- The Walkmen – “New Years Eve” – Bows and Arrows
- The Walkmen – “In The New Year” – You and Me
- Black Lips – “Starting Over” – 200 Million Thousand
Thanks to the blog http://gigawave.wordpress.com/ for posting these.
Category Archives: Music
Mando Diao – The Band
Such an energetic performance!
Talking and Whiny Voices: Worst Album Ever Made
Artist: The Moldy Peaches
Title: The Moldy Peaches
Label: Rough Trade
Year: 2001
Length: 44 minutes
Just to clear things up, the title is an “attention grabber,” and in fact I loved the album, that was actually my mom’s opinion of the record lol. Anyway…
1) Lucky Number Nine- 9.4- Solid opener, in many ways sets the tone for the rest of the album: minimal, soft, child like vocals, off beat lyrics, garagey, low-fi production. Vocals. Guitar. Drums. Simple
2) Jorge Reugla- 9.0- Funny little ditty (Yeah, I think I’ll stick with this spelling over “diddy”). Vocals are mostly spoken and Adam Green sings one line, then Kimya Dawson repeats it and so on. Then they both sing doo dit doo dit doo… There’s even a tuba thrown in there… I think lol.
3) What Went Wrong- 9.3- This track is noisy and fuzzy and just downright wacky, but it works. It’s mostly screaming and shouting, “Take Me to Your Leader.”
4) Nothing Came Out- 9.7- Maybe the album’s best track, not sure yet. A Complete departure from the previous track and really the other two tracks as well. This reminds me of Kimya’s solo work, but with drums and better guitars. Her vocals are really top notch though. It’s a slow, ballady, love song about our heroine’s desire to be with her man and ride bikes and watch cartoons with him.
5) Downloading Porn with Davo- 9.6- Hilarious song, perhaps the most licentious tune in the Peaches’ catalog. Adam and Kimya and (I believe others?) rock on their guitars, drums and keyboards, creating a fast, funny track.
6) These Burgers- 9.1- Weird track, to say the least. Soft spoken singing about wild hipsters and the “happy pill.” I really dig the 70s kung fu sound, I don’t know what that is, but I like it.
7) Steak For Chicken- 9.5- Another ballady kinda song. Sorta.The dynamic duo share great vocals duties on this track. I especially adore the line, “Who mistook the steak for chicken, who am I going to stick my dick in.”
8) On Top- 9.3- A really unexpected catchy, rap number. Play that funky music white moldy peach boy!
9) Greyhound Bus- 9.0- A simple song about the joy of riding a greyhound bus. Not much else I really have to offer here.
10) Anyone Else But You- 9.7- Ahh yes, we’ve all heard the Juno induced, love ballad by now. Indeed, it is a classic and certainly has exposed the Peaches to the rest of the world and still has not lost its integrity. The pair’s vocals perfectly complement each other as they usually do. It’s an adorable song!
11) Little Bunny Foo Foo- 9.3- Short, but sweet. Highly catchy and inspiring with it’s unpolished production style. And of course, it gives me a chuckle… makes me want to toss on my bunny suit, cause when I wear it I feel cute! I just had to say it.
12) Ballad of Helenkeller & Rip Van Winkle- 9.2- Yet, another ballad. It’s very good and similar to the previous ballads. I know if Helenkeller was alive and had the ability to hear, then she would dig it and dance to it at her Commie get togethers.
13) Who’s Got the Crack- 9.6- Definitely, one of the Peaches’ strongest tracks. Just a great, off colour, bizarre, hooky number. I really dig how the song starts off slow then erupts into a mini rocker, then slows down a little again, then back to rocking, and back and forth with bunch of shouted vocals. Perhaps they found the person with crack.
14) Lucky Charms- 8.9- Not a bad track, but it doesn’t bring that much to the table for me. Still decent and I dig the little, incredibly modest drums in the background. Lyrically, it is pretty funny, like most of their songs, I must admit.
15) D.2 Boyfriend- 9.0- A strange number about boyfriends, Duran Duran, and middle school lol. Just Kimya here on vocals and they remind me of the lady’s voice on those Garment District commercials. Anybody else hear this, if you remember those ads, since I haven’t seen them in a while? lol. The percussion is just simple tapping. It works.
16) I Forgot- 8.8- See 14 basically. Though, I will add, I like how they don’t care about their vocals here and just fuck around. I also dig the weird noises at the end.
17) Lazy Confessions- 8.7- Lower “quality” production for some reason, but in a way it gives the track, its own feel, so I guess it’s a good thing. Overall, it doesn’t stand out though, but it’s a good song.
18) NYC’s Like a Graveyard- 9.4- Fun Fact: This album was released on 9/11/01, so coincidentally this title is kind of creepy. Anyway, I dig the garage rock guitars and overall sound. The vocals are of the punk variety, in a way. It’s a rocker and once again the lyrics make you smile; suckers, fuckers, and retards. I haven’t been to NYC, so I’ll take their word for it.
19) Goodbye Song- 9.0- A good closer, nothing too epic, but it does the job. Very soft and as usual great duet between Adam and Kimya. But, this time it’s unique because Adam is singing some lyrics and Kimya is simultaneously singing entirely different words. Goodbye!
Overall: A, Most music fans will write this group and this album off as amateurish, talentless noise of low quality,but to me quality means passion, integrity, and creating memorable songs; The Moldy Peaches satisfy all of these desires with the highest of “quality.”
Chris
Classic CD Reviews: KK + His Shrines
Title: Three Hairs And You’re Mine
Release: 2001
Label: Voodoo Rhythm
1. “Three Hairs and You’re Mine” – A
2. “Kukamonga Boogaloo” – A
3. “Don’t Walk Away Mad” – A
4. “Fool Like Me” – A+
5. “Saba Lou” – A
6. “King of the Jungle” – A+
7. “Live Fast Die Strong” – A+
8. “Que Lindo Sueno” – A
9. “Tell Me” – A
10. “Cracking Up” – A+
11. “The Mashed Potato Itch” – A+
12. “Shivers Down My Spine” – A
Comments: This is a sneak peek into what the Supreme Genius was up to when the Shrines was just an infantile big band. At least on record, these guys sound like a seasoned band, not a two year old independent outfit on a no-name label. The energy is off the chart, which is to be expected from Khan. At the time of this release he was just in his early twenties; pretty quickly after performing in a prolifically “frenetic” Canadian punk outfit called Spaceshits. On this record, Khan adds a mere teaspoon of garage punk to a clan of foreign soul/blues obsessed foreigners. This album consists of a number of tracks that later appeared on the Vice Records released greatest hits collection: most of “Side B” and “Fool Like Me,” a poised love song ditty. “Saba Lou” is interesting. That’s because Khan has a daughter named “Saba Lou,” but was she even in born at the time of recording? I wouldn’t necessarily call this release a thing of absolute beauty (it’s close), but it’s definitely typical Shrines. Rock ‘n soul. You’ll be smiling for days after listening to this. It does serve as a decent confidence booster and a slight euphoric enhancer.
Grade: A (95)
————————————————————-
Title: Mr. Supernatural
Release: 2004
Label: Hazelwood Records
1. “On The Street Where I Live” – B+
2. “Mr. Supernatural” – B+
3. “Destroyer” – A-
4. “On A Brass Bed (In Paradise) – B+
5. “Pickin’ Up The Trash” – A-
6. “Stone Soup” – B+
7. “Lovesick” – B+
8. “Train No 8” – B
9. “Chatter” – N/A
10. “I Don’t Have To Tell You” – A-
11. “Shattered” – B-
12. “Burnin’ Inside” – A+
Comments: Initially, this record is a bit of a forced effort it seems. It seems like the band’s crazy experimental factor has been reduced and the music has returned more to its roots. It’s still fun, don’t get me wrong. Even a “great hit” like “Destroyer” is a lackluster (compared to other magnificent songs) until the groovy as heck interlude “GOOD BAD UGLY…DESTROYER!” So in this respect, it’s noticeably weaker (but chiller, if that’s your thing) than probably every other KK + Shrines released. The innate catchiness just isn’t there. It’s more like a soul aficionados’ wet dream.
Final Grade: B+ (88)
CD Review: Odd Blood (2010)
Band: Yeasayer
Release: 2010
Label: Secretly Canadian
1. “The Children” – C-
2. “Ambling Alp” – A+
3. “Madder Red” – B+
4. “I Remember” – B
5. “ONE” – A-
6. “Love Me Girl” – C-
7. “Rome” – C
8. “Strange Reunions” – C+
9. “Mondegreen” – C+
10. “Grizelda” – B+
Comments: Sometimes robotic electronic noises can be annoying. That’s the case on the first song. It’s a stark contrast from the upbeat positively spun “Ambling Alp,” which is undeniably an instant classic, albeit a little cheesy. “Stick up for yourself, son” really Yeasayer, really? Whatever man. I really dig the pseudo neo-soul that begins “And those thunder clouds…” It reminds me of OutKast. I’m a bit unfazed with the next tune. There are some sweets licks and catchy sequences, but it starts out a bit slow. “I Remember” has a good beat. “ONE” is wanna-be Peter Bjorn and John Living Thing (meets Julian Casablancas) material, except a bit more psychedelic and outer worldly. I don’t hate it. What’s up with the Justin Timberlake-esque stuff on “Love Me Girl.” It’s got the title and chops to fit on a JT collection. It takes guts to name a song after a great song by Phoenix (Rome). Especially when your version is many times worse than the original.
Grade: B- (81)
Lost Sounds
One of Jay’s previous bands before the Jay Reatard solo machine came to fruition.
Chris
Classic CD Review: Hind Hind Legs
Band: Lovely Feathers
Label: Equator
Release: 2006
1. “Pope John Paul” – A+
2. “In the Valley” – A+
3. “I Really Like You” – A
4. “Frantic” – A+
5. “Wrong Choice” – A+
6. “Mildly Decorated” – A+
7. “Photocorners” – A+
8. “The Only Appalachian” – A
9. “Ooh You Shocked Me” – A
10. “E Man Sorrow” – A+
11. “Rod Stewart” – A++
12. “Breakfast Cake” – A+
13. “Lion Eats The Wildebeest” – A+
Comments: Talk about a fun album! Lovely Feathers are overflowing with energy and power-pop charisma. It’s sort of synth-pop meets straight up garage-pop. A fun combination! Although it looks like I am worshiping this album or what have you, I am not. It’s damn good, though. If I was doing a normal review for this, it’d probably end up as a best album of the year candidate, not to mention one of the best albums of the decade. There is nothing epic about this one. What you hear is what you get. Fast, quirky, pseudo-dance numbers. “Rod Stewart” sort of exemplifies the spirit of this album. Heavy and catchy. Unfortunately, haters might decline to take this album seriously. That’s unfortunate for them, because sometimes sappy is much needed in music. Most of the tracks on here are multi-layered. So inevitably some parts are catchier and better than others. But I tell you that the catchy parts are really really really catchy.
Final Grade: 96 (A)
Classic CD Review: The Libertines
Band: The Libertines
Release: 2004
Label: Rough Trade
1. “Can’t Stand Me Now” – A+
2. “Last Post on the Bugle” – B+
3. “Don’t Be Shy” – B
4. “The Man Who Would Be King” – A-
5. “Music When The Lights Go Out” – A-
6. “Narcissist” – A
7. “The Ha Ha Wall” – B
8. “Albeit Macht Frei” – B+
9. “Campaign of Hate” – B-
10. “What Katie Did Next” – A
11. “Tomblands” – A
12. “The Saga” – B
13. “Read to Ruin” – A
14. “What Became of the Likely Lads” – A+
Comments: Our band could be your life. For a short period of time, this band was my life. Well, not quite, but I regarded them as my favorite of all time. “Can’t Stand Me Now” was quite the anthem for me, with just enough post-punk and garage pizazz. Sidenote: I’d love to see this band live and it just might be possible. At least a few credible sources have it that the ‘Tines will fully re-unite for the first time in six years in 2010. This record isn’t the band’s best because, principally, it lacks flow and direction. There are some real gems to be found, but a good chunk of these tunes aren’t really memorable. For Pete’s sake (pun intended), Grace/Wastelands kicks this album’s ass. Speaking of album closers and such, “What Became” is among my favorites. It’s arguably the best song on here.
Final Grade: A- (90)
Classic CD Review: Funeral
Band: Arcade Fire
Release: 2004
Label: Merge
1. “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)” – A+
2. “Neighborhood #2 (Laika) – A+
3. “Une Annee Sans Lumiere” – A-
4. “Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)” – A-
5. “Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles)” – A
6. “Crown of Love” – A+
7. “Wake Up” – A+
8. “Haiti” – A++
9. “Rebellion (Lies)” – A++
10. “In the Backseat” – A
Comments: As the good man Matt alluded to a few posts back , this is truly a beautiful record. It does have tear-jerking attributes as well as uplifting pump-your-fists kind of moments. There isn’t much to critique, though I’d opine that some tracks definitely have more of an epic factor than others. Take “Crown of Love,” for instance. I don’t know whether to feel happy or sad. It’s like one of those feelings you get when you feel like you are going to pull through, yet you still feel a shitload of remorse. I guess that’s the best quality of this album: you can connect with it in a plethora of ways. I’m not good at interpreting songs from a lyrical point of view (at least the first time around), so I can’t comment too much on what’s actually going on during these ditties. It’s something amazing, though. Don’t know about your thoughts, but the transition from “Crown” to “Wake Up” is fucking incredible. You know the little old school jitter-and-jive on “Wake Up” gets me every time. It’s so random, yet so fitting. I’m going to wager “Haiti” to be my favorite song on here. It’s just about perfect. Not quite there, but just about. Ask your average AF fan, and they’ll probably say “Rebellion” is their flava-fave and it’s damn great, don’t get me wrong. In fact, it’s probably the most epic song of all time. Or something like that.
Final Grade: A (96)
Why Top 5?
1) Black Lips- Los Valientes Del Mundo Nuevo (2007, Vice)-
“This is going to be the best live record of all time!” I couldn’t agree more with you Jared. The album begins with the perennial shouting “ohhhh,” then we are held in suspicion as some Mexican dude is rapidly shouting something in Spanish, which culminates to him shrieking “THE BLACK LIPS!” Then we get strapped in for the roller coaster that is “MIA.” Next we float around like Boomerangs until we slide down the “Sea of Blasphemy.” More classics follow, including “Stranger,” “Not A Problem,” “Hippie, Hippie Hoorah,” and others. Particularly, for me the tracks “Fairy Stories” and “Dirty Hands” always get me going. FS is a great dancing number and is the closest the Lips get to a Beatles song. I love how lyrically this song is sooo menacing: “My daddy has a gun, it’s not a toy, but it’s loads of fun!” and yet musically, it’s completely joyous. DH is one of the best sing a longs ever, perfect for campfires. Lastly, the group finishes with their signature song (if they have one) “Juvenile.” Every track is a classic and this is the closest you get to the live experience on a Black Lips album. As with their shows, on this record there is never a dull moment.
2) Jay Reatard- Matador Singles ’08 (2008, Matador)-
This was the first Jay Reatard album I ever heard; prior to hearing this record, I knew very little of Jay’s music. I had seen some youtube videos, but that wasn’t enough. Even seeing him live, didn’t shake me. So, I tossed on this compilation and I was blown away at how catchy these songs were. I know most people will disagree with me, but this is seriously one of the greatest pop records of all times. These motherfuckers stick to your brain! The repetitious vocals, the simple guitars, memorable lyrics. it’s all here. Favorites include “See/ Saw,” “Screaming Hand,” “An Ugly Death,” “Always Wanting More,” “Trapped Here,” “I’m Watching You,” amongst others. Two tracks in particular should be noted: “No Time” and “You Were Sleeping.” These softies are incredible. Sure, they are probably the wimpiest diddies Reatard has ever had the courage to release to his garage punk aficionado fans, but that’s what makes this LP a classic.
3) The King Khan & BBQ Show- What’s For Dinner? (2006, In the Red)-
Baayyyy Beee Why Don’t You Lie like Rolling Stone magazine when they didn’t include this masterpiece amongst their bests of the decade lol. Seriously though, if you are looking for fun filled old school rock n roll, doo wop, garage punk numbers, this is your album. Unlike their garage rock revival counterparts, the Black Lips and Jay Reatard, the KKBBQS, both lyrically and musically is all about the good old times when kids were kids and danced their ass off with the Zombies at the hop. This LP includes numerous classics: you have the great doo woppy sensitive pop numbers in “I’ll Never Belong,” “Into the Snow,” and “Why Don’t You Lie?” Then you have your fast rockers with “Treat Me Like a Dog,” “Zombies,” and “Dock It#8.” And then there’s the in-betweens. Specifically, “Too Much In Love” is my favorite tune and is soo damn catchy. I could complain more about the severe lack of recognition this LP and this band in general does not receive, but then again , I DON’T GIVE A FUCK!
4) Jay Reatard- Blood Visions (2006, In the Red)-
So, you name your debut Blood Visions and the cover is you naked covered in (real) blood; does it get more badass than that? I hope not! You don’t even need to listen to this album to know what it is about. Just look at the cover. It’s a portrait of a man, who is giving you his internal emotions in his music, he’s not hiding anything from we, creeps. In this sense, there’s plenty of vulnerability in his music, but it never gets the best of him. To this day, his set lists comprise mostly (or at least a good chunk) of BV songs and it’s not hard to see why with such essential, vintage Reatard: “Blood Visions,” “It’s So Easy,” “My Shadow,” “Nightmares,” “Fading All Away,” “Waiting For Something,” and others. It’s a pop classic, it’s a punk classic, but it’s not pop punk lol. Great, unpolished, garagey production. Just the way I like it.
5) Jay Reatard- Singles ’06-’07 (2008, In the Red)-
Ok, I’ve sucked enough Reatard and Garage Rock dick like Rolling Stone gives Radio head. So, I’m going to make this short and sweet. More classic, essential singles and new acoustic, low fi versions of old favorites, as well as some of Jay’s best love/pop songs: “I Know A Place,” “Don’t Let Him Come Back,” “It’s So Useless,” “Let It All Go.”
Chris
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 