Transmissions from the Planet Known as SXSW

Aka Austin. Now a corporate far cry from a sub-200 lb Daniel Johnston caught by MTV, SXSW now showcases bands as a vehicle not for labels to make money, but for those bands and their management to secure overseas tour deals and other distro options. Today’s NYTimes piece sums it up perfectly. We can also […]

No, I’m not Dead

Just working too hard. Here’s a quick lowdown: Love of Diagrams: One listen to their forthcoming Mosaic and you know overrated is an overrated assessment. Prolapse did this years ago, and I didn’t snooze. The Ponys: Turn the Lights Out isn’t the brand new groundbreaker Matador wants you to believe it is; someone already made […]

The Losers’ Bracket: 2006

The metaphor says: some albums, knocked out of the CYO playoffs, then play each other for the consolation trophy. Everyone has ice cream, dodges the molesting priest/coach, and goes home happy. Meaning —Of all those albums that won’t show up on anyone’s best of lists, these are the best. Got that? okay: Kid Koala – […]

2006: My List Bitchslaps Your List

End of the year lists, like indie rock bands, all begin to look the same. Of course, that doesn’t stop me, but I’ll try not to add to all the hot air these lists spur from bloggers and critics and OCD listmakers. Why write a new paragraph just as overwritten as the one you dropped […]

Bogged Down by the Future

Yeah, I have a 2006 best-of, but I’m waylaid by already being far into the stuff of 2007. Dig: Deerhoof – The Perfect Me This from their swell and nifty and keen Jan 07 release-to-be Friend Opportunity. The cd art is all it’s said to be, by the way. Making a best-of list sucks, because […]