Spin This!

Music Reviews

(by Arianne, with bonus parental opinions thrown in for laughs)

The Apples In Stereo - Science Faire CD (Elephant 6/SpinART)
The cover is sort of deceptive - it doesn't look happy and poppy and apples-y. It looks more like the last godheadSilo offering. It would look hardcore if it wasn't for the title and the cover-geeks. The inside is apples-y, though. So anyway, this is a great CD to have if you're like me and not stocked up on their early works (okay, so I'm not stocked up on any of their works - I just recently discovered them). It's a collection of their songs from 1993-95. I only know two of these songs (well, now I know all of them!). My favorite pop-hit of the summer, "Touch the Water" is on here, so I'm happy. If I hadn't just eaten a ton of pizza, I'd be careening all over the room to this song. My new favorites are "Haley" and "Glowworm." Mm, according to SpinART, "The Apples In Stereo are, quite frankly, the best pop band in the world right now, no exaggeration." How's that for a recommendation? This is the happiest music ever! You cannot be in a bad mood while listening to The Apples In Stereo.

The Boyish Charms - The Secret Recordings cass. (self-released)
This is what I love about the pop underground! This is sappy boys and their guitars, 21 songs and I like them all, more and less. It's great in that bedroom-pop way; the rhymes are awkwardly clever, and that just makes it more lovable. My favorite songs are "Destined," which has the most awesome Beat Happening-style percussion and is always in my head now, "Disaster," which jangles like nobody's business, and "Sociopathetic," which has some crazy harmonizing and is apparently the hit. This is fun and rad and it makes me want to play my guitar and be in a band and make tapes and everything like that. This is what I love about the music I listen to - the creativity, the way everyone can go ahead and do-it-themselves. The handmade covers!

Boyracer - The Rhythm of The Chicken Shake 7" (Jigsaw)
This is the lounge version of Boyracer. This makes my mouth drop open in surprise. Why are there people oinking on this record? I didn't realize "Your Unspoken Desires" could sound like this. Wow. I didn't even think I liked lounge music.

Chisel - "Sunburn" +2 7" (Gern Blandsten)
Why is this 7" called "Sunburn"? "Sunburn" is the b-side. Whatever. "The O.T.S." is my favorite Chisel song so far, but I don't know too many Chisel songs. These songs are less fast/bouncy than that song. Except for "Little Gidding." In "3 O'clock High," my man Ted Leo sounds all angsty, as Sandi pointed out to me, especially when he sings the line, "Jesus, come on down and kiss me on the lips/ I need to taste your spit." Freak me out, baby. Check out this band, they're supercool.

The Crabs - Brainwashed LP ( K )
I wish this LP was longer. Is it just me or do The Crabs get better and better with age? This LP is so superb. Unlike Jackpot, the songs on this 12" are pretty varied; sometimes they rock out, sometimes they're sad and slow, and one is all spacey and echoey. Crazy! I absolutely love "Speechless" - "all the kids are stupid fucks." There's a new version of "Jean-Paul Sartre,"but I like the one on the Extended Vacation comp. better - Lisa's vocals sound so far away and tinny on this new one. The Crabs smile when they sing - if you can go and see them play, do it!

Elliott Smith - "Speed Trials" +2 7" (Kill Rock Stars)
This is a beautiful record. It's Elliott's wonderful voice and lulling guitar recorded with a very bedroomy feel. The emotion in Elliott's voice makes me stop what I'm doing and close my eyes. This music is so moving in the most honest and innocent way. The songs have his standard subtle humorous feel: "I can sit wondering what in the world you think about I don't think I'm ever gonna figure it out." If this 7" is any indication of how great his new stuff will be, the new album is going to be the best of the year. Playing this made me go back and listen to the last CD and now I can't stop. Everyone loves Elliott! Even my mom. Especially my mom. Except she doesn't like how he has his voice on two tracks and harmonizes with himself. "yeah yeah i know."

Heber Binary Project cassette (self-released)
This rocks out! Eight songs. Cam's voice reminds me of something, but I can't think of what. It's charmingly punky. My favorite song is "Tangelo Heaven," which starts off sounding sort of spooky and then getting louder and crazier. I can't describe this very well for some reason. It makes think of being in a fast car going to visit a friend I haven't seen for a long time. Woo, their drummer knows how to make my toes tap. Play this in your car and get arrested for speeding.

JALE - So Wound CD (Sub Pop)
Okay, I had JALE's Dreamcake CD, and I thought it was so boring (with the exception of maybe "Not Happy'") that I sold it. So now I've got this one. I put it on expecting to be bored, so my opinion is probably biased. I still think they can be pretty boring. But wait! I noticed moments of catchiness and moments of cuteness. Mostly this is cool-sounding background music for if it's too quiet in my room (ha! Like that ever happens!). I was giving it another chance this morning, and I noticed some of the lyrics were embarrassingly stupid ("I'm thinking of how beautiful your eyes are" -yuk). A lot of people like JALE, and if you're one of them, I'm sure this CD won't disappoint. It's the most beautiful packaging I've ever ever seen, so I'm going to keep it forever at least to look at. I like the song "Drag."

Lois - Infinity Plus LP ( K )
The opening song, sung with Elliott Smith, is the most beautiful thing ever. This LP impresses me; I like it more than Bet the Sky. There's a good ratio of bouncy songs to quiet, reflective songs. The drumming and guitar-playing sound more like Butterfly Kiss-era Lois. I like the candy necklace reference. This may be my favorite Lois album in the history of the world! Mom says: "Is this Lois again? Why can't you always listen to people with nice voices like this?"

Modest Mouse - This Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About 2XLP (Up) Wow, this is a lot of music - 87 minutes. I've seen Modest Mouse quite a few times, as they're from Issaquah, which is very near to Seattle. They played with a lot of my favorite bands at the Velvet Elvis (one of the only all-ages places). Their most outstanding feature seemed to be their overwhelming cuteness, in that bring-home-to-mother way. But hey! The music is outstanding as well. The songs are longer than the usual attention span deficit songs I've come to expect from nearly everyone. Sometimes this makes me think of The Pixies, if only for the crazed high-pitched tone Isaac gets sometimes, and the wild repetition of seemingly random phrases. I love his lisping vocals! The packaging is superb. Oh yeah, Calvin Johnson groans on one of these songs, the one about a "surf rock man." I love this.

The Mountain Goats
are musical geniuses. I'd heard a few Mountain Goats songs and thought they were pretty good, but once I heard Nine Black Poppies, I was hooked. Why are they so great? Why are there so many releases? Why do I have so few of them? If anyone wants to help me out by sending me Mountain Goats music, I promise I will love you forever. Everyone loves the Mountain Goats if they give them half a chance. My favorite songs are "Deianara Crush" and "Going to Utrecht" and "Alpha Negative" and "Prana Ferox." My mom says they're "nice, kind of folky." My dad says, "since when do you listen to hillbilly music?" IT'S NOT HILLBILLY MUSIC, BUCKO! Philistines. Ha ha ha ha ha

Peatmos - "Earl Grey Tea" 7" (Sonorama)
This is sweet Japanese pop. It's sort of slow and wistful, and the female vocals are so soft and pleasant. Relaxing, but not boring.

PO! - Ducks and Drakes CD (Rutland)
This isn't very new, but it's new to me and I love it. PO! are from England and are the sweetest jangly girl pop ever. I think if they were from Olympia or Arlington or some other pop spawning ground they'd be indie popstars already. The CD has 22 songs and is nearly 70 minutes long. Beautiful song writing; sugar-sweet lyrics - do The Softies listen to PO!? I'm sure they do. Actually I think I remember Jen Softie writing about PO! in her zine Sparkly Kitty Stickers (RIP). I promise it's worth the effort of writing to England for this. If you can find it in the record store, you're in luck! Get it!

PO! "Northern Wonder" 7" (Rutland)
This is like the CD, but slower and sadder. Very very pretty.

The Push Kings - "Macy Macy" 7" (Sealed Fate)
This is the best pop song. Apparently they have a CD now, but I can't afford it. "Let it ROCK!" I wore out the this song on the mix tape I first heard it on.

The Secret Stars - The Secret Stars CD (Shrimper)
This is understated guitar beauty. Geoff and Jodi trade off vocals, alternating between mournful rainy songs and fast jittery numbers. Bedroom ballads that aren't love songs. I want it to rain so I can play this CD and feel perfect. This rocks the house in the quietest way possible. I like this more each time I listen to it. "Whispered, so you can 'hear'." UPDATE: This is the coolest thing in the world! Rad! Rad! Rad! It's never far from my CD player nowadays. I love "Andy and Girls."

The Secret Stars - "RPMs/Nightingale" 7" (Atlas) This is the first use I've had for my four years of French. I could've flipped right past this baby. For those of you who did something dumb, like took Spanish, "Les Etoiles Secretes" is what you're looking for. A boy side and a girl side. Geoff's song is all slow and draggy and wonderful. Jodi enlists some help yelling on her side. Oh wow it's so good.

Spent - Umbrella Wars CD EP (Merge)
"Umbrella Wars" is from their new album, "Unwrapped, Ungiven" is from the Follow The Bouncing Ball comp. and the other two are unique to this CD. Their sound alternates between mellow and loud. I like the loud ones better, but sometimes the mellow ones are just perfect. The lyrics are clever and Spent feels like a band that really knows what it's doing.

Spent - A Seat Beneath The Chairs CD (Merge)
Totally appealing girl/boy vocals; sometimes they trade off and sometimes they harmonize and I can't decide which I like more. Some of this is more mellow than necessary, but overall it's awesome. It's one of those things that grows on you. People come in the room and say, "Oh, what's this? It's nice." And the lyrics! "If you and I were wine, I'd drink us all the time/ wouldn't you?" My favorite songs are "The Quarter Conspiracy" and "Stumble Up The Stairs."

Sukpatch - "Ides" 7" (Motorway)
This cost too much 'cause it's from Japan, but it's worth it! The A-side has the beats. Dancier than the Slabco 7", but with the same lazy vocals. Oh I want their LP so so bad.

Suretoss - "Like the Sun" 7" (Jigsaw)
I like Suretoss. It's sort of hectic and noisy and Chris has this awesome bratty voice. This record makes me think I should see them live, 'cause it makes me feel like I should be in motion. Maybe I should tape it and play it in the car. yay! Tom says it's pop played like a rock song. And that's a good thing.

Double Agent 1980 comp. CD (Double Agent)
Eek! This rules! It's my favorite indiepop bands doing 80's covers. How do the Push Kings do such a good job of sounding exactly like Duran Duran? Why is the #Poundsign# song so perfect? Why are the Bunnygrunt vocals on "Holiday Road" so charmingly spazzy? Why have I typed the word "spazzy" about 22 times on this page? Who knows. The My Favorite song is way too long and the lyrics are too retarded. I usually skip it. But I never skip The Softies doing that radical Rick Astley cover. Wow! Holiday do the Go -Gos' classic number, "Vacation," and Tullycraft pair up with IFOJ to do a crazy Thompson Twins cover, where every member of both bands is playing something or another. And the msytery bonus track where Peter succeeds in sounding much like everyone's hero, Lou Barlow is rad. Oh yeah, the Class song makes me swoon with joy (any song about undressing does that to me, but this one's boss! It's so sweet. My mom's asked me twice who does it. That means she likes it) Tom laughs at me and says it's about not undressing. Fine then. It'd be better if it was about undressing. This is so good. You won't even know until you go get it. Yay!