But on the real tip, Love is way cooler theoretically than practically you get all the benefits of inspiration without having to literally waste your time on someone else. bah humbug, i guess this holiday brings the best out of me haha
I've got a confession, I judge books by their cover almost always. I'm sorry but after working at a record store for a couple of years you really get the ability to surmise the contents of a record by purely aesthetic reasons. Most of the time. There are many times where I've been wrong, a lot of bands that I let slip through the cracks because I felt they had less-than-favorable representation. Sue me.
I did it real real bad with this band CULTS, I am tired of one word band names, and girl/boy synth/pop/ duos, and didn't think I had any room for one more in my heart. So for the last four months or so I've completely ignored them and disregarded their existence. That was until a couple of days ago when the FYF Lineup was posted. Overall I was pretty excited about the line-up but there were some unknowns Cults being one of them so I investigated and uncovered quite possibly one of my most favorite songs of the year so far. Not that I will stop judging books by their cover, that'd be impossible to, Im pretty sure everyone does it....that's why covers are there, doi! But anyways check em out you can get there seven inch single free off their website. and check out FYF because it's only 25 bucks and if it was half as cool as last year it'll be worth it....fuck I've spent more at the movie theaters just on myself.
As a self-identified "Barbarian clawing at the walls of Western Civilization" I naturally am fully supportive of Piracy and Pilfering. Duh. However, that doesn't mean I don't think KAPITALIZM can be a uesful tool here and there. But honestly, most of the bands getting bummed out over the illegal availability of their music need to sack the fuck up and make better music. If anything the whole internet has re-introduced a realness or sincerity to an industry(when did music become industry?)that was lacking both. With music being so available, whenever you buy some it means a whole lot more. Nowadays I buy music as a sign of respect, and to align myself with things that I feel are important. Yeah it's a bummer that your shit could get leaked the weekend before and you can see you record sales disappear-BUT! It should make musicians feel all the more stoked when those same people STILL buy their record. Anyways that's the way I see it.
I've gotten a whooole lottta music the free-way, but this year I've tried to get back on my vinyl game, and I will directly attribute that to the kind of exposure the internet can offer.
My pick for SINGLE OF THE YEAR. Just that perfect nexus of shit that people nowadays wanna hear(i.e Twee-ish, jangly, Three-part harmonies.....yaddayaddayadda). Myself definitely included. PLUS you've got a Roky Erickson B-side. That is ON-POINT!!! I guess this is a fairly hip record, butt fuck it. Captured Tracks is one solid ass label.
Seeing Ian Svenonious in the flesh was definitely a highlight in my career as a punk. This record is so on-point and relevant, and seeing these songs live was tight. I had to wonder what people thought of it who didn't know what to expect. Preaching about reparations and spilling the beans on Government orchestrated assassinations can really go either way as far a crowd receptiveness. Chain and the Gang pulled it off, good for them and you too. Down With The Liberty
I must give props to The Holland Project for setting up some righteous ass shows so far this year. I can foresee Rainshadow being a very cool and important part of Reno. If my teachers taught skateboarding and sang for hardcore bands, and I could go watch the latest Captured Tracks artist in the front room of my high school, I just might've stuck around for all four years....not likely, but it wouldn't have hurt. But anyways Grass Widow was off the richter, you should probably already know....
These dudes opened up for Chain and The Gang, I didn't see the whole set but what I saw really impressed me. I never saw them before so I can't say for sure, but the guitarist from Mika Miko totally made them more interesting.
RAH! RAH! This is some super stoney shit. Reverb-drenched sassy, loosey-goosey funky ass soul typed chit. Downloaded this last year, and when I went vinyl-hunting in the bay this February this was one of my most sought. Super stoked I got it too.....the best bars would have dj's who played this and kept the lights down low. Anyone looking to hire?
I really wanted to hate on this band. But I can't. They are fucking rad, and every move they made last year they continued on ruling. At first I thought that they were a fluke until this EP came out, and they proved they had some depth. Their live performance floating around the internet kind of solidified their goodness for me. But that song Higher than the Stars fucking does it for me, and especially the Saint Etienne remix, makes me wish people did as many Quaaludes as they say they they did back in the day...
Now if only my Best Coast seven inch would arrive, and all these assholes would stop picking up five million copies and selling them on ebay for a hundred times the cover price. ARGH!!!
Bay Area raize up! Fuck yes, I am seriously seriously crushin' on this band baaad. Homeboy Jack from Don't Trip(Rest In Pot my brothers) was bumping this on a recent trip up here. After a spin or two I had to know who the hell this was. Well for the last month or so I have bumping this at least once daily, which is saying a whole damn lot. I don't even eat everyday, or anything. No bull, straight up Pop, with punk tendencies. I refuse to call it pop-punk because it just doesn't do this shit justice. I am a songwriting guy, regardless of the type of music, I just care that their is some thought and effort put into the craft. Perfect pop music sounds instantly familliar. That's all it really takes, and every song hits you like a bad case of Deja Vu. Like that time you smoked salvia and swore up and down that you were married to your friends Grandmother in another life. I swear that happens. Anyways I got a soft spot for this shit for some other reasons too. I am a sucker for literally anything with a female vocalist-From Walls of Jericho to the Wizard of Oz soundtrack. Punk rock romance is also a fun subject to dwell on. Sometimes I get tired of all the vegan potlucks, and bike rides down by the river. But honestly that shit beats bangin' your dick on a chicks tailbone in a drunk, sweaty frenzy at Tonic........sike. Lastly, there is something about the Bay Area punk scene that I just have always had an affinity for. Probably the proximity. Anyways, I relate to this shit faar more than other stuff(call me a regionalist). There you have it. I love this band and this damn cd. Just cuz it's technically a demo I won't call it my favorite release of '09. But 2010 better watch out cuz they are scheduled to drop something proper at the end of the year. Speaking of which, they'll be taking pre-orders soon so get on that, it's seems like a pretty good package with a tote bag and all. Pre-Order Full Length
It seems kind of redundant to upload since it's already up so you can thank these dudes for putting it up!
Hands down one of my favorite albums of all time. Vaguely dark, synthy pop bands with female vocals are kind of dime-a-dozen. But don't let the genre's clutter turn you off. Broadcast are serious heavyweights and I think this is their best record by a long shot. I don't think this band gets enough credit, and this album especially. To me this album is an EVENT. A high water-mark for the decade and the style of music they play. I just read that the lead singer says this album is about "letting go". No wonder I dig it so much, for the last two or so years this album has been a pillar of reason in my life.
Broadcast-Tender Buttons(2005) 1.)I Found The F 2.)Black Cat 3.)Tender Buttons 4.)America's Boy 5.)Tears In The Typing Pool 6.)Corporeal 7.)Bit 35 8.)Arc Of A Journey 9.)Michael A Grammar 10.)Subject To The Ladder 11.)Evil Is Coming 12.)Goodbye Girls 13.)You And Me In Time 14.)I Found The End
