If you ever happen to read Billboard.com, or your try to stay "up" on new releases, you most likely have come to the sad realization that much of the "new" music being released these days is rubbish. Sure, there have always been bad albums that have been released upon an unsuspecting populace..."real" housewives singles...lindsay lohan...vampire weekend...all charlatans of suck if you ask me. Because of this phenomenon, I like to take it upon myself to "champion" bands I think deserve a little of your time. Bands that deserve to be heard above all the generic drone that's hyped on music sites. Now I don't have some overwhelming sense of self-importance...I realize that there really aren't droves of people clamoring to read about my thoughts on music (regardless of what I tell myself before I go to sleep). So with all of my rambling out of the way, I give you the new single by Cush. It's atmospheric and dreamy...and musically it picks up where they left off in 2000 with their only full length LP. It's awesome...and it's probably going to make your entire week. Enjoy...
I have a running list of bands that I think are under-appreciated...shamefully ignored...or not as popular as I thought they should have been. The list grows every year, with many of my favorite bands cursed to swim out their existence in a sea of obscurity. What a shame that so many amazing records have been relegated to the "bargain-bin" of the local record store, sadly sharing rack space with 50 copies of "Monster" by R.E.M, or every record by Sum-41. This week was a trip down memory lane...and my play-list was chock full of bands that, in my opinion, never got their "due." Maybe you, the avid reader of ManicCompression, can listen to these records, fall in love with them, and go buy a copy or two for people who's music tastes need improving.
Not much can be said about Morrissey that hasn't already been put in print. An amazing vocalist, an amazing lyricist, former member of The Smiths, and accomplished solo act. Always mysterious...I've been a fan of his for a good 21 years. Ever since I heard "Panic" for the first time back in the late 80's...that perfect mix of British attitude, mixed with the voice of a "crooner." His phrasing, and impeccable sense of melody, has always intrigued me, whether it was with The Smiths, or as a solo artist...and he always had the musical chops to back his flair for the dramatic. I am of the opinion that he hasn't put out a bad record since leaving The Smiths...and despite his musical boundaries staying safely consistent (read: he hasn't tried to be the "British Yanni" like Sting), he continues to put out quality records decades into his career (His last record "Years Of Refusal" is easily one of his best). How many people quit their seminal bands and have the career longevity that Morrissey has? I challenge you to show me a solo artist who has done it better than "The Moz." Since I am a 34 year old fan-boy (and would probably fail to complete sentences if I were to meet him in person), here are my picks for his greatest songs. A few of these were his singles, but many of them were deep album tracks that I think represent some of his best work. Let the Morrissey-adoration begin...
Oh to be Radiohead...the once mighty rock band turned "art project." Every few years we are graced with a new album, one that rabid music-critics claim is a grand "return to form" (whatever that means...). After naming the new Radiohead record the "release of the decade" (prior to it even coming out), or the "most important record of all time" (forget about The Beatles, "Pet Sounds", etc...), we are then inundated with hype...hype...and more hype than one could humanly digest in a lifetime. Countless articles, press-releases, rave reviews, and bed-wetting all come down the industry pipeline, ready to cloud the good sense and/or judgment of the music buying populace. So here we are again, awaiting the new Radiohead album with baited breath...getting to listen to a new song ("lotus flower") that sounds an awful lot like every other song they've put out since releasing "KidA." Is this a joke? Secretly I think Yorke & Co. sit around and have a good laugh with each new release. They could realistically put out a record with crickets chirping to some weak sounding drum loop and still sell thousands of copies. If that happened, Pitchfork (and other music-oriented sites) would first soil themselves...and then probably end up calling it "the future of rock." I'm not just being a drama-queen in regards to the ridiculous critical acclaim that is poured onto them. People really write that kind of nonsense...seriously!
This weekend is going to be all about variety...since my weekly play-list has been "all over the map" musically. My parents always loved music, so at the Hagquist house it was either a ton of classical music, or a ton of "oldies"...with a little "Christian" pop mixed in to negate any chance of Marvin Gaye "contributing to the delinquency of a minor (me)". Then I would retreat to my room and run through long mixes of hardcore, metal, punk, soul, and The Beatles. This variety not only exposed me to great music, but gave me an appreciation for things outside of my "generation" musically. Variety is the spice of life...and this installment of my weekend picks is a variety-pack of awesome.
I have always had favorite record labels...starting back when my allowance stopped buying baseball cards and started going towards vinyl and tapes. I look back fondly at the days when I would send an order form, and well hidden cash, to Dischord Records...only to repeat that same process and send envelopes to Revelation, Victory, Merge, Tooth & Nail, and Sub Pop. I would hear one band on a label, then pine for more...like a little indie-rock sponge. (I am sure if "scene points" would have counted back then I would have amassed a ton of them.) Many of the albums I ordered have become some of my favorite. Albums by Snapcase, Fugazi, Youth Of Today, Superchunk, SunnyDayRealEstate, and Starflyer 59...all got me through my awkward high school days, and not surprisingly still get my through my awkward 30's. One label that I was particularly fond of was SubPop...mostly for the sheer variety of music they put out. Where Dischord was a little too scene specific (not a bad thing), SubPop seemed to have a little bit of everything...from harder stuff like Soundgarden, to the mellower indie stuff like Jale and The Spinanes. It was that randomness that depleted much of my extra cash...and filled my shelves with hours of musical goodness. Despite me getting older I am still impressed with their output...so without any more fan-boy gushing I give you my top 7 SubPop releases.
I like good stories...and there are very few bands that pull off telling stories, and there are even fewer bands that put those stories to good music. I always think of Bruce Springsteen or Johnny Cash...excellent story-tellers who could transport you to Jersey, or Folsom, in just a few stanzas. They were masters at drawing the listener in, making the story tangible (regardless of ones experience), and using imagery that was easy to connect with. It is the art of the story that gets lost in much of what is out these days. We are inundated with media...with access to everyone, anywhere, at any time. Facebook...Twitter...television...digital downloads minus lyrics/artwork/packaging...so much so that a good story is usually lost (or ignored) in a haze of techno-convenience. Luckily for us, the music fan, the newest Gasoline Heart record easily wades through all the noise...with great stories, set to great music.
If you happen to be in the NYC area this Valentines Day...do yourself a favor and stop in to hear some of the best music ever released. Unpack your faded Braid t-shirt and drown your sorrows in a nice glass of Makers Mark.
As many of you know, U2 is my favorite band. I have argued for hours, and hours, about how I believe they are the greatest "rock" band of all time, and on more than one occasion I have won that argument. (Note: I consider the Beatles to be "pop"). I am of the opinion that no other band in the history of rock has had the sheer number of quality of releases, or has stayed relevant longer than U2. The facts clearly show that U2 has never "jumped the shark." In other words, they have never released a record as horrible as "Undercover" by The Rolling Stones. Many of their peers have failed (R.E.M., Depeche Mode) to keep their music sounding fresh, without sounding contrived...and regardless of the album, U2 have always been consistent at sounding like themselves...from 1979, to 2011. No line-up changes, no drummers wanting to sing on a few tracks, and no stabs at being like John Tesh (Sting). Minor missteps have come along in their 30+ year career but nothing catastrophic, and nothing that comes close to tarnishing their impeccable record of quality releases. So without any hesitation, I give to you the 2011 u2 Manic Compression Greatest Songs album! (The songs aren't in a ranked order...just in the order I'd want to hear them in.)
I seem to go through phases when I'm listening to music. One day I'll be listening to Brit-pop from the 90's, and the next day I'll be blaring European metal bands. I like the variety...I like revisiting records I haven't heard in a while, only to be quickly reminded as to why I enjoyed them so much in the first place. This week included a lot of that "revisiting"...and my music week was an International cocktail of OC Punk, British Space, Americana, and Icelandic "out-of-this-world-ness". Enjoy...
As I have said before, there aren't too many "new" bands that really get me excited. Maybe I'm just a creature with refined tastes...or maybe I have turned into some sort of jaded, 34 year old arm-chair critic/hack who hates everything? What fun! I admit that my tastes might not be everyone's "cup-o-tea"...but they are mine, and I am content enjoying my record collection...even if it is, for the most part, stuck in the 90's. Despite me being out of touch with most new music, I still love that giddy feeling I get when I hear something that rocks. I recently came across Gates (Thanks to a short write-up on the WashedUpEmo blog), and when something pleases my ears as much as their new EP, I can't stop myself from gushing about it. I'll cut through all the nonsense and just come out and say it: This band is amazing...easily my favorite new band of the year and we're barely into February.
San Diego...the place that I've rested my head for much of my life...has been the home of a myriad of great bands. The music scene here has always been somewhat eclectic, from the low-fi goodness of Truman's Water, to the rock-n-roll spectacle of Rocket From The Crypt. Once labeled "the next Seattle" by some moronic journalist, San Diego has continually been a hotbed of musical talent, some of which have slogged it out locally, and some who have been catapulted into teen-aged stardom. When I was in high school I was able to see bands like Blink 182, and P.O.D., in their infancy...years before Mtv and the rest of the world began to notice. I also had the opportunity to witness, first hand, the musical brilliance of Drive Like Jehu, Three Mile Pilot, and No Knife, destroying stages and leaving audiences (and myself) with the feeling that they had just witnessed something truly special. So here is my list...my nominations for the top 7 rock records to come out of San Diego. Maybe it won't be definitive...and maybe some San Diegan's will find it mediocre at best...but these are my picks and I'm sticking to them. Enjoy...
Here is the second installment of my "weekend picks"...the definitive list of music that is sure to make your weekend a glorious one, regardless of how cold it might be outside. I see it as my way to warm the hearts and minds of those readers who don't have the luxury of living in San Diego during the winter. For the record, it's 74 degrees with nary a cloud in the sky...
A few years ago I attended a "hardcore" show here in San Diego to catch up with some old friends. Since it was a show full of heavy bands I thought I would do my part and choose an outfit that would help me blend in, or at least help me feel a little younger. No, I didn't wear a Bane t-shirt, camo shorts, and New Balance sneakers (my days of being a "pit-boss" never really came to fruition), but I did opt for an old Snapcase shirt...which surprisingly garnered more attention than I had hoped for. I had 3 people, who were easily under the age of 18, ask me if "Snapcase" was a new clothing company. It was a reminder to me that a) I am an old man, and 2) my frame of reference for hardcore sits comfortably in the decade of the 90's. That's not a bad thing seeing as though some of the greatest records of the genre were released during that time: Records by Snapcase, Earth Crisis, Strife, Shai Hulud, Strongarm, and Refused to name a few. I'm pretty far removed from being "up" on what's happening in the scene, and it's rare that new hardcore bands actually catch my attention. Most of it sounds contrived...it's style over substance...fashion over passion. Maybe I'm making a gross generalization, but in my opinion I think most of the "hardcore" coming out these days is laughable at best. Very few hardcore bands get me excited (read: I'm underwhelmed), and I end up just comparing the listening experience to the excitement I felt hearing Shai Hulud for the first time (1997). "The Everlasting Man," by A Hope For Home, rekindled that excitement for me.
I will never forget the line in "High Fidelity" that asked the question, "am I miserable because I listen to pop music, or do I listen to pop music because I am miserable?" Rock history is a virtual pot-luck of songs about break-up's, failed relationships, significant others killed in various automobile accidents, and other morbid love stories. It's either the greatest form of emotional catharsis, or it's a modern form of torturing yourself...pining over that person you spent hours making mix tapes for ( I am dating myself because I said "mix-tape")...and drowning out the sadness with music. From my experience, those feelings have usually been summed up best by someone else; a poet, a band, or morrissey. So here it is...for all you miserable sacks out there who need something awesome to listen to during this winter of your discontent...
