sir mix-a-lot
01-24-2007, 10:11 PM
Welcome to the intro of this week's edition of Decoy's weekly Listening Station. Below you'll find the fruits of our labors, brought to you after fighting back from the deadly illness known as the flu. During my time of being bedridden, I came across many good bands. Hell, even some great ones. Of course, I'd already heard of them and they were albums I already owned, but, hey, man, we can't all be Adam Roncaglione. But we try. Dammit, we try. And with all that trying, this is what we came up with.
Daniel Alcinii Has Revelations Out The Ying-Yang
Bear Vs. Shark (http://www.bearvsshark.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/bearvsshark.jpg:
Terrorhawk
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/bearvsshark)
Bear Vs. Shark put on one of the better shows that I have ever witnessed. Watching Marc Paffi as he'd spasm, hectically run around both on stage and into the crowd while climbing the counter tops of bars, amplifiers, merch tables and anything else that would hold him. After forgetting about, well...losing, Terrorhawk about a year ago, I finally found my album and excitedly threw it on. It's definitely a still a solid album with "The Great Dinosaurs With Fifties Section" still holding up as my favourite track off the disc.
Side note: Up until last week, I'd always thought that I never once saw Curl Up And Diebefore they broke up, but they were apparently on this very same bill with Fear Before and Fire When Ready.
Editor's Note: Something tells me I'm not going to be bringing much funny to the headlines this week. Or the editor's notes. But I will say this: Hey, at least Daniel got to see a bunch of piss-poor bands all at one time instead of having them strung out between a bunch of different, nearly perfect shows. Also, note for Mr. Alcinii: I'll be doing the "side notes" in this section, buddy. Trying to steal my thunder…
Jordan Performs An Eight Hit Combo, Which Isn't That Impressive, Considering He's Using
Ten Kens (http://www.tenkens.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/tenkens.jpg:
Ten Kens
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/tenkens)
Ten Kens resides somewhere on the dark dirty highway between David Lynch's house and Tarantino's bachelor pad. Their music evokes genuine feelings of isolation and despair; the guitar tones are genuinely eerie. You can literally feel the darkness swallowing your entire being. They have an innate sense of song writing and a bizarre sense of structure, but when they rock, they rock hard. It's a long, scary ride, but it's one hell of a journey getting there. Highly recommended listening.
Editor's Note: Haduken.
Alex Davies Knows That Infinity Has To Be On High If Your Numbers Build Upward From Smallest To Largest But He Doesn't Mind That That's The Name Of The Album Because Somewhere, He's Sure Plenty Of People Build Downward From Smallest To Largest, Which Would Make Infinity Way Down Below. Why Are You Still Reading This? I Told You These Wouldn't Be Funny
Fall Out Boy (http://www.falloutboyrock.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/fob.jpg:
Infinity On High
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/falloutboy)
My first thought on hearing this was, "This is not what I expected."
My second thought was, "I am glad."
My third thought was, "Dude, Patrick has a good voice."
My fourth thought was, "Wow, this is a real step forward for the band.
They're way more mature sounding."
My fifth thought was, "'The (After) Life of the Party' might be the best song this band has ever written."
My sixth thought was, "Love him or loathe him, Petey Wentz has still got it."
My seventh thought was, "Never do your listening station pick in this style again."
Editor's Note: Alex has just informed me that he is "MySpace's finest."
Barry Scatton Urges You To Find Music From Someplace Not Called MySpace And Helps To Ease The Transition By Suggesting An Up-And-Coming Little Music Sharing Community Called "iTunes." Don't Worry; I've Never Heard Of It Either, So The "Listen" Link Still Goes To MySpace
Mock Orange (http://www.mockorange.net)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/mockorange.gif:
Nines And Sixes
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/mockorange)
I listened to this record the other night and, despite the fact I was extremely tired, I just couldn't go to sleep until the album had reached its conclusion. Mock Orange has been quietly making flawless indie rock records since the mid-90's and while their newer material is a lot more avant garde than their two albums on Lobster Records, Nines and Sixes is still a great place for any indie rock fan to start. Nines and Sixes combines the midwestern indie rock vibe of a band like Braid with the lightning-fast tempos of any number of punk rock bands. This album's overall sound is so unique that I find myself hard-pressed to find anybody out there who has had the balls to try to make something akin to it. Lobster Records has a real gem on their hands with this release and I almost wish they would re-release it just so it can get some much needed attention. Check out Nines and Sixes because I guarantee that once it's in your stereo it will be impossible not to appreciate it.
Unfortunately the band doesn't have any of their older material up on MySpace, but you can preview all the tracks on Itunes.
Editor's Note: I think I'm going to recommend this band to a coworker tomorrow if I remember. He's on a huge kick for new bands that remind him of the more carefree sixties. I think this could do, based on the song "Mind Is Not Brain." In fact, I quite dig this track. But I’m a very busy man, so I cannot listen to more.
Rick No Headline Needed
4Lyn (http://www.4lyn.de)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/4lyn.jpg:
Neon
Listen (http://www.last.fm/music/4lyn)
4lyn made my top 10 a couple of years back with their album Take it as a Compliment. It was the first album I had heard from the band and it struck a chord with me like very few other albums that year did. Recently I decided to go back and revisit some of 4lyn’s previous albums and Neon proved to be just as equally interesting as Take it as a Compliment. Their mix of hard rock, snotty attitude, late-90’s nu-metal vibe, and bouncy energy is just as fresh today as it was in the early 2000’s. It’s rare that a CD, when listened to years after its release, feels like it could have been released today and still be considered interesting and semi-unique sounding.
Editor's Note: I think Rick gave me a non-music listen link for a reason. There can be no other explanation. I think I'm going to pick Taproot next week.
Armand Gets Me
Glifted (http://www.glifted.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/glifted.jpg:
Under and In
Listen (http://www.mp3.com/glifted/artists/498466/songs.html?tag=tabs;songs&om_act=convert&om_clk=arttabs)
I found out about Glifted not too long ago on a music forum which I’ll just call Forum A. Well, most of the folks down out at Forum A were big My Bloody Valentine fans, so they told me that this was some of the best shoegaze they’ve heard in a while. And they were right.
Glifted’s Under And In is a fantastic record that displays the best in shoegazey guitar effects you’ll find these days. But it is more experimental and less dream-poppy than your everyday shoegaze. A lot of the music is kind of looped and repetitive and serves as a steady beat to the undecipherable vocals.
Nevertheless, songs like “The Ground” and “Is There Any Always” are some of the best songs I’ve ever heard, regardless of whatever genre they may fall under.
P.S. Gifts From Enola was my second choice for this week.
Editor's Note: Armand Babian Secret: He actually just sent me the album cover originally, with no writeup included. He is a goose. Silly.
Ben Was Sick, So He Had A Lot Of Soup The Last Few Weeks And He Found Out He Prefers The Band To The Soup
Gazpacho (http://www.gazpachoworld.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/gazpacho.jpg:
Night
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/gazpacho)
I haven't really had time to absorb Night like I have other Gazpacho records. Of course, to properly absorb a Gazpacho album takes about fifteen, twenty, two hundred listens. And, well, this one's not even out yet. But I think a lot of the musicianship displayed here definitely makes this one of the group's better offerings. Plus the seventeen-minute opener uses a didgeridoo. I'm pretty sure that makes it awesome, which, by the way, it already was. I love that this band can balance hefty progressive rock tendencies with sincere piano pop emotion. Gazpacho is absolutely deserving of much more praise and attention than they get. Four albums in and they're just getting better.
Editor's Note: Seriously, I can never say enough about these guys. Conversely, I can never find the words to properly describe them. All I know is that I really like them a lot and have paid a ton in import costs to own their discography. That and they've been taken under the wing of pop-prog legends Marillion, which has without a doubt been a huge influence on the group.
Daniel Alcinii Has Revelations Out The Ying-Yang
Bear Vs. Shark (http://www.bearvsshark.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/bearvsshark.jpg:
Terrorhawk
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/bearvsshark)
Bear Vs. Shark put on one of the better shows that I have ever witnessed. Watching Marc Paffi as he'd spasm, hectically run around both on stage and into the crowd while climbing the counter tops of bars, amplifiers, merch tables and anything else that would hold him. After forgetting about, well...losing, Terrorhawk about a year ago, I finally found my album and excitedly threw it on. It's definitely a still a solid album with "The Great Dinosaurs With Fifties Section" still holding up as my favourite track off the disc.
Side note: Up until last week, I'd always thought that I never once saw Curl Up And Diebefore they broke up, but they were apparently on this very same bill with Fear Before and Fire When Ready.
Editor's Note: Something tells me I'm not going to be bringing much funny to the headlines this week. Or the editor's notes. But I will say this: Hey, at least Daniel got to see a bunch of piss-poor bands all at one time instead of having them strung out between a bunch of different, nearly perfect shows. Also, note for Mr. Alcinii: I'll be doing the "side notes" in this section, buddy. Trying to steal my thunder…
Jordan Performs An Eight Hit Combo, Which Isn't That Impressive, Considering He's Using
Ten Kens (http://www.tenkens.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/tenkens.jpg:
Ten Kens
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/tenkens)
Ten Kens resides somewhere on the dark dirty highway between David Lynch's house and Tarantino's bachelor pad. Their music evokes genuine feelings of isolation and despair; the guitar tones are genuinely eerie. You can literally feel the darkness swallowing your entire being. They have an innate sense of song writing and a bizarre sense of structure, but when they rock, they rock hard. It's a long, scary ride, but it's one hell of a journey getting there. Highly recommended listening.
Editor's Note: Haduken.
Alex Davies Knows That Infinity Has To Be On High If Your Numbers Build Upward From Smallest To Largest But He Doesn't Mind That That's The Name Of The Album Because Somewhere, He's Sure Plenty Of People Build Downward From Smallest To Largest, Which Would Make Infinity Way Down Below. Why Are You Still Reading This? I Told You These Wouldn't Be Funny
Fall Out Boy (http://www.falloutboyrock.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/fob.jpg:
Infinity On High
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/falloutboy)
My first thought on hearing this was, "This is not what I expected."
My second thought was, "I am glad."
My third thought was, "Dude, Patrick has a good voice."
My fourth thought was, "Wow, this is a real step forward for the band.
They're way more mature sounding."
My fifth thought was, "'The (After) Life of the Party' might be the best song this band has ever written."
My sixth thought was, "Love him or loathe him, Petey Wentz has still got it."
My seventh thought was, "Never do your listening station pick in this style again."
Editor's Note: Alex has just informed me that he is "MySpace's finest."
Barry Scatton Urges You To Find Music From Someplace Not Called MySpace And Helps To Ease The Transition By Suggesting An Up-And-Coming Little Music Sharing Community Called "iTunes." Don't Worry; I've Never Heard Of It Either, So The "Listen" Link Still Goes To MySpace
Mock Orange (http://www.mockorange.net)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/mockorange.gif:
Nines And Sixes
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/mockorange)
I listened to this record the other night and, despite the fact I was extremely tired, I just couldn't go to sleep until the album had reached its conclusion. Mock Orange has been quietly making flawless indie rock records since the mid-90's and while their newer material is a lot more avant garde than their two albums on Lobster Records, Nines and Sixes is still a great place for any indie rock fan to start. Nines and Sixes combines the midwestern indie rock vibe of a band like Braid with the lightning-fast tempos of any number of punk rock bands. This album's overall sound is so unique that I find myself hard-pressed to find anybody out there who has had the balls to try to make something akin to it. Lobster Records has a real gem on their hands with this release and I almost wish they would re-release it just so it can get some much needed attention. Check out Nines and Sixes because I guarantee that once it's in your stereo it will be impossible not to appreciate it.
Unfortunately the band doesn't have any of their older material up on MySpace, but you can preview all the tracks on Itunes.
Editor's Note: I think I'm going to recommend this band to a coworker tomorrow if I remember. He's on a huge kick for new bands that remind him of the more carefree sixties. I think this could do, based on the song "Mind Is Not Brain." In fact, I quite dig this track. But I’m a very busy man, so I cannot listen to more.
Rick No Headline Needed
4Lyn (http://www.4lyn.de)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/4lyn.jpg:
Neon
Listen (http://www.last.fm/music/4lyn)
4lyn made my top 10 a couple of years back with their album Take it as a Compliment. It was the first album I had heard from the band and it struck a chord with me like very few other albums that year did. Recently I decided to go back and revisit some of 4lyn’s previous albums and Neon proved to be just as equally interesting as Take it as a Compliment. Their mix of hard rock, snotty attitude, late-90’s nu-metal vibe, and bouncy energy is just as fresh today as it was in the early 2000’s. It’s rare that a CD, when listened to years after its release, feels like it could have been released today and still be considered interesting and semi-unique sounding.
Editor's Note: I think Rick gave me a non-music listen link for a reason. There can be no other explanation. I think I'm going to pick Taproot next week.
Armand Gets Me
Glifted (http://www.glifted.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/glifted.jpg:
Under and In
Listen (http://www.mp3.com/glifted/artists/498466/songs.html?tag=tabs;songs&om_act=convert&om_clk=arttabs)
I found out about Glifted not too long ago on a music forum which I’ll just call Forum A. Well, most of the folks down out at Forum A were big My Bloody Valentine fans, so they told me that this was some of the best shoegaze they’ve heard in a while. And they were right.
Glifted’s Under And In is a fantastic record that displays the best in shoegazey guitar effects you’ll find these days. But it is more experimental and less dream-poppy than your everyday shoegaze. A lot of the music is kind of looped and repetitive and serves as a steady beat to the undecipherable vocals.
Nevertheless, songs like “The Ground” and “Is There Any Always” are some of the best songs I’ve ever heard, regardless of whatever genre they may fall under.
P.S. Gifts From Enola was my second choice for this week.
Editor's Note: Armand Babian Secret: He actually just sent me the album cover originally, with no writeup included. He is a goose. Silly.
Ben Was Sick, So He Had A Lot Of Soup The Last Few Weeks And He Found Out He Prefers The Band To The Soup
Gazpacho (http://www.gazpachoworld.com)
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/ListeningStation/gazpacho.jpg:
Night
Listen (http://www.myspace.com/gazpacho)
I haven't really had time to absorb Night like I have other Gazpacho records. Of course, to properly absorb a Gazpacho album takes about fifteen, twenty, two hundred listens. And, well, this one's not even out yet. But I think a lot of the musicianship displayed here definitely makes this one of the group's better offerings. Plus the seventeen-minute opener uses a didgeridoo. I'm pretty sure that makes it awesome, which, by the way, it already was. I love that this band can balance hefty progressive rock tendencies with sincere piano pop emotion. Gazpacho is absolutely deserving of much more praise and attention than they get. Four albums in and they're just getting better.
Editor's Note: Seriously, I can never say enough about these guys. Conversely, I can never find the words to properly describe them. All I know is that I really like them a lot and have paid a ton in import costs to own their discography. That and they've been taken under the wing of pop-prog legends Marillion, which has without a doubt been a huge influence on the group.