Friday, February 27, 2009

Musicality

Recent musical tidbits/happenings:
Seriously, Jane's Addiction is all over the goddamn place these days- more than usual. The (internet) radio, TV shows, Pitchfork (twice), even the Irvine post office. Their ubiquity is astounding. What a perfect time to have a reunion.

Recent Listenings:
Fugazi: Red Medicine- Why I don't listen to this more is ASTOUNDING. It may be their best record. When I was younger I think I wrote it off for not being either aggressive enough or song-oriented enough, but, after listening to in the car for the past week, I'm amazed at how good it (still) is. Great recording, and especially great guitar sounds (even for Fugazi). Makes me want a Rickenbacker even more.
Fugazi- Steady Diet of Nothing: Always, always good.
Sonic Youth: The Destroyed Room (rarities/b-sides)- Cool weird stuff and the 20+ minute version of The Diamond Sea is iconic.
Sonic Youth: SYR 8 ANDRE SIDER AF SONIC YOUTH- About an hour of live noise improv, featuring, among others, The Mighty Merzbow. Cool textural stuff if you can stand it (you can't).
Boris with Merzbow: Rock Dream- This is my (metal) rock dream. Beyond perfection, noise+rock+sludge+metal.

I am ridiculous:
I made a spreadsheet of the guitar pedals/effects I plan to buy. It's waaaaay too long.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Do you ever do things that make you hate yourself?

Take Myspace for instance- it's THE WORST. It's like the Paso Robles of web 2.0, all tacky and trashy, full of people you don't want to see except out of morbid curiosity, made up to look modern at first glance. You don't know why you go back. 
Oh, right, it's because your parents live there.
I guess that analogy kind of falls apart at the end. Sorry.
Anyway, I'm over it.

In other news: added a twitter thingy and rss subscription links (at the behest of Andy, I finally figured out how to do it) to the blog. Get ready to get sick of my constant twitterings.

Friday, February 20, 2009

I know these dudes perhaps a little too well.

So read their blog: The National Hustle.
Hopefully googlers don't get it confused with the fantastic line dance "The Nashville Hustle-" which was created in the 70's after George Jones, hard up for bourbon cash, started covering Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony. The rest, as they say, is history.
As long as Matt continues to "lean" to the "left," and as long as Camo keeps his writing reminiscent of his storied Crimson Chronicle past, I will keep their blog on my link list.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Currently: Music

Recent Listening List:
Morrissey: Years of Refusal- Well, truthfully, it's probably waiting on my doorstep right now, but I know it's good and that I'll be listening to it constantly for the next year- like with any Morrissey record.
John Frusciante: The Empyrean- Jesus, this is good. I could listen to the first 2 songs forever. I even listened to the first track @45 rpm and it was great (it's an instrumental, so no high pitched vocals to contend with). Said first track makes me think of if Peter Green/Fleetwood Mac recorded "Albatross" after binging on Joy Division, Fugazi and Jimi Hendrix- so it's pretty much a fantasy track for me. On the whole it's easily his best non-that-other-horrible-band-he's-in-with-Flea.
Mogwai: EP Compilation Mix CD- This one never worked correectly in my old car cd player for some reason. Sounds great now though.
Animal Collective: Merriweather Post Pavilion- Pretty good record, definitely not the best I've ever heard, as the Pitchfork rubes would have you believe. It has a nice, thick, bassy production that I dig. 
The Lonely Island: Incredibad- Yeah, Lazy Sunday and Dick In A Box are old and overexposed, but I fully endorse this album. I'm On A Boat is my favorite (especially the autotuned/vocoded "muthafuckaaaaa" parts).

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Why The Fuck Has This Not Been ReMastered? Episode One

Sunny Day Real Estate: Diary
For fuck's sake- this is one of the greatest records of the 90's, and it sounds terrible. Luckily for all of us, the excellent songcraft shines through the horrible, muddy mix. Jeremy Enigk needs to get over himself, do the respectable thing by making the record sound like it should, and even, as a side benefit, make some fucking cash (everyone knows Nate Mendel had to pay for the first Fire Theft record).
Ratings in it's present form: Songs: 9.5, Mix: 2.0.
Jeremy/Sub Pop- DO THE RIGHT THING.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Good Night & Good Luck, My Old Friend.

So, it finally happened. I lost one of my oldest and dearest friends this last weekend.


Yeah, I know... traumatic/dramatic. She required a princely sum to get running again, in addition to untold future investments- so I decided the do the economically smart thing and invest it in an otherwise more reliable vehicle:

And so now I join Maine residents and various other hippies as the proud owner of a Subaru. I am very proud of my absolutely pragmatic decision making.
Dawn played DJ on the way home (ipod connectivity!), and after the obligatory round of Hot Snakes, she made the best possible choice: 99 Problems- immediately easing my separation anxiety from the Red Dragon, at least temporarily. The first record you listen to in a certain situation is very important, I think. (Also noteworthy- the first song I heard on the car's radio was Q-Tip. I didn't even know he got played on Power 106 these days. Even so, a very good omen.)
So, I say a tearful goodbye to my friend of 12 years, and bid a bittersweet welcome to a new one.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

I've Got 96 Tears In 96 Eyes

I new something was up with my car this morning. Come to find out, it was bummed about Lux Interior's passing. Well, that makes two of us, Jeep.
Sadly, I've got no pictures of me lurking out-of-focusly behind Lux. Oh well- check out the youtubes instead.
My favorite two Cramps songs:
I Was A Teenage Werewolf

& Human Fly


[Update: I came across what I thought is the best eulogy for Lux- written by none other than The Mighty Sw@mi  himself:
"no way only 95,000 people bought Bad Music. i'm guessing it's 10 times that.
as important as the ramones or mozart. the cramps not only taught us songs
but a way of life. no one will ever be cooler than lux. he was badass lethal
and outrageously hilarious until the end
i mourn"]


I had finally come up with a plan to replace my car- however, it required my car to be driveable until at least September. Hopefully this is an easy (and cheap) repair, but that doesn't usually happen.