sir mix-a-lot
12-21-2006, 11:04 PM
You've stumbled upon the wonderful world of Decoy Music's weekly Listening Station. So plug in your iPods or whatever you use and get ready to fill it with items selected by staff, readers, and bands you know and love. You could also buy an album, even. I know, far-fetched.
Jared Celebrates Only The Pagan Rituals Of Christmas, Obviously: Deicide - The Stench
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/deicide.jpg
Website: (http://www.deicide.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/thestenchofredemption)
Back in my late teens (1999-2001), I was heavily into nu-metal. Out of all my friends, only a few were with me when it came to musical tastes. One guy in particular used to give me shit for listening to "death metal" all the time. No matter how many times I told him what I listened to wasn't death metal, he never gave it a rest. Ironically, over the last few years, my tastes have evolved and I do dabble in the death metal these days.
One Saturday night a couple of months ago, I was hanging out, flipping through channels, and came across Headbanger's Ball on MTV2. Shortly after I landed on it, Deicide's video for "Homage to Satan" was playing. I found myself bobbing my head and being blown away by the guitar solo. Immediately, I sought out more.
For a guy who doesn't really get into the whole Satanic death metal scene, Deicide is pretty damn good. And you can't go wrong with a song called "Death to Jesus."
Editor's Note: Do people read these editor's notes? I don't really have much to put here about anything related to this writeup. Well, aside from the fact that two douchebags from high school used to refer to me as "kid who likes Rammstein. Ouch. I still like Rammstein, though, so maybe the joke's on me.
Brandon Wipes His Tears Away (Sunday, Bloody Sunday): Various Artists - A Million Miles Away: The Emo Diaries, Volume Two
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/emodiaries.jpg
Website: (http://www.deepelm.com) :: Listen: (http://www.brandtson.com)
With a great lineup including Pop Unknown, Appleseed Cast, Brandtson, and many others, this volume of The Emo Diaries by Deep Elm is certainly one not to be missed. If you are just disgusted by the fact that it is "emo," then just get over it and get used to the fact that there are many great tunes on this disc. Also several of the other volumes are worth a listen as well. So do yourself a favor and get your diary out and be not afraid of the emo.
Editor's Note: Not sure if anyone else is keeping track, but I've noticed Brandon gets a huge hard-on whenever he even thinks the words "Cursive" or "Brandtson". Not that that's bad or anything; it's just an observation.
Armand Babian Has Been Published Thricely And All Were Critically Well-Received, But He Strongly Urges You To Check Out: My Latest Novel - Wolves
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/mylatestnovel.jpg
Website: (http://www.mylatestnovel.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/mylatestnovel)
Over the past two weeks I’ve been searching for 2006 releases I can listen to before the year ends so I can finalize my top whatever list. While searching, I came upon a bunch of bands that just made me go “meh,” but then I found My Latest Novel.
My Latest Novel is an indie-rock/post-folk band from Scotland whose sound was really refreshing, yet was nothing incredibly new. They brought many elements together and kind of sounded like a mix of The Arcade Fire and Gregor Samsa at times. Wolves is a nice, soft record for fans of singer/songwriters, post-rock, and everything in between.
Editor's Note: I rarely read anymore. I pretty much border on illiterate at this point. And I'm listening to The Tea Party for the first time in for-fucking-ever and I honestly don't remember Jeff Martin sounding this much like Michael Hutchence. I blame holiday stress.
Alex Davies Rings In The New Year With Much Merriment: Sufjan Stevens - Come On, Feel The Illinoise
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/sufjanstevens2.jpg
Website: (http://www.sufjan.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/sufjanstevens)
It's introspective. It's glorious. It's intelligent. It's twee. It's Belle & Sebastian. It's grandiose. It's gorgeous. It's Sufjan Stevens. It's Come On Feel The Illinoise.
Editor's Note: I still don't own a single Sufjan Stevens album and have only heard the songs on the Little Miss Sunshine soundtrack. I can never find him when I go shopping.
Dan Alcinii Loves This So Much It Wears Him Down To The Bone: More To Pride - This Is Life
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/moretopride.jpg
Website: (http://www.rivalryrecords.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/moretopride)
Positive hardcore in yo' face!
I'm way too tired to continue writing.
Editor's Note: I've heard of lazy journalism, but sometimes, the guys at Decoy take the cake. Gotta love em.
Jeremy Is A Powderkeg Of Energy And Creativity. You Should See His Roof: Incubus - Light Grenades
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/incubus3.jpg
Website: (http://www.enjoyincubus.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/incubus)
(Sorry - nothing obscure or crazy inventive -this is just what has gotten more spins from me this week, with the exception of Weird Al's new disc since my kids love it, but I digress…) I enjoy the new Incubus. It may not be funky like S.C.I.E.N.C.E., but it still entertains me and honestly, now it has a vibe to it that I'll probably forever associate with this time of the year near the holidays. I've just heard it enough in this area that it's happened (This is the first Incubus record that I haven't directly associated with being at the beach). The two bonus tracks I found from the Japanese version are worth a listen. "Look Alive" moreso than "Punch-Drunk Love," but still - both are worth finding if you can download them. "Pendulous Threads" still remains my favorite track on the album while "Love Hurts" seems to be following (which I kinda hate since it seems to be more of a radio track). Suffice to say that I've yet to think Incubus needs to hang it up... the only thing this album is missing is a little more funk. But there's always next album if I'm good and Santa is watching. (pervert).
Editor's Note: Is it me or does it seem like way too many staff members have kids? We're multiplying. That is a terrifying, terrifying thought. Horrifying, really. It's Christmas, fellas, not Halloween. We don't need these nightmares.
Ian's Statements Do Not Reflect The Views Of The Decoy Music Subsidiary. We Do Not Condone The Actions Described Herein, Nor Do We Partake In Such Endeavors. Please Drink Responsibly And Say "No" To Drugs: Parts And Labor - Stay Afraid
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/partsandlabor.jpg
Website: (http://www.partsandlabor.net) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/partsandlabor)
You know that scene in that old movie where it starts with a bunch of underage kids at a party or a club doing a bunch of narcotics and the scene is played in fast motion and it's intercut with sped-up shots of city traffic and the sunrise and flowers blooming and then dying? That's what the first track, "A Great Divide," reminds me of. And it seemed an appropriate choice for the end of the year, since I plan on spending my New Year's Eve in a similar scene.
Editor's Note: The holiday season is a time to be with family and to share fond memories and to share in the love you have of humanity, especially those closest to you. It's also a time of spiking drinks and backstabbing. But I don't think doing blow is really the way to go. It's all fun and games until someone gets in a car wreck. Don't ruin someone's holiday with that, please. If you're gonna get toasty with some alcohol, be sure you stay with family. Or friends. Or the homeless. They need friends this time of year, as it is surely their loneliest and, also, coldest. Befriend a hobo in 2007!
Scott Deserves Many Congratulations For His Impending Accomplishment (I Almost Put "Doom" There. That Would Have Been Awkward): The Chicken Dance
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/iloveyouscottandsodoesyourwife.jpg
Website: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_Dance) :: Listen: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p8HvDwImH4&mode=related&search=
)
In preparation for my wedding - which waits like a menacing, extravagantly decorated jackal just a week away (I use such a metaphor not because marriage scares me or anything, because I love my fiancé A LOT, but rather because weddings are generally a huge pain in the ass, as well as a colossal waste of money) - I decided it might be prudent to brush up on my dancing skills. You know what that means, don't you? That's right: it's "Chicken Dance" time, mother fuckers. So I downloaded the mp3 (forgive me, originally writer and performer of "The Chicken Dance" song!), turned up my speakers and got to flailing my arms wildly. I practiced the night away, and honed my chicken dancing skills to near perfection. It wasn't easy, but in the end, it was well worth the pain, sweat, and tears. All I can hope for now is that they don't play any other songs at the reception.
Editor's Note: Scott is one lucky dude. Great taste in music and movies, a fantastic writer with a very real feel for description, and he's got a hot girlfriend who can put up with his shit and who actually agreed to marry the sumbitch. I love you, Scott. Have a great wedding and a great marriage. Oh, also, Arrested Development is one of the greatest shows of all time. If you never got on the bandwagon, you don't deserve the oxygen for which you are so ungrateful.
Jeff Latta Puts The "Ka" Back In "Chanukah"…Or Something. Maybe He Puts the "A" Back in "Kwanzaa." Yes, Jeff Latta Puts All The "A" Back In "Kwanzaa": RX Bandits - And The Battle Begun
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/rxbandits.jpg
Website: (http://www.rxbandits.com) :: Listen: (http://www.purevolume.com/rxbandits)
I've always thought the RX Bandits were pretty okay, stretching back to the first time I saw them opening for the Bloodhound Gang back in 1999 and telling a story about how half the band wasn't there because the other half forgot to pick them up on the way to the show....but anyway. This, their latest CD, goes way beyond pretty okay; this shit rocks like it's going out of style (which I suppose it kinda is). I also further recommend listening to this one on headphones; the crazy left/right call and response guitarlines are off the chain, baby.
Editor's Note: Did someone just use the phrase "off the chain" after 1999? Did this just happen? Am I trapped in a time warp?
Tom Butcher (Genre: CoreCore) Might Find It Odd That, Even When Tower Records Was Down To Just Forty Albums Left, Eighteen Of Them Were This Album and Twenty-One Of Them Were The New Shadows Fall Album. The Other One Was A British Pop Group That Chris Conlan Likes. He Once Picked One Of The Singers' New Bands As A Listening Station. I Believe They Started With A "B." Anyway, The Point Was, Tower Records Couldn't Even Give This Album Away: The Bronx - The Bronx
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/thebronx2.jpg
Website: (http://www.thebronxxx.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/thebronx)
In an effort not to join the surely dozens of other people who are submitting EITS's latest effort, I'm going with this little gem. This album is so completely kickass, I didn't know what to do with it at first. Even my friends who are hardcore against hardcore love it. It¹s just so infectious - like hardcore and swing mixed together, with a little bit of crack from their namesake thrown in for good measure. Have fun with it.
That's all they ask.
Editor's Note: Actually, it was The Bronx's OTHER self-titled record that had nine trillion copies still lying around. Seriously. I laughed a lot. But the new Shadows Fall having enough albums in the stand to donate one to every person in China is probably infinitely more funny.
Rick Realizes These Are Fighting Words. Hopefully, His Uncle Coldcocks Him Right In The Jaw While He Sips On Non-Alcoholic Egg Nog: Dillinger Escape Plan - Plagiarism
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/dep3.jpg
Website (http://www.dillingerescapeplan.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/tdep)
The Dillinger Escape Plan has always been one of those bands where I could appreciate their musical abilities, but I never found myself actively wanting to listen to their releases. I’d listen to a few songs here and there, acknowledge that they’re talented as hell, and go about my business. Then I found the Plagiarism EP. The album consists of four cover songs and two new songs. The new songs are a slowed-down version of DEP and the covers are just fun. Listening to DEP cover Nine Inch Nails, Massive Attack, Soundgarden, and Justin Timberlake is always a good time. I don’t know what it says about my musical tastes that I prefer listening to DEP do covers rather than their original songs, but regardless of my lack of taste, this is a sweet little EP that most metal fans with a sense of humor and an open mind should appreciate.
Editor's Note: No comment.
Chris Conlan Can Meet Me Down By The Schoolyard: The Showdown - Temptation Come My Way
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/theshowdown.jpg
Website: (http://www.theshowdownmetal.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/theshowdown)
It seems nowadays that many metal acts are completely revamping their sound. A prime example is Trivium's new album The Crusade, which showed them going for more of a late 80's sound (Metallica was definitely their inspiration). The album was met with skepticism by many critics and, to be quite honest, I think a week after the CD was released everyone forgot about it.
So what does that say for the new Showdown disc, Temptation Come My Way? If you were a huge fan of A Chorus of Obliteration, you are in for a rude awakening because this is nothing like the previous endeavor. Most of the songs on the disc are southern rock and some even modern heavy rock. For some reason "It Drinks From Me" reminds of a Bon Jovi song, especially "Wanted Dead or Alive." The heaviest track on the disc has to be "Temptation Come My Way" and if you were expecting some screams, you won't hear any. The track is catchy as hell, though, and heavy-hitting. The also redid "Breath of the Swamp," which is still good, but they really needed to keep the vocals the way they were. Lastly, they also covered Kansas's hit "Carry On, My Wayward Son."
My biggest complaint on the album is the vocals. I think producer Paul Ebersold (Three Doors Down, Saliva) polished up the vocals way too much. Other than that, the more I listen to the album the more I'm getting hooked on it. This is going to be either a hit or miss for The Showdown fans. Let's hope for a hit.
Editor's Note: Should bands (especially "metal" bands) try to sell their latest record by pushing the fact that a guy who produced Three Doors Down and Saliva produced the record? Could anything possibly remove more credibility? There's no way this is good. While I'm on the subject, why is "southern" rock coming back? Not one band has done it well consistently, despite the huge amount of bands attempting this resurrection. Please, please, for the sake of all of us, stop. Stop it. Stop it now. Also, did you guys read the cover art thing? Holy horrid. Laughable. Absolutely terrible. Please, I beg you; don't even download this album. Don't even cue a twenty-second clip of a song. There's absolutely no way it's tolerable. Not a way in hell.
On a happier note, this one time, I was at my friend Monique's house, making dinner for us and her friend Aaron, and she calls Aaron over for a taste test. I rush from the couch (my work was done. Shut up) and say, "So, Aaron, what do you think of Three Doors Down?" He pauses to think for a moment, then says, "Eh, they're okay, I guess." I immediately slap my hands, yell, "Ooh, you failed the taste test!" and do the most amazing dance ever performed, ending it in a Jackson-esque spin to exit the room. One of the top eight greatest moments of my life. I usually can't dance, but this was seriously The. Best. Dance. Ever. By Anyone.
Jordan Has Already Done His Celebrating And Now He Wants To Feel Like He's Back Home At The Eastern Bloc: Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/beirut.jpg
Website: (http://www.beirutband.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/beruit)
Quite simply just a stunningly beautiful album and easily one of the top 10 of the year. Maybe it's cause I'm Jewish, maybe it's cause this has an incredible old world / new world feel to it, maybe it's cause I love the vocalist (sounds a lot like Dredg!), but everything about this band works for me. I feel like someone already put them in one of the Decoy Listening Stations, and if so, just consider this further confirmation that this album is incredible. If not, don't let this band or this album slip by as just another hipster blogger's favorite artist of the week, as I did - because now, I completely regret every moment that I let this band slip by without a listen.
Editor's Note: Seriously, this album is fantastic. It's really short, though, which kept it out of the running in my own Top 10 list. I seriously thought about making my #8 album look like this: Beirut - Gulag Orkestar/The Dear Hunter - Vol. 1 - The Lake South, The River North/DeVotchKa - Curse Your Little Heart just so none of them would be left off. Unfortunately, I chickened out, so only The Dear Hunter made it. But each of those three albums hold some very similar threads, although none are anywhere near replicas of one another. Just a tremendous year for this style of music.
Chris Pandolfo Brings Us To The Moment We've All Been Waiting For: Explosions In The Sky - All Of The Sudden I Miss Everyone
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/explosionsinthesky.jpg
Website: (http://www.explosionsinthesky.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/texasband)
As a way to end off the year with my last Listening Station, I'm going to make it an epic one.
This CD will probably be on my top 10 list of '07.
That's epic.
Editor's Note: This album flies by. So good. We've all downloaded it, right? And we're all going to buy it on release day and make it the number one album in the world, right? Come on! Please? They deserve it. I know it, you know it. Now (well, later) show everyone else why they should, too.
Adam Continues In The Holiday Spirit By Trying To Make Everyone See The Light And Giving Them The Gift Of: Aereogramme - My Heart Has A Wish That You Would Not Go
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/aereogramme.jpg
Website: (http://www.aereogramme.co.uk) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/aereogrammeofficial)
I was already obsessed with this band before this disc, but aww naw, hell naw, bwaa, Aereogramme dun up an dun it. They went and made one of the most amazing albums I've ever heard in my life and I'm not even gushing. It's like Sigur Ros called up Dredg and said, "Stop being such pompous douchebags [talk about lip service] and make good sincere music again!" Whatever the case, Aereogramme combines the prowess of the aforementioned bands, along with more post-rock musings not unlike Mogwai or EITS, to dramatically sensational results. If this album had been released in 2006, it no doubt would have been on many best of list. However, it doesn't matter; this album is more than good enough to be remembered a year from now.
Editor's Note: This album is actually already out in Japan. And it's seriously already the best album of 2007 by a wide margin. "The Running Man" is easily my favorite song of the forthcoming new year. This band cannot and will not do any wrong. Also, Nappy Roots is one of the best rap collectives of all time. I said it.
Dant Assumedly Likes Anime And Asian Women: Yoko Kanno - The Other Side Of Midnight
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/yokokanno.jpg
Website: (http://www.jameswong.com/ykproject/) :: Listen: (http://www.jameswong.com/ykproject/disc/music.php)
This week I've been listening to Yoko Kanno's The Other Side of Midnight because Yoko Kanno is a kickass composer. She did the soundtrack for Cowboy Bebop. Enough said.
Editor's Note: Dant, I bought you presents. So if you don't receive them Christmas day, you know who to blame.
Ben Closes Out 2006 With A Wish For An Equally-Great Or Possibly Even Better 2007: Echo Helstrom - The Veil
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/echohelstrom2.jpg
Website: (http://www.echohelstrom.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/echohelstrom)
My favorite thing about Echo Helstrom, aside from the obvious, which is that no one has heard of them, is that they could easily break into the big time, despite not actually being a rock band. I like that Ross Seligmann has a very radio-rock friendly voice, one that could earn him millions and millions of dollars if he'd just pick up a guitar and plug in some chintzy distortion pedals. Instead, he writes songs with violins and brass. And they're awesome. Every one of them. Even their cover of Radiohead's "True Love Waits" (Seligmann completely knocks this one out of the park). Another great thing about Echo Helstrom is that they self-funded this record, yet you can find it anywhere, because they somehow convinced a distributor to issue their album. You can walk into any store and find this album. It'll cost you fifteen bucks, but it's a small price to pay for a band that is mesmerizing, unique, motivated, and cross-genre friendly. I honestly don't see how someone firmly against the radio could hate this and I don't see how Seligmann's voice couldn't sell the most brainwashed 20-year-old around on the band's sound. Everybody wins, so long as someone buys the damned thing.
Editor's Note: See you guys next year. Drive safe, party hard, spread the love, increase the peace, up with hope and down with dope, don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya.
Jared Celebrates Only The Pagan Rituals Of Christmas, Obviously: Deicide - The Stench
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/deicide.jpg
Website: (http://www.deicide.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/thestenchofredemption)
Back in my late teens (1999-2001), I was heavily into nu-metal. Out of all my friends, only a few were with me when it came to musical tastes. One guy in particular used to give me shit for listening to "death metal" all the time. No matter how many times I told him what I listened to wasn't death metal, he never gave it a rest. Ironically, over the last few years, my tastes have evolved and I do dabble in the death metal these days.
One Saturday night a couple of months ago, I was hanging out, flipping through channels, and came across Headbanger's Ball on MTV2. Shortly after I landed on it, Deicide's video for "Homage to Satan" was playing. I found myself bobbing my head and being blown away by the guitar solo. Immediately, I sought out more.
For a guy who doesn't really get into the whole Satanic death metal scene, Deicide is pretty damn good. And you can't go wrong with a song called "Death to Jesus."
Editor's Note: Do people read these editor's notes? I don't really have much to put here about anything related to this writeup. Well, aside from the fact that two douchebags from high school used to refer to me as "kid who likes Rammstein. Ouch. I still like Rammstein, though, so maybe the joke's on me.
Brandon Wipes His Tears Away (Sunday, Bloody Sunday): Various Artists - A Million Miles Away: The Emo Diaries, Volume Two
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/emodiaries.jpg
Website: (http://www.deepelm.com) :: Listen: (http://www.brandtson.com)
With a great lineup including Pop Unknown, Appleseed Cast, Brandtson, and many others, this volume of The Emo Diaries by Deep Elm is certainly one not to be missed. If you are just disgusted by the fact that it is "emo," then just get over it and get used to the fact that there are many great tunes on this disc. Also several of the other volumes are worth a listen as well. So do yourself a favor and get your diary out and be not afraid of the emo.
Editor's Note: Not sure if anyone else is keeping track, but I've noticed Brandon gets a huge hard-on whenever he even thinks the words "Cursive" or "Brandtson". Not that that's bad or anything; it's just an observation.
Armand Babian Has Been Published Thricely And All Were Critically Well-Received, But He Strongly Urges You To Check Out: My Latest Novel - Wolves
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/mylatestnovel.jpg
Website: (http://www.mylatestnovel.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/mylatestnovel)
Over the past two weeks I’ve been searching for 2006 releases I can listen to before the year ends so I can finalize my top whatever list. While searching, I came upon a bunch of bands that just made me go “meh,” but then I found My Latest Novel.
My Latest Novel is an indie-rock/post-folk band from Scotland whose sound was really refreshing, yet was nothing incredibly new. They brought many elements together and kind of sounded like a mix of The Arcade Fire and Gregor Samsa at times. Wolves is a nice, soft record for fans of singer/songwriters, post-rock, and everything in between.
Editor's Note: I rarely read anymore. I pretty much border on illiterate at this point. And I'm listening to The Tea Party for the first time in for-fucking-ever and I honestly don't remember Jeff Martin sounding this much like Michael Hutchence. I blame holiday stress.
Alex Davies Rings In The New Year With Much Merriment: Sufjan Stevens - Come On, Feel The Illinoise
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/sufjanstevens2.jpg
Website: (http://www.sufjan.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/sufjanstevens)
It's introspective. It's glorious. It's intelligent. It's twee. It's Belle & Sebastian. It's grandiose. It's gorgeous. It's Sufjan Stevens. It's Come On Feel The Illinoise.
Editor's Note: I still don't own a single Sufjan Stevens album and have only heard the songs on the Little Miss Sunshine soundtrack. I can never find him when I go shopping.
Dan Alcinii Loves This So Much It Wears Him Down To The Bone: More To Pride - This Is Life
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/moretopride.jpg
Website: (http://www.rivalryrecords.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/moretopride)
Positive hardcore in yo' face!
I'm way too tired to continue writing.
Editor's Note: I've heard of lazy journalism, but sometimes, the guys at Decoy take the cake. Gotta love em.
Jeremy Is A Powderkeg Of Energy And Creativity. You Should See His Roof: Incubus - Light Grenades
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/incubus3.jpg
Website: (http://www.enjoyincubus.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/incubus)
(Sorry - nothing obscure or crazy inventive -this is just what has gotten more spins from me this week, with the exception of Weird Al's new disc since my kids love it, but I digress…) I enjoy the new Incubus. It may not be funky like S.C.I.E.N.C.E., but it still entertains me and honestly, now it has a vibe to it that I'll probably forever associate with this time of the year near the holidays. I've just heard it enough in this area that it's happened (This is the first Incubus record that I haven't directly associated with being at the beach). The two bonus tracks I found from the Japanese version are worth a listen. "Look Alive" moreso than "Punch-Drunk Love," but still - both are worth finding if you can download them. "Pendulous Threads" still remains my favorite track on the album while "Love Hurts" seems to be following (which I kinda hate since it seems to be more of a radio track). Suffice to say that I've yet to think Incubus needs to hang it up... the only thing this album is missing is a little more funk. But there's always next album if I'm good and Santa is watching. (pervert).
Editor's Note: Is it me or does it seem like way too many staff members have kids? We're multiplying. That is a terrifying, terrifying thought. Horrifying, really. It's Christmas, fellas, not Halloween. We don't need these nightmares.
Ian's Statements Do Not Reflect The Views Of The Decoy Music Subsidiary. We Do Not Condone The Actions Described Herein, Nor Do We Partake In Such Endeavors. Please Drink Responsibly And Say "No" To Drugs: Parts And Labor - Stay Afraid
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/partsandlabor.jpg
Website: (http://www.partsandlabor.net) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/partsandlabor)
You know that scene in that old movie where it starts with a bunch of underage kids at a party or a club doing a bunch of narcotics and the scene is played in fast motion and it's intercut with sped-up shots of city traffic and the sunrise and flowers blooming and then dying? That's what the first track, "A Great Divide," reminds me of. And it seemed an appropriate choice for the end of the year, since I plan on spending my New Year's Eve in a similar scene.
Editor's Note: The holiday season is a time to be with family and to share fond memories and to share in the love you have of humanity, especially those closest to you. It's also a time of spiking drinks and backstabbing. But I don't think doing blow is really the way to go. It's all fun and games until someone gets in a car wreck. Don't ruin someone's holiday with that, please. If you're gonna get toasty with some alcohol, be sure you stay with family. Or friends. Or the homeless. They need friends this time of year, as it is surely their loneliest and, also, coldest. Befriend a hobo in 2007!
Scott Deserves Many Congratulations For His Impending Accomplishment (I Almost Put "Doom" There. That Would Have Been Awkward): The Chicken Dance
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/iloveyouscottandsodoesyourwife.jpg
Website: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_Dance) :: Listen: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p8HvDwImH4&mode=related&search=
)
In preparation for my wedding - which waits like a menacing, extravagantly decorated jackal just a week away (I use such a metaphor not because marriage scares me or anything, because I love my fiancé A LOT, but rather because weddings are generally a huge pain in the ass, as well as a colossal waste of money) - I decided it might be prudent to brush up on my dancing skills. You know what that means, don't you? That's right: it's "Chicken Dance" time, mother fuckers. So I downloaded the mp3 (forgive me, originally writer and performer of "The Chicken Dance" song!), turned up my speakers and got to flailing my arms wildly. I practiced the night away, and honed my chicken dancing skills to near perfection. It wasn't easy, but in the end, it was well worth the pain, sweat, and tears. All I can hope for now is that they don't play any other songs at the reception.
Editor's Note: Scott is one lucky dude. Great taste in music and movies, a fantastic writer with a very real feel for description, and he's got a hot girlfriend who can put up with his shit and who actually agreed to marry the sumbitch. I love you, Scott. Have a great wedding and a great marriage. Oh, also, Arrested Development is one of the greatest shows of all time. If you never got on the bandwagon, you don't deserve the oxygen for which you are so ungrateful.
Jeff Latta Puts The "Ka" Back In "Chanukah"…Or Something. Maybe He Puts the "A" Back in "Kwanzaa." Yes, Jeff Latta Puts All The "A" Back In "Kwanzaa": RX Bandits - And The Battle Begun
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/rxbandits.jpg
Website: (http://www.rxbandits.com) :: Listen: (http://www.purevolume.com/rxbandits)
I've always thought the RX Bandits were pretty okay, stretching back to the first time I saw them opening for the Bloodhound Gang back in 1999 and telling a story about how half the band wasn't there because the other half forgot to pick them up on the way to the show....but anyway. This, their latest CD, goes way beyond pretty okay; this shit rocks like it's going out of style (which I suppose it kinda is). I also further recommend listening to this one on headphones; the crazy left/right call and response guitarlines are off the chain, baby.
Editor's Note: Did someone just use the phrase "off the chain" after 1999? Did this just happen? Am I trapped in a time warp?
Tom Butcher (Genre: CoreCore) Might Find It Odd That, Even When Tower Records Was Down To Just Forty Albums Left, Eighteen Of Them Were This Album and Twenty-One Of Them Were The New Shadows Fall Album. The Other One Was A British Pop Group That Chris Conlan Likes. He Once Picked One Of The Singers' New Bands As A Listening Station. I Believe They Started With A "B." Anyway, The Point Was, Tower Records Couldn't Even Give This Album Away: The Bronx - The Bronx
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/thebronx2.jpg
Website: (http://www.thebronxxx.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/thebronx)
In an effort not to join the surely dozens of other people who are submitting EITS's latest effort, I'm going with this little gem. This album is so completely kickass, I didn't know what to do with it at first. Even my friends who are hardcore against hardcore love it. It¹s just so infectious - like hardcore and swing mixed together, with a little bit of crack from their namesake thrown in for good measure. Have fun with it.
That's all they ask.
Editor's Note: Actually, it was The Bronx's OTHER self-titled record that had nine trillion copies still lying around. Seriously. I laughed a lot. But the new Shadows Fall having enough albums in the stand to donate one to every person in China is probably infinitely more funny.
Rick Realizes These Are Fighting Words. Hopefully, His Uncle Coldcocks Him Right In The Jaw While He Sips On Non-Alcoholic Egg Nog: Dillinger Escape Plan - Plagiarism
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Website (http://www.dillingerescapeplan.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/tdep)
The Dillinger Escape Plan has always been one of those bands where I could appreciate their musical abilities, but I never found myself actively wanting to listen to their releases. I’d listen to a few songs here and there, acknowledge that they’re talented as hell, and go about my business. Then I found the Plagiarism EP. The album consists of four cover songs and two new songs. The new songs are a slowed-down version of DEP and the covers are just fun. Listening to DEP cover Nine Inch Nails, Massive Attack, Soundgarden, and Justin Timberlake is always a good time. I don’t know what it says about my musical tastes that I prefer listening to DEP do covers rather than their original songs, but regardless of my lack of taste, this is a sweet little EP that most metal fans with a sense of humor and an open mind should appreciate.
Editor's Note: No comment.
Chris Conlan Can Meet Me Down By The Schoolyard: The Showdown - Temptation Come My Way
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Website: (http://www.theshowdownmetal.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/theshowdown)
It seems nowadays that many metal acts are completely revamping their sound. A prime example is Trivium's new album The Crusade, which showed them going for more of a late 80's sound (Metallica was definitely their inspiration). The album was met with skepticism by many critics and, to be quite honest, I think a week after the CD was released everyone forgot about it.
So what does that say for the new Showdown disc, Temptation Come My Way? If you were a huge fan of A Chorus of Obliteration, you are in for a rude awakening because this is nothing like the previous endeavor. Most of the songs on the disc are southern rock and some even modern heavy rock. For some reason "It Drinks From Me" reminds of a Bon Jovi song, especially "Wanted Dead or Alive." The heaviest track on the disc has to be "Temptation Come My Way" and if you were expecting some screams, you won't hear any. The track is catchy as hell, though, and heavy-hitting. The also redid "Breath of the Swamp," which is still good, but they really needed to keep the vocals the way they were. Lastly, they also covered Kansas's hit "Carry On, My Wayward Son."
My biggest complaint on the album is the vocals. I think producer Paul Ebersold (Three Doors Down, Saliva) polished up the vocals way too much. Other than that, the more I listen to the album the more I'm getting hooked on it. This is going to be either a hit or miss for The Showdown fans. Let's hope for a hit.
Editor's Note: Should bands (especially "metal" bands) try to sell their latest record by pushing the fact that a guy who produced Three Doors Down and Saliva produced the record? Could anything possibly remove more credibility? There's no way this is good. While I'm on the subject, why is "southern" rock coming back? Not one band has done it well consistently, despite the huge amount of bands attempting this resurrection. Please, please, for the sake of all of us, stop. Stop it. Stop it now. Also, did you guys read the cover art thing? Holy horrid. Laughable. Absolutely terrible. Please, I beg you; don't even download this album. Don't even cue a twenty-second clip of a song. There's absolutely no way it's tolerable. Not a way in hell.
On a happier note, this one time, I was at my friend Monique's house, making dinner for us and her friend Aaron, and she calls Aaron over for a taste test. I rush from the couch (my work was done. Shut up) and say, "So, Aaron, what do you think of Three Doors Down?" He pauses to think for a moment, then says, "Eh, they're okay, I guess." I immediately slap my hands, yell, "Ooh, you failed the taste test!" and do the most amazing dance ever performed, ending it in a Jackson-esque spin to exit the room. One of the top eight greatest moments of my life. I usually can't dance, but this was seriously The. Best. Dance. Ever. By Anyone.
Jordan Has Already Done His Celebrating And Now He Wants To Feel Like He's Back Home At The Eastern Bloc: Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/beirut.jpg
Website: (http://www.beirutband.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/beruit)
Quite simply just a stunningly beautiful album and easily one of the top 10 of the year. Maybe it's cause I'm Jewish, maybe it's cause this has an incredible old world / new world feel to it, maybe it's cause I love the vocalist (sounds a lot like Dredg!), but everything about this band works for me. I feel like someone already put them in one of the Decoy Listening Stations, and if so, just consider this further confirmation that this album is incredible. If not, don't let this band or this album slip by as just another hipster blogger's favorite artist of the week, as I did - because now, I completely regret every moment that I let this band slip by without a listen.
Editor's Note: Seriously, this album is fantastic. It's really short, though, which kept it out of the running in my own Top 10 list. I seriously thought about making my #8 album look like this: Beirut - Gulag Orkestar/The Dear Hunter - Vol. 1 - The Lake South, The River North/DeVotchKa - Curse Your Little Heart just so none of them would be left off. Unfortunately, I chickened out, so only The Dear Hunter made it. But each of those three albums hold some very similar threads, although none are anywhere near replicas of one another. Just a tremendous year for this style of music.
Chris Pandolfo Brings Us To The Moment We've All Been Waiting For: Explosions In The Sky - All Of The Sudden I Miss Everyone
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Website: (http://www.explosionsinthesky.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/texasband)
As a way to end off the year with my last Listening Station, I'm going to make it an epic one.
This CD will probably be on my top 10 list of '07.
That's epic.
Editor's Note: This album flies by. So good. We've all downloaded it, right? And we're all going to buy it on release day and make it the number one album in the world, right? Come on! Please? They deserve it. I know it, you know it. Now (well, later) show everyone else why they should, too.
Adam Continues In The Holiday Spirit By Trying To Make Everyone See The Light And Giving Them The Gift Of: Aereogramme - My Heart Has A Wish That You Would Not Go
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Website: (http://www.aereogramme.co.uk) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/aereogrammeofficial)
I was already obsessed with this band before this disc, but aww naw, hell naw, bwaa, Aereogramme dun up an dun it. They went and made one of the most amazing albums I've ever heard in my life and I'm not even gushing. It's like Sigur Ros called up Dredg and said, "Stop being such pompous douchebags [talk about lip service] and make good sincere music again!" Whatever the case, Aereogramme combines the prowess of the aforementioned bands, along with more post-rock musings not unlike Mogwai or EITS, to dramatically sensational results. If this album had been released in 2006, it no doubt would have been on many best of list. However, it doesn't matter; this album is more than good enough to be remembered a year from now.
Editor's Note: This album is actually already out in Japan. And it's seriously already the best album of 2007 by a wide margin. "The Running Man" is easily my favorite song of the forthcoming new year. This band cannot and will not do any wrong. Also, Nappy Roots is one of the best rap collectives of all time. I said it.
Dant Assumedly Likes Anime And Asian Women: Yoko Kanno - The Other Side Of Midnight
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Website: (http://www.jameswong.com/ykproject/) :: Listen: (http://www.jameswong.com/ykproject/disc/music.php)
This week I've been listening to Yoko Kanno's The Other Side of Midnight because Yoko Kanno is a kickass composer. She did the soundtrack for Cowboy Bebop. Enough said.
Editor's Note: Dant, I bought you presents. So if you don't receive them Christmas day, you know who to blame.
Ben Closes Out 2006 With A Wish For An Equally-Great Or Possibly Even Better 2007: Echo Helstrom - The Veil
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/echohelstrom2.jpg
Website: (http://www.echohelstrom.com) :: Listen: (http://www.myspace.com/echohelstrom)
My favorite thing about Echo Helstrom, aside from the obvious, which is that no one has heard of them, is that they could easily break into the big time, despite not actually being a rock band. I like that Ross Seligmann has a very radio-rock friendly voice, one that could earn him millions and millions of dollars if he'd just pick up a guitar and plug in some chintzy distortion pedals. Instead, he writes songs with violins and brass. And they're awesome. Every one of them. Even their cover of Radiohead's "True Love Waits" (Seligmann completely knocks this one out of the park). Another great thing about Echo Helstrom is that they self-funded this record, yet you can find it anywhere, because they somehow convinced a distributor to issue their album. You can walk into any store and find this album. It'll cost you fifteen bucks, but it's a small price to pay for a band that is mesmerizing, unique, motivated, and cross-genre friendly. I honestly don't see how someone firmly against the radio could hate this and I don't see how Seligmann's voice couldn't sell the most brainwashed 20-year-old around on the band's sound. Everybody wins, so long as someone buys the damned thing.
Editor's Note: See you guys next year. Drive safe, party hard, spread the love, increase the peace, up with hope and down with dope, don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya.