Search results for the knife
My Insipid Record Collection – Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Aug 7th
I was listening to the Genesis epic classic “Supper’s Ready” at the gym this morning and I starting thinking about posting something from my Prog collection. I decided today was ELP day. Hope you don’t mind. My first exposure to Emerson, Lake & Palmer was probably somewhere around 1971 when I heard “Lucky Man” on the radio. Today, ”Lucky Man” sounds a bit quaint and outdated, but it remains a beautiful song as far as I’m concerned. I remember my friend Jim’s brother used it at his wedding. This was not uncommon in the 70′s. I’m not sure if “Lucky Man” actually hurt the careers of ELP, but it did pigeonhole them a bit. That first record, 1970′s Emerson, Lake & Palmer, had some stellar tracks on it. “Take a Pebble” was absolutely one. “Knife Edge” was probably my personal favorite, but it was “Lucky Man” that carried the day for that first voyage. The rumor mill suggests that “Lucky Man,” allegedly written by Greg Lake at ripe old age of 12, was a throwaway track considered filler at the time. Apparently the record company requested they add it. Neither Emerson nor Palmer thought very much of it the story goes. Wonder what they think of it today all those dollars later? Just curious…
I remember being in the sixth grade, somewhere around 1973, when my music teacher (do they still have those?) brought in a copy of ELP’s 1971 LP Pictures of An Exhibition. Teachers, like Mrs Pritchard (I don’t even recall her first name because we always called her “Mrs” and it was 37 years ago), could get behind ELP because they were classically trained musicians. Pictures at An Exhibition was an interpretation of work originally done by Modest Mussorgsky, a Russian composer in the 1800′s. As a 13 year old kid I didn’t know squat about ELP or Mussorgsky, but if my teacher liked it there’s a pretty good chance it wasn’t very cool. It didn’t seem half bad to me really, but I wasn’t rushing out to find my own copy that’s for sure. It was about that time that Emerson, Lake & Palmer released Brain Salad Surgery complete with it’s interesting cover and design. It was the first time I actually made the connection between Classical Music (not one of my favorite genres) and ELP’s work. When I see the words “Movement, Arrangement, Suite and Impression” I usually start sprinting in the other direction. Now I was interested.
ELP, according to our friends at Wikipedia, sold over 40 Million records worldwide. That’s a lot of records. They were considered something of a Supergroup back in the day because Keith Emerson was playing keyboards in a band called The Nice, Greg Lake was the bassist in the legendary King Crimson and Carl Palmer was drumming for a band called Atomic Rooster. I know I have mentioned that I bought more than the occasional album over the years strictly because the artwork intrigued me. Well, Atomic Rooster became one of those bands in 80′s. A CD called Home To Roost, which apparently was first released in 1977, was one of those records. I had no idea, none, that Carl Palmer was involved with this band when I grabbed the CD out of our used CD bin back when I managed a compact disc store in 1987. I just liked the artwork on the cover. I only found out about it today when I started looking into ELP’s background for this post! Now I have to listen to the CD again to see if I can actually make out Palmer’s drumming. Know what? When I went to look into Atomic Rooster’s background I found out they were predominantly made up of ex-Crazy World of Arthur Brown members. I could not get enough of TCWAB’s 1968 hit single “Fire” when I was a kid. I think I still have that 45 RPM around here somewhere. Small world huh? I know It’s Only Rock & Roll, but I Like It as someone once said.
Brain Salad Surgery was released in November of 1973 and Emerson, Lake & Palmer were instantly international superstars. The album only contained five tracks, but the last one, Karn Evil 9, had several impressions. Radio stations knew it was good, but they had to locate the shortest numbers to fit their formats. “Still…You Turn Me On” was perfect. Two minutes and forty three seconds of I love my girlfriend. Sold. ELP’s other relatively famous track from Brain Salad Surgery would be Karn Evil 9 1st Impression Part II. It contained the “Welcome Back My Friends To The Show That Never Ends” phrase and it was short enough to play on the radio at 4:46. “Jerusalem” also got some light airplay, but the record sold like hotcakes. The curious thing about Brain Salad Surgery, as good as it was, is that 1972′s Trilogy might well have been Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s finest moment. Trilogy had “From The Beginning” and several other classic ELP tracks. I’m guessing it didn’t sell nearly as well as Brain Salad Surgery though. Including their second record, 1971′s Tarkus, ELP had released their core studio records by the end of 1973. They went on an ostentatious world tour and released and unheard of triple album in 1974 called Welcome Back My Friends To The Show That Never Ends…Ladies and Gentlemen to commemorate the event, but ELP as we knew them were officially running on fumes. The Moog Synthesizer and the Hammond Organ seemed to be running out of ideas by 1975. Works Volumes I & II, released in 1977, had their moments, but by and large the changing landscape of Rock had passed them by. It was Clash, not Classical any longer.
I have one or two friends that still swear by classic Emerson, Lake & Palmer and for that I am grateful because I find myself still attached to the bands of my youth on more than one occasion. I look around and most folks my age have long since stopped rocking and I feel like the only idiot alive that loves the history of Rock & Roll as much as I do in my age group. Bleep ‘em. I got to shake Warren Haynes’ hand on Thursday, took in Interpol that night and saw Gov’t Mule at point blank range last night. I don’t care if I’m The Last Man Standing, as Jerry Lee Lewis might say, I’ll be rocking myself to the grave. OK, enough babbling. I’m leaving you with three of my favorite ELP tracks, but I wish it could be more.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer – Karn Evil 9 1st Impression – Part I.mp3
Emerson, Lake & Palmer – The Sheriff.mp3
Emerson, Lake & Palmer – Knife Edge.mp3
Buy or Download Come & See The Show: The Best of ELP from Amazon here.
One Track Mind – Phantom, Rocker & Slick
Jun 9th
I was never a big Rockabilly guy. When The Stray Cats were popular in the early 80′s I wanted no part of them. They had four fairly massive hits right out off the gate in “Stray Cat Strut, Sexy + 17, Rock This Town and Rumble in Brighton,” but I just didn’t dig them. I had been a fan, thanks to my mother mostly, of artists like Jerry Lee Lewis, Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, Carl Perkins and Bill Haley & The Comets, but by and large Rockabilly wasn’t really my thing. No real need to explain it; I just didn’t feel the groove. I didn’t buy the first Stray Cats record…and I bought almost everything. I liked Robert Gordon (his girl is Red Hot, your girl ain’t doodley squat), but most Rockabilly felt a little dated and forced to me. Kind of cheesy actually. I still don’t own a Stray Cats record, but I recognize and respect their little nitch in Rock history.
The Stray Cats were lead by a guy named Brian Setzer. I didn’t follow his career much, but his 1986 solo record, The Knife Feels Like Justice, showed up on our playlist at WBCN back then. The radio station had latched onto and were playing The Stray Cats, much like everyone else in the world, but the furor had finally died down by 1986. Setzer decided on going to a more Roots/Americana sound. I don’t even profess to know a song beyond the title track of his ’86 record I’m sorry to say. Left in the wake of his departure from The Stray Cats were the other two thirds of the band. Bassist Lee Rocker and drummer Slim Jim Phantom. The Stray Cats story is a bit odd actually. They were originally from Long Island, but moved to the UK because they had heard there was some sort of 1950′s Teddy Boy revival going on there. It turned out to be a very shrewd move. They capitalized on the “movement” of sorts and had people dressing and wearing their hair just as they did in the 1950′s. Sunday, Monday Happy Days…
The were big in England and put out two records in 1981 over there called Stray Cats and Gonna Ball respectively. The first one did great and the second one did lousy. They had created a buzz though and, according to Wikipedia, they had members of UK Legends like Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones and The Who were turning up at their shows. As it turned out, Brian Setzer eventually played concerts as part of Robert Plant’s retro side project The Honeydrippers a couple of years later. In 1982 EMI America finally brought The Stray Cats stateside a record called Built For Speed, which was essentially the best of their first two UK releases. It was an instant smash.
Once Setzer departed The Cats, Phantom & Rocker went looking for a third to get back into the studio. The guy they settled on was Earl Slick, best known for playing with David Bowie. So now we have a group known as Phantom, Rocker & Slick. Kind of cool sounding no? They even got Keith Richards and Nicky Hopkins to play on their self titled debut record which was released in 1985. The band didn’t last long, but they did release a single called “Men Without Shame” that I was all over back in the day. It had some Rockabilly tendencies, but it was a rock song more than anything else. I thought it rocked. I did buy that one, though if memory serves it was the 33 1/3 single as opposed to the whole album, but I’d have to check the vault. I was listening to my Sony iPod like device at the gym this morning when it gurgled to the surface. I thought “I’m going to blog about that one later.” So here we are. Hope you like it. The record, long out of print I’m told, is still not released on CD as far as I know. Almost EVERYTHING is out on CD by now. What’s the holdup with this gem? Bueller, anyone?
Phantom, Rocker & Slick – Men Without Shame.mp3
Buy a vinyl copy of Phantom, Rocker & Slick from Amazon here.
The Giant Panther’s Top 20 Albums of 2009
Jan 21st
I’d love to be able to say I did this list in one shot, fired from the hip, and came out fearlessly and decisively with my rock solid Top 20 Albums list ready for prime time. The truth is, unfortunately filled with scribbles, crumpled paper balls, wishing I had 25 slots, and a few question marks that will inevitably be answered in a year or two from now when I look back on this list and laugh at myself. I must admit my 2008 list held up pretty well for me over time. Even my 2007 list doesn’t make me blush, but my lackluster “top 15″ of 2006 has definitely not aged as well. This list is the naked, sometimes ugly truth of what really stuck with me this year. Some albums started out sure fire top five when I first heard them, but eventually I just plain got sick of (sorry Passion Pit). Some albums I could not make myself sick of no matter how many times I hit repeat (thank you Dirty Projectors). I even found myself asking “Where is Grizzly Bear on this list”? Only to answer that, while I respect the album, it just wasn’t an album I found myself wanting to listen to over and over again, although the Michael McDonald version of “While You Wait For The Others” gets filed under coolest move of the year.
When my list was finished, I found myself wishing it was drastically more different than a lot of the other blog lists, but making a list just to be different seems stupid. If it’s my favorite and it happens to be a million other blogger’s favorites, so be it. I always see people leave comments on top album lists like [say in comic book guy voice] “most unoriginal list ever”. Those people are missing the point. These lists are the author’s favorite albums of the year, nothing more and nothing less. I don’t pretend to be any kind of authority or suggest anybody out there should take these too seriously.
The list is far from thorough, unlike John I don’t go through and listen to every album that deserves consideration at list making time. If I haven’t had time to really fall in love with an album, (as John mentions with multiple front to back listens) and time for the album to grow on me as I fall in and out of love with it, then it doesn’t get considered for my list. I do love catching up on music I missed in the past year with other people’s lists. I’ve found some really cool music over the past few weeks on some of my other favorite blogs that I’m sure if I had found them earlier, would have had a shot at making my list (as if anybody cares about making my list). There are a handful of albums like this that just didn’t make my radar during the course of the year, and as I listen now I’m wishing they did.
I really look forward to making these lists. It’s why I started blogging in the first place. Friends would ask me, “what’s some good new music I should check out?” and I would always draw a blank when put on the spot. These lists are a good reminder on what a great year it actually was in music. When I first started I was worried I wouldn’t have 20 worthy albums to include, now I’m wishing I had room for at least another five. They are also a good way for lazy bloggers like me that didn’t take the time to tell you about these albums when they were actually released to get you up to speed. I’m not going to write much on these albums, I’ll let the music speak for itself.
#20. Bat For Lashes – Two Suns
Bat For Lashes – Pearl’s Dream
Dreamy dark music with a tinge of 80s goodness. Gotta love her video for “Daniel”, paying homage to none other than the Karate Kid himself, Daniel-San. Makes me wonder if she grew up with a huge crush on Ralph Macchio. I’m sure she has her fair share of guys growing up with a huge crush on her.
Download Two Suns here
#19. Japandroids – Post-Nothing
Japandroids – Young Hearts Spark Fire
This album is by far louder than anything else that finds it’s way into my regular rotation, but there is something particularly special about Japandroids. Kind of reminds you of early Pumpkins with their powerful, at times insanely in your face loudness, but still somehow making beautiful music at the same time. I think the one difference where they could have taken another page out of the Pumpkins book would be to add a bit of room for dynamics, this album starts noisy, ends noisy, and is noisy in the middle. This is one of the albums I thought for sure would also be on John’s list, I’m looking forward to catching up with him about our lists.
Download Post Nothing here
#18. Neon Indian – Psychic Chasms
Neon Indian – 6669 (I don’t know if you know)
I’ve said it before, and before that, I love the sounds Alan Palomo creates. This album is just as trippy as the title suggests, and literally feels like it was recorded on tape, sealed in a time capsule for 25 years, and just now pressed to CD. The only reason the album isn’t higher on my list as I didn’t think every single song was worth a re-listen.
Download Psychic Chasms here
#17. The Xx – xx
If you read my best remixes of 2009 post, you know they did a bang up job on Florence and the Machine. The only reason The XX didn’t make it higher on my Top 20 is because I get the impression The XX think they are entirely way too cool for pretty much everything, including Top Album lists, and showing any signs of exerting effort into anything, let alone vocals on a song. Almost a “we can’t be bothered” vibe. At times their vocal style dips almost into near comatose. I don’t like the feeling that somebody is trying extra hard to sing with a certain style or type (see John Mayer doing his best whispery Dave Matthews impression for example) but I can’t deny they make good tunes. I especially like the Chris Isaak vibe on “Infinity”, if only because as a young lad that music video got me through many a lonely night.
Bonus Remix Florence + The Machine You’ve Got the Love (The XX Remix)
Download xx here
#16. Atlas Sound – Logos
Atlas Sound – Quick Canal (w_Laetitia Sadier)
Atlas Sound is a solo project from Deerhunter frontman Bradford Cox. I have mixed feelings on this album, it at times escapes too far beyond reality as he tends to do, but the Atlas Sound project is definitely more focused and on track towards reality than Deerhunter. Has a sixties vibe to it. There are some beautiful songs on this record and he has a knack at making them without ever having to let on that they are anything but ugly. This album also earns my nomination for worst record cover of the year.
Download Logos here
#15. Yacht – See Mystery Lights
Yacht – I’m In Love With A Ripper
Yacht – We Have All We Ever Wanted
How would I ever begin to describe Yacht? There are no words. Like nothing I’ve heard before. Incorporating elements of electronic music, sampling, live instruments, mantras, and a bunch of other crazy stuff. One of my favorites to listen to this year because it’s so fresh and different than anything else. Think of how you would have described Tom Tom Club or LCD Soundsystem the first time you heard them. I’m pretty sure this album is about dying, you wouldn’t know it from it’s tone and energy. After writing this paragraph, I just hopped over to Pitchfork to get some background on Yacht, and of course it cites Tom Tom Club and LCD Soundsystem as influences, and they cite using mantras. I swear I haven’t read that review before, or anything on Yacht for that matter. Weird.
Download See Mystery Lights here
#14. Cass McCombs – Catacombs
I never really caught on to Cass McCombs before, but was completely won over by this album. I only knew of him from his tune That’s That, which I found to be pretty good, but this new album is more than pretty good. It’s got a kind of minimalist approach, a relatively quiet album, but has the feel of something like the quieter side of Velvet Underground, tough to describe, give it a listen. Where The XX are exerting extra effort to sound cool in my opinion, for Cass McCombs it’s a natural occurrence. There isn’t a bad song on the record.
Download Catacombs here
#13. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone
Neko Case – This Tornado Loves You
Neko Case – Magpie To The Morning
You’ve gotta love Neko Case’s voice. Smooth as silk, even when she’s bellowing at the top of her lungs, what a pair of lungs they are. I’d go so far as to say she has the best female voice in modern music. Hard to describe her musical style, not Tex Mex ,not Country but certainly not mainstream Pop or Rock either. I took a few years break from Neko (I heard she was heartbroken) after going through a huge Neko Case phase. This album was the perfect reminder that she is still amazing and can still mix things up. This is her most refined and focused album to day.
Download Middle Cyclone here
#12. Dan Auerbach – Keep It Hid
Dan Auerbach – I Want Some More
Dan Auerbach – My Last Mistake
Solo effort from Dan Auerbach, the frontman from The Black Keys (if you don’t know them start making yourself familiar right away). As pretty much expected, this is the only album that made both John and my list this year. These tunes are at times slightly quieter than those produced from The Black Keys, but one thing is for sure, Auerbach turns whatever he touches to Blues gold. If you like The Black Keys, this will not be a let down.
Download Keep It Hid here
#11. J. Tillman – Year In The Kingdom
J. Tillman – Year In The Kingdom
Josh Tillman is a member of Fleet Foxes, and has been recording solo music for some time. His latest release, Year In The Kingdom, is nothing short of earth shatterring, without ever raising the dB needle past green. The amazing thing is, he is the drummer for Fleet Foxes, and I don’t even think there was a drum kit on site when recording this album. Think of the first time you heard Iron & Wine or Bon Iver, that’s the kind of spine tingling goodness this record contains. Looks like there are plans to digitally release some of his earlier works, looking forward to hearing those as well. As a wannabe songwriter, I’ve always appreciated being able to allude to something without actually ever coming out and saying it, rewarding the careful listener with allegories and clues. See “Earthly Bodies” for a great example of singing about doing the no pants dance without ever mentioning the word sex.
Download Year In The Kingdom here
#10. Cymbals Eat Guitars – Why There Are Mountains
Cymbals Eat Guitars – And the Hazy Sea
Cymbals Eat Guitars – Some Trees
So many great bands come to mind when listening to Cymbals Eat Guitars – Pavement, Sonic Youth, Built To Spill. The first three tracks are especially killer, I swear if you put them on for someone without telling them they might think it was a lost track from one of the aforementioned bands. Some people take offense to being compared to other artists, but how could you in this company? It doesn’t necessarily infer that you are just copying what’s already been done, or worse, trying to sound like somebody else on purpose, just that it’s clear you grew up listening to great music.
Download Why Are There Mountains here
#9. Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears – Tell ‘Em What Your Name Is!
Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears – Sugarfoot
Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears – Boogie
Whatever happened to making simply good damn music to get funky to? Thank God for Black Joe Lewis, the closest we are going to get to the Godfather of soul anytime in the foreseeable future. With a good mix of funk and blues, It would be impossible for you to not be moving at least one extremity when this record comes on. Going to see Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears live in Feb at Great Scott in Allston, I’ve heard they put on a hell of a show.
Download Tell ‘Em What Your Name Is! here
#8. Fanfarlo – Reservoir
Fanfarlo – Harold T. Wilkins, Or How To Wait
I have to admit, when I first heard a track from Fanfarlo “The Walls Are Coming Down”, I thought these guys were just trying to rip off Beirut, like literally copy every aspect of it – from the mandolin to the trumpet to the tremolo style vocals. But then I got the full album and realized that was only one tune that sounded like Beirut, and the album was actually a layered, well written album. Any fan of Sufjan Stevens, The National, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! and Beirut should give Fanfarlo a listen.
Download Reservoir here
#7. Throw Me The Statue – Creaturesque
Throw Me The Statue – Hi-Fi Goon
Throw Me The Statue – Cannibal Rays
Another band that I bet I could trick you with if I put it on for you. The first time I heard them on the radio I could have sworn they were Built To Spill. Again, I don’t mean to offend anyone with comparisons like this, I know it’s not the favorite of most artists to be compared. These guys make great rock music, the lead singer has a soft delivery much like Built To Spill or the Flaming Lips. Hi Fi Goon was a strong contender for my song of the year.
Download Creaturesque here
#6. White Denim – Fits
White Denim – Regina Holding Hands
Let me put a disclaimer in, pretty much every album from my #6 to #1 have at some point during my list making process been #1. It was quite a struggle for me to sort these last six out. They are pretty much all #1s to me. This album sure was a surprise for me. Some of my favorite bloggers have been absolutely raving about White Denim for a few years now, and I never understood why. I didn’t really dig their first album, but when I sat down with Fits, and listened to it twice over, I was blown away. So many different sounds for this album. Zappa, The Doors, Pink Floyd, The Dead, more recently Tapes N Tapes, but most importantly, their own, rocking unique sound that makes them in no way like any of the influences I just mentioned. You won’t be able to get a feel by just listening to a couple of sample songs, you really need to pick up this record and give the full album your undivided attention.
Download Fits here
#5. Fever Ray – Fever Ray
Fever Ray is a solo project for The Knife’s Karin Dreijer Andersson, and one of The Giant Panther’s absolute favorites for 2009. The first time I heard this album I was a little weary, because I think I was expecting a Knife album, which this is not. But it grew on me incredibly quickly, and became my second most listened to album of the year. I’ve raved about The Knife and Karen in particular many times before. She has such a ballsy voice and is way way out there in the music she makes. Often times creepy, but in a good way. Also my pick for best album cover of the year.
Bonus Remix: The Knife -Triangle Walks (Rex The Dog Radio Edit)
Download Fever Ray here
#4. Bibio – Ambivalence Avenue
Bibio came out of nowhere and hit me in the head with an amazing album. Half beautiful indie melodic songs, and half sampled head bobbing beats, this album was an amazing surprise. Easily my favorite track of the year, “Fire Ant” is an example of the latter. I’m not sure what inspired Bibio to go from the experimental folksy Boards of Canada type stuff to the Flying Lotus, J Dilla-esque beats like “Fire Ant”, but it’s a great combination.
Download Ambivalence Avenue here
Bonus Remix: Bibio – Lovers Carvings (Letherette Remix)
#3. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
Dirty Projectors – Stillness Is The Move
Dirty Projectors – No Intention
I’ve been listening to Dirty Projectors for years. I always thought to myself that frontman Dave Longstreth is one step away from perfection, if he could just trade a tiny bit of orchestral experimentation for catchiness, they could be one of my favorites. Their last album Rise Above set them on this path, and Bitte Orca finally hit perfection. Killer album. Rocks my world every time I put it on. I’m convinced 20 years from now “Stillness is the Move” will be considered a decade defining song. You can almost hear it making it to the Top 100 radio station, it’s so damn catchy. Amber Coffman puts in a vocal performance that is could have easily been transplanted to any top R&B song (without needed assistance from an autotune). As a matter of fact, I think I remember seeing this video posted on Kanye West’s blog, and all the commenters were like “damn this is a pretty good girl group etc”, maybe this single took things to far into the popularity realm for Longstreth, I guess time will tell when we hear the next album from them whether they keep on the current course or hunker back towards experimental interpretations or maybe a rock opera. The guitar riff is so unique and added to the beat it’s a great combination, I’m always impressed when I hear a live version of “No Intention”, how tight the harmonies are, and how easily they play that guitar riff (I’ve tried, it’s hard). I love the harmonies and voices the lovely pair Amber Coffman and Angel Deradoorian in Dirty Projectors bring to this band. There isn’t a bad track on this record.
If you don’t believe me that Stillness Is The Move has R&B potential, check out Beyonce’s sister’s rendition:
Bonus cover: Solange – Stillness Is The Move (Dirty Projectors Cover)
Bonus live performance: Dirty Projectors – No Intention (Live acoustic on Sirius XMU)
Download Bitte Orca here
#2. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
Animal Collective – In the Flowers
Animal Collective – Summertime Clothes
Don’t stare directly into the album cover! If you’ve read a music blog in the last five years, I don’t need to tell you about Animal Collective. If you haven’t, stop and give them a good listen, because you probably won’t ever hear them on the radio. Stick with your first listen, some of the songs have long, repetitive intros, almost mantra like, that end up rewarding the listener greatly towards the middle or end of a song with a catchy hook. “In The Flowers” would also get the TGP nod for best written song of the year (even though sometimes I had to refer to a lyrics sheet). This is by far their best album, and it really blew me away. It was the most listened to album by The Giant Panther this year, and I think it’s because you can find so many things with each new listen. I would also go so far as to say this is their most “radio friendly” album to date, but again, don’t ever expect to hear these on the radio. Sorry to be so unoriginal with my #2 selection, but they are on a lot of year end lists for good reason. There is nobody like them and they make amazing, interesting, original music.
Bonus Remix: Animal Collective – Summertime Clothes (Dam-Funk Remix)
Download Merriweather Post Pavilion here
#1. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Stay Alive
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – A Teenager in Love
Your first listen to The Pains Of Being Pure at Heart will most likely leave you wondering how they were able to achieve perfection without seemingly trying too hard. Cramming so many perfect songs into one album, I would imagine takes making about 30 or 40, then leaving 20 of them on the cutting room floor. I hear so many influences in this music, all of which bring me back to my favorite era and genre of music, 80′s new wave. From song to song I hear The Cure (one of my all time favorite albums is Disintegration), The Smiths, Jesus & Mary Chain, and on and on. Maybe throw in a little Belle & Sebastian for good measure. I thought after listening that this band was from the UK, but I think they are actually Brooklyn based. If you pick up one album this year based on my recommendations, make it this one.
Download The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart here
Your Tour Guide – Jet
Jul 11th
Well, Jet’s new CD isn’t due for six weeks or so, but some friends of mine left me some freebies for tonight’s show at The Paradise here in Boston. My benefactor’s, Mark & Melanie, are the Jet fans in my circle, but they chose the fair weather of Cape Cod versus the Friday night concert. I don’t really blame them. Not because of the fair weather or because of Jet playing in town, but because The Paradise is probably my least favorite venue to see a concert. It’s general admission and holds maybe 1500 (guessing) people, but the sight lines are awful and the air conditioning is non existent. The Paradise is legendary in Boston’s long history of hosting concerts, but there are three massive load bearing posts in the middle of the audience that totally wipes out any hope of a view behind them. I’m talking two to three feet wide pillars that eclipse the sun. I hate them and have always hated them, but they are a fixture in this structure. To the credit of whoever owns The Paradise these days, whether it’s John Lyons or somebody else (I lost track), they have done a lot of thing to make the venue palatable since I saw Robin Trower and NRBQ way back in the early 80′s, but the place still bites. Either you are in one of the decent 60 side and overhead view spots or the front row of standing room (in which case you are done drinking or going to the facilites) or you are basically listening to King Biscuit Flower Hour on the radio as far as I’m concerned. Unless the place is half empty, I have never cared much for the experience that is The Paradise. It’s a glorified TT The Bears in Cambridge for my money and TT’s is at least a bar first and foremost. Like Johnny D’s in Somerville, I kind of wish they’d burn ‘em down and begin again, but I’m not holding my breath.
My affinity for all things Australia is relatively well documented by now. AC/DC, Midnight Oil, INXS, Airbourne and Jet are just scratching the surface regarding The Land Down Under. I have posted about most of them by now, but I’ve still got more work to do. The truth is I didn’t really want to go to Jet tonight. I had attended Peter Murphy last night and I am scheduled to see Lez Zeppelin on a boat (Blues) cruise around Boston Harbor tomorrow night. I played some basketball this afternoon and I feel like I’ve gone 15 rounds with Smokin’ Joe Frazier about now. But my friend’s Mark & Melanie raved about these guys the last time they were in town so I felt obligated to check them out. I’m glad I did. They definitely operate out of the Oasis and Beatles playbook (Look What You’ve Done is exactly what I’m talking about), but I don’t really hold that against them since I am fans of both bands. They also were a bit reminiscent of The Hives if you can believe that. I just love Walk Idiot Walk by The Hives and I swear Jet has that same choppy urgency at times. They only have two records and one to be released next month, but their new material (That Girl’s a Genius to name just one) hold up exceptionally well. In fact I’m looking forward to Shaka Rock when it gets released as a result of seeing them live. I wasn’t expecting much when I showed up, but color me impressed.
Jet are closer to classic rock than Indie Rock, which is The Giant Panther’s favorite genre, but they had a rabid following and I enjoyed the heck out of their performance tonight. They definitely rock. I’m already on The Giant Panther’s bleep list for missing his BBQ tonight, but I had a rock & roll commitment so hopefully he’ll cut me some slack. I don’t have any of the new material to feature here so I have to leave you with their show closing rocker Cold Hard Bitch instead. The audience was predominantly male, not surprisingly, but there were plenty of pretty young things to go around. I have always loved the young girls holding hands to knife through a particularly thick crowd ostensibly in search of the ladies room. I know my dirty old man mind works overtime when confronted with such sights, but don’t hold it against me. By the way, Jet look cumulatively 25 years of age max. They remind me of another young band from Australia that I couldn’t get enough of once upon a time in Silverchair. I wonder if those kids are 30 yet. I don’t care how old you are if you can rock like Jet and Silverchair. If you get a chance to see these guys is a real venue take a chance. It’s a ballad free zone for sure…and that’s always a good thing in my book…
Album Review: Fever Ray
Mar 25th
Just finished my fourth listen through to Fever Ray’s self titled new album, it’s quickly becoming my “go-to” album in my ever expanding Itunes playlist universe. Fever Ray is the solo project of The Knife’s Karin Dreijer Andersson. For those of you who aren’t familiar with The Knife, they have been making outstanding electronic music out of Sweden for quite a while, like nothing else you have ever heard. They are probably most famous for the song “Heartbeats”, which is utterly amazing, and was covered quite well by Jose Gonzalez a few years back.
Your ears may actually be at a slight advantage to evaluate Fever Ray for the first time if you’ve never heard The Knife. Fans of The Knife will immediately recognize a difference here. Some complain about that, to those I ask “What is the point of a solo or side project if it sounds exactly the same as the original band?”
I’m going to avoid comparisons to the Knife in this review, you can find plenty of those elsewhere in the blogosphere. Instead I’m going to try to attempt the impossible – to describe what this music is and how it makes you feel.
This album creeps up on you, grabs you with black fingernails, and holds on until you forget what you were doing or where you are. Try to think back to the first time you listened to Radiohead’s post-The Bends work, that’s really the only way I can think to describe the feeling you get from this album. Not warm and fuzzy, more cold and tingly. Think of the first time you went into that room at the Museum of Science in Boston with the giant silver ball and the lightning bolts – the way you could smell the electricity in the air – it kind of creeps you out, but intrigues you to no end at the same time – especially if you were a little kid. You want to touch it but you know you probably shouldn’t.
The album also has a drive and feel similar to something you may have obsessed over in the 80s – Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, Depeche Mode, but with modern day touches. Fever Ray is able to accomplish this drive without the heavy bass lines many of us have come to know and love – a refreshing and inspiring change. As always, Karen’s voice is amazing – a few years back a younger, much more prolific Giant Panther described her as ballsy like Cyndi Lauper – not in a girls just wanna have fun way – in the no reservations sing your ass off way.
Highly recommended and two giant panther thumbs up. Pick up the Fever Ray album, put on some old school giant headphones, turn down the lights, and prepare to do some exploring.
My 25 Most Played Songs
Nov 5th
This feels like one of those dreams where you show up to class in your underwear. Itunes has a feature that lets you create “smart” playlists. One of the smart playlists lets you track your top 25 most played songs of all time. It’s almost like reading someone else’s diary if you think about it. I’m surprised at a lot of the songs on this list. I haven’t listened to a Rogue Wave song in over a year, but damn I must have been rocking that album hard when it came out.
Some of these songs make sense for me, and some I wouldn’t even think to put in my top 50 if I was making a list from scratch. When using hard facts like this smart playlist, my hands are tied on the cool factor. I’m unable to tweak this by adding any kind of obscure noise rock band just to prove I’m worthy of your readership (I actually considered playing a Battles song over and over again until it made the list), or conjure up any visions of me being one of those “hip” people you see walking the streets wearing an outfit that is supposed to look like they don’t care, but actually probably took way more effort and money to put together than a normal outfit.
By some minor miracle or act of God, Phil Collins’ “Don’t Lose My Number” didn’t appear in my top 25. So here it is without any edits, and without any shame, my Top 25 most played songs in Itunes.
- The Knife – Heartbeats
- Editors – Bullets
- MP3: Panda Bear – Ponytail alt link
- Joy Divison – Love Will Tear Us Apart
- Sigur Ros – Glosoli
- MP3: Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Matt Sweeney – My Home Is The Sea alt link
- Interpol – PDA
- Morphine – All Your Way
- The Arcade Fire – Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)
- Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Matt Sweeney – Beast For Thee
- Broken Social Scene – Fire Eye’d Boy
- MP3: M. Ward – To Go Home alt link
- Rogue Wave – 10:1
- Rogue Wave – Are You On My Side
- MP3: Broken Social Scene – Superconnected alt link
- Interpol – Untitled
- LCD Soundsystem – Someone Great
- MP3: Rogue Wave – Salesman At The Day Of The Parade alt link
- Talking Heads – This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)
- Tom Waits – Hang Down Your Head
- Neko Case – Hold On, Hold On
- Band Of Horses – Is There A Ghost
- MP3: The Bees – Listening Man alt link
- Beirut – Scenic World
- Talking Heads – I’m Not In Love
Album Review: Grizzly Bear – Yellow House
Sep 25th
The Giant Panther once again hooking you up with a review for an album you probably have been listening to for 2 months already. What can I say, it takes me a while before I’m ready to write about something. I started hearing tracks from Grizzly Bear’s new album back in the spring, and was eager to find out how these songs would gel together to form one album. Now that I’ve listened to Yellow House front to back at least 5 times, I can tell you that they gel together well. Although you really have to pay attention to keep this album in the foreground. It’s got a lot going on, but if you don’t stay sharp, your bound to miss the train. Recorded literally in a yellow house near Cape Cod, with more layers than an onion, and just the right amount of production, Yellow House is perfect for a long trip with the headphones on.
Some people are against sounds-like comparisons, I’m not one of them. The closest I can come to any other sound I’ve heard would probably be Brian Wilson at his craziest, with a little Pink Floyd circa Meddle. Don’t believe me? Listen for yourself! (I actually typed this, then read it back to myself, and am leaving it in for comic relief. My own little online version of “Reading Rainbow”.)
MP3: Grizzly Bear – Knife
Grizzly Bear’s Website
Buy Yellow HouseGrizzly Bear’s Website
Buy Yellow HouseBonus MP3: Pink Floyd – Fearless
Pink Floyd’s Website
Buy Meddle
Album Review: Junior Boys – So This is Goodbye
Sep 5th
Although this isn’t my first run-in with Junior Boys, it is the first time I’ve heard their record front to back, and I must admit, their new release, So This Is Goodbye really took me by surprise. This album rides atop the apex of a wave of electronic music (The Knife, MSTRKRFT, James Figurine, etc.) I’ve been partaking in lately, in hopes of expanding my musical palette.
Jeremy Greenspan’s smooth, laid back vocals over electronic landscapes, flavor each of the 10 tracks on So This Is Goodbye in 10 unique ways. I’m having a hard time coming up with a good description of this sound, if you haven’t figured that out already, but I found the Pitchfork review to be particularly well written, so check it out. Here are a few of my favorite tracks from So This Is Goodbye, one of my favorites of 2006 so far, and a purchase worthy of your hard earned money.
MP3: Junior Boys – FM
Junior Boys Website
Buy So This Is Goodbye
MP3: Junior Boys – Like A Child
Junior Boys Website
Buy So This Is Goodbye
Bonus: Since I referenced a few other bands I haven’t reviewed here yet, I figured I’d include something for your sampling pleasure.
MP3: James Figurine – Leftovers
James Figurine Website
Buy Mistake, Mistake, Mistake, MistakeMSTRKRFT – Easy Love
Robot Voice = Always A Good Choice.
MSTRKRFT Website
Buy The Looks
My First Post!
Jun 27th
I’ve spent two days trying to think of what to post first, and I’ve got nothing. Here’s what I’ve been listening to this morning, there’s a little bit of 80s in all of us..
Hot Chip’s Website
Buy “The Warning”
Hot Chip immediately reminds me of the Beta Band, which should be considered high praise. And no, not just because they are English and use electronic instruments. A good number of these songs have that same familiar drone progression that brings me back to my favorite Beta Band tunes. Why did they break up? I even hear a little Duran Duran in here somewhere. That’s not to say this album doesn’t have it’s own sound. There is lot going on, and “The Warning” offers a good variety of tracks, some that belong in a club, and some on your headphones when you can really pay attention. Bobblehead, this definitely belongs on your invisible IPod!
MP3: Office – Q&A
Office Website
Buy “Q&A” From Itunes
If you saw my playcount on this tune, you would puke on your keyboard. Solid, upbeat album, front to back. Is there a Magical Mystery breakdown in the middle? How do I explain this track? I don’t, you have to listen to it, over and over.
MP3: Zero 7 – Futures (w/ Jose Gonzalez)
Zero 7 Website
Buy “The Garden”
I have to admit, I’m a sucker for anything Jose Gonzalez. But that’s another post for another day. The appearance of Jose on several tracks on “The Garden” is what initially attracted me to this album. After a further listen, it’s a good album to put on during dinner, but tends to lose my attention. A little Euro-popish, but enjoyable. P.S. that’s not your music player skipping 2 and a half minutes in, it’s just being “artsy”.
The Knife Website
Buy “Deep Cuts” from Itunes
Ok, a Jose Gonzalez post inevitably leads me to mention one of my favorite songs recently, “Heartbeats”. I initially heard Jose’s version, which lead me to the original, by Swedish electronic indie band, The Knife, which lead me to their excellent album “Deep Cuts”. I love the simplicity in the lyrics of “Heartbeats”, and Karin Dreijer Andersson is as ballsy a vocalist as Cyndi Lauper (I told you there’s a little bit of 80s in all of us.)
