The Ipod has that interesting feature of Most Played, which fails to take the stereo into account but charts that time spent blocking out the ugly world. According to mine, here are the top listens of the year, with all the requisite bags of salt.
We'rewolf- Every Time I Die- this won because Fear the Fin made it the official Sharks anthem of the playoffs so I played it before every game. Clearly, I am a meathead.
Sparta- The Fall- this makes me wanna order the Fox Soccer Channel
Drunk in Yr Uggs- Guinea Worms- sad corner boys at parties, you have your anthem.
City of Rotten Eyes- Overnight Lows- is that title a not-so subtle reference to my 1st period class?
Let's Go- Ministry- the best song from the best Ministry album I've heard in ages.
Satan- The Dwarves- oh Blag
There Goes the Neighborhood- Chronic Sick- didn't Ice Tea's hardcore band have a song by this name?
Cherry Wine- Charlie Feathers- get those Norton records
So You Say You Lost Your Baby- Gene Clark- Any vinyl counter would have put this man at the top, but the digital age punishes the strong.
Love's My Only Crime- Laughing Hyenas- pilates soundtrack for the hate crowd, and John Brannon for president
False Jesii, Part 2- Pissed Jeans- top of the class
Catch a Man on the Rise- Sir Douglas Quintet- righteous Texas groove shit, brother
Hey Delinquents- Spider Bags- Thanks, Bruce!
Ballroom Blitz- Sweet- of course
Brand New Cadillac- Vince Taylor- so now you know the answer to that question
Girly Girly Girly- White Wires- swing swing swing
23 December 2010
Tap Into Estrella
The Drake's IPA is on tap and ready to go. The dream is complete. I'm never leaving the house again. Ever.
Just Parts of His Life
There’s a lot I could say about the Stones. But I'll just leave it that their Beggar’s Banquet to Exile on Main Street run is my favorite of any band. Even after that they managed to put out a few very good albums like Some Girls and Tattoo You (I know others will disagree, of course). Specifically, it is their ability to musically incorporate so much great American music that draws me to them still. Country, soul, blues, Chuck Berry rock 'n' roll. It's all there.
And yet this much hyped bio by the Stones' chief musical director and swashbuckling figurehead is the least satisfying of the books I've read about the band. About the best I can say are the passages on open-tuning guitar playing and some other tricks and techniques of the trade. If you're looking for great, unheard tales of debauchery, you won't find them here. Instead, you get a rehash of the band from a
30K ft. perspective. Dartford, UK wonder kids in ‘63 to musicians today worth 100s of millions each. I find other reviewer's comments about Richard's ability to recall so much a bit odd in that sense. In fact, there aren't a lot of really juicy tidbits here. Lots of this seems like it could have been taken from other biographies of the band.
What is most disconcerting is Richards' unwillingness to speak about some awkward episodes of his life, such as the circumstances under which Mick and Keith kicked Brian Jones out of the band. This occurred just before Jones died (or was murdered) and in a downward, drugged out spiral. Richards had also taken Jones' gf, the German jetsetter Anita Pallenberg. And yet there is no recognition that no matter how much of an asshole Jones may have been, that's some pretty awful stuff to happen to anyone. Instead, Richards goes to great lengths to explain how terrible Jones was and that Anita came on to him.
Maybe it's just me, but talking dirt about a dead person whose gf you took seems sort of crummy. Am I alone here?
And then there is the inherent contradiction of portraying yourself as some sort of rock 'n roll icon when a “Prince Lowenstein” is working on your behalf so that you can avoid paying taxes on your 8 digit annual income.... And then there's Hermes ads.... And the fact that your whole pirate act at this point makes you look less like an outlaw and more like an aging woman whose make up is running after a vigorous jazzerize class.
I mean, have you seen The Riff lately? Or considered that all their records have sucked for the past 30 years? Again, I understand no one is perfect. But how about some more meditation on your imperfections when you reflect on your life?
All in all, I still think Up and Down with the Rolling Stones by dealer Tony Sanchez is the best. If I can’t get honesty, just give me the gossip.
20 December 2010
The Year's Best 11
I fell in love with one record and one band this year, but the record, the White Wires debut, came out a couple years ago, and the band, The Fall, well.... The Giants soaked up most of the pop culture love, so almost all of these fall under the "purty good" category and get filed away for mere annual revisits- unless I'm wrong, which I always am about these things, and one of 'em has gifts my skating attention span did not capture. Looking forward to finding out, so until then, here we go-
11. Happy Birthday- S/T- ain't close to King Tuff, no matter what my local record proprietor says, but does deliver a couple of pop gems worthy of the KT name. Almost sounds like a quirky, pop Dinosaur Jr. on a few songs, which is actually a good thing, at least in this house.
10. Apache- Radical Sabbatical- not as instantly singalong as the first record, but a few of these tunes are. These guys deserve way more love than they get, but such are the vagaries of cyberjudgment, I suppose. I don't know what to call it- glampoplitemetalpunk (wasn't that a Fluid record title?)? File under: fun.
9. Nobunny- First Blood- yea, so it's slightly disappointing after the first one, but not all of it is- if you can't get behind the dance party that is "(Do the) Fuck Yourself," you're not drinking enough. Maybe a touch too many circus sounds at times for these ears (this may sound like sacrilege, but there is a bit of Ray Davies' master of ceremonies schtick about this guy), but still mostly enjoyable.
8. Guinea Worms- Sorcerers of Madness- OK, I've never listened to this thing all the way through in one sitting (22 songs- the madness!), but if only for "Drunk in Yr Uggs," the best creepy loser lust anthem in ages, it earns its spot. They are all over the place stylistically and not all of it works, but a lot of it does, and when they hit, (see "Drunk in Yr Uggs," again), they hit big. Perhaps the best candidate to keep giving in the years to come.
7. Rantouls- In the Village of Rantoul- well, the opening song title, "Bubblegumbo," pretty much sums up the proceedings, so if you have no sweet tooth, move away from the table. Me, I make the very occasional trip to Fenton's for an afternoon cone, so if the timing is right, this one hits the spot.
6. Overnight Lows- City of Rotten Eyes- punk rock in the year 2010 that at first sounds like beating on the bone fragments of that very dead horse, but that on subsequent listens offers a steady diet of actual winning songs.
5. Parting Gifts- Strychnine Dandelion- Greg Cartwright is joined by the singer of The Ettes, whom I had never heard before enjoying this record, and the result sounds like the Reigning Sound with a chick singing every now and then. Granted, this is in more of a pop spirit, but they dabble in R&B and country, and if words like "pleasant" and "enjoyable" don't make you run for the door, dive in.
4. John Wesley Coleman- Steal My Mind- this might have been released last year, but whatever, here it spun this year, so there it goes. Sounds like a hootenany, loose and drunk, and let's see what the tape shows in the morning. Hits that late-night, shutters-closed solo party mood, but can also be the soundtrack to Sunday morning. That's versatility, my friend.
3. The Fall- Our Future, Your Clutter-- this was my year of Fall obsession, so this got plenty of air time. They just reissued This Nation's Saving Grace and The Wonderful and Frightening World of, so why don't those 3 Guys With Beards just pick up the slack and bring back the discography on vinyl. Our time here is short.
2. Tyvek- Nothing Fits- earlier releases left me blah, but not this one. Some big, nasty hooks, and energy throughout. No horse bones being pounded here, as this is an original stamp on that old p-rock blueprint.
1. Eddy Current Suppression Ring- Rush to Relax- these guys are doing everything right. Expanding their sound without giving up the hooks. Changing the pace without giving up the hooks. Mixing up the groove without giving up the hooks. They are now a very big 3-3, and while the first one still has the extra special place in my heart, these guys grow the heart wider. Just a fantastic band.
11. Happy Birthday- S/T- ain't close to King Tuff, no matter what my local record proprietor says, but does deliver a couple of pop gems worthy of the KT name. Almost sounds like a quirky, pop Dinosaur Jr. on a few songs, which is actually a good thing, at least in this house.
10. Apache- Radical Sabbatical- not as instantly singalong as the first record, but a few of these tunes are. These guys deserve way more love than they get, but such are the vagaries of cyberjudgment, I suppose. I don't know what to call it- glampoplitemetalpunk (wasn't that a Fluid record title?)? File under: fun.
9. Nobunny- First Blood- yea, so it's slightly disappointing after the first one, but not all of it is- if you can't get behind the dance party that is "(Do the) Fuck Yourself," you're not drinking enough. Maybe a touch too many circus sounds at times for these ears (this may sound like sacrilege, but there is a bit of Ray Davies' master of ceremonies schtick about this guy), but still mostly enjoyable.
8. Guinea Worms- Sorcerers of Madness- OK, I've never listened to this thing all the way through in one sitting (22 songs- the madness!), but if only for "Drunk in Yr Uggs," the best creepy loser lust anthem in ages, it earns its spot. They are all over the place stylistically and not all of it works, but a lot of it does, and when they hit, (see "Drunk in Yr Uggs," again), they hit big. Perhaps the best candidate to keep giving in the years to come.
7. Rantouls- In the Village of Rantoul- well, the opening song title, "Bubblegumbo," pretty much sums up the proceedings, so if you have no sweet tooth, move away from the table. Me, I make the very occasional trip to Fenton's for an afternoon cone, so if the timing is right, this one hits the spot.
6. Overnight Lows- City of Rotten Eyes- punk rock in the year 2010 that at first sounds like beating on the bone fragments of that very dead horse, but that on subsequent listens offers a steady diet of actual winning songs.
5. Parting Gifts- Strychnine Dandelion- Greg Cartwright is joined by the singer of The Ettes, whom I had never heard before enjoying this record, and the result sounds like the Reigning Sound with a chick singing every now and then. Granted, this is in more of a pop spirit, but they dabble in R&B and country, and if words like "pleasant" and "enjoyable" don't make you run for the door, dive in.
4. John Wesley Coleman- Steal My Mind- this might have been released last year, but whatever, here it spun this year, so there it goes. Sounds like a hootenany, loose and drunk, and let's see what the tape shows in the morning. Hits that late-night, shutters-closed solo party mood, but can also be the soundtrack to Sunday morning. That's versatility, my friend.
3. The Fall- Our Future, Your Clutter-- this was my year of Fall obsession, so this got plenty of air time. They just reissued This Nation's Saving Grace and The Wonderful and Frightening World of, so why don't those 3 Guys With Beards just pick up the slack and bring back the discography on vinyl. Our time here is short.
2. Tyvek- Nothing Fits- earlier releases left me blah, but not this one. Some big, nasty hooks, and energy throughout. No horse bones being pounded here, as this is an original stamp on that old p-rock blueprint.
1. Eddy Current Suppression Ring- Rush to Relax- these guys are doing everything right. Expanding their sound without giving up the hooks. Changing the pace without giving up the hooks. Mixing up the groove without giving up the hooks. They are now a very big 3-3, and while the first one still has the extra special place in my heart, these guys grow the heart wider. Just a fantastic band.
14 December 2010
12 December 2010
07 December 2010
Losing my religion
I'm not expecting anyone to respond to this post. I just need to post. I have had it with our wuss of a president. 24 months ago I voted for change and now all I get is the status quo as dictated by Republicans in the Senate. Today, it was the tax bill that extended tax cuts to the rich even though it will cost $700B over 10 years and is not supported by any economist as being stimulative or creating jobs. It is simply the desire of the rich not to be taxed like they were in the 90s.
Add to this health care reform that didn't include a public option. And financial "reform" that didn't do away with too big to fail, limit bonuses, or repeal the repeal of Glass Stegal. Oh, and today the US dropped its demand that Israel stop evicting Palestinians from the west bank and stop building settlements for right wing zionists.
When does that "change" part begin? When did it become necessary to have 60 votes to get anything done instead of just a majority? When did the President give up on the idea of actually making Republicans filibuster a bill for days, weeks on end while explaining to the American people why a public option is a good idea, that breaking up banks is necessary and why a non-stimulative tax break for the rich isn't a good idea?
When did this inspiration candidate become such a timid leader?
There is a narrative to our adult lives politically and economically. It's one that begin in the late 70s and continues today. It is a theme of deregulation of major industry, bubble, speculative economies, increasing dominance of both parties by special interests, a concentration of wealth to unheard of levels and growing leverage on our country by the Chinese and middle east oil producing countries. Statistics show none of this has helped middle class and working Americans. Instead it just gets worse and worse.
When is this going to end? Will it ever end? And if not now, when Barry? When are you going to stick your heels into the ground and say, fuck no?! The people elected you president, not Rand fucking Paul or John Buttfuck Boehner.
Remember when Bush The First said no new taxes and then raised taxes? His base left him after that and Clinton won. Today was that for me and Barry. He's lost me and I think others. There is no faith left in this guy and his co-opted administration.
I'd love to be wrong. But you have to prove it to me. You've got less than 24 months.
Add to this health care reform that didn't include a public option. And financial "reform" that didn't do away with too big to fail, limit bonuses, or repeal the repeal of Glass Stegal. Oh, and today the US dropped its demand that Israel stop evicting Palestinians from the west bank and stop building settlements for right wing zionists.
When does that "change" part begin? When did it become necessary to have 60 votes to get anything done instead of just a majority? When did the President give up on the idea of actually making Republicans filibuster a bill for days, weeks on end while explaining to the American people why a public option is a good idea, that breaking up banks is necessary and why a non-stimulative tax break for the rich isn't a good idea?
When did this inspiration candidate become such a timid leader?
There is a narrative to our adult lives politically and economically. It's one that begin in the late 70s and continues today. It is a theme of deregulation of major industry, bubble, speculative economies, increasing dominance of both parties by special interests, a concentration of wealth to unheard of levels and growing leverage on our country by the Chinese and middle east oil producing countries. Statistics show none of this has helped middle class and working Americans. Instead it just gets worse and worse.
When is this going to end? Will it ever end? And if not now, when Barry? When are you going to stick your heels into the ground and say, fuck no?! The people elected you president, not Rand fucking Paul or John Buttfuck Boehner.
Remember when Bush The First said no new taxes and then raised taxes? His base left him after that and Clinton won. Today was that for me and Barry. He's lost me and I think others. There is no faith left in this guy and his co-opted administration.
I'd love to be wrong. But you have to prove it to me. You've got less than 24 months.
05 December 2010
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