75 or Less Records

OUT NOW

75OL-083
Backwash - What You Don't Understand About Backwash

75OL-085
Mytty Archer - if I had a shovel

75OL-085
Six Star General - Take Your Teeth Out

75OL-081
The Spectacular Fantastic - Avalanche Lane

75OL-074
Two Guys and Another Guy - Live

75OL-079
The Blood Moons - self titled

75OL-080
Baylies Band - Fort Thunder Flashback


- more info -

about 75 or Less
submit your music for review
find us on Facebook
find us on MySpace
check out the found music blog
follow us on Twitter
add a link
rss

- archives -

sign up for the 75 or Less mailing list



Google Custom Search


Ionik Recordings

Lots of Noise

Merge Records

Misra Records

Motif Magazine

Suicide Squeeze




75 or Less
album reviews in 75 words or less
(but words with 2 letters or fewer do not count)

-  a   b   c   d   e   f   g   h   i   j   k   l   m   n   o   p   q   r   s   t   u   v   w   x   y   z  -
Portastatic - Bright Ideas Portastatic - Bright Ideas (Merge) [audio] [upcoming shows]

If Mac McCaughan has written a better song than "Through With People" in the last ten years, I've overlooked it. The fact is, pretty much all of Portastatic's new album plays back like a boisterous manifesto. With Superchunk on indefinite hiatus, the rock has to leak outsomewhere. So instead of starting one more band, he's rewired Portastatic to accomodate the overflow. It's the hottest part of summer.Why don't you go for a swim? - paul
Name:
Email:
URL:
Remember personal info?
Yes
No
Comments:

Posted by Raj on August 16, 2005
2:44 PM

"Through With People" is a good tune, but not his best in the last ten years in my opinion. Actually, my RMBB mixtrade will likely be a Mac McCaughan theme. One of my favorite 'Chunk songs is the "Length Of Las Ramblas." Listen to it here: http://www.internmentcamp.com/2005/08/14/entertainment/mac-mccaughan-and-laura-ballance-uber-venture-capitalists/

Posted by paul on August 16, 2005
8:37 PM

That's a pretty nice tune, Raj. But not in the traditional "big guitar hook, floating chorus" school of Mac's best stuff. And lyrically, "Through With People" pretty much sums up my current state of mind.

Posted by tom d. on August 17, 2005
4:53 PM

Oh, don't get me wrong, its not that I only like famous bands; far from it. It just blows my mind how small of a reference point I have for most 75 or less reviews. I was more mocking my mainstream lameness than lamenting not knowing any of these people. Plus, I can't afford the new albums by the bands I already like; finding new bands might be equivalent to finding bankruptcy! It might take me a few days to settle down about 311 long enough to condense my opinion into a few sentences, but I'll get it in. You can read my attempt at reviewing non-mainstream music until then, once it goes up.

Posted by paul on August 17, 2005
4:55 PM

Funny complain, Tom D. I actually stepped down from my obscuro high-horse and turned in reviews from a bunch of more high profile indie faves (starting with this one). As always, though, we're here to help even the most unknowledgeable.

Posted by tom d. on August 18, 2005
9:43 AM

Maybe I just need to finally renew my CMJ New Music Monthly subscription...

Posted by drew on August 18, 2005
11:53 AM

do mainstream acts on major labels really need any more exposure? thats what spin, rolling stone and the like are for. this site should be used to give exposure to artists that are ignored by the mainstream media. not saying major stars shouldnt be reviewed here but exposing people to smaller acts should be encouraged.

Posted by tom d. on August 18, 2005
12:17 PM

I concur: I encourage all of you to write about bands that I have never heard of. In fact, the new metric to judge a 75 or less review should be as follows: "did tom d. have any fucking idea what I was talking about?" If the answer is no, good work. I'm going to listen to my Kelly Clarkson CD now. :) This debate should, however, end the speculation that Paul and I have a ton of sex, since I'm sure I would learn about more of these bands post-coitus.

- all review text © copyright 75 or Less and its authors -