Indie and Lo-Fi music reviews

I cannot believe no one has reviewed this album. This Athens band has been around for twelve years, without ever receiving any kind of airplay.
This is on of my favorite CD's. The energy in this recording is just incredible. Mike Mantione displays more heartfelt emotion than any singer I have ever heard that plays a similar type of music.
The music just throbs with honest energy which is oh so hard to find these days. Think Replacements with a harder edge. The only song that is not great is the cover of a Lou Reed called 'I Can't Stand It.'
'She's Dropping the Bomb' should have been a huge hit the way 'Rockaway Beach' should have been big for the Ramones. The lyrics can be really dark especially 'G------- Paul' which deal with a friends death and his mental anguish. But don't let that stop you from getting this.
All the songs absolutely rock and this cd will always hold a special place as one of my absolutely favorites.
THIS IS A FANTASTIC CD. Remember just because you don't hear music played on the 'cookiecutter' radio stations that seem to be everywhere, doesn't mean it isn't good. Half the fun is seeking out bands like this. Every once in a while you can luck up and find a 'diamond in the rough'.

this is what mike mantione knows -- forget all the stuff he's playing now (even if you have heard) -- this is it -- smart, crazy and smashin' like that hunk of love you swooned for at yr. senior prom -- only difference is, this album won't leave you high and dry -- turn up 'goddammit paul' or 'destroy this world' and tell me i'm wrong, i'd love to hear from you --

It seems like most GbV fans weren't even aware Bob Pollard's old songwriting foil Tobin Sprout had undertaken his first live performances since leaving Guided By Voices in 1996, until after the fact. Hence, this live album recorded at the Boston stop of his very brief East Coast tour in the fall of 2000 is a terrific souvenir for those folks. Why, then, is it billed to 'eyesinweasel'? Well, Tobe's got an extremely rocking band backing him up, featuring Nick Kizirnis and none other than fellow ex-GbV'er Dan Toohey on bass. Personally I don't think Toby's songwriting talents are quite as impressive as his former boss', but at the same time there's an extremely appealing, unassuming quality in the majority of his work that ol' Bob sometimes ignores in favor of over-reaching for that 'RAWK' gold ring. Which isn't to say eyesinweasel don't rock. Represented here are 27 songs of an apparent 45 song-set, and the hooks just don't let up. The small but appreciative audience enthusiastically reposnd to hearing both new songs, and, remarkably, pretty much EVERY major Sprout-composed GbV track. From obvious standouts like 'Mincer Ray' and 'To Remake the Young Flyer', to ultra-obscure tracks like 'Scissors' and 'Dodging Invisible Rays', and finally the perfect set-closing "Little Whirl", Sprout digs deep into his back catalog and it pays off. GbV fans re-introduced to Toby's songwriting by way of his recent 'Airport 5' collaborations with Bob Pollard would do really well to check out this album, and hope that the rumours that Toby will be joining GbV on tour this spring are true.

It's cool to have an Eyesinweasel live albumn with Tobin playing GbV tunes, solo favorites, and Eyesinweasel tracks. Almost all of the tracks standout, there are a few tracks that are totally unfamilar though. It's just a great effort to have especially for Tobin fans, I personally think Tobin rules. Mincer Ray! All Used Up! You can't beat 'em. Quality tracks.

This cd is fairly good. I prefer Gold Soundz and Exit theory to the rest of the tracks. The instrumental is funky. It's hard to hear what he says in Strings of Nashville. 9minutes and 20 seconds on the cd. I bought it just because of Gold Soundz.

If "Fun Trick Noisemaker" was The Apples in Stereo in childhood and "The Discovery of a World Inside the Moone" is the band's coming of age, then "Her Wallpaper Reverie" is the Apples as teenagers. They're confident, but they're not sure yet what they want to be or where they're going. The music is innocent and charming, lacking a bit of the power-pop edge of "Moone" but providing much catchier songwriting than any previous Apples release. Details of the album's regular tracks are covered in reviews for the U.S. version, so I'll cover the bonus tracks here. "Behind the Waterfall" has an interesting, water-sounding background that's reminiscent of parts of The Beach Boys' "Cool, Cool Water." "Her Pretty Face" is a great tune provided by Hilarie Sidney, who generally writes one or two great tunes on each Apples album. The other three, "Everybody Let Up," "The Friar's Lament" and "Extended Introduction," are merely OK, but the bonus tunes make this album worth buying if you can find it. Note, though, that all of the bonus tracks except "Extended Introduction" are available on the "Look Away" EP. If you have it, you don't have much reason to look for this version of this album.

There's never been any doubt about Knight Berman's impeccable songwriting credentials. It's great to see his work out there so that everybody can enjoy it. Sweet, emotional lo-fi musings, wisecracks and confidences that will appeal to admirers of the Go-Betweens, The Smiths, Lou Reed, Felt, The Bonzo Dog Band
and Northampton Town FC.

For anyone who hasn't yet experienced the Kindercore universe of skewed pop, this is a great introduction to bands who are still part of an underground movement that mixes classic pop arrangements, a naive, child-like lyrical edge and an outsider approach. The best CD of this 3-CD collection is the newer stuff, but the older material has it's charms, too, including some witty Xmas tunes. The remix CD that is included is really meant for completists, and doesn't stand up as quite as fine as the music found on the other CDs.

Yes it is. That is exactly what it is. Cody Lee takes you on a journey with his beautiful and simply amazing music. This man plays most of the instruments. He writes simple songs that can stuck in your head. A very unique and energetic CD. This Cd is a gem to hold. Check it out. It is like Alternative meets Emo very good!

IF you love the many works of Stephen Merritt, then you won't be disappointed with this small gem. Though it's only five songs (and 2 of them are on Memories of Love), it's still worth a listen. I'm a huge fan of Merritt, and I think his work is honest and quite brilliant.

This is some classic Smog. Two gentle songs. I would probably say it feels about the time between Red Apple Falls and Knock Knock. The songs are beautiful. Simple, but they have such a great feeling with Bill Calahan's deep and gliding voice. If your buying some other stuff and are a big Smog fan, it's worth your 6 bucks.

If you like indiferent out of tune guitar playing and drumming that makes Mo Tucker seem like a virtuoso then this album is for you. The singing and song writing are occasionally interesting but the general atmosphere of boredom and sloppy indifference ruins the experience for me. This sounds as if several of my musically less than talented friends decided to form a band and a week later recorded an album. It's not charming, just weak and one more reason to hate indie pop.

Yes, Beat Happening is not for everyone. Let's just clear that up now. If you only really enjoy listening to high-quality productions in the vein of nu-metal, teen-pop, rap, etc. (not that ALL of those genres are bad necessarily), then you most likely will NOT enjoy this band's music. However, if you like indie rock, DIY punk, early Velvet Underground, or simply put, music that doesn't really care what the listener's opinion of the music is, than you should really check out Beat Happening.

Beat Happening were Northwest indie rock legends, influencing the music scene in so many ways. Hell, Cobain even went and got a K records tattoo on his arm. And for me, this album is them at their best-and yes, in many respects, also them at their most unapproachable as well.

There are several great punkish tunes here that really rock in the B.H. way: 'Cat Walk', 'Midnight a go-go', and 'Hangman' are all awesome, and want to make you pogo and wave your arms in the air. Heather, of course, contributes a couple of slower, ballady numbers that are very sweet and endearing. 'The This Many Boyfriends Club': you either love this or you think it is the biggest piece of junk ever written. I love it. Out-of-key guitars, background cafe talking, feedback, Calvin singing out of tune-this song is sooo cool.

The true highlight here though, is 'Indian Summer', which by now should be considered a true indie rock classic, being covered by the likes of Luna and Eugenius. There is a simple, timeless perfection about this song. I honestly think that anyone should be able to appreciate and enjoy it.

So, sure, this album is by no means a universal crowd pleaser (Nevermind it is not), but it certainly has its appeal for the right music fans out there. Give it a try: if you enjoy it, then check out Black Candy, which also is awesome, and even darker in tone.

The second full-length release from the Beat Happening (after their self-titled debut and an EP collaboration with Screaming Trees) finds them showing all sides of their collective personality. Jamboree contains eleven songs, due to the punk aesthetic covering only twenty-four minutes, that range from the powerful, catchy "Bewitched" to the seeming test of listener tolerance "The This Many Boyfriends Club."

"Bewitched" begins Jamboree with feedback and some nice grinding fretwork. Calvin Johnson easily holds our attention with the repeated chorus of "I've got a crush on you." I'm consistently amazed at how simple a song can be and still be entertaining, and "Bewitched" is a perfect example; it appears to be composed of only two chords yet is immensely satisfying. Heather Lewis follows with the beach rock-influenced jangle pop of "In Between." I find myself continually drawn to her offerings. Neither of them is a particularly great singer but the difference in Calvin and Heather's vocal styles makes one a respite from the other and doesn't let monotony get in the way of a solid listen.

Calvin returns for another venture into what is essentially Beat Happening's forte: love songs of either nostalgia or longing. The plaintive "Indian Summer" is a highlight of the album, with memorable lyrics and a sweet tone. "Hangman" (along with "Bewitched") show signs of the darkness that would lead to the recording of Beat Happening's next work, Black Candy, with its tale of an executioner who seems to enjoy his job a little too much but otherwise is just a normal Joe. I love it.

Jamboree's title track is actually one of the low points of the album, seeming to have been recorded on the fly, but it's improvisatory feel is charming. It is the first of three tracks that each come in at around a minute. The sound on "Ask Me" has a bit of echo, but Heather's a capella rendering of the musical question "Oh, hey, well okay, aren't you gonna ask me what I did today?" is nonetheless engaging. A fuller production is evident on "Crashing Through," but it still makes a lesser impression than "Ask Me" simply due to the catchy pop feel of the latter.

"Cat Walk" is a distinctly humorous ditty that begins with Calvin observing his girl out with another guy. He doesn't mind ("he's an okay fella," "she's got a bad habit of being pure"), but wishes "she'd leave my sweater home" while doing it. "Drive Car Girl" and "Midnight A Go-Go" are musically similar--the one feels almost like a continuation of the other--with Calvin offering comparable vocalisms. The only difference is that "Midnight" ends with Calvin (and whoever happens to be guitarist on this track--it's not always easy to tell on Beat Happening records) getting a little excited at the end, making it a slight improvement on its predecessor.

The less said about "The This Many Boyfriends Club," however, the better. Playground noises, atonal guitar and Calvin defiantly following an unidentifiable melody combine to make a very unpleasant listening experience--and it's the longest track on the album. It ends with a girl's scream and Calvin throwing the microphone down, just for good measure. Jamboree may be less than half an hour long, but it would be much more enjoyable if this track were completely left off. You've got to say this for the album, though: it puts all its good eggs up front and, realizing that it won't entertain forever, at least attempts to be experimental.