Messages

106

Music Shit / Re: RSD 2016

« on: May 02, 2016, 08:29:44 AM »

^ As a kid out in the middle of nowhere, I used to read B-Side and order directly from Au-Go-Go in the early/mid-80s. It took FOREVER from the time I sent out a catalog request to the time I'd actually receive records...like, months and months and months...but it was exciting to get those thin/floppy records with cardboard covers and those weird plastic inserts that smelled (I imagined) like Australia. And the best-named bands in the world which luckily included a number of my favorites from the era - feedtime, Fungus Brains, Slub, Grong Grong, Scientists...I prefered that version of the en vogue mid-80s tuffguy rock to AmRep by a bunch, and still do.

Even got some (I think you guys called them) "Christmas Crackers," with staff signatures on the cover of an ep etc. Maybe even yours. Though this would be pre-90s, so...

107

Music Shit / Re: What Are You Listening To And What Do You Have To Say About it? PART VI

« on: May 02, 2016, 08:19:43 AM »

^ I wasn't a fan of Nirvana at all, but Nevermind didn't seem like much of a sellout to me.  It seemed like they wanted to make a more poppy record and so they did.  And I think it's a big step forward from a songwriting perspective, anyway.

I agree with all of this. There was serious groundswell before "Nevermind," but I doubt anyone expected it to be anywhere near that big. I thought "Bleach" was lower-tier Sub Pop and that there were already existing bands doing that sound much better (like Squirrel Bait). Was not a fan. The band itself sounded dull and leaden, and I didn't think the songs were strong. But I had to admit that some of the "Nevermind" songs made perfect sense on the radio, and agree that it was a big step forward. I honestly think that Cobain was a pretty good singer-songwriter, and the further they got from pretending to be "a real band," they better "they" were.

Bevis Frond - Miasma and Inner Marshland. 

I had heard these a bit, but never owned them.  They're awesome!  I think he's been quoted as saying he was trying to get a Hendrix, Byrds, Wipers thing and that does sound like an apt description.  Great, murky, but still clear enough recordings and plenty of guitar rippage.  Probably a better version of what the Paisley Underground was trying to do. 

I guess these are RSD releases, eh?  ha ha.  I'm glad I got them.

That's funny, those are the only 2 Bevis LPs I own! I always figured you only needed a taste and not the whole catalog, but I very much enjoy those records when I throw them on. I believe he was an original-era hippy who got a huge injury settlement and poured it into being that band. Also agree that it sounds better now, for sure, than nearly all the Paisley Underground stuff. Maybe the difference in being part of the era and coming back to rock out again, and being younger and appreciating the era and trying to match it via record impressions?


Grabbed all the sale SS 45s I didn't have during Scott's $2 a 7" "blowout." It's funny, I usually think of SS more like "the stuff Soriano puts out" than a label-formal. Not sure why, though yeah that's what it is...but the label is a good one, and one I often underrate.

Picked up the Chinese Restaurants 45 I didn't have ("Summer Romance") and felt nostalgic about the times Loy went on (and on) about ridiculous and funny shit on here. Good record, though I think the stuff he's done on the LPs since is more fully-formed and realized.

Sperm Wails 45 has a nice post-Cramps/p-no wave screaming roots pounder that's pretty good. I can't remember the flip after several listens. I think this is archival/unreleased early 80s material.

Nothing People sound about as good as they did upon release to me, which is pretty rare...they are unafraid to shift all over the place, and they don't seem to be making any sort of nods to what "fans" might like or prefer. Even if they sound different, they remind me of Hue Blanc in a lot of ways. Including the fact that they could pare down at times. The "C'mon Girl" 45 seems to be a mid-70s proto rock/punk stab, a bit of Gizmos and the like. Solid-plus. Also grabbed the one LP I didn't have ("Late Night"), and it's titled correctly...late night or early morning maybe? A bit more listless than I prefer from them, but I do like the loose, relaxed vibe, and I've only listened a couple times so far...

Always dug Andy Jordan's voice/songwriting, but somehow never realized Lenz was him. He's billed as "Andy Human," and it seems like a bridge towards...the current Andy Human material. The A-Side is a real-dang hit, catchy as hell. The B-side is a B. Shows the band stretching out and etc. Not bad. Love the A tho.

Was fairly enthusiastic about Los Llamarada initially, but after the first few releases, I'd had my fill. Grabbed what I think was their final release, "The Restless Light," and the band sounds relatively similar to the first few records. It's alright, the sound itself is nice, but it doesn't seem to stick much in my thick 'ead. I like the guest guitarist's scree on the flip, so that's my pick.

108

Music Shit / Re: RSD 2016

« on: April 29, 2016, 11:45:56 AM »

(and clearly I'm purposely half-riling some of you up - but I still think RSD is a joke in your and my town)

109

Music Shit / Re: RSD 2016

« on: April 29, 2016, 11:45:11 AM »

I think "not participating" generally means not buying into the RSD exclusives.  You can still love having customers without buying and selling some shitty CD transfers kicked out by suits in Santa Monica.

Yup, no RSD releases, no opening early, no having a "party" or bands or banners or greetings or anything at all, just business as usual. I'd pass along the contact info of these stores, but Jason seems more than a little nuts. Actually, it would be funny if he bitched at Joanis at Top Spins in Appleton. If he pissed him off enough, Joanis might "stop by" his store to correct him. There are a lot of stores like this, at least there are around here. Go bitch at the Musical Memories dudes in Milwaukee face-to-face about their "customers" and see how far that gets you. Or just shut the fuck up, and let them conduct business however they want, as they're diehards who have been in business forever and will still be after all this RSD crap and 90% of the stores participating in it blows over. Great fuckin store, too, I'd shop there before just about anywhere else, even if they're dicks (and they are).

Anyway, I learned a lot here - thanks everybody. This thread took a great educational turn when it went from boring-ass lists of shitty flip-ready instant collector records to the nuts & bolts behind RSD, pressing, and the realities behind labels and records stores in 2016.

110

Music Shit / Re: Zola Jesus video

« on: April 29, 2016, 11:30:30 AM »

These are joke posts, right?

111

Music Shit / Re: Best 2016 Releases

« on: April 29, 2016, 11:29:09 AM »

Amazingly, I pay pretty much no attention to new stuff, but the Hunches/Counter Intuits/NASA/Gary Wrong releases that are scoring here would be on my limited list. Like Lavendar Flu, but it's not the runaway that many seem to be championing to me. Like the Pigs, but it's hard convincing me with the straight-up p-rock at this point. Tried Spacin' and Sheer Mag along the way, and both sounded like crap.

Can anyone confirm on Soda Boys? Will check out the bandcamp stuff later, is that's what's on the 7"? I like some of the descriptions.

112

Music Shit / Re: What Are You Listening To And What Do You Have To Say About it? PART VI

« on: April 29, 2016, 11:20:03 AM »

There are lists everywhere, what's beneficial is insight. At least for me. Reminds me of glossing over as a kid staring at thousands of lines of records offered in Goldmine or some such shit. Never could handle lists, or making my own lists, or talking about lists....makes me....listless.

What about this list?

The Louvin Brothers - Tragic Songs of Life and Satan is Real
Maddox Brothers and Rose - S/T
George Jones - The Crown Prince of Country Music and The Race is On
Buck Owens - S/T and Live at Carnegie Hall and I've Got a Tiger by the Tail
Charlie Poole - The Legend of Charlie Poole
Willie Nelson - Red Headed Stranger
Ray Charles - Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music
Merle Haggard - Mamma Tried and I Am a Lonesome Fugitive
Loretta Lynn - Don't Come Home a Drinkin' (With Lovin' on Your Mind)
Dolly Parton - Coat of Many Colors and Jolene
Hank Snow - Country Classics
Webb Pierce - S/T
Jimmie Rogers - The Essential
The Carter Family - The Famous Carter Family

I'm listening to the Terminals, Touch.  It's "touch"y.

This was a list provided for someone who specifically asked for a list of suggestions on a specific genre. This thread is specifically about "what you have to say" about what you're listening to. I will continue to skip his posts because they bore me. I hate lists. I like thoughtful suggestions from people who have ideas and know how to express them.

I will say this - the only time I ever come on here is while I'm at work, so links to youtube do me no good at all, as sound is disabled. Would be handy if you're bored and aren't looking for #content and just want to look at lists and click on pictures I guess.

113

Music Shit / Re: Acapulco Presents... Delightful Missives from the World of Music "Criticism"

« on: April 29, 2016, 11:11:43 AM »

Coley n the gang were making fun of that dude like 30-40 years ago already. How hard is it to "get" the Ramones?

114

Used Records For Sale/Auctions/Wantlists / Re: WTB: Dirty Lovers Teenage Love Bomb 7"

« on: April 29, 2016, 10:58:39 AM »

Not that common. It seems to go for $20-30 nowadays. Larry was gonna' put out a Dirty Lovers discography LP at one point I think!!?!!

At one point this was going to be a Rich Dropkick (Aarght Records I believe) project, seemed like a "for sure" deal, but...whenever you have a couple RIPs that cut a band short, family members can make it difficult to put out unreleased tracks.

115

Music Shit / Re: RSD 2016

« on: April 27, 2016, 11:46:18 AM »

Sounds good, but in fact many stores are complaining, and some do not take part in it at all because they feel it isn't worth the hassle or is somehow lame and/or antithetical to their beliefs. It was my first-person conversations with a bunch of these folks that gave me the impression that it was more of a universal truth. That's why I started asking around even more, to get a feel for how store owners/managers/staff felt about it. I've never worked in a record store, and I refuse to go to one during RSD, so I'm taking all of this as heresay and not my own observations, and I appreciate all the feedback. But yes, there are a good number of stores who despise this day, and I'm kinda baffled as to why you'd say that couldn't be the case when you can see the comments above. I'm glad it benefits some stores, and I wish that it benefitted all of them, but that simply isn't the case across the board. I love record stores almost as much as I love records.

116

Music Shit / Re: RSD 2016

« on: April 27, 2016, 11:25:30 AM »

I've continued asking about this on FB and elsewhere, and it really seems like a mixed bag. For some stores, it brings in so much business that it's worth whatever hassles (including bins full of non-returnable RSD records). For others, it is despised, or even ignored, in the case of a couple I spoke with who refuse to stock RSD products and don't acknowledge the day in any way.

Definitely a good point above regarding stats on whether it actually brings in first-timers who become regulars. I would guess that % is low or close to nonexistent, but hopefully I'm wrong.

117

Reatard / Re: Angry Angles

« on: April 27, 2016, 11:20:51 AM »

Thumbs up!

118

Music Shit / Re: RSD 2016

« on: April 27, 2016, 09:14:04 AM »

^ Good point, it also depends on the sort of record store you are. Are you in a busy area with lots of walk-in traffic? Do you cater to a small cadre of regulars and suppliment on eBay and discogs? Are you an old cranky fucker or a younger dude who likes the socialization/party aspect?

119

Music Shit / Re: What Are You Listening To And What Do You Have To Say About it? PART VI

« on: April 27, 2016, 09:11:58 AM »

There are lists everywhere, what's beneficial is insight. At least for me. Reminds me of glossing over as a kid staring at thousands of lines of records offered in Goldmine or some such shit. Never could handle lists, or making my own lists, or talking about lists....makes me....listless.

120

Music Shit / Re: RSD 2016

« on: April 27, 2016, 08:35:11 AM »

Three of the four stores I spoke with regularly have shows and/or DJs regardless of RSD, I guess, so that's not a big deal for them specifically. I heard that it has lots of negative impact overall in terms of not being able to return stock, which is hard to predict and hard to curtail because people get so pissy if you don't stock XYZ. I heard that everyone has to work ridiculous hours leading up to it. I heard that they hate the customers who show up once a year. I heard that the staff gets pissy all around that date. I heard that the regulars skip stopping by around that time and tend to bitch about it. Didn't hear much positivity at all, though it's obvious that those instant collectibles bring in added revenue. The overall thought was anything positive is balanced by the negative weight. These places are fairly well-established and wouldn't exactly close their doors without it, and generally look at it as an unwanted intrusion by outside forces. But if some are happy, that's great. I definitely believe that it's at a tipping point and there will be a continued amount of stores jumping onto the negative side...and I think in the very near future many stores will refuse to participate.