2012 albums, your faves so far

[Qvist]

1. The Heartbreaks are British

Good heavens, what will it be next.

2. I use to know the guy who produced the "Friends" theme song, and gosh darn it, its good!

I think you can probably assume that we disagree radically on that point.

3. Daytrader, have not listened to them yet, but seeing as you don't like them, I am ever so slightly encouraged to so now

Go on, knock yourself out. And a nice day to you too.

[Qvist]

Best Coast might make more sense if you listen to it as a riff on the California "endless summer" vibe, with more than a hint of irony.

The Heartbreaks owe a lot to Orange Juice but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

I don't know about Daytrader.

Guitar pop, American or otherwise, vanished into a cul-de-sac years ago, Qvist. Maybe even decades ago. I'm surprised you think there's been a falling-off now.

Oh, I'm not asking for originality or anything. It's just certain harmonics and a certain type of glossy production sets off my Michael Learns to Rock sensors and mobilise my musical contempt centers. It's all pointlessly subjective. Much like discussing music, unfortunately. Anyway, thanks for not being a sour puss about having a couple of your fave records spoken of in unflattering tones.

cheers

[Worm]

Oh, I'm not asking for originality or anything. It's just certain harmonics and a certain type of glossy production sets off my Michael Learns to Rock sensors and mobilise my musical contempt centers. It's all pointlessly subjective. Much like discussing music, unfortunately. Anyway, thanks for not being a sour puss about having a couple of your fave records spoken of in unflattering tones.

cheers

Not to worry, you know I respect your opinion.

At this point, these indie bands are six of one, half a dozen of the other. You're going to like some and not others, I'll like others and not some. To be honest, it's all splitting hairs, wouldn't you agree? Not just because of the subjectivity of musical taste, but because these bands simply do not inspire that kind of hardcore loyalty. It's not the same kind of tribal conflict. Arguing between Best Coast and Daytrader is hardly the same thing as going to war over Iron Maiden versus The Mekons. Dum Dum Girls or Vivian Girls. Who cares?

I probably sound as if my expectations for new music are pretty much rock-bottom. I do like and appreciate new guitar pop, I just don't get passionate about such bands.

[Qvist]

Not to worry, you know I respect your opinion.

At this point, these indie bands are six of one, half a dozen of the other. You're going to like some and not others, I'll like others and not some. To be honest, it's all splitting hairs, wouldn't you agree? Not just because of the subjectivity of musical taste, but because these bands simply do not inspire that kind of hardcore loyalty. It's not the same kind of tribal conflict. Arguing between Best Coast and Daytrader is hardly the same thing as going to war over Iron Maiden versus The Mekons. Dum Dum Girls or Vivian Girls. Who cares?

I probably sound as if my expectations for new music are pretty much rock-bottom. I do like and appreciate new guitar pop, I just don't get passionate about such bands.

No, I don't either. Well, not the ones I like, anyway. I do think really things are more or less reducible to quite marginal and very subjective things. Like harmonics - some I like, some I just don't. Like Nirvana - totally and instantly recognisable harmonic signature, never worked for me. Which means it's often about having the right buttons pushed, or the wrong ones. Which does make it pretty pointless to talk about. Not that it's like that with all music of course, but you see what I mean (I suspect).

[Worm]

No, I don't either. Well, not the ones I like, anyway. I do think really things are more or less reducible to quite marginal and very subjective things. Like harmonics - some I like, some I just don't. Like Nirvana - totally and instantly recognisable harmonic signature, never worked for me. Which means it's often about having the right buttons pushed, or the wrong ones. Which does make it pretty pointless to talk about. Not that it's like that with all music of course, but you see what I mean (I suspect).

I do know what you mean, but I would go further and say that-- often, though not always-- bands only become truly interesting when you get past harmonics and enter different areas normally associated with other kinds of art. Ideas matter. PiL's "Metal Box" doesn't make my ears "happy" the way Best Coast does, in a manner of speaking, but "Metal Box" is ten times more arresting because of the ideas with which Lydon infused the record, the sheer strangeness and inventiveness of the music and the lyrics. I wouldn't call them "ideas", per se, just a sensibility that seems alien to most pop records and yet right at home in the weird sonic world he and his bandmates created.

Maybe all music is just a matter of sounds and harmonics, but I don't think so. It can expand and burst categories. That's why it's worth talking about.

Nirvana never struck a chord with me, either, because I never heard any ideas behind the music. The point of Cobain's art was its angry incoherence, and I don't truck with that. The band was undeniably solid, however.

[123xyz]

Good, right? I like her new album a lot.

You mention surf-pop, reverb-ed guitars, and rising harmonies...not that Bethany sounds like this band, but I happened to play "Darklands" right after "The Only Place" and to me Best Coast sounds like a counterpart to The Jesus and Mary Chain. I don't mean there's a strong direct influence-- if anything, she is influenced by the same bands Jim and William Reid listened to-- just that I hear a few shared reference points and there's a similar spirit in the music. I know this seems impossible, given how sunny her sound is, but if you've spent any time in southern California you know how people can absorb a strange streak of darkness lurking beneath the Technicolor beaches. Not Goth, exactly, but certainly angsty and at times morbidly self-absorbed. She's like Joan Didion crossed with Gidget.

I wonder if the darkness alongside the "sunny sound" has anything to do with the sadness of indirect nostalgia ? As Best Coasts tones inevitably summon up " ... early 60s ,surf, California..." , ( which isn't to reduce it to just pastiche ), perhaps that backwards glance accounts for the plaintive quality ?

I'm still unsure, oddly enough ...

[MozAngeles818]

It is with a certain reluctance I ask What happened to american guitar pop and the good people who listen to it?! I listened to Best Coast, the Heartbreaks and Daytrader and they all sound to me as if they might have been asked to write the theme song to Friends. They're fucking horrible.

This comment just made me laugh.
Thank you for that.

Also, It's so wrong and you to compare them to Friends.
Best Coast, Heartbreaks, and Daytrader...are you tone deaf?

[Oh my god, it's Robby!]

Go on, knock yourself out. And a nice day to you too.

thanks, will do Qv, now can we get back on task here
which posting what you like
rather than heaping scorn on what others do
OK?
thanks...

[Qvist]

This comment just made me laugh.
Thank you for that.

Also, It's so wrong and you to compare them to Friends.
Best Coast, Heartbreaks, and Daytrader...are you tone deaf?

No, I am not tone deaf. And I'm sorry, but for me they evoke the very worst of nineties bubble gum commercial crap indie. If they work for you, fine.

[Qvist]

thanks, will do Qv, now can we get back on task here
which posting what you like
rather than heaping scorn on what others do
OK?
thanks...

Well, at least I confine myself to heaping scorn on records. I've already posted what I like, what more do you want?

[Qvist]

I do know what you mean, but I would go further and say that-- often, though not always-- bands only become truly interesting when you get past harmonics and enter different areas normally associated with other kinds of art. Ideas matter. PiL's "Metal Box" doesn't make my ears "happy" the way Best Coast does, in a manner of speaking, but "Metal Box" is ten times more arresting because of the ideas with which Lydon infused the record, the sheer strangeness and inventiveness of the music and the lyrics. I wouldn't call them "ideas", per se, just a sensibility that seems alien to most pop records and yet right at home in the weird sonic world he and his bandmates created.

Maybe all music is just a matter of sounds and harmonics, but I don't think so. It can expand and burst categories. That's why it's worth talking about.

Nirvana never struck a chord with me, either, because I never heard any ideas behind the music. The point of Cobain's art was its angry incoherence, and I don't truck with that. The band was undeniably solid, however.

Sure. As said, it's not like that with all music. But generally most of the things one could say are, I find, incommunicable, or not worth communicating. I used to assume that the things I thought were great about music I loved were accessible to anyone, if only they listened carefully (or let me explain it to them ). It's not like that of course. In practice, most of the things people have to say about music make little sense to me, even within a highly relativised context. I'm sure it's the same vice versa.

[Worm]

Sure. As said, it's not like that with all music. But generally most of the things one could say are, I find, incommunicable, or not worth communicating. I used to assume that the things I thought were great about music I loved were accessible to anyone, if only they listened carefully (or let me explain it to them ). It's not like that of course. In practice, most of the things people have to say about music make little sense to me, even within a highly relativised context. I'm sure it's the same vice versa.

Interesting. I don't find that to be true, actually. I can always listen to someone tell me what they like about a band (or just about any work of art) and find a way to hear it, or see it, or think it. I don't always agree, and sometimes I reject the remarks as unfounded or delusional, but I enjoy trying to work out what people get out of the stuff they like. Jazz is a great example. I like it in small quantities, on my own, but I'm almost as fascinated by hearing jazz fans talk about jazz as I am by the music itself. You start to hear music differently when people point things out to you. The same is true for films and books. Criticism is important, and in my view even casual fans explaining why they like music is a form of criticism which can be enlightening.

[Worm]

I wonder if the darkness alongside the "sunny sound" has anything to do with the sadness of indirect nostalgia ? As Best Coasts tones inevitably summon up " ... early 60s ,surf, California..." , ( which isn't to reduce it to just pastiche ), perhaps that backwards glance accounts for the plaintive quality ?

I'm still unsure, oddly enough ...

Oh, for sure. It's definitely nostalgic. I think that's an apt comment. But there's also something related to that nostalgia, which is the idea of California as a brand. Southern California has been globally marketed since the Sixties and in the last few decades it's gotten even more intense. Bethany Cosentino's music sounds like it's nostalgic not for the "real" California but an earlier version of California's branding. There's a weird slippage; I don't hear a longing for authentic California, exactly. More like a longing for a less inauthentic version. But her songs are mostly about relationships, so there isn't a lot of overt, postmodern nostalgia in play here. It's just good, lo-fi, SoCal pop with a touch of angst. The plaintive quality is pure southern California: how can I be unhappy in paradise?

[Oh my god, it's Robby!]

Well, at least I confine myself to heaping scorn on records. I've already posted what I like, what more do you want?

fair enough

[The Seeker of Good Songs]

[Raphael Lambach]

I'd rather choice more albums but only two artists released something really good. My first choice is Cohen's Old Ideas and The second one is Heartbreaks' Fun Times. The rest is just garbage!

[peptastic]

All the new releases I bought so far have been great.

And One have been really putting out the work in 2012 with four e.ps and a fulllength.
S.T.O.P link has the snippets. I'm a wee bit obsessed with them. The treibwerk ep and S.T.O.P both feature Douglas Mccarthy of nitzer ebb. Eskil Simmonson of Covenant is on the treibwerk ep.

Peter Heppner finally released a followup to Solo.
My Heart of Stone
It's very lovely and his voice is still amazing.

O. Children's Apnea is great. It's not as thrilling as their first album but solidly good.

Aesop Rock's skelethon isn't out until July. The single is awesome.
Zero Dark Thirty so i'm sure I'll be posting about it next month.

[Oh my god, it's Robby!]

And One have been really putting out the work in 2012 with four e.ps and a fulllength.
S.T.O.P link has the snippets. I'm a wee bit obsessed with them. The treibwerk ep and S.T.O.P both feature Douglas Mccarthy of nitzer ebb. Eskil Simmonson of Covenant is on the treibwerk ep.

I too like the new And One stuff

[fabval]

Cohen's Old Ideas

I like it very much too. It grows slowly but surely.

[Oh my god, it's Robby!]

only played 5 tracks on youtube so far, like them all so far, especially