Sony is Dumb

Sony, a large part of the the stupid Recording industry, has decided to shut down Sony, yes, SONY artist Beyonce's OFFICIAL You Tube page. How tone deaf can a corporation be? Hopefully artists like Beyonce and other pop acts will be smart enough in the future to separate themselves from these corporations. How hard, really, would it be for Beyonce to operate without a giant record label? You know, assuming, they didn't trick her into signing over her life to them.

Q3 Music Report

Best of Q3, 2009:


Wild Beasts - Two Dancers
The music reminds me of King Crimson in places. The vocals remind me of Antony in places (two guys share vocal duties, so it varies from song-to-song). Here is a song from their first album "Limbo Panto" that does a good job demonstrating the King Crimson/Antony connections.
listen

The Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
More falsetto singing! I thought their last album, 2007's concept album "Rise Above" was overrated - so I was somewhat reluctant to give this one a try.
listen

Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Actually a Q2 release, but this is a nice, light-hearted summer album. I feel that each of their albums has been better than the last, which is cool considering that the opposite seems to be true of so many artists.
listen


Honorable Mentions

BLK JKS - After Robots
I imagine this is what it would sound like if TV on the Radio joined up with Battles and started an afrobeat band.
listen

The xx - xx
The whole album has this "restrained" sound; like trying to get a person's attention from across the street by whispering loudly (corny analogy, I know).
listen

The Most Serene Republic - ...And The Ever Expanding Universe
listen

Q2 Music Report

Best of Q2, 2009:


Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
This is a better follow-up to Yellow House than 2007’s Friend EP. It seems like they are harmonizing more on this album, but maybe that’s just me.
listen

Patrick Watson – Wooden Arms
Early contender for my album of the year. Patrick Watson is Canadian and he occasionally sounds like Jeff Buckley when he sings. The music on this album reminds me a lot of Andrew Bird’s Noble Beast.
listen

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!
Start to finish, this is the best Yeah Yeah Yeahs album to date. The standout tracks are “Heads Will Roll,” “Skeletons,” and “Runaway.” I usually skip “Dragon Queen.”
listen


Honorable Mentions

Cymbals Eat Guitars – Why There are Mountains
This is a fairly traditional rock record. I really like the song “Wind Phoneix (Proper Name).” The singer can get annoying if you aren’t in the right mood.
listen


Fever Ray - S/T
Fever Ray is a solo project from Karin Dreijer Andersson, the female half of The Knife. If you like The Knife, you will probably like this album.
listen

Years – S/T
Years is a solo project from Ohad Benchetrit of the Broken Social Scene collective. This album is almost entirely instrumental. It’s not as bombastic as a BSS album – it’s more in line with one of the offshoot bands, like Do Make Say Think, Valley of the Giants, or KC Accidental.
listen

Q1 Music Report

Best music of Q1, 2009

* Andrew Bird – Noble Beast
We saw Andrew Bird in concert last weekend, and I have to say – he is probably the most talented live musician I have ever seen. His show is incredible, and if you are a fan of his music you owe it to yourself to see him in concert. This album is a “grower” – it took me about 3-4 listens to really start feeling it.

Favorite tracks: Tenuousness; Not a Robot, But a Ghost (AB added lyrics to an instrumental track by Martin Dosh, who played drums for most of the show)


* Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
It’s an Animal Collective album, and a good one at that. All of the songs are good, but I particularly like Daily Routine and Lion in a Coma.


* Here We Go Magic – S/T
Yeasayer + Paul Simon + something else I can’t put my finger on. The first half and second half sound like different albums. The first half is outstanding; I would probably overlook this album if it was all like the second half.

Favorite tracks: Only Pieces (the percussion in this song reminds me of King Crimson’s Beat album); Tunnelvision


Honorable Mention:

* Beirut – March of the Zapotec
Unlike the Here We Go Magic album, March of the Zapotec & Realpeople Holland really is two separate albums in one. I think the March of the Zapotec portion stands on its own pretty well, and is more in line with what I like/expect from Beirut.


* Laura Gibson – Beasts of Seasons
There aren't a lot “big” sounds on this album, which makes it nice to have on when you’re working / reading / napping. Spirited is my favorite track.


* Neko Case – Middle Cyclone
This Tornado Loves You is quickly becoming one of my favorite Neko Case songs. This album ends with a 30+ minute track of nothing but cricket/frog noises. Probably not something you would put on your iPod.

Finally!

A conservative hip-hop artist/Republican rapper.



Of course, the best part is that he became a conservative when his car stereo got stuck on the conservative talk radio station.

Now This Is IDM

A 9 months baby play synthesizer. from linyuchen on Vimeo.

Maybe the new Autechre album, not sure...its definitely IDM though.

via BoingBoing

Top 10 Albums of 2008

Note: Everything is in alphabetical order.

Top 10 of 2008:
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Department of Eagles - In Ear Park
Dodos - Visiter
Fleet Foxes
M83 - Saturdays = Youth
Portishead - Third
Sigur Ros - Med Sud Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalust
TV on the Radio - Dear Science
Vampire Weekend
The War on Drugs - Wagonwheel Blues

Best albums for a party:
Girl Talk - Feed the Animals
Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping
Vampire Weekend

Best albums to put on before bed:
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Brightblack Morning Light - Motion to Rejoin
Department of Eagles - In Ear Park
Fleet Foxes

Underwhelming albums from artists that I like:
CSS - Donkey
Destroyer - Trouble in Dreams
Hot Chip - Made in the Dark
Okkervil River - The Stand Ins

Biggest disappointment of 2008:
Annuals - Such Fun

2007 Revisited:
I still like most of my Top 10 of 2007. If I could make one correction, I would replace Mirrored by Battles with All Hour Cymbals by Yeasayer.

Q3 Music Report (abbreviated)

I've had my list of favorite Q3 albums ready for a couple of weeks now, but I kept putting off writing a blog entry... so, I'm just going to go ahead and post it in an abbreviated format. Since most of these albums will undoubtedly be included in my forthcoming Top-10 of 2008 post, I'll write about them in more detail there.

Fleet Foxes

Highlights:
Blue Ridge Mountains. My parents tell me that before I could form complete sentences, I could put records on the turntable. My favorite song was Sailing by Christopher Cross. This song reminds me of Sailing, and listening to it makes me alternately happy and sad. Nostalgia is a strange thing.

TV on the Radio - Dear Science
If Dear Science were a Roots album, it would probably be Phrenology. I'm not sure why I just chose to relate TVotR to the Roots. Maybe it's like how every white wide receiver gets compared to Ed McCaffrey.

Highlights:
Halfway Home.
DLZ.

The War on Drugs - Wagonwheel Blues

Highlights:
Buenos Aires Beach, and the way it transitions into There is no Urgency.
Show Me the Coast. I am a sucker for 10+ minute songs. Always.


Honorable Mentions:
The Walkmen - You and Me
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

Trickle Down On Me

From a great height I expect a little bit of cash to trickle down into my hands as a result of the "courageous" $700 bailout...errrr...rescue plan that passed both the Senate and the House this week, albeit after a bunch of personal earmarks (see local favors) were added to get specific politicians to change their minds and vote for a bill they were adamantly against two weeks ago. I know it will all work out because Trickle Down Economics has worked so well in the past...



Happy Weekend

Post-Debate Weekend Music

Bruce Cockburn
Call it Democracy

Silly Ass Metallica

Last November, I posted a rather scathing review of the concept for the video game Rock Band without having even played it, or it's precursor Guitar Hero. This Spring I was able to spend some hours over a couple of days rockin' out and downin' brews and actually found the game to be pretty fun. The concept still sort of creeps me out a little, but I'll concede it is fun.

Butttttttttt..........

This is stupid,

Metallica's new album, titled DEATH MAGNET! will be available for download to the Rock Band universe immediately upon its official label release.

I officially declare Metallica to be a silly-ass band.

2008 Q2 Music Report

Here are my highlights for the second quarter of 2008.

Portishead - Third

I love the tempo of the opening track, "Silence" and its abrupt ending (I assume this is what the title refers to). The fourth track, "The Rip" is the other standout, and employs a similar effect of adding new layers of sound as the song progresses. The only song I find myself routinely skipping is "Machine Gun" - I guess the industrial sounding drums are too much for me. Plus, the last minute reminds me of the theme song from the Terminator movies.

Sigur Rós - Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust

This is the least "Sigur Rós sounding" album they have put out, and the result is a welcome change in direction. The sound is more upbeat, but without losing that whimsical quality. If previous albums were "sleepy," then this one is "dreamy." No song characterizes this bouncy new sound more than the opening track, "Gobbledigook." My only complaint about this album is that I find myself tuning out and losing interest around the half-way mark. A quick look at the "play count" next to each track in Media Player: 8 (track 1), 7, 7, 6, 6, 6, 4, 4, 4, 3, 2 (track 11)

Quiet Village - Silent Movie

This album is hard to describe - it’s a sort of weird mix of a bunch of different sounds and genres. The title "Silent Movie" might have something to do with the fact that this album sounds like the score to a 1970’s blaxploitation movie in a lot of ways (see track 2, "Circus of Horror" and track 6, "Broken Promises" for examples). This album also reminds me of a lot of the music I liked to listen to when I was stoned in college: Air, Zero-7, Thievery Corporation, Bent, Cinematic Orchestra, etc. There’s even a song called "Too High to Move" (track 4).

Honorable Mentions:

• Frightened Rabbit - Midnight Organ Fight
• Girl Talk - Feed the Animals
• Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple

Fans Lost Control

According to a BBC article, the gravestone of Ian Curtis (ya know…Joy Division frontman, low voice, epileptic, hanged himself) was stolen. Yes, it was stolen. By whom? Nobody the fuck knows. Why? Nobody the fuck knows. So seriously, guys, we all love Ian Curtis. Yes he is worth listening to as you fall asleep every night crying lonely and miserable tears, but is it worthwhile to steal his gravestone?? Go buy a vinyl copy of Closer to satisfy your selfish hearts.

Wal-Mart to Take Over Music

Good ol' Wal-Mart had a little music festival, er...shareholder meeting (vomit) recently with some of its favorite artists, including the mediocre but formerly famous band Journey. It seems Wal-mart struck a deal with Journey to exclusively release some 3 disc set of the bands music. They bought the rights, Wal-Mart, that is, from the band without a middle man (record label). Normally, it would be a good thing if a record company was excluded from a deal such as this and could mean more money for the artist. The real problem here is this is Wal-Mart we are talking about. The litany of bad acts by Wal-Mart is too long to list here. Just Google something like:

Wal-Mart + labor + health insurance + eats babies.

The NY Times article linked to above mentions how deals like the one Journey signed with Wal-Mart and the one signed by the band the Eagles and the anti-labor capitalist beast last year are the result of the success of digital downloads in that bands have less of a need for record labels. Its just too bad that there are artists (and their managers) who can't think of any more creative than signing on with a corporate piggy.

2008 Q1 Music Report

Here are my highlights of 2008 (so far):

The Dodos - Visiter
Fantastic album, probably my favorite so far this year (and it’s only been out for a week!). It has drawn comparisons to Animal Collective, but I’d say it’s a bit closer to Annuals. One of my friends also said it reminded him of Okkervil River. Whatever...it’s really good, and we can probably leave it at that.

Dengue Fever - Venus on Earth
Band from L.A. plays 1960’s style Cambodian rock music. That pretty much sums it up. There are a few songs in English, but the lyrics are kinda dorky - granted, the ones in Cambodian could be worse, but ignorance is bliss.

Vampire Weekend (Self Titled)
I bought this before it got played to death on the MTV/SNL/Letterman circuit - I swear! I admit that all the "mainstream" exposure did temper my enthusiasm a little bit, but I am not ashamed to say that I really enjoy this album. It’s fun, and you can put it on when you have company over.


Honorable mention:

Yeasayer - All Hour Cymbals
This actually came out in 2007, but I didn’t hear it until February of this year. It definitely would have made my Top 10 of 2007 list if I had known, and would compete with The Dodos for my favorite of 2008 (so far). This sounds like 65% Celebration/35% Animal Collective. It’s funny how everything gets compared to Animal Collective.

Albums that are on my list, but I have not heard yet:
Destroyer - Trouble in Dreams
Morcheeba - Dive Deep
Jason Collett - Here’s to Being Here
Beach House - Devotion
This Will Destroy You (Self Titled)

Sony, You Are Gross

It comes as no surprise that a big record label/conglomerate like Sony would do things that make us a little nauseous, but this little tidbit from a New York Times article had a little extra taste of vomit to it. In what is essentially a fluffy entertainment article about Jay Leno leaving the Tonight Show soon, being replaced by Conan O'Brien, the proposed terms of an agreement from one of Leno's potential suitors are laid out like this,

Sony Pictures Television has made an approach through intermediaries to let Mr. Leno and his representatives know that as soon as he is allowed to discuss his next move, the studio will make him a rich offer for a syndicated late-night show that would make him the highest-paid host in late-night television, put his name on a new theater on the Sony lot and give him a financial interest in Sony music artists who appear on his show. (emphasis added)

That little bit about giving Leno money from, I presume, either album sales, touring revenue, or merchandising from musical guests is so gross. Soon, filesharing may take money out of Jay Leno's pocket!

Confessions of a Music Collector

One of my favorite hobbies is collecting music. I keep an ongoing list of albums I want to buy. When I learn about an album or an artist that I might like, I usually listen to samples online. iTunes and Amazon are good resources for this. I also like both for their recommendation features. The technology has gotten quite sophisticated, and there is an unbelievable amount of raw data available from all of the people who purchase music online. I love how an interest in one artist can open the door to a bunch of others.

Once my list has grown reasonably long, I will print it out and take it with me to my favorite record store. It is a rare case that everything I am looking for is in stock at the same time. I can usually place a special order at the record store, but I find it is cheaper and more convenient to purchase the out-of-stock items through Amazon.

Now, you might be wondering why I don't just purchase all of my music online. The argument is valid: I wouldn't have to drive anywhere; I wouldn't have to take the time to search for the albums on my list; and I wouldn't be faced with the uncertainty of the items being out of stock. Despite the conveniences of purchasing online, it leaves me somewhat unfulfilled. I actually enjoy the process. There is something very rewarding about finding the album I am looking for, paying for it, and being able to listen to it immediately.

But wait! "Why don't you just pay to download the album?" It just isn't the same for me... I need something tangible. Plus, I like having the artwork and liner notes. Granted, I rip almost all of my CD's to the computer so I can listen to them at work. But I still have that shiny piece of plastic and the cool digipak it came in!

When Radiohead released In Rainbows online, I wanted to hear it right away, so I named my own price of ~$8US to download it. Of course, when the CD became available a few months later, I bought that too. The same thing happened with the latest Beirut album, The Flying Club Cup. For some reason, it was available a few weeks early through iTunes. So, I paid to download it right away, and then bought the CD from my local store a few weeks later. Obviously these are special cases, because they are both artists that I really like, and both albums were good enough to justify a second purchase.

Now, if someone would just offer a service where I could download the album immediately, and then they would ship me the CD - I would be in Heaven.

QTrax Music Service Not Ready For Close Up

We posted about QTrax recently and it sounded great. A new free and legal peer to peer music sharing service, funded by advertisements. We were even going to be able to put the music on our mp3 players, including iPods in the Spring. QTrax was supposed to have deals with all of the major record labels. There were initial snafus with the website and the availability of the service. The player is now apparently available but no music can be downloaded. It turns out there are actually no deals with any of the major labels, yet. Three of the four labels have said they have been in negotiations. So, according to the Wired story it seems that QTraz was mistating its position, I guess everyone will have to stick to the free but moral peer to peer services for now.

legal - established by or founded upon law or official or accepted rules

moral - refers to what is judged as right, just, or good

New Free and Legal Peer to Peer Music Sharing Application

All major record labels have agreed to allow the company QTrax to provide applications to individuals for free that would allow them to share music legally and free. The service will be free because it will be advertisement supported (which will probably be incredibly annoying). There already have been companies that provide a similar service but QTrax will allow the music to be transferred to mp3 players. iPods are the exception currently, but QTrax claims that music files will be compatible with iPods soon.

The QTrax website is down right now but says it should be up again in 24 hours.

Read the more in-depth Wired article here.

More Evidence that Tasers are Hot

The disturbing use and abuse of taser guns and their intended purpose by police has been a "hot" issue for plasticblog. Now taser guns being marketed to women are just plain hot.

How do we know? Because TASER(r) (the maker of taser guns) is releasing several new products, including leopard-print and hot pink tasers as fashionable self-defense options for women. Not to mention the taser with holster that serves as an MP3 player. Rockin' -- it's got 1GB of memory!

I approve Slate's "Human Nature" column take on it:

Company spins: 1) "Personal protection can be both fashionable and functionable" (sic). 2) Leopard print offers "a personal protection option for women who want fashion with a bite." 3) "The 1GB TASER MPH allows for both personal protection and personal music for people on the go." Cynical view: The leopard-print Taser—because when you're facing an assailant, there's nothing more important than feeling like a lady.

And we all thought tasers were so 2007. Kudos to the people at TASER(r) and police everywhere for making tasers hot again.