Mixotheque.
Have you seen these guys? They're fantastic.
Every month two themed mixes presented one track at a time, one of intro material and one for the crate diggers. It's a thing of beauty, really. This month's been New Zealand, and I've found new love for those kiwi bastards.
For example, I saw The Clean opening for Yo La Tengo, but never really delved deeper. Mixotheque has made me curious enough to make a trip to the used store. And while there's no Radio Birdman (a favorite around these parts), I did cop a couple tracks for Amy's Valentine's Day mix off of there. Shh. She doesn't want to know that I break copyright law to win her love.
But, like the Priest played backwards sez: "Do it, do it..."
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Monday, February 13, 2006
Alice?
Huntington Ashram Monastery is the last one of the classic Alice Coltrane albums that hasn't been reissued on CD. The middle of her Monastic trio ("A Monastic Trio," HAM, "Ptah, the El Daoud"), this is the type of music that I love, that I grew up with.
I'll probably write a bit more about it later, as my computer's having issues now.
IF YOU LIKE IT, COMMENT.
(Jeez, it's been quiet here lately).
I'll probably write a bit more about it later, as my computer's having issues now.
IF YOU LIKE IT, COMMENT.
(Jeez, it's been quiet here lately).
Friday, February 10, 2006
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Indie pop, like you love...
I'm in a dreamy indie pop mood today. What can I say? Maybe I've reached that certain age...
No. 1 Fan was Majesty Crush's best single, arguably. It's odd to think of them as an Ann Arbor band, but they were, back when the early '90s were full of dreamy Anglophilia. I really feel for those bands that existed on the alternative scene before grunge exploded, sucking the rest of the air from the room. Still, this wafting bit of confection is a pretty good testament to the band. Today we have Wolf Eyes and Saturday Looks Good To Me. Then we had Majesty Crush and Big Chief.
I also dug out a sampler from Pop Culture Press; their first, in fact, from 2006. The Great Summer Pop sampler included a couple of tracks that I haven't seen elsewhere and that heralded great things for the mag. Tracks like Snowly by Boyracer, which is really excellent strummed pop (and a sound that I don't think many pop bands today have surpassed like you might have expected). Also included was Irrigation Man by Spoon, off of the All The Negatives ep that I don't think is still in print. Shame, really. This, along with a mixtape from a co-worker and finding their first album for $3(!!!) at Encore within a week of its release made me a fan. Sure, they've hit on thinner times (I didn't think Gimme Fiction was all that good), but they've got a fairly decent store of excellent albums. The last track that I'm gonna feature from the sampler was one that ended up being the source of a lot of disappointment: Cherry Bomb by Magnapop. It's this fantastic girlpop burner, replete with a great hook and sharp drums, but a) despite being promised as included on their album, it was available as an import only track, and b) the actual album kinda blew. Tuscadero wiped the floor with 'em then... But still, Cherry Bomb is a favorite of mine still, especially on mixtapes where I lay it in right next to Joan Jett's congruently titled (though quite different) song.
And the final track? Well, the girlfriend and I saw this movie called Hard Rock Zombies, featuring a band called Holy Moses. Apparently, there's a German band with the same name, but that's not them (and Holy Moses is only their name in the movie. The band was actually called Silent Rage, one of the dumbest buttrock names ever). Through the magic of the internet, someone had ripped the tracks, including the Satanic chant recorded on 4-track that turns everyone into hard rock zombies. The quality's poor, and the song is goofy, but here you go: Morte Ascendere (which isn't just the title, but also the whole words to the song).
No. 1 Fan was Majesty Crush's best single, arguably. It's odd to think of them as an Ann Arbor band, but they were, back when the early '90s were full of dreamy Anglophilia. I really feel for those bands that existed on the alternative scene before grunge exploded, sucking the rest of the air from the room. Still, this wafting bit of confection is a pretty good testament to the band. Today we have Wolf Eyes and Saturday Looks Good To Me. Then we had Majesty Crush and Big Chief.
I also dug out a sampler from Pop Culture Press; their first, in fact, from 2006. The Great Summer Pop sampler included a couple of tracks that I haven't seen elsewhere and that heralded great things for the mag. Tracks like Snowly by Boyracer, which is really excellent strummed pop (and a sound that I don't think many pop bands today have surpassed like you might have expected). Also included was Irrigation Man by Spoon, off of the All The Negatives ep that I don't think is still in print. Shame, really. This, along with a mixtape from a co-worker and finding their first album for $3(!!!) at Encore within a week of its release made me a fan. Sure, they've hit on thinner times (I didn't think Gimme Fiction was all that good), but they've got a fairly decent store of excellent albums. The last track that I'm gonna feature from the sampler was one that ended up being the source of a lot of disappointment: Cherry Bomb by Magnapop. It's this fantastic girlpop burner, replete with a great hook and sharp drums, but a) despite being promised as included on their album, it was available as an import only track, and b) the actual album kinda blew. Tuscadero wiped the floor with 'em then... But still, Cherry Bomb is a favorite of mine still, especially on mixtapes where I lay it in right next to Joan Jett's congruently titled (though quite different) song.
And the final track? Well, the girlfriend and I saw this movie called Hard Rock Zombies, featuring a band called Holy Moses. Apparently, there's a German band with the same name, but that's not them (and Holy Moses is only their name in the movie. The band was actually called Silent Rage, one of the dumbest buttrock names ever). Through the magic of the internet, someone had ripped the tracks, including the Satanic chant recorded on 4-track that turns everyone into hard rock zombies. The quality's poor, and the song is goofy, but here you go: Morte Ascendere (which isn't just the title, but also the whole words to the song).
Bored?
Not a day goes by when a commentor doesn't ask me for insanely limited releases of Boredoms acetates. Well, not really. I'd bet that even most hardcore Boredoms fans haven't heard these. Tracked down and ripped by a fanatic on ILM, here are four songs from The Boredoms that were made on Eye's home vinyl cutting machine, which he bought at a flea market.
Handily served up as a .sitx archive, here they are:
More info here.
Side A1— Car ABC; Eat Is Anarchy
Side A2— SurfingJahJah
Side B1— Surfin' Bird
Side B2— I Am Johnny Rotten
Unfortunately, I think that instead of Surfin' Bird, it's actually a cassette-only track called "inc boretronix 2 side 2," so that's what I've got it labelled as.
All of the tracks are noisy (duh), and kinda hissy. This is before the Boredoms found their krautrock groove, and they tend to go more for punky start-stop stuff that reminds me of Prehensile Monkeytail Skink, a band on Bulb records. Out of all of them, Car ABC seems to have the most going for it as a cohesive song, and I think it's my favorite. Surfin' Jah seems to be mostly bursts of noise tossed together through tape splicing, and is OK. I Am Johnny Rotten sounds like The Boredoms doing hair metal, and comes out about like you'd expect.
Only 20 copies of these singles were pressed, so if you're curious, this is your best shot.
Handily served up as a .sitx archive, here they are:
More info here.
Side A1— Car ABC; Eat Is Anarchy
Side A2— Surfing
Side B1— Surfin' Bird
Side B2— I Am Johnny Rotten
Unfortunately, I think that instead of Surfin' Bird, it's actually a cassette-only track called "inc boretronix 2 side 2," so that's what I've got it labelled as.
All of the tracks are noisy (duh), and kinda hissy. This is before the Boredoms found their krautrock groove, and they tend to go more for punky start-stop stuff that reminds me of Prehensile Monkeytail Skink, a band on Bulb records. Out of all of them, Car ABC seems to have the most going for it as a cohesive song, and I think it's my favorite. Surfin' Jah seems to be mostly bursts of noise tossed together through tape splicing, and is OK. I Am Johnny Rotten sounds like The Boredoms doing hair metal, and comes out about like you'd expect.
Only 20 copies of these singles were pressed, so if you're curious, this is your best shot.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Destroyer's Rubies
This is the first album I've heard from this band, which includes sometimes New 'Nogs writer Dan Bejar. Good stuff, mostly, and one that should appeal to the larger shambling ensemble fans (especially of folks like the Great Lakes Myth Society or Descent of the Holy Ghost Church). It's also a veritable clinic for large bands who need more melody lines in their ensemble arrangements (I'm looking at you, Canada). Sophisticated, springy and light, the album is fun to listen to, though I don't know if the insane hype (see ILX boards for pronouncements of "timeless classic," which, you know, usually at least wait until it's released) is justified. But really, I kinda hope that it won't hamstring the release, as it's solid and worth buying.
Here's a track that reminds me a lot of a Giant Sand song called 'Yr Ropes.' (In fact, the whole album reminds me a lot of that period of Giant Sand, though it may just be because Bejar's voice is similar).
Destroyer's 'Your Blood'
Here's a track that reminds me a lot of a Giant Sand song called 'Yr Ropes.' (In fact, the whole album reminds me a lot of that period of Giant Sand, though it may just be because Bejar's voice is similar).
Destroyer's 'Your Blood'
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Keep your head down
Luckily, the RIAA doesn't bother coming around here. I mean, I get 10 views on an average day!
So, here's not only something that's leaked, but then screwed with (derivative work?).
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs got Diplo to remix their first single, Gold Lion, for their new album. Problem? It sounds all chipmunky, really. So what happens at -8?
Listen for yourself. (Sounds to me like classic Madonna, really). Much better than the faster "official" version.
So, here's not only something that's leaked, but then screwed with (derivative work?).
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs got Diplo to remix their first single, Gold Lion, for their new album. Problem? It sounds all chipmunky, really. So what happens at -8?
Listen for yourself. (Sounds to me like classic Madonna, really). Much better than the faster "official" version.
Monday, January 30, 2006
Like Roger Daltry Says
"Whoooooo are you! Whoo-oo oo-oo!"
I really wanna know.
Some garagy muffin or another singing a song called "Five past 12" which is really excellent. I know it's from around Ann Arbor/Detroit or a band that played here in the last couple months, and it's not the High Strung.
I really wanna know.
Some garagy muffin or another singing a song called "Five past 12" which is really excellent. I know it's from around Ann Arbor/Detroit or a band that played here in the last couple months, and it's not the High Strung.
I'm not Lisa
Scratch Acid has announced a reunion. What does that mean? I dunno. Want some Killdozer?
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Feel the Zeigeist!
The Knife are one of my favorite new pop bands, and on their latest album while the last track is credited to them, it's actually a band called Zeigeist. The song is F as in Knife. And I like it, but just try listening to it and then listening to Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush.
Hopefully Ms. Bush's check is in the mail.
Hopefully Ms. Bush's check is in the mail.
From the 7" file
Gondolier: High C Idiot Note b/w New #11 (Makoto, date unknown)
The a side takes its title from a David Foster Wallace line, and is some fine emo, if I do say so. Petulant, minor key, chugging along... It actually sounds a lot like Crush, Kill, Destroy, who was also on Makoto, though they don't seem to share any members. The b side has even more of the CKD feeling, as it sounds like the bastard child of Slint and Nada Surf.
The a side takes its title from a David Foster Wallace line, and is some fine emo, if I do say so. Petulant, minor key, chugging along... It actually sounds a lot like Crush, Kill, Destroy, who was also on Makoto, though they don't seem to share any members. The b side has even more of the CKD feeling, as it sounds like the bastard child of Slint and Nada Surf.
Saturday, January 28, 2006
From the 7" file
Slide Off Saturn: Alien Convention + Strap on Love Sheep b/w Pauline and Redeemer (Prozak & Tonic Records, date unknown)
While the a side is kind of boring '90s Melvins-ish rock, the b side is a sprawling Sonic Youthy wash of feedback and dreamy lyrics. Clocking in at 18:36, it's a little pinched sounding on the 7", but still a fantastic find. Pick it up if you see it, since it'll probably be in a cheap vinyl bin.
While the a side is kind of boring '90s Melvins-ish rock, the b side is a sprawling Sonic Youthy wash of feedback and dreamy lyrics. Clocking in at 18:36, it's a little pinched sounding on the 7", but still a fantastic find. Pick it up if you see it, since it'll probably be in a cheap vinyl bin.
How'd you get here?
The best part about SiteMeter is reading the referrals. Some searches that have led you here:
"Fred Thomas"+"Big Ten Burrito" [FIRST RESULT!!]
with+child+fuck gives you Jansen's comment. I'm on the second page, five down. What the fuck could someone have been looking for?
Dave+Mason+Torrents. Not here, I'm afraid. Who's Dave Mason?
And the ABSOLUTE BEST SEARCH: are white folks inbred albinos?
Yes, yes they are. Thank you for letting me solve that for you.
"Fred Thomas"+"Big Ten Burrito" [FIRST RESULT!!]
with+child+fuck gives you Jansen's comment. I'm on the second page, five down. What the fuck could someone have been looking for?
Dave+Mason+Torrents. Not here, I'm afraid. Who's Dave Mason?
And the ABSOLUTE BEST SEARCH: are white folks inbred albinos?
Yes, yes they are. Thank you for letting me solve that for you.
From the 7" file
I grabbed a bunch of random 7"s from the office, stuff we've had lying around forever, but since I'm the only one with a record player (what the fuck?), it falls to me to review it, so I'll be doing that off and on. These will probably be the only mentions on the entire internet of these albums...
Marlon Cherry: 970-Jack b/w Hope (Fang Records, 1996)
There are two notable things about 970-Jack and its b side: The first is how Marlon Cherry pretty well predicted the ongoing funk-rock hybrid that's still at least moderately popular today (311). The second thing is that even though it's a 33rpm 7", it sounds infintely better at 45 rpm, taking a fairly benign power funk ballad and turning it into an insane burner. Shame about the chipmunk vocals, but that's life.
Marlon Cherry: 970-Jack b/w Hope (Fang Records, 1996)
There are two notable things about 970-Jack and its b side: The first is how Marlon Cherry pretty well predicted the ongoing funk-rock hybrid that's still at least moderately popular today (311). The second thing is that even though it's a 33rpm 7", it sounds infintely better at 45 rpm, taking a fairly benign power funk ballad and turning it into an insane burner. Shame about the chipmunk vocals, but that's life.
Feisty!
To: The people who went to the Feist show at the Blind Pig on Tuesday
Re: The Feist show
Where the fuck are you people when any local band plays the Pig? You're all well-dressed, and obviously care about somewhat hip music.
Are you in Detroit? If so, I can understand that. I don't drive down there very often for shows, and I can't expect you to come out here. Especially when the weather is shitty.
But Jesus, the "shush" when she comes on? It's a fucking bar, you pansies. And gawd, what flouncers you are.
Her voice is good, I'll give you that. But the band is mediocre, the songs are boring, the lyrics are cliché (if they were just a little more emotionally cloying, I'd make a "foist" dig). The most interesting thing is the amount of DAT overdub to allow studio sounds into a minimal set.
But then she's hassling the audience! Fuck you, Feist, you have to earn the right to rag on us standing at the back. You can't just assume that because you've got a face that most male hipsters see when they come that you're at the level where you can berate your audience. Just because these sycophants enjoy it doesn't mean it's right.
It is like being in another world there, and all of the people in the audience seem like better looking versions of my friends. Or at least better looking versions of people at the Hard Lessons show. My straight friends would still probably fit in, even though they'd be the ugliest ones there.
(A jot in the notebook: Maybe I'll regret this someday, but it's more fun to write about people here than to listen to the music.)
And c'mon, Feist, "How are you doing, Ann Arbor?" Might as well "Cleveland, are you ready to rock?" And describing the opening musician as a "master of the low flow guitar solo"? DOes that mean he positively flushes with talent?
(Another jot: I think my girlfriend and I shouldn't get married because my last name is really long and her parents might give her shit if she doesn't take it. Man, that's a mental thought to have. God, it's hard to focus on the band.)
The last song proves that she really does do better with the big ensemble rhythm section behind her, though she veers into jam band territory. And she didn't even play my favorite song, the one that made me think she might be worth catching: Inside Out. (which is great, by the way).
Ah well.
Sincerely,
Josh
Re: The Feist show
Where the fuck are you people when any local band plays the Pig? You're all well-dressed, and obviously care about somewhat hip music.
Are you in Detroit? If so, I can understand that. I don't drive down there very often for shows, and I can't expect you to come out here. Especially when the weather is shitty.
But Jesus, the "shush" when she comes on? It's a fucking bar, you pansies. And gawd, what flouncers you are.
Her voice is good, I'll give you that. But the band is mediocre, the songs are boring, the lyrics are cliché (if they were just a little more emotionally cloying, I'd make a "foist" dig). The most interesting thing is the amount of DAT overdub to allow studio sounds into a minimal set.
But then she's hassling the audience! Fuck you, Feist, you have to earn the right to rag on us standing at the back. You can't just assume that because you've got a face that most male hipsters see when they come that you're at the level where you can berate your audience. Just because these sycophants enjoy it doesn't mean it's right.
It is like being in another world there, and all of the people in the audience seem like better looking versions of my friends. Or at least better looking versions of people at the Hard Lessons show. My straight friends would still probably fit in, even though they'd be the ugliest ones there.
(A jot in the notebook: Maybe I'll regret this someday, but it's more fun to write about people here than to listen to the music.)
And c'mon, Feist, "How are you doing, Ann Arbor?" Might as well "Cleveland, are you ready to rock?" And describing the opening musician as a "master of the low flow guitar solo"? DOes that mean he positively flushes with talent?
(Another jot: I think my girlfriend and I shouldn't get married because my last name is really long and her parents might give her shit if she doesn't take it. Man, that's a mental thought to have. God, it's hard to focus on the band.)
The last song proves that she really does do better with the big ensemble rhythm section behind her, though she veers into jam band territory. And she didn't even play my favorite song, the one that made me think she might be worth catching: Inside Out. (which is great, by the way).
Ah well.
Sincerely,
Josh
Friday, January 27, 2006
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Curious about Arabic Music?
I am. Well, to some extent. I'd like to find weird psych or noise or rock stuff, which I know must be happening somewhere, but for the pop stuff: "Mazikana lets me delve in without the erm... trouble of buying anything. Relaxed view of the copyright, they take, dontchaknow. Sure, the webmaster'll probably get their hands cut off sometime soon, but what's that in the way of me getting new music for free?
Anyone out there wanna delve in and lemme know what's the best?
Anyone out there wanna delve in and lemme know what's the best?
Monday, January 09, 2006
Tonight... Classics in Internet Mentalism.
From the comments, down the page:
josh,
fuck you. thanks for the pathetic "i have no idea what i'm talking about write-up". you're right, we are just like great lakes myth society, except i'm going to fuck you in your mouth. you are impossible. also, my space is very very logical. you are a child in a puppet's body. correction (yes, this is for dramatic effect), you are a child.
fuck off (forever and ever),
jansen p. swy
the descent of the holy ghost church
From email (and someone else):
hello i just wanted to respond to "dose ann arbor need
any more garage bands,we have the avtars.well no we
dont because they all suck!the avatars are
shit.chris'box'taylor is the biggest asshole jerk i
have ever met.i my self an a guitarist and play heavy
metal and would notplay the clubs,because i rather get
signed
i woul hate to be 30 somthing and be in a local band
think in cool ha.as for you mr.stechmann you looke
like a compleat jerk and whom i would say have little
to go.
sincerly christin j.smith
My favorite part of this missive, this (if I may be Donovan) Epistle from Dippy? "Compleat." It feels like I'm being flamed by Shakespeare.
After a terse 'Good luck with that, Ace,' and vague notions that A&R men love people who don't play out, I get back:
ya send demo's i dont have a band im solo.the local
clubs suck and i rather sit at home and watch paint
dry .as 4 my spelling i type to fast but u i hope u
and the rest of the ann arbor local band get kicked in
the ass
i hope you all what s comung to you a kick in the
balls i spit on you and your crew fuck you and that
child molester box
How awesome is this? He thinks I have a CREW!
josh,
fuck you. thanks for the pathetic "i have no idea what i'm talking about write-up". you're right, we are just like great lakes myth society, except i'm going to fuck you in your mouth. you are impossible. also, my space is very very logical. you are a child in a puppet's body. correction (yes, this is for dramatic effect), you are a child.
fuck off (forever and ever),
jansen p. swy
the descent of the holy ghost church
From email (and someone else):
hello i just wanted to respond to "dose ann arbor need
any more garage bands,we have the avtars.well no we
dont because they all suck!the avatars are
shit.chris'box'taylor is the biggest asshole jerk i
have ever met.i my self an a guitarist and play heavy
metal and would notplay the clubs,because i rather get
signed
i woul hate to be 30 somthing and be in a local band
think in cool ha.as for you mr.stechmann you looke
like a compleat jerk and whom i would say have little
to go.
sincerly christin j.smith
My favorite part of this missive, this (if I may be Donovan) Epistle from Dippy? "Compleat." It feels like I'm being flamed by Shakespeare.
After a terse 'Good luck with that, Ace,' and vague notions that A&R men love people who don't play out, I get back:
ya send demo's i dont have a band im solo.the local
clubs suck and i rather sit at home and watch paint
dry .as 4 my spelling i type to fast but u i hope u
and the rest of the ann arbor local band get kicked in
the ass
i hope you all what s comung to you a kick in the
balls i spit on you and your crew fuck you and that
child molester box
How awesome is this? He thinks I have a CREW!
Sunday, January 08, 2006
No way is this real
Michael Jackson's "Give Thanks to Allah (via here).
By the way, on the subject of the "via", I'm what you'd call Fake Jewery. Everyone assumes I'm of the chosen people, but I'm not really. So if any of you legit yids out there can tell me what the name of the page is, or even translate some, it seems to be a pretty decent mp3 blog...
By the way, on the subject of the "via", I'm what you'd call Fake Jewery. Everyone assumes I'm of the chosen people, but I'm not really. So if any of you legit yids out there can tell me what the name of the page is, or even translate some, it seems to be a pretty decent mp3 blog...
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
It's elsewhere too...
From a leak on the ILM forums: Britney Spears and DFA.
The demo's rough, with Brit doin' some "la la love you" stuff over the crunchy DFA beat #5. Still, even as an artifact, it's pretty interesting. Give it a listen (it'll be gone in a flash, I'd imagine).
The word from the record company? "Too hip" in a rueful voice. The word from DFA? Brit didn't bring a thing to the sessions, and they usually work by listening to music with the artists they're producing. Spears knew nothing of the bands they were into, and didn't offer anything herself, so it's unlikely that this will get an official release or that DFA will do more work with her.
The demo's rough, with Brit doin' some "la la love you" stuff over the crunchy DFA beat #5. Still, even as an artifact, it's pretty interesting. Give it a listen (it'll be gone in a flash, I'd imagine).
The word from the record company? "Too hip" in a rueful voice. The word from DFA? Brit didn't bring a thing to the sessions, and they usually work by listening to music with the artists they're producing. Spears knew nothing of the bands they were into, and didn't offer anything herself, so it's unlikely that this will get an official release or that DFA will do more work with her.
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