea to give myself some more initiative to post on here. While lifting an idea from Sue Grafton is probably a horrendous idea, I'm going to anyway to give myself some parameters to write. Essentially it'll be A: (band name/genre/city that begins with A), B: (band name/genre/city that begins with B), etc. It'll give me direction and on a writing schedule that'll have a definite topic -- sometimes I find myself floundering about for something to write about. Similar to what James Murphy did with 44:33*, I'm giving myself certain boundaries, but truly imaginary boundaries that "restrict" only in the sense that I'm giving myself 26 consecutive things to write about. By the way, this won't be done in 26 days and if I feel the need to write about something else, "off-letter", I will. I care about you, that's why I'm doing this. Just so you know.

*This is untrue.

10 Years Later...

The Beta Band broke up to very little fanfare sometime in the last two years. For a band that had a hugely promising focal point in a great movie (High Fidelity), it was strange to see such a unique and, let's be honest, agreeable band disappear. I remember the first time my (now reformed) Banana Republic sporting ass saw and heard "Dry the Rain" on the big screen. All those moments of trying to find my niche and what I was going to waste 90% of my time finally became clear. Record collector! But, it seems like time's unkind to bands like the Betas in recent memory. I've just been checking out The Three EPs, and, hell yes, these dudes could gel. Particularly on "B + A" and "Dog's Got a Bone" they take the mindset of a electronic act, manipulating their sound ever so slightly and minimally to reach the grand apex of release, but they're doing it within the claustrophobic boundaries of traditional rock music and instrumentation. Pretty impressive stuff. Now, you could point to plenty of earlier examples of this type of music, but rarely are they as genuinely enjoyable to listen to. It honestly seems that people are waiting another ten years until we can like this stuff again. So when you hear about the super-deluxe digi-release of the Betas epically mind-melting masterpieces, don't buy it - just enjoy it for what it is. Some very good grooves.

(By the way, Daft Punk ripped off "Monolith" on "Technologic". Sayin'...)

Get excited...

Thanks to the folks at Pitchfork for the heads up on Drag City's post of Bill Callahan's (Smog) newest song, "Sycamore". I'm not a huge fan of listening to stuff on the internet (getting used to it), but, shit yes, I am a big fan of Callahan's. From what it sounds like, we've got a step away from A River Ain't Too Much To Love and the sparse acoustic sound. Here, Mr. Callahan and crew favor a busy arrangement of 3 (or 4!) intertwining guitar lines and Bill's cool, assured baritone. The guitar sounds similar to "Our Anniversary", but much more complex and decidedly sanguine. Of course, Callahan remains one of our time's best lyricists, using deceptively simple diction and common sayings to reveal universal truths. Just a few samples: "And you won't get hurt if you just keep your hands up/And stand tall/Like sycamore" & "Sycamore gotta grow down to grow up." "Sycamore" is off of Woke on a Whaleheart and is coming out some time in April. I'm pumped.

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In other news, this is on the Fucking Champs' home page:

From what it sounds like, this could put to shame all that "heavy" music that's been floating around the last couple of years. I'm thinking of growing (or buying) a gross blond mustache for the occasion.

...

Thanks Drag City. You rule.

March Mix

After last month's (yeah, two mo. ago) frigid mix, we got some super weather here in Philly/S. Jersey, giving me the inspiration to break out some warm weather jams. Nothing here's really too "hott" for sure, but most of these tunes do remind me of being able to drive with the windows down. And that, in itself, is an damn feat after our miserable January and February.

Next month, I'll try not to base crap off of the weather, 'cause that shit is so played!

Sex:

Side A --
1. Annuals: "Brother" (Crickets chirp, indie rock from North Carolina rules.)
2. The Clientele: "My Own Face Inside the Trees"
3. Archers of Loaf: "Scenic Pastures" (NC what!)
4. The Beta Band: "I Know" (Incredible bass line. This song just feels warm.)
5. Stephen Malkmus: "Vanessa From Queens" (In an alternate universe, this would've been Seals and Croft's "Summer Breeze")
6. The Magnetic Fields: "When My Boy Walks Down the Street"
7. The Faces: "Cindy Incidentally"
8. Marah: "Sooner or Later" ('Course we need to close out side A with a drinking song. I want to swing a beer back and forth letting the suds splash over the side of the glass. But not get wet - like Prince during halftime at the Super Bowl. Magic.)

Side B --
9. Iggy & the Stooges: "Shake Appeal" (An absolute romp. What a burner.)
10. Jay Reatard: "Oh It's Such a Shame" (This dude and album, Blood Visions, has been tremendously overlooked and in heavy rotation over here. Looks like the PR focused Pitchfork and Friends missed an obvious hit. But you're better than that, right? Get it now.)
11. Blood On The Wall: "Stoner Jam"
12. Fujiya and Miyagi: "Photocopier"
13. Daft Punk: "Digital Love" (Is there a better pop song?)
14. LCD Soundsystem: "Someone Great" (Maybe this one.)
15. Beach House: "Saltwater"
16. Vetiver: "Maureen" (Nothing like finishing a mix with an old fashioned country folk song that's perfect for some porch sittin'.)