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7″ Review: Tiny Sioux

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Band: Box Elders
Release: 4/2010
Label: HoZac Records

1. “Tiny Sioux” – A+
2. “Plenty of Room at the Bottom” – A+

Comments: Box Elders strike again! The amazing pop trio from Omaha continue their spree of hits on this 7″ !!! This release has a more innocent feel than Alice & Friends, making it perfect ably suitable for both children and adults. The somber “Tiny Sioux” moves at the kind of pace you’d expect it to and includes a pseudo-Native American call that literally fits right in with the narrative. “Plenty of Room at the Bottom” is fascinating. I’m going to compare it to the work of Adam Green and Calvin Johnson. It’s got that coy outsider thing going on.

Grade: A+ (97)

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CD Review: Avi Buffalo [2010]

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Band: Avi Buffalo
Release: 4/2010
Label: Sub Pop

1. “Truth Sets In” – A-
2. “What’s In It For” – A-
3. “Coaxed” – B+
4. “Five Little Sluts” – B+
5. “Jessica” – A-
6. “Summer Cum” – A-
7. “One Last” – B+
8. “Can’t I Know? – B
9. “Remember Last Time” – B+
10. “Where’s Your Dirty Mind” – A

Comments: Avi Buffalo the successor of the late Page France? That’s my initial impression. Catchy folk influenced pop binds this record together. Much has been written about the whipper-snappers who came up with this fun record. I won’t get into that. All I’ll say is that it’s really freaking impressive! “What’s In It For” has a particularly memorable ending…recalling a young (more epic) Built to Spill if you will. The heartfelt “Jessica” strangely gave me Weird Al vibes. That’s not a bad thing, but it’s strange. I like it. “I’ve got lost in your summer cum” sings young Avigdor on the fittingly titled “Summer Cum.” Haha! Laugh, damnit! It’s a funny song title and you know it. The song’s particularly more freaky than anything that came before it (no pun intended). Not to be real negative, but this record sort of loses its charm during the second half.

Grade: B+ (89)

CD Review, Entertainment, Music, Uncategorized

Classic Review: Free Drugs;-)

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Band: Harlem
Release: 2008
Label: Female Fantasy

1. “Witchgreens” – A-
2. “Caroline” – A+
3. “South of France” – A
4. “Irresistible” – A
5. “Beautiful and Very Smart” – A++
6. “Psychedelic Tits” – A-
7. “Think I’m Thinkin’ Bout” – A-
8. “Disneyland” – A
9. “Little Black Cowboy” – A
10. “I’m on Drugs” – A-
11. “Red Herring” – A
12. “Hundred a Dollar a Night Man” – A

Comments: Not as great as Hippies, but still amazing. “Beautiful and Smart” is an instant favorite.

Grade: A

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Side note: Check out this video for “Friendly Ghost”

CD Review, Entertainment, Music, Uncategorized

CD Review: Maniac Meat [2010]

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Band: Tobacco
Release: 5/2010
Label: Anticon

1. “Constellation Dirtbike Head” – A
2. “Fresh Hex” – A
3. “Mexican Ice Cream” – B+
4. “Lick The Witch” – A-
5. “Sweatmother” – B+
6. “Motorlicker” – B-
7. “Unholy Demon Rhythms – C-
8. “Heavy Makeup” – B
9. “Grape Aerosmith” – C
10. “New Juices From The Hot Tub Freaks” – B
11. “Six Royal Vipers” – A-
12. “Overheater” – A-
13. “Creepy Phone Calls” – B
14. “TV All Greasy” – B-
15. “Stretch Your Face” – B
16. “Nuclear Waste Aerobics” – A-

Comments: Tobacco, the thing I really like about your music is that it is fun. While every song may not be as fun as the next, there is always at least something embedded into the pits of every tune, that makes them, at the very least, a solid listen. So, definitely props there. It’s not reasonable to expect every song on here to be straight up gold. I mean, after all, we’re talking about a man uses a vocoder. I suggested this as party music, but a die-hard fan called it “making love music.” That’s believable. Due to noise constraints, I haven’t been able to blast this music non-headphones, but I do feel like that’d be an experience. A good majority of these songs clock in at under three minutes, so if you get even slightly distracted from the music, you may notice songs finishing before you even realized they started. Word.

Grade: B (85)

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CD Review: Crystal Castles [2010]

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Band: Crystal Castles
Release: 4/2010
Label: Fiction (Universal)

1. “Fainting Spells” – C
2. “Celestica” – B-
3. “Doe Deer” – C
4. “Baptism” – B-
5. “Year of Silence” – B-
6. “Empathy” – B+
7. “Suffocation” – B
8. “Violent Dreams” – C+
9. “Vietnam” – B
10. “Birds” – B–
11. “Pap Smear” – C+
12. “Not in Love” – C
13. “Intimate” – B-
14. “I Am Made of Chalk” – D

Comments: Crystal Castles. I want some crazy catchy stuff from you. That’s a demand actually. I don’t want spotty dance/noise punk. You hear me? “Empathy” is the first song that accomplishes the kind of catchy that I was looking for, equipped with dreamy vocals and a strong rhythm. “Vietnam” has some streaks of greatness, but isn’t really a hit from start to finish. Unfortunately, most of the album is just average minutes of electronica. Maybe that’s your thing.

Grade: C+ (78)

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CD Review: Forgiveness Rock Record [2010]

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Band: Broken Social Scene
Release: 5/2010
Label: Arts & Crafts

1. “World Sick” – A-
2. “Chase Scene” – C+
3. “Texico Bitches” – A
4. “Forced to Love” – B
5. “All to All” – B
6. “Art House Director” –B+
7. “Highway Slip Jam” – B
8. “Ungrateful Little Father” – B+
9. “Meet Me in the Basement” – B-
10. “Sentimental X’s” – B+
11. “Sweetest Kill” – B
12. “Romance to the Grave” – B
13. “Water in Hell” – B-
14. “Me and My Hand” – B

Comments: I’ve always heard about Broken Social Scene, but I’ve never given them a proper listen. “World Sick” is a solid foray into the band’s discography. It’s one of those under-the-radar epic songs, similar to a Dan Boeckner-led Wolf Parade jam. “Texico Bitches” has an awesome rhythm, personally reminiscent of Uninhabitable Mansions. Another thing…I would be a little shocked if Here We Go Magic wasn’t at least a little inspired by these guys. And another thing: the band’s tempo is little bit slow or else a lot of these B/B+ tunes would be A-/A range. It makes them a bit forgettable.

Grade: B (85)

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Belated Film Review: District 9

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Full Title: District 9
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Year: 2009
Grade: B
Comments: To begin, why am I reviewing this now? Well, originally I planned on seeing this film in theaters, but I was unable to make it. Now, for my Cultural Studies course, we are discussing it and its various themes. Thus, I recently viewed the picture and as always whenever we read, hear, or see a new piece of art (or some piece of work that does not deserve such a flattering label) we review it. Ok, so not being a huge Sci-fi/Action fan, I am biased in my somewhat lack of enthusisasm, considering how much praise this film has received. I liked it very much and thought it was a decent flick with more meaning and substance to it than most films in its genre. Such heady themes as racism, immigration, and xenophobia, etc. are carefully layered in this sea of madness. The film itself is conceptually unique: the first half (the far superior half) resembling a documentary, reality TV show, Office esque set up. The second half, on the other hand, is your blow shit up and fire endless rounds of ammo action movie. The latter makes the film drag on increasingly and totally loses my interest in the story. At the very end, my interest is salvaged for its remaining minutes. I’d say, this piece is solid and worth a watch, but definitely overrated, at least for my taste.

Chris