Turner on “My Propeller” :
“That’s describing a mood, I assure you, not an organ.”
All posts by G. Gordon Gritty
CD Review: Congratulations [2010]
Band: MGMT
Release: 4/2010
Label: Columbia
1. “It’s Working” – B-
2. “Song For Dan Treacy” – B
3. “Someone’s Missing” – C-
4. “Flash Delirium” – C+
5. “I Found A Whistle” – B
6. “Siberian Breaks” – C
7. “Brian Eno” – A
8. “Lady Dada’s Nightmare” – C-
9. “Congratulation” – B+
Comments: MGMT rhymes with Polyphonic Spree. It’s true. “It’s Working” makes me mistake the two psychedelic pop bands. MGMT made this record filled to the brim with pretty basic weird music. It’s pretty listenable, but repetitive and unnecessarily exploratory. Unlike some people, I don’t necessarily hate “Flash Delirium.” It’s a bit too much to really handle, but at the same it’s relatively average. “I Found A Whistle” is one of those tracks where I imagine a bunch of people holding whistles and each other’s hands in a large auditorium. The band successfully rips off the likes of the late Jay Reatard with “Brian Eno” for nearly two minutes before a small jazz break and psychedelic mash-up sets in. So for a dude like me “Brian Eno” represents the very best of this album and is right up there with all those Oracular songs that people hold near and dear. “Congratulation” is a neat softie rock song. It won’t get you dancing or really doing anything, but it’s chill. I’d be pretty shocked if anyone really falls in love with this album.
Grade: B- (80)
Black Lips Tour Set List
1. Sea of Blasphemy
2. Drugs
3. Short Fuse
4. O Katrina
5. Dirty Hands
6. Make It
7. Cold Hands
8. Hippie, Hippie, Hoorah
9. Not a Problem
10. Lock and Key
11. Take Me Home (Boone)
12. Fairy Stories
13. Boomerang
14. I’ve Got a Knife
15. Buried Alive
16. Bad Kids
17. Juvenile
GM Nobunny Drawing
CD Review: Pigeons [2010]
Band: Here We Go Magic
Release: 6/2010
Label: Secretly Canadian
1. “Hibernation” – B
2. “Collector” – A-
3. “Casual” – B-
4. “Surprise” – A-
5. “Bottom Feeder” – B+
6. “Moon” – C+
7. “Old World United” – B+
8. “F.F.A.P”- C+
9. “Land of Feeling” – B+
10. “Vegetable Or Native” – B-
11. “Herbie I Love You, Now I Know” – C-
Comments: This is one of those mistakes where some intern at Secretly Canadian got a hold of this LP three months before its official release and decided that it was somehow in his best interest to upload online. The thing about my dad, Luke Temple, is that he knows deeply what he wants to accomplish, but his music is too much for the average miscreant to understand. Well, pops got himself a band this time around and a few overt pop hooks. Been to a Here We Go Magic show sometime in the past eight months? You definitely heard “Collector.” By the by, the band went down hill the second they dismissed Greg as the drummer. Yes, he only played one gig with them in Boston, but still you can’t do that. Dad didn’t hear the end of that one. You might ask well “why aren’t you giving your father high marks on every song?” Because that’d be bullshit and plus he left me for New York City. This LP is less weird than when pa did hard drugs. Think of the self-titled as a heroin trip and this as your average acid trip. At any rate, I bet you’ll find yourself liking some songs on here at least. It can get kind of freaky at times like in “Moon,” but that’s expected with a hermetical title like that. I’d say in general the band is like a messed up Grizzly Bear. “Vegetable Or Native” is my principal reference. It’s just one of those songs that you never thought adults could come up with.
Grade: B- (83)
A GM PROMO PIC
Once in a good year or so I pick up a pencil, put down a sheet of paper, and do some good old fashion drawing. Now, I suck at the art of drawing, don’t get me wrong, but for every insider at art, there must be an outsider.
CD Review: Hippies [2010]
Band: Harlem
Release: 4/2010
Label: Matador
1. “Someday Soon” – A+
2. “Friendly Ghost” – A+
3. “Spray Paint” – A
4. “Number One” – A+
5. “Be Your Baby” – A
6. “Gay Human Bones” – A+
7. “Torture Me” – A
8. “Cloud Pleaser” – A
9. “Faces” – A
10. “Tila And I” – A
11. “Three Legged Dog” – A-
12. “Prairie My Heart” – A-
13. “Scare You” – A
14. “Stripper Sunset” – A-
15. “Pissed” – A-
16. “Poolside” – A
Grade: I don’t know if I’m in an extra special good mood because of the fine weather I see from staring out the window or what. This record is really really awesome. Like “Friendly Ghost” is one of those great garage tracks that gets you happy as fuck. Then you got stuff like “Be Your Baby” which is the surf-punk answer to the classic 1960s track “Be My Baby” by The Ronnettes. This is definitely one of the top-bottom best crafted albums I’ve heard not only in 2010 so far, but this decade. The flow is freaking incredible until “Prairie My Heart.” Comparisons you ask? Nobunny covered in (King Khan and) BBQ sauce somewhere in Texas. If Chris DeC looking for an early favorite recording of 2010 this will be it. I know the kid. He got all warm and fuzzy with Album and this is a similar trick pony (same record label and all) except much better! You’d think these guys have been cranking LPs for years.
Grade: A (94)
Bid 4 Good
Feel extra special that the money you bid will be going to support Haiti and not some scammy profiteer in Pittsburgh.
Bid on a variety of items (t-shirts, a guitar, a wallet, etc) from independent and non-independent musicians:
Bidding For Good has you covered.
Here: http://www.biddingforgood.com/auction/AuctionHome.action?auctionId=104647581
I’m sure this shirt will be won at a price tag of over $100! It’s not like I don’t want to help Haiti, because I really do. I might do a last minute bid if circumstances allow it.
Analysis of “MIA” Vid
I love concert-goer descriptions. It’s just a fun topic. Pretty much everyone reacts differently to live music.
Instructions:
1. Watch this video of Black Lips “MIA” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-_kNZOjMto
Observe:
A. Bradford Cox – White Sweatshirt W/ Hood – Cox is all head…no pun intended. He has his arms folded and seems a bit chilly. But vigorous head motions? That’s what he does..
B. Man With Hat – He’s sort of bobbing up and down, but he’s too worried about spilling his beer. He’s loving life.
C. Black Shirt, White Tie – Looks like he just got out of a tough meeting with a client. Interesting attire for a punk gig. He’s awfully afraid of getting hit by a firecracker. He progressively has more fun. At first he’s just kind of there but then he really starts getting into it…until the firecrackers.
D. Coffee Lady – She clearly stumbled upon the show after getting her mochafuckachino from Starbucks. Like the Man With Hat, she doesn’t want to spill that $3.00 concoction. God forbid.
E. Grey Long Sleeve Druggie – This guy takes the cake for being a pretty die-hard fan, but it’s all about the weed for this guy. Take a hit, dance around. Take a hit, dance around. He knows his routine. Stomp it out. Pull out expensive digital camera from pocket? What the fuck! Where’d that come from? Gets really fucking scared when the firecrackers set in. He curls up behind Black Shirt.
F. Frat Boy W/ Scarf – This guy is only shown for like 10 seconds total, but he’s worth nothing. He has on a pink scarf and is drinking from a solo cup. Frat party sucked so he took a road soader. He was also a late arrival.
PBJ On The Dork
This really isn’t that exciting of a production, but it’s something:
http://pitchfork.com/tv/#/episode/1821-peter-bjorn-and-john/1
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 