Indie and Lo-Fi music reviews

It doesn't really matter what you're into to appreciate Midlake. These guys create music that's not only beautiful and different, but it's incredibly smart as well. If I was the star of a movie and I had to pick a soundtrack, Midlake would be the creator of that soundtrack. Try it...you'll like it!

That's about it: crazy good stuff. This is progressive pop with something really interesting happening in every track, stirring and touching stuff for sure, with the subtlest of prodction nuances (I'm sure that one of the sounds at the beginning of "Some of Them Were Superstitious" is of those lawn sprinklers that go "Tsch, tsch, tsch, tsch, dsh-dsh-dsh-dsh-dsh-dsh-dsh-dsh, good peaceful nostalgic sound).

My Dad confirms that if The Beatles were alive today, this is what they would be doing, though it's blasphemy for a guy like him to say a thing like that...

You can get more info and hear all of the songs in their entirity on their website, also check out their appearance on Craig Ferguson's show, which is pretty intense.

This is the album Grandaddy wish they had made. That is not putting down Grandaddy at all, as they are one of my favorite bands, but this cd from Midlake is phenomenal. The vocals are very similar to Jason Lytle's and the music sounds alot like "Sumday" minus the electric guitars. "Bamnan and Silvercork" has no low spots, no filler, no weak tracks. The lyrics stick in your brain instantly and you can't get them out. It's darn near indie rock perfection. The only bad thing about this album is that it is going to be impossible for them to make anything as good for the next. But i can't wait for it.
Recommended if you like - GRANDADDY, FLAMING LIPS, ARCADE FIRE, EARLIMART, SUFJAN STEVENS

Crappin You Negative is by far the best Grifters album. I'm drawn by the sloppy playing, low fi sound, lyrics by Tennessee art school grads crossed with ancient Greek mythology, super cool production. I keep this on the shelf next to Husker Du Zen Arcade for alphabetical as well as conceptual reasons. Both are bands with strong songwriting, the ability to blast noisy, berserk rock. To compare them with another great, defunct group, there is a slight Pavement connection. Whereas Pavement in later years emulated the Stones' country twang, the Grifters are more on about Keith Richards loose, careless guitar playing.

They must have made a deal with the devil pictured on the cover of this album though, because, for just this one shining release, everything came together for Grifters. After this their stagecoach turned back into, if not a pumpkin, maybe a rusty '73 Chevy Vega. I have always assumed that after Crappin You Negative, certain pivotal band members either started using drugs or maybe stopped using drugs. Either way, it's our loss that they only hit the stratosphere for this one release.

Kind of a shame their spending all their most exciting years on their little Shangri-La records. Their light was hidden from the rest of the world. Now they could be like Wire or Rudimentary Peni, bands that influence other later bands but are rarely heard themselves. Did they ever consider Touch and Go? That would have been a great label for them.

Anyway, I never get tired of listening to Crappin You Negative. Its somehow the last great Rolling Stones album, the album The Stones would have made if they could have stayed relevant much past 1975. On Crappin You Negative check out Junkie Blood, Bronze Cast, and Piddlebach. (A question: on Piddlebach, is that language American Indian? Gaelic? It's really bugged me for a long time�K)

this is a must have album full of all that we love about the grifters.lo fi messed up guitar blues recorded in the band members own homes and a flower shop.if you don't know what the grifters sound like then take a risk you wont regret it.

This record will kick you, turn you inside out, love you, and then leave you pushing replay again and again. It won't ever be far from your CD player, especially if you don't care about genres, but just like original, exciting, soulful, beautiful noise. Innovative (not superfluous) tempo and genre changes, sweet singing and angry growling, fast-driving fury to poignant pop -- from the quiet fury of Dead Already, Felt-Tipped Over, and Junkie Blood to the funked up anthem rockers of Rats, Spaceship, and Cinnamon -- this album's greatness does not once let up. Fans of GBV, Sebadoh, The Beatles, and Big Star. This band is shamefully underrated, and this is their opus. Buy it. A couple of listens later, you will "get it" and won't be able to live without it, and then you'll be spreading the gospel too. Let's just hope they don't break up before they realize how much we all need them.

This is a strong collection of songs, very much in the Elephant 6 60's-revival style, but still pretty unique. The production sounds both DIY (most songs were recorded on 4 track) and full, with lots of little psychedelic quirks to enjoy on repeated listenings. The melodies often slip someplace you don't hear them going in advance. And the singer's got an excellent rock voice - kind of Lennon-y. It took me a couple of listens to get totally into it (especially a lot of the mid-tempo songs towards the end of the disk) but I unqualifiedly recommend it to other people, who, like me, think the world could always use more good '60's pop.

While I was disappointed with their recent "Down In Fall" EP, this collection is a great pop record through-and-through. "Build" kicks it off perfectly with an affected British accent. Most everything on here is fast, short, and eminently hummable. "Almost Arms" is more gentle and bouncy, "Paper Plane" sends me running to my guitar everytime I hear it, and "Now I Can Smile" picks it up when you didn't think things could get any more lively. Yes, this is teeming with 60's influecnes, but it isn't quite as backward looking as the Apples in stereo "Strawberry Fire" or The Essex Green...there's a little more of a turn-of-the-century friskiness to The Minders. "Cul-De-Sacs" is an extremely catchy, energetic collection of songs, and you'll hardly notice the difference between this and a more "proper" album. Pop lovers unite, and rejoice! Here is your salvation.

Normally, when a band puts out a collection of earlier singles you expect it to sound disjointed and choppy. This Minders release however sounds like a well-thought-out preview of their release "Hooray for Tuesday". The collection of singles, carefully strung together, make a fantastic, elastic pop record all its own. Particularly, "Now I Can Smile" and "Build" sound like they could have come off the "Tuesday" release. Note: Hello Editors - The Minders should be listed on Amazon's Essential Artists under Elephant 6.

"Discodsadness" is the debut album by Say Hi To Your Mom, a project by Eric Elbogen, a Brooklyn pop musician. While its not quite as good as its followup, its a really great record.

Elbogen has found a lo-fi vibe that works well, sort of the primitive '70s guitar sound meets early '80s new wave keyboards, with his half mumbled, half sung vocals on top of it. Of extraordinary note are Elbogen's lyrics, which somehow manage in their goofiness to capture a mood that perfectly matches his music-- he knows he's producing fun music, and even with its generally melancholy feel, its loosened nicely by the lyrics ("we could play some Pac-Man or go to the library / we can order some Pad Thai without the MSG", he croons in "They Write Books About This Sort of Thing"). Invariably, its a capturing of the life of a geeky guy in Brooklyn-- fact is, I suspect a lot of music geeks, myself included, will feel a strange kinship with Elbogen, between his bizarre pop culture references and his almost lazy attitude about pursuing love. What makes "Discosadness" fall short of "Numbers and Mumbles" (the second album and thus far Say Hi To Your Mom's masterpiece) is that the arrangements are a bit sparse-- there's times you'd hope to hear some more instrumentation, or a bit denser keyboard overlay on a song.

Now mind you, that isn't to say there's not just brilliant moments on the album (the sublime opener, "The Fritz", the largely synth-driven "Kill the Cat" and the extraordinary paean to love-but not at the expense of basketball, "Unless the Lakers Game Was On"), but Elbogen got his formula perfected next album-- start with "Numbers & Mumbles", then come back to this. If you've already got that one, then by all means, grab this disc, its superb.

These guys should have their picture next to the Lo-Fi Music entry on Wikipedia. They define the Lo-Fi alternative rock genre. Their music is subtle yet powerful. The music just flows! Keep it up!

just the same as the other reviews, great name. thats what really caught my attention, it is just so random that i had to preview one of the songs. good music. fits almost everymood you are in basically. well for me it does

Ignored on its release, this 1985 solo release for ex-Teardrop Explodes leader Julian Cope pre-dated any return to the mainstream. As an album, it does seem to be intentionally obscure, but for fans, its all the better for it. This is Cope with 2 fingers up to his opponents and critics, making an album that seems to burn with a strange, bleak but wonderous atmosphere. Although eclectic, this unusual ambience holds the album together, even when it seems to be collapsing. Highlights include the rocky REYNARD THE FOX, the psychedelic HOLY LOVE and the singles SUNSPOTS and BILL DRUMMOND SAID. The prize cuts, though, are the 3 acoustic songs, LAUGHING BOY, ME SINGING and SEARCH PARTY, all of which glow with space and melancholy. These wonderful tracks make up for the disposable TORPEDO, BLOODY ASSIZES and the uneven extra songs. Unlikely ever to go beyond its status as a forgotten cult classic, FRIED holds a special place in my collection- perhaps not as an easy listen, but as a truly adventurous psychedelic album.

"Fried" was Julian Cope's second solo offering after desmantling the neo-psychedelic band the Teardrop Explodes and was by then the most reflective of both his electric and acoustic songwriting skills.

His psychedelic rock is here complemented by some slower acoustic numbers,somewhat reminiscent of Syd Barret's solo work.

Being less focused than"World Shut your Mouth" the album is nonetheless more varied and rewarding.

The album boasts over ten sparkling songs and is a must for anyone intrigued by Cope's music("Peggy Suicide" is the more comprehensive demonstration of his ability though).

REYNARD THE FOX-It's one of his all time best;everyone I know finds the track's chorus incredible and rightly so.The final freak out and the spoken word bit make it even better.And who besides Cope would write a song about a fox hunt focusing the fox's point of view:"The red men come again,they kill my children and they kill my wife(...)and then they leave me bleeding..." Talking about lyrical originality...

BILL DRUMMOND SAID-About the Teardrop Explodes' manager Bill Drummond,this one has some fantastic melodic twists.

LAUGHING BOY-A heart beat gives it its pulse and the track is conducted in a way that wouldn't be strange to Syd Barret.

ME SINGING-Not as slow as the previous,has some great pre-chorus action(isn't Radiohead's "Pyramid Song"riff similar?).

SUNSPOTS-The single.It didn't chart as it should have but its power is undeniable.All kinds of strange noises and instruments(an oboe?)coalesce in this unforgettable love song.

BLOODY ASSIZES-This anti death penalty song is the album's most uptempo cut and a great rocker anywhere in the world.

SEARCH PARTY-Is gentler and resembles XTC circa "English Settlement".

O KING OF CHAOS-A dramatic tune,it always makes me think of a biblical or greek tragedy setting.

HOLY LOVE-A sweet love song filled with colourful touches.

TORPEDO-An entrancing track featuring only Julian and a keyboard.

I WENT ON A CHOURNEY-A short instrumental ditty.

MIC MAK MOK-A grooving and driving tune(are the Zig Zags of the chorus a reference to the Zig Zag Wanderer known as Captain Beefheart?).

LAND OF FEAR-Reminds me"Head Hang Low" from his solo debut and is like the latter a superb Scott Walker-esque song.

Definitely worth checking out.

This is one of my favourite albums all time. Julian Cope has created something almost surreal on this recording. Tracks like
"Reynard the Fox" and "Sunspots" (which is one of my favourite love songs) are sublime pastiches on a landscape of earthly joy.

The cover depicts Julian under a tortoise shell looking well spaced out!

Ignored on its release, this 1985 solo release for ex-Teardrop Explodes leader Julian Cope pre-dated any return to the mainstream. As an album, it does seem to be intentionally obscure, but for fans, its all the better for it. This is Cope with 2 fingers up to his opponents and critics, making an album that seems to burn with a strange, bleak but wonderous atmosphere. Although eclectic, this unusual ambience holds the album together, even when it seems to be collapsing. Highlights include the rocky REYNARD THE FOX, the psychedelic HOLY LOVE and the singles SUNSPOTS and BILL DRUMMOND SAID. The prize cuts, though, are the 3 acoustic songs, LAUGHING BOY, ME SINGING and SEARCH PARTY, all of which glow with space and melancholy. These wonderful tracks make up for the disposable TORPEDO, BLOODY ASSIZES and the uneven extra songs. Unlikely ever to go beyond its status as a forgotten cult classic, FRIED holds a special place in my collection- perhaps not as an easy listen, but as a truly adventurous psychedelic album.

"Fried" was Julian Cope's second solo offering after desmantling the neo-psychedelic band the Teardrop Explodes and was by then the most reflective of both his electric and acoustic songwriting skills.

His psychedelic rock is here complemented by some slower acoustic numbers,somewhat reminiscent of Syd Barret's solo work.

Being less focused than"World Shut your Mouth" the album is nonetheless more varied and rewarding.

The album boasts over ten sparkling songs and is a must for anyone intrigued by Cope's music("Peggy Suicide" is the more comprehensive demonstration of his ability though).

REYNARD THE FOX-It's one of his all time best;everyone I know finds the track's chorus incredible and rightly so.The final freak out and the spoken word bit make it even better.And who besides Cope would write a song about a fox hunt focusing the fox's point of view:"The red men come again,they kill my children and they kill my wife(...)and then they leave me bleeding..." Talking about lyrical originality...

BILL DRUMMOND SAID-About the Teardrop Explodes' manager Bill Drummond,this one has some fantastic melodic twists.

LAUGHING BOY-A heart beat gives it its pulse and the track is conducted in a way that wouldn't be strange to Syd Barret.

ME SINGING-Not as slow as the previous,has some great pre-chorus action(isn't Radiohead's "Pyramid Song"riff similar?).

SUNSPOTS-The single.It didn't chart as it should have but its power is undeniable.All kinds of strange noises and instruments(an oboe?)coalesce in this unforgettable love song.

BLOODY ASSIZES-This anti death penalty song is the album's most uptempo cut and a great rocker anywhere in the world.

SEARCH PARTY-Is gentler and resembles XTC circa "English Settlement".

O KING OF CHAOS-A dramatic tune,it always makes me think of a biblical or greek tragedy setting.

HOLY LOVE-A sweet love song filled with colourful touches.

TORPEDO-An entrancing track featuring only Julian and a keyboard.

I WENT ON A CHOURNEY-A short instrumental ditty.

MIC MAK MOK-A grooving and driving tune(are the Zig Zags of the chorus a reference to the Zig Zag Wanderer known as Captain Beefheart?).

LAND OF FEAR-Reminds me"Head Hang Low" from his solo debut and is like the latter a superb Scott Walker-esque song.

Definitely worth checking out.

This is one of my favourite albums all time. Julian Cope has created something almost surreal on this recording. Tracks like
"Reynard the Fox" and "Sunspots" (which is one of my favourite love songs) are sublime pastiches on a landscape of earthly joy.

The cover depicts Julian under a tortoise shell looking well spaced out!

most of john darnielle's recorded output falls somewhere between good and brilliant. personally, i'd have to cite either the coroner's gambit or tallahassee as my favorite, but this album is almost as consistently inspired as those two. most of the songs get by (actually, they do a lot more than just getting by) on nothing but frantically strummed acoustic guitars and literate but accessible wordplay, but there are also some very successful songs that employ higher-fidelity recording and additional instrumentation. all in all, full force galesburg is a cohesive, compelling album that offers greater rewards with each listen.

the mountain goats are incredible, and this album is a clear demonstration of that. the songs managage to rock, even with such sparse instrumentation, such as West Country Dream which finds Darnielle doing what he does best, strumming furiously on his acoustic guitar.

When it comes to taking independent recordings to a limit, Darnielle manages to do so. Armed with just his acoustic guitar and a panasonic boombox, Darnielle's lyrical honesty and folk-driven guitar playing is immediately catchy and one that you have to listen to over and over again.

Even with such a basic combination (man and a guitar), Darnielle's voice and style of music is instantly recognizable. With his nasal voice and stark observations on life, he manages to show the beauty in every day things and an apperciation of nature.

To talk about this CD as a whole, it's one that you wouldn't normally pick up but when and if you did, it would be an instant classic to your collection. Full Force Galesburg is a CD that will constantly impress and demand repeated listenings.

OK, perhaps I'm in the minority here, but I'm one of those Soul Junkies that digs the lo-fi rock and roll stuff but doesnt really care for the hip hop beats. 1952, 53, and 55 rock, and I even like 56 a lot, but 57 and 58 lost me. The 1942 EP kicked my butt with Good as Dead, and thats exactly the kind of music I want to hear more of from Glenn and the gang. 1958 is just a jumbled mess of noise and nonsense. If that's your thing cool. For me, I miss the super spiritual rock and roll.

When I listen to this album, I get all befuddled. It's amazing stuff flowing from my speakers. How did this happen? Galaxalag and Slo Ro seem to hit paydirt everytime with their approach. The raps...amazing. The beats...amazing. The whole thing is like walking through a room full of pots, pans, and a whole long list of beautiful noise and they make it work. They make it work, indeed. The records they use to scratch must be warped. The words they use to rap must be backwards. This is San Diego hip-hop symphony.
Another avant-electro-dada-hip-hop-car wreck...more than 5 stars by far.

taking hip-hop too far until it becomes something else. the noises you hear are just as exciting as the hooks. glen's lyrics are witty and insightful. slo-ro turns being a terrible rapper into an art form. the contengent of german electronic expirimentalists (i.e. microstoria, mouse on mars, etc) have a lot to learn from soul-junk. instantly i was blown away at this album. the best thing to come out since 1953 (i'm not sure if i'm refering to the year or the album). visual music. perfect length for the album too. good job kids.

Track listing:

1. It's Over
2. Ain't No Woman Gonna Make A George Jones Outta Me
3. The Dead Dog Laughing In The Cloud
4. Funeral Home
5. Her Blues
6. Running Water Revisited
7. I Saw Her Standing There
8. Casper
9. Ghost Of Our Love
10. Fly Eye
11. Etiquette
12. A Walk In The Wind
13. Dem Blues
14. Girls
15. Poor You
16. Big Business Monkey
17. Walking The Cow
18. I Picture Myself With A Guitar
19. Despair Came Knocking
20. I Am A Baby (In My Universe)
21. Nervous Love
22. I'll Never Marry
23. Get Yourself Together
24. Running Water
25. Desperate Man Blues
26. Hey Joe
27. She Called Pest Control
28. Keep Punching Joe
29. No More Pushing Joe Around
Tracks 1-14 are from Continued Story, and 15-29 are from Hi, How Are You.

Art details:
The cover is a detail from (presumably) each of the original albums covers, which are reproduced in the CD: The full picture corresponding to Continued Story includes an odd cycle of people emerging from/into people (a bit hindu-esque). The picture corresponding to Hi, How Are You has two more beasties picnicking alongside the frog/alien dude.

I think "Walking the Cow" is one of the most beautiful, saddest songs I've ever heard.
The first songs on this album are more polished, whereas hi how are you is a lot grainier, younger and far-away sounding. It's a mix of slightly crazed humor (Boys are Dogs...and Girls are Cats...)and his mournful, high-pitched vocals. I think this is how all those lo-fi indy guys wish they could sound, but he isn't trying to imitate anyone, and he's the best. He can write a pop song amazingly well, yet he's coming up with all this brilliance in his basement as this point.
Johhnston sounds like he's splicing in bits of old music at times, which has a ghostly effect. Oh, it's such a great album, everybody should have it! (Though most people would probably just be confused.) Go get it used! It's worth every penny!

To a curious and daring music listener, Daniel Johnston is a unique, scathed, honest, and at times frightening figure in rock. Labelling his music is damn near impossible, as well as the ability to entirely understand him.

Hi How Are You?/ Continued Story are two previously seperate tapes placed on one disc. Though he was in his early twenties at the time of their recording, his voice is child-like and pure, that of someone who seems isolated and fearful. This man almost never seems comfortable in his own skin.

Perhaps the most amazing aspect of these recordings is the atmosphere. There's no dishonesty here. No overproduction, unattainable musical notes, and an elaborate band- only true human emotion. For the curious listener, this will be one of the most amazing experiences you will ever discover.