August 2011
20 posts
Dub
Pylon
Pylon - “Dub” (1980)
Via Rodger Lyle Brown’s Party Out Of Bounds, a history of the Athens music/party scene, here is the DB Recs press release for Pylon’s debut single.
PYLON 45—“Cool/Dub”
Representing rural raucousness, recording righteous racket, rocking really rampant, ready righton rogues release rip-roaring robust rollicking rolypoly record right now.
Never knowing the meaning of the word nix, another effort graces your desk having utilized the same studio, engineer, producer, and distributor that brought forth The B-52’s “Rock Lobster” and Kevin Dunn’s “Nadine.” PYLON from hep capital Athens, Georgia has laid down two songs written by the band in their first vinyl effort. Members Vanessa Ellison, Michael Lachowski, Randall Bewley, and Curtis Crowe vary in age from 23 to 24, and played their first publig show in Athens at the 40 Watt Club in March 1979.
January 1980
The band had originally planned to record to “Feast on My Heart” and “Human Body”, but decided to do their new songs “Cool” and “Dub” instead. The title and lyrical mantra of “Dub”—I’ll eat you for breakfast!—are a reference to Interview magazine’s Glen O’Brien’s review of the band’s first New York show (opening for Gang of Four). “Those kids must listen to dub for breakfast,” he had determined. The members of Pylon didn’t know what dub was.
Ghost Town
The Specials
The Specials - “Ghost Town” (1981)
In its nauseous fatalism, Ghost Town expresses how I’ve felt watching the chaos on London streets over the past few days. The comments, in newspapers and online, which chime with me are the ones professing sadness, confusion and a willingness to wait for more information before jumping to conclusions, the latter being particularly welcome. Some commentators leapt to equal and opposite forms of idiocy. Conservative pundits spoke mechanically of “mindless” violence (it’s never mindless, it just means you don’t consider the mind behind it) while some on the left bent over backwards to justify looting as an anti-consumerist act, failing to discriminate between anti-police violence and nicking trainers from Foot Locker, understandable outrage and plain old criminality, and thus doing rightwing pundits’ job for them. (Because I align myself with the left, I’m always more disappointed by lazy thinking from that end on the spectrum. I can’t say the Daily Mail has ever disappointed me.)What’s happening now isn’t a protest or, as Darcus Howe put it, an “insurrection” — it’s a nervous breakdown. The motor isn’t a political cause but a mood. Politics is in the background, in the pervasive frustration and anxiety of an alienated underclass: record levels of youth unemployment, widening inequality, social services (especially youth services) slashed to the bone, the Education Maintenance Allowance scrapped, a damaged relationship between the police and the community, and collapsing faith in a seemingly indifferent political class. But the immediate outcome makes the lives of residents – many of whom are every bit as deprived as the rioters – even worse than they were last week and opens the door to an authoritarian response. A riot is a weapon of last resort; a cry for help; a public form of self-harming. It pays for short-term catharsis with long-term pain.
— Dorian Lynskey in The Guardian
I Wanna Be Adored
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses - “I Wanna Be Adored” (1989)
backleftlitz wrote a pretty smart post about how pitchfork media is like a well-intentioned big brother who tries to get you into good music. Thinking on this subject, I realized that allmusic was very much my musical big brother. For example, when I was 17, we still only had 56K internet on my family’s farm, but nevertheless I drove 40 miles to Best Buy and bought the Stone Roses’ debut album—sound unheard—on the strength of STE’s 5-star review and his tantalizing description of dance-oriented guitar pop. This I need to hear, I thought. I also bought the first Joy Division album and a Smiths compilation that day too. (Clearly, such musical guidance was not wasted on me.) And that’s my big brother story.
The London Riots Burn Music to the Ground (via Pitchfork) →
pitchfork.com
“No injuries were reported in the blaze, but all inventory is feared lost. XL/Beggars, Warp, Rough Trade, Domino, 4AD, Sub Pop, Secretly Canadian, Jagjaguwar, Drag City, Thrill Jockey, FatCat, Kompakt, Mute, Ninja Tune, Vice, and Soul Jazz are among those affected.”
Sad day.
Spotify Playlists
I really like Spotify. Here are some playlists I’ve made this week:
- jonathanbogart’s list of 100 great pop songs of the 1980’s [original article]
- Orange Juice’s Coals to Newcastle box set
- R.E.M. two-disc deluxe reissues
- The Sugar Hill Records Story box set
- Compilations of Chicago house music
Tumblrs I Love:
I’ve been on Tumblr for nearly four years and during that time, I’ve grown to love a number of different personal, cultural, and art-related blogs. Although many of you might be familiar with these, people who are not on Tumblr might enjoy visiting some of these sites. I’m also looking for recommendations for new Tumblrs to check out. The platform has become so large that it can be difficult to navigate all the information that is available.
MUSIC
A fairly new blog featuring alternative, independent, and experimental music with an r&b touch. This blog introduced me to Sonnymoon’s cover of Drake’s “Houstatlantavegas,” one of the best covers I’ve ever heard.
The Post Punk tumblr was one of the most relevant developments in my music interests. Tristan posted on Family Fodder and it was love at first listen (for “Savoir Faire,” in case you were wondering).
A debatable term but one that as of right now seems to stick. I think almost everything I hear on this site is beautiful, interesting, and definitely not the sort of music one hears in Chicago.
A fantastic little project in which one band or musician is featured for the week by a guest poster. The writing is sharp; the choices are sharp.
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DEAR COKE TALK GETS IT’S OWN CATEGORY FOR AWESOME
Perfect.
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PERSONAL
Max’s posts are a reflection of the sort of person he is IRL: unique, unpretentious, heartfelt.
The first in a long line of personal lifebloggers with a distinct voice and personality that intrigues me time and time again.
Flaw-free.
Perfect combination of unique and reblogged posts with a passion for music and culture (of all forms and varieties) that is unparalleled.
My friend Emmy: 1) Writes for the blog for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon 2) Nominated for an Emmy 3) Quick and witty 4) Other things about how she’s funny
Another lifeblogger that I admire for a great combination of personal photos, anecdotes, and notes.
Humorous, sweet, quirky, and honest in a way that is rarely seen on Tumblr.
One of my IRL best friends. I can’t quite put my finger on why Barrett’s blog works so well but pretty much any post he makes feels authentic to his character.
A+ music taste, lifeblogging, and cultural interests.
Monica’s quiet posts resonate long after reading them.
Smart music criticism and reporting, with a depth of references and influences.
Daily, I look forward to Kia’s ridiculously funny personal insights on Harry Potter, men, dating, food, and music, among other topics.
Marshall is the perfectly-coiffed, politically-incorrect id that you’ve always wanted.
A feverish passion for music, politics, and culture
Contemplative lessons in instagram-mar.
Vaughn’s curation of images, video, and music is compelling and has been for years. His consistency keeps me coming back for more.
Mills is a Tumblr Superstar who needs little introduction. Some of the best writing and personal photography you’ll see online. Plus, he’s got the sort of smarts that is intimidating but not infuriating. I trust his judgment.
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PHOTOGRAPHY AND CULTURE
Pieces of nostalgia and youth that are not flashy but relatable
An enigmatic eye, capturing the beautiful and unusual with equal admiration
Nikola’s taste in music, photography, and philosophy is severe yet impeccable
Contemporary art and photography with a personally curated touch that is distinct
With a focus on architecture and design, Rustybreak smartly captures the corners and crevices otherwise ignored
One of my favorite publications, with a keen eye on international art and fashion culture
A lifestyle guide of sorts for men who care about beautiful things, craftsmanship, and a bettering of life
Bits and pieces of the life I’ve always wanted but will never have
Your best friend in blog form
I’ve been a huge fan of Shannon’s blog for a long time (I even wrote about it during its infancy for Dossier Journal) and as the years have passed, her content has only gotten fresher. Focusing on classic hunks and dames, typography, or film posters, Shannon’s love for classic film is infectious.
Cultural reporting on the black queer community. Although I can’t personally relate to many of the stories or items featured on the GAQ, I find the curated film shorts, essays, photography, and other information to be one of the most unique and critical destinations online.
Stereoscopic Magic (Caille’s blog)
One of the best modern and contemporary black and white photoblogs on Tumblr. Caille’s love and knowledge of photography makes this more than just a stream of pictures.
I remember when there was no Robot Heart Politics and that was a cold, dark time in the Tumblr world that I am thankful is no longer around. This is the site where I’m constantly shouting, “Yes! She gets it!”
Akira’s photos are the best sort of conversation with the viewer: confusing, provocative, cynical.
Art for the art lover
A journalist I admire, Rachel’s essays on feminism, pop culture, and sexuality are timely and clear.
One day, I’d like to write for The New Inquiry. But until then, I’ll just sit back and aspire to the greatness of it’s writers.
Fun fact: Britticisms was the first person to follow this tumblr. <3 you too.
