Why take my advice on the best albums of 2009 when you can take the advice of some of the best musicians of 2009?
Screaming Females
Jarrett's list:
1. JEFF the brotherhood - Heavy Days (Infinity Cat Records)
2. Cheeky - What the Heck (Freedom School Records)
3. Stupid Party - s/t (Freedom School Records)
4. Songs for Moms - I Used to Believe in the West (Thrillhouse Records)
5. Bad Blood - Tongue Twisting Tunes for Tiny Tots (Dead Broke
Rekerds/ Sweet Dreams Records)
6. Mattress - Babystar Gallactica EP (Self-Released)
7. Teenage Cool Kids - Foreign Lands (Protagonist Music)
8. Delay - Plain Language (Plan-It-X Records/ Salinas Records)
9. Double Dagger - More (Thrill Jockey Records)
10. Ex-Wife - Everything Was Beautiful (Self-Released)
Michael's list:
1. Songs for Moms- I Used to Believe in the West
2. Stupid Party- s/t
3. Jeff the Brotherhood- Heavy Days
4. The Thermals- Now We Can See
5. Bad Blood Revival- Tongue Twisting Tunes for Tiny Tots
6. Dinosaur Jr.- Farm
7. Cheeky- What the Heck
8. Pissed Jeans- King of Jeans
9. Cheap Girls- My Roaring 20's
10. Jay Reatard- Watch Me Fall
11. ANS- Pressure Cracks
12. Batrider- Why We Can't Be Together
13. Batrider- Bag Wine Forever
14. King Tuff- Was Dead
15. Arctic Monkeys- Humbug
16. Ex-Wife- Everything Was Beautiful
17. Lighten Up- Absolutely Not
18. Super Furry Animals- Dark Days Light Years
19. Kreamy 'Lectric Santa- Operation Spacetime Cinderblock
20. Delay- Plain Language
[MySpace]
Dinowalrus
Fifteen Albums that Pete Dinowalrus Fell in Love with in 2009 that Didn't Come out in 2009
The Chameleons UK - Strange Times
Cows - Cunning Stunts
Dizzee Rascal - Maths and English
Warren G - Regulate...G Funk Era
Trans Am - Red Line
Giorgio Moroder - From Here to Eternity
Gong - Angel's Egg
Guns N' Roses - GNR Lies
Happy Mondays - Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches
The Jesus and Mary Chain - Automatic
Neu - Neu 75
Venom - Welcome to Hell
Loop - Fade Out
Spectrum - Soul Kiss (Glide Divine)
Six Finger Satellite - Law of Ruins
[Dinowalrus MySpace]
Pterodactyl
grass widow - s/t (captured tracks)
dirty projectors - bitta orca
deerhunter - rainwater cassette exchange
yellowfever - s/t
telepathe - dance mother
strange boys - and girls club
pc worship - nyc stone age
marnie stern - this is it...
colorguard - shared planet
king tuff - was dead (Burger Records Reissue) - this one came out in 2008 I believe but this reissue was handed to us by a guy from Thee Makeout Party and blew our minds over and over and over again while on tour.
[Pterodactyl MySpace]
Showing posts with label Dirty Projectors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dirty Projectors. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
Most Overrated Albums of 2009
This isn't going to be the most surprising list, but I don't want a miss a chance to hate on some bad music!
5. A Sunny Day in Glasgow - Ashes Grammar Borrrrrring. They may make some cool sounds, but they can't write a song to save their lives. And I used to be a big fan of the band. Easily the most disappointing album of the year. [MySpace]
4. Health - Get Color The album art is awesome, but the music, not so much. Like ASDIG, poor composition lands them on this list. This music has been made before and here, it's neither new nor improved. [MySpace]
3. Girls - Album Unlike the two above, Girls succeed as songwriters. Great melodies and tight pop compositions abound. It's just that this is some of the most un-edgy music to come out this year. Don't get me wrong. It's enjoyable. But one of the best albums of the year is young man imitating the Beach Boys in an attempt to get laid as much as possible? I don't think so. [MySpace]
2. The XX - xx This band is just so generic. I don't hate the music, but I don't understand how anyone can get excited about it. Hype works in mysterious ways. [MySpace]
1. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca OK, who didn't see this coming? Dirty Projectors suck, folks. They are offensive on too many levels to count. They go against everything rock music was ever supposed to be (as evidenced by their version of Damaged). Hell, they go against pretty much everything art was ever supposed to be. And I still maintain the band is unfeminist, though I know it's only a matter of time before someone loses their shit at me for saying that. (Go ahead...) This band is the distillation of everything wrong with indie music today - the privilege and entitlement that dominates the Brooklyn music scene, the thinly masked 1950's-esque conservatism and the complete, total lack of having any balls. This music is cowardly and unbearable. [MySpace]
5. A Sunny Day in Glasgow - Ashes Grammar Borrrrrring. They may make some cool sounds, but they can't write a song to save their lives. And I used to be a big fan of the band. Easily the most disappointing album of the year. [MySpace]4. Health - Get Color The album art is awesome, but the music, not so much. Like ASDIG, poor composition lands them on this list. This music has been made before and here, it's neither new nor improved. [MySpace]3. Girls - Album Unlike the two above, Girls succeed as songwriters. Great melodies and tight pop compositions abound. It's just that this is some of the most un-edgy music to come out this year. Don't get me wrong. It's enjoyable. But one of the best albums of the year is young man imitating the Beach Boys in an attempt to get laid as much as possible? I don't think so. [MySpace]2. The XX - xx This band is just so generic. I don't hate the music, but I don't understand how anyone can get excited about it. Hype works in mysterious ways. [MySpace]1. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca OK, who didn't see this coming? Dirty Projectors suck, folks. They are offensive on too many levels to count. They go against everything rock music was ever supposed to be (as evidenced by their version of Damaged). Hell, they go against pretty much everything art was ever supposed to be. And I still maintain the band is unfeminist, though I know it's only a matter of time before someone loses their shit at me for saying that. (Go ahead...) This band is the distillation of everything wrong with indie music today - the privilege and entitlement that dominates the Brooklyn music scene, the thinly masked 1950's-esque conservatism and the complete, total lack of having any balls. This music is cowardly and unbearable. [MySpace]
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
News: New York Magazine has a sense of humor?
If you haven't seen the new issue of New York Magazine, that's good. The cover story, written by Hugo Lindgren, is about the Brooklyn music scene and specifically, about how much he wants to bone David Longstreth. It starts out by saying "It's a scene marked by wild inventiveness, and at its center is one of the most risk-taking groups of all - Dirty Projectors." This is, I assume, some sort of dry sarcasm, an unusual technique for a feature article in a popular magazine. But pretty hilarious.
As everyone knows, the only risk Dirty Projectors has ever taken is risking getting the snot beat out of them by Henry Rollins. I will post the YouTube link when that happens.
As everyone knows, the only risk Dirty Projectors has ever taken is risking getting the snot beat out of them by Henry Rollins. I will post the YouTube link when that happens.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Five Bands to Watch in [the rest of] 2009 + Overrated Bands of 2009!
Six months ago, I posted my list of bands to watch in 2009. A few have proven me right, a few have been disappointing and the rest, well, we'll see. But over the last six months, I've come across or become more familiar with some other bands that merit your attention, and just because I found them in February instead of November doesn't mean they shouldn't make the '09 list.
Coin Under Tongue - For some reason, when I first learned of this band, I got the impression they were some sort of chilled out Americana thing - in fact, I distinctly remember listening to such music, but apparently, I was listening to a different band entirely (no idea what). Coin Under Tongue are LOUD and HEAVY, with the most massive distortion since A Place To Bury Strangers emerged a few years ago. You shouldn't be surprised to learn that I am NOT a metalhead at all, but with their relentlessly screaming vocals, this lumbering post-hardcore is well worth checking out.
Coyote Eyes - I've been increasingly smitten with this band since I first saw them in January. Their post-punk betrays a strong Sonic Youth influence, but they don't sound like Sonic Youth at all. Their perfectly-balanced rhythms, enticing melodies and enthusiastic live shows show they have what it takes to be a big name in the Brooklyn scene. [MySpace]
Pterodactyl - If you read this blog regularly, you'll have noticed that it's pretty much all about Pterodactyl these days. My mother thinks the high-speed arpeggiated guitars sound like French ambulances, but in combination with the jolting rhythms, jackhammer drumming and wild multipart vocals, Pterodactyl are more like riding strapped to the front of a French ambulance than just hearing one go past. Off the top of my head, I can't think of a single band that has balanced mature musicianship and manic, youthful energy more effectively. Their music may not have much mainstream appeal, but among true lovers of edgy music, they deserve to be considered one of the most exciting emerging bands of the last few years. [MySpace]
Sisters - I know, Death By Audio Records (also home to Coin Under Tongue) is cleaning up here! After being moderately impressed by Sisters at Dead Herring House this spring, I got my hands on some of their tunes, and I got a whole lot more excited. The pair garners a lot of not-undue comparisons to No Age, last year's noise pop/noise punk duo. But Sisters are a little more down to earth - their songs are shorter and more straight-forward. On the one hand, this means they are rather less sophisticated than No Age, but on the other hand, they sure pack a punch. They sound a heck of a lot like Sonic Youth's punkiest side and that's a very good thing to sound a heck of lot like. The guitar's heavy distortion and the drums' primal minimalism compensate for the decent-but-unexceptional melodies. Plus, how can you go wrong with songs like "Lust Is Just" and "Everybody's So Fucked Up"? This band is just plain cool. [MySpace]
**GUEST ADDITION**
Jasper recommends (and so far, I agree):
Little Girls - Little Girls sound like Blank Dogs if they came off their high horse of rock star snottiness. (Also, they are a rock band in the purer sense of the word without the synthesizers or electronica influences.) All of the noise, all of the melody, none of the pretension. - "Jasper" || Little Girls play lo-fi noise pop, but with a darker, gloomier undercurrent than their punky peers (No Age, Wavves, Times New Viking, etc.). - RFR || [MySpace]
An update on my early 2009 lists: A Sunny Day in Glasgow's album is rumored to be all I hoped it would be. I don't have my copy yet, but rumors are encouraging.
And as a supplemental list...
7. Magik Markers - They aren't terrible, but really, Thurston Moore? You couldn't have found someone better to dote on? I have some suggestions (see above).
6. Home Video - So much buzz, and all this is is generic new wave? I think they're the new Violens (and that's not a compliment).
5. Real Estate - All the hype around this band got me pretty excited. They were playing shows with Woods and Wavves and all of those bands I love so much. I downloaded some of the songs and promptly fell asleep. These guys might have even fewer melodies than the Vivian Girls.
4. An Horse - This is one of the worst bands I have ever had to sit through a set by. Perhaps more tolerable than Naked on the Vague (their fellow Australians) but still nothing short of painful. The melodies seldom contain more than three different notes and the words could be taken directly from the diary of a particularly lame twelve-year-old. I couldn't leave the show (no re-entry) and I think I pulled a muscle cringing.
3. St. Vincent - She makes me want to get my head run over by a semi-truck.
2. Suckers - This band is appropriately named. They suck. All show, no substance.
1. Dirty Projectors - I disliked this band in principle for a long time before realizing I should actually give them a fair chance. So I did. My mind was wide open, at least for a few minutes. They strike a balance between boring and annoying few have achieved so well.
Coin Under Tongue - For some reason, when I first learned of this band, I got the impression they were some sort of chilled out Americana thing - in fact, I distinctly remember listening to such music, but apparently, I was listening to a different band entirely (no idea what). Coin Under Tongue are LOUD and HEAVY, with the most massive distortion since A Place To Bury Strangers emerged a few years ago. You shouldn't be surprised to learn that I am NOT a metalhead at all, but with their relentlessly screaming vocals, this lumbering post-hardcore is well worth checking out.
Coyote Eyes - I've been increasingly smitten with this band since I first saw them in January. Their post-punk betrays a strong Sonic Youth influence, but they don't sound like Sonic Youth at all. Their perfectly-balanced rhythms, enticing melodies and enthusiastic live shows show they have what it takes to be a big name in the Brooklyn scene. [MySpace]
Pterodactyl - If you read this blog regularly, you'll have noticed that it's pretty much all about Pterodactyl these days. My mother thinks the high-speed arpeggiated guitars sound like French ambulances, but in combination with the jolting rhythms, jackhammer drumming and wild multipart vocals, Pterodactyl are more like riding strapped to the front of a French ambulance than just hearing one go past. Off the top of my head, I can't think of a single band that has balanced mature musicianship and manic, youthful energy more effectively. Their music may not have much mainstream appeal, but among true lovers of edgy music, they deserve to be considered one of the most exciting emerging bands of the last few years. [MySpace]
Sisters - I know, Death By Audio Records (also home to Coin Under Tongue) is cleaning up here! After being moderately impressed by Sisters at Dead Herring House this spring, I got my hands on some of their tunes, and I got a whole lot more excited. The pair garners a lot of not-undue comparisons to No Age, last year's noise pop/noise punk duo. But Sisters are a little more down to earth - their songs are shorter and more straight-forward. On the one hand, this means they are rather less sophisticated than No Age, but on the other hand, they sure pack a punch. They sound a heck of a lot like Sonic Youth's punkiest side and that's a very good thing to sound a heck of lot like. The guitar's heavy distortion and the drums' primal minimalism compensate for the decent-but-unexceptional melodies. Plus, how can you go wrong with songs like "Lust Is Just" and "Everybody's So Fucked Up"? This band is just plain cool. [MySpace]
**GUEST ADDITION**
Jasper recommends (and so far, I agree):
Little Girls - Little Girls sound like Blank Dogs if they came off their high horse of rock star snottiness. (Also, they are a rock band in the purer sense of the word without the synthesizers or electronica influences.) All of the noise, all of the melody, none of the pretension. - "Jasper" || Little Girls play lo-fi noise pop, but with a darker, gloomier undercurrent than their punky peers (No Age, Wavves, Times New Viking, etc.). - RFR || [MySpace]
An update on my early 2009 lists: A Sunny Day in Glasgow's album is rumored to be all I hoped it would be. I don't have my copy yet, but rumors are encouraging.
And as a supplemental list...
The Most Overrated Bands of 2009 (so far):
7. Magik Markers - They aren't terrible, but really, Thurston Moore? You couldn't have found someone better to dote on? I have some suggestions (see above).
6. Home Video - So much buzz, and all this is is generic new wave? I think they're the new Violens (and that's not a compliment).
5. Real Estate - All the hype around this band got me pretty excited. They were playing shows with Woods and Wavves and all of those bands I love so much. I downloaded some of the songs and promptly fell asleep. These guys might have even fewer melodies than the Vivian Girls.
4. An Horse - This is one of the worst bands I have ever had to sit through a set by. Perhaps more tolerable than Naked on the Vague (their fellow Australians) but still nothing short of painful. The melodies seldom contain more than three different notes and the words could be taken directly from the diary of a particularly lame twelve-year-old. I couldn't leave the show (no re-entry) and I think I pulled a muscle cringing.
3. St. Vincent - She makes me want to get my head run over by a semi-truck.
2. Suckers - This band is appropriately named. They suck. All show, no substance.
1. Dirty Projectors - I disliked this band in principle for a long time before realizing I should actually give them a fair chance. So I did. My mind was wide open, at least for a few minutes. They strike a balance between boring and annoying few have achieved so well.
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