[kj] Austin

[Alexander Smith]

To be fair, I was evicted from my cozy spot on the cutting edge  
several years ago, but certain friends of mine are still very much  
obsessed with new music and are constantly hipping me to new bands,  
new songs and such. While I too am biased towards the music of the  
past decades, to write off the current crop of bands as being devoid  
of spontaneity is somewhat myopic.

Newish bands I'd suggest checking out: Yeasayer, Fucked Up, Pissed  
Jeans, Les Savy Fav, Vampire Weekend (yes, even them), Mew, Grizzly  
Bear, Cold Cave, Be Your Own Pet (though I think they've since split),  
Deerhunter, School of Seven Bells,  White Rabbits, Cursive, The  
Submarines, Chairlift, Airborne Toxic Event, We Are Scientist, Love Is  
All, Titus Andronicus, Art Brut, The Shout Out Louds, The Black Lips,  
Crystal Stilts and Coachwhips (these are just a few of the things I've  
been listening to).

As with every decade, there is indeed quality music out there -- but  
you have to dig a little deeper to find it.

Alex in NYC



On Feb 20, 2010, at 4:12 PM, Leigh Newton wrote:


> Bulllllllllllllllshit.

>

> http://www.nightruiner.com

> http://www.myspace.com/thesunthroughatelescope

> http://www.myspace.com/lauderdale

>

>

> From: GREG SLAWSON <gregslawson at msn.com>

> To: gathering <gathering at misera.net>

> Sent: Sat, February 20, 2010 2:47:39 AM

> Subject: Re: [kj] Austin

>

> I think part of it, Oliver, is we're living in a time when there is  

> almost NO spontenaety. Most music is a rehash of a rehash of a rehash,

> and the few old-timers that are left seem just that, old (with a few  

> exceptions who can still strike a chord w/audiences, like Stiff  

> Little Fingers, Gang of Four, and maybe the Buzzcocks on a good  

> night). Music in the period from 1976-1985 had so much that was new,  

> weird, and even dangerous/disturbing. Just look at old footage of  

> concerts or tv appearances by early Devo, Clash, Black Flag,  

> Speicals, and even relatively mainstream bands like Talking Heads,  

> and you get a sense that they were

> almost from another world. Bands now try to all be louder/harder/ 

> crazier than the next, but the tension, originality, passion etc. is  

> clearly missing. For me, few things

> can compare to seeing the Joke in a tiny discoteque w/the lights on  

> playing to a few dozen people in Houston TexASS in 1981, or Henry  

> Rollins crawling through broken

> glass on the floor wearing only shorts, or Bad Manners dumping  

> buckets of water on an audience of 30--at a large rock club, since  

> the small club they were booked at didn't have a stage large enough  

> to hold the band members-- in Cleveland (both early 80s), or the  

> guitarist from Jason & the Scorchers breaking up fights in the  

> audience w/one had while still playing the guitar w/the other, and  

> countless other shows. Today, music (from rock to country to "r &  

> b") is so passionless, watered down, and ultra-contrived. Even world  

> music from Africa, Middle East, India, etc. is done on synthesizer  

> now instead of traditional instruments. And kids are used to  

> thinking they can experience reality sitting in a chair with their  

> Iphones or whaterver--hell, they don't even buy cd's w/lyrics, cover  

> art, etc. but just download individual songs, thinking that they're  

> really experiencing music! I think those of us who were around when  

> it was real have much higher expectations. If only kids today knew  

> that coming home from a show soaked in the sweat of the 80 or so  

> people in the audience was really music, not seeing Kings of Leon,  

> or "cover" bands like Interpole/Bravery etc. an air-conditioned  

> ampitheater!

>

> > Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:47:45 -0600

> > From: bigblackhair at sbcglobal.net

> > To: gathering at misera.net

> > Subject: Re: [kj] Austin

> >

> > Yeah, it's weird - or not?

> >

> > I often go out expecting something amazing to happen, yet the  

> opposite

> > does. You go home asleep, alone, and have this weird feeling of

> > existential confusion/loneliness.

> >

> > Seeing the The Dicks (live!) and then dancing to Killing Joke next  

> door

> > would probably make any sane person happy. I went away from it all

> > feeling very hollow. Maybe it's me. The Dicks can do no wrong, vis  

> a vis

> > "Rich Daddy": <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDwSqERSSh0>

> >

> > I was so stoked, excited when they played it, being raised by a  

> single

> > mom myself (with no rich daddy, etc.) - it's like one of the great

> > all-time punk classics to me. Like Seeing The Ramones do "Sheena  

> is..."

> > Yet getting shoved around and then ultimately leaving it all feeling

> > like it's actually not worth a hill of beans? Blegh. At least I  

> got to

> > dance to Killing Joke after that, even if it was by myself! :)

> >

> > -0liver

> >

> >

> >

> > Brendan wrote:

> > > Being a smarty...the lyrics are all about Morrissey (or some 3rd  

> person)

> > > being cajoled to go out when they don't feel like it, having a  

> miserable

> > > time and coming home and feeling worse...or something ;)

> > >

> > > Which is my experience about 80% of the time going to clubs  

> (hence I prefer

> > > gigs)

> > >

> > >

> > >

> >

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