25 Albums From The 2000s That I Really Liked

Some Q+A With Dischord Records

Jason: Now that anybody can easily get your releases for free digitally online, does it still make sense to sell recorded music at all?

Alec: Absolutely. We have never felt like we were simply pushing sound waves out there and have always understood and respected the idea that punk bands and labels represent a community and a conversation as much as anything else. In other words — people like to feel connected to the people and ideas behind the music and there has always been something distinctly impersonal about the digital medium. Social networking sites are clearly an attempt to personalize this space but they still have a ways to go before they can up-end a 12″ LP.

But isn’t commerce a barrier to communication and community? If (now or in the future) an artist can record a quality album on a cheap laptop and distribute their music to fans for free as a digital medium, why shouldn’t they?

They can they absolutely should. I am only saying that we live in both worlds right now and there is not immediate need for every label to roll over and play dead. Also — this digital age has not yet established a medium for all of these artists to break beyond the static. Labels offer a filter and so far that is still useful to people. I am not fighting the alternative — I am still looking for it to emerge.

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Laminar Excursion Monthly

I was contacted recently by Jared at Flannelgraph Records. They are teaming up with Crossroads of American Records on a 3-inch CD subscription series that they’re calling Laminar Excursion. It costs $45 and subscribers will get two of the CDs every month for a year, and includes some kind of box for holding the discs. They’ve got some bigger names involved, including Damien Jurado, Richard Swift, and Saxon Shore, along with some lesser-known artists.

The price might seem a little steep, but it breaks down to $3.75 a month which is definitely affordable. And considering you’re talking 24 discs and it’s limited to only 100 subscribers, there’s a scarcity and uniqueness to it that hopefully will bring them some luck.

It’s cool to see young labels working together and trying something a little different. These two labels have also teamed up to release Starflyer 59’s debut album “Silver” on vinyl, which is pretty sweet.

Interview: It’s A King Thing

I was turned on to It’s A King Thing after they were mentioned along with The Color Wheels over at Sound As Language. We’ve since done a couple of shows with those guys and kept in touch. I’ve really enjoyed their full-length album Proper Nouns, which you can download for free. Below is an interview with front-dude Brian Meitz:

Most of your lyrics seem very personal. You even make references to people by name. A few of the songs are addressed to people (usually, girls) almost as letters. Are you making up stories or are these based on real experiences?

All of the songs are based on an experience. Mostly about friends, girls I’ve hooked up with or girls I want to hook up with. I’m not deep enough or poetic enough to write about anything serious either and if I tried I wouldn’t be able to pull it off without sounding like a dummy. So I stick to what I know. Hanging out and being a total pussy.

How do the other members contribute to the songs?

Everyone came up with parts for the new album. Johnny came up with some neat guitar stuff. Mike came up with neat bass stuff on songs where I probably would’ve just played the root note. Jay wrote some really neat keyboard parts and Steve helped arrange a few of the songs. If someone came up with an idea, we tried it out and would decide whether it was right for the song or not.

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More magic, less marketing

I read this article today over at Hypebot. The author, Kate Bradley points out that while there is merit in being great, it’s no guarantee of fame and fortune:

I don’t care how friggin spectacular you are… if you don’t have anyone to tell, it might as well not be true. It’s a chicken and the egg deal. Almost. Because, you CAN have real, passionate, loyal fans at every stage of your career, from fledgling to Trent; if I like you, I’ll help you. Period.

Think of it like this: the way you make me feel about your product handily trumps the actual product. In a heartbeat.

So… how do you do it? Um, it’s called MARKETING.

There’s definitely something that happens between creating something great and having tons of people psyched about it. That’s really nothing new. However, I wouldn’t call it marketing. It’s something that can’t be outlined in the cold, sterile world of a business spreadsheet or a corporate boardroom. And when it is, it’s usually worthless. It should be something more mysterious, organic, meaningful, and timeless. More magic, less marketing.

Paper The Operator - 2009 Tour Photos

Paper the Operator went on tour in August of 2009. Here are some photos from their tour.

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Review: Blues “Snakepit”

Our friends over at 1912 Records are really doing some cool stuff. Last year they released this album Snakepit by Tucson, AZ band Blues. The very cool beer-colored vinyl initially caught my attention, so I picked it up. The album artwork is equally as awesome, with the faith healers without faces, the full insert with photos and lyrics, etc. Such great packaging.

Musically, these dudes take that Botch metal-hardcore template that’s been the rage for the last decade, and they throw in some seriously great Unsane-esque riffs, lots of Helmet-style start-stop dynamics, and tons of those beefy Clutch riffs that give it an almost Southern Rock swagger. Unlike so much of the heavy stuff I hear these days, this record seriously rocks. They throw tons of furious riffs at you without relying on ridiculous time signatures, and there are no chuggy palm mutes or goofy melodic parts - really, just some seriously great heavy rock and roll. The production is warm and roomy, but still totally raw, and the vinyl sounds really nice on my stereo.

Another thing that really sets this record apart is the vocals. There’s plenty of throaty screaming, but they mix it up with some really great yelling that reminds me of ATDI or maybe Guy from Fugazi. And there is the occasional distorted vocal and gang yelling, right where you need it. And actually, all the members are credited with vocals along with the main vocalist. So yeah, awesome yelling and screaming all over this thing.

A great record with some great packaging, definitely worth picking up.

Artist Interview: Jon Itkin

Jon Itkin contacted me a couple of months ago, saying he had recently moved back to Rochester and was looking to get plugged into the music scene, describing his music as “raw, old-school Americana.” I checked out his MySpace page and liked his songs, so I invited him to open a show at Abilene. I’ve seen him play out a couple of times now. He’s a friendly, down-to-earth guy and he really puts his whole heart into his performances. He’s going to be teaching a songwriting workshop in Rochester, check his MySpace for details. His self-released albums Big Gold Guitar In The Sky and Oregon are available from iTunes, CD Baby, and at shows.

Do you come from a musical family? What were your experiences with music as a kid?

My parents aren’t very musical at all, though my dad has a great collection of old records which he keeps in perfect shape. One of my earliest recollections of listening to music was my dad playing “Johnny 99″ off Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska record. I thought the song was about me. I forgot about that record for a long time, then it came back to me somehow. Now it’s one of my major musical touchstones.

Though my parents we’re musical, they always encouraged my sister and I to play. She played violin and I started on cell in the 2nd grade. I hated it. Eventually, I wound up playing clarinet in 5th grade or so (sax was taken), and I wound up hating that too. About the end of middle school I got an acoustic guitar and started learning to play. My sister continued with violin, then switched to voice and got her BA in music.

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Review: The Gifted Children “Always Stay Sweet”

Rochester’s The Gifted Children have supposedly recorded over 1,000 songs in the past 12 years. They’ve recently released a backlog of several full-lengths and EPs in an effort to share these songs (and new ones) with the world, Always Stay Sweet being one of the first new long players. “The Straw Brigade” starts off the album with a biting guitar strum, a great vocal melody, and an interesting bass line. The full band kicks in for a big chorus, and the song is over in 60 seconds. Short but definitely sweet. Many of the tracks on this album are just as brief, and the longest is still under three minutes. Short pop songs are nothing new, and while there’s an obvious Guided By Voices, mid-fi, 90’s style indie pop-rock influence to the album, Always Stay Sweet is full of creativity and inspiration. The album has a very full and warm production quality, and a well-crafted variety of tones and instrumentation. No two tracks really sound alike, but the album is surprisingly cohesive. “How Important the Local Creek” is a grungier, darker, farily straight-forward rock song. “The Dancehall Atlantic” is all major-key with acoustic guitars, piano, and a cool drum beat. “Ankle Socks” is a distorted, drum-machine and keyboard-driven track that’s a lot of fun, and barely long enough to be an iTunes sample. “The Genius Of Me” reminds me of Beta Band. “Meeting The Great Bliss Queen” has weird organ sounds and more digital drums that could have been lifted from Music Has The Right To Children. The real gem of the batch is the title track “Always Stay Sweet”, a perfect noise-pop song, with walls of guitar fuzz, reverb, and a sing-along melody. However, the album is a tough sell as a full-length at only 20 minutes and 12 songs. Some of the tracks feel like bits and parts of songs that never got written, and seem to kind of wander before puttering out. And being such a prolific band, I’m wondering why they didn’t include more tracks to fill things out a bit. Still, this is a very impressive release - it would have been a shame for The Gifted Children to keep it to themselves, becuase it deserves to be heard.

Listen to the track “Always Stay Sweet”:

Local Scene: Gregory Paul

In the early 2000’s, Rochester native Gregory Paul fronted the band Autumdivers, releasing a couple of albums and touring extensively. The band’s atmospheric dream-rock sound caught attention from CMJ, Amplifier, and Billboard, and grew their fanbase. Following the band’s breakup in 2005, Greg released his first solo CD titled “Awake From The Flash”, which continued with the experimental elements of his previous work, but with a more organic, acoustic sound. Recently Greg has performed with The Varnish Cooks and Dark Holler Duo, traditional old-time music that includes banjo, mandolin, and multi-part harmonies. His newest solo release This Side Of The Ground was released early in 2009, and includes a widening variety of modern alt-country, indie-folk, and Americana, while not abandoning ambient experimentation. “Daisy Beach” wouldn’t sound out of place on one of Johnny Cash’s American Recordings releases. “Takes One To No One” takes a My Morning Jacket angle. “Oh Death” is a traditional banjo tune that you may remember from O’ Brother Where Art Thou?, but Gregory still manages to make it sound atmospheric. Greg’s live show is a perfect example of his postmodern eclecticism: seated, wearing his old fedora and handle bar mustache, Greg strums out folk tunes on an acoustic guitar run through a slew of digital effects pedals. Greg will be moving to the West Coast within the next few months, so be sure to catch one of his final shows in Rochester.