album #23

you're living all over me (dinosaur jr.)

This record, from 1987, sounds like the early wave of that '90s grunge, alt-rock, lo-fi sound… It's interesting, the more I try to learn about music, the different eras that the celebrated bands cluster around. 1979 continually stands out as a classic year- the birthyear of post-punk and new wave- and the various inspired, strange, creative music that centered around those trends, in the early '80s. And then in the late '80s and gearing up into the '90s there's Guided by Voices, Pavement, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr, the Pixies, culminating in the mainstream breakthrough led by Nirvana. This album hints and reminds me of those other artists. The hard, washy, melodic haze of the guitars, the cadence of the vocals- half sung, have conversational, in certain rhythms rather Malkmusesque (though to be fair, they got here first).

This is not my favorite stuff, but it grew on me, and it's genuinely good, if not my favorite. Lots of really good tracks- "In a Jar" might be my favorite (a real Pavement sound to this one, a lovely low rhythm in the vocals), my other favorite "The Lung" (really nice melody in the vocals, high and clear, matched well with the guitar), "Show Me The Way" (sounds like Pavement, and a hint of Nirvana/Foo Fighters), "Sludgefeast" (one of the most metal numbers, sounds like it could play in a gym in 2002, even down to the touch of whininess in the vocals- though it gets the benefit of the doubt for belonging to this album), and "Little Fury Things" (a nice, low melodic sound, though I think I've maybe heard it too many times- it's starting to wear off.)

Altogether, pretty good stuff. And also I'd love to learn more about how those two signature music trends lead from one to the other- the late '80s alt rock, is that a reaction to radio rock or a reaction to new wave? Was it about fusing punk and other grittier rock and roll with a more melodic sound? Do they owe anything at all to Joy Division and the other really dark bands of the early '80s, or is it all a coincidence? One of my favorite stories in american art is tracing how Johns/Rauschenberg makes the bridge between the Abstract Expressionists and Pop Art, playfully teasing the machismo of the former, in manners which ushered in the clean quaintness of the latter. I'd love to learn if such a causal link exists in the main music trends I'm exploring.

album #22

you in reverse (built to spill)

I gotta keep looking for my album for these guys. I Love the song "Carry the Zero," that driven, melodic, searing sound- and I wonder if that's their only song that reaches those heights, because nothing on this album really got there. This album was a little rambly- it's got a good sound to it, but nothing quite inspired me. "Going Against Your Mind" is all right, "Conventional Wisdom" unspirals in a good way, it might be my favorite- the start of it is my favorite part of the album- and I like the tone of "Liar." Otherwise this album just doesn't penetrate for me. Maybe I haven't given it enough listens, but I'm a little bored with it. I need more energy, more hook. Maybe it'll get better with revisiting. Again, it's fine, just not my thing.

album #21

the archandroid (janelle monae)

A dazzling album. Really great. Janelle Monae strikes me as possibly being the David Bowie of this generation- at least in the sense of, unabashedly strange, super catchy, and a mesmerizing personality. She's like the Truth in a fog of Gagas and Keshas. The first time I listened to this album I listened all the way through, and I was just knocked out by what a spectacular accomplishment the whole record adds up to. A versatile concept album, fantastic dance and R&B and soul numbers- strange, super poppy, entirely aglow. My favorites: the driven, thrilling melodic spiral staircase of "Dance or Die," the passionate wail of "Cold War," the terrifically danceable single "Tightrope," the magnificent soul of "Neon Streets"- probably my favorite song on the record; and even the strings swelling and unfurling in the opening moments, my favorite moment of the album- and the wet, infectious bauble of "Wondaland." A few of the songs are a little less magic for me, just because I've seriously listened to this album a lot, and some of them have worn off, but seriously- many of these tracks are masterpieces and securely in my rotation. As a full album, a truly fantastic accomplishment. Fucking phenomenal.

album #20

is this it (the strokes)

This is a really good record. Lo-fi rock with a nice pop influence. I like the nasal clarity of the vocals. So many good tracks- the roll of "Soma," the delightfully poppy "Someday" (which kindof sounds like "Last Night" in reverse), the synth swell of "Hard to Explain," the drive of "Take It or Leave It." It's pretty interesting to remember this record in context- it's strange to define whether it ever really mattered, if it was just a critical darling, or what. As a teenager listening to music, it didn't seem like a particularly big deal when these guys came out. But then I remember being a freshman in college, the wave of guitar-rock, low-fi bands that were suddenly all over the place, commercially successful and relevant. And this record really did pave the way in that respect- the strokes and the white stripes, I remember them coming out pretty simultaneously. And it lives up to the hype (although the songs that sound the best, seem to sound the best all in a very similar way.)

album #19

bright bright bright (dark dark dark)

Lovely, low, melancholy, thoughtful. An old world beauty- a gypsy bounce, theatrical. Lovely, clear vocals. I like most of it, especially "Bright Bright Bright" and the dark, lovely ramble of "Wild Goose Chase." Almost hard to listen to, because of the elegantly subtle sadness to it- the sound is a little lonely, the lyrics as well. Busier music feels less painful. Very nice though.

album #18

ego tripping at the gates of hell (the flaming lips)

I like sweet, I like soft, I like strange, but this is just outside my lovability zone. Almost every time I listen to this band, they're just a little too precious, a little too treacly- those delicate vocals, the adorable synth instrumentation. I just find it a little bit boring- not enough power behind the melodies to get me excited. "Assassination of the Sun" is a good one, "Do You Realize?" is a song I've never liked, but this particular mix- more of a rhythmic, automated tone; the syrupy overproduction of the original, dismissed- is good and listenable. And I can get behind the cool club sound of "Ego Tripping (Jason Bentley Remix)" Altogether, a boring EP, I'll have to keep looking for the right album of theirs for me- I Loved "Race for the Prize," so I'll probably track down the album that spawned that gem.

album #17

slanted & enchanted (pavement)

I've had this album for years, figured I'd review it. I don't know- I don't understand the cult of personality. This review says more about the carefully constructed pose of the critic, rather than the music itself. They're all right, but loved rather disproportionately. I'll say this- their sound is unlike anything else I affiliate with the '90s. There's something kindof timeless about their garage rock sound, and I like Malkmus' vocals. "Summer Babe," the aggressive "Conduit for Sale!", the mellow, contemplative "Zurich is Stained," the searing drone of "Jackals, False Grails," and perhaps my overall favorite- the terrific "Loretta's Scars." Those are the songs I really can get behind. The rest of the tracks are truly boring.

I heard "Gold Soundz" recently and it truly grew on me as a beautiful, interesting song, and I'm not going to give up on this band- perhaps Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain is the right album of theirs for me.