explodingnow

Quick Hits, v.11

drunkie mcdramaqueen — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 02:23:35 +0000

i am back from being dead, sort of. lots of updates to fill you dudez+babes in on. here are some:

• weezer’s red album is pretty rad/good/amazing/average, all at once. “pork and beans” is one of the greatest songs cuomo has ever written, not to mention the video is possibly the greatest thing EVER MADE EVER (below).

other highlights are “heart songs”, with absolutely brilliant lyrics; including this gem:

Back in 1991 I wasn’t havin’ any fun
‘Till my roommate said “Come on and put a brand new record on”
Had a baby on it. He was naked on it
Then I heard the chords That broke the chains I had upon me

and also, the completely insane “the greatest man that ever lived”. overall this record is leaps and bounds above the subpar make believe

• the dandy warhols’ new record, earth to the dandy warhols is also pretty damned good. i’ll admit i wasn’t digging it much at first, but after leaving it on repeat all night it grew on me just as much as their others. “now you love me” is a stunning fuzzed-out lovefest on par with “good morning”, “heavenly”, etc.

• ratatat - lp3 is pretty good, albeit, somewhat more chill than their first two albums. the opening trifecta of “shiller”, “falcon jab” and “mi viejo” are particular good. “gipsy threat” is just weird and creepy as hell.

• mates of state’s latest, re-arrange us, is pretty happy-go-lucky, as we’ve come to expect from such a lovestricken husband-and-wife duo. but that’s, of course, a good thing when it comes to mates of state. still, i can’t say i liked this as much as their more recent efforts, especially the epic bring it back.

• a few albums that i missed last year: the first, (i had no idea that) meredith bragg & the terminals realeased a new album in 2007. which they did, titled silver sonya, and which also, is amazing — even greater than their debut. HIGHLY recommend this record, which would have easily been in my top 15 or so of ‘07. another which i keep meaning to write about, that i learned about from good old sebastian, is junius, who play a brand of post-hardcore similar to the more melodic aspects of deftones or the more fuzz-drenched passages of maserati or cave in. their jawdropping self-titled debut was far and away one of the better records of 2007. “hiding knives” is just unreal.

• also thanks to sebastian’s writeups, i have recently been revisiting wire’s seminal work. i have been particularly enjoying 1979’s 154 and ’78’s chairs missing. though admittedly it takes a bit of work to fully begin appreciating them, i’m still not quite sure what took me so long to be able to love these albums.

• the hold steady has a new album (stay positive), but as someone who has never really enjoyed the band that much (save for the unquestionably amazing “how a resurrection really feels”, from 2005’s separation sunday), i won’t write too much about it. i’ve given it a couple of listens, and can’t say i dislike it, but as per usual, nothing sticks out either.

• finally, dead meadow released their new record some 5 months ago now, and i keep meaning to post a review of it, but my laziness has fucked you again, dear reader. nevertheless, in my opinion, it’s their best to date, which may mean that it’s your least favorite (if you’re a legit dead meadow fan). because the same things that make me like it most (it’s more structured, more pop-oriented, more accessible), are probably the things that are turning longtime fans away. the first half of the album is particularly impressive. “down here” is brilliant.

tall firs - too old to die young (2008)

drunkie mcdramaqueen — Sat, 03 May 2008 05:10:48 +0000

Tall Firs
Too Old To Die Young
[Ecstatic Peace!/Mar 18]

Like a Wilco-ish Sonic Youth is Tall Firs (whom I just heard for the very first, very amazing time). Beginning in grandiose style with the haunting-but-nonchalant “So Messed Up”, Too Old To Die Young (the band’s second album, apparently) meanders and stumbles through muddy melodies and half-drunk confessionals that are equally intrinsic and calming and sad and accepting of themselves. Dave Mies’ fatalistic vocals seem at peace, (like some sort of reincarnated, non-nasally Neil Young, or something), and meld perfectly with the intricate guitar arrangements; softly brooding, as a moon does, setting in the sun’s sky.

High point: So Messed Up

RIYL: Wilco, We Barbarians, Colour Revolt, Sonic Youth, Loose Fur, Idaho

islands - arm’s way (2008)

drunkie mcdramaqueen — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 01:01:20 +0000

Islands
Arm’s Way
[Anti-/May 20]

I have never really been able to get into The Unicorns. I tried several times back when ~~pitch~~shitfork was blowing their load all over them, but their brand of quirky, happy-go-lucky pop just isn’t for me, I guess. Coversely, though, I have always loved everything Islands has put out. Their latest (second) full-length finds them coming into their own as a band with an actual voice instead of just a post-Unicorns project. Arm’s Way is significantly darker than its predecessors, but damn, it’s dark in that sort of way that makes you kind of want to just solitarily confine yourself while you listen to your own insanity and dance happily and think about murdering past lovers and then dance some more. This record is loaded with creepy hooks (“Creeper”, with its intense but hilarious lyrics. “Pieces of You”, tongue-in-cheekily named after the Jewel song), and each listen brings out more of the quirky attitude that led to The Unicorns success. But while the band’s sense of humor is evident, these songs retain a certain maturity that doesn’t rely on eccentric weirdness to get the point across. Arm’s Way is by far one of the best albums released so far this year.

High point: Creeper

RIYL: The Unicorns, Arcade Fire, Spoon, David Bowie, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, MGMT

french kicks - swimming (2008)

drunkie mcdramaqueen — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 04:59:12 +0000

French Kicks
Swimming
[Vagrant/May 20]

I have no idea why I’ve (sadly) not listened to French Kicks for some five or six years (I remember loving their earlier albums), but after randomly grabbing and listening to their latest release, it’s a mistake I plan to remedy. Swimming actually reminds me a lot of early Walkmen tracks — what with its waves of reverb, mellow vocals and slowly unwinding song structures that gradually ascend to an unheralded and understated breakdown. The triple-punch of “New Man”, “Said So What” and “Atlanta” is particurlarly flattering, as Nick Stumpf’s airy, laid-back vocals lay atop a backdrop of trashy drums and jangly guitar lines that pefectly compliment his nonchalance — at times sounding like Grizzly Bear while other times reminiscent of Radiohead. Swimming is the type of album that definitely gets better after multiple listens, and I am pretty sure I’ll be giving it plenty.

High point: New Man

RIYL: Grizzly Bear, Walkmen, Arcade Fire

local h - 12 angry months (2008)

drunkie mcdramaqueen — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 03:04:47 +0000

Local H
12 Angry Months
[Shout! Factory/May 13]

Four long years since the magnificent What Ever Happened to P.J. Soles?, Local H return with their sixth release — 12 Angry Months. A concept album about breakups, this record perfectly encapsulates the withered energy required to sustain a useless and fruitless relationship. Musically, the band moves forward where P.J. Soles left off — at times willing to bare some vulnerability (the unequivocally brilliant closing track, “Hand to Mouth”) while still maintaining the thunderous power of past releases (“24 Hour Break-Up Session”). As usual, Scott Lucas’s lyrics are witty and on point and smothered in a backdrop of pummeling, skullcrushing rhythmic passages. 12 Angry Months is the evolution of everything that P.J. Soles hinted at, and itself an outstanding continuation of the band’s familiar conceptualism (all from a two guys who still sound like four).

High point: The One With ‘Kid’

RIYL: Sweet Water, Les Savy Fav, Foo Fighters, Nirvana

the black angels - directions to see a ghost (2008)

drunkie mcdramaqueen — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 02:26:41 +0000

The Black Angels
Directions To See A Ghost
[Light in the Attic/May 19]

The Black Angels’ second full-length harkens back to the 60s even moreso than their first (which I honestly didn’t think was possible), resulting in an undeniably amazing trip through a dreamed-up-decade of faux Vietnams and LSD and Woodstocks. Alex Maas’s androgynous, neo-Jefferson Airplane vocal stylings are drenched in retro-60s psychedelia and enamored with hallucinatory artifacts, as if his voice alone is creating a sort of time loop between then and now. Yet, as much flower-power decade nostalgia The Black Angels possess, they still manage to sound simultaneously modern, which gives them resonance and reason to look back on the past and recreate it on their terms.

High point: Never/Ever

RIYL: The Warlocks, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, 13th Floor Elevators, Black Mountain

tokyo police club - elephant shell (2008)

drunkie mcdramaqueen — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 02:50:34 +0000

Tokyo Police Club
Elephant Shell
[Saddle Creek/Apr 22]

I (and many others and probably you) have been waiting for this debut since the band’s 2006 A Lesson In Crime EP. Measuring in at 28 fucking minutes long (yes this is a full-length, btw), Elephant Shell has unfortunately shed most of that raw, energetic charm that gave those early EPs such flavor and excitement. Which sucks. The record is still pretty good, just not in the way most of us had hoped (which most likely wasn’t the made-for-The-O.C.-and-Hollister soundtracks that this album sounds like). But an indie prick I am not, and whether or not these songs eventually end up being played for teenagers while they shop will not stop me from enjoying the album. That said, I expected more and am left looking somewhat like this :/

High point: Nature of the Experiment

RIYL: Ra Ra Riot, The Strokes, Pretty Girls Make Graves

why? - alopecia (2008)

drunkie mcdramaqueen — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 02:42:11 +0000

Why?
Alopecia
[Anticon/Mar 11]

Add Why? to the list of bands I for some reason have avoided until recently. Considering their relation to Anticon/cLOUDDEAD/Doseone, I really have no excuse not to have checked this out the second Yoni Wolf half-sung-half-spoke his first word. Regrets aside, though, Why?’s music isn’t easy to categorize, as Wolf’s vocals are all over the map — ranging from Anticon-styled freestyle hip-hop to the strangely deep, lethargic baritone of Butthole Surfers (yes, seriously) or even Stephen Merritt — yet all the while retaining a consistent vibe that allows the record to flow flawlessly. The surrounding music is as typically atmospheric as usually found on Anticon acts, but it sounds completely different here when fronted by Wolf’s humorous lyrics and strangely hypnotic vocals. A strange album indeed, but strange in a good way… like watching a dog eat a flower.

High point: The Hollows

RIYL: Doseone, Now It’s Overhead, Butthole Surfers(!?), cLOUDDEAD, Sole

an old, old mix i [re]made

drunkie mcdramaqueen — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 02:53:24 +0000

this is a mix i made about six years ago for a friend of mine. i just recently found the tracklist and decided to edit it together to let it flow. it turned out quite nice. you might enjoy, despite the seemingly strange song selection, and the fact that this is so old i even broke the sacred rule of not repeating the same band on one mix. (three times in a row). a few of these tracks would turn up on later mixes as well. still, i quite like this one.

1. idaho - for granted
2. nick drake - pink moon
3. audioslave - like a stone
4. doves - rise
5. the dirtmitts - fix and destroy
6. the dirtmitts - bank card
7. cat power - metal heart
8. cat power - evolution
9. moonbabies - have you ever said goodbye
10. moonbabies - im insane but so are you
11. the church - under the milky way
12. interpol - leif erikson
13. ms. john soda - unsleeping
14. massive attack - angel
15. new order - crystal
16. starflyer 59 - too much fun

old old old old

yeasayer - all hour cymbals (2007)

drunkie mcdramaqueen — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 01:53:17 +0000

Yeasayer
Alll Hour Cymbals
[We Are Free/Oct 23]

Honestly I have no idea wtf took me so long to listen to (and then to write about) this experimental NYC band, dudes (and/or dudettes). I do tend to go in cycles when it comes to the neo-psychedelia of Animal Collective, Panda Bear, et al., so I guess it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that it took a few months after downloading this album to give it a fair listen. But seeing as I am seeing these dudes with Man Man next month, I have been randomly playing this album more than I normally would, and I have to admit it’s killer. The one-two punch of “Sunrise” and “Wait For the Summer” sets the tone for a brilliant foray through the acid-tendered influence of 60s flower bands or into the theoretical traveling insanity of the Elephant 6 Collective having mated with Paw Tracks. Consider All Hour Cymbals a belated entry in my favorite albums of 2007.

High point: Wait For the Summer

RIYL: Animal Collective, Panda Bear, 13th Floor Elevators, Love, Radiohead, Man Man