This is the very last article I'll post here. It is a completely visceral reaction to a childish (but very appreciated) provocation from the cavedweller known as Daxelkurtz (which you can read here http://warspite.wordpress.com/2011/12/24/review-grab-bag-11-musics/), and contains completely partial, subjective and immature comments on some elements of modern music, all of which will have been issued in the past year. You can thank him for making this blog have one quiver before it dies out completely.
In ESS tradition, it includes an eleven-song mix.
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2011 was a fucking amazing year for music. Apparently people having real problems makes them be really good musicians, who would have thought. Unlike my literary brethren mentioned above, which I can now proudly, obnoxiously and ironically call my alma matter, I don't really remember what I was doing precisely enough to match it to the music I was listening to. Which isn't a problem, because honestly, would you care? I didn't think so. Here's a few things I thought were worth mentioning, let me know if I missed anything:
*Alcest "Le Secret" EP - rerecording: Fucking amazing. Blast beats, walls of guitar, melody, intensity and, occasionally, cheese. An acquired taste, but this flies miles above the usual French bullshit rock.
*Altar Of Plagues "Mammal" LP: The tortured, Irish, brutal and not any less amazing compliment to the above recording. Tasteful playings with the black metal genre, bringing it to the realms of destroying post-rock or gloomy ambient, and, even more magnificent, making the music pretty damn universal.
*Bon Iver "For Emma Forever Ago": I remember trying to listen to this record.
*Bon Iver "Bon Iver": I remember trying to listen to the first 30 second of the first song.
*The Antlers "Burst Apart"LP: If this isn't accessible music everyone can agree on, I don't know if there will ever be anything to agree on.
*Ash Borer "Ash Borer" LP: More amazing thrashing. blast beats, shredded vocals, buzzing guitars. Another one of this years beautifully agressive records.
*Barn Owl "Lost In The Glare" LP: laid back drone psychedelia. soothes your soul one second, transports it the next. Could be amazing, lasts a little too long
*Bibio "Mind Bokeh" LP: logical continuation of his work on "Ambivalence Avenue" the Boards of Canada tribute evolves into a folky choppy beat-sample behemoth. Solid.
*Black Cobra "Invernal" LP: It seems that since they've signed or Southern Lord, they don't really need to try anymore. "Bestial" remains, and probably for a while, the thrashy duo reference album.
*Bosse De Nage "II" LP: this record is supposed to gnarly, filthy, brutal. I find it amazing relaxing, strangely beautiful and extremely interesting. On the level of Altar of Plagues and Ash Borer, mentioned earlier.
*Caspian "Tertia" LP: a landmark in melodic yet powerful music. Doing better and still being as post-rock as this record is going to be really hard for anyone not willing to mix in different genres.
*Cold Body Radiation "Deer Twilight" LP: I've never managed to listen to this at a time where I wasn't thoroughly exhausted, but it was worth it each time.
*Coma Cinema "Blue Suicide" LP: How good I think this is might actually offend a few people, so that's all I'll say.
*Craft Spells "Idle Labor" LP: making the 80's sound like a decent idea. Well done.
*Crock "Grok" LP: What the fuck. seriously guys, how am I supposed to write anything about this. "This is a good record." ?
*Deafheaven "Roads To Judah" LP: another blast-beat pleaser, worth it even just for "Unrequited", one of the four 10-min long pieces. Live videos look disappointing though.
*The Dodos "No Color" LP: Enjoyed this one way more than I should have. Not "Visiter" but, how could you top that?
*Explosions In The Sky "Take Care" LP: Enjoyed this one way less that I should have. Not "The Earth..." but I can't hear why?
*Fleet Foxes "Helplessness Blues" LP: folk prog, wooptidoo.
*Grails "Deep Politics" LP: see EitS entry
*The Horrors "Skying" LP: Doing better than "Primary Colors" was near impossible. they didn't, so that makes sense, but they were close.
*Jack Buck "Ugly" 7": Best packaging ever. Good tunes too.
*Liturgy "Aesthetica" LP : over intellectualizing black metal works too!
*Male Bonding "Endless Now" LP: oh cool that band is still here.
*Megafaun: S/T LP: What went through Bon Iver's head as he left this band is the only gossip I'm curious to hear.
*Mikal Cronin S/T LP: WHY WON'T YOU MAKE A RECORD AS GOOD AS THE MOONHEART'S SELF TITLED. It's alright though this is still really good.
*Mogwai "Earth Division" EP: constrained Mogwai is an extremely interesting exercice
*Mogwai "Hardcore..." LP: see Grails. PS: Still better, in my mind, than every sonic youth record combined.
*Punch "How Nothing Lasts" 7" Never thought I'd like hardcore so much. Seven songs for almost ten minutes of brutal, intense, rapidly changing riffs. The "Dopethrone" of punk? Is that even a thing?
*Real Estate "Days"LP: the musical equivalent of Star Wars, episode 4-6? An amazing debut, a turnaround centered around duality - can't wait for the dancing ewoks.
*Reigns "Widow Blades" LP: and, for todays invented genre, postrocktronicambientfolk!
*Russian Circles "Empros" LP: More metal, more bass, why not more awesome? No Sé...
*Slow Loris "Routine Glow" LP: "Is that a drum machine?" is the only question for this perfect pop record.
*Sonny And The Sunsets "Hit After Hit" LP: too cool for school.
*Talkdemonic "Ruins" LP: I'm looking for a cello player and drummer for a Talkdemonic inspired band. Black metal and nuggets interests a plus. please email ejt08@hampshire.edu
*Thou "The Archer And The Owle" EP: wins sludgy record of the year award, probably will next year too.
*Tune Yards: "whokill" LP: sure why not.
*Ty Seagall "Goodbye Bread" LP: see Mikal Cronin
*Washed Out "Within and Without" LP: title and artwork not really to my tastes, but achieves what Craft Spells do with higher standards.
*Widowspeak S/T LP: still a fresh listen, but a solid set of songs. What pavement would sound like if they were fronted by a woman, listened to a lot more Ventures and actually bothered.
*Wolves In The Throne Room "Celestial Lineage" LP: How good was this year for metal? Pretty fucking amazing. What do I even say about this one.
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The Elephant will now go die. It has done many things, some of which I will look back on to laugh at, but has always stayed true to its ideals, and for that, it will die in peace. Thanks to all who ever read anything on this!
PS: if you actually miss it, you know how to find me.
JNCT.
In ESS tradition, it includes an eleven-song mix.
--------
2011 was a fucking amazing year for music. Apparently people having real problems makes them be really good musicians, who would have thought. Unlike my literary brethren mentioned above, which I can now proudly, obnoxiously and ironically call my alma matter, I don't really remember what I was doing precisely enough to match it to the music I was listening to. Which isn't a problem, because honestly, would you care? I didn't think so. Here's a few things I thought were worth mentioning, let me know if I missed anything:
*Alcest "Le Secret" EP - rerecording: Fucking amazing. Blast beats, walls of guitar, melody, intensity and, occasionally, cheese. An acquired taste, but this flies miles above the usual French bullshit rock.
*Altar Of Plagues "Mammal" LP: The tortured, Irish, brutal and not any less amazing compliment to the above recording. Tasteful playings with the black metal genre, bringing it to the realms of destroying post-rock or gloomy ambient, and, even more magnificent, making the music pretty damn universal.
*Bon Iver "For Emma Forever Ago": I remember trying to listen to this record.
*Bon Iver "Bon Iver": I remember trying to listen to the first 30 second of the first song.
*The Antlers "Burst Apart"LP: If this isn't accessible music everyone can agree on, I don't know if there will ever be anything to agree on.
*Ash Borer "Ash Borer" LP: More amazing thrashing. blast beats, shredded vocals, buzzing guitars. Another one of this years beautifully agressive records.
*Barn Owl "Lost In The Glare" LP: laid back drone psychedelia. soothes your soul one second, transports it the next. Could be amazing, lasts a little too long
*Bibio "Mind Bokeh" LP: logical continuation of his work on "Ambivalence Avenue" the Boards of Canada tribute evolves into a folky choppy beat-sample behemoth. Solid.
*Black Cobra "Invernal" LP: It seems that since they've signed or Southern Lord, they don't really need to try anymore. "Bestial" remains, and probably for a while, the thrashy duo reference album.
*Bosse De Nage "II" LP: this record is supposed to gnarly, filthy, brutal. I find it amazing relaxing, strangely beautiful and extremely interesting. On the level of Altar of Plagues and Ash Borer, mentioned earlier.
*Caspian "Tertia" LP: a landmark in melodic yet powerful music. Doing better and still being as post-rock as this record is going to be really hard for anyone not willing to mix in different genres.
*Cold Body Radiation "Deer Twilight" LP: I've never managed to listen to this at a time where I wasn't thoroughly exhausted, but it was worth it each time.
*Coma Cinema "Blue Suicide" LP: How good I think this is might actually offend a few people, so that's all I'll say.
*Craft Spells "Idle Labor" LP: making the 80's sound like a decent idea. Well done.
*Crock "Grok" LP: What the fuck. seriously guys, how am I supposed to write anything about this. "This is a good record." ?
*Deafheaven "Roads To Judah" LP: another blast-beat pleaser, worth it even just for "Unrequited", one of the four 10-min long pieces. Live videos look disappointing though.
*The Dodos "No Color" LP: Enjoyed this one way more than I should have. Not "Visiter" but, how could you top that?
*Explosions In The Sky "Take Care" LP: Enjoyed this one way less that I should have. Not "The Earth..." but I can't hear why?
*Fleet Foxes "Helplessness Blues" LP: folk prog, wooptidoo.
*Grails "Deep Politics" LP: see EitS entry
*The Horrors "Skying" LP: Doing better than "Primary Colors" was near impossible. they didn't, so that makes sense, but they were close.
*Jack Buck "Ugly" 7": Best packaging ever. Good tunes too.
*Liturgy "Aesthetica" LP : over intellectualizing black metal works too!
*Male Bonding "Endless Now" LP: oh cool that band is still here.
*Megafaun: S/T LP: What went through Bon Iver's head as he left this band is the only gossip I'm curious to hear.
*Mikal Cronin S/T LP: WHY WON'T YOU MAKE A RECORD AS GOOD AS THE MOONHEART'S SELF TITLED. It's alright though this is still really good.
*Mogwai "Earth Division" EP: constrained Mogwai is an extremely interesting exercice
*Mogwai "Hardcore..." LP: see Grails. PS: Still better, in my mind, than every sonic youth record combined.
*Punch "How Nothing Lasts" 7" Never thought I'd like hardcore so much. Seven songs for almost ten minutes of brutal, intense, rapidly changing riffs. The "Dopethrone" of punk? Is that even a thing?
*Real Estate "Days"LP: the musical equivalent of Star Wars, episode 4-6? An amazing debut, a turnaround centered around duality - can't wait for the dancing ewoks.
*Reigns "Widow Blades" LP: and, for todays invented genre, postrocktronicambientfolk!
*Russian Circles "Empros" LP: More metal, more bass, why not more awesome? No Sé...
*Slow Loris "Routine Glow" LP: "Is that a drum machine?" is the only question for this perfect pop record.
*Sonny And The Sunsets "Hit After Hit" LP: too cool for school.
*Talkdemonic "Ruins" LP: I'm looking for a cello player and drummer for a Talkdemonic inspired band. Black metal and nuggets interests a plus. please email ejt08@hampshire.edu
*Thou "The Archer And The Owle" EP: wins sludgy record of the year award, probably will next year too.
*Tune Yards: "whokill" LP: sure why not.
*Ty Seagall "Goodbye Bread" LP: see Mikal Cronin
*Washed Out "Within and Without" LP: title and artwork not really to my tastes, but achieves what Craft Spells do with higher standards.
*Widowspeak S/T LP: still a fresh listen, but a solid set of songs. What pavement would sound like if they were fronted by a woman, listened to a lot more Ventures and actually bothered.
*Wolves In The Throne Room "Celestial Lineage" LP: How good was this year for metal? Pretty fucking amazing. What do I even say about this one.
------
-----
The Elephant will now go die. It has done many things, some of which I will look back on to laugh at, but has always stayed true to its ideals, and for that, it will die in peace. Thanks to all who ever read anything on this!
PS: if you actually miss it, you know how to find me.
JNCT.
