Reviews: 8/13/2007

Our Opinion… not that anyone really asked for it.
For the week of 8/13/2007



a
MEAT PUPPETS – RISE TO YOUR KNEES (Anodyne Records)
Wow.  This shit came out of nowhere.  I mean, I guess it shouldn’t have since everyone I dig seems to reference these guys, but then again critics have dogged them in the past (but then again what the fuck do critics know).  A bit of a throw back to grungy 90’s radio with a more subdued and psychidelic – almost Americana feel, Rise to Your Knees is just real damn good.  The songs run the whole gambit of intensity and accessibility while staying surprisingly well together as an album.  Also of note is that THREE people made this record.  It isn’t a collegiate art collective or a hippy dippy bus traveling freak show.  It’s a fucking rock band with guitar, bass and drums – not rocket science, just real good.  Everyone needs bells and whistles these days and frankly I liked that dipshit better when he was in Tripping Daisy thank you. – Cornelius the Alien
Buy it on Insound
b
HOT CHIP – DJ KICKS SUMMER 2007 (!K7 Records)
… where to begin. Your humble Marquis found himself bereft of weed, E or in fact any drugs at all when he sat down to contemplate this “DJ Kicks” recording, and ergo did not experience it properly. If you plan to use chemicals to suppress the function of your frontal lobes while listening to this CD, or you are the type of desperate prole who goes to horrid dance clubs to lose your dignity in the primal thump of bass & beats and be anonymously groped by the unclean crowd, you should consider our rating 3 instead of 2, but we are not made of such stuff, piglets. A handful of charming tracks emerged: Gramme’s “Like You,” Black Devil Disco Club’s “On Just Foot” and “The Man’s Got Me Beat” from a funny little man called Pete Um whose slight Cockney brogue kept us amused for a full minute. Some dreadful Frenchman called Nôze wastes precious time discussing his lack of hygiene, which normally would result in our royal self issuing death warrants for all parties involved. We cannot, however, fully condemn this crude compilation on the basis of its skillful segues and other “sound-mixing” techniques what have been used to create a pastiche of little musics that, while crass, claro que si, remain mildly intriguing. A perfect gift for the troublesome relative with poor taste or a useful idiot. – El Marquis de Nada
Buy it on Insound
c
BERT SUSANKA – ONWARD CHRISTIAN SLATER (Cornerstone Recording Arts Society)
There’s a fine line between good goofy and fucking stupid goofy.  Presidents of the United States of America, The Mr. T Experience and They Might Be Giants – good goofy.  The Bloodhound Gang, Blink 182 and a bunch of other childhood memories I’d rather not relive – fucking stupid goofy. Former lead singer of the Ziggins, Bert Susanka walks the line and it took awhile for me to decide but I think our friend Bert finds himself on the better half.  A good hearted stoned out surf rocker, it takes a lot of getting over yourself to be able to appreciate the random ludicrous sound clips, relentless optimism and the read out loud letter narrative of “The Trip That Needed To Be Took.” He’s on the money for the most part as he sings about living check to check, vacationing at the few places other still haven’t found and you know – love and girls and the lack of the two.  I may hate myself for saying this, but the shit ain’t half bad. – The Baffler
Buy it on Amazon
d
GABBY GLASER – GIMME SPLASH (Latchkey Recordings)
It’s a shame that it’s been raining in New York all week, because I’ve been listening to a constant stream of “Gimme Splash,” an album that sounds something like running through a busted fire hydrant, taking lovers against a brick wall as rats run inbetween your feet, all while eating gobs of cotton candy- nothing like a gray sky or flooded subway. Who is responsible for this? Gabby Glaser of former Luscious Jackson fame. I was never a big Luscious Jackson fan, the name was mentioned around me fairly often but I could never relate it to a sound, so I was surprised that I got pretty into this eleven track number (only skipping over track 4 “darling,” track 6 “so satisfied” and track 9 “find love” because I wanted it to be a Daniel Johnston cover and instead it just sounded like Daniel Johnston being date raped.) The opening and ending meant the most to me, “Spirit of Long Island” and “Sophisticated Gentleman.” It’s been a nice week of listening but my attention is dwindling so I don’t know if “Gimme Splash” will mean as much to me in the Summer of ’07, as let’s say, “Chocolate Rain.” – Sugar Tits
Buy it on Amazon
e
HANNAH FURY- THROUGH THE GASH (MellowTraumatic Recordings)
This is the truth. You can call me what you like, but after listening to the painful musical lashes of Hannah’s dreamy tongue, I’m hopelessly caught in her baroque sugar spun spider web. I’m even now listening to her, imagining myself in some Rapunzel tower, eating Cheetos (I hate cheetos) and writing odes as I hear her voice echo from the tower next door. After reading her webpage and lusting after the homemade trinkets she hocks at Antoinette’s revenge her cyber-boutique, I fell hopelessly in love. I got Through the Gash and was beset by heartwrenching angst, Edvard Munch style. Her lyrics are gloomy at times and at other times infernal dirges. The music is all ashimmer, organs and such all operated by our gracious host Ms. Fury. The songs range from bilefilled accusations to musical shoulders to cry on and the style ranges from the traditional piano ballad to some quasi-industrial style. This lady’s lived a tad to, joining the circus and expressing her wanderlust. I just love her. Don’t tell Hannah, but I’m hunting her down and will eventually insinuate my way into being her full-time maid. Ah, the sweetness! – Genseric Vetok Solidarnosc
Buy it on Amazon