Review Grab Bag #2

As promised. exploring the "would rather rant on a bunch of things for a line than rant on a thing for a bunch of lines" world. Don't worry though, reviews are lined up:

AC/DC: if you want blood...

Animal Collective: strawberry jam

for the 15th and Feb. first respectively

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Best Coast: Crazy For You
Fucking Depressing. Used to sound fun, now just one long whine.

Stereolab: Not Music
Naming your last album "Not Music" is probably the only way Stereolab could become any more badass

Tame Impala: Innerspeaker
Australia, Rock'n'Roll's eternal underdog

Thee Oh Sees: Warm Slime
Best record of the year for its type, but remember that garage is only one letter away from garbage

Titus Andronicus: The Monitor
I'm not a big fan of New Jersey, except when I see records like this come out of it. Ignore the lyrics, these kids reconvened Arcade Fire-esque melodies with punk.

Tobacco: Mystic Thickness (CD-R)
More of the same. YES PLEASE

Torche: Songs For Singles
Doompopsterstothemax

Vampire Weekend: Contra
Nowhere near as good as the first, still pretty damn enjoyable

Ventura: We Recruit
Where do I sign up?

Watain: Lawless Darkness
to do #293: listen to more black metal or death metal. Whichever it is.

Wavves: King Of The Beach
cf. Best Coast, except this time you don't wonder "who's the long haired asian on the side of the picture?"

White Hills: S/T
I knew I wasn't the only one who wanted to sound like Hawkwind

Yamon Yamon: This Wilderness
Foresty Neu!. Get your beverage of choice, something to stare at and anything to lie on for a bit.

Beach House: Teen Dream
I still am only barely able to remember more than the first song off that album.

Brian Jonestown Massacre: anything by them ever
In the category of 60's revivalism for its own sake, these guys win the palm. Plus, Anton Newcombe is a blast to hear about - Dig! is probably the best music documentary since Spinal Tap, except this time, it's real.

Broken Social Scene: Forgiveness Rock Record
Forget the record, go get a ticket. WORTH IT

Review Grab Bag - Happy Holidays!

To all reading this blog: Merry holidays. May 2011 be full of fun and productivity for all of you

Here's a bunch of records I listened to this year, and my opinion, resumed in one line. This idea is shamelessly ripped off the Thundercurrent Express, maintained by my good fellow David Axel Kurtz. Please publish his novels.

FORMAT:

[band name]: [album name]
[short sometime offensive comment]

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Angel Eyes: Midwestern
like Isis or Neurosis, but enjoyable. Maybe I should give Oceanic another try.

Arc Of Ascent: Circle of The Sun
a good stoner rock record from New Zealand. Just in: copying Kyuss still works.

Belle And Sebastian: Write About Love
You'll love this if you wear flannel and leggings.

Black Diamond Heavies: Alive As Fuck
White Stripes - guitar + Organ x Lemmy = fun and a headache

Caribou: Odessa
Water pop - tasteless, but enjoyable from time to time. Keep some around

Jack White: anything he made this year
enjoy your revenge on hype

Dreamend: So I Ate Myself, Bite By Bite
Black Moth Super Rainbow goes acoustic not really - awesomeo

Dum Dum Girls: I Will Be
Enjoyment follows a logarithmic curve with time

High On Fire: Snake for the Divine
"I'll take the usual please. Wait - make that a double."

LCD Soundsystem:
Made for clubs. I don't go to clubs.

MTV: Lost Boy
Self production sounding like a load of fun.

Mogwai: Special Moves
Post Rock for dummies

Mono: Holy Ground
Goddamnit. Japanese rockers are the craziest.

Moonhearts: S/T
What does it take to sound honest these days? 29 minutes, apparently

Mountain Man: Made The Harbor
Vermont: good cheese, good music. Bonus points for recording a folk record in an old ice cream truck

No Joy
The single sounded so much more memorable than the album…

Pet Milk: Demo
What does it take to sound good these days? : 17 minutes, apparently

Rien: 3
Only the French could use post rock yet sound innovative and miles above the national musical average

Sleigh Bells: Treats
Proving that Lo-Fi sounds better unfinished

Sloath: S/T
Bonecrushingly relaxing

Soft Pack: S/T
Incredibly close to being perfect

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More to come. Expect an obnoxious end of the first year of the decade favorites list, as well as a short mix as soon as its uploaded.

MERRY WHATEVER. I love you all.

JNCT

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