|
00:00
|
Bark Psychosis "Reserve Shot Gunman"
(Bark Psychosis never did the expected. After the
beautiful and slow album "Hex", they slipped this incendiary
device onto a b-side. Yes, those are real drums and bass
guitar pounding out hardcore techno. And the guitar freakout
at the end is a direct homage to Neu's
"Negativland".)
|
|
05:46
|
Dustdevils "Ordinary Madness"
(The Dustdevils never made it big; in fact only their
last album was ever released on CD, so you can hear
authentic vinyl pops on this recording I took from an LP.
Despite their lack of popularity, they're my favorite of the
late-80s guitar noise bands, picking up from where Sonic
Youth dropped the ball after "EVOL".)
|
|
08:52
|
Dog Faced Hermans "How We Connect"
(Another overlooked band, DFH were a Scottish/Dutch
crew who took fierce joy in noise, rhythm and agit-prop.
Their singer/trumpet player Marion wrote beautiful lyrics,
too.)
|
|
12:46
|
Broken Social Scene "Almost Crimes"
(This year's critical darlings, Broken Social Scene
are one of those things that comes along every once in a
while to convince me that rock music isn't dead. Plus,
they're Canadian -- isn't that special?)
|
|
16:51
|
Lilys "The Hermit Crab"
(The Lilys started out as an excellent My Bloody
Valentine knockoff, but proceeded to change styles
drastically on each subsequent release. I overlooked
"Eccsame The Photon Band" until just recently; it's a mixed
bag but includes this terrific bit of angular
psych-pop.)
|
|
20:24
|
Rainer Maria "Tinfoil"
("Emo" has become a dismissive term for emotionally
overwrought teen-angst punk, but on one album Rainer Maria
made the formula work beautifully, with X-caliber boy-girl
caterwauling.)
|
|
25:19
|
Bikini Kill "Rebel Girl"
(This is probably my favorite punk rock song of all
time, from the definitive Riot Grrrl band. As with most punk
bands, most of their songs were crap, but when they got
their act together they shredded. I love the way this song
explores the fine line between childhood hero-worship and
adolescent lust.)
|
|
28:02
|
Interpol "PDA"
(See above under Broken Social Scene. Interpol were
actually last year's critical darlings, but I didn't
catch on until the calendar flipped over. The obvious Joy
Divisioon / Echo & The Bunnymen comparisons are apt as
far as they go, but Interpol mold their influences into
their own sound, just as those bands did before
them.)
|
|
33:01
|
Pinq "Chameleon"
(Now known as The Decoration thanks to a more famous
Pin[k] who came along after them. Their first album
made a modest splash, and this demo of a newer song gives me
hope for their future.)
|
|
39:17
|
Equations Of Eternity "Madre de Agua"
(Most of Bill Laswell's innumerable projects leave me
cold, but this track is a monster of dub craziness where
Laswell unleashes a bass big enough to do battle with
Gigantor.)
|
|
44:57
|
The Aphex Twin "Digeridoo"
(The track that made Richard James famous. Insanely
catchy despite having no melody whatsoever: it's all done
with timbre and rhythm.)
|
|
52:03
|
Friends Lovers and Family "Dark Fader"
(A slab of out-there drum-n-bass from the excellent
"Avant Gardism" compilation.)
|
|
60:59
|
Gotan Project "Santa Maria (del Buen Ayre)"
(French/Argentinian orchestra that's revitalizing the
tango. Thanks to Nomi for introducing me.)
|
|
66:57
|
Lali Puna "Everywhere & Allover"
(Here's synth-pop even I can get behind, with an
early-Stereolab vibe and some great skronky noises. Part of
that German Morr Music scene I learned about through
mrkvm.)
|
|
71:40
|
Ulrich Schnauss "On My Own"
(Drop-dead gorgeous synth-shoegazer loveliness. It
keeps changing shape and exposing new facets of itself.
Schnauss is a master at this stuff -- highly
recommended.)
|
|
77:32
|
Total
|