Indie and Lo-Fi music reviews

Some bands are underground for a reason. Anybody who can find anything remotely tolerable on this album does not deserve their sense of hearing. With the lack of musicianship and song writing ability on this record, these guys are definitely raking in the indie-cred.

Chris Flemmons and company are a giant sledgehammer in the hand of a toddler god in a Lego dinosaur park. This album is what music is supposed to be: authentic, unpretentious, playful joy to original melodies, and it apparently takes this sort of form to shake people awake now. Few newer bands have been so original or from the heart in the past 10 years (Funeral, The Walkmen are almost on a par). The obvious standout single is "Alcohol" though there is much more depth here to be explored. "Feds on the Highway" is a classic example of why this album is respectfully reflective mountain man spiritual revelation every bit as much as it is creative tongue-in-cheek indie rock roman candle. Reducing this album to "underdeveloped potential" is blasphemy in the highest degree to everything that doesn't suck in safely pre-packaged cellophane. "Diminished" peels back another side of Flemmons' songwriting as he relates what appears to be a self-reflective condemnation and self-chastisement at feeling like a splintered has-been self, while "Going Back Song" paints bittersweet thoughts of a relationship lost forever. Clearly these songs come out of the seeming midpoint of a personal and collective era and contain excitation, prophetic glow and sorrowful moanings that put most contemporary tune-turning, both popular and less so, to shame. Portrayal of genuine personal darkness can be found in "Creeper" in seemingly innocuous lyrics whose frightening character is known only by their accompaniment. Coffee House Faux-Folk Virtuosity, run and hide thy face. Roots-influenced music has soul again. On No Silver/No Gold, not a track, not a note, not a lyric, not a vocal twist or thump on the guitar is wasted. Chris Flemmons and the BGs have made their Testament in their time.

I think it's beautiful, so rawly emotional. I like the music. Maybe I'm just damaged enough to appreciate it. It's not easy listening. Songs like "Alcohol" will probably be disturbing for most people, but I find it easier on the ears than any Yanni record. The record rocks. The first song is unlistenable, I'll give you that, but basically becomes a shaggy dog joke by the end when the singer has a hilarious meltdown. Everyone deals with their pain in different ways. 500 is a sweet song. I like it when people sing about being true to whats in your heart.

perhaps not as mind-blowingly good as as the first, not in my airforce, but a fabulous journey through the twisted mind of a true genius. waved out begins with a bang-make use is as loud and catchy as anything bob's ever written. the next two songs are great, but really strange. then, as if he's lulled you into a false sense of security, he unleashes the best song ever written, subspace biographies. i'm not kidding. it is one of those purely perfect songs that from the moment you first hear the opening guitar, there is a recognition deep within your musical soul. a recognition that bob didn't so much write this as discover it. it had been there all along. only he had the ears to hear it. only he had the mind to know what it was. and only he had the talent to bring it to us in its magnificence. this is the essence of bob. he is not an inventor. he is not a scientist. he is an explorer.

This is Pollard's best solo record. if it were released under the GBV moniker, it would widely be hailed as the greatest album he's released since Under the Bushes, Under the Stars.

One of its main strengths is its brevity. at only a little over 30 minutes, it's easily digestible and even lends itself well to repeat listens (something i can rarely do with other albums, GBV or not).

All the songs have something good to offer, and many are vital additions to Pollard's catalogue. for instance, "Wrinkled Ghost" ranks as one of his finest pop tunes, one that Bee Thousand fans will love not only for its melody but also its fidelity (it was recorded onto an 8-track by Tobin Sprout).

"People are Leaving" is a unique song for Pollard, a rather powerful, sad song featuring two entirely different sets of vocals interweaving to nice effect.

And of course, one has to mention the mighty "Subspace Biographies," which was a popular concert favorite. One verse, an unforgettable chorus repeated a handful of times, and a catchy yet vaguely sinister keyboard riff; perfection.

I could go on and on about every song, but suffice to say Waved Out is a grower. It yields its rewards slowly and meticulously to patient listeners.

PS: I should mention that the song "Showbiz Opera Walrus" isn't all that great, but is at least subpar in a weird way. It doesn't drag the album down the same way some "serious" songs drag down a few of the later GBV albums.

Somewhere in the world is a band looking for that perfect hook. I have news for them. Robert Pollard already knows it, played it, and thought of ten more while you were reading this. This man continues to write melodies that are so stunning, it's almost embarrassing. Wow. Buy this album if you want to hear one of the best solo albums of all time.

Where Graham Coxon, former Blur guitarist, returns to writing simple songs and learns that writing simple songs isn't so simple but kind of succeeds anyway. After three solo outings where Coxon chafed at the pop accessibility Blur perverted yet flaunted, Coxon decided it was time to return to basics, so he hired Blur producer Stephen Street to help out and penned a bunch of three-minute punk-pop ditties.

God bless Coxon! The world needs fewer six-minute dirges and more three-minute pop songs. Elvis knew this, the Beatles knew this, and the Ramones did, too. "Spectacular," with its Elastica-like rapid-fire guitar riff is a noisy straightforward rocker. "No Good Time" features catchy verses that target poseurs of all sorts. "Bittersweet Bundle of Misery," the first single, combines Velvet Underground rhythm guitar with a bubbly chorus. On "Freakin' Out," Coxon sounds a bit like Johnny Rotten as Greenday frontman. "All Over Me" and "Are You Ready?" are somber, string-laden, 60's-style pop ballads. Not every song flies, but most feature a strong hook or two or three.

(...)

It might be sad, it might not, but the best Blur album since 'Parklife' is probably Graham Coxon's new album 'Happiness in Magazines.' It's a guitar frenzy of 3 minute pop songs that make his contributions to Blur extraordinarily obvious--he wasn't just guitar riffs, he was also melody and movement.

Graham's solo albums up until now have been indie-rock experiments with only a nod or two to his populist past, though you could feel him starting to become comfortable with actually recording "songs" on his last one, 'The Kiss of Morning.' But now that he's officially out of Blur and Damon's smoking a ton of weed and fooling around with drum machines, Graham isn't afraid to cut away the fat and stake a claim to the legacy by hiring Stephen Street to polish up some (dare I say?) "fun" guitar jaunts like the roller coaster melodic "No Good Time" and the driving-rock-yell-the-chorus-from-the-rafters anthems "Spectacular" and "Freakin' Out." And "Bittersweet Bundle of Misery" will have you smiling and singing along while reaching for the coffee and TV. Graham's having a lot better time being an ex-member of Blur than he had as a member of the post-Britpop-borderline-art-rock band who recorded '13'--I mean, who would have thought the miserable looking sod would end an album by singing "Life, I love you...?"

Graham one-man-band's it on the majority of tracks but the sound is tighter than "Song 2"--his voice has gained confidence and strength and his guitar playing is loud and raucous without being stupid and reminds you of why even NOEL FREAKIN'GALLAGHER said that Graham was one of the best of his generation (hopefully John Squire is paying attention after forgetting to play guitar and attempting to "sing" on his recent solo albums.) Graham is retro without being sad, reminiscent without being cloying, rock that rolls without selling it's soul to the new garage trend. 'Think Tank' was a bong load of tomorrow coming today, 'Happiness in Magazines' is an old friend that you didn't realize you missed until they sit down and steal your cigarettes.

Inane lyrics, punked up guitars,crap singing......what more do you want? Coxons latest effort is british punk pop at its late 70`s zenith and is absolutely fantastic. The libertines need to give themselves a bit of a shake and get down to HMV for a copy of this little gem if they really do want a carrer in this business. Coxon is the english equivalent of the strokes and Damon could do with calling round for a friendly chat with his old mate. This album deserves to sit alongside Never Mind The Bollocks, Ace Of Spades and Definately Maybe and stamped made in Britain.

Any time I listen to this song, it gets me in the right mood!! It's fresh, nice and... sweet!! I bought the album only for this track but I must admit all the songs are quite pleasant.

To the music fan from melbourne, noone buys babybird unless they love them, what were you thinking? if that Cd's too dark for you but u like babybird, try the greatest hits, CD2 is pretty mellow. i'm dying for a copy of Something's going on, if you still have yours, e me

I have another new musical artist favorite: Baby Bird. If you put together the songwriter for Cake with a morbid twist, the vocals for U2, and the music of U2 and Radiohead, you'd get Baby Bird. You know the artist is a freakazoid when their picture looks like this. Their lyrics are weird, disturbing, and somehow cool.

In their album "There's Something Going on", there's something going on alright. I'm just not sure exactly what. The lyrics give the sense that this guy "loves" someone and is keeping them from leaving his house. What we seem to have here is a hostage situation. In "I Was Never Here", he says "and you can't say goodbye because I am always here. And you can't say you love me because it wouldn't be true." I'm imagining that this guy has his groceries delivered to the house and keeps his hostage in the basement. He loves his hostage but has given up on making them say "I love you" back because there's no truth behind it. But he can pretend. For example, in the song "Bad Old Man," you have these lyrics:

"Put his smiling face on the TV.
Kiss him from your chair make him happy.
He drowned his stepson in the duck pond,
let the wife-beater out to make a pop song,
put razor blades in the ice-cream,
... He's got a young man who feeds him,
whispers sweet nothings just to please him,
he makes him cool for the TV,
makes half the man he is a celebrity."

Other lyrics are seemingly innocent until you realize the conotation behind them. In the song "If You'll Be Mine", the lyrics "If you'll be mine, I'll be yours," seem innocent enough until they're repeated over almost as if he's trying to convince someone by hypnosis. Other lyrics to the song include "There's no feeling, there's no feeling at all". In "You Will Always Love Me", these lines are repeated over and over again:

"You will always be mine.
You will always love me.
You will always be mine.
You will never be free."

After all the repetition, the song suddenly reminds me of the original zombie movie, "White Zombie" (1932) where a zombie master falls in love with the beautiful bride of another man and turns her into a zombie so that he can have her for his own. Unfortunately, when he brings her back to life as a zombie, the only thing left of the real her anymore is her beauty. She's only the empty shell of her former self as a love slave of sorts.

In the song "Back Together", it seems that his little hostage is trying to escape. He pleads with them to "put the car in reverse and come back to me. Without you this house is a hearse without wheels." And demands the person to "Give me all that you have, if you don't I'll steal it." As the album continues, it seems that perhaps the hostage got violent in their escape methods and maybe even succeeded. As the album progresses, the kidnapper get more and more delusional it seems. Perhaps he doesn't even know what is real anymore.

I love albums that paint a subtle story as you listen. Each song singularly doesn't paint a story as vividly as the album as a whole. And the story is open to interpretation more than, say, an opera. The last album I listened to that seemed to tell a story as you listened was "Hot Fuss" by The Killers. These sorts of albums seem more rare that they used to. I hope they make a comeback.

The Minus Story's 'The Captain is Dead, let the Drum Corpse Dance' is a fuzzy and triumphant album, bursting with light, and engulfed in mania. It seems to follow a strong lyrical theme, tracking the toppling of a dictatorial authority figure, and subsequent triumph of innocence and ardor.

The opening track, `Won't be Fooled Again' starts with a lazy thumping sound that soon gives way to the songs hooky melody line, one that bounces along with much enthusiasm. Short muttered verses with christmas bells, build and swell with orchestration while the songs glorious title is repeated by a chorus of voices. The song then bursts into thick and bombastic drums while the vocals are left to mumble under the mix before the final explosion of percussion.

The second track launches with more frantic drumming and a surge of fleeting sonic whimsy. We then hear the full energy and impact of the heavily distorted vocals. Accordion wrestles for position while the drums and vocals continue to compete while sharing the same rhythm. Eventually treated handclaps let the accordion breathe under some messy glockenspiel, and finally some dense keys finish the track.

With track 3, `gravity pulls', we jump straight into the clearest vocals of the album so far on. The glock is supporting a vocal melody that sounds like mercury rev with a smile on their faces.

`Joyless, Joyless' is an instant favourite with its pained and pleading chorus, its simple tension building percussion and guitars that sound on the brink of collapse.

The closer `the children's army (bite the tyrants tongue)', not only has one of the most innocent and humorous titles of the year, but also a musical innocence and preciousness that is more endearing than your cute little curly haired niece drawing you an extremely flattering picture. The words `fill your heart with love' close the album with a sincerity that can't help but make you wanna give the band mates a cuddle..!

Basically, this album is full. Gorgeous and dense instrumentation, and extremely catchy pop melodies. Simple songs given complex treatment. All with fantastically sloppy yet superbly clear production. Though clocking in at only 36 minutes, the albums 8 tracks are filled with such rich material that the length seems consequential, only to the extent that you will wanna hit repeat and hear it all again as soon as its done. All the fun of smile era beach boys, glory of the polyphonic spree, fuzz and warmth of built to spill, the chaotic nature of neutral milk hotel, the resolve of the delgados, and an enthusiasm all of their own.

8.5 outta 10

I found out about this band recently after walking into Ear Wax. I listened to the mp3s on their label's website and after that I was hooked. I haven't stopped talking about this album since. "Joyless, Joyless" is an instant classic. Buy this now.

a gorgeous album from people who have forged a balance within complexity, without overdoing the drama. atmospheric, intense, and beautiful. buy it now, tell everyone you heard of them first, and when the rest of the world catches on you'll feel oh so hip.

I bought this on recommendation, and after a listen through, it sat on my shelf for a year or so. Now I'd consider it among my favorite albums, one I've possibly listened to more than any other. The songs are incredibly varied- from totally whacked out synthesizer experiments, to Ramone-esque rockers like 'Psycho Nightmare', to nervous blues renditions like 'Catie'- but Daniel's unique, personal lyrics and tenuous voice hold everything together really well. My favorite song is "Happy Time", a nostalgic/messianic self-portrait. Daniel's earlier non-studio albums are also great, but this album is unique for its clear sound and simple production.

This is the best Daniel Johnston CD I have heard yet. It is inspiring and warming to my heart. Daniel Johnston has that lispy-soft-soothing voice that makes me melt with every word he utters. "Love Wheel" kicks off the cd with a bang, BA-BOOM! catching your attention with the very first note played. Keeping "the wheel" in motion we move on to "Life in Vain," a beautiful conception of tasteful lyrics and harmonizing guitar. This close to home tune inspires my deepest thoughts to conjure up their own meaning in this cluttered world. "Crazy Love" accurately depicts what an average male heart feels for a gorgeous girl. "Jelly Beans" sends me straight back to my childhood, especially when i wanted crappy music and a soda pop. Overall "Fun" rocks the hizzouse like snoop dogg with a mad lisp. I suggest to drop it like it's hott. love Beatrice.

His major label debut. with legendary [...] Surfers guitar player/producer Paul Leary and Drummer King Coffey. I highly reccommend this album for all Daniel Johnston Fans

...as the other Microphones albums I own. Lots of fragments here, some not even doing much more than starting and then stopping (a little infuriating when the CD player is on random) but together making a fairly cohesive whole of a noisy, fuzzy and beautiful album.

The last guy that reviewed this bought the wrong album first. Actually this is an e.p. with bonus short experimental pieces at the end. I would recommend "It was hot..." as an introduction to the Microphones, then "The Glow, pt. 2". Also- all of the 7"s are great, especially "Moon Moon". The Microphones make beautiful, haunting music for those with an open mind.

Designed as a companion to Don't Wake Me Up (K Records), The Window begins with a handful of neat songs ranging from the bouncy fuzz-pop groove of "Cover me Up" to the sad sleepy ballad "Heart Lake Rd." Then there's a whole bunch of tracks called "the window" These contain isolated elements from some of the tracks on Don't Wake Me Up, and other projects Phil was working on at the time, I guess. Organs, weird percussion, vocals. Hey, isn't that the violin and background vocals from Mirah's "archipelago"? It's like a remix album, except it recontextualizes and decontextualizes these different sonic elements. The effect is hypnotic and compelling. If you really listen to this record it has a deep meditative effect.
A great record, but it's more rewarding if you're familiar with Don't Wake Me Up.

Some reviewers of this title might have had higher expectations than one can possibly have of a compilation. The simple fact this album flows from beginning to end, that Sonic Youth has decided to establish some sort of collective aesthetic, albeit relatively similar to their own, is admirable.
Unfortunately, not all of the bands here have lived up to the standards set by others; they're not all that good. As a compilation intended to showcase youthful, emergent talent in the independent scene, ATP2 does have some hot new diddies. But the bottom line, the fact of the matter, the end of this stick is-- ... some of [these bands] are attempting modes and forms employed by Sonic Youth years ago. Does Sonic Youth know that? Is a Sonic Youth sound necessarily bad for a band? Perhaps not, perhaps the Youth has created a new school of musical thought, perhaps they aren't given enough credit as propelling such music and sound into the mainstream, however short lived this phenomenon was.
Nevertheless, as the album stands, as something to listen to, I'm forced to skip around too much. And despite some strong tracks by some lesser known performers (espeially in the hip-hop and matador areas) pumping out some quality stuff, this album is uneven and imperfect, even for a compilation.

Like most records endorsed by Sonic Youth, this is too long, mind-numbingly loud and annoyingly avant garde. The high-point of the album is by far the ironic, high-pitched stylings of Stephen Malkmus. During the last 1/4 of the album I found myself wishing it was already over and wondering if I would be evicted for listening to it. Overall, I recommend this for a good time with your family.

If these compilations get indie rock kids into Cannibal Ox, it's good enough for me. Vast Aire and Vordul Megulah of Cannibal Ox have been on the underground circuit for a minute and I was shocked to see their songs on a indie rock compilation which usually throws a Roots song on because (imitates whiny voice) "they play their own instruments". Yech. Granted, Sonic Youth have great taste and they've put together a fine sampler of modern music. I've heard the rest of the songs and they're decent, but it's worth the price alone for "Pigeon" by Cannibal Ox. If you're into Can Ox, you should also check out the rest of the Def Jux roster like El-P, RJD2, and Mr.Lif. They'll blow your "post-rock" minds.

These people cannot sing on key or write a melody that sounds like more than cacauphony! Terrible! I couldn't stand to listen to it.

junior varsity is an insanely hilarious 50's style pop-punk band with female vocals. this album is upbeat and light-hearted, and sugessted for fans of the ramones, huntingtons, or riverdales. songs on this album range from ditties about boys to the tale of the singer's brother buying them some liquor before sundown. this album is great to have if you are a fan of any sort of joke-rock. this band is great, and i hear they play elementary school assemblies. that should be enough reason right there to buy this cd.

this band is a blast! their music is fresh and fun 50's punk that will keep you hummin' for days. i highly recommend "Bam Bam Bam" if you're looking for a good time...

Why listen to this garbage and pose? If you can't play your instrument or pretend not to then get a life and quit having pajama parties and coloring contests. This album as well as the rest of these poseur/artsy fartsies need to quit trying to fake people out and get a real job. If you like this crap then get the Shaggs and be done with it because at least they were being honest and sincere even if they couldn't play. I'd rather listen to a Steve Vai or a Poison album than this fodder any day!

I love Calvin Johnson, but you shouldn't buy this cd from Amazon. You should go to directly to K for your music. www.kpunk.com
Seriously, the shipping is cheaper, and you'll feel better about yourself.

I can't tell you how many times a listened to this album in a friend's basement wishing I had just a bit more Mad Dog 20/20 to swill as the disc played one more time. If you want THE album for disaffected youth in the George Bush years this is it. From the sour grapes of "Revolution Come and Gone" to the blatant sexuality of "Nancy Sin", this is a two chord masterpiece. The best Beat Happening has to offer and essential to any Indie Rock collection. Dreamy grows on you but never grows old......