OT: New Music?

[Brando70]

BTW, a huge Clash set was released today. Would be great to have, but $200 is pretty steep for the collection.

So tempting with the boom box packaging. I just don't know if I can drop that kind of money when I have all the studio albums and the live album already.

I broke down and ordered the $40 mini-box with all the albums. Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be a plan to release all the non-album singles except on the big box, so no remastered "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais", "Complete Control", "Armagideon Time", etc. for me.

It's a shame, because the remastering truly is one of the best I've heard. But unless I win the lottery the boom box ain't happening.

EZ, thanks for the tip, I didn't know they released a mini version. For $40 I think that's a pretty good deal. Is the sound quality that much better?

[EZSnappin]

I broke down and ordered the $40 mini-box with all the albums. Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be a plan to release all the non-album singles except on the big box, so no remastered "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais", "Complete Control", "Armagideon Time", etc. for me.

It's a shame, because the remastering truly is one of the best I've heard. But unless I win the lottery the boom box ain't happening.

EZ, thanks for the tip, I didn't know they released a mini version. For $40 I think that's a pretty good deal. Is the sound quality that much better?

I think it's a huge improvement over the 90s remasters. Heck, it's worth it just for the correct chiming elevator door at the beginning of "Koka Kola"! But seriously, I think the instruments are better defined and there is a sense of space in the mix. I would say the early stuff benefits the most, as the guitars really punch through and the kick drum on something like "White Riot" is chest thumping.

[pk500]

I appreciate the chance MGMT took with the new direction of its latest album. But will I lose all indie and hipster cred by saying the record isn't very good?

[dbdynsty25]

I appreciate the chance MGMT took with the new direction of its latest album. But will I lose all indie and hipster cred by saying the record isn't very good?

Pretty sure you lost the hipster cred when you posted the same status in three different social media outlets/websites. Isn't that as mainstream as one can get? Never heard of MGMT...guess I'm not hipster. But you all knew that anyway.

[pk500]

I appreciate the chance MGMT took with the new direction of its latest album. But will I lose all indie and hipster cred by saying the record isn't very good?

Pretty sure you lost the hipster cred when you posted the same status in three different social media outlets/websites. Isn't that as mainstream as one can get? Never heard of MGMT...guess I'm not hipster. But you all knew that anyway.

You're definitely not hip if you're following me at three places on the Internet. Wise up, man.

[greggsand]

I appreciate the chance MGMT took with the new direction of its latest album. But will I lose all indie and hipster cred by saying the record isn't very good?

I think you're ok. Not sure MGMT's attempts at career sabotage conjure much passion with the indie crowd these days. It's definitely fascinating to watch, but makes for a pretty boring listen. I've yet to see any anyone really defend this album (grantland was the closest). Anyway, I admire their "F*** it" attitude (and leaving all the $$$ on the table for not writing another "kids"), but it doesn't make the album any better.

Now the new Hiam album?? Can't wait (guilty pleasure alert)!!

[F308GTB]

Holy 90s flashback!

Mazzy Star has a new album, the first in 17 years. Sounds just like the old stuff.

[Spooky]

I haven't given it a very thorough listen, but I am enjoying the new MGMT album. Reminds me of old Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett.

[RobVarak]

The new Okkervil River is a blast. Enormous melodies.

[pk500]

I haven't given it a very thorough listen, but I am enjoying the new MGMT album. Reminds me of old Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett.

Beg to differ. I think it's a mess of an attempt to sound like Syd Barrett and Floyd. Sounds to me like the band entered the studio with a desire to sound "different" but without any clue how to get there.

[XXXIV]

[Brando70]

I love CHVRCHES debut album. I had a couple of the singles they already released, but this thing has a half dozen killer songs and the rest are all strong to quite strong, even when they let one of the dudes sing on a couple. Immediately catchy and extremely well produced in this day of MP3 sound squishing. Glaswegian indie pop won't be everybody's cup of tea, but this is one of those synth pop albums that is a worthy update on the 80s sound it draws from, rather than just a lazy imitation.

[pk500]

I love CHVRCHES debut album. I had a couple of the singles they already released, but this thing has a half dozen killer songs and the rest are all strong to quite strong, even when they let one of the dudes sing on a couple. Immediately catchy and extremely well produced in this day of MP3 sound squishing. Glaswegian indie pop won't be everybody's cup of tea, but this is one of those synth pop albums that is a worthy update on the 80s sound it draws from, rather than just a lazy imitation.

Listened to this album for the first time last night. Since Brando NAILED the quality of this record above, I'll simply tip my cap to his literary and analytical skills and co-sign.

[Brando70]

Thanks, PK! It's nice to see a band deserve the online hype it's received.

[Brando70]

I watch a lot of the Onion AV Club Undercover videos, usually leaving disappointed when some indie doofuses twee the s*** out of a classic song. That doesn't happen when GWAR covers Billy Ocean:

http://www.avclub.com/articles/gwar-cov ... ean,93870/

The verses are a little sloppy but the chorus completely rocks. Plus they throw in a great surprise at the 4:00 mark.

[F308GTB]

Some recent quality releases:

Chris Thille - Bach: Sonatas and Partitas, Vol 1 - The mastery of Chris Thille of Nickel Creek and Punch Brothers fame shines through. He's a hell of a musician

Deer Tick - Negativity - really enjoying this release from the alt country group

Black Joe Lewis - Electric Slave - Austin musician with a strong backing back that really takes you back to 60s/70s era rock, R&B, and soul. The guy must have some James Brown DNA in him. Some of the tracks have a heavier Lenny Kravitz style, others with a Cramps style, but all with the R&B undertone.

[pk500]

If you're even the slightest bit into electronic/ambient music, check out these four fantastic new releases:

"Drone Logic" - Daniel Avery
"Interiors" - Glasser
"Psychic" - DARKSIDE
"R Plus Seven" - Oneohtrix Point Never

This is not EDM. It's electronic. Think more Brian Eno or Boards of Canada than Avicii or Swedish House Mafia. Really, really cool sh*t if you approach it with an open mind or if you dig this kind of music, which I do.

[dbdynsty25]

I haven't been a huge fan of the last few Eminem releases, but I gotta admit, the new one "The Marshall Mathers LP2"...is awesome. Just supremely creative and different. Never thought I'd be back on the Eminem bandwagon, but I am hopping back on.

[Spooky]

I haven't been a huge fan of the last few Eminem releases, but I gotta admit, the new one "The Marshall Mathers LP2"...is awesome. Just supremely creative and different. Never thought I'd be back on the Eminem bandwagon, but I am hopping back on.

Thanks for the heads up. I am digging this one too. Would have completely blown it off if you hadn't posted this.

[greggsand]

New (Old) Beachwood Sparks out this week: Desert Skies. Awesome. It's a collection of early recordings when they sounded more Big Star than Gram Parsons. A+.

[EZSnappin]

I wrote up my favorite records of 2013 at ye olde blog if anyone's interested. It's not all metal.

The Man With the Lightbulbhead

[rhymes450]

RIP JJ Cale, who left us earlier this year. Here's a link to a live version of "King City", which I don't think appears on any studio recording. The video quality is terrible and the sound is dodgy but the song is pretty great IMO.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQtbXl42zmo

[Inuyasha]

Not new, but music related - good read :

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/102 ... erly-rated

[pk500]

Not new, but music related - good read :

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/102 ... erly-rated

Could not disagree more with Hyden's assessment of "The Rising." I also think "Born in the USA" is a touch overrated, too. But he nailed the lack of respect for "Tunnel of Love." GREAT album.

[RobVarak]

I've thought Hyden was one of the best rock writers working for some time now and I was delighted when he joined Grantland. Enjoyed the entire piece immensely, particularly where we differed. (I believe that despite the conventional wisdom regarding Nebraska, it is his best work) Where we agreed (Tunnel of Love is easily his most underrated album and the Seeger Sessions has to be the most egregiously overlooked record by a major artist in the last 10 years), it's even better.

But this. This is some fantastic writing right here:

Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978) This was the first Springsteen record coproduced by his new manager and ex–rock critic Jon Landau, and it sounds like a record designed by a rock critic. The songs are shorter (rock critics hate jamminess), more cynical (rock critics hate sentimentality), and generally weighed down by undercurrents of depression and severe daddy issues (no comment). So, I guess I'm outing myself as a sucker for critic-bait when I say this is my favorite Springsteen album. It's his best "guitar solo" record (see "Adam Raised a Cain" or any live version of "Prove It All Night"). It's also the first, best example of Springsteen juxtaposing rousing rock music with miniaturist, miserablist, Middle American storytelling — which is to say, it kicks your ass and crushes your heart. PROPERLY RATED.

It's marvelous to read but not flashy. It's funny without being snarky, self-referential without being indulgent and evocative of the material he's writing about. Beautiful stuff.