quick audio picks: 12
Who'd have thought the new DFA supergroup featuring the likes of Delia Gonzalez, Gavin Russom, Tim Goldsworthy, James Murphy, etc would have dreamt up this groovy little number? "Casual Friday(1)" sheds the suit and tie in favor of a loose party affair,...
expand review chock full of frivolous vocals (ed.note: with an underline) and wonky synth action. All the while, a driving disco bassline and handclaps aplenty keep them butts a-wigglin. And if vox ain't your thang, there's a handy instrumental(2) on the flip. Put that in your leotard and smoke it. -Roy Dank
quick audio picks: 12
In 1982, Arthur Russell, Francois K and William Socolov formed Voltron and released the now-classic disco/no wave half-breed "Go Bang." Now, almost 15 years later, DJ Language takes a stab at the re-edit. (Sorry, I ain't callin' anyone "Prince" unless they come...
expand review from Minnesota and wear eyeliner.) "Thank You Arthur(1)" flips the script, taking healthy chunks from the seldom heard LP version of "Bang" and forming them into a precision dancefloor missile. Watch out for that wild guitar breakdown toward the end, too. On the other side, Atlanta's Kai Alce re-edits the mysterious "Lollipop(2)" – and I say "mysterious" because nobody knows who the original artist is, including Kai! With just some space, some Rhodes organ and an insistent 4/4 kick, Alce edits this to perfection, giving it a definite Detroit vibe. Fans of Theo Parrish and Moodymann are gonna want to hear this one. These Editions Disco volumes just keep getting better, and they're getting major play from everybody – Carl Craig, James Murphy (DFA), Gilles Peterson, etc. Jump on das bandwagon. -Chris Lemon-Red
quick audio picks: 1234
Best Franz release since their first single! This thing has been delayed a few times, but it's finally out and it's real solid. Justice's remix of "The Fallen(1)" was previously heard on the limited edition 7", and as advertised, it's "ruined by...
expand review Justice" in a really nice way - chopped up vocals, heavy heavy breaks, etc. Lindstrom comes strong with his Italo-disco flavored remix of "I'm Your Villain(2)," and rock remixer of the moment Erol Alkan drops a bomb with his hype instrumental re-edit of Franz's biggest hit off the album, "Do You Want To(3)." Less bombastic but no less successful is Isolee's mellow reworking of "Outsiders(4)." 4 tracks total in a handsome pic sleeve. -Chris Lemon-Red
quick audio picks: 1234
A historic record in the micro-history of cut and paste, and hip-hop sampling. This was Danny Krivit's first edit 12", released by the bootleg label TD in the early 80s and reissued here on the original label. The actual track "Feelin James(1)"...
expand review is a cut and paste of several JB breaks mixed with some stragglers. The flip side also has major significance in sampling history. Mr. K expertly re-edits 3 well known breaks(2,3,4) with production finesse way beyond the time period. Eric B most likely jacked the first one for "I Know You Got Soul" while the other 2 have become staples of the hip-hop/b-boy consciousness. These 3 breaks truly make this record sound relevant today, an amazing feat that makes this record more than just a dusty time piece. -the mgmnt
quick audio picks: 1
80s electro songs about computers rule! Black dudes who call themselves the Egyptian Lover rule! Both these dynamics are in effect on this lost 1984 12". The Egyptian Lover-produced "Computer Power(1)" starts off with the textbook electro intro: hard electronic drums...
expand review with electronic voices layered on top. Next up, the semi-cheesy piano hook, then the finishing touch: Jamie Jupitor's dystopian, baritone vocoder lyrics. He plays the role of computer proclaiming: Computers are the future world, we program for the boys and girls, there's nothing we don't understand, we're smarter than the normal man... COMPUTER POWER!!! Epic. Big bonus on the flip with the instrumental. I wonder if the Jamie Jupitor fan club info on the label is still valid. -the mgmnt
quick audio picks: 12345
Thank God, the hipster-hater's most eagerly anticipated album to hate on is here! We have waded through a million singles' and magazine articles' worth of hype to hear what the fuss is about, and SURPRISE!, the album is really, really good. All...
expand review this time, while the Rapture disappeared off the face of the earth (I think they died of oldness) and countless shitty disco-punk digi-funk imitators have materialized to cover "To Hell With Poverty," Death From Awesome guru James Murphy has been producing the end-all of hipster music manifestos, uniting people of all cultures, from Fader readers to 'Sup readers alike. How is this possible? For one thing, unlike other "now sounds" like Rio Booty Garbage and Grime, the LCD full-length can actually be listened to in the privacy of your home or iPod and be enjoyed as music (as opposed to shrieking noise). Consider: "Daft Punk Is Playing At My House(1), Tribulations(2), Movement(3), Never As Tired As When I'm Waking Up(4) (which I have to include because every review of this album has to include it to show the record's "range"), Disco Infiltrator(5)." Yes, Murphy is kind of paunch and old, and yes, this album is produced and packaged to be EXACTLY what someone my age wants to hear, but fuck it! So is "Kung Fu Hustle" and I'm seeing that shit the day it comes out! 9 tracks total, all brilliant. -the woodman.
quick audio picks: 12
"I'm Losing My Edge. To the kids from France and London. But I was there, I was there in 1968, I was there at the first Can show in Cologne." "Losing My Edge(1)" is self-deprecation over banging lo-fi electro from DFA founding...
expand review member James Murphy. This has got to be one of the most entertaining and enlightening tracks I've heard in a while. Anyone who's been in the game for an extended period will definitely appreciate it, as Murphy's dead pan lyrics capture the moment that cool kid geezers start to wonder what the game is all about, and start noticing the younger breed of cool kids breathing down their necks. It's a strange and painful phenomenon, a mid life crisis of sorts. A masterful work of sarcasm and self analysis, it ironically has become an underground club hit of sorts. I've even heard it's become a Williamsburg party favorite. How avant po-mo. Newbies stick to the b-side "Beat Connection(2)," but will of course quickly migrate to the flip. Recommended. -the mgmnt
quick audio picks: 12
Having released one of last year's best singles (Losing My Edge), James Murphy is back with another brilliant extension of his LCD Soundsystem. LCD records seem to speak to those kids sick of the scene, who want their 12" to retain interest...
expand review longer than the next trend, but without sacrificing up to the minute relevance. An impossible feat, but listening to tracks like "Yeah (Crass Version)(1)" will make you a believer. The song writing and composition are the foundations that the track is built on, with enough rock pretentiousness and sleazy analog to keep you interested. It takes a little more to keep our jaded ears interested these days, and this is it. "Yeah (Pretentious Version)(2)" is a completely alternate version, offering a cleaner instrumental take on the track. One listen, and you'll understand why you'll see these 12"s on the wall at Sound Library one day. Also includes the "Clap-a-Pella." Recommended. -the mgmnt
quick audio picks: 12
Nightmares On Wax continually aim to satisfy the record collectors. Following his excellent In A Space album, NOW released a limited run 7" and now this 3 color vinyl remix single. "African Pirates" is another standout from the album, here it gets...
expand review remixed by Troubleman(1) (my pick) and JD73(2). Limited edition. -the mgmnt
quick audio picks: 123
After catching 2 shows of the recent Pixies NYC date, I'm motherfuckin Pixies crazzzeeee! They're definitely the best rock band I've seen live (and I've seen Ted Nugent in his reunion tour, cat scratch feva!!!). It's ridiculous how humble and anti-glam they...
expand review are, the set is just relentless (they play 90% of Dolittle, "Tame" is freaking ridiculous) and Frank Black is the king of War Pigs (and Kim Deal is the kindergarten teacher that did too many drugs)! They even played both versions of "Wave of Mutilation" in the same set, take that! Anyway, this is their debut mini-album from 1987, drawn from the "legendary" Pixies' demos and includes, "Caribou(1), Levitate Me(2)", and "I've Been Tired(3)". Reader tip: search "Pixies Coachella" on your favorite file sharing program for a taste of that live stuff. 8 tracks in all. -the mgmnt
quick audio picks: 123456
The Pixies' Doolittle is a tantalizing pop masterpiece that wasn't just the best record in the Pixies brief catalog, but also one of the best rock records of the last 20 years. Reissued here on heavyweight vinyl to coincide with the revitalization...
expand review of an everlasting legacy, Doolittle is the band's third album, released just when their strands of eccentricity, misshaped songwriting and caustic volume had deliciously coalesced. On the opening "Debaser(1)," lead singer Black Francis' confounding poetry pays homage to surrealist film, buoyed by a shuffling drum beat and Joey Santiago's screechy guitar. Pixies' songs often alternated between conversational quiet and big blasts of noise (what would be dubbed "post-punk"), and songs like "Tame(2)" and "Crackity Jones(3)," were the poster-children for that sound. "Hey(4)," though, proved the Pixies could also spool out a unique indie-rock ballad. In any other context, Francis' animated singing style would sound like an annoying whine, but tethered to the other members' idiosyncrasies, for example- bassist Kim Deal's child-like coos on songs like "I Bleed(5)," - it gave the band its pop thrust (like on "Here Comes Your Man(6)") and, most importantly, its character. If the group's recent reunion tour proves anything, it's that their music has endured, thriving with new generations of loyal fans. Doolittle is a major reason why. -Jazzbo
quick audio picks: 12345
You could talk about this album for hours, so let's try to keep it simple. In 1988, a year when "Don't Worry Be Happy" dominated the airwaves, the Pixies released their first official LP, Surfer Rosa. Produced by Steve Albini, the album...
expand review has since become a blueprint for indie music and pretty much invented the genre "Alternative Rock." The biggest and most recognizable song is "Where Is My Mind(1)," and it presents all the trademark Pixies elements that give this LP its legendary status. Here, Frank Black's vocal delivery alternates between an exhausted, "been through it all and still don't know" vindictiveness and a desperate, stuck-pig squeal, while his lyrical fascination with drowning and being taken away by an uncaring wave feels right at home in David Lovering's stark drumming. Meanwhile, Joey Santiago's jagged wall-of-spikes lead guitar and Kim Deal's ethereal back-up vocals make you realize that you have never heard anything as relentless and uncategorizable as this before. Bands like Nirvana, Modest Mouse, and Pavement have long since aped the noise-as-melody wailing sounds of "Bone Machine(2)," "Broken Face(3)," and "Brick is Red(4)," while "Gigantic(5)" is as close as you'll get to Kim Deal without being a syringe (ZING!). The entire LP is alien, immediately arresting, and absolutely brilliant, which is why every important rock band of the last 15 years has name-checked the Pixies. Lots of people like Doolittle better cause it's more accessible (me included), but screw em cause Surfer Rosa came first. -the Woodman
quick audio picks: 1234
After we listened to about half of this new Ratatat album here in the office, The Commish leaned over to me and said: "Man, I keep waiting for a whiny indie rock male vocalist to come in! This is great!" Indeed, the...
expand review duo's new shit is a pleasant listening experience from front to back – clean, synthy and instrumental, sounding alternately like the soundtrack to the lost level of Castlevania and… uhh, one of those video game song cover bands on Kill Rock Stars. I know you've probably seen these dudes (all bearded and indie rock) and read reviews about how they're so "infectious" and "dancey," but honestly this is just some nice ass headphone music with a steady beat and a mellow temperament. Even the single, "Wildcat(1)" (which makes me think of Eli Cash), isn't super-hype – but it's more than suitable for a little downtempo mixtape/set where you wanna add a little excitement. Tracks like "Swisha(2)" prove Ratatat's worth by swapping out any notion of danceability for a gorgeous, lush spaghetti western update. "Lex(3)" and "Tropicana(4)" show a bit of bombast for the usually restrained pair. Maybe I'm not explaining this well, or making it sound a bit boring… but it's not. For really real. A solid indie LP in a time when solid indie LPs are increasingly hard to come by. 10 tracks; 42 minutes. -Chris Lemon-Red
quick audio picks: 1234
Last copies, this single is now out of print. Who knows if the SA-RA hype will ever result in something concrete (word is that they've been busy in their Hollywood studio), but there's no doubt that these guys have put an original...
expand review mark on the last couple years. Here's our original review that we wrote at early days of the SA-RA craze: SA-RA is a bi-coastal, 3-man production team who have somehow managed to blend the raw un-quantized feel of Jay Dee production with the freak appeal of Funkadelic for a sound that is entirely their own. If you missed some of their previous vinyl outings (Monch's "Agent Orange" and J5's "Yeah" among others), take notice now cause you will soon be hearing their work on joints from everyone from Dre to Common, N.E.R.D. and even a possible full length on Kanye West's label. The first taste, "Double Dutch(1)," plays alongside stuff from The Neptunes or Dipset just as comfortably as the most advanced offerings from MIA, Ciara or Bounty Killer. Flip the record for "Death of a Star(2)," a 120 bouncer that would make R. James take notice. Instrumentals for both tracks are included, but the vocals sung by SA-RA and one of their ho
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