tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55333192012-01-22T21:40:45.151-05:00Endless BoogieBBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.comBlogger1901100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-82897448385395023652010-03-14T20:00:00.002-04:002010-03-14T20:01:13.947-04:00

Writing more long-form reviews here.

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-56700039607057028802009-09-07T09:43:00.000-04:002009-09-07T09:44:15.037-04:00

I've moved!

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-56592532258003952672009-08-02T10:06:00.002-04:002009-08-02T10:18:41.103-04:00

New song - solo acoustic and vocal, recorded to Logic 7/26. Enjoy.Come On.mp3 - Soft Pyramids

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-46514153920795733492008-09-14T16:30:00.002-04:002008-09-14T16:34:31.940-04:00

Finally got to putting something else together. Obviously not the best song ever, and there's some flaws, but I'm pretty happy with it...Place Your Bets.mp3 - Soft Pyramids

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-70125114315775230752008-07-15T22:36:00.004-04:002008-07-16T17:21:40.931-04:00

Finally had a chance to work in this new MacBook a bit. Hopefully there'll be more to come, and hopefully not as much a rip of Tim Hecker next time...7-15-08 - Brett Baxter

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-80100900363097753252008-01-15T21:15:00.001-05:002008-09-14T16:35:47.984-04:00

So, I'm not going to do a 2007 list. Seems kind of pointless at this juncture, I still like a lot of the albums, and lists are kind of goofy in nature, anyhow. Plus my life is getting busier and more complicated by the minute anyways.So after 187 posts, I'd like for you to turn your attention to Pinko Flamingo where I'll be doing the majority of posting forthwith. Feel free to check in here, but

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-9185410452134841412007-12-19T20:20:00.000-05:002007-12-19T20:36:04.648-05:00

Down to 60. Tough stuff. Couple of notes:First, I forgot how damn good this Feist record is. I mean, it's kind of gotten tons of rubbernecking bloggers backlashing the crap out of it. Be aware -- to discount a record because it's available in Starbucks and in an iPod commercial makes no sense. She's got a beautiful voice, writes great songs and has created a great sense of space in her songs. In

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-59776945637186193182007-12-16T21:12:00.000-05:002007-12-16T21:17:35.828-05:00

So, I've whittled the who-gives-a-shit best album list down to 76. I'm trying to get into the 20 range, but that's some tough stuff. I've already eliminated Freeway, Sloan, Jesu and Pig Destroyer -- all who had some great records this year worth your attention. Not sure why I'm even concerned about this though as there's already been 20+ that I've seen for '07 and every one of them has Arcade

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-8967113439304040042007-11-20T13:14:00.000-05:002007-11-20T13:18:33.888-05:00

From a post on Wikipedia referencing Adam Forkner's new White Rainbow album, Prism of Eternal Now:Prism Of Eternal Now is the most recent album by ambient/soundscape artist White Rainbow. Unlike Sky Drips Drifts, this album is not one continuous track, but rather a collection of shorter works that show the more recent loop-based phase of White Rainbow's music. Also, unlike ZOME, the album has no

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-57311017743535406402007-10-30T20:48:00.000-04:002007-10-30T21:09:38.189-04:00

Ladies and gentlemen, I've been trying to decide where to take this whole backlog and move it into the future (like Steve Miller?). Seems a little unsure at the time. I have time, if I choose to use it: just can't seem to figure what to write about and whether that opinion/criticism is worth adding to the constant babble of the internet. After all, it's hard to disagree with Jess Harvell's points

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-64230555313418401882007-09-26T12:15:00.000-04:002007-09-26T12:16:23.620-04:00

I know it's not very indie of me, but the breakdown + exploding background makes the hair stand up on my arms. This song kicks ass.Foo Fighters - The Pretender (Video Premiere)Uploaded by Alisvideo

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-79197398282842983362007-09-19T20:09:00.000-04:002008-12-09T19:04:04.061-05:00

Just got a pair of these Sennheiser HD 595 cans above. Gotta say, I thought that money headphones were BS and all the things I was reading were all viral marketing. Not so. I can't speak for the other 5000 competitors to these (I'm sure some are better, whatever), but it's literally like someone wiped a layer of grime off of all my music. It's pretty hard to listen to Zep right now and not

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-32572629383961791482007-09-19T20:07:00.000-04:002007-09-19T20:09:08.979-04:00

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-25791688200717655342007-09-18T21:33:00.001-04:002008-12-09T19:04:04.092-05:00

I'm having a bit of trouble getting back into this. Every post I start begins "ever since I was young" or some goofball generalization. Sorry. Quality control - at least for the first couple since my last one.See you soon?

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-25026358037995371412007-09-16T20:43:00.000-04:002007-09-16T20:48:34.040-04:00

Yeah, it's been a while. Soon I'll be back with something more, but I'm alive.In the meantime, UGK's new one, Kanye's new one, and Scarface's old one are all amazing. And that's just recent hip-hop discoveries.

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-72495757690899084912007-06-21T15:42:00.000-04:002008-12-09T19:04:04.264-05:00

Seventh grade for most people is super-awkward. I was no different. While it’s tough to remember perfectly, I do recall it junior high to be a greatly uncomfortable time. And yeah, looking back on it, I was a huge herb. Sixth was cool: I wasn’t sexually aware yet, They Might Be Giants were my favorite band, I had my little brother do somersaults for my “Bring Your Pet to School Day”. But

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-61501537127659416532007-06-13T20:59:00.000-04:002008-12-09T19:04:04.347-05:00

From the first icy cool bass drum and oxygen deprived vocal snippet that graces From Here We Go Sublime, it’s clear that minimalism is at play here. I’m going to take that a step further and be honest: minimalism in house, (tech-house, whatever) in and of itself, is flat out boring. Electronic dance music was made for ecstatic moments. So when close to the 2:00 mark during this record, a weird

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-86185113556151825252007-05-14T20:20:00.000-04:002007-05-14T20:23:38.622-04:00

Yeah, I've been gone for a few days/weeks. Been busy: ran a 10-mile race, had a fiancee finish year 2 of law school, been in and out of NYC twice in the last two days. But yeah, I promise that I'm making an effort to write more, even with an irregular schedule. See you soon.

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-88638423775937657682007-05-14T20:15:00.000-04:002008-12-09T19:04:04.474-05:00

Kicking off their last album, Guided By Voices have pretty much everyone’s highest expectations to live up to. It’s fitting then that it’s one of those perfect, mid-fi Bob Pollard tunes that doesn’t smack you in the face, but slowly, deliberately makes you reach for and raise your lighter. Everything’s intact here: jangly guitars, Who worship, well enunciated lyrics, that slight yet fake

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-34508290300855870432007-05-01T21:18:00.000-04:002008-12-09T19:04:04.662-05:00

Coming up on the start of the show, there was a peculiar calm over the Black Cat that I’m unfamiliar with. Most concerts I’ve seen where there’s a high level of anticipation, it’s like the roof on the venue is about to blow off. People can barely contain themselves, sporadic shouts pepper the atmosphere. Last Friday, the Black Cat was seriously tame compared to, shoot, the Lightning Bolt show

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-71094997306030971042007-04-26T21:40:00.000-04:002008-12-09T19:04:04.798-05:00

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!

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-37159476659768189372007-04-21T08:57:00.000-04:002007-04-21T09:00:05.667-04:00

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:

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-26577105341841844182007-04-19T21:16:00.000-04:002008-12-09T19:04:05.010-05:00

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

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-91235122790374190412007-04-15T16:44:00.000-04:002008-12-09T19:04:05.143-05:00

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

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-57275575288655902782007-04-11T20:51:00.000-04:002008-12-09T19:04:05.441-05:00

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.

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-56655359428229693442007-04-10T21:56:00.000-04:002008-12-09T19:04:10.028-05:00

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,

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-39508667193143120482007-04-10T18:32:00.000-04:002008-12-09T19:04:10.139-05:00

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

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-82315261620329596442007-04-09T21:31:00.000-04:002008-12-09T19:04:10.506-05:00

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

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-52500389856986546752007-04-04T20:13:00.000-04:002008-12-09T19:04:10.798-05:00

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

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-49360447181307781032007-04-02T20:35:00.002-04:002008-12-09T19:04:10.994-05:00

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

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-67879503492589880822007-03-21T21:53:00.000-04:002008-12-09T19:04:11.636-05:00

Extended-stay hotels always carry a creepy feeling: like transitory cages for the middle-aged with the stale stink of lonely drinking, deviant pornography, or unrealized delusions of grandeur hanging in the air. Probably creepier too are the images of business people Prozac-ed out, psyched about their meeting the next day that greet you on cardboard placards. Eeriness abounds: there's weird

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-26314225184067014082007-03-15T18:07:00.000-04:002007-03-15T18:11:04.363-04:00

Maybe I'm just feeling this because of the upcoming reunion, but Travis Morrison's new track is totally dope, yo. Check it here. After his first solo record (yeah, I admit it, not very good), this is super promising. Brings back the fun spazziness of the Plan 4 sure.

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-51895146840457094552007-03-07T20:34:00.000-05:002007-03-10T15:26:59.563-05:00

I have Dismemberment Plan tickets to their 4/27 show. Shit yes!To those of you who don't know what this means: this means awesome. This means a shit-eating grin across my face for the next month and a half or so. This means that I have one more chance to get super sweaty to the jams that soundtracked most of my senior year of high school and college years. This means my leg starts to shake

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-55633623335814854202007-02-21T20:21:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:11.773-05:00

If I haven't mentioned it before, or if you haven't read that far back, I'm a member of a geek-out music community called the International Mixtape Project. Essentially, it’s a group of guys and girls who make mixtapes (usually CDs) for each other on a monthly basis. Unless serendipity steps in, you don’t know the person and they don’t know you – you’re really just picking a bunch of songs

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-91889306000752976432007-02-07T20:25:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:11.967-05:00

LiarsDrum’s Not Dead(Mute) Liars are a band very few people apart from themselves expected to be where they are right now. In the dance-punk salad days of ’01, they were the toast of vintage denim ground zero: Brooklyn, USA. To know that they’d cover the amount of miles physically (including a stop in beauteous New Jerz on their way to becoming Berlin, Germany residents) and artistically,

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-17105172604082679982007-02-06T21:47:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:12.227-05:00

MidlakeThe Trials of Van Occupanther(Bella Union) Somehow, I’m very, very inclined to music that’s muscular, demented in some way, and aggressive. Is it better? Just more unusual? Or just what my ear perks to? I know I’ll never understand why because you toss a record like The Trials of Van Occupanther on, a record that has more pure pop moments than any record I’ve heard in the last 10

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-32347960535798354612007-02-06T21:12:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:12.324-05:00

The DronesGala Mill(ATP) The first time that I tried to describe this band to someone was a Dude at Ameoba records. I brought my selections to the register, two of which were Drones records, one as a gift, one for me. I usually stare at the discs or records that I’m getting, judging the reaction of the clerk out of the corner of my eye to see if he (it’s always he) is going to acknowledge my

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-83292537212176346892007-02-05T21:43:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:12.488-05:00

Comets On FireAvatar(Sub Pop) Blues based rock can be some of the worst crap you’ve ever heard (see: Jet, Johnny Lang, etc.), or can (and should) be some of the best (see: the Stooges, Stones, etc.). So while those Stooges records have all been rerecorded and redone and re-imagined and recycled countless wonderful times and, recently, even more horrendously revolting times, it’s nice to see

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-74953311779822617772007-02-05T21:17:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:12.630-05:00

Junior BoysSo This Is Goodbye(Domino) Records this simple sneak right up on you: using nothing really more than early-Depeche Mode synths and an 808, Junior Boys made one of my favorite pop records of this year, and definitely my favorite synth-oriented release in, uh, ever. Pale faced and fey sounding, Junior Boys aren’t really something someone into Wolf Eyes would normally cop to, but a

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-14547544523668336132007-02-01T21:45:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:12.819-05:00

Joanna NewsomYs(Drag City) That so many visionaries were incorporated in the creation of Newsom’s latest is quite the unavoidable stamp of approval. Think about it – Van Dyke Parks on strings, Bill Callahan (Smog) on back-up vocals, Steve Albini on recording, and Jim O’Rourke on mix. Regardless of whether their names bring association, they’ve shaped the way modern music and sound is

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-6085553174549340142007-02-01T21:40:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:12.980-05:00

JesuSilver EP(Hydra Head) I think Jesu might have been on my list last year, but at this point it really doesn’t matter. Justin Broadrick (he of Napalm Death, Godflesh, Final, etc. fame) has developed his shoegazer outfit into an absolute beast on this all too short EP. Normally, I wouldn’t give something like this so much credit but, like the Secret Machines’ shorty September 000, you have

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-66257955424300148432007-02-01T21:07:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:13.123-05:00

CalifoneRoots & Crowns(Thrill Jockey) Califone’s past efforts have walked on my side of the street but always seem to miss, never quite hitting the mark as hard as they could. Por ejemplo: the thoughts on Heron King Blues were great, but carried out much too long. Long songs have their place, but without constant development you’re inevitably going to lose the listener into something else.

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-48897481973288614502007-01-25T20:55:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:13.271-05:00

TV on the RadioReturn to Cookie Mountain(Interscope) The holy My Bloody Valentine name is tossed around a ton these days, at pretty much anything that will categorize easily as “overtly distorted” or “effects laden”, which sometimes includes TV on the Radio. It’s a shame and lazy on any reviewer’s part. Loveless isn’t a meaningful album because of its innovative use of the distortion and

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-52064615744948045352007-01-22T20:20:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:13.387-05:00

MastodonBlood Mountain(Reprise) From one extreme to the other. Metal’s not something I was bred on – it was just always available. I grew inclined to the imagery (skulls, swords, leather, chicks – YO!) from all the ridiculous late 80’s and early 90’s Omen and Danzig videos. And despite all the Metal denial I went through in college and the fey stuff I do tend to like, deep in the most

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-11107774782130607752007-01-22T20:18:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:13.548-05:00

Brightblack Morning LightBrightblack Morning Light(Matador) They’re a cheeky group, but I’ve very much fallen for the gimmickry. Normally any group that asks their fans to bring crystals to shows to give “positive vibes” won’t get a second glance from me (normally because one must avoid the patchouli stink). But despite the 3-D-esque prism-creating glasses with pot leaves on them that come

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-61806087790269443202007-01-18T21:15:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:13.734-05:00

Chad VanGaalenSkelliconnection(Sub Pop) Apparently these songs are culled from multiple tapes recorded in the musician/animator/illustrator’s home and the intimacy is one of Skelliconnection’s greatest appeals. Broadly, it’s indie rock, but drilling down and separating the elements, you hear a truly distinct artist at play here. His ghostly vocals hang over most every track here casting a

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-46201272873184727302007-01-18T21:13:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:13.890-05:00

Scott WalkerThe Drift(4AD) Every word measured. Every sound labored over and considered. Every moment devastating. Something as sonically incapacitating and polarizing doesn’t come around, well, ever. Nothing has ever sounded like this before and never will. If you can do one thing to expand your perception of what exactly sound can do and how it should be considered, start here. You

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-86225746169265114272007-01-18T21:09:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:14.245-05:00

T.I.King(Atlantic) A cocksure young black man is not a unique figure in hip-hop music. But a young man calling himself “King”, using UGK’s finest production moment for his own(“Front Back”), and nonchalantly rhyming the same word, like, 50 times (“What You Know”) while still captivating the listener? An impressive feat wherever you come from. It doesn’t hurt that T.I. gets immaculate

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-66487749075972805152007-01-18T21:06:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:14.404-05:00

Cat PowerThe Greatest(Matador) Ms. Chan Marshall is one of only two women on this list bearing most of her record’s load – a fact that I’m both embarrassed and alarmed by. Is the underground that much of an exclusive fraternity? I’ll be the first to admit – 99% of women would be turned off, no, repulsed by Human Animal or even Hell Hath No Fury. But does music, and particularly independent

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-8239532539224012182007-01-16T21:39:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:14.654-05:00

BorisPink(Southern Lord) I want to love Sunn O))), but they’re sometimes not rocking enough. I dig the slow and heavy and scary thing often, but sometimes the obfuscation of melody for anti-momentum can be extremely frustrating. Not that Boris is coming in with a hyper-slow song, but rock tempo-wise, “(parting)” is a churner with great melody making the journey into Pink all the more

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-55820619014317627532007-01-16T21:37:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:14.782-05:00

Thom YorkeThe Eraser(XL) I first bought this record during one of the most oppressive heat waves that I’ve ever encountered. The cold synths were perfect then, almost like aural air-conditioning. Fast forward a few months, driving home on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and I flipped this on. Full moon, no one on the road but me, gently rolling hills -- it was the perfect sound. I’m easily

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-6107677841023916502007-01-16T21:34:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:15.017-05:00

Dark MeatUniversal Indians(Cloud Recordings) It’s a good rule of thumb to be wary of any group that gets press because they’ve got 26 members and are “crazy”. Usually it just means a core of untalented clowns padding the impact by surrounding themselves with people who can dick around long enough to distract to the task at hand – the core of the song. Well, the beacon of goodness that is Cloud

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-76520776167183755502007-01-16T21:32:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:15.376-05:00

ClipseHell Hath No Fury(Startrak) The fact that Clipse were held back for 4 years is a travesty. Buy this album – support quality art. Dense, disturbing, dilating, and incredibly impressive.

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-38349411100296550862007-01-16T21:29:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:15.459-05:00

Fucked UpHidden World(Jade Tree) I’ve had a ban in spouting profanities on this space for a few reasons. One, it’s lazy. Two, it’s unnecessary. Three, what if my boss/parents read this? Honestly, I’m gonna keep it up, but when you have a band like Fucked Up, I’m not gonna be a huge wimp and “*” and “$” their name up. After all, these are a group of people who stick to their morals as

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-38453541802508511022007-01-14T20:48:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:15.645-05:00

Pearls & BrassThe Indian Tower(Drag City)Mountain/Cactus/etc.-esque boogie rawk finally gets it’s due. Another in a long line of unreal rock releases this year. Pearls and Brass aren’t so much classic rock revivalists as breathing new life into music that never should’ve disappeared.

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-89373895618234693362007-01-14T20:45:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:15.835-05:00

Robert PollardFrom a Compound Eye(Merge)Viewed through the lens of Bobby Pollard’s discography, FaCE must seem like it came out 20 years ago. He’s pretty much put out about 6 or 7 albums since this was released about a year ago in January of 2006, but you’d probably be hard pressed to find a better power-pop release in that time. Pollard’s Who affectations are on full display along with an

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-46904716152376260672007-01-14T20:43:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:16.081-05:00

BurialBurial(Hyperdub)Dubstep? Whatever. Bored journos and scenesters make up genre names on the minute in our hyper-connected times all out of the need to fit something somewhere. I guess it’s so you can organize your iPod? This still sounds like trusty drum and bass, slowed down like a 45 on 33, with plenty of eerie space and industrial winds blowing over the collapsing drums. It’s the

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-19888209594124095792007-01-09T21:01:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:16.273-05:00

Flying CanyonFlying Canyon(Soft Abuse) Dependent on who you ask, folk music either had a banner coming out year or a deluge of half-baked ideas and crap singer-songwriters wearing Indian Guides outfits. Either way, when the originators come through it’s best to listen and pay attention.Notable for their interesting recording techniques (often open air, in caves, etc.) and homemade

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-7093468899863634962007-01-09T21:00:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:17.171-05:00

The RootsGame Theory(Def Jam) No need for crack rap tales here. Illadelph’s finest heed the call when Jay needs ‘em to. And to actually have a balls to take a Radiohead sample and make it nearly better than the original? You(se) earned it.

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-65723281753855174022007-01-09T20:58:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:17.470-05:00

WitchWitch(Tee Pee) 2006 was finally the year where hard MF-ing rock finally made it back into the underground in spades. These dudes really aren’t leading any kind of charge or organized scene to be honest. Shoot, most of them are from Vermont -- they’re probably nothing more then shop class burnouts. But having the Dinosaur Jr. blessing with J Mascis playing drums means that things

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-74748437339361744172007-01-08T21:14:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:18.826-05:00

Tim HeckerHarmony in Ultraviolet(Kranky) Sound-sculptor? Sounds kinda pretentious, kinda art-school lame, no? For better or worse, pretty much everything I’ve read of him includes that description. Maybe I’m just lazy, maybe my self-imposed deadline is already way over, but the PR people that approved that one pretty much hit the nail on the head. Hecker gathers granular, static-filled

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-25256353998641563622007-01-08T21:11:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:18.963-05:00

The KnifeSilent Shout(Mute) At a glance my list will pretty much ensure the fact that I’m not a dance music fan. Not altogether true though, as, for the most part, great dance music just doesn’t appear in 12-song, 45-minute installments. Dance music has (and still does) play to the idea of the single. That makes it all the more fascinating when an icy, sci-fi disco record like Silent

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-54197769298331003052007-01-08T21:10:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:19.168-05:00

Akron/FamilyMeek Warrior(Young God)Scores of bands come out of seemingly nowhere these days to release incredible records, but none have the accomplished musicianship and ingenuity of Brooklyn’s Akron/Family. Riding on the coattails of their astonishing self-titled debut and Angels of Light split, their new full-length shows just how virtuosic the family is. Flipping easily between

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-390283827781677502006-12-22T17:01:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:19.309-05:00

Built to SpillYou In Reverse(Warner Bros.)Doug Marsch and friends kind of just disappeared for about 5 years, maybe justifiably, after their overproduced flop, Ancient Melodies of the Future. Rather then reprise their entire back catalogue like every indie critic seemingly wants, we get the Idaho boys coming out of the gate with guns blazing and maybe their best song ever, “Goin’ Against

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-29994256774085119872006-12-21T22:15:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:19.619-05:00

Grizzly BearYellow House(Warp) Most of us know the story by now – used to be an Animal Collective cover band, recorded in a, uh, yellow house that Grandma or Aunt Henrietta or Christian Bale owned (just like the Band at Big Pink!!!), etc. They’re definitely shaking the AC tag – where the Collective has branched out in more tangled and sometimes difficult areas, Grizzly Bear takes a few

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-33900427805333240242006-12-21T22:08:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:19.848-05:00

Wolf EyesHuman Animal(Sub Pop)Naturally, most consider music to be melodic, structured, and maybe even vaguely reminiscent of something else. Pop music has been marketed and ingrained in our minds as something consumable and perfected – something that we can easily put our finger on. So what would an “I-like-all-types-of-music-oh-yeah-except-country” fan seriously think of the blood-soaked and

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-25352198818153358362006-12-21T22:04:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:20.112-05:00

Man ManSix Demon Bag(Ace Fu) Initially, I didn’t want to, couldn’t like this album. Too rambunctious, too over the top (but not cool like Sly Stallone). I think I was finally reacting to all that ADD-core that was put out the past few years – my brain just kind of doesn’t accept it anymore and shuts down at the sound or inkling of overtly genre-hopping music. Add to that a ridiculous and

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-76815045881471878752006-12-21T17:21:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:20.276-05:00

And so it begins again. This is something like the fifth time I’ve done this type of thing, first while I was on the radio at Wake Forest, then here, in this space. Must say I miss the radio quite a bit and the opportunity to choose a song and play it for everyone (and by everyone, I mean 3 people in my girl’s dorm), but having a chance to sit down with each album and write something credible

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-38032207232541163212006-12-17T14:08:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:04:20.609-05:00

As I mentioned before, I'm attempting to get my list whittled down to something more manageable, both for the writer and the reader. Seems as though I've - once again - been caught behind the eight ball. With 14 days left in the year I've finally sliced the original 70+ albums down to 33 (the speed of a record!). That doesn't mean I've written a single word or decided the order (if at all),

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-62100270557659563652006-12-12T20:03:00.000-05:002006-12-12T20:19:07.874-05:00

The most recent in internet time-crushers for me the ridiculously absorbing last.fm. I'm transfixed at how simple an idea this is, yet how right-on it is. Essentially, for heads into radical music, pretend you're driving through Williamsburg in Brooklyn. (This is still the coolest zip code in America, no? I digress...) You got a booming sound system, windows are rolled down and your cranking

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-84543318695356391272006-11-29T21:05:00.000-05:002006-11-29T21:49:18.403-05:00

I'll be real irregular for the duration of the year (as I have been all year). It's coming down to crunch time for me listening to music and making my choices for my favorite 25 (30?) of the year. And yeah, all lists are detritus, but they're good rubbish, fun to read. Good news for me is that I've listened to a million albums in the last few weeks. Bad news is that I'm trying to process them

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-82508812287037726062006-11-14T20:58:00.000-05:002006-11-14T21:34:56.247-05:00

When listening to a couple of Animal Collective records (right now: Young Prayer and Project Hummer) its virtually impossible to be impressed by the breadth of their vision and how each successive record has a distinct and seemingly separate, uh, vibe to it. While there are certain reoccurring touchstones (the oceanic guitars, childlike vocals, nu-hippy sentiment), they’ve managed to become a

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1370840180403567422006-11-12T17:40:00.000-05:002006-11-12T17:41:38.123-05:00

the things that move ever so slightly. Forget the fact that we’re talking about spaces in between spaces. It’s the spaces in between the spaces in between spaces that mean more than nothing.We’re all kind of used to things moving slowly, but this is miniscule repetition – a triumph/shackle of modern life? Was ancient or will future life be any different? A gray haze floats over the jostle,

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-51733245631264434472006-11-11T09:03:00.000-05:002006-11-11T09:34:59.270-05:00

Debating whether I should go alone to a restaurant called, no joke, The Glory Hole. Verdict: no.On the side of the road, north of Scranton, blown tire, waiting for AAA. Listening to Yo La Tengo at negative volume, pissed off. Reading about Gnarls Barkley, a band I couldn't care less about and still won't (horrible record). Watching the first snow of the year fall.3 hours later, driving

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1160012742794331722006-10-04T21:20:00.000-04:002006-11-09T03:39:54.735-05:00

Music's just been kind of happening randomly lately:Woke up early on Saturday to "Buzz Hitz" or some other joke of a compilation on MTV during a commercial break. Gotta hand it to the folks, they had a few nice picks, best being the unbelievably great (and somehow forgotten by myself) "Live Forever" by Oasis. Retains that Mancunian pop wonder reminiscent in the Stone Roses, but makes it an

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1158886605049607692006-09-21T20:55:00.000-04:002006-11-09T03:39:54.553-05:00

I should’ve known sooner that this happened, but a requiem is due for Spaceboy Records, an incredible place where I spent way too much money and unnecessary time. If you ask anyone that frequented the place, as soon as they moved to the new location, something was missing. Their old spot, directly next to Zipperhead, the Philadelphia punk gear mainstay, was a better place – long CD racks lining

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1158715325885256012006-09-19T21:18:00.000-04:002006-11-09T03:39:54.404-05:00

Has anyone else seen this? Not only was it my idea (and horribly done) in the first place, but they criminally left all Philadelphia record stores off the list. WTF, yo!Unfortunately, Philly seems to be the city easily overshadowed by multiple other “more important” cities around it by sloppy and boring writers across America. And mostly for the unimpressive DC, pretentious New York, and white

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1158111243110067902006-09-12T21:12:00.000-04:002006-11-09T03:39:54.269-05:00

The jam. Check it out. Bonus points cause he rushed himself to the emergency room that was 1/2 a block from my old apartment after getting shot. Forget Ghostface on "Race the Clock"* -- dude on this record sounds like he needs to mean it, his life's about to be snatched away at any minute. It gets damn thin and stuffy in here towards the mid-point like Sly's Riot -- no one in their right mind

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1155963027124250352006-08-19T00:47:00.000-04:002006-11-09T03:39:54.129-05:00

Listening to the Cocteau Twins’ abridgment, Lullabies to Violane, it’s evident how at one point the members fall to “addiction” (via wikipedia, y’all). Syrupy vocal melodies glaze over the heavily treated guitar and reverbed drum mechanics, making for an incredibly narcotic mix and – no, (embarrassingly) I didn’t know this before I heard today – the reason My Bloody Valentine exists. Talking

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1155866320540022762006-08-17T21:37:00.000-04:002006-11-09T03:39:53.813-05:00

Most of the time listening to the Grateful Dead and I'll be left with a feeling that this could've been better -- a little more focused here, a litter weirder there. Most definitely more balls and crunch. Similarly, with some heavier acts (doom-rock, guh) I wish they would show off a little more, spread it out and let the amps smoke instead of pounding my head into the ground with chug. Mostly,

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1155501482190193752006-08-13T16:25:00.000-04:002006-11-09T03:39:53.695-05:00

On my way back from a trip down south in the wonderful town of Charleston, South Carolina. An absolutely incredible town built around life's unnecessary pleasures of eating, drinking and shopping.In other news, Rick Springfield followed by "Let Me Clear My Throat" playing loudly with a light up dance floor, can give you the spins. (So will multiple vodka clubs and copious cigarette smoke.)

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1154828432785008232006-08-05T21:38:00.000-04:002006-11-09T03:39:53.573-05:00

Haven't had too much to say on here lately as a good friend has passed away recently rendering blogging a somewhat low priority. DP, we'll miss you...To the rest -- we'll see you soon.

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1153272292308198472006-07-18T21:18:00.000-04:002006-11-09T03:39:53.452-05:00

For all you Heads out there, there's this. The Dead was never something I could fully dig, but this, this is something different. Right when they were still feeling each other out, these sets are excited and passionate, something you can't say about their later day stuff -- even most of the '70s stuff I've heard. Even if you don't like them, do yourself a favor and check it out, it's

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1152931381399728202006-07-14T22:34:00.000-04:002006-11-09T03:39:53.347-05:00

For the first time in what might be more than a year I've written and recorded something decent. It's lo-fi and underdeveloped, but some form of it may find it's way up on this space. I've got to say, I'm going to miss the view from this apartment -- it has inspired many a daydream.

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1152811695390350342006-07-13T13:26:00.000-04:002006-11-09T03:39:53.239-05:00

Here's an interesting post about the intersection of art and commerce, namely, rock and commercials. It's an even better website. I also suggest the Bonaroo articles.

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1152670425520233162006-07-11T22:10:00.000-04:002006-11-09T03:39:53.003-05:00

“I've become the Orson Welles of the record industry. People want to take me to lunch, but nobody wants to finance the picture...I keep hoping that when I make a record, I'll be asked to make another one. I keep hoping that if I can make a series of three records, then I can progress and do different things each time. But when I have to get it up once every 10 years... it's a tough way to work."

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1152582902558222122006-07-10T21:53:00.000-04:002006-11-09T03:39:52.891-05:00

It’s been a long time since I’ve been here – I’ve been busy with life changing decisions which are pretty damn exciting. My apologies to anyone that checks this more than once in a while. To you, I tip my hat. I haven’t been into new music lately, other than that Brightblack Morning Light record, whose smoky psych is just the ticket on humid summer mornings. Mostly the last month has been a

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1151630601684965012006-06-29T21:18:00.000-04:002006-11-09T03:39:52.738-05:00

I'm an engaged man these days (!) and my post-work computer time has been limited in the past few weeks. It's OK, because I've only been listening to "Hungry Eyes" off of the Dirty Dancing soundtrack anyways. More to come...

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1149214204318400702006-06-01T22:04:00.000-04:002006-11-09T03:39:52.586-05:00

Everyone else sounds like a girl compared to him. I know it's kind of popular to dig him now, but there's no way around his huge drawl. He has a voice like a wrecking ball.

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1149122854811751622006-05-31T20:44:00.000-04:002006-11-09T03:39:52.413-05:00

Heavy music deservedly got a rap as being for stoners, losers, and dropouts. So what happens when Sunn 0))) gets a Times spread and Jesu (former grindcore shredder Justin Broadrick) releases Loveless only re-imagined as 100x heavier and maybe better? Can we write off the stereotypes? Probably not, because your favorite metalhead at the gym is probably softly banging to Dope or Static-X. But. Holy

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1148152368985744682006-05-20T15:10:00.000-04:002006-11-09T03:39:52.210-05:00

Take a quick glance through any critic’s notebook, list of favorites, compendium of reviews and nearly every time you’ll notice that a reviewed musician’s initial offerings or works are somehow of more cultural importance than those coming late in their career. It’s an interesting thought – that all works, particularly those in the rock and roll genre, need that youthful energy and pop. Those

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1147746030127483692006-05-15T22:18:00.000-04:002006-11-09T03:39:52.028-05:00

T.I. – King: Been listening to “What You Know” on repeat for 2 weeks now. Still good. Reminds me of the ending of a video game with melancholy but hopeful synth strings falling all over the place, trying to jam too big a line into too small a place. The laid back drawl overtop tells you who owns this. The rest: yes. Requisite parts present, check. (Rattlesnake hi-hats, slow jam track with Jamie

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1146948741349020022006-05-06T16:50:00.000-04:002006-11-09T03:39:51.863-05:00

There recently was an article on cnn.com regarding the 1,000th issue of Rolling Stone. Like most gala events, someone’s unmentionables are being tugged for whatever reason, usually money. In this case it’s Jann Wenner, RS’ owner, showing how well he can do himself. Wenner points to his readership, 1.3 million strong, to show just how damn important his publication is.It’s unassailable to say

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1145500725367511532006-04-19T22:24:00.000-04:002006-11-09T03:39:51.677-05:00

Cream of the crop/Rice of the top:Richard Hell - "Love Comes In Spurts": Can another song even come close to that title? Not even. Shame Quine died a while ago, guy could shred.Smog - Been reading a lot about this guy -- seems like an enigmatic character, at once guarded and super-arrogant. It's kind of annoying that Bill Callahan (yes, "Smog") gives such terrible interviews and is so standoffish

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1144629594342604732006-04-09T20:38:00.000-04:002006-11-09T03:39:51.446-05:00

Leaving behind their deeply paranoid and fanatical vision of witches, Liars new record Drum’s Not Dead thankfully leaves the darkness in place, but rather than claw and holler through it Drum floats along like a misty fog through a cemetery. Ghouls abound: this record is liberal in its use of roomsound, exploring every nook of the East German radio facility they inhabited for the recording. These

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1144289389982174282006-04-05T22:03:00.000-04:002006-11-09T03:39:50.273-05:00

For IMP:The Breeders - "Cannonball"Elton John - "Take Me to the Pilot"Blood On The Wall - "Stoner Jam"Bruce Springsteen - "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out"The Clientele - "My Own Face Inside The Trees"Chad VanGaalen - "Clinically Dead"Archers Of Loaf - "Web In Front"Fugazi - "Do You Like Me?"Iggy & the Stooges - "Penetration"Queens Of The Stone Age - "In The Fade"Mission Of Burma - "That's When I Reach

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1143691291836441762006-03-29T22:41:00.000-05:002006-11-09T03:39:49.990-05:00

I suggest the Archers of Loaf's "Wrong" or the entirety of The Speed of Cattle.Zapp's first, self-titled record still jams, light-up dancefloor style.Conversely, "Siberian Khatru" by Yes will make your nipples tight, especially the opening riff.And it doesn't get better than this picture of Yanni.If there is a more radical hard rock album than Boris' Pink all year, I will be very surprised. It's

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1143512218350387332006-03-27T21:16:00.000-05:002006-11-09T03:39:49.764-05:00

It’s a transitory moment – coming right at the opening section after Kim Deal sings “Check Check, Ah Oooh Oooh” that seems to announce something new, something very exciting. The simple hi hat is played as tight as possible making tons of room for the fat, slip-slide bass, cleansing the palette and making room for the minutes that follow of pop perfection. That greasy clean guitar plays star

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1143085486250313302006-03-22T22:14:00.000-05:002006-11-09T03:39:49.516-05:00

I've been gone for a long time, mostly because I've hit a rut in writing and listening. For a while there I couldn't really enjoy anything that I put on. Maybe I was sick of my music or my work life bled over into private time, but a recent trip to San Francisco (for work, ya) again renewed my interest and faith in the human forces of life and love. Funny how a simple change of scenery can get

BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411892517797800390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533319.post-1141787193987799152006-03-07T22:04:00.000-05:002006-11-09T03:39:49.281-05:00

Some things I listened to recently:The Microphones, The Glow Pt. 2: There’s something astoundingly breathtaking about this record in how it almost silently devastates you. The yawning gaps in this record that practically make your hair stand on end waiting for Phil Elvrum’s innocent voice and messy guitar to penetrate the expansive soundscapes. Not to mention, there never has been a record as

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