Told You So.

I'm kind of ashamed of how much time I've been spending lately reading the Matador Records blog, but I feel totally redeemed when I stumble across something like this. Press release using the term "multi-album, worldwide, exclusive recording agreement" in a non-sarcastic context + Jay Reatard = kind of weird, kind of hilarious.

Read it & weep, y'all.

The In The Red-financed singles compilation surfacing this summer is good news & it might even temporarily distract me from how I'm eventually going to play right into Matador's hands when I have to shell out money for THEIR singles collection at the end of their record collector-baiting pyramid scheme.

As long as you're seduced away by the Matador blog, check out that new Matmos video, because they've got a new jam coming out really soon & I like what I've heard so far.

Mark Ya Calendars

Boston College's radio station WZBC 90.3 FM is holding a 35th Anniversary concert on May 3rd at T.T. the Bears with No Age, Neptune, Big Digit and The Big Disappointments confirmed. For only 10 bucks looks like a worthy weekend event.

Parts and Labor are doing a few shows in our northerly neighbor states. First is a show with the AustinHouston-tastic Indian Jewelry at Dartmouth College's Fuel Rocket Club on May 9th. The second is a show with Brooklyn's fine Aa (Big A Little A) at Bennington College on May 10th.

3 of the bands just mentioned can be found on the Cardboard Records Love and Circuits compliation that came out last month. Much like how the DFA Record Compilation #2 was the map of NYC dance music back in 2004, this compilation is gives you the state of 2008 noise rock.

Here's the mandatory Youtube video:

Aa - Thirteen (not a Big Star cover)

Serious Unrest.

Why in the hell was I unaware of the fact that Mark Robinson (of Unrest/Flin Flon/Air Miami/etc fame) was playing in Northampton this past Friday?! And right next door to my apartment, at that. The indie rock gods have forsaken me.

For you: "Telephone Diary Talker" from his Origami & Urbanism album, while I go cry a little bit.

For A Real Cheap Time...

I hope you guys all got your first Matador-sponsored Jay Reatard 7", because the next one is already one the way. I'm currently taking friendly wagers as to how long I can last at keeping up with these records until I explode in a fit of frustration & break my computer's keyboard in half.

Also, let me implore you to go see Mister Reatard at Harper's Ferry in Allston this Sunday with Cheap Time (whom I am not yet familiar with, although they have a new record out on In The Red, which is promising enough for me). Here's hoping that it doesn't wind up like his show in Toronto last night, because it's bad enough that I'm willing to travel two hours to see this man run through a full set that barely cracks the nineteen-minute mark WITHOUT drunks destroying his gear.

The Cover-Up 4.0

Maybe it's just me, but slap the Wu's trademark "W" on the Breeders new album and it wouldn't surprise me if it were the cover art for one of the Clan member's releases. I was thinking Masta Killa or RZA. That being said this is a really really really great, solid album that pays off with repeat listens. Of course that's pretty much the case with all of their releases.



Don't forget to go see them when they come to the Pearl Street Ballroom on June 4th. Get tickets to the show here

Jumping The Gun.

This is WAY early, but this just came to my attention & I'm really excited. Paging Eric, if you don't already know about this. July 30th, King Khan & The Shrines, Iron Horse Music Hall, Northampton. I'm honestly more partial to the King Khan & BBQ Show pairing, but this is still pretty awesome. Did we ever get What Is!? at the station? What the fuck is up with that?



Anyway, I hope they still have cheerleaders with them this time around:

Book Learning.

Dude, noise music & libraries this weekend. Amherst reigns supreme.

Friday, April 18th
Dave Gross
Bhob Rainey
Fat Worm Of Error
Jones Library (43 Amity Street) in Amherst
$5, 8pm

Today's Lesson.

Awhile back, I drew up a list of some general guidelines for anyone who felt like calling into Expressway To Yr Skull with requests, because I got kind of tired of having to explain things like why I didn't really want to play Hatebreed on the show. One area that I feel is still being neglected is "Requesting Things That Are Musically Awesome & Fun To Say On The Radio", because let's face it - while I'm going to be very happy if you call in to request Unwound, it's not as much fun to say that I just played Unwound as it is to find an FCC-compliant way of saying that I just played something from Fuck CDs, We're the Mummies!.

Review my suggestions from last time:
Pissed Jeans. Whether or not "Pissed" in this context is technically FCC-approved can be debated, but I haven't been losing too much sleep over it.
Solar Anus. Japanese bands are particularly good at coming up with radio gold.

Now, the intermediate course:
Anything from Yo La Tengo's I Am Not Afraid of You & I Will Beat Your Ass album. This should be fairly obvious, because who doesn't enjoy telling people that you're going to beat their ass? Plus we love Yo La Tengo.
Palace Music - "You Have Cum In Your Hair & Your Dick Is Hanging Out". Unfortunately we can't get away with playing a Will Oldham song where he talks about fucking a mountain or something, but believe it or not, there is nary a trace of FCC no-no's in the actual content of this song & the song title provides amazing possibilities for dodging obscenity accusations.
Out Hud's Street Dad album, in general. Pretty much every song on this winner: "Dad, There's A Little Phrase Called Too Much Information", "The L Train Is A Swell Train & I Don't Want To Hear You Indies Complain", "My Two Nads (Dad Reprise)". Proof that the request in question doesn't have to include swears for it to qualify under these guidelines, although the swears definitely don't hurt.

That's just a sampling. Next time, we'll move on to the advanced course.

Weekend Vid

Lootpack - 20 Questions (feat. Quasimoto)/Whenimondamic

Amazing hip hop I'm horribly behind on.

For the Weekend

In case you're in the Boston-area this weekend rather than attending the Flywheel's 2nd Annual Record Fair, may I recommend you check yourself into the following events?

APRIL 12TH

PISSED JEANS 2X SHOWS

Show 1
Oxfam Cafe
5:30 PM FREE, ALL AGES

Pissed Jeans
New Lows
Waste Management
Rival Mob

Show 2
The Middle East Upstairs
9 PM $9, 18+

Pissed Jeans
Gerty Farish
Reports
Tinsel Teeth

APRIL 13TH

Milky Way
9 PM $8, 21+

AIDS Wolf
White Mice
Neptune

Hold On To Yourself.

So how great is that new Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds album? I'm personally really excited to see Mister Mustache returning to the dirty, ugly noise of the Birthday Party & the first couple of Bad Seeds records (Tender Prey & From Her To Eternity, holler!), first with that ridiculously good Grinderman album last year, now with Dig!!! Lazarus, Dig!!! Additional props for keeping Warren Ellis of the Dirty Three on board. The cover art is kind of an affront to the eyes, but I won't subject Sir Cave to the shame that comes along with a write-up in the Cover-Up (aka WMUA Blog's Cover Art Hall of Shame), not just because he kind of scares the shit out of me.

In honor of Nick Cave generally being awesome, here is perhaps one of the best musical cameos in recent cinematic history: "From Her To Eternity" in Wim Wenders' excellent Wings of Desire (circa 1987).

Irrelevance.

I don't know why I'm posting this, considering it has been sold out for quite some time now. I guess if it really matters to you, you can head over to Craigslist & start begging for tickets, but a bunch of other people have already beaten you to the punch.

I Recommend This Show

Saturday, April 5 (THAT'S TODAY!)
at CHURCH
Kilmarnock St. in Boston

The Have Mercys
The Coffin Lids
Lyres!!!
Corolla Deville

Show starts at 8 PM. $10. 21+, kids.

Buy Some Damn Records.

2nd Annual Flywheel Record Fair! Saturday, April 12th from 10am-4pm. A fundraiser for Flywheel in the Eastworks Building in Easthampton. This event will have 30+ vendors selling all types of records and CDs. It's made possible by Turn It Up records, The Marketplace at Eastworks and The Valley Advocate.

Three Things

There hasn't been much music new released this year that's got me excited so far this year, so here are three from the past.

Buzzcocks, in general


Funkadelic's "Super Stupid" from Maggot Brain, which is super sick. The below video is a Naked City live version with Yamatsuka Eye howling. Not quite the same.


Death From Above 1979, in general. A disappointment and blessing that they only had one full length to their credit (I don't count the Romance, Bloody Romance compilation), but the beast is fucking classic.