I like music. I have a band. I’m gonna tell you all about it. 

 What I look for in rock: guitars, melody, guitars, energy, guitars, and guitars.

The Men are chameleons. And I mean that in the nicest way.

Why to I start with such a lukewarmly divisive statement? Because their new album New Moon continues in their grand tradition of channeling other artists. A bit of Young and The Band this time around. All chopped up and tossed with their own brand of sonic vinaigrette.

It’s the job of every band, young and old, to eat the dead. Especially young, vibrant bands. In fact, just this week I described Parquet Courts to my buddy Art thusly: “Their first song has an entirely Timbuk3 vibe. Seriously. These kids today know not what they do*.”

Sitting down to learn the entire cannon of underground music before writing a single note is not the way to prolific songwriting. Besides, the Ramones took the only three chords worth caring about ages ago.

So on to the generically titled The Men/New Moon. Still a few oasis of sonic assaults, but somebody cranked up the country rock knob in places. With both positive and negative results. There are no train wrecks (always appreciated).

In the end, The Men sound like they’re riding a wave of enthusiasm, buoyed by moderate success and novelty. This feeds their infectious energy. So what if their songs are a bit slight, or may have been heard somewhere before? I don’t care. I like this album.

*Or maybe they do?

Check’em out!!

I like music. I have a band. I’m gonna tell you all about it. 

 What I look for in rock: guitars, melody, guitars, energy, guitars, and guitars.

Now, this is what I’m talking!

Songs. Obtuse, clever lyrics exploring the absurdity of minutiae. Melody plus guitar. These all make Ian happy.

Why can’t Ian be happy more often?

Check ‘em out!!

I like music. I have a band. I’m gonna tell you all about it. 

 What I look for in rock: guitars, melody, guitars, energy, guitars, and guitars.

Let me tell you about one of the many ways you know you’re old.

When fresh, young bands start revivals of scenes you saw the first time around.

So, lots of stuff coming out of Australia on the rock front these days. I assumed from the label involved, that Woolen Kits were from Melbourne. And while I listened, I was amazed they weren’t from New Zealand.

Anyway, I knew they were from New Zealand (even though they aren’t) from their jangly, gangly, clean lo-fi pop. The stuff that seems to grow so well in the verdant land of mountains and hobbit folk. Reminds me of the (underground) explosion of the Dunedin Sound, Flying Nun Records, all the stuff you should probably know about.

Four Girls is charmingly shambolic, and probably shouldn’t work as good as it does. A couple really good ear worms, and mind worms stick with me for hours after a listen. I often contemplate how if I look good, I feel good, and if I feel good, I get shit done.

I’m thinking that a few more practices, and a few more songs, and they’ll put out a solid album that isn’t nearly as charming as this. But, I’m often wrong. Don’t listen to me. Listen to Four Girls! And come to your own wrong conclusion!

Check it out!!

I like music. I have a band. I’m gonna tell you all about it. 

 What I look for in rock: guitars, melody, guitars, energy, guitars, and guitars.

Today’s review starts with two thoughts: My Bloody Valentine and Treepeople. Let me see if I can merge them for you.

I asked Rich at practice yesterday if he had picked up the new My Bloody Valentine album, 22 years in the making. He previewed it, and passed. It’s good. But he’s not the same record buyer he was 22 years ago. So the album is probably 18 years too late.

I bought the new Karl Hendricks Trio after hearing a track on the freeform station to the nation, WFMU. Didn’t even know the track title, but I was humming the chorus to The Adult Section while doing dishes. This convinced me that I had to buy it.

And it reminded me of something. And that something was Treepeople. Treepeople hail from MBV times.

Following so far?

So, that means that I’m listening to the same stuff I was 22 years ago, right? I have not evolved one iota. Unlike Rich.

Wrong.

Look, you can’t play a player. The Adult Section drips with the bitter aftertaste of someone who has been playing in a band for 22 years, and not a guy coasting on a ancient breakthrough album. I’m not familiar with Karl, or his past band history. But his music says he had a band in the 90′s. But he’s making music for today. Unlike, apparently, Kevin Shields from My Bloody Valentine.

The title track is a great pop song, and there’s some fine, meandering guitar all over the place. I’m not so into the bitter stuff, but that’s just a personal thing. I’m bitter enough, and I’d like to not be.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed the scenic route!

Okay, now I’m off to Wikipedia to see if I got Karl pegged correctly!

Check ‘em out!!

I like music. I have a band. I’m gonna tell you all about it. 

 What I look for in rock: guitars, melody, guitars, energy, guitars, and guitars.

The illustrious Tom Scharpling, he of The Best Show on WFMU, introduced the new Yo La Tengo with a warning: don’t take things for granted, because they won’t be around forever. I think that’s a fine sentiment to attribute to Fade.

For a band that’s been around for 25 years, I don’t have much of their output. Their particular brand of low energy rock has been toned to a very fine edge on Fade. The post-rock kids vaulted YLT to fame, but I never though they really belonged in the category. As I’m not much of a fan of post rock. Ira is always quick to bust out the most tasteful, blistering rock solo in the middle of a wandering song. Keeping the course. Plus, you get some songs where you get to pretend that Mo Tucker didn’t turn out all tea party crazy, and still writes fine pop numbers.

Timing. After all these years, Yo La Tengo knows how to keep a song languid, but not boring. Meditative, but not tiresome. It’s perfect for the winter blues. I know, I’ve been self medicating with Fade.

Check ‘em out!

Tagline!: The high-highs far out way the lows.
I’m not going to bore you with another review (as you can read the original), but I will say this: there are some great songs here, and some not so great. Other albums were much more consistent, but Researching the Blues, despite it’s dumb name and low parts, hit lots out of the park. Maybe you can’t achieve greatness if you play it safe?

Tagline!; Hyper caffeinated pop songs with well thought out lyrics.
How many albums manage to get out two or three good songs before reaching into the filler barrel? Answer – many. Not this album. Released on a label much more known for music of the electrical bent, there’s a lot of honest rock here. Did I just called electronic bleep bloop music dishonest? Don’t tell anyone!

Tagline: The funnest album of the year, minus some dumb lyrics.
Yeah, you’ve heard some of these riffs before. Maybe even in a Rick Springfield song. What’s that, you’re way too young to know who Rick Springfield is? Well, rock away, then!

Tagline: The energy is infectious.
This album never lets up. It’s always great to hear such joy in hammering on instruments. Which is always kinda funny with such clean guitar tones.

Tagline: A solid long player I kept returning to.
I found faults, but I played this album all the time. That says quite a bit.

#6 Mind Spiders — Meltdown

Tagline: Another solid album that keeps it’s eye on the prize.
All the songs hum along and kept this album in constant rotation.

Tagline. Takes some risks, takes some stumbles, and puts out some fine songs.
Texas rock-y. Expansive, detached songs about feelings are the rage these days. Give me The Golden Boys.

#8 Mount Carmel — Real Women

Tagline: Nostalgia worship done well.
Joe Walsh is still kicking, and writing crotchety songs about how using a cell phone sucks. If he’d quit playing with his ham radio, and hit the cocaine again with the James Gang, we might have something like this album.

Top Songs:

1. Red Kross – Choose to Play
2. Red Dons – Auslander
3. Pujol – Black Rabbit
4. Golden Boys – California
5. Superchunk – This Summer
6. Torche – Letting Go

Amazing Artists I Discovered This Year that Didn’t Happen to Put Out an Album This Year. And EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE I discovered right after they played in Portland.

• Reigning Sound
• Wussy
• M.O.T.O.

Bands that missed the deadline, but could have been contenders:

• Woolen Kits – Four Girls
• Call of the Wild – Leave Your Leather On

Hey, I was pretty regular there for a while!

Times were good. I’d buy albums. People would send them to me. I’d write words about them. I’d put them on WordPress every week. But times change. I buy albums. People take their sweet time sending me vinyl with no mp3 download codes. My record player’s power cord disappeared without a trace. You know the drill…

How does a record player power cord disappear?

That’s not the only excuse. But it’s a good one. Also, I’d have to find the time to rip all these from vinyl. And I’m getting married, so officially ALL of my discretionary income is going to savings. So, you know who pays? You, the free web consumer, that’s who!

I used to have an official stance where I’d only review music I had purchased. During this time of austerity, I’m bending this rule. Bands may send me music. This isn’t going to happen, so don’t expect a flood of reviews.

But DO expect year end lists! All the other ones are wrong. Mine are right! Also, some reviews. My will is often tested. For example, I just signed up for the big Singles Going Home Alone Matador singles club again for next year.

Hey, they’re only doing 750 subscriptions!

I like music. I have a band. I’m gonna tell you all about it. 

 What I look for in rock: guitars, melody, guitars, energy, guitars, and guitars.

Hey Bands, and Labels,

I’d review more of you faster, if you sent purchases out in a timely manner! Otherwise Gordon Lightfoot dominates my iPod. You don’t want to lose out to Gordon Lightfoot, do you? Consider yourself duly warned!

So here’s an album from a prompt label… Radar Eyes. And yes, they have much more going on than fulfillment skills. Lots of warm, fuzzy psychedelia Sometimes the melody gets lost in the wash of feedback, but I understand that’s sometimes how it goes when one lets go of the reigns. I particularly enjoy the song about being high and puppies. I think it succinctly summarizes Radar Eyes’ worldview.

One track, ‘Disconnection’, sounds like if J Spaceman woke up after 3 days with nothing in his room but pillows, the remains of crushed pills, a hooka filled with the resin of some exotic, powerful herb, and a master tape of the song.

And one more observation. If the name of your band isn’t Jethro Tull, I’m not sure you can use the phrase “In the shuffling madness…” in a song. Can you? I dunno. Maybe I should try?

Check ‘em out!!

I like music. I have a band. I’m gonna tell you all about it. 

 What I look for in rock: guitars, melody, guitars, energy, guitars, and guitars.

That’s the problem with art. By nature it defies quantifiable measurements. Sometimes you find stuff you like, sometimes you don’t. It’s like fishing. And chaos.

Don’t worry, another payday approaches. Meanwhile, I’m studying deep cuts of The Clean for recording inspiration, and relying on Redd Kross and Mind Spiders to transport me anywhere in the world that isn’t sitting on mass transit. Happy places that are devoid of desperately unhappy people and pee smell.

Also, I missed out on this first Grinderman album the first time around. At the time I was obsessed with the second one. Rock and roll is becoming an old man’s game. For once in my life, maybe I’ll be in the right place at the right time!