BrntO4Life's Mysterious Music Mart

[BrntO4Life]

Come one, come all!

I decided to do open up shop here on VSN because I wish to share my glorious wares with you all.

As a purveyor of way too much music, it would be cruel of me to not share the 150GB (and counting) of music that I think you all deserve to know about.

Following in the footsteps of Woy, I've decided to blaze off onto my own trail and give, not so much reviews, but recommendations of fantastic jams flooding my eardrums on a daily basis.

I won't be giving numbered scores. No stars or decimals here. If I give a score, it will be in the form of an odd simile. But mostly I'll just say how much I'd recommend it.

This will be constantly evolving and there's no set format. I don't even know what I'll review first. I'll be doing full-lengths, EPs, mixtapes, singles, doubles, quadruples and any other format these zany musicians will think up next.

Set the bar low and you might be surprised.

Also, send me recommendations of things to listen to whenever you like. I'd be happy to check things out, just know that hip-hop is not my strong suit.

Index:
- Yuck - S/T (2011)

Recommendations to be reviewed:
- PJ Harvey, Let England Shake (2011) [Thanks Houston!]
- Something from Alice in Chains [Thanks Gordon Bombay!]
- Something from Explosions in the Sky [Thanks Boucher!]
- Beach Fossils, What a Pleasure EP (2011) [Thanks Irish!]
- Say Anything, ...is a Real Boy (2004) & In Defense of the Genre (2007) [Thanks J.Hen!]

 

[Houston]

Have you heard "Let England Shake"?

 

[Boucher]

Explosions in the sky?

Whats another band like them?

 

[Nevermind]

Alice in Chains

 

[Irish]

Let England Shake is overrated in my opinion.

 

[Houston]

No it's not.

 

[Irish]

Listen to the Beach Fossils EP.

 

[BrntO4Life]

Thanks for all the recommendations. I'll certainly take those into account, but I think I've got a few lined up.

I may not start until next week because of school and travel, but I hope to get a couple reviewed this weekend.

 

[BrntO4Life]

Explosions in the sky?

Whats another band like them?

You're looking for anything in the category of "post-rock", really. Some have vocals, others don't. They're usually pretty atmospheric though.

Ones I like include:

Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson​

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5sMKf85wNE"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5sMKf85wNE[/ame]

The Appleseed Cast (specifically the Low Level Owl albums)​

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKHp-kCiiD0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKHp-kCiiD0[/ame]

Mogwai​

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSbETaXBrYc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSbETaXBrYc[/ame]

This Will Destroy You​

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdqT3MDAG2w"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdqT3MDAG2w[/ame]

Hope that's enough to get you started.

 

[BrntO4Life]

Just wanted to let you guys know that I head back to Austin tomorrow to get ready for SXSW. I plan on doing a few "informal" reports on location to let you guys know what I'm seeing and what is worth checking out.

Also, working on my first few album write-ups. I have all the notes done for one and hope to have it out by Thursday morning at the latest.

 

[BrntO4Life]

Double post. I'll fill with another review later.

 

[BrntO4Life]

Yuck - Yuck (2011) - Review​

Release Date: February 15, 2011 (US); February 21, 2011 (UK)
Record Label(s): Fat Possum (US), Mercury (UK)
Genre(s): Rock, Grunge, Noise, Pop

It's impossible to being a review of this album without recognizing Yuck's forebears. 90's alternative nostalgia seeps through every use of a wah pedal and after each distorted vocal refrain. Pavement, My Bloody Valentine, Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., and even Elliott Smith, are all in here in some fashion.

However, it's imperative to note that Yuck aren't just ripping off the 90's, but have managed to filter familiar sounds through a new millennium strain. The recent trend towards a lower fidelity exists here, yet none of these tracks sound unprofessional.

In terms of pace, Yuck have done an excellent job here. The album opens up with two scorchers in "Get Away" and "The Wall". "Get Away", overdriven guitar squalls intact, is Dinosaur Jr. with a kicked up tempo while "The Wall" is a driving, less saturated throwback to My Bloody Valentine that won't blow eardrums or speakers.

Even though most well known for the faster tracks, Yuck know how to pick their spots when slowing it down. The third track, "Shook Down", breathes a bit and contains an alt-country vibe in spots. The hushed vocals glide along in with the arpeggiated chords that pluck and pop throughout until the last minute, when that 90's crunch breaks in before exiting as quickly as it came.

Other slow-shakers include “Suicide Policeman”, a slightly fuzzed-out Elliott Smith number with a wonderful brass section, “Suck”, a twangy Pavement-esque pop jam replete with slide guitar and tremolo than transitions into “Stutter”, an aural complement with a bit more punch to it. “Sunday” is more of the same, in a very good way. “Rose Gives a Lilly”, the only slow jam to not start with an ‘s’, pulls back from the lick-laden twang and gives way to an instrumental slow burn born of Nirvana.

“Operation”, the ninth track, ratchets the tempo back with deafening guitar squeals, chugging power chords, and vocals buried under a thick mud. Sonic Youth would be pleased.

Closer “Rubber” and track six, “Georgia” are the real stars here. On “Rubber” Yuck sidesteps here, playing the post-rock card to a ‘T’. Chords bury lead guitar and percussion in a mountain of noise while vocals lap on the shore like gentle waves. Repeated and echoed phrases of the rhetorical “Should I give in?/Yes I give in” soothe and mesmerize while squeals of feedback jolt the brain out of an impending rest. By the end, you can’t help but ask for more.

“Georgia” admittedly hits close to home, but the jangled pop mess and boy-girl vocals elicit a sense of pure elation that is often missing elsewhere on the album. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart would be proud of what Yuck has done here. Rumbling drums and tambourine beneath “Georgia, what’s a girl to do/Georgia, still in love with you” pulls at the heartstrings every time.

For Fans of: The 1990s, Nirvana, Pavement, Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, Pains of Being Pure at Heart, distortion, feedback, and great music that isn’t hip-hop.

Reviews That Use Numbers:
Paste Magazine – 8.9 (89%)
Pitchfork.com – 8.1 (81%)
Rolling Stone – **** out of 5 (80%)
Metacritic.com – 80%

Purchase Links:
- [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Yuck/dp/B004I199D6"]Amazon (Physical)[/ame]|[ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004NFCMFY/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B004I199D6&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1E6J8GT8T30DB2WE4XXE"](Digital)[/ame]

- iTunes
- Fat Possum Records (CD, Vinyl, & MP3)
- Insound (CD)|(Vinyl)

Official Videos​

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kz7vyrFhFE8"]Yuck - Get Away[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HfHGURWVnU"]Yuck - Georgia[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpyWQqz7TJk"]Yuck - The Base Of a Dream is Empty[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pt2YuvrWYE"]Yuck - Rubber[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpIVFDFXxdE"]Yuck - Holing Out[/ame]​

 

[Houston]

Never listened to Sonic Youth and I don't hear Nirvana but it definitely sounds like the "Loveless" album.

 

[BrntO4Life]

Never listened to Sonic Youth and I don't hear Nirvana but it definitely sounds like the "Loveless" album.

I only really hear Nirvana in that instrumental piece. And even then, it's only ever so slightly.

I mostly put them because I still think fans of Nirvana will enjoy the style.

"Rubber" just bleeds of MBV. It's really amazing that it fits so well on this album.

Yuck really know their 90's alt-rock.

 

[Sharkweather]

1990s, Nirvana and a song named Georgia. I'm in.

 

[BrntO4Life]

1990s, Nirvana and a song named Georgia. I'm in.

Like I said, don't expect much Nirvana. It's in that general quadrant, though. Definitely more fuzz than Nirvana with poppier vocals.

I should have mentioned in my review about the poppiness of the vocals. That's what sets them apart, mostly.

 

[BrntO4Life]

Also, I wouldn't mind if you guys posted your own mini-reviews of albums I review with thoughts and whatnot afterwards.

You can even bash my reviews if you feel the need.

EDIT: I'd really like to hear from those who've become interested based on my writing and what they think afterwards. Here's looking at you, Sharkweather.

 

[BigHouseUSA]

I heard Yuck by chance a month or so ago, now I can't stop listening to them.

Also, I hear a bit of Yo La Tengo in them as well. When I tell people about them I just say they're a combination of Pavement, Dinosaur Jr., and Yo La Tengo.

 

[BrntO4Life]

I heard Yuck by chance a month or so ago, now I can't stop listening to them.

I'll be seeing them play (hopefully twice) at SXSW this week. Very excited.

 

[BigHouseUSA]

I hate not being at SXSW.