Event Attendance: The 23rd Annual Eugene Record Convention - January 30, 2011 (Cont.)

I'm still reeling from all the sweet purchases I made on Sunday. I went through the 7" singles I bought in my last post, so now let's get down to the 12" haul.

Big Daddy Kane - "Raw '91"

My Big Daddy Kane vinyl collection is embarrassingly lacking, and I try to remedy that whenever I'm at shows. Sadly, there's hardly ever any Kane to be found. So, I was not unstoked to find this maxi-single for a cool five bucks. Pretty random selection of songs: a "Master Mix" of "Ooh, Aah, Nah-Nah-Na;" a "Remix Radio Version" of "It's Hard Being the Kane;" and a remix of "Taste of Chocolate." There's also a few album versions and an instrumental. The songs on this single are off two different Kane albums, making the whole thing even weirder. Cool mix.


Big Daddy Kane - "Smooth Operator"

Another Kane 12" single, but this one's from the untouchable It's a Big Daddy Thing era, and features a sweet cover with the Big Daddy in full-on high-top fade mode. Just playing some pool with a hot lady, as Kane was known to do. Features the title track and "Warm It Up, Kane," as well as "Dub" versions of both. Interesting what passed for a dub in '89. It's really not much more than the exact same instrumentals, with Kane's vocals randomly cut in and out. Weird. It also says "Thanks to my man, Rick James" on the back. Nice.


Pavement - Westing (By Musket and Sextant)

I always wondered if there was an "original" version of this, because I'm fairly certain it's still in print on vinyl, and I never had much interest in buying a copy that came out this year. I dig this record, but it's definitely the Pavement album I listen to the least. Still not positive if this differs from the current version of this LP that's still in print, but it feels thicker, has an inner sleeve with artwork, and still has a Drag City catalog from 1993 in it, so that's good enough for me.


Pixies - "Gigantic"

I have always wanted this single, but have never wanted to cough up the exorbitant amounts that some people think it's worth. Finally found it for a reasonable price, and snatched it up. This is the single that contains the alternate versions of "Gigantic" and "River Euphrates," as well as the badass live takes on "Vamos" and "Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song)." For some reason, the Complete B-Sides comp that came out ten years ago didn't feature the two alternate studio cuts, so I'm happy to finally have legit copies of both of them. And yes, the cover is disturbing.


Frank Zappa - You Are What You Is

When it comes to records that I've been putting off buying for years, this one has been leading the pack for a while. The list of Zappa records I don't own is dwindling, and this (along with Them or Us and a few of the jazz/orchestral ones) is one of the last not-hard-to-find ones that I've needed to add to my collection. I haven't even been listening to Zappa lately, and probably won't listen to this any time soon, but it's nice to know it's there. Solid copy. Gatefold, Barking Pumpkin label. Original dust sleeves with lyrics.


Steven Jesse Bernstein - Prison

Did not expect to walk out of the show with a copy of this record, but here we are. I've been keeping my eye out for this LP forever, and I've never seen it. I've had it on CD for going on 20 years, and though I don't listen to it too much anymore, it's one of those records I never plan to not have. The one I got is actually the German version, which makes the whole thing even more weird. Same track listing and everything, just more of a plain label then what I assume the US version has. Really excited about this one.


Dwarves - Thank Heaven for Little Girls

Hey, now I own two Dwarves records! Again: please don't judge me. There's just a part of me that hears a song like "Blag the Ripper" and can't believe that it exists. It's just too absurd. Combine that with the fact that this is a Sub Pop release from 1991 and it's pressed on sweet, sweet marbled yellow vinyl, and I couldn't pass it up. Though I did pass up a copy of the album after this, Sugarfix, and I'm not sure why. Sort of regretting that now. But not too much. I have a feeling my Dwarves phase will be short-lived.


Royal Trux - Accelarator

Original copies of Royal Trux LPs are rarely spotted in the wild, so you've got to act quickly when you see them. I've never seen this one floating around before, so I was more than happy to pay possibly a little too much for it. Was hoping to find some Trux at the show, and I couldn't believe it actually happened. Looking forward to spinning this one and making my wife hate me, even though this record features some of their more bearable tunes. Still not mad palatable. But I've been obsessed with them lately. It's a beautiful train wreck.


DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper

We were getting ready to leave the show because we had to meet a friend for lunch. I had this record in my hand, and had seven dollars left in my pocket. This record cost seven dollars. I bought it, walked out the door, and wondered why I purchased a record that I have very little intention of listening to. I had this tape when I was in grade school; maybe I thought I might want to relive some memories. We'll see if that ever happens. I doubt it will.


The Doors - The Doors

I am an unapologetic Doors fan, but my LP collection has not, in the past, reflected that very well. Decided to actively remedy that situation at this show. I began here, with a sweeeeet mono copy of the band's first record. Original gold label, original inner sleeve, and just an all-around awesome LP to own. The vinyl isn't in perfect shape, but for an LP this semi-rare, I'll take it. Plays great, and is definitely worth way more than I paid for it. Could not be happier about this one.


The Doors - Waiting for the Sun

The copy of this LP that I've had since high school isn't a great one. Butterfly (non-original press) label, the sleeve was all jacked up and unglued, and I spent my youth playing it on shitty, shitty record players. Decided to replace it with an original gold-labeled version with an intact cover and smooth-ass vinyl. It's got some dude's last name lightly written in the upper-right corner, but what the hell. Still an awesome copy of this great, great album. I will enjoy it.


The Doors - L.A. Woman

If you're going to buy this record, you've gotta get the original version with the rounded edges and the see-through cellophane windowed cover. I'd been meaning to purchase this forever, but for whatever reason, never pulled the trigger. Since I was in Doors-buying mode, I told myself if I found a solid copy, I'd pick it up. I did, and I did. Nice and clean, with the original inner sleeve. Happy to finally have it on the shelf.



The Doors - Weird Scenes Inside the Gold Mine

I've said it before and I'll say it again: this is the Doors collection to own. Skip all those best-of comps that all contain the same songs, and go right to this one. Not only does it include the sweet b-sides "Who Scared You" and "(You Need Meat) Don't Go No Further," but it also pulls sweet moves like not including "Light My Fire," and making "Peace Frog" and "Blue Sunday" one track, like it always should be. I've had this on cassette for a while, but I'm glad I finally got the double LP. Never been issued on CD, and probably won't be. Great batch of hits and deep cuts.


The Doors - Resurrection

My first foray into Doors bootleg country. These are usually priced too high for me to want to take a chance on 'em, but this one dude at the show was selling all his stuff for half-price, so this 2-LP set was rendered affordable. It claims that it's a "French Fan Club Release," but who knows if that's true. Whatever its origins, the content is interesting. The first LP is an audio version of the The Doors Are Open film that has since seen VHS/DVD release. The audio from the film was never great, and this version doesn't improve on it. The good stuff here is on the second LP, which houses tracks from a show in Sweden in 1968 (including Morrison doing "Mack the Knife" at the beginning of "Alabama Song," which I'd never heard before), dubbed versions of the two songs they did on Jonathan Winters in 1967, a rambly version of "Who Do You Love?" from the Matrix in 1967, and clips of Morrison's drunken rantings ("You're all a bunch of fucking idiots") from the infamous 1969 show in Miami. I gotta say: I'm actually pretty impressed with this thing. Would have died to have had it 20 years ago, but I'm still happy to have it now.


So, that's what I bagged. Also picked up three VHS tapes for a dollar each: The Beastie Boys home video from Licensed to Ill, Metal Mania from 1986, and a Jane's Addiction 1991 bootleg that is of shitty quality but I've still managed to enjoy half of. It's one of those specials they show in South America on TV and then gets passed around for years. Pretty sure mine's an 85th generation copy.

Boom. Time to start saving for the Night Owl show in April.

Event Attendance: The 23rd Annual Eugene Record Convention - January 30, 2011

Has it been a year already?

Getting up at 7AM on a Sunday sucks, but when you've got a two-hour car ride with a good friend (who you don't see that often), followed by four hours of hardcore record flippery, it ain't that tough. I wisely bought a 32oz. Americano from the coffee shack down the street before we hit the road, and by the time we got down to Eugene, it was 10AM, the show was just starting, and I was jacked up and ready to dig in.

A lot of the same faces were behind the dealer tables, but I actually saw a few new dudes, too. So that was cool. Other than that, nothing too out of the ordinary. Lots of people, lots of records. Lots of stinky nerds. There was a guy selling hardcore porn DVDs at his table, along with all his LPs, so I guess that was a new one. He also had a record that said "Beastiality" on it, and featured a photo of a fat guy hugging a pig. Good times.

There's a couple guys that I always buy stuff from, so I made sure to hit their tables early. But other than that, I had no plan. So, I wandered. My friend didn't even plan on buying any LPs, but since he's the most self-sufficient guy I know, I didn't have to worry about him. He left at one point and just walked around Eugene for like three hours. And that's cool, because I like to dig undisturbed.

Anyway, I made off with a bunch more stuff than last year. In fact, I got so many records that I think I need to break my haul up into two separate posts. So, for the time being, I'll list the 7"s I bought. As an added bonus, I'm including pictures. It's the least I can do, since I don't post in this blog nearly as much as I should.

Here we go.

Love Battery - "Between the Eyes" b/w "Easter"

I didn't listen to much Love Battery when they were actually a band, but I bought one of their albums on cassette a few years ago and I've played it quite a bit while tooling around in my garage.

Noisy rock. Buried melodies. Pretty sure this is their first release. Black vinyl. I enjoy early Sub Pop singles.




Crackerbash - "Walk Back" b/w "Holiday" & "All Work"

Dude had a sticker on this that said "Crackerbash debut," but that's not the case. In fact, this is from 1992, which would have been closer to the end of their career than the beginning. Strange that it says "Holiday" on the front when that song isn't the A-side, but that might have been a track length consideration. This is one o' them fancy 7"s that plays at 33, which, of course, isn't listed on the sleeve or the vinyl. But once you figure it out, there's a good amount of great music on here.

Black vinyl with original inserts.


Crackerbash - Final Show

Can't figure out exactly how much of a bootleg this is. It has proper labels on the vinyl, and it seems to have been released by a semi-legit company (Humble Records). There are a few inserts talking about the label, as well as a sticker. Huh.

The sound quality is definitely bootleg. This is from La Luna in December of 1993, and features "Lon," "Back to School," "Aluminum Siding," and La-La-La." Not a great recording, but a cool mix of songs. White vinyl.


Dwarves - "That's Rock 'n' Roll" b/w "I'm a Man"

I've been listening to the Dwarves lately. Don't tell anyone. And don't you dare judge me. I'll get over it pretty quick, but for now I'm riding it out. They are just too ridiculous for me to ignore anymore. These two songs are surprisingly tame, but I think that's mostly because they're both covers. They're both surprisingly long, too. Most Dwarves songs from this era barely last a minute, but these seem to be pushing three. Maybe two. Either way, sort of a strange little record.

Black vinyl. Sweet cover photo.


Dickless - "I'm a Man" b/w "Saddle Tramp"

I just found out a few years ago that "Saddle Tramp," the first song on the Supersuckers' first single, was not written by the Supersuckers. On that 7", it's not listed as a cover. In the subsequent compilation of all the early Supersuckers singles on which it was included, it was explicitly listed as being written by the Supersuckers. You can understand my confusion. Turns out it is a Dickless song, and one of the only Dickless songs. Not much output from these ladies.

And yes, they cover the exact same song that the Dwarves do on that previous single I listed. Did not realize that until I got it home. Random.

Been looking for this. Glad I found it. Translucent green vinyl with original insert and a Sub Pop Singles Club form.


Mark Arm - "Masters of War" b/w "My Life With Rickets"

When it comes to records I meant to buy 20 years ago, this one is definitely on the list. Used to see it all the time at the local Salem record store, and just couldn't seem to pull the trigger for whatever reason. Then I didn't really see it for a long time. Then I saw it, but it was way overpriced. Then I saw it at the record show the other day, priced at five bucks, and I bought the shit out of it.

Mint green vinyl with Sub Pop Singles Club form/flap still attached to it. Cool songs, too.


Sone - "747" b/w "Down At the Expo"

My brother got me into Sone a while back, and I've somehow managed to collect almost their entire discography since then. And I think it's cost me a grand total of 20 bucks. For three 12"s and three 7"s. Get into this band. They're great and apparently no one wants their records. I had never heard these songs before, and I am loving them. Especially "Down at the Expo." Incredible tune.

Black vinyl. Number 410/500. Original insert.


Sone & Bügsküll - Split 7"

You know what I love? A 7" with six songs on it. This one features three tracks from each band (though I think Bügsküll might just be a guy) and it's nice and gritty. "High Frame Audio" by Sone is on their full-length, but I'm not sure if this is the same version or not. Nice photocopied-style collage cover. Lots of music on this thing. Plays at 33 on both sides, and packs a wallop.

Black vinyl.


Beck - "Chemtrails" b/w "Vampire Voltage No. 6"

Extremely un-rare promo single for "Chemtrails" that features a really cool B-side. I've got a nice stash of Beck 7"s, and I wasn't going to pass this one up for a few bucks. Thick black vinyl in a thick cardboard sleeve. Nothing too special, but I'm glad to have it.


And that's only the singles. I'll try to break down my LP haul in the next day or two. Get ready for the randomness.

The Top Twelve Records You Didn't Hear in 2010.

Or maybe you did. Either way, I wanted to mention some albums that I considered more, for lack of a better term, "under the radar" than the ones I got to in my Top Twenty post. A list like this could go on forever, but I came up with twelve that I really like, and I'm running with it.


12. Mike Phirman - The Very Last Songs I Will Ever Record (Part One)

I'm not a huge comedy-rock guy, but I do occasionally enjoy a little nuttiness, especially Hard 'N Phirm. So when the Phirm half of the group dropped a solo album, I took a listen. (It doesn't hurt that I got to meet Mike Phirman last year, and he's the nicest guy ever.) Dude's a great musician, and not only does this record get the laughs going, but it also shows his adeptness at multiple musical styles, which makes the whole thing even more interesting. Tracks like "Sketchy Dudes" and "Street Meat (You Keep Tauntin' Me)" are every bit as good as their titles.

"Thanksgiving Song"


11. Tiger! Shit! Tiger! Tiger! - Whispers

Only four songs, but this NY almost-too-hipster-for-me group gets the job done. Big melodies, driving lead guitar riffs, and drums that beat the shit out of everything. They put out a record last year (I think) called Be Yr Own Shit and I still have to give it up for such a sweet album title. I'm assuming a proper full-length will be coming soon, but I have absolutely nothing to base that on. What I do know for sure is that the title track from this EP is a song that I like more and more every time I listen to it.

"Whispers"


10. Junk Science - A Miraculous Kind of Machine

I can't even remember who hipped me to this Brooklyn alt-hip-hop duo, but I found myself rocking this on my laptop quite a bit. Honestly, I'm not 100% in on these guys - some of it strives too hard to be deep and ends up sounding self-indulgent, but the beats never slip, and the songs that do hit really get the job done. That being said, it's much more interesting than most of the other rap I heard this year. And man, these beats. They rock it.

"Fire Drill"


09. Run With the Kittens - Myth in the Sky

I still can't get a clear read on these guys, and it continues to make this EP more and more intriguing to me. Seems that every track adopts a different style, and though none of them seem to fit together, the whole thing works together really well. They shift between buzzy synths and almost-metal guitars in the blink of an eye, and vocals come and go without fair warning. If it all sounds really mixed up, it is. But sometimes that's cool. And here, it's definitely cool. Effin' Canadians.

Listen to the album here.


08. Dark Time Sunshine - Vessel

I thought this project (between rapper Onry Ozzborn and producer Zavala) would be a little too "Hey, we're underground!" for me, so I was pleasantly surprised when I enjoyed the shit out of it. Yeah, it gets a little lyrically cloudy in parts, but the production on this thing is so badass that it hardly matters. Aesop Rock's guest appearance should give you some idea of what the vibe is here, but this record makes a lot more sense than most of the stuff that dude passes off. It sounds corny, but if you're looking for something different in the hip hop realm, check this shit out.

"Sleestack Payback"


07. Crosswind - Opposing Forces/Beyond

My taste in metal stretches about as far as from the "H" in Helloween to the "I" in Iron Maiden (sometimes I'll throw the "G" from Gamma Ray in there), so, yeah, I'm picky. Or maybe just lazy. The point is, I know what I like, and man, do I like this. Fairly certain these guys are Greek. Absolutely positive that they play the guitar really fast and have songs that are called "Nephilim Rising" and "Weavers of Nightmares." This record (which I think might be two EPs) continues to blow my mind. Drink a big cup of coffee and listen to this. You will flip.

"300"


06. Open Mike Eagle - Unapologetic Art Rap

I first heard Open Mike Eagle when I saw him open for Busdriver last summer. He stuck with me not only because he worked part of Frank Black's "Thalassocracy" into his song "I Rock," but also because he gave me a free copy of his CD for recognizing that. My kind of guy. The title to this record is clearly an attempt to take a little jab at himself, but he doesn't need to make any excuses for what he does. The guy's smart, and his raps reflect that. And when so many rappers love to shy away from acting like they give a fuck, this guy embraces it. Really cool shit.

"Unapologetic (featuring Nocando)"


05. mcenroe - The Paper Champion

mcenroe hadn't been heard from for a few years, so I guess it's to be expected that he would ease back into releasing music with a record that contained more rounded edges than sharp corners. But don't get me wrong: I dig the shit out of this record. Heck, I was starting to think the dude might be done making music. Instead, like the rest of us, he's just growing up. And I love having some grown-ass-man rap to listen to. He's not the only one in mid-thirties still trying to be a rapper. (Cough, cough.) I'm happy the dude's back. And the bonus disc for this thing contains seven more songs than the actual album. True bonus.

"Keeping the Faith"


04. Coolzey - Coolzey and the Search for the Hip Hop Hearts - Volume I: He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper

How's that for a title? Coolzey undertook a huge project this past summer, tackling one song a week for 12 weeks. He hit up 12 different producers for the beats, but the rest - including a video for each song - was written, recorded, mixed, mastered and filmed in a week. Z is a lunatic, and he's probably the only person I know who could pull this off (full disclosure: he's a friend of mine). Not only did he pull it off, but these songs are pure dopeness, and the whole project is legitimately amazing in scope.

You can check out all the videos and download the entire album for free here.


03. John Smith - It's True Because it Rhymes

The return of Sloppy Joe. Is Smitty as strong without mcenroe providing the beats? Not quite. But Murdock's beats are cool and crunchy, and even though this record's only been out for about four days, I've been enjoying it heavily. Plus, mcenroe's been talking about a new John Smith album that he's producing coming out sometime in the not-too-distant future, so if this is just a warm-up, then shit - it's a good one. Awesome song title: "You Got Issues, I'm Out of Tissues." Sums up the man quite well.

Download the album for free here.


02. Megachurch - Megachurch

Two bass players. One drummer. A bunch of creepy religious samples. An album that was in my car stereo for like two months straight. My wife was all like, "Still?" And I was all like, "Totally." And then I turned it up and rocked out! In all seriousness, this six-song, 26-minute album is exactly what the world needs right now. I mean, come on. And when I saw that they had released it on vinyl, I couldn't but a copy quickly enough. I even got a poster of the sweet album art. Yes, I am in fanboy mode for these dudes. You should be, too.

"More Mormon Than Mormon" (NSFW)


01. Yy - Tape It Back Together

Big Yy! Apparently this record was recorded two years ago (a bit more on that here), but it's just now seeing the light of day. Whatever, as long as it's out. Not only does it make a great companion piece to mcenroe's The Paper Champion, but it's just an incredible record, all by its lonesome. "Crews Control" features Pip Skid, John Smith, Birdapres, The Gumshoe Strut, and mcenroe on one of the dopest posse cuts to ever come from the Peanuts and Corn camp (watch your back, "Butcher's Bill"), and those dudes all show up on other tracks on the record, too. But even when he doesn't have help, Yy just runs shit on this thing. The bonus disc houses a whopping 20 tracks, one of which is a cut that didn't make the record, called "Yahtzee." You know I'm down.

"I Got That Treason"

Three Records I Accidentally Left Off My Best of 2010 List.

Because I'm an idiot. There's probably a few more, too. Anyway, I somehow managed to forget these, and they're definitely worth mentioning. Was going to speculate on where they belong in the list, but now I've decided not to. So there you go.

El-P - Weareallgoingtoburninhellmegamixxx3

I just bought this one like two weeks ago, too. Next year I'm going to keep an ongoing list of new albums in my phone or something. Anywho. El-P self-produces all his own records, and apparently dude's got beats laying around for days. This is an instrumental LP of breaks, samples, and general weirdness that feels a bit lighter than his most recent record, but not always by much. No raps here, but I have never cleaned my house so fervently as I have to this double-LP. Great packaging, too. I highly recommend getting it on vinyl.

"Meanstreak (In 3 Parts)"


The Electronic Anthology Project - The Electronic Anthology Project

Wherein Built to Spill remix (or is it cover?) a bunch of songs from their catalog with over-the-top retro synths and put together an album that you really never even imagined would exist. Is it much more than a novelty? Probably depends on who you ask. But if they were just dicking around, they probably wouldn't have released it, so that might tell you something. And I, for one, think it's damn cool. They also anagram the shit out of the track titles: "Goin' Against Your MInd" becomes "I Dim Our Angst in Agony," "Else" becomes "Eels," etc. Strange, but a must for any BTS fan.

"What if Your Dull"


Black Francis - Nonstoperotik

The jagged edges that Black Francis seemed intent on re-adopting on his first two solo releases are receding a bit, and it's making for a nice mix between Black and Frank. A track like "O My Tidy Sum" is a perfect example, with a slight rattle and orchestral elements that smooth it out. He's getting more ambitious with his production again, and it's making his material more compelling than it's been in a long time. Please forgive me for forgetting this one. Not sure how I did that. Should have been in my top ten. Yeah, said I wouldn't speculate, but there it was. Not going to make any other huge claims about this record, but it really is quite good. Worth checking out.

"Cinema Star"

My Picks for the Top Twenty Albums of 2010.

Huh. I went from thinking I might have trouble coming up with ten, to having twice that. These are, more or less, all of the new albums I listened to and liked this year (or at least the ones that could be considered "mainstream-ish"), so I figured I'd just write 'em all up. Somehow, I did not hear the newest Ice Cube record, and that is lame. But I did hear all this stuff. Please argue in the comments.


20. The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger - Acoustic Sessions

I am a sucker for Sean Lennon, so I was pretty excited when I heard about this project, which is a stripped-down collaboration with his model girlfriend. I wasn't excited about the girlfriend part, but the dude is always stingy with the output, so I was eager to hear it. In the end, their lovestruck-ness may have blinded them when it came to the viability of a few of these tracks, and some of the lyrics are high-school-poetry-level faux-intellectual garbage, but their voices do sound nice together. But, man - is it mellow. Have to be in the mood for it.

"Jardin Du Luxembourg"


19. Kurupt - Streetlights

I started out really keen on this album, and then, as usual, tracks like the idiotic "I'm Drunk" and the base-level "All That I Want" (spoiler alert: all they want is to bang chicks and never see them again) brought my enjoyment levels down to where I feared they might end up. Still, tracks like "Face Down" and "I'm Burnt" feature the Young Gotti spitting nutso lyrics over click-clack beats that he doesn't usually mess with, and the resulting sound is dope. The long-lost Xzibit even shows up on "In Gotti We Trust," and it turns out he can still rap. Snoop Dogg phones in his guest spots (shocking), but it's good to hear him and Kurupt on the same track regardless.

"Face Down"


18. Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier

The shortest song on this record is just over four and a half minutes, and the longest - the epic closer "When the Wild Wind Blows" - clocks in at eleven. Maiden has set the bar so high for themselves at this point that a beastly, meticulously crafted track like the monstrous "Isle of Avalon" doesn't even sound particularly challenging. As usual, if you strap the headphones on and take the time to listen to what each individual member is doing, it's mind-blowing. Bruce Dickinson has sounded more enthused on previous efforts, but this record is really more about the instrumental breaks that he affords the band. And they can still get the job done.

"Isle of Avalon"


17. Klaxons - Surfing the Void

Clearly, this record wins album cover of the year. Heck, that's why I listened to it. I remember hearing Klaxons a few years back and not really giving a shit about them, but this one hooked me. I can't rock it repeatedly, but cuts like "Echoes" and "Flashover" are solid jams that work well on all sorts of levels. Apparently I was never aware that this band was so noisy. I dig the fuzz, the rumbling, and the loud-ass drums that drive the whole thing. It ain't for everybody, and honestly, I'm surprised I like it. But I do.

"Echoes"


16. Inspectah Deck - Manifesto

At this point, wondering if Deck is ever going to put out the solo album we all feel he's capable of isn't an argument worth having. It's not going to happen. He's notoriously unable to decide on an angle from which to attack, and it's repeatedly dampened the effects of his previous joints. The good news here is that he seems to be tired of trying to cross over, and these 20 tracks are more or less just-don't-give-a-fuck straight rapping. There's a few suspect cuts thrown in ("Luv Letter," anyone?), but hard-ass tracks like "Gotta Bang" and "9th Chamber" more than make up for it. Get pissed, Deck. Get pissed.

"The Champion"


15. Robyn - Body Talk

I saw Robyn doing "Cobrastyle" on Letterman a few years back and thought it was crazy awesome madness. I heard a few more of her tracks at the beginning of this year, and thought they were solid enough. I finally downloaded the entire record for my wife and ended up liking a lot more songs than I ever thought I would. Her duet with Snoop Dogg on here ("U Should Know Better") is hilarious and badass, and songs like "Fembot" and "Don't Fucking Tell Me What to Do" are just too ridiculous not to like. And I like to watch her dance. Take that as you will.

"U Should Know Better"


14. Nocando - Jimmy the Lock

Nocando did a guest spot on Busdriver's last record, and I thought the dude was a nut then. After hearing this record, it's confirmed. The dude's a kook. Though you can tell he cut his teeth freestyling - his style has that one-step-ahead feel to it - the lyrics on this record are too crafty and sharp to be spit out nonchalantly. Though you can't always be sure what he's talking about when he starts out, he almost always comes back around, and even kicks some linear verses that mix the whole thing up. It's almost unintentionally abstract, and it all feels effortless. Cool shit.

"Two Track Mind"


13. K-X-P - K-X-P

When it comes to albums I shouldn't like, this one has everything going for it. It's instrumental. It's electro-ish. It features some serious warble and wave when it comes to the synths, of which there are many. But I'll tell you: If you're looking for a great instrumental record to rock in your headphones while you're putting in work, dicking around on the internet, or driving in the dark, this one really makes a damn fine soundtrack to whatever spaced-out shit you might be mixed up in. Layers and layers of sound, and nothing seems to stop it.

"Mehu Moments"


12. Atmosphere - To All My Friends, Blood Makes The Blade Holy: The Atmosphere EP's

I Thought When Life Gives You Lemons was a bit of a stinker, and though this record continues to hammer on the same hardscrabble tales of woe that that record overworked, it's also evened out with tracks that aren't so damn dark and depressing. I fully understand why Slug wants to go to that place, and he's damn good at wrenching feeling out of tracks like that, but it's really nice to hear some upbeat bounce beats on this album. Not my favorite thing they've done, but I think it's getting back to the shit of theirs that I really dig. And "Until the Nipple's Gone" is not only a great song title, it's also a sweet-ass track.

"The Best Day"


11. Method Man, Ghostface Killah, & Raekwon - Wu-Massacre

If this album wasn't borderline EP-length, the fact that it sounds like a work-in-progress might not matter so much. As it stands, it has its shortcomings. It also has three of the best MCs in the world busting raps over roughneck beats that mostly work well together, and other than two pointless skits that reek of marijuana-induced inclusion, the whole affair is surprisingly filler-free. What's here is dope as shit. And I guess that's all that matters. I hope they do another one of these, because this thing needs finishing, proper.

"Our Dreams"


10. Eminem - Recovery

I was going to be pissed if Eminem never made another record like this, and for a while there, it seemed like he wasn't going to. Relapse remains one of the oddest comeback records ever committed to wax, and if that's what he had to get out of his system in order to get to this batch of songs, then who are we to poo-poo his scatterbrained serial killer fantasies? That shit's nowhere to be seen on this record, and neither is that grating accent that never made sense to anyone. Get this: dude just raps his ass off on this thing. Not sure why it took him so long to figure out that that's all anyone ever wanted. This LP's not on par with his early stuff, but it's his best record since The Eminem Show, easy.

"Cinderella Man"


09. Teenage Fanclub - Shadows

It'd been a while since I'd checked in with the Fanclub, but I guess that's partially because they've only put out two records in the last decade. Not surprisingly, their approach hasn't changed a whole lot, and also not surprisingly, their ability to write hooks that get lodged in your noggin for afternoons on end hasn't declined a bit. These tracks are mostly soft on the surface, but like all of their best songs, it's more about the relationship between the melody and the chord changes than what kind of vibe they're going for. The fact that this band has three songwriters has always astounded me, because they never sound out of sorts. But come on guys: three songwriters and you only drop a record every five years? Get it together.

"Baby Lee"


08. The New Pornographers - Together

Being the most reliable band in indie rock seems like it would be a cross to bear, but The New Pornographers just keep cranking out records that, if they weren't so damn good every time, would have a much bigger deal made about them. Aside from the always-annoying Dan Bejar contributions ("Silver Jenny Dollar" practically screams "b-side"), this record is pop-rock the way it should be done, with big - but not too big - arrangements carefully placed around a couple of lead vocalists who will never be mistaken for anyone else. A.C. Newman may never get enough credit for all the damn fine songs he has written. Don't get me wrong: he's gotten plenty. But the dude needs more.

"Your Hands (Together)"


07. M.I.A. - /\/\/\Y/\

Still trying to figure out why people had so much beef with this record. Yeah, it doesn't sound much like her first two, but if you were looking for predictable, this clearly wasn't the lady to be placing your bets on. Admittedly, it took me a few listens to figure out what the hell was going on with this thing, and honestly, I may still be piecing it together. But after listening to it twenty times, I realized, if nothing else, I've just never heard an album like this before. It's so heavily fractured in parts and so sweet-poppy in others that it all feels on the brink of collapsing the entire time it's playing. But mostly, I just love the shit out of the beats on this thing. They're flat-out crazy, and I hear new bits every time I listen to 'em.

"Space"


06. Vampire Weekend - Contra

The backlash is in full swing with these guys, but blah blah blah. People wouldn't have so much to talk about if there wasn't so much depth to these records. There. There's another thing you can dispute. Seriously: whatever. I can see why folks don't like Vampire Weekend, but I also think those people are missing out on some really fun rock music that probably doesn't deserve to be overanalyzed as much as it is. Who gives a shit where these guys are borrowing sounds from? The songs are intricate, the lyrics are smart as shit, and the whole thing is caked with preppy weirdness that is just far too over-the-top to be the least bit genuine. Yes, "Holiday" is a bit ubiquitous. But when you're getting sued for your album cover image, you gotta pay them lawyer fees with some car commercial dough. And I still contend it's a great song. And come on - they hang with RZA!

"Giving Up the Gun"


05. Sleigh Bells - Treats

Well, this one caught me off guard. But as soon as I heard the opening fuck-all machine gun hammering that leads off "Tell 'Em," I was intrigued. As the record progressed, I became genuinely interested. Now I've listened to this thing fifty times and I still enjoy the shit out of it. This is another one of those I-can-see-why-people-hate-it sort of bands, and that's cool. There is some dirty hipster bullshit element to this, but I find myself not caring. A good song is a good song, and if blaring noised gets mashed up next to pretty vocals and it all works out, I'm never against that. Describing this band has proved impossible for all rock critics, too, and that's always a good sign.

"Tell 'Em"


04. The Soft Pack - The Soft Pack

Four dudes with guitars and some really great songs. I enjoy that. They're also conspicuously devoid of any sort of fashion sense, and that's always a good sign. "Answer to Yourself" is one of the best songs I heard all year, and though it threatens to become a little too feel-goody, it never crosses the line, instead opting for a vibe that's more insistent than the friendly-advice angle that it seems to initially be pushing. This is a strangely forceful band, and though their sound is really nothing new, they're damn good at what they're going for, and that's more than most bands can say. Just a damn fine record. Still pissed I missed them when they came through town semi-recently. I will regret that.

"Answer to Yourself"


03. Superchunk - Majesty Shredding

Where in the hell does this band get off taking a break for a decade and then returning sounding like they never left? This album is, first of all, awesome for just existing. No one would have blinked had there not been a Superchunk record this year. But it's mostly awesome for being a tremendous addition to an already stellar catalog. Songs like "My Gap Feels Weird" and "Crossed Wires" sound like they could have been recorded in '98, and in this case, that's a really good thing. Mac sounds almost exactly the same, and the rest of the band sounds just as noisy-melodic as they always have. Rock solid.

"Digging for Something"


02. Ghostface Killah - Apollo Kids

Wait, so, when is Ghost going to start sucking? I wasn't a huge fan of last year's Ghostdini, but it wasn't terrible. Now he's back with another record that is flat-out awesome. Jesus, even Busta Rhymes can't bring this thing down. In fact, his verse on "Superstar" is actually pretty good. Yikes. The Game and Joell Ortiz allow the quality to dip a little on "Drama," but when you hear U-God, Raekwon, and Cappadonna wreck shit on "Ghetto," all is forgiven. No skits, no filler, just wall-to-wall beats and rhymes. Ghostface is unstoppable. And if you don't follow him on Twitter, you're missing out.

"Ghetto"


01. Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty

The only thing that could have made this record any better would have been the inclusion of Andre 3000. And since that was apparently some unavoidable legal hogwash, Big Boi gets a pass there. And while I don't really care for Jamie Foxx and whoever that is doing the hook on "Follow Us," nothing can really stop the rest of this madness. Big Boi is such a unique voice in hip hop, and though I'm not sure that he's been necessarily overshadowed by Andre in the past, he's definitely always been categorized as the "streetwise" one, or maybe even painted as the straight man. Fuck that. Big Boi's a nut too, and he gets all sorts of crazy on this thing, busting raps that no one else could even begin to come up with. Speakerboxxx was one thing, but this is in another league. Beats, rhymes, the whole deal. Well worth the wait. I can't stop rocking it.

"Shutterbugg"

I Went to a Show: Pond at Satyricon (October 23, 2010)

Dreams really do come true.

Pond, one of the most tragically underrated bands of the 90's (see my gushing here, here, and here) broke up 13 years ago, and since then, they've played one reunion show, which was at the Crystal Ballroom about five years ago. (It was a Portland 90's bash - the other bands on the bill were Crackerbash, Sprinkler, and Hazel.) We were shocked that they played that gig, and were positive it would be a one-time thing. It's not that their breakup seemed particularly acrimonious, or that they clearly had beef with each other, I just always got the vibe that the band was something that the individual members were looking to put behind them. The first reunion gig was brief shining light, and we bathed in it while we could.

It's a shame that it took Portland's legendary Satyricon club closing its doors forever to bring the band back from the dead one more time, and in a perfect world, that certainly wouldn't have been part of the deal. So, am I glad Satyricon is closing? Absolutely not. I've seen some really memorable shows there, and even played a few myself. I love(d) it there. Am I glad that Pond got back together for one more night? You have no idea. So, yes, the air was thick with bittersweetness that evening, but while the band played, it was nothing but goodness.

My brother was in town from AZ specifically to see the gig, so it felt like even more of an event to us. We got there promptly at 9, and the place was already packed. Thankfully I had will-called the shit out of some tickets, so we strolled right past the poor saps waiting for last-minute tix in the rain, and made our way inside. Good timing. Fellow old-school Portland sorta-weres M-99 opened the show about 10 minutes after we stepped inside. I'm not going to pretend like I'm familiar with any of their stuff. Never saw them back in the 90's. But they put on a fine show, and as the length of their set grew, it made me more and more hopeful that Pond would be allowed (and utilize) the same amount of time.

M-99 played for probably about an hour, and they were fun to take in. But we were antsy for the main attraction. When they finished up and Pond drummer Dave Triebwasser started setting up his drums, we were certifiably giddy. Triebwasser looks about the same as he did in the 90's, though he was peering out over some glasses, which made him look comically elderly. Good stuff. Charlie Campbell and Chris Brady followed, and they too have yet to be severely ravaged by age. Not that it would matter, but it's nice to see the Pond guys still looking spry. Anyway.They attempted to start the show by barreling into "Van," and that would have been super-sweet had Brady's bass not been cutting in and out. So, they had to start it over, and they eventually got through it, though it was a bit timid. Their second number was also hindered by minor technical glitches, but after that, they rolled hard into the old favorites and, for a band that's played twice live in the last 13 years, they sounded fantastic.

I'm terrible at remembering setlists, so I'm hoping some of my faithful readers can help me recreate it. Usually I nerd out and type it into my phone, but I could barely move. Snapping these shitty photos was dicey. This I do know: They played "Twins," "Spots," "Sideroad," "Young Splendor," "Glass Sparkles in Their Hair," "Spokes," "One Day in the Future," "Grinned," "Moth," and "Agatha." You guys will have to help me with the rest.

Everyone expected them to close with "Filler;" they did not. No one ever expected them to play "Moth;" they did. It's little things like that that make shows like doubly fun. You never know what the band's going to come out and do. I didn't expect to see Chris Brady taking pulls off a fifth of Jim Beam during the show, but there he was, chugging away. I didn't know that the Trieb drummed barefoot, until I saw him putting his shoes back on at the end of the set. What a Stallion.

I could have watched them all night. Unfortunately, they played for about 45 min. But it was a wonderful 45 min., and when they played "Agatha" and let all the fanboys sing the outro, it was a damn fine thing to be a part of. I'm really happy this show happened (again, wish it were under better circumstances), and I'm really happy I got to be a part of it.

And now I'm even more happy, because I just found this YouTube channel that has what seems to be video of the entire show. I love these times we live in. I guess that takes care of my setlist problem. Whatever.

We can discuss all this further in the comments. Let the praise begin.

Oh, here's the setlist dude has listed on his YouTube page:

Van
Sideroad
Perfect Four
Young Splendor
Grinned
Wheel
One Day In The Future
Twins
Spokes
Moth
Glass Sparkles In Their Hair
Agatha
Spots

Sound right?

Event Attendance: Portland's Night Owl Record Show - October 23, 2010

Big Saturday.

My brother was in town from Arizona, and though the Night Owl show was to be our main record-buying attraction for the day, we hit a handful of other stores around town during the afternoon to get ourselves warmed up. Think we started around noon and left the Night Owl show around 7. Almost a full workday of digging through stacks. By the time it was all over, our hands were dirty, our money was spent, and my car was weighed down with wax. And after that, we got to go downtown and see a fantastic rock show. But that's another post.

It was a rainy day (October in Portland, go figure), but it didn't get us down. Pre-Night Owl, we hit Exiled Records, Crossroads, CD/Game Exchange, and Jackpot! - all on Hawthorne. Exiled is one of my new favorite spots. It's small space, but they do a good job of keeping the crap to a minimum, so almost everything they stock is something of note. They've also got a nice bargain bin full of stuff that is a step up from just-get-this-out-of-here, and a fat collection of cheaply priced 7"s. Crossroads continues to be the best place in Portland to kill four hours and fifty bucks. You never know what you'll find. CD/Game Exchange is weak on vinyl but strong on CDs and DVDs, and Jackpot! is becoming more and more pointless as the years go by. For new vinyl, it's the place to go. Other than that: meh.

I was telling my brother before we went to the Night Owl show that I was glad he was here for the autumn edition. There's nothing stinkier. Between the rain-dampened clothes, the musty aroma of old LPs, the general lack of hygiene from record collectors/vendors, and the fact that they sell fried food and booze in the venue, it's an olfactory smorgasbord like no other. The show, as usual, was crowded, loud, and a bit overwhelming. But we had fun, and I plan to keep going back as long as they keep putting them on.

Want to hear about my haul for the day? The list is long, and I'm just going to toss in all the stuff I picked up, though most of it was from the show. Here we go.

Hazel - Lucky Dog CD: This is the promo version for Hazel's Toreador of Love record. Apparently this was the original title. Nothing different about the record, except that track one is listed as "Where Are the Babies?," and on the eventual release it wasn't listed as its own track, which, if I recall correctly, caused a discrepancy between the running order on the label and the songs on the CD. Found this at Jackpot! for a buck.

Beck/Sonic Youth - "Pay No Mind"/"Green Light" 7": This was the Record Store Day exclusive single that these two favorite-artists-of-mine put out last year, and I was always pissed I didn't get a copy that day. Got one now. Hearing Kim Gordon sing "Pay No Mind" seems straight out of some burrito-induced dream I would have.

House of Pain - "Shamrocks and Shenanigans" 7": This is such a weird one. Mostly because it's on the Sub Pop label. Well, I guess it's actually a split between Sub Pop and Tommy Boy. It's on green vinyl, and contains two different ass-rock remixes of "Shamrocks." Neither are very good, but I always wanted to have this in my collection, and now I do. Though the copy I have reeks like cheap cologne. Seriously.

Fugazi - 3 Songs 7": Yeah, somehow I didn't have this already. Fixed that.

Everlast - "I Got the Knack" 12": I don't know why I find Everlast's pre-House of Pain work so infatuating. Maybe it's because it's so bad. This single has a non-album cut called "Pay the Price." So that's something.

Big Daddy Kane - "Very Special" 12": It's rare that you see Kane records floating around, so you gotta buy 'em when you do. This one's for a track from the Looks Like a Job For... LP. Features an exclusive "Edit Without Female Rap." Now that's a new one.

Beck - "Loser" 12": Thought maybe the version of "Steal My Body Home" on the b-side of this would be different than the album version. Doesn't appear to be. Still happy to have found this.

Prince Paul - A Prince Among Thieves: Not the rarest record in the world, but definitely one that you don't see in bins too often. Found it for a good price, and it's a great album. Highly underrated.

Busdriver - "Avantcore" 12": Six-track single with some sweet remixes of the title track and two other album cuts. I will buy any Busdriver stuff I don't already own.

Naughty by Nature - 19 Naughty III: I can't believe it's taken me this long to get this damn thing on wax. Truly one of the greatest hip hop records of the 90's.

Urge Overkill - Jesus Urge Superstar: I went through a little UO phase about two months ago, and realized that this was one of two of their records that I don't own on vinyl (the other being Exit the Dragon). I set up a saved search on eBay, and was just waiting to find a cheap copy. Found this one at the record show with a $2 price tag on it, and while I was looking at it, the slightly tipsy dealer whose record it was told me I could just take it. And it's in great shape. Boom.

The Beatles - Introducing...The Beatles: The guy who sold this to me is a chap that I've purchased a bunch of records from at the shows over the last few years, so I chose to believe him when he told me it's not a bootleg. I hope he's right. The Beatles' first US offering, and I've been waiting for a decent copy. Found one.

The Doors - Strange Days: My Doors vinyl collection is sad, and it really shouldn't be. Working towards changing that. Found this first pressing for a solid price, and it's in great shape. Great album, too.

The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night: The U.S. version. Not the greatest copy, but it's an original and it's more an issue with the cover than the vinyl. So that's cool. I was in desperate need of this one.

Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggystyle: Original single-record version with the announcement for the Dr. Dre/Ice Cube Helter Skelter record on the back. Been waiting to find one of these.

3rd Bass - "The Gas Face"/"Wordz of Wizdom" 12": Still in the shrink. Features some remixes. Stoked to have found this one. The same guy had a copy of The Cactus Revisited but it was in shit shape. Shame.

Sonic Youth - Dirty: Original 2xLP copy. The cover's got a little bit of wear, but the guy cut me a deal for this one. Tough-to-find record, and I'm very happy to have it.

godheadSilo - The Scientific Supercake LP: I watched somebody in front of me pick this out of a crate at the last Night Owl, and I was bummed. This time around, I got my copy. Great shape, with original insert. Let's get loud.

fIREHOSE - if'n: Pretty sure this is a reissue, but I don't care. This is the one fIREHOSE record I don't know at all. Looking forward to changing that.

Happy Mondays - "Wrote for Luck" 12": This was in the bargain bin at Exiled. Three bucks. Best Happy Mondays song ever. Features remixes and a non-album b-side.

Urban Dance Squad - Mental Floss for the Globe: I was obsessed with this record when I was a teenager. It sounds dated now, but it's still fantastic. If you've never heard the Squad, it's not too late.

Oy, Longest blog post ever. Impressive haul though, eh?