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Post by doso on Jun 24, 2017 9:51:00 GMT -6
I had a listening experience similar to Xam and 1015 when it came to the Timber Timbre record. At 40 minutes long, I figured I could make it all the way through, though. Which I did, but I found it to be mostly unpleasant. Great album cover!
As for the Urge Overkill record, I, too, listened to this a LOT back in the early/mid-90s. I suppose I agree that some of the production sounds dated. There were a few songs where they were going for a raw, stripped-down sound, but it doesn't hang together well. They were all playing the same song, but it sounded like it was recorded in different takes, in different rooms. While that's a perfectly acceptable way to record in a studio, it doesn't work well when you're aiming to sound live and immediate.
I didn't think about it a lot back in 1992, but this is not a record where you're going to find any lyrical depth. Likewise, the vocals are pretty weak and (on some tracks) surprisingly mixed up front. I also think Urge Overkill is one of those bands where the music was sometimes overshadowed by efforts to cultivate coolness. On the other hand, there are a lot of good solid rock riffs and I think that's what ultimately carries the album for me.
High points: "Sister Havana", "Positive Bleeding", "Nite and Grey" and "Heaven 90210"
Dumb points: "Crackbabies", "The Stalker" and "Dropout"
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Post by Deleted on Jun 27, 2017 7:55:47 GMT -6
June 26th - 30th  Mulatu Astake - Ethiopiques, Vol. 4: Ethio Jazz 1969-1974 Nom'd by goodson  Rolling blackouts Coastal Fever - the French Press EP nom'd by Madbird |
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Post by Kamera on Jun 27, 2017 17:57:04 GMT -6
I miss madbird posting
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Post by Xamnam on Jun 30, 2017 8:11:50 GMT -6
Rolling blackouts Coastal Fever - the French Press EP nom'd by Madbird This is delightful. Seems like it takes the best parts from The Drums and Parquet Courts. Heads up though, folks, it's another short one. |
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Post by Xamnam on Jun 30, 2017 8:12:14 GMT -6
...as should be expected for an EP. Good catch, me.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2017 8:14:39 GMT -6
I really liked that French Press.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2017 8:25:59 GMT -6
If you guys dig the EP you check out their album from last year if you haven't already.
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Post by ten15 on Jun 30, 2017 9:28:49 GMT -6
The French Press is a lot of fun. Based on the awkward band name, I didn't know what I was in for. Was pleasantly surprised by the jangle pop sound. It took me a while to get through the whole EP because I listened to the opening track 3 or 4 times in a row.  I like the multiple singer set up - gives each track a little different flavor. This was right up my alley - am definitely going to check out their album from last year. Again - nice job, madbird!
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Post by Xamnam on Jun 30, 2017 9:32:59 GMT -6
June 26th - 30th Mulatu Astake - Ethiopiques, Vol. 4: Ethio Jazz 1969-1974 Nom'd by goodson Absolutely fantastic. Almost every song felt like I've heard it lurking in the background of a soundtrack somewhere (No, I haven't seen Broken Flowers). When people hear the word jazz, such a standard sound pops into their head, and this is a wonderful incredibly different direction. I couldn't point to a standout track, because the album as a whole stands so high. Thank you so much for the rec, goodson, I'll definitely be going back to this with some frequency. |
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Post by doso on Jun 30, 2017 9:46:33 GMT -6
Great week for this project.
Like 1015, I didn't know what I was in for with Rolling Blackouts, so the jangly guitars were a very pleasant surprise. Liked it from the very first notes and there were a lot of good hooks that make we want to go back and listen again. Definitely see this having a place in the rotation.
Mulatu Astake was also great! I echo Xam's sentiments about how enjoyable it is to listen to a different form of jazz. While it's clearly not as weird and/or dissonant as Bitches Brew, there were certain moments when the recording and the instrumentation reminded me of that album. Again, this is one I'll have to add to my dinner rotation.
Thanks to both Madbird (in absenta) and Goodson for these recos.
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Post by mookie on Jun 30, 2017 11:31:12 GMT -6
I tried that Rolling Blackouts ep a few weeks back, since Greg Dulli was talking them up and saying they were the next big thing. Did nothing for me at all though. The comparisons to Parquet Courts makes sense, since I don't care for them either at all, and they do seem similar.
I'll probably have to get to that Mulatu Astake album next week, just no time today.
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Post by genghisnyc on Jun 30, 2017 12:00:48 GMT -6
surprised you didn't like rolling blackouts, mook. i love the french press and they were really fun live.
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Post by teekoh on Jun 30, 2017 12:47:28 GMT -6
I've been covering for someone who's on vacation the last two weeks, so I haven't had as much time to listen to to stuff.
I did check out the Timber Timbre record today and it was disappointing. There are plenty of good moments, but the writing and vocal performance aren't strong enough to carry a large portion of the record and it lacks the unhinged quality of their early work. It felt really safe for them, which is not really their game.
I'm hoping I can get to at least one of this week's records today. I listened to the Rolling Blackouts EP when it came out and thought it was fine. I wasn't blown away, but I'm looking forward to going back to it.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2017 8:55:06 GMT -6
July 3rd - July 7th Classic:  Swirlies - Blonder Tongue Audio Baton (nom'd by TimA) Blonder Tongue Audio Baton (sometimes spelled Blondertongueaudiobaton) is a 1993 album by Swirlies, released on CD, LP and cassette. The majority of the album was recorded in the summer of 1992 at Q Division Studios, Boston with engineer/co-producer Rich Costey. It is possibly their best-known and most critically praised work, with many critics citing it as a "lo-fi" answer to My Bloody Valentine's Loveless. Allmusic calls it "a mainstay of early-'90s indie music Released March 26, 1993 Recorded June 1992–November 1992 Studio Q Division Studios, Boston Genre Noise pop indie rock shoegazing lo-fi dream pop Length 42:36 Label Taang! Producer Rich Costey Reviews/Reception: - #11 on P4K's top 50 shoegaze albums of all time - Tiny Mix Tapes: 4/5 - Allmusic: 4.5/5 new release  Allison Moyet - Other (nom'd by ten15) Other is the ninth studio album by English singer-songwriter Alison Moyet, released on 16 June 2017, by Cooking Vinyl. It is her first album of new material since 2013's The Minutes, which saw her returning to her electronic music roots. Released 16 June 2017 Recorded 2016–17 Studio Frou Frou Central (London) Genre Electropop Length 40:27 Label Cooking Vinyl Producer Guy Sigsworth Reviews/Reception: - Metacritic: 80/100 - Allmusic: 4/5 - Uncut: 3.5/5 - Louder than War: 8.5/10 |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2017 7:51:29 GMT -6
Swirlies were always one of those shoegaze bands that had all of the makings for reverence but never quite got there. This album, Blonder Tongue Audio Baton, came in 1993, which was unfortunately the tail end of the shoegaze boom. Ride's Going Blank Again came out the previous year, and we were two years removed from Loveless. It's a shame, b/c compared to those two landmark shoegaze albums, this is right up there with them. Despite the shoegaze tag, this BTAB is an amalgamation of more than just gaze - the most obvious influence here is Sonic Youth, which tends to lean more towards the noise rock and/or punk genres prior to 1990's Goo. After that they'd fit snugly into 90s alternative for the decade before returning to more of their roots with Murray St. Swirlies on the other hand never hit that high mark commercial as SY did.
What's kind of funny though is that unlike MBV, Slowdive, Ride, Catherine Wheel, Drop Nineteens, and most other shoegaze bands - Swirlies never left. BTAB is their most acclaimed album, and definitely their best, but over the years while shoegaze took a nap, Swirlies continued to tour, even if it was in small doses, and continued to put out material - again even if it was in small doses. That's not to say that all of that material is worthwhile, some of it is, but there are more misses than hits, which is why I can't recommend BTAB enough.
In a time when new music is lusted for so much, and music critics require that every band create something new every 2-3 years, it's comforting to hear this type of reinvention back in 1993. Comparisons to MBV aside, this album is more indebted to SY than MBV, at a time when SY was heading a different direction. This album is summed up perfectly by the middle track - His Life of Academic Freedom - 2 minutes of elegant crooning by Damon, laced with noise. There are definitely better tracks, but this one finds the middle ground between the higher intense tracks and the more catchy breathers. "Pancake" was the biggest single of Swirlies career, as it mixed lo-fi noise rock with the Bilinda Butcher-esque vocals you'd find on Loveless.
As a shoegaze fanatic and a huge SY fan, it should come as no surprise that I love BTAB from front to back. It's Swirlies most accomplished work, and if I did a top 10 shoegaze records of all time, this would probably sit somewhere around the 7-10 range. I'd love to see another record from them, but I know it wouldn't be anywhere nearly as good as ATAB. if you've never listened to it, now's your chance to give it a good listen. It doesn't reinvent shoegaze, but it does take it in a different direction than what MBV, Ride, and Slowdive were doing.
Essential Tracks:
Bell, His Love Just Washed Away, Pancake, Jeremy Parker, and Park the Car by the Side of the Road.
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Post by teekoh on Jul 5, 2017 11:26:49 GMT -6
I got to last week's albums today, and I'm glad I went back to RBCF EP. It resonated a lot more with me this time, and I really love some of the riffs. I think the vocals turned me off last time, and they're still not my favorite, but the overall effect is solid. They put together some nice tunes.
The Ethiopiques collection is amazing. I'm going to spend a ton of time with this and it was a great recommendation. tygoodson.
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Post by Xamnam on Jul 6, 2017 8:00:23 GMT -6
I'm giving Moyet a shot, but I have to be honest, there's very little here for me. Her voice is solid, no denying that, but I feel like the songs don't serve it well. Plus, the arrangements are all a little too sparse, 80's, and unsettling for me to settle into any. It's not that it's done poorly, or wrong, it just runs counter to a ton of my personal tastes.
That all said, the track Other certainly shows me the version of her that I could see myself enjoying.
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Post by ten15 on Jul 6, 2017 15:27:16 GMT -6
So, I must say that I nominated Other only having heard one advance track - "The Rarest Birds", which I thought was promising. Her previous album, The Minutes was quite a bit poppier/upbeat than some of her other recent albums, so I was hoping that this would be in the same vein. And, I guess it is, but for being brand new, the songs seem dated. I adore her voice and I am impressed how strongly it has held up over the years since I was obsessed with Yaz's Upstairs at Eric's in high school. However, I must say that the album falls a bit short of what I was hoping it would be. I enjoy it, but it certainly does not wow me. Highlights for me are "Beautiful Gun". "Lover, Go" and "Happy Giddy".
Will probably listen to it occasionally, but unless it is a grower, I am not certain it has much staying power for me.
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Post by teekoh on Jul 6, 2017 15:41:24 GMT -6
I loved the Swirlies record. So many great textures and unexpected left turns, plus I thought that using multiple vocalists kept some of the songs that were less involved from growing stale. Good good stuff.
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Post by ten15 on Jul 7, 2017 12:30:43 GMT -6
That Swirlies record is great! I totally see the comparison to Sonic Youth (male and female vocalists, fuzzy noisiness, squeaking). I find it funny that most of my favorite tracks are different than the essential tracks cited by Timbo.
I am somewhat surprised I didn't listen to this when it came out. Pancake seems really familiar, but I am sure this was my first time listening to the album. Listened to it three times over the past 2 days.
Highlights: "Vigilant Always" (such a Sonic Youth sound), "Pancake" and "Tree Chopped Down". Kudos to Timbo for a great rec.
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Post by andrewvb on Jul 7, 2017 13:44:12 GMT -6
swirlies are awesome, this was a great pick considering the amount of people listening for the first time, so kudos on the pick, tim.
their 2nd album is maybe even better so definitely check it out too.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2017 7:56:16 GMT -6
Interest in this has definitely waned in the last month. Should we take a break or keep going? We don't have enough nominations to fill out the rest of July.
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Post by ten15 on Jul 10, 2017 9:16:02 GMT -6
Yeah - seems like there is not enough interest to keep this going.  |
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Post by andrewvb on Jul 10, 2017 9:16:46 GMT -6
can we still force everyone (all 5 of us...) to listen to jawbreaker
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Post by Xamnam on Jul 10, 2017 9:20:05 GMT -6
Yes.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2017 9:23:48 GMT -6
I think its the summer time since most people go on vacations, or if we have a lot of boarders who are out of school for the summer, etc. I'm okay with taking a break from it, and we'll pick it up in September?
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Post by mookie on Jul 10, 2017 9:27:33 GMT -6
I think that's fair.
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Post by doso on Jul 10, 2017 9:52:08 GMT -6
Didn't have a chance to post about Swirlies and Alison Moyet, but in short, neither of those records did much for me. Looking forward to picking it back up in September - hopefully with better participation. Also happy to give Jawbreaker a listen.
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Post by teekoh on Jul 10, 2017 10:17:55 GMT -6
I'm just about done with this Alison Moyet album and it's ok. I feel like there are some cool things going on, but it's fairly long and nothing really sticks. Her voice is great, and the overall vibe reminds me a bit of Wild Beasts, but without the edge/quirkiness.
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Post by doso on Sept 25, 2017 21:45:14 GMT -6
Y’all ready to fire this up again?
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