Uncommon music criticized by the common man. (Or, exercises in futility masquerading as critical thought.)

Tuesday, May 25, 2004

Rock In Opposition: In searching for "new" (as in, new to me, not necessarily newly released) music, I kept coming across RIO, or Rock In Opposition in the descriptions/reviews of bands I think I might like. So naturally, I decided to do a little digging to find out more, and came across the above link. It definitely sounds like something I would enjoy (Acid Mothers seem to fit into the RIO template, after all). If anybody stumbling across this blog has some good starting points (either albums from the bands mentioned in the above link, or other bands altogether), feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments.

Next up for more examination: Zeuhl and Italian Prog.

Thursday, May 20, 2004

Finally...bought some new music. Well, I've ordered some new music, from Wayside. My incoming trio of discs:

Larval Obedience (Cuneiform, 2003)
Gary Smith/Hugh Hopper/Shoji Hano Glass Cage (Paratactile, 2001)
Gary Smith/Nanjo Asahito/Shoji Hano (Chronoscope, 2000)

I'm really looking forward to hearing the two Gary Smith records. The reviews/descriptions I've read make them sound like something I could be playing non-stop. Maybe not on the order of High Rise (in which Hano and Asahito also play), as I'm not sure how Gary Smith stacks up with Munehiro Narita, but it sounds like it could be appropriately mind-flaying.

Two things: Fictional Jazz Musicians (A Working Checklist) (from Bagatellen)

And this: Hassle the Hoff. I think I'll get this. Could be right up there with the recent novelty classic, William Hung's Inspiration, an album I'd love to hear re-mixed by N.E.R.D. or RJD2.

(Btw, just read a review of the new RJD2. If the review is even half-true, color me extremely disappointed.)

Tuesday, May 11, 2004

As I stated over in my other blog, I've been feeling rather indifferent to blogging these days. I still hit the usual haunts, but personal blogging is falling by the wayside. This blog probably suffers the most, because I want it to be strictly about music (so far, so good), and I just haven't bought much music lately. Yes, the original intent was to write about stuff I already have, but you've seen haw often that happens. Consequently, any motivation to blog about music is coming from new(ish) releases. Sadly, I've only bought 2 discs in the last month or so. (For the record, those albums are Chops Virtuosity and Ludacris Chicken N Beer. Both are good albums and I recommend them, though, really, do I need to be recommending the Ludacris album at this point?) But, I am trying to keep up with new releases. Some 2004 releases that I've got on the radar (in addition to the previously mentioned Acid Mothers disc on Alien8) are:

Ghost Hypnotic Underworld (Drag City)
Ahvak Ahvak (Cuneiform)
Shalabi Effect Pink Abyss (Alien8)
Gong Acid Motherhood (Mister E)
Madvillain Madvillainy (Stones Throw)
Fennesz Venice (Touch)
Coachwhips Bangers vs. Fuckers (Narnack)
Bardo Pond/Tom Carter 4/23/2003 (Three Lobed)
Amp Fiddler Waltz of a Ghetto Fly (Pias America)
Minus Story Captain is Dead, Let the Drum Corpse Dance (Jagjaguwar)

Maybe I'll pick up a handful of these and write about them. Or not. Feh. (See? Vive l'indifference!) I would have listed some metal, but I'm not even sure of a good/credible source to research these kinds of things. I suppose I could just scour the labels, but Jesus tap-dancing Christ, that would take way too long.

Oh, one other thing: caught Clutch at the 9:30 Club on Saturday night. Do catch them on tour if they come to your town. I've only ever seen them twice, but they kicked ass both times. I still don't own anything by them except for a live show from the 9:30 that my boy JW burned for me. Big news, indeed.