EELS - Souljacker

The album I really wanted to listen to this morning was from a small band called "You Blew It" (Album - Keep Doing What You're Doing) but it isn't dropping until the 14 of January...

Once again, I was forced to think about albums I hadn't listened to in a while and got around to streaming the EELS - Souljacker...

My copy apparently came with an EP

My copy apparently came with an EP

This is the only EELS album in my collection... but I think it's a keeper.  I really love the sound on this album... I recall wishing that Firewater (another band) had explored sounds that were recorded on this record instead of  the clean sound of Psychopharmacology.

Standout Tracks:

Artist: Eels
Album: Souljacker 
Producer: E, John Parish
Label: DreamWorks
Recorded: Onehitsville USA, Honorsound, Bristol and the Bomb Factory

Doves - Lost Souls

 When I reached into my messenger bag this morning, I quickly realized that I forgot to pick out a Bikini Kill album to listen to during the day...   I did a quick search on Spotify and couldn't find any of their albums to stream so I started to type in random bands that I haven't listened to in a while... 

 So I have 2 ticket stubs to the show and can't remember who I went with... weird.

 So I have 2 ticket stubs to the show and can't remember who I went with... weird.

I listened to the Afghan Whigs for a little bit and then out of now-where, something compelled me to look up the Doves.

I had a lot of busy work to knock out when I got into the office so it was nice to stream the Lost Souls album and be productive.

It's been a while since I've listened to this record from beginning to end...  it brought back a lot of great memories from having caught them on the 4th of July in 2001.  The Strokes were scheduled to open for them, but they got stopped at the Canadian border so the Doves played with no opener. (The Strokes eventually showed up and played the basement to only a few people in attendance.)

They had a projector that cast various video over the band and the entire stage...   I recall them screening video of a space shuttle breaking off part of its thrusters into space or the ocean.  I don't know why, but it seemed pretty fitting. 

Stand Out Tracks:

Artist: Doves 
Album: Lost Souls 
Producer: Doves, Steve Osborne
Label: Heavenly Records, Astralwerks Records
Recorded: ?

Masters of Sex (2 episodes in)

Finally got around to getting Showtime and squaring away a few hours to watch a few episodes of MOS.

Intro: I really dislike the Dexteresque intro montage...  

Casting :  really enjoy the casting of the show so far...  they've branched out nicely, while allowing the lead characters to interact with one another in tightly knit story lines.

Story: admittedly, I know precious fuck-all about sexual studies... but I'm shocked to hear that its younger than civil rights.

I mean... was Human Sexuality studies new in America?  Did we leap frog countries that invented positions and terms for simultaneous partners?

In addition to that, I find it a little frustrating to sit through stretches of the show where commonsense rationality is described as pioneer work.

That being said...  I don't know how many liberties have been taken to tell a better story.   I'm looking forward to seeing Dr. Master's face when he witnesses a squirter.

Clinic - Internal Wrangler

I don't know what possessed me to spin Clinic's debut album - Internal Wrangler - this morning...  I sorta saw the album cover and got excited to spin it on the turntable.

I've had this album for nearly 15 years and its still as haunting as ever.

Musically, the songs sorta build, bend and break awkwardly...  they're all carefully produced and just when you get comfortable with it being on in the background the song Distortions comes on.

It's saved me once too often
You'll never know her often
I've pictured you in coffins
My baby in a coffin
But I'll love it when you blink your eyes
Oh I'd

I want to know my body
I want this out not in me
I want no other leakage
I want to know no secrets yet
I'll leave
Oh I'll leave
No I'll leave care

Free of distortions
Free of distortions
Free of distortions

I saw them perform once when I lived in Detroit in support of the album Walking With Thee and was surprised to seem them perform in scrubs and surgical masks.  I don't seem to recollect all from the show other than seeing them at the Shelter (the Basement of St. Andrews Hall) and them being pretty energetic...  

I just learned that they've put out a number of other albums, but I've never listened to any of them.  May check a few of them out to see if their sound changed at all.

Random fact: The album cover was inspired by Ornette Coleman's 1961 album Ornette!

Artist: Clinic 
Album: Internal Wrangler 
Producer: Gareth Jones, Clinic
Label: Domino
Recorded: ?

The Punk Singer

Open Invite - Alamo Drafthouse (Park North) - January 24th  (update)

The Punk Singer.jpg

Just confirmed that The Punk Singer (documentary on Kathleen Hanna) will be getting a proper screening here in San Antonio.  I'm pretty stoked about seeing this movie and willing to meet up with strangers afterwards for a pint to discuss the finer points of the film and your memories of Bikini Kill / Le Tigre / Riot Grrl

I am seriously considering a Kathleen Hanna week for Album A Day...

Bad Books - II

The embossed gold lettering really pops in person

The embossed gold lettering really pops in person

Opted to select something familiar this morning...  in addition to making breaky, I need to spruce up the place for a potential pre-drink with friends at the apartment before going to Roxy's.  It's nice to have something on in the background while getting a number of things done.

Discovered the band Bad Books thru a band (The Front Bottoms) that opened up for them at a show in Austin last February.  The Bad Books are made up from members of the Manchester Orchestra and singer/songwriter Kevin Devine.

I purchased a limited edition pressing of the album that was produced in the form of a bound book...  the production value of it is pretty amazing.  Each page is filled with lyrics and notes about every song on the album.

The music on the record is also very rewarding.  I would their describe their sound as equal parts power-pop and folk.  Especially rewarding for those who want to connect with music for the head & heart.

Stand Out Tracks:  You really can't go wrong with anything on the record...  the latter half of the album is softer than the first.

Artist: Bad Books
Album: II 
Producer: Andy Hull, Kevin Devine and Robert Mcdowell
Label: Favorite Gentlemen / Triple Crown Records
Recorded: Favorite Gentlemen Studios

Get Up Kids - Something to Write Home About

When I woke up this morning, I knew I needed to select an album that had a little pep.  I wasn't feeling very motivated to get out of bed and I really just wanted the weekend to start.

When I saw the spine to Something to Write Home About - I knew that this would be an ideal album to listen to while getting ready for work.

Unlike the first two selections, I actually revisit this album every now and again...   I have a lot of fond memories of this album.

I really dig finding these mail order catalogs in these old CD's.  I'm hella tempted to fill one out and see if they fulfill the order.

My favorite memory is listening to this album on New Years Eve 1999, on a levy with Chivo and Jaime...  If I remember correctly Chivo passed out in the backseat of his car with this feet hanging out of an open door.  We connected a small disc man to his car stereo and we listened to the album pretty loudly while he slept it off.  

I don't recall a lot of what Jaime and I talked about...  he undoubtedly got pissy eyes about his girlfriend (now wife) but I do remember both of us reflecting on how good the album was.

The Get Up Kids were roughly the same age we were so there was something really special about seeing someone in our peer group release a record like Something To Write Home About.

Admittedly, I feel like I've outgrown a number of the early songs on this record...   I could go about the rest of my life without ever hearing Red Letter Day.  

we're loyal like brothers, just us versus all the others
i trusted misleading promises worth repeating
how could you do this to me?

Ick right?

The latter half of the album however has a number of really good songs that still hold up well tho'.  One's that I highly recommend you check out.

Artist: The Get Up Kids
Album: Something to Write Home About 
Producer: The Get Up Kids, Chad Blinman and Alex Brahl
Label: Vagrant Records
Recorded: Mad Hatter Studios

The Aislers Set - the Last Match

When I pulled my copy of "The Last Match" by the Aislers Set this morning, I reflected on what purchasing music in my early 20's were like.

I still don't know if this skyline is fictional or not...

I'm pretty sure I justified this purchase because I couldn't (and still can't) pronounce the bands name and thought it was great to find a Slumberland album in the used bin.

Other Slumberland label mates I really dug were Black Tambourine and 14 Iced Bears...  two bands I admittedly took to liking because I was very impressionable at the time.

Prior to my morning drive this morning... I can honestly admit that I haven't listened to this record in nearly 10 years.  I especially never recall listening to them and thinking how influenced they were by Phil Spector and Belle and Sebastian.

It's completely reflective of what I was listening to in my mid 20's tho'.   I even recall using a number of tracks from this album on mix cd's I used to exchange with friends and girls I was trying to sleep with.

I think my favorite memory of this album is using the track Been Hiding as the seed music for the first ever video I uploaded to YouTube.

Stand Out Tracks:

Artist: The Aislers Set
Album: The Last Match
Producer: Amy & Wyatt
Label: Slumberland Records
Recorded: Otari 50/50 8 track reel to reel and mixed to two track analog tape in a Garage and Living Room

Dear Nora - The New Year EP

Selected this album (ep technically) for obvious reasons...  

Purchased my copy of this album at Switched on CD's in Novi, Michigan...  and recalled doing so because it was on Magic Marker and I wanted to impress my friend Heather K. in the Bronx who liked a number of other artists on the same label.

My copy of The New Year

I don't recall the last time I had listened to this album... but had it on while getting groceries this morning.  

It was recorded on a Cassette 8 Track player so if you're into very lo-fi recordings with female vocals - this might be something you should check out.

The EP itself is pretty short but it has a couple of gems on it...  The song The New Year is stand out track and could see myself digging it out every New Years Day for a proper listen.

Other stand out tracks:

Artist: Dear Nora
Album: The New Year EP
Producer: Katy Davidson
Label: Magic Marker
Recorded: Tascam 8 Track Cassette Recorder in various rooms and basements between the Winters of 2000 and 2001

 

An Album A Day

A couple of months ago, I got around to dusting my shelves and realized I don't listen to a lot of the albums and LP's I own...

LPs.jpg

I go about most days listening to new and old things so I've decided to pen an entry for an album I listen to every day in 2014.

I'm a little worried about burning out on this project like I did when I attempted to watch and document a Movie a Day a few years ago...  but this should be a little easier to do seeing that albums are usually an hour long.

If you have any album recommendations be sure to reach out and let me know.