Teen Creeps!!!
All posts by G. Gordon Gritty
CD Review: Take A Vacation! [2010]
Band: The Young Veins
Release: 6/2010
Label: One Haven Music
1. “Cape Town” – A
2. “Change” – A-
3. “Dangerous Blues” – B+
4. “Defiance” – B+
5. “Everyone But You” – B
6. “Heart of Mine” – B+
7. “Lie to the Truth” – B
8. “Maybe I Will, Maybe I Won’t” – A-
9. “Take A Vacation!” – A
10. “The Other Girl” – A+
11. “Young Veins (Die Tonight)” – A
Comments: So you’d probably expect a spin-off full-length from former members of Panic! At The Disco to suck. Well, I personally can’t say that I know what Panic! sounds like, but I’m sure it’s something not too good. Probably something unlike this. Well, this group takes on a self-proclaimed ’60s sound — reminiscent of what was considered pop and “garage” back then. Fair enough. Sure, this album isn’t original at all. Sure, it gets progressively worse from tracks 1-5, but utterly amazing towards the end. Besides some of the negative points of discussion, though, this is really good. I’ve read people hating on this, but with what justification? If you are a lover of the kind of music that got this band inspired, why pass hatred to these innocent victims? Pretty much the entire album is catchy. Check out, though, if I request you must “Take A Vacation!” and “Cape Town.”
Grade: A- (90)
CD Review: Before Today [2010]
Band: Ariel Pink
Release: 6/2010
Label: 4AD
1. “Hot Body Rub” – C-
2. “Bright Blue Skies” – B
3. “L’Estat” – B-
4. “Fright Night (Never More)” – C+
5. “Round and Round” – B
6. “Beverly Kills” – C+
7. “Butt-House Blondies” – C+
8. “Little Wig” – B-
9. “Can’t Hear My Eyes” – C-
10. “Reminiscences” – C-
11. “Menopause Man” – C
12. “Revolution’s a Lie” – B
Comments: Lounge music meets oldies! How cool is that? Not really that cool, huh? I’d call Ariel a similar artist to the more high profile (and more polished) MGMT. The problem with Ariel’s Before Today is the same problem with MGMT’s Congraulations. There is hardly any fucking direction. There are speed ups and speed downs. Heaviness and laziness. Of course, all these elements are present all over the place. Consistency? Screw that! Psychedelic pop be damned! Pop?! “Round and Round,” my whole household mistook this for an ’80s pop tune. This record is so damn strange! Maybe it’s the lo-fi element that really makes this thing sound like a lost-and-now-found cassette. If Ariel wanted to create twelve novelty songs, he succeeded. He succeeded so much. I like to say this is one of those albums I didn’t want to hate at all, but after listening to it…shit it sucks. Sucks in a terribly average way.
Grade: C+ (77)
Arcade Fire 8/1 @ BoAP
Arcade Fire
August 1, 2010
Bank of America Pavilion [Boston, MA]
Poor Chris will be gone. I’ll be gone, too, most likely. I probably won’t be around since I’m projected to leave for NYC on this day for the Black Lips Temptress cruise gig. Maybe AF fanatic Matt will be in attendance?
CD Review: Champ [2010]
Band: Tokyo Police Club
Release: 6/2010
Label: Mom+Pop
1. “Favourite Food” – B+
2. “Favourite Colour” – A-
3. “Breakneck Speed” – B–
4. “Wait Up (Boots of Danger)” – B
5. “Bambi – C+
6. “End of a Spark” – B-
7. “Hands Reversed” – B
8. “Gone” – B
9. “Big Difference” – B–
10. “Not Sick” – B
11. “Frankenstein” – A-
Comments: Tokyo Police Club is back with this, their second full length album. The band’s debut Elephant Shell contained a few quirky personal favorites like the semi-punk “In A Cave,” the epically poppy “Juno,” the post-punk-to-the-brim “Citizens of Tomorrow” and “Shoulders & Arms,” and probably the band’s best (and most critically acclaimed) tune “Your English Is Good.” So after such a memorable sub-30 minute record, is a repeat in store? My first impression of this album is: vocalist Dave Monks is best handled in small chunks. He defines the band’s sound for the most part. Lucky for me, I think his voice is pretty tolerable, but over-thinking it…quite annoying. He never really got old on Elephant Shell, yet he is the same Dave Monks on here. He still has a way with words. He hasn’t lost that. Another thing I just thought of: if you’ve never liked this band, you never will. Nope, not on this album. That’s how divisive they are. There aren’t many great songs (if any) on here. It’s too bad. Most of it is average or just barely good.
Grade: B (84)
eBay Fail of the Day
QUOTE:
You are bidding on a brand new copy of the very rare ‘Ding Dong’ LP from two of the garage punkers of all time! – BBQ & BLOODSHOT BILL (King Khan)! 1st pressing!!
FAIL! Bloodshot Bill is not King Khan.
People With Knives
Sasha Grey wins. Though french fries + sub > cake
Almighty Defenders @ Primavera
Link To Listen: http://wfmu.org/flashplayer.php?version=2&show=35966&archive=61070&starttime=9:48:23
Set-List
1. “All My Loving”
2. “Ghost With The Most”
3. “Over the Horizon”
4. “Cone of Light”
5. “Jihad Blues”
6. “He Touched Me” [Cover]
7. “I’m Coming Home” [Cover]
8. “She Came Before Me”
9. “The Great Defender”
10. “Bow Down and Die”
CD Review: Future Breeds [2010]
Band: Hot Hot Heat
Release: 6/2010
Label: Warner/Dangerbird
1. “YVR” – B+
2. “21@12” – B
3. “Times A Thousand” – B-
4. “Implosionatic” – B
5. “Goddess on the Prairie” – A-
6. “Zero Results” – B+
7. “Future Breeds” – B
8. “JFK’s LSD” – C+
9. “Jedidah” – C
10. “Buziness Az Uzual” – B-
11. “What Is Rational?” – C+
12. “Nobody’s Accusing You (Of Having A Good Time)” – B-
Comments: Poor Hot Hot Heat. Their debut album Make Up the Breakdown [Sub Pop, 2002] was positively reviewed for the most part. It was a goodie, I’ll admit. Since they’ve effectively “sold out” by signing to Warner Music, they’ve been kind of slapped around by both mainstream and independent music critics. Guitarist and Wolf Parade member Dante Decaro jumped off the band’s ship in 2005. Hot Hot Heat opened for Snow Patrol and Editors — two UK bands that have barely garnered major audiences stateside — in 2007 and 2008, before hitting the drawing board for this album. If the band aimed to do anything notable on here, it was making up screwy song titles. Also, the band would probably win an award for “band that most sounds like Head Automatica.” The latter is actually nice in a strange way…HA hasn’t put out a record in four years. To start off with the good…the band knows how to craft catchy songs in the dance-punk genre. If you dig the singer’s voice, you’ll most likely be satisfied by the music. For some, though, this may pose a challenge. Three releases after going major, it’s not like the band is purposely “forced” to make something commercial. This thing isn’t forced at all. It seems like the group is just as creatively spirited as it was on its debut. “Goddess…” is full of hooks and straight up fun. It seems HHH took some cues from Spoon for that song and the next. Even though “JFK” is noisy and memorable and all…it’s overload. Chill out, dudes. The second half of the album takes on a more serious tone…for the worst.
Grade: B- (82)
WILD MAN!
There is a man who lives next door. He has a girl that I adore. I asked him for his daughter’s hand. He said no sir, mister, you’re a wild man. I’m a wild man! I’m a wild man! I’m a wild man! There is a man who lives next door. He has a girl that I adore. I asked him for his daughter’s hand. He said no sir, mister, you’re a wild man. I’m a wild man! I’m a wild man! I’m a wild man!
I tried to erase this shame from my name. But everybody said “listen, this is just the same.” Come on people, don’t you really understand? I’m a mean old not so filthy dirty rotten wild man. I’m a wild man! I’m a wild man! I’m a wild man! I tried to erase this shame from my name. But everybody said “listen, this is just the same.” Come on people, don’t you really understand? I’m a mean old not so filthy dirty rotten wild man. I’m a wild man! I’m a wild man! I’m a wild man!
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 