Quasi – American Gong
Our album up for review today is the new album by PDX heroes Quasi called American Gong. The eighth studio album is a follow up to 2006’s When the Going Gets Dark and was released on Kill Rock Stars February 23rd, 2010. Quasi comprises of the ex-husband and wife duo of Sam Coomes and Janet Weiss and newer member Joanna Bolme of bass. The band has a long and very prestigious lineage of indie rock cred that vary from being in other great bands to backing other great indie people. American Gong sees the band fleshing out it’s guitar rock sound with many songs being more based on guitar riffage than the traditional Quasi sound of keyboards and drums. However, that’s what you can expect from Quasi as with every album, it sounds different from the last.
As always, the tracks below are listed in the order they appear on the podcast and the number is the track number on the album. If you click on the album cover, you can listen to the album via Lala.com.
1. Repulsion
6. Black Dogs & Bubbles
2. Little White Horse
8. Rockabilly Party
10. Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler
Robert Pollard – We All Got Out of the Army
Today we review the new album by prolific singer songwriter and former Guided By Voices member Robert Pollard and one of the 20 albums he’ll be releasing in 2010 called We All Got Out of the Army. It’s his ninth studio album as a solo artist but really like his bazillionth if you count his side projects. We All Got Out of the Army was released on Guided By Voice Inc February 16th 2010. There’s really not much to say about Pollard except that he has really made a name for himself by being incredibly busy with writing albums and releasing music. His last solo album, last year’s Elephant Jokes, wasn’t as well received as this album. Yet, many people who grew up with the post-punk alternative music will find this album bringing back many memories. We All Got Out of the Army is a short 17 song burst of great songwriting and a fun album to listen to if you are identify still with the label “alternative music”.
As always, the tracks below are listed in the order they appear on the podcast and the number is the track number on the album. If you click on the album cover, you can listen to the album via Lala.com.
16. We All Got Out of the Army
11. Cameo of a Smile
3. Post-Hydrate Update
9. Wild Girl
1. Silk Rotor
Sade – Soldier of Love
Today we review the new album by Sade called Soldier of Love. It’s the band’s sixth studio album and the first in 10 years. It was released on Sony Records February 5th, 2010. Sade shouldn’t need that much of an introduction. The band are responsible for such slow jams as “No Ordinary Love” and “Smooth Operator”. However, a few things you might not know about Sade: The band are English called Sade. It’s not just the name of lead singer Sade Adu. Soldier of Love at times is exactly what you would expect of the band, combining the soft love songs that made them popular in the 90’s and the sultry trademarked voice of Sade herself. However, other times it sees the band subtly progressing its sound to make the band a bit more edgy.
As always, the tracks below are listed in the order they appear on the podcast and the number is the track number on the album. If you click on the album cover, you can listen to the album via Lala.com.
2. Soldier of Love
6. Be That Easy
9. Skin
3. Morning Bird
1. The Moon and Sky
Discussion – Viral Marketing and iamamiwhoami
Today we discuss the relatively new art of viral marketing. If you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past half decade and are not sure what that is, go here for an explanation. The panel discuss the merits of viral marketing to promote music and art. We also focus on the newest and more interesting viral marketing campaigns from an unknown artist called iamamiwhoami. We speculate who it might be or who might be behind their relatively sophisticated short videos.
For those interested, I’ve embedded the videos in the order that they have appeared from oldest to newest. Please note: Since this recording, a new video has popped up March 1st, making the total number of videos six.
Yeasayer – Odd Blood
Today we review the new album by Brooklyn band Yeasayer called Odd Blood. The sophomore album is a follow up to 2007’s All Hour Symbols and was released on Secretly Canadian February 8th, 2010. Yeasayer have long been one of those bands that has just been right below the radar and a group that has many music critics anticipating this album’s release. The band has an eclectic sound that they’ve famously described as “Middle Eastern-psych-snap-gospel”. However, because they come from Brooklyn, they, quite wrongly, automatically get the all encompassing label of ‘indie’. This album sees greater label and financial backing through its expanded sound and production scope. Odd Blood makes full use of heavy synthesizers and some greater pop-sensible songwriting. For those of you who are more pre-disposed to interesting music videos, I suggest checking out the video for their first single, Ambling Alp.
As always, the tracks below are listed in the order they appear on the podcast and the number is the track number on the album. If you click on the album cover, you can listen to the album via Lala.com.
6. Love Me Girl
2. Ambling Alp
5. ONE
10. Grizelda
1. The Children
Fucked Up – Couple Tracks: 2002 – 2009
Our review today is of the Montreal punk band Fucked Up. They’ve released a collection of their older and harder to find songs called Couple Tracks: 2002 – 2009. It’s not really a proper album but is a follow up to 2008’s great Chemistry of Common Life. Couple Tracks was released on Matador Records January 26th, 2010. This double album compilation is more for people that are already fans of the band. It brings together a series of 7” and 12” singles that are difficult to find. Additionally, the past discography also contains 5 new, unreleased tracks that make this album worth picking up even if you’ve collected everything by the band. As is traditional with Fucked Up, the band’s sound lies somewhere between Black Flag post-punk and contemporary hardcore.
As always, the tracks below are listed in the order they appear on the podcast and the number is the track number on the album. If you click on the album cover, you can listen to the album via Lala.com.
1. No Pasaran
6. Triumph Of Life
11. No Epiphany (Fast Version)
15 Carried Out to Sea
23. Last Man Standing
Massive Attack – Heligoland
Today we review the very long awaited new album by Massive Attack called Heligoland. It’s the band’s first album in seven years and is a follow up to the supremely underrated 100th Window. Their fifth studio album was released February 8th, 2010. The Bristol based trip hop pioneers are back with their brooding, dynamic sound featuring core member 3D and returning member Daddy G. This album, as with most Massive Attack joints, has a vast array of big-named vocalists that include the requisite Horace Andy, Tunde Adebimpe of TV On The Radio, Damon Albarn of Blur and the Gorillaz, Hope Sandoval of Mazzy Star, Guy Garvey of Elbow and Martina Topley-Bird of Tricky’s more artistically relevant years. As with 100th Window, the band has preferred the slow atmospherics than the aggressive beats that made them a well known name among many music aficionados. Heligoland will no doubt please many fans, such as myself, that continue to follow their every move.
As always, the tracks below are listed in the order they appear on the podcast and the number is the track number on the album. If you click on the album cover, you can listen to the album via Lala.com.
3. Splitting the Atom
8. Rush Minute
7. Paradise Circus (feat Hope Sandoval)
4. Girl I Love You (feat Horace Andy)
9. Saturday Come Slow (feat Damon Albarn)
Discussion – Are Music Videos Relevant?
Today we discuss the music video as an art form. What are they? Have they changed the way we look at music? Are they an essential part of the music package? Are music videos just advertising or do they have real artistic merit? We discuss how important (or not important) they are to us.
For your reference, he are some links to a few of the videos we discuss on this podcast:
Four Tet – There is Love in You
We look at the new album today by Four Tet called There is Love in You. It’s a follow up to 2008’s Ringer and was released on Domino Records January 25th, 2010. Four Tet is really just the solo project by Brit DJ Kieran Hebden who has worked with a number of really great respectable artists such as Aphex Twin, Super Furry Animals, Radiohead and oddly, Black Sabbath. Hebden began his career by producing albums on Trevor Jackson’s short lived, but highly influential Output Records. Along the way, Hebden has made a name for himself by creating music that is more about atmosphere than traditional verse/chorus/verse songwriting. With There is Love in You, he has not deviated from his bread-and-butter format, creating thick songs that are high on emotion and atmosphere.
This album was recommended by the entire panel.
As always, the tracks below are listed in the order they appear on the podcast and the number is the track number on the album. If you click on the album cover, you can listen to the album via Lala.com.
1. Angel Echo
9. She Just Likes To Fight
8. Plastic People
2. Love Cry
3. Circling
Los Campesinos – Romance is Boring
Our band up for review today is the new album by Los Campesinos! called Romance is Boring. It’s a follow up to their 2008 album We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed and was released on Wichita Records January 26th, 2010. The band are a sprawling seven piece that bring a pogo-emo-punk ethic that can be infectious, if not energizing. The band actually met in at university in Wales, but despite that, not one of them is actually Welsh. The band has all gone the Ramones route and have taken their first names with everyone in the band’s last name being Campesinos. Romance is Boring has been described by frontman Gareth Campesinos as being about “death and football”. Sounds like they have all their bases covered.
As always, the tracks below are listed in the order they appear on the podcast and the number is the track number on the album. If you click on the album cover, you can listen to the album via Lala.com.
3. Romance is Boring
9. I Warned You: Do Not Make An Enemy Of Me
1. In Medias Res
8. Who Fell Asleep
14. This Is A Flag. There Is No Wind
Hot Chip – One Life Stand
Today we look at the hotly anticipated album by British electro-pop band Hot Chip called One Life Stand. It’s a follow up to the disappointing 2008 album Made in the Dark. The fourth studio album was released physically on EMI February 9th, 2010. The band has come out saying that this album has a much more focused feel to it. This may be because they changed up their recording rituals a bit and recorded some parts while on tour and some in short bursts in the studio. Either way Hot Chip have recorded another album that is sure to get the masses dancing.
As always, the tracks below are listed in the order they appear on the podcast and the number is the track number on the album. If you click on the album cover, you can listen to the album via Lala.com.
4. One Life Stand
5. Brothers
1. Thieves in the Night
7. Alley Cats
10. Take It In
Discussion – Does Musician Activism Matter?
Today we discuss the merits of musicians using their fans to funnel money towards causes they believe in. We take all points of view from the supremely cynical to the absolute hopeful. Does a musician pointing a spotlight on a social problem make people more apathetic toward the problem? Do musicians run the risk of looking like posers? Can benefit concerts make a difference in any social cause or movement? Let us know what you think.
