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Monday, November 12, 2012
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75OL-156 15er - Out of the Future and Into the Woods
Six Star General guitarist Kyle Jackson crashes through the stratosphere and lands in deep spacetronic on his second solo release under the moniker '15er'. Let "Out of the Future and Into the Woods" be the soundtrack to the Sci-Fi film that's always lived in your head... this is music to make movies to. Featuring appearances by Jodie Treloar and Stan Sobczak. Recommended if you like: M83, Daft Punk, Tangerine Dream, and radical soundtracks. Nine tracks, you can download the track SN2087A for free, and pick up a cd at the label webpage, or get a digital download at the bandcamp page.
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Released 11.12.2012
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Wednesday, November 16, 2011
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The Olivia Tremor Control - Dusk At Cubist Castle and Black Foliage vinyl reissues
Chunklet is reissuing The Olivia Tremor Control's Dusk At Cubist Castle and Black Foliage on black vinyl with gatefold packaging. Black Foliage has been remastered from the original tapes. There's a combo package available for pre-order that includes an exclusive t-shirt and if you order both albums, you also receive a download of over 3 hours of rare, unreleased, and live material. This ships on November 15. Choose your best option at the Chunklet store.
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Released 11.15.2011
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Monday, October 31, 2011
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Of Montreal Cassette Box Set on Joyful Noise
Joyful Noise is releasing a cassette box set of all 10 full-length albums from Of Montreal, which were previously released on such labels as Bar/None, Kindercore, and Polyvinyl between 1997-2010. Limited to 500 numbered copies, these ship in a custom-built wooden box, screen-printed with original artwork from David Barnes. Each of the 10 cassettes are individually wrapped, include the original album art, and complete mp3 downloads. available for pre-order here.
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Released 10.31.2011
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Monday, October 17, 2011
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Odd Box Singles Club
Odd Box has three new singles club split singles coming out in late October featuring the bands The Hairs/The Medusa Snare, Gold-Bears/Bracelettes, and Ketamines/The Vignettes. You can sign up for the 2011 Singles Club here. In addition to the limited singles, the records will arrive in an Odd Box drawstring bag with 4 badges, 2 postcards, a sticker, download codes for all 6 releases, a total of 12 bands and 20 songs. You can stream all the tracks here.
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Released 10.20.2011
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Tuesday, May 11, 2010
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OK Go - Of the Blue Colour of the Sky (Capitol) [upcoming shows] [audio]
Of the Blue Colour of the Sky demonstrates how a rock band can grow and change to produce something more powerful than expected. This is, after all, OK Go. The treadmill band. The 'body like a battle axe' band. Here they integrate rock, funk, pop, and psychedelia into a sound that is bigger and more mature than ever before. The sound is experimental by nature, so fans will split on whether this outshines Oh No as their favorite, but it is undeniably a step forward for a band that does more than just make great videos.
- cormac
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Released 01.12.2010
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Monday, January 25, 2010
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One-Two - The Story of Bob Star (Four Music) [audio]
A pop opera doesn't come along every day, and if one did it wouldn't necessarily consist of crazy French accents over disco-beats that would charm the pants off of you. While One-Two has a sound of their own, songs like "Annie Mall" with its early-'80s punky new-wave guitar and the Spoon-like "Slippery Shoes" quickly demonstrate the band's ability to diversify their sound while giving you melodies that will stay with you once the disc stops spinning.
- cormac
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Released 03.11.2008
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Wednesday, January 13, 2010
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The Orange Velvets - Fuzz, Beautiful Fuzz (Cherry Lemonade) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Male and female sharing vocals on overly brief garage rock with simplistic lyrics. Influences must also include The Beach Boys (see Infections) but the title sums it up - everything has a layer of fuzz and reverb on this - particularly, the vocals and guitars. There's a couple of mellower tracks and one lonely harmonica solo. While this may recall The Jesus and Mary Chain (who have also heard the Beach Boys comparisons themselves), there is hardly any hint of the piercing distortion you may find on the latter.
- mark
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Released 01.07.2010
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Thursday, September 10, 2009
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Over the Wall - The Rise and Fall of Over the Wall EP (Motive Sounds) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Glasgow-based Over the Wall does a lot in the span of four songs with just a few instruments and a drum machine at their disposal. On "Gimme Five," the duo creates an honest and bare folk sound over a rigid beat as though New Order and Ryan Adams had a meeting of the minds and got it on tape. The layered vocals and minimal accompaniment of "Floods" recall Bon Iver, while "Thurso" pulls it all together and hints at something bigger we've yet to hear anywhere. A strong debut.
- paul
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Released 03.24.2009
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Wednesday, July 08, 2009
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One For the Team - Build a Garden EP (Afternoon) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Folks in MPLS already know what the rest of the world is slowly finding out: One For the Team is an indie pop sensation. Thanks to NPR, Daytrotter, and Spin, this band is getting some great exposure for their brokenhearted pop songs. The new ep is instantly addictive, with shared boy/girl vocals that find a resonance similar to Tegan & Sara, and an acoustic chamber-pop sound that reaches epic heights like that of an Arcade Fire song... only this time it sounds like it's being performed just for you.
- cormac
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Released 04.14.2009
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Monday, March 23, 2009
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The Oranges Band - Are Invisible (self released) [audio] [upcoming shows]
The Oranges Band smacked us with three sinfully good eps in the early part of this decade, but followed them up with two weak albums for Lookout. After a four-year silence and a roster shuffle which introduced guitarist Doug Gillard, Are Invisible proves The Oranges Band aren't as challenged by the lp format as it once appeared. Here are nine tracks of band-in-a-van pop rock 'n' roll that fit right in with the Ted Leo or Spoon ideal; edgy, smart and extremely danceable. Welcome back, Oranges.
- paul
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Released 01.06.2009
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Wednesday, October 15, 2008
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Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul (Reprise) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Oasis haven't made a great album since...well, ever. But they have made a couple of good ones and, with Dig Out Your Soul, have added a third. For as much criticism as they receive for their transparent Beatles-aping, it's actually the best thing the Gallaghers do. And it works especially well when the tribute is more poetic than literal, like on "Falling Down" and "Waiting for the Rapture." The ghosts of Revolver are audible, but not a distraction (this time). Hit play and enjoy.
- paul
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Released 10.07.2008
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Thursday, September 04, 2008
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One Day as a Lion EP (Anti-) [audio]
I've spent a lot more time dwelling on this 5 song EP than I expected to, and that is probably the best endorsement I can give it. I'm not sure what I expected out of Zach de la Rocha after a hiatus this long, but in many ways it was exactly this, and in others this is completely surprising to me. It is more traditionally hip-hop than RATM ever was, and yet the songwriting and singing is far more experimental. Some songs hit instantly and others take over after repeat listens. Color me intrigued to hear more.
- tom d.
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Released 07.22.2008
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Wednesday, August 27, 2008
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Conor Oberst (Merge) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Honest question: say you are a media darling indie songwriter with a "band" that is barely a band, and mostly just you with an adorable name. Then you make an album that your bandmates either play on almost every song or mix the album for you, and it sounds exactly like what your "band" does normally. What in the good fuck is the point of releasing it as a solo album? As far as I'm concerned, this shit should be Conor Oberst by Bright Eyes. It's dumb. However, it has brilliant music on it, so I guess I'm stuck with it.
- tom d.
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Released 08.05.2008
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Monday, June 23, 2008
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Old 97's - Blame it on Gravity (New West) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Long ago, Janeane Garofalo mentioned that Old 97's were her favorite band. I checked them out because I do everything Janeane tells me to. It's not that I didn't like them, but it's hard to wrap my head around how they could be anyone's favorite. Their newest record, not being any different from any of their six other records, is still good and still far from great. Consider Blame it on Gravity for soundtracking a fun summer afternoon drive, but you'll want something more substantial before you get where you're going.
- paul
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Released 05.13.2008
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Friday, May 16, 2008
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Alina Orlova - Laukinis Šuo Dingo (Metro Music) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Music in another language tends to sound better than it probably is, and Lithuanian Alina Orlova's album is no exception. The handful of songs in English show Orlova to be an artist in possession of a fearlessness born more from naivete than audacity. Who would dare recast "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" as a dark (and shockingly effective) ballad other than someone who doesn't know better? Proving Polonius right, the brief running time of her album also works in her favor. A record this concise and inviting makes repeat listens an easy decision.
- troy
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Released 01.29.2008
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Wednesday, July 11, 2007
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Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova - Once: Music From the Motion Picture (Columbia) [audio]
The film Once is a wisp of a musical held together by the songwriting of stars Glen Hansard (The Frames) and Marketa Irglova. While Hansard channels Cat Stevens when singing quietly over acoustic guitar, several tracks soar into heartbroken wailing, including the stunning "When Your Mind's Made Up." Irglova contributes vocals similar to ex-Concretes singer Victoria Bergsman (I do wish that Hansard had left all of the high notes to her) and delicate piano; she takes the lead on "If You Want Me" and the weepy "The Hill." Exquisite moments abound.
- meredith
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Released 05.22.2007
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Wednesday, March 07, 2007
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Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? (Polyvinyl) [audio] [upcoming shows]
You almost feel bad for enjoying it when you notice this hook-filled infectious indie-disco that's been charging your senses—those first six sublime tracks—is the pretense of a man barely holding it together. A dizzying 11-minute escalation of anxiety is perfectly placed at the album's center, a breakdown before the more subdued second half takes you along on the rebound tour, our hero seeking to rebuild behind a façade of feigned superiority.
- marnie c.
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Released 01.23.2007
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Monday, February 05, 2007
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Opening Flower Happy Bird - The Projectionist (CNP Records) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Opening Flower Happy Bird belongs to Of Montreal's school of music. But the former band is the cool, bad kid with whom your mom forbade you to associate. Their latest album The Projectionist plays with cheerful disco beats and darker acid-trip-inducing rhythms, all under pretty, vaguely sinister vocals. Wise, slightly tortured lyrics prove The Projectionist isn't just kid's stuff. Overall, the album balances entertaining pop with an experimental edge that brilliantly refrains from sounding trite.
- miriam
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Released 11.28.2006
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Tuesday, January 30, 2007
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Ollo - The If If (12 Apostles) [audio] [upcoming shows]
The If If wanders its way through 13 meandering, synth-backed tracks with simple rhythms and soothing vocals, somehow managing to be fairly downtempo and groovy the entire time. What's remarkable, though, is just how unremarkable it is—it melts into the background, creating an environment that never once compels you to actually pay attention to what's on the stereo. Ollo have somehow managed to craft the perfect album to not actually listen to. Whether or not that's a good thing is up for debate, but let's just say you won't see them on my last.fm again.
- ShaneB
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Released 11.07.2006
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Tuesday, November 21, 2006
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Jennifer O'Connor - Over the Mountain, Across the Valley and Back to the Stars (Matador) [audio] [more audio] [upcoming shows]
Here's hoping that a move to Matador will get Jennifer O'Connor the attention she deserves. More reserved and mournful than her last album, Over the Mountain... deals with death, breakups, and loneliness. Yet the songs—dense with words and delivered with a low-pitched huskiness—are catchy; "Exeter, Rhode Island" could be the "power pop song" on the radio mentioned in its own lyrics. I'm not even going to compare O'Connor to anyone else, because others should be compared to her. Overall, an outstanding record.
- meredith
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Released 08.22.2006
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Wednesday, February 08, 2006
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Oosterdok - Twilights of the Weary Soul (Brown House Records) [audio]
I was glad to see something new from the electronica duo Oosterdok in the submissions pile, because I liked their first EP. This one is a little darker, as evidenced by the vicious delivery of "I am Not a Nice Girl." My favorite track, "Falling Sand," weaves vocal lines in an almost madrigal manner around myriad synth sounds, including a harpsichord at one point. For fans of the Dresden Dolls and, dare I say, Kurt Weill?
- meredith
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Released 12.31.1969
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Monday, January 30, 2006
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Oakley Hall - Second Guessing (Amish) [audio] [upcoming shows]
What might it sound like if John Doe and Exene spent a lost weekend in
the bars of Nashville, befriended a number of underemployed local
musicians and transposed the rootsy punk rock of X into punky roots
rock instead? It might sound like Oakley Hall's sophomore album
"Second Guessing", that's what. No John Doe. No Exene. No
Nashville. Just a bunch NYC yokels who are as adept at banging out
the rock n' roll as they are exploring the finer points of Appalachian
musical traditions.
- paul
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Released 01.24.2006
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Monday, December 19, 2005
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Oranger - New Comes and Goes
(Eenie Meenie) [audio] [upcoming shows]
There's no telling what made me mistake Oranger a few years ago for a band I wouldn't like (the smart money's on their Amazing Grease affiliation). Plainly put, I was stupid. After hearing the delectable confections cooked up for New Comes and Goes, it makes me long for that brief period of time in the '90s when every band worked as hard on melody as they did on guitar riffs (i.e. early Sloan and Weezer records). New "does" come and go. Oranger reminds us great guitar pop is never too far away.
- paul
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Released 09.26.2005
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Thursday, June 30, 2005
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Odd Nosdam - Burner (Anticon)
[mp3]
As cLOUDDEAD's primary arranger and beat scientist, Odd Nosdam had a
hand in shaping both a new direction in hip-hop and the aesthetic that would one day define Anticon. Burner is his first proper solo recording, and the wait has been worthwhile. The album's lead single, "Untitled Three," is enhanced even more by the ethereal vocals of Jessica Bailiff, and ends up sounding like the best track My Bloody Valentine never got to make. As a whole, it's disarmingly powerful and subtle in equal measure.
- paul
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Released 06.03.2005
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Wednesday, April 13, 2005
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Jennifer O'Connor - The Color and the Light (Red Panda Records) [mp3s] [upcoming shows]
And I mean this as a compliment: Jennifer O'Connor has multiple personalities. They manifest themselves as country twang singalongs, torch-songesque ballads, rock-out invectives, and your standard singer-songwriter folk melodies. All delivered in a matter-of-fact voice that echoes Liz Phair, Kristin Hersh, and Hope Sandoval, depending on which track is playing. This CD has won a permanent place in the driving-in-my-car rotation.
- meredith
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Released 05.03.2005
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Monday, January 31, 2005
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Tara Jane O'Neil - You Sound, Reflect (Quarterstick) [mp3]
Listening to Tara Jane O'Neil often makes me feel as though I'm underwater. There's a wavy quality to her voice and her guitar playing which arrives at your ears long after it seems like it should have. This indirect approach hasn't always been her trademark, but it's served her well on each of her two previous albums and once more on You Sound, Reflect. There's a rareness to her handiwork which is often imitated, but has yet to be duplicated.
- paul
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Released 08.24.2004
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Friday, January 07, 2005
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Okkervil River - Sleep and Wake-up Songs (Jagjaguwar) [mp3]
[upcoming shows]
There's got to be a name for this. It's not country, not folk, not
college rock; I don't know what it is. But there's a growing number
of bands who must have formed the moment they heard Pavement's "Father
to a Sister of Thought" and have stretched the concept over
consecutive recordings. That said, this ep is a wonderful offering to
fans who can't wait for the band's next long player. The opening
track, "A Favor," is even among their top work thus far.
- paul
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Released 11.02.2004
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Tuesday, August 03, 2004
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Old Man Gloom - Christmas (Tortuga Recordings) [mp3]
As barren as it is busy, Christmas is a sonic abomination crooked with distortion, sublime heaviness, and most importantly, a child-like adoration of our simian brethren. And unlike the holiday, your presents are bits of twitchy sludge and jittery soundscapes that are both full of climactic head-swelling moments and end-of-life drones. Watch the sunset, get bombarded by hail. Smell the flowers, get gang raped. It's a sick system. If none of this interests you, the booklet is the funniest thing you'll read all year.
- jason m.
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Thursday, July 29, 2004
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The Ordinary Boys - Over the Counter Culture (B-Unique) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Thank you, Great Britain! You've gone years without producing a band truly worthy of scorn and ridicule from all sides, and we were beginning to wonder if you had any more lambs to place upon the sacrificial altar. We gratefully accept the mungo feast you've prepared this time with the Ordinary Boys; a band so hollow and vapid they almost make me sorry for saying those mean things about Menswe@r a decade ago. By comparison, they were the masters of their trade.
- paul
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Tuesday, June 29, 2004
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The Obsessed - Incarnate (Southern Lord) [mp3s]
A reissue, this smorgasbord of demos, out-takes, covers, live recordings and 7" tracks of varying sound quality spans the entirety of Obsessed's career. Combining '70s psychedelic stomp and something you might witness in Sloth Country at your city zoo, this comp shows how songwriter Wino sticks to his guns and wins. Although inspirational to the doom genre - one that, as you can guess, was spawned by the Sab Four - your spirits may be unexpectedly lifted.
- jason m.
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Wednesday, January 14, 2004
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Oneida - Each One Teach One (Jagjaguwar) [mp3] [upcoming shows]
Someone's turned on a strobe light in my CD player, and I like it. Somehow, I managed to fit The Best of Black Sabbath, The Best of The Residents and the first Neu! album in there and get them all skipping in synch at the same time. All those little noise bands down the block can bite me. I've found my noise, and its name is Oneida.
- jeremy
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Wednesday, October 15, 2003
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Outkast - Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (Arista/La Face) [audio]
Not since Prince's Purple Rain has anyone had their way with musical genres like Outkast does on this double album and left everyone feeling good about it. It's rare someone makes indie, punk-pop, rap, fusion jazz dance hall influences come together so effortlessly you can't believe this is the Miss Jackson guy. By description there's no way this should chart, but your ears and ass convince you there's no way it can't.
- leslie
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Tuesday, January 07, 2003
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Outhud - S.T.R.E.E.T. D.A.D. (Kranky) [mp3s]
After half a decade and a couple of 7"'s, Outhud made the move from Sacramento to join the post punk elite in Brooklyn. As far as rocking dance funk goes this is the shit, combining ESG and Liquid Liquid influences, the instrumentally angular sound takes digitally delayed guitar riffs and mixes it up with low and laid back bass, cello and electro beats. StreedDad is the new master of the white boy funk.
- jules
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Wednesday, December 18, 2002
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Operation Makeout - Hang Loose (Mint Records) [mp3s] [upcoming shows]
This Vancouver trio has only put out two albums, with the first being a self-released basement record with all the earmarks of DIY -- a phone ringing on one track, unpolished guitar leads on others. But here, the production value has been raised while the instrumental complexity, especially in the infectious bass, has far exceeded most Riot Grrrl tinged pop-punk of the day. And check out the hidden remix of Secret Mommy's "You and Me Geometry," it's like Ladytron's take of "Call the Doctor."
- matthew r.
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Monday, September 23, 2002
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Ok Go - Ok Go (Capitol)
Ok so, this album is going to explode out of your stereo. Its hooks are huge, its exuberant energy unstoppable. This is some powerful pop. The sheer joy of it all might be a little much for hardcore cynics, especially with the prominent keyboards and song titles like "You’re So Damn Hot." But hey now, the lead singer majored in semiotics: Do you even know what that is? Me neither. Added incentive to purchase, beyond the perfect handclaps and harmonies: It’s one of those cheap jobbies.
- catherine
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Thursday, September 05, 2002
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Of Montreal - Aldhills Arboretum (Kindercore)
How the distinctively un-Canadian of Montreal evolved from a DIY bedroom collective to a polished quintet can be traced to the whiskey soaked tour that led up to the recording of this album. Yeah, the Athenians actually performed these psychedelic odes to pastoral living a bit in advance of clearing out their four posters for half stacks, which really does show on a record that plays as tight as a radio-friendly, neo-garage ditty. Well, for Elephant 6 standards at least.
- matthew r.
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Thursday, July 18, 2002
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Oasis - Heathen Chemistry (Sony) [audio]
Before you buy this record, or even listen to it, think about the last time you saw your ex, a few months after she broke your heart. You talk about getting back together, and maybe in the beginning you will have a good time. You will try to convince yourself that it is still good, but in the end, you will realize that what you used to love just isn't there anymore.
- neil
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Tuesday, December 04, 2001
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Owls - Owls (Jade Tree)
Tim Kinsella annoys the hell out of a lot of people. The prolific Chicago native who screeched in Cap n' Jazz, then formed the blippy Joan of Arc, has impressed the masses with years of experimentation, and confused critics by always providing something to either love or loathe. Owls are what happens when Cap n' Jazz grew up and re-formed, again with Kinsella providing lyrics and vocals, and plopped down an Albini to engineer. Thankfully, they've toned things down from frazzled, chopped up noise to solid, mature songs that don't annoy.
- cory
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Sunday, November 04, 2001
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of Asaph - ...what a wonderful day it was
This EP is a lot like one of those old "What if..." comic books. You know, the ones where they take your favorite heroes and twist the situations that actually happened into something completely new, producing new and sometimes unexpected results? Well...this EP is like "What if that last Don Caballero album had, at some point, started to rock?" Dynamic, powerful, and (dare I say it?) melodic. Definitely worth your time to check it out.
- brian
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