I Don't Know Shit Mix

If you are reading this, it means you have probably enjoyed this blog in the past and have subsequently been disillusioned by my inconsistency. Well, you know what they say, bloggin' ain't easy. I was thinking about giving it up for awhile hence the lack of updates. Inspired by this post by a fellow Bostonian at Tongs and the article it linked to by none other than the great Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree), I found myself fully engulfed in the futility of being a music blogger. This coupled with mounting personal and work related issues, my notes on shows have been piling up and review requests have been left entirely unanswered.

Today, I am feeling a bit more inspired; although, I'm not quite sure why. It probably has something to do with my acknowledgment that this blog is probably the best use of my free time. Since, I have stopped writing, I find myself gawking at the television as a self-loathing punishment to my intellect. This definitely needs to stop so I am taking all my notes and turning around some show reviews. I will also have some record reviews up shortly as well.

In the meantime, I present the I Don't Know Shit mixtape. If Sharon Van Etten can admit "I don't know shit" in the showstopping, heart-wrenching opener "I Wish I Knew" from her 2009 album Because I Was in Love, I figure I can confess to a sympathetic feeling. Besides the aforementioned track, there are some real gems to be found here. "The Story of Hip-Hop" is a must-hear sound-collage/trip-hop mix that shows why The Books are one of the most brilliant groups of our time (more on their latest and possibly best album, The Way Out, to come...). I also can't get enough of Menomena and the very underrated new album, Transit Transit, by Autolux, who I will be posting a show review for in the very near future. I should probably apologize in advance for "I'm All Fucked on Beer". You know how those songs from the loudness war get... One more thing, buy these damn albums! The vinyl edition of The Books - The Way Out in particular is well worth your dollar. Below is the mix so stream/download and enjoy:

What They Missed: Pitchfork's Top Tracks of the 1990s

Pitchfork’s list covered a lot of ground but it was almost entirely missing punk, hardcore, emo and metal which, in my opinion, had greatly impacted and progressed music in the 90s. To supplement my examination of the 90s (via Pitchfork’s Top Tracks of the 1990s), the following is a list of my top 100 of my favorite tracks that they missed. It features some songs that I would consider glaring missing entries. Keep in mind when reading this list that they gave a spot (not even the last one) to “The Humpty Dance”. The cover for the article is from the forgotten classic I am an Elastic Firecracker by Tripping Daisey. The list was compiled as I thought of them so don’t look too much into it. A player with all the songs is below followed by the full list.

Best of Pitchfork's Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s: 20-1

There isn’t too much to say about the tracks that made the top 20 in Pitchfork’s Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s. It is a solid group of songs and I enjoy every one of them. There were some very cool surprises among the bunch like Belle & Sebastian’s sad-bastard-music classic “The State I Am In”. I also like the choice of My Bloody Valentine’s “Only Shadow” which certainly influenced countless future shoegaze bands. However, there were some selections seemed very suspect. The fact that Nirvana’s seminal 90s benchmark “Smells like Teen Spirit” didn’t crack the top 10 seemed like it was simply Pitchfork sticking their noses out at all the similar lists that had the track at #1.

Best of Pitchfork's Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s: 50-21

The artists featured in tracks 50-21 of Pitchfork’s Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s have the best music videos of the bunch. This harkens back to when Mtv actually played music videos and they still made an impact on the success of an artist. I know, it’s hard to imagine! As testiment to how great these music videos truly were, many of the directors (Spike Jonze, Michel Gondry) went on to become some of our greatest cinematic directors today. Some of the best of the best music videos can be found below.

Best of Pitchfork's Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s: 100-51

Songs 100-51 from Pitchfork’s Top Tracks of the 1990s have some of my favorite picks on the entire list. The first one that jumped out at me was “Start Choppin” by Dinosaur Jr. Not only is this one of my favorites but it is indisputably one of the greatest guitar-rock songs ever written. The solo that J. Mascis pulls off in the track is nothing short of astonishing and is sure to impressed anyone who considers themselves an admirer of guitar solos.

Best of Pitchfork's Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s: 150-101

Here is the second part of my coverage of Pitchfork’s coverage of the best tracks of the 1990s. This installment has a much better selection of songs and features many that I constantly keep on my playlists. The first of note is “Good Morning, Captain” by Slint. From the very first time I heard it, the song became one of my all-time favorites. Nothing sounded like it before and not much has sounded similar since. It’s unique in it’s spoken-word style telling the story of a sinking ship which is paired with a dark, ominous post-rock accompaniment. The breakdown includes what I consider one of the greatest screams in the history of rock when vocalist Brian McMahon cries out “I miss you!” in the song’s climatic peak. The lyrics alone make for a nice little narrative. The image above is the cover to Slint’s 1991 masterpiece, Spiderland.

Zuzu Reveals Doomstar!

I had never been to Zuzu, which rests between The Middle East upstair and downstairs, but I was anxious to check it out. It was an unusual space for a performance by energetic rock bands but worked out pleasantly. It was small and had no stage so the performances were quite intimate. The left wall was lined with mirrors which made for interesting effect and there was a bar located on the right. There was not much else to speak of in the small venue. It seemed more fit for DJs and dance nights which I was told is exactly the primary function of Zuzu.

Best of Pitchfork's Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s: 200-151

I have always been a big fan of lists that contain the top songs from an era. I may not always agree with the lists that Pitchfork posts but they always get a good discussion started. Their latest staff list, Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s, is of particular interest to me. I have been on a huge 90s kick and consider myself somewhat of an aficionado when it comes to a diverse knowledge of music from the period.

I have made my own best of the best list comprised of my favorite tracks from Pitchfork’s. This way you can weave through the obscure electronic crap and get right to the real gems. The 90s had a lot of blood-pumping, anthemic music and that’s definitely what stands out the most for me out of all the songs they have listed so far.

Getting Over The Hump

It's hump day and if you also live in Boston, you know it's a particularly miserable one. The sky has been a dark, ominous mess and rivers of rain have spilled from it for the past three days straight. It's the kind of weather that definitely affects your mood. Here are some videos that have kept my spirits up and hopefully will help you get over the hump as well.

Raising My Hands for New Sufjan Stevens

Today, Sufjan Stevens came out of nowhere to release an incredible 60 minute EP called All Delighted People. I don't want to ramble on about it too much but it is sure to elicit responses of "wow". The title track is a song of epic proportions that contains a refrain of "all delighted people raise your hands". I'm certainly raising mine. Note: this is well worth the $5 if you are willing to shell it out to show your support for this extraordinary artist. Listen below: