The New Decay

for those who love myusik

Monday, March 26, 2007

Buy Buy Buy! ... and Don't Buy!


To do my part in the corporatization of music (and because I always have Mondays off and am looking for things to do), I am going to start a segment entitle "Buy Buy Buy! ... and Don'tBuy!", where I write about a few of the albums that I've been listening to lately and give my recomendations. I know it's a bit on the 'blog-as-personal-journal' side of things, but frankly I don't really care. Anyways;

New Buys!
Panda Bear - Person Pitch (Paw Tracks)
I already wrote a brief thing on this already, but this album is quickly becoming my
favorite record of the year (possibly even my favorite Animal Collective related album,
although Sung Tongs still reigns in this regard).

Low - Drums and Guns (Sub Pop)
I have been less than impressed with recent Sub Pop releases as of late (ie. the Shins),
but have been pleasantly surprised with this new album from everyones favorite
Mormons. Drums and Guns is the perfect mix of what made Secret Name and Things
We've Lost in the Fire so great, but adds a lyrical and exploratory quality to their sound
that is very haunting.

Great Lake Swimmers - Ongiara (Nettwerk)
Check them out tomorrow at the West End

LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver (DFA)
Fujiya and Miyagi - Transparent Things (Tirk)

Old Buys!
Dave Holland - Conference of the Birds (ECM, from 1971)
One of Jazz's finest bass players at his best working alongside the great Anthony
Braxton, pretending to be a bunch of birds. What's not to love?

Alice Coltrane - Journey in Satchidanda (Impulse!, from 1970)
Thanks Jared!

The Raincoats - The Raincoats (DGC, from 1980)
One of my favorite female post-punk bands. Anybody that is cited as a major influence
on Sleater-Kinney, Sonic Youth, Bikini Kill, and toured with Nirvana on a reunion tour
is worth multiple listens. Plus their rendition of the Kink's 'Lola' is priceless.

The Smiths - S/T (Rough Trade, from 1984)
The Fall - Grotesque (Essential, from 1980)
Sunn O))) - Black One (Southern Lord, from 2005)

Don't Buys!
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank (Sony)
Okay, I haven't even heard the whole album yet, but given the fact that I've not even
paid attention to the latest release of what used to be my favorite band (even with the
awesome addition of Johnny Marr) says something. When did Modest Mouse get so
boring?

posted by Unknown @ 1:25 PM  

5 Comments:

  • At 6:34 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

    I think your rhetorical question ("When did Modest Mouse get so boring") completely misses the point. The question should be: "Why are you rejecting an album based on the fact that you haven't listened or paid attention to it?" For the record, it's a great outing from a solid band.

     

  • At 8:12 AM , Blogger Unknown said...

    I never said I haven't listened to the album. I said I haven't listened to the WHOLE album. I couldn't make it through because I couldn't handle it anymore. Modest Mouse used to be able to demand your attention for an entire album. This one lost me from the start. So no I'm not rejecting an album based on the fact that I haven't listened to it. I'm rejecting it because I expect MUCH more from Modest Mouse (and Johnny Marr for that matter)than this. Somehow I knew I'd get you to respond with this one.

     

  • At 8:42 AM , Blogger Unknown said...

    Case in Point:
    Which one doesn't fit?

    'I've changed my mind so much I cant even trust it. My mind changed me so much I cant even trust myself' from Talking Shit About a Pretty Sunset (1996)

    'I'm the same as I was when I was 6 years old. And oh my God I feel so damn old, I don't really feel anything' From Never Ending Math Equation (1999)

    and

    “It honestly was beautifully bold / Like trying to save an ice cube from the cold,” From Fire it Up (2007)

     

  • At 2:29 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Sure...let's compare the best lyrics from previous albums to the worst from this one. From that we will be able to extrapolate some kind of overarching trend towards suck.

     

  • At 4:40 PM , Blogger Unknown said...

    Brent, give it up already! That's great that you like the album. All the power to you. But don't say I don't know what I'm talking about when I say I don't like it. The fact of the matter is that when I listened to it I thought it was awful (yes, not just bad. AWFUL). Modest Mouse has always drawn some interest from me. This album didn't. Reading the lyrics on the album (and it's always been all about the lyrics with MM), I would be hard pressed to find anything that beats stuff from "The Moon and Antartica," "It's a Long Drive..." and yes "Good News for People who Love Bad News" (I find the first five songs on 'Good News' as better than anything on the new one). That's fine that you like the album, but don't try to convince me that I'm sh@#ting on it without giving it a fair chance. Johnny Marr is my hero. I'd be hard pressed to find a guitarist I enjoy more (well maybe Stevie Ray Vaugn ... just kidding). I've even blindly praised stuff he's been involved with before simply because it's Johnny Marr. So yes, I was excited to hear what the results would be from his collaboration with Isaac Brock. And yes after listening to it I can't help but be dissapointed.

     

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