let the listing begin

welcome to the opening post of the '09 sonic anarchy music listology. in store this year i've decide a couple of specials. first up is my rudimentary list of best albums of the decade.

doing this started as mostly an imposter move culled from other various music sites. but as i began compiling my list it became quite the journey looking back at who i was as a listener / fan / student 10 years ago, and where I am today. the writing isn't much better, the music not all that much more influential per say, but in terms of sheer tastes it's quite a change. i suppose that might be expected. but at the same time i know plenty of people who grew up with one type of music and have stayed true to that core genre throughout.

for me personally the 00's ushered out most of my influences cultivated from the darker adolescent angsty days of my youth where power chord metal, spastic hip hop , the electronic dance hall rhythms, and classic rock.

in came the search for something new. relying less on familiarity and more with experimentation with tastes i was seduced into the indie rock world. indie being a great way to describe to encompass all genres without having to be pigeonholed. as far as "indie" goes i definitely sway on the more conformist ideals, but have become comfortable in being self assured that my tastes are mine on their own merit. with that said it should be then so the following list should be taken as nothing more than the albums that helped divine me towards my current course of musical interests. it'd would be arrogant and presumptuous to call it a "best of" even though that is exactly what i have implied, but in would be more accurate as the "most influential to tony wilson" list. just keep that in mind.

the only album i'm writing about in the top of the decade list is the #1. Primarily because it's the only one that i spent significant time thinking about. To me the most significant album would have to be the Post Service's one and only LP Give Up. To me this album epitomizes the transcendence of my influences from the genres listed previously to the the more current label of indie. It was this album that opened my ears to other major influences such as Death Cab For Cutie, the Decemberists, and less obviously influences like the pixies, animal collective, and andrew bird.

Here's the list:

1the postal serive - give up
2the mars volta - deloused in the comatorium - the greatest rock concept album ever
3animal collective - strawberry jam - another year and this may have been number 1
4radiohead - kid A - the one time a band actually transformed for the better
5at the drive in - relationship of command - there is no #2 without this.
6ryan adams - love is hell - so says the gospel according to ryan
7taking back sunday - tell all your friends - the best pop punk album ever. maybe that's not saying much to some, but it does to me.
8...and you will know us by the trail of dead - source, tags, and codes - the first indie album i ever loved
9the white stripes - elephant - epic blues triumph puts jack white in all time great category.
10daft punk - discovery - the best electronic album ever
11the strokes - is this it - the best pop indie album of the decade for sure.
12M.I.A. - Kala - instant party.
13the flaming lips - yoshimi battles the pink robots - the flaming lips immortalized.
14mastodon - leviathan - i don't even listen to metal that much any more, but it is still impossible to turn this album off.
15Tool - lateralus - took their higher consciousness ideals to their climax.
16Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlanticism
17Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever to Tell - Karen O. proved to me that punk can be sexy.
18Panda Bear - Person Pitch - A dream.
19The Rapture - Echoes - defined dance punk for me
20The Decemberists - Picaresque - a whale of a tale of a whale

The best of the rest in no particular order but certainly not for lack of importance:

ryan adams - heartbreaker
bright eyes - fevers and mirrors
battles - mirrored
the blood brothers - burn piano island burn

you forgot it in people
radiohead - amnesiac
radiohead - in rainbows
coheed and cambria - in keep of secrets of silent earth 3
camera obscura - lets get out of this country
misery is a butterfly
the moon and antarctica
muse - absolution
of montreal - hissing fauna are you the destroyer
sufjan stevens - illinois
animal collective - sung tongs
animal collective - feels
arcade fire - funeral
tapes n' tapes - the loon
the decemberists - her majesty
the exploding hearts - guitar romantic
death from above 1979 - your a woman, i'm a machine
the field - from here we go sublime
liars - drum's not dead
the knife - silent shout
the thermals - the body the blood the machine
titus andronicus - the airing of grievances
portishead - third
the white stripes - white blood cells
AFI - the art of drowning
andrew bird - mysterious production
andrew bird - armchair apocraphy
bloc party - silent alarm
jens lekman - night falls over kortedela
the walkment - you and me
wilco - yankee foxtrot hotel
sigur ros - agaetis byrjun
tv on the radio - return to cookie mountain
the shins - oh inverted world
band of horses - everything all the time
franz ferdinand - franz ferdinand
the new pornographers - mass romantic
interpol - turn on the bright lights
madvillain - madvillainy

a disarmingly weird hobbit dance jam

the drummer from !!! died. fuck.

bands making noise

well, i've gone and done it again. fell in love with another indie rock songstress. her name, Thao Ngyuen. I'm not sure how to pronounce her first name (her last only due to a brief stint as a budding tennis star).

In my possession are two albums. We Brave Bee Stings and All, and Know Better Learn Faster. The latter has a single that was posted on this blog, and she is accompanied by a group that goes as Get Down Stay Down.

Thus far I have been most draw to Bee Stings. It's a vibrant romp though indie pop haberdashery. Standouts include Geography, Bag of Hammers, and the title track. Know Better seems to pick up where Bee Stings left off but with more focus on a fuller song than the short sweet gems that lace Bee Stings. Either way, I highly recommend! Check the video below.

The other band is creating a lot of buzz even before the release of their first long player. Currently the band Suckers are attracting a lot of attention via their self titled EP. If it's a preview of what's to come expect an album full of your typical Brooklyn based hipster indie rock. think yeasayer meets cymbals eat guitars. Take away the electronic groove influences of the yea's, and remove the bravado and devotion to exploratory endevours of CEG ... and you get a pretty standard, but nonetheless fugin awesome sound with Suckers. Consider the whistle whet.

check 'em out!

ever listened to russian circles before? to me they're like baroness without the annoying vocals and a sweet hint of the epic string parts. almost a bit more subdued version of mastodon. if you get a chance to check em out online if you haven't already.

analogy of the day

participating in religious discussion groups because you agree with the messages in the bible is like joining the KKK because they put on a great bake sale.

get down!!!

Harder better faster stronger:

a terrible lie

Ok, i apologize. I really thought I would be able to update this more than I have. However, the good news is that even though I have not really had time to organize any thoughts for this post I have however been seriously immersed in piles of new music. Here's what I can offer at the moment:

The XX - this album will most likely see the best of '09 list. Absolutely in love with this debut album. electroluv. That's how i describe their sound. it's sexxy, get it?

built to spill - there is no enemy: great for the diehard fans, but being a newish fan I'm still craving the explosiveness found on some of their earlier albums.

a place to bury strangers - exploding head: umm, they are awesome because they are loud and badass, and steal my bloody valentine's fuzz rock style. however they are not exactly groundbreaking. if you need some good background ba rock while you study or read or impress rock chicks with ... this might be a good option.

brand new - daisy: ok, i only checked this album out because a girl with hair like the sun told me to. and from what i recall about their second album i was not expecting much. low expectations helped set this album up to be a pleasant surprise. by no means is it exceptional, but damn, they do a pretty good job of writing some abrasive emo rock. it's actually not that bad. vices, gasoline, bought a bride, daily, noro ... check em out.

afi - crash love: they crashed their love straight into a pile of shit it sounds like.

Wild Beasts - quirky indie dancey weird nerd rock. i like it, but it's not the best, and certainly not for everyone.

Atlas Sound - Logos: shit, it's taking me a while but htis album is starting to slowly creep in. Dude, Halo?! Start with Shelia and Walkabout, work your way into it from there. Serious man crush.

girls - album: i raelly did try to avoid the hype on this one. but it is a damn fine album top to bottom. catchy indie shenanigans. I'd say more like a solid 8 / 10.

I tried getting into the avett brothers. I'm not in the right place. Yeah they have banjos. Who the fudge doesn't these days?

The Pains put out a new EP. It's awesome. Remember when they played 103 at the bug jar. That song is pretty sick. Also I found out contender is about the exploding hearts, more like exploding pants, ya heard?

Trying to listen to: The national - alligator, Why? - Eskimo Snow, Islands - Vapours (first impression is good), Times New Viking - Born Again, Shellac, and the new Dodos album (was not initially impressed)

coming back soon

something has been off for the course of the previous 6 months. the height or really the bottom of this occurred shortly after my review of the best albums at the midpoint of '09. attempts at corrective actions were taken, but nothing stuck.

so in my next attempt to climb out of this place i'm going to attempt to bring back the blogging aspect that I started with. In my own defense a big part of the reason that this space was neglected had to do with I spend a lot of time working on this at times when I should be "doing other things" (ask if you don't get it). And other things were occupying a substantial amount of attention. But it looks like that perhaps is on the downside (finally) and so focus can shift back to the things that I find more interesting.

Look for later in the day a post regarding some of the best / worst new releases. And by new I mean over the last few months as I haven't written horse hockey about music. Except that post about Built to Spill. Which, yes, is still blowing my mind at the moment. Tony hearts indie rock. Shit, why didn't I make that the name of my blog? Too emo? Probably not emo enough. Ok, see you soon!

ehh, toronto dec 2nd?

This band is currently destroying my regular rotation. Their music is just flat out sexxy .. ha! Anyways, it looks like the closest they're traveling is a wednesday show in sunny canada. It's almost guaranteed there'll be a blizzard ... see you there.

instant pant tightening

this strange plan is random at best ...

built to spill is currently revolutionizing my idea that I know anything about music at all. growing up their single "strange" was a wber regular. Guisto got the gusto for that song, ya know? My affection for that song is pretty deep. I honestly would put it probably in the top 20 all time favorite songs just because it embodies so much of my musical taste. I used to get it confused with "where is my mind" or like i couldn't remember which band sang which song sometimes. Hey, I was 16 and thought nu-metal was the future of rock, so give me a break. at the time my music consumption practices was the typical random assortment of singles, and album collecting wasn't yet a viable choice unless you were a mIrc wizard, or used newsgroups. Both technologies still seem to elude me in terms of how they can be used conveniently. In any event, strange was the one and only built to spill song I knew.

anyways, i remember probably about 4 years ago built to spill released a new album. I don't recall my mind set at the time, but I do remember them being hailed as some sort of epic jam band. I remember listening to like 2 songs, becoming bored, and never looking back.

last weekend I was reintroduced to the band, or really, introduced to a new song by them. I don't know the name of the song but it kind of hit all my marks for great indie rock. since then it's been a hell of a ride. It's weird to be living on music that is over a decade old and experiencing it like it's new, because, well to me it is.

anyways, i just want to really say thanks to Bill for making this happen, and give a shout out to built to spill for being (apparently) an AMAZING indie rock band.

a few shorter thoughts:

Saturday dec 5th, NYC, the xx, lets do it?

Pavement reunion tour, the first show sold out in 2 minutes, f

song of the day ...

we met by a trick of fate ...

reading

god's greatest trick is that he left human's without the ability to truly knows what happens to them when they die. that's how he keeps us in check. it's pretty fudging brilliant.

What did you want to see?

This one is killing me today ... can't wait for logos / ATP

check this out

Bill's new wang

I would go out tonight ...

so I have yet to mention that the decemberists show last night at SUNY Buffalo was incredible. Basically as expected the band ripped through Hazards of Love. The Rake Song highlighted by about 20 drums banging in unison. Hazards of Love 4 making me want to hug anything and everything around me, and Sharon Worden (MBD) totally tantilizing me with that effin voice!!!!

then after a short intermission they can back out and played some classics. Though the set was much more relaxed (Meloy bantered with the crowd moreso than each of the two previous times I've seen him), it was also incredible to witness how well executed the band as group performs.

A few new songs (harmonica and slide guitar seems to be the new avenue of sound), and a few old ones (Billy Liar!!!). A quick BfloX5, and the most subtle Smiths / Gibbard combo ever .... what you ask? Well, take a listen to The Sporting Life. The song's chords and rhythms are quite eerily similar to the Smiths "This charming man". So during the final progression through the chorus, those closely listening could hear Meloy utter "would nature make a man of me yet..." How appropriate considering the vocal / song writing comparisons that constantly ensnare DCFC's Ben Gibbard and Meloy. Oh, the point here being that on DCFC's You can play these songs with chords there is a very excellent cover of This Charming Man ... probably one of the best tracks of the song as I personally feel it rivals the original.

Speaking of Mr. Gibbard it looks like he's up to some side project nonsense (and we all know how that turns out):

song of the day ...

i cannot get the new YACHT track psychic city out of my head!!!!!

Here is a link to the mp3 so you can haul it around and play it incessantly for all your friends too.

YACHT: Psychic City (Voodoo City)

Oh, and here's the video ... sahweeet

antlers live at p4k

the antlers - hospice

admittedly I have not spent too much time with the new album Hospice by The Antlers. However this album has become instantly intriguing for a number of reasons.

First off, if you haven't heard about this albums yet, you're probably not that into pretentious interweb musicology. It's a very highly buzzed about album, as a google search will show the plethora of reviews heaping praise driven adjectives over and over again. Everyone saying the same thing in a slightly altered manner.

With the excpetion of this guy.

Interestingly enough recent events have kept me out of my usual loop of online buzz, however during a random spare moment of time a week ago I watched a video of their perfomance of the track "Two" at the pitchfork music festival. I was instantly drawn to the driving reverb and gripping tones of the song. Though at the time it was more about my affinity for "indie noise" rather than any of the general praise for the album or it's artists.

Over the past week Hospice has been at the forefront of my rotation. The more I listened, the more information I had to look up regarding the artist, the subjects within the album, and yes, even what other's were saying.

So what are my opinions? Honestly, it wouldn't be right to call this space sonic anarchy if I wasn't truly committed to the idea of free thinking, free listening, freedom from the structured opinions of others. One of the reasons for my recent partial hiatus from blogging was that I realized my thoughts and opinions were becoming too empty and biased due to outside influences.

So in my first attempt to give a fully uninfluenced I have chosen to say a few things about this album.

I think the album is great. I seriosuly can't get it out of my head. Listening to the ambient builds fight the earnestness of the vocals makes for quite the emotional ride. At the same time, honestly, I find some of the repetitiveness of the music a bit under creative. I think the idea here was to keep the common theme musically going as the album is more engulfed by the story than anything else. But at times this idea comes across as too much of trying to drive the same points home instead of exploring the idea in more open spaces.

But don't get me wrong. That is also part of what makes the music so great. The open air is not taken for granted, as every song hangs like somber clouds. Like being in heavy fog with your best friend there to keep from being lonely, but not without feeling lost.

As far as albums revolving around a central and personal story this one goes on the list with the good'ns (read: deloused, Hissing fauna to name a few). There is weight, and emotion around every turn. To read the lyrics has at times made me want to cry, and also drift into contemplation on topics like my relationships with close friends, and my own mortality.

When music reaches you to a point like that it becomes special. And so while I'm not ready to crown this as anything more than interesting and evocative, that still is saying a lot.

In particular the songs that have reached deep and came up victorious are "Two" and "Epilogue". If you get the chance for some quiet reflection I recommend spending some time with these tracks (and really the album as a whole is quite a moving experience). If they don't speak to you at all, then the album probably won't do much to change your mind.

And for now I don't plan trying to do much of that either ... till next time ... stay free.

i think i may be coming around on major lazer

this is like the ultimate wtf video ... i still don't feel right

a shining example of why you simply cannot write off P4k

panda cox

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New Thom Yorke Song Day 2009 Day 6 Sonic Fanarchy

letter to a young poet

July 2oth, 2009

I'm interested in continuing the debate because I took some time to think about your point regarding the sociological aspect of the term "gender".

First off I would like to repeat my point, and maybe add a better contextual situation to what I said this weekend. Which is to say that I think the idea of gender from the societal norms or expectations has it's roots in the evolution of the species. To repeat, if every woman decided that they wanted to be the hunters, and every man decided he was homosexual and wanted to be with other men our species would not have continued to exist. So at one time I think there were probably understood guidelines of how things worked in order to not disappear as a tribe / community / society.

I guess then you can fast forward to modern civilizations and look at the existence of gender in society. What it seems like to me, which could be wrong, is that this is where your opinions of gender begin. I kind of have this opinion that I feel like you chastise the improprieties, but don't take the time to explore why they exist and where they came from. This opinion is definitely based on little or no prior experience in hearing your thoughts on all this. Your opinions are strong, but I haven't heard really why except that you think they're unfair. Which is pretty easy to agree with, since most of the things you have a problem with seem to be legitimately unfair.

Anyways I guess I just wanted to bring up one point that I have kind of been going over in my head regarding the continuance of gender misappropriation. It's hard for me to drop the fact that the roots still lay in basic natural instinct for survival. It kind of led me to a question I wanted to ask you about. I'm expecting that you don't take this as anything more than me trying to understand if I am still missing something, but also wondering if I might be able to raise your own awareness. If gender doesn't exist then why do you bother doing things to make yourself look attractive? I say "you" to ask you pointedly, but it's not like it couldn't be a more general question. I ask you, because you are the one who says that gender doesn't exist, and I feel like any type of attempt or act that plays into society's definition of gender only validates it's existence. I guess I'm just wondering what your stance in on the justification of at least partially adhering to gender roles for someone who so vehemently fights the inequities that gender roles create in society.

Maybe I have it wrong. To me, I both hate and love labels (or generalizations) for reasons that at least for the moment take a back seat to the current subject. Societal rules to me are both unavoidable and at least to some extent also necessary. I feel that there was no way to avoid their institution because they're rooted in our natural development as humans. And I think that even if we could somehow remove the existence of gender that they would probably naturally reappear again anyways. I think if not that we could possibly then run a risk of extinction (though we seem to be doing good at that in plenty other ways).

I can't offer anything more that that I guess. Maybe I feel it's necessary to defend myself because I'm defending acceptance of an idea that seems completely the opposite from yours. Maybe part of that also is my defense of my own ideologies. Am I shallow because I accept the things I cannot change, and find it suitable that I find a comfortable level of understanding? It's pretty clear to see why that stance would seem shortsighted. After all I am of the gender that has been the benefactor not the one that has been unjustly deterred in their search for their destiny. So even then, even with what I believe to be an open minded attempt at idealism because I existed at one point within society's gender role I am innately unable to ever fully grasp the other's perspective. But then the same must be true for the other gender, and so where does that leave us?

I would say that maybe this gets us to the final questions in the arena. First, if we cannot change the past, and there are two disparate sides that almost certainly could never take the same perspective, then how could they ever agree on the benefits and impediments? Would the right thing to do be to focus on changing the future? Which is better, fighting to change inherent behavior, or learning to work with the current construct, and why is it better? For what reasons? What is the potential fallout from these sea changes? If we could change things, and the fastest way would also be the most devastating across all genders would it be worth it?

Again, my point was not to put down any one's beliefs but rather to maybe look for conviction in my own. Though I would be lying if I tried to deny that I hope some of my thoughts shared provided a medium for someone else to also weigh their own judgments, and hopefully find their own level of understanding in both themselves and the ideas of others.

Yours,

Anthony Wilson

Yeasayer Live Blogged Transcript

Lucky you. Here's the unreadable pile that was my liveblog last night. You will notice not too much besides vague, incomprehensible tweets once yeasayer actually went on. This is do to:

1. The fact that I was squeezed like roadkill under a tire because I wanted to not have to stand in the very back.

2. At that point the number of Dead Guy Ale's ingested had reached the tipping point from happy to inebriated.

Here goes:

1. a couple of new tracks that make white people dance poorly some classics and a diss on first timers <- what u missedabout 7 hours ago from TweetDeck
2. no wait for the wintertime but I made a proper jackass out of myself losing my ess to sunrise.about 7 hours ago from TweetDeck
3. burned by 2nd chancesabout 8 hours ago from TweetDeck
4. ps. I'm in a shizpileabout 8 hours ago from TweetDeck
5. they do own soundcheckabout 8 hours ago from TweetDeck
6. time for anarchy up to the front . tightrope=my face in t-minusabout 8 hours ago from TweetDeck
7. props from ponygirl. feels like the lid is coming off yepabout 8 hours ago from TweetDeck
8. pile of kids in the front keeping it real ba for ponytail... very coolabout 8 hours ago from TweetDeck
9. now I know what it's like to be at a lightning bolt show. ponytail is playing on the floor! face=meltedabout 9 hours ago from TweetDeck
10. on a side note the house that anarchy built is being moved into same weekend as boulderfest which is now.. free admission. welc to tha wedgeabout 9 hours ago from TweetDeck
11. damn fine opening. but why no ahc on vinyl. time to storm the merch tableabout 9 hours ago from TweetDeck
12. it's like Wayne coyne's pop techno side project. might need to check the price of the album. def look it up!about 9 hours ago from TweetDeck
13. phantograms are laying sick beats. awesome.about 10 hours ago from TweetDeck
14. first thing noticed: no all hours cymbals vinyl. plan #1 foiledabout 10 hours ago from TweetDeck

Heh, would you look at that?

Turns out I have a minute or two to indulge in this. It's seriously been a very long time since I've had a few minutes to just openly ramble. Even the BestOF0.5Edish was a struggle to get done. I fucking went to Bonna-god-damn-roo and didn't have a single post about it. 4 Months of anticipation, several hundred dollars, enough alcohol and idoicy to fill the pacific, and an endless supply of music, enough to go deaf and remain happy for the rest of my life .... and not one fucking post.

That should tell you how rare this is, at least lately. So what's been up lately you ask? Fudged if I can remember. However I've got just enough time to update the masses with the upcoming content related information. Here go the quick shouts ... Yeasayer in two days, tightrope from 3ft away might make me cry. Wilco next sunday. Got the new ablum, is pretty effin blah. I'm hoping they go apesies and play sky blue sky top to bottom, but i'm not going to hold my breath for that one. Didn't they cover radiohead once?

Uhh besides that A. Bird, Matt and Kim, poss Fever Ray, and god pray, oh fuck me in my eye, god pray ATP September 12th. Animal Collective, Panda solo (ess=lost), Deerhunter, Atlas Sound ... yes, that is really going to happen. Throw in Deerhoof and Akron/Family ... How can you say no?

I might go see gang gang dance (i feel obligated), and cursive.

I'm basically tripping balls to the Beatles. I've always had a decent knowledge base, but i'm actually listening to albums. Instead of flossing over them, recognizing the 5 or 6 i've already heard, making note of what album they're on, and moving on.

Also I bought my first Sinatra album. I immediately love it and can't wait to amass a collection of them. He is so fucking epic it blows my mind. I should watch all of his movies.

I'm only ending here because I feel this is all dragging on. And blogs should be succinct, unless their intent is to bore the reader. Am I right or what? So no news except personal shit for now. There's more, hopefully it will happen.

So worth it

I just haven't had time to do this blog right. But when I saw this there was just no way I could pass it up. Enjoy

random statement post tonight here yes now read

I think meatplow by The Stone Temple Pilots was the first time I realized what Track 1 Side 1 meant. I think that was 1994.

I totally told my friend Sheila that The Pains of Being Pure at Heart sounded like The Smiths. I still kind of think they do.

Mid Year Reeee - View

Ok Friends Here we go with the mid-year's best of. I am gonna try to keep it even keeled as I don't want to give away too much for the end of year salute to '09.

Top 5 albums of '09 (in no particular order):
Neko Case - Middle Cyclone - An eye opening piece of work that overshadowed all my previous knowledge.
Dark Was the Night - More hits than Mike Tyson's Punch Out
Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion - Basically if they only put out My girls and Brothersport it would still have made everyone's top 10 ... amiright?
The Pains of Being Pure At Heart-Self Titled - Have to admit that half of this is the fact that I saw them at Bug Jar and it SOUNDED amazing, but they kind of blew my effing mind that night.
Tie: The Thermals vs. Japandroids - The familiar versus the the familiar ... Basically both albums are kind of awesome and yet comfortable. Not a fucking thing to complain about top to bottom on either ... but not earth shattering. I went through personal situations where "I Quit Girls" AND reached a point where "You Dissolve"

I was late to the party but fucking ecstatic that I showed up:

Akron/Family - Love is All - Indie meets Classic meets Emo meets Tony
The Beatles - Abbey Road - I know them all but it's basically mixed in a way that I never heard before, like a really sweet late Beatles mix ... thanks guys.
Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue - Dear Jenny, when will you fudge me?
Amadou and Mariam - my life = changed
Animal Collective - Feels AND Sung Tongs - I kind of actually like both of these more than MPP ... but which more only time will tell.
Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha - I AM STILL LOSING MY SHIT TO EVERY SONG ON THIS ALBUM... p.s. remember that time he randomly rocked Cataracts at Bonna ... quote of the weekend "that was completely random"

The Let down list:
Camera Obscura - fuck fuck fuck, i love them, i love them, but my heart is not quite right yet.
Cymbals Eat Guitars - I need "the hook" still
The Black Lips - 100 Million Thousand - shit dudes, you are epic, but this was a pile, you fucking literally had retreads on here.
Mastadon - Crack the Skye - How do you recapture Leviathan - a post unto it's own.

Announcements:
Ra Ra Riot is ok because they are my new emo band that I don't give an eff if you like or not.

Menomena became my 2010 band. Find the festival, join me. I promise they will be AT LEAST as good as the shit show that was Band of Horses. Which ... coincidentally was only partially better than seeing radiohead from a mile away a year prior.

The Mars Volta are on my radar again. Omar does his best. Cedric is a bag o trix and pretentious as ever.

My Bloody Valentine in August.

... hope you liked it

dinosaur jr. - farm: a first look

the last time I paid much attention to Dinosaur Jr. I was 13 and really into MTV and the Soundgarden Black Hole Sun video. Which, lucky for me was on pretty much once an hour at the time. This period coincided with Dinosaur Jr.'s closest delving into mainstream when their video for Feel the Pain was also getting significant airplay.

Fast forward 10 years. I'm 23 and starting to get into "influential" indie bands. Names get drooped, pixies, joy division, sebadoh, and dinosaur jr.?? From there on out time and time again this band's been mentioned numerous times. Having no more than Feel the Pain to go off of I for whatever reason decided to skip by their work.

Come with me now to the present day: At the moment there aren't any brand new exceptional albums out, which means good luck for DJ. They happen to have released the most buzz worthy album. So I decided to check them out. Some of the things I'm finding out about them:

1. They seriously don't mess around with guitar rock. If you like guitar rock. Listen to them. I can't describe it really any other way than that.
2. To me it kind of sounds a lot like more Feel the Pain. Perhaps I am missing the point.
3. I like it. The songs are catchy. But i'm not being moved by it. My only hope here is to pass it along to someone who comes back and explains how they fell in love with the album. To me it's somehow coming across as bland. How is that possible? The guys are rocking the shit out of this music, but to me all I hear is boring boring boring.

This of course is quite the same way I felt upon first listen to In Rainbows. So as usual it always comes back to Radiohead. Dinosaur Jr. now owe R-head a debt of gratitude because I have decided not to give up easily on this one. Can I get a God Bless Thom?

An error in judgement

Recently something has come to light that I feel i need to publicly apologize for. Anyone who knows me is aware of my affinity for Neutral Milk Hotel's stellar piece of work In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. This album has influenced me, and my public life in ways that at the moment would be difficult for me to describe. Listening to album typically can bring me close to tears. It is probably the album I hold most dear to me.

However due to my deep appreciation of this work I also have made public claim to be a Neutral Milk Hotel fan. The truth of the matter is that I was really only a ITAOTS fan. Upon a previous attempt to delve into earlier NMH work I first listened to Invent Yourself a Shortcake. I don't recall how much of an effort I made. I do recall hearing a lot of noise, and finding out they were effing around with making noises with a cassette tape during recording.

I soon lost interest and chalked ITAOTS up to being a single rare miracle. An album so powerful it caused it's creator to run into seclusion. Which is also where my interst in his other work lay. Until recently. A small series of events transpired. First, budding interest in ITAOTS from a friend. When this typically occurs I instantly jump head first back into NHM because I want to try and show the person how amazing I find the work, and would love sharing it with others. During this renewed vigor I also caught a live showing of Mr. Mangum performing many of the songs from ITAOTS.

It was a stirring event for me. One that left me empty and unfullfilled. Wanting nothing more than to find a way that I could try and relive past events. From this I came away with two decisions. 1. Find live NMH because he was brilliant live. and 2. Find out about the songs that were not from In the Aeroplane, because they were just as good. My findings led me to one very important discovery. When I cast aside Invent yourself a Shortcake I also subsequently did the same to On Avery Island. In my defense I know I had listened to it at least once but the sour taste from IYS must have been around.

One of the songs on the live video was a track called Baby For Pree. This song hit me hard, and I found that it was recorded in On Avery Island. Cooincidentally that same day I was sent a text msg of a friend holding the album in a record store, to which history will show me still at the "meh, i can take it or leave it" level.

However, because of that chain of events I have learned of a new, amazing album. On Avery Island does lack the epic cohesiveness of In the Aeroplane. It does not contain any self defining moments like Oh Comely, or triumphant gestures in solidude like King of Carrot Flowers pt1. But one thing Neutral Milk Hotel was never wanton for is eery madness. Spooky organ drone peppered with sad yet catchy lyrics.

On Avery Island gives the listener an ear to what Mangum was really all about, and any fan of ITAOTS should find near equal appreciation here. I consider myself lucky to have found myself in this position. I suppose I wanted to share this with the world because I feel like I need to make penence for my past ignorance. Though nothing may compare evenly to In the Aeroplane listeners will not be unfamiliar with the songs on On Avery Island, and I believe can come to a deeper and more open understanding of how imporant ITA really is. I know I feel that way.

bonna non story

Sadly my time has been tied up in real world events lately so I have not yet had a chance to unleash upon the interwebs my full review of Bonnaroo.

However I do have enough time this morning to share my favorite "non story". By non-story I mean that I actually had no part in any of this and all of the information is word of mouth from other sources.

Anyone heard of the band Cage the Elephant? Yeah, me either. Apparently they were good enough to have their "stage stormed" at bonnaroo.

A.) who the hell storms a stage at a hippy music festival?
B.) dillinger escape plan didn't play till sunday.

Anyways, I checked around to find some reviews of their latest album trying to harness an idea of what music was so overwhelming it caused an uncontrollable urge to bro down with security just to have a chance to get close to the band ... here's my favorite quote so far:

"It’s a fatal flaw that rears itself again and again as a bastardised version of blue-collar Americana is force-fed a mass-produced strain of bland modern rock throughout all eleven tracks."
- The Guardian

Guess I'm not all that upset that I missed what was described to me as the most important thing that happened at Bonna this year. Are you kidding me?

July July

Loooks like round 2 of music month is coming up ...

7-15: Yeasayer
7-19: Wilco and Conner Oberst
7-23: Neko Case
7-30: Cursive
7-31: All Points West
8-3 : Gang Gang Dance

where are you tonight?

waiting for my inspiration.

friday fudge

currently losing my shit to:

sunday morning

I'm a little late posting this news. Frankly because a) i'm not really a huge Beck fan any longer and so I feel like news about Beck is on a take it or leave it basis. B) This blog isn't really a "news" oriented medium, but rather a forum for me to post in regards to interesting information.

Anyways the point here is that a news article came out a few days ago that basically described a new project in which he was going to record a cover of some albums all within one day, without rehearsals or retakes. He is then going to release the recordings via his newly remodeled website.

I didn't realize how soon any of this was going down but it looks like the first album (Velvet Underground and Nico) has already been completed. Here is track 1. If nothing else Beck can still swing a damn fine cover. Nothin fancy here.

ra ra riot + vampire weekend = digital love

get the joke?

bring a big kayak

get the kayak

The Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca

Look Ma, I did it. Two album reviews in two weeks. An even more impressive perspective is that this one actually coincides with the release of the album I'm reviewing! This is of course was unbeknowst to me until last week when while perusing a publication it listed Bitte Orca's release date. Well shit, thanks to the power of internewbs I've actually been listening to the album for well over a month now. So I guess fate had it that this day would come and so without further delay...

The chronology of my experience with Dirty Projectors goes something like this:

1+ years ago: I was mistaking them for DFA, the Brookyln based production team whose hands are all over a bunch of great albums. Where this miscommunication stems from, lord know. It's t typical me though. The same guy who thought Broken Social Scene was punk metal, and that Deerhunter and Animal Collective consisted of the same band members.

6 months ago: I got my hands on the Dark Was the Night soundtrack. The first track on the album is the collaboration between David Byrne and the DP's. Immediately drawn to this interesting and charismatic ditty I began my journey into learning exactly what the dirty projector's were all about. Yes, brooklyn based as well, but much much different. I ended up checking out Rise Above. I found it ... weird. I would say almost so weird it was bad. But one thing I understood was that there was some serious creativity behind it. My desire to embrace the creativity led me to persist. During this time dirty projector's released their first single off Bitte Orca.

2 Months: Upon my first encounter with lead single Stillness is the Move I nearly fell out of my chair. The song carried everything I personally need in a personal theme song. Ridiculous rhthym structure: check, Lyrics that not only are fun in content, but also delivered in quirky and off tempo precision: check, Loud and Beautiful: check.

Immediately this track was dubbed "my summer song" . Throughout this blog you could find at least 2 other entire posts devoted to how awesome that song is. So basically, this album was going to get a good review if it were just that song.

However, come to find out there was a lot more work to do. Having only my tedious experience with Rise Above, and the two fleeting examples of dirty projector's pop embrace I initially had some strong doubts about the rest of Bitte Orca. The songs again seeems long, and misguided attempts at proving creativity, rather than great song writing. But something entirely different exists here. Sticking with the album was important, because the epiphany occured. Yes, some of the songs sound like 4 songs in one (useful chamber i'm looking at you). However the difference being the pieces are more carefully executed with an eye on embracing the pop psyche.

It is true that at points I felt that bitte orca drags a bit, delves deep back into the randomness. This however is at the benefit of the consumer. For without the creative process how would we ever evolve? If we do the same thing over and over, how do you learn? And so on Bitte Orca the listener is handed some material that allows their mind to expand in comfort. To grow, almost seemingly alongside Mr. Longstreth and company.

Share and Enjoy a sense of freedom...

If I am lost ... it's only for a little while

I am alone. I am happy. I am lucky. I am.

What if the Band of Horses set list looked like this:

1. The first song
2. The General Specific
3. Monsters
4. Funeral
5. Cigarettes, Wedding Bands
6. Is There a Ghost
7. I go to the Barn Because I Like
8. Ode to the LRC

I need to see Neko Case do The Pharaohs.

I need to see Andrew Bird sing Cataracts

I need to see Animal Collective do Banshee Beat

I have a working playlist called "the lovely tones" which is currently causing uncontrolable emotional sensations. So far it is an opus. But it's very much in it's infancy. I could see myself tearing every time I listen. I just thought of a new song. "The baby maker" ... oh man, gotta have the baby maker. Maybe I'll re-title the playlist "the baby maker"

I just channeled Jeremy Hanson a la the "I think I'm making my move" epic crash moment. < this is proper twitter fodder.

off topic

It has been observation thus far in my short time in the business world that:

Men who have success rely on a personality that is generally personable, sincere, and well liked.

Women who are successful are generally ruthless, pushy, and feared, and probably not all that well liked.

It goes without saying that both groups are motivated individuals.

I'm interested in why that difference exists. I would discount the claim that "women have to be this way because men run everything". That excuse no longer holds water.

Neko Case - Middle Cyclone

Having only experienced Neko Case's work via her efforts in the New Pornographers my expectations going in to her latest solo effort was that of poppy electronic tracks filled with tongue in cheek references and off beat lyrical deliveries.

If you too have the same notions regarding this, then I would suggest leaving those at the door. What one finds on Middle Cyclone is instead a collection of love lorn and moody tales. The title bares the theme as the listener is guided through Ms. Case's emotionally charged storm pop. Opening track This Tornado Loves You does what every great album opener should do by setting the tone. Airy (read: not eery), yet fervent, soft, but direct is the manner in which this off beat love song is cascaded.

But Tornado does not end the wreckage. Case carries on with a number of cavernous tracks that could be misconstrued for sadness but upon closer inspection present confidence and hope. Highlights also include the title track, Never Turn your Back on Mother Earth , Case's homage to the power of a sure handed woman. Pharaohs, much like the opening track gives the listener a beautiful ride through the heart's storm of emotions. While Vengence Is Sleeping is a simple yet beautiful message.

Let there be no doubt Case most certainly has the pipes to carry her own solo work. Allowed here to test her entire vocal range leaves one no less than impressed. A unique vocal style which marries sultry soul with indie twang. Something new and beautiful to be found on every song.

This album ranks as one of the best of the year by far. Top to bottom each track present a new and beautiful perspective on the whirlwinds of love and it's messages are powerful enough to lift the listener and give them an hour long ride around in this harmonious Cyclone.

a bad music moment

growing up I can remember my first trip to lakeshore record exchange. i can remember being there and being amazing at the selection. amazed that they had a used cd section. amazed that that sold albums made in japan. i felt special. i felt freedom. i felt amazing experiences were on the horizon.

and nothing was more true

imagine

... amazing ...

Epic Friday Post

Though I know no one follows my work. And also that most of this is just reposting things I find interesting, void of new or original material. However there is satisfaction in knowing that the reason why I bother with this blog is because things like the following are just too amazing to be ignored. And so in the belief that I am helping propogate beauty in the world I present to you:


A little more information regarding what you're watching.
Additionally I have just come into possession of one copy of: Neutral Milk Hotel Live at the Bug Jar - Rochester NY July 30th ... 1998. Fuck.Me.Running.

A Challenger Presents Itself

yes

Dude, Coyne drops the f-bomb and mentions evil ... need I say more? Oh, but i guess I will: strokes, pixies, shins BLAOW Suckas!!

The challenge I mention is of course against Dark Was the Night which now is a little late to get into the similarities but a few should jump right the f out at you ... like derr or some sheet.

New Music

It's once again time for me to go on a full out binge on new music.

Here are the short and sweet of the last binge:

The Great- Neko Case, Akron/family, Brakes, Japnadroids, Jenny Lewis / Rilo Kiley, Lotus Plaza, Dirty Projectors, Grizzly Bear, Camera Obscura

The Good - Vetiver, St. Vincent, Passion Pit, Fela Kuti, Amadou and Mariam, Ratatat, Dan Deacon, Passion Pit

The Bad- Late of the Pier, Isis, (wayverying radient), Papercuts, Super Furry Animals, ORL's new one, Doves

The Ugly - Your face.


Next Up:
Cold War Kids, Silversun Pickups, Tortoise, YACHT, Ani Defranco, White Rabbits

appropriate

Because guess what happens in ...

Two Weeks


Added Bonus mp3 download of the day: YACHT: "Psychic City (Voodoo City)"

Holiday Sweetkend

Welcome back to the grind friends!

Best Album of Late: Veckatimest by Grizzly Bear. As predicted in an earlier post this album an exceptional piece of well composed aural beauty. Don't believe me? Check out the first single Two Weeks' video here. Also in that post are additional goodies including a live mp3 version of the track, and a link to a new black cab sessions featuring g-bear.

See you at the bonna set folks. It's going to be sick.

Favorite new band of the moment: Akron / Family. Basically I've completely lost my shit over their album Love is Simple. An epic fusion of blues rock, repetitive sing along chorus jams, and sappy "love is great" lyrics combine to form an amazingly fun and interesting album that I have not been able to get out of my head at any point this weekend.

A resurgence in interest of NMH? Its like Christmas in May. Time to bust out the trumpet and get to work learning the solo in Oh Comely, eh?

Highlights from the weekend:

- Rage fueled car tirade regarding a mislabeled and incomplete radiohead mix.

- DJ Here Tonight is forced due to technical difficulties to play an all vinyl set. Despite a limited collection the eclectic mix satifies everyone. The plans for a second turntable have their metaphorical seed planted.

- Sonic Anarchy ripped up the dance floor Elaine Benes style. Black people everywhere cringed. Fun was had, and nobody but my poor flip flooped feet were phyically harmed. Mentally damaged though: probably everyone that wasn't smoking dope and subjected to the unparalleled spastic jolts of white boy nonsense that eminated from my soul into their unfortunate occular nerves.

- I heard peacebone this weekend and it made me smile again.

animal collective - concert review

So it finally happened. Me, Panda, Geologist, Avey ... same room, same time. Since you're reading this a couple of assumptions can be made.

First, no, the earth did not open up and let out a beam of light that spread evenly over the earth engulfing all species and rendering their particles combustible thus making the view of earth from space one giant world industries logo.

Second, my eyeballs are still in tact, having not actually melted out of my skull a la holy grail wrong cup sort of situation which I predicted as a result of aural waves of panda's voice splashing upon my ocular nerves for the first time.

Instead the show was actually pretty normal. Except by normal I mean fucking epic. The set list was pretty standard. I thought actually kind of short, and very MPP heavy. Guy's Eyes was a rare classic. Dude, they played Chores!!! I think my favorite part about the show really was the crowd. Which were more openly enthusiastic towards the older songs.

Leaf House kind of left people (myself included) going absolutely bat shit crazy. The vocal percussion carried and accentuated heavily by the collective vocal stylings of the band's loyal followers. A moment that will not be forgotten. The epic nature surrounding fireworks lends itself to wanting to see it as the band's "typical" show closer. But judging from the way they seem to stay fresh each night with new sets and new cities and crowds to play to this type of regimented situation seems almost an impossibility. Though fireworks is a staple of every show, making it one of the few things you can count on.

The most telling detail of the night was the band's Chocolate girl intro into Comfy in Nautica. PB's voice hailing the sold out crowd to try and remember just to haev a good time. It was his voice and this message that persisted throughout. At any given time throughout the show it was easy to spot the supreme jubilation this group can wreak over its loyal fandom.

So what did we learn? Panda bear is supreme. Everything you could hope for and more. The only thing you can count on is that you can't count on anything. Their show is definitely built for two things. First, an outdoor venue. Their sound is way to vast to keep inside a mid size club. And the size of their fan base removes the possibility of making their shows intimate any more. An outdoor venue is the only way to experience this properly.

At all costs see these guys whenever, where ever you have the chance. You're guaranteed to get a different experience each night. If one thing came out of this show, its the fact that regardless of who plays opposite them at any festival shows, theirs is the set to choose. Seee you at bonna, pink speedo, headband, knee highs.... only the best.

short posts

Only have time for a few things today. I know it's been a while, but thus is life. There's only so many hours in a day and basically i've had to decide between work and play. Thus because I enjoy getting paid I needed to up my work time committment lately.

But enough with the sad times, here's the good word from the sonic anarchist:

- Time off for APW officially approved, see you suckas in NYC!!

- On that note the initial MUST SEE APW list:
- Fleet Foxes
- My Bloody Valentine (pant blob!)
- Tokyo Police Club
- Vampire Weekend
- Lykke Li
- Akron / Family - I just started listening to them, they're pretty standard sonic anarchy music. Epic jammy indie pop love ... wheelhouse baby.
- The National - I have a crush on Bryce Dressner after the DWTN VA jamz he put together ... heartskies!
- The Obvs: Tool, Gayplay ... only seeing g-play to take notes on what my faux military ensemble should consist of. You know, since girls seem to be into british faux military sass.

- Shows I plan on making up because I will miss it at bonna:
- YYY's
- Neko Case - fucking brilliant!
- St. Vincent - ditto
- Beastie Boys

- Interested in checking out if time permits
- Silversun Pickups
- Ra Ra Riot
- White Rabbits


- Currently working on a message board for the dinfu. The plan is to set up some discussions regarding bonnaroo. I'm thinking separate topics for collabs on: travel schedule / itinerary, what to bring / who is bringing what, show scheddy's, who's got the erb .. etc, ect.

-Possibly cohosting the SA blog there as well. Check out my sass so far

this tone bone is glad, because he went, to theeeee

The interwebs assures me that this is how it went down.

1. Chocolate Girl
2. Comfy in Nautica
3. What would I want sky
4. Lion in a coma
5. My Girls
6. Guys Eyes
7. Fireworks
8. Leaf House
9. Brother Sport
Encore
10. Chores
11. Summertime Clothes

I don't remember it being quite like that. I thought they played leaf house earlier, I also thought b-sport and my girls are actually in the reverse of what happened. Also no mention of the new song as the intro into chores during the encore ... here's the link to that song to help jog your memory.

animal collective :: bleed (live)

the bear strikes!!

so today an advance copy of Grizzly Bear's new album Veckatimest fell *cough* cough* into my lap *cough* ... i'm going to make an early call on this one and go ahead and predict that its going to be a 9/10 album of the year type of ordeal. So far a few things i'm noticing that bode well, vast arrangements of sound, straightforward with a gentle approach, offbeat and epic rock anthems that soar, dip, and drive.

... those are some of choices I might put into my pool if I were trying to make a list of adjectives that could be used to describe this album. Upon initial review only. I'll probably have something different to add. Check back in 24hrs.

its a good album though, i can tell.

also according to this I totally lucked out in terms of timing? weird. though it wasn't completely random. I was poking around p4k and found this song to be kind of aweseome. Thus my reason for trying to check out more. Man

NMH + HSM + XXX

Mendesday

Today marks the first official "Mendesday". For those of you unfamiliar is the is a play on the combination of Men + Wednesday ... and has nothing to do with Mending. Which is something I think women in the 1800's did to dungarees when they tore.

thine royal pants hath been shat

after years and years and years and years of waiting ... and few more years of denial. the heavens have opened up and unleashed upon my eyes and ears the best fucking news ever ....

Also I just right now found out that the female vocals on the postal service album were Jenny Lewis.

Umm, shit.

only 5 more months

till this can be all yours...

The countdown begins

So I woke up this morning a bit tired and aloof from a 90mph weekend that left me both physically and mentally frazzled. Good times, good friends, and great memories were had.

But alas it is back to the grind, with one exception. There is a buzz growing inside me. At first I couldn't really understand it. I figured it was after effects of the weekend. But instead it was something in my memory, trying to scream out and make its way to the forefront of my consciousness. That's when I realized ... 6 more days. Animal Collective in Toronto. My throat closes up. The goosebumps are summoned, and my dreams becoming reality fill my moments with elation and excitement ...

get ready...

welcome to my morning

got up and put on the coffee

went to the computer and tried desperately to find something interesting to read on my igoogle start page, going back and forth between the tabs scouring, scouring, scouring ... nothing.

decided to see if TMT had their reviews up for the day yet. Yep. El Grupo Nuevo. Which coincidentally is the most interesting music review I have read ... on an online rag ... maybe ever (save maybe the fever ray album review, which was hilarious and vivid).

currently losing my shit to the album. a paradigm of pure joy and deep disappointment that comes with the realization that I need to get my ass in the shower and get ready for work.

umm .... zach hill ... its like fate is done with the subtleties and now it's just giant ogre club smashes over my dense skull.

short shot: it becomes more and more apparent the worst part about ORL / CBZ combo is CBZ's voice. Man, if this was an all instrumental it would be so effic. I kind of hate Cedric's voice, like on the level of how much I hate Ozzie Osbournes voice. It sounds stupid.

obvious day

the most obvious statment you will read/hear today: The Clash's London Calling is an amazing album. The best purchase I have made so far for my record collection. God, what an amazing album. More bands need to rip off the Clash.

I feel like a douche cause i'm so far behind the curve on the clash. But I guess that's not important. As long as you get a chance to hear it.

Also, Abbey Road is the one Beatles album I never "owned". Though as with every Beatles album I'm familiar with 90% of the songs. However, after hearing it this weekend, its a high priority pickup in the used section.

Top 5 Albums to get List:

1. Band of Horses - Everything all the time
2. Daft Punk - Discovery
3. Broken Social Scene - You Forgot it in People
4. The Mars Volta - Deloused in the Comatorium
5. The Decemberists - Her Majesty

Concert Review - Jeremy Jay

The finale show of Stick it To the Man week was L.A. 's Jeremy Jay. A young relative unknown in the indie groove scene. I just made that term up, and have no idea what that means, but it is my best attempt to describe JJ's sounds. The amalgamum of adjectives I could also use would be soulful, sexy, synthy, dark, moody love music.

It's really is a difficult sound to describe, and I think at first glance people would mistake his sound for boring or lazy. But really it's quite an emotional sound that is played without over complicating that idea. There's always something to be said for getting your point across in the least amount of words, and I think JJ excels at this.

So when he took the stage sporting the following: 1 standard drum kit (6 piece), 1 electric guitar, 1 Bass, 2 Effects pedals, and a mini Korg syth machine you could tell the man lives in emotion of the songs, not the details. Surely enough Jeremy then proceeded to unleash his impossibly dance grooves on the crowd . Passing the guitar and bass back and forth between the other stage hipster between songs was as natural and necessary as the crowd's uncontrolable urge to get down to the epic sonic smothness torching their ears. Unfortunately the only thing more sparse than the band's stage equiment was the crowd. and so I'm not certain the appreciation for the effort went fully recognized. Mr. Jay.

Though most musicians spend their careers in relative obscurity sometimes certains artists come along that for whatever reason seem to have that certain undeniable superstar quality that escapes the world wrapped up in hype. So count this at least as one person who promises to act as part of Jeremy Jay's hype machine for as long as he is making music. Next time you see me it's an almost certain guarantee his deep grooves will come across your ears, because whether you transcribe to the less is more ideal or not there is something to be said for the way JJ makes you feel like more, with less.

Mmmm.... Naked Kim

Follow up to the video for the new matt and kim video. These guys are so much fun ... i just love it.

Marnzanity: fact or fiction

Fact: Marnie Stern is clearly more impressive in the live setting.

Fiction: Marnie is actually kind of a half assed guitarist who gets cred only cause she's a smokin hot blonde.
Reason: After seeing her perform in online videos I basically expected some lazily sounding guitar work that was trying (but failing) to keep up with the studio refined work from her album. And some god awful vocal work This was not the case as she slayed the living shit cakes out of her songs. On a scale that caused euphoric bouts of crippling joy. You know that feeling you get on a rollercoaster? The cars are being dragged along the track, click, click,click. Your chest tightens as you prepare. Your palms sweat as you grasp to the bar holding you in, only to become further convinced you're definitely going to fly out this time ... you get to the top,. that breif pause. the jolt and the drop. .... that feeling you get on the way down. You might fall out, but if you do it'd be the best way to die .... thats what it was like for me listening to her fuck up that guitar last night. Just incredible. Whew.

Fact: Marnie carries the weight of her music, not the drummer / backup rhythm section. She does this by pulling the 'ol A-bird and looping in her ridiculousness so that she can pile more amazing guitar work over the top of that ...

Fiction: Marnie Stern is a happy go lucky gal who has a good time no matter where she is, or who she is with.
Reason: I thought it was kind of a downer that she seemed to be annoyed by A) the people in the bar trying to talk to her. I mean most people were there to see her perform. She was sitting out at the merch table / bar the entire time. Why was she pissed that people kept trying to talk to her. It didn't make much sense to me.. B) the fact that she was in rochester in the first place. She seemed genuinely disinterested in the entire scene. It was totally a bummer. But

Fact: I have no balls. I completely pussed out on my opportunity to meet her. I'm still trying to understand why I didn't just clang them together and at least be another in the line of douchebags that tried to make awkward small talk. Though I did give her an enthusiastic wave when I walked in. Of course this was pre- realization that she would not be the inviting person i had expected. But in that moment I will take away that I got her attention and she acknowledged my existence (insert wayne's world "we are not worthy" here).


Another great show.... my google calendar tag for yesterday had it perfect "Marnie Stern - i'm in love!!!!"

HOLY FUDGESACKLES!!!!!!

EFFIC IS BORN

I pee pee pee myself, i can't help it, i know you smelt it, i pee pee peed myself ....that is my song i wrote to show my joy


Also ... i know a certain someone who is going to be quite excited about this show. Not a bad trade for having to miss bonna that weekend, right?

some other news

as the title of this blog might suggest here at sonic anarchy dispose of rules and order for a more care free and open methodologies. That being said there's some other things going on this week in music that (or maybe more so over hte course of the past week) that is/was not directly related to Stick it to the man.

Since sitmw kind of stuck it to me I ended up falling asleep earlier than grandma post afternoon bingo sessions with Geraldine and the girls. Thus leaving me with this window of opportunity in the AM to share some other thoughts. Hmm, lets see first off lets do some quick takes on some of the new music I've been listening to:

Jeremy Jay - Slow Dance - Initially downloaded as a kind of joke to myself. I had seen the video for the title track and was amused by JJ's cool demeanor. Further intrigued to find out what this was all about by learning that he was going to be making an appearance at the bug jar. Much to my pleasant surprise this album has become a heavy rotation player. Its hard to describe the music beyond using the term "cool". Its not aggressive, but its not too laid back. It might at first strike you as lazy, but its actually not. Its just really really really fucking cool. Anyways, I can't urge people enough to really give this album a shot. Canter Canter, Winter Wonder, and Where Could We go Tonight are fucking epic jams. Its unfortunate that this came out prior to summer as its winter theme would have made for an amazing seasonal (haha, that sounds like some sort of beer snob comment).

Dan Deacon - Bromst - Its a little early for me to go full bore on a review here. My first impressions however are that its good, but a little over the top, like this guy is trying to cause you to have a stroke. Very Aphex Twin sounding, but there's all these awesome piano parts interspersed which give the album this underlying kind of pretty sound that I am really digging. For sure seeing a live set of this stuff would be insanely entertaining, but I don't think this is something I would want to be filling my sensory organs on a very heavy rotation. Good shit though.

Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue - I am way behind on this train. But I am loving the ride. Simple, bluesy, catchy, pretty, fun sing alongs. Nothing wrong with that. Best line of the album "I went down to dixie, and dropped acid on my tongue, tripped upon the land until enough was enough" ... haha. Oh man oman, omen.

Super Furry Animals - Dark Days / Light Years - I was expecting something different I guess. I was kind of expecting to find a band much more in the vein of Animal Collection, maybe because I have this innate sense to categorize bands by their names or something. I've had this problem before. Anyways, I had read adjectives like "experimental" and "creative" and "psychodelic" regarding this band. So I guess I was expecting to hear something really out there. And yes, they do infuse a bunch of different sounds together. But the music is generally underwhelming to me. Though I am going to stick with it a bit longer. The track The Very Best of Neil Diamond definitely has caught my attention, and perhaps in time more of this album will too.

Amadou and Mariam - Welcome to Mali - This album has pretty much defined a new interest in Afro based music. Solid songs top to bottom. The arrangements here are exemplary of fucking elite ridonk skilled musicians. Plus I'm getting to learn French, which is cool. I am super excited to see them at bonna, this show is going to be crazy fun. Highlights include Sabali, Masiteladi, and Djama, and Ce N'est Pas Bon.

Lotus Plaza - The Floodlight Collective - It sounds like like super drugged out Microcastle. This isn't even shoegaze, its just gaze, like a thick fog of fuzz surrounding your entire being. And fuck all, its magnificent. I was completely surprised by this one, low expectations, met with just a simply beautiful album. Dude, plus the closer has this weird in and out, pulsating fuzz noise that gives me a stroke and makes me feel a little like i'm tripping balls ... its fucking amazing.

Doves - Kingdom of Rust - Don't listen to the hype. Not much here unless you're like really into Coldplay + minor electronic accompanyment+ bad rock music.

Up next: Japandroids - these guys are fucking awesome, Vetiver - got the new one, super excited, BrakesBrakesBrakes - just added to bonna, YES!!,

Well apparently my recent super binge on music has taken up more time than I was expecting. There are some cool news things I wanted to get to but I ran out of time. Except this. Man am I in love with Tracyanne, she's like ... perfect for me, and could sing me to sleep every night for the rest of my life.