Art Brut with The Spinto Band and Surfer Blood – North Star Bar (Philadelphia, PA) – November 12, 2009
Please see my full review here.
The Gerunds with Serpent Throne – Johnny Brenda’s (Philadelphia, PA) – November 8, 2009
Please see my full review here.
The Comsat Angels – My Mind’s Eye (Caroline/Renascent)
By far the best post Fiction Comsats album, this one is more driving and reminiscent of other early ’90s bands they inspired, in particular those of the the nascent shoegazer movement. For “Fields of Tall Flowers” alone, this would be essential, but the entire album is excellent.
Surfer Blood – Astro Coast (Kanine)
They’re considerably less twangy and distorted/fuzzed sounding on record than live and furthermore, a distinct JOY DIVISION/early NEW ORDER influence is much more noticeable here as well. Either way, this disc is still a knockout and they’re memorable enough that I recognized them on first listen after seeing them live a few days earlier. They shouldn’t be lumped in with the recent UK and NYC post-punk revivalists, though, as one song on here owes at least as much to early ’90s SUPERCHUNK. This doesn’t officially come out until January, but otherwise this would be a Top 10 of the year contender for sure.
Mad Men (Sunday, AMC)
The Rockin’ Vickers – The Complete! It’s Alright! (Big Beat)
On last week’s list, I mistakenly noted that SAM GOPAL was LEMMY KILMISTER‘s only pre-HAWKWIND band. CHUCK FOSTER corrected me and so I checked this out and guess what? Like everything else, Lemmy’s ever done, this is good stuff. It’s basically class B British Invasion stuff that may not be THE BEATLES, THE WHO, THE KINKS or THE ROLLING STONES, but can still hold its own. Anyway, it’s definitely a fun listen if you like that sort of thing.
So what have we learned here? Whether it’s British Invasion stuff (The Rockin’ Vickers), late ’60s psych (Sam Gopal), heavy acid/space rock (Hawkwind) or metal (MOTORHEAD), Lemmy can and has done it all and well, too!
Elliott Smith – Figure 8 (Dreamworks)
You may agree or disagree, but I think this is by far his best album and a masterwork to boot.
Fugazi – Red Medicine (Dischord)
At the time of its release, I didn’t rate this as highly as Fugazi’s late ’80s and early ’90s output. Almost a decade and a half later, I love it and unlike many records from that era, it hasn’t aged a day.
Looking back, I can see why a lot of hardcore kids hated it. It (and to a lesser degree, its predecessor In On the Kill Taker) were in part designed to alienate those who associate Fugazi only with more instantly accessible and well-known stuff like “Waiting Room” or Repeater. There’s a dub track, found sound, a song sung by bassist JOE LALLY and more importantly, deep, deep grooves inspired by late ’70s/early ’80s post-punk like GANG OF FOUR or MISSION OF BURMA. What’s not to love?
Mt Eerie – Wind’s Poem (P.W. Elverum & Son, LTD.)
This not PHIL ELVERUM’s “black metal” album, though several songs definitely feature its influence. It does share the same lo-fi production values and bleak, lonesome feel, though.
Naked Raygun – Free Shit (Haunted Town)
Originally released in 1997 and then reissued in the early part of this decade, this is a live album that capably documents two reunion shows from 1997. This is perhaps not essential, but a pure delight for fans.
