Best Ever Albums

Re: Shit My Cats Hear While They're Trying To Sleep

meccalecca — Wed, 11 May 2016 11:35:41 GMT

Author: meccalecca

Posted: 05/11/2016 15:35

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The Colour In Anything by James Blake

I've never entirely bought into the James Blake hype. I think his talent is undeniable, but I often find his albums as a whole a bit underwhelming. The Colour in Anything is another one of those records by Blake in which the potential for something great is there but I can't help but feel it all gets a bit tiring as the album drags on. There's many worthwhile tracks, but as a whole it could benefit from greater variation.

Re: Shit My Cats Hear While They're Trying To Sleep

meccalecca — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 18:03:31 GMT

Author: meccalecca

Posted: 04/26/2016 22:03

I got to ask Chicano Batman a few questions about their upcoming record and stuff.
Here it is... http://meccalecca.com/?p=27003

Re: Shit My Cats Hear While They're Trying To Sleep

meccalecca — Fri, 22 Apr 2016 15:37:55 GMT

Author: meccalecca

Posted: 04/22/2016 19:37

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Here In The Deadlights by The Loom

Out today. I booked The Loom a few times back when I lived in New York. They seemed to exist in a realm people couldn't quite define, playing heavier rock with the inclusion of folk instruments. They were commonly referred to as folk, although I think they had more in common with Low than folk. After a 5 year hiatus, they've returned with their first of 2 new albums written during a really challenging time in the life of songwriter John Fanning. This album is definitely the heaviest thing they've done, both sonically and emotionally. There's bits of stoner rock, krautrock, folk, psych, slowcore, etc.

Here's cut. definitely the most panic inducing, Swans-indebted track.

Link

some other stuff I've been listening to

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A Sailor's Guide To Earth by Sturgill Simpson

I'm not sure what it is, but I'm not as sold on Simpson as others. This is another impeccably crafted album, so I imagine getting more and more with each listen, but so far I'm not in love with it.

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Nocturnal Koreans by Wire

Good first listen. Certainly not up to the standard of their first 3 albums, but I think I already prefer it over last year's s/t record. It may also be their softest record.

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Asphalt For Eden by Dälek

Another first listen. Pretty much what you can expect from Dälek. Even without Oktopus on board,Dalek sounds like Dalek, which is to say, it's an atmospherically stark alt hip hop record.

Susanna - Triangle

Her collaboration with Jenny Hval is incredible, so I was definitely looking forward to this one. There's some pretty exquisite moments that recall Meshes of Voice, but 22 songs and over an hour run time, I also couldn't help but feel like this drags quite a bit

Re: Shit My Cats Hear While They're Trying To Sleep

meccalecca — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 15:35:59 GMT

Author: meccalecca

Posted: 04/21/2016 19:35

19loveless91 wrote:

meccalecca wrote:

Why do so many bands do the whole "Woah Oh Oh" thing. It's totally obnoxious.

I remember a moment in my first year of uni, where two of my classmates musicians were discussing their respective bands. Their styles were pretty different, one was a drummer for this noisy mathy punk band, the other one was a singer/guitarist in a poppy ska-punk type band. He wanted to give some tips on songwriting (well-intentioned, I'm sure), and he was saying to the drummer how their (the drummer's) band should work on including more interjections in their lyrics. "Things like "wooaah oh", "yeaahh" - it's really good with the crowds".

I'll never forget the drummer's blank stare after that. But I think he politely explained that his band may have a slightly different ideas and views on music.

Hahaha. thank you for sharing that. And of course it was the guy from the ska-punk band who thinks it's a good idea.

Re: Shit My Cats Hear While They're Trying To Sleep

19loveless91 — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 15:26:56 GMT

Author: 19loveless91

Posted: 04/21/2016 19:26

meccalecca wrote:

Why do so many bands do the whole "Woah Oh Oh" thing. It's totally obnoxious.

Re: Shit My Cats Hear While They're Trying To Sleep

meccalecca — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 12:04:10 GMT

Author: meccalecca

Posted: 04/21/2016 16:04

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Hold/Still by Suuns

I've always been let down by Suuns. I've always felt they draw heavily from things I love like post-punk and krautrock, but they've never quite done enough with it. I'm not sure that has changed with Hold/Still, but it's probably the most I've liked them as well. "Resistance" sounds like Clinic gone down a terrifying krautrock rabbit hole. And "Translate" isn't too far off either.

Re: Shit My Cats Hear While They're Trying To Sleep

meccalecca — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 09:26:49 GMT

Author: meccalecca

Posted: 04/21/2016 13:26

Grzywa wrote:

So I checked it out, having good feelings about your recommendations after Moken and it was really cool. If the word progressive still makes any sense, this is how I'd label the album. It's very adventurous in different directions, my personal favourite being Isn't Infinite, which partly echoes themes from the opening track, but this one's quite a psychedelic trip. The City made me think of Vampire Weekend, if they went more prog. This is clearly something I'm planning to return to, so thanks again.

Thanks. Yeah, I think progressive makes sense. And the Vampire Weekend comparison also makes sense, considering both bands draw from African rhythms. Skeletons just tend to take it further.

Re: Shit My Cats Hear While They're Trying To Sleep

Grzywa — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 04:02:23 GMT

Author: Grzywa

Posted: 04/21/2016 08:02

meccalecca wrote:

One of New York's finest, Skeletons don't play by any rules. If they're an indie rock band, it's a very very loose use of the term. From African polyrhythms to free jazz, they're extremely unconventional in their approach.

Re: Shit My Cats Hear While They're Trying To Sleep

meccalecca — Tue, 19 Apr 2016 10:54:01 GMT

Author: meccalecca

Posted: 04/19/2016 14:54

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Am I Home? by Skeletons

One of New York's finest, Skeletons don't play by any rules. If they're an indie rock band, it's a very very loose use of the term. From African polyrhythms to free jazz, they're extremely unconventional in their approach.

Re: Shit My Cats Hear While They're Trying To Sleep

meccalecca — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 12:50:31 GMT

Author: meccalecca

Posted: 04/13/2016 16:50

I finally set up my first show in Santa Fe on Sunday night. Posted a recap and photos on my website:
http://meccalecca.com/?p=26675

Here's all the words...

Will anyone show up? If they do, will they think the musicians I love are shit? Will they stick around all night? Will the performers be happy with the night? Seven and a half years later, and the anxiety created by these questions has never subsided. The day of a show is one long stressful waiting game. Arriving at the venue before a show, it feels like a huge empty wasteland that will more than likely remain that way all night. I can’t even imagine what it’s like to be the one performing every night in a strange and often unfamiliar cities.

Sunday night at Zephyr, I once again let the butterflies infect my stomach, offering Santa Fe a night of singer-songwriters. When it comes to singer-songwriters, there tends to be a bit of a general prejudice—likely a result of years of completely mediocre songwriters in coffee shops and open mics retracing the same old chord structures with lyrics that just barely skew the lines of plagiarism.

With the minimal setup of a guitar and a voice, for a singer-songwriter to stand out, they usually need to be able to tell a story worth hearing, and do it in a convincing way. It’s easier said than done. For Star Anna, opening the night, it wasn’t always so much the knocked down-dragged out lyrics that defined her performance. It was her richly genuine and emotive voice that dragged us listeners into the depth of her personal struggles. Even her cover of “Dancing in the Dark” hit with an emotional gut punch.

Following was Mishka Shubaly, who knows a thing or two about telling a story. A best selling author, Shubaly recently released a memoir I Swear I’ll Make It Up To You. The unlikeliest source of inspiration, Mishka’s transition from alcohol and drugs to being a successful writer and marathon runner has led to countless retellings. That said, Mishka’s songs are deeply depressing tales ripe with the darkest of humor. In a room with few familiar listeners, his set bordered on standup comedy, with punchlines often coming from his most personal low points. The biggest hit of the set was “Your Stupid Dreams”, in which Shubaly advises his baby nephew “This is your last chance to snatch failure / From the jaws of defeat”. While there’s a certain bitter irony in a recovering addict singing the types of songs about drinking you’d expect to hear a bunch of drunks slurring during last call, that’s not where the humor lies in Mishka’s songs. It’s all in the detailed depth in which his self-deprecating words plummet, as well as the gruff voice which emphasizes that he’s not bullshitting anyone.

The night ended with a set by local staple Greg Butera. Although Butera made no promises of sunshine and lollipops, following Shubaly’s words of misery, his classic country sounds did bring an undeniable warmth to the intimate crowd. Unconcerned with current trends, Butera’s direct songwriting and nimble playing showcases a very pure love and appreciation of country music. His performance of “Yellow Lines” in particular was the type that could convert just about any city slicker into a country boy.

Part of what made the night such a wonderful experience was the venue itself. Zephyr is small, intimate, and unpretentious, and that carries over to the people who attend shows there. The entire room had a friendly vibe. And when the artists played, the crowd was exceptionally quiet. It’s a stark contrast to all those nights I spent in dark clubs feeling like an outsider, shifting my feet just to make sure they hadn’t become permanently sealed to the sticky floors.

and a photo of Greg Butera:

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Re: Shit My Cats Hear While They're Trying To Sleep

meccalecca — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 12:36:03 GMT

Author: meccalecca

Posted: 04/13/2016 16:36

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Telluric by Matt Corby

3/5 Stars
An uneven record with some strong moments

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Grapefruit by Kiran Leonard

3.5/5 Stars
There's a hell of a lot of influences and ideas at play with Grapefruit. It'd be fair to complain that it's a bit stylistically inconsistent. At one point there will be a soaring Andrew Bird-esque pop song, and then he'll switch over to a more Shellac indebted math rock. It seems that the 20 year old doesn't quite know what direction to take so he's trying many. And for the most part it all works.

Re: Shit My Cats Hear While They're Trying To Sleep

meccalecca — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 18:56:43 GMT

Author: meccalecca

Posted: 04/12/2016 22:56

dividesbyzero wrote:

it's the omnipresence of this that sometimes makes me think that Satie was absolutely right indie rock

Yeah. I dunno though. I think it's more of a commercial rock thing, which occasionally crosses over to indie.

Re: Shit My Cats Hear While They're Trying To Sleep

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 18:16:32 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 04/12/2016 22:16

meccalecca wrote:

Why do so many bands do the whole "Woah Oh Oh" thing. It's totally obnoxious.

it's the omnipresence of this that sometimes makes me think that Satie was absolutely right indie rock

Re: Shit My Cats Hear While They're Trying To Sleep

meccalecca — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 18:00:24 GMT

Author: meccalecca

Posted: 04/12/2016 22:00

Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, Kim Myhr & Jenny Hval

Good first listen. Will be returning to again in the next few days

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City Sun Eater In The River Of Light by Woods

3/5 Stars
I think I'll forever remain on the fence with Woods. They always do just enough for me to like but not love them. City Sun Eater... is their most eclectic record sonically, but something seems to be lacking in the songwriting.

Tokyo Police Club - Melon Collie & The Infinite Radness
Ugh. There's occasionally a nice pop hook, but it's mostly rather irritating, especially the "woahs". Why do so many bands do the whole "Woah Oh Oh" thing. It's totally obnoxious.

Re: Shit My Cats Hear While They're Trying To Sleep

dihansse — Sun, 10 Apr 2016 14:03:28 GMT

Author: dihansse

Posted: 04/10/2016 18:03

meccalecca wrote:

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Human Performance by Parquet Courts

Pitchfork's review today might be one of the more hyperbolic i've ever read. It's totally enjoyable for sure. Just as their previous records were. But it's nothing revolutionary.

I like the record, but seriously, what is this shit:
"Human Performance captures the humor and horror of New York in 2016, alive with post-Cagean street noise, with a faster-louder Ramonic ideal, with the erratic rhythm of train delays, a bus that never shows up, or the "skull-shaking cadence of the J train rolls."

I totally agree: it's good but not really special

Re: Shit My Cats Hear While They're Trying To Sleep

meccalecca — Sun, 10 Apr 2016 13:38:28 GMT

Author: meccalecca

Posted: 04/10/2016 17:38

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Pussy's Dead by Autolux

I've been listening to this a lot lately. Was having a hard time figuring out who they sound like. It's somewhere between Deerhoof and Enon with bits of Can and MBV. The drumming is just totally insane throughout

Re: Shit My Cats Hear While They're Trying To Sleep

meccalecca — Fri, 8 Apr 2016 12:54:16 GMT

Author: meccalecca

Posted: 04/08/2016 16:54

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Re: Shit My Cats Hear While They're Trying To Sleep

meccalecca — Fri, 8 Apr 2016 11:33:26 GMT

Author: meccalecca

Posted: 04/08/2016 15:33

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Impuros Fanáticos by Fumaca Preta

I think Brun027 turned me onto Fumaca Preta a while back. They've got a new album out today and it's a pretty thrilling mix of psych and tropicalia.

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Junk by M83

When a press advance of Saturdays = Youth first crossed my desk in 2008, I remember my first impression being that it was nostalgic garbage, but something kept drawing me back and I ended up loving it. So, I'm not sure what to think of the pure cheese I'm hearing during my first listen of Junk.

Re: Shit My Cats Hear While They're Trying To Sleep

meccalecca — Thu, 7 Apr 2016 19:52:36 GMT

Author: meccalecca

Posted: 04/07/2016 23:52

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Sept. 5th by Dvsn

One of the more hyped albums of the year feels more like soulless than soulful. The production is void of feeling, contradicting any resonance in the vocals.

Re: Shit My Cats Hear While They're Trying To Sleep

meccalecca — Thu, 7 Apr 2016 13:54:02 GMT

Author: meccalecca

Posted: 04/07/2016 17:54

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Love, Herb & Reggae by Taj Weekes & Adowa

3.5/5 STARS

Nothing quite revolutionary here. Love, Herb & Reggae is as the name suggests a reggae record with a bit of a rock influence. The production may be a bit too clean but Weekes voice carries the songs towards good vibes.

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Next Thing by Frankie Cosmos

Wasn't all that impressed the first couple listens, but as the lyrics start seeping in, the hype is making more sense.