today's playlist

[auto-da-fey]

When Josh Todd concludes the title track to that Buckcherry album by screaming "bitches and money" over and over, it's probably my favorite white co-optation/quotation of rap lyrics since the fallen star high school running back, but man, once that album turns to balladry, it really hits the skids.

Also, I've been in love with the girl on the cover of the Paul Simon album for several years now.

[W. Earl Piglet]

The Return of the Durutti Column


Enter The Wu Tang: 36 Chamber

[Ah_Pook]

[RavingLunatic]

Love that last cover. Have we had a Best Album Covers of the Year thread for 2007 yet?

[W. Earl Piglet]

[auto-da-fey]

Two round trips to Orange County:

Trip 1



Trip 2



I had forgotten what a great song "Transdermal Celebration" is, but holy fuck, that Tommy Stinson album is the most bland thing I own. I was hoping it might sound better after accumulating dust for two years, but nope--songs like "Couldn't Wait," "OK," "Light of Day," "Hey You," and "Someday" sound exactly as anonymous as their titles would suggest. The strange thing is, I thought his work with Perfect was pretty solid, so I don't know what went wrong.

[Andrew_TSKS]

i've never even heard that album (and will steer clear from it in the future), but i personally think that the first bash and pop album, "friday night is killing me", is by far the best thing any member of the replacements released during the 90s. so there's that.

[auto-da-fey]

For some reason I always forget about B&P, but I agree, it's impressive (though I'm certain we've had this exact exchange before, because I remember claiming Slim Dunlap's solo stuff is better and you disqualifying him as a legitimate Replacement). Village Gorilla Head, though, is like Pete Yorn with even less personality or something.

[Andrew_TSKS]

ha ha, that sounds like something i'd say.

i should probably check out his stuff anyway, because honestly, if it's better than "friday night is killing me", i need to hear it.

for the record, i will defend a few of pete yorn's songs. he's never made an album i thought was good all the way through, though.

[mountmccabe]

Earlimart - Mentor Tormentor


The Roots - Things Fall Apart


Circle Jerks - Group Sex


The Coup - Genocide & Juice

and now starting


Jeff Hanson - Jeff Hanson

[edison]

Earlimart - Mentor Tormentor

How are you liking that?

I can't be bothered to reconstitute my entire playlist today, but I know it involved some Bartok for breakfast, Kink Kontroversy for lunch, and then loads of New Pornographers/Immaculate Machine afterwards.

[mountmccabe]

Earlimart - Mentor Tormentor

How are you liking that?

I am liking it a lot.  They've become much more consistent.  The album is strong throughout.  It's more lush and orchestrated than Treble & Tremble (which was in turn more lush...) but there are still a few rockers like "700 > 100" (an early favorite) in the mix.  I still think they'll play the Hollywood Bowl with the LA Phil if they were a bigger band.

The big choir on "Cold Cold Heaven" works for me; though as a warning I also liked Elbow's Glastocized "Grace Under Pressure."

[edison]

Earlimart - Mentor Tormentor

How are you liking that?

I am liking it a lot.  They've become much more consistent.  The album is strong throughout.  It's more lush and orchestrated than Treble & Tremble (which was in turn more lush...) but there are still a few rockers like "700 > 100" (an early favorite) in the mix.  I still think they'll play the Hollywood Bowl with the LA Phil if they were a bigger band.

The big choir on "Cold Cold Heaven" works for me; though as a warning I also liked Elbow's Glastocized "Grace Under Pressure."

Good! I gave it 1,5 listens and it seemed pretty good - I'm sort of ambivalent about the band, though - they are excellent at what they do, but it hardly ever rises above good sub-Elliott Smith or sub-Grandaddy level. That was the feeling I got from Treble & Tremble anyway.

[Andrew_TSKS]

babar--i do have that mf doom on vinyl, and i got it for like $8, but the top righthand corner of the jacket got nibbled by rats. so it's probably not actually worth anything.

sayin.

[justinh]

Baroness / Red Album (maybe my favorite metal record of the year thus far?)
Torche / Torche
Torche / In Return
Mastodon / Leviathan
Jesu / Conqueror
The Promise Ring / Nothing Feels Good
Braid / Frame and Canvas

I think I'm just going to listen to metal and 90's for the next few days...

[diesel_powered]

Operation: Doomsday is out of print? News to me...

Today's playlist?

(DJ mix I'm in the process of proofing... probably won't get cover art.)

(I am constantly in awe of Dean Wareham & Co's ability to create exquisitely beautiful music.)


And Justin reminds me that I need to pick up Torche's... well.. everything. I saw them open for Mogwai last year and they blew me the fuck away. They were one of those opening bands that you haven't heard of and don't really care about, but when you get to the venue midway through their set, it's obvious that you've made a terrible mistake when you get within 10 feet of the venue. I just wish they had a commitment to pressing their albums to vinyl.

[justinh]

I think most everything by Torche is available on vinyl through Robotic Empire.  Colored vinyl, even!

[On Reflection]

Okkervil River - The Stage Names
Nina Nastasia & Jim White - You Follow Me
Mirah - C'mon Miracle

I am ecstatic that I live in a world where these people and these albums exist.

[auto-da-fey]

Soundtrack for a round-trip drive to Orange County:

Michelle Shocked, Short Sharp Shocked
Portastatic, Be Still Please
Jay Reatard, Blood Visions

worked pretty well as a day-encompassing trilogy, for some reason.

[edison]

Portastatic, Be Still Please

That album has some pretty great moments, doesn't it? I must have listened to "You Blanks" and "Sour Shores" 40+ times this year.

[Ah_Pook]

[jebreject]

Robotic Empire still exists?

[justinh]

Robotic Empire still exists?

YES. 

[jebreject]

Huh. For some reason I'm really surprised by that.

[auto-da-fey]

Portastatic, Be Still Please

That album has some pretty great moments, doesn't it? I must have listened to "You Blanks" and "Sour Shores" 40+ times this year.

I like "Getting Saved" a lot too--it's got that Springsteeny thing that Mac clearly loves going on and makes me remember when Superchunk used to close their shows with "Born to Run" back in the day (maybe they still do; last time I saw them, in 2002, they didn't).