My Collection

I have now added a widget that links to my collection at discogs.com. I'm still in the process of adding all my records to the list.

Attention! Spokane fans of Avenged Sevenfold, Papa Roach, and Buckcherry

Don't Worry

Review: Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion

2009 just got here, and the biggest record of the year may have already arrived. Merriweather Post Pavilion is the latest outing from Baltimore wierdos Animal Collective. It's already getting rave reviews from the major outlets. The album doesn't officially come out until January 20th. The vinyl version was made available last week. Is it all hype? If you want to decide for yourself, you can stream the entire album online now.

The album opens with the lush "In the Flowers" which gives way to "My Girls". "My Girls" is a sparse electronic piece that draws you in with its vocal harmonies and pounding drum beats. It's my favorite song off the album. "Summertime Clothes" is a rollicking, bouncy summertime song as the title suggests. "Guys Eyes" is a big song in every sense of the word. The album closer is the first song to be released from the album. "Brother Sport" is an even bigger song and a great way to close the album. Are there bad songs on the album? Not really. There are songs that don't grab me like the others, but I could grow to love them just as much as the others. "Daily Routine" and "No More Runnin" just didn't grab me.

The one thing I've found to be true of all the Animal Collective albums I've heard, is that it takes more than one listen. The songs can seem simple, but on the fiftieth listen you may hear something you never heard before. Even after that, you either love them or hate them and couple more listens can change that. Is this album really as good as everyone seems to think it is? Maybe, but I probably won't know until 6 months from now when it clicks together. I could write a review then and give a completely different score.

Highs: "My Girls", "Summertime Clothes", "Guys Eyes"
Lows: "Daily Routine", "No More Runnin"

Rating: 8.0

New Decemberists' Song!

The first song from Hazards of Love is out. I have to say I really like the song. "The Rake's Song" is much heavier than the normal Decemberists fare. If this the direction their rock opera is going, I can see why their single series didn't quite fit in. Click here to get the MP3 from Decemberists.com. The album is out 3/24.

Neko Case's Song for Charity

Neko Case is making available the first song off her upcoming album Middle Cyclone (due in March). Her label, Anti-, will donate money to Best Friends Animal Society for every blog who posts it, so here you go. Sweet album cover and the song's alright too.

Neko Case - "People Got a Lotta Nerve"

Vinyl Spotlight: The Muslims - The Muslims

The Muslims - The Muslims

This San Diego garage band put out two singles and this album before changing their name for obvious reasons. This is a 7 song 45 RPM album that includes a CD of the album plus 3 bonus songs. The inserts are supposedly hand-typed and the jacket was shot by an actual New York City police officer. As far as I know, this album is no longer available.

Scion Rock Fest

It's hard to find good metal festivals. Usually you have to put up with a fair amount of sub-par bands. The Scion Rock Fest on Feb. 28th is the exception. Too bad it is in Atlanta. 2 of the 4 bands from my best metal albums of 2008 will be there.


Full band list (my picks in bold):

Mastodon, Neurosis, High on Fire, Converge, Boris, 1349, Cryptopsy, Torche, Nachtmystium, Wolves in the Throne Room, Baroness, Harvey Milk, Kylesa, Zordaster, Withered, Krallice, Toxic Holocaust, Skeletonwitch, Rwake, A Storm of Light, Warbringer, Salome, Suidakra, Tyr, Alestorm, Eyehategod, SuidAkrA, Septic Flesh, Soilent Green, Trash Talk, U.S. Christmas, Apocalyptic Visions

If only Gojira and The Sword were going to be there. Speaking of Gojira, here is their new video for the song "All the Tears" from The Way of All Flesh. It's not my favorite song off the album, but it has a pretty trippy video.

All The Tears




EDIT: 4/16 Added final lineup

Thermals' Album Cover

Last year, the Thermals began working on their new album and signed with Kill Rock Stars to release it. Now, they have the cover art for their new album

Happy Birthday David Bowie

Thanks to KEXP

Blitzen Trapper - "Furr" (Official Video)

Blitzen Trapper have an official video for the song "Furr" from my favorite album of the year.



Thanks to Muzzle of Bees.

RIP Ron Asheton

Guitarist Ron Asheton was found dead today in his Ann Arbor, Michigan home. Ron and his brother were founding members of The Stooges. He was 60.

Here is a video of Ron performing with The Stooges just last year.



After their first two records, the stooges took a hiatus. Frontman Iggy Pop got a record deal and told the rest of the band that he was going off to England to make a record with David Bowie. Iggy eventually hired the brothers back into their own band when no suitable replacements were found, but this time Ron had to play bass. He was just excited to be apart of it. Ron avoided most of the drug problems that plagued his bandmates and went on to play in bands such as The New Order and Destroy All Monsters. In his own words, Ron discusses his life-changing experience of seeing The Who in England:

"I was afraid. For me it wasn't fun, but it was mesmerizing. It was like, 'the plane's burning, the ship's sinking, so let's crush each other.' Never had I seen people driven so nuts - that music could drive people to such dangerous extremes. That's when I realized, this is definitely what I wanna do."

-Please Kill Me, Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain, 41-42

2008's Best Music (Metal Edition)

Since I discovered most of these albums through other year end lists, this is a little late. These are the metal albums I enjoyed that were released in 2008. It's harder to find good metal albums, and I'm sure I missed a few this year.

1) The Sword - Gods of the Earth (Stream)
2) Nachtmystium - Assassins: Black Meddle Pt. 1 (Stream)
3) Torche - Meanderthal ("Healer" MP3)
4) Gojira - The Way of All Flesh