Spires That In The Sunset Rise - This Is Fire

Spires That In The Sunset Rise (it is a long-winded but entirely decent name) are a group of four ladies from Illinois who make music that is some sort of blend of avant-folk and crazy-batshit-insane world music. I was reminded of this album after a week of thrashing the shit out of the Sun City Girls. It is a pretty fair comparison I think. They both explore non-Western approaches to music (through structure and instrumentation for example) and through a Western context.

I am going to refuse to re-read that first paragraph because I am sure I just dribbled some embarrassing, nonsensical bullshit. Anyway of the two albums I have heard from these peeps (the other being Four Winds The Walker, which is also a really really great album) I like this one slightly better. The instrumentation is particularly impressive and really effective here. Singer, Kathleen Baird's voice is really something. It shifts from ethereal and beautiful to haunting and witch-like reglularly (at times it is hard to pick which one). They create these amazing soundscapes using almost entirely acoustic intruments only, albeit lots of them. They manage to explore a shitload of grund in the space of a 5 or so minute song. I could perhaps write more about this but I am making an effort to keep these posts a little shorter, because I odubt anyone reads the whole, especially when they're long. Anyway. it is really impressive and rewarding album, although it is at times somewhat challenging. I really recommend listening. I will link you to their myspace where you can stream these tracks for free. You should buy it is you like it and can afford it.

Listen

Taco Leg

Taco Leg are without a doubt the best thing about Perth music. Their songs are really great and funny as hell. frontman extraordinaire/all-round awesome dude Andrew is straight-up a goddamn genius and fucking brilliant performer. He has this sort of awkward charisma that is so much fun to watch. He sings songs about 'Gossip Girl', '30 Rock' and once told me that practically all of Taco Leg's songs are about architecture.

Anyway they toured the US last month after receiving an arts grant from the Government, which is by far the best thing that could ever have happened. EVER!

This video was shot in San Francisco. I only just saw found out it existed last night. It is fucking awesome!!!!

Red House Painters- Down Colorful Hill/ Rollercoaster

Rhys wanted to do a blog post on the happiest, most feel-good music of all time. Here it is

A few months ago, I thought it'd be a good idea to listen to three Red House Painters albums in one consecutive sitting. Needless to say, I came out of it far more depressed than I was before I commenced this undertaking, and until recently have avoided listening to the Red House Painters. Such is the immense power of this band- they are easily the most heartbreaking, soul crushingly depressing, emotionally tiring band I have heard. I consider them to be one of my favourite bands, yet I listen to them very rarely due to the profound effect they have on me. Mark Kozelek is an amazing singer and his lyrics are heartbreakingly beautiful in their simplicity. I highly recommend both Down Colorful Hill (their first album) and Red House Painters (Rollercoaster), they both rank equally in terms of greatness in my books. They aren't the kind of albums you'll find yourself listening to regularly, but ultimately every listen is rewarding, however you may find you need to allow time to recuperate before listening to more Red House Painters.



Download - Down Colorful Hill

Download - Rollercoaster

Meat Grinder explained at long last!

some dude explains MF Doom's rhymes on a thread in the RYM forum. Axel linked me to this. It is genius

http://rateyourmusic.com/board_message?message_id=2032256&find=2032543&x=m#msg2032543

In fact I will just copy and paste it here

Does anyone know what Meat Grinder by Madvillain is about?

Tripping off the beat kinda, dripping off the meat grinder My shit's psychedelic, so's Madlib's

Heat niner, pimping, stripping, soft street minor Guns, hustling and seediness at a young age

China was a neat signer, trouble with the script digits Girl named China could do something but had trouble with school

Double dipbubble lips, sorrow less midget she'd get the end of the blunt wet, that short ho

Borderline schizo, sort of fine tits tho Despite being slightly schizophrenic, she had decent tits

Pour the wine hold the grind, quarter to nine, lets go We jsut drink and hold the sex, it's 8:45 let's go

Ever since ten eleven, glad she met a brethren She's been glad to meet me since 10:11

Then his last style seven alligator, seven at the gates of heaven Liked my alligator style, looking Godlike

Knocking, no answer, slow dancer, hopeless romancer, dopest flow stanzas I'm at her door and she's not answering me despite my dope steez

Yes, no Villain, Metal Face the death stroke How frustrating, but I'm not feeling villainous

Guest shows, still incredible in escrow I'm still quite rich

Just say hoe, I will taste the yayo, Wild West style fest, y'all best to lay low Still, I am not above devious deeds so you better not show up around me

Hey bro, Day Glo, set the bet, pay dough Remember I have dope flow stanzas

Before the cheddar get away, you best to get Maaco You better get your bodywork done before I take my money and leave

The worst haters God on perpetrated are favors
Demonstrated in the perforated Rod Lavers
Girls that wear Rod Laver Adidas are usually haters and up to no good anyway

... In all quad flavors, large savers
Still back in the game like Jack Lalanne
Now I'm saving money and all buffed out like Jack Lalanne

think you know the name, don't rack your brain
on a fast track to half insane
You don't know who that is, so you'll be confused by that remark

Either in a slow beat or that of speed or wrath of Kane
Laughter, pain
Doom's songs lit, in the booth, with the best host
Again, my stanzas are dope so no matter how I spit it you wouldn't have got it, which is both funny and sad, but also what makes me such a great emcee

Doing bong hits, on the roof, in the west coast
He's at it again
Mad at the pen
For example, I jsut came up with this doing bong hits on the roof of Madlib's studio

Glad that we win a tad fat in a bad hat for men
Grind the cinnamon, Manhattan warmongers
Happy to be well-liked in a shady business where you have to stay hot and deal with big business

You can find the Villain in satin congas
The vans screeches
The old man preaches
About the gold sand beaches
The cold hand reaches
For the old tan ellesse's
... Jesus
This is a "dope flow stanzas", good lord

Yellow Swans - Going Places

This album is pretty fucking spectacular. I don't listen to a lot of noise/drone music because I honestly do not enjoy a lot of it, but this is really great. There are more than enough reviews on the internet from reputed sources, so I doubt anyone is going to come to lil' ol' me to hear my two cents. But here they are anyway..

These guys broke up before this was released at the end of last year (is the album name supposed to be ironic?), and this is something of a last hurrah. It is also the first thing I have to listened to by them, so there is another reason to ignore my opinion/thoughts. It is really amazing though. They build these unbelievably dense, atmospheric textures around little themes and repetitive, almost abrasive loops. From what I gather all of their live shows and recordings were improvised peices.It really is quite an intense listen, and I strongly reccomend it.

Download

PS. I have been really lazy not updating this but I will be dissapointed in myself if I let this blog die. Point being that I am going to get back on this.

Kalup Linzy, MEGABABE!