I was 17 the first time I heard of the horrors of Sub Pop from a musician. I interviewed Ron Nine from Love Battery for my college paper (in Nov 1995) and he unloaded a lot of resentment for them and even displayed some skepticism for their new label (which was Atlas/Polydor/A&M). He complained that, in the wake of Nevermind, Sub Pop pretty much abandoned anything that wasn't marketable as grunge. Whether this is true of LB is debatable, but he was adamant that they were marginalized in the wake of grunge.
When it came to put the final touches on their third album Sub Pop basically pulled out the rug from under them. The album was not going to be promoted or given money to properly mix, so the tracks were just slapped together one on top of the other and the record was dumped on store shelves. The result is strange listening.
Not exactly sure what makes it weird, but it is weird. The lead guitar is often buried and the bass drum is right up front a lot of the time. Something about it is unsettling. Certainly got under the skin during a particularly heavy acid trip.
I remember that he wanted to work with Dave Fridmann for their next album, but that never happened. After the A&M thing fell through they released a fifth album on CZ/Teriyaki Asthma. I don't think they release music anymore, but I think they still play together from time to time.
Their first record is pretty good, I still spin it regularly. I haven't heard their other records. Are they as good?
Dear Cyborgs by Eugene Lim is q deeply weird little book. It swings back and forth from teenage coming of age to philosophical rambling about protest to superhero action. That makes it sound great but it's really like being stuck between stations.
I am not too dense to make the connections the author wants me to make but it's still not working for me.
Their first record is pretty good, I still spin it regularly. I haven't heard their other records. Are they as good?
Depends what you are referring to as their first album. The first EP was expanded into an LP "Between The Eyes" before "Dayglo" was released. I think you might have Dayglo, not Between the Eyes? Anyway, I suppose Dayglo is the first real album. I would say that Dayglo is their best, especially the opening three songs. I really love a lot of the songs on "Far Gone", but the album does suffer from the lack of mixing. "Straight Freak Ticket" from 1995 is sort of their paean to Hunter S. Thompson. I find the production lacks depth, except "Brazil" which I believe was recorded separately.
Their fourth album, "Confusion Au Go Go", was recorded a few years later and it's a little punchier and punkier because their original drummer, Dan Peters (Mudhoney) replaced Jason Finn (who left LB after recording "Straight Freak Ticket" to form the band Presidents of the United States of America). Some decent songs on there, too. A lot of the songs seem aimed the record industry.
I've just watched the first episode of the new season of Black Mirror. Finally.
Remember gamergate? You know, the whole "ethics in gaming journalism" thing from a few years ago? Seems to me they were lampooning the gamergate dweebs.
One thing that got on my noïrves: a DNA sample doesn't provide one with the entire personality and memories of an individual. I know, it's a minor thing, but that bothered me, I had to work hard to suspend disbelief. Couldn't they find a way to write in some kind of brain scan or something?
I'm good. Times are VERY lean at our house until Tilda's checks start picking up. Bills are paid, but we're operating at a definite "Fuck off, you don't need that extra kind of cereal" budget. Should be over soon, but it's keeping us homebound.
I *am* learning to appreciate the library, though.
I was listening to a Spotify radio station last night at the gym and a track came on that exploded my head. Looked down at my phone and found out it was "An Alibi" by Wire from the record they put out last year.
I know Pink Flag and the other early Wire records the same as anyone, but I haven't checked in much with their last decade or so of work. I am going to need to remedy that.
Simon has been cool, mostly. He gets frustrated when he wants say, a new tablet game and we're like, "Unnecessary $5? NOPE." But on the other hand, he's been cool about me cutting off his supply of comics and having him read books he'd built up on his shelves instead.
I finished Dear Cyborgs by Eugene Lim last night. Only 162 pages, but still a bit of a slog at times. It was full of magnificent bits like this though:
The ending pulled it all together really well, so I'm glad I stuck in, but it was a little nuts. It mixes childhood remembrance with adult artists pontificating, with superhero and spy action, with extended ruminating on Occupy and the nature of protest. You might read that and imagine something wild and fun with weird connective tissue. The thing is, the connective tissue is not really apparent as you read it. He's remembering his childhood friend Vu, then he goes to work at the Pentagon, then a supervillain stops to tell a long story about Occupy. It's jarring. I may re-read it someday now that I understand its structure better.
White Tears by Hari Kunzru, on the other hand, is fucking amazing. In particular, I think Crappity nerds may be its ideal audience. It's sort of a thriller for record collecting nerds and music geeks. I read half of it in a day. It's really terrific.
Comments
Their first record is pretty good, I still spin it regularly. I haven't heard their other records. Are they as good?
I am not too dense to make the connections the author wants me to make but it's still not working for me.
It's shirt so I will probably finish it anyway.
Now that hurts. I'm a huge fan. I've been listening to The Fall since I was a teen.
Their fourth album, "Confusion Au Go Go", was recorded a few years later and it's a little punchier and punkier because their original drummer, Dan Peters (Mudhoney) replaced Jason Finn (who left LB after recording "Straight Freak Ticket" to form the band Presidents of the United States of America). Some decent songs on there, too. A lot of the songs seem aimed the record industry.
Remember gamergate? You know, the whole "ethics in gaming journalism" thing from a few years ago? Seems to me they were lampooning the gamergate dweebs.
Then taking A_____ to a modern symphony showcase tomorrow.
Oh, and take the Christmas tree down.
A firsthand account by a targeted faculty member.
By Joshua A. Cuevas
We got our xmas tree down. So dry our living room looked like a pine barren by the time I dragged it out.
I *am* learning to appreciate the library, though.
I know Pink Flag and the other early Wire records the same as anyone, but I haven't checked in much with their last decade or so of work. I am going to need to remedy that.
I'm confident it was the most tremendous SOTU of all time.
The ending pulled it all together really well, so I'm glad I stuck in, but it was a little nuts. It mixes childhood remembrance with adult artists pontificating, with superhero and spy action, with extended ruminating on Occupy and the nature of protest. You might read that and imagine something wild and fun with weird connective tissue. The thing is, the connective tissue is not really apparent as you read it. He's remembering his childhood friend Vu, then he goes to work at the Pentagon, then a supervillain stops to tell a long story about Occupy. It's jarring. I may re-read it someday now that I understand its structure better.
White Tears by Hari Kunzru, on the other hand, is fucking amazing. In particular, I think Crappity nerds may be its ideal audience. It's sort of a thriller for record collecting nerds and music geeks. I read half of it in a day. It's really terrific.