Hey, it's been a while. It was about two weeks ago that I last updated this thing and promised I would sit down and listen to the new TV on the Radio album, Dear Science, to write a very professional review of it. Of course, what might be expected from this update is at least one fucking paragraph regarding the album... I mean, because I did say I would review it, right? And... like, I even said I would not update until I finished that review.
...
Turns out, er... I kind of... well... huh... I sort of don't have it. I mean, I completely stopped listening to that album nonstop about a month ago, and I think I am not completely enamored with it as to write a killer review of it now. But this I can tell you, it is worth the money. Or the download. I recommend Lover's Day because... I don't know, it's my favorite song off of a predominantly indie rock album tinged with jolly elements of funk and electronic, an extremely subtle influence of tribal fusion, and choir-like vocals present in several songs. I think the band was kind of aiming for a more industrial sounding record, but still very indie and very TV on the Radio, and the result is a quite pleasant, easy-listening 11-track record full of little surprises and other kinds of nice stuff. So check it out. And there, my long-awaited, kickass review. :)
Yet, my ranting thirst has not been quenched, and since I have had such a hectic life as of late, I think I owe it to myself to shamelessly indulge in some music blabbing yet again, because I'm really bored and sore (damn gym) and lonely and I just need to find something to do before I start talking to my dog about his day. So fuck it, I'm going to just go off about the super duper music I've been into these last few days.
Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It in People
This little Canadian supergroup never was a part of my favorites. Never. It still ain't. I must say, as retarded and ignorant as this might make me, I didn't get it. I know, I know, its indie pop, it's fresh and it's made by a whole lot of people (probably more than enough) and it's Canadian and it's Broken Social fucking Scene, dammit! Apparently one of the best Canadian albums ever made, mentioned among works of the likes of Neil Young, Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell; it seems to have caught on in the media, and the critics, and Robert friggin' Christgau. I mean, getting a favorable review from that guy is kind of like... like walking into my room and finding it immaculate. Like impossible, man. I'm not so easy to please, though. I don't want to say it's bad, because I am sure it isn't, so I'm just going to blame my disliking of it on my overall taste. Also, they overloaded the album with instruments, which at times drove me nuts. I really think you guys should cut down your personnel by half, Broken Social Scene. Thank you!
Recommended track: KC Accidental - BSS's first name before becoming... BSS, is also the name of a good track that makes a pop-ridden album sound a bit more indie rock. For like two minutes. Still, I really like this song. Seriously. Seriously.
Tom Waits
Mr. Waits and his alcohol-drenched, chain-smoker-sounding, sore-throat voice make me think of loooove. It must be that dirty voice, and the bluesy tone of his music. I love him. I love his love grooves. And I love Franks Wild Years. A couple years ago I had gotten my hands on two epic Tom Waits albums, 1980's landmark release Heartattack and Vine, and 1987's (slightly sexier) Franks Wild Years. It wasn't until now that I gave them a thorough listen again and discovered that, as much of a snob as this makes me, I like the more pop-oriented, blues-favoring latter better than the rather experimental, mellower former. I guess I like Franks because it sounds more dramatic, in my inexperienced opinion. And because I love Yesterday Is Here. And because it's just really fucking sexy. I mean, damn...
Recommended track: I'll Be Gone (from Franks Wild Years) - Fuck, this is hysterical. Awesome, I sort of get a little bit of an Eastern European flavor, I love the throaty screams, and the accordions and the overall sense of fun in this song. Plus, you gotta love that rooster... hahahaha I mean, come on!
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
So, I think it would be redundant as fuck to say that I love the holy shitting crap out of Nick Cave and the many incarnations of his musical persona. And that I think his manic personality makes the music all that much more fun to listen to, as well as lots scarier, and I think that is genius. And that his songwriting gives me the hibbie jibbies because he's just plain cuckoo. I won't repeat that, because everybody knows Nick Cave is one good man who earned his place in heaven just by making me soooo fucking happy with his music. But ya, I kinda digg the little man. I spent most of last week making an in-depth analysis of Bad Seeds music, and chose three subjects of study: the band's fourth album, 1986's Your Funeral... My Trial; 1994's Let Love In, and the most recent addition to the already largely impressive catalog, 2008's Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! It was so interesting to witness the evolution of the band, the input brought by the numerous collaborators it has had, all tenured and famed and legendary; the transition from wild and frightening to calmer and more mature, to a fully grown entity fearless to experimentation and direction switches. To summarize, I fucking love everything by Nick fudging Cave and his very Bad Seeds.
Recommended track: She Fell Away (from Your Funeral... My Trial) - Extremely scary, would make good chase scene music. The piano is just perfectly balanced with the rest of the instruments to stand out and yet make this piece sound as badass as it does, in a sort of orchestral manner. Very dramatic, and as a drama queen, I had to love this one.
Okkervil River - The Stand Ins
Being sort of unfamiliar with the band, knowing nothing about it other than the name (which I had stumbled upon on iLike.com a few times and had paid no mind to), venturing into getting this album was in a way, exciting. I was not disappointed, not in the tiniest bit, and I thought I was going to be. The name just didn't sound right. I mean, if I can't pronounce the name of a band correctly (I have yet to find out what it actually sounds like, but I hope I'm not wrong calling it Oh-KUHR-vil River), I can't all of a sudden expect it to be the next Joy Division or whatever. Especially because the band in question is commonly labeled 'folk indie rock' and I'm not an extremely huge fan of folk. But... I did like the happiness this band put into every song. I know that some songs might not seem automatically happy, but there's just this recurrent theme of implicit happiness throughout the record, and I enjoyed it very much. In a way, this album is reminiscent of Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, and that is a huge compliment, so you better thank me, Okkervil River!
Recommended track: Bruce Campbell Interviewed On the Roof of the Chelsea Hotel, 1979 - This is one of the songs that might not sound very happy at first sight (listen, more like). In fact, this song qualifies as really fucking depressing at the beginning. Yet there's something incredibly soothing about it, and I can't help smiling whenever I hear it. Amazing buildup, gives me goosebumps. Oh, and what a fucking awesome name! Haha, fuck you Panic! At the Disco, this song name is waaaay longer than any of yours! And this song doesn't blow, unlike yours!
The Autumns - The Angel Pool
Indie shoegaze from Los Angeles! This is one of the coolest shoegaze albums I've heard that does not include any (fucking ANY) major elements of depressing darkwave and/or head-splitting noise. This album is extremely well balanced, a good amount of classic wall-of-sound shoegaze, a dose of dream pop, a zinch of ethereal, and Cocteau Twins all over it, I think. The textures are very delicate, yet pronounced, to a point where you can feel yourself flying... and not because you're under the influence of cannabis. No way. Although it would be very cool if, on top of The Autumns, there was pot... man... Anyway, lovely melancholic pop, yet surprisingly upbeat rock at times, not as fit-for-cutting like Slowdive, nor as fit-for-going-deaf as My Bloody Valentine, but just... right.
Recommended track: Eskimo Swin - My favorite Autumns track, it's the closest I can get to a really sad song from this album. Haha, I'm just obsessed with sad music. Lovely, warm, fuzzy and so nice it makes me want to watch the rain from my window while drinking tea... and being warmed up by Trent Reznor's luscious body. Mmmm... one can only dream.
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
I did not like this album. Not one bit, haha and that's all there is to it. A few months ago someone (who I'm not on very good terms with) introduced me to my first taste of Vampire Weekend, championing them as the 'most awesome indie band after The Killers.' And, my God, I promise I knew I wouldn't like this band. The song was called A-Punk, the single apparently, and I remember thinking it was the kind of indie you only like because your friends like it, who in turn like it because their friends like it, who just like it cause they're fucking snotty hipsters. It sounded too... cabaret. I'm completely just saying this randomly because I remember thinking something as random when I heard that song. So, despite hearing wonderful acclamations of all sorts of people for this album and this band, going as far as hailing them 'one of the most interesting indie bands in America,' I stayed away from it. That was until my hipster instincts came sprouting out of my ears and I was forced to get this album. I still didn't like this band, and I still don't get them. They sound like a bad Arcade Fire ripoff. Heeeee, what can I do, I'm just picky and tasteless like that.
Recommended track: Walcott - Slightly nicer, upbeat and maybe catchy. Very indie, very weird and... hipster haha. That piano was a thumbs up though, definitely.
The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
Again, here I go with folk. Being an extremely judgmental kind of gal (in music at least), and having remained strange to this subgenre because of my punk rock narrow-mindedness, it still surprises me that I loved this album. Again. Ya well, I think it's nicely put together, and it makes for some outstanding moments, is all. So yeah, I like folk rock now. A lot. I don't think I like it enough to go get some Iron & Wine (nothing personal, I just can't make myself give this guy a shot! I know, dumb, dummy head...) but I sure am willing to expand my knowledge of this cute little music style. This album comes with its own storyline, nice little Japanese folk tale and all! The legend of the crane wife is as sad as it is disturbing (don't worry, I'm actually five, so I get disturbed even when I see a big nose, something I should already be more than familiar with, doh!) and the album, whose underlying theme is that particular tale, does it enough justice. Nice, unlike Okkervil River, there is a very depressing element about this album, which obliterates any form of folky happiness that could be encountered. Not that it's bad, I'm just saying. It also flirts a little with harder forms of rock, but only briefly, because this is a very shy album and it blushes awkwardly when it tries to flirt.
Recommended track: When the War Came: The offspring of one of those flirtations with rock, smooth and sad and enjoyable and just a very exciting track.
Shit, that was a long rant. Anyway, I did what I had set myself to do earlier: waste a lot of time and bore myself to sleep. Done, I'm about as awake right now as my nana after eight, so that means... I have to go. :( I hope the music I have mentioned here interests you in any way, cause for the most part, it deserves a bigger audience. I'm going to hit the sack now and dream that I'm the crane wife... of Trent Reznor. Mmmm... hahahaha dreaming...
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Listening to: Saul Williams - WTF!
Eating: My teabag (lol)
Drinking: Tea!
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