45′s and 40′s

For me, the coolest part about the vinyl experience are the 7″. They pack a different kind of punch, ripe with odd humor and unfinished ideas. A band’s image really isn’t hurt by baring it all at 45 RPM, and speaking of image, I just sandwiched Room on Fire in between two of the few 7″ vinyls I have here. More on the Strokes, music fan patience and Gauntlet Hair’s debut.

Tags: 7", Animal Collective, Fortress of Solitude, Gauntlet Hair, Jonathan Lethem, Notwist, Radiohead, Superman, The Strokes, Thom Yorke

Listomania?!?! But it’s only November….

…oh wait. Almost December. Just got an e-mail about compiling a list of best of’s for this year. I didn’t even realize next year was so close. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that Halcyon Digest may just be the best thing we’ve heard this year. I’m also supposed to say my five favorite music videos? Weird. Bradford Cox, the Radiohead video for “Just” real Listomania after the jump.

Tags: analog, Bradford Cox, Deerhunter, Halcyon Digest, High Fidelity, Just, Radiohead, Vinyl

Holiday Stuffing

And I’m back from the City of Broad Shoulders. Not too much going on right now except Madison is way too cold, but that’s nothing new. Instead of thinking myself, you should watch Andrew Bird think here:

and when you’re done, David Byrne does a pretty boring version of “(Nothing But) Flowers.” I’ll be back with more tomorrow.

When you grow up…

Big day yesterday, which explains the delay. I still can’t hear anything from seeing No Age, which is quite the predicament with Bradford Cox releasing a bunch of bedroom demos. After the jump, artists and transparency, the Atlas Sound and more Eno links.

Tags: Atlas Sound, Bradford Cox, Brian Eno, Deerhunter, New Scientist, No Age

Adagio for the Blogosphere

Just got back from the Milwaukee Symphony, learning a thing or two about different kinds of music. My brother raves about the work of Samuel Barber, and tonight I fully saw why. He is cinematic and direct, each movement an accessible narrative. After the jump, Andy Warhol, Barber and the recap.

Tags: 2+2=5, Andy Warhol, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Radiohead, Samuel Barber, The Talking Heads

Thus sprach Deerhoof

Sorry for not sticking to my schedule. I want to try and do essays every MWF, and one recap on Sundays, but I had to push things back to prep for an interview. Lucky for me, I got some time to listen to an old episode of Radiolab that my friend kept trying to force-feed down my throat, and it got me thinking. The limits of imagination, the Dirty Projectors and Deerhoof after the jump.

New Releases and Old Masters

Disclaimer: I will always be 100% honest with you, no matter how embarrassing. I don’t get around to music in a timely fashion. I will never be a Gorilla vs. Bear or even Pitchfork. It took me three albums to care about LCD Soundsystem. I didn’t pay attention to Small Black until August when I was at the record store and felt like giving something a shot (even though there was no shortage of positive press, and little risk). Why does this matter? Because I ignore things that compliment my anecdotes and observations. No one hits this point quite like The Walkmen. Stereolab, Brian Eno and “You & Me” after the jump.

Tags: 33 1/3, Brian Eno, High Fidelity, nostalgia, Stereolab, The Walkmen