The reason I’m writing about these bands is that they’re brilliant, not that they have a certain genre or style. Each one delivers musical statements, though, that are simple and full of the utmost gravity, and they do so, despite using technical means that are unorthodox, in quick, effortless swatches. In their own way, each … Read more“Ween and Their ‘Real’ Alternative Viceroys”
If I were to sum these two videos up, in introduction, I’d say they each match their subject matter — “Our Sorrows” is somber and empathetic, and “Goddess Eyes II” is humorous. Each video features the musical artist’s face en masse, so inevitably this itself becomes part of the video’s interplay. “Our Sorrows” opens with … Read more“Video Reviews: Julia Holter – ‘Goddess Eyes II’ and ‘Our Sorrows’”
Bear in mind I’m writing this from the Midwest, where people can be pretty, uh, simple, regarding what bands of which they’ve heard. I realize a lot of people have heard of Mudhoney. Somewhere along the line, somehow, I think my standards for rock music ballooned out of control; either that or everyone else’s are … Read more“Mudhoney: Like a White Bad Brains”
It’s an elusive truth, but no matter who is telling this, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone to hear that the objective of life is a state of mind, a feeling of joy. You could say this differs from heaven because when you have a body to control, the whole thing … Read more“Picking Up an Empty Mountain Dew Can”
How do you figure? Well, you aren’t decided. About if I want to stay there the rest of my life? Yeah. Yeah I might not be. You should use some more of your soul when you go there. Dream on. Put yourself in my position. I was once 18, doing funny things and getting high. … Read more“You’re Spying On Your Job!”
The British had schools, the Americans will have schools. We’ll make them even better. Industry, science. People come from around the world to go to American schools. Members of Wu-Tang perform at the local clubs, fraternity members run around naked, in thongs or with a cape around them. People listen to the Mountain Goats while … Read more“Orientation Speech”
“If I Had a Cent” is the song that really sold me all over again on Pelle Almqvist’s skill as a live, captivating vocalist. “I Want More” brings a loud, fun mixture of Joan Jett, Queen, and the Pixies, coming on track 04, but if you would have told me The Hives were going to … Read more“Lex Hives: Flawless Production Buoyed By Pelle Almqvist’s Personas”
It’s massive. It’s mind-boggling. It’s use is obscure upon first glance. They call it a quarry, apparently. You pass it on I-94, going east from Chicago into Indiana. It’s a giant pit of gray rock, the bottom of which is not viewable from the highway, so deep. … Jeff Tweedy, frontman of the band Wilco, … Read more“Life in or around Chicago”
The major impression made first by Nootropics, this year’s album from Lower Dens, is one of dub/electronica, calling to mind the Gang Gang Dance song “Inner Pace.” After that, in “Alphabet Song,” Pink Floyd emerges as a primary influence, with the synth riff, psychedelic and dissonant. If Nootropics fails to reach John Talabot’s height of … Read more“Lower Dens: The Beast That Ate Music in 2012”
The first time I heard of Soul Coughing, I was watching a brilliant series that used to be on MTV in the late ’90’s, called Austin Stories. Set in Austin, the show featured three main characters, one of whom was a deadbeat who couch-surfed and took advantage of auspicious luck — both with women and … Read more“Kurt Cobain and Soul Coughing’s Mike Doughty: Drawing Comparisons”