History Will Absorb Me

Vamp Week. Poster bigger than Charli. Anyone know where to get...

Mon, 13 May 2013 12:30:43 -0400

Vamp Week. Poster bigger than Charli. Anyone know where to get it framed in Manc?

"In a perfect world, the hashtag in the title of Mariah Carey’s new single is not some..."

Mon, 06 May 2013 19:07:14 -0400

“In a perfect world, the hashtag in the title of Mariah Carey’s new single is not some ham-fisted wagon-jumping or Twitter trending strategy, but a sly wink. “#Beautiful”, it turns out, is pretty much the anti-hashtag: it’s an artfully simple pop tune built around warm, crackly arrangements that could’ve been written before Jack Dorsey was even born. It’s free of gimmicks or anxiety, and the message is breezily uncomplicated. “You’re beautiful, and I can’t pretend that doesn’t mean a thing to me,” Carey sings alongside Miguel.”

- - Pitchfork on the new Mariah Carey song “#Beautiful”.

It seems that to explain themselves for liking a shitty pop song, Pitchfork have to find something ironic or different about it, but it’s always in their heads. That above paragraph is pure bullshit. The song is a shitty pop track by a talentless popstar with a hashtag in the title to get people tweeting about it. Simple. I like Pitchfork but they need to pull their fingers out of their bums when they try to justify liking shit like this with made-up irony.

Modern Vampires of the City: Track by Track Rostam and Ezra...

Thu, 02 May 2013 12:04:11 -0400

Modern Vampires of the City: Track by Track

Rostam and Ezra talk us through their difficult third album in its entirety (via NME Magazine, 27 April 2013)

Wakin' On A Pretty Daze is pretty great.

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 20:04:08 -0400

It take my hat off to you, Mr Vile, good sir, as you’ve managed to keep my attention for 70 full straight minutes. That, my friend, is rare.

Brian DeGraw makes the only remixes worth listening to.

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:44:11 -0400

Man, this Monkey Riches remix is so good. I need a new Gang Gang Dance album soooon.

So I didn't get the MGMT single.

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 14:48:06 -0400

I went to the record store (Piccadilly Records in this case) in the morning and the queue was ridiculous, It went around the whole building. I did queue for about 30 minutes, but I moved literally no further than ten feet forward so I didn’t bother. I walked past a couple of hours later and noticed that the people that were infront of me we still nowhere near the entrance. I estimate that it would have taken them around four hours, life’s too fucking short people.

So yeah, I don’t think queueing for a cassette for 4-5 hours is worth it, but not only that, the store was selling this cassette for £6! And this is a single we’re talking about, you can buy a new album for that price. I understand that vinyl records are expensive to make, hence their expensive price tag (Hello £70 Zaireeka), but this is a shoddy tape. I don’t have a tape player, I doubt many people who bought it do, meaning most of the people got it for the download code alone and to look nice as a collectible and heirloom. If I bought it I’d never to play the tape, and I don’t believe in pointless collectibles because I’m not an idiot. (if somebody can tell me the point of collecting stuff that you never plan on using ever, I will retract that statement.)

Going back to the queue for a second, though there was an incredible volume of people, I’m not sure how much of the blame weighs on the store’s shoulders though. This is the first time I’ve seen RSD in Manchester, but in Leeds (Jumbo Records), They handled the volume of people with such ease, I had my items within 30 - 40 minutes of the store opening.

For those of you who enjoy RSD, don’t get me wrong, there’s loads of awesome stuff going on and the live bands and meeting and talking to people from all over who love music just as much as you, but you can’t disagree that the prices are so expensive and it is a very clever scam - Just look at some of the prices.

As for the absolute douchebags who get there at ridiculous o clock so they can buy everything just to re-sell on Ebay for ten times the price, yes I hate them, and I bet you do too. At the same time I’m confused at why somebody can be so angry at them but be happy shell out hundreds of pounds on a few records, most of that money will obviously go back to the labels too. Idiots buying them on Ebay are just encouraging the douchebags.

Maybe this whole rant is showing that I might not love records like I used to, but I absolutely fucking love vinyl - My decks with side B of Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots on one and MGMT’s Siberian Breaks 12” one the other proves that. I think it’s just the my eyes are open and no more do I get fooled by pretty things and scams invented by corporations.

Don’t get me wrong this isn’t out of disgruntlement for queueing, nor is it because I wasn’t interested in many of the releases this year, it’s the whole thing. Just to be clear, I’m not getting at anybody who takes part in RSD, everyone’s purchases look great, but there are so many problems with the whole concept.

Also, Infront of me were these two parents who had brought along their kid, he must have been about 9. What kind of stupid selfish fucking cunt parent makes their kid stand in a four hour queue from 8 am just so they can selfishly buy a bunch of shit that the kid doesn’t have a clue about. Evil people. Do you remember when you were a kid and dragged to places you didn’t want to go in the morning? I bet you hated it and I bet it didn’t last as long as that poor kid’s day has lasted. If you are parents who can’t get a babysitter for RSD, than you don’t fucking go. Sorry for the potty mouth, stupid parents annoy me.

Finally, I have listened to MGMT’s new single Alien Days (and ironically, most likely before anybody who was queueing for it did), and it is indeed as amazing as I had expected.

So it's record store day tomorrow

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 11:39:44 -0400

And the only thing I really want is the MGMT cassette. It seems like quite a lousy and disappointing year, at least based on my tastes anyway. Sure, there’s the Zaireeka boxset but that £70! Jesus Christ, I’m all about supporting independent record stores, but vinyl’s so fucking expensive. Even the cassette is £6!

So yeah I’m not sure if there’s any point getting up ridiculously early to get just the one cassette. But on the other hand, A NEW MGMT SONG! A new album is just around the corner. Excited.

Loooooong albums...

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 07:12:04 -0400

Has anybody else noticed that more and more albums seem to be going down the super duper long route. Over the past couple years there has been so many albums that are well over an hour, has anybody else noticed this? is this a new thing or am I just noticing it now? It seems like it’s becoming a lot more common. Very recent example of this is Kurt Vile’s new album that cam out just yesterday and it’s way longer than an hour and though it’s a solid album, I’m not quite sure if it really justifies being that long. Have albums always been this long??

"The difficulty with giving a comment on Margaret Thatcher’s death to the British tabloids is..."

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 06:41:47 -0400

“

The difficulty with giving a comment on Margaret Thatcher’s death to the British tabloids is that, no matter how calmly and measured you speak, the comment must be reported as an “outburst” or an “explosive attack” if your view is not pro-establishment.

If you reference “the Malvinas”, it will be switched to “the Falklands”, and your “Thatcher” will be softened to a “Maggie.” This is generally how things are structured in a non-democratic society. Thatcher’s name must be protected not because of all the wrong that she had done, but because the people around her allowed her to do it, and therefore any criticism of Thatcher throws a dangerously absurd light on the entire machinery of British politics.

Thatcher was not a strong or formidable leader. She simply did not give a shit about people, and this coarseness has been neatly transformed into bravery by the British press who are attempting to re-write history in order to protect patriotism. As a result, any opposing view is stifled or ridiculed, whereas we must all endure the obligatory praise for Thatcher from David Cameron without any suggestion from the BBC that his praise just might be an outburst of pro-Thatcher extremism from someone whose praise might possibly protect his own current interests.

The fact that Thatcher ignited the British public into street-riots, violent demonstrations and a social disorder previously unseen in British history is completely ignored by David Cameron in 2013. In truth, of course, no British politician has ever been more despised by the British people than Margaret Thatcher.

Thatcher’s funeral on Wednesday will be heavily policed for fear that the British tax-payer will want to finally express their view of Thatcher. They are certain to be tear-gassed out of sight by the police.

United Kingdom? Syria? China? What’s the difference?

”

- Morrissey on Thatcher. I would never wish death or Alzheimer’s on anybody but Morrissey’s statements are always my thoughts exactly, and here it couldn’t be anymore true. What a terrible human being she was.

jedibusiness: the-altar: trapos: mitchellism: dorkly: EA...

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 06:31:56 -0400

jedibusiness:

the-altar:

trapos:

mitchellism:

dorkly:

EA Responds To Being Named ‘The Worst Company in America’

In a recent poll on Consumerist.com, it was decided that Electronic Arts was the worst company in America. This is the second year in a row that EA has taken the top prize. In response, EA’s COO Peter Moore has released this statement.

This is the greatest letter ever. Seriously. This makes me happy.

This is EXACTLY what I thought! The Consumerist is one of the most ridiculous publications in existence.

I still don’t like EA, but damn that was a sick burn.

My thoughts on Shaking The Habitual

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 11:02:55 -0400

So I’m a massive fan of Silent Shout, like everyone, and yes, I was one of those people that really just wanted Silent Shout part II, but that isn’t the case. Though it also definitely isn’t Tomorrow In A Year part II, which is what a lot of people think. When I first downloaded the album i decided to listen to it late at night whilst doing absolutely nothing except laying down and absorbing the music, because that is the exact way I listened to Silent Shout for the first time about six years ago.

The first two singles, A Tooth For An Eye and Full of Fire, also the opening two tracks are brilliant. Full Of Fire is the best song of the year, surely. It just shows how well the Knife use music as a language and their ability to do so is unlike any other band. It’s just so fluid. I think that the rawness and industrial esque vibes set STH on such a great path, but there are moments where this experimenting gets on my nerves, like the woodwind instruments on Without You My Life Would Be Boring. I think that might just be because I totally fucking despise woodwind instruments, and the song is still great as Karin’s voice has never sounded better and freer than it does here.

I think with The Knife’s music, especially when it comes to Shaking The Habitual, you have to be able to deal with pretension. I can handle pretension, but I was not ready for the ridiculous amount of themes with which STH suffocates you. It’s really hard to put into words but the pretension can be annoying and absolutely off putting at times, although you can’t help being impressed with some of the stuff The Knife pull off, it kind of works like a Lars Von Trier movie.

Regarding the two drone songs that are both under a minute, Crake and Oryx, which are named after a book that influenced the band, I genuinely think these tracks are hear purely for the names. Both of these songs come as a prelude to two songs that each last 19 minutes and 10 minutes of the same sounds so I really don’t see the need for them. I just don’t see the point. So, the two extremely lengthy drone tracks that appear to be the epicentre of their album sides, I don’t care for them. BUT, I’m just not big on drone, and I’m more than unfamiliar with the genre so I’m not going to pretend to know what I’m talking about. All I know is that a 19 minute track of almost silence then sudden loudness takes me out of the album. The second one, Fracking Fluid Injection, is much better and almost kind of enjoyable, it’s definitely interesting, at least compared to the first one.

In contrast, there’s a lot of stuff that isn’t unlike the knife, there’s an amazing techno track called Networking that reminds me of We Share Our Mother’s Health. There is a track called Stay out Here that features all sorts of pitch shifting madness that makes me remember fondly the best moments of Silent Shout. It also feature two people I’ve never heard of but there voices are quite nice. The final track, Ready To Lose, bookends the album quite well with a funky tribal beat similar to the first track, if you can remember that far back, we’re talking 90 minutes ago now! The album ends on one of its highest notes in terms of enjoyment, Ready To Lose just has a classic Knife beat and it is so thrilling.

Overall I really like the album, I don’t think it is as atmospheric as I’d like a Knife album to be, though it’s not through lack of trying. I feel like the subject matters of their lyrics and their messages interfere with the music too much. But in the end this is a 100 minute long album and there is a regular album’s length worth of genuinely unique and incredible music! This is must listen experience.

Best songs - Full Of Fire, Networking, Ready To Lose

Shaking The Habitual has landed!

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 07:29:42 -0400

I’m excited to get acquainted with it tonight. From what I’ve read I have a few worries, but nevertheless this is the new fracking Knife album!

voiceofwind: “Monomania” by Deerhunterfrom Monomania (2013)

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 06:57:33 -0400

voiceofwind:

“Monomania” by Deerhunter
from Monomania (2013)

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon: Deerhunter: Monomania

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 06:43:56 -0400

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon: Deerhunter: Monomania:

Holy shit! Sign me up for their new album. I like the idea of this new alter ego Bradford Cox has concocted. Very cool performance. I’ve noticed on Fallon that they give their bands and artists that perform more freedom to do their stuff or similar to what they’d do at their live show than any other late night show. I think that’s great because TV performances are almost always disappointing, you’ll never get the proper performance, ever.

Another solid album from good old Born Ruffians. Though I do...

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 18:24:31 -0400

Another solid album from good old Born Ruffians. Though I do hate it when the best song on the album by miles is the opening track. This album is filled with Fleet Foxy, funky, and chilled out pop music. I think it’s their best album yet. Very fun music and highly recommended from yours truly.

Freaky artwork. WE HAVE A NEW NATIONAL ALBUM ON THE WAY. This...

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:50:20 -0400

Freaky artwork. WE HAVE A NEW NATIONAL ALBUM ON THE WAY. This will give the answer to the forever pondered question; What is a band to do once they’ve released such a monster album like High Violet?

Photo

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:46:59 -0400

This is the new Vamp Week song and my face just melted, I need...

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 17:38:45 -0400

This is the new Vamp Week song and my face just melted, I need Modern Vampires Of The City now! I can’t wait any longer. This thing is going to bring back and re-invent so many old-school sounds. The video is incredible too. Vampire Weekend are such beautiful creatures.

"SOME FEELING IN THE BELLIES OF THE TANKERS WHO PASS US MAKING SAD MANIC BONGS LIKE DRUMS Everybody..."

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 17:08:00 -0400

“

SOME FEELING IN THE BELLIES OF THE TANKERS WHO PASS US MAKING SAD MANIC BONGS LIKE DRUMS

Everybody is always desiring already imagined things.
When we travel between thresholds, people say: “you’re hiding.”
Not everything can be so easily explained.
We have a bellyache, a big stink, a major grouse or two with manufactured knowledge.
But how do you build an album about not knowing?
Now your voice is in my throat, floating there…
Often people take pills for these things.
To us the body is no longer psychological.
It’s certainly not a container, we don’t believe in metaphors.
Like dog/wolf—there aren’t many anymore.
Still at twilight something blurs over your shoulder.
Which is it?
It’s prickly.
Our hair is out.
We have made some decisions.
We want to fail more, act without authority.
Plus there’s something phlegmatic about the world state don’t you think?
There’s a blood system promoting biology as destiny.
A series of patriarchies that’s a problem to the Nth degree.
What about hyper-capitalism, this homicidal class system, the school system that’s kaput?
Then there are castles everywhere—look at them fake tanning and signing autographs!
At least there’s one thing we stand behind.
There’s still an ecosystem right? And here’s this sound system.
We dusted it off. Electronic is just one place in the body. We went temporarily acoustic.
We made our own instruments. We took an old bedspring, a microphone and:
“Stay out here…”
Now we’re bending our voices to sound like Emily R., who recorded the track on her cellphone speaker.
No habits!
There are other ways to do things.
Still sometimes it all seems so bad.
Don’t worry we won’t commit Harakiri, stomach cutting or anything like it.
The honor system is corrupt, just another privilege.
Like how it’s a privilege to make an album, to move freely.
We just have to go faster we mean breakneck we mean “like crazy.”
How at 5am that warehouse beat is coming up like sour steam.
All over the dance floor we’re asking: can this DNA turn into something else?
It’s not metaphorical. It’s explicit.
There are surgeries and fantasies and holes sweating through the wall.
It’s a question about feelings. It’s a question about who gets to risk.
But things don’t change so easily.
There’s still Monsanto, fracking and “terminator seeds.”
Every morning we wake up wondering: who’s kicking who on the street corner?
Now we have to start. We choose process over everything else.
Letting go of outcomes is another privilege.
Keep it lateral.
We ask our friends to help.

Together we leave the village and walk down the road. The light starts exercising itself. The old sun is out in his winter jumpsuit doing sit-ups and squat thrusts between the nettles and moldy brush.

10 more! We say to him. Get shaking!

Our walk gets longer. It’s a walk in the panpipes of the body. We come to the edge. So much water. The ocean is twice its original size. We take a bunch of surveys. They know everything about us. We don’t buy what they say. We take a heap of estrogen. All around us things are howling and then we stand on the pier end. The light is pink and green and pink and green. It reminds us of home—like we imagine it could be. But when the color pancakes out over the horizon, we don’t know what we’re looking at. That’s ok. This time it’s structural.
No habits!

Of course we’re growing restless.

”

- The Knife’s press bio for Shaking The Habitual

diivnyc: Hi Austin. Fuck SXSW. There… I said it. Here, the...

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 15:30:16 -0400

diivnyc:

Hi Austin. Fuck SXSW. There… I said it.

Here, the music comes last. 5 minute set-up, no sound check, 15 minute set. The “music” element is all a front, it’s the first thing to be compromised. Corporate money everywhere but in the hands of the artists, at what is really just a glorified corporate networking party. Drunk corporate goons and other industry vampires and cocaine. Everyone is drunk, being cool. “Official” bureaucracy and all their mindless rules. Branding, branding, branding. It’s bullshit… sorry.

-Cole

This is the very first time I’ve ever heard somebody say that SXSW is a corporate networking party or the like. Never. It seems like SXSW is nothing like that and in fact all about the music. You’re definitely in the minority here.