NEW YAWK WAS GR8

To, um, quote The Raveonettes: "AND NEW YORK WAS GREAT AND WE LOVED IT ALL", but I'm too tired to update about it right now... aw fuck it I guess I have to now or I never will. Let's just do some highlights:

1. First, and most importantly, seeing some of my favorite people. I'm not going to link or shout out... you know who you are. And meeting new people. (Unfortunately, I didn't get to see too many friends. Next time.)
   
   
2. Wolfbait playing "Surrender". Oh MAN did it OWN.
   
   
3. The Blue Sparks playing a really strong set. They've got some solid songs and a decent stage show; they can only get better and I'd love to seem them again after some more shows supporting their new EP out on Kemado. (Check out the mp3s on their site. And those LEGS!)
   
   
4. Talking to Miss Modernage, considering last time I saw her was briefly at Siren Fest, when all she said to me was, "Peter", while holding up a strange piece of paper.
   
   
5. For some reason, there was a place across the street from LIT on Wednesday night that had an open bar and free food. I came to the conclusion that "open bar" may be the most beautiful phrase in the English language.
   
   
6. Celebrity sightings.
   
   
7. "Damn, that don't sound too good, Billmurray."

While trying my best to keep up after missing a week, there are some great links on the net.

Fluxblog has a track, "Restaurant Blouse", from VV and Hotel (The Kills) that sounds exactly like it was taken from Royal Trux's Accelerator.

TTIKTDA has new Radio 4 tracks up. They're okay, but generally I am unimpressed. I always thought Radio 4 had the capacity to be a great band: sharp guitar licks, catchy basslines, and an absolutely razor sharp dance machine for a drummer. But they get too bogged-down in obtuse lyrics, weird production, and extra keyboards and percussion to really make a very strong statement. Upon first listen, these tracks are much too slick. They're enjoyable, at least.

Slatch on how the House of the Holy cover came about.

All Music calls the new !!! record "a modern-day agit-pop indie dance-rock classic. If that is too narrow a slot to jam it into, then call it a modern-day indie rock classic. Or just a classic." Wow. I tend to agree a bit more with the pfork review.

Pitchfork on the new Spoon demos and the new Pixies track.

Okay, WAIT. Only one of the Spoon demos is up for download. Someone has to send me the rest. Please. Thanks.

Brent DiWhatseo goes COMPLETELY BERSERKER while reviewing the new Beastie Boys album. It's bizarre enough that he gave it 7.9, but then he suddenly realizes all of these things that are absolutely given about music reviews, and why music reviews are inherently stupid, and decides to quit Pitchfork. I absoultely don't understand this review... I can't believe it took him that long to realize that writing good music reviews, writing something that matters, is about balancing the academic review of an album with the personal. This is why The War Against Silence gives my favorite music "reviews". [EDIT: they completely removed the review. nuts]

Also worth looking at: the review of the new Lenny Kravitz video. I've seen it a few times and had THE EXACT SAME REACTION, so it kind of freaked me out.

Does he really think people will take this Almost Famous wet dream seriously? Is it a rock and roll version of rap's Cristal and ho's meme? Is it some kind of Darkness-esque attempt to inject a bit of sleaze back into rock with tongue grafted to cheek (that wretched album cover sez probably not)? Either way, it's a fascinating triple-scoop of pretension that'll be running on your VH1 screen until his album completes its Top 200 freefall.

It really is fascinatingly terrible. I saw him perform the song on On Air with Ryan Seacrest, and he practically reenacted the video, except the drummer was TERRRRIBLE. It was so intriguing.


Okay guess what. This post is 3 days old. I'm just not going to bother finishing it and post it already. More links as I remember them