theboypaperweight
Songs You Should Be Listening To
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"I'll just say what I've got to say. I'm here to destroy this fucked up system. I'll do it. Thats why I got the job. I said let it be me, I will use my hands, I'll use our strength. Let's fucking burn it to the ground." -- Anton Newcombe(BJM)
It seems that every genre of music has at least one artist who stands out. They define what it means to play within that boundry and raise the bar. But, if your really lucky and look for it you can find the ones that slipped through the cracks through various speed bumps on the road to glory(for lack of a better word). The Brian Jonestown Massacre falls into this category. Their roots go deep into the 60's psychedelic movement carried by bands like 13th Floor Elevators, Count Five and The Strangeloves and they cited The Velvet Underground as a huge influence as well. Lead by eccentric, Anton Newcombe, they had a long standing carrer filled with fights, personal bouts and just a bad rep, but somehow the music always prevailed.
Newcombe was(and still is) an avid writer and creates at a breakneck speed. In 1996, they released three full length albums, Their Satanic Majesties Second Request, Take It From The Man and Thank God For Mental Illness. All of which are classics to this day and will be for along time. But Anton's heavy drug abuse and aggressive nature made his difficult to work with and the band saw many line-up changes in their most prominent time. Their connection with The Dandy Warhols, and most of the bands early footage, was captured on a documentary called Dig!, that was released in 2005.
The most important thing I've taken from The Brian Jonestown Massacre is a true appreciation the music I may not have been around for. Alot of music from the 60's have been pushed aside and left for all the older people to reminise to. The Rolling Stones and The Beatles were great bands and arguably some of the most influential bands of all time, but some stuff doesn't always make it. So I put together a short list of music that I think made the grade their way.
1. The Strangeloves - Night Time
2. 13th Floor Elevators - It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (Dylan cover)
3. The Brian Jonestown Massacre - It Girl
4. The Sonics- The Witch
5. The Seeds - Pushin' Too Hard
6. The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Nevertheless
Don't Judge.
Animal Collective is a four-piece band out of Baltimore, Maryland with influences in every corner of the musical universe. The band has been putting out dreamy, hallucinogenic music together since they were high school friends, but not always under the alias of Animal Collective, but also in group and solo efforts. Their music has remained ever changing, ranging from ambient acoustic medleys to lush electronic pop, but consistant in their own psychedelic meanderings.
Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished and Danse Manatee were their first records released, but not under the name Animal Collective. Only a limited amount were pressed until their re-release in 2002 and 2003. Filled with any sound you can imagine (and some you can't), it appears to be music made out of just about anything. Hollindaggin follows this trend with Campfire Songs, an acoustic E.P. recorded in one sitting, using the sound of a surrounding forest and campfire to give the record more organic feel. Feels was a breakthrough album that reached fast success, showcasing their first establishable blend of psychedelic pop and folk.
Strawberry Jam and their E.P. Water Curses, are their latest releases and proves, once and for all, they are here to stay. Songs like "Peacebone" and "Cuckoo Cuckoo" have a catchy, sap-like ability to get stuck in your head for days, while other, slower songs like "Street Flash" from Water Curses put youin a trance, and weave melodies that seem like they always belonged together.
While AC isn't on everyones favorite list, they are quickly gaining a following that likely insures they are sticking around. Below is a live video for one of their newest songs, called "Brother Sport", that will likely be on their yet-to-be-named album. Feel free to dance.
Travis
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I would like to speak, breifly, about The Velvet Teen. It was only about a year ago that I heard the song "Naked Girl" in the background of some party, and to be honest I thought a girl was singing. I interupted the conversation I was having in order to finish the song, and by the time the last note was played I was undeniably hooked. I went by a local record shop and picked up "Elysium", their 2004 release. My jaw nearly dropped at the sheer difference in sounds. They had apparently abandoned their guitars in favor of keyboards, but it only seemed to excentuate their driven sound more.
Admitedly, I do tire of Velvet Teen from time to time and retreat to my Ryan Adams and Elliott Smith records, but if your looking for a pleasant change of pace: Velvet Teen is it.
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gotta love some tvt...i missed them when they came thru last fall and figured i missed my chance for the year...maybe next year...
have a great one!
TVT's new cd "Cum Laude" is really great. It rocks really hard w/some nice electronic touches throughout. It's rocks harder than any of their previous cds. "Elysium" is a gorgeous cd.
I haven't heard this song or ep. I actually saw them last summer at a music festival here in N. CA where they are from. Even though they are a local band it was my first time seeing them & they f'n rock hard & put on an amazing set. It made me a fan! Judah the lead singer has an amazing voice live as well as on their cds.
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Nice
How 'bout Plastic People Of The Universe?
Yeah I dig Plastic People. Europe had a wild take on psychedelic music, but I'd still have to say we did it best. Just an opinion though.
When I started watching Dig! I didn't know how much Anton I could take. i still think he's a prima donna, but like everyone else in the movie says, he obviously is talented. He's his own worst enemy. The music is good, but I want to know even less about him after all is said and done. It's a great film though, to watch the Dandy's take off and BJM stay in place.