All posts by G. Gordon Gritty

CD Review, Music

CD Review: Dye It Blonde [2011]

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Band: Smith Westerns
Release: 1/2011
Label: Fat Possum

1. “Weekend” – [A]
2. “Still New” – [A-]
3. “Imagine Pt. 3” – [A]
4. “All Die Young” – [A-]
5. “Fallen In Love” – [A-]
6. “End of the Night” -[A]
7. “Only One” – [A]
8. “Smile” – [A-]
9. “Dance Away” – [A]
10. “Dye the World” – [A-]

Comments: Smith Westerns are a band that, like label-mates Wavves in 2010, benefited immensely from a bigger studio budget. The clarity and direction on Dye It Blonde is a thing of beauty. Stylistically, this is something of a neo-psychedelic or psychedelic pop record, quite a few LSD blotters more psychedelic than the trippiest offerings from Magic Kids, but not as pop-sensible as say former tour partner MGMT. One thing that persists from the start of the record is that clean lead guitar effect, which sounds good, but is a bit overused. “Weekend” and “Imagine Pt. 3” have qualities that immediately hit ‘ya, so with good reason these tracks were made available before the official release. “Dance Away” may be the album’s most experimental track, but in the strangest way possible: it’s the fastest, most accessible, and most randomly discombobulated recording on here. Sounds like it’s going for that Diana Ross “Upside Down” disco meets ’90s Ricky Martin feel. Anyway, this is a record to remember. Fuck, it ain’t even 2011 yet so to make any predictions about this being in contention for Best of 2011 would be wildly erratic and unbecoming. I will say it’s the best thing from 2011 that I heard in 2010. K?

Grade: A- (92)

Culture Jamming, Film, Video

Sleeping With Mr. Butch

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As far as I’m aware Mr. Butch is in a category of his own on Wikipedia. How many homeless people have a Wikipedia page? Mr. Butch was a homeless man who spent somewhere between 20 and 30 years as a hobo in Boston, Massachusetts. He was attached to the Allston community during the latter part of his life. He was killed in 2007. Here is a link to watch a documentary about Mr. Butch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWQV_nMoLoQ

Here is a collection of quotes from Mr. Butch:
– “Articulate I am for sure. Yes, I have bought many whore. When I had the money I did it straight. Now I have to masturbate.”
– “Please I need some money. It’s not funny.”
– “Penny, nickel, dime, or quarter. Any way, any order.”
– “Today be drinking, smoking some weed. That’s about all I need.  If I can find a girl to give me a hand-job, I’m not a fool, I’m not a slob.”
– “For me, it’s like I have to screw and lay before I see my guiding day. I go on straight, I go on hard. I hope that I can get a dick at least a yard.”
– “The last woman I had. We screwed and then she said good-bye dude. Broke my heart, made me feel bad. That’s the last woman I had.”
– “Well I got a dollar and seventy-five cents. I guess I get some beer!”

Classic CD Review, Music

Classic CD Review: Tim [1985]

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Band: The Replacements
Label: Sire Records

1. “Hold My Life” [A-]
2.  “I’ll Buy” [A-]
3. “On The Bus” – [A-]
4. “Dose of Thunder” – [B+]
5. “Waitress in the Sky” – [B+]
6. “Swingin Party” – [A-]
7. “Bastards of Young” – [A+]
8. “Lay It Down Clown” – [B+]
9. “Left Of The Dial” – [A+]
10. “Little Mascara” – [A]
11. “Here Comes A Regular” – [A+]

Comments: The A side of this classic — the first in a string of major label releases by the band — is full of semi-heavy jams that weren’t totally out of place in the mainstream ’80s rock climate. It’s the lighter ones that I prefer though. I guess starting with “Swingin Party” is a helluva a bottom half. Insta-classics include “Bastards of Young,” “Left of the Dial,” and “Here Comes A Regular.” What makes these three so good? Well they are all really distinct. I might be a little prejudice because I’ve been listening to them independently for a couple of years now, but I’ve got to say they all bring a lot to the table. “Little Mascara” is quite close to that kind of level. It’s the acoustic guitar in “Here Comes A Regular” that really tickles my fancy. What a progression, I tell ya.

Grade: A-

Band Recommendation, Music

Band Recommendation: New Generation Dudes

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New Generation Dudes from Chicago, Illinois know how to entertain. Keep in mind, I know very little about whether they can actually entertain (I’m guessing they can), but they seem to have the basics down…musically at least. Their latest EP is a clusterfuck of dance music at the heart of everything. Whether its actually ghetto house music or some variation of that is something for KLYAM EDM expert Rich to decide, but to me it’s just enjoyable stuff that’s fast, heavy, and hooky as can be. As NGD put it: “IF YOU ARE NOT READY FOR THIS, YOUR HEAD WILL LITERALLY FUCKING EXPLODE. DO NOT FUCK AROUND.” Seriously, though, it’s true. What really impresses me is their control of tempo. I tend to appreciate electronic music a lot more when there are parts that are immediately attractive, but others that you have to wait for. NGD gets it right. Take a listen why don’t you?

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/newgenerationdudes