Pixies were the deal - gouge away in '91

[Davey]

Didn't we all fall a little for Kim back in the day? Who would you say is the '00 version of the Pixies? Popular, but still kind of underground and edgy? Seems like rock music is a little dumber today, not as sophisticated. Not that the Pixies were that deep, but at least you could wonder some about what some of the songs mean. Like, is 7 just a rhyme with heaven, or does it mean more? Why is man 5? Why a monkey? Am I a monkey? Will l go to heaven? I think that's one of the reasons TV On The Radio has been getting so much acclaim in recent times, they revisit some of that Pixies sophistcated angst, the touch of socio-political awareness that surfaces from time to time, and they get kind of noisy too, but with their own style.

But check it out - Frankie has hair

[Swish]

Didn't we all fall a little for Kim back in the day? Who would you say is the '00 version of the Pixies? Popular, but still kind of underground and edgy? Seems like rock music is a little dumber today, not as sophisticated. Not that the Pixies were that deep, but at least you could wonder some about what some of the songs mean. Like, is 7 just a rhyme with heaven, or does it mean more? Why is man 5? Why a monkey? Am I a monkey? Will l go to heaven? I think that's one of the reasons TV On The Radio has been getting so much acclaim in recent times, they revisit some of that Pixies sophistcated angst, the touch of socio-political awareness that surfaces from time to time, and they get kind of noisy too, but with their own style.

But check it out - Frankie has hair

Their new cd is "chock full" of witty lyrics such as "The hipsters mean-muggin' on me all night long" and "Her daddy's a lawyer, and mine's not around. She has good manners, I'm rough all around", plus "Take a look at my life, all black. Take a look at my clothes, all black". Toss in some artificial teen-aged angst that probably comes from having lots of cash and hanging out with the likes of such bad-assed chicks like Hillary Duff and Nicole Richie, and you have a natural incubator for great song-writing.

Maybe Fall Out Boy would be another great choice?

Swish

[Davey]

Maybe Fall Out Boy would be another great choice?

Yea, knew I could count on your perceptibility of the obvious. How could I have forgotten about Fall Out Boy? Sheesh! One of my favorites, too!

[Rae]

Seems like rock music is a little dumber today, not as sophisticated. Not that the Pixies were that deep, but at least you could wonder some about what some of the songs mean.

Yeah, how many college kids have gone out and rented Un Chien Andalou because of "Debaser"? ;-)

You're dead on about TV on the Radio and I hard-pressed to think of any other current bands that fit yr challenge so neatly, but I think there's still a healthy experimental movement in rock. The Liars immediately leap to mind as another band that rocks in a pretty inaccessible way... or really, now that it occurs to me, how about Modest Mouse? I don't mean "Float On," but they can get into some strange sonic territory and Isaac Brock's lyrics will never be accused of being overly direct...

~Rae

[Davey]

... or really, now that it occurs to me, how about Modest Mouse? I don't mean "Float On," but they can get into some strange sonic territory and Isaac Brock's lyrics will never be accused of being overly direct...

~Rae

Yeah, although I tend to think of Modest Mouse as a 90s band, and the Pixies were probably their main influence, along with a bit of Talking Heads and some other rhythmic quirkiness. Pixies were such a great guitar band, though. Modest Mouse, though I do often love em, just doesn't rock very hard, at least not very often. But good pick, probably close as anyone, though MM is getting to be kind of safe and inoffensive when compared to something like Surfer Rosa or Doolittle, even accounting for the time-shift. Not only that, but the Pixies could really knock the cobwebs off a joint like in that gouge away video.

Early on I thought maybe Idlewild or some of those other hot young Brit bands (recently the Libertines and Bloc Party) could take it there, but they all seem to mellow out, and play it safe, and dumb it up (or self-destruct like our Pixies loving D-Plan) as soon as they start to get attention. Too much industry pressure these days I imagine, even if you aren't directly controlled by the industry. Enon had some moments, but never threatened to break through to a bigger audience. Don't you get the feel that the music world is just about ready for another Smells Like Teen Spirit? Something to put the shame back into crappy bands like Panic! at the Disco and Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance

[Slosh]

Les Savy Fav carries on in the Pixies-esque tradition me thinks without dumbing down their sound.

Off topic but where the hell is that new Wayne Robbins and the Hellsayers album? I'm waiting . . .

Off topic again but I just found a mint condition Harman/Kardon 3270 stereo receiver at a thrift shop for $25! I see this thing sold new for $300. I'm using it in my garage for now but will give it to my daughter when she goes off to college in the fall of '09 (paired with some nice-sounding $22 thrift shop Mission standmount speakers). Pretty nice receiver with a real phono stage, true pre-out/main ins, two tape loops, a decent amp and even sub outputs. Missing the remote though but who cares? It'll most likely be connected to a laptop and an iPod when she uses it and I'm sure any $10 aftermarket remote will have the codes.

NP:

[Davey]

Les Savy Fav carries on in the Pixies-esque tradition me thinks without dumbing down their sound.

Off topic but where the hell is that new Wayne Robbins and the Hellsayers album? I'm waiting . . .

Yea, sure, but only about 100 people even know who that band with the crazy semi-naked fat guy is. Thousands of little known indie bands sound kind of like the Pixies, I was just trying to think of one that has made it to a wider audience. Seems like most bands today kind of pigeon-hole themselves to just a narrow sound. How often do you hear a clever little band like the Shins erupt into a wall of feedback-drenched guitar noise? Almost never.

Me wants some Hellsayers too. All I've seen reported is that "All You Need To Sleep" will be released this summer.

Also been listening to some of the new Electrelane, very cool stuff. Still a month away, No Shouts No Calls. Had to call off the European tour when the singer for Arcade Fire went ill, but five songs playing at their site ... check out the mostly instrumental "Between The Wolf And The Dog", or the catchy single "To The East", or my favorite "After The Call"

http://www.electrelane.com/tourblog/#player


Or for a much better sounding version of After the Call (7.2MB @ 320K) ... http://www.harmoniummusic.com/share/...terthecall.mp3

also another cool one called Cut and Run ...
http://www.harmoniummusic.com/share/...-cutandrun.mp3

[Slosh]

Yea, sure, but only about 100 people even know who that band with the crazy semi-naked fat guy is. Thousands of little known indie bands sound kind of like the Pixies, I was just trying to think of one that has made it to a wider audience.

And you went with TV on the Radio Well, obviously those 100 Les Savy Fav fans are way cooler than those 100 TVOTR fans And don't try to get cutesy by throwing The Shins in there. I counterpoint with Spoon (who are much, much more Pixies-esque, and better than The Pixies ever were to boot). So there!

NP:

[Whooptee]

"Les Breastfeeders". It doesn't look like it embedded right to me, but since you saw it, I guess it's ok?

Here's the link in case:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZncxdMbw-o

John

[Davey]

"Les Breastfeeders". It doesn't look like it embedded right to me, but since you saw it, I guess it's ok?

Great stuff! Long time, good to see you around John. Thought maybe a Kim Deal post would get your attention