MiNi Reviews

Tender Buttons Tender Buttons

This EP is very dancey electronic experimentation from members of Kill Me Tomorrow. Telephone rings and mashed up electronics create jumpy numbers. They even cover a Roxy Music track. Fun stuff, but check out Kill Me Tommorow first.

Sonic Youth Sonic Nurse DGC

Untied States — Ineffable by Design

Finally, a local Atlanta band that doesn’t hopelessly suck or tread clichéd genres mined many times over since their innovation! Hot off winning Creative Loafing’s Best Experimental Band for 2004, Untied States self-released their first full length debut Ineffable by Design (I doubt they still give out copies of their first debut Bird of a Blood Feather anymore) to quiet but unanimous acclaim, and for good reason: throughout the majority of the album Untied States explore the noise rock genre with verve and aplomb, using bizarre time signatures and bombastic dynamic shifts to keep the listener on their toes. Colin Arnstein’s Thom Yorke-esque vocals complement Skip Englebrecht’s distorted guitarwork and bizarre noise samples nicely, and while occasionally the mix drowns in its own sheer cacophony, it can be blamed more on the fact that these guys recorded this album in their own home. God help us when they get a record deal.

Thanksgiving Welcome Nowhere

Their newest record is much better than Murray Street and I personally thought it is their best effort since “Goo.” Some dude who is clutching his copy of “Dirty” and sitting under his Nirvana poster is probably pissed at me but who cares? This album is great. All hail Sonic Youth.

Moving Units Dangerous Dreams Palm Records

Fun post punk that makes the kids want to dance. If this came out sooner they could’ve been very popular. Unfortunately, now they are not as interesting after hearing so many bands of this style. Check out Moving Units instead.

Kimya Dawson Vagenda K Records

Kimya was in the Moldy Peaches, and Vagenda follows in the same style of lo-fi anti-folk songs. It’s fun and cute but not as good as the Moldy Peaches.

My LP came on white vinyl as well as a CD-R copy, along with a coloring book. The packaging is amazing and this is fitting for Phil Elverum’s first release. It’s a collaboration of Phil and his friends and is like a minimalist version of The Microphones with different singers. Fans of The Microphones should rush out and get a copy.

Wolf Eyes Burned Mind Sub Pop

Ah dear God it is so harsh. It is amazing but no one is going to like this. Thurston Moore was righ--itss one of the best things Sub Pop has put out, but its going to make you hurt. Wolf Eyes are one of the best noise bands ever. I hope this is the rock that rips a hole in Sub Pop’s already sinking ship.

Battles Ep C Monitor Records

Weird experimental math rock from this super group of sorts featuring kids from Don Cab and Helmet. It’s a good little EP—the first and last tracks are the best.

Deerhoof Milkman Kill Rock Stars

A bizarre record of sugary melodies combined with chaotic noise. It is great. Maybe not the best starting place for this band but it is still really good. It’s a weird concept album about a milkman.

Fiery Furnaces – Blueberry Boat

Coming off of their stellar 2003 debut, it seemed like Fiery Furnaces were poised to take both critical and mainstream success. Their sound on Gallowsbird’s Bark harnessed blues rock with an eclectic penchant for singsong lyrics and wild guitar flurries from brother Matthew Friedberger. So it came as a surprise to hear their latest, Blueberry Boat, forsook their previously carved niche for grandiose prog epics loosely centered around the themes of traveling and, believe it or not— pirates. But does it work? Yes and no: occasionally the sheer assault of discordant song sections overwhelms the ears, but Eleanor’s earnest vocalizations and Matthew’s intricately interlocked synth spasms makes the experience intriguing and endearing, if not as instantly accessible as their debut.

Winds of Change, Rock of Change

Musicians commandeering the soapbox and the music box? CHRIS RODRIGUEZ investigates.