Random Music Talk CXXX: The AFL Finally Gets Revenge on Meat Loaf

[gump]

The next few weeks are very exciting for new music.

February 4th:
Black Country, New Road (you may have seen that their lead singer left the band?)
Animal Collective
Mitski
Cate Le Bon

February 11th:
Big Thief
Spoon

February 18th:
Beach House

 

[iron yuppie]

I have a weird pet peeve about bands having a song with a title identical to their name. What is the point of that? Is the song supposed to be quintessential or something?

 

[LuckyNumber7]

Nothing Compares U2

 

[iron yuppie]

I have a weird pet peeve about bands having a song with a title identical to their name. What is the point of that? Is the song supposed to be quintessential or something?

Also, in reference to the album that inspired this post, I can't immediately think of an artist that made as big a leap between their debut and sophomore record as Built to Spill.

 

[Hewson]

I have a weird pet peeve about bands having a song with a title identical to their name. What is the point of that? Is the song supposed to be quintessential or something?

Like the song Bad Company from the album Bad Company by the band Bad Company?

 

[DaveC]

black sabbath put black sabbath on black sabbath.

 

[iron yuppie]

New Mitski album. I was nervous about this one in the lead-up to the release; the synth-poppy singles seemed like fodder for her social media fan base, which is filled with middle-schoolers posting in all caps about how they want to marry her etc. But the album itself is an interesting slight of hand in that it is extremely ambivalent about the fandom, and the teaser songs take on a different meaning within the context of the album. I don't think there is a single noticeable guitar across the album, though, which is a shame given how she can shred.

 

[HeartlandGirl]

February 11th:
Big Thief
Spoon

The new Joywave album also arrives on the 11th.

 

[LemonMelon]

I'm just writing this down for future reference because I'm going to forget something if I don't...

Albums released today that I will be listening to:

Animal Collective - Time Skiffs
Black Country, New Road - Ants From Up There (heard this once and loved it but will run it back very soon)
Cate Le Bon - Pompeii
Cities Aviv - Man Plays the Horn
Godspeed! You Black Emperor - "All Lights Fucked on the Hairy Amp Drooling" (yes, it's leaked after being rumored for decades and confirmed real)
Mitski - Laurel Hell
Raum (Grouper & Jefre Cantu-Ledesma) - Daughter
Saba - Few Good Things
Yeule - Glitch Princess

I don't keep up with either of them anymore but there are also new albums from A Place to Bury Strangers and Wovenhand out that could be good. If you're really into shoegaze or noise rock, there's also a new EP from sonhos tomam conta, who is one of the more promising Brazilian rock artists going at the moment.

 

[Hewson]

black sabbath put black sabbath on black sabbath.

But later they got a little more cleverer and put Sabbath Bloody Sabbath on Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. (Which for many the Sabbath is Sunday...hmmm.)

 

[lazarus]

Australian Grave Robbers are Stealing Human Remains


Friggin’ Robbler.

 

[bono_212]

So far, listening to Yaya Kim has turned my classroom into a James Bond film.

I love this.

I've followed you on RYM eons ago!

I do think her record could be a big hit in the B&C crowd.

2.5 hours while parenting a toddler is a hard ask. But I might try it during my work-from-home days.

Yeah, even listening while doing work from home it took me a few days to finish it. I wish I'd realized it was three discs, I would've split it up evenly at least.

 

[bono_212]

New Mitski album. I was nervous about this one in the lead-up to the release; the synth-poppy singles seemed like fodder for her social media fan base, which is filled with middle-schoolers posting in all caps about how they want to marry her etc. But the album itself is an interesting slight of hand in that it is extremely ambivalent about the fandom, and the teaser songs take on a different meaning within the context of the album. I don't think there is a single noticeable guitar across the album, though, which is a shame given how she can shred.

Mitski doesn't always move the needle for me, but I found this overall very pleasant and I just adore that closer.

 

[LemonMelon]

Of all the excellent music that came out today, Mitski's album was among the least interesting for me, but it's still solid. A 7/10 kind of album. She's still a charismatic vocalist and her songwriting is on point, but something about the instrumental palette and production of the album was uninspiring for me. I think the switch from guitars to synths (how original!) turned me off. Usually her albums have something a little sour and quirky about them, but she doesn't do anything all that interesting with this 80s throwback sound.

 

[bono_212]

I stumbled across a 90s band called "Thinking Fellers Union Local 282" on RYM. Their album Strangers from the Universe made the kind of impression on me that only happens a few times a year. They're like a cross between Meat Puppets and Built to Spill.

Thanks for mentioning this. I'm really glad I listened to it. Especially the closer.

(I'm saying that a lot lately)

 

[iron yuppie]

Thanks for mentioning this. I'm really glad I listened to it. Especially the closer.

(I'm saying that a lot lately)

I don't know what the proper term is for the ramshackle, DIY, pre-grunge rock movement the band belongs to, but I am really digging it right now.

 

[bono_212]

I don't know what the proper term is for the ramshackle, DIY, pre-grunge rock movement the band belongs to, but I am really digging it right now.

I'm sure LeMel would know, but there were a lot of bands that sounded like that around that time. Of course at the moment I'm struggling to think of an example, but as soon as the album started I was like, "Oh, one of these bands!"

 

[Jerry Dunk]

I have a weird pet peeve about bands having a song with a title identical to their name. What is the point of that? Is the song supposed to be quintessential or something?

So you're saying, "Death to 'Death to Los Campesinos!'"?

 

[LemonMelon]

I'm just writing this down for future reference because I'm going to forget something if I don't...

Albums released today that I will be listening to:

Animal Collective - Time Skiffs
Black Country, New Road - Ants From Up There (heard this once and loved it but will run it back very soon)
Cate Le Bon - Pompeii
Cities Aviv - Man Plays the Horn
Godspeed! You Black Emperor - "All Lights Fucked on the Hairy Amp Drooling" (yes, it's leaked after being rumored for decades and confirmed real)
Mitski - Laurel Hell
Raum (Grouper & Jefre Cantu-Ledesma) - Daughter
Saba - Few Good Things
Yeule - Glitch Princess

I don't keep up with either of them anymore but there are also new albums from A Place to Bury Strangers and Wovenhand out that could be good. If you're really into shoegaze or noise rock, there's also a new EP from sonhos tomam conta, who is one of the more promising Brazilian rock artists going at the moment.

I've listened to everything in this post except for A Place to Bury Strangers and Godspeed I can truly say 2/4 was one of the best release days in a long time. Everything was at least solid and I picked up two 9/10 AOTY contenders with Black Country, New Road and Cities Aviv.

Right now, my top 5 for the year is already pretty good and most of it came out on the same day:

1. Black Country, New Road - Ants From Up There
2. Cities Aviv - Man Plays the Horn
3. Animal Collective - Time Skiffs
4. The Weeknd - Dawn FM
5. Hikaru Utada - Bad Mode

Bad Thief and Beach House have leaked but I think I'll wait.

 

[gump]

BCNR is really excellent. Somehow better than their album last year, which I loved.

The new Cate Le Bon was great too. Beautiful melodies all around, familiar but surprising in some ways. Her last two albums really clicked with me.

Still need to get to the new Animal Collective.

 

[bono_212]

BCNR is really excellent. Somehow better than their album last year, which I loved.

The new Cate Le Bon was great too. Beautiful melodies all around, familiar but surprising in some ways. Her last two albums really clicked with me.

Still need to get to the new Animal Collective.

The much-hyped 2/4 wasn't really full of a lot of sounds/bands I enjoy, but I was very taken with the Cate Le Bon album. They haven't done much for me in the past. Excited to listen to it some more. "Moderation" is...so good.

 

[gump]

I loved "Moderation". That album is so consistent. I'll definitely go back to it many times.

One more thing on Ants From the Wall: there's a certain level of youthful exuberance, energy and sadness that permeates this album that makes me think of no other than Funeral. The group vocals and instrumentation are a tell, but it's more than that. The overall feel of a song like Concorde, for example, takes me directly to Laïka.

 

[gump]

And wow, the new Animal Collective is...pleasant? It feels almost like an ambient record. I like it.

 

[LemonMelon]

Strung With Everything caught me off guard. The run from Prester John to Cherokee is one of their best.

 

[cobl04]

It's definitely good. Royal and Desire was the one that caught me off guard, beautiful closer. And there is plenty to like on that Cities Aviv record.

 

[gump]

The hype over the upcoming Big Thief album is a bit out of control. It can’t be that good, can it?

 

[LemonMelon]

It's already got a strike against it being 80+ minutes but I'm sure it's quality like everything they do.

 

[cobl04]

One of my fav Aus bands have another new record out in May.

 

[iron yuppie]

And wow, the new Animal Collective is...pleasant? It feels almost like an ambient record. I like it.

I will have to give it a listen then. They can be disarmingly beautiful when they want. Feels has some gorgeous ambient tracks on it, like Loch Raven.

 

[cobl04]

Two things:

1) Hearing "Ants From Up There" made me think of my favourite TV on the Radio song, "Blues From Down Here"
2) Helado Negro is super underrated. Making beautiful music.