Black Mountain – Wilderness Heart (Jagjaguwar)
I liked their first record and I like this one even more. It has less free-form jamming and more power chord crunching. It reminds me a lot of Zeppelin. The keyboard lick in opening track ”The Hair Song” sounds like it was lifted straight from “Kashmir”. There is a lot of interesting duality going on: electric/acoustic guitars, guitar/organ, and male/female vocals. Maybe one too many acoustic songs, but that’s just nitpicking.
Skeleton Key – Fantastic Spikes Through Balloon (Capitol)
Just got turned on to these guys; I have been enjoying their mix of tight, repetitive hooks and junkyard percussion.
Superchunk – Majesty Shredding (Merge)
I know this topic has been flogged to death around here, but I’m gonna just be a lemming and say I think this is one of Superchunk’s best records. I have to force myself to stop listening or I’ll burn out on it and not be able to enjoy it again for years. I hate when that happens.
Rush
Nothing polarizes my marriage like a conversation about the merits of Rush. For some reason not a lot of women like this band, including my wife. For her it’s Geddy Lee‘s high-pitched voice. I was never a diehard Rush fan but I recently got some of their back catalog and I’m digging it, particularly the first three songs off Fly By Night.
John Lennon – John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band (Apple)
I just bought the remaster because I had never owned this record and was pleasantly surprised by its greatness. The songs are simple and raw and feature some of Lennon’s most profound and acerbic lyrics, like “God is a concept by which we measure our pain” and “Keep you doped with religion and sex and tv / And you think you’re so clever and classless and free / but you’re still fucking peasants as far as I can see”. Serious stuff, quite a journey from “Please Please Me” and “Hard Day’s Night”.
Guided By Voices – Mag Earwhig! (Matador)
Recently stumbled across my vinyl copy, I can’t believe I have gone the better part of a decade without listening to it. It’s my favorite out of the “produced” GBV albums (Alien Lanes being my favorite of the “not so produced” albums).
The Apples In Stereo – #1 Hits Explosion (Yep Roc)
This band is almost too good for their own good. The songs are super catchy, the harmonies would make Brian Wilson smile, the playing is superb, the kitchen sink production is dense yet spacious, and this musician is jealous.
The Rolling Stones – Exile On Main St. (Rolling Stones)
Third time’s the charm, I now have the digital remaster to go with my vinyl and cd copies. It’s not radically different; they just scraped some of the mud off the top. The biggest difference was being able to hear the background vocals so clearly. The acoustic guitars cut a little more as well. The bonus tracks were mostly duds, except for a slower, skuzzier version of “Loving Cup” and a prototype of “Tumblin’ Dice” called “Good Time Women”.
Christopher Knowles – The Secret History of Rock ‘N’ Roll (Viva Editions Books)
The author compares rock music to the ancient mystery religions. You know: loud music and pounding drums, sex, drugs and altered states, and crazy costumes. An interesting concept and a fun read.
Off! – First Four EPs (Vice Records)
I haven’t been this excited about a band in a long time. Keith Morris and co. reach back to the sound of Nervous Breakdown-era Black Flag with 16 songs in 18 minutes of pure punk power. Makes me want to buy a skateboard and a can of spray paint.
