A few months ago after watching some of his YouTube clips I thought to myself, “Damn, I bet Daniel Johnston never tours around here anymore.” Well, I guess I’m wrong. The outsider legend himself is coming to the Paradise Rock Club on October 15.
Category Archives: Music
Thoughts on Kings of Leon
They haven’t moved to “arena rock.” They are that popular to fill up an arena like the Garden in Boston. A lot of their “fans” probably have only heard “Sex on Fire” and “Use Somebody,” two songs that have been played constantly on KISS 108. Allegations that the brother/cousin quartet are sell-outs don’t make a lot of sense. They’ve been signed to RCA since the release of their debut album in 2003. Their sound strikes a chord with the average “pop” music listener because they play an incredibly mainstream sounding garage rock. Like their major label counterpart The Strokes, they can be easily be confused as “indie” because their rhythm is comfortably between soft rock and punk.
No Age “Losing Feeling” Stream
No Age, via Facebook, just announced….
“You can listen to our new EP, Losing Feeling for free and pre-order the 12” here: http://www.subpop.com/channel/blog/you_can_now_hear_the_no_age_losing_feeling_ep_for_free_you_can_also_buy_it_for_8“
Edit: It works!
1. “Losing Feeling” – Polished Weirdo Rippers era sounding; electronics heavy; extremely catchy.
2. “Genie” – Shitgazey; vocals heavy; noise pop
3. “Aim at the Airport” – Animal Collective-y opening; top quality instrumental
4. “You’re A Target” – A winner…very Nouns-y…one of the group’s best tracks of all time
Grade: 9.8
CD Review: Julian Plenti is…Skyscraper
Band: Julian Plenti
Label: Matador
Release: 2009
1. “Only If You Run” – 9.8
2. “Fun That We Have” – 9.5
3. “Skyscraper” – 9.5
4. “Games For Days” – 9.8
5. “Madrid Song” – 9.1
6. “No Chance Survival” – 9.3
7. “Unwind” – 9.5
8. “Girl on the Sporting News” – 9.3
9. “On the Esplanade” – 9.6
10. “Fly As You Might” – 9.7
11. “H” – 9.0
Comments: Paul Banks is down to serious business with this, which is seriously amazing. The critics hit the mark when they categorize this as part folk, part pounding art rock. A lot of it is better than Interpol — and that’s saying a lot.
Grade: 9.5
CD Review: The Satanic Satanists
Band: Portugal. The Man
Release: 2009
1. “People Say” – 8.3
2. “Work All Day” – 8.9
3. “Lovers In Love” – 8.6
4. “The Sun” – 8.8
5. “The Home” – 9.3
6. “The Woods” – 8.8
7. “Guns and Dogs” – 9.1
8. “Do You” – 9.3
9. “Everyone Is Golden” – 9.4
10. “Let You Down” – 8.6
11. “Mornings” – 9.6
Comments: What’s going on in this album is essentially marginalized pop music. It’s the kind of music that could easily become “big,” but as a whole is a bit too obscure for that level. I sense a variety of reggae and R&B influence. For its genre(s), it’s no doubt top-tier. The latter half of the album consists of some of the best pop-rock this year has seen.
Final Grade: 9.0 out of 10
Descendents Girl Vs. “Black Lips Girl”
http://www.imposemagazine.com/welcome-black-lips-girl/22590/
So yeah no doubt “Black Lips Girl” looks like she can really go nuts during a show, but as one commenter pointed out…look at Descendents girl. “Black Lips Girl” is stealing Descendents girl’s spotlight. I vote Descendents girl.
Speaking of the world’s greatest band…check out this “Drop I Hold” remix:
CD Review: Eskimo Snow
Band: Why?
Label: Anticon.
Release: 2009
1. “These Hands” – 8.1
2. “January Twenty Something” – 8.7
3. “Against Me” – 9.2
4. “Even the Good Wood Gone” – 8.3
5. “Into the Shadows of My Embrace” – 8.5
6. “One Rose” – 8.3
7. “On Rose Walk, Insomniac” – 7.5
8. “Berkeley by Hearseback” – 7.7
9. “This Blackest Purse” – 8.8
10. “Eskimo Snow” – 8.1
Final Grade: 8.3
King Khan & BBQ’s Invisible Girl
The King Khan & BBQ Show, wacky motherfuckers that they are, don’t announce new albums via press release, the way sane people do. Instead, the dynamic garage rock duo jump on their MySpace page and post an alternately informative and annoying “KKBBQ Infomercial” featuring tons of song clips and goofy voices. (Whoever does the Snaggletooth impression should really consider never doing a Snaggletooth impression again.)
So here’s the pertinent information: The new album will be called Invisible Girl. It’s out on November 3. The infomercial promises “12 songs loaded with kicks”, and someone describes it as “a love story of hate.”
And just apparently the Almighty Defenders/King Khan & BBQ Show tour will kick off in late October.
Songs of the Week!
Black Lips- Not A Problem (2005)
Jay Reatard- D.O.A. (2008) though I think “No Time” is a better tune, I couldn’t find a video for it lol. Probably because it’s so soft.
Deerhunter- Disappearing Ink (2009) This version is softer than the studio version, but it’s still great!
Enjoy!
Chris
King Khan and BBQ Show!
We Have Signal: The King Khan & BBQ Show from We Have Signal on Vimeo.
Props to Nu Rave Brain Wave for posting this!
Do not stop there though, there is a new Deerhunter one up too:
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 