Table of Contents:9/15, 9/16, 9/17, 9/18, 9/19, 9/20, 9/21 Monday, September 15th
On time. I am on time, though effectively I could have started this earlier but it would have probably been a general placeholder for when I could gather my thoughts. Today, I’ll be mostly working on some tiny stuff that won’t allow me be distracted by bandits, dragons, or deranged elves. So let’s get started with the record I'm listening to right now and the record I listened to before I went to bed:
"The New Pornographers are back with their strongest record in years and man am I big fan of well… everything going on in this record—the harmonies, pop hooks, production, simple but driving instrumentation, and the fact that this record has grabbed my attention song-after-song and listen-after-listen. As it has been nine years since Twin Cinema gave us an engaging record from the indie supergroup and Brill Bruisers is ecstatically good. No, scratch that, it’s great. Call me a bit of a Neko Case fanboy but she’s not the leading tour de force here and she never has been in the New Pornographers. I don’t know what possessed A.C. Newman but he’s finally wrote great songs again and in time this might be even better than Mass Romantic."
As the above collection of thought can tell you, I've been particularly fond of this record since it came out and I have been listening to it a lot. I'm just an addict for good harmonies, melodies, and just great pop music that doesn't forget what it really is about. I mean I love art pop and those sort of artists, but it's nice to see musicians who are a bit more direct and able to do it with passion as well as care. That's what Brill Bruisers feels like for me.
I think that’s the best thing I can say about it or really any of Death From Above 1979’s output. It’s weird because I like noise rock and I like dance-punk so this is a band that should be generally up my alley but sadly that really isn’t the case as I feel more annoyed then entertained. This is a feeling I’ve had for years though I am surprised my opinions haven’t changed really at all regarding the band or their music when my feelings on other bands I disliked four years ago has changed to more favorable forms this year (The Shins, for example, is a band I couldn’t stand outside of their pre-Shins debut and now I enjoy their work).
But yeah, it’s kind of what I thought it’d be and like I said I didn’t like it at all.
My first Modest Mouse record and my third(?) favorite of everything they’ve done. I mean most people know my opinion on Modest Mouse as a whole so I don’t have a lot of need to say much here. “Float On” is my ringtone. Seriously, Modest Mouse is one of my favorite bands and they consistently prove to me that they deserve it as I don’t think I’ve even disliked one single song they’ve ever recorded. Good News shows a lot more restraint for Isaac Brock’s instrumental songwriting and the mood is pretty much the center of the record, lyrically still strong, and produced very well. Brock’s vocal delivery is still frantic as all hell, but the man has a good ear for pop hooks without sacrificing his personal style as well.
Tennis consistently continues to make enjoyable music that in the end I really don’t fall in love with. At this point in their career they aren’t anything like Best Coast or other bands they were initially compared to. Lyrically it can pretty sub-standard at times even compared to Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino at her worst (for me I enjoy Cosentino’s voice a lot more than Alaina Moore’s own voice, and I also prefer the lyrical songwriting bits too) but that’s not to say I didn’t enjoy my second or third spin of this record. There’s some decent hits such as "Never Work for Free" but also some embarrassing flashes with songs like "Bad Girls". But yeah, less lush environments and more straight indie pop.
I didn’t think much of this on first listen, but on second listen I can really hear the spirited sort of modern soul revival going on in-between occasional flashes of rhythm and blues. My problem at times is I feel it’s all a bit too generic in the sense that this is nothing new, there is nothing added to add flavor, just direct smooth-ish soul songwriting that is enjoyable but not good enough to acclaim much of it for. Being from Peru, I expected Cristina to add aspects from her place of origin but nothing. Just seems like another modern soul release from England or the United States which is understandable but a bit disappointing. Despite my complaints I do like it well enough, but I’m not sure if it’ll grow too much from here.
My first Replacements record, and one of my favorites. It’s not as tight instrumentally and it’s a bit calmed down in comparison to Tim and Let It Be, but it’s a lot more concise then Hootenanny and Sorry Ma Forgot to Take Out the Trash which makes sense. I think my love for this record isn’t just because it was my introduction to the Replacements but also it has some powerful pop hooks and some pretty cool moments. It also happens to be the last ‘mats record you should really give a crap about. It’s in the alternative canon and was acclaimed and all that, but again that’s not why I like it. I like it because I like the songs and sensibilities of those songs. “Alex Chilton” is one of my favorite alternative rock songs for good reason, of course.
Yeah, I’ve never listened to Daniel Johnston before even if I meant to. This one was a bit mixed bag for me with it starting pretty song as I was reminded as a lot of stuff from the late eighties and early nineties. I liked some of the more jangley indie rock bits (Foxy Girl, Psycho Nightmare, Rock ‘n’ Roll/EGA, Love Wheel, etc.) – I am definitely curious to explore Johnston more in the near future so at least I have the ground made and started.
All this talk of Neko Case (see below) has got me in a mood so it’s time to relisten to Middle Cyclone. When this record first came out it cemented Neko Case as one of my favorite songwriters and storytellers. Plus just look at that album cover, it’s brilliant. There’s a lot of good pop sensibilities as she sacrifices some of the previous 'twang' from her former records in favor of polishing up her sound. The production is almost chambery at times as Neko Case makes a good case for Princess of Alt-Country, if not Queen.
"The New Pornographers are back with their strongest record in years and man am I big fan of well… everything going on in this record—the harmonies, pop hooks, production, simple but driving instrumentation, and the fact that this record has grabbed my attention song-after-song and listen-after-listen. As it has been nine years since Twin Cinema gave us an engaging record from the indie supergroup and Brill Bruisers is ecstatically good. No, scratch that, it’s great. Call me a bit of a Neko Case fanboy but she’s not the leading tour de force here and she never has been in the New Pornographers. I don’t know what possessed A.C. Newman but he’s finally wrote great songs again and in time this might be even better than Mass Romantic."
As the above collection of thought can tell you, I've been particularly fond of this record since it came out and I have been listening to it a lot. I'm just an addict for good harmonies, melodies, and just great pop music that doesn't forget what it really is about. I mean I love art pop and those sort of artists, but it's nice to see musicians who are a bit more direct and able to do it with passion as well as care. That's what Brill Bruisers feels like for me.
Great review of the New Pornographers!
Awesome! I'm a HUGE fan of their first three albums and love AC Newman's two Zumpano's albums as well. I'm actually a far bigger fan of AC than Neko Case. I think he's a pop genius. Great to hear that A.C.'s re-energized, I'll throw in into my queue.
As a huge Replacements fan, I was never really blown away by Pleased to Meet Me like I was with the three that preceded it so I'm looking forward to your take.
Your review finally made me learn the difference between harmony and melody, btw. I really have no business talking about music at all. Anyways, found this great youtube video that breaks the two down quite simply (it even contains an X-Y graph!) just in case anyone is as clueless as me...
I'm actually a far bigger fan of AC than Neko Case.
Fix this, fix this now! I mean my fanboyism of Neko Case can get pretty crazy but it’s well-deserved. The woman is probably my favorite country singer-songwriter who debuted after the eighties (Jenny Lewis would come close if she could be consistent, but Lydia Loveless looks to be beat her out). Not a single dud in her career if you ask me (well there are the weak New Pornographers records, but let’s forget about those).
RepoMan wrote:
I think he's a pop genius. Great to hear that A.C.'s re-energized, I'll throw in into my queue.
Yeah, it's great. Makes me wish for Robert Schneider (of Apples in Stereo) to get his music-making together and make some great indie pop music again. There were three bands really a part of my indie pop formative years (Apples in Stereo, New Pornographers, and Ted Leo & the Pharmacists) and they all played pretty direct and energetic pop music. Glad to see New Pornographers like this again.
Fix this, fix this now! I mean my fanboyism of Neko Case can get pretty crazy but it’s well-deserved. The woman is probably my favorite country singer-songwriter who debuted after the eighties (Jenny Lewis would come close if she could be consistent, but Lydia Loveless looks to be beat her out). Not a single dud in her career if you ask me (well there are the weak New Pornographers records, but let’s forget about those).
Yeah, I LOVE Apples in Stereo for the same reason. Pop perfection. Never could get into Ted Leo for some reason.
Ok, I love Jenny Lewis especially her Rilo Kiley stuff, but I've yet to be won over by Neko Case. So hook me up, fanboy! Where should I start to rediscover her and correct the error of my ways?
Yeah, I’ve never listened to Daniel Johnston before even if I meant to. This one was a bit mixed bag for me with it starting pretty song as I was reminded as a lot of stuff from the late eighties and early nineties. I liked some of the more jangley indie rock bits (Foxy Girl, Psycho Nightmare, Rock ‘n’ Roll/EGA, Love Wheel, etc.) – I am definitely curious to explore Johnston more in the near future so at least I have the ground made and started.
I really don't think that Fun, albeit a great album, is a good place to start with Johnston. I think his appeal lies in his brutally honest and lo-fi, yet completely beautiful songwriting style. I feel like some of that is ruined in Fun with all of the backing instrumentals. He's much better when it's just him and his chord organ and/or guitar. If you want to venture further, I think you should listen to Hi How Are You, Yip/Jump Music, or 1990 next. All three do a really great job at showcasing his lyrical ability as well as his pop songwriting ability. Happy listening Gowi! Log has been great so far.
Yeah, I LOVE Apples in Stereo for the same reason. Pop perfection. Never could get into Ted Leo for some reason.
Ok, I love Jenny Lewis especially her Rilo Kiley stuff, but I've yet to be won over by Neko Case. So hook me up, fanboy! Where should I start to rediscover her and correct the error of my ways?
Listen to her discography.
But honestly, but my favorites are maybe in this order:
Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Blacklisted
Middle Cyclone
The Tigers Have Spoken*
The Worst Things Get…
Furnance Room Lullaby
The Virginian
I really don't think that Fun, albeit a great album, is a good place to start with Johnston. I think his appeal lies in his brutally honest and lo-fi, yet completely beautiful songwriting style. I feel like some of that is ruined in Fun with all of the backing instrumentals. He's much better when it's just him and his chord organ and/or guitar. If you want to venture further, I think you should listen toHi How Are You, or 1990next. All three do a really great job at showcasing his lyrical ability as well as his pop songwriting ability. Happy listening Gowi! Log has been great so far.
Yeah, both of those are in my wishlist so they are pretty much queued up for my next Johnston experiences. Looking forward to it.
I've also been digging Brill Bruisers. My favorite New Pornographers songs always happen to be the ones Dan sings on, which is a lot of bias, but Newman is for sure the driving creative force behind that project and he stepped up this time. Also can't sleep on I.O.U., Skyway, and especially Can't Hardly Wait on Pleased, I think all those would be around the same range for me in terms of quality, although nothing on the album beats the Tim demo of Can't Hardly Wait.
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Great review of the New Pornographers!
Anyways, found this great youtube video that breaks the two down quite simply (it even contains an X-Y graph!) just in case anyone is as clueless as me...
