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CD Review: Fantastic Explanations (and Similar Situations) [2010]

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Band: Cheap Time
Release: 2010
Label: In The Red

1. “When Tomorrow Comes” – B
2. “Everyone Knows” – A-
3. “I’d Rather Be Alone” – B
4. “Throwing It All Away” – C+
5. “Down the Tube” – B+
6. “Showboat” – C-
7. “Miss Apparent” – C+
8. “June Child” – C-
9. “Woodland Drive” – A-
10. “Lazy Days” – B
11. “Approximately Nowhere” – B
12. “Waiting Too Long” – C+

Comments: Young Jeffrey Novak had a ball on Cheap Time, the self-titled debut release of…Cheap Time! He and his boys created a pretty solid record of garage pop slingers that I thoroughly enjoyed. At his songwriting peak, he is just as awesome as former label-mates Black Lips and Jay Reatard. It’s unfortunately that really none of that great songwriting can be found on this record. Fantastic Explanations is a relaxed vacation on a island where everything is not all about speed. This approach isn’t as winning as I had hoped, but there is a decent moment or two to be listened to on here. Take the lazy “Everyone Knows,” which is simply a disgusted Jeffrey rambling over a hooky garage/grunge riff. The Ramones-esque “Woodland Drive” is a nice listen as well. Besides those songs there aren’t a whole lot of goodies.

Grade: B- (81)

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Comedian Greg Giraldo dies at age 44.

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Comedian Greg Giraldo has died at age 44. He died of an accidental prescription overdoes. It was not a suicide attempt. Giraldo died in the hospital in New brunswick, New Jersey. Giraldo made many appearances on roasts, where he was known for being particularly brutal. He was also a host on “Last Comic Standing.”

Myself being a stand up connoisseur, Giraldo had an expert delivery and wit. He was smart and insightful. However, when he wanted toy and was allowed, he would be the bluest man in the room. This is a great loss to the world of stand-up. Since I know he would’ve wanted to leave us laughing below is a clip from his stand up. RIP Greg Giraldo.

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CD Review: First Blood [2010]

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Band: Nobunny
Label: Goner Records
Release: 9/2010

1. “Ain’t It A Shame” – A
2. “(Do The) Fuck Yourself” – A
3. “Blow Dumb” – A-
4. “Gone For Good” – A+
5. “Pretty Please Me” – B+
6. “Breathe” – A-
7. “Live It Up” – A+
8. “Motorhead With Me” – A+
9. “Never Been Kissed” – A
10. “Pretty Little Trouble” – A+
11. “I Was On (The Bozo Show)” – A

Comments: Nobunny is a master of bubble gum pop. We learned this on Love Visions, his debut album replete with goodies like “I Am A Girlfriend” and “Chuck Berry Holiday,” among every other song on there. This record is the same way, but it’s quite a progression for Nobunny. Gone is the drum machine and extreme lo-fi production. This isn’t clean by any stretch of the imagination, but you can tell that it’s been worked on more and has more depth than Love Visions. “Ain’t It A Shame” starts out like a cut to a commercial break, but becomes a passionate “ha, doesn’t it suck what I’ve done to you?”  “(Do The) Fuck Yourself,” which is about as easy to understand as a fourth grade short story novel, should win something for being so triumphant and explicitly lucid. “Feels so good. Feels so nice. I do it every morning and night. Bite my lip, close my eyes, take me away to Paradise.” A little cowbell, a lot of power-pop, and a lot of having fun. That’s ‘blowing dumb,” the new way of saying having fun. I think. “Gone For Good” is the album’s first venture into the great musical style that is garage/punk. The chick wasn’t having it. Nobunny loves her (like he does everyone), but that just wasn’t enough! “Pretty Please Me” is an old sounding country number about the most casual of encounters. No love required! Just a little knack for kissing. “Breathe” is full of cheese and nonsensical lyrics. It’s funny and stuff, probably the least catchiest tune on here, but still always worth a listen. “Live It Up” is an excellent ode to turning things around and just start branching. Just do as many things as possible and not be afraid. Sounds so easy, doesn’t it? As people have said time and time again, “Motorhead With Me” will get stuck in your head. If it doesn’t, there’s a problem. It’s probably my second or third favorite Nobunny song ever ever! The toy piano complements the trashy guitars so damn good on “Never Been Kissed.” “Bozo” is the longest Nobunny song ever. It’s the weirdest for sure…especially when the fame circus theme “Entrance of the Gladiators” riff kicks in. After ten songs explaining the ups and downs of having (or lacking) femmes in life, we have “Bozo.” Nobunny is down for anything, y’all.

Grade: A (94)

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Classic Review: Locust Abortion Technician

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Artist: Butthole Surfers
Full Title: Locust Abortion Technician
Year: 1987
Label: Touch and Go/Latin Buggerveil
Tracks:
1) Sweat Loaf– 9
2) Graveyard- 8
3) Pitsburg to Lebanon- 7/8
4) Weber- 5
5) Hay- 7/8
6) Human Cannonball- 8
7) U.S.S.A.- 8
8) The O-Men-7
9) Kuntz– 9
10) Graveyard- 8
11) 22 Going on 23- 8/9

Comments: Early Butthole Surfers equals Music made for, by, and of heavy psychedelic drug use and Locust Abortion Technician is no exception. This is the pinnacle of the Buttholes’ highly experimental music. They dabble in Punk, Heavy Metal, Noise Rock, and definitely psychedlia. Without a doubt this is the group’s best offering up until then and since. I really dig the humor and chaos of “Sweat Loaf,” it is certainly a fantastic opener and really sets you up for what is to come. “Kuntz,” a remixing of an old Thai song and “22 Going On 23,” a disturbing/awkwardly amusing recount of a sexual assault case and its effects on the victim, round out my favorite tracks on this record. Overall, this is the kind of album that should be heard for its experimentation and the overall sound collage, oh and yeah, also for you and your pals to giggle and say “WTF?!!!” Turn it up at loud volumes, blast it as high as you can and freak out the whole neighborhood! In short, I feel like this serves better as a handbook for those who want to make experimental music, rather than an album you listen to again and again. With that being said, it is quite listenable and worthy of praise for it’s somewhat brave and unquestionably unique style. Basically, the Buttholes entered the studio and fumbled around with what they had (which was limited), took tons of acid (amongst other substances I can imagine) and ultimately created a really cool, trippy experience for all of us music lovers.

Grade: B

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Album Review: The Long Haul

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Album name: The Long Haul

Band: eating alone

Released: 2010

The Long Haul is an album by electro-acoustic band eating alone. The band is made of only multi-instrumentalist Matt Cameron. Matt Cameron blew me away with his debut album, The Long Haul. The album deals with the subject of Cameron’s estranged father and the various feeling, thoughts and emotions he went through dealing with it. The sound of the album is very dreamy and very atmospheric with acoustic guitar throughout. The lyrics pull on your heartstrings, as they are blunt and to the point on some songs and poetic on others. The production is great seeing as the record was completely produced solely by Matt Cameron. Overlapping vocal tracks and glass crashing are really cool tricks used on the songs. Overall, I highly recommend this album.

P.S Look at the names of the songs in order. Kinda cool, eh?

Song By Song:

The Long Haul- A-/B+. Great production

When I Was A Kid– B+. Indian-sitar feel to this.

You Were Never Around- B

I Though If I Had Been Better- A. Heartbreaking.

You Wouldn’t HAve Given Me Up- A-

And I Wouldn’t Have To Pretend To Forget About You- A-/B+

Whoever You Are- A. Great little song.

Over The Years I’ve Wondered Where You’ve Been- A-. Nihilistic.

And Tonight, In This Hotel Room- B+/A-

I Wonder If I’ll Ever See You Again- A-/B+

I Sent This In A Letter- B

But It Got To You Too Late- B+

And Came Back Crumpled, Saying- A. My favorite track on the album.

Person Unknown, Return To Sender- A-

Overall Grade: A-/B+



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Concert Expectations: Arcade Fire

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I am lucky enough to have tickets to the sold out Arcade Fire show at the Bank Of America Pavilion this Sunday. With their new album The Suburbs getting generally pretty positive reviews, here are some of my expectations.

Expectations: I expect, first of all, to have a soar throat the next day. I will be belting every song (except the ones off The Suburbs that I haven’t heard yet.) Next, I expect a lot of people there to be there just because of Wake Up. There will still be die hard Arcade Fire fans, like myself, there just there will be a bunch of people who got turned onto them because of Where The Wild Things Are. Finally, I generally expect a mind blowing-ly good show. Arcade Fire is one of the best live rock acts going today and I want them to live up to their reputation. I’ll see if the Canadian Septet can blow me away.

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THE LAST FEW POSTS

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Yeah, it’s SATURDAY NIGHT what do you think I’ve been doing? Twiddling my thumbs and reading twitters? NO, far from it. I’ve been ranting. I’ve been in the mood. I should probably stay away from message boards because I’m going to make some posts that are going to make people wonder if I am truly a reatard. And yes, matter of fact, they would be right, but you know, matter of fact, I don’t care. I love when my fingers type without any regard to what I am actually thinking. IN FACT, I am thinking this. Screw those posers who say they lose control. THAT doesn’t happen! You have to be simply dumb. DUMB.