The Curse of Choice/How We Listen

Before I begin this post, I would like to say that I realize it contradicts my initial mission with this blog. I wanted to be the guy that listened to shit endlessly, and had such a discerning ear that I could find non-stop diamonds in the rough. It hasn’t worked out that way so far. And I began to wonder; is this just an off year? Aside from a couple albums that I really enjoy (This is Happening, High Violet, King of the Beach, and Best Coast’s Crazy for You, et al.), the new albums I’ve been hearing have been just OK. And the myriad of singles I’ve paged through have been no better; just a waste of time.

But the more I thought about this development, the less it bothered me; and the less I worried about not being able to deliver constant gems every other day.

We live in an era where we’re endlessly burdened by choice. You can’t talk to a single person who’s into music without being belittled into not knowing about a new band or a new release. But it’s OK. Don’t feel like you have to know everything all the time. There is no shame in ignorance. The game has changed so much. There are blogs that you could literally spend every minute of your day on and not hear everything on it. So relax.

What happened to the era of the “favorite song”? Remember? There was a time when people used to have a song that they would listen to endlessly. Have you seen Do the Right Thing? Radio Raheem listened to “Fight the Power” on a loop, and he loved it! Now we have to constantly jump from rock to rock in order to digest everything out there. We have to listen to musical styles we don’t even enjoy just to be able to say we don’t like them. How absurd is that? I look at someone like Anthony Fantano over at http://theneedledrop.com (whose work I enjoy and respect), and I wonder; when was the last time you just got obsessed with a band? When has there been an album you flipped over immediately after it ended? When has the iPod been stuck on repeat? Why do we feel this obligation to need to hear everything all the time? At what point are we just listening and not really hearing?

This thought came up recently when Tim and I were talking about his Guided By Voices obsession. And we decided, he is in a committed relationship with them. And that’s OK. You can be musically monogamous. Sometimes the most gratifying listening you’re ever going to have is going to be the 50th time you spin your favorite record and a chord change hits you like it did the first time; or you notice a lyrical nuance you'd missed the 49 previous times. Or if you dust off a record you were obsessed with a decade ago and you feel the same way you felt when you were 17. Sometimes the most emotional attachments we have aren’t to the best songs; but songs that define a moment in time for us.

So. If you take nothing out of this; go back. Listen to your favorite band over and over. Get obsessed with a song and listen to it until you can’t stand it anymore. Because, though your favorite album may be released this year; odds are it won’t be. Any new track is probably going to be a rehashed version of something you already have an affection for. And we'll still be here looking. Eventually we'll find something we're bursting about. And you'll know.

Listen,
Erik

TK's Version of Pitchfork Happ'nings

This was my sixth P-Fork festival...feeling like I could use a little break next year.

Here's what I liked, what I didn't like, and what I didn't even bother to check out:

Saturday

1:00 Free Energy (a) - A good set to kick off a day in the sun. A little derivative, but fun and energetic - had no problem listening to the whole set while trying to take up as much room as possible.

1:00 Netherfriends (b) - Didn't see 'em, but saw them open up for Real Estate & Woods back in March and rather enjoyed them then.

1:45 Real Estate (c) - First song was awful, left to go see Sonny instead. I think the drummer plays too much. Still, they put out a great record last year. Not giving up.

1:55 Sonny & the Sunsets (b) - Like Erik said, they played most songs twice as fast as on their records. I knew I'd like 'em, but I didn't know I'd like them so much. I screamed for "Good Folks Bad Folks" to no avail. Still a really great set. 

2:30 Delorean (a) - Not bad to listen to, only stayed for a few tracks though. Nothing special, and was not feeling that type of music at 2:30PM.

2:50 Kurt Vile (b) - A little disappointing. He didn't play to his strengths and his set list was questionable (he played Monkey second, which is the most boring song on Childish Prodigy)

3:20 Titus Andronicus (c) - Brought it. Really really enjoyed these guys, who have learned how to command a crowd since they last played P-Fork in 2008.

3:45 Dâm-Funk (b) - Wandered over there for a bit and didn't realize someone was "playing". Just sounded like a really boring DJ.

4:15 Raekwon (a) - Skipped it.

4:45 Smith Westerns (b) - Major disappointment. I love these guys' recorded output, but the mix sounded horrible and the vocals were extra weak. I'll give them another try, but it'll have to be in a club and with better sound.

5:15 The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (c) - It seemed like they played for 2 hours. Pretty boring, except for when the lead singer (Jon Spencer, I assume) said "Blues Explosion" after every song, which was just kind of sad.

5:45 WHY? (b) - Didn't feel like wandering over there, so I skipped it.

6:15 Wolf Parade (a) - These guys have two really good songs (This Hearts On Fire & I'll Believe In Anything), which they played back-to-back (glorious!)...other than that it was a fairly pedestrian set. I think they're on the decline, but we'll see.

6:45 Bear in Heaven (b) - Possibly the biggest regret I have is picking the wrong Bear, as I passed on these guys to see...

7:25 Panda Bear (c) - A completely and utterly pretentious set. He had a golden opportunity to make thousands of people happy if he would have thrown us a bone (a couple minutes of Bros, Take Pills, Comfy in Nautica, etc.), but he instead droned and occasionally yelped into the mic. You could feel the festivals collective spirit setting with the sun.

7:40 Freddie Gibbs (b) - Didn't see him, too busy being bummed out.

8:30 LCD Soundsystem (a) - The save of the century, although I think even the Goo Goo Dolls would've sounded amazing after Panda Bear's set. My calves are still sore from hopping up and down the entire time. All My Friends was incredible and Yeah was epic. Best Saturday night headliner in the history of the festival, hands down.

Sunday

1:00 Allá (a) - Missed it due to rain

1:00 Cave (b) - Missed it due to rain

1:45 Cass McCombs (c) - Only caught a few songs, but liked what I heard. Completely appropriate for a sparsely attended Sunday afternoon...

1:55 Best Coast (b) ...but it turns out that everyone was at Best Coast, and I can't blame them. She's got a much better voice than I was expecting. Kind of a one-trick pony, but it's a great trick.

2:30 Girls (a) - I still don't care about these guys. Only saw a couple songs, but didn't feel bad leaving.

2:50 Washed Out (b) - Great set. This is what Panda Bear could've (and should've) sounded like. Glad this was on the smaller stage though.

3:20 Beach House (c) - Sounded really great in the afternoon sun. These guys have really blown up. Zebra is one of the best songs of the year.

3:45 Local Natives (b) - Didn't see 'em. Didn't wanna see 'em.

4:15 Lightning Bolt (a) - Not really my thing, but I did have a delicious chicken dish during their set in shade.

4:45 Surfer Blood (b) - Didn't see 'em, don't like their album.

5:15 St. Vincent (c) - I really like St Vincent, but I don't think she is festival material (much like Grizzly Bear). Only stayed for a few tracks.

5:45 Here We Go Magic (b) - The set of the day for me. They displayed a total mastery of complex yet catchy songwriting and playing. Collectors and Casual sounded great live, and they closed with a 12-minute version of Tunnelvision. Great to get lost in. 

6:15 Major Lazer (a) - Only caught the last couple songs, but just seemed like gimmicky hip-hip cliches..if you're in to that type of thing.

6:45 Neon Indian (b) - Only caught one song because of the immense crowd. Didn't feel bad leaving.

7:25 Big Boi (c) - I enjoyed this more than I though I would. Not mind-blowing, but solid.

7:40 Sleigh Bells (b) - Avoided them, because I still like the album and I knew that seeming them play live would probably ruin it for me.

8:30 Pavement (a) - Very conflicting. On one hand, it was incredible to see one of my favorite bands of all time play, but on the other hand, it was maddening to witness 90% of the crowd just standing still. I don't expect everyone to sing along to every word, but it would have been nice if people at least looked exciting during Range Life or sang along to the chorus of Two States. Is that too much to ask? Probably. But then again, I got spoiled by Heedfest (and that's all I am gonna say about that). 

Man, I sound like a grump. 

VBtk

140 Character Pitchfork Reflections

This past weekend was the Pitchfork Music Festival at Union Park in Chicago. This week you may see a couple posts in relation to that, as Tim & I were both in attendance. For this first post I'm just going to throw some tweet-length recaps of the bands I saw (either full sets or just brief encounters).

Friday, July 16:

5:30 Liars (c) – Imagine any mid-paced punk band, except the singer has the microphone inside of his mouth the whole time. Ugglllaaahhhhuuuoooohh... #NotGood

6:25 Robyn (a) – I will never understand why people like this. Is it some form of "irony" to listen to bad mainstream girl pop? Bring on Britney Spears!

7:15 Michael Showalter (b) – Caught a bit of this set. I don’t think a comedian has bombed this hard since Rosanne’s National Anthem, 1990. http://is.gd/dzIZp

7:20 Broken Social Scene (c) – Not the biggest fan, but they were surprisingly fantastic. Great crowd control, great sound, overall pleasant experience. Friday's best.

8:30 Modest Mouse (a) – Stayed for 4 songs and I will never get those minutes back. Even when they play old stuff it sounds awful. #GiveUpTheDream

Saturday, July 17:

1:45 Real Estate (c) – Saw the first few minutes; singer was off-key. Left. Perfect example of festival logic: if something’s better elsewhere, go elsewhere.

1:55 Sonny & the Sunsets (b) – Surprise Saturday standout. All songs were much faster than the record. Just great crowd reading.

2:30 Delorean (a) – It was nice to Basque in the pleasant sounds of Delorean. #Puns

3:20 Titus Andronicus (c) – Titus, as expected, crushed it. With all the soft, mellow summer music it was nice to have a shot in the arm.

4:45 Smith Westerns (b) – They sounded like shit (the B stage was plagued with problems all weekend; not their fault) and they played like shit (their own damn fault)

5:15 The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (c) – WOW. People actually listen to this? I hope his faux-leather pants peeled off a layer of skin when removed. He's bad and he should feel bad.

5:45 WHY? (b) – Left the Fail Explosion and found myself at WHY? Wish I would have seen more; they sounded wonderful.

6:15 Wolf Parade (a) – Not the biggest Wolf Parade fan; but they sounded good, put together a good set, and were a truly humble and respectful band. Props.

7:25 Panda Bear (c) – Noah… Come on man. Low-energy drone with no stage presence. It was painful to watch.

8:30 LCD Soundsystem (a) – The unrivaled show of the festival and one of the best I’ve ever seen. Great sound, set, crowd, everything. Perfect.

Sunday, July 18:

2:30 Girls (a) – Of all the slow-paced psychedelic bands playing P4k, Girls seemed to have the best grasp on execution. Good sound, showmanship, wardrobe.

2:50 Washed Out (b) – Saw a bit of the show. Not too shabby. I don’t really dig Washed Out, but I think it’s good for what it is.

3:20 Beach House (c) – Victoria Legrand’s voice is just a beast. It’s a bit mellow for midday at a festival, but they sounded good regardless.

3:45 Local Natives (b) – After a weekend of bands with off-key frontmen, it was a welcome change to see perfect 3&4-part harmonies. Never underestimate vocals, guys.

4:15 Lightning Bolt (a) – AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! Ballsy & Rowdy.

4:45 Surfer Blood (b) – I didn’t see Surfer Blood because the B stage was so crowded. My biggest regret of the festival. They sounded awesome from a distance.

5:45 Here We Go Magic (b) – The stand-out show of Sunday, which is saying something after being bombarded with music for >20 hours. Just overall excellent.

6:15 Major Lazer (a) – Came in on the last song… Chinese dragons, hookers, et al. Was the stage show compensating for the music?

7:25 Big Boi (c) – The highest concentration of black people at the festival was on the stage. And Big Boi just flat-out crushed it.

8:30 Pavement (a) – I saw Pavement because I know later in life they’re going to mean more to me than they do now. That said, solid but flawed set (expected).

-Erik

(image by ret0dd, licensed under Creative Commons)

Unappreciated Genius: Gruvis Malt/Gavin Castleton

The 1990s was plagued with the emergence of rap-rock as a popular form of music. Lucky for us we can look back on it and laugh and viscously judge those who fell into the Incubus/Linkin Park/Some other poorly named horrible bands not worth remembering trap. But, out of that blackness there was a band, Grüvis Malt from Providence, Rhode Island.

The shame of Grüvis Malt was that, despite their overwhelming talent, they came on the heels of the rap-rock shitstorm, which meant their particular brand of jazz/hip-hop/rock (which they dubbed "futurock") went relatively unnoticed. I saw them as rapper Sage Francis' opening/backing band in 2002. In my opinion, their masterwork was 2002's ...With the Spirit of a Traffic Jam... a multi-genre opus with a message (these cities are gonna kill us). A sample:

Grüvis Malt - Destination by BubbleWolf

After Grüvis Malt broke up, their frontman, Gavin Castleton started doing his own thing. I hope you enjoy having you mind blown.



And.



It's a shame bands that people would most likely like, and like a lot, can fall by the wayside so easily.

Dig what you dig,
Erik

Eat What You Kill: Samples and Indie Culture

Yesterday afternoon as I was casually strolling the blogosphere, I found myself at the fantastic Altered Zones. This post particularly caught my attention, in that it resurfaced something I've been thinking about for quite a while. The song that piqued my interest was this:

Memoryhouse - Lately (Deuxieme) by BubbleWolf

Now normally on this blog we post things we're excited about or things that you need to stay away from. But what struck me about this track wasn't its quality. I thought it was OK; nothing special. What struck me was, while listening to it, I couldn't get over its use of sampling. My original reaction was anger that a song I know so intimately, "Phone Call" by Jon Brion off of the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind soundtrack, could be used so flagrantly and unaccredited. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it was just my nerdiness/pretentiousness bubbling up ("How DARE they use a song that I know!"). The fact was, the use of that particular sample didn't really bother me, but how it was used did. And I started thinking: where does sampling fit in indie music?

Hipster Runoff did a piece last year about this very topic in response to the rise of Chillwave, taking an angle, "Do you feel duped?" and "Is this right?" that these tracks bite other songs, and slightly warp them and call it their own. My short answers are Yes and No to these two questions.

I don't feel duped, because this musical era is defined by genre-bending and synergy. Techniques, instruments and influences that were once relegated to specific genres have permeated the whole of the music landscape. This is why you have Kanye West sampling Can and Vampire Weekend unironically using Auto-Tune. The game has changed. Laptops are instruments as valid as guitars.

The "Is this right?" question is much more complex, because it calls into question artistic integrity and the role technology should play in certain kinds of music.

In hip-hop, sampling is essential. It became a style of music by taking old disco/soul/funk albums and chopping them up in a DJ booth to create something new. As MPCs and computers evolved, samples became more refined, and more manipulative. Producers were now revered based on the quality of their samples. The finest crate-diggers were often times the finest beatmakers.

With samples so ingrained in the structure of hip-hop, and the general availability and communal nature of beats among rappers (honor among thieves?), pretty much nothing is surprising when it comes to their gaudy and blatant use. In fact, some of my favorite hip-hop songs pretty much just take old soul songs, slap on a harder beat and call it a day. Case in point:
There's nothing off limits.

Sampling in indie/rock music is a bit more of a gray area. Hip-hop can get away with it because there are typically no instruments, so instrumentation and melody take a significant backseat to lyrics, flow and the beat.

Looking at the song that sparked this train of thought, and Hipster Runoff's Washed Out example, I think a certain line is crossed. The samples in these songs play such an essential role that it almost transcends the very idea of creation. Is it "original" music to take, say, an instrumental post-rock song and sing over it? To me, this method and musical approach is the height of laziness.

I felt the same way last year when the Internet was all a-buzzin' over "Ecstasy" by jj. Granted, their approach was slightly more clever (using car alarms), but at the end of the day absolutely no thought had to be put into structure or melody.

This is not to say sampling doesn't belong in indie music. I just think, as opposed to hip-hop, the sample needs to merely be a facet of the track, not the whole thing. I look at Animal Collective's "What Would I Want? Sky". The song made news because it was the first cleared sample of a Grateful Dead song, another sign of the times, that an indie band would be the first to license a sample. The track is a prime example of how source material can be integrated without becoming a flagrant rip-off.

Animal Collective - What Would I Want? Sky by BubbleWolf

I don't think I'm being overly sensitive or critical to expect musicians to play original music. Samples afford the opportunity to slack; to take someone else's work, tweak it slightly and call it one's own. But in order to be considered "original" for sampling among indie musicians, it needs to become something entirely new, not a derivative form of the source product. I believe indie needs to be held to higher standards than hip-hop, because with so much groundbreaking and innovative work happening, there is no excuse to offer up other people's material as a substitute for your own.

Discuss,
Erik

(Image by soschilds, Licensed under Creative Commons.)