Friday, September 30, 2011

YO

Sorry I haven't posted in a long, long time.
I've been listening to lots of stuff, and just thought I'd share a couple things of late that have really stood out for me:

Plastikman - Consumed (1998)

ambient techno/drone a la Vladislav Delay.

Shlohmo - Bad Vibes (2011)

Dark, brooding beats, ambient, amazing manipulation of sound and texture...


Jürgen Müller - Science of the Sea (2011)

Layered synths creating a wash of etheric underwater bliss. Super relaxing, unless you're scared of the ocean.


Andy Stott - Passed Me By (2011)

Really intriguing ambient techno (for lack of a better term) or dub techno....very dirty, fuzzy loops and beats.

Blayyter.



Reccomendations

The Pink Floyd catalogue has been reissued. I'm not to proud to say I've only really been into the Dark Side era to the Wall era. Can someone reccomend another album to me? Preferably the earlier years? I've got Pipers at the Gates of Dawn and only sort of dig it.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Radiohead at Roseland Ballroom

I feel compelled to post something, anything, about the Radiohead show last night, but I’m totally exhausted from last night and not totally thinking straight. But I’ll give it a shot.

The whole thing was a circus at first, a line stretching all the way around Roseland Ballroom as 4,000 people lined up to get in for the will-call only tickets. It was set up that way to foil scalpers, but I think the amount of hassles it created with that line and people swearing at Ticketmaster because they couldn’t get tickets might have made the effort a wash. There were reports of people selling tickets for $2K. Sure, that’s greedy but I wasn’t one of the people on a pedestal about how odious it was: if someone was willing to pay that much to go see Radiohead and dude wants to sell his other ticket, I don’t care. Capitalism, baby. And people cursing about Ticketmaster? I got no love for Ticketmaster, but WTF, Radiohead told them to sell the 4,000 tickets in a certain way, probably a million people called trying to get tickets, and most of them didn’t. Sowwy. Pretty comical all the forlorn Radiohead fans waiting along the line with signs begging, pleading, and offering sundry favors for someone’s extra ticket.

Anyway, the show. I’m a Radiohead fan, for sure. To me they track something like Wilco: started as a fairly straightforward rock-band (alt-country versus Brit-rock) and then progressed through a series of different albums to push boundaries and radically evolve in an exciting way. (Actually, kind of reminds me of the progression of the Beastie Boys on their first three albums.) But I realized pretty early on in the Radiohead set that what I was getting wasn’t what I really love about the band. They had two drummers and an extra guitarist with them and it was a ROCK show, dig? Some of songs really worked that way, like the stuff off OK Computer— “Subterranean Homesick Alien” was one of the highlights of the show for me. But other songs, like “Lotus Flower”, my favorite on the new album, King of Limbs, I didn’t enjoy live as much. There’s a kind of arid simplicity to Radiohead’s electronic stuff that courses with energy but I found got washed out in a bigger context.

One of the cooler moments of the show was Thom Yorke at the piano surprising everyone by launching into R.E.M.’s “The One I Love” as a kind of shout-out to the band, who just broke up after three decades. But I didn’t even recognize “Everything in its Right Place” when he went into it from the R.E.M. melody, again it didn’t sound quite right to me. “All I Need” was another song of theirs I really like but I found fell flat, even though I could hear that song being really epic in that context. On the other hand, “Bloom”, the first track on King of Limbs, and "Bodysnatchers", from Hail to the Thief, were awesome. On “Give up the Ghost” he sampled his own vocals (or someone did it for him) and that worked really well, reminded me of what I’ve seen Brandon Cox do with Atlas Sound. The second encore seemed really spontaneous, it looked like the show was over and then they came back and played two more songs that everyone went nuts for.

Thom Yorke is really charismatic and it’s hard to take your eyes off of him. I knew he was the centerpiece of the band but none of the other players stood out to me, they all seem a supporting cast to Yorke. I admire the way he acts as a conductor to the whole band, his sense of rhythm is really amazing, actually; he’s got this campy tramp shtick going on, it’s cool.

That was a big portion of the whole night for me, just how much of a super big-deal this was to so many people. I looked around and saw so many white people aged 25-45 (my milieu, I guess) who seriously love this band, knew all the songs, and felt just a bit special for seeing one of the biggest bands in the world in a small setting. It felt privileged, something cool to be part of.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Monastics "Topography"



http://monastics.net/category/music

My band's second CD (including other WWALT homeys Rootless and EJ), "Topography" is done and available for your enjoyment! Go check it out and let us know what you think.

dc

Kings Go Forth

I'm not sure how everyone feels about the whole neo-retro-soul thing (Dap Kings, et al), but I happened on this band from Milwaukee and I'm digging it.



There's always something about the fierce drums backed up by a set of congas that gets you moving. The record is on Spotify: "The Outsiders Are Back".

Monday, September 26, 2011

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Wild Beast, and a few other notes

I haven't posted in a while, but I have a better excuse than all you non-posters out there (step to me in the comments section if you think you got me beat).

I saw Wild Beasts last night, a band from the UK with a couple albums and I was really impressed. They are probably not for everyone (this means you, DC), the vocals are at times theatric and absurdist and if you were telling me about a band and said that to me I'd say "that shit probably ain't for me", I don't like zaniness in my music, I'm more about emotion and melody than humor or theatrics, but these guys don't overdo it, and feature both of those things, they just color the music at times with some eyebrow-raising falsetto vocals and shouts. I was expecting a thin, gay (in the literal sense, not in the WWLTN controversial ironic sense) dude as the lead singer, but it wasn't like that. Firstly, the vocals are shared by two not too effeminate dudes, they do really well trading off. And secondly, these guys were trading off instruments and working keyboards, really impressive, no lead singer preciousness. Anyway, the music reminds me a bit of Interpol, but less angular, more hypnotic, and the Smiths (who I actually don't like), full of surprises, I've been settling into their new album "Smother".

In terms of other things I'm listening to, the new Washed Out was in high rotation for a while and deserves a shout out. Finally got the good stuff from Imaginary Softwoods and that is gold. The newest Grouper album finally grew on me and is the end of many of my days these days.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Tammar (and St. Vincent)

http://tammar.bandcamp.com/track/the-last-line

I admit to seeing this on Pitchfork. Reading the review I was piqued as they are a Bloomington, IN band (my former haunt and music-making locale). The newest record isn't on Spotify, but a couple of older EPs are. Kind of an interesting mish-mash. As the Pitchfork review says, there's some Spacemen 3 in there. I also hear a touch of LCD Soundsystem. I really like the track on the bandcamp page, the EPs sound... um... less mature?

Also, that new St. Vincent, "Strange Mercy." Very good. I wasn't thrilled with the last P.J. Harvey, St. Vincent is supplanting her a tinge.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Social Climbers Re-issue

Any ex- (or current) Hoosiers on this string will remember this record all over the used bins of Bloomington in the 80's. By that time, we were all on to our own thing, and this little gem was slipping totally through the cracks. I myself ignored it, for the most part, until I played it on the local music show I was doing on WQAX.

Genius.

Apparently, someone from Drag City agrees with me on this.  From the press release:
"It's almost 1980. Soho, New York is fertile with young, no-wave punks getting sharper and increasingly angular: Branca, DNA, Teenage Jesus, Contortions, Suicide, et al, as well as the groups they would spawn. Coveted and revered bands for many today, this music was peripheral at the time. Unheard by most save for the underbelly, these were artists living free and dirty, trying to outdo each other. Within the periphery of this periphery, Social Climbers made sounds that were of their environs yet remarkably unique, leaving an indelible stamp on the scene while somehow managing to slither undetected out of all the history books. A downtown New York art band as much as any other, Social Climbers also claimed midwestern roots and actual musicianship that many of their contemporaries lacked, and in trade dismissed and essentially protested the snotty pretensions that drove many others within the scene. Social Climbers are an absolute post-punk blueprint: fat bass (often two), guitar, drum machine (dubbed "the monkey"), feverish vocals, and organ. Their lone, self-titled album is agitated and impossibly wild, yet danceable and composed. Gulcher Records initially released the album as a triple 7". Their record was barely picked up by the local underground rock distributor, as is common in a crowded scene, and the group disbanded in 1982. Their one artifact is as earnest as it is fractured and terrifying. Mostly, it's just fucking cool. And it's here, again, sounding as relevant today as it did when it was of the moment; perhaps, even more so. And the CD contains two bonus tracks!"



Oh, and try to find that used Gulcher vinyl now.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Gay

I'm here with Rootless and we have a qualifying question on the great gay debate. Is it cool to say "I love that band so much I'm gay for them"? I think that's fair game.

New Das Racist

Dear WWALT,

I was just checking out that Wye Oak joint on Spotify (it's really good), and a commercial/banner came up for the new Das Racist CD! Woo hoo!

I'm half way through the first track and it's awesome. I couldn't wait to tell you! :) LOL.

Sincerely Yours,

dc

Monday, September 12, 2011

Wye Oak - Civilian



























This came out in the spring, but its heading-into-fall vibe is slotting nicely at the moment.

"Holy Holy" is a frontrunner for song of the year for me. Check the vid below. A talented friend of another talented friend is responsible. (Inspiring kids abound!)

Holy Holy

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Done With Fish

This clip from Spike Jonze's Adaptation totally captures how I feel about records right now.



For the past three years, since I moved to Jersey, I've had a shitty iTunes set up for my home stereo. I've acquired a ton of music digitally in that time, but i just listened to it in the car, on my commute, at work.

This wasn't really a problem thanks to my record habit. 99% of the time at home I listened to vinyl. I regularly bought used and new records. I've been collecting for... 15 years?! I have a ton of records and I play DJ all day everyday.

So recently I threw down on a Sonos system. Dope. A little pricey. but it was super easy to set up, i control it with my iPhone, totally intuitive, you can sync all your rooms, or play different tunes in different rooms. It's great. And through that I'm rediscovering all this music that I've forgotten. And it's so easy to put on, like, all the 100% Dynamite Comps on Shuffle and you're covered for the weekend. Today I put on all my Grant Green tracks for jazz brunch, and I had only gotten through the "J" songs by dinner time.

And just like that... "Done With Fish". That may be a bit extreme (I don't think I'll ever be able to pass a milk crate of records at a garage sale or flea market without stopping) but suddenly where I was pretty obsessed with records now I'm... meh. I'm absolutely at peace with selling off a few shelves worth on eBay.

Anywho, the reason this interests you is that I'm in the throes of a vinyl rip-a-thon over here. I have my system worked out, I'm ripping like 4-5 albums a day. You're going to want to do a DVD trade with me sometime soon.

On that note, can some of you motherfuckers post something please? Thanks.

Sincerely,

The Chizzle

P.S. I'm sorry if my use of swear or "curse" words offends anyone. I'm trying to clean up my WWALT act.

Friday, September 9, 2011

Stop Being Gay

Yeah, um, I've just got to say that I always feel a little uncomfortable and disappointed when something is called "gay" on here. I know we all grew up with it, and it's a little funny and it's a pretty quick way to denote something as unworthy in a particular way. It's just seems like that language has a little too much baggage in this day and age, maybe? Thanks for reading.

Clams Casino



Heard the name (which is great) but I never checked him out. When i see things like "beat maker for Lil B and Souljah Boy", it doesn't exactly get my spidey sense tingling, if you know what I'm saying. I am more or less over rap right now. That includes Odd Future Hurt Time Kill Yourself or whatever they are called, frankly.

But when Turntablelab gave his untitled instrumental mix tape a "highly recommended" i took notice. It's dope. He self released the instrumental CD for free, I believe, and it is all over MediaFire so easy to pick it up. A few tracks are approaching gayness, but in general its awesome. It actually reminds me of that Balam Acab joint but with hard beats.

In an interview with B.A. on Altered Zones, an interviewer described his music as "using the human voice and syllabic expression for its associative, emotional impact instead of communicating something verbal". That has stuck with me, and came to mind when checking out this Clams Casino joint.

Anyway, this has been in heavy rotation for me and I absolutely recommend grabbing it on mediafire. Later.

dc

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

The less you know...


Good News is this is available..

Bad News is I'm not that impressed.

I'm not expecting Endtroducing 2 or anything but I feel he is so much more capable of doing something more interesting.