Modern Rock - what do you like???

[Joe]

Any love here for another "lost" SST band, Slovenly?

[J Larsen]

Slovenly was a pretty awesome band. I never really gave The Lazy Cowrgirls or the Divine Horsemen much of a chance back then - I wasn't quite so "sophisticated" in my taste as an early teen and was a little put off by the divirse influences. If I ever see one of their records at a friend's house I'll throw it on.

It's been YEARS since I heard this group, so don't take this as a current endorsement, but back in the day the lesser-known SST band that I was really into was Bl'Ast.

[Joe]

Clem -- nope, born and bred in Dallas, TX. So my "indie / underground / alternative / callitwachawanna" "rock" reference points were bands like Scratch Acid, Butthole Surfers, early Flaming Lips (the one cool thing we would concede to OK), The Mike Gunn (Houston) and a whole raft of DFW groups like Loco Gringos, Shallow Reign, Mildred, Bedhead, Hash Palace, Lithium Xmas, The Buck Pets and any number of other going concerns that have faded from my civic memory.

Anyway, Slovenly... they, along with Saccharine Trust (and gittarist Joe Baiza's later Universal Congress Of), remain for me among the most consistently interesting members of the classic SST roster. Maybe its that both bands were open to studio experimentation and could truly improvise (i.e., improvise in a non-jamming / noodle rock fashion). But I think it has a lot to do with each band's lyricists -- Anderson and Plowman for Slovenly; Brewer for the Trust -- the likes of which you don't encounter much anymore. (OK, OK, sometimes they just spout poetry that should have stayed shut inside their journals.) Uniquely declamatory; not quite hardcore bellowing, yet not quite "singing" either.

We became snakes, indeed.

Edited May 7, 2007 by Joe

[J Larsen]

TX had some cool bands in that time frame. I was really into the Big Boys and the Dicks.

[Joe]

OMG... Izzat John Criswell in talking head mode?!?!?!

I grew up off Lower Greenville (across the street from Robert E. Lee Elementary School). Spent quite a few ducats at VVV on Reagan-era Saturday mornings. Damn, that takes me back.

And yeah the TX Instruments were another favorite.

Edited May 7, 2007 by Joe

[Guy Berger]

& Sonic Youth are doing the artistically very credible thing of playing Ddaydream Nation en toto--

I've always thought it was hilarious how critics who'd slag prog rock as pretentious/bloated/self-indulgent/whatever would turn around and slobber all over Sonic Youth.

Guy (Daydream Nation fan)

[Dave Garrett]

right on bro' Texas-ex & hey-- somebody call Tejas-- do you remember or have you see this--

Bobby Soxx/Stickmen With Rayguns

I saw them play in Houston in 81 or 82, but I have to admit I never thought of checking YouTube for any footage of them. Clarke Blacker has a website covering all things Stick Men:

Stick Men with Rayguns

[notreally]

Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and some of their label-mates (Do Make Say Think especially).

[Brandon Burke]

album of the year: 2007

That's actually kind of cool. I can only imagine what People Pitch sounds like in China. Lots of dance influence throughout as well. That whole scene certainly keeps it interesting. Let me know what you think when you get it! I wonder what Brandon Burke thinks of this one. I know he was into Animal Collective.

[sal]

I'm digging The Pony's new record "Turn Out the Lights," The Broken West "I Can't Go On, I'll Go On," the Sonic Youth comp of B-sides and unreleased tracks "The Destroyed Room," Robert Pollard's new ep "Silverfish Trivia," and last years self-titled Broken Social Scene record. I'm really looking forward to hearing the new Dinosaur Jr. record and The National "Boxer."

What's the story on a new Dinosaur Jr.? I had no idea. This is going to be a good year for new releases, for me anyway.

Looking forward to hearing The National. I heard David Dye playing them the other week.

"Boxer", the new release by The National, is one of the best new releases of this year. I can't stop playing it.

I'm also really digging Wilco's new one "Sky Blue Sky". It seems to be dividing Wilco fans down the middle, but to me its a welcome change, although I loved their previous two more experimental releases. The album has a nice vibe reminisant of Neil Young's "Harvest" with some strong songwriting and very nice jamming.

[.:.impossible]

I got "Boxer" and I guess I haven't been in the right mood for it yet. Sky Blue Sky is nice. Did you get a DVD with your copy? I think that is a nice touch, to see the band playing the material live in their practice space. No airs about it.

Listen guys, I've already cleared this with our gracious host Jim Alfredson... in a few days, I am going to be pre-selling the new full-length album NATIONAL FLAGS by ILAD here at organissimo.org. The discs will be on sale for $12 each, and $2 from each sale will be given to the organissimo.org donations fund.

A great way to check out a new release and benefit the board. The way I see it, as musical taste is so subjective, you certainly know someone who will like this disc, even if it isn't you.

More to come... just a heads up and thanks.

[J Larsen]

Can't deal w/ The National.

I saw Animal Collective on Friday night. They had some good new songs (almost the entire set was new material), but they are definitely going in a more pop direction. They played none of the spaced-out jams that their shows are famous for, all the songs were very stuctured with repeating choruses, etc, and there was extensive use of techno beats. It still managed to be pretty good, though. I think they are about as good of a truly "modern" band as is out there (as opposed to "modern classic" bands, which have come up repeatedly on this thread).

[md655321]

The National is still EASILY my fave of the year so far.

Been listening to alot of Built to Spill lately. I really enjoyed You in Reverse, although I know it wasnt widely accepted by the fans.

[J Larsen]

I thought there was a great EP embedded within Ancient Melodies, but the last one was a real bummer for me. I have high hopes for the upcoming record though - hopefully the ecoterrorism song they were playing on the last tour isn't emblematic of their new direction.

I just don't hear anything in The National beyond mainstream corporate alternarock - which is to say I just don't get it. Not for me.

Edited June 6, 2007 by J Larsen

[.:.impossible]

One album that I did 'get' at the same time I bought Boxer is the new Dr. Dog album, along with Ariel Pink's House Arrest. Both of them have been playing quite a bit the past couple of months. Good summer music. Obviously, the Dr. Dog is slightly easier on the ears, but...

[sal]

Picked up the new release by Spoon titled "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga". Very nice recording! I actually like it better than "Gimmie Fiction", which is the only other Spoon recording I've heard.

What's cool about the new release is that it contains a bonus CD that is a 20 something minute mini album of songs between 1:30 - 2 minutes long. Its actually really cool to listen to, and was a nice surprise.

[md655321]

The new actual album is only 36 minutes long. Its great. Pick up Girls Can Tell and Kill the Moonlight as well. Spoon is remarkably consistent in quality and tone without ever sounding too repetitive. So far atleast.

[Rooster_Ties]

Whadda you recommend by Cake?

Their first one, Fashion Nugget is an absolute must.

And if that one floats your boat, work your way through their catalog chronologically. Their first three releases are all classics in my book.

[Guest donald petersen]

http://www.myspace.com/soiledmattressandthesprings

they were good when i saw them if i felt like listening to something new maybe i would check out more. but i don't.

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea...iendid=48466331

and these guys also blew me away but were maybe ironic. g_d they put on a good show.

[Eric]

I thought there was a great EP embedded within Ancient Melodies, but the last one was a real bummer for me. I have high hopes for the upcoming record though - hopefully the ecoterrorism song they were playing on the last tour isn't emblematic of their new direction.

I just don't hear anything in The National beyond mainstream corporate alternarock - which is to say I just don't get it. Not for me.

I have not heard the latest National album, but I have Alligator and enjoy it very much. Check out the tune Abel - I love it.

Edited July 12, 2007 by Eric

[Eric]

The new actual album is only 36 minutes long. Its great. Pick up Girls Can Tell and Kill the Moonlight as well. Spoon is remarkably consistent in quality and tone without ever sounding too repetitive. So far atleast.

Just got it, have not spun it yet. Spoon and The National are two of my favorite bands. Second your recommendation for Girls and Moonlight. Sister Jack from Fiction is one of my all-time favorite songs. Among other things, the guitar solo - if you can call it that - is very cool.

Edited July 12, 2007 by Eric

[md655321]

If you like Alligator you will love Boxer. They are both very much in the same vein.

The National sound like 'mainstream corporate alternarock' about as much as Albert Ayler sounds like Liberace. There is soooooo much more depth and beauty in their music than anything that has been on the radio in the past couple decades.

[RDK]

I am really, really digging The 88.

[Shawn]

I know I've mentioned these guys before...but there's a new album, so...

Good stuff, hard to define...that's why I like it.

[ghost of miles]

Last song of the last Sleater-Kinney show--Crystal Ballroom, 2006: