All posts by G. Gordon Gritty

7" Review, Entertainment, Music

7″ Review: Something In The Way

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Band: Best Coast
Release: 2/2010
Label: PPM (Dean Spunt’s Label!)

1. “Something In The Way” – A
2. “Wish He Was You” – A
3. “The Road” – A

Comment: Sure, the lo-fidelity can get to your ears and concentration, but that’s only if you let it. “Something” starts with a rad drum beat and a catchy Dum Dum meets Vivian Girls chorus. The comparison isn’t too unfounded because all three bands have similar production and sound aesthetics. My first and ending impression is that this is great! It’s not something I’m going to listen to continuously, but it will never disappoint or get boring. Surely, Best Coast is a band to keep an eye on.

Grade: A (94)

Entertainment, Music, rant

JONATHAN FIRE*EATER

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BEFORE THE WALKMEN EXISTED, THERE WAS A BAND CALLED JONATHAN FIRE*EATER THAT FORMED IN 1995. THEY WERE PRETTY DAMN SWEET UNTIL THEY SOLD OUT BY SIGNING TO DREAMWORKS. PUKE. THREE MEMBERS (WALTER MARTIN, HAM’S COUSIN, AND PAUL MAROON AND MATT BARRICK, THE DRUMMER) OF JFE JOINED FORCES WITH MEMBERS OF THE RECOYS TO FORM THE WALKMEN IN 2000. THE REST IS HISTORY, DAMNIT.

WATCH A YOUTUBE OF A JFE SONG HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vm6ryXXq5Sw

business, Entertainment, Music, Quotes

TOUR CONSTANTLY

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Jared Hondo Isaac Swilley says it all the time, but Beach House’s Alex Scally knows what’s up as well:

NYMAG
Since we started in 2006, the only way we’d have enough time to spend on music is to tour constantly. I kind of like it … it’s not like we’re Black Flag or anything, but it’s like a manta for us that the only way to survive is to tour constantly because that’s income and that spreads your name. I’m into what’s happening: There aren’t supermassive bands, the way it was in the sixties when the major labels rolled out twenty things and you chose the four that suited you. People that make music aren’t these weird gods that have a ton of money. I really like that we have all these sites where we can post pictures and have discussions and weird personal connections to all these people. Ultimately, we’re very lucky to have stumbled upon this thing, to get this music out there, to have it to mean something to people. People are always going to find way to support artists so that they’ll live.

business, Culture Jamming, economics

A QUESTION…

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I was sitting back pondering about culture and globalization and business. You know how some anti-globalization advocates argue that individual nation states should not go with the flow of current modernist, commercial, and economic trends? That these nation states have sovereignty over “global” trends? At what point should we stop respecting culture? In a sense Western business is culture-jamming others countries with our consumerist nonsense. How do we (or should we) balance international business and economic affairs while respecting culture or disrespecting culture? For example, should McDonald’s have gone into France even if the French don’t want our shit? Should we be open economically and culturally to our global brothers and sisters or should we cut ourselves off and just deal locally? There’s no denying that businesses are playing on a “global” field as the textbooks and pundits call it. Is that always a bad thing? Somebody (you know who you are) once told me that we should trade guitars for apples and live in a moneyless society. True story. Ask yourself these questions. It’s interesting.

CD Review, Entertainment, Music

CD Review: Be Brave [2010]

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Band: The Strange Boys
Release: 2/2010
Label: Rough Trade/In The Red

1. “I See” – A
2. “A Walk on the Beach” – A-
3. “Be Brave” – A+
4. “Friday in Paris” – A
5. “Between Us” – A-
6. “Da Da” – B+
7. “Night Might” – A
8. “Dare I Say” – A
9. “Laugh At Sex, Not Her” – A
10. “All You Can Hide Inside” – A-
11. “The Unsent Letter” – A-
12. “You Can’t Only Love When You Want To” – B+

Comments: Strange Boys: you either love them or hate them. You can’t fault them for their classic R&B and garage sound. Ryan Sambol, the lead vocalist, might wear you out with his scratchy middle school girl southern hollers, but for me it’s just tea in a kettle. Sambol’s vocals “suggest a young Bob Dylan had he spent more of his formative years in juvie halls than coffeehouses.” 2009’s The Strange Boys and Girls Club was a top 10 album for me because it “brought back the old times.” The first two dits are noice, but “Be Brave” is of unprecedented quality. I can’t remember everything, but I don’t remember organs and horns on Club. Those are on here. Country music never sounded better! I spent most of my formative years listening to 50 Cent and Nsync so if I sound unreasonably excited about albums like this, don’t get all uppity! Through and through, I don’t find myself dissatisfied. Familiar tricks are rehashed on this album, but that’s absolutely okay. I find Sambol’s discourse of intercourse on “Laugh At Sex” particularly amusing. “Sex is like laughter, you do it differently with different people, sometimes you feel sick after.” The piano on “The Unsent Letter” reeks of Daniel Johnston, whom the Boys have toured with. This record isn’t as prolific as the band’s debut, but it’s nice!

Grade: A- (92)

business, Entertainment, humor, Music, News

GRIZZLY BEAR CAR COMMERCIAL!

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QUESTIONS!!!

Did u ever play ‘punch buggy’ with ur sibling?
Will outsell Vampire Weekend in 2k11?
Is this the ‘best use of indie music in a mainstream commercial’ in the history of commercials?
Does commercial licensing make a band ‘more bank’ than ‘releasing full albums’?
R u enjoying the corporate indie arms race of the 2k10 decade?

RESPONSE!!!

Felt three emotions.

(1), annoyed b/c ternative music was ‘tainted’ by some corporation. GrizzBr’s rep is stained. Mnstrmrms would make it less authentic.

(2), mnstrmrs would finally discover some good music.

(3), no one would notice b/c car commercial music isn’t that ‘relevant’.