Saturday, September 5, 2009

One-minute reviews - 3: Daniel Johnston, Scarce, Soulsavers, Wavves

Wavves - Wavves

Well, no one's slapped a cease-and-desist order on me yet. Indeed, quite the opposite. One fellow was kind enough to remark, "I'll take the one-minute reviews of a man who loves music (i.e. you) over a lot of critics who love, frankly, themselves. : )" and another, "most accurate Mint Chicks review yet/ever". I asked him if he was being droll, and he denied it vociferously. So, whatever. Obviously people appreciate sloppy music criticism. I don't know why this should come as any shock to me.

Friday, September 4, 2009

ET Recommends - 27: mertle

mertle

As intimate and sweet and rewarding as you could require.

ET Recommends - 30: Langley Schools Music Project

LANGLEY-final

If you aren't familiar with the Langley Schools Music Project, check it out here.

One-minute reviews - 2: Taken By Trees, Crocodiles, Heavy Trash, recs of the flesh



I think this series needs to be quite formulaic, with set criteria - kind of like Joe Bob Briggs' series of Drive-In Movie Reviews during the 90s. Any suggestions?

One-minute reviews - 1: Rowland S. Howard, The Mint Chicks, Eddie Hinton, Reverend Horton Heat



Self-explanatory, really. Fuck reviewing albums in 140 characters or less. Anyone with half an ear and an eye for Elmore Leonard dialogue can do that. The real challenge is: can you say everything that needs to be said, given only 60 seconds on the clock?

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Steven Wells R.I.P. - spoken tributes from his wake



Trust me, I wouldn't be sending you to the NME site if there wasn't a good reason, but some very sweet reminisces here about my former colleague and peer, Swells.

Hitler's Reaction to the Oasis Split



I'm aware that this is lifted from the "Hitler finds out Michael Jackson has died" video, but - damn it, this made me laugh out loud. It's funnier because it's way more ridiculous.

ET Recommends - 26: The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists

The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists

They're a little bit Singing Loins. They're a little bit Tiger Lillies (except I really didn't like their act when I caught them at the Spiegeltent last year in Brisbane). They're a little bit... what's that band... Gogol Bordello. Very smart, very droll lyrics. Very theatrical. Very philanthropic. Lots of accordion and background shouting and roustabout rhythms. Bit of klezmer. Bit of that banjo-playing toad off Bagpuss. Bit of a lark.

ET Recommends - 25: Hello Cuca

Hello Cuca

You know already, of course. At least, I expect you know already. I mean, you must know already. Don't you? Whatever.

ET Recommends - 24: The XX



The music itself will do for now. I know nothing about this band beyond what you see here. Wiggle of the ET glasses to my fave penpal Rosie for this tip.