All posts by G. Gordon Gritty

Music, Random, rant

Ripping Deusner

5 Comments

Regarding Stephen Deusner’s review of Mark Sultan’s $:

Nice scarf, btw.

“He’s been fashioning harsh psych, rangey country, dreamy doo-wop, 50s juvie punk, and anarchic noise into strange, catchy, jubilant, occasionally jokey pop songs.“—> Good job of throwing in adjectives before every genre. Make no mistake about that. Your description really provides us an adequate look at Mark Sultan’s discography. Not.

“Sultan also resumed his role as BBQ Show for another album (and a coloring book!) with friend and longtime cohort King Khan.” –> You had me, Stephen. You really did. From your meaty words to start, I thought you may have actually listened to Sultan before. But “BBQ Show”? You can’t make a rookie mistake like that. Not at this stage in your professional career.

“Whatever banner he’s flying, however, the sound remains the same, and his latest effort– which isn’t titled so much as branded with a dollar sign– snaps and crackles with a familiar, flailing energy, as if any of these songs might fall apart at any moment.” –> The sound remains the same? This offering from Sultan is more musically diverse than most of what he’s put out in the past. You want the songs to fall apart. You are rooting against Sultan to start with. You want them to fall apart so you can listen to more Broken Social Scene.

“Ten of Hearts” may be one of his best doo-wop retreads, cutting through a lot of the revivalism to express something sincere and bittersweet, but there’s no reason for it to be five minutes long.” –> Why is there no reason for it to five minutes long? You make no attempt to explain why. And it’s not until the end of your review that you actually mention songs off of this record. Thanks for pointing out only what’s wrong with the album.

Uncategorized

CD Review: Crystal Castles [2010]

1 Comment

Band: Crystal Castles
Release: 4/2010
Label: Fiction (Universal)

1. “Fainting Spells” – C
2. “Celestica” – B-
3. “Doe Deer” – C
4. “Baptism” – B-
5. “Year of Silence” – B-
6. “Empathy” – B+
7. “Suffocation” – B
8. “Violent Dreams” – C+
9. “Vietnam” – B
10. “Birds” – B–
11. “Pap Smear” – C+
12. “Not in Love” – C
13. “Intimate” – B-
14. “I Am Made of Chalk” – D

Comments: Crystal Castles. I want some crazy catchy stuff from you. That’s a demand actually. I don’t want spotty dance/noise punk. You hear me? “Empathy” is the first song that accomplishes the kind of catchy that I was looking for, equipped with dreamy vocals and a strong rhythm. “Vietnam” has some streaks of greatness, but isn’t really a hit from start to finish. Unfortunately, most of the album is just average minutes of electronica. Maybe that’s your thing.

Grade: C+ (78)

CD Review, Entertainment, Music

CD Review: Brothers [2010]

10 Comments

Band: The Black Keys
Release: 5/2010
Label: Nonesuch (Warner)

1. “Everlasting Light” – B-
2. “Next Girl” – B-
3. “Tighten Up” – B+
4. “Howlin’ For You” – B+
5. “She’s Long Gone” – B-
6. “Black Mud” – B-
7. “The Only One” – B
8. “Too Afraid to Love You” – C
9. “Ten Cent Pistol” – B-
10. “Sinister Kid” – B-
11. “The Go Getter” – B-
12. “I’m Not the One” – C+
13. “Unknown Brother” – C
14. “Never Give You Up” – C+
15. “These Days” – B

Comments: “Everlasting Light” is a bit like a spoiled Spoon offering, included in the deal: a consistent drum beat and a steady guitar. It’s about as forgettable as it is good. “Next Girl” is a great title for Justin Bieber’s next release and he can damn well have it. It’s not like Black Keys do a real solid job with it anyway. “Tighten Up” offers more variation than the first two and with good measure. Hardly do I run into a band/album that is this generically good. It’s like getting handed a plate of food. You eat mostly everything on the plate and remark that you like it, but you don’t go out of your way to inquire about what it is that you just ate. Black Keys get some kind of job done. Maybe it’s an obligation to get something done (I doubt it), but I’d get a little bored writing material for this album. By “Too Afraid” I just have had enough! Enough of these games, Black Keys! I’m not asking you to be Black Lips, but fuck, guys. Is the blues-rock genre really this limiting? OR IS IT NONESUCH RECORDS STICKING A PITCHFORK UP YOUR ASS, FORCING YOU TO BE THIS BLAND? COLD WAR KIDS ARE BETTER THAN YOU. There, I said it. Even your damn guitar solos are clean and without flavor. Okay, this is probably a good album for a straight listen. You get your dose of Black Keys and then you go to sleep or listen to Kings of Leon. Okay, good. You never listen to Black Keys until their next album drops in 2012. Then you do the same thing. Okay, good.

Grade: B- (81)

CD Review, Entertainment, Music

Classic CD Review: Revolver

2 Comments

Band: The Beatles
Release: 1966
Label: Apple

1. “Taxman” – A+
2. “Eleanor Rigby” – A
3. “I’m Only Sleeping” – A+
4. “Love You To” – B-
5. “Here, There and Everywhere” – B
6. “Yellow Submarine” – B
7. “She Said She Said” – A-
8. “Good Day Sunshine” – B+
9. “And Your Bird Can Sing” – B-
10. “For No One” – B+
11. “Doctor Robert” – B-
12. “I Want to Tell You” – B-
13. “Got to Get You into My Life” – A-
14. “Tomorrow Never Knows” – B+

Comments: “Start!” oh wait not really. “Taxman” !!! I was very confused at first. Funny little story first. I was listening to a Jam live record before I listened to this and coincidentally the last song played was “Start!” so when this first played I thought what the fuck! It’s an amazing song. I’m not going to make excuses. “Eleanor Rigby” is a pretty sweet ditty with a nice little violin and melody. It’s not something I’m going to constantly listen to for the rest of my life, but it’s already a classic worthy of replay. I like the psychedelia involved in “I’m Only Sleeping,” which is why I gave it such a high mark. “Love You To” is weird and doesn’t excite me. Sorry, “Here” doesn’t do anything for me. It’s too slow. Not a bad song, but definitely not a favorite. “Yellow Submarine” has been noted in many musical circles as a fine song. A fine song, indeed. Just not “Juvenile” or “O Katrina.” “She Said” is rocking and catchy. “Doctor Robert” is funny, but boring. “Got to” is like King Khan and the Shrines! Good stuff! Overall, I like a lot of the tracks on here. I’m not going to say it’s a great record through and through, but it makes for some fun times.

Grade: B+ (87)