An early Tuesday thread. The past week included exactly 2 discs, both comps.

The first thing is CRSV10, which, IMO is a great, great comp and reminds me why I like hanging out here.

I wrote some thoughts early on after a few cold listens without the track listing. Here they are:

Architecture In Helsinki - Do The Whirlwind
I'm generally a guitar guy, but this is great. Very creative without being trite. Very enjoyable song.

Valina - Ship To Escape
I love this. Kind of Albini-y. A little mathy, a little noisy, kinda pretty. All in spots.

Bloc Party - This Modern Love
I've heard this one. Good stuff, though not my favorite song of theirs.

Rheostatics - The Tarleks
Cool song. I'm reminded of the episode of WKRP where the "Real Families" TV show follows the Tarlek family. Herb started out so excited about the venture, but then a series of comic mishaps ensue. Like Herb and the family going to church on sunday, but he can't seem to find it. Oh, I laughed and laughed...

Spoon - Two Sides/Monsieur Valentine
This song is cool in more ways than I can count. Freakin' greatness.

Beck - Scarecrow
I've heard this one as well. Very nice song from one of my favorite artists.

Mike Keneally & Metropole Orkest - Worrywart Spoonguy
By all rights I should hate this song, but instead I dig it. There are several sections of it that I love. When the xylophone, retro-sounding hammond and what sounds like a banjo are going and there are the bursts of alto sax. Very cool. And that ending...

Modest Mouse - Bukowski
When this song starts, I can't help but go "Wow!!" Love that start. Almost cooler than the start of that cockroach song. The rest of the song ain't half bad either. It's been rattlin' around in the old noggin off and on for the past few days.

Andrew Bird - Skin Is, My
Holy moly, what a lovely sound indeed. Pushes all of the right buttons for me. This one is just great. Really, really great. Everything about this song is right, it's got a laid back sort of cool vibe, it goes seriously off-kilter at times, it even rocks a little bit.

The Frames - Suffer In Silence
This is one of those songs I just love where there's so much more going on than is apparent on the first few listens. The chorus just keeps finding it's way into my head.

Mofro - The Wrong Side
Sorta swampy, blue-eyed soul thing. I like it.

The Blue Van - I Want You
The Kinks, I Need You. Talk about daylight robbery. Fine by me.

Secret Machines - Nowhere Again
Another one I've heard that I like a lot, these guys are good.

The Mars Volta - Umbilical Syllables
Sounds like one of the At the Drive-In dudes. I like this one a lot.

Bobby Bare Jr. - Strange Bird
My contribution. Cool little tune.

John Doe & Grant-Lee Phillips - Twin Brother
I like this song more and more with each listen. John Doe and ?, great subdued harmony, nice use of the electric guitar to fill some of the space. I like the lyrics.

John Doe & Neko Case - Hwy 5
Another wower. My favorite song on the comp right now. I hear X. They're one of the more pivotal bands in my musical life, and this one really reminds me why. [I can't believe I didn't peg Neko Case, she's such a favorite of mine.]

Antelope - Wen Ho Lee
Man, ya'll are good. Stuttering lead, call-response vocals, cold, circular; bass really weird, cool though. It drives the song.

13 & God - Perfect Speed
hmmm, this is an interesting tune; the beat is sort of krautrock-y, hip hop-y, i don't know. It's got the forcefulness of an Albini production, but it's odd. Acoustitronic thing reminds me of Granddaddy or maybe Notwist. I'm at a loss, must hear more.

The Coach & Four - In Transit
Start w/ some laid back cool guitar, builds a little intensity, gets a little messy, though not really into noise territory, singer sounds like Doug Martsch. Cool song, Built to Spill meets SY.

The other thing is an ersatz "Stuck in the 80's, Vol: ?" comp of my own devising. I stuck Davey with an unsolicited copy, and after I iron out one or two kinks I'll probably offer it up to whoever might want a copy. Here's the current track list:

XTC - Towers of London
The Feelies - The Boy With the Perpetual Nervousness
Young Marble Giants - Credit in the Straight World
Joy Division - Dead Souls
Gang of Four - What We All Want
Gun Club - Sex Beat
X - White Girl
Mission of Burma - Einstein's Day
The Fall - Cruiser's Creek
the Smithereens - Blood and Roses
Throwing Muses - Call Me
Yo La Tengo - The Forest Green
Thin White Rope - Take It Home
Eleventh Dream Day - Coercion
Beat Happening - Midnight A Go-Go
Sonic Youth - Hey Joni
Social Distortion - It's the Law
Eleventh Dream Day - Testify
The Pixies - Dead

John