Just for Old Time's Sake

Leslie Feist still rules.

When I first bought Let It Die back in college, I made sure all of Bowling Green, Ky., knew who the hell she was. She obviously doesn't need my help anymore. But I'm still introducing that album to a different crowd, and they like her. You just cannot argue with her voice. It's too pure.

I'd really like for she and Chrisete Michele to do a duet. Just for me. Please, ladies, please.

For the record—I'm just not that into Jazmine Sullivan. Don't get me wrong—I'm glad a young sista's making her rounds, but eh.

Aiight, Yeezy, You Got Me—Again

I have a very interesting relationship with Kanye West. And by relationship, I just mean I have a complicated reaction to his music. At first I love it, then I dismiss it, then I love it even more.

With 808s and Heartbreaks, I just didn't even give it a chance. I mean, who the hell wants to listen to him do sing-song voice in that annoying robotic sound that should've stayed with Roger and Zapp in the 80s?

But on the way home from the gym a homie was listening to it on our way back to his crib before we went to hang out with another homie. That's besides the point. Point is—I was thoroughly impressed, just as I was with his last two albums. College Dropout did a reverse on me—I raved about it, then got over it.

Anyway, don't be a nay-sayer on this'n. Yeah, it's depressing, but after losing his mother and then his girlfriend dumping him, how could you go back to talking about material shit? I guess you can say it's the Sea Change of hip-hop, but just as Beck did during a performance on that tour where he flipped his acoustic guitar behind his back and started break-dancing in the middle of “Where It's At?,” Yeezy still got his floetic prowess.

Long story short—it's Amber-approved.*



Which is simply illustrated by two thumbs up—WAY UP!

Kanye West - Street Lights

Uh, yeah, The Kills? May I have my brains back please?

Because you've blown them away. Three out of three ain't bad, babydolls. I was a little nervous because you graced the covers of Nylon magazine and was a featured artist on Myspace. Nope. The grit is still there. The sexiness is still there. The awesomeness is still there. I love this new album. I want to make silly, sweet love to it.

Listen:
Kills - Tape Song

Great songs, Vol. 4: Jay-Z's "The Takeover."

Greatest.Diss.Song.Ever. Know why this diss song is so great? Because Jay-Z isn't that great a rapper. Allright, before I get stones thrown at me, lemme explain. You've got your great flowers, and you've got your great wordsmiths. You've got your great singers, and you've got your great voices. Very fine lines. Anyway, Shawn Carter falls in the "great wordsmiths" categories. He can't ride the beat that well, but what he's saying is so powerful that you don't even bother to get technical when you listen to 'em. Shit, Jimi Hendrix couldn't read a lick of music, according to Miles Davis who said so in a Hendrix biography, 'Scuse Me While I Kiss The Sky.

Anyway, so I didn't respect Jay-Z as much as I do now until he dissed Mobb Deep and Nas in The Blueprint's "Takeover." Nas did allright with his semi-entertaining "Ether," but Jay-Z went personal and did the most damage, at least to me. He got down. He took it to the heart. And even though Nas said some shit too, as I mentioned, it doesn't matter, because Jay-Z is still relevant without he and Beyoncé showing up at an award show with the word "Nigger" written on their tees and jackets.

With that being said, listen:

In Retrospect: The Virgin Suicides, 2000.

I have an interesting viewer-director relationship with Sofia Coppola. I mean, I respect her as an artist, I truly do, but her movies tend to leave me with the same effect every time: I watch it, like it, get over it, then a few years later I get re-intrigued by it, then watch it, and absolutely love it.

That's how it was for Lost In Translation, I tried to sit through Marie Antoinette, but I'm sure I'll watch it again, and finally, with The Virgin Suicides.

I watched it for the first time in nearly four years last night and I was re-acquainted with Coppola's style that is oh-so simplistic yet oh-so profound. I mean, really, who couldn't help but cry "DADDY'S GIRL!" whenever you see her shit? But even with her short, Lick The Star, I enjoyed, and, again, had to watch twice to appreciate. That's true artistship right there. And for that, Sofia, I respect you for it.

The soundtrack of The Virgin Suicides is flawless. The film itself is impeccable, especially the above scene. Sofia Coppola is the only director to make Kirsten Dunst watchable and Giovanni Ribisi listenable.

Black Mountain with Blood on the Wall, Feb. 15 @ The Earl

Blood on the Wall





Black Mountain:





Thoughts:
Whoa.

OK, so here's the thing: I am a fan of Black Mountain. Ever since their self-titled debut in 2005, I've been on 'em. I was even more stoked to hear that their first single, “Tyrants” off their newest album, In the Future, was an impeccable seven-plus minutes. Can't ever go wrong with that.

Honestly, after seeing Liars, I didn't think I'd have any leftover energy to see Black Mountain. It was one of those things where I rocked out so hard at the previous show that I wasn't expecting BM to impress me as much. I mean, Liars is one of my favorite bands. Just a terribly hard act to follow, y'know?

But I'll be damned if those Canadian summabitches surprised the shit out of me last night when I saw their performance. I knew it was gonna be good, correct; but I did not expect it to reach the level of brilliance. I mean, they rocked hard. It's been a while since I've been to a good ol' fashioned, straight-up rock show. It's refreshing, man, because anything that sounds remotely like classic rock is gonna be up my alley. Goddam. I felt like I was in a time warp to 1971, man. Prog rock lives on!

Also: Blood on the Wall had a solid performance. I couldn't help but think Pixies influence—with a dabble of The Vaselines influence—while listening to them.

Liars with No Age, Feb. 14 @ The Earl

No Age:





Liars:





Thoughts:
So as some of you may know, I have been looking forward to this show since November. It was definitely the most anticipated show of the year for me. And boy, did it not disappoint.

It's been a while since I've gone to a show where I caught the opening act. I used to go to shows all the time just so I could see the opening act, but then I grew super elitist and was like, “Bah, who cares—the opening act is probably gonna suck anyway. New music just doesn't strike me anymore.” And now, I have gotten over that 12-month slump of thought and have reverted to my original passion of going to shows and enjoying the possibility of knowing a new act.

No Age certainly isn't a new act with the hip kids out there, but during my elitist stupor, I overlooked 'em. Fortunately, I was presented an opportunity to get to know who the hell these kids were about and freakin' loved 'em! They knocked me out the box (Rick)! First off, I didn't even know they were a duo making all that noise, and second, they were the perfect opening act for Liars. So, yeah, thank you, No Age for that.

And of course, Liars. Oh, Liars. LiarsLiarsLiars. Need I say more? I mean, seriously—need I? Need I elaborate on the state of happiness I was in as soon as I saw Angus Andrews walk onstage, dressed in a magenta suit? I literally became a little girl when I saw him. Giggles galore. Freakin' loved it. Starting out a show with “Leather Prowler” is too much to bear.

People were saying it was gonna be a “tame” Liars show because Andrews blew out his back a few weeks back before they kicked off their tour. So for the most part, he was sitting in a chair, but then he'd feel the moment and just WAMMO! Out the chair he goes and up the air he went, as if possessed by his own band's genius. I couldn't help but think, “Hmmm. So this is how the kids who were lucky to see Frank Zappa live felt.”

Great songs, Vol. 2: "Stars Are Projectors," Modest Mouse.

Lemme just tell it to ya straight--Jimi Hendrix and Isaac Brock are compacted tightly into my heart valves, and that's because everything they have ever written has hit me there directly. I've done my fair share of trying to "open" people's eyes and forcing them to listen to their stuff, but it's no use, because there are certain bands you really cannot express how you feel about them with just words. Honestly, I've had drafts on this here blog to discuss the illustrated history of Hendrix and Modest Mouse, but I realized how hard it would be for me to do that, not to mention how long the damn entry would be.

So I've given up on that, and all I do is just mention them briefly, as in, play one song from 'em and then keep it moving.

Like so:

Great songs, Vol. 1: "The Soft Parade," The Doors

Listening to this song brings me to near tears, because it makes me long for a knowledge of a great era that seemed so pure for artists. They just don't make songs like this anymore. Well, actually...Stereolab does plenty of songs like this. And Modest Mouse. And Do Make Say Think and Godspeed You Black Emperor!, just without words.

Anyway, "The Soft Parade" alone provided great leadership for for experimental musicians of today. Life would be much grander if songs were made like this on every album.

Note: The video has lyrics to the song, so have fun trying to decipher what Jim Morrison's talking about. There's "This is the best part of the trip/This is the trip, the best part," filled with various connotations, the most obvious about acid; then there's "All our lives we sweat and save/Building for a shallow grave"--oh, the truth about life!

Man. Stuff like this is priceless.

I want to hang out with the kids from North Haven Community School.

I was looking for Deerhoof's "Giga Dance" mp3 so I could boast about the melodic genius that song is, but instead came across this incredible video of kids from Maine doing an entire ballet based off the Milk Man album. My mouth literally dropped. I'm still looking for my bottom lip.


I don't care if this was done in October of 2006. It's still brilliant to me, and you can still support the school by buying a DVD for only $17 (including shipping and handling) to help build a new school. Worth it.

Here's the real version:

My cat loves music.

Lulu likes to walk on Liars, Joy Division and Broadcast CDs.

And sits on records.

And in front of record players.

And listen to Stereolab.

Man, the end of the year is just uneventful, I reckon, especially if I'm posting about my cat (though Lulu rules).

When women ruled the music world: Liz Phair and Mary J. Blige

I still cannot hate Liz Phair for turning into a pop princess via "Why Can't I" era. I even called her a sell-out once and meant it. I never use that word, but my disdain for the woman who publicized a whole new breed of women only to become another pawn in the teenybopper frenzy was hard to contain.

Nevertheless, I still have Exile in Guyville in constant rotation and still am enlightened by her philosophies on relationships.

And she did raise a good point last night on VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of the 90s" special by saying how she hated being touted as the Indie Queen and when she moved into the direction of pop, she was in a different stage in her life as a mother. Yeah, I guess it would be uncomfortable to hear a mom talking about wanting to fuck a guy 'til his "dick turns blue" and being his "blowjob queen," or the fact that listening to her lyrics is equally graphic as hardcore porn.

Yeah, Liz, I guess you did have to move into a different direction.

********

Speaking of groundbreaking female artists going in different directions, I was watching Mary J. Blige being interviewed by the twin idiots off of "106th and Park" last night and it seemed like they were talking to their grandmother about the glory days of her youth. She has changed so much! I mean, from the basic black turtleneck, ridiculously high-waisted mom jeans with knee-high boots, it was so weird seeing how extremely calm she has become. Nevertheless, she still grooves like she's ol' homegirl from the Bronx with baseball jerseys and Jodeci boots.

Like most of the kids who claim In Utero was their album growing up, What's the 411? was that, hands down. She just absolutely killed it, and then she killed it some more with My Life and Share My World and...shit, she was everywhere, doing it big, and I was feeling her non-stop. Shit, I still feel her. There's no way in the world I can dislike anything she does, even if it's not solid. But I can't see her doing anything mediocre. Mary J. Blige is wonderful to me.

I'm so glad to see her overcome the drug addictions, abuse (who knew KC Hailey from Jodeci was a bastard?) and grief with the music industry to still be the Queen of R&B and hip-hop.

Ain't got no lists for ya's.

So many music blogs are doing their slew of "Best Of" lists, such as shows, songs and albums. I did my deed with the shows portion, but songs and albums, I'm afraid, I shall not do.

Reason 1:

If there was anyone I was into this year, it was Marc Bolan and his amazingness with not only glam electric rock T.Rex, but in his earlier days as a trailblazing acid-folk duo Tyrannosaurus Rex. When I got a double record of My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair... But Now They're Content to Wear Stars on Their Brows and Prophets, Seers & Sages – The Angels of the Ages back in March for only $18.50--in good condition, no less--I pretty much walked out of there with a big wet mark on my crotch because I pissed my pants with glee. And don't even get me started on his pizazz. Talent and pizazz, all in one person? Stop it. You either have one or the other. But Marc Bolan said, "Fuck that" and kicked ass by keeping up with the times diligently. Seriously, being a badass folk musician and being a badass electric musician? Bob Dylan tried that shit and failed miserably. Unfortunately, Bolan gets no love. If it weren't for the 2001 release of Billy Elliot, one-third of this era who cares about music would know who the hell he is, probably.

Reason 2:

How many times have I babbed about Stereolab within the past week? Don't even expect me to write a long passage about them like I just did on Marc Bolan. You know when people say, "Words cannot describe how I feel about...," and they don't really mean it, they're just being dramatic? Well, this is not the case. I literally cannot say a damn thing about them. All I can do is pop in ANY album of theirs and have people guaranteed to vibe to the musical geniusness that they're listening to. Just buy their albums. Do your soul a favor. Please. Pretty please.

Reason 3:






















I hate it when I tell people about Tim Buckley and they automatically say, "I've never heard his stuff, but I love Jeff Buckley." NOT THE SAME! Granted, Jeff had a voice out of this world, but papa--ohhhh, papa. He did not play. That brotha had a message to send, and he sent that shit well. Sure, he talked about broken hearts and being in love, but overall, he wanted people to fight the bullshit norm and overcome mental oppression. He was not happy with the Vietnam War, so he wanted people to revolt through his music. And boy, did he have a powerful voice. He wanted to make sure people heard what the hell he had to say, and I respect him for that, even over 30 years after his death.

And Reason 4:























Ah, the only current band listed (as far as original lineup goes). I got into Liars hardcore this year. I got on that Drums Not Dead bandwagon once it was cleared off from other bandwagoneers and really felt it. But when I went to Chicago this past July and walked into Permanent Records, it, ironically enough, left a permanent mark on me. I was thumbing through records and CDs and I was really groovin' to some sexy experimental dance song (imagine that) . I wanted to ask the clerk, but you know how it is when it comes to customers asking record store clerks about shit, i.e. "What, you don't know who this is?!" That whole deal. But it was so good that I fought my pride and went up and asked the clerk woman, and she politely answered, "Liars, the one before Drums Not Dead." I said, "Damn, and I figured it was them, but I had to double check. Damn, that sounds really awesome." And she smiled and nodded. It was a great revelation because then I started riding Liars like a horse. I could not get enough. I had to have all their albums from then on, starting with their self-titled album that came out in August. The fact that they have all that range is astounding to me. And the fact that they're coming to Atlanta on Valentine's Day is enough to make me swear off all pleasures in life because seeing them would be enough. And, of course, I break that vow as soon as the show's over, but that's besides the point.

So, in short, the only list dealing with this year's album I have is the one listed in the sidebar column to the right. All of 'em were enjoyable, yes, but 90 percent of the albums listed are from bands and musicians I had already praised earlier in my musical life, so talking about them would be moot because it's a given that I would like them. Follow?

In short of being in short, I really am glad I got into these four highlighted musicians, for they have soothed my soul this year.

Shows I've Seen: Best of 2007

The Fiery Furnaces, 2007's Top 3 performers

10. Badly Drawn Boy, March 14 @ The Loft. He's a very sassy performer, but he played his ass off. He made me want to throw my drawz at him when he sang "Magic in the Air" at the end of his encore.

9. Peter, Bjorn and John, Sept. 12 @ Variety Playhouse. I knew this show was gonna be good when I went to the box office six hours prior to the show and purchased the very last ticket. Weeks before the show I wasn't sure if I wanted to see PBJ or not, but I'm glad I decided to go. Hearing "Up Against the Wall" live is a treat.

8. Blonde Redhead, May 4 @ Variety Playhouse. I've been wanting to see these kids for over two years and it was fantastic. It was kinda weird because they sounded too similar to their studio recordings, but they put on a good'un, nonetheless.

7. Caribou, Oct. 12 @ The Earl. Dan Snaith is a hard-working mother, man. Caribou just has a great all-around sound and I'm happy to have witnessed such beauty live.

6. Jens Lekman, Nov. 16 @ Drunken Unicorn. He didn't perform with his band, but to my amazement, he pulled it off like a pro. I always have ultimate respect for solo artists who still knows how to be entertaining.

5. Deerhunter, March 30 @ Lenny's. The biggest buzz band of the year, who happens to be from my neck o' da woods, threw a release party on this date. It was incredible. They played their asses off, and I was pleased.

4. Modest Mouse/Man Man, May 5 @ The Masquerade Music Park. Modest Mouse=favorite active band, Man Man=favorite live band--what more could I ask for?

3. The Fiery Furnaces, July 7 @ The Earl. When I first saw them in 2005, it was my favorite show of the year. Your life is meaningless if you haven't seen Fiery Furnaces live, because it's an ongoing adrenaline fest. They were even better than the last time, and would've easily been my favorite of this year, but they had some tough competition this year.

2. Animal Collective, Sept. 26 @ Variety Playhouse. They, too, were an adrenaline fest, and seeing them live was a real treat for me. They played a nearly two-hour set without an encore! Straight through that sucka! They rocked my world.

Who could've topped Animal Collective and Fiery Furnaces, you ask?

These guys:

1. Sonic Youth, July 13 @ Pitchfork Music Festival. Sonic Youth was the only band I felt like I needed to see before I retired in this here life, and seeing them for only $15 performing Daydream Nation in its entirety, as well as a handful of great jams off of Rather Ripped (especially with them ending on "Jams Run Free") was more than an "awesome" time. Words are overrated when it comes to my feelings on seeing one of my all-time favorite bands live. God bless you, Kim, Thurston, Lee and Steve.

Pitchfork rides Deerhunter like crazy.

The year 2007 was definitely the year for Deerhunter. I was riding their jocks since Summer 2006, and then some earlier this year.

But it got really dull once the hype went into excessive mode. It seemed like Pitchfork had a daily Deerhunter watch as they posted just about everything from the band's blog.

Then in August, guitarist Colin Mee decided to quit the band due to the ridiculous hype, saying the kids only did one album--certainly not enough to get all the hooplah.

Pretty exhausting for Deerhunter, I imagine. So exhausting, that they decided to go on hiatus.

And, of course, Pitchfork reacts as if they found out that electronic dance music has retired as a genre.

Ease up, Pitchfork. Sheesh.

Officially Categorized: Liars

Photo courtesy of Joe Dilworth

No need for words.

Liars own my soul. Whatever you do, I'll be right there waiting for you.*




*If I'm quoting Richard Marx, then it must be serious.

This one's for you, Kevin Drew.

Don't sleep on this warped-minded songwriter. Kevin Drew's album is definitely an underdog of this year, and I'll admit, I did a little dozing myself. Maybe it's because I knew that it would pretty much be Broken Social Scene without the...dare I say?..."pizazz."

Not to say Spirit If... isn't full of said pizazz, but it's moreso intimate, which is allright with me.

I actually have fond memories of Kevin Drew. The last time I saw BSS was October 2006, but it was October 2005 that somewhat placed itself in the "Life-Altering Moment" category. I was in Chicago with one of my best friends and I was kinda upset with her over something that isn't even important anymore, and we were headed to Metro to see them play later that night. So in short, it was already a weird feeling of that night.

Feist opens for 'em, and she killed it. Then they come out, do their little instrumental ditty, then pause, and alluvasudden, Drew does the beginning riff of "KC Accidental," and I accidentally lose my fucking cool because that song is so ridiculous to me. Anyway, so the show's going well, then they come out for an encore for an "indie rock dance party." I loved the sound of that because I love dancing. So they go into "Hotel," and needless to say, I got my groove on (mind you, I was dead smack in the middle, in the front row). They end the song, and Drew goes, "OK OK OK, before we go into the next song, I want to point someone out in the audience." Then he looked me square in the eyes and said, "You! Raise your hand!" And I raised it, and he said, "You win the dance contest. I wish I had something to give you, but I don't."

"Gimme your lovin'!" I yelp.

"What's that?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Gimme your sweet lovin'!"

"OK," he said. And then he jumped off the stage, came over and gave me this big, bear hug. Then he jumped back onstage and said, "Thank you for dancing like an audience member should dance."

And then I forgot about everything that made me pissed at my dear friend; forgot about how I shouldn't have been in Chicago to begin with because I had two essays due that following Monday in school; and pretty much forgot about all stresses. I don't know, I guess I felt that way because Broken Social Scene are full of hard-working sombitches, and they know they aren't the most popular band because of the things they say and how "Fuck You" their mentality is, yet they get off of simple pleasures like seeing an audience member dance to their songs. Some deep shit there (though is it still considered "deep" if the author said it's deep? Yes.).

The Broken Social Scene phenomenon is beyond amazing to me. I've said before that it was as if there were a bunch of brilliant kids growing up in Canada, hanging out all the time, and they all realize they had a lot in common and decided to start a mega group that would later break off into several just-as talented groups and solo artists.

In short, Kevin Drew's new album is just as solid as a BSS album. Is that even a shocker?

Kevin Drew - Aging Faces / Losing Places

Jens Lekman, Nov. 16

Jens Lekman performing Paul Simon's "Call Me Al" in Dallas at Granada Theater

New blog, new attitude (not really). So what better way to inaugurate this special occasion than talking about Jens Lekman's entertainment brilliance?

Granted this video is of him performing in Dallas on Nov. 13, I was privileged to make my way over to The Drunken Unicorn three nights later. And lemme tell ya--despite its uncomfortable atmosphere that any small, crowded venue brings you, it was all worth it. I couldn't move the entire night, and was slightly disappointed that he didn't bring his band, but he pulled that shit off, especially when he did crowd favorite "A Sweet Summer's Night in Hammer Hill."

He's a comedian who happens to be an amazing musician. Ever listen to the lyrics? You should. He's a great storyteller.

Exhibit A:
Jens Lekman - A Postcard To Nina