June Round-Up

I want to apologize to those few good people that read this blog. The blogger has been in the throes of post-college job hunting lately which has consumed much of the bloggers free time. Things are settling down now; blogger hopes there will be more posts.

1) The Loft - On A Tuesday - Magpie Eyes 1982 -1985

I bought this album on a spurt due to the fact that it was in the "insanely-cheap-used-aisle" of Kim's Videos near Columbia University. Although listed as Jangle-Pop by Allmusic.com, The Loft's sound is spiced through the use of layered angular noise and great drumming. The Loft remind me of The Embarrassment but more consistent (at least this compilation is) and a band with a tighter grip on their sound. A great buy for only $6.

2) A Tribe Called Quest - Bonita Applebum - Peoples Instinctive Travels
Bonita Applebum is perhaps ATCQ's best known song and for good reason. A perverse yet slyly delivered rap sonnet. The perfect summer song, best played when noticing more scantily clad females in NYC during this weeks heat wave.

3)Watain - The Serpents Chalice - Sworn to the Dark

With their third LP, Watain has garnered a lot of press as of late. Perhaps this is easy to see why. Gone are the old putting-a-pigs-head-on-a-pole days of Satanic Metal when Mayhem, Emperor and Immortal (among others) struck fear into the hearts of Norways religious minority (The statistic for regular Norwegian church goers is around 2%) . The older bands (for example the post-Vikernes and Euronymous days of Mayhem) can no longer be deemed purist Black Metal, opting to explore the infinite sub genres such as symphonic, melodic, progressive and so on. Well produced and adorned with angst-y melodic furnishes, if Sworn to the Dark is not a hark back to Black Metals early days in aesthetics, it is in spirit.

4)Klute - Hell Hath No Fury - The Emperors New Clothes

For a newbie the world of Drum n' Bass is quite dizzying. Where as other dance sub genres have a more clear cut evolution and its own trailblazers, DnB history is an intimidating tornado. True, the movement matured from the Hardcore techno days of the early 90's however judging by my research there is no definite start date or originator of the scene. Instead you have an army of DJ's who all contributed to the scene in its infancy. Maybe I'm psychologically name dropping Klute here on the June Round-Up but even though he may not be a good start, he's a damn good DJ.

5) Ciccone Youth - Get Into the Groovey - The Whitey Album
Shortly after their 1988 revolutionary masterpiece, Daydream Nation, Sonic Youth professed their love for Madonna and recruited Minute Men bassist, Mike Watt to composed tongue-in-cheek covers of famous pop songs. Ciccone Youth is Sonic + 1 at their funniest and most casual. Furthermore its somewhat a throwback to their more aggressive days like Evol and Bad Moon Rising as CY casually dish out raw slices of noise, trimmed with pop shining.

6)Eternal Grey - War of Chaos - Kindless

Sure, due to my background I have an instant liking towards any music from Israel. Even so, Eternal Greys not too bad. Generally speaking they are a talented, genre blending band (Black and Death) with a preference to Metallica.

7)The Dramatics - Get Up and Get Down - Whatcha See is Whatcha Get
Before the dance complexities of Grinding, one could just get up and move their feet.



8)Jesu - Conqueror - Conqueror

Jesu is the post-Godflesh, post-nervous breakdown project of Justin Broadrick. Almost a My Bloody Valentine meets Doom Metal.

9)Shadows of Knight - Someone Like Me - Gloria

Shadows took the British Invasion formula of the 60's and spiced it with a grittier edge. Despite most of their work being covers of other bands, Shadows stripped down their sound and played it faster.

10)The Dictators - Two Tub Man - Go Girl Crazy
Although counted as a prime shaker of the Glam/Proto-punk scene, The Dictators' legacy often takes a backseat compared to the likes of New York Dolls, The MC5 or Iggy and the Stooges. Yet its undeniable how influential they were, perhaps more than any other band of their time. Some songs like Master Race Rock could pass for a hardcore punk song if only played faster. Clearly, The Ramones took notes. (note: listen carefully for a Lou Reed dis)

MAY ROUND-UP

Mixes are usually viewed as a cheap and effective way to get into the opposite sexes pants. That's partly correct. It's a convenient way to convey an image or reveal emotions or thoughts in a 700 megabyte piece of plastic. Its cost effectiveness means no financial or otherwise material harm will be done (aside from emotional) if the Mix does not produce the intended reaction from the receiver and there is also the bonus of a possibility of mass production(again, no harm done). Mixes aren't merely cheap alternatives to flowers, chocolates or conversation, they serve many non-sexual functions as well. Mixes are made for friends, family, exercise, clubs, parties and many other things. A Mix either on CD form, Ipod, vinyl (if possible?) or tape can be divided into four categories. The first being an Identity Mix, conveying the mixers thoughts, ideas or to portray a certain image of the mixer in music form. The Identity mix can be intended for someone else or oneself. The second being, the Pro-active Mix, usually intended for clubs or parties or gyms or even more relaxed areas such as cafe's or stores or ones home. The purpose of such a mix is generally not a keen interest in the artists but rather to improve the ambiance of a certain space--either by relaxation or stimulation--, help produce an intended physical reaction from the audience or act as a catalyst for the occupants of some place. The third mix is the Promotional Mix. This includes commercial compilations, both of a specific band/artist or of various bands. Generally speaking, Promotional Mixes seek to promote a specific band/artist, a music scene/genre/location or a record label(and its roster). Finally the fourth is a Personal Mix, which might go hand-in-hand with the Proactive Mix. Basically, a mix only intended for the mixers own ears.

After that long, run-on paragraph however, I'm not posting a mix here. Instead, this is a Round-Up. It's anything or anyone that I have been listening to in May. Newly discovered and recently re-discovered. Obscure and popular. They're all what I consider the most intriguing of audio adventures I had this month. Songs are in accordance with the Collector to the right.

MAY ROUND-UP
Painkiller - Death - The Sound of Perseverence
You've got to be an awesome Death Metal band if your lead singer untimely does what the bands name conveys. Though tradic, this would be Death's last album and definitely their best. Painkiller sounds like a parody of the 80's Thrash days as much as it is a homage to the scene. Regardless, an amazing song.

Front Page - Teengenerate - Get Action!
Americans think Japan is weird! When it comes to imported music, Japan is home to the utterly bizarre (see Boredoms or Sigh) or the utterly hyperactive (or both). Teengenerate is what I like to call a "What-If" band. Like what if the Ramones were crack-heads. Its a shame they're not as famous as Eastern Psychobilly contemporaries such as Guitar Wolf or post-Kill Bill 5,6,7,8's.

Snow Driver Engine - Vampire Mooose - Serenade the Samurai
Vampire Mooose proves Chord Palming is really really fun. Although Samurai isn't exactly amazingly mind blowing, it does deliver blow to the mind. I have a feeling that they're just stretching their muscles for what's to come on their next LP.

Gypsy - Emperor - In The Nightside Eclipse
All this jabber about Watain has made me want to look into my Black Metal history again. Anyway, whats not to love about a Mercyful Fate cover.

Toxica - Plastic Peoples of the Universe - Egon Bondy's Happy Hearts Club Banned
Should I be surprised or indifferent to the fact that the Soviet Union produced one of the weirdest art rock bands of the 70's? Whatever, look out for those violins throughout the song; surreal.

Beneath the Mire - Opeth - Ghost Reveries
Ghost Reveries astonished the hell outta me. The best song in my opinion is Beneath the Mire which has a sort of Gorguts-like, avant-death beginning. Look out for the killer dual solo's in 3:00.

Think Quick - Infiniti - The Infiniti Collection
Inifiniti is Juan Atkins' more mellow stuff. Lots of simple repetitive melodies accompanied by subtle dance beats. Great stuff.

Don't You Cross The Line - Boot Camp Clik - The Last Stand
BCC prove they're on to a good thing since The Chosen Few.

Surf Combat - Naked Raygun - Throb Throb
I've loved Naked Raygun since my facial-hairless days of yore. My only previous knowledge of them however, was the masterpiece, Jettison. Jeff Pezzati's yelp, "Muscle Beach is now Pork Chop Hill" is the crowning moment on Throb Throb.

Cause I'm a Playa (ft. Pimp C) - Project Pat - Crook By The Book (The Fed Story)
I love Pat. In the Three 6 Mafia reality show, Adventures in Hollyhood, Project Pat barely speaks a line each episode (his episodical appearances seem infrequent too), which I am thoroughly convinced is due to the fact that he is a complete psycho.

Of Darksome Origin - Edge of Sanity - Purgatory Afterglow
I think that I've played this song at least once every month for at least three years already.