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disgruntled hipster no. 416
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I would say the first disc of “Have One on Me” can be rightfully considered her most accessible (and some of her best work)–the other two, for me, fall extremely flat and feel pretty impenetrable.
Maybe I just love grandiose statements on record, but I think “Ys” is one of the best things I’ve ever heard. There, at least there was an anchor to the sprawl, always a lilting melody to come back to, always some story to become enraptured in. It takes patience, sure, but there are dynamics to it that are sadly missing on the bulk of “Have One on Me”. It’s a very hard album to listen to, as a whole. I absolutely love the first disc–maybe the rest will unfold and “bloom” for me as well. I really hope it does. But almost seven months in, no such luck…
Dear (prefix)-gum:
Of COURSE this happens literally four days before I move to New York. Of course!
Will there be more festivities during the summer, perchance?? Gabe’s Summer Mixtape release show??
cordially,
disgruntled hipster no. 416
I’m just too busy to deliver quality snark! I promise I’m still here!
This video definitely, definitely lays it on THICK, (like most of M.I.A.’s political messages,) but I guess that’s the question we have to face: Is it shocking, or ridiculous, or over the top, simply because it’s white redheads being rounded up and tortured? If this video featured all the people throughout the world who have suffered and continue suffer through this elsewhere, would we still think it was “pointlessly violent”?
I appreciate that, even on a major label, M.I.A. pretty much does and says whatever the fuck she wants. This video is proof of that. Plus Romain Gavras is one hell of a filmmaker.
Rhinoceropolis is growing to a myth at this point, but that’s beside the point.
The point is–Go Denver!
Wow. Just… wow.
Ohhhhh my god, that “Tell Me” cover is so awesome. Worlds been had colliding (my young self and adult self).
Yes, you’re the only one.
My face is going to explode. This comes out in less than a month.
My face is going to explode, you guys.
Holy mackerel. This is spectacular! Thank you Stereogum!
If the 50 States project was “just publicity”, perhaps this existential crisis he seems to be flaunting is, as well.
He’s definitely an artist who seems so stuck on reinventing not himself, but everyone else’s interpretation of who he is. Hence all of this press as of late. The traces of post-Illinois output we’ve heard, (save “Majesty, Snowbird”) has shown this vehement discomfort with himself, where any trace of “Old Sufjan” feels subverted or punished in some way.
I just say to him, (for what it’s worth–as a writer of graffiti on the bathroom wall): Write the songs you want to write, and be yourself up on the Opera House stage. I’d say that’s worked pretty great so far.
Parenthetical Girls deserve so much more attention than they receive. This is a spectacularly nervy cover.
Exactly, and this is what makes me so happy. “Feels” has such a nice dynamic of joyous tribal rock songs with mellower soundscapes that gave it such a mighty cohesion. And as much as I love it, I really could have used some of these types of songs on “Merriweather”.
To see this EP exploring this facet of their sound, using the tools they damn near perfected on MPP, is quite exciting. The 23rd can’t come soon enough.
I remember seeing Poison the Well on accident at a particular punk festival hosted by a particular skate shoe company when I was a particular pubescent boy, (look, at least I saw Andrew W.K. there…) I really hated it.
To hear this, and know it’s coming from the same mind, creates a level of cognitive dissonance. But this is really, really, really good. Thank you, Stereogum, for melting away some bad memories of middle school concerts away. Fuck any inevitable discussions about credibility. Sleigh Bells is fantastic.
Every member of Grizzly Bear is unstoppable. Awesome, just awesome.
Exactly. I really hate the idea that this kind of gross hypermasculine dick-measuring exists in the indie/lo-fi world, but I guess nothing is impervious to douchebaggery.
It’s not “rock-n-roll”, it’s not “punk”, it’s not the right kind of “danger” that I truly do think our neutered subculture dreadfully needs right now. It just fucking sucks.
So let’s not fight, okay guys? It’s unbecoming of you.
Indie rock, you’re killin’ me.
I was actually hoping that everyone would just explode or turn on each other or at least have an interesting moment to stutter-freeze-frame/bullet-time on. I was really disappointed, because the concept of this video is so cool and its beginning builds such a nice tension. I just wish the payoff would be awesomer.
Annie, you know I’m in love with you. That’s a given. And you know I think your face is beautiful, and above all that superficial bullshit, that I think your music is really incredible. Also a given. But these things do not automatically make a good music video.
You deserve a GREAT music video. I can’t wait for that to happen when you call me to direct the “The Strangers” video. No? Oh, okay. That’s cool too. I still think you’re the best.
Is this real life?
Not to parrot the previous posters, but, to parrot the previous posters:
I feel this sentiment of “the album is dead” is getting a little out of hand. I understand the argument that the album has become a “product”, while this new digital democracy has given the music room to breathe for itself, but at the end of the day, I don’t want some intangible files, I WANT something I can hold and play from start to finish and immerse myself in. I WANT to struggle with the cellophane and hold artwork in my hands, and get lost in a cohesive piece of music.
The album ain’t dead. It just hasn’t evolved yet.
This shit is really crazy, but it’s great. More proof that Grizzly Bear is the key.
Maybe my fan-fiction where Amber Coffman and Angel Deradoorian guest on the next Beyonce isn’t too far off.
Fuck, what’s happened to Stereogum? This really sucks, you guys. Yikes. Cut it out, please.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Au puts on one of the wildest live sets I’ve seen in some time. Great, great band.
Wait, was I just referenced in a Stereogum post?
Yes, Candy Claws. What a dense, expertly constructed and well-paced album.
I mean, I get why it was overlooked, it does take some patience, and you can’t really listen to it on speakers, but I think it deserved a ton more recognition.