Something a bit different… we haven’t covered too much classical music on this blog, so here’s something to get into.  I’m only posting a few songs, but get a hold of the entire piece if you can.  Quite beautiful.

Infernal Dance of All Kastchei’s Subjects

Disappearance of Kastchei’s Palace and Magical Creations

go buy this

Stripped down folk music.  Really sad.  Really beautiful.  Really good.  Pretty much perfect.  Most people have probably heard this, but if you haven’t, be sure to check it out.

Pink Moon

Parasite

Or buy it.

Disclaimer: same as always

I just started getting into this rather prolific band.  If you haven’t heard of them, Melvins are a four-piece grunge/sludge act from Washington (no surprise there).  They’ve been jamming since the late 80s and are still releasing new material. They cite Black Flag, Black Sabbath, Swans, and Flipper as influences, but they really have a pretty unique sound that can’t really be fully defined.  Bands like Nirvana and Soundgarden worshiped them.  It’s safe to say that Melvins had a strong influence on the whole grunge scene.

For this particular album, Cobain helped produce several tracks and even played some instruments on some of them.  This is Melvins supposedly at their most accessible.  That being said, it’s still pretty strange.

Hooch

Night Goat

Buy it

Disclaimer: You know the deal.

For my next post I had planned on doing a write-up on the beautiful new Morning Benders album, the problem is that the album doesn’t come out until next week, March 9^th. My ethical dilemma came when trying to figure out when the appropriate time was to post a review of an album that I “stole” off the Internet. I use the quotes because stealing in terms of digital music is used loosely in the fact that I use digital music as a test-drive for what I want to buy. It used to be that you only got to hear the singles on the radio and you had to base your decision of whether or not you wanted to purchase an entire $20 album, of usually 10+ songs, on just that one song. Looking back on that, it’s ridiculous; the new digital means of buying music is much more consumer friendly, but heavily exploited. Anyway, I will buy the Morning Benders album, Big Echo, when it comes out, but this brings me to the original question that kept me up late into the night. What is an album anymore?

And by that I mean, what makes it worth purchase? What does it mean to the consumer? For me, the album is a necessary experience to my favorite albums, sitting down with liner notes observing what the band wants to put in the booklet and what they don’t can give you a sense of what that certain band is about. Radiohead’s liner notes are filled with spacey drawings, usually symbolic of current political events. And since the release of Kid A, their liner notes have not included lyrics (A decision I don’t particularly like because Yorke can be hard to make out some/most of the time). Yorke has said that putting lyrics in liner notes emphasizes the voice when Radiohead wants the voice to be seen as another instrument, equal in importance to the bass, guitar, drums, etc. Another artist, Black Bear, put into the liner notes for his one album, personal photos of his current self or his childhood that pertains to each song, the lyrics were included and accompanied by his thoughts and inspirations to write the songs. This experience is highly more personal than the Radiohead lyrics, but what does it tell you about the artist? Black Bear is willing to fully open himself up to his fans, his listeners and wants that to be seen.

However, if you look at the latest Miley Cyrus liner notes, I’d be willing to bet her label typed the lyrics in with some cutesy font sprawled against some bright colors and pictures of her (maybe jumping! Or something else fun!). I can only laugh at the music industries inability to even try and deter the funds they are hemorrhaging. Album sales are at an all time low and the record industry isn’t even trying to make the album a valuable commodity to the listening experience. Seriously, how do generic pictures of Miley enhance the quality of the album? I want to believe that more people would be willing to purchase an album if it gave them more than what they are able to obtain online for free (the music), give us a reason, MIley, to go and buy your album, make it a quintessential part of the listening experience (Party in the U.S.A has so many deep meanings just waiting to be explored). The album should be personable, a glimpse into the inner psyche of a band that helps you learn about them as an artist and where the music you’re obsessing over comes from.

Yours Truly Presents: The Morning Benders “Excuses” from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

-Morning Benders review will be up soon-ish.

Hello All,

Here I am, just like the real “popping the cherry,” about to begin my blogging journey, I’m apprehensive, nervous, but super excited to tell my friends about it after. What do I write about? Am I ready? Do I have any moves?

It seemed appropriate that I would pop this metaphoric cherry, talking about bands that like to write about their own sexual promiscuity. This year’s Post-Nothing, Los Campesinos’, Romance is Boring is brash, loud, and sings/yells about the joys of being young and immature. Los Campesinos’ third studio full-length comes out of the gate slow with “In Media Res,” complaining about being unable to drive due to their drunken state and a lust waiting to be investigated. The album wastes no time after this, exploding with riffs, lyrics exploring sexuality and leaving romance behind. The album will speak to every young college student, how many times do you go out looking to fall in love? I think not, usually a more temporary lust. Los Campesinos prove to produce another fun album with Romance is Boring filled with lines like, “Feels like the build-up takes forever, but you never touch my cock.” Growing more serious as the album progresses, the standout is “The Sea is a Good Place to Think of the Future,” that features a haunting bass line and an incredible strings arrangement and the most sentimental lyrics you’ll find on the album. Besides the latter song’s somber lyrics, this album is perfect for reveling in our youthful state, so I hope that if you’re not already enjoying Romance is Boring, that you’ll give it a shot.

Related links:

-http://loscampesinos.com/

-http://www.myspace.com/loscampesinos

On a side-note:

-We should all be proud to be an American today; silver medal versus Canada is nothing to scoff at.

-Explaining my username: My last name is “Wolf,” also, homage to my favorite band, Radiohead.

-Hope you enjoyed the first “ride,” more to come soon.

A classic Marc Bolan album.  Expect glam rock/psychedelic pop or whatever you want to call it mixed with some lush melodies and smooth vocals. If you’re a Bowie fan you’ll probably dig this. It really is too good.  Give it a listen:

Mambo Sun

Bang A Gong

Better yet, buy it

Disclaimer: same as always.  bands, email us at publications@kscr.org if you don’t wish to have your material posted here

This stuff is too chill. Darker and a bit more foreboding than their other stuff, but still beautiful.  The record also clocks in at 66:06.  Coincidence?  Regardless, best study music. Srsly.

Julie and Candy

The Devil is in the Details

Buy it

Disclaimer: same as last time

Swans used to play really harsh and noisy industrial music.  The kind that made you want to jam a knife in your ear because it was so brutal and aggressive.  And then they pulled a 180 and started playing experimental post-punk kind of stuff.  The stuff I posted here, is of the latter.  But all that aggression and nastiness… it’s still there, albeit a bit more subtle and subdued.  This album in particular is pretty tame compared to some of their other stuff, and if you dig this, make an effort to check out the rest of their discography.  One last piece of news: they recently reformed and are due for a new album this year!

I am the sun

the great annihilator

Buy it

Disclaimer: same as always.  if the artist doesn’t wish to have his work posted here, shoot us an email at publications@kscr.org