no gift for the gab

Best of 2011: Records

2011-12-31T16:47:00.012-05:00

To commemorate year number three of carefully organizing my thoughts into list form, I searched through the past and found the artwork that Gary did for the first ever No Gift for the Gab Album of the Year list. I chose to use it because A. I like the way it looks, B. I don't have the energy to sift through a google image search to find a comic book frame, and C. it seems like ages ago when it all started. 2011 was somewhat of a tumultuous year. On a personal lean, shit was all over the place. I moved into my own apartment, broke my boombox in the first week, slept on the floor for five months, lost my job, got denied unemployment (twice), bought a boombox at a South Philly yard sale, got another job, and finally became a member of the press albeit one who does not write about music. All things considered, I kept my shit together for most of the year. Those first couple months, though, I failed miserably. I attended very few shows, bought virtually no records, and did very little beyond. Pardon the over-wrought introduction, but I want to set the stage because at times it seemed like the musical landscape of the last twelve months was just as erratic. A lot of really good albums came out, but there was never really one that trumped all the rest. To put it simply, there was no Monitor in 2011. Also given the turbulent times, this isn't going to be a Top Ten list or a Top Twenty for that matter. No, what follows are my five favorite records from the year. Are they the best? Maybe not, but they are the ones that I was always running back for. Apologies to Gary because his two picks for albums of the year didn't make the cut. (Mirror Traffic by Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks was absolutely a stellar record but how surprising would it be if I heaped praise onto it? I never got the chance to sit down and listen to Goodbye Bread by Ty Segall but I told Gary to buy it so that has to count for something, right?) There were also other albums that came out this year that were awesome because they done by awesome, wonderful people but again there'd be no surprises if I gushed over them so apologies to Wild Flag, St. Vincent, Dum Dum Girls, Sonny and the Sunsets, The Sandwitches, Fresh & Onlys, Mikal Cronin, Black Lips, Fucked Up, and tUnE-yArDs. About twenty minutes ago, I listened to Leave Home by The Men. That record seriously owns, but in good conscience I couldn't put it on the list. Finally, I'd like to apologize to everyone else. I didn't hardly blog at all this year. I was too busy fucking shit up for better or for worse. Now, here it is. No Gift for the Gab's most dug albums of 2011.

5. Thee Oh Sees - Carrion Crawler/The Dream EP (In The Red)
John Dwyer & Co. actually dropped two albums in 2011. Castlemania was cool, no doubt about it, but it was the second release of the year that truly fired me up. These songs are vicious and righteous. They make me want to stomp around, whether I'm in a small apartment or a painting studio. They make me want to take down the bourgeoisie. They make me want to get banned from my neighborhood pizza joint. Simply put, the ten tracks on this album are what big time hanging out sounds like in my mind.

4. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo (Matador)
The Constant Hitmaker. After wrapping everything in reverb and fuzz, it was borderline mindblowing when this album came out. It was just this terrific, tremendous achievement which was kind of wild in and of itself since most of his songs are about not doing anything at all. Just hanging out smoking cigs in the apartment; these tracks were stirring. "Puppet to the Man" is heavy as fuck. Possibly one of the heaviest things I heard all year and I heard my share of doom and sludge.

3. EMA - Past Life Martyred Saint (Souterrain Transmissions)
This record makes me feel uncomfortable, in a good way if that's possible. It's like a punch in the gut, but I have it coming to me because too often I spend my time dancing around my emotions. One of the most indelible marks of a great album is that it must be played from beginning to end, and with no track-jumping. This is one of those albums. For the full 37 and a half minutes, I listen. The guitar is quite striking, and the vocals echo when necessary. There are things happening yet at the same time everything comes across as quite naked. I read an interview where she talks about exposing herself with this album, and I see it. I get the "Oh, woe is me"'s every now and then; actually quite often, but when I listen to this album its like whatever is happening to me is nothing. It's like the galaxy or something. It seems very large and important to me, but in the grand scheme of things it is quite inconsequential.

2. Panda Bear - Tomboy (Paw Tracks)
This was the one I was holding my breath for the most. Noah Lennox is a member of Animal Collective, and on a previous solo venture released Person Pitch one of my most favorite records EVER. Last summer, I stood underneath the Chicago sun hoping to get an idea of what would come next. Between the guitar and laptop setup, and the brutal heat it was hard to tell. The masses dropping doses expecting a carnival to take place didn't help matters either, but nonetheless I kept telling myself that the proper record played with headphones on would be another story. Fast forward to the present day in the morning, on the train to work. I am able to escape. On a track like "Last Night At The Jetty", I feel downright divine. I don't miss the old things, and I don't know what will happen next. I just don't want the music to end.

1. Atlas Sound - Parallax (4AD)
Bradford Cox believes in rock and roll. I believe in Bradford Cox. Halcyon Digest and the Bedroom Databank collection hinted at it, but this was the deliverance. Something truly smashing. With every listen, something new.

2011-12-18T19:53:00.002-05:00

This happened at some point this year. A blistering performance, but probably even better than that descriptor may suggest. On this performance alone, quite possibly my artist of the year. Holy shit, straight up.

almost there

2011-12-18T19:49:00.002-05:00

i haven't forgotten about any of you. enjoy this video for now (it's quite great), and in a few days things will go back to normal for this time of year and i will post way too many lists.

Korallreven - "As Young As Yesterday"

2011-12-08T21:45:00.000-05:00

(via gvsb)

almost the weekend

2011-12-08T21:37:00.001-05:00

St. Vincent 4AD Session

2011-10-30T14:47:00.004-04:00

It's not written word, but hopefully it will be enjoyed nonetheless.

A stray thought:

-Holy shit, Annie Clark shreds on guitar. This shouldn't be that much of a surprise or revelation if you've ever listened to her records, but to see it actually performed live only reinforces it.

- All four songs in this set ("Chole In The Afternoon", "Surgeon", "Strange Mercy", "Year Of The Tiger") are off of Strange Mercy. If there's a year end list for this space, we'll be talking about this joint again.

-On "Year Of The Tiger", there's a line about the bourgeois. I throw that word around a lot in my neighborhood for reasons somewhat beyond my understanding.

Enjoy the holidays tonight and tomorrow. I'm going as a member of the press.

Yours Alone

2011-10-02T15:36:00.003-04:00

Hi Friends,

So, some good news and some bad news. Anyone that knows me, knows that I'll cut straight to the bad shit. Posts are going to drop off here at a pretty dramatic rate, but it won't be like the last time where I was just suffering from tremendous writer's block and couldn't come up with anything. Those were dark times for us all.

This time, it's actually quite the opposite. I was offered and have accepted a new opportunity. I've been working at it for a few weeks now, but it's just getting started. It's a writing gig, which is exciting considering this space is the closest I've come to ever having a writing job. It's also unpaid, which means that I'm working my 9-5 yawn and then coming home and going straight to work on the new joint.

Now, this isn't the end. I'm still here; holding it down in West Philadelphia. I'll still throw the occasional video up here because, well, I love music videos. Albums will still be bought for less than a pack of cigarettes, and I'll review them but it might just take a bit longer. I should apologize further because I bought a Ted Leo record back in the beginning of August with the intent of writing about it, but I haven't found the words for it yet. I like it, and the songs get stuck in my head when I'm out walking around but beyond that I've struggled with what else to say about it. I'll show up here eventually.

Part of what has held me up is the fact that I've gotten really into Nick Cave. Like big time. It's more or less the only thing I have any real interest in listening to, and there are a myriad of reasons for it. With my own psyche, it makes sense. It works within my current surroundings. And also, in a few weeks Lou Reed will be releasing one of the largest shit sandwiches ever known to man so its time move on.

I'll still continue to post announcements about upcoming releases and tours, but as far as dynamic critical thinking that'll take a bit longer. Sorry. If you ever find yourself absolutely wondering what's on my mind, I am back on twitter so that may be something for you. (@nogiftforthegab)

Ok for now. I'll be back, and it'll be real swell when we meet again.

-CB

Thee Oh Sees - "Carrion Crawler"

2011-09-21T22:08:00.003-04:00

Woefully late on this one, and for that a thousand apologies I beg. However, my metaphorical plate is quite full these days. My physical plate remains empty.

Thee Oh Sees are releasing another new record this year. The running title is Carrion Crawler/The Dream, and it arrives November 15th. While Castlemania dropped a few months back, this is a new record and should be treated as such. Needless to say, beyond stoked about this. Tracklist below, and a leadoff joint as well. Album art above, in case any further confirmation was needed that this album will slay.

Carrion Crawler/The Dream

1. Carrion Crawler

2. Contraption/Soul Desert

3. Robber Barons

4. Chem-Farmer

5. Opposition

6. The Dream

7. Wrong Idea

8. Crushed Grasss

9. Crack in Your Eye

10. Heavy Doctor

(via CoS)

video: Avey Tare - "Oliver Twist"

2011-09-16T09:23:00.002-04:00

Dig.

off of Down There, out now via Paw Tracks

Kurt Vile - "The Creature"

2011-09-11T14:42:00.004-04:00

Brand new EP coming from the preeminent hitmaker Kurt Vile. So Outta Reach will arrive on November 8th via Matador, and will contain 5 tracks from the Smoke Ring For My Halo sessions as well as a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Downbound Train". The record will be released as 12" vinyl and in digital form. On the same day, a deluxe double cd edition of Smoke Ring For My Halo drops which will also contain the full EP as the second disc. Pre-orders can be placed here. Dig the album art above, and below have a listen to "The Creature".

Dum Dum Girls - "Bedroom Eyes"

2011-09-07T19:46:00.004-04:00

Only in Dreams arrives September 27th via Sub Pop, and another track has become available for download and dig. This is being described as the first proper single off the record, and as the last song written before the band hunkered down in their "LA practice space for two weeks before recording." Dee Dee recalls reading a poem by Dante Gabriel Rossetti "as I saw trails and tripped out a bit..." and then follows that recollection with:"Love within the context of insomnia and separation? Kinda my thing."

In case you missed it, there's another track floating around the internets. It's called "Coming Down". Check it out below.

Again, Only in Dreams arrives September 27th via Sub Pop. Pre-order here.

video: Bleached - "Think of You"

2011-09-07T19:41:00.001-04:00

Summer is inching to a close, but it's not officially over. With that in mind, my joint of the summer in moving picture form.

(via gvsb)

EXTRA EXTRA, This Week Only

2011-08-29T12:55:00.004-04:00

I'm not Carrie Brownstein, but we have the same initials. Bad jokes aside, there are bigger fish to fry today. Namely, the Wild Flag record is streaming in full all this week over at NPR. The physical release date is September 13, but you can listen now.

Wild Flag is comprised of the aforementioned Carrie Brownstein, former Sleater-Kinney and ex-Jick Janet Weiss behind the kit, along with Mary Timony guitar and Rebecca Cole on keys. This formation was announced a little less than a year ago, but in internet terms it works out to be something like a thousand years. Also, even though all four involved are serious vets I'd still make the argument that this is a new band. Either way, this is the first album for this moniker.

As recently mentioned I've become quite taken by sounds similar to this, so this stream is making my day. Well, that and I'm not at work. Dig. Wild Flag officially arrives 9/13 via Merge.

(via stereogum, stream available at NPR)

Cass McCombs - "The Same Thing"

2011-08-29T12:38:00.004-04:00

Cass McCombs already has one record release under his belt for 2011, but November 8th will see the arrival of Humor Risk. Released through Domino, this album appears to be quite promising. A track has already hit the internets. Give "The Same Thing" a listen below, and dig the album art above.

(via gvsb)

New Atlas Sound Album

2011-08-25T19:16:00.004-04:00

On November 8th, Bradford Cox will release a new record as Atlas Sound. The title is Parallax, and it will be coming via 4AD. (Writer's Note: I can't help, but hope that the title is a Green Lantern reference. Not that stupid smoke monster from the movie, but rather the entity of fear that infected Hal Jordan and wrecked havoc on the DC Universe in the last 80s and early 90s.)

The first track "Terra Incognita" is out, and available for your listening pleasure. Album art above, and tracklist below.

Parallax:

1. The Shakes

2. Amplifiers

3. Te Amo

4. Parallax

5. Modern Aquatic Nightsongs

6. Mona Lisa

7. Praying Man

8. Doldrums

9. My Angel Is Broken

10. Terra Incognita

11. Flagstaff

12. Nightworks

(via p4k)

I bought this on Amazon for less than a pack of cigarettes

2011-08-20T13:07:00.006-04:00

Sleater-Kinney - Dig Me Out (Kill Rock Stars, 1997)
The other day at work, I drank a lot of coffee. More so than normal. Two cups before I left my apartment, another while I waited at the station, and then I poured one more before I sat down at my desk. By about 9AM, I was bursting. My heart was pumping faster than I was comfortable with, and my thoughts were racing. I already had a lot on my mind going, but now my reservations, hopes, concerns, and yearnings were accelerated. The soundtrack to the chaos? "Turn It On", track three off of Dig Me Out. It takes the wind out of me. Guitar and drums are something I'm equipped to handle, but I have no formal training for vocals like this. There's a real guttural quality to Corin Tucker's vocals. Not to suggest that they're lacking in anyway or of a poor quality, but rather it quite literally sounds like there is a fire coming up from her belly. The way she breaks the words into chunks of syllables, and then drags them out , that's what lingers in my head. "It's just that when you touched me. I could not stand up."

There's no fucking around on this record. There's a focus, like this is all a part of a plan or better yet a code. It reminds me of Omar from The Wire. Sleater-Kinney aren't knocking heads in and murdering detractors without good reason. They're merely trying to right the wrongs that exist in their culture. They're trying to survive. Whenever I have to explain why I listen to hip hop, the answer is always the same. Hip hop, to me, is this grand form of storytelling depicting events, emotions, and experiences that I conceivably will never experience. I kind of get the same feeling listening to this. As a white male, I really have no clue what its like to be oppressed or held back based on something so trivial as gender or sex. That being said, I can at least empathize with the frustration that comes from such a predicament.

Given the fact that this record came out in 1997, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that there may be some feminist themes and thoughts spread out through this album. I'm also going to stand firm, and say that I am not the one to dissect and discuss them.

This is what I have gleaned after after some listening sessions. There are words and guitars on this album, and those sounds make me want to push forward.

Trailer Trash Tracys - "Dies in 55"

2011-08-13T20:32:00.004-04:00

This is probably better suited for Sunday mornings as opposed to Saturday nights, but regardless as your attorney I advise you to go escape in this for the next two minutes and forty nine seconds. You should probably put large headphones on, or utilize some massive speakers. Hailing from London, Trailer Trash Tracys are prepping a debut record for what is looking like spring of 2012 through Double 6/Domino.

"Dies in 55" is merely a tease of what is to come.

(via gvsb)

Stephen Malkmus - "Tigers", "No One Is (As I Are Be)"

2011-08-13T20:09:00.002-04:00

SM did an acoustic session for a French outfit known as Le Hiboo. Both songs performed are off Mirror Traffic, the Beck-produced record that arrives August 23rd through Matador.

Dirty Beaches - "Lone Runner"

2011-08-13T19:51:00.003-04:00

The clapping may grab your attention over the guitars, at least in the beginning. It's a slow shuffle off the starting line, but at around the midpoint it gives way to squall. It's the voice that captivates me, if for no other reason than the fact that I know it is not mine. I'm playing this one pretty close to the chest.

"Lone Runner" will be released as a 7" limited to 750 copies on October 18th via Suicide Squeeze. Dirty Beaches released a proper long-player, Badlands, earlier this year as well. Dig.

(via aquarium drunkard)

I bought this on Amazon for less than a pack of cigarettes

2011-07-30T15:52:00.006-04:00

Sonny & the Sunsets - Tomorrow is Alright (Fat Possum, 2010)
"I'd be writing, then I'd take a break, pick up my guitar and play, go back to typing, and found myself singing while writing." -(Sonny Smith to the SF Weekly, May 9 2007)

The above quote was made well before this record arrived, but it still carries over. Stay up all night listening to Tomorrow is Alright, and the next day at work the songs come out. Five, ten, fifteen, twenty listens. It doesn't matter because these songs hang around. A good portion of this phenomenon can be attributed to the timelessness of these tracks. Similar to the work of fellow San Franciscans, Girls, minus the heartbreaking true story, Sonny & the Sunsets work in a space that cannot be defined as past, present, or future.

Now, are these straightforward songs? The short answer is no. At times, the lyrics are akin to something out of a comic book. Tubes of death cream, a planet full of women, its not exactly a tidy package of relatable material. However, that isn't to say that this joint isn't loaded with hits. This album has lots of "la, la, las," and "ooh, ooh, ohs", and even some whistling. "The Houris" has some "na, na, nas" coupled with a painted picture of crows, sparrows, and bees that go buzz buzz buzz. There are all these little touches and flourishes, that no matter how small it's still enough to compel one to take another sip, light up a smoke, and be willing to move forward.

Research shows that Sonny himself has been around for much longer than I, but there are parts of this album that I hear and just cannot deny. On "Too Young to Burn", there's talk about sitting by the window watching the sun go down. That occurs in my apartment each and every night after I've come home from work to a half-finished cup of coffee. The speaker on "Stranded" likens himself to a dog wandering aimlessly and tossing out never-returned smiles. Again, this may as well be me on a Saturday in the city. At the risk of bogging down this review with a whole bunch of "I know exactly what he means!" moments, the comparisons will stop but the idea should be left on the table. While I am not a singer, songwriter, playwright, poet, artist, or oversee-er of ambitious projects, I can listen to one and in the process understand that everything is not impossible. In short, I can believe that tomorrow will be alright. I've written before about having no direction home, but now I live by myself so I have a home but I still need simple songs like this one to remind me that I'm not done yet.

I'm always quick to point out that pop music used to mean something good as opposed to shit, and with this record an addendum needs to be made. Pop music isn't always wanting to hold your hand, or love love love you too. It can be held back. It can be shackled. It can place you on the edge of the cliff, but instead of dancing you may just sway and have a cigarette.

Bleached - "Think of You"

2011-07-24T16:40:00.004-04:00

Bleached is comprised of Jennifer and Jessie Clavin, formerly of Mika Miko. Their new 7", Carter, became available on July 19 on the internets and vinyl copies can also be ordered via Art Fag Recordings. The A-side is "Think of You" with "You Take Time" on the flip. Album art above.

Now with the specs out the way, let it be known that this is No Gift for the Gab's summer joint. This song has basically everything that I ever want. A mildly burnt out take on the past being delivered in the present. Women playing instruments. Vocals that mildly remind me of early Danzig/Misfits recordings. Really, it's all there.

Anyway, I've really been digging this song for the last month or so. Think of You by Art Fag Recordings

(via aquarium drunkard)

No Age x Black Flag= No Flag

2011-07-24T16:09:00.003-04:00

On July 21st 2011 at MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, the super rad duo known as No Age played a free show. Towards the close, former Black Flag members Keith Morris and Chuck Dukowski appeared on stage. According to Newestra, they "slapped a set list with six BLACK FLAG song titles onto an amp and the crowd rushed back."This is how shows are supposed to end. (Writer's Note: The footage gets a little shaky a la Cloverfield at times, but imagine trying to keep a steady hand while you and everyone around you are losing your collective shit.)

( via p4k, CoS, newestra)

Fine Fine American Television

2011-07-24T15:56:00.002-04:00

This has been rumored about for many internet centuries, and while it always seemed plausible it also seemed a little unlikely. However, this is actually happening. Behold, a preview for the new season of Beavis & Butthead. With Comic Con going on this weekend, MTV uploaded a taste of what is in store.

It's important to point out that in this new incarnation of the show, the music video commentary has been replaced with commentary on shitty MTV reality programming. Regardless, it's back.

Get More: Beavis and Butt-Head, MTV Shows

(via p4k)

I bought this on Amazon for less than a pack of cigarettes

2011-07-17T14:09:00.007-04:00

St. Vincent - Actor (4AD, 2009)
I should point out that the album I purchased was an advanced copy. I picked it up at AKA Records, and it was just a plain case with no art and on the back all there was was a press release with some specs. It's my understanding that real writers receive these in the mail so that they can file their reviews in time for the record's official release date. Nonetheless, it was less than a pack of Mavericks and it works.

"I like when things come out of nowhere and blindside you a little bit. I think any person who gets panic attacks or has an anxiety disorder can understand how things can all of a sudden turn very quickly. I think I'm sublimating that into the music." (Annie Clark pka St. Vincent, excerpted from a newspaper interview.) Actor came out a few months after Merriweather Post Pavilion, Veckatimest, and Two Suns which explains its absence in this space. I could only handle so much those days, and upon further reflection it becomes more and more apparent that the only time and place this album could be honestly listened to is July 2011 in Philadelphia. Lately with this record spinning, I have been transfixed and enamored. The music brims through my headphones. Strings, bass, and a masterful voice. Its delicate enough to dismiss, but in doing so you miss the raw power of it.

As much as this album has been played in the last two weeks there's been a lot of Grinderman as well. Somehow, my twisted convoluted mind pictures Annie Clark and Nick Cave as these siblings in the same line of work. Obviously they are musicians, but in my head they are spies employed by some absurd government agency. They get sent out on these missions, and sometimes the powers that be send them out on the same mission without telling them just to see who does what when they encounter the other. They each have their own style and methodology, but its the same job title with the same hours. NC fills more of the badass role in the agency, and he's good at it but he has to work for every inch. AC, on the other hand, is kind of perfect. She does it even better, and she makes it all seem damn easy.

Research has unearthed that Clark attended the Berklee College of Music for a brief spell, and later on was a member first of the Polyphonic Spree and then joined Sufjan Stevens' touring band before forging ahead solo. This background is in the DNA of this record possibly, or maybe its merely an album that has nothing to do with the past. "I can't see the future, but I know its watching me," goes a line off of "Laughing with a Mouth of Blood" so maybe this is all only about the right now, the here and now. Today, but not tomorrow or yesterday. Shit has happened, and more shit will happen but presently is just happening no shit in the forecast yet.

One of the constants of this record is how well executed it is. She knows exactly what she's doing it seems. In some other interviews and articles out there, Ms. Clark has said that Actor was inspired in some ways by movies like Snow White and Wizard of Oz how she would watch them and try to imagine a new soundtrack for those films. Admittedly, this was something never really picked up by my ears. At times, a sense of wonder can be detected. On "Actor Out of Work", there's a kind of hustle and bustle birthed by a special mind. More than anything else, I hear a talented musician playing several instruments with a voice capable of making strong men melt.

At the risk of going on for too long, this is the last paragraph. Going for succinctness here. "Save Me from What I Want", "Black Rainbow", "Laughing with a Mouth of Blood", "The Party" are the standouts if there could only be a few but the whole record can make you feel ten feet tall.

video: Cults - "Go Outside"

2011-07-17T13:51:00.003-04:00

In internet terms this song has been out forever, but it finally has an official moving picture show to accompany the song. I'm a sucker for this song, and this video kind of knocked me back on my heels. Dig.

(via gvsb)

New Mastodon Album Art

2011-07-07T20:47:00.002-04:00

The Hunter, release date still unknown.

(via)

New Girls Album

2011-07-07T20:32:00.004-04:00

San Francisco stars of the slip stream, Girls, announced today that they will be releasing a new long-player in 2011. Entitled Father, Son, Holy Ghost it will arrive here in the states on the day before September 14th and the day after September 12th courtesy of True Panther.

"I'm still all the same. I still know I have to do it. I still love the songs and writing songs," said a quote from Christopher Owens in the press release. This will more than likely be tremendous on some levels.

Album art is featured prominently above, and the tracklist is as follows.

Father, Son, Holy Ghost:

1. Honey Bunny

2. Alex

3. Die

4. Saying I Love You

5. My Ma

6. Vomit

7. Just a Song

8. Magic

9. Forgiveness

10. Love Like a River

11. Jamie Marie

(i got an email of the press release this morning, but regardless via p4k)

New Dum Dum Girls Album

2011-07-07T20:19:00.003-04:00

The date is September 27th, and the title is Only in Dreams. The announcement for those just joining us is that the Dum Dum Girls are releasing their sophomore effort this year via Sub Pop. The chances of this being real good are about the same odds as me smoking a cigarette in the next fifteen minutes. Go ahead and mark your calendars now, and check out the tracklist below.

Only in Dreams:

1. Always Looking

2. Bedroom Eyes

3. Just a Creep

4. In My Head

5. Heartbeat

6. Caught in One

7. Coming Down

8. Wasted Away

9. Teardrops on My Pillow

10. Hold Your Hand

(via p4k)

New Dum Dum Girls Project

2011-07-07T20:10:00.002-04:00

This was news a thousand blog years ago, but the release date is right around the corner. Dee Dee of the Dum Dum Girls has teamed with Tamaryn, and they have single dropping on July 12. The project's moniker is Les Demoniaques, and the first track arriving is a cover of the Jesus and Mary Chain's "Teenage Lust".

The joint will be attainable digitally, and as a flexi disc but the flexi is capped off at 1000 copies and there are no plans for reprints after that. Album art is above, and pre-order business can be done over at True Panther.

(via p4k)

Rest in Peace Clarence Clemons

2011-06-19T16:43:00.003-04:00

Clarence Clemons, saxophonist for Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, passed away last night at the age of 69. He had suffered a stroke last week, and complications are said to be the cause.

There's a scene in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou where Steve (played by Bill Murray) is watching old footage of his departed friend Esteban, and he happens across this interview featuring the two of them. The reporter says, "Eleanor [Steve's wife] is widely considered to be the brains behind Team Zissou. What does that make you, Steve?" Without hesitation, Esteban says, "He's the Zissou". It's not a perfect comparison, but that was my first thought this morning when I heard the news. Clarence Clemons was the E Street Band. Rest In Peace Big Man.

New Lou Reed Project

2011-06-19T15:58:00.004-04:00

The internets reported this week that Lou Reed and uh, Metallica, have recorded a batch of songs together. The two parties performed together in 2009 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 25th Anniversary Concert, and apparently things began to take off from there. (Writer's Note: Lou played with Jack White one time at the VMA's. Where's that record?)

Based on the information out there at the moment, initially they were going to do an album of some more obscure Lou songs but Reed presented a series of songs that he had written for the German play, Lulu. The album was recorded in Metallica's San Francisco based studio, and thats about all that is known at the moment. To quote the man himself, Reed says, "A marriage made in heaven. I knew it from the first day we played together: 'Oh man, this is perfection, right in front of me'... They're bringing Metallica, with all that power."

There's no release date or album title, although it seems to be a safe bet that it won't be called Metal Machine Music Pt. II, just the supremely odd revelation that Lou Reed and Metallica collaborated on an album together.

(via p4k)

New Mastodon Album

2011-06-19T15:37:00.004-04:00

While there isn't any information as to when this new record will arrive, word has worked its way through the slipstream to announce that masters of the universe, Mastodon, will be releasing a new long-player sometime in the foreseeable future. It will officially be titled The Hunter, and the band has gone ahead and revealed the names of four of the tracks off the album. They are: "Blasteroids", "Stargasm", "The Octopus Has No Friends", and "Curl of the Burl".

More details when they become available, but already this sounds awesome.

(via)

TV on the Radio, Broken Social Scene Team for Tour

2011-06-11T15:55:00.003-04:00

Eight dates to be exact, but TV on the Radio and Broken Social Scene will be sharing the same bill. Pretty fucking exciting if you ask me, but I am only one man. The new TVOTR album, which is unsurprisingly stellar, was released back in April, and they were already touring then and now the live shows will continue on through until at least the end of September. Broken Social Scene have much more relaxed summer plans save for a few Canadian dates, a stop in the Pacific Northwest, and Austin City Limits. Tour dates listed below, as well as the new Broken Social Scene video for "Sweetest Kill" off of Forgiveness Rock Record. (Writer's Note: This video is being described as NSFW. There is some dismemberment going on, this can't be denied and I certainly wouldn't watch this at my work. At the same time, its not that graphic. A lady hacks her man up, and you see her go at his arm with an axe and then a saw. There's blood all over the floor as well, but I would argue I've seen worse. Again, I am only one man though.)

9/6 Boston, MA

9/8 New York, NY - Williamsburg Waterfront

9/9 Philadelphia, PA - Mann Centre

9/12 Charlotte, NC - The Fillmore Charlotte

9/13 Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle

9/14 Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium

9/16 Dallas, TX - House of Blues

9/20 Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre

9/21 Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre

video for "Sweetest Kill" (NSFW)

Black Lips Daytrotter Session

2011-06-11T15:42:00.002-04:00

Arabia Mountain was just dropped on the masses this past week, and if that wasn't enough then head over to Daytrotter for a few more heady cuts. Three of the four recorded appear on the new album, and all four make for a good time.

Also up on Daytrotter at the moment is a set from J Mascis which predictably owns quite a good deal.

(art via)

Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - "Senator"

2011-06-11T15:06:00.003-04:00

As promised, Matador has made a track from the forthcoming Stephen Malkmus album available as a free download. "Senator" is one of fifteen songs on Mirror Traffic, which was produced by Beck and is being released on August 23. The Matador website also indicates that this album will not be a part of the Buy Early Get Now promotion based on a comment that says those instances occur when there is a surplus of extra material to work with which is unfortunately not the case for this joint. However, a preorder will yield a free poster and the first one hundred orders include a flexidisc of "Jo Jo's Jacket", originally released as a promo for the first Malkmus album in December of 2000.

As far as this song goes, dig on it for it is a welcome return. The last offering came out in 2008, so the timing is about right for there to be something new to chew on. Download it, hangout, and see how many times you repeat the lyrics out loud.

From the Matablog

Woods - "Sun and Shade"

2011-06-02T15:50:00.003-04:00

Unforgivably late on this, but there is a new Woods record. As always, it can be ordered through their imprint Woodsist. The official street date is listed as June 14, but the review is already up on Pitchfork and it is available for download on both Amazon and iTunes. No need to think that it'll be anything other than majestic. (Writer's Note: There may be some favoritism in that statement, but its no secret that I really fucking dig this band.)

There's a tour in the works as well with a myriad of supporting acts such as Kurt Vile, the Fresh & Onlys, Ducktails, and White Fence depending on the day. It begins on July 11 in Boston with some stops in Canada and several on the West Coast including Woodsist Festival in Big Sur on July 30 and 31. A couple south dates, and then New York on August 13. Alas, no stops in Philadelphia or Baltimore/DC but they are going across the pond in September.

Frontwards

2011-06-02T15:14:00.003-04:00

Shake out of your slumber. It's a new day. Put cigarettes out on your carpet if you need to. My records spin the right way while yours go backward. Move faster than you're comfortable. Could you please spot me a cup of coffee? This heat won't break, and I'm out of clean drawers. A few more days can pass if need be, but shit baby I could use some help. I'm firmly resolving to making apples and coffee my exclusive diet, but I still have my concerns. Two weeks without caffeine, days without food, and a few hours sans smokes. I'm scraping by, and loving it. Do you believe? I'm obligated to so bring on tomorrow. Lazier beings grow tired, but its just getting interesting. Sleeping and rest yield night terrors that are no longer meaningful, time for a change if that's what you want to call it.

Brent Hinds of Mastodon in a Burrito Commercial

2011-06-02T15:07:00.002-04:00

Hopefully this is enjoyed by all. This is a jokey spoof but it still features Mastodon's Brent Hinds, who has just finished albums for two side projects, still found time to appear this ad for an Atlanta burrito joint. This dude rocks an awesome face tattoo, a righteous beard, and also totally shreds on the guitar. It goes without saying, but if you ever find yourself in Georgia you should probably stop by Elmyr's for nourishment.

(via p4k)

Chapter One

2011-05-26T15:44:00.003-04:00

"We had troubles in the past, but never anything of this scope before," said the simultaneously stout and gaunt man as he touched his brow. His face was sunken, but fat hung from his neck. His stomach harbored much, but his arms recalled coffee stirrers the ones available at your neighbor corner store. He was a member of the Parking Lot Attendants Association for the city, and as the interview continued he shuffled his stance and adjusted his posture repeatedly. I wasn't conducting the interview, though. That was up to the real news men on the scene. Eavesdropping is an essential skill for an unemployed freelancer, with no fresh clips in over two years and an ever-present need for drink and smoke. Eating is largely unnecessary.

A car exploded in the unregistered lot on the corner of 30th and Market. It almost took out the bar down the road. It could have reduced the one up the street to rubble and debris, that would have been fine, but not the box at the end of the block. Lazy speculation would point to the teamsters, or possibly the new Black Panthers, and that will certainly be the angle that the professional newsies run with. Crooked bastards.

All the lights on

2011-05-25T13:55:00.003-04:00

The game is on, but the beer supply is diminishing. Outside, a dirt bike with a lawn mower's engine is ridden from end to end in the alley. Extra-long cigarettes burn at the bottom of green glass bottles. On the radio, the announcers say that the pitcher sports a mohawk which means it must be true. The dishes are drying, but the stacks of comics could afford to be rearranged. I keep telling myself that it is OK to write badly. The subway screeches to a halt, but there's nowhere to go at this hour. The books have been read, but there's one that hasn't been written yet. I keep telling myself that cheesy lines like that are OK, mainly because thats what tonight's pasta was lacking.

The change on the counter has been counted, and moved into rows. The flannels have been folded and put away while other long sleeves amass in a laundry pile. Its been a slow news day, but that hasn't stopped the de facto congregation in the street. They have car stereos, and will wait until October. The sirens are just getting started. I must have missed the gunfire.

Down vest

2011-05-25T13:50:00.003-04:00

Tack up posters of your idols, and wait.

Quote novels on your refrigerator with grease pencil.

Straighten out a paper clip. Snap a ballpoint pen.

Get what you want, without waiting.

Cut your hair with fabric scissors.

Make lists of what's wrong.

Remember that one time when astronauts were mentioned.

Ganglians - "Jungle"

2011-05-24T15:15:00.004-04:00

This video is entertaining if nothing else. Love the lizard tongue and ominous hand forever giving the thumbs up. The new Ganglians joint is being released by Lefse and arrives in August. It will be called Still Living.

In other news, I got a new cd player. Big things on the horizon.

New Stephen Malkmus

2011-05-24T13:59:00.005-04:00

Matador announced today that there will be in fact a new Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks record coming in 2011, and also added that the album was produced by Beck. The official release date is August 23rd, and while it isn't mentioned in the press release its safe to assume that digital copies will be available for purchase sooner than that as part of the label's Buy Early Get Now program.

The new long-player will be titled Mirror Traffic, and Matador also promised an MP3 at some point. It was also revealed that this will be the final Jicks recording with Janet Weiss on drums. She's got a lot going on these days. Jakes Morris of the Joggers will behind the kit when this act goes out on the road.

Dig the album art at the top of the page.

(via the matablog)

Fog has been lifted

2011-05-20T17:26:00.003-04:00

Cheap sunglasses don't hide the eyes well. Flimsy plastic on the sides, and waxy lenses that defy usefulness. This may not seem important, but it makes all the difference in the world for the three seconds. The three seconds there are to speak, make contact. When two individuals are on the street about to approach one another, there are exactly three seconds to make something happen. Smile, wink, or actually talk out loud. There are only three seconds to do it. A smirk can be misinterpreted, and generally a wink is a deterrent. A head nod is totally out of the question, and waves can be strange. Solely making eye contact isn't enough there has to be follow through. Done all in three seconds.

Ty Segall - "You Make the Sun Fry"

2011-05-19T14:41:00.004-04:00

New Ty Segall record entitled Goodbye Bread drops June 21. Album art is above, and the track can be downloaded over at Drag City. Feeling pretty comfortable in saying that the new album will be rad. Last year's effort was tight, and while this one seems like it will be a little more subdued and contemplative it will be a bright spot for us all.

(via gvsb)

...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, True Widow, Weekends @ First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, 5/12/11

2011-05-16T11:24:00.005-04:00

Crossing the Schuykill River bridge, someone smiled at me. Not just anyone either. A young woman, who I've been stealing glances from for months. She stood there for a full second and a half at the stairwell, looking directly at me waiting with her right hand on her hip. I sheepishly smiled, shrugged, and crossed the street. I had no time to spare as tempting as it was. The internet said there were only fifteen tickets left, and I intended on being one. I rationalized that I needed a show more than a gal anyway.

The opening band, Weekends, hail from Baltimore so naturally I viewed them in a favorable light right from the start. It also helped that it was just two guys with guitar and drums, and they switched instruments halfway through the set. They were also tremendously loud with the kind of experimental guitar work that gets me excited about live music. Unfortunately, it seemed as though my enthusiasm was not shared by a majority of the crowd.

True Widow was the next band up, and holy shit. Their latest record entitled As High as the Highest Heavens and from the Center to the Circumference of the Earth dropped back at the end of March, and is definitely recommended if Sleep-ish, doom, "stonegaze" is up your alley. On the internets, there are descriptions of them being a heavier version of Low but honestly I could never really get behind Low so I'm sticking with thinking that they kind of, sort of sound like Sleep. Simply put, they owned and did so without looking up. Big time bass, guitar, and drums that I noted to be 'enthralling'. The sounds floated out of the speakers, and the walls were coated in a mystifying fog as if to ask why wasn't this the headlining act. Parts of this paragraph may suffer from bias.

It gets to be quite difficult to do much of anything when there's a 24 ounce lager wedged in your left arm pit, and an open one in your right hand especially when the guy in front of you is practicing air guitar moves in anticipation of Trail of Dead. To come totally clean, I had heard Trail of Dead only a handful of times but felt drawn to attend nonetheless. Something told me that a psych rock band from Texas may put on a decent show. After getting over the fact that all the songs would be unfamiliar, I finished one beer opened the other and proceeded to hang out. I'm not sure what they played exactly, but their set clocked in at about an hour and a half. I dug it, most of everyone else there seemed to as well. The band was into it, and enthusiasm like that is contagious. Their seventh album, Tao of the Dead, just came out on their own label.

The headliner was Surfer Blood. I left shortly thereafter.

J Mascis - "Not Enough"

2011-05-11T17:41:00.000-04:00

Off of Several Shades of Why which came out back in March on Sub Pop. That short story probably would have turned out differently if I had watched this first.

Desperately anxious to discover

2011-05-11T16:44:00.000-04:00

"I was like, 'well can I at least get a peck?', and he was like 'I'm gay, I can't', and then I was like 'what does that have to do with anything?', and like..."

This is how the city has chosen to speak today. The same city that doesn't feel sorry for anyone, and no matter how dour circumstances become, the city that shows shit that is so much worse. All the shows are going to sell out, and the only place with an open door is a college dropout hangout where cherubs pay for single slices by credit card and in doing so distract the bartender from serving cold lager. My hair falls out as this realization sinks in.

"I've been scouting out districts for weeks now, but I'm having trouble settling on one..."

Agents for change, reformers, and the financially irresponsible all jockey for the same position. The papers have been saying that presiding over traffic court can net you 80k annually, and that it only goes up from there. The electoral race is fast approaching. The 'like' crowd isn't voting, and neither are the ones who strip naked in train station bathrooms and declare themselves to be Mumm-Ra in an eternal battle against Lunataks. They all need your support, and your cigarettes as well.

"You need to be careful, especially around the subway stops. You know, because you wear glasses..."

Toddlers step out in front of traffic during the day, and if someone didn't have their glasses on then you'd hear about it on the news. Nobody knows what they want, or even what they like. Collectively tires spin, but beyond that there isn't a whole lot going on. You can give up. They can too. I'm not.

Open and Shut

2011-05-10T13:43:00.003-04:00

Last week, it was announced that the Baltimore spot, Sonar, was being shut down. Yesterday, it was reported that they are re-opening. Apparently, the back and forth was the result of an expired liquor license. The owner didn't renew the license because as far as he knew he didn't own the club anymore, and said he had been trying to transfer ownership entirely. Something smacks of being totally strange. Either he owns it, or he doesn't. Regardless of the year, paperwork still exists and there is always a name on the dotted line.

It's not all bad news concerning that place. They only charge two dollars for PBR pounders some nights, and its where Maryland Death Fest is held. Personally, it's where I saw the holy shit amazingness of Deerhunter, No Age, and Dan Deacon performing all together in the same room at the same time as well as the space where I saw the majesty of Down for the first time. In the club room, I bore witness to High on Fire and on one particularly memorable night pushed around to a double bill of HEALTH and Double Dagger.

Thee Oh Sees - "Castlemania"

2011-05-04T12:19:00.004-04:00

Mark your calendars for Thee Oh Sees are releasing a new record. On June 14th, Castlemania will be released by In the Red. Not only that, but another long-player is due in the fall. In related news concerning one of my most favorite acts, they have also added a new member. Lars Finberg of the Intelligence has joined the band, which brings the grand total to five.

An LP titled Singles Collection Volume 1 and 2 came out back in March on frontman John Dwyer's Castle Face Imprint. That can be checked out here.

The video for the first track off of Castlemania, "I Need Seed", is up over on Pitchfork TV and here as well. (Writer's Note: The internet connection here at the train station kept cutting in and out. For a second there, I was concerned I wouldn't be able to share the video.)
(news via BV)

Gang Gang Dance - "Eye Contact"

2011-05-03T15:51:00.002-04:00

The new Gang Gang record officially drops May 10th via 4AD, but there is a stream available. The album title is Eye Contact. Good feeling about this one.

(via gvsb via dis)

I bought this on Amazon for less than a pack of cigarettes

2011-05-03T14:24:00.004-04:00

SUUNS - Zeroes EP (Secretly Canadian 2010)
This one had been almost collecting dust in a digital sphere, but after seeing some SXSW reports it became apparent that this needed to be listened to further. To clarify, this wasn't purchased on Amazon but rather was made available as a free download on RCRD LBL back in August. Additionally, the band's initial name was Zeroes but after discovering there was already a group with that name it was then changed to SUUNS. These guys came to town about a month or so ago supporting the Black Angels on tour. Before that, they were on the road with Crystal Castles. While those two bands may have little in common, SUUNS make appropriate bedfellows with both of them. Thats what happens when a band boasts a post-rock post-punk sound that drips with texture. Also, want to highlight the word "boast" here as well. This is the first EP before album number one, but it sounds like they have been doing this for ions.

As far as the record itself, its a mere smattering of what could conceivably happen in the future. Six tracks clocking in at just over twenty five minutes. Enough though, to get an idea of what's going on and what is to come. There are two things that'll knock you in the head with each and every listen. One is the bass. There is actual bass all over this joint, and with headphones on its the bass that pulls at your synapses. On "Arena", the bass crawls up and down the fret board amidst the whirlwind of sound. The other is the unshakeable similarities between the vocals here and the vocals of Thom Yorke. "Optimist" and "Nnnnnnnn" are the most apparent of the batch. It's mostly in the delivery, but it registers in the mind just the same. It's not soft by any stretch of the imagination, but its not booming either. The voice comes across as the least essential piece at times, but it needs to be ever present so that the listener has something to latch on to. Throughout, there's this real wild interplay between the music itself and the words to the songs. The music brims with confidence while the words are seeped in doubt. On "Mudslinger" for instance, "Maybe this is how it ends". They're not saying that the sky is falling, but they're not ruling it out either. Or on "Disappearance Of the Skyscraper", "I killed a man when I was eleven years old/I'm innocent". The lyrical uncertainty to lines like these can be rather refreshing to someone, who for instance lives in an efficiency in West Philadelphia and second-guesses each and every decision of his existence while he tries to fall asleep.

These tracks are a lot longer than one realizes. They all go well over the four minute mark, but they fly by. The tone is established in the first minute and a half, then the vocals hit then it all swirls, whirls, and simmers and then it ends. Again, this is only the first recording. Developments certainly occurred before the proper long-player was recorded, and they'll probably continue unless of course they all grow to hate each other and the band is bogged down by infighting on-stage and then cease to exist. That does happen from time to time.

Shabazz Palaces - "Blastit"

2011-05-02T16:14:00.002-04:00

From the forthcoming documentary by Village Beat. The title is Tough Bond, and the score was done by Shabazz Palaces. Dig. For more information on this whole deal, you can visit the Village Beat Non-Profit Company page on Facebook.

(via gvsb)

Titus Andronicus - "No Future Part Three: Escape From No Future"

2011-05-02T15:45:00.002-04:00

Thursday night at the First Unitarian was for lack of a better term, fucking epic. Hopefully this video sheds some light on the cavalcade of emotions experienced on that night.

Black Lips - "Modern Art"

2011-05-02T14:59:00.002-04:00

The first single for the new record has arrived. The new long-player, which will drop on June 7th, was produced by Mark Ronson and if this track is any indication then his fingerprints are all over this joint. It doesn't sound like they have deviated from form too much, although there was a thirty second period where it sounded oddly reminiscent of the Hives. That was probably just a first listen curveball. Arabia Mountain again comes out on June 7th via Vice, and "Modern Art" can be found over at Gorilla Vs Bear.

(via gvsb)

Lightning Bolt, YACHT @ First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, 4/26/11

2011-04-27T12:59:00.003-04:00

Two shows became one. Lightning Bolt was slated to support Dan Deacon at the Starlight Ballroom last night, but something happened and Deacon cancelled. The official reason given was that he was sick, but based on the chatter outside no one seemed to be buying it. I'm inclined to believe that he was in fact ill because why else would someone whose live act is nothing short of legendary, just bail on a show. Unless of course, he like really really hates Philly.

Anyway, YACHT was already booked for the First Unitarian so R5 merged the two as opposed to having two partial shows going on in different parts of the city. That being said, at 8 PM the official bill read Lighting Bolt, YACHT, Jeffrey Jerusalem, and Ed Schrader's Music Beat.

I saw Ed Schrader two summers back in Baltimore, and then it was just him and a drum. He's added a bass player since then. There was some gnarly distortion coming off the bass, and the alteration between shouting and off-kilter falsetto made me smile. Jeffrey Jerusalem is based out of Portland, but is originally from West Philadelphia so that was cool. His collection of beats got the crowd moving, partly because most of the crowd was relieved that the first band was done and partly because his beats have this nice springy quality to them that causes co-motion.

I'm a poor blogger, and an even worse critic. I willfully ignore bands for reasons that are completely beyond my comprehension. Until last night, YACHT was one of those groups. I knew they were under the DFA umbrella, so I had an idea of what could occur but I knew very little beyond that. HOLY SHIT. I really dug the set, from start to finish. Granted I had a few pints as well, but still. The woman who does the vocals, (Note: I told you I was a poor reporter I don't know anyone's fucking name.), was climbing on top of the amps, fielding questions from the audience, and at one point asked if anyone believed in aliens. They also covered Judas Priest. This was also about the time where everyone started taking their shirts off. It was grossly hot in the basement, not that it mattered but it had a serious furnace feel to it. Moral of the story, it was a tremendous set and not only that but they have a new record dropping some time in July.

When Lightning Bolt began to play, the YACHT only fans began to flee. One of my favorite things about seeing Lightning Bolt is watching the unsuspecting run for their lives. It happened over the summer in Chicago when they came on after Beach House, and it happened again last night. Predictably the sound was deafening, and the crowd fired up. There was a good pit going that I didn't want to leave, but for whatever reason there was some slam dancing as well and to be perfectly honest I have very little tolerance for that sort of nonsense. I'm game for throwing down, but once flailing arms are involved I'm out. At least one dude I know of got punched in the face. As for the set itself, Lightning Bolt owned. Bass, drums, and ten amps is to my ears what cigarettes and lager are for my body. Exactly what I need.

State of Affairs

2011-04-23T23:28:00.002-04:00

I had a nightmare last night that this space had been taken away from me, and replaced with smut. All the writing from the last two plus years had been removed, and was lost forever. There was a subplot where I had lost my brother in the city, but what really troubled me was the idea of this disappearing. Admittedly, I've been negligent. Not by choice, but rather work had become an entity that was consuming everything and sucking my very essence out of me. For the last six months, my days have been filled with speaking an obsolete vernacular and being told that I'm not particularly bright. Additionally, I was informed over and over again that I did not instill confidence in the people I spoke with and my superiors said I was too quiet. That all comes to an end on Monday, so it's officially time to move forward.

Yesterday, on the train I tried writing. I got one line down. "The DJ was drunk, and the bartender bored." Everything may have to be retooled. Perhaps there should only be short stories here, or maybe I should go back to trying and cover hip hop. My preference still lies with rock and roll, but all it makes me want to do is smoke cigarettes and drink draft beer. Maybe I should just log on every day, and write whatever lurid things pop into my head. There's still no solid internet connection, but there are ways around that.

Needless to say, I've being doing a lot of thinking. I just wanted to swing by, and let all six of you know that I'm still here. Everything is fine. I'm not just not entirely certain of the next move. I might end up listening to the Shins at some point tonight.

Album Art

2011-04-19T22:17:00.004-04:00

The alleged album cover for the new Wayne record. (via nah right)

Black Lips, Vivian Girls, Moon Women @ the Trocadero, Philadelphia, 4/9/11

2011-04-10T16:37:00.001-04:00

There was drinking involved, and if it had been possible chain-smoking. There was also shouting, and that thing I do where I sashay my torso from side to side while nodding my head vigorously. I also remember hugging several people. The Black Lips came to town and awoke something inside of me that had long been dormant, and today they're going to the Mutter Museum.

Moon Women opened, and after about thirty seconds it occurred to me that this was the same band I saw open for Tyvek back in January. The singer wears sunglasses indoors, and I never forget that for some reason. He also had one of the best lines of the night when he said, "This is a new song, not like any of you would no anyway." At this point, they have a cassette and a 7" to their name and after seeing them twice now I feel comfortable in saying that a long player would be rad. The other thing they got going on is that they're loud. The vocals echoed through the walls of guitar ruckus, and yet it still seemed like a very lean set. It's three guys, but the force is strong within.

The Vivian Girls said very little, but there were no moments of silence or quiet. There was guitar, and a new drummer who may or may not be seeing the guy who runs the merch table. A rough approximation of the text messages sent to myself indicate that the set consisted of about sixty percent cuts from the new record and forty percent old joints. It was dug, and the cup was never empty.

From the first time I heard Valientes Del Mundo Neuva it was apparent that this was a band that had to be seen live. It had been attempted before, but misfortune always seemed to strike. Whether it was a scheduling conflict, a location issue, or my deeply held belief that I would be unable to see this band and then drive home. After last night, I was right about that last part but that's why I moved. More shows, and no driving. I can reduce my carbon footprint, and get dirty in the process.

As far as the show itself, I stayed in the drinking stable for obvious reasons. Citizens were throwing themselves upwards, and doing other things that can only be described as going god damn berserk. It was the scene, but every time the notion came to move forward the rationalization came through that I could accomplish the same thing while keeping a drink in my hand. It's hard to say whether the move paid off, but I faintly recall being kissed on the forehead by a being larger than myself. The most iron clad memory is when they played "Bad Kids". If one didn't know any better, and just walked in they would have thought they were this time's 'Like A Rolling Stone'. It was wild, and there was a sense of community that I couldn't shake. It may have been manufactured entirely in my mind I realize. The sound translates, and in a room full of like minded individuals it becomes something. A real actual rock and roll band playing live music.

(Writer's Note: They played "Dirty Hands", and I liked it a lot.)

Even you

2011-04-02T14:51:00.003-04:00

Breakneck leather jackets, and stubbed out cigarettes. Not fazed by rain, sleet, or snow. The sun is kind of a bitch, though. Pitchers of beer to get through the day normally, but today a whiskey and something out of a can. Relentless shit swirls. The one nice part of being detached is that you don't miss. Now your life will probably still be a overwhelming failure so strikeouts will still occur, but there's no longing.

The train is late, and the coffee room temperature. Everything and nothing happen at the same time. Fatigue sets in, along with doubt. It's only for a moment though. The focus becomes readjusted, and it continues. You don't like this band. I don't like that band. Change clothes, and fuck it. I've done bad things. We all have, I hope. It seems viciousness never sleeps, and there's a malicious mail man around every corner. Speak with someone, and see what happens.

Make the most of it

2011-04-02T14:43:00.003-04:00

It's not very often that it occurs, but its certainly a nice change of pace. There's the squall, and that's it. A mighty incident, indeed, and all because today has been deemed unbearable by the masses. It's not what they thought it would be, so action is being taken at generally sparsely frequented taverns and book stores that are going out of business. Everyone needs something, whether it be a signature or a sandwich. This would all probably be easier if the sky were really falling. It rains on certain corners and leaves the West side dry, which may seem strange but some blocks just have it coming. The air is heavy, and the outlook bleak but it continues. No subway cars are empty as everyone has somewhere to be, and again needs something.

I bought this on Amazon for less than a pack of cigarettes

2011-02-26T16:57:00.005-05:00

Vivian Girls - Vivian Girls (In the Red, 2008)

There was a time in the past, where this writing would have never occurred. Despite an initial interest, it proved to be fleeting and it was set off to the side. However, due to a healthy dose of offerings in the form of side projects from band members, this album has been spun again.

The internets kind of turned on this group, but now in a web-free environment this record works. There are two major knocks on this band. One: They talk too much in between songs at shows, and secondly on this album the drummer is accused of doing the same exact thing on each and every song. Banter during a live performance is endearing if nothing else, and as far as the dispersions cast on the percussion work, that's just hate. It's on the simple side, but it pops in your headphones and it accompanies song so yet again the internet commenter fails to see the big picture.

This is a full-length so it can be called a long-player, but it clocks in at just a hair over twenty minutes. With something so short, it's borderline negligent to start identifying stand out tracks. "Tell the World" and "Where Do You Run To" are the obvious stalwarts, but the whole joint is damn solid. It's somewhat of an abridged history lesson for all things garage rock related. Like a primer course really, which means that more research and studying would need to be done but this still isn't a bad place to start if you're working backwards. If there's still doubt about these women's credentials then one need not look any further than the Blank Dogs record, Under and Under, where the featured backing band is the one covered here in this space today.

Album Specifics

2011-02-26T14:48:00.008-05:00

Panda Bear - Tomboy

(drops April 12 via Paw Tracks)

1. You Can Count on Me

2. Tomboy

3. Slow Motion

4. Surfers Hymn

5. Last Night at The Jetty

6. Drone

7. Alsatian Darn

8. Scheherezade

9. Friendship Bracelet

10. Afterburner

11. Benfica
Sonny and the Sunsets - Hit After Hit

(drops April 12 via Fat Possum)

1. She Plays Yo-Yo With My Mind

2. I Wanna Do It

3. Home and Exile

4. Reflections on Youth

5. Girls Beware

6. The Bad Energy From LA Is Killing Me

7. Teen Age Thugs

8. Heart of Sadness

9. Don't Act Dumb

10. Acres of Lust

11. Pretend You Love Me
TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light

(drops April 12. no tracklist as of the moment.)
The Strokes - Angles

(drops March 22 in the states)

1. Machu Picchu

2. Under Cover of Darkness

3. Two Kinds of Happiness

4. You're So Right

5. Take for a Fool

6. Games

7. Call Me Back

8. Gratisfaction

9. Metabolism

10. Life Is Simple in the Moonlight
Boris - Heavy Rocks

(drops April 26 via Sargent House)

1. Riot Sugar

2. 8

3. GALAXIANS

4. Jackson Head

5. Missing Pieces

6. Key

7. Window Shopping

8. Tu, la la

9. Aileron

10. Czechoslovakia
Boris - Attention Please

(drops April 26 via Sargent House)

(yup, two albums on the same day)

(and there's singing on this one)

1. Attention Please

2. Hope

3. Party Boy

4. See You Next Week

5. Tokyo Wonder Land

6. 16:47:52...

7. Aileron

8. Les Paul Custom '86

9. Spoon

10. Hand in Hand

Dum Dum Girls - "He Gets Me High"

2011-02-03T19:21:00.004-05:00

The title track of the new EP became available for download today if you're willing to surrender your e-mail address. According to the band's label, Sub Pop, it will contain three originals and a cover of the Smiths' 'There Is a Light That Never Goes Out".

The record comes out proper on March 1st, and the group will also be going a globe-spanning tour starting on February 15th in Las Vegas and ending on April 24 in Paris. Download below.

(via)

Zodiacs - "Faraway Friend"

2011-02-02T23:08:00.003-05:00

Detractors have spoke of incestuous circles, but regardless this is a new group on the horizon featuring members of the Dum Dum Girls, Woods, Blank Dogs, and the Crystal Stilts. This track features Dee Dee from said Dum Dum Girls, as well as Jeremy Earl and Jarvis Taveniere of Woods and Mike Sniper of Blank Dogs and JB Townsend of the Crystal Stilts.

One of the perks of late reporting is full details. The lineup will revolve per track, but this is a group nonetheless. "Faraway Friend" is coming out as a single via Captured Tracks, but there is a record in the works recorded by Jarvis Taveniere at Rear House. The single is available through media outlets here, and details about the record will follow.

(via p4k)

No More White Stripes

2011-02-02T22:55:00.003-05:00

"There aren't many bands I like..., but the White Stripes are one of them. Elephant is a tremendous album." - a good friend

After a nearly two year hiatus, news has broken through the slipstream that the duo known as the White Stripes have ended. As per a quote on the band's website, "The White Stripes do not belong to Meg and Jack anymore. The White Stripes belong to you now and you can do with it whatever you want."

There's also mention that, "The reason is not due to artistic differences or lack of wanting to continue, nor any health issues...but mostly to preserve what is beautiful and special about the band..." It appears that there are is a slew of unreleased material headed toward our ears.

Recently, Meg got married and Jack was a part of a thousand projects.

(vi a)

This honestly happened

2011-02-01T22:19:00.003-05:00

Sitting on a slab of concrete outside a pricey grocery store on a grim Sunday morning. The night before spent stuck in snow drifts and running from club bouncers, who truly wrestled with feelings of inadequacy but would never admit it and certainly not to two louts who maintained a reputation for being poor tippers and who stole drinks when given the opportunity. Only one cup of coffee in the middle and a singular pair of sunglasses, but plenty of smokes to get through the day.

An older gent with horn-rimmed frames and a thick wool coat ambles by, and stops suddenly. He fixes his gaze on one, and then the other. No one else stops, but this cat is frozen. "You know what happens if you keep smoking those cigarettes?," he asked with a stern look that seemed to suggest he may have been a doctor in a past life and that a lecture was in order.

"Big trouble," one of us said bracing for the conversation we didn't want to have.

"Cancer," said the other, trying to appease this man who was taking time out of his day to speak with the miscreants of his town.

"No!," the man bellowed for the whole block to hear. "They make your dick bigger!," and as quickly as he appeared he left waltzing down the street.

New Vivian Girls Album

2011-01-31T20:51:00.004-05:00

Still a few months to go, but we got album art and tracklist. Dropping April 12th via Polyvinyl, the new home for the band. You can pre-order it already, and it looks like it'll ship a week and a half early. There's also a new drummer, and the record was made at Rear House under the supervision of Jarvis Taveniere of Woods. There's a track out already titled "I Heard You Say" which can be downloaded here.

TRACKLIST: Share The Joy

1. The Other Girls

2. I Heard You Say

3. Dance (If You Wanna)

4. Lake House

5. Trying to Pretend

6. Sixteen Ways

7. Take It as It Comes

8. Vanishing of Time

9. Death

10. Light in Your Eyes

(via p4k)

James Blake Album Sampler

2011-01-31T20:36:00.005-05:00

There was something on the NPR website this morning that asked what the best new music of the year was so far. This. (Writer's Note: and Earth Girl Helen Brown. Fucking love that record.)

Eleven minute sampler below, and the track list as well. Record comes out February 7th via Atlas/A&M.

James Blake LP tracklist

1. Unluck

2. The Wilhelm Scream

3. I Never Learnt to Share

4. Lindisfarne I

5. Lindisfarne II

6. Limit to Your Love

7. Give Me My Month

8. To Care (Like You)

9. Why Don't You Call Me

10. I Mind

11. Measurements

(via gvsb)

Quick Hits

2011-01-27T21:17:00.002-05:00

This is probably as much relevancy as one can handle. So much so that crisp ashes have just been deposited into my freshly opened can of National Bohemian. (Writer's Note: I sincerely wish I was making this up, but I literally just snuffed a cigarette out in my beer. Total accident, but still something I'll have to live with for eternity.)

-Wilco Start Record Label

Over the summer it was announced that veritable lords of really great rocknroll/alt-country, Wilco, had left whatever record label they were on. This is fully confirmed today as news broke through the internets that Jeff Tweedy and company had started their own jaunt. dBpm is the name, and releases will be distributed through ANTI-. The band has a short May tour planned with no east coast dates, but it appears a new record is in the works.

-Rad New Ducktails Single Needs Funding

Matthew Mondanile is in the group Real Estate, and is also Ducktails. Recently, a song was made featuring Noah Lennox better known as Panda Bear. The song is called "Killin' the Vibe", and is technically available on vinyl and itunes but efforts are being made for it to get the 12" treatment. A Kickstarter has been created to get it out, and contributions can be made here. Qualified charitable donations will result in cassette mixes of unreleased songs and other real cool things.

-No Age music video

One of the most favorite, No Age, have a new video for the track "Fever Dreaming". Boom.

(via p4k)

Earth Girl Helen Brown - "Story of an Earth Girl"

2011-01-25T19:49:00.004-05:00

This is what internet dreams are made of. These sounds conjure up feelings that have long been stagnant. The Story of an Earth Girl EP is limited to 500 vinyl copies, and the record includes appearances by Sonny Smith of Sonny & the Sunsets, John Dwyer of Thee Oh Sees, members of the Sandwitches, and more. Preorder HERE. Available from Forest Family records on or around March 1st.

Via the Forest Family website concerning the Helen Brown origin, "Rampant drug use, frequent fainting on stage, and occasional self-inflicted knife wounds on stage led to more interest in her stage antics than her music. However, a few sides did emerge in the late '90s (recording dates unknown), which feature a unique mix of country, girl group, R&B, and ghoulishness." (via)

Video for the title track below. Say l-o-v-e.

(via gvsb)

Evan Voytas - "Tomorrow Night We'll Go Anywhere"

2011-01-25T19:33:00.003-05:00

Haven't updated in this space like it should be done, but work has me bent over a barrel as of late. This could have been a post about the track list for the new Strokes record or the Panda Bear joint, or it could have been an announcement about the few shows that Down are about to play, but this video has Kate Moss in it. Directed by Jamie Harley

In related news, my CD player is broken.

Yo La Tengo @ the Trocadero, Philadelphia, 1/20/11

2011-01-21T00:07:00.003-05:00

"When we planned this tour, there was nothing we looked forward to more than the groans of disappointment."

As advertised there was a wheel of fortune spun to decide the fate of the first set, and while a sitcom reanactment was clearly the popular choice and the personal hope was for a set by the Condo Fucks, the truth of the matter was everyone was still faced with a 12.5% percent chance of dreams coming true. The wheel landed on Sounds of Science Pt II, and that was cool too.

The entire show was great, with a second set full of more known cuts such as "Autumn Sweater" and "Pass the Hatchet, I Think I'm Goodkind" and quite a possibly a cover or two by Tyrone Hill. Opinions may vary, but at the end of the day this was still a damn good band playing music for a captivated live audience. Apparently, Yo La Tengo loves playing Philadelphia and even if that's not actually the case, all were certainly appreciative.

This was the first night of the wheel spinning adventure, and from the looks of it things went off without a hitch. If the marker lands on Sounds of Science Pt. II for the next several nights consecutively then there may be issues with variation but the whole concept is ambitious nonetheless. Truthfully, they could have played whatever they wanted and gotten away with it. A tremendous amount of reverence hung in the air, and the drinks were only mildly overpriced.

New Weedeater Album

2011-01-17T12:28:00.004-05:00

Simply put, Weedeater is fucking awesome. A premier group in this writer's humble opinion, and the fact that the one of them blew his big toe off with a shotgun a few months back only cements their status in my soul.

Not only is there a new record on the way, but there is a big time tour to follow. The album will be titled Jason... The Dragon, and will drop March 15 via Southern Lord. The shows start on February 18 in Wilmington, NC, and commence on the 26th of March in Savannah, GA. Stops of note include Baltimore on February 22, Philadelphia on February 23, and SXSW on March 18. ASG will be the openers from Feb. 18 to the 25th, and then Zoroaster joins for the remainder.

Tracklist for Jason... The Dragon below.

1. The Great Unfurling

2. Hammerhandle

3. Mancoon

4. Turkey Warlock

5. Jason....the Dragon

6. Palms and Opium

7. Long Gone

8. March of the Bipolar Bear

9. Homecoming

10. Whiskey Creek

(all via BV)

New Panda Bear Album

2011-01-15T16:07:00.004-05:00

While this exact same headline and lead-in picture have been used before the news remains the same. However, this time it is really happening. Noah Lennox's highly anticipated follow-up joint Tomboy will be released on April 19 via Paw Tracks.

Additionally, thanks to Gorilla Vs Bear for posting this video so that I could post it as well. It features a new Panda Bear song, "Atiba Song", and skateboarding.

(via gvsb)

Best of 2010: Records

2010-12-29T16:31:00.016-05:00

(I asked Gary for art, but never received it. He is a busy man so I understand. If you are a business/organization and you need graphics don't hesitate to contact Gary at glassyeyeddesigns.blogspot.com)

These are my favorites from the past year. Other sites have other lists, but this is mine. Ideally, this would be a top 35 but that just wasn't in the cards. At one point, I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to throw one together at all, but here's what I was able to muster.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

-Las Robertas

-Twin Sister

-Mountain Man

-Harlem

-Sleigh Bells

11. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs (Merge)

Diehards didn't dig this one as much because it doesn't sound like Funeral or Neon Bible, but it would be borderline irresponsible on the listeners behalf to compare this album to those other two. This band can't be miserable all the time, and to demand bleakness is selfish on our part. "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)" is a certifiable jam, at least for the occupants of a certain apartment in New Jersey. In conclusion, this disc is a tad more upbeat than its predecessors and for that it has been nominated for Album of the Year by the Grammy committee. That being said, it's still #11 here.
10. High on Fire - Snakes for the Divine (E1)

This is a raised glass, and tip of the cap to Matt Pike. All the albums attributed to this man have been stellar. From what he did with doom/sludge trail blazers Sleep to the all-around awesomeness of Surrounded by Thieves and then Death Is This Communion and onwards. It all makes me thirsty.
9. Thee Oh Sees - Warm Slime (In the Red)

This band first entered my life in July of 2009 with a rousing set delivered in a vacant lot amid fireworks, trains, apples, and stubbed out cigarettes. After that game-changer, it became a personal mission to track down any and all recordings by this group like a modern day Alan Lomax. There are still many more to accumulate, but this nugget still does the trick. The opening track shares its name with the album, and clocks in at over thirteen minutes of rad. "I Was Denied" follows as the chaser. Ideal for train rides home from work, Sunday mornings reading comic books, and any evening when at a bar and dissatisfied with the jukebox.
8. Woods - At Echo Lake (Woodsist)

Last year in this space, Songs of Shame was described as "the one consistently good thing to happen to me," and that was true since at the time my days and nights were spent sitting underneath a deck. In farming country, this album made me feel restless. Now in the trappings of an apartment complex, it just makes sense. It's a constant necessity, one that causes me to propose that the future, past, and present all happen at once. Not to over-sentimentalize, but these songs remind me of the ground that has already been covered and what still needs to be forged. It's not nearly as arresting as Bruce or Neil, but it still gave me just enough hope to carry on until tomorrow.
7. LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening (Virgin/Parlophone/DF A)

This album is a solo hang out session, and a massive party romp in one disc. It's also quite possibly the last album for James Murphy. The lyrics are deftly hidden underneath the synths and drums, but they are in fact there. Drinking makes one move, but it also masks misery and this record is the soundtrack for all of it. "I Can Change" is hands down the standout track, but "Dance Yrself Clean" is the personal favorite. "Drunk Girls" is fun and for all intents and purposes pretty solid, but it sticks out on this album for the simple fact that it's more over the top than the rest of the tracks. Evidence for this can be found in the line, "Drunk girls wait an hour to pee." However, breaking this album down by individual songs is besides the point. It's a borderline event. If you're into this then sit and down, and listen for the sixty minute duration because it will be worth your while. If you're not a fan, then there's a good chance that you still won't give a shit. With that being said, it still receives high marks from me.
6. Zoroaster - Matador (E1)

A series of nightmares put the word 'Zoroaster' in my head. Internet research taught me that it was associated with an 11th century philosopher who viewed the human condition as the mental struggle between truth and lies. It also indicated that there was a terrific doom band located in Georgia who utilized the name as well. The latter came across as much more intriguing, and the album was purchased. The word 'record' gets thrown around a lot here in these parts, but it truly applies to this one. The first half is sludgy, dark, and heavy but it still moves as a quicker clip than you'd think. It all slows down on the second half to sludgy, dark, heavy doom that is downright evil at times. (Writer's Note: I'm a vegetarian, and 100% totally committed to it with no plans to ever change, but there are some songs on this album that make me want to sacrifice a goat.) This album is ideal for late nights when you are sick and tired of your upstairs neighbor making bizarre sounds and you need something to make him shut the fuck up.

5. Grinderman - Grinderman 2 (ANTI-)

"What's this husband of yours ever given to you/Oprah Winfrey on a plasma screen/And a brood of jug-eared buck-toothed imbeciles/The ugliest fucking kids I've ever seen" ("Kitchenette")

While my birth certificate shows my age to be twenty four, the bitterness and self-loathing that colors my existence is more in tune with a man approaching fifty. It's akin to what Nick Cave has going on, but he's got swagger to go along with it. He also has the ability to make rock and roll that will push any individual to the edge of the cliff, and there's a wordy quality to it that makes the literature major in me swoon. There's a lot of reveling going on here, and it all seems to take place in a hotel room that no one knows about. It takes a creepy turn at times, as the lady love referenced in these songs seems to be on the very young side of things but in the end the uneasiness that the subject matter conjures up only adds to the danger and excitement of the record. It may be wrong to love this so, but it makes for a damn good time. (Writer's Note: This music is what helps birth the short stories that get rattled off here every once in awhile. Forewarning, there will be many more of those in the coming year.)
4. Beach House - Teen Dream (Sub Pop)

This album was released way back in January, and by my own admission was treated unfairly as a result. It was played repeatedly up until about mid March, and then got lost amidst a pile of other records and personal problems. It made scant appearances after that, until finally resurfacing when the leaves began to fall off the trees. A gorgeous record that should have never been forgotten in the first place. This music is downright pleasing, and possesses a gentle caress capable of guiding a tired man through many dark nights. Big time speakers or small personal ones, the sounds that leap forth from this record are lush and close to perfect. "10 Mile Stereo", "Silver Soul", "Used to Be", and "Better Times" number among the personal favorites. "Walk in the Park", "Lover of Mine", and "Real Love" are standouts as well. Really, truly, sincerely an incredible piece of music.
3. Dum Dum Girls - I Will Be (Sub Pop)

Far and away, the most spun album of the year. Played it everywhere and anywhere. For reasons somewhat beyond comprehension, dug this more than just about anything else. It's a straight forward formula, to boot. Four women in all black armed with guitars, bass, and drums play rock and roll music. Super catchy, and a sheer delight to hear. Garage pop is a term to approach with caution, but it works here. These days, pop may mean that radio shit but in yesteryears the Beatles were considered pop. This isn't to suggest that the two are on the same level, but this is very rad. This is also the album that pours out of my headphones while riding the subway home at night.
2. Titus Andronicus - The Monitor (XL Recordings)

The lyrical theme on The Monitor is one that hammers home the point that me and you and our actual friends are on our own. "It's us against them" It's the unshakable fact that things probably aren't going to work out and that we are probably going to fuck up along the way. It'll continue to get worse, and may never get better. Accept this, and try mightily to move forward. When all hope is truly lost is when the fun can start. Surrender, and revel in your own despair. Dance as close to the edge as you want because it doesn't matter nearly as much as you think it does. Just don't completely abandon all hope. As uttered on "A Pot In Which To Piss", "I know it won't do much good, getting drunk and sad and singing, but I'm at the end of my rope, and I feel like swinging." Resistance and perseverance are essential for surviving, and survival is necessary because otherwise they win.

This is hard to wrap the head around, but the key to it all is the fact that its delivered with supreme confidence. Regular people of the mainstream wouldn't accept any of the proclamations on this album, and would dismiss them the first chance they get, but this album isn't for them. They see themselves as pious, but they've never been virgins. They were fucked from the start, they just don't know it. We're losers, misfits, and miscreants, but knowing this is what makes us dangerous. We are not going to stop because there is no reward for quitting. We aren't going to get what we want, but at the end of the day we are going to find something and love it all the same. Contemporary society sees us as dogs and wants us to die accordingly, but at the end of the day we are men. We will rally and band together. Whatever is thrown our way may knock us down, but after a slug of whiskey we will be back on our feet. It's probably worth mentioning at this point that this record is more or less a concept album about the Civil War set in modern times. Also, some of the more colorful phrases contained in these paragraphs were lifted from the album.
1. Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest (4AD)

Simply put, this is a tremendous achievement. There are many notebooks in my bag, but there is a pocket sized one that is used only in desperate situations. On the first page, on the first line, there is a note that says Microcastle is an the most important album and that it will be instrumental in setting my shit straight. That is dated January 1, 2009 and at the time it was true. However, that was written without knowing that Halcyon Digest would ever exist. This record literally floored me upon first listen. It's no secret what my feelings are for Bradford Cox's music, but this latest effort exceeded everything. This band has always held a special place in my heart, but now that bond is even more concrete.

With each listen, the record becomes more than just music. It takes the shape of a cavalcade of emotions that can only register in musical form. These guys have always been able to do the ambient thing along with the more guitar driven melody stuff, but on this album the swell of it all is way more massive. The two Lockett Pundt led tracks immediately jump out and indicate that something new and refined is in store, but its the record as a whole that knocks me over on a daily basis. Album opener, "Earthquake", is jarring in the sense that it consists of all these sudden stops and go forwards. Honestly, on first listen in my mind it seemed like they weren't deviating from form all that much. The rest of the songs make it clear that something else is happening. This is another one where the album comes across as an actual record with a side A and a side B. Side A features brilliant possible folk pop in the form of "Don't Cry", "Revival", "Sailing", "Memory Boy" and then comes to a close with a Lockett Pundt joint, "Desire Lines". If those songs alone were an EP, they would be raved about.

Side B goes even further. "Basement Scene" makes me smile for reasons unbeknownst to me. "Helicopter" follows, and is the heartbreaker. The liner notes include an article about a young boy living in Russia who leaves home to follow his dreams of becoming a fashion designer. He lives with various men, and in exchange for sex is able to go to school and inch closer to his true desire. Things inevitably go south, and he seems to disappear. It is widely believed that the mob got involved, and threw him out of a helicopter hence the song title. That base summary doesn't do the original Dennis Cooper article justice, and it probably does the song no favors as well. The second Pundt, "Fountain Stairs", follows to lift you up. "Coronado" is next and is a pure rollicking good time. It has prominent saxophone, and will make even the most ardent Springsteen supporter fall over themselves.

The closer is "He Would Have Laughed", dedicated to the memory of Jay Reatard. It's over seven and a half minutes long, but its the latter half that gets me every time. Without actually saying it, Bradford asks where your friends are. This resonates so much more deeply than any other song about the status of 'friends'. This is just one man making music in remembrance of a close confidant. In just a few lines, making and maintaining 'friends' is demonstrated in a pain-staking manner. All the uncertainty that goes into making new ones coupled with the constructed trust that the old and new are there for you. Again, not to get all emotional but it's difficult for me to listen to those lines without thinking a little bit. "I know that my friends would.../I know where my friends are now" I understand that my friends are still around, but they don't live in my neighborhood or my area code for that matter. For all intents and purposes, I have to soldier on assuming that they are still around but truthfully I have no way of knowing. In the words of Bruce Springsteen, "It takes a leap of faith, you gotta show some guts." I abide by that, but it doesn't actually solidify anything beyond the constructs in my mind. While this may not be admitted by anyone else, the longer I'm not around and the more parties I miss, the more I disappear. And again, not to get soft since I deliberately chose to move away because thats what I wanted; when I listen to that song that is what I think about. It's unavoidable, and its a part of a rawness that I actively seek out. (Writer's Note: I also realize that it is bad form to use "I" when reviewing a record, but for this one its the only way to express my actual thoughts.)

To say that I have strong feelings about this record would be the understatement of the year. It's a big deal to me for reasons that I don't completely understand. It's the type of music that I dig so I understand that, but there seems to be something else at foot that goes way beyond music.

Best Experiences in Live Music Performances for 2010

2010-12-26T16:03:00.003-05:00

In 2009, concert attendance was at an all-time high and the thinking was that in 2010 more of the same would occur. However, it snowed mightily for months which threw things off and then I realized I was moving which placed a hold on events and then I actually relocated which totally changed everything. Additionally, this site itself has suffered through bouts of erraticism and stagnation. The last twelve months have been tumultuous to say the least, but it is my solemn promise that things will work themselves out. A thousand apologies to all four of you readers who have endured the ups and downs that have taken place here in this space, and again I swear that this will all get better.

As far as this list goes, the focus will be on performance. I saw dozens of bands in Chicago, but still don't feel comfortable identifying one day as particularly great. Also, there were at least two shows where I just went to have fun and didn't think about reviewing or ranking. Those two would be of Montreal back in January and My Morning Jacket in May.

10. Girls / Dum Dum Girls, 3/30/10, piece of shit suck venue outside of Baltimore.

Gary and I tried really hard to have fun at this show, and we did; but man oh man the spot blew. Far and away, our least favorite place to see live music. Regardless, the Dum Dum Girls were fantastic and made me smile while Girls were very strong. No matter how much hate I may have for this theater, this show was damn good.

9. The Vaselines, 10/3/10, First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia.

My first show in my new area code. I had shaved my beard two days prior, and uncertainty was my only bounty. From the first note to the push pit that followed, I felt at home.

8. Beach House / Lightning Bolt, 7/18/10, Union Park, Chicago.

Listing them like that makes it seem like they opened for one another, and while that wasn't actually the case it kind of was at the same time. At first, I faced towards the left and took in the cerebral majesty of Beach House which included a Gucci cover. The sun shone brightly, and drinking was easy. Twas a pleasant time and then the set ended, and I turned to the right. That same sun disappeared, and lighting cigarettes became difficult. There was lots of yelling, and people were running away. I inched closer. Two men made a gross amount of noise, and I loved every second of it. These days, in the morning on the train ride to work, I replay this hour and a half over and over in my head.

7. Mastodon / Baroness, 4/20/10, Ram's Head Live, Baltimore.

Words still can't express this one, and just saying "it was rad" doesn't do it any justice. Baroness is one of the most badass bands on the planet these days, and what Mastodon was able to achieve on that airy night in the city was nothing short of spectacular. I arrived by myself, but moments into "Bullhead's Psalm" it was as though I was in an entirely different space sector. Both bands played album sets, as in they played their records respectively in their entirety. This could be so much higher on the list, but I can't handle being charged with hyperbole.

6. Gang Gang Dance, 3/25/10, Ottobar, Baltimore.

It is really quite difficult to pinpoint what it is about Gang Gang Dance that makes my hips sway they way that they do, and seeing them live only makes it harder to explain. It might have something to do with the fact that I don't really think and just let it happen. With that in mind...

5. High on Fire / Black Cobra / Bison B.C., 4/11/10, Sonar, Baltimore.

Hockey season was about to end, but it didn't matter on this night. An excellent night with my partners in crime. The next morning, I realized I had my first bangover.

4. Deerhunter, 10/13/10, Starlight Ballroom, Philadelphia.

Some pretty serious hanging out took place on this night in a former ballroom dancing spot. The crowd was disheartening in the sense that they were mostly comprised of high schoolers who were hoping to make it home in time for curfew. They had heard "Helicopter" on myspace so clearly there were big time fans. Bradford was in the crowd at one point, and was swarmed by these blokes and inundated with autograph requests. Predictably, it was a strange sight. The sounds were terrific, though. Ducktails and Casino Vs Japan were the opening acts to get things going, and then Deerhunter brought the house down. The new record had just come out, and the set was a pretty even mix of all their efforts which made for a pretty trippy set. To actually hear the evolution that had taken in place in only a few years was remarkable. Emotions ran high on this Wednesday night, and I may have cried at one point. (Writer's Note: I'm pretty sure I didn't, but I still can't say definitively that I didn't.)

3. Warpaint, 8/17/10, Ottobar, Baltimore.

The last show before the move, and again with two of my favorite partners in crime. Such an oddly affecting show, and for reasons other than the fact that the band was made up of beautiful strong independent women.

2. LCD Soundsystem, 7/17/10, Union Park, Chicago.

I did what I always do during this set: drank beer and smoked countless cigarettes. I did what I occasionally do during this set: danced. I even did what I rarely do during this set: danced with someone of the fairer sex. The set wasn't that loud, but it was pretty great. I was already genuinely enjoying myself when I got hit over the head with the line. "Where are your friends tonight?" I looked around although I already knew the answer. They certainly weren't there, and thats when I knew. This was the moment, where in the words of Kenneth Patchen, I did not deny my deepest instinct, and I faced all events that followed with open eyes.

1. Pavement, 9/17/10, Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia.

Seeing them in Chicago was neat because it was the first time, and the Central Park gig was fun since Gary was there, but this one was the best. Looking back, this was the last show before they all started hating one another again. I've lost a notebook since then, but I know with absolute certainty that this was the one where they played "Box Elder" and "Frontwards", and this was the time when they played "Spizzle Trunk" and I knew it. Unfortunately, no more details can be spared regarding this event.

Best of 2010: Missed Opportunities

2010-12-05T16:24:00.009-05:00

December has appeared out of nowhere, and with that in mind whether its necessary or not, it becomes time to think about the year's best. This means there will be lists in this space. However, before the definitive list can be revealed its important to know that I miss out on some things. Mainly because I chose to move, and then anytime I had two coins to rub together I quenched my thirst instead of buying a new album. It should be noted that there is a fair amount of speculation to follow. I'm merely assuming this is what I should have been listening to.

No Age - Everything in Between (Sub Pop, 2010)

Anyone with access to my last.fm page knows that I dig this band. Accordingly, I was really stoked for this record thinking that it would be a culmination of previous efforts with a firm grasp on what the future would bring. My headphones were ready for it to happen, but then it was released on the same day as the new Deerhunter and I had to make an editorial decision.
The Fresh & Onlys - Play It Strange (In the Red, 2010)

This one hurts even more because this is a band that I've seen live, and went so far as to hear a few tracks off this album. Everything I know about this band can be associated with the word rad, but in keeping time with the universe, the timing wasn't right for a purchase to be made. Chances are, a copy will be in my possession by year end but in good conscience it can't be put on the final list because the feelings it will invoke would send it straight to the top and that wouldn't be fair to other records that I've been wrestling with all year.
Ty Segall - Melted (Goner, 2010)

This one is the result of neglect, and nothing else. It was on my radar for most of the summer, but at the time there was no urgency in my bones and as a result no action was taken. Fast forward to present day, and you will see a very sad writer who could desperately use some new garage rock in his life, among other things.
The Bitters - East General (Mexican Summer, 2010)

A late discovery, but still one that should have been purchased. At night, in the dark, as I rest my head, I tell myself that I couldn't have bought this one because I don't have a firm mailing address and that a digital download would be unacceptable. It all could have been so much fun. On the way to work in the morning on the train nodding my head to this, and then on the way home tapping my toes to the same beats. If only...

____________________________

Of course, there are scores of others as well. The latest from Girls springs to mind. For the sake of online journalism, I should have gotten the new Kanye album although that perfect 10 from P4K kind of scared me. Can it really be that good? For reasons beyond my understanding, I've chosen to completely ignore Ariel Pink but there may be some sort of subconscious reason for that. The same could be said about Wild Nothing and Twin Shadow. I totally missed the boat on Radio Dept.'s Clinging to a Scheme, as well as the Morning Benders. And lastly, I was intrigued by ceo.

Deerhunter performing live on Conan

2010-12-04T14:51:00.002-05:00

A melding of two of my most favorite things, similar to that one scene in Coffee & Cigarettes where RZA, GZA, and Bill Murray are all hanging out in that diner joint.

Keep Shelly in Athens - "Running Out of You"

2010-11-28T15:33:00.004-05:00

The EP is titled In Love with Dusk, and is expected to arrive very soon. Possibly this week. It is being released by Gorilla Vs Bear's very own Forest Family Records. There are scant details regarding anything else about this music making entity. Whatever magic this may be, it is allegedly from Greece. It's beyond good, though. Smooth and slinky, and fresh at levels that approach spooky. Head-nod inducing along with hip shimmying vibes for when you're by yourself. It can be pre-ordered here, and here's a taste below.

(long long overdue, but thanks to gvsb for the discovery)

I bought this on Amazon for less than a pack of cigarettes

2010-11-24T15:27:00.005-05:00

The Acacia Strain - Wormwood (Prosthetic 2010)
(Writer's Note: I didn't buy this, but rather it was in the apartment. I smoked through several packs while listening to it though, so that at least counts for something.)

In the liner notes to Wormwood, on the last page there is a small note. It reads, "If you think you know what these songs are about, you're probably wrong." This may be true, and other than the four dudes in the band, no one can really say that they know for certain. There are two iron-clad facts, however. "The Hills Have Eyes" is about the scourge of reality television programming, and "The Carpathian" is a Ghostbusters reference.

There's a certain clarity to the lyrics, with no room for misinterpretation. However bleak, alarming, and shocking they may be, there is still a degree of validity to it all. It's unapologetic in this regard as well. "Jonestown" probably references the suicide massacre of the same name, and with that comes the common stigma of deathcore. Songs about total destruction and people dying. In the wrong hands, certainly problematic but if one keeps their shit together it isn't an issue. At the end of the day, music is still an outlet for expression and there is no denying that this is music. If anything, it would be irresponsible to pretend that the world is all peaches and cream.

"awareness is inevitable" - ("Terminated", track 5)

The guitar squall makes hair on the back of the neck stand up, and the bass and drums behind it keep everything grounded in an unshakeable reality. It can't be ignored, and coupled with vocals telling you everything you don't want to hear, its a very arresting experience. Without getting too specific, it has the power to make everything manageable. Good days and bad nights are melded together with each cut off this record. Pretend fantasy time is over, whether that can be admitted or not, and this album is the first step to accepting that. They've already seen the world fall apart.

Friday

2010-11-24T14:52:00.003-05:00

Descended upon four bars tonight. Two were smoker's hangouts, one had craft brews, and one played Lou Reed on the jukebox. I ate an egg sandwich because I thought I was plunging into New Jersey, and then I had a slice because I didn't give a shit at that point. At the last bar, a guy wore a ceramic lion mask while another rocked pigtails. At another joint, a bald man complained about crime in the city. He identified bad parts of town, and I shook my head because thats exactly where I'm moving. Now a part of the corporate machine, things need to balance out somehow and a refill on danger seems necessary.

Probably won't go to any shows anytime soon as a result of being destitute. Finance, both personal and institutional, hurts my head. Hence the drink. At the second smoking bar, a girl bitched about the excess cigarette smoke and then asked for a menthol. At another, there were issues over the music. There was no point in explaining to the leering longshoreman that just because a bartender is female with tattoos doesn't guarantee she likes Slayer.

Missed connections on the subway line are meant to be. Don't expect anything else. On the regional ride home, not one but two parties violated the quiet car policy. They both acted as if no wrong was committed, and for that a swift kick in the head is deserved. Or at least thats what the conductor's look said as he shuffled by, with his head hung low as if he was wearing a prominent Southern rapper's chain underneath his emblazoned navy vest.

Going home early could represent defeat for most, but not this one. Twice as much booze will be consumed, and possibly a peanut butter sandwich.

The 11 PM subway crowd is all children, and old folks who can't handle their alcohol. They all look at my ass in a sexual manner which only confirms that there is something wrong with them. A mother worries about incurring roaming charges on her phone.

Apparently, The Strokes are releasing a new album

2010-11-18T21:01:00.004-05:00

Not to blow this out of proportion, but news is surfacing that The Strokes, a band that was a huge part of my teenage years and presumably yours as well, have just finished recording their fourth record. Lately, most internet reports had the band arguing and fighting with one another because allegedly they didn't like the sound of this new LP, due in part because they all have solo projects these days and the new album was just an amalgamation of those efforts. Presumably it was shit. However, Stereogum is reporting otherwise. Julian Casablancas and Nickolai Fraiture both posted on something called twitter to say that the band had finished recording a new album. Casablancas went as far to say that, "Still not going to be out for a months-mixing, etc, but just finally finished it yesterday actually." One word was capitalized in that, and singular exclamation and question marks were used but for editing purposes it has been posted in this space as it has just been typed. There's no title, and this won't hit ears until 2011, but still its nice to know that something is coming and not to apply too much pressure but it might be cool.

(via)

Twin Sister - "All Around and Away We Go"

2010-11-18T20:57:00.000-05:00

All Around and Away We Go from Twin Sister on Vimeo.

(via gvsb)

New Ghostface Albums

2010-11-14T18:54:00.004-05:00

The internets is reporting that Ghostface is preparing to release several new records in the near future. The Apollo Kids will be the first to drop with a December 14th arrival date promised, and then sometime after that two more joints. One will be called Blue & Cream while the other will be titled Supreme Clientele Part II. Again, there are no release dates for these other two albums, but a Supreme Clientele sequel is exciting even in theory. There's no denying that Raekwon heroically saved us all last year by releasing Only Built for Cuban Linx Part II. It was the dopest thing that happened to hip hop in 2009, and it was a follow up to a classic, and now Ironman is following suit with a companion piece that has been years in the making. A track off of The Apollo Kids, (a Supreme Clientele reference in and of itself), is streaming over at the Def Jam website. It's called "Together Baby". Listen or not. Have a drink tonight because there is officially cause for celebration.

(via BV)

I bought this on Amazon for less than a pack of cigarettes

2010-11-11T16:20:00.005-05:00

Mika Miko - C.Y.S.L.A.B.F. (Kill Rock Stars/Post Present Medium, 2006)
Some, probably most, yearn to escape and start all over again in California, with its sunshine and beaches and burritos. As if, the crashing waves and relentless swell will eradicate an entire lifetime of personal demons and questionable decisions. Those who want it should go for it because there is honestly nothing wrong with pleasantness and civility. Just know that this writer is staying. The imperfections of the east coast are too ideal for a wallower. Things are supposed to be easy, carefree, and laid-back in the west. All in all, apparently pretty chill. Proposition 19 may have failed, but those vibes are still emitted from that side. There is absolutely no stopping the romanticization of California. Fine. Whatever. However, Mika Miko is far from easy breezy. There is no denying that fun is being had on this debut record, but its been birthed from piss, skunked beer, bad pick-up lines, and most importantly good times.

This band cut their teeth at The Smell, that one spot in L.A. with an alley for a door and the grounds where Wives and then No Age, HEALTH, and Abe Vigoda all made their names. Allegedly, the members of Mika Miko volunteered there and also put in work creating word of mouth hype with their frenetic fantastic live shows. When it was all over, they had released more cassettes than records. They broke up a little less than a year ago, and while that doesn't necessarily ramp up the value of this album it's sad because it means no more.

One can't help but wonder what would have happened if they hadn't broken up. The internets didn't seem to love their last album, or their first one for that matter, even though the last one had a song about turkey sandwiches. Did it all fade that quickly? According to either Walt Whitman or Phil Anselmo, there are two kinds of magic in this world: Those that can be prepared for and those that can't. Were listeners unprepared at first, and then suddenly became all-knowing by the time the second album dropped? If thats the case, then fuck em. This shit is special. Microphone telephone vocals should be treasured.

The record begins with "Take It Serious", and the opening guitar chords almost suggest very conventional and direct rock and roll. Then the vocals begin, and its clear that this is something totally different. "Capricorinations" follows, and its an insanely catch joint with dashes of organ for good measure. "Jogging Song (He's Your Mr. Right)" is pure fun streamlined into the system, with the added delight of hearing an all girl group saying "trying to make it easier for you to understand that I'm your mister right." This review could continue with talk about "The Dress", "Business Cats", and "Chron Liar", but for the sake of time and space just know that they're all great. In fact, that could be said about the entire effort. It's free of any shackles, and puts you on the edge of the cliff. No revelations, just reveling. "I Don't Like Your Widows Peak" is the longest song on the album, clocking in at two minutes and twenty seven seconds.

Online research seems to suggest that most reviewers are detractors, and all agree that this band was borderline unlistenable. If that's the charge being levied, then guess who is in love. Love, love, love.

Bruce Springsteen - "The Promise"

2010-11-05T11:54:00.003-04:00

Going back to New Jersey today. Don't know when I'll post again. (Probably Monday or Tuesday) Seems fitting to end the week of endless content with the Boss.

The Promise- The Lost Sessions: Darkness on the Edge of Town will be released on November 16th. NPR is streaming it as we speak.

(video via p4k)

(Writer's Note: This is probably one of those times where I'm talking to myself, but feel free to leave comments with weird and vile suggestions as to what I can write about next. This baby has been stagnant for awhile, and it's time for a revitalization. Again, I realize that I'm basically leaving this note for myself.)

Bradford Cox assists Real Estate in singing a John Lennon song

2010-11-04T16:22:00.002-04:00

Over the weekend in San Francisco, one of this site's favorites, Real Estate, opened for Deerhunter at Slim's. Then suddenly, this site's most favorite man of music Bradford Cox appeared on stage and what followed is documented below. (Writer's Note: Obviously, I didn't shoot this video, but rather I found it on the internets.) Visually it's a little blurry and fuzzy, but Bradford sings and bangs on the drums at one point. He also shouts "fuck real estate" a couple of time towards the end, but he's talking about some corporate shit and not the suburban Jersey dudes.

The song in question is "Mind Games", off of Lennon's 1973 solo record.

(via The Fader via)

New LCD Soundsystem Release

2010-11-04T12:52:00.005-04:00

Reports had indicated that James Murphy & Co. were going to hang it up after touring for the stellar This Is Happening had finished. No more albums, no more records, nothing. Granted there are still stops in Europe, and as of 2011 they'll still be on the road but it was kind of understood that the end was near. However, the internets announced this morning that a new joint will be released next Tuesday on itunes through DFA/Virgin.

It's being described as a live in-studio effort, and will be called The London Sessions. Instead of the electronic awesomeness that usually accompanies an LCD studio album, this one will have the grit and glory that comes with their live performance art which is real rad on a whole other level. I caught a live show over the summer, and it made me feel many things. Many, many things.

Anyway, my point is that I reveled in the assault on my senses that occurred that night and now my childish mind believes that this record will duplicate those feelings.

It will be available starting on November 9th, but don't sleep because it will be gone by December 6th. Track list below.

1. Us V Them

2. All I Want

3. Drunk Girls

4. Get Innocuous

5. Daft Punk Is Playing at My House

6. All My Friends

7. Pow Pow

8. I Can Change

9. Yr City's a Sucker

(via p4k)

Good News

2010-11-03T16:59:00.006-04:00

Yo La Tengo are going on tour starting in January. They are once again doing the eight night Hoboken run that coincides with Hanukkah, but that sells out in mere minutes and tickets have been unavailable basically since last January. However in 2011, they will be on the road once again. It gets better.

According to their website, they'll play two sets each night. The second one will be fairly conventional, or at least as conventional as humanly possible. It's the first set that needs to be reported on.

The band plans on utilizing a spinning wheel of sorts that will be spun at the beginning of each show. What the wheel decides is what will be played for the first forty five minutes. There are a bevy of options. There are conventional ideas like performing tunes from the group's other rad band Condo Fucks or from bassist James McNew's solo joint Dump.

There are also other really awesome options like having a question and answer segment that might have music, or 45 minutes of Yo La Tengo songs that feature someone's name in the title, or perhaps exclusively playing songs that begin with the letter S, and finally... what is being dubbed as "Sitcom Theater" in which band and crew will act out a classic sitcom. They might also play the music from the instrumental record The Sounds of Science, but only half of it because presumably it's longer than forty five minutes.

William Tyler will be the opener for these shows, and the tour dates are below.

1/20: The Trocadero, Philadelphia PA

1/21: 9:30 Club, Washington DC

1/22: Cat's Cradle, Carrboro NC

1/23: Cat's Cradle, Carrboro NC

1/25: The Social, Orlando FL

1/26: Freebird Live, Jacksonville FL

1/28: Variety Playhouse, Atlanta GA

1/29: Tipitina's, New Orleans LA

1/31: WorkPlay, Birmingham AL

2/01: Exit/In, Nashville TN

2/03: The Vogue Theater, Indianapolis IN

2/04: Metro, Chicago IL

2/05: Mr. Small's Fun House, Pittsburgh PA

once again, this is fucking great

(news via YLT website, and p4k)

New Tennis Album

2010-11-02T18:40:00.004-04:00

Denver, Colorado based nautical adventurers and makers of gorgeous music, Tennis have announced details regarding their debut record. The recent Fat Possum signees will drop Cape Dory on January 18, 2011. Above is the cover art, and below is the track list.

1.) Take Me Somewhere

2.) Long Boast Pass

3.) Cape Dory

4.) Marathon

5.) Bimini Bay

6.) South Carolina

7.) Pigeon

8.) Seafarer

9.) Baltimore

10.) Water Birds

(via p4k)

And for kicks, videos for "Cape Dory" and "South Carolina"

San Francisco won the World Series last night, so go VOTE, and then spend the rest of the day listening to Thee Oh Sees

2010-11-02T15:13:00.003-04:00

Have I ever told you about my most favorite band that isn't Pavement?

The Bitters - "Travelin' Girl"

2010-11-02T14:14:00.003-04:00

The Bitters - Travelin' Girl from Mexican Summer on Vimeo.

This might be my most favorite video of the year. Additionally, it is becoming determined that this band is a powerhouse. This is undeniably rad, but it also makes me very sad. The record, East General, came out six months ago and today is the first time its been mentioned in this space. As a web journalist, I have failed. Then again, I've been a failure as a print journalist for over two years now.

The Bitters are comprised of Aerin Fogel and Fucked Up/Young Governor's Ben Cook. They call what they do 'Cave Pop', which sounds a whole lot better than me describing them as 'groovy, catchy, dig-worthy lo-fi' or whatever other lazy description I'd come up with on a Tuesday. According to research, for live shows Jonah Falco from Fucked Up does drums and various different bass players are utilized.

This is kind of just a briefing on what could turn into a new full-fledged obsession. The album can be purchased through all the proper channels, but Mexican Summer has a real dank overall roster and for my money is the way to go.

(most of what i learned today came via Mexican Summer with a dash of gorilla vs bear)

Nite Jewel - "We Want Our Things"

2010-11-01T20:29:00.003-04:00

You can draw your own conclusions about this one. Personally, its my belief that if this song had existed many moons ago then there would have been no confrontation with Zuul and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man at the end of the first Ghostbusters movie. The track is off of the Am I Real? EP, available courtesy of Stones Throw.

(via gvsb)

Crystal Castles (feat. Robert Smith) - "Not in Love"

2010-11-01T14:20:00.002-04:00

This is great, and it can be downloaded for free here or here. It comes out properly on iTunes on December 6th, and promises acoustic demos of "Celestica" and "Suffocation" as the B-sides. For the sake of thorough reporting, the song is a Platinum Blonde cover.

(via gvsb many days after the fact)

Rock and Roll Onstage Explosion featuring Women

2010-11-01T13:50:00.004-04:00

Full disclosure: That was a very lazy headline meant to incite amplified amounts of traffic to this fledgling, little darling of a web address. There weren't even any women involved in this incident, but rather it was the Canadian band Women who apparently lost their collective shit the other day while in British Columbia. This wasn't a Wavves-like meltdown which involved loads of shit talking and drug consumption. This was more along the lines of the guitarist punching the bass player in the head, and other things of that ilk. P4K had the scoop this morning, and what it really boils down to is plain old exhaustion. The latest record, Public Strain, came out at the end of September and the other album came out mere months before (or at least so it seems), so this coupled with the fact that the current indie landscape has bands playing one thousand four hundred and sixty shows in a calendar year, it all kind of makes sense. The rest of the tour has been cancelled, and all the remaining stops were in Europe anyway. Playing guitar can be very draining, and playing the guitar well can be doubly draining so in a way these cats deserve some time off. (Writer's Note: I have to apologize. This seemed way more newsy when I started typing it out.)

(again via p4k)

La Sera - "Never Come Around"

2010-10-29T15:57:00.004-04:00

This has been known for some time now, but La Sera is the solo project of Katy Goodman from the Vivian Girls and of All Saints Day. (Writer's Note: One of my all-time favorite holiday celebration memories was two summers ago, being in Brooklyn on the Fourth of July, drinking PBR out of a paper bag, waiting for Thee Oh Sees, smoking cigs and watching the fireworks go off in the streets and behind buildings while the Vivian Girls played. I figured I would share, since this is a holiday weekend.)

Anyway, the lead single is called "Never Come Around" and the 7" comes out November 16th on Hardly Art. The B side will be "Behind Your Eyes", and a proper long player will be out in 2011. Video below. Warning: This tune is kinda gorgeous, and it is the understanding of this writer that the whole record could follow suit in waves of awe.

(information via gvsb, vid via p4k)

One Minute and Forty Two Seconds of New Daft Punk

2010-10-26T13:48:00.003-04:00

Tron is a movie I've never seen, but it had Jeff Bridges in it so maybe the fault lies on my end. In keeping with the contemporary trend of remaking old things into reboots and/or sequels, and then putting them in 3D, Tron: Legacy will arrive in theaters on December 17. It looks cool, and that fact is only amplified by Daft Punk's participation. While they probably only have a cameo or two in the actual film; They're also doing the soundtrack. The entire thing. They are scoring the whole picture, and again this is a movie about robots and computers and things of that ilk. And, Daft Punk, mastermind DJs with rad robot garb and sweet pyramid, are responsible for all the music in it. This had been spinning in rumor mills for a million internet years, but now it's actually happening.

(via p4K via NME)

New Girls EP

2010-10-25T15:45:00.005-04:00

True Panther announced today that in less than one months time, 2009 darlings, veritable rock and roll band, and San Francisco's own Girls will be releasing a new six track EP. According to internet reports, it will clock in at 30 minutes and feature such tracks as "Carolina" and the now available for download "Heartbreaker". Christopher Owens wrote a letter detailing it on the True Panther blog, but my vision is poor and as a result was unable to decipher the handwriting. Anyway, it will be called Broken Dreams Club and can be pre-ordered here. An mp3 for "Heartbreaker" can be had here, and at top is the album art.

(via gorilla vs bear)

Pen and Paper, Late at night...

2010-10-19T12:44:00.003-04:00

(Editor's Note: The writer and the speaker are not the same. The writer writes it down, but it is the speaker who says it.)

Children dream of becoming astronauts, and teenagers yearn to be either heroin addicts or sex fiends. Adults have nightmares. Fiendishly wild picture shows that depict landscapes too real to swallow. The curtains never close on these shows, and the audience is bound to their seats; Not by whips, chains, and locks but rather by disillusionment, feeble optimism, and a lack of strength both mental and physical. In a general sense, people will always do the wrong thing. They eat what they're not supposed, drink at inappropriate hours, and masturbate in public.

Now, this isn't to say that I'm judge, jury, and executioner but the blindest old bat can tell you things are off. I exist in the space between your fears and your undying lust. I'm watching you like a fucking vulture. My vigil will never end, similar to my cigarette supply, and as humanity continues to veer off its proper course I will always have something to write about.

Pretty girls are nice, but they don't make up for the fact that I was robbed twice in the last week. These events have forced me to pursue the strange. There's no ill will towards the Chinaman who stole my dinner, but that meth head deserves to be hit by a bus. However, that may be too gracious. The proper punishment for that piece of slime* is still undecided. The city is your ex-girlfriend. It's not so bad on paper, but it's a bitch and a half up close.*(Editor's Note: Several words and phrases in this paragraph were changed because the writer's original choice of words was deemed too vulgar. If the public demands the unedited text then it can be made available.)

Have you ever seen a hurricane? Raging water, overturning planks of wood and swallowing humanity. It's happened before, and it's about to hit inland. I am bruised, bloodied, and beaten on the inside and an escape looms, but my work isn't done here. I patronize the coffee shacks and juke joints, and don't ride the subway enough. My aim is true, but I get my kicks from chaos. The foundation is shaky, and the structure needs to fall.