Mudhoney-Superfuzz Bigmuff (1988)

It was just brought to my attention that this EP came out twenty, yes, TWENTY years ago.
In it's wake it brought what we know as grunge. Say what you wanna, but this shit is smokin' hot.
Shamefully, the band at it's "peak".

This is some warped shit for 1988.

Super Hairy Gigantic Muff

Flamin' Groovies-Teenage Head

This one has been sneaking into the DJ set more and more. Seems like everyone I play it for has never heard it before which seems strange, but at the same time, totally awesome. It's pretty easy to get enthusiastic about this record in the winter. It kinda exudes this strange aura of aggressive laziness. Some of the songs loaf around and don't really do anything, they go on for six minutes, they go through about seven jam parts, but still, you sit intently.

That's tough to do.

For anyone who digs on simple rock and roll and the way Todd Rundgren made records sound, you will fucking worship this record. Great vocalist and phenomenal guitar players in the same way that Malcom Young is a phenomenal guitar player.

Highly Recommended.

LINK FIXED 4:44 P.M. 1/29
Fixed Groovies

So...

not only did the dipshits at Can's record label make me take the download down for a record that is OUT OF PRINT, but they also made me delete the entire post because i called them money grubbers.
well...
fuck you, Can's record label.
money grubbers.

Saturday in Chicago

Santo & Johnny-Santo & Johnny

I've always really loved Hawaiian music, but have never been able to get past the fact that it was Hawaiian music. Right or wrong (wrong, obviously) i've never been able to get past the kinda inherent cheezy-ness. I guess that might explain why I was so drawn to the music of Santo & Johnny, because the Hawaiian influence is super evident, but it's taken in a darker, more rural-american, direction.

All this aside, a story from James on the beach in California spawned this post. Something about one of the brothers picking a drunk fight in bar and getting killed. I don't know if it's true, and to be honest, I don't particularly want to know. It's kinda revving my listening engine right now.

Absolutely beautiful and overlooked far too long....

Santo & Johnny

Simply the Best

Had to point you to another rocksteady comp over at Youandmeonajamboree.blogspot.com.

These guys get it right and from what I understand, they put this together themselves.
AMAZING rocksteady.
The best comp I have heard yet.

Please, for your sake and mine, pick it up over there for free.
Best nothing you'll ever spend.

Rocksteady Suffering

Television Personalities-Mummy You're Not Watching Me

We were listening to records last night at the place and for some reason I played this for Seth for the first time. If Seth really likes a record you can be pretty sure there's something there worth listening to. If he isn't that into it, you can bet that you won't remember it in a month.

Well, Seth really likes this record, and I do as well.

There's something really queer about the TVPs that I can't quite place. It's this sort of strange attention to detail on songs that sound like they were recorded in five minutes. Polishing a turd, if you will. Somehow, against all odds, it works for them and the shimmering mess that emerges by the end of the record produces five of you "favorite songs of all time". This album is no exception to that, although it may seem hard to digest all the reverb at first. The real reward with this band comes through repeated listens (I know that is said about everything), but every time I listen to this I hear a terrifying lyric that swept past me previously. Treacy's power comes from what he alludes to and not what he says. Check out 'A Day In Heaven' for a little taste of that. Also, this version of 'David Hockney's Diaries' (the first and slower version) as opposed to the 'They Could Have Been Better Than The Beatles' version isolates instead of embracing.

The TVPs are one of the best, and this record is recommended, like whoa.

1. Adventure Playground
2. A Day In Heaven
3. Scream Quietly
4. Mummy You're Not Watching Me
5. Brian's Magic Car
6. Where The Rainbow Ends
7. David Hockney's Diaries
8. Painting By Numbers
9. Lichtenstein Painting
10. Magnificent Dreams
11. If I Could Write Poetry

Mummy, You're Not Watching Me

The Replacements-Hootenanny!

I've had a lot of favorite bands in my time here on Earth. I operate on hyperbole, anyone who knows me understands that, "they are the greatest band in the world" generally doesn't translate exactly. I find it easier to speak in absolutes as it suggests a sense of conviction that is absent from most everybody nowadays.

As I have taken time to really find music that compels me to do things like write a music blog for instance, I continue to return to the 'Mats.

I don't know really why it speaks so true and awkwardly. I'm late in the game and never hung at 7th street or Oarfolk and I'm not even sure I would have if I was there. But the Replacements understood that collision of everything and nothing. They didn't care at all and they cared more than anyone in a seamless, unquestionable line. This album shows me how it used to be possible to make a god honest statement about nothing at all, and consequently, most everything in the same breath.

As ridiculous as those homos who talk about the power of music are, and no matter how many times you have to listen to them, coked out of their minds, speak of intrinsic beauty, know there is truth to it. You can't find it everywhere, and you can't find it easily, but if you think like I do you can find it in the 'Mats.

To all those who hate them for being so good, and love them for being so bad.

1. Hootenanny!
2. Run It
3. Color Me Impressed
4. Willpower
5. Take Me Down To The Hospital
6. Mr. Whirly
7. Within Your Reach
8. Buck Hill
9. Lovelines
10. You Lose
11. Hayday
12. Treatment Bound

Hootenanny!

Monks-Five Upstart Americans

Had to share the link for this because it is incredible.
Apparently, these are the demos for Monk Time recorded in Germany when the Monks formed.
They sound as good, if not better, than Monk Time, and are more my speed as far as arrangements. Don't get me wrong, Monk Time slays and will be one of my favs til i'm gone, but the arrangements here are cleaner and more focused. Come to think of it, that doesn't sound like something I'd be into at all. Somehow, on these recordings it works really really well. The guitars sound fucking unreal. If anyone knows how they did that, please, tell me.

You guys should check out the other stuff on this blog I'm liking to as well. Real neat Yardbirds live stuff.


Monks-Five Upstart Americans

Oh, Eight Comp

O.k. so I made a comp with my two favorite songs of each of the records that made the list.
Don't know why I'm so good to you.

1. Thomas Function-Snake In The Grass
2. Thomas Function-Filthy Flowers
3. Wavves- The Boys Will Love Us
4. Wavves- Vermin
5. Jacuzzi Boys- Dream Lion
6. Jacuzzi Boys- Island Avenue
7. Ty Segall-The Drag
8. Ty Segall- Dating
9. Muslims- Future Rock
10. Muslims- Extinction
11. Nodzzz- I Don't Wanna (Smoke Marijuana)
12. Nodzzz- Is She There
13. Thee Oh Sees- Block of Ice
14. Thee Oh Sees- Poison Finger

Oh, Eight

Scout Niblett-Kidnapped by Neptune

Yup, that's right. Scout Niblett. People give me all kindsa shit for listening to her and I don't really get it. Everyone I talk to about this record says that her voice grates on them, and that it reminds them of Joanna Newsom. I can't afford weed good enough to make this true. This album flows great. This album is what your sub-conscious listens to when you put on Fleet Foxes. This album reminds me of Rick's old Volkswagen. This is a great headphone travel record, which I suppose are the only kind I upload since I am constantly commuting. She gets a pretty radical guitar tone that's kinda 1996 and super super compressed in an almost obnoxious way. Guess what? I fucking love 1996 and so should you. I recommend this for anyone who is a Liz Phair fan but wishes it would tweak a bit. Get real and get this record.

1. Hot to Death
2. Kidnapped BY Neptune
3. Pom Poms
4. Lullaby for Scout in Ten Years
5. Fuck Treasure Island
6. Relax
7. Valvoline
8. Good To Me
9. Handsome
10. Safety Pants
11. Newburyport
12. This City
13. Wolfie
14. Drink To Me
15. Where Are You?

Fuck Treasure Island

Shrimpss-Volunteering

NEW LINK IN COMMENTS 4/22/10



So we did another song.
I like it.

Jesse, Seth, and I sing.
Lusty plays guitars and does the programming
Jesse and Seth played the synth
I might have played a little guitar

it was late.

1. Volunteering

Volunteer!

The Eight of Oh-Eight

since i want to be cool too, i figured i would make a list of the best records of 2008.

disclaimer: i don't really know a lot about music (current music especially) so my tastes may be what you kids call "lame". totally aware.

figure i'll pick eight records.

8. Jacuzzi Boys-Island Avenue EP

I would have put this one a little higher, but it's only three songs and an album that does not make. Still, this stuff is great. It runs the same race as the Black Lips but more deliberately and maybe even a little steadier. 'Dream Lion', although slow and kinda a buzzkill, is a staple in my DJ sets and is brooding in the way that Bauhaus t-shirts were in high school. Brilliant, snappy, simple stuff from Florida nonetheless. Can't wait for an LP from these guys.

7. Wavves-Wavves

Drum machines ran through Boss DS-1's and unintelligible vocals about 'beach goths'. I hated this record the first time I heard it. I still kinda do. I think that's kinda nice actually and I continue to listen to it for that express purpose. The song titles are fucking hilarious and the cadence of the record seems kind of disjointed from the actual songs if that makes sense. This is the only record released in 2008 that I really believe may have subliminal messages in it.

6. Crystal Stilts -Alight of Night

People say these guys/Vivian Girls cast-off sound like the Velvet Underground. Isn't that just fucking retarded? Why would you say that a band? Remember when people said that about the Strokes? It made no sense then and makes even less now. What these guys do sound like is really really good music to take NyQuil and walk around the city with headphones on to. In fact, that is the express reason they made it onto this here list at this here slot. It may have been freezing rain.

5. Thomas Function- Celebration

When we were down in Alabama playing a show this was all that anyone down there talked about and ended up comparing everything to. Naturally, before I even heard it, I hated the shit out of it. That was misled as this band is everything that great pop bands should be. Consistently awkward in an interesting but not overbearing way. Well crafted sinewy kinda songs that have a 4/4 base and 3/4 tempo. Great singer, great songs.

4. Ty Segall-S/T

Again, a grower. Can't stop listening to/talking about this record still. At first, lo-fi stuff always bothers me because of how hard it is to play the shit out. This stuff charges through the production and even if it just sounds like buzzing at points, it sounds like the buzzing has a motive. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful songs that at no point bore me (I think there's one song over two minutes). This is what I'd always hoped that KK & BBQ Show would end up moving towards and instead they started to sound like a shitty James Brown cover band. There is merit in Ty Segall's approach to music. They could be huge with a little compromise on their end, but I think that once people get a real grip on this record they won't need to meet anyone in the middle. Garagey without being dated, noisy without being intelligent. Like if a white Little Richard fronted a louder Dirtbombs.

3. Muslims-Muslims

How many fucking self-titled records made this list?! Jesus. Think of something people. It's really not that hard to name a record. I know it seems cool to just let the name speak for itself but you know.....wait.......you did what?
You released a self-titled record that was released to critical acclaim?
Then you changed your name to the Soft Pack?
Are you a fucking idiot?

What a fun record. The OK GO dis is enough for a listen.
It sounds like the Velvet Underground!

2. Nodzzz-Nodzzz 12"

Remember Half Japanese? Yeah, well these guys are a shitload better. Fun is the only way to describe them and if it wasn't for how ridiculously amazing the Thee Oh Sees record is, it would have been number one. The single not included on this record is 'I Don't Wanna (Smoke Marijuana)' and may be my favorite song of 2008. (The 7" has since sold out and will not be repressed from what I hear)

If you are a fan of pop music, this is your ticket to sweetsville.

1. Thee Oh Sees-The Master's Bedroom Is Worth Spending A Night In

Terrifyingly agressive music that still seems stoned and laid back. This is what garage bands want to sound like. Equal parts Jandek, Troggs, and Soft Boys with a little Donovan thrown in for good measure (check out their early cover of 'Get Thy Bearings' off of OCS4) this is my favorite band right now, period. John Dwyer from Coachwhips fronts with a girl that sounds so fucking hot it makes my buttcheeks tremble. GO BUY THIS RECORD RIGHT NOW DUMMY.