Emotional Drumming Mix #3

Here's a 20 song mix compiling the best from each entry of my Emotional Listening installments so far this year. Download it, obviously for free, and only if you want to, right HERE.

Tracklist:
1. "Lost in Boston" - The Walkmen (2006)
2. "1,000,000" - R.E.M. (1982)
3. "Taste of Metal" - C-Clamp (1999)
4. "The Rollercoaster Ride" - Belle & Sebastian (1998)
5. "Life Begins at the Hop" - XTC (1979)
6. "All You Ever Do is Walk Away" - The Magnetic Fields (1994)
7. "My Kingdom" - Echo & the Bunnymen (1984)
8. "The Village" - New Order (1983)
9. "Run Into Flowers" - M83 (2003)
10. "Shrug" - Ida (2000)
11. "Sister Midnight" - Iggy Pop (1977)
12. "Might" - Archers of Loaf (1993)
13. "Antihero" - The Appleseed Cast (1998)
14. "Letter to ZZ Top" - U.S. Maple (1995)
15. "Swimming Pools, Movie Stars" - The Wedding Present (1994)
16. "The Secret Life of Arabia" - David Bowie (1977)
17. "Middle Class Blues" - The Barracudas (1983)
18. "Donovan's Colours" - Van Dyke Parks (1967)
19. "Ballad of Big Nothing" - Elliott Smith (1997)
20. "Gruesome Castle" - The Wake (1987)

Droughts + William Bonney Split EP/Itto EP/Destination Ecstasy/Wind Hand Caught in the Door

Split EP - Droughts/William Bonney (Error, 2012)
Droughts and William Bonney play heavy, technical hardcore with more than a smidge of emo thrown in. I haven't listened to many things like this since high school and early college. The screams are piercing, the guitars are intricate and melodic, and the drumming is off kilter, making for an appealingly nostalgic combo. Both bands pull of this style with class and expertise. I only slightly prefer Droughts due to how much the guitar parts rule, but both of these bands are excellent. Remember Drowningman, Shai Hulud and early Poison the Well? This split brings me back to those days.


Itto EP - Itto (self-released, 2012)
Here's some more melodic hardcore with a definite lean towards emo. These guys are some real musicians. The guitar noodling here is catchy and intricate, the drumming is ridiculous, and the vocals bring to mind 21st century Shai Hulud. The melodic guitar parts and mathy time changes are a welcome combination in my book. This shit's real good. My early college heart is soaring.


Destination Ecstasy - Pink Playground (Mexican Summer, 2011)
Pink Playground's Destination Ecstasy surprised me with its My Bloody Valentine guitars and Disintegration era Cure bass lines and chord progressions. Everything else is incredibly difficult to discern, as the production is insanely hazy and distant. Seems like there are probably some nice, drawn melodies here and there, but they are buried. This is some high quality, dreamy shoegaze that has me interested in whatever the band is going to do next.


Wind Hand Caught in the Door - South South Million (Triple Down, 2012)
Finally I can post about this album. I've been waiting for an official release of this record for about two years now, and am saddened that it is exclusively digital. South South Million are Trevor Naud and Daniel Clark of Detroit's best band, Zoos of Berlin. Wind Hand Caught in the Door is their debut LP, though it has been 10+ years in the making. Sample-based music is commonplace in the "indie" scene now, but considering how long ago these songs were first composed, they were truly ahead of their time, and still sound unique and innovative to this day. Wind Hand Caught in the Door certainly has a vintage feel, but the nearest thing I can compare these experimental yet entirely melodic and beautiful sound collages is to a slowed down version of The Avalanches' seminal 2001 LP, Since I Left You. The comparisons between the two are vague, and what South South Million did here is still completely unique. Wind Hand Caught in the Door is easily the best thing to come out in 2012 thus far.

2012 MLB Preview

The 2012 Major League Baseball season is right around the corner, and I could not be more excited. Here are my predictions for the coming year. Please do not judge. Or, judge if it brings forth meaningful baseball conversation.

AL East
1. New York Yankees
2. Tampa Bay Rays
3. Boston Red Sox
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Baltimore Orioles

I'm not a huge hater of the Yankees, but I still want Tampa Bay or even Boston to overcome them. This may be the last year the Yanks are at the top of this division, as it should be historically incredible closer Mariano Rivera's final season, and Derek Jeter can't be good for much longer, right? Regardless, their hitting is sick, and the rotation got a huge facelift this off-season, so atop of the division they go again. The Rays were a pleasant surprise last year in spite of the quality players they lost, and with the return of Carlos Pena (even if he can't hit for average) and Matt Moore being a huge part of the rotation, they should be even better. As stacked as they are on offense, the Red Sox will be too distracted by drama to reach the playoffs. If the Blue Jays were in a different division, they'd probably compete for a post-season spot. Jose Bautista is looking like the real deal, though, and this could be the year Ricky Romero becomes a true ace. Offensively, the Orioles are young and on the up and up. Their pitching is laughable.

AL Central
1. Detroit Tigers
2. Cleveland Indians
3. Kansas City Royals
4. Minnesota Twins
5. Chicago White Sox

The Tigers surprised everyone with how dominant they were down the stretch, but unfortunately, it is doubtful that Verlander will ever repeat his MVP season. That being said, the huge gain of Prince Fielder greatly overturns the loss of Victor Martinez, and the Tigers will easily run away with this division. There are still a few unanswered pitching questions, but at the same time, their rotation and bullpen have the talent to give the Tigers a championship. I don't think 2012 is the year, but when V-Mart is back in 2013, LOOK OUT. The Indians were a nice story last year, and they really are the second best team in the Central now, but the chasm between Detroit and everyone else is huge. The Royals need a lot of work at pitching, but the quality hitting that comes from their position players rivals that of the Texas Rangers. Look for them to compete in the coming years. The Twins are old and injury prone, and I think we've seen the last of them giving Detroit hell, at least for a while. The White Sox are in real bad shape, in spite of the ageless Paul Konerko.

AL West
1. Texas Rangers
2. Los Angeles Angels
3. Seattle Mariners
4. Oakland Athletics

After two years in a row of reaching the World Series only to lose, I firmly believe that 2012 is the year the Rangers finally win a championship. Their hitting is RIDICULOUS, probably the best in the MLB, and their starting rotation is young and terrifying and the bullpen is the reason they made it all the way to the World Series. Losing C.J. Wilson to the Angels doesn't even matter. Obviously, the Angels also won the Albert Pujols sweepstakes, and he has set them up to compete for a title, but not to win it (they have about a three year window to do it). Jered Weaver, Dan Heren and Wilson make for a killer 1-2-3 punch in the rotation (only the Phillies' Halladay, Lee and Hamels are a better combo), but the Rangers are better in every other way. The Mariners have some up-and-coming studs, and one of the best aces in the game in Felix Hernandez, but they are a long way off. Who knows how long the A's are going to be terrible. I'd wager very long.

NL East
1. Philadelphia Phillies
2. Atlanta Braves
3. Miami Marlins
4. Washington Nationals
5. New York Mets

I worry that the Philadelphia Phillies have missed out on their window of opportunity with Roy Halladay, thanks to their disastrous hitting. I'm being dramatic, but it really is that starting rotation that makes this team so good. Having Hunter Pence for a whole year is a big help, and if Chase Utley can remain healthy, they're back in business. If not, this team needs some hitting fast. The Braves collapsed in September last year when they pretty much were the second best team in the NL until that point. They're lineup is not overwhelming, but is solid through and through, and their starting rotation is deceivingly good. In addition, that bullpen is intimidating as hell. I believe this Braves team to maintain that second best in the NL status for 2012 in its entirety. With the additions of Jose Reyes, Heath Bell, and Mark Buerhle, the Miami Marlins should be a formidable contender in the NL. The team is now solid in every way, it's just that the Phillies and Braves are better, and believe it or not, the Washington Nationals are just barely behind. That Nats made some brilliant moves this off-season, and now they're solid at the band and have one of the better rotations and bullpens around. I am so stoked to see Stephen Strasburg embarrass every team he faces, even if his innings will be capped at 150. There is nothing in regards to the New York Mets worth mentioning.

NL Central
1. Milwaukee Brewers
2. Cincinnati Reds
3. St. Louis Cardinals
4. Chicago Cubs
5. Pittsburgh Pirates
6. Houston Astros

Now that the potential scare of losing Ryan Braun for 50 games is not happening, the Brewers are still the best team in the Central despite the loss of Prince Fielder. Adding Aramis Ramirez at third base offsets most of that, and if K-Rod is happy as John Axford's set-up man and Zach Greinke continues his post-2011 All-Star game dominance, everyone in the NL should fear this team immensely. The Cincinnati Reds should have been better than they were last year, as they are set at the bat. Adding Matt Latos to the rotation is a huge bonus, as he has been quite brilliant for a bad San Diego Padres team the past two seasons. If they don't make the playoffs this year, they won't be far off. Of course losing Albert Pujols is a huge deal, but the Cardinals will most definitely still compete. The return of Adam Wainwright will be seamless, and who knows, maybe he'll finally win a Cy Young? As good as the team still looks, I see them falling just short of the post-season. The Chicago Cubs will be better, though not by a ton. I'm excited to see where Starlin Castro's career goes. The nice first half that the Pittsburgh Pirates last year was a farce. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, even if Andrew McCutchen turns into a super star. The Houston Astros are in a terrible rebuilding stage, and they will be terrible next year when they move to the AL West.

NL West
1. San Francisco Giants
2. Arizona Diamondbacks
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
4. Colorado Rockies
5. San Diego Padres

I cannot imagine the San Francisco Giants imploding again like they did last year. Their hitting may have too many questions and, believe it or not, is probably even worse off than Philadelphia's, but their pitching rotation will carry them back to the top of the NL West. The overall performance of the teams in this division wavers vastly from year to year, but it seems like the Diamondbacks are set up for continued success. Solid if not totally good rotation and bullpen, and everybody is referring to Justin Upton as the next huge super star. Rightfully so, Matt Kemp is the Dodgers' knight in shining armor, and while he is incredible, it's hard to imagine him being better than he was last year and single handedly saving this team. They and the Rockies have a lot of work ahead of them, even if the latter has two of the brightest young stars in the major leagues in Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez. It's depressing just thinking about the state the Padres are in, though they have some nice prospects to work with from that Adrian Gonzalez trade last year.

AL Wild Card Game
Tampa Bay Rays over Los Angeles Angels

NL Wild Card Game
Atlanta Braves over Cincinnati Reds

ALDS
Detroit Tigers over Tampa Bay Rays, 3-2
Texas Rangers over New York Yankees, 3-1

NLDS
Philadelphia Phillies over Atlanta Braves, 3-2
San Francisco Giants over Milwaukee Brewers, 3-1

ALCS
Texas Rangers over Detroit Tigers, 4-2

NLCS
Philadelphia Phillies over San Francisco Giants, 4-3

World Series
Texas Rangers over Philadelphia Phillies, 4-2

AL Rookie of the Year - Matt Moore, Tampa Bay
AL Comeback Player of the Year - Carl Crawford, Boston
AL Cy Young - David Price, Tampa Bay
AL MVP - Albert Pujols, Los Angeles

NL Rookie of the Year - Drew Pomeranz, Colorado
NL Comeback Player of the Year - Josh Johnson, Miami
NL Cy Young - Cliff Lee, Philadelphia
NL MVP - Ryan Braun, Milwaukee

Strange Powers/Antichrist/Enter the Void

Strange Powers (2010)
Directed by Kerthy Fix and Gail O'Hara
"Strange Powers" is definitely one of the best songs on The Magnetic Fields' perfect 1994 LP Holiday, so that it is the title of this documentary on Stephin Merritt and his band is appropriate. Unfortunately, the film does not mention that album once, but the history of the band and Merritt's off-putting personality and relationship with collaborator and manager, Claudia Gonson, are fascinating subjects nonetheless. Whether you're an obsessed super fan or a moderate one who is in love with one particular Mag Fields album, like me, then I recommend viewing this.


Antichrist (2009)
Written and directed by Lars von Trier
I've been wanting to see Lars von Trier's ultimately controversial film Antichrist since first hearing of its production. I will most definitely admit that I've been very nervous to see, and had to spend a couple of years working up the guts. I'm not sure that I'm okay with the fact that I was actually expecting it to be even more unsettling than it is. Don't get me wrong. It is incredibly messed up and is not something that I anticipate ever being able to, let alone wanting to see again. I guess I just wonder if I'm desensitized to this level of disturbance. Anyway, there are plenty of moments where Antichrist is visually stunning. The acting of Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg is fine, but I can't help but strongly dislike these characters, as they were entirely too unrealistic (which is usually something I like in film). A lot of the plot details and way too much of the dialogue made absolutely no sense, in the worst way. The mutilation scenes were cringe-worthy, for sure. In spite of all this, I walked away feeling that I did not hate Antichrist, not even a little bit. My brain is sick.


Enter the Void (2009)
Written and directed by Gaspar Noe
It was totally stupid of me to have watched Gaspar Noe's third feature film, Enter the Void, in the same sitting as Antichrist. Enter the Void may not have been quite as unsettling as Antichrist, but it certainly was more depressing. It tells the story of a young American drug dealer living in Tokyo around the time of his death, and details important life events leading up to that point and the lives of those close to him after by way of post-death out-of-body experience. The filmmaking here is obviously experimental, blatantly inspired by psychedelic drugs, and this makes for some wonderfully innovative and stimulating visuals. Enter the Void is easily an hour too long, but its one of those films that I'll be thinking about for a long time. You should probably see it.

Emotional Listening #18

The End of the Ring Wars - The Appleseed Cast (Deep Elm, 1998)
I was way into The Appleseed Cast in high school, namely their seminal early 2000s releases Mare Vitalis and both volumes of their Low Level Owl project. The chimey, waterfall guitars, quirky drumming, and experimental soundscapes of those albums are totally my jam, but what a crime it is that for the most part I've overlooked their purely emo debut since I acquired it back in 2001. Without question, The End of the Ring Wars is an obvious nod to Sunny Day Real Estate's Diary, but even more so, Mineral's dynamic emo. It's not perfect by any means, but it's actually a really good record. I'm so used to hearing Chris Crisci's voice buried in the background, so it's interesting to hear him emoting with such ferocity. "Marigold & Patchwork" is an appropriate, drawn out opener, and "Antihero" and "16 Days" are just about on par with my favorite Mineral songs. I've been rekindling my relationship with 90s emo over the past year or so, and it's been fun to realize exactly how good The End of the Ring Wars is, even if it's lacking in the originality department.
Top jams: "Marigold & Patchwork," "Antihero," "Moment #72," "December 27, 1990," "The Last Ring," "16 Days," "Dreamland"


Heroes - David Bowie (RCA, 1977)
When I first got into Heroes a few years ago, I thought it was better than Low hands down. The production, structure and overall weirdness of these records make them outstanding companion pieces, and over time, I've come to recognize that they're pretty even in quality (though, now, I think I slightly prefer Low). Regardless, let's talk about Heroes. I can't think of many ways that are better to open an album with than the one-two-three punch of "Beauty and the Beast," "Joe the Lion" and "Heroes." All three are triumphantly executed pop songs that pretty much sound like nothing else ever recorded. "V-2 Schneider" is a fantastic instrumental, though it doesn't coming close to touching Low's "A New Career in a New Town." Call me crazy, but album closer "The Secret Life of Arabia" is easily one of my favorite Bowie tracks, thanks to its dark, funky feel and stellar drumming. The creepy film score-ish instrumentals are a fascinating twist, but the ones on Low are quite a bit better. That being said, if one was to cut all of those out, and just throw all of these wonderfully bizarre pop songs onto a single, playlist, it would probably be the best record ever.
Top jams: "Beauty and the Beast," "Joe the Lion," "Heroes," "Blackout," "V-2 Schneider," "The Secret Life of Arabia"


Either/Or - Elliott Smith (Kill Rock Stars, 1997)
For a long time, I neglected to spend any time with Elliott Smith's third LP, Either/Or. At some point during my three year residence in Ypsilanti, I caved, and needless to say, was impressed. While not quite as realized as the 1998 follow-up, XO, which I consider to be one of the most outstanding modern pop records, Either/Or proves that Smith's music was well on it's way to sheer genius at that point. "Ball of Big Nothing," "Rose Parade" and "Say Yes" are obviously fantastic pop songs, but I think my favorite moment here might be the subtlety and reservation of opener "Speed Trials." Either/Or might not pack a punch as powerful as XO or even Figure 8, but it doesn't need to. It is a testament to what the talent of this tormented songwriter would amount to, and I don't think I want it to be anything more than that.
Top jams: "Speed Trials," "Ballad of Big Nothing," "Pictures of Me," "Rose Parade," "Angeles," "2:45 AM," "Say Yes"

Parks and Recreation: Season Three/Shut Up Little Man!: An Audio Misadventure

Parks and Recreation: Season Three (2011)
My viewing of the third season of Parks and Recreation was long overdue, and I'm glad that it finally happened. Season two is hard to top, but it was accomplished. These characters are tremendously strong; possibly more so than any comedy I can think of since Arrested Development. Some of the plot lines are bit too ridiculous are even stupid, but with characters this great, it doesn't even matter. Amy Pohler, Aziz Ansari and Nick Offerman continue to play memorable roles, and that Rob Lowe and Adam Scott have become part of the regular cast is a huge bonus. Lowe is fantastically ridiculous here and makes the series that much better. It's also nice to see Scott play a character with some sensitivity, even though he rules hard at being the asshole. I know that the quality of Parks and Recreation has to hit a peak and start diminishing at some point soon, but it doesn't seem to have happened yet.


Shut Up Little Man!: An Audio Misadventure (2011)
Written and directed by Matthew Bate
One weekend in May 2006, I accompanied some friends of mine in a Bloomington, IN based band called Husband & Wife on a weekend tour around Michigan and Indiana, and they introduced me to Shut Up Little Man!. In the mid-80s, two young, punk midwesterners move to a shitty apartment complex in San Francisco and end up living next to two old drunks who curse at and fight with each other every night. The midwesterners decide to document these happenings by illegally recording the neighbors' arguments and distributing the tapes among friends. As the years go on, the legend grows, and Shut Up Little Man! develops an insane cult following. This documentary touches on all of the good and bad that came from these recordings, as well as the culture of audio verite and field recording, and is really well done. And, if you've never heard let alone heard of the original Shut Up Little Man! sound clips, please let me know, and I will share them with you. It is some of the funniest shit I have ever heard.

Ender's Game/Batman: Year One

Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card (1985)
Reading Ender's Game had been a long time coming, and it did not disappoint. Sure, the ending was unnecessarily drawn it and actually pretty stupid, all the build-up was masterfully executed. All the games and military and political strategy stuff were a blast to read through, and some of the imagery within made me feel surprisingly unsettled, which is a good thing. There are a few regrettable elements to the characters, like their weird slang that would pop up out of nowhere, and how the genius of these children goes completely unexplained, but there are enough interesting layers to them to overshadow the annoyances. In spite of the few complaints and my lack of desire to read any of the other entries in the series, it was a pure joy to finally read this Orson Scott Card classic.


Batman: Year One - Frank Miller (1987)
As interesting as Batman's origin is, the highlights of Frank Miller's short but sweet Batman: Year One all have to do with Jim Gordon's story. Here, Batman is the backdrop and Gordon is the star. The various struggles and emotional crises he goes through to become a success in Gotham City and come to terms with it all is fascinating, and really fun to read about. I wouldn't say this is Miller's best Batman story, but it surely is high quality.

Emotional Listening #17

The Boy With the Arab Strap - Belle & Sebastian (Matador, 1998)
For quite a while now, my good friend and old housemate, Kevin Trepus, has championed The Boy With the Arab Strap as the superior album to Belle & Sebastian's seminal If You're Feeling Sinister. I would always call him crazy, but now I'm not sure. It seems like he's on to something. The two albums are pretty good companion pieces, as they share a common feeling, even if The Boy With the Arab Strap is a little more energetic in places. If a gun was pointed at my head, forcing me to make an argument in support of Arab Strap being better than If You're Feeling Sinister, I would state the following: more variety in sound, more consistent songwriting that is not short on brilliant yet very subtle tricks, and "Dirty Dream Number Two," the title track, and "The Rollercoaster Ride" are better than any song on IYFS, and may even be my favorite B&S songs of all time. In reality, I don't feel strongly either way. They are both incredible pop records that will continue to be standbys for many moons to come.
Top jams: "It Could Have Been a Brilliant Career," "Sleep the Clock Around," "Is It Wicked Not to Care?," "Ease Your Feet in the Sea," "Seymour Stein," "Dirty Dream Number Two," "The Boy With the Arab Strap," "Simple Things," "The Rollercoaster Ride"


Power, Corruption & Lies - New Order (Factory, 1983)
I'm finally digging deeper than New Order's singles, and it is a beautiful thing. There are moments on Power, Corruption & Lies, their sophomore LP, that I'm not entirely sold on, but those are so few and far between, I barely even notice. This record is SO close to being perfect. It's interesting that the song that hinders it the most, "Blue Monday," is the album's biggest hit (and I'll tell ya, I like that song now way more than I ever have before). Obviously, "Age of Consent" is one of the greatest album openers, let alone songs in general, of all time. Everyone knows that. I'm surprised that there are songs here that I like even more, at the time being, at least. "The Village" is an amazing synth pop jam with that awesome chorusy bass guitar that doesn't sound like bass guitar whatsoever. "Your Silent Face" and "Leave Me Alone" are excellent guitar driven ballads (sort of). On Power, Corruption & Lies, it doesn't matter if New Order are doing their emotive guitar pop or their dark synth pop stuff. It's all done so incredibly well here. I am stoked to further investigate the greatness of this band throughout the 80s (and into the early 90s).
Top jams: "Age of Consent," "The Village," "5 8 6," "Your Silent Face," "Ultraviolence," "Leave Me Alone"


Song Cycle - Van Dyke Parks (Warner Bros., 1967)
What a mindfuck of a record this is. Apparently Van Dyke Parks, who was previously and exclusively known to me as the lyricist of Brian Wilson's and The Beach Boys' Smile, is a remarkably talented composer of formless symphonic chamber pop music that would probably be perfect to listen to while dropping acid or smoking weed or something. These songs are INSANE and hard to follow, but boy are the gorgeous as well. Song Cycle is a fascinating marriage of psychedelic, classical, and pop music, and it is most definitely a rewarding listen. There is at least one really awesome part in each song, but "Palm Desert," "All Golden" and "Donovan's Colours" (which, according to Wikipedia, is a cover of Donovan's "Colours") feature the strongest ones. I'm not sure where to go next in Parks' discography, but maybe I don't need to go anywhere else. This is just fine.
Top jams: "Vine Street," "Palm Desert," "Laurel Canyon Blvd.," "All Golden," "Public Domain," "Donovan's Colours," "The Attic"


A Hundred Miles Off - The Walkmen (Record Collection, 2006)
When A Hundred Miles Off was released in 2006, I was not a fan at all. What kind of fool was I, though? It's on par with everything else great that The Walkmen have released, which means just about everything. This is just a tardy reminder that they are one of the greatest bands going today. From beginning to end A Hundred Miles Off is consistent and excellent. As good of a song as opener "Louisiana" is, it's not even close to the best. "Good for You's Good for Me," "Lost in Boston," "Tenley Town," and "This Job is Killing Me" all rival Walkmen greats like "We've Been Had," "That's the Punch Line," "Little House of Savages," "My Old Man," "In the New Year," and "Woe is Me." There's definitely an obvious Dylan element added to all the reverb and noise The Walkmen are known for, but it's certainly charming. Also, there are some real punk songs here. "Tenley Town" takes the cake as The Walkmen's loudest, fastest, and most bad ass song. In spite of this awesomeness, "Lost in Boston" and "This Job is Killing" are probably my favorites on A Hundred Miles Off, namely due to the quirky percussive elements and that subtle but outstanding melodies. I'll stop while I'm ahead. I am officially convinced that this band will never do something that doesn't rule.
Top jams: "Louisiana," "Good for You's Good for Me," "All Hands & the Cook," "Lost in Boston," "Tenley Town," "This Job is Killing Me," "Brandy Alexander," "Always After You ('Til You Started After Me)"

Black Hole/Jitterbug Perfume/Good-Bye, Chunky Rice

Black Hole - Charles Burns (1995-2005)
Overall, I loved Black Hole about as much as I expected to. It tells a startlingly gruesome tale of teenage isolation through the metaphor of a grotesque skin disease that is transmitted through sexual contact. The characters are charming and lovable, even when they gloss over obvious, crucial details. As much as I usually love ambiguous endings, I was honestly hoping for Black Hole to end in catastrophe, so I was a little disappointed in that. Otherwise, it is a wonderful graphic novel that I encourage all to read.


Jitterbug Perfume - Tom Robbins (1984)
Jitterbug Perfume is the third Tom Robbins novel I've read, and in order to have gotten the maximum effect, I probably should have read it first. About one year ago, I had a conversation with a friend who basically said, "You read one Tom Robbins novel, you've read 'em all." While I thought there were too many similarities in message and style between Still Life With Woodpecker and Skinny Legs and All, I was surprised that Jitterbug Perfume felt as different as it did. It still came across as a minor epic with the most ridiculous of characters who are difficult to keep track of, but Robbins' writing style here felt much more dense and less outwardly zany (though still zany, of course). The overarching themes of striving for eternal life and the sensuality of the sense of smell are definitely interesting ones to base a novel off of, and overall I'd say this was a good read, but there were plenty of elements that got in the way. My main complaint is the pacing and the overwhelming amount of time that the story covers. Also, I didn't really care for these characters. I love bizarre, completely out there stories that seriously lack reality, but there has to be at least a smidge of realism in the characters, and in my opinion, that is Robbins' downfall.


Good-Bye, Chunky Rice - Craig Thompson (1999)
I had never read any Craig Thompson before (I am most excited to get to his critically acclaimed Blankets at some point), but this, his 1999 debut graphic novel, was a good place to start. There's not much to say about Good-Bye, Chunky Rice, aside from the fact that it is a wonderful, heartwarming tale of friendship, loss and belonging. As short and sparse as the graphic novel is, the characters are deep, fascinating and absolutely lovable. Everything in Good-Bye, Chunky Rice, from the story to the visuals, is utterly adorable. I know I usually before pretty messed up books, but this is a real nice change.

Falling and Laughing/Permanent for Now

Here are my two jams of the week:

"Falling and Laughing" by Orange Juice, from You Can't Hide Your Love Forever (1982)


"Permanent for Now" by No Knife, from Riot for Romance! (2002)

Emotional Listening #16

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"