Hold Up

Why can't I just keep my word and stay the fuck away from the blog?! I don't know, but to celebrate finally obtaining an un-crippled version of Ableton, I decided I just had to do what you all didn't know you've been waiting for, and drop an EXCLUSIVE REMIX. Don't let your pee pee get too tingly, it's just a slowed version of the best remix of Lloyd's "Lay It Down", released earlier this year. Lloyd (last name withheld to my knowledge) is my favorite R&B crooner of the past decade, and probably the only one that deserves the distinction of being the 'R. Kelly of his generation'. This remix actually features said legend, along with Young Jeezy, produced by Polow Da Don (my favorite producer of the past decade). The 'screwed' treatment so in vogue with mcwhitey hipsters lately improves this song a lot, cause the original is pitched uncomfortably high, I guess to keep the wonderful Patti LaBelle sample in the right key. Modern R&B doesn't get any better than this.

Somethin' to bump in your trunk + bedroom this summer!

Lloyd - Lay It Down (Communion of the G's Mix)

"And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction..."

not F. Scott Fitzgerald

Real life keeps on beckoning me to join its unhappy ranks, and although I've tried valiantly to resist, I must now oblige it for a few weeks; which means, for you, dear reader(s), I will be away from the blogue. Yes, Me & Drew, we may write like children, but we are in fact old ass men with shit to do. But nary a despairing word slips from my fingers - it's summer time, after all - we old men still have got the life left in us, and The Myth will surely entertain you with wholly inaccurate reviews of recent albums (that new Bon Iver was kinda alright, dude) while I'm gone.

And now, in honor of their recent documentary 'streaming event' (you missed it), with a few uplifting stanzas for summer, a group that knows a thing or two about real life and the aging process - The Traveling Wilburys.

Watch This

Classic Albums - Screamadelica (Primal Scream) from dc85 on Vimeo.

I don't know about you, but I'd rather watch the Golden Girls series in its entirety in one sitting than go to a movie theater right now. It seems as if Hollywood is consolidating into only 3 genres: Comic Book/Pixar/Apatow, which I guess defines the three remaining demographics of the moviegoing public: Idiots, Children, and Bros. Everyone else just streams shit on the internet, which is exactly what you should do right now. Watch the above short-doc about the making of Screamadelica.

Primal Scream have an interesting career arc. They spent the 80s as a kind of middling, jangly throwback band, and then, practically from nowhere, did a stylistic pirouette and delivered the transcendent pan-genre workout that is Screamadelica, then spent the rest of the 90s making incoherent drug albums, and now they're basically old and reminisce and play festivals. So their creative highpoint was a one-off curio, delivered in the middle of their career. Quite unusual, but it sort of makes sense, because it is the kind album that can only happen once, like Dark Side of the Moon, you can't reasonably expect to put out 5-10 Screamadelicas.

I become less and less enamored with Creation Records all the time. Back in high school, they seemed like the mysterious, exotic label dedicated to quality product: cutting edge bands, beautiful packaging, English provenance (this matters when you are an American suburban tweenster). After all, they were the guys that introduced us to the Jesus and Mary Chain, gave us My Bloody Valentine, Primal Scream, the better shoegaze acts, Oasis. What could be wrong with that? But over time, as I wised up, Alan McGee & Co. just seems like a bunch of rockists. Rockism, for those who don't know, is an ideology usually espoused by white men of all ages, that aims to view the world and its events "through the lens of Rock". Remember "The Week in Rock" on MTV? Rockist idea. Nick Hornby? Rockist writer. In rockism, sideline genres such as Soul or Hip Hop just serve to emphasize the centrality of Rock in modern existence. Because of this shameless ethno/musico centrism, rockism is reviled on college campuses, and which is why you never here things which could be associated with mainline rockism on *certain* radio stations. I guess it's my buddha-nature that compels me to find the middle path - I'm certainly no rockist, but a good BTO/ELO/Moody Blues/et. al song has its charms and place. Which brings us to Screamadelica, and why it was so extraordinary. You might not pick this up from the movie, but Primal Scream are a bunch of rockists. And speaking from my limited experience in bands, its fucking hard to get one of these guys to step out of their comfort zones, let alone explore uncharted musical territory. But that's what producer Andy Weatherall seems to have done, and it takes a mind operating on a whole 'nother level to sequence such disparate-sounding songs like 'Come Together' (UK version)-->'Loaded'-->'Damaged' which don't even sound like the same band, on the same album and make it feel not just 'right', but perfect. Yeah, I like Screamadelica.javascript:void(0)

What's odd is that I wouldn't call this an influential album. No one's attempted such a sublime fusion of rock/dance styles since. The only group that comes to mind is maybe Gang Gang Dance, but they're albums are too diverse, to the point where even though I've heard most of them, I couldn't begin to describe what they sound like. The important thing about Screamadelica is that it keeps its eclecticism unified, somehow, where all the songs sound 'of a piece', even though they shouldn't.

Well kids, that's todays lesson. I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir, so no big deal. Leave any tips on Screamadelica-esque albums in the comments, either as precedents or antecedents. As a parting gift, here's a B-side, apparently not quite up to par for the album. If you want to hear it live, bring some drugs over to The Truth's house!

The hell with it

Maybe this site will get some recognition with the ads I'm about to post.

Let's get something straight, Bon Iver SUCKS! Who let this guy in the room? Normally I would dismiss any argument for or against Mr. Vernon as it is not hardly even palatable music. His first release was huge success among the kids and critics, but hardly a hit in my neck of the woods. That's cause where the airwaves aren't clouded by the watered down bullshit that we get daily you can actually hear something different, or diverse, or long forgotten; not the highly anticipated release of some brah that gets mono and takes a Walden dream break at his pappy's cabin to create the new 'album of the week'

Is that all it takes today, cold temps, some shitty bug from being a slut, and a rich family that has a place out in the woods. I'm sure that's what McCartney was thinking when he revolutionized home recording. "Damn I'm just not sick enough, Linda bring the animals in here, I have a RAM idea"!!

I wish America would wake up. But it's hard when so many follow Mr. Colbert, and if he says it's cool, then it's cool. Just watch the interview, at least he throws a few jabs in there about this joker's EGO. How many people are on the stage with him, you're doing 2 songs on the Colbert Report with a full band and it you made this whole project off in the woods alone??

I'll apologize for the ads you'll have to sit through to experience this garbage, but I will not say anything apologetic for this guy Justin.. Boo and Boo..


bi on tcr by yardie4lifever2

if you dug that, there is more..

The Colbert Report
Tags: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

Maybe I should grow a beard

but if that makes you feel like slitting your wrist's like me and want to dance instead dig this

While we're away

Instead of the same old negative, derivative BS from me today, why not read about one of the best bands after making one of the best albums of all time (Rumours), presented in the crisp writing of Cameron Crowe...

http://www.fmlegacy.com/articles/article_rs235.html

Rolling Stone sure doesn't sound like this anymore, does it?

Only the Beginning

Its a long road ahead, but as I get my shit together, The Drutones takeover may be closer than we think....so here is just a sample!

BREAKING: Chairlift 'Tease' with Album Preview!

Since we "criticize almost everything" around here, I thought I'd take a break from the usual invective and share something I'm genuinely stoked about for a change. And since there's almost nothing to be stoked about in contemporary music, that 'something' always seems to be related to a little band called... Chairlift. Who have a new album coming out soon. And who now have an album preview video up, which I think was posted less than a day ago - news so fresh, Huffington's got nothing on us citizen d-bags here at TNRR!

Anyhow, Polachek and Wimberly seem to be holding shit together now that Pfenning's gone, despite some of my earlier apprehensiveness. The video shows the two walking around some sort of hyperreal VRML webpage of new construction in Brooklyn [note: this is probably not new construction nor does it appear to be in Brooklyn]. You know, the typical fresh, offbeat thinking that I love about this band, and with the tunes to match. The sonics sound f*cking tasty, and although there aren't many vocals, I'm left with a lingering sensation of wanting more. I can generally say I'm pretty well PSYCHED for this release. So without any further adieu...

Chairlift album teaser from glofimustdie on Vimeo.

Saturdaze

Up early. Gone to breakfast, then hitting the pool.