(162) Minotaur EP - The Clientele (Merge)
One spoken word track I could do without and seven songs that sound exactly like The Clientele. (6.5/10)
(163) Black City - Matthew Dear (Ghostly International)
Very cool and bizarre electronic pop from Ann Arbor's fav son. Two fantastic jams in "Shortwave" and "Monkey." (6.5/10)
(164) Halcyon Digest - Deerhunter (4AD)
Thought the new LP was too boring at first. Turns out it's just another great record from Bradford Cox and co. (8/10)
(165) Pop Negro - El Guincho (Young Turks)
Easy to just put the ol' AnCo/Panda Bear tag on this, but this LP is SO FUN. Electro-tropicalia, or something. (7/10)
(166) Interpol - Interol (Matador)
Interpol make their triumphant return to Matador with their worst album yet. Actually, it's quite terrible. (3/10)
(167) Everything in Between - No Age (Sub Pop)
This follow-up to 2008's Nouns is more atmospheric and simply better. So punk without sounding exclusively punk. (8/10)
(168) False Priest - Of Montreal (Polyvinyl)
Overall, probs better than their last two, but unfortunately lacking any outright JAMS, when that's all I want. (6.5/10)
(169) Old Punch Card - Sam Prekop (Thrill Jockey)
Third LP unfortch doesn't sound anything like The Sea and Cake and instead features sparse bleeps and bloops. (6.5/10)
(170) Susannah, You See Beyond EP - Robin Goodfellow (Romantic Air)
Synth-y, kraut-y debut from Computer Perfection keyboardist's new project. Some very cool sounds here. (7/10)
(171) The Trip - Laetitia Sadier (Drag City)
Stereolab lady's debut solo LP sounds not too unlike her band. Perhaps less futuristic, and almost as good. (6.5/10)
(172) All Delighted People - Sufjan Stevens (Asthmatic Kitty)
Suf's first release of actual songs in quite a while. Indulgent, but worth the time. There are some beauts. (7/10)
(173) Majesty Shredding - Superchunk (Merge)
First full length since 2001 from these predominantly 90s pop punk-ish indie rock studs. Haven't missed a step. (7.5/10)
(174) Personal Life - The Thermals (Kill Rock Stars)
More fun pop punk with good melodies but annoying vocals. Dude tries too hard. (6/10)
(175) The Inevitable Past is the Long Forgotten Future - Three Mile Pilot (Temporary Residence)
Classic obscure band that spawned many reunite with a very mediocre and uninteresting record. (5/10)
(176) Face It 7" - Beach Fossils (Captured Tracks)
Seems this lo-fi indie pop band is blatantly copying minor trends. But, these two jams are their best yet. (7.5/10)
(177) Write About Love - Belle & Sebastian (Matador)
First LP since 2006 loses value w/each listen. BUT, there are gems. First two songs are their best in years. (7/10)
5 comments:
What is punk about Everything In Between? For some reason, I get less interested in it with every passing day. The songs certainly seem to be the best they've written, but the album is also less special because of how safe and pretty it is.
You know I usually care little for what an album or band is trying to say or anything like that. All that matters to me is what it sounds like. To me, Everything in Between sounds like an album made by a band with obvious punk roots trying to hold on to as much of that as they can while expanding and experimenting with other sounds. To me, that's very punk, though, perhaps more in the way that Talking Heads sound punk to me.
Oh, don't try to be reasonable with me. I get everything you're saying except that they're "trying to hold on to as much of that (punk roots) as they can." I kinda see them as having completely disavowed any connection to punk on EIB. If this was their first album, I would probably just think of them as another MOR indie band (with really good ambient stuff).
Were you wanting more of a snarky remark? Sorry.
I definitely don't view them as ditching their punk roots. They are just allowing these other inspirations and interests to mesh with the punk.
And, also, maybe you saw this coming, but if the music is good, who the hell cares about this music politic stuff? It sounds like you're trying to find reasons to dislike the record.
My captcha or whatever was "rabiders."
There's a lot more that goes into listening to music than just hearing chords and songs. You (or at least I) don't listen to Poison without thinking of hair, or Nirvana without thinking of Cobain's significance, etc. It's not political, it's just that sometimes, there are unavoidable associations that people often have with bands. "The singer, not the song," ya know? Oasis writes good songs, too.
I realize it does seem kind of fabricated that this distaste came on so quickly, but since about my 3rd or 4th listen, I've had this sneaking feeling that the whole thing is compromised because of (as I said before) how safe and pretty it is. Weirdo Rippers was ugly and dangerous, and Nouns was an extension of that. If I want to hear a good, standard indie rock album, I can find it in just about any direction I turn. I'm just disappointed that they seem to have lost what originally made them special.
Ultimately, we're gonna end up having to agree to disagree because of fundamental philosophical differences. But even though we know where each other stands on this issue, I don't think it's a waste to keep having this conversation.
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