This is what my CD collection would look like if it were much, much smaller.
[This is where I log "I'm Just Telling You What I Heard" entries every week, complete with album/EP/single title, format/special features and record label. Why not!?]
[Feb. 27, 2010]
The Beatles - “The Ballad of John & Yoko / Old Brown Shoe” seven-inch [Apple Records] (Found this -incher at an old antique shop deep in the woods of upstate New York; kind of an odd song coupling)
Various artists - “Dengue Fever Presents: Electric Cambodia” cream-colored LP [Minky Records] (“Electric Cambodia” is a game-changer, turning heads like “3 EPs”)
Cadaver In Drag - “Church Burner” spraypainted cassette [Husk Records] (Heavy, brain-draining mulch-noise to strip a carcass clean to; out of control)
Modest Mouse - “This is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About” CD [Up Records] (This is easily their best record, almost perfect and ready to be whipped out at any time; click the link to find out why)
Various Artists - “Tunes from Films and Shows” seven-inch [Lyntone Recordings] (wavers from ironically cool to just-not-good to decent)
White Shit - “Sculpted Beef” LP [Post Present Medium Records] (Almost-almost-almost bought that 10-inch of theirs; will)
Thee Oh Sees - “Quadrospazzed” 12-inch LP [Castle Face Records] (The etching on Side B is one of the best I’ve seen, even better than the Robert Delaney Radio Show seven-inch)
The Brian Jonestown Massacre - “Smoking Acid” neon-green/-pink 2XLP [a Records] (Steep price, stunning art, one LP doesn’t even have MUSIC on it for fuck’s sake)
[Feb. 9, 2010]
The Monkees - “Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.”LP reissue [Sundazed Records] (I can’t believe how hard some of the country-rock on this album HITS, like alt-Byrds with attitude … then you have “Pleasant Valley Sunday”; yum)
Enon - “Grass Geysers … Carbon Clouds” LP [Touch & Go Records] (Didn’t like “Hocus Pocus” and I’m not sold on this one to be honest)
Begushkin - “Nightly Things” LP [Locust Records] (Original folk-influenced Americana on heavy-ass wax)
Wilderness - “Vessel States” LP [Jagjaguwar Records] (Missed out on the self-titled debut but nabbed this for $4.50)
Red Hot Chili Peppers - “Californiacation” CD (what can I say, it’s still good)
The Starlite Desperation - “Violate a Sundae” LP [Cold Sweat Records] (nice EP from a rarely mentioned band)
The Fresh & Onlys - “Bomb Wombs” cassette tape [Fuck It Tapes] (Glad I got a copy of this one; the perfect post-modern, post-BJM band)
Raekwon - “Only Built for Cuban Linx II” 2XLP [Ice/H2O Records] (Wu-Tang will always be a part of my life; a prominent one)
[Jan. 7, 2010]
Jimmie Spheeris - “Isle of View” / “The Original Tap Dancing Kid” LPs [Columbia Records] (The early ’70s sound like an endless folk/coke party; also, Spheeris’ sister Penelope directed “Black Sheep” starring Chris Farley)
Split Enz - “Time and Tide” LP [Mushroom Records] (First New Zealanders to break big in U.S.)
Vampire Weekend - “Contra” / “Vampire Weekend,” digital download / LP [XL Records] (The latter so thoroughly superior to the former)
Abe Vigoda - “Skeletons” cassette tape [Not Not Fun Records] (Perhaps my favorite band right now; click link to buy yr own copy before it’s OOP)
Various Artists - “Hometapes sampler” red cassette tape [Hometapes Records] (click the link to download this beauty, track-by-track, for free!)
Prong - “Rude Awakening” CD [Sony] (looking for this on vinyl on the cheap)
Oneida - “Rated O” 3XLP [Brah Records] (many loved this, many slept on it; don’t)
Masta Killah - “Made in Brooklyn” 2XLP [Nature Sounds Records] (aka “Noodles” aka “High Chief” spits fine solo joint)
[Dec. 14, 2009]
Blood, Sweat & Tears - “Child is Father to the Man” LP [Columbia Records] (B. Hyland + B. Vee + Poni Tails = A fucking party)
Doom - “Born Like This” 2XLP [Lex Records] (Minor Doom still spells Doom)
Def Leppard - “Hysteria” clear cassette tape [Mercury Records] (Self-important rock never sounded so … actually important regardless of actually importance)
Ear Pwr - “Super Animal Brothers III” CD (not great, but fun)
The Brian Jonestown Massacre - “Thank God for Mental Illness” LP [Bomp! Records] (you heard it here first: mental illness is good!)
Leadbelly - “Goodnight Irene” CD (I’ll see you in my dreams)
Life Of Agony - “River Runs Red” CD [Roadrunner Records] (another era, but fun to hearken back to)
Battles - “Mirrored” CD [Warp Records] (one of the only undefinable records released the last few years)
[Dec. 6, 2009]
Various Artists - “Sessions: Senior Prom” 4LP [Warner Special Products] (B. Hyland + B. Vee + Poni Tails = A fucking party)
Neil Young - “On the Beach” LP [(Warner Bros] (The memories make my throat swell)
Black Moth Super Rainbow + The Octopus Project - “The House of Apples and Eyeballs” blue splatter LP [Graveface Records] (better than I thought upon its release)
Sufjan Stevens - “X-mas box” 5CD (I can’t shut up about this thing, truly)
Animal Collective - “Here Comes the Indian” LP [Paw Tracks] (if you’re surprised, well, you … you’re dumb)
Gordon Lightfoot - “Sundown” LP [Reprise Records] (Gordon’s only no. 1 record)
Circulatory System - “Signal Morning” CD [Cloud Recordings] (incredible, reviewable; why am I so lazy?)
Tina Turner - “Live” VHS (the thong is NOT a recent invention, people)
[Nov. 30 - Dec. 5]
Sylvester Anfang - “Satanische Vrede” LP [(K-RAA-K) Records] (Du Hast Mich?)
Quinn Walker - “Lion Land / Laughter’s An Asshole” 2CD [Voodoo Eros Records] (Banhart-goofy, Emp. X on roofies)
Yardbirds/The Kinks - “Greatest Hits” split cassette (the shape of things to come on two fronts, truly)
Avarus - “Ruskeatimantti” 2CD [Tumult Records] (shakers, noise makers, puritans, quakers)
Titus Andronicus - “Airing of Grievances” LP [Troubleman Unlimited] (still good, still worth the hype)
Anti-Pop Consortium - “Fluorescent Black” 2XLP [Big Dada Records] (still can barely believe this happened; big ups)
Little Girls - “Concepts” CD [Paper Bag Records] (retains attention well)
Aphex Twin - “Drukqs” 2CD [Warp Records] (RJ invents drum-’n'-bass, scores another triumph)
[Nov. 23 - 29]
Dead At 24 – “Blast Off Motherfucker” LP [Ride the Snake Records] (a grower, like … a lot of people around here)
The Four Tops – “Gold” cassette [Motown] (too important to go into here)
Dead Texan – s/t CD [Kranky] (I haven’t forgotten you)
The Monks – “Black Monk Time” 2XLP [Light in the Attic Records] (great story, good-to-great tunes)
Neil Norman & His Cosmic Orchestra – “Greatest Science Fiction Hits” LP [GNP/Crescendo records] (“Star Trek” theme + disco = sheer terror)
V/A – “A Prae-Kraut Pandaemonium: Volume 11″ LP [Lost Continence Records] (my instincts did not fail me on this one; bliss)
The Beets – “Spit In the Face …” – CD [Captured Tracks] (typical but tantalizing)
[Nov. 16 - 22 2009]
Oneida – Happy New Year LP (prog-funk with a swirl? believe dat)
Excepter – Black Beach LP/DVD, clear (special features steal show)
Excepter – “Vacation / Forget Me” LP, orange (bump-chugga-chugga)
Sufjan Stevens – Illinois – 2XLP (“Niagara Falls” … Jesus CHRIST)
Johnny Cash – Original Golden Hits Vol. 2 – Sun LP (“Rosie,” oh Rosie …)
Bear In Heaven – Beast Rest Forth Mouth – Hometapes CD
The Holy Mountain – “Wrath” – No Idea 7-inch, gray marble
[Nov. 9 - Nov. 15]
Matmos – Supreme Balloon
Goofballs
Lucifer Wong – “Mammals” 7-inch
The Red Scare – “Jet Set” 7-inch
The Beets -
Red Scare / True North split 7-inch
Brujeria – “¡Machetazos!” 7-inch
Geggy Tah – (?)
Oh Brother, Where Art Thou soundtrack
The Reigning Sound – Love & Curses
