Yeah, the dude from Vampire Weekend going all punk rock and shit alongside Fucked Up:
All posts by G. Gordon Gritty
CD Review: There Is No Enemy
Band:Built To Spill
Label: Warner Bros.
Release: October 6, 2009
1. “Aisle 13” –9.3
2. “Hindsight” – 9.1
3. “Nowhere Lullaby” – 8.3
4. “Good Ol’ Boredom” – 8.6
5. “Life’s A Dream” – 9.1
6. “Oh Yeah” – 9.2
7. “Pat” – 9.4
8. “Done” – 8.9
9. “Planting Seeds” – 9.5
10. “Things Fall Apart”– 9.6
11. “Tomorrow” – 9.7
Comments: I don’t think BTS will ever fail at putting out an interesting “indie rock” song. That’s sad because for a band that’s been signed to a major label for the past 15 years, critics seem to find “indie rock” the only suitable label. The label “indie rock” doesn’t tell us much, but for BTS it sort of does. BTS does not play the kind of rock music that you would “expect” a major label band to put out, though this area is becoming increasingly grayer with bands like The Strokes and Yeah Yeah Yeahs (just to name a few) keeping a major distance from big acts like The Fray and Lady Gaga. BTS is thoroughly underground sounding, with Doug Martsch’s strange voice and the band’s broad country-rock instrumentation. Lengthy guitar solos reign throughout this album and typically have since the band formed nearly eighteen years ago. That leads one to question whether there are any other elements to BTS or this album in particular that stand out. By most standards, the songs on this album aren’t that catchy…with few exceptions like the hard-rock influenced “Pat,” a song almost too fast for this record. When it comes down it, I’m impressed by this album. I’m not going to be constantly listening to it, but there are enough tracks worthy of second looks. Like “Things Fall Apart” that has horns! Good addition. “Tomorrow” will probably go down in the same category as BTS earlier classics like “Strange,” “The Plan,” “I Would Hurt A Fly,” and “Car.”
Grade: 9.2
Built To Spill is playing three nights at the Middle East Downstairs starting October 9. My recommendation? October 11 when Pretty and Nice will be opening alongside Disco Doom.
Funny Vid on No Age Blog
Check it out!
Saturn Will “Wind Down”
Forbes
General Motors said Wednesday it would wind down its Saturn brand after Penske Automotive Group abruptly called off negotiations to buy the unit.Penske pulled the plug because it couldn’t secure future products for Saturn showrooms beyond 2011, when GM is scheduled to stop producing Saturns.
Although it had negotiated a supply agreement with another manufacturer, the deal was rejected by that manufacturer’s board of directors, Penske said in a statement. “Without that agreement, the company has determined that the risks and uncertainties related to the availability of future products prohibit the company from moving forward with this transaction.”
Makes sense I mean Mike T. is the only person to ever own a Saturn.
September Was Awesome!
September sure was a great month to be a rock and roll fan living in the Boston area. On September 5, fellow KLYAM correspondents Ben, Chris, John and I journeyed to the Middle East Downstairs to catch The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. A couple of weeks of rest followed before two nights of Walkmen gigs at M.E Downstairs. Night One (September 18) was superb, but Night Two (September 19), which Ben and Chris attended, will go down in the books as amongst the best shows I’ve seen. A few nights later on September 23, the Rifles were in Allston at Great Scott. Their 1+ hour set, which John was present for, was memorable. And just a few nights after that on September 27, John and I went back to Great Scott to see California noise aficionados Wavves for a moshing experience. That was 4 concerts in 9 days for me and I can’t say I regret doing it.
October’s looking pretty good with Jay Reatard on the 2nd, the Lovely Feathers on the 8th, King Khan and BBQ Show on the 29th, and many other shows that may or may not be attended by yours truly. But will it top September?
Jay Reatard Don’t Give A Shit
Jay Reatard’s Tour Stories:
Some jerk wanted to fight us for playing a “30 minute set” Which he claims is a rip off… I got news for him our set was 15 minutes.. Hey thats still 12 songs..I still owe him a punch to the head..
Hahahaha oh Jay.
If you go to http://www.jayreatard.com you can hear some sample songs from the bands that are on Jay’s Shattered Records Tour with him.
Box Elders: Vintage garage-pop!
Hunx and His Punx: Also very vintage sounding; sounds like a hi-fi Reatard!
Boneyard: Noise-punk of the Mika Miko variety!
Useless Eaters: Lo-fi in the extreme; good bass lines!
So the verdict is that I really like what I’m hearing from all these bands that will be performing before Jay. Seems like this’ll be my first pure garage/punk rock show.
CD Review: Logos
Band: Atlas Sound
Label: 4AD
Release: October 20, 2009
1. “The Light That Failed” – 9.6
2. “An Orchid” – 9.4
3. “Walkabout” – 9.9
4. “Criminals” – 9.6
5. “Attic Lights” – 8.7
6. “Shelia” – 9.1
7. “Quick Canal” – 9.0
8. “My Halo” – 8.7
9. “Kid Klimax” – 9.2
10. “Washington School” – 8.8
11. “Logo” – 9.0
Grade: 9.2
I Failed The Black Lips Comp
Yeah that’s me trying to be Jared Swilley in the bottom picture:
http://www.artrocker.tv/news/article/black-lips-lookalike-comp-the-results/
Song of the Day
The Rifles – “She’s Got Standards” – Live @ Great Scott
CD Review: In This Light and On This Evening
Band: Editors
Label: Kitchenware Records
Release: October 12, 2009
1. “In This Light and On This Evening” – 9.4
2. “Bricks and Mortar” – 9.5
3. “Papillon” – 10
4. “You Don’t Know Love” – 9.6
5. “The Big Exit” – 9.5
6. “The Boxer” – 9.8
7. “Like Treasure” – 9.7
8. “Eat Raw Meat = Blood Drool” – 9.8
9. “Walk The Fleet Road” – 9.6
Comments: I’ve been anticipating this album in what seems like forever. Editors aren’t my 8th favorite band for shits and giggles! Their brand of post-punk/dark-wave has always struck a chord with me. Things get 20X darker on this album, though. Goodbye sweet melodies and accessible pop guitar riffs, and hello destructive drum patterns and rave-esque forces. Goodbye to the electric guitar (synthesizer/drum only). Immediately, I realize a lyrical theme: Tom seems to question the role of God. In the opening track and then on “Papillon,” Tom says “Darlin…if there really was a God here he would have raised a hand by now.” Is he talking about God being here on earth or God’s presence in general? I guess that’s up to us to decide. The first five tracks are purely robotic, almost dance numbers. “The Boxer” sounds more compatible with Editor’s past work, but fittingly there is a new raw layer of synths. Editors do the same thing that Animal Collective did with Merriweather Post Pavillion and that’s revolutionize a genre. Animal Collective changed the way we look at psychedelic pop. Editors have changed the way we should look at atmospheric modern day post-punk. Only top albums have this quality and that’s what this is…a top album. HOLD ON A SECOND GLEN. I must have been feeling good when I wrote this. It’s awesome, but not that awesome damnit.
Grade: 9.7
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 