2017 MUSIC

[Richard Cranium]

this donald trump presidency threatens to hijack music as we know it. and you just know p4k will start writing reviews down for an artists 'failure to address the political climate' or some other BS. the grizzly bear record is already going to be a turd after daniel had that total meltdown. and it's all a shame because there is possibly some great music to be made amid the hysterical times, but i feel like it'll be the artists who turn away from things, rather than getting on the hype-train.

From stereogum's (i know they suck, but still...) review of the new Japandroids:

This is fist-in-the-air music, music that’s built to soundtrack drunken escapades and ill-advised hookups and swimming-hole road trips. A whole lot of people are going to have a whole lot of fun to this album, and the album seems precision-engineered with all that fun in mind. But this is a weird time to be encountering an album built like that. This is a time of fear and anxiety and regret and resentment. It’s a time of staring at the Facebook pages of family members who voted for Trump and trying to figure out what the * they were thinking. It’s a time of watching TV news and just zoning out into a state of blind anger. Maybe you feel like partying right now, and if you do, that’s great for you. I don’t. I can’t. And that means I cannot get on Japandroids’ level right now. I can’t hear Near To The Wild Heart Of Life the way it should be heard. I wish I could.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Stereogum is good and I think for these massive websites, sometimes hyperbole and wank is good in criticism – I know it's not self aware but sometimes great writing is inherently full of itself, over the top, over-analytical, and not subtle and small. I still think that's an odd parallel to draw to, and yes, the obvious contrary is 'party to forget about the bad times...' or... you know... talk about the fact Japandroids are canucks, but you know, whatever.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Stereogum, good?

Brah, whoever it is that writes about rap and/or pop all the time is/are clearly 35 years old and desperate to be seen as cool, so go out of their way to tell everyone how much they love acts that even those in its target demo don't take seriously. Then there's the comment section, which over the years has basically turned into a self congratulating wank fest, with everyone more concerned with saying some essentially meaningless comment about an album (or a year: "this is literally the greatest year for music everrrrrr!!!") in the pursuit of up votes, rather than there being any actual discussion of the music. And if someone where to come out and say e.g. that they DON'T find Jamie XX's production to be sublime, that they instead consider it be some sort of b-grade amalgam of all the different styles he's clearly influenced by but unable to transcend in any way (this is just a crazy, out there example by the way, no way it could possibly be my actual opinion... ), then s**t, that poster gets downvoted so bad that their post disappears. It's like a slightly, slightly less horrible version of a youtube comment section.

I still go there to check out any stories I may have missed, but at this point it's mainly to laugh at the comment section, which I realise says a lot about me as a person, but where else can I get such music-related comedy? Other than a Jayson Greene pitchfork review of a star rapper's album, of course.

 

[NotAMagpieBogan]

Holy s**t the new Foxygen album is fantastic. I went on Spotify to listen to On Lankershim, and noticed the Hang had been released just a couple of hours ago. I've only listened to it the once so far, and I'm sure I'll listen to it a bunch tomorrow, but damn I can't remember the last time an album has hit me so well upon first.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Never got Foxygen. Didn't they break up? I thought they hated one another?

 

[NotAMagpieBogan]

Never got Foxygen. Didn't they break up? I thought they hated one another?

I think people sort assumed they because how terrible their 2014 album was. I know they both were pretty hard on drugs at one stay which almost broke them up too.

 

[Silent Alarm]

I think people sort assumed they because how terrible their 2014 album was. I know they both were pretty hard on drugs at one stay which almost broke them up too.

Wasn't the 2014 album their debut? I thought that's what got them the interest?

 

[Kakkle]

Yes, Baba, yes.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Has anyone heard Dams Of The West, or Chris Thomson from Vampire Weekend, and the stuff he's put out? Don't mind it. I like the subject matter. It's like a less angsty, more accepted and welcoming Modern Vampires of the City – I like the idea of hitting 30 and accepting your life has probably peaked, and opening up to the idea of domesticity; quiet nights at home, steadier income, less trying, knowing what you want a little more... some of his lyricism is clunky but Death Wish really charmed me. The second song hasn't hit me at all but the newy is good too.

So, in order.




By the way, Maggie Rogers. Who is on board and more to the point, who expects the full length to suck?

 

[katana]

Has anyone heard Dams Of The West, or Chris Thomson from Vampire Weekend, and the stuff he's put out? Don't mind it. I like the subject matter. It's like a less angsty, more accepted and welcoming Modern Vampires of the City – I like the idea of hitting 30 and accepting your life has probably peaked, and opening up to the idea of domesticity; quiet nights at home, steadier income, less trying, knowing what you want a little more... some of his lyricism is clunky but Death Wish really charmed me. The second song hasn't hit me at all but the newy is good too.

So, in order.

only listened to this song.

it suffers from everything that all the VW spin-offs have. the vocals ******* suck. he cannot sing, rostam cannot sing, don't think the other chris has done anything solo but doubt he can either. and it's not even bad in the 'oh it's got character' kind of way. it's just s**t. it's almost as if he knows he can't sing and is doing his best to conceal that by not trying to seem as if he's trying to sing.

it'd be like getting an album of ed o'brien backup vocals as the lead. wait it's actually nothing like that because that'd be bangin'.

 

[Silent Alarm]

only listened to this song.

it suffers from everything that all the VW spin-offs have. the vocals ******* suck. he cannot sing, rostam cannot sing, don't think the other chris has done anything solo but doubt he can either. and it's not even bad in the 'oh it's got character' kind of way. it's just s**t. it's almost as if he knows he can't sing and is doing his best to conceal that by not trying to seem as if he's trying to sing.

it'd be like getting an album of ed o'brien backup vocals as the lead. wait it's actually nothing like that because that'd be bangin'.

That's happening bra. Honestly wouldn't mind if it was like a 'world music' version of The King Of Limbs – rhythmic, loopy, grooving sort of stuff. But for a dude who wrote the riff to Street Spirit, Optimistic, and a few others, there could be a bit more he could do.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/oct/10/radiohead-ed-o-brien-solo-album-carnival

 

[the fly]

I'm looking forward to the release of Alone In Bad Company.

 

[Kakkle]

I didn't expect myself to be excited for a Dirty Projectors album sans Amber & Angel, but here I am.

 

[Cotchin 9]

 

[DapperJong]

New Ty Segall out today.

 

[NotAMagpieBogan]

Imagine the Village People, standing on the front lines of war.

Spoiler

 

[SSwans2011]

Did any Melbournians head to Laneway on Saturday? I attended the Brisbane festival, and it was a good day out once again.

Luca Brasi were exceptional once again with their cover of How To Make Gravy probably my highlight of the day. Whitney didn't let down, and were comfortably the second best set of the day. My mate who had not heard anything by them prior even considered it a highlight of the day. Camp Cope were a really good way to start the day too.

Going into the festival, I had liked some of King Gizz's work, but I wouldn't have considered myself a regular enough listener to be a "fan". They definitely won me over though. Car Seat Headrest were pretty good, but Will Toledo still seems like a massive flog to me.

Glass Animals seemed entertaining live, albeit that set was sort of ruined for me by some dickheads trying to start a circle pit. Yup, a pit... for Glass Animals.

Going into the festival, I was admittedly a little underwhelmed by Chet Faker and Tame Impala being headliners. There were a few Tame Impala songs I loved, but I hadn't really been able to get into them. I just didn't really care for Chet at all, but the song Talk Is Cheap really clicked for me a few days before the festival for whatever reason. Nonetheless, they both put on pretty decent shows, and I can't really complain about either set.

I'm still bummed Young Thug pulled out, but all in all the festival delivered again.

Imagine the Village People, standing on the front lines of war.

Spoiler

Haha, was going to post this! This and ACVC had me in stitches.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Did any Melbournians head to Laneway on Saturday? I attended the Brisbane festival, and it was a good day out once again.

Luca Brasi were exceptional once again with their cover of How To Make Gravy probably my highlight of the day. Whitney didn't let down, and were comfortably the second best set of the day. My mate who had not heard anything by them prior even considered it a highlight of the day. Camp Cope were a really good way to start the day too.

Whitney hated Brisbane. From memory they said it was boring and had no culture. A bunch of prissy ex-Queenslanders started booing them too.

 

[SSwans2011]

Whitney hated Brisbane. From memory they said it was boring and had no culture. A bunch of prissy ex-Queenslanders started booing them too.

Not surprising. Julien said during their set that he wanted to party after their set, but there would have been nothing for him to do in Brisbane.

Not a bad place to live, but I'd assume it would be a s**t place to visit.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Not surprising. Julien said during their set that he wanted to party after their set, but there would have been nothing for him to do in Brisbane.

Not a bad place to live, but I'd assume it would be a s**t place to visit.

Julien didn't party very heavily on Friday night, Max loves it though. Great dudes, really sweet guys.

Unfortunate they spent three days there, why didn't you try hanging with them? I don't think they liked many people on the roster. Even though Julien is one of the nicest people I've ever met. And so cool. Good looking up front too.

 

[SSwans2011]

Julien didn't party very heavily on Friday night, Max loves it though. Great dudes, really sweet guys.

Unfortunate they spent three days there, why didn't you try hanging with them? I don't think they liked many people on the roster. Even though Julien is one of the nicest people I've ever met. And so cool. Good looking up front too.

I honestly didn't think about it. I really should have. He even said he was keen to hang out with people afterwards. I was keen to try to meet them after the set, but had no idea how to go about it.

Wouldn't have been overly difficult, considering they were signing records (didn't realise this until I saw a poster about an hour after). Ah well, guess it will go down as a musical regret for me.

Interesting comment about them not liking many people on the roster too. I love a fair few of the Australian bands on the line-up, but they understandably probably have their own small groups considering they would have regularly toured together, so the international acts may feel a bit like outsiders. Bands like Camp Cope and Luca Brasi work domestic politics into their performances too, which made Julien a bit awkward when wishing the crowd a happy Australia Day.

Hopefully they enjoy the rest of Australia a little bit more, because would love for them to regularly come back. Their set was rad, and I'd love to catch a full Whitney concert in the future.

 

[Cotchin 9]

I honestly didn't think about it. I really should have. He even said he was keen to hang out with people afterwards. I was keen to try to meet them after the set, but had no idea how to go about it.

Wouldn't have been overly difficult, considering they were signing records (didn't realise this until I saw a poster about an hour after). Ah well, guess it will go down as a musical regret for me.

Me too. I was right behind them as they walked out of the bandroom at Howler, just chatting away to anyone and everyone.

 

[Silent Alarm]

By anyone and everyone, you mostly mean cute girls.

For dudes who talk about feeling lovelorn a lot, they don't struggle.

I've seen a lot of bands but none have ever been so accommodating. I get the feeling they're enjoying touring after the last Smith Westerns one was apparently a slog. They probably want to do the 'I'm a rockstar' thing and want to mix and be seen so that's why they're talking to people so much. To be honest everyone left straight after the Howler show and no one was really annoying them, I guess that's why Julien had to come hang around us.

Why did Julien feel awkward about Australia Day? I sort of agree with the politics of changing it, or putting it to the Aboriginal community to decide a day that doesn't hurt them, but how can a dude from America tap into that? It's not like it's worldwide news or like the Trump detentions.

 

[SSwans2011]

Why did Julien feel awkward about Australia Day? I sort of agree with the politics of changing it, or putting it to the Aboriginal community to decide a day that doesn't hurt them, but how can a dude from America tap into that? It's not like it's worldwide news or like the Trump detentions.

Georgia Maq from Camp Cope (they were the set before him) basically came out and one of the first things she said was "change the ******* date". I think Julia Jacklin might have also said something about it, but I'm not certain. Many festival goers were wearing "change the date" shirts too, and there's a fair chance they passed protesters on their way into the festival. He'd probably just been prepared to wish people a happy Australia Day, but by the time their set started, would have had no idea of the public opinion towards it.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Did he actually say it or what?