Banned...

The other day, I was searching for a downloadable version of Diplo's mixtape/mash-up Piracy Funds Terrorism Vol. 1, and i came across this site: http://www.bannedmusic.org/. Have a look/listen.

Later

Nike cops out!

Follow the link: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/news/05-06/28.shtml

Oh, well.

My first list. Current 2005 faves. YEAH! (not that one):

1. The Hold Steady: Separation Sunday
2. M.I.A.: Arular
3. William Parker Quartet: Sound Unity
4. Edan: Beauty and the Beat
5. Sleater Kinney: The Woods
6. The Mountain Goats: The Sunset Tree
7. Clem Snide: The End of Love
8. The Ponys: Celebration Castle
9. Blueprint: 1988
10. The Go-Betweens: Oceans Apart
11. Art Brut: Bang Bang Rock & Roll
12. The Thunderbirds are Now: Justamoustache
13. Count Base-D: Begborrowsteal
14. Spoon: Gimme Fiction
15. The Perceptionists: Black Dialogue

More later.

i, Pod

So I'm slower than most people, but I recently acquired this amazing new thing called iPod. My scepticism about such mediums had to do with how I am (we are?) used to listen to music, that is with a sleeve in my hand and what not. Thing is, this won't stop me from buying records, which is what the biz fears, it just gets me around to listen to more music, hence I might end up buying even more records than before. The other pro is that I have been downloading deleted titles (latest: Gil Scott-Heron, 1980); where I before had to trust the recommendations before spendin 20$++ on gemm.com for a vinyl issue, I can now get a listen before I go on a spending spree. No biggie, but It's good to get a taster anyway. My mate at pazzandjunk (see sidebar link) has been posting his faves so far this year, as does Mr. Matos and Tom Hull. I have promised many lists on the few posts I've written, so for now all I can say is that I have time off. Don't hold your breath, though.

Current faves (songs):

Hold Steady "Stevie Nix"
Clem Snide "Fill Me With Your Light"
Cobra Verde "I Feel Love"
Edan "Fumbeling Over Words That Rhyme"
Thunderbirds Are Now "Eat This City"
Love As Laughter "Coast To Coast"

Further Adventures of...

Yo,
Buzy exam period, but some news. A trip to Bergen last weekend to witnes what may be the worlds greatest existing rock band, Sleater Kinney. I am yet to hear their album in another setting than at the record store, so I'll save a review 'til it get a copy home, but the gig was excellent, albeit not of the historic proportions as the famed "twofer" at Irving Plaza, NY in May of 2000. Their uniqe two-guitar attack is like no other sound out there, and they have the greatest drummer to boot. Also, two more gigs with the Drive-By Truckers, adding to the Oslo-gig on Thursday. All good, the Oslo one great. New records: Quasimoto The Further Adventures of Lord Quas. Highly anticipated by me and others. I have managed just four listens, and it has not let me down yet. It sound more bass-heavy than The Unseen, and still witty with more camoes. Others of note: The Thunderbirds are Now's Justamustache sounds terrific and may just be the post-punk album of the year, and it is different because it doesn't sound retro. It is bouncy and diverse, and the echoes of late '70s early '80s are only seasoning to a primaliry modern (in the most positive sense of the phrase) rock sound. The new Hold Steady is also out this week. Have not heard much yet, but I truly enjoyed thier previos effort. Watch this space for more. Later

All quiet on the...

Little action on my part of late, partly due to my forgetting the password plus increasing pressure on school work. Just a few things to say. I'm planning a list of compilations of popular musical history, to introduce my other year-by-year lists. Other things to note is the newly aquired Beauty and the Beat by the lovely Edan. Neat nerd core if I ever heard it, cultured retro-beats and fancy word-play, with cameos by Mr. Lif among others. Also bought Duke Ellingtons Bubber Miley Era: 1924-1929, which has many of the same tracks collected on the fine double Okeh Ellington, among them "Black and Tan Fantasy" and "East St. Louis Toodle-O", albeit in different tapings and nearly every selection is superior on the Bubber-disc. Also of note, the fine Landslide by The Curtis Counce Group from 1956. Premium hard bop at cut-down price. Next weekend sees both Drive-By Truckers and Sleater Kinney gigs. Later.

Late night jam

I got bored, so I figured I'd report from the latest news on the net. The guys'n'gals at Pitchforkmedia reckons the new Out Hud record is good for an 8.0 rating. I haven't heard it yet, so I won't argue, but their previous offering, S.T.R.E.E.T.D.A.D., was a bit flat, though the title "The L Train Is a Swell Train and I Don't Want to Hear You Indies Complain" is still good for a laugh. Our own Jaga Jazzist gets some props too. I don't give a toss, though. Metacritic.com has M.I.A's Arular as the current highest scorer. (If you are not familiar with their rating system, you can find out about it here: http://www.metacritic.com/about/scoring.shtml). I just bought it while in New York, and have given it quite a few spins. She is articulate, hard-hitting and soft at once. The beats are mostly heavy and hardly let go, which can prove to be a problem. For now though, it's a rumpshaker of a record, and I hope it holds up. A more elaborate review on my part may come later. Also, trying to get a hold of Count Base-D's new album Begborrowsteel. I heard soundbits on the 'net, and it sounded pretty good. Alt-rap with MF Doom-leeanings. Also, the guy is based in Nashville!!! Tired now, more later.

Chris