music
Went to Louisville. Favorite record shop. New music:
Aesop Rock "None Shall Pass"- excellent balance between a tasty old school bounce that owes equally to De La Soul and KRS One twisted with a newer, tighter/brighter production that fits between Jurrasic 5 and the sharp witted style of MF DOOM: Aesop Rock. I like it for a change of pace and if you're in a hip hop mood, this satisfies with substance. Mr. Lif ish maybe?
Architecture in Helsinki- take Bis's youthful exuberance (and boy/girl vox), the Talking Heads embrace of art rock and give them nothing but pitchfork and stereogum.com reviews for reading material in the bathroom. There are some fun cuts on this record that will definitely make mix tapes of mine.
Pinback "Autumn of the Seraphs"- Its very in the pocket for the sound they've established over the last 3 albums. Satisfies the need for new Pinback, and would make a good introductory record to their sound for those unfamiliar. I love their chops and I love the way their voices harmonize with one another.
Motion City Soundtrack "Even if it Kills Me"- 1/2 produced by Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne) and 1/2 produced by Rik Ocasek (the Cars) its the best layering of moog into a power pop mix since GBV's Do the Collapse smash "Teenage FBI" and probably the ONLY record I enjoy this year that my wife's college aged, MTV obsessed myspace American meltdown sister will enjoy as well... The sardonic verbal slapstick that makes me adore Harvey Danger is present here under hooks that make Def Leppard's modulations and vocal harmonies fit on a stage for Warped tour. That sounds like a review of a record I would hate, but the voice has that *it* that resonates with me, I like their 1st and 2nd records, and Ocasek delivers on the production with a home run. Bonus punkte for using "autobots" in a song lyric.
Both season 1 and 2 Weeds soundtracks earn high marks, and have me listening to a lot more Regina Spektor.
Dax Riggs "We only sing of blood or love"- If you know him, its from past projects Acid Bath or Deadboy and the Elephantmen. Latest is a collaboration with longtime man crush of mine, Matt Sweeney of Chavez fame. Song titles: "Demon Tied to a Chair in My Brain" and "The Terrors of Nightlife"... file it next to Type O Negative on the shelf as only for certain moods but different and interesting. Will probably disappoint those expecting to hear Acid Bath OR Chavez...
John Vanderslice "Emerald City"- Vanderslice found a spot in what little is left of my long term memory when I heard "Nikki O' Nikki" moons ago, then AGAIN with a later track "Bill Gates Must Die" and I've purchased everything he's put out since. This is by far his most thoroughly conceived and beautiful arrangement yet. His bare bones 4 track recording legacy still weighs on the decisions he makes as he crafts songs, but this has been put together to present a sound clear and well balanced. He finds a pinch of something sublime in a dark, cornered depression that is fairly raw and exposed. Vanderslice probably falls into the "singer/songwriter" category for the acoustic guitars and penchant for the mellowdramatic in his lyrics. If true, he is one of my favorites of a genre i otherwise don't buy readily.
KMFDM "Tohuvaboru"- More of the same but not even close to Hau Ruck standards. Skip it.
Jeremy Enigk "The Missing Link"- More of the same but not even close to World Waits. Skip it, even if you were a SDRE fan.
Has anything knocked YOUR socks off lately?
Aesop Rock "None Shall Pass"- excellent balance between a tasty old school bounce that owes equally to De La Soul and KRS One twisted with a newer, tighter/brighter production that fits between Jurrasic 5 and the sharp witted style of MF DOOM: Aesop Rock. I like it for a change of pace and if you're in a hip hop mood, this satisfies with substance. Mr. Lif ish maybe?
Architecture in Helsinki- take Bis's youthful exuberance (and boy/girl vox), the Talking Heads embrace of art rock and give them nothing but pitchfork and stereogum.com reviews for reading material in the bathroom. There are some fun cuts on this record that will definitely make mix tapes of mine.
Pinback "Autumn of the Seraphs"- Its very in the pocket for the sound they've established over the last 3 albums. Satisfies the need for new Pinback, and would make a good introductory record to their sound for those unfamiliar. I love their chops and I love the way their voices harmonize with one another.
Motion City Soundtrack "Even if it Kills Me"- 1/2 produced by Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne) and 1/2 produced by Rik Ocasek (the Cars) its the best layering of moog into a power pop mix since GBV's Do the Collapse smash "Teenage FBI" and probably the ONLY record I enjoy this year that my wife's college aged, MTV obsessed myspace American meltdown sister will enjoy as well... The sardonic verbal slapstick that makes me adore Harvey Danger is present here under hooks that make Def Leppard's modulations and vocal harmonies fit on a stage for Warped tour. That sounds like a review of a record I would hate, but the voice has that *it* that resonates with me, I like their 1st and 2nd records, and Ocasek delivers on the production with a home run. Bonus punkte for using "autobots" in a song lyric.
Both season 1 and 2 Weeds soundtracks earn high marks, and have me listening to a lot more Regina Spektor.
Dax Riggs "We only sing of blood or love"- If you know him, its from past projects Acid Bath or Deadboy and the Elephantmen. Latest is a collaboration with longtime man crush of mine, Matt Sweeney of Chavez fame. Song titles: "Demon Tied to a Chair in My Brain" and "The Terrors of Nightlife"... file it next to Type O Negative on the shelf as only for certain moods but different and interesting. Will probably disappoint those expecting to hear Acid Bath OR Chavez...
John Vanderslice "Emerald City"- Vanderslice found a spot in what little is left of my long term memory when I heard "Nikki O' Nikki" moons ago, then AGAIN with a later track "Bill Gates Must Die" and I've purchased everything he's put out since. This is by far his most thoroughly conceived and beautiful arrangement yet. His bare bones 4 track recording legacy still weighs on the decisions he makes as he crafts songs, but this has been put together to present a sound clear and well balanced. He finds a pinch of something sublime in a dark, cornered depression that is fairly raw and exposed. Vanderslice probably falls into the "singer/songwriter" category for the acoustic guitars and penchant for the mellowdramatic in his lyrics. If true, he is one of my favorites of a genre i otherwise don't buy readily.
KMFDM "Tohuvaboru"- More of the same but not even close to Hau Ruck standards. Skip it.
Jeremy Enigk "The Missing Link"- More of the same but not even close to World Waits. Skip it, even if you were a SDRE fan.
Has anything knocked YOUR socks off lately?