Blog

daylight breaking

‘First the bitching: Misspelling band names is lame. Hopefully, there is a humorous anecdote behind the name. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt.

OK, now onto the review.

This CD is run-of-the-mill pop/punk. As far as the Vagrant family goes, it sounds a little like Alkaline Trio. Its menacing power chords, wailing solos and background rhythms have that same “we’re trying to be evil” feel to them. Its vocal harmonies are simultaneously haunting and catching. Spooky pop.

“Daylight Breaking” has a little bit of an ’80s rock feel to it but it’s hard to determine why. It might be the chorus effect used on some of the vocals. This same effect makes the record a bit reminiscent of old Lazlo Bane. Well, maybe just that Men at Work cover that they did.

Eh, it’s finding something dynamic and unique to say about this record. It’s good. Does that count?

Edison. That’s who they sound like. Aha.

It’s good car-ride and mix-tape music. It’s playlist filler and good segue material, music that guarantees smooth transitions. Indie rock for dummies.

This is good, fun and catchy. It’s just lacking a little as far as depth is concerned. As a result, it is best suited for introductory material.

http://www.blackpeopleloveus.com

‘Oh, the hate mail this website will attract from you crazy liberal Boulderites will be astounding! The emails and letters will be a pleasure to read. Just remember that if you respond to this site in disgust, you may have just missed the point of the site.

The site is making fun of you, you crazy white folks.

Picture it, mainstream America, circa present day. You’ve got Sally and Johnny, two wisely chosen representatives for the white, horseback-riding, at-least-comfortably-affluent, middle-class and up Americans. They’re hip red-wine drinkers who tie their sweaters around their necks, have fun parties that include rousing games of Pictionary, Hangman and both naturally (black) and unnaturally rhythmic (white) dancing. Oh and, get this, they have black friends. Black people love them!

This is the mockery to mock all mockeries. BlackPeopleLoveUs.com is up there with IllMitch.com and RealUltimatePower.net as one of the most uproariously funny sites on the Internet today. The fact that it touches on the sensitive subject of race relations and blows it wide open to expose all of its hypocrisies gives the site numerous points and the utmost of respect. This site plays on all myths and stereotypes to pull off its endlessly sardonic jokes.

The muscle of this site is built around a simple photo and caption format. The different pages of BlackPeopleLoveUs.com, from the Your Testimonials!, to the Hanging Out!, to the One Love! pages, all display various visuals from headshots to the events from a “party” with captions next to them. Think of it as a greatly expanded version of The Onion’s “What Do You Think?” section.

Take the picture above as an example. This photo, pulled from the Hanging Out! page displays the caption “Whoops! Johnny’s totally stumped!” on the site.

Hopefully, you get it.

death

‘Numbers is not the easiest of bands to describe. It is somewhere between Sick Lipstick, Versus and quirkier Pixies songs. It is dance music, a musical language in which I hope never to be fluently versed.

The club beats of Numbers albums are one notch below the pop cutoff mark, preventing the advertising department of Volkswagen from being all over this band. As a fortunate side effect of not being pop, not all of the drum beats go “thump thump thump,” like the car stereo installation department of, say, Circuit City. Not every progression attacks like the first wave of some airborne military division of headache-givers. But, some do. It’s an unfortunate truth of writing music for people to do the arhythmical train-wreck type of white-people dancing that gets done to this music.

Pitchfork described bands such as Numbers as: “obviously summer vacation hobbies for moderately wealthy college students gone pro, doing their dressing-to-be-clever impersonations of a late-’70s heyday they’ve been told really mattered.”

Although humorous, the description may not be totally accurate. The heyday of the late ’70s didn’t really matter.

“Death” rates much higher than “Life” in this instance. “Death,” the remix album, including tracks from Numbers’ previous album “Life,” is done justice by the likes of Kid606, Electronicat and Kit Clayton. The songs are innovative and unique takes on the original versions.

Numbers is most likely not done justice on record. Anything electronic, dance, or drum and bass is best heard live.

love is love

‘Emo pioneers and staple, Lungfish, has recently released “Love is Love.” It is their first proper record in three years and their ninth full-length on the highly respected D.C. label Dischord.

Perhaps this statement is blasphemous but this record, umm… Geez, well, it just sucks.

On first listen, it was a huge surprise to find out that the CD was halfway done the first time I looked at the LCD display. It just seemed like the first track was never going to end but had multiple pauses between progressions. To my surprise, the changing of tracks caused those pauses.

As good as previous Lungfish records may have been, “Love is Love” sounds like someone took a copy of Fugazi’s “Red Medicine” and played it at half-speed. The guitars, the vocals, it all just drones on. Actually, the droning and the vocals make it sounds like a Modern English record.

The sounds of this album are comparable to that of a Walkman with dying batteries. It’s like listening to an album of lullabies by the Sex Pistols. There’s just something incredibly awkward about it.

The mixing and production, as per the Dischord standard, are of the highest quality. Few to no flaws can be found on the part of the studio. Maybe the fault can be found on the part of evolution. So much has changed since the band’s inception in 1988 that maybe they are the dinosaurs of the emo world.

It’s OK to stare from a distance but watch out kids – if you touch their frail bones, they may fall apart.

makeup the breakdown

‘Cross the energy and mod rock intuition of International Noise Conspiracy, the beats of Blondie, the playfulness of Pavement, and just a pinch of Jonathan Fire Eater for good measure, and you have “Makeup the Breakdown.”

Hot Hot Heat’s new album is a toe-tapping reverie, an earnest attempt to take another stab at recreating the MTV-manufactured New Wave movement of the 80s. It’s a combination of the bookend extremes of the genre, the lo-fi upbeat rock of the likes of The Clash, and the well-crafted intelligence of the Talking Heads.

In addition, there are obvious similarities between Hot Hot Heat vocalist Steve Bays and The Cure’s Robert Smith. Somewhere underneath the surface, too, there lies a connection to the mid-’90s, a reference to “I Should Coco”-era Supergrass.

In short, Hot Hot Heat channels influence after influence through their aboriginal BC rock. (That’s British Columbia, Victoria to be precise.)

“Makeup the Breakdown” is strategically assembled. It consists of tracks that take over the hips and feet of the unsuspecting listener, instead of just inspiring the average neck-bobbing of the run-of-the-mill rock album. It moves in, takes over, and moves back out before it’s noticeable.

Ten tracks in just over half an hour. Ten powerful tracks at that, unlike the in/out procedure of two-minute Ramones-esque rock. It’s not the same track over and over again, although the subtle influence of each song might be persuasive enough to cause you to hit “repeat” a few times.

It is difficult to rate the good and the bad cuts on this album because each composition succeeds in maintaining its own individuality and credibility. Of course, it is only natural for some songs to stick out at least a little bit further than the rest. The three tracks taking permanent residence in this reviewer’s brain are “Oh, Godamnit,” which beckons to be listened to again and again; “Bandages,” whose soulful groove and Rolling Stones-reminiscent guitar parts make this song an instant classic; and “Save Us S.O.S.,” an inspiring composition that will prod the listening musicians to craft something as good.

Surprisingly, Hot Hot Heat’s freshman effort, the EP “Knock Knock Knock,” is said to be a far superior album to “Makeup the Breakdown.” This may be because it was produced by Death Cab for Cutie’s Chris Walla.

If the relatively obscure “Knock Knock Knock” is truly the better album, it must be amazing. The band’s sophomore release lets little slack from track to track.

lockjaw

‘Dance Hall Crashers, the Berkely based punk band, comes off in rntheir latest album showing an impressive list of references and a few resplendent guitar chords, but nothing more than that.

This album is jam packed with the catchy hooks and riffs that rnare known from punk.  In all honesty, every chord sounds like something straight of And Here Come the Wolves…, the new Rancid album.  Actually, Rancid’s Tim Armstrong wrote “Pictures.”  I gather that they decided to do a cover of it,  sorry Rancid.  Women should not sing punk lyrics.

Elyse Roger and Karina Danike, the two singers have the type of rnsing-songy, harmonized voices that I have come to know and despise.  In almost every song, they try to jam-pack pointless lyrics into a song which it does not fit the meter.  I feel bad for the rest of the band, they actually have a clue as to what is going on.  They are utterly on target as to what they are supposed to do.  Unfortunately, I can not say the same for the singers.  There was more time and thought put into the cover art than the lyrics.

The only songs worthwhile listening to from this “once upon a rntime” ska band are “Enough” and “Pictures.”  This is because, oddly enough, the lyrics fit the meter.  Thankfully, both can be purchased on seperate albums.  If you like Rancid, pick up their original version of  “Pictures.”  “Enough” can be found on the Angus Soundtrack.  Fellow Angus cuntributer, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, is the owner of 510 Records, their record label.

that much further west

‘Ben Nichols has a scratchy voice. It’s deep and leans to the side of slurred. He’s not classically trained as a singer. That never stopped Bob Dylan or Bruce Springsteen, though. Like Bob and Bruce, Ben plays by his own rules and is fully capable of achieving greatness.

It’s a quality that earns Lucero records a good reputation. Beneath their country tinge, Sun Volt comparisons are inescapable. As the songs approach their bridge or breakdown parts, it becomes painfully evident from the built-up progressions that this group was influenced by late Jawbreaker.

So, what do a bunch of non-equivalent comparisons say about Lucero? They say that the band can do it all, culling genres from clear across the board. The best part is, it all happened somewhat incidentally.

Ben Nichols never intended to start a country rock band. He never even played guitar or sang for a band before Lucero. He was just asked to do it and, with an effortless shrug of the shoulders, he grew to be a well-respected songwriter.

The old adage proves true once again; the best things happen when you’re not trying to force them to happen.

“This is the first band I’ve ever been in where I didn’t feel limited by the music,” Nichols admitted in a previous interview with the Colorado Daily. “We can play loud and fast or soft and slow. We can do whatever we want.”

It shows on “That Much Further West.” On first listen, you have no idea what to expect next. A song that lulls and calms may very well be followed by a song that releases relentless aggression. It follows no cohesive pattern, no rhyme or reason.

To further add to the innovative structure of the record, a second disc is included for your listening pleasure. Every song on the album proper has an alternate track on the second CD. Tigerstyle Records suggested to the band that they release the double disc. This way, people would have the ability to choose which way they preferred to hear the songs.

It’s an interesting approach that may just inspire other artists to do the same. Why wait for the B-Sides album to release demo versions of songs? Do it all at once! At twice the product for half the money, you avoid running the risk of it being called a copout. This way, it’s innovative. Way to be trendsetters, Lucero.

http://www.simpsoncrazy.com/ralph

‘How many friends do you have that quote Ralph Wiggum to no end? It’s simultaneously irritating and unpossible not to laugh at, isn’t it?

tIf it’s true that it takes a genius to pull of the character of an idiot the script writers for “The Simpsons” deserve honorary degrees from every prestigious university and technical school in the country.

tSo few characters have been written with such attention to erroneous detail as Ralph. He’s adorable, moronic, simpatico and outrageously delusional. His unintentional one-liners will get you every time, as will the torrid memories of having his heart quite literally broken by Lisa Simpson.

t”The Simpsons,” which is scheduled to see its way through 16 seasons on television, has yet to let anyone down for more than a few episodes at a time. It may become the longest running comedy series in the history of television but who cares? We’re here to talk about little Ralphie.

tThis nose-picking, wookie-bending eight year-old is America’s animated sweetheart and this site has all of the media to back the claim up.

tThough the site has tons of graphics, “framgrabs,” and even instant messenger icons, the true treasure of “That’s Unpossible!” is its stockpile of transcribed quotes and downloadable sounds.

tYou can listen or read along to some of Ralph’s most memorable moments as he glues his head to his shoulder, questions worriedly about whether Abraham Lincoln was okay or not or claims to be a Viking in the territory of sleep.

tRalph Wiggum may go down in the hallowed halls of comic genius, as far as animated characters are concerned, anyway. He’s the guy who is quiet more often than not but, when he does speak, he says exactly what is necessary to crack up an audience.

tRalph, you’ll forever be our favorite idiotic second grader.

brighten the corners

‘Pavement is finally back in the scene after about two years of rnseparation form each other.  They have finally teamed up to come out with their latest release, Brighten the Corners.  After the release of Wowee Zowee, it would not take much for any band to come back and record a better album.  On the other hand, since many loyal Pavement fans have refused to listen to this monstrosaty, Pavement still had to compete rnwith the commercial success of Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain.

Considering the fact that Crooked Rain… was one of the best lo-fi rock albums ever written, this is a very difficult task to live up to.  Well, Pavement  has done so on their new album.  This album has some of the tightest songs that they have ever written.  It is fair to say that this has been the best group effort to date.  For the first time since around Slanted and Enchanted Pavement has completely finished an rnalbum.  There are no song lyrics that end in the middle of a sentence.  There are no songs that sound like they were just written.  This music is of the highest quality that you are going to hear for a while.  Obviously, no album will ever compare with Crooked Rain… but this album is in a completely different category.  That album was known for breaking rndown bariers and telling us that the sky is the limit, in a minimalist sort of way.  Their new album is somewhat experimental for the band because it has a tendency to use the tried and true foundations fo rock.

Compare that to Westing.  Also, we get a glimpse at Steve Malkmus’s personal life for the first time.  He shows us himself in lines like “If my soul had a shape, it would be an elipse…”  This is also new ground that Pavement has laid their foundation on for the first time.  On the other hand, he has not gone completely overboard.  There is still some whackiness inside of him.  We see this in lines like: “A redder shade of rnneck on a whiter shade of trash and this emory board is giving me a rash…”

After having seen them play live, in support of this album, the path that they are on seems much clearer.  The concert was an amazing event, as always, but it was very different.  The band was feeding off of each other a lot more.  There were a lot more guitar solos, and fill ins that produced a fuller sound.  This is not somehting that you expect to hear from the band.  They were focussing on putting on a show, not playing their music and that is what was different.  So, in the end, it is safe to rnsay that Pavement has hit the pop scene for good now.

volume and density

‘Sometimes an album’s significance is relative less to its actual sound and more to its historical context. Duvall’s “Volume & Density” may be one of those albums.

In the early ’90s, before “indie” had the same connotation that it does today, two-thirds of Duvall’s members were out there living the indie-rock lifestyle. With the addition of drummer Mike Felumlee and bassist Matt Caterer, they comprised the influential and often underrated band, The Smoking Popes.

Sure, they may not be credited as the group that started it all or made revolutionary changes to music but in some ways are more of an important group than Sunny Day Real Estate or Fugazi. In that infinite quest of the indie rocker to find the most obscure bands that have weaved their way into the independent music fabric for years, The Smoking Popes score pretty high on the charts.

The band’s members have been making music for nearly a decade and a half now, and their sound has influenced many headlining acts of today. Take Alkaline Trio, for whom Felumlee went on to briefly play drums, as an example. A close listen to these two bands would produce an undeniable connection in the listener’s mind. Search through the indie section of your CD collection. You’re bound to find something that may be derived from the Pope’s catalogue.

Duvall picks up where their former band left off. They’re writing a similar style of song that will make you wonder if this album was written about a decade ago. Vocalist Josh Caterer’s voice is still a bit frog-ish. The songs still occasionally employ solos. But these are elements that are easy to look past. Duvall is a band with which it is easy to sympathize. Something intangible in their music fraternizes with you. It aligns itself with you. Disliking these songs would be like disliking the songs your brother so proudly wrote and showed to you. He’s worked so hard and so long on them.

Even the cover of Spandau Ballet’s “True” is unabashedly catchy. You’ll keep singing it over and over in your head, regardless of how badly you want to pretend ’80s music didn’t exist.