Thursday Music Roundup

One of my goals with this blog is to write more about music, something that I am very passionate about. It consumes my day, reading, listening, crying myself to sleep? The internet is highly over saturated with tons of new bands, it can get exhausting. That’s why I’m only going to write briefly about music that I like, not review stuff that I don’t. There’s a million other sites for that and they do it way better than me. This thursday: A Place to Bury Strangers, Washed Out, Pajo, The xx, Atlas Sound, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and OB4CL2. Check them out after the jump.

A Place to Bury Strangers – Exploding Head

Nothing got me more excited than a new release by “The loudest band in New York” aka APTBS. This album has been in my heavy rotation for the past few weeks. It’s a great listen all the way through as a complete work. Exploding Head shows a band that’s maturing while maintaining the noise and distortion-filled shoegaze elements that I loved from their first, self titled LP. Seriously, listening to ‘Ego Death’ as it builds gives me chills, it’s a classic song. Exploding Head will be released on Mute, October 6, 2009. I already have my ticket to see them in October, you have to see this band live!

Washed Out – Life of Leisure EP

Another new EP I’ve been listening to a lot at work lately is Washed Out’s Life of Leisure. Washed Out blends a lot of strong influences together into a sunny pool of lo-fi, glowing, pool-side synth pop. Easy on the ears, goes great with rooftops and makeouts haha. Purchase the album here.

The xx – xx

The xx, hailing from the UK, appeared in a flash of awesomeness, determined to enchant everyone in their path. I would put money down that this band’s ultimate goal is to make us all love each other, something the likes of Mary Ann’s minotaur love dance in disguise. What originally turned me on to The xx was this cover they did of Aaliah’s Hot Like Fire. Listen to that, if it doesn’t prove my previous point about the love stuff I don’t know what will. Purchase the album here

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Higher Than the Stars EP

I know Jay Reatard doesn’t agree with me, but I’m soooo down for some Pains of Being Pure at Heart. To be honest this band had me with their name before I even heard them. It comes from an unpublished children’s story by Charles Augustus Steen III. Luckily they are a great band too. I still love you Jay Reatard, let’s agree to disagree. If you don’t have their self-titled LP you can start with that and get it here. Higher Than the Stars will be released September 22 on Slumberland + Fortuna Pop.

Pajo – Scream With Me

I’ve long been a fan of David Pajo (aka Ariel M among other monikers). He’s contributed to such great bands like Tortoise, Sterolab and Zwan. Scream With Me is his album of Misfits covers and it blew me away. The main takeaway from an album like this done with such singer/songwriter simplicity is how much focus it puts on the genius lyrics of the Misfits. I’ve been a Misfits fan all my life and can’t believe the impact Pajo was able to give the lyrics. The standout track has to be Bullets, the lyrics work well on their own:

Arise jackie o, jonathon of kennedy
Well, arise and be shot down
The dirts gonna be your dessert
My cum be your life source
And the only way to get it
Is to suck or fuck
Or be poor and devoid
And masturbate me, masturbate me
Then slurp it from your palm
Like a dry desert soaking up rain
Soaking up sun
Like a dry desert soaking up rain
Soaking up sun

wow!

Atlas Sound – Logos

Already wrote waaayyy too much about this album in a previous post. Read my blog more? Still have mad man-love for Deerhunter/Atlas Sound. Unless Bradford comes out with a yodeling Christmas album not much can comes between us. Oh yeah, there’s songs with Noah Lennox (Panda Bear) and Laetitia Sadier (Stereolab)… peace. Logos comes out October 20, 2009.

Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, Pt. 2

It’s been a long time since an album’s release made me this happy. Raekwon made my favorite hip-hop album of all time, the original OB4CL. In my eyes it was a perfect masterpiece, every song in perfect unison with the next. Lyrics, production, interludes? This album picks up right where the first left off and instead of remaining on the same playing field it hits it out of the park. The production on this album alone is a who’s who of some of the best beat makers ever. I had heard there was J Dilla involvement with this album but after hearing 10 Bricks the collaboration came to life, and it’s a beautiful thing. Check out the list of producers here. Raekwon is a hero and a legend of hip-hop who consistently has made some of the most relevent full albums of any other MC. Oh yeah, and he’s number one on iTunes right now ahead of The Blueprint III, yeah!