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Essays, Film, pictures, Politics

Immigration Essay

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The following is an essay I wrote in reaction to the documentary Farmingville for my Politics class this past semester. I like it, so I thought I’d share it with y’all.

In the town of Farmingville, many values were competed between the townspeople and the undocumented workers, of these values the most significant was America itself. Not in the physical sense; sure you could argue the residents were fighting for the land they were indoctrinated to believe was being invaded, but more importantly they were fighting for their abstract perception of America. Oddly enough, the undocumented workers were fighting for this same value, or at least a similar one- a place to find work and a make a living to support their family, in other words have a life. For much of the (white) people in Farmingville, these new workers were far too threatening by their presence alone, they were foreign to their white world and seemingly caused a disruption to their perfect American Dream. In reality, that American Dream was already fading and the Mexican workers were merely targets of fear, ignorance, and even hatred. Most of Farmingville’s denizens are not bad people, but they do foster some, even if minor, racist tendencies that alas seem to be augmented when they feel threatened by their new “neighbors.” They feel abandoned by the system: losing jobs, unable to afford that American Dream, and rightfully pissed off. When finally they win the vote to not have the hiring center there is a feeling of triumph that they never have never experienced; they sing “God Bless America,” an apropos number for this context. Clearly, their choice of… music… was purposeful. They love their country and their rendition of the patriotic song displays this. When most of us win some sort of competition we sing Queen’s “We Are the Champions,” though this would be oddly amusing if the women sang this, it would not have the same effect. Point being, the song had to be American to reflect the underlying motif of Americanism in the film. The workers, by and large, see Farmingville as an opportunity for jobs, a land of opportunity, if you will. Sound familiar? It’s about as American as it gets; essentially both groups of people share the same values, yet the tension (racial, social, political) between them has caused this competition.
It is incredibly difficult for both sides to come to any agreement, let alone, get along because they are foreign to each other. Both parties are foreign to one another, for the most part, and this causes tension. In general, there is always some sort of tension between whites and Mexicans within a large community (not necessarily between individuals) and now there is this racial problem consuming (figuratively and literally) the small community of Farmingville. All of their prejudices are going to explode making it extremely troublesome to meet halfway or even try to meet each other at all. It should be noted that overwhelmingly much of this lack of interest in coming to an agreement comes from the residents of Farmingville and not the Mexican laborers. They see it as their community, why should they give it up, why should they compromise. They already feel threatened and powerless, making any compromise can only weaken them, it seems. Naturally, that is not really the case, but you can’t blame them for feeling that way. It appears that the undocumented workers understand this and are perhaps far more willing to cross the aisle, but the opportunity never seems to arise. They do, however, make admirable attempts to become a part of the community through organization: the Soccer game(s), cleaning up the fields, and so forth. Also, it is understandable for these workers to be disinterested in getting along or coming to an agreement with a bunch of people that do not want them there and possibly hate them for the same reasons their (the white folks) ancestors came here in the first place. Farmingville hasn’t exactly given them a gigantic welcome sign, to say the least.
Discussing who is right and who is wrong within this case is far too simple. Like just about everything else in life, depending on who you are the response will change. Firstly, we have to ask ourselves what is right and what is wrong? and then whether or not one group or another fits under either category. This is an exceptionally subjective issue to label official rights and wrongs on either side. But, for me, the people of Farmingville are “understandably wrong.” I sympathize with them, but their rational is the weaker of the two. They are not being “invaded,” as the reactionary right wing media has fed them, their loss of jobs for the most part cannot being attributed to the new workers, and overall they demonize these Mexican people, reducing them to “aliens.” Many of them complain that when their daughter rides her bike to 711 she has to ride by the MEXICAN WORKERS as if they are some group of Gargoyles preying on their next victim. I am sure these parents have the best of intentions (the safety and well being of their children) but it does not justify such prejudice comments. One could argue that the workers are wrong for coming over here illegally. Well, there was never a statistic to show how many were legal or illegal, but for all intents and purpose let’s say most of them were illegal. I suppose this is wrong because they violated the law, but I do not place the law above all morals. It would be better if the workers migrated legally, but the process may be too strict and harsh that they have to come over illegally to make it over at all. If I was in their shoes I would probably do the same thing to make a living for my family. Either way, let’s say all of them were legal immigrants and we can prove it. I bet you there would be just as much of a fiasco or at least just as much anger. To put it bluntly the people of Farmingville do not want this massive influx of immigrants in their tiny community. The illicit nature of their migration merely serves as a point of justification for the citizens’ frustration. In the end, we can only hope that overtime when people see that the world isn’t over, their town is still intact, and Betty Sue is free to ride unscathed, that maybe both groups can come to some sort of consensus about this ongoing issue in America.

Art, Film, Film Review, Films, humor, pictures, Quotes, reviews, Video

Film Review: Trash Humpers

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Full Title: Trash Humpers
Director: Harmony Korine
Year: 2009
Comments: Humping. Shagging. Forincating. Fucking. Whatever you wish to call it; it is a perpetual aspect of our American lifestyle. Trash: our ubiquitous used condom, the leftover, the thrown away, the skeleton of us. What happens when these two social phenomenas meet? The latest work of director, Harmful Korine. Being a massive fan of Korine’s first motion picture, Gummo (1997) I greatly anticipated seeing this film, in fact this was arguably the highest anticpated film for me in ages and certainly of this year. Having missed out on the various screenings of Trash from the past two years I put forth a valiant effort to order it from Amazon (it has been banned from Netflix!) and after a lengthy process it finally arrived. Quietly, I locked myself in my room and zoned out for a good hour and half (or whatever the running time is). As viewers we are presented with an “artifact,” as Korine has called it, this found footage, old school, raw, analog, VHS looking piece of work. And yes, right from the beginning, we watch thee miscreants hump trash like there’s no tomorrow. With no real dialogue or explanation we see non-linear scene after scene of the trio’s pastime, which include, but are certainly not limited to partying, setting off firecrackers, coercing their “slaves” to eat certain things and entertain for them, and of course murder. Of course. As can be expected with old Harmful’s cinematic experimentations, convential movie standards are obliterated and when we get any sense of insight about who these people are what their story is, this insight is severed. The film is completely chaotic, but amidst this bedlam, real emotion is communicated. As wildy and wacky as Trash can be, Korine manages to connect with his audience and even feel for the savage stars on screen with a unique finesse, unmatched in the undeground or aboveground film circuit. I honestly don’t know what it is sometimes. I mean, don’t get me wrong, Korine is clearly talented, but I feel like in someone else’s hands, I would view this as, well nothing more than trash. But, instead he takes the lowest of the low and transforms this filth fest into a genuine artistic expression, albeit a harsh, relentless, visual and audio assault on the viewer. This is extreme, fringe cinema; out of all the found footage films I have seen, this one has struck me the hardest. It looks very real (though it is totally ficticious) and never lets up. Not once does it feel like a film… ehhh, one or two exceptions, but I don’t want to delve into those scenes in this review. I will say, I am hesitant to call it a masterpiece, just yet, but it is an original, challenging, piece of art that is easily one of the most thought provoking films I have ever seen. With comparison to other Korine films, let me say I don not enjoy this nearly as much as Gummo. I found that to be far more entertaining and I loved the way it swtiched things up constantly, with never a dull moment, even mixing the conventional with the unconventional. Now, I do prefer Trash over Mister Lonely (2007), Korine’s last film, which moved closer in the direction of a more mainstream/conventional film. Trash is akin to Harmful returning to his old form, so I’m glad about that. With that being said, at times I feel a bit bored, or like the film has run its course. This only happens a few times, but that’s enough to note. The film simply lacks the constant barrage of lurid images that Gummo contains. Don’t misconstrue me, it has a plethora of nasty, shocking, and definitely impressionable images, but not consistent enough for my taste. I feel like the film’s length could use a little truncating. But, it really doesn’t matter what I think, Korine made his film, the Great American Movie. If you are intrigued by the art of trash humping, I recommend it.

Grade: To slap a letter grade on this is kind of pointless, considering the criteria I usually require for films, by and large, cannot be applied here. So, I will judge it on an emotional level (and it certainly is filled with emotion- the last fifteen minutes is one of the most unsettling scenes/endings my eyes have ever witnessed). In the words of Anthony Fantano, I am going to give this a strong 7 to light 8, probably leaning more towards 8.

“I TOLD YOU I’D KILL IT!” For one of the KLYAMers, this is one of the best scenes in all of film. I agree it is great and it is definitely one of the funniest/most disturbing scenes in the the feature and perhaps of all time for that matter.

Crime, Entertainment, Essays, history, pictures

Charles Manson: An American Superstar

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Charles Manson: An American Superstar

He is a beloved recording artist, his image has been plastered everywhere from tee shirts to tattoos, and he has legions of devoted fans. No, not Bob Dylan, this 60s icon spent his entire youth in and out of prison. His name is Charles Manson, a name practically synonymous with mass murder. Manson and his followers, known as “The Family” were convicted of the Tate-LaBianca murders in 1971. In spite of or because of this, he has been given celebrity status as if he was a movie star or baseball player. His infamy is eerily commonplace in various areas of our pop culture. One can turn on the TV and catch his character portrayed in such comedy shows as “South Park” or “Family Guy.” In fact, it was through an episode of “South Park” where I attribute my earliest memory of Manson. I remember watching a SP Christmas special as a child in which Manson appeared as a character with redeeming qualities. Even though it was satire, at the tender age of nine my brain was already invited into the world of one of America’s most feared individuals. Ever since then, his name kept coming up over and over again; I knew he was associated with murder, but even at a young age, I thought of him as another famous name from my parents’ time period. Most people seem to be intrigued by the man and in the American media, Charles Manson has been glamorized to the degree of a superstar. For the television viewing public he has become an object of personal entertainment; just another fascinating celebrity in the league of Michael Jackson and O.J. Simpson.
To begin to understand how or why this character of Charles Manson is so fascinating to the media and the American public as whole, we must start with a look at his childhood. Charles Manson was born on November 12, 1934 in Cincinnati, Ohio. His mother was a sixteen year old prostitute that spent some time in prison when he was a child and he never really knew his father. Unlike most Americans, Manson did not live in a comfortable house on a safe street with at least one, if not two loving parents/guardians and all the other things we associate with typical upbringings. Manson by his own claims and he would claim this over and over again, lived on the streets. He did not know the world of the average American. At an early age it was reinforced that he was different from the rest of America. He was essentially abandoned by the very people whom should have loved him and spent the rest of his childhood years from this boarding school to that boarding school, often running away multiple times from each of them. One time, he tried to be with his mother, but she rejected him. Manson, felt unwanted and unloved and learned to never trust anyone for the rest of his life. With such a troubled past behind him it does not take Sigmund Freud to figure out that Manson would soon find himself deeply invested in petty crime. This included breaking into grocery stores all the way up to armed robbery at the young age of thirteen. He was in and out of juvenile hall centers. According to Manson, he was constantly raped and beaten at said centers and in fact he would run away upwards to eighteen times. His crimes continued into adulthood, basically making prison his new home. In 1967, he was finally released from prison, ironically against his own will; by this time he had spent seventeen years (more than half of his life) in prison.
When Manson left the penitentiary a new world awaited him. A generation had come of age and the Summer of Love was kicking. The 1960s counterculture, particularly in San Francisco, had taken over the nation, so to speak. Long hair, antiwar protests, and psychedelic drugs became ubiquitous seemingly overnight. Young people disdained their parents’ traditions and trashed anything representing the establishment. These kids related to the rebellion of Rock and Roll bands like The Rolling Stones and The Doors and admired the outlaw image of figures like Bonnie and Clyde and Che Guevara. They dug leaders that stood for a new kind of America, one that buried all the traditional values of the America they were raised in and felt abandoned by. Enter Charles Manson, who himself stated, “When I got out all your children would come to me because nobody else had told them the truth.” Of course this was far from the truth as certainly all children did not go to Manson for enlightenment. Naturally, most kids, no matter how drugged up and doped out they were, had enough sense not to join Manson and become part of his “Family.” But, just a few were enough. The man recruited several young, impressionable people, mostly women and was able to brainwash them (often with the assistance of LSD) into thinking he was Jesus Christ or a similar Godlike figure. These women essentially became Manson and would do anything he instructed them to. Even at this juncture in his acting career, Manson dazzled his audience with his intense and fascinating philosophies on life. He had so much control over them that he was able to mastermind his minions into committing the horrible massacre of the Tate-LaBianca murders in August of 1969. Though, Manson was not present, his underlings followed his orders to murder actress Sharon Tate and several others at her home in Death Valley. In prosecutor, Vincent Bugliosi’s book, Helter Skelter he describes the terrifying scene of the crime, “Sharon Tate Polanski-murder victim. Eight months pregnant, she pleaded for the life of her child. “Look, bitch, I have no mercy for you,” one of her killers replied… Only on getting closer did the officers see the bizarre message the killers had left. Printed on the door, in Sharon Tate’s own blood, were the letters PIG” (142). The next night they committed similar murders at the home of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca. Subsequently, the police made the connection between both massacres and the killers and their ringleader were brought to trial. Finally, the whole world got to see Charlie and his angels perform and they loved the attention. This was the beginning of the Charlie Manson Variety Hour, a program the media has eaten up ever since.
During and after the trial (he and his Family were all convicted of murder), Manson’s image became one of the most recognizable in the world. Most famously, his face graced the cover of Life magazine (though he also made the cover of Rolling Stone, amongst others) and this has since become the most famous photo of Manson to date. The mainstream media loved Manson, but obviously portrayed him (rightfully so) as a monster. Of course, if they had made Manson a christ figure they would have lost most viewers, but just by giving him so much attention, he was given all the glamour he needed. The underground press or much of it anyway had no issue with portraying Manson as not only a victim, but another hero of the Revolution, another freedom fighter. At the time, the Vietnam War was boiling and people were taking sides. On one hand was the establishment (Western Civilization) and on the other was anti-establishment, which it turns out in many cases could very well be solely those that opposed the establishment. Thus, Manson became an icon of sorts for the counterculture. Fellow outlaw, Jerry Rubin wrote of visiting Manson in prison following the trial. Rubin, however was not a murderer, but rather one of the leading social activists of the era with a radical sensibility. In his 1971 book, We Are Everywhere, he wrote, “I fell in love with Charlie Manson the first time I saw his cherub face and sparkling eyes on national TV…Manson’s soul is easy to touch because it lays quite bare on the surface. He said he was innocent of the Tate murders and was being persecuted by the pigs because of his lifestyle… Is Charlie innocent or guilty? What is innocence and what is guilt? Can Amerika, after all it has done to Charlie Manson, now put him on trail?” (239-240). Rubin’s sympathy and endorsement of Manson was not uncommon during this era, particularly amongst other subversive and/or underground figures. In fact, in some interviews/speeches, Rubin and others radicals almost sounded like Manson: militant and dogmatic in their attitude and always condemning the American society that turned them into who they were. Of course, the former spoke of liberation, while the latter spoke of domination and annihilation, hardly a freedom fighter,
In the years since his imprisonment, Charles Manson’s stardom has only increased. He has become a massive figure in our American pop culture, he might as well have his star on the Hollywood walk of fame. From books to movies to documentaries, Manson is everywhere. To this day people, particularly young people, follow, worship, or are at least fascinated by Manson. Why? This can be attributed to Manson’s lack of respect for authority. His sense of anti-authoritarianism, at least on the surface, and individuality is attractive to young people, whom are finding themselves as well. Secondly and more significantly, in general the public loves a juicy story, and when it is a celebrity, it is all the more entertaining. The bizarre, the unusual is a big dollar. And the Manson murders were anything but usual and have since become one of the most famous murder cases in history. After his imprisonment, he received numerous interviews on national TV from some of the most famous reporters of all time including Geraldo Rivera, Charlie Rose, Tom Snyder, Diane Sawyer, and others. With the help of the Victims’ Rights Movements, this trend of interviewing serial killers has dyed down over the years. Ultimately this media coverage does very little to nothing for society, except make us crave Manson and other serial killers all the more. When we watch said interviews we do not gain any knowledge or further understanding. Admittedly, they are entertaining, but they mask themselves as something more. But, there is truly no moral purpose to interviewing Charles Manson and giving him the time of day for millions of Americans to tune in to him in their homes. When all is said and done, it is nothing more than cheap entertainment, which is okay, but should be acknowledged as just that. It is no different then any other tabloid, celebrity story. Though Manson is still quite famous, it is for the best that he receives less and less attention, so instead we can focus on real issues rather than fascinating stories to satisfy our taste for the peculiar. In one of his famous prison interviews, Manson was posed the question, “People look at you today, twenty years later and they still have no idea what you’re about. Tell me in a sentence who you are.” After making a series of comical faces, he replies, “nobody.” And there you have it, no one knows Manson as well as Manson himself. For once, I agree with Charlie, he is “nobody,” just another celebrity in a sea of celebrities.

Art, Entertainment, Film Review, Films, pictures, Video

Classic Film Review: Pink Flamingos

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Full Title: Pink Flamingos
Director: John Waters
Year: 1972
Comments: Now, I’ve seen my fair share of sick movies, but this “exercise in poor taste” brings disgusting comedies to a whole new level. Waters places his viewers amongst a sea of vile characters, and adimittedly this is style over substance. Drag Queen, Divine fights with her criminally insane counterparts, Connie and Raymond Marble for the title of “the filthiest person alive” and will stop at anything and I mean anything to wear the crown; in the ninety or so minutes of this film, wild, campy, cinematic fringe entertainment (depraved humor and chaos) ensues! Particularly I love the look of the film: trashy, video, stock footage vibes, as if you are viewing The Mansons Family’s home movies. This look has clearly influenced Justin Kelly’s work in the Hunx videos. All in all just a terrific peek into a bizarre, warped world, most of us would never dare to enter. Hilarious, stupid, vomit inducing, but best of all original. I recommend this to anyone that wants to see an offensive, off the wall, no holds barred comedy.
Grade: A-

Art, Holiday, Music, pictures, Video, Who Did It Better?

Who Did It Better? “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”

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Well, hello there. I hope all of you are having an amazing Christmas! So, let’s dig into today’s segment of Who Did It Better, shall we? There are so many different versions of this Christmas classic, but here are some notable ones.

Old Blue Eyes sings his heart out.

I really dig the backing vocals.

And here Conor tops Sinatra with this Bright Eyes version.

This song exemplfiies what is great about BE: extremely passionate, somber vocals, practically whispering the words.

And here’s the grandaddy of them all:

Judy Garland- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

This is my favorite Christmas song; it is not a jingle nor a carol and has more emotion than just about any other holiday song one cares to name. Specifically, I adore this version because of Judy Garland’s exceptional vocals, it just makes the music feel all the more sentimental, in a very good way.

But, what do you guys think?

Art, Best of 2010, Box Elders, Bradford Cox, Burger Records, Deerhunter, Harlem, Honorary KLAYMERS, Lists, Mark Sultan, Music, No Age, Nobunny, pictures, Punk, Video, Wavves

Chris’s Top Songs of Twenty Ten

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The Top Song of 2010 for this cat is none other than the Box Elders’ classic “Tiny Sioux” released on Hozac records. Being a massive fan of the Box Elders, I naturally elected this ditty as Song of the Year, but with all that excessive fandom aside, I think this tune has attributes that can be genuinely appreciated by “non-garage” fans: the sincerity of the lyrics and the heartfelt delivery of the vocals. The lo-fi, home recording insanely complements the overall innocence of the number, making it feel like a sad, but beautiful children’s song, as if to be heard before falling asleep. I didn’t think the Omaha boys could top themselves after “Atlantis” from last year’s LP Alice and Friends or at least do it so soon, but indeed they did and this is without a doubt my favorite BE number. Y’all have to hear this!

Okay, so the rest of this list will be in alaphabetical order and I have set it to a three song per artist limit. Here we go…

Sadly no A’s :(

B:

Best Coast:
“When I’m With You”
“Boyfriend”
“Summer Mood”

Box Elders:
“Tiny Sioux” :)
“Plenty of Room At the Bottom”

C:

Cum Stain:
“Cum Stain”
“Broke My Dick”
“Bachelor’s Life”

D:

Deerhunter:
“Basement Scene”
“Don’t Cry”
“Desire Lines”

H:

Happy Birthday:
“Girls FM”

Harlem:
“Friendly Ghost”
“Someday Soon”
“Gay Human Bones”

Hunx and His Punx:
“Cruisin'”
“Gimmie Gimmie Back Your Love”
“Hey Rocky”
Note: these songs had been released previously, but this year marked their official release (Gay Singles) on True Panther Sounds. So, I’m breaking my rule here by sharing two more rockin’ Hunx tunes.
“Lovers’ Lane”
“Too Young to Be In Love”

M:

Magic Kids:
“Hey Boy”
“Candy”
“Summer”

Maine Coons:
“Pull the Plug On Grandma”
“I Am a Motherfucker”
“My Kinda Luv”

Mark Sultan:
“Ten of Hearts”
“Misery’s Upon Us”
“I Am the End”

N:

No Age:
“Life Prowler”
“Glitter”
“Fever Dreaming”

Nobunny:
“I Was On (the Bozo Show)”
“Live It Up”
“(Do the) Fuck Yourself”

S:

Sex Beet:
“I’m In Love With You (So Shut the Fuck Up)”

Strange Boys:
“A Walk On the Beach”
“Be Brave”
“Laugh At Sex (Not At Her)”

T:

Ty Segall: need to hear more of this guy!
“Caesar”

V:

Vomit Squad:
“Burning With Beelzebub”

W:

Wavves:
“Post Acid”
“Linus Spacehead”
“Take On the World”

Art, Best of 2010, Bradford Cox, Burger Records, Deerhunter, Harlem, Honorary KLAYMERS, Hunx and His Punx, Lists, Mark Sultan, Music, music video, No Age, Nobunny, pictures, Punk, Quotes, Video, Wavves

Chris’s Top Ten of Twenty Ten

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10) Cum Stain– Cum Stain (Burger)
Cum Stain exemplifies what is fantastic about Punk: putting passion over musicianship and just fucking rocking out! These ditties are far from perfect but, such memorable tracks as “Bachelor’s Life,” “Broke My Dick,” and “Just a Kid” are the epitome of youthful exuberance. On a lyrical level I could totally relate to these guys; “Cum Stain,” the album closer is an unsavory anthem that is our generation’s “Touch Me I’m Sick.” It just speaks the truth about the relationship between men and women, at the end of the day “I’m just another cum stain on your floor!”
Grade: B

9) First Blood– Nobunny (Goner)
This is another fun rockin’ classic from one of the greatest showmen of modern times. With this record, Nobunny takes his Ramones esque bubblegummy sound to new levels. I wouldn’t go as far as calling the production “adventerous,” but it definitely sounds bigger, cleaner, and more mature. Even lyrically, there are some dark undertones slid underneath the jovial mayhem of the music. Tracks like “Breathe” showcase said transformation. Don’t get me wrong, this still is the same old fun loving, wacky, and entertaining Nobunny we have come to adore. “Live It Up” and “(Do the ) Fuck Yourself” are new classics amongst others. My favorite tune and arguably the bunnyman’s greatest offering is the final track “I was On (the Bozo Show): I really dig the simplicity of just acoustic guitar, drum, vocals. One of his most heartfelt songs (vocally and lyrically) and the inclusion of the circus noises perfectly parallels this. After all, Nobunny’s music/performance is akin to a wild, bizarre circus show.
Grade: B/B+

8) Everything In Between– No Age (Sub Pop)
Everybody’s favorite music duo, No Age is at it again, unleashing another Noise Pop induced adventure! Admittedly, this was a disapointment, at least compared to their previous efforts, but Nouns (2008) is hard to top, so I’ll lay off their case for now. With that being said, this LP has grown on me and I have come to realize there are several amazing numbers on this record. “Life Prowler” has become my favorite No Age opener and when I saw them live the experience was phenomenal. All in all, I would recommend this to NA fans and non fans alike, glad they continue to make relentless, noisy, Punk music for all of us. Definitely one of my favorite bands of all time and certainly one of the best of today.
Grade: B/B+

7) Memphis– Magic Kids (True Panther Sounds)
I have had the great pleasure of recently hearing this modern pop masterpiece. Memphis is sonicly within the Brian Wilson/Beach Boys/Pet Sounds realm and is just as uplifting if not more. These kiddies indeed create a magical experience from start to finish. It is seemingly impossible to not feel ecstatic after listening to Memphis. Top tracks for me include “Summer,” “Hey Boy,” (reminds me of a Summer Heights High song!) “Superball,”Cry With Me Baby,” “Phone,” “Candy,” and “Skateland.” Alas, this record/band will not get the recognition it deserves; it’s a gorgeous, ambitious and overall euphoric Pop album.
Grade: A-

6) $– Mark Sultan (Last Gang)
Mark Sultan follows up his In the Red classic The Sultanic Verses (2007) with $ his most adventerous album to date. The BBQ tosses various ingrediants into his Garage dish: intense/trippy as fuck psychedelia (“Icicles”), doo wop (“Ten of Hearts”), and Anthemic Punk (“Go Berserk” and “Misery’s Upon Us”), amongst other styles. Sultan’s vocals are better than ever, best exemplified on tracks such as “I Am the End” and the aforementioned “Ten of Hearts.” He maintains his careful recreation of early 60s Rock and Roll, but goes so far beyond that and has created his best solo work yet. $ reenforces Mark Sultan’s Status! as a unique and inventive figure in the musical landscape.
Grade: A-

5) Hippies– Harlem (Matador)
Someday soon you’ll be on fire and you’ll ask me for a glass of water, but I won’t hear you because I’ll be blasting this Garage classic! To be frank, this LP isn’t even a “great” album in the truest sense of the word, but rather a collection of great songs, sometimes marvelous songs. I really dig the immediate pop hooks, comparable to those of Jay Reatard and Hunx and His Punx, though not quite the same style of those acts. Harlem is all about fun and they certainly deliver here, via sloppy, but definitely listenable production. This thing is filled with “hits.” Highlights include, but are not limited to “Someday Soon,” “Friendly Ghost, “Be Your Baby,” “Gay Human Bones,” and “Poolside.” If you are a fan of catchy Garage/Punk Rock, check out Harlem; by far one of my current favorite bands.
Grade: A-

4) The Maine Coons– The Maine Coons (Spent Planet)
Who? Yeah, I bet most of y’all have no idea whom these cats are. Before last June, I was guilty of such ignorance as well, until I saw them open for Nobunny. Goodtimes. I loved them then, but I really appreciated this duo when I tossed on their licentious debut LP. MC have a knack for creating bizarre, savagely hilarious, and infinitely memorable tunes. The first five tracks on this ditty serve as one of the greatest line ups I have heard in a long time. All solid songs. Then after tha there’s some filler, but overall this record is a nice assault on the pollitcally correct, uptight squares of the world. This is slimy Punk Slime at its finest, not to be taken too seriously. What should be taken seriously is checking out their music to begin with. I am honestly surprised these fellas aren’t as big as they could be (big meaning on Goner or a similar label). Just listen to classics like “My Kinda Luv,” “I Am a Motherfucker,” “Hey Dickhead,” “Ghetto Queen,” and “Pull the Plug On Grandma.” You’ll get the picture… or be completely terrified. Either way, The Maine Coons have done their duty.
Grade: A-

3) Halcyon Digest– Deerhunter (4AD)
Let me just say there is a big fucking trench between how much I love 4-10 and 1-3. Don’t get me wrong the first seven records enumerated here are more than decent, but this top three is extremely special to me, if not already indicated by the augmentation of the photos. Okay, so Halcyon pushes forward Deerhunter’s incredible gift for experimental (and emotional) pop music further than anyone could imagine. Perhaps because I am a huge fan of said styel I believe this is their greatest effort, but I think it goes way beyond that. Not to sound trite, but on this record Deerhunter have captured a true “Rock” identity whilst still maintaining their peculiar, unique aesthetic. These songs feel like FM Radio staples, songs you would hear in the mainstream, yet in spite of this accessible sound they remain anything but. It still boggles my mind how this is not a much bigger release, not that it matters, I am content with Deerhunter being appreciated for the right reasons. In any case, this record has had an enormous emotional effect on me and I can imagine the same for most folks out there. When Bradford sings “Come on, little boy you don’t have to cry” in “Don’t Cry” it reminded me of Lennon’s line “It’s getting hard to be someone, but it all works out, it doesn’t matter much to me” from “Strawberry Fields Forever.” In both accounts the singers speak directly to their listeners and affirm us that we are all human. On a separate note, the flow here is spectacular, as I said before this album is filled with strong “hits,” but it never feels like a compilation or a greatest hits collection, instead we hear a complete idea/experience and that’s another key factor in what makes this record one of the best, if not the best of the year. Finally, let me point out, just so people do not misconstrue me, I am not insinuating that Deerhunter has found their sound or style or any sort of crap like that. This is similar to what Anthony Fantano of The Needle Drop said about Animal Collective when reviewing Merriweather Post Pavillion (2009): Deerhunter is not the kind of band that just “finds” their sound and sticks to it. That seems like an insult to a band that constantly evolves and ventures into new territories and I see the future as no different. So, check out Halcyon Digest and Deerhunter today, classics include: “Don’t Cry,” “Revival,” “Sailing,” “Memory Boy,” “Desire Lines,” “Basement Scene,” “Helicoptor,” and “He Would Have Laughed,” Yeah, practically the whole damn thing. On a side note to fellow KLYAMer, Andrew Bedsole, right here is an album that should appear on Rolling Stone’s top ten list.
Grade: A

2) Gay Singles– Hunx and His Punx (True Panther Sounds)
This is simply astounding Rock and Roll (of the early 60s Girl Group variety)- extremely fun and catchy. Nothing more. Nothing less. Just the highest of its form. Keep Rocking!
Grade: A

1) King of the Beach– Wavves (Fat Possum)
No, not Kings of Leon, you fools. We Want Fun! King of the Beach! Haha, nothing against KOL, but this record like those of the Black Lips, Jay Reatard, The King Khan & BBQ Show, etc. seriously criticize their peers via music. This record brings out so much joy and euphoria in me I can’t help but pitty anyone that’s not listening to it. I know I sound like an elitist douche bag right now, but I don’t think you realize just how happy this shit makes me! I liked Wavves a lot before this record, but I was really thrilled when Nathan teamed up with Stephen Pope and Billy Hayes (formerly of Jay Reatard’s touring band), hopped into a studio and the rest is history. The cleaner production admittedly ameliorated the sound of the band, but without a doubt the brilliant pop songwrting already existed and vigorously unleashed on this album. For me, I will always cherish this masterpiece and associate it with Summer Twenty Ten. I would go as far as to label this as the greatest Summer record of all time, okay maybe the Beach Boys have the lead on that one, but Wavves are not too far off. What I specifically adore about Wavves is the fact that they don’t reject the music they grew up with (Blink 182, Green Day, and much lesser respected Commercial bullshit of the 90s), they pack it up with them and still wear it just like an old shirt you have grown into, but don’t want to show off anymore. With Wavves that 90s mersh shit is still intact and very much part of their sound, albeit sunk beneath the loud, surfy psychedellic, Animal Collective influenced Noise Pop of Wavves. They just threw a bunch of styles into a blender and hit go! It works. I have to put this at number one, I listened to it multiple times a day, nearly everyday this Summer and still listen to it a few times a week, more or less, and it is amongst my top five favorite albums of all time. With a couple of exceptions, every songs on this record is in the 9/10 range. Here are my favorites: “Post Acid,” “Linus Spacehead,” “Take On the World,” “King of the Beach,” and “Super Soaker.”
Grade: A

Honorable Mention: Best Coast’s Crazy For You, another great Summer album, one that serves as a terrifc companion with King of the Beach and more importantly showcases heartfelt love ballads and the exceptional songwriting/singing of Bethany Cosentino. Can’t wait to see BC and Wavves at Paradise in a few months!

Overall, my favorites of Twenty Ten are all Pop oriented in one way or another, in fact this is a great list of diverse Pop music.