2012 Emotional Listening #3

Icky Mettle - Archers of Loaf (Alias, 1993)
Towards the end of 2010 and into 2011, I finally took the plunge with Archers of Loaf. I was instantly won over by the dirty yet melodic guitars as well as the poppier undertones of 1996's All the Nations Airports. However, regarding their 1993 debut LP, Icky Mettle, it took until much more recently to see the light. There's not as much variety in sound here, and some of the songs run together. But, there are definitely plenty of standouts. You couldn't ask for a better opener than "Web in Front," which has to be one of the GREAT indie rock songs of all time. "Fat" is a completely noisy mess, yet, somehow, it is utterly beautiful. "Might" and "Plumb Line" easily match the quality of the best tracks from All the Nation's Airports, and I wouldn't want Icky Mettle to end any other way than with "Slow Worm." I apologize for just listing all the great songs instead of offering up any real description. On Icky Mettle, Archers of Loaf's brand of noisy but perfectly intentional and melodic indie rock (with a slight hint of Midwest emo, if you ask me) is at it's messiest, but it all works awesomely.
Top jams: "Web in Front," "Wrong," "Might," "Hate Paste," "Fat," "Plumb Line," "Sick File," "Slow Worm"


Will You Find Me - Ida (Tiger Style, 2000)
I had quite a few friends in college who were really into Ida, and I always disregarded them as a boring slowcore band. Little did I know how gorgeous their gentle and yes, very slow, folk stylings actually were. Will You Find Me is their fourth, and arguably seminal, album, and while I could do without the last five tracks (they are real snoozers), the first nine are pretty much flawless. I guess the most appealing aspect of Ida is their penchant for strong harmonies, and Will You Find Me showcases some of the best in the game. Some of the songs here are too long, but in the case of "Maybelle," in all of its American Football folk glory, I can overlook it. "Shrug" has a nice groove and towards the end a really interesting chord pattern, and it probably has to be the best song on the record, right? Overall, an album that exclusively featured just these first nine tracks would be at worst a 9/10, IMO. As it stands, however, I would give Will You Find Me in its entirety an 8/10, so the indulgent ending doesn't ruin things too much. Now, a question for you Ida fans out there: Where do you recommend I go with them next?
Top jams: "Down On Your Back," "Maybelle," "This Water," "Shrug," "The Radiator," "Shotgun," "Turn Me On," "Man in Mind," "Past the Past"


Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts - M83 (Gooom/Labels, 2003)
As obnoxiously dramatic as Alex Gonzalez's songs can be, I love just about every synth sound he's ever used. Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts is M83's 2003 breakout album, and I'm not sure why I'm just now getting around to listening to it. If memory serves me correctly, I recall most reviews of the album claiming it to be a shoegaze epic played on synthesizers instead of guitars. I would argue that it's more of a post-rock album, and if all the synth parts and chord progressions here were played with guitars, it would just sound like Explosions in the Sky or some bullshit. Alas, Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts is a dark slow burner that overruns with synths, and it is really beautiful. It is relatively formless, and it's easy to get lost in that, but sometimes it's nice to get into an album that doesn't follow your traditional pop format. The overall production, especially how awesomely huge the synths are and how hilariously cheesy the fake drums sound (nice contrast!), helps to detract from the overwhelming drama. I'm truly impressed, and getting into this is making me antsy to revisit all of the more recent M83 records. Two finals things to note: (1) "Run Into Flowers" is INCREDIBLE, and (2) my main complaint about this album is that it doesn't have any stupidly hilarious song titles like "A Guitar and a Heart."
Top jams: "Unrecorded," "Run Into Flowers," "In Church," "America," "Noise," "Be Wild," "Cyborg"


Chronic Town EP - R.E.M. (I.R.S., 1982)
Chronic Town is R.E.M.'s debut EP, and a precurser to one of the greatest records of all time: Murmer. And, guess what? It's perfect. All five tracks here are on par with anything from Murmer, let alone with some of the greatest R.E.M. songs ever. Peter Buck's 12-string jangles and chimes at its best on "Wolves, Lower" and "1,000,000," and it still rules every where else. Mike Mills' bass and Bill Berry's drums bounce all over the place, and Michael Stipe's vocals fit right in with perfect equilibrium. It's equally fascinating, frustrating and inspiring to be listening to a band at the earliest point of their career, and finding that they were writing and recording flawless songs even back then. I mean, this shit is insanely good, and definitely reaffirms the fact that the band's early 80s stuff is some of the greatest music ever put to tape. If your name is Matt Rickle or Julian Wettlin and you're still being stubborn about checking out R.E.M., get your heads out of your asses and start here. It's only five songs, for Christ's sake.
Top jams: "Wolves, Lower," "Gardening at Night," "Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars)," "1,000,000," "Stumble"

Be the Void/Maraqopa/Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sea Lions but Were Afraid to Ask

Be the Void - Dr. Dog (Anti-, 2012)
I don't know any Dr. Dog songs or records before 2008's Fate, but they seem to be quite the consistent band. Of the records of theirs I have listened to, I haven't necessarily been obsessed with any of them, but they are yet to fail to impress me with their talent for pure 60s pop hooks, relatively complex, interesting song structures and arrangements, and melodies that are memorable as all hell. I don't think this year's Dr. Dog entry is as good as 2010's Shame, Shame, but Be the Void showcases the band's two best songs since Fate's "The Rabbit, the Bat, and the Reindeer" in "These Days" and "Heavy Light."


Maraqopa - Damien Jurado (Secretly Canadian, 2012)
I've never really had much interest in the music of Damien Jurado, in spite of the fact that I have quite a few friends who outright love him. But, Tiny Mix Tapes gave his latest album a 4.5 rating out of 5, so I decided what the hell, and I am not disappointed one bit. Maraqopa features a folk sound that is rich and full while coming nowhere near feeling overwhelming. Jurado's vocals sound tastefully strained, and I'm sure his lyrics are fantastic, I just haven't gotten THAT deep with the record yet. Thankfully, it isn't just your typically nice folk music. "Nothing is the News" is an excellent opener, reminiscent of Nick Drake with full instrumentation. "Life Away From the Garden" is terrifically charming, but the real highlight here is "Reel to Reel," which features more of a Brian Wilson/Phil Spector sound. All around, Richard Swift's production is great, especially all the subtle touches. I'm happy to admit that Maraqopa is the first real pleasant surprise of 2012.


Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sea Lions but Were Afraid to Ask - Sea Lions (Slumberland, 2011)
Unsurprisingly, Sea Lions are another Slumberland records band that do a real good job of playing that jangly guitar pop stuff I've come to really love. The songs, not unlike those on Nodzzz's really good Innings from last year, are of the surf and garage variety, with a whole lot of twee thrown in. The bands that most frequently come to my mind are Love, Beat Happening, Orange Juice, The Dovers, and The Association. Released at the end of 2011, Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sea Lions but Were Afraid to Ask is nothing mindblowing or out of the ordinary, but it is a high quality pop record with outstanding guitar tones, appropriate production, and memorable melodies.

Marquee Moon/Palestine

33 1/3 #83: Television's Marquee Moon - Bryan Waterman (2011)
Like Scott Plagenhoef's entry in the 33 1/3 series (covering Belle & Sebastian's If You're Feeling Sinister), Bryan Waterman takes on an entire scene in his analysis of Television's classic debut LP, Marquee Moon. The details include the opening of CBGB, early band drama between Tom Verlaine and Richard Hell, the band's relationships with cohorts New York Dolls, Patti Smith and Blondie, and the overall vibe of mid-70s New York punk rock. The most fascinating information relayed here regards the recording of the album with Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin engineer Andy Johns. Also, I had no idea, though am not surprised, that the band had initially recorded tracks with Brian Eno. I would have loved to have been able to read more about the The Ramones' and Talking Heads' involvement at this point in the scene, but I guess that's for another book. Overall, not the best 33 1/3 installment I've read, but definitely one of the more interesting ones.


Palestine - Joe Sacco (1993-1995)
In the early 90s, comic artist extraordinaire Joe Sacco took a trip to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and produced an illustrated, journalistic series based on those travels. Sacco doesn't spend much time at all expressing the Israeli side of the well-known conflict over land at that point in time, but he does an excellent job letting a number of Palestinians tell their side of the story by way of detailed, informative interviews, as opposed to overwhelming his readers with his opinions. Palestine has its dull moments, but they are few and far between, as it is an incredibly fascinating read. Bonus that Sacco's drawing style clashes with the dark nature of the story he's telling in the most wonderful of ways.

The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret: Season One

The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret: Season One (2010)
Due to the fact that this newer IFC comedy features David Cross, Will Arnett and Spike Jonze, I had very high hopes for The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Maragaret. The comedians involved in the series alone seem like they'd make for a perfect combination, especially considering how amazingly Cross and Arnett worked together in Arrested Development. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Arnett's character is intense, but stale, as all he does is spout off cheap, incredibly vulgar insults. Cross' character shamelessly lies and lies and lies, and never budges. This usually makes for the most hilarious of situations, but at the same time, it just gets old too. I don't know. The complex plot line and building mystery are appealing, but too many of the jokes and twists and obvious. I pains me to say so, but The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret is an unfortunately weak effort put forth by some absolutely brilliant comedians.

Shallow 7"/The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy/Paralytic Stalks

Shallow 7" - Beach Fossils (Captured Tracks, 2012)
Brooklyn's Beach Fossils continue their upward trajectory that began at the end of 2010 with two more outstanding tracks in all their goth-y, poppy, chimey guitar glory. I'm not sure that "Shallow" or "Lessons" are as good as the three best songs from last year's What a Pleasure EP, but they're damn close. I am very much looking forward to this full length that is supposed to be coming later this year.


The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy - Nada Surf (Barsuk, 2012)
Nada Surf has never really struck me as a band worth investing any time in. Harsh, I know, but they have always just seemed to play slow, over-produced, gentle indie pop that is too safe for its own good. Sorry, Trav. All of that being said, Bravender was finally able to sell me on the idea of checking out a Nada Surf record, and so I did. And, I must say, their latest, The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy, is impressive. Oh, the music is still relatively safe, but instead of being gentle, it is quite rocking. The musicianship here is awesome, and the melodies are high quality and ridiculously catchy, but not in a cheesy way whatsoever. "Clear Eye Clouded Mind" is an excellent way to open a record, and at first was my favorite song here, until I realized exactly how great the middle of the record is, especially "Teenage Dreams" and "Looking Through." The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy is a mainstream modern pop/rock record released by an independent label that does not feature anything new original, but is done incredibly well. It's early, but this is right up there with Field Music's Plumb as one of my favorite albums in 2012 thus far.


Paralytic Stalks - Of Montreal (Polyvinyl, 2012)
I've been listening to Of Montreal since the 2004 release of Satanic Panic in the Attic, and while Kevin Barnes knows how to compose and record an incredible song (check out "Lysergic Bliss" from SP in the A and "We Were Born the Mutants Again With Leafling" from Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?), I can't say I've outright loved any of their albums between then and now. I've even straight up disliked one or two of them. While I'm content with Of Montreal being more of an individual song type of band to me, I was presently surprised by how rewarding Paralytic Stalks, their 11th album, is. It is a continuation of the glammy, psychedelic, disco infused sound that Barnes and co. have been encapsulating since 2005's The Sunlandic Twins, and though there aren't any truly terrific standout tracks, Paralytic Stalks works as one large piece, in spite of the difficult moments found late in the album. It is overwhelmingly scatterbrained and probably a bit too long, but there are quite a few brilliant moments and hooks-a-plenty. I'm actually surprised by how good of an entry this is to Of Montreal's catalog, especially considering how late in their career it comes. But, whatever. I'll take it.

2012 Emotional Listening #2

Mean Time - The Barracudas (Closer, 1983)
The Barracudas' sophomore LP, Mean Time, is a nice, random one-album discovery thanks to a blog I follow (Take the Pills, to be specific). At first, Mean Time just seemed like a decent power pop record with those chorus-y, jangly 80s guitars I love. Turns out, the melodies are strong as hell, and the musicianship is top notch. There's a sort of tough attitude to the vocals that reminds me of The Replacements, but the music here is just pure guitar pop bliss. "Shades of Today" and "Middle Class Blues" are excellent songs, and "Grammar of Misery" is an awesomely hilarious title.
Top jams: "Grammar of Misery," "Bad News," "I Ain't No Miracle Worker," "Shades of Today," "Middle Class Blues," "You've Come a Long Way," "When I'm Gone"

The Idiot - Iggy Pop (RCA, 1977)
I've been meaning to check out The Idiot, Iggy Pop's solo debut, ever since I got into and read about the writing and recording process that went into David Bowie's Low (both albums were written and recorded at virtually the same time). In case you didn't know, Bowie played a huge role in the creation of The Idiot, and it is completely obvious on first listen. While this particular record pales in comparison to the greatness of Low, it is a nice companion piece with its own merits. The music is gloomy and weirdly futuristic, if not almost post-apocalyptic sounding. There are some weak points for sure, and Iggy's voice isn't really exciting or anything to write home about, but there are some stellar moments as well. "Sister Midnight" is the perfect opener and "China Girl" would have fit perfectly on Low or Bowie's second brilliant Berlin album, Heroes. I can't decide which bookend of The Idiot is better, as the epic closer, "Mass Production," (which begins with an appropriately cheesy synth part that also is unsettling in the best way) is just as brilliant as "Sister Midnight," because of its repetition as opposed to in spite of it.
Top jams: "Sister Midnight," "Nightclubbing," "Baby," "China Girl," "Tiny Girls," "Mass Production"


Holiday - The Magnetic Fields (Merge, 1994)
Bravender has unassumingly been pushing Holiday on me for the past few years by including a song from it on almost every mix CD he's made for me. I've finally caved and over the past couple of months, it has pretty much been my favorite album to listen to, quickly becoming musical comfort food. To be completely honest, I'm not really interested in anything else Stephin Merritt has released as The Magnetic Fields, despite the fact that another close friend of mine (Brian LaBenne) as been trying to convince me to listen to 69 Love Songs for a few years. It being a 3xLP featuring, you guessed it, 69 songs, I'm just not up for the challenge. But, I am completely content with this one 14-song LP that is just about perfect. First and foremost, the synths on Holiday sound fantastic, and just about every melody line performed by one is memorable. Merritt's lyrics are clever and often times funny, and his deep, flawed voice sounds great singing all these wonderful, utterly genius melodies. It's weird that I would say that Holiday seems like it sounded dated even back in the mid-90s, considering that it is a predominantly synthesizer album, but this is just a neat little conundrum that adds to its enjoyable aura. If you're like me and have minimal knowledge of and experience with The Magnetic Fields, and are interested in exploring more, then it is crucial that you check Holiday out. Absolutely any of the songs listed below would be a great place to start.
Top jams: "Desert Island," "Deep Sea Diving Suit," "Strange Powers," "Torn Green Velvet Eyes," "The Flowers She Sent and the Flowers She Said She Sent," "The Trouble I've Been Looking For," "Sugar World," "All You Ever Do is Walk Away," "Take Ecstasy With Me"


Watusi - The Wedding Present (Island, 1994)
I decided to check out The Wedding Present thanks to another random post from Take the Pills. Watusi is their fourth LP, and the only one to be released on major label Island. I was instantly won over thanks to the fantastic opening one-two-three punch of "So Long, Baby," "Click Click," and "Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah." These three tracks set the tone for the album with their noisy guitar tones, poppy rhythms and catchy melodies. The swirling, jangly guitars on "Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah" are especially appealing. Beyond that, "Spangle" is a really nice ballad (though, Jimmy Eat World's cover of it is actually superior), and "Swimming Pools, Movie Stars" is probably the strongest jam here, showcasing the album's best chorus. I can definitely understand if one is of the opinion that David Gedge's vocals are a bit obnoxious (in the same way that Andy Partridge's are in XTC), but the melodies are memorable enough to help me look past that. Overall, Watusi is an excellent mid-90s major label indie rock album that will stick with me for quite some time.
Top jams: "So Long, Baby," "Click Click," "Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah," "Spangle," "It's a Gas," "Swimming Pools, Movie Stars," "Big Rat," "Catwoman"

One on One

"One on One" by Hall & Oates, from H2O (1982)
Been obsessed with this sexy mid-tempo jam for the past couple of weeks. The chorus is fantastic.

The Fly/Red State

The Fly (1986)
Written by David Cronenberg and Charles Edward Pogue, directed by David Cronenberg
One of my earliest childhood memories is watching David Cronenberg's disgusting version of The Fly with some family and friends at a cabin up north when I was four or five years old, and at the film's end, running outside to throw up everything that was inside me. I have no idea why my parents let me watch it then. It was traumatizing. I worked up the courage to watch it again in high school and was able to stomach it in spite of still being made nauseous at the end. After watching it a third time a couple summers ago, and most recently one night last week, it has become one of my favorite films of all time. I'm a sucker for overdone, albeit dated, gore, and combine that with Cronenberg's psychedelic flair, and you've got some disturbingly fascinating visuals. In addition, The Fly is truly a tragic tale that pulls at the heartstrings, especially considering how much I love Jeff Goldblum, and Gena Davis (in this particular role). If you're a fan of Cronenberg's work, then I assume you've seen it and hopefully love it. If not, and you like sci-fi, 80s film style, slow pacing, and terrific, absolutely repulsive gore of the cult classic horror variety, then I highly recommend you watch The Fly.


Red State (2011)
Written and directed by Kevin Smith
I didn't know a ton about Red State going into it, aside from that it is the latest from Kevin Smith (who I am not a big fan of), and that it seemed surprisingly dark and mysterious. It turns out that it is an excellent story filmed a lot like a horror flick with blatant political and religious overtones. Three high school boys intend to explore their sexuality by setting up a visit with a woman via an advertisement. It ends up being a trap, and they end up in the hands of the local, militaristic Christian group and their creepy and batshit crazy leader Abin Cooper, who is played astoundingly by Michael Parks. The police end up getting involved, pandemonium ensues, etc. I loved everything about this film, from the plot, to the acting (especially Parks and John Goodman), and all of the minute details in between. I was enamored with the ending, which, hopefully without giving too much away (maybe sorta SPOILER ALERT), was slightly reminiscent of the Coen brothers' Burn After Reading. Red State was a true joy to watch.

But I Like It/Let It Be/The Stone Roses

But I Like It - Joe Sacco (2006)
Hilarious and wonderfully drawn collection of Joe Sacco tour posters, record covers and comics documenting his European travels with 80s psychedelic punk band The Miracle Workers, his love of The Rolling Stones, and Fat Possum's 90s blues roster. At this point in his career, Sacco's writing is a bit scatterbrained, but is still obviously good. The accompanying visuals are definitely the highlight of this collection, though.


33 1/3 #16: The Replacements' Let It Be - Colin Meloy (2004)
As interesting as it was to get insight into Colin Meloy's upbringing and relationship with music at a young age, I could have used a little more information regarding the writing, recording and releasing of this excellent 1984 LP by The Replacements. Still, if you're interested in checking out any of the 33 1/3 series of books about seminal albums, this Let It Be is a good place to start.


33 1/3 #33: The Stone Roses' The Stone Roses - Alex Green (2006)
Definitely one of the better entries in the 33 1/3 series, Alex Green's study on The Stone Roses' self-titled debut offers a rare and utterly enjoyable combination of social and political criticism, rich British musical history (namely of the brit-pop and shoegaze variety), and outright nerdy fandom. This dude loves The Stone Roses, and he has the passion, writing skills and education to back it up and make it fun to read about.

Without Hesitation/No One Loves You Like I Do

Without Hesitation - Good Luck (No Idea, 2011)
Unfortunately, I had no idea Bloomington's pop punk superheroes had come out with an album in 2011! But, since it was released so close to the end (late November, I think), I'll make an exception and allow it to be considered for my 2012 year-end list. No worries. Obviously, that's a long time off. ANYWAY, on Without Hesitation, Good Luck follows 2008's Into Lake Griffy up with more complex, catchy and very bright sounding indie pop with a lean toward punk. This trio's musicianship is top notch, and thanks to the off-kilter structures and excellent jangly guitar tones, there's much more to these songs than just catchy melodies. "All Good People" is possibly my favorite album opener so far in 2012.


No One Loves You Like I Do - The Life and Times (Slimstyle, 2012)
Between Shiner and The Life and Times, Allen Epley should be among the more respectable guitarists of the past decade or two, but it seems that he is often forgotten. This is a shame, because he has been releasing consistently good post-hardcore and space rock (for lack of a better sub-genre title) for years. The LIfe and Times' latest, No One Loves You Like I Do, probably isn't as good as 2009's Tragic Boogie, but those heavenly distorted guitars and that tight, ferocious drumming are still there to draw me into these jams. Throw in some weird time signatures, pro musicianship, and that big production, and you've got another Allen Epley record that is not unlike Hum at their peak.

Winter 2012 Mix

For the first time ever, here's a winter mix I made and decided to share. Download that shiz RIGHT HERE, and hope you enjoy! I know we haven't had much of an actual winter in Michigan so far in 2012, so let's celebrate that together in song.

TRACKLIST
1. "Engine" - Big Troubles (2011)
2. "Everything Flows" - Teenage Fanclub (1990)
3. "All My Stars Aligned" - St. Vincent (2007)
4. "In Her Many New Found Freedom" - Swirlies (1996)
5. "Desaparecere" - Deerhoof (2004)
6. "Cherish" - The Association (1966)
7. "Around You Like Snow" - The Bats (1995)
8. "Frost Inside the Asylums" - Crystal Stilts (2011)
9. "The Fox in the Snow" - Belle & Sebastian (1996)
10. "No Embrace" - Dirty Projectors + Bjork (2010)
11. "Blackwater" - The War on Drugs (2011)
12. "Let Him Run Wild" - The Beach Boys (1965)
13. "Three Blocks" - Real Estate (2011)
14. "Spider in the Snow" - The Dismemberment Plan (1999)
15. "Sugar World" - The Magnetic Fields (1994)

2012 Emotional Listening #1

Longer Waves - C-Clamp (Ohio Gold, 1999)
I had been interested in C-Clamp for a couple of years due to their being a part of the 90s Chicago emo/indie rock scene. I'd spent the last couple years dabbling in their clean channel guitar swells and mid-to-down-tempo bummer jams, and finally found the inspiration to fully immerse myself in an entire album of theirs. While only featuring seven songs, Longer Waves is a welcome addition to Chicago's 90s guitar rock canon, fitting in nicely between Hum and American Football. Downer songs at epic lengths with subtly mathy time signatures that meander and mostly fizzle out, this is pure winter music. "Meridian" and "Taste of Metal" stand out the most.
Top jams: "Meridian," "Land Meets Sea," "In Tow," "Deep Green," "Taste of Metal"


Ocean Rain - Echo & the Bunnymen (Korova, 1984)
Richard Kelly's Donnie Darko film first tipped me off to "The Killing Moon," easily one of the greatest songs of the 1980s. Then, sometime in 2008 or 2009, Jensen put "Seven Seas" on a mix for me, and that hooked me onto the idea of getting into Echo & the Bunnymen's fourth LP, Ocean Rain. Over the past two or three weeks, I've finally been giving it the attention that it deserves, and let's just say I've become a bit obsessed. Ocean Rain fits in nicely with the gothic-tinged post-punk of the late-70s and 80s such as The Cure, The Smiths, New Order, etc., but what separates Echo & the Bunnymen a little bit from that group are the acoustic guitars and other more organic, almost folk elements that sneak in on every couple tracks. In a way, Ocean Rain is even more dramatic sounding than almost anything Robert Smith and co. did (if you can believe that), in part to all the additional orchestration (acoustic guitars, strings, etc.). I love every track here, but in addition to the two listed above, "Crystal Days" and "My Kingdom" are THE mega-jams. Even the reissue bonus track, "Angels and Devils" is fantastic. Ocean Rain is pretty much perfect, and it's fun to fall so deeply in love with an album that Arcade Fire and The National got a lot of their ideas from.
Top jams: "Silver," "Crystal Days," "The Killing Moon," "Seven Seas," "My Kingdom," "Ocean Rain," "Angels and Devils"


Long Hair in Three Stages - U.S. Maple (Skin Graft, 1995)
I'm truly surprised that I was able to find so much merit in such a difficult record. U.S. Maple's debut LP, Long Hair in Three Stages, sounds every bit as improvisational as it does intentional (if that's even possible). Al Johnson's creepy whispering and sudden outbursts are backed by obnoxious guitar screeching and squealing, and sometimes loose, sometimes tight, groove-oriented drumming that at times toys around with a jazzy style. Sounds like a mess, doesn't it? Well, if you're willing to put in the work, underneath all the noise, you can discover some nice albeit bizarre guitar melodies. After a couple of listens, the complete insanity and outright ballsiness of Long Hair in Three Stages became appealing and enjoyable to me. I can see this record being a huge influence on Women, one of my favorite bands of the past few years. That all being said, that aren't too many of you who will read this that I would necessarily recommend this record to. Ah, well.
Top jams: "Letter to ZZ Top," "Home-Made Stuff," "Magic Job," "The State is Bad," "Lady to Bing"


Something That No One Else Could Bring EP - The Wake (Factory, 1987)
Chalk up another awesome post-punk band from the 80s, at least on this four song EP. Captured Tracks started reissuing some singles from The Wake last year, and that was the first I had heard of them. I came across Something That No One Else Could Bring a few weeks ago and I haven't looked back. The Wake play post-punk/goth in the same realm as The Cure and New Order (and all the awesome Captured Tracks bands of today), and they do it extremely well. Regarding this particular EP, all four tracks are good. "Pale Spectre" and "Plastic Flowers" are especially awesome. "Gruesome Castle" is THE BEST.
Top jams: "Gruesome Castle," "Pale Spectre," "Plastic Flowers"


Drums and Wires - XTC (Virgin, 1979)
My interest in XTC began with Skylarking back towards the end of 2007. In late 2008, my bud Julian discovered Drums and Wires, the band's third LP, and tipped me off. I instantly loved "Making Plans for Nigel" and "When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty," but I had never given the rest of the album a fair enough chance until now. Overall, Drums and Wires is a great power pop record with jangly, sometimes angular guitars, upbeat tempos, catchy melodies (though Andy Partridge's more obnoxious vocal performances can surely be grating on the ears and heart), and sometimes some new wave corniness. "Life Begins at the Hop," "Outside World" and especially "Scissor Man" are examples of excellent tracks that I had slept on prior to my recent resurging interest in the record. Even the album's b-sides (which are featured on the 2001 reissue) rule, namely "Day In Day Out" and "Limelight." The only detail I am confused about here is why the band chose "Complicated Game" as the original closer for the album. This is not only bad for an XTC song and an absolutely terrible closer, it is one of the worst songs I've ever heard! Anyway, the rest of the album is pretty great! Get it!
Top jams: "Making Plans for Nigel," "Life Begins at the Hop," "When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty," "Ten Feet Tall," "Roads Girdle the Globe," "Outside World," "Scissor Man," "Day In Day Out," "Limelight"

Crystal Days/Every Picture I Paint

As we end the month of January, here are the two songs that are hitting me the hardest.

"Crystal Days" by Echo & the Bunnymen, from Ocean Rain (1984)


"Every Picture I Paint" by Teenage Fanclub, from A Catholic Education (1990)

You're a Horrible Person, but I Like You/Rabbit, Run/Hocus Pocus

You're a Horrible Person, but I Like You - The Believer (2010)
The Believer presents a collection of fake advice columns from a wide variety of talented and popular comedians as well as comedic writers and producers (Tim & Eric, Michael Ian Black/Michael Showalter, Patton Oswalt, Judd Apatow, etc.). The idea is great, but an entire book full of these is way too much, and the humor gets old and incredibly awkward (mostly in an unfunny way). I don't know. Whatever.


Rabbit, Run - John Updike (1960)
A tragic story with a somewhat predictable albeit excellent ending, Rabbit, Run is another one of those novels where just about every character is unrelatable if not completely unlikeable, but is still thoroughly enjoyable to read. John Updike's masterful descriptive language may get tedious and in the way of the plot at times, but, he sure knows how to weave an awesomely dark tale of lust, indecision and self-deception. Rabbit, Run's depressing plot is relentless, but in the best way, and main character Rabbit Angstrom is one of the worst human beings, and I love Updike for creating him. Looking forward to reading the sequels at some point down the road.


Hocus Pocus - Kurt Vonnegut (1990)
In 2011, I read Slaughterhouse-Five and Cat's Cradle and was annoyed more than won over by Kurt Vonnegut's flowery language and inspiring cynicism. I figured I'd give him another try with Hocus Pocus, which is a sprawling narrative that I found more difficult to follow than the Thomas Pynchon and David Foster Wallace novels I've read. From the start of Hocus Pocus, Vonnegut's sci-fi hippy poetry was a huge strike against him and a major distraction from the admittedly interesting plot (which I had to get off of Wikipedia). I refuse to spend the time dedicating any more thought and effort into this blurb for a novel that I didn't really enjoy reading whatsoever.

Attack on Memory/Plumb

Attack on Memory - Cloud Nothings (Carpark, 2012)
Quickly following up their wonderfully surprising 2011 self-titled debut, Cloud Nothings try to make a heavy-hitting statement with Attack on Memory, and while it is totally a good record, it falls a little short. Perhaps a little too ambitious, these young dudes decided to write some darker, tighter, and more tough sounding tunes. and I guess I preferred their sloppier, wussier pop punk of last year. There are some nice subtle touches on each of things, and Steve Albini surely made the drums and guitars sound better, but part of the charm of Cloud Nothings was how bright all the songs were. Attack on Memory showcases some excellent musicianship, and the majority of the songs have some truly memorable parts, but I'm not into how hard the band is trying to sound tough. Plus, I was hoping for a little more emo.


Plumb - Field Music (Memphis Industries, 2012)
Even though 2010's Field Music (Measure) was not as good as Tones of Town (2007) or Field Music (2005), I'd still say it was a triumphant return, considering the band had been broken up for about two years. I'm glad to see the brothers Brewis are still going, as Tones of Town was my third favorite album of last decade. Anyway, unfortunately, Plumb does not come close to Field Music at their best. Its ADD and prog tendencies are very reminiscent of Measure, but, instead of 20 songs and 70+ minutes, it's 15 in just over 35. And still, somehow, their brand of Britpop obsessed with the Beatles' 1960s continues to expand. All the songs flow together like movements in your favorite Yes jam, but with those traditional Brewis strings, keys and overall impressive musicianship, Plumb feels more like an economical symphony. Sometimes it's hard to tell songs and sections of songs apart because things move so quickly, but if you're willing to do the work to sort through everything, Plumb is an extremely rewarding experience that has grown on me with every listen. The outright hooks are scattered, but whooh boy, are they there. David and Peter Brewis: challenging music brains since 2004.

Eastbound & Down: Season Two

Eastbound & Down: Season Two (2010)
While the second season pales in comparison to the greatness of season one, Danny McBride and co. are still on point in this installment of dark baseball/stoner comedy Eastbound & Down. More offensive and in your face, season two probably brings more cheap laughs than season one, and I guess this distracted me a little from the show's potential based on how that first season ended. But, by the end of this season, everything came together and season three was set up wonderfully. Primarily based in Mexico, all of the new minor characters are hilarious, and Steve Little is probably even better this time around as Kenny Powers' sidekick, Stevie Janowski. Through two seasons, Eastbound & Down has to be one of the greatest tv shows going, and continues to rank up there with such modern classics as Arrested Development and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Favorite Books Read in 2011

I'm going to brag in a really geeky way for a second. In the year 2011, I read 61 books, and that doesn't include any of the 38 graphic novels/comic collections that I also devoured. So, for the first time ever, I've decided to compile a list of my favorite books that I read in a year. I reread a few graphic novels (Watchmen, The Dark Knight Returns, Bone), and so those were not eligible for inclusion.

Unfortunately (or, perhaps for those of you who follow this blog, fortunately), I don't feel like writing about any of these again,. But, without further ado, the 15 best books I read in 2011. It was a really good reading year for me.

(15) Little Children - Tom Perrotta (2004)

(14) No Country for Old Men - Cormac McCarthy (2005)

(13) The Road to Wellville - T.C. Boyle (1993)

(12) The Stranger - Albert Camus (1942)

(11) Torso - Brian Michael Bendis & Marc Andreyko (1998-99)

(10) Kafka on the Shore - Haruki Murakami (2002)

(9) East of Eden - John Steinbeck (1952)

(8) The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay - Michael Chabon (2000)

(7) Boys Will be Boys - Jeff Pearlman (2008)

(6) The Rules of Attraction - Bret Easton Ellis (1987)

(5) Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal - Christopher Moore (2002)

(4) The Broom of the System - David Foster Wallace (1987)

(3) A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole (1980)

TIE

(1) The Corrections//Freedom - Jonathan Franzen (2001//2010)