Today, after 2+ years and 250 blog posts, Support Your Local Catgun draws to a close. A formal close, anyway; I may still write things here from time to time as music inspires me to do so.
During the past two years, I have written about music, with the occasional day of being rained out or just lazy, and I feel that my productivity has been at least adequate. While writing about music has not failed to be fun, I suppose that 2009 is a different time than 2007 was, where my compulsion to rant about R.E.M. is waning and my concern with sharing my psyche with mostly anonymous readers is more apparent.
I realize that this blog is lacking entries for the following albums that I am especially fond of:
Neko Case, Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Dandy Warhols, Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia
Neutral Milk Hotel, In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
Maybe they will show up some day. Maybe not.
If you've been reading, thanks for doing so. Good luck out there in Radio Land.
Showing posts with label miscellany. Show all posts
Showing posts with label miscellany. Show all posts
Friday, August 28, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
Cleaning House
Today, there will not be a review dedicated to a single album. Consideration was given to reviewing something by Echo and the Bunnymen, or possibly even Drive-By Truckers, but ultimately recent developments trumped traditional format.
Today's blog post will cover the following topics:
It remains to be seen whether Pandora will survive. This decision is hardly a surprise, given the court-approved raise of internet radio music licensing fees in 2007 (I believe) and the RIAA's general money-grubbing, but it is still something of a disappointment. I don't know that I will continue to use Pandora, despite its great utility to me over the past twelve months or so; the fee is modest, but something of a nuisance. Still, Pandora is probably something that I will choose to remember fondly and may consider in the future.
In other news, Michael Jackson passed away recently. You may have heard this. If not, I would advise you to reconsider your use of Support Your Local Catgun as your exclusive news provider and connection to the outside world. Apparently this is a great tragedy, despite Michael having done very little of musical or social worth in the last fifteen years or more. A grand funeral service was held earlier this week, in which the Jackson family and other people interested in furthering their own celebrity through public displays of grief were present.
My thoughts? My upbringing and particular age left me largely unexposed to Michael Jackson, musician and celebrity, and only later was I privy to the existence of Michael Jackson, obscenely rich personal spectacle. His death is certainly a tragedy, in the sense that the death of a parent of young children is, but otherwise, it's probably hyperbole. For most, I suppose that his passing represents lost youth never to return. Personally, I feel guilty for having devoted so many words to such a thing.
Finally, the 80/35 festival took place last weekend in the Des Moines metro area. The festival was fairly well received, though there were notably fewer ticketbuyers than the previous year. Also, Flava Flav, of first-day headliner Public Enemy, did not show up. I can only assume this is a direct result of Flav's perception of Des Moines women, and their presumed inability to reach levels of skankiness appropriate for Flav. Come on, local skanks!
In Other News:
Sorry about all the yapping in here today. I feel a bit like one of the attention-hungry vloggers on Youtube, and this makes me feel like taking a shower.
The Echo & the Bunnymen album, Crocodiles, is pretty good if somewhat dated.
Perhaps a review of Mogwai's latest, The Hawk is Howling, will take place next week.
Today's blog post will cover the following topics:
- Pandora internet radio adds pricing structure
- Michael Jackson apparently still in tabloids
- 80/35 Festival in Des Moines
It remains to be seen whether Pandora will survive. This decision is hardly a surprise, given the court-approved raise of internet radio music licensing fees in 2007 (I believe) and the RIAA's general money-grubbing, but it is still something of a disappointment. I don't know that I will continue to use Pandora, despite its great utility to me over the past twelve months or so; the fee is modest, but something of a nuisance. Still, Pandora is probably something that I will choose to remember fondly and may consider in the future.
In other news, Michael Jackson passed away recently. You may have heard this. If not, I would advise you to reconsider your use of Support Your Local Catgun as your exclusive news provider and connection to the outside world. Apparently this is a great tragedy, despite Michael having done very little of musical or social worth in the last fifteen years or more. A grand funeral service was held earlier this week, in which the Jackson family and other people interested in furthering their own celebrity through public displays of grief were present.
My thoughts? My upbringing and particular age left me largely unexposed to Michael Jackson, musician and celebrity, and only later was I privy to the existence of Michael Jackson, obscenely rich personal spectacle. His death is certainly a tragedy, in the sense that the death of a parent of young children is, but otherwise, it's probably hyperbole. For most, I suppose that his passing represents lost youth never to return. Personally, I feel guilty for having devoted so many words to such a thing.
Finally, the 80/35 festival took place last weekend in the Des Moines metro area. The festival was fairly well received, though there were notably fewer ticketbuyers than the previous year. Also, Flava Flav, of first-day headliner Public Enemy, did not show up. I can only assume this is a direct result of Flav's perception of Des Moines women, and their presumed inability to reach levels of skankiness appropriate for Flav. Come on, local skanks!
In Other News:
Sorry about all the yapping in here today. I feel a bit like one of the attention-hungry vloggers on Youtube, and this makes me feel like taking a shower.
The Echo & the Bunnymen album, Crocodiles, is pretty good if somewhat dated.
Perhaps a review of Mogwai's latest, The Hawk is Howling, will take place next week.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Not Dead YET
Today there isn't really a blog post. Just a short half-post to let anyone who actually reads this that I'm not dead, just busy. Don't start picking over my things just yet!
Maybe later in the week, there will be a post on Calexico's Hot Rail, which is pretty bitchin'.
Maybe later in the week, there will be a post on Calexico's Hot Rail, which is pretty bitchin'.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Dark Was The Night Pt 2
Now, for Part 2. Apparently I gave up on a unique scale and just decided to hand out letter grades. Quit whining, you are getting a lot of blog for your money this week and just because the effort is going into the writing and not a gimmick doesn't mean you have any right to bitch. Now read.
*Spoon - "Well-Alright" - This is a pretty fun tune, uptempo and simple, almost uncharacteristic of Spoon. If I didn't know better, someone could have probably convinced me that this was actually the Strokes. Do the Strokes still exist? Did they give up music and just resort to looking cool as a career move? Anyway...B+.
*Arcade Fire - "Lenin" - good stuff, though the mood here is much more relieved than I would normally expect from the Arcade Fire. It's not the greatest AF song but the quality is still good; maybe there just isn't as much of a sweeping crescendo as Win Butler has led me to expect. B
*Beirut - "Mimizan" - love the accordion. This sounds like Flying Club Cup-Beirut, which is not a bad thing. The song is brief but has a nice build, and the sweeping vocals are well suited for the song. A
*My Morning Jacket - "El Caporal" - this is the gentle, easy side of MMJ, which is not what I prefer, but this song is still kind of fun. It's borderline doo-wop, a very old-time feel, and a nicely understated sax presence. I wish I could give this song a higher grade, but it's solid, not spectacular. B-
*Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - "Inspiration Information" - an appropriate followup to the previous track, as this is more relaxed than some of Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings' tunes. Not bad stuff, I just prefer the songs with a little more edge. B-
*David Sitek - "With A Girl Like You" - what immediately seems like cheese is redeemed by a wicked horn line. This song is a bit of a guilty pleasure, but damned if it isn't fun to listen to. There's a nice progression here, too, and the horns take center stage at the end long enough to whet my appetite. I could listen to this one two or three times in a row, easy. A
*Blood Pt 2 - "Buck 65 Remix" (feat. Sufjan Stevens and Serengeti) - nice segue! This is a rhythm-driven rap tune, a nice change of pace on the album. The mood here is darker, borderline sinister, but I appreciate the variety. Plus, the song is relatively brief, especially in comparison to Sufjan dorking up the place for 10+ minutes at the end of disc 1. B
*The New Pornographers - "Hey Snow White" - a slow burn as opposed to the NP's more traditional frantic style. This song is only guilty of giving away everything a little too soon but it still works up a decent groove - love the progression here, and the chorus that just won't quit. To be fair, I'm a sucker for basically anything A.C. Newman does. Love this song. A
*Yo La Tengo - "Gentle Hour" - Good stuff, and another tempo/style change that contrasts well. This is more the hazy, cloudy YLT; this song feels like taking a nap on a gray afternoon. Nice piano here, and the vocals are restrained enough to let the piano be the star. A-
*Stuart Murdoch - "Another Saturday" - an old-fashioned tune here, something that wouldn't sound out of place in a church service. Is this from the Nick Cave-scored The Proposition? It's a little cloying but pretty nonetheless. Subtle instrumentation here is a nice touch. B+
*Riceboy Sleeps - "Happiness" - a serene, ambient tune. It's all synth and strings here, something celestial that wouldn't sound out of place on a Tangerine Dream album. Definitely a changeup from everything else on this disc, but just beautiful. Not something to sing along to, though. Perhaps the best indication of the song's quality is that it is 8+ minutes in length and always seems to be less than half that. A
*Cat Power & Dirty Delta Blues - "Amazing Grace" - oh HELL YES. The mother of all old-time spiritual hymns, covered with as much heart as a thirty-something white lady can muster. Love the instrumentation, too. Maybe if Chan Marshall sang at church I would have a harder time not going. A
*Andrew Bird - "The Giant of Illinois" - Lovely string intro, seamless transition to guitar lead, vocals so full of yearning that it hurts. Wow. There are other artists on the composition that I prefer to Bird, but given all the tracks, I'd be pressed hard to place many of them above this one. Somehow, Bird manages to upstage Marshall here, just a little. A
*Conor Oberst and Gillian Welch - "Lua" - I have to mark this one down, as Conor is covering one of his own tunes. It's still nice and meanders enough, but this isn't one of my favorites. Maybe this song just seems to settle for its opening hook too easily; by the time the song ends, it has pretty much worn out its welcome. It's an okay tune, there just aren't enough ideas to make up for a relatively milquetoast mood. B
*Blonde Redhead + Devastations - "When The Road Runs Out" - kind of interesting to hear BR do something so laid-back. The end result is that the song was somewhat less creepy than a typical BR track, but still not quite sure what to do with itself. B
*Kevin Drew - "Love vs. Porn" - Maybe a little too Broken Social Scene-ish for my taste but still a nice way to wind down the album. B+
And there you have it. Some peaks reach higher than others, but not any real valleys to speak of. Please don't let my general anti-Sufjan bias keep you from this compilation; the two discs contain some great songs. (This is to say nothing of the important charity aspect of the album as well.
Just for reference, in case you are interested in obtaining this compilation yourself:
Enjoy.
In Other News:
I spent too much time blogging this week.
If you live within driving distance of me, go outside, spring finally showed up.
*Spoon - "Well-Alright" - This is a pretty fun tune, uptempo and simple, almost uncharacteristic of Spoon. If I didn't know better, someone could have probably convinced me that this was actually the Strokes. Do the Strokes still exist? Did they give up music and just resort to looking cool as a career move? Anyway...B+.
*Arcade Fire - "Lenin" - good stuff, though the mood here is much more relieved than I would normally expect from the Arcade Fire. It's not the greatest AF song but the quality is still good; maybe there just isn't as much of a sweeping crescendo as Win Butler has led me to expect. B
*Beirut - "Mimizan" - love the accordion. This sounds like Flying Club Cup-Beirut, which is not a bad thing. The song is brief but has a nice build, and the sweeping vocals are well suited for the song. A
*My Morning Jacket - "El Caporal" - this is the gentle, easy side of MMJ, which is not what I prefer, but this song is still kind of fun. It's borderline doo-wop, a very old-time feel, and a nicely understated sax presence. I wish I could give this song a higher grade, but it's solid, not spectacular. B-
*Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - "Inspiration Information" - an appropriate followup to the previous track, as this is more relaxed than some of Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings' tunes. Not bad stuff, I just prefer the songs with a little more edge. B-
*David Sitek - "With A Girl Like You" - what immediately seems like cheese is redeemed by a wicked horn line. This song is a bit of a guilty pleasure, but damned if it isn't fun to listen to. There's a nice progression here, too, and the horns take center stage at the end long enough to whet my appetite. I could listen to this one two or three times in a row, easy. A
*Blood Pt 2 - "Buck 65 Remix" (feat. Sufjan Stevens and Serengeti) - nice segue! This is a rhythm-driven rap tune, a nice change of pace on the album. The mood here is darker, borderline sinister, but I appreciate the variety. Plus, the song is relatively brief, especially in comparison to Sufjan dorking up the place for 10+ minutes at the end of disc 1. B
*The New Pornographers - "Hey Snow White" - a slow burn as opposed to the NP's more traditional frantic style. This song is only guilty of giving away everything a little too soon but it still works up a decent groove - love the progression here, and the chorus that just won't quit. To be fair, I'm a sucker for basically anything A.C. Newman does. Love this song. A
*Yo La Tengo - "Gentle Hour" - Good stuff, and another tempo/style change that contrasts well. This is more the hazy, cloudy YLT; this song feels like taking a nap on a gray afternoon. Nice piano here, and the vocals are restrained enough to let the piano be the star. A-
*Stuart Murdoch - "Another Saturday" - an old-fashioned tune here, something that wouldn't sound out of place in a church service. Is this from the Nick Cave-scored The Proposition? It's a little cloying but pretty nonetheless. Subtle instrumentation here is a nice touch. B+
*Riceboy Sleeps - "Happiness" - a serene, ambient tune. It's all synth and strings here, something celestial that wouldn't sound out of place on a Tangerine Dream album. Definitely a changeup from everything else on this disc, but just beautiful. Not something to sing along to, though. Perhaps the best indication of the song's quality is that it is 8+ minutes in length and always seems to be less than half that. A
*Cat Power & Dirty Delta Blues - "Amazing Grace" - oh HELL YES. The mother of all old-time spiritual hymns, covered with as much heart as a thirty-something white lady can muster. Love the instrumentation, too. Maybe if Chan Marshall sang at church I would have a harder time not going. A
*Andrew Bird - "The Giant of Illinois" - Lovely string intro, seamless transition to guitar lead, vocals so full of yearning that it hurts. Wow. There are other artists on the composition that I prefer to Bird, but given all the tracks, I'd be pressed hard to place many of them above this one. Somehow, Bird manages to upstage Marshall here, just a little. A
*Conor Oberst and Gillian Welch - "Lua" - I have to mark this one down, as Conor is covering one of his own tunes. It's still nice and meanders enough, but this isn't one of my favorites. Maybe this song just seems to settle for its opening hook too easily; by the time the song ends, it has pretty much worn out its welcome. It's an okay tune, there just aren't enough ideas to make up for a relatively milquetoast mood. B
*Blonde Redhead + Devastations - "When The Road Runs Out" - kind of interesting to hear BR do something so laid-back. The end result is that the song was somewhat less creepy than a typical BR track, but still not quite sure what to do with itself. B
*Kevin Drew - "Love vs. Porn" - Maybe a little too Broken Social Scene-ish for my taste but still a nice way to wind down the album. B+
And there you have it. Some peaks reach higher than others, but not any real valleys to speak of. Please don't let my general anti-Sufjan bias keep you from this compilation; the two discs contain some great songs. (This is to say nothing of the important charity aspect of the album as well.
Just for reference, in case you are interested in obtaining this compilation yourself:
Enjoy.
In Other News:
I spent too much time blogging this week.
If you live within driving distance of me, go outside, spring finally showed up.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Dark Was The Night - Pt 1
Today marks the beginning of an epic two-part post covering the Dark Was The Night compilation. As is tradition at Support Your Local Catgun, I'll be rating the songs on a unique scale. As soon as I come up with it. Also, I am a little irritated, as I realize that a couple tracks are missing from my download. These are tracks by Grizzly Bear, which may belong to a label that is not available via eMusic. This is a Damn Shame, as I like Grizzly Bear. We'll work on this, though.
*Dirty Projectors + David Byrne - "Knotty Pine" - bright and cute, but has a nice vibe to it. I really like the piano line here. A good choice for an album opener, as it sets a strong tone but does so briefly. A-
*The Books featuring Jose Gonzalez - "Cello Song" - neat stuff here. Very minimal but integrates the electronics and the strings exceptionally well. Gonzalez's voice is ideal for this composition. The song does a nice job of building tension while remaining benign. A-
*Feist & Ben Gibbard - "Train Song" - nice, basic, campfire-spooky mood to it. Probably not one of the standout tracks on this album but still very good, and certainly well-placed after the previous two. B+
*Bon Iver - "Brackett, WI" - my first thought was "oh NO, Vernon went electric". I, for one, appreciate Vernon's approach to this song, even if it isn't too far from his roots. Nice build and use of percussion here. The tempo makes me a little restless but damned if this isn't good. A
*The National - "So Far Around The Bend" - a nice transition from Bon Iver to a larger, fuller sound and a little more spring in the heels. Perhaps not the most complex composition, and not my favorite National song, but very listenable, and placed well on the album. The clarinet(?) and piano are good here, and I like the punchy snare drum, too. B+
*Yeasayer - "Tightrope" - just melancholy enough. The singer does some interesting things here. Musically somewhat simple in spite of the layers, but it's very difficult not to empathize with the song, and want whatever the singer is singing about even if that thing isn't exactly clear. A
*My Brightest Diamond - "Feeling Good" - very much a successor to the Feist/Gibbard track, albeit with a brassier, big-band sound. Lovely voice, nice instrumentation as well. I'm a sucker for the horns, and damned if this isn't the best-sung track on this half of the album. A
*Kronos Quartet - "Dark Was The Night" - all strings, all the time. Kind of a musical interlude, really, but this is the reason why compilation albums exist - for little gimmicks and style anomalies like this one. This one seems to be less of a song and more of a bunch of sounds that happen, but it's still a nice touch. B
*Antony + Bryce Dessner - "I Was Young When I Left Home" - kind of a mopey old-timey blues song. As much as I like the mood and sound here, I can't say this is my favorite track on the album, though it's not bad - it is a logical segue from the previous instrumental track. B
*Justin Vernon + Aaron Dessner - "Big Red Machine" - not bad but a little too gentle and emotional for my tastes. Also doesn't seem to have much in the way of progression compared to some songs. I do like the use of the piano as a semi-percussive instrument, though. B
*The Decemberists - "Sleepless" - pretty good though a little morose. I wouldn't have minded a greater crescendo through the song but Meloy leading the piano and banjo(!) makes for a nice effect. Also, I'm a sucker for the Decemberists. B+
*Iron & Wine - "Die" - sixty-six seconds and each one is beautiful. This is the Iron & Wine that I live for. Why couldn't this song be much longer? A
*Sufjan Stevens - "You Are The Blood" - well, they can't all be winners. C, and that's being generous. Sufjan, you suck.
That's all for today. Tune in for Part 2, possibly tomorrow, maybe some other day. I'm really enjoying this compliation so far, in spite of Sufjan Stevens showing up to try and out-cute everything, as usual. I'm excited for Part 2, as the second half of the album features some bands that I really like.
In Other News:
I'm so close to free weights again that I can just about smell them. Come on, shoulder.
I bought a medicine ball last night. I just hope I can remember to use it regularly!
*Dirty Projectors + David Byrne - "Knotty Pine" - bright and cute, but has a nice vibe to it. I really like the piano line here. A good choice for an album opener, as it sets a strong tone but does so briefly. A-
*The Books featuring Jose Gonzalez - "Cello Song" - neat stuff here. Very minimal but integrates the electronics and the strings exceptionally well. Gonzalez's voice is ideal for this composition. The song does a nice job of building tension while remaining benign. A-
*Feist & Ben Gibbard - "Train Song" - nice, basic, campfire-spooky mood to it. Probably not one of the standout tracks on this album but still very good, and certainly well-placed after the previous two. B+
*Bon Iver - "Brackett, WI" - my first thought was "oh NO, Vernon went electric". I, for one, appreciate Vernon's approach to this song, even if it isn't too far from his roots. Nice build and use of percussion here. The tempo makes me a little restless but damned if this isn't good. A
*The National - "So Far Around The Bend" - a nice transition from Bon Iver to a larger, fuller sound and a little more spring in the heels. Perhaps not the most complex composition, and not my favorite National song, but very listenable, and placed well on the album. The clarinet(?) and piano are good here, and I like the punchy snare drum, too. B+
*Yeasayer - "Tightrope" - just melancholy enough. The singer does some interesting things here. Musically somewhat simple in spite of the layers, but it's very difficult not to empathize with the song, and want whatever the singer is singing about even if that thing isn't exactly clear. A
*My Brightest Diamond - "Feeling Good" - very much a successor to the Feist/Gibbard track, albeit with a brassier, big-band sound. Lovely voice, nice instrumentation as well. I'm a sucker for the horns, and damned if this isn't the best-sung track on this half of the album. A
*Kronos Quartet - "Dark Was The Night" - all strings, all the time. Kind of a musical interlude, really, but this is the reason why compilation albums exist - for little gimmicks and style anomalies like this one. This one seems to be less of a song and more of a bunch of sounds that happen, but it's still a nice touch. B
*Antony + Bryce Dessner - "I Was Young When I Left Home" - kind of a mopey old-timey blues song. As much as I like the mood and sound here, I can't say this is my favorite track on the album, though it's not bad - it is a logical segue from the previous instrumental track. B
*Justin Vernon + Aaron Dessner - "Big Red Machine" - not bad but a little too gentle and emotional for my tastes. Also doesn't seem to have much in the way of progression compared to some songs. I do like the use of the piano as a semi-percussive instrument, though. B
*The Decemberists - "Sleepless" - pretty good though a little morose. I wouldn't have minded a greater crescendo through the song but Meloy leading the piano and banjo(!) makes for a nice effect. Also, I'm a sucker for the Decemberists. B+
*Iron & Wine - "Die" - sixty-six seconds and each one is beautiful. This is the Iron & Wine that I live for. Why couldn't this song be much longer? A
*Sufjan Stevens - "You Are The Blood" - well, they can't all be winners. C, and that's being generous. Sufjan, you suck.
That's all for today. Tune in for Part 2, possibly tomorrow, maybe some other day. I'm really enjoying this compliation so far, in spite of Sufjan Stevens showing up to try and out-cute everything, as usual. I'm excited for Part 2, as the second half of the album features some bands that I really like.
In Other News:
I'm so close to free weights again that I can just about smell them. Come on, shoulder.
I bought a medicine ball last night. I just hope I can remember to use it regularly!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Oops
I was going to blog about Wire today but then I ran out of time. Shame on me!
The good news is that I got my monthly eMusic quota this week and promptly blew 60% of my downloads on the Dark Was the Night compilation. As it is all covers by relatively prominent indie artists (what a troubled phrase), it probably warrants a song-by-song evaluation rather than just the typical Jason-rants-about-album-themes type of blog that I've usually done. It's good stuff, though - even the bands that I don't normally care for as much (Spoon, I'm looking at you) contribute some interesting tracks.
In Other News:
I am beginning my investigation into a potential invasion of Canada. This has international incident written all over it. I'll probably have to fast for a couple days to make up for all the added Unibroue calories, though.
I have been watching a good deal of Arrested Development lately. I can't say enough good things about it - this show is cleverly written, knows how to use a running joke (Family Guy, I'm looking at you), and is probably cast as well as any sitcom in recent memory. This may also warrant a dedicated non-music-related blog entry as well. I only wish I could get Will Arnett to narrate the entire thing.
The good news is that I got my monthly eMusic quota this week and promptly blew 60% of my downloads on the Dark Was the Night compilation. As it is all covers by relatively prominent indie artists (what a troubled phrase), it probably warrants a song-by-song evaluation rather than just the typical Jason-rants-about-album-themes type of blog that I've usually done. It's good stuff, though - even the bands that I don't normally care for as much (Spoon, I'm looking at you) contribute some interesting tracks.
In Other News:
I am beginning my investigation into a potential invasion of Canada. This has international incident written all over it. I'll probably have to fast for a couple days to make up for all the added Unibroue calories, though.
I have been watching a good deal of Arrested Development lately. I can't say enough good things about it - this show is cleverly written, knows how to use a running joke (Family Guy, I'm looking at you), and is probably cast as well as any sitcom in recent memory. This may also warrant a dedicated non-music-related blog entry as well. I only wish I could get Will Arnett to narrate the entire thing.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Misc. Loose Songs
Today, I'm covering some miscellaneous loose songs that I acquired from various sources. So, as is tradition at Support Your Local Catgun, I'll come up with an original scale on which to rate the various songs. Today's scale, in order from worst to best, will be based on the cast of the popular television series "Gilligan's Island".
*The Howells - Lame enough that they don't even get separate entries. Why couldn't we have had a monkey sidekick or at least some cute kid instead?
*Gilligan - even as a child, his bumbling got on my nerves. I hope he never got with Mary Ann. Also, thanks for ruining that style of hat for everyone, not that it took much.
*The Professor - kind of a contrived character, as well as inventing too many plot devices for my taste. Probably an okay guy though.
*The cannibals - rough characters that probably went hungry.
*Ginger - shiny but undoubtedly more trouble than it could possibly be worth.
*The Skipper - an old crusty sailor. Possibly the only guy more fed up with Gilligan than me.
*Mary Ann. well dang. God bless syndicated television.
And now, the playlist:
#Radiohead - "Down is the New Up" - not bad, but hardly their best work. Interesting if overly melancholy and pretentious. - cannibals
#M83 - "We Own the Sky (Maps Remix)" - yeah, pretty good stuff. Nice build to it, well used vocals (not lyrics, really). -The Skipper
#Port O'Brien - "I Woke Up Today" - nice energy, the chorus-style vocals are kind of a gimmick but they aren't a problem. Simple song but well done. -Ginger
#R.E.M. - "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" - one of my favorite old-timey kitsch songs, covered by one of my all-time favorite groups. -Mary Ann
#R.E.M. - "Stumble" - very early R.E.M., always welcome. Jangly, if that's even a word. -The Skipper
#Wolf Parade - "Language City" - enjoyable and layered without being overly complex. Typical Wolf Parade - boisterous but a little wistful, utilizing traditional instruments and working in some synth for fun. -Ginger
#Dandy Warhols - "Primary" - a cover of the Cure song. Not bad, even if the overall sound is a little too smug and not daring enough. -cannibals
#Ladytron - "Ghosts" - slightly too passive for my tastes, at least in comparison to the better Ladytron songs. Still a nice mix of menace and sneer, though - this songs makes a good bookend to "Primary". -cannibals
#Ladytron - "Runaway" - see above, though this song is a little more repetitive. -The Professor
#Broken Social Scene - "Anthems For a Seventeen Year Old Girl" - cute but not really anything here, you basically get everything the song has to offer in the first thirty seconds. The breathy vocals and strings are more cloying than helpful. I never hated BSS, but the music seems to be more interested about appearing to be clever than actually doing much. -Gilligan
#Deastro - "Parallelogram" - Pure electronic gameshow cheese. Kind of fun, but not really deep enough to drown in. Gets a bonus point because the intro synth line makes me think of Gradius. But man, are the vocal-driven portions of this song dire. -Gilligan
#Deastro - "Carol Gilligan" - a litle better than "Parallelogram", for having some progression. Not really my cup of tea, though, as it's content more to be digital fluff. -The Professor
#Wax Fang - "World War II, Part 2" - melodramatic, to say the least, but fun in an over-the-top way. Gets bonus points for having the decency to be bold if not great. -Ginger
And there you have it. Some songs that nobody really cares about, reviewed tersely.
In Other News:
God damn it am I stupid. But I escape consequences by being nice, as usual.
Time to get back on the job hunt. And do laundry.
*The Howells - Lame enough that they don't even get separate entries. Why couldn't we have had a monkey sidekick or at least some cute kid instead?
*Gilligan - even as a child, his bumbling got on my nerves. I hope he never got with Mary Ann. Also, thanks for ruining that style of hat for everyone, not that it took much.
*The Professor - kind of a contrived character, as well as inventing too many plot devices for my taste. Probably an okay guy though.
*The cannibals - rough characters that probably went hungry.
*Ginger - shiny but undoubtedly more trouble than it could possibly be worth.
*The Skipper - an old crusty sailor. Possibly the only guy more fed up with Gilligan than me.
*Mary Ann. well dang. God bless syndicated television.
And now, the playlist:
#Radiohead - "Down is the New Up" - not bad, but hardly their best work. Interesting if overly melancholy and pretentious. - cannibals
#M83 - "We Own the Sky (Maps Remix)" - yeah, pretty good stuff. Nice build to it, well used vocals (not lyrics, really). -The Skipper
#Port O'Brien - "I Woke Up Today" - nice energy, the chorus-style vocals are kind of a gimmick but they aren't a problem. Simple song but well done. -Ginger
#R.E.M. - "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" - one of my favorite old-timey kitsch songs, covered by one of my all-time favorite groups. -Mary Ann
#R.E.M. - "Stumble" - very early R.E.M., always welcome. Jangly, if that's even a word. -The Skipper
#Wolf Parade - "Language City" - enjoyable and layered without being overly complex. Typical Wolf Parade - boisterous but a little wistful, utilizing traditional instruments and working in some synth for fun. -Ginger
#Dandy Warhols - "Primary" - a cover of the Cure song. Not bad, even if the overall sound is a little too smug and not daring enough. -cannibals
#Ladytron - "Ghosts" - slightly too passive for my tastes, at least in comparison to the better Ladytron songs. Still a nice mix of menace and sneer, though - this songs makes a good bookend to "Primary". -cannibals
#Ladytron - "Runaway" - see above, though this song is a little more repetitive. -The Professor
#Broken Social Scene - "Anthems For a Seventeen Year Old Girl" - cute but not really anything here, you basically get everything the song has to offer in the first thirty seconds. The breathy vocals and strings are more cloying than helpful. I never hated BSS, but the music seems to be more interested about appearing to be clever than actually doing much. -Gilligan
#Deastro - "Parallelogram" - Pure electronic gameshow cheese. Kind of fun, but not really deep enough to drown in. Gets a bonus point because the intro synth line makes me think of Gradius. But man, are the vocal-driven portions of this song dire. -Gilligan
#Deastro - "Carol Gilligan" - a litle better than "Parallelogram", for having some progression. Not really my cup of tea, though, as it's content more to be digital fluff. -The Professor
#Wax Fang - "World War II, Part 2" - melodramatic, to say the least, but fun in an over-the-top way. Gets bonus points for having the decency to be bold if not great. -Ginger
And there you have it. Some songs that nobody really cares about, reviewed tersely.
In Other News:
God damn it am I stupid. But I escape consequences by being nice, as usual.
Time to get back on the job hunt. And do laundry.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Covers and Misc.?
Today's Music isn't an album, it's actually a mix disc of cover songs that a friend gave me. I sort of listened to it on Saturday, but I wasn't really in a mood to blog, so I suppose this will happen today. But first, as is my style, I will devise a scale on which to rate these songs. Today's scale is going to be pie. As always, feel free to disagree with my taste in music, or pie. With no further interruptions, the scale, listed from the bottom up:
Chicken Pot Pie: I don't think I've actually had one of these in fifteen years or more, and for good reason. Yikes.
Mincemeat Pie: Save this one for my grandma, I'll pass.
American Pie: let's go with the Don McLean song, which has its moments but mostly ruins its charm by being four times as long as would be necessary, and not the crappy movie with Eugene Levy.
Cherry Pie: Not necessarily bad, just not really my thing.
Lemon Meringue Pie: Pretty good, just can't compete with the better fruit pies.
Apple Pie: Solid if unspectacular, a good choice if not always special.
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie: Oh, goodness. Now we're talking.
Raspberry Pie: In this case, top of the line. I am particularly thinking of a raspberry pie from a family holiday a few years ago, made by my grandmother, that was so tart that my younger cousins couldn't eat it. Wow. What a pie.
Well, enough pie talk, as I am getting hungry. Let's get to the music:
*P.M. Dawn - medley with '1999' and others - okay, not a bad start. Cherry Pie.
*Dolly Parton - 'Shine' - actually better than the original, still not a great song. Dolly Parton deserves more attention for her music, which is underrated, to be honest. Lemon Meringue Pie.
*Wire Waltz - 'Modern Love' - pretty good stuff, a nice slow burn, very much in the vein of Mazzy Star with a dash of twang. I'm not sure exactly where to rate this one, but it probably warrants a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie.
*Chris Cornell - 'Billie Jean' - not bad, I guess; I just can't get behind Chris Cornell trying to rein in his voice for an acoustic cover like this. Good intentions, but undelivered promises. Cherry Pie.
*Counting Crows - 'Borderline' - this song seems to suit their style; it's too bad they didn't have much in the way of style to begin with. Not awful, I guess, but very pleasant in a conservative white-underwear sort of way. Sometimes, though, this band makes groups like The Hold Steady look like the hardest rock band imaginable. We'll say American Pie.
*Cat Power - 'New York' - yeah, it's probably unfair that Cat Power gets a pass but Counting Crows draw my ire. This song is actually a little atypical of Cat Power's sound, but it still works okay. Lemon Meringue Pie.
*The Automatic - 'Gold Digger' - I didn't care for this too much. Kind of cute in a spastic sort of way, but not really an improvement. Mincemeat Pie.
*Antony and the Johnsons - 'Crazy in Love' - yeah, not so much. Though I blame Beyonce for putting out a pretty crappy song to begin with. Still, the melodramatic delivery doesn't work for me here. Mincemeat Pie.
*Puracane - 'Summertime Rolls' - this one has a great album title, "Things You Should Leave Alone". This one is a little too 'hey it's 1998 and let's do dancey remixes of everything' but it's not that bad. A much better use of style than the previous two. Cherry Pie.
*Willis - 'Word Up' - pretty decent, at least better than the Korn version of this song. This one works better than some of the previous string-based efforts; it's not my all-time favorite but I kind of like it. Apple Pie.
*Donny Hathaway - 'Jealous Guy' - nice enough but see the Counting Crows entry above. Really, I didn't care for this at all; 'blue-eyed soul' generally means 'elevator music' to me. Chicken Pot Pie.
*Trinidad Steel Drummers - 'Cissy Strut' - no score given. The recording was too faint for me to make heads or tails of any actual sound.
*Ramsey Lewis - 'Dear Prudence' - all strings and Muzak, basically. Probably has to go with Mincemeat Pie, simply because the world doesn't really need an orchestral version of a Beatles tune.
*Prince - 'A Case of U' - not so bad. Not really my style - it's a sweet ballad with minimal percussion and dominant piano, but it's simple enough and plays to its strengths. Lemon Meringue Pie.
*Pucho and his Latin Soul Brothers - 'Got Myself a Good Man' - not bad, takes a little time to get going, though. All instrumental, not super but definitely listenable. Lemon Meringue Pie.
*Aretha Franklin - 'Border Song (Holy Moses)' - yeah. It's wicked good. Maybe not everyone appreciates Aretha, but some people are fools. Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, and that's really not fair.
*Nina Simone - 'Suzanne' - okay, I guess, but too schmaltzy. Probably American Pie at best.
*Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - 'For What It's Worth' - decent but not really on the money; fun but not ultimately very satisfying. Cherry Pie.
*The Brother's Rap - 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised' - this is a gimmick track but it's a good one. Man, do I love sassy kids. It only loses points because spoken word tracks like this are basically a novelty, though this one has a good message. Strawberry Rhubarb Pie.
*Ray Charles - 'Living For the City' - maybe too busy at times, but you will have respect for Mister Ray Charles. The early part of the song, where it's just Ray, is amazing. When the other singers come in, it's not bad, but it's like putting some kind of condiment on a perfect, juicy steak. It's just more, and while it doesn't spoil everything, it's not really better. Strawberry Rhubarby Pie, and apologies to Ray.
*Nina Gordon - 'Straight Outta Compton' - yeah. Pretty good in its own right, and all the sweetly sung vulgarity is just glorious. Perfect way to close a covers album, just enough to make me wish the whole album was like that. Raspberry Pie, all the way.
So there you have it: some real stinkers, strong efforts by the folks with serious chops, a couple novelties, and a real dynamite send-off. Thanks to The Cheese for this disc!
In Other News:
Pretty good weekend, just what I needed. I didn't get everything I wanted - my foot hurt too much last night for running, among other things - but it was fun.
Chicken Pot Pie: I don't think I've actually had one of these in fifteen years or more, and for good reason. Yikes.
Mincemeat Pie: Save this one for my grandma, I'll pass.
American Pie: let's go with the Don McLean song, which has its moments but mostly ruins its charm by being four times as long as would be necessary, and not the crappy movie with Eugene Levy.
Cherry Pie: Not necessarily bad, just not really my thing.
Lemon Meringue Pie: Pretty good, just can't compete with the better fruit pies.
Apple Pie: Solid if unspectacular, a good choice if not always special.
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie: Oh, goodness. Now we're talking.
Raspberry Pie: In this case, top of the line. I am particularly thinking of a raspberry pie from a family holiday a few years ago, made by my grandmother, that was so tart that my younger cousins couldn't eat it. Wow. What a pie.
Well, enough pie talk, as I am getting hungry. Let's get to the music:
*P.M. Dawn - medley with '1999' and others - okay, not a bad start. Cherry Pie.
*Dolly Parton - 'Shine' - actually better than the original, still not a great song. Dolly Parton deserves more attention for her music, which is underrated, to be honest. Lemon Meringue Pie.
*Wire Waltz - 'Modern Love' - pretty good stuff, a nice slow burn, very much in the vein of Mazzy Star with a dash of twang. I'm not sure exactly where to rate this one, but it probably warrants a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie.
*Chris Cornell - 'Billie Jean' - not bad, I guess; I just can't get behind Chris Cornell trying to rein in his voice for an acoustic cover like this. Good intentions, but undelivered promises. Cherry Pie.
*Counting Crows - 'Borderline' - this song seems to suit their style; it's too bad they didn't have much in the way of style to begin with. Not awful, I guess, but very pleasant in a conservative white-underwear sort of way. Sometimes, though, this band makes groups like The Hold Steady look like the hardest rock band imaginable. We'll say American Pie.
*Cat Power - 'New York' - yeah, it's probably unfair that Cat Power gets a pass but Counting Crows draw my ire. This song is actually a little atypical of Cat Power's sound, but it still works okay. Lemon Meringue Pie.
*The Automatic - 'Gold Digger' - I didn't care for this too much. Kind of cute in a spastic sort of way, but not really an improvement. Mincemeat Pie.
*Antony and the Johnsons - 'Crazy in Love' - yeah, not so much. Though I blame Beyonce for putting out a pretty crappy song to begin with. Still, the melodramatic delivery doesn't work for me here. Mincemeat Pie.
*Puracane - 'Summertime Rolls' - this one has a great album title, "Things You Should Leave Alone". This one is a little too 'hey it's 1998 and let's do dancey remixes of everything' but it's not that bad. A much better use of style than the previous two. Cherry Pie.
*Willis - 'Word Up' - pretty decent, at least better than the Korn version of this song. This one works better than some of the previous string-based efforts; it's not my all-time favorite but I kind of like it. Apple Pie.
*Donny Hathaway - 'Jealous Guy' - nice enough but see the Counting Crows entry above. Really, I didn't care for this at all; 'blue-eyed soul' generally means 'elevator music' to me. Chicken Pot Pie.
*Trinidad Steel Drummers - 'Cissy Strut' - no score given. The recording was too faint for me to make heads or tails of any actual sound.
*Ramsey Lewis - 'Dear Prudence' - all strings and Muzak, basically. Probably has to go with Mincemeat Pie, simply because the world doesn't really need an orchestral version of a Beatles tune.
*Prince - 'A Case of U' - not so bad. Not really my style - it's a sweet ballad with minimal percussion and dominant piano, but it's simple enough and plays to its strengths. Lemon Meringue Pie.
*Pucho and his Latin Soul Brothers - 'Got Myself a Good Man' - not bad, takes a little time to get going, though. All instrumental, not super but definitely listenable. Lemon Meringue Pie.
*Aretha Franklin - 'Border Song (Holy Moses)' - yeah. It's wicked good. Maybe not everyone appreciates Aretha, but some people are fools. Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, and that's really not fair.
*Nina Simone - 'Suzanne' - okay, I guess, but too schmaltzy. Probably American Pie at best.
*Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - 'For What It's Worth' - decent but not really on the money; fun but not ultimately very satisfying. Cherry Pie.
*The Brother's Rap - 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised' - this is a gimmick track but it's a good one. Man, do I love sassy kids. It only loses points because spoken word tracks like this are basically a novelty, though this one has a good message. Strawberry Rhubarb Pie.
*Ray Charles - 'Living For the City' - maybe too busy at times, but you will have respect for Mister Ray Charles. The early part of the song, where it's just Ray, is amazing. When the other singers come in, it's not bad, but it's like putting some kind of condiment on a perfect, juicy steak. It's just more, and while it doesn't spoil everything, it's not really better. Strawberry Rhubarby Pie, and apologies to Ray.
*Nina Gordon - 'Straight Outta Compton' - yeah. Pretty good in its own right, and all the sweetly sung vulgarity is just glorious. Perfect way to close a covers album, just enough to make me wish the whole album was like that. Raspberry Pie, all the way.
So there you have it: some real stinkers, strong efforts by the folks with serious chops, a couple novelties, and a real dynamite send-off. Thanks to The Cheese for this disc!
In Other News:
Pretty good weekend, just what I needed. I didn't get everything I wanted - my foot hurt too much last night for running, among other things - but it was fun.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Absent w/o Leave
I'll post here again, I swear. I just downloaded my eMusic quota for the month, so hopefully you'll get a post before the holiday. But maybe not. In any event, I'm alive and well, stop freaking out.
Also I've been using Pandora again. (Pandora is, of course, a web-based radio-type service, not a person, get your mind out of the gutter.) While Pandora is nice, it doesn't lend itself to blogging about albums very well.
Wish me luck, Saturday is a ridiculous freakin' race that I only have a 60% chance of surviving. Should be fun.
Also I've been using Pandora again. (Pandora is, of course, a web-based radio-type service, not a person, get your mind out of the gutter.) While Pandora is nice, it doesn't lend itself to blogging about albums very well.
Wish me luck, Saturday is a ridiculous freakin' race that I only have a 60% chance of surviving. Should be fun.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
More Driving
Today's Music from Grand View College Radio, as brought to you by the morning commute of one man:
Blur - "Song 2" - might get old, but not yet. Not quite the '90's that I want to remember, but still two minutes of fun.
Ramones - "Texas Chainsaw" - not my favorite Ramones tune, but let's face it, there isn't that much difference between them. They're still pretty fun, though.
Chemical Brothers - "Let Forever Be" - this song and I go way back. When I was working for the county one summer in College, doing some kind of ridiculous GPS-related survey project, one of my regular radio stations played this song almost every day. I never quite got into the Chemical Brothers, but I do like this song, even if it's a little too tightly controlled.
Some other band I didn't recognize but wasn't bad - instead, let's just say this is Cheap Trick - "Surrender". Fun! It always bothered me that Cheap Trick had to reference KISS in this song, though, as Cheap Trick didn't need to drop names and definitely reached a greater point of musical relevance than KISS. Also, Gene Simmons will put his name on anything.
WAIT. There's more!
Today's Music That Ended Up Being A Pleasant Surprise is The Heroin Diaries, by Sixx A.M. Apparently this is what Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue (? I can never keep all those godless hair-band pansies straight) is doing now. It was loaned to be as an afterthought in a Satanic ritual gone awry that involved a good deal of blood and also some rocks in my pocket.
Now, my contempt for hair bands and their ilk is well-documented, so normally I probably would have passed over this without a second thought. But because it was placed in my hands, I felt some obligation not to treat it lightly. As it turned out, this probably isn't my favorite album, but it turned out to be much better than I expected.
Some of the tracks are mostly spoken word with some instruments - these are the tracks I didn't care for as much. I'm sure they were done with dark, brooding, sinister, black metal intent, but they just came off as adolescent Tom Waits-ish posturing. However, there are a number of straight-forward rock songs that are decent! About half of this album has made its way onto my iPod shuffle, which sees exclusive use in the gym, and I don't regret adding those songs there. I suppose the moral of the story is that everything deserves a chance. The songs I like? I think "Pray For Me", "Tomorrow", and "Accidents Can Happen" are pretty tolerable. There are some others, but I'm not about to go through the album now to figure it out.
In Other News:
I love rainy days, moreso when the rain is warm enough to walk around outside.
I think yesterday was the first day in a week, maybe more, that I didn't get some kind of new bruise or scrape. Sad!
Let's go to Ledges this weekend if the weather is tolerable. Come on!
Blur - "Song 2" - might get old, but not yet. Not quite the '90's that I want to remember, but still two minutes of fun.
Ramones - "Texas Chainsaw" - not my favorite Ramones tune, but let's face it, there isn't that much difference between them. They're still pretty fun, though.
Chemical Brothers - "Let Forever Be" - this song and I go way back. When I was working for the county one summer in College, doing some kind of ridiculous GPS-related survey project, one of my regular radio stations played this song almost every day. I never quite got into the Chemical Brothers, but I do like this song, even if it's a little too tightly controlled.
Some other band I didn't recognize but wasn't bad - instead, let's just say this is Cheap Trick - "Surrender". Fun! It always bothered me that Cheap Trick had to reference KISS in this song, though, as Cheap Trick didn't need to drop names and definitely reached a greater point of musical relevance than KISS. Also, Gene Simmons will put his name on anything.
WAIT. There's more!
Today's Music That Ended Up Being A Pleasant Surprise is The Heroin Diaries, by Sixx A.M. Apparently this is what Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue (? I can never keep all those godless hair-band pansies straight) is doing now. It was loaned to be as an afterthought in a Satanic ritual gone awry that involved a good deal of blood and also some rocks in my pocket.
Now, my contempt for hair bands and their ilk is well-documented, so normally I probably would have passed over this without a second thought. But because it was placed in my hands, I felt some obligation not to treat it lightly. As it turned out, this probably isn't my favorite album, but it turned out to be much better than I expected.
Some of the tracks are mostly spoken word with some instruments - these are the tracks I didn't care for as much. I'm sure they were done with dark, brooding, sinister, black metal intent, but they just came off as adolescent Tom Waits-ish posturing. However, there are a number of straight-forward rock songs that are decent! About half of this album has made its way onto my iPod shuffle, which sees exclusive use in the gym, and I don't regret adding those songs there. I suppose the moral of the story is that everything deserves a chance. The songs I like? I think "Pray For Me", "Tomorrow", and "Accidents Can Happen" are pretty tolerable. There are some others, but I'm not about to go through the album now to figure it out.
In Other News:
I love rainy days, moreso when the rain is warm enough to walk around outside.
I think yesterday was the first day in a week, maybe more, that I didn't get some kind of new bruise or scrape. Sad!
Let's go to Ledges this weekend if the weather is tolerable. Come on!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Housekeeping
I got a few albums from the public library yesterday! Reviews are probably forthcoming, but here are some initial impressions:
Aimee Mann - The Forgotten Arm - pretty good! I don't know if I like it as well as Bachelor No. 2, but it's a decent album. Hard to argue with "Little Bombs".
St. Etienne - Tales From Turnpike House - kind of a neo-lounge feel. Not as sure about this one, maybe it will grow on me but I doubt it. The last track, "Goodnight" seems to be pretty good, but mostly it's just cute.
Four Tet - Rounds - Well, okay, I already had this one, but I lost it when my hard drive burned up last year. This album is great.
Been reading a lot, too. Some book thoughts:
Norman Mailer - The Gospel According to the Son - not a bad book, but I wouldn't have read it had I known what it was about.
Denis Johnson - The Name of the World - pretty good! This one was a bit short, but nicely written, though the characters were maybe a little quirky at times.
Charlie Huston - Already Dead - a fair book but not really my style. Seems to be the most highly evolved form of vampire fanfiction, to be honest.
In Other News:
Tomorrow I have to be professional in front of some Important People. Wish me luck.
Aimee Mann - The Forgotten Arm - pretty good! I don't know if I like it as well as Bachelor No. 2, but it's a decent album. Hard to argue with "Little Bombs".
St. Etienne - Tales From Turnpike House - kind of a neo-lounge feel. Not as sure about this one, maybe it will grow on me but I doubt it. The last track, "Goodnight" seems to be pretty good, but mostly it's just cute.
Four Tet - Rounds - Well, okay, I already had this one, but I lost it when my hard drive burned up last year. This album is great.
Been reading a lot, too. Some book thoughts:
Norman Mailer - The Gospel According to the Son - not a bad book, but I wouldn't have read it had I known what it was about.
Denis Johnson - The Name of the World - pretty good! This one was a bit short, but nicely written, though the characters were maybe a little quirky at times.
Charlie Huston - Already Dead - a fair book but not really my style. Seems to be the most highly evolved form of vampire fanfiction, to be honest.
In Other News:
Tomorrow I have to be professional in front of some Important People. Wish me luck.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Cleaning out the attic.
Today, rather than give you one semi-detailed entry for an album, I thought I'd give you some quick thoughts on music I've been listening to lately.
Be Your Own Pet: Be Your Own Pet - This seems to be like Goldfinger if they were a little more punk and had a rowdy female singer. It might not ever be my favorite, but I like it for what it is. Plus it's great workout music.
Slint: Spiderland - This is very interesting. I wasn't really able to form an impression of it because I was running all over the place at work and listened to it in pieces, but it seems to be good early post-rock. Probably warrants a more in-depth entry in the future.
The Beatles: Rubber Soul - This is a really good album, a number of wonderful songs appear here. If you were to pit it against other Beatles albums, I don't know if it would beat out Revolver, but it certainly would push Sgt. Pepper's. I like how simple so many of the songs are; they're clever but don't clutter the air too much, so you get to enjoy everything that happens. This is probably the greatest step forward for the Beatles in terms of songwriting, the album that really made them a band.
Pink Floyd: Atom Heart Mother - fun, interesting early Floyd. Sort of pretentious, but without the alienation and despair that would define the later and greater Waters-heavy Floyd works. I can't say I prefer it over the better-known Floyd albums but it's certainly worth a listen.
In other news:
I bought a car today. Straight cash, homey.
Be Your Own Pet: Be Your Own Pet - This seems to be like Goldfinger if they were a little more punk and had a rowdy female singer. It might not ever be my favorite, but I like it for what it is. Plus it's great workout music.
Slint: Spiderland - This is very interesting. I wasn't really able to form an impression of it because I was running all over the place at work and listened to it in pieces, but it seems to be good early post-rock. Probably warrants a more in-depth entry in the future.
The Beatles: Rubber Soul - This is a really good album, a number of wonderful songs appear here. If you were to pit it against other Beatles albums, I don't know if it would beat out Revolver, but it certainly would push Sgt. Pepper's. I like how simple so many of the songs are; they're clever but don't clutter the air too much, so you get to enjoy everything that happens. This is probably the greatest step forward for the Beatles in terms of songwriting, the album that really made them a band.
Pink Floyd: Atom Heart Mother - fun, interesting early Floyd. Sort of pretentious, but without the alienation and despair that would define the later and greater Waters-heavy Floyd works. I can't say I prefer it over the better-known Floyd albums but it's certainly worth a listen.
In other news:
I bought a car today. Straight cash, homey.
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