Comments

Right around the start of the second season, Parks & Rec emerged as my favorite comedy. The cast is unbeatable. April and Andy's relationship is one of the many reasons why it is more likable to me than so many other TV shows. Comparing their warped, yet sweet relationship to, say, Pam & Jim's kind-of-smarmy relationship on the Office, really shows how interesting of an approach the writers are taking with this show. Everyone involved is obviously following the "Ron Swanson Pyramid of Greatness."

The Alden Penner siting is amazing. That alone makes this video gold.

Excellent, I am looking forward to this one. The piano-groove reminds me a bit of Spoon's "Written in Reverse." Now I know that I've been listening to too much of the two Mister Heavenly tracks because I basically imagined hearing Nick Diamonds in there singing backup vocals on the chorus (the "Life... Fantastic..." part).

I respect what TA is doing. "The Monitor" was an interesting album, but this is a pretty mediocre cover solely because of the vocal performance. Someone noted above that he's going for the rough, punk voice, but I don't think he really was here. He was kind of singing, talking, and not sure what he was doing most of the time. If he went for a true gutter-punk voice, it probably would have turned out better. I'll chalk it to a lack of confidence in performing a cover that they probably just threw together. I'm sure a studio version or more well-rehearsed version would have come out better.

Wow, for posterity's sake, I have to say that this comment I wrote made me feel guilty about never really listening to Some Loud Thunder. Well, for the past three weeks I have had the album literally on repeat. Amazing, amazing album. I now feel much more strongly about this album than their self-titled debut (which is a really good album, also). I've also gotten into his Flashy Python album that I ignored the first time around. More good stuff.

Yeah, they ripped them off and sent them a check as a real screw you! (See original entry: "Crayola used the same song in a commercial a while back, except they paid for the actual track.")

So, if I can use my amazing power of inference here, what we should take away from that post is that Yanina has very likely dressed up as Jared Leto and recorded a video playing a 30-Seconds to Mars song.

Ha, fair enough! You guys are making me nostalgic for early 00's music this week, between this post and the double-take on Liars' "They Were Wrong, So We Drowned." That album and "Who Will Cut Our Hair..." stick together in my mind for some odd reason. "They Were Wrong" is like a horror movie about witches and "Who Will Cut Our Hair" is like a Scooby-Doo episode about ghosts, so it all makes perfect sense.

"I forgot about the Unicorns’ matching pink outfits." To forget those outfits is to forget the Unicorns! Maybe Nick Diamonds can get Michael Cera to use his star-power to turn this into a national incident, one of angry, emotional public outcry that eventually leads to a climatic moment in which the US Supreme Court declares that from this day forward there will be fair payment to all of these bands being hood-winked by devious advertising recording companies. The Unicorns will then immediately reunite, don their pink capes, and play "I Was Born (A Unicorn)" like it has never been played before, causing Michael Cera's Unicorn-loving head to explode.

Seriously. I'm ready for a double-take on "False Priest" already. The reception of of Montreal* albums is always strange to me. It's never in line with what I expect. The first time I heard "False Priest" I immediately was thinking, "Wow, the sound is fuller than it's ever been with them - this has to be a top 10 album of the year." After reading some reviews, I was perplexed to see that the critics found it mediocre. *Note: The double "of" in that sentence looks weird, but I will never capitalize the "of" in their band name again after Kevin Barnes' response to Pitchfork: http://theviolenceofhandcrafteddolls.tumblr.com/post/1689432059/reflections-on-my-pitchfork-review

I never did get into Some Loud Thunder, but the solo album by Alec Ounsworth was actually pretty solid.

Wow, that comment by ddogdunit made me a little sad about the current expectations of music journalism. Music to a lot of people is now just consumable bits of food that we frantically gobble down when it is new, then we get sick of it and throw it away looking for the next new fix. I love the thrill of exciting new bands/albums, but reflecting on past albums is something I wish more sites did. Typically a site will review an album as fast as possible (making you wonder how many times they could have possibly played it) and then we forget about it by the end of the week. I wish there were more follow-up pieces about albums that were misunderstood (over- or under-appreciated) and albums that are growers. It's sad to see bad album reviews hovering out there for years when the reviewer really missed the mark while rushing out a review for release day. Anyway, thanks to brandon for a nice piece.

PS I Love You's "Meet Me at the Muster Station" was probably one of the most overlooked releases last year. The name of the band is probably a big part of the problem - I know I skipped over anything with their name for a while, assuming they were some form of cutesy-teeny-emo band. The singer/guitarist, Paul, can absolutely shred like few others in indie-rock. (Can we get him and Doug Martsch to have a duel, please?) All of the songs are intense bursts of off-kilter rock with power-pop undertones. The excitement I get from listening to the album reminds me of early Pixies (think: Something Against You, Broken Face, etc.). That said, this song is way laid-back with no signs of shredding or Paul's crazy yelping. It's a good listen, but not representative of the fiery "Meet Me at the Muster Station." Hopefully the other tracks on this single bring back some of the intensity of their other work. I've been craving some new stuff from them.

Sarcasm doesn't easily translate to the internet. Hint: I have seen "Exit Through the Gift Shop" a few times.

I know the feeling (obsession). I've been listening to both versions trying to get a good feeling for what it means for the rest of Tomboy. It sounds great. The feel of the song did not change at all, which is good news considering how much I already loved the six-tracks that have been released. All of the instruments sound fuller (better levels, mixing etc.), but the tones are nearly unchanged. I cannot wait for this one.

I know hyperbole is the most common device used in internet posts, but that is an odd comparison to make. Anyway, I enjoy this one and I am looking forward to May. Winter 2011 has had two excellent releases already (Smith Westerns, Destroyer) and spring is looking to be amazing, too (Panda Bear, Fleet Foxes).

What does that mean? Are you saying music composing is his fifth priority? Why? He did not compose the artwork. (If this is a reference to something, I apologize for missing it.)

Ugh it's early; typo: "You Can Count on Me"

Looks more like a Mr. Brainwash to me.

It sounds like you are using the opinions of internet message boards to decide the fate of the album. Why? You have six tracks to evaluate. Sure, the production will change the sound a bit, but the essence of the songs are out there to hear. Personally, I think "You Can Count Count Me," "Alsatian Darn," and "Slow Motion" are three of his finest songs yet. I also think the other three are very nice tunes. From the enjoyment I've gotten from those six songs already, I am pretty confident this will be at minimum a top-10 album for me and very likely my favorite album of the year. That's just another anonymous internet opinion for you.

I've been curious to hear the results of this project. It sounds pretty good: catchy, a little weird, and some nice driving beats. Man Man and Nick make for an interesting duo. Nick seems to pair up well with other songwriters (i.e. Alden Penner with the Unicorns and Jim Guthrie with Human Highway). I am a huge fan of all of Nick Diamonds projects (except Reefer), so I am not surprised that I like this.

Forgive the diatribe, but I have to interrupt and say that I think Wes Anderson is a bad example of using "the creator's weekly playlist as the audio" for a film. That applies a sense of randomness to the musical selections. His first three movies had a nearly perfect integration of music. The sound of the music always added to the ambiance of the scenes and heightened the viewers senses. Obviously, "Needle in the Hay" is amazing, but several others also come to mind: -Love: "Seven and Seven Is" (the house robbery scene in Bottle Rocket) -Love: "Alone Again Or" (the love scene in Bottle Rocket) -The Who: "A Quick One While He's Away" (Herman Blume & Max destroying each other's property) -Faces: "Ooh La La" (the after-play party in Rushmore) Sure, it's become cooler to make fun of Wes Anderson at this point than it is to say you love him, but what he did with music in those movies made for unforgettable moments. You also mention that Glee shows "how music can help people work through struggles or form an identity etc. etc.", which I think Wes Anderson does a good job of, too: -That French song at the beginning of The Darjeeling Limited where Schwartzman keeps playing it, as if it is a mantra he needs to repeat. -The Rolling Stones: "Ruby Tuesday" (Richie & Margot bonding over a record in the tent) -The Rolling Stones: "I Am Waiting" (Max Fischer walking away from his mother's grave and hiding away in his house)

So, everyone who released an album this year gets on the "cool" list? The length of the list is ridiculous. I can picture editors debating over who was the 64th and 63rd coolest people of the year. What does it even mean to be the 60th or 70th coolest person of the year? At what point does being on the list go from being a compliment to an insult? The only reason to make a list that long is so that readers can say, "Hey, there's [my favorite artist]! What the heck? Why are they number [x], when they really should have been in the top [x]!"

Its nice to hear "Getting Up and Leaving." I remember being excited when I heard the "I Swear It's True" demo about 12 years ago when I frequented the Weezer message boards. I remember always wondering what the other Pinkerton session song sounded like. Well, 14 years after Pinkerton's release, it's interesting to finally hear it. I found I was able to drop the modern-Weezer baggage while listening to this one. It's like a time-capsule back to the good ole days. "Blowin' My Stack" is a little on the generic side. I'm not sure when it was recorded, but judging by its style, I'd guess sometime around Maladroit.

I'm a sad-sap American-male so I feel the need to share my favorite melodramatic songs with which I occasionally indulge in some self-pity: -Grandaddy: "Jed's Other Poem (Beautiful Ground)" -TV On The Radio: "Ambulance" -Bright Eyes: "Something Vague" -Elliot Smith: "Needle in the Hay" -Blur: "Sing" -Scout Niblet: "Kiss" Nothing on the survey's list really gets to me except for "Hallelujah."

I'm only listening because it's Weezer and it stirs up some nostalgia, but it's not as bad as some of their recent stuff. The lyrics are still weak, the production is too slick, and the stunted-emotional development of Rivers is disturbing, but there are some solid melodies spread throughout. I can see a 13-14 year old version of myself digging this, but alas I'm an old man now, so I mostly feel embarrassed while listening. It's like when twenty-somethings return to their college to party - creepy and a little desperate. I should probably just move on entirely from Weezer. Well, back to my old man music; hello, Sufjan.

Okay, I have to take the bait. Batonkatruck, I need to know what albums have you liked over the three years or so? Did all good music die with "OK Computer?" I remember you hated the new Wolf Parade songs, you seem to hate Arcade Fire, and another poster mentioned you hated Panda Bear. (Personally, I am a big fan of Wolf Parade and Panda Bear and mostly indifferent to Arcade Fire.) But to get to my point, are there any bands that Stereogum covers in which you have any vested interest? I have no problem with critical comments, but your, "Woe is me! The pain of being an enlightened hipster who sees the truth of the mediocrity of modern music swirls through the endless depths of my blackened soul! I wish the end were nigh!" approach to commenting is a little grating. I tend to notice a decent split on Stereogum of people who are disappointed with music and people who are happy with it. Sure, maybe it's 60/40 for people who are a little fan-boyish versus critical, but the only time I see substantial down-voting is when the comments are condescending, elitist drivel or trolling. If you were funny, then I think people would be able to ignore your pessimistic opinions. But there's no humor or real value in anything you say. I remember in the Wolf Parade thread you were expressing opinions before you ever really listened to the music. Listen to the tunes, post your opinion, then move on.

I can hear the similarity to "Cactus" (the bluesy chord progression), but you've got to give it the proper shout-out: The Pixies original version is so much more memorable than Bowie's cover, in my Pixies-loving opinion.

Did the bass player from Korn also join the band? Yikes.

Marge: Mmm, that seems very noisy and expensive for a souvenir. Mmm, why don't you get this nice cap? [cap reads "Pobody's Nerfect in Australia"] It's clever...just like you. Hmm? Hmm? -The Simpsons

If I did not listen to a song ever again if I did not like it immediately, I would have missed out on a lot of great music over the years. Music is ultimately a subjective experience, but it is also a learned experience. The more people experiment with listening to less accessible things, the more they can learn to appreciate different types of songs that affect them in different ways. It's not about thinking we're important, it's about telling people, "Hey, I did not dig this band at first either, but I gave them a few more listens and overtime they became a favorite." The person does not have to listen to the recommendation, but I appreciate it when people tell me the same about bands that I have not given a chance yet. Glad to hear you enjoyed the new songs, though!

Nice, thanks for the recommendation. I'll be checking it out.

Haha, no worries, Zayin. Likewise to you - I have enjoyed reading your comments regarding WP and Isaac Brock.

I agree that Isaac definitely helped shaped the sound of Apologies, but I do not think he influenced the song structures. I think the free-form, jammy song structure of newer WP is more of a recent song-writing development. When you listen to their EPs that were released before Apologies, they contain the same concise, weirdly catchy songs (albeit in a lo-fi production quality). "Shine a Light," "Dear Sons & Daughters..." and "Modern World" were always these perfect, odd little pop nuggets before Isaac ever came into the picture. I think the sound quality and tone was directly and heavily influenced by Issac, but that the shift in overall song structure is totally a Wolf Parade song-writing development.

Showboating? That's an interesting perspective. What am I showboating about, how I like a band and think they deserve a few listens? That's a strange thing to showboat about. I am not one to live vicariously through things outside of myself. I just derive A LOT of pleasure from listening to WP and I want to share my experience. If you accused me of being overly wordy, then yes I would agree with you completely. I tend to violate internet-brevity protocol with my comments, but that is because I am obsessive-compulsive about fully explaining my thoughts. I find it makes for more interesting conversation than a battle of "I like this song" versus "I hate this song," which leaves little room for the conversation to advance anywhere. Anyway, my thoughts on WP have been spelled out, so I will leave it at that. Voice your displeasure with my comments with a thumbs-down and skip the text whenever you see my avatar.

That's true about the over-saturation of music available to us. I have two main types of listening experiences: (1.) The immediately gratifying singles that I love instantly, and listen to non-stop for a couple of weeks.. Recent examples of that would be songs like "Carby" by Discovery, "Last Drop" by Joy Formidable, and "Warm Heart of Africa" by the Very Best. (2.) The slow-burning albums that have a slightly tougher exterior, but have a huge pay-off after you break through it. Examples of that would be albums by bands like Animal Collective, Liars, Wolf Parade, and Sunset Rubdown. That's why I usually tell people to give Wolf Parade a fair chance. It's tough to know which albums you eventually get the pay-off with so you don't want to waste time with multiple listens on everything. If people throw on some Wolf Parade every now and then, then they may have that a-ha moment like I did. To be honest, I was not a big fan of "You are a Runner" by WP before Apologies came out. But after a few months of sporadic listening, I got into the album heavily and that became a favorite song of mine. I think WP is definitely a band that needs to be heard in the context of a complete album; the singles are not indicative of the whole. It's not for everyone, but I cannot get enough of it. I find it's like sitting down to read a long novel that is tough, occasionally verbose or meandering, but eventually has a huge payoff once you see it all come together. After that you cannot remember why you ever had any doubts about it in the first place.

Just trying to share the Wolf Parade goodness with potential listeners. Things can grow on you if you give them a chance, but you can't force it. I don't think I ever said his opinion was wrong, I was explaining the opposing point of view.; in other words, the basis of all internet discussion: two sides discussing where they are coming from on an issue. You cannot "win" an argument about song quality, but discussion can sometimes help others realize if a band/album/song is something they should give another chance.

I noticed that you kept referring to a single vocalist in the songs by using the pronoun of "he." Each song has a separate main vocalist, with a pretty unique styling (Dan's got a rougher sound, Spencer's a little Bowie-esque). Dan sings "Ghost Pressure" and Spencer sings "What Did My Lover Say." Also, I dig the long Wolf Parade tracks. "Kissing the Beehive" is over 10 minutes and it is arguably one of their greatest songs. These songs are long, but I don't find them repetitive. If they have interesting ideas in them, then I like to patiently sit back and let the song envelop me. That's just my approach to the band, though. It's not for everybody. Sunset Rubdown also has a lot of great long songs. It makes for excellent albums, but not radio-friendly singles.

Pretty good stuff. I've been really enjoying Breakneck Speed. The album seems like it has the potential to be a step up from Elephant Shell, which I thought was very solid.

If you've already listened to them a combined total of over 20 times in a little over a day, then it sounds like you gave them a chance. But... at least 20 times in a little over a day? You're doing the opposite of what I expected (listening once) and over-killing these. I say let the music breath a little. It's not natural to listen to something that many times in a short time frame. Let these two sit out there for a while, listen to some new albums you do like, and revisit these two occasionally. They may grow on you, but don't force it if you're not feeling it. That's just masochistic.