Monday, September 24, 2007

Autumn

Okay let's play catch-up before things get really nuts.

Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam

Just a stunning album. I'll admit, I never really understood Animal Collective. I liked them, but never loved them. This is their first truly pop record (at least pop for Animal Collective), and it works amazingly well. Avey Tare (the loud one) stands out more than Panda Bear (the sweet one) here, but it's not as abrasively as in the past. "For Reverend Green," what with all its screaming, still works as a powerful song. Still Panda Bear's "Chores" is just adorable, even with its dizzying sound. This album reminds me a lot of the Fiery Furnaces' Bitter Tea. Loud and disorienting, but powerful at the same time. Definitely one of this year's best releases.

Broken Social Scene Presents: Kevin Drew - Spirit If...

Okay, so it's actually a Kevin Drew solo album, but with a bunch of Broken Social Scene alum backing him up. It's funny, I'm not a fan of him tagging Broken Social Scene along with him here on the album title, but it's very accurate. It does just sound like a Kevin Drew-led Broken Social Scene album. It's not nearly as good as a BSS album, but it works. It's great filler leading up to another BSS album, whenever the hell that might be. It's inconsistancies help it along. It's soft, then it's loud, then soft again.... sometimes all in the same song. It's also very cocky, but that's why I love Broken Social Scene.
So when I say things are getting nuts, that referencing this autumn's killer release schedule. It starts tomorrow with new albums from both Iron & Wine and Stars to close out September. Then check out October's schedule:
Oct. 9: Band of Horses - Cease to Begin
Oct. 9: Fiery Furnaces - Widow City
Oct. 9: Jens Lekmen - Night Falls Over Kortedala
Oct. 9: Robert Pollard - Coast to Coast Carpet of Love
Oct. 9: Robert Pollard - Standard Gargoyle Decisions
Oct. 16: Jimmy Eat World - Chase the Light
Oct. 23: Phosphorescent - Pride
Whew!! I guess if I have to pick and choose, I'll have to pass up at first both Robert Pollards (it's not like there aren't enough of those) and Jimmy Eat World (I was very disappointed with their last release). At least I can save up some money in November because I only see Sigur Rós on the schedule. I'm going to be a hermit all autumn.
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Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Flu

After a lunchtime trip to BW3 on Sunday, I came down with a horrible illness. At first I figured it as just indigestion. The last few times I'd been there, I'd felt pretty awful afterwards. However, about five hours later or so I really felt terrible. Cold sweats, terrible nausea, the whole bit. Food poisoning?

Maybe not. Last week when my mom was in town she came down with a terrible flu. She got it from my nephew. It also branched to my sister and it followed my mom back home to my dad. I guess it only affects those with the Taylor gene because so far my sister's husband and Molly have been unaffected. A flaw in our family genes?

Maybe not that either. This illness was really terrible. It didn't last but a day or so, but it was really a different animal.... like from out of this world. I can't remember ever having a flu this awful. I kept describing it as a Martian flu, and like in the movies when a meteorite crashes and everybody gets sick.

Maybe not?? Well check out what I saw on Yahoo today!!
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Sunday, September 09, 2007

Crime Wave!!

Really bad start to the weekend yesterday. I had to head to work in the afternoon. When I went outside, I was greeted with this:

My car wasn't the only one like that either. There were a couple of others on the same block with the same windows shattered. Some very productive neighborhood kids went around Friday night with a air rifle, having some good ol' fashioned fun. Nice work kids!

Naturally, I was furious. However, as we were cleaning up the mess, I started to calm down a bit. The shattered glass was awfully pretty in the sunlight.

Nah, forget that. I'm pissed. So pissed to the point of going Charles Bronson on the neighborhood.
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Monday, September 03, 2007

Last Three

It's been a bit since I last posted. Nothing really new going on here. I have been slacking on posting record reviews. It's been a couple of weeks since anything interesting has come out. Here's the last three I picked up:

John Vanderslice - Emerald City

My boy JV has released another stunner. This is a guy that can do absolutely nothing wrong. The reviews have been slightly mediocre for this release, but the only reason I see is because he references 9/11. He also referenced 9/11 on his last album, Pixel Revolt. Who cares? It's not the theme of the album. I think that theme of his last album was overblown too. If he references something on a song that he referenced on a song on his last album, I can see past that. This album is magnificent. JV is one of my favorite songwriters and he just keeps getting better. The best thing is that he seems like he still hasn't peaked.

Okkervil River - The Stage Names

Good stuff here from a band I'm still fairly new to. Their previous, Black Sheep Boy, is a masterpiece. The reviews for this one have been even better. I wouldn't go as far as to say it's better, but it's still just great. Catchy and happy at the same time as it's beautiful and sad. It's simple music, nothing overly complex, but just good little songs.

New Pornographers - Challengers

Okay, the New Pornographers, one of my favorite bands, you kinda lost me a bit with Challengers. Twin Cinema was one of the best albums of the last couple of years. It was just a huge 45 minute explosion of power pop gold. Challengers, a little boring. Not terrible, but far removed from what they are capable of. The worst thing about this album, though? The artwork is absolutely awful! It just screams "look for me in the dollar bin next to EMF." The best thing? My boy Dan Bejar once again provides evidence that's he's the coolest dude on the planet. Want more proof other than the few songs on every New Pornographers album? Check out last year's Destroyer's Rubies. Maybe one of my favorite albums.....ever! Gets better after every listen even a year later.
Well that's that. No interesting albums this week. Next week starts off a nice string of releases with the new Animal Collective album. Should be solid.
The only thing I'm interested in tomorrow is seasons 1&2 of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia on DVD. I'd stand in line at midnight for that.
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