Category: Music

Chasing Shadows

My fellow blogger and hetero-life partner Andrew came over on Saturday for our usual sit around turning into an unrecorded podcast. Sometimes I wonder if we ever have a plan. We talk about recording a podcast or doing something rather ambitious but always fall into what makes us most comfortable: talking about the things we know.

Since I met him ten years ago we could talk for as long as I could keep up. If Tony Romo were in the dictionary, his image would sit along side gregarious. Andrew would run parallel to loquacious. The boy never stops talking, and I love him for it. Thankfully he forgives my weak battery and blue moods.

The conversation always turns to music and sports. I took him to his first standing room only concert. He kept interested in writing for all the years since we met. We talk on the phone like it’s 1996. After games we talk on the phone for almost an hour at a time. Even when he lived in Japan for two years we spoke like this.

I find I’ve usually been a conjugate for new music to Andrew and all my friends, except he listens to almost everything I throw his way. So when he brings me something new I’m ready to accept. Back in his college days he crossed paths with Ryan Santos Phillips when a friend suggested he check out Phillips’ project Spirits of Leo.

Last year they dropped their double LP Equinox. Andrew got a copy when Phillips visited him in Japan. I still skewer through music to find records like Equinox. It reminds me of watching 120 Minutes reairs on MTV late on Saturday nights in high school. These were formative years stuck with emotional ignorance.

No where to go, so much desire to experience things without the resources. So dissatisfied with suburban life but still oblivious to how adult works.

idk-when

Summer 2012?

Equinox fits very well into the types of the stories told about adolescents in Reagan’s Morning in America. Some of those songs could fit into the soundtrack for Adventureland, especially “Soma” a favorite of mine and many of their fans on Bandcamp.

There isn’t one band they sound most alike to. Each arrangement lifts from several key bands from the 80’s college rock era. The drums keep the beat simple but crisp like Hüsker Dü yet guitars stay almost exclusively clean. Clean like The Cure but don’t fall onto loud distorted chords. Playing scales dominate over chords on this record.

The influences don’t overdrive the artist’s creativity. Yes, it’s obvious where they came from, but each song sounds like it’s own going off into its planned course. The mid-range vocals remind you of Jesus and Mary Chain or a bit of Echo and The Bunnymen, but the highs a bit of Morrissey. The basslines enjoy the fortune of time and technology. Low end frequencies just mix better today than they 30-40 years ago.

I asked Andrew to hit up Phillips for a copy but I see now I can just buy it myself. Usually buying directly from the source means they get 100% of the money, which he deserves. If you’re in Brooklyn March 1st see them at Alphaville. Stream it on most platforms now or purchase directly from the artist over on Bandcamp.

Karō Hotline

Since Thanksgiving my senses have been blitzed. One dam breaks after another. When I stare out into space it’s like staring through a tunnel of swirling water. Everything is unfocused except for my straight ahead vision. The surroundings are unfocused. I’m tired but awake in fear of the guilty from unproductivity.

The days start to blur together now. The same rituals take hold. Somedays I hate it but I’m too afraid to live any other way. Bless those who don’t worry about where the next paycheck comes from. I envy those who don’t get anxious about money, concrete stability, careers, or any of standards society seems to demand from us.

I’m scared shitless of not following the societal norms of how you life your life when it comes to money and holding a job. I have to depending on what I view as reliable: an employer. I know I’m taken care of yet when you’re not in a position you envisioned it’s draining. Then you start to burn out and fade.

There’s so much guilt and embarrassment from feeling like I’m so weak. Why can’t I just do my job and leave regular? Why can’t I feel full of energy more often? I’m withdrawing from jubilee, especially over the last few weeks. It’s obvious when food isn’t as satisfying as it used to be. Music doesn’t wire me the same way.

What’s happening to me? I wake up, eat some shit, go to work, guzzle as much coffee throughout the day as possible, hopefully go to the gym, eat some more shit, and lay in bed and stare at screen. This can’t be it. I see other people around me live life in so much color. Mine seems so gray, by choice.

It’s been almost two days since I got off work and thankfully I have 3 days of vacation before briefly returning to work. I spent most of Saturday and Sunday sleeping in and doing now. I can’t fucking do that again tomorrow or next two days. Let live. Live. Wake and leave. Breathe in the air. Be free.

Reestablish myself. Revel in revelry. Get out of the fogginess. Feel the wide open again. Stop being so fucking afraid.

What I Missed in 2017

Last year I looked back to acknowledge on some records I completely missed from the prior year. I usually miss out on a few records during the release year and find them in the following year(s). I completely missed on Pinegrove’s debut album in 2016 which could have made my top 10 list.

Decided to bring this exercise back to see if I totally screwed up last year. Overall, 2017’s top 10 holds up incredibly well. One of the strongest years in the decade and no other records looking back would impeach it now. That’s not to say there were a few solid efforts I was late on last year.

Hundredth’s fourth album Rare caught everyone by surprise. I completely dismissed them as another blah melodic hardcore band when I saw them at The Che Cafe in 2012. They shifted entirely into shoegaze and noise rock, breaking from denomination. Influences like Ride to modern bands like Nothing clearly inveigled their venture. While Hundredth aren’t changing post-rock in any way their evolution was completely unpredictable.

Other post-hardcore bands have tried playing with these styles but never a complete overhauling immersion like this. Rare feels like a band finding its true self. Undoubtedly an asomatous experience for them as they released a remix album and B-Side singles. This is the only album that could have possibly broken into my top 10. I only realized that recently. Still bummed they played the same night as Julien Baker last December.

Polyphia came off initially to me as one of those trust fund kid bands. Out of the gate had new gear and quality production. Despised them and others like them when I was in a band. Usually derided those bands but when I heard “40oz” on my old producer’s Instagram story I had to change my mind.

Irresistible hooks and grooving melodies, there’s a little funk, a little djent, mixed with their chill programmed vibes. I went back to hear their back catalog but The Most Hated EP stands apart. It’s Polyphia when I hear it. PAst projects sound like the rest of the prog instrumental pack, e.g. Chon. Very replayable EP too, always important for me, with tracks like “Goose” to vibe with driving around on a beautiful day.

Joey Bada$$ put on one of my favorite shows this year bringing Buddy along on tour. He completely assailed the stage and owned the crowd. Maybe I should have done my homework on Buddy. The environment you grow up in will play an indelible role for any artist. Growing up in Compton and LA County gave Buddy my favorite kinds of hip hop influences.

Less songs equals a better product as I’ve theorized. Magnolia packs no empty calories demonstrating Buddy’s talent and versatility. “Type of Shit” is clearly the radio song/hit yet “Who Shot 2 Tall” and “Last Time” cipher his social consciousness. Made sense Joey brought him on tour. When “That Much” kicked off live the energy in the audience rose to another level. Joey was superb. Buddy your bones moving.