Posts filed under 'Reviews'
In a very real sense, this Disc Of The Day is random. Not in the bastardised ‘yoof’ understanding of the word (currently translating as ‘unlikely’, or ‘weird’) but in the sense that whenever my iPod is set to ‘shuffle’ it always seems to favour the Pixies’ paradigm-shifting second album. That a seemingly rational piece of hardware should have begun to share my entirely emotional connection to this record seems extraordinary (unless you believe in something like
Cosmic Ordering, then it’s probably to be expected) but then, this is a record that changed our view of how hard rock could sound and a generation of bands from Nirvana and beyond would ape it’s quiet/loud dynamic and economic delivery. Following the raw power of 1988’s Albini produced
Surfer Rosa,
Doolittle was a relatively sophisticated sonic big sister who benefited from both the disciplined technical assistance of Gil Norton and from the fact that
Black Francis was enjoying an
unsurpassed creative purple patch and a briefly fizzing personal chemistry with bassist/singer Kim Deal. The taut thrills of songs like Dead and Tame, or grand theatrics on Debaser or
Monkey Gone To Heaven sound brilliant in isolation (ie. on shuffle) but together they make a unique, unsurpassed whole. One that brims with ideas and cryptic lyrical kinks: violence, longing and most favoured by my Nano, the carnal creepyness of Number 13 Baby (“Six foot girl gonna sweat when she dig”). Perhaps technology really is evolving?
-Jenny Bulley
February 6th, 2009
It’s been a longtime coming for Morrissey’s followup to 2006’s Ringleader Of The Tormentors. Or it just seems like we’ve been hearing about it and songs from it for quite a while. The final 12-song tracklist hasn’t been entirely confirmed. So far it’s unclear if “All You Need Is Me” will make the cut. It looks like That’s How People Grow Up” definitely does. Speaking of which: the album art finds Moz with his little one in his (tattooed) arms.
So he’s left holding the baby, right? That’s his inner child? Why’s there a “W” (or a butterfly?) on the tot’s forehead and that mark on Morrissey’s arm? Very Lil Wayne. The man (caterpillar) becomes the child (butterfly)? Very Wordsworth. Hopefully we get a bigger image soon so we can make out some of these finer points and see what M’s trying to communicate to us…
Years Of Refusal is out 2/16 via Polydor/Decca.
The first single “I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris” is reportedly out 2/9.
Taken from: Stereogum
February 4th, 2009
The Virgins are an American band consisting of four members: Erik Ratensperger, Donald Cumming, Wade Oates and Nick Zarin-Ackerman. They were originally from New York City, they formed in 2005 based in New York City, New York. They have toured with Jet and opened for Sonic Youth and Patti Smith and played at the All Points West Festival in 2008. They also performed at the 2008 SXSW festival, and toured in the United Kingdom with The Pigeon Detectives in November and December 2008. The song “Rich Girls” was number 68 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 Best Songs of 2008.
Web: The Virgins
February 4th, 2009
I was just sitting around wondering out loud, “Whatever happened to Friendly Fires? I super loved their first couple eps/single.” So I jumped on the MySpace, and sure enough their debut album is right around the corner. Good news.
That said, I’m not sure I am totally sold on “Jump In The Pool”… it’s kinda missing the addictive groove of their previous songs (i.e. “Paris” or that excellent Nightmoves remix of “On Board”), but maybe it’s just not what I was expecting? I’m pretty sure after a few more listens I’m gonna fall hard for it. I hope. I do enjoy how the song jumps between thick and layered and then straight forward and kinda simple… it is an interwoven song that builds into something kinda lovely. But I worry it might eventually fall onto a blandish playlist of forgotten mp3s. Ohemgee.
Take from: This.bigstereo
Web: Friendly Fires
February 4th, 2009
The Bird and the Bee are characteristically shy about revealing details about their new album, but if the duo’s eponymous debut (2007) and subsequent handful of EPs are any indication, Ray Guns are Not Just the Future will feature another set of immaculately-produced, Francophilic retro-chamber pop. With twelve new songs to work with, producer Greg Kurstin and lead chanteuse Inara George have plenty of room to stretch out in the bachelor pad.Also expect a couple familiar favorites: “Polite Dance Song” shows up from the Please Clap Your Hands EP (2007), and “Birthday” is reprised from the digital-only One Too Many Hearts EP (2008).
- Etan Rosenbloom
Take from: Prefixmag
February 4th, 2009
May 19th, 2008
Part swampy juke joint brawlers, part smooth Philly warehouse doo-wop crooners, a sprinkling of wild-eyed, demon-haunted art hustler, and a hint of punky kindergarten playroom Pollyannas, Man Man bring their incomparable vision of “pop music” to bear with Rabbit Habits, their Anti- Records debut. Having honed their legendarily exuberant live show to hypothalamus-tickling perfection opening for such indie stalwarts as Modest Mouse, Arcade Fire and Cat Power, the band has captured the fiery spirit and essence of a Man Man show and etched it into 45 minutes of the most raucous, weirdly moving, spiritually uplifting music this side of Oppenheimer’s great beyond. Stand-out tracks such as “Top Drawer” and “Big Trouble” illustrate Man Man’s ability to provoke and inspire in a single instance.
Man Man’s power isn’t derived from the genres they stumble across, or the maniac light in their eyes, or the sweat pooling in their beards. It’s the unbearable sadness in their marrow and how they transform it, like the existentially distressed but heroically steadfast men men they are, into a terrible and lionhearted joy.” Pitchfork
Taken from: ANTI
May 13th, 2008
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