firstly, i was really surprised to see that cmj was still around, but it doesnt appear they actually are in the magazine business - the old business model. i subscribed for years from maybe like 93ish to maybe 2000? anyway, happy to see they're still around even though they've been really out of my brain since the end of my subscription. i knew they still did the cmj conference thing, but thought that may be in name only. either way.. its interesting to see who they, or the labels in this case capitol was pushing back in 03. most surprising [...]
My relationship with Arctic Monkeys is, to say the least, turbulent. Sometimes they produce songs that I adore, other times they produce songs I simply do not get! Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair was one such track, so I'm pleased that the song they've followed it up with is, quite simply, awesome. Due for release August 15th The Star Spangled Shalalala is a glorious slice of Britpop,a fact underlined by the graininess of the video. It's not as sinister as Don't Sit Down , it's catchier and, undoubtedly, makes a [...]
Disco aficionado Cassian is on yet another tour, this time he's hit North America and has gigs in Canada too. Here is a new mix to promote his upcoming shows. Check below for dates and venues. Star Spangled Maple Leaf Mix by cassian Tracklist Habanera - Chris James Snake Charmer (Cassian Remix) - Bag Raiders (DEMO) It's A Bubble (Round Table Knights Remix) - Beni Long Time No See (Broke One Remix) - Attack Yourself! Abataka [...]
Elegant, visceral guitar improvisations from a Norwegian stalwart. V.S. Pritchard once described an Elizabeth Bowen short story as a "glancing form of fiction that seems to me right for the nervousness and restlessness of contemporary life". The same might be said of Stian Westerhus's solo guitar work and furthermore the key to enjoying this entire album may be to listen to the shorter tracks first. The mounting euphoric jangle of "Trailer Thrash Ballad", for example, sounds as if Westerhus has been gnawed to...
To say that Norwegian Stian Westerhus is a respected experimental artist is quite the understatement. To add that his output may well be overrated by many is also a fair point. "Pitch black star spangled" has been lauded by certain members of the press and, while it is a decent album within the realm of experimental guitar-based drone, it's a difficult one to listen to other than in a passive sense, whereby the music serves as the background to something more important (for me that was rearranging part of my office and, on another occasion, reading [...]
I usually try and focus on contemporary music with these Hype Device columns. After all, the entire point is to bring some attention to under looked, but deserved bands. There will always be some groups and songs that are over looked. Even with an entire collection of music that deserves to be heard, not all can be worshiped. Thus, this edition of Hype Device will focus on songs and artists that deserve some reparations (...of hype) to offset the deficiency of attention they received when they were releasing music. So hype we will. Retroactively, [...]
i figured i'd put these two star spangles posts together. "i feel so good i'm going to make somebody's day tonight i feel so good i'm going to make somebody pay tonight i'm old enough to sin but i'm too young to vote society's been dragging on the tail of my coat now i've got a suitcase full of fifty pound notes and a half-naked woman with her tongue down my throat" richard thompson - i feel so good [...]
remember when the strokes apparently made nyc cool again? at least that's what rolling stone probably said. well back in the early to mid aughts, other bands were making great music and they didn't need super rich parents or boarding school in switzerland. one of those bands is the star spangles . dishing out the punk so prevalent new york city's veins--see the ramones, the heartbreakers, richard hell & the voidoids, the dictators and so on--the star spangles made nary a splash with their super catchy punkish leanings debut 'bazooka!' back in 2004. i had all but forgotten about [...]
A thoughtful friend sent a book to our house around Christmastime called That's Dangerous! . Originally published in France, it is a slightly alarming collection of cute drawings showing a scrawny little boy doing all sorts of dangerous things (kicking a bully, climbing into a washing machine) and after each picture, kids can easily learn that the facing page warns, " That's dangerous! " My four year old was delighted and a little awed by all the varieties of heretofore unthought-of trouble that one could possibly get into if they were so inclined. [...]
Each year so far that I've been dabbling in this music-writing hobby, there seems to be a greater proliferation of choices. It seems like more bands are getting their stuff heard, more albums getting out there in one form or another, more people getting turned on to stuff outside the mainstream 35 songs & artists you hear on the radio. This is good news for ears and souls, and bad news for listmakers. After much struggling, I've picked out ten albums that I'm happy with being my favorites from 2007; add all of these [...]
[ that's the two-year-old me on the right, celebrating something in fine style - I think it was a cousin's birthday ] Two years ago today I started Fuel/Friends, mostly on a lark, to talk about my passion for music and all the other good things in this world. My how we've grown, and what fun we've had these last two years. I sincerely appreciate each of you guys who stop by each day to see what I have to say, and the attention that you pay to both my writing and my musical selections. It's pretty much [...]
Part of my birthday celebration of special things to do yesterday involved getting a little spur-of-the-moment fifteen minute "Traditional Chinese Massage" at the mall from a spry little Asian man for $12. I thought he was all going to adjust my feng shui and tap my meridians, but instead he just wailed on my back (and pinched the back of my ankles - what is that?). I felt like I was going through a car wash -- you know the part where the floppy brushes whap and whap and whap your car windshield and [...]
Captain's Dead
Eclectically Challenged
DIRTY FRIENDS
PopMatters
It's a trap!
Radio Exile
pigeon kicking
I AM FUEL, YOU ARE FRIENDS
Neutral Milk Hotel- Aeroplane Over the Sea
Bison - Quill
SABRINA JOHNSTON + TIEFSCHWARTZ
THE SINGULAR ADVENTURES OF EDWYN COLLINS (Part 9)
