My laptop died, which means that all updates are from now on going to be done exclusively guerrilla style from work/the apple store/the library, entirely made up of STOLEN LINKS (hell yeah!). Unfortunately this will result in no more volumes of hateful smile radio until i am again computerized. This is all actually very good for me because of the dramatic increase in productivity which followed the demise of my laptop computer; I've got a couple cool short writings done and started on a novella. Awesome. Turns out downloading comics and music while watching lots of graphic hardcore pornography really does waste a lot of time.
So given that this is the first update of 2011, I figured I should probably post a little something about good music that happened in 2010. These links are all stolen, and I'll give credits where I can but mostly I just googled for the mediafire links...here are the albums that proved important to my year:
Nomos-Notes From the Acheron. This is my favorite hardcore record of the year for sure, and after seeing them play on Saturday I can't wait to hear what they do next. I think this shit is like 13 minutes long or something, and a one-sided 12". Finishes off with a killer Swell Maps cover, and overall has a really in-your-face mix that makes this shit urgent as hell. Guitar parts are weird and fast, their drummer is way more into blasting and rolls than d-beating, and a mean bass sound powers it all along throughout...radical.
I have hatred. I have alienation.
Envy-Recitation. I already posted the link, browse a little harder and you'll find it. There's even a review already. This album is fucking good.
Deafheaven-Demo. In the last week of the year I gave in to the post-Deathwish-signing internet hype and checked out this demo, then saw them a week later. While I'm still not sold on epic black metal that isn't evil, I am sold on the fact that these guys are some super good players, and their drummer will most likely end up in some big metal band within a couple years because he slays it hard as fuck...really cool cymbal work and suprisingly excellent double-kick playing. These guys are probably just ultra into Wolves in the Throne Room but the overall music ends up lying somewhere in between Weakling, Envy, and Mogwai. Definitely a clear screamo/post-rock influence, which is probably why they aren't evil. After this, I can't wait to hear whatever they end up putting out for their first Deathwish record.
AAAAAAAGGGGHGHHH
AEsahaettr-Demo. The first of a couple Canadian releases that made my list is a demo from lo-fi Quebequois Black Metal masters Aesahaettr (incorrect characters, but I'm lazy). They're a side project from fellow media-tree sludgy cassetteers Ensorcelor(who are good, but less awesome than this shit is). This is some noisy and epic riffage under an overpowering wash of white noise, which yields a truly bleak sounding result. This will one day be a classic.
Among Witches
Mess Folk-This is Mess Folk. I think this may have come out in 09, but I didn't get up on it until September or October, and it's another lo-fi freakout session from Canada but quite different. Mess Folk are from Nova Scotia and play heartfelt and out-of-tune love and hate songs into some shitty or busted recording gear to create a bunch of badly played garagey stompers that to me is absolutely perfect. Any budget rock enthusiasts should take note, this blows No Bunny and all his bullshit out of the damned water.
Give Me a Gun
The Black Lips-200 Million Thousand. Another from 09 that's probably my favorite on this list. This was the first Black Lips album that really had a sound that I wanted to keep listening to; even though it's just beach boys/ccr/velvet underground worship throughout they hit this ultra timeless tone, and I was playing this on the j-box at work just about every day I worked once Mimi stuck it in there. Went with my boss to their tour on this album in January and met a beautiful awesome girl who I was totally crazy over and she didn't like that in the long run but this record will always hold a bunch of my favorite memories from this year embedded in the grooves.
Take My Heart
Ceremony-Rohnert Park. When I was playing this at work, I got a few different "this is really Ceremony?" looks of astonishment. Midtempo smashing with Ross sounding more pent-up than ever, and it really is their most enjoyable record. I hope Ceremony makes music for a while, they're starting to get pretty fuckin' good at it.
Stuck in the Doldrums
Because I'm late for my getting-drunk, the list will be only seven long. Other things which proved absolutely essential to the year include the following:
The song "Ballad of a Thin Man"
Tony's Pizza Napoletena- You the man, Tony Gemignani!
Also pizza related, the new Arizmendi bakery on 24th and Mission
Daredevil and his various incarnations under the authorship of Ed Brubaker and Frank Miller
Bourbon
So, you ask: what am I looking forward to in 2011?
Nothing.
