November72009
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“I Got You” from History Never Repeats: Best of Split Enz, originally from 1980’s True Colors.
10PM

Record #136: Split Enz' 'History Never Repeats: The Best of Split Enz''

I don’t make a habit of listening to greatest hits collections for this project, but considering my limited exposure to Spit Enz, I thought History Never Repeats would be a pretty good place to start. As New Zealand’s primary new wave export, the endlessly theatrical Split Enz were active throughout the late ’70s and early ’80s, and they had a couple of semi-memorable pop hits—most notably “I Got You.” This record is full of fast-moving, keyboard-saturated pop numbers with extraordinarily catchy vocal hooks over a tastefully modest, thumping rhythm section. Split Enz mostly compose bopping, feel-good, saccharine arrangements with weird guitar flourishes and fewer dark elements than most of their new wave contemporaries. A lot of these numbers are catchy and absurdly dance-worthy, though there are a handful of duds. I certainly don’t consider Split Enz especially innovative within the early-’80s new wave movement, but if you’re looking for a good collection of pop tunes from the era, I recommend this one.

November62009
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“Crushed Bones” from Why?’s 2005 release, Elephant Eyelash.
6PM

Record #135: Why?'s 'Elephant Eyelash'

Elephant Eyelash is the 2005 release from Oakland-based genre-benders Why? The centerpiece for every song on this record is the half-sung, half-rapped lyrical content from Yoni Wolf. Though I personally find it overly sentimental and thus cringe-worthy at times, Wolf’s rap-singing is thoughtful, emotionally revelatory and hyper-literate—sometimes his cerebral musings are especially clever and impressive. The music itself is mostly inoffensive indie-pop delivered with laid-back, groove-centric drums, acoustic guitars and poppy keyboard arrangements. Elephant Eyelash is especially unique and often insightful and catchy in its delivery, but I probably won’t spend much more time with this record.

November52009

Record #134: Superchunk's 'Here's Where the Strings Come In'

North Carolina-based legends of indie rock Superchunk served as the archetype for DIY rock ’n’ roll bands throughout the ’90s. Don’t think I don’t know that. And don’t think I don’t know that their catalog is consistently both melodically and volumetrically satisfactory. It just so happens that 1995’s Here’s Where the Strings Come In, their fifth, is one I hadn’t checked out yet. True, it doesn’t have the same restless urgency as, say, No Pocky for Kitty, but it’s just as shining an example of smart and mature punk-pop as anything else in Superchunk’s (or more specifically, Mac McCaughan’s) catalog. It’s clean, bright and up-tempo without sacrificing dignity or balls, as punk-pop’s learning-deficient cousin pop-punk so often proves to do. Another great release from the ’Chunk. Perhaps it isn’t their best, but I’ll bet you 50 bucks you won’t find an uncharacteristically dull or shitty record from these guys.

November42009
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“False Jesii Part 2” from Pissed Jeans’ latest record, King of Jeans.
10PM

Record #133: Pissed Jeans' 'King of Jeans'

As you might have partially deduced from their name, Pissed Jeans are an aggressive, heavy, hardcore-punk-influenced four-piece from Pennsylvania who make noisy indie rock in the tradition of Black Flag, Fugazi and all the other early legends of the ’80s punk scene. Frontman Matt Korvette’s caustic growl is similar to that of The Constantines’ Steve Lambke—though Korvette certainly is less interested in carrying a conventional melody—and King of Jeans is their second release via Sub Pop. These songs are incredibly heavy, but they almost always remain mid-tempo and densely packed with enormous, mean guitar tones and resounding drums. Nothing on King of Jeans is rushed or sloppy or fast, but it’s consistently thick and belligerent, with vocals that are equal parts angry and strangely hilarious in a manner occasionally reminiscent of The Fall. Hardcore punk/post-hardcore isn’t for everyone, but if you’re a fan, this will likely be a candidate for your favorite record of the year.

November32009
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“Stark” from Mr. Chop’s Lightworlds.
6PM

Record #132: Mr. Chop's 'Lightworlds'

My mind has been…well, elsewhere today, but this record is in fact an ideal bit of listening for when one is in such a…mentally vacant state. Lent to me by a friend, Mr. Chop’s elusive record Lightworlds was released (I believe) late last year by Coz Littler, a.k.a. Mr. Chop. This collection of instrumental, fuzzy, psyche-, hip-hop- and jazz-influenced electronic tunes is rather difficult to find any information on here on the Interwebs, but I’ve determined that Chop is a respected experimental electronica artist in the UK, and this album really incorporates myriad styles in its composition. There are jazz drums backing funk bass and straight-up house synths. This isn’t the type of music I’m typically hip to, but it makes for some pretty badass, looping, morphing ambience in a soundtrack-to-a-chase-scene-riddled-action-movie type of way. Pretty interesting.

November22009
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“You’re a Wolf” from Sea Wolf’s 2007 release, Leaves in the River.
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