by admin | Sep 17, 2008 | Music reviews, NJ, Punk Rock
New Jersey has been producing great music for some time. In fact we will grandstand here and say all the fools who move to newborklyn or la to “make it” or be entertained are retards. Stuyvesant is all parts equipped with punk veterans and can keep the attention of any special needs kids who needs to be spoon fed their music. Sometimes sounding like the west coast and other times packing that NJ edge makes Stuyvesant’s latest tasty album release on Manual Phono unlike the acquired taste of a Fishmilk shake. I kid them because I think I’ve known a couple of them for more than 10 years (Yikes! we’re fuckin old) so it is hard to be an ass and be constructive at the same time so I can only tell it like it is my brothers. So lets start with Linden Callings artwork shall we? I love it, nobody takes the time anymore to make stuff look cool, as if were handled with care, in particular if you are comic book fan the Boy Howdy tv illustration is killer(which you can get from their site stuyvesantrock.com i think). The lyrics here won’t win a Pulitzer but if there were a rock lyrics award Ralph Malanga (formerly of Footstone) would be in the running for story telling and fitting large amounts of syllables in 3 minute pop-punk marvels that don’t need to studio pro-tool polish most bands hide behind these days. Plus,there are only three chords required to rock and this records proves the point. Their music shows their fan dome for the likes of Social D, Ted Leo, Mats and the Decendents ,etc,etc, blah, blah. Hats off to some of the song names but these are the stand-out tracks: “Liars Poker”, “Tape Hiss”, “forgotten two” and “Salieri”. Enjoy.
by admin | Aug 17, 2008 | All Points West, live show, Music reviews, Radiohead
Man Radiohead managed to redeem the line to get into the line to get into the line at All Points West. They put on an intense performance and sounded amazing. Thank g*d for the close up monitors. They were the only band besides the wall of sound by the astonishing the Black Angels we were able to enjoy. We skipped the Roots to get something to eat, piss and drink. If they had a justifiable mix it would have been really awesome.
Firstly, there was a 5 beer limit per visitor and I am not sure how I humanly could have drank more when you considered the time needed to stand in line. The show was attended by 70,000+ music fans who apparently are all eco-friendly (see dumpter plastic pic below) and love cramming in public transit together, love to stand in lines to take a pee and miss half of the music. Sure us late to get going should have gotten there 3 hours earlier but why or how would we know that we would spend half the day waiting in line from 4pm on? Seriously by the end of the radiohead show i thought my bladder was going to explode and was thankful for having figured out where the shortest lines were. Sort of an expert strategist when given a proper map. Starting to see a trend here.? I hope next year they make some improvements with the ticket line to get in and give the damn beer garden drinkers a monitor to enjoy the rock music.
by admin | Apr 2, 2008 | Alternative Rock, Music reviews, The Raveonettes
Ah, the glory of well executed guitar distortion. I can smell the fumes from the hot tubes burning through the tweed of the amps. Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo’s Lust Lust Lust pull the sheath off of pop music and juxtapose it against obvious surf rock formula pop songs. The Raveonettes craft alternative soundscapes for the blind and are able to give you that feeling you got when watching lost in translation. The electronic beats are Mo Tucker inspired; as we know all good things reference what is 4/4. I disagree with the pitchdorks review about the volume. If your stereo is shitty you may need to crank this music but on normal headphone volume this music this works. Obvious JMC haircut comparisons aside. This one blips and has that bubble mad scientist reverb sound at times and literally scratches the underside of a chrome jet blasting overhead (paraphrasing my dear old dead friend Ethan Stein’s review of pyshocandy here). Listen to “You want the candy”. For fast numbers “Dead Sound” and “Blitzed” should satisfy first listeners who have no idea who the Reid brothers are. Get free tracks from the mp3 bloggers of The Raveonettes via the Hype Machine. Get extra tracks for Lust Lust Lust on emusic.
by admin | Mar 14, 2008 | Ashley Alexandra Dupre, Music reviews, pop culture, Single review
We would be remiss if we didn’t review this bit of pop culture. Musician’s are literally the biggest whores and in this instance “Kristen” Ashley Alexandra Dupre with her single What We Want” literally is the queen with over 2 Million downloads in just 24 hours! Janet/Britney compete with that. This girl has got bling now and does not ever have to work mo’ for her money. You were wondering when the next pop sensation was going to come on the scene? The cliche singer/prostitute, you know, is having the last larf entertaining offers from Hustler, Playboy and book deals according to the papers. Cashing-in becuz she knows what we need and “the body to beat”, is full of hip-hop chimes we’ve all heard before but will surely to be cranked at a club near you or booty shaker video on youtube. I wonder if a remix would even be possible at this point for the Spitzer girl? Anyway, save your money but if your curiosity has go the best of you do search on Hype non-standard and impress your friends with how cool you are but I am sorry to say there is nothing redeeming about this track except for the story. Which is what sells records anyway these days. Enjoy.
Ps young ladies this is a bad example on how to “make it” because the boys don’t care and they just want to see your underwear.
by admin | Feb 23, 2008 | Alternative Rock, British Bands, British Sea Power, Indie Rock, Music reviews, Record Review
Damn the Admirals, Britsh Sea Power was my bewildered discovery on emusic this month. The secret service folks on the other side of the pond have known for years. This band has got all the qualities I enjoy from the past bands like Echo and The Bunnymen, The Wedding Present and yikes Blur. Their new Album asks the question Do You Like Rock Music? Which really is your basic marketing ploy, no frills promise from my pov, and they deliver without blinking. No illusions there. They are the real deal. They are dynamic like Echo, fast like Gedger, and are able to put their rock on like Blur could. Stand out tracks are “Atom” and “No Lucifer” which complete what seems to be their third full length album after a whole slew of 7″s and cd eps. I am thankful there is no Cheeky hit perse but I will probably take that comment back. I’ll have to dig for that but in the meantime what makes this record awesome is their walls of sound that are like acid based dreams. The kind of music drug that has no hang-over and fuzzy like the flaming lips. I dig it gentlemen. No contest. Welcome to the club and don’t forget to let me know when your visa clears. We will spin on the show soon.
Thanks, -djs
by admin | Feb 15, 2008 | LA, Music reviews, Single Recordings, The Meadows
The art of the album where a band actually sits around in room for months on end and spends time refining a record from riff to mix, to mastering, passes most bullshit bands these days. ‘Oh we can fix it in protools’ problem can not cure the ability and paing that goes into composing a good song. The mature layers that make up all the leaves in the field of dreams are not lost on The Meadows. These guys got song virtuisity down to a science like a drunk is good at getting his budweiser on. They weave and wave to all sorts of icons along the way including: Oasis, the best bubblegum fanclubs, and more obscure bands like the Railway Children. The sing-song alternative harmony parts one loves from bands like Tom Petty, Peter Yorn and tried and tue brit pop like coldplay are here too. So here is this second release called First Nervous Breakdown from Mr. Kevin Houlihan and Todd Herfindal that if I had any grammy power this would be nominated. This is a Willbury-esque songwriting duo that is up there like all the best mentioned above. If they tour a little great –somebody put me on the guest list. If you are in LA and see them playing tell Kevin I said hello. Dig it man. Thanks.
by admin | Jan 31, 2008 | free Mp3, Music reviews, Nada Surf
The general consensus around the mp3 blogosphere is that the new Nada Surf record Lucky, is mellower but worth the get. It’s got great lyrics and guitar layers as expected. “Whose Authority” and “see these bones” are the straight away hits. Like glass the harmonies remind me of the beach, like smooth sand and feel good like the foam on a decent beer. Warm reminders that good simple song writing and tasteful guitars make the band, not the haircuts or lack there of. If you are cheap like me you will go around and grab mp3s from Hard to find friend | Quarter life party | hearya | filessessourires | faronheit and then go purchase / download the record so you can enjoy the songs in order and support the band.
Don’t forget to get the whole new free DJSPORK and REVIEW STALKER Podcast.
by admin | Jan 30, 2008 | 2007, Music reviews, Polls, Tris McCall
Ah, besides Christmas, the end of January is the time where my silo listening skills sometimes aligns with the masses and sometimes i’m like wtf or how did i miss this… This time there is no surprises. I missed and apparently play drums to a different beat than most. Other music I must admit i just ignore. Me gusta que me gusta. Blessed are the results for Tris Mccall’s Critics Poll XVI Best albums, Best Singles and the misc category which is my favorite. The choice is still there to ignore but i get to see what other people are listening to. If you didn’t participate this year beg him to put you on the tickler list for next year. You have to put in a lot of time downloading and listening to keep up with these folks so be warned. I’ll be the spoiler hands down and agree that Of Montreal Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer made the number one album of 07. it’s a massive album. The verbosity on the results and detail music geek insight is what makes his analysis a fantastic read. The Singles list is a funny mixed bag of indie and pop mainstream which makes this poll feel real and nobody trying to be cool and measure you up to anything. It is a people’s vote. The most main stream track i voted for was Bruce’s Girls in their summer clothes but that was it. I don’t think i could name a Chemical Romance, alicia keys or Rihanna single to save my life. Nevermind Amy Whinhouse she is drugged up slob like courtney love in my book and i voted for Britney for biggest trainwreck. They all are in the same club. I did extreme pleasure in having my other 9 choices in the other number one singles list. e.g. no show. [see dj spork’s top 20 list show]. Also, good read in case you think you missed something read his pop music abstract for 2007. Get through it and have a larf, if you need dictionary i won’t tell anybdoy.
Other misanthrope lists: Pitchdork’s top 50 albums | metacritic | Stereogum | Spin | Best Christian Albums of 2007 | and if you haven’t already go get you some djspork podcast which is playing to your right. Show #20 posted yesterday for your download and RSS subscription pleasure.
by admin | Jan 25, 2008 | Ex Models, Music reviews
Before there was Ex models there was a band called Turbo Ass, that sounded more like Big Black before the reconstruction of said exmodels. Now there is a poorly recorded and produced knyfe Hyts (Party Store) debut cassette which i picked up at the cake shop the other night, Wait WTF? A C40 chrome tape? Come on guys your’re killing me and you have cliches in this alter-ego side project? Why is it that all innovators turn to their inner metal? Why? lucky for you fools my damn vw has a cassette player. I’m sure a 8track was considered as the 70’s exploitation device. All kidding aside Sha and Shaheen (AKA Gorilla Fuckingly, Bubo Virginianus, Brother Minakari -whomever is driving this one) you all owe me a beer or $4.00. I love motorhead and can tolerate a certain amount of loud noise polution but this is a bunch of loaded mush horse crap. An absurd level of distortion equivalent to that band from Dr. Who whom could only be enjoyed from a distant moon, which is sort of a compliment in some respects, just as much as comparing the tunefulness like the grinding together of two cinder blocks. The live show better be good and good luck on the coming fanboy bleeding ears tour. With much love and respect.
Review Stalker Quoted on the Electrical Audio Forum
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by admin | Jan 2, 2008 | 2007, DJ Spork, Music reviews, Tris McCall
The time of year is here again to put your ears where your mouth is and put in your 2 cents for the best of 2007. Damn where has the time gone? Did a whole years worth of crappy music really go by? Was it all crap? The new DJ Spork and Review Stalker 2007 Best of decisions are in currently playing in our podcast module to your right. So what is your playlist? Radiohead, Spoon, The Shins, The National and some other obvious choices made the review stalker best of 2007 list but you do have a oppportunuity with Tris McCall, he is taking numbers with his 2007 Music Critics poll; which is open to the people, so go ahead and give him your POV. The poll is long and he does allow you get your jibes in for stuff you think sucks so have a look. Happy New Year.
New Jersey has been producing great music for some time. In fact we will grandstand here and say all the fools who move to newborklyn or la to “make it” or be entertained are retards. Stuyvesant is all parts equipped with punk veterans and can keep the attention of any special needs kids who needs to be spoon fed their music. Sometimes sounding like the west coast and other times packing that NJ edge makes Stuyvesant’s latest tasty album release on Manual Phono unlike the acquired taste of a Fishmilk shake. I kid them because I think I’ve known a couple of them for more than 10 years (Yikes! we’re fuckin old) so it is hard to be an ass and be constructive at the same time so I can only tell it like it is my brothers. So lets start with Linden Callings artwork shall we? I love it, nobody takes the time anymore to make stuff look cool, as if were handled with care, in particular if you are comic book fan the Boy Howdy tv illustration is killer(which you can get from their site stuyvesantrock.com i think). The lyrics here won’t win a Pulitzer but if there were a rock lyrics award Ralph Malanga (formerly of Footstone) would be in the running for story telling and fitting large amounts of syllables in 3 minute pop-punk marvels that don’t need to studio pro-tool polish most bands hide behind these days. Plus,there are only three chords required to rock and this records proves the point. Their music shows their fan dome for the likes of Social D, Ted Leo, Mats and the Decendents ,etc,etc, blah, blah. Hats off to some of the song names but these are the stand-out tracks: “Liars Poker”, “Tape Hiss”, “forgotten two” and “Salieri”. Enjoy.
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