Thepunkguy

this is me. almost…

a. Members of Menomena’s new band Ramona Falls has a new video over at TMS HERE>

b. Read a film review of the new Mark Romanek film Never Let You Go HERE.

c. A Danzig pumpkin along with Danzig tour dates HERE.

d. Some costume ideas for Halloween HERE.

e. Chuck Biscuits is not DEAD! I repeat NOT DEAD!

so here I am contributing to the Albums of the Decade Blog Tour… Brought to you by: DECKFIGHT!

This was kind of a difficult list for me put together. Usually I am pretty opinionated about my taste and what albums I love, but it’s a little difficult to put a list together of ONLY 10 albums that I have loved over the last 10 years.

Just to give you an idea, I went through my Itunes, picking and choosing, and I originally came up with 23 albums. Damn I wish we were doing the top 23 albums over the last 10 years.

Anyway, I don’t really think these are in any order besides maybe the top 3 but they still could be switched around a bit I think.

HERE WE GO!!

10. 31knots – Talk like Blood (Polyvinyl Records, 2005) – Myspace HERE.

I will never understand why this band does not get more recognition. This is literally what 90′s indie midwestern (braid, christie front drive, ordination of aaron, etc..) would sound like if it continued to progess. Their music is complicated and interesting for a 3 piece. Imagine At the Drive-in meets the year 2005 (without the prog). If that’s possible..

Stand out tracks – Talk Like Blood, Hearsay, Chain Reaction

song – Welcome to Stop (Click HERE.)

video –

9. Beirut – Gulag Orkestar (Ba Da Bing Records, 2006) – WEBSITE HERE.

I mean most of you know how this record sounds and why this one is important but let me reiterate… This record probably singlehandedly allowed indie music to be anything. I remember buying this record at Other Music and it read, “the Best Record from 1896″.. This record was done by a then, 18 year old Zach Condon, living in his basement in New Mexico. It’s a great record that sounds like a russian wedding meets the magnetic fields. I can’t remember hearing anything else sounding like this, before this record.

Stand out tracks – Postcards from italy, the Canals of our City, After the Curtain

Video –

8. the Decemberists – Her Majesty, the Decemberists! (Kill Rock Stars, 2003). WEBSITE HERE.

You can ask most people I know and they will tell you that I don’t really care about lyrics and vocals unless it’s hip hop or singer songwriters.. The record was one of the first indie records that made me re-care about vocals and lyrics. Her Majesty was the exact right mixture of drama, literary references and melody I have always been interested in hearing in a recording. There is something so uniquely different in the way that the Decemberists write their material that it’s impossible to ignore. I can even remember, getting choked up hearing Red Right Ankle for the first time.

Stand out tracks – Shanty For The Arethusa, Red Right Ankle, The Gymnast, High Above the Ground

video –

7. Sage Francis – Personal Journals (Anticon Records, 2002) WEBSITE HERE.

This record, literally, made me believe in Hip Hop again. When I moved back to NYC from college, I was really bored with all the hip hop that was coming out. I just wanted good lyrics, interesting point of views and anything, anything new.. Sage was it. He is usually bitter, always Straight Edge and 100 % honest, even when it’s not a popular opinion. I remember listening to him and wishing that all the rest of the hip hop world could hear this record …

Sample Lyrics “I may be getting too big for my britches / but I paid my dues when the cost was climbing. If I burn too many bridges I’ll never get off of this awful island / As long as I’ve been rhyming, they only started listening. Because for a while they didn’t like how / I wouldn’t smoke the pot that I was pissin’ in” Damn!

Stand out tracks – Message Sent, Different, Black Sweatshirt, Crack Pipes, Broken Wings

Video –

6. Rosetta – Wake / Lift (Level Plane Records, 2008) WEBSITE HERE.

This band, changed my taste in music over the last 2 years. Metal with the vocals far back in the mix, creating a beautiful atmospheric noise. Amazing music to walk around new york city to. Because of this record, I started listening to other bands like Russian Circles, Om, Pelican, Earth, etc.. The best and heaviest, non threatening metal record ever made.. This is the perfect record to be put to cinema.

Stand Out tracks – all of them that aren’t just weird atmospheric noise.

song – Rosetta – Lift Part 3

video –

5. Radiohead – In Rainbows (self released, 2008) WEBSITE HERE .

So when this album first was released, I was OK with it. I mean I liked it but I wasn’t entirely blown away by it. It wasn’t till earlier this year that this record really hit me. I am not sure what it was. I just love it now. I mean we have all heard it before, “Thom sounds like no one else.” “The band is always progressing.” but just something about THIS record really fucking makes me happy / sad at the same time. I mean it’s no OK Computer (’97) or the Bends (’95) but for me it’s a close third.

Stand Out tracks – Jigsaw, 4 Minute Warning, Videotape

video –

4. Bon – Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago (jagjaguwar records, 2008) WEBSITE HERE.

Like I even need to write about this album. Anyone who reads this site knows how much I love this album. if you like nature based pretty ethereal music with a bluesy voice, this ones for you.

Stand out tracks – the whole record.

song – Bon Iver – The Wolves (ACT I & II) (Live on NPR)

video –

3. At the Drive-in – Relationship of Command (Grand Royal Records, 2000)

yeah so… once again, this might be number 3 or maybe number 2 or back when it came out it would have been number 1 for like 5 years straight. This is my favorite band of all time. Period. The best live band I ever saw, the most energy and probably the band that I saw the most. This record was a step away from In/Casino/Out, it was more aggressive, more experimental and definitely more forward moving. I still think that Cedric is one of my favorite rock singers of all time. No one, no one screams like him! Anyway, I am just waiting for the reunion, I’ll go see every date. Swear.

Stand out tracks – all of them except for the one with Iggy Pop.

videos –

2. EL P – I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead (definitive jux records, 2007), WEBSITE HERE.

I still to this day listen to a track off of this record maybe once or twice a week. When I am 50 I will remember this album and how it reminded me of living in NYC. Below is my original review.

“Living in New York City means finding the perfect soundtrack to walking around the city. Never, in all of my ten years of living here, have I ever found a cd that felt so fitting to walk around New York to. It’s intricate, it’s hip hop, it complicated and it’s hard as fuck. I mean this record has everything for me. I really do love it and it makes New York fit just right.”

Stand out tracks – Every song except that weird one about falling in love with replicant on a spaceship.

video –

1. Sufjan Stevens – Seven Swans (Asthmatic Kitty Records, 2004 ) WEBSITE HERE>

We all know that I am a huge Elliott Smith fan and sometime in 2004 months after Elliott died, I started listening to the Sufjan Stevens (pronounced Soof yan). Now I am not about to say that Sufjan replaced Elliott for me but he was handed the singer songwriter torch for me. Sufjan’s voice is angelic, his music intricate and his instrumentation just straight out strange. However, this beautiful record pretty much renewed my love of the singer songwriter genre. I honestly don’t care that the record has an obvious Christian overtone, and that’s saying a lot for me. It’s lovely and amazing just the way a personal record should be.

Stand out tracks – every song (except for the first half of Sister cause I could never fall asleep to that song cause it gets so damned loud)

videos – (sorry about the long drawn out story this one starts out with, he likes to make shit up live… start it at 3:10)

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Two Gallants – What the Toll Tells, … And You Will Know Us By the Trail Of Dead – Source Codes and Tags, Black Keys – The Big Come Up, Hot Snakes – Suicide Invoice, Cursive – Ugly Organ, Menomena – I am the Fun Blame Monster, Ass – My Got Up and Go Just Got up and Went, Q and Not U – Power, Russian Circles – Station, Pelican – Australiasia, Om – Pilgrimage, Horse Feathers – House with no Name, the Black Angels – Directions to See a Ghost, the Gaslight Anthem – the ’59 Sound.

Please check out the rest of the blogs that are contributing to this TOUR HERE.

links for the day..

a. Lomography has a new HOlGA that does 35 mm, read about it HERE>

b. a very cool bootleg of Mix Masters set at Luna Lounge in SF in 2004 HERE.

c. Frank Turner on Shockhound..

d. the Most Epic Treehouse ever BUILT!

e. Shepherd Fairy will be in Time Square producing art live HERE>

f. Any ART fan should check out this live auction from Juxtapoz HERE>

Blog number 9 in the Albums of the Decade Blog tour (READ HERE)

Yesterdays was HERE.
Todays is HERE.

And the 29th will be here at thepunkguy. Make sure you look, link and read.

Thanks.
tpg

a. Vice features “Copy Sluts” HERE> I’d say, not suitable for work.

b. Vice is having a huge Halloween party that costed them like 250k from what I understand HERE.

c. Coalesce and a bunch of other amazing metal bands are playing NYC around New Years HERE/

d. new Puscifer (Maynard’s other side project) has a new video below…

e. I live for stories like THIS ONE.

f. I love this shit too… below..

a. a not so good parking job..

b. Pete Holmes and Matt McCarthy are very funny..

“with Science!!” so funny.

c. the Canon G 11 is let loose. HERE> Will someone once buy me something I ask for??

d. Jonathan Lethem does a short story for the New Yorker HERE..

e. check out this online sneaker shop HERE>

Walter Schreifels, Quicksand, Rival Schools and Gorilla Biscuits fame, performs a Quicksand and Civ song during CMJ 2009 from Brooklyn (featuring comedian and guitarist Dave Hill). Not sure if these are considered covers since he wrote both of these songs… (Don’t gotta prove it is just a clip and not the full song)

Video shot by Yancy Evans for thepunkguy dot com.

Walter Schreifels Band LIVE – Thorn in My Side, CMJ 2009 from thepunkguy on Vimeo.

Walter Schreifels Band live, Don’t Gotta Prove it (CIV) , CMJ 2009 from thepunkguy on Vimeo.

enjoy…

Two nights ago, I went to see Jonah Matranga at the Gershwin Hotel. It was a neat venue and as usual, Jonah was great.

He has a new 7 inch coming out. read the press bulletin below.

KEVIN SECONDS AND JONAH MATRANGA DO IT ON THE CANADIAN BLACKTOP!

October 8th 2009 (Welland, Ontario, Canada)

Jonah Matranga and Kevin Seconds will be releasing a split 7 inch vinyl through Canada’s Blacktop Records on
Tuesday, December 22 2009. The vinyl will feature four brand new previously unreleased songs including “I’ve always wanted to write a song commanding people to (dance!)” and “Daylight” by Matranga and “Grip Yr Own” and “Life> Unknown” by Seconds. Aside from the recordings Kevin Seconds also designed the artwork with additional layout by Welland, Ontario based graphic designer Jillian Grenier. The limited pressing of 1000 hand-numbered copies will be available to purchase in Canada at all records shops through F>A>B>
Distribution. It will also be available online at various online outlets including the official Blacktop Records webstore at blacktoprecords.ca and interpunk.com.

After 15 releases on Blacktop Records this is the first to be pressed on vinyl. This split also marks Kevin Seconds first project with the label and Jonah Matranga’s second. In September 2007 the Canadian based record label released Jonah Matranga’s full length debut titled And. Ben Andress, owner of Blacktop Records, approached Kevin Seconds in late 2008 about the idea of doing a split with Jonah Matranga. “I knew it wasn’t going to be difficult getting them involved in this project knowing how well they have worked together in the past.” Matranga released a cassette tape under the name Onelinedrawing on Kevin Seconds’ Pop Rockit Records.

Kevin Seconds, known for his role as the front man of the highly influential hardcore punk band 7seconds, has released various splits in the past and has plans to release more with such artists as Mike Hall, Mike Scott and Kepi from the Groovie Ghoulies. When he’s not making music he’s hosting a weekly hour-long show called “Pay To Strum with Kevin Seconds” on the Canadian based punkradiocast.com.

Jonah Matranga, known for his role as the front man of the band Far, is also no stranger to releasing split vinyl. In 2006 Matranga released a split with the UK’s Frank Turner as well under the name Onelinedrawing, Jonah has also recorded splits with Rival Schools and Sense Field. Aside from his solo material Matranga has recently reformed the band Far and just finished an album for Vagrant Records.

Both Kevin Seconds and Jonah Matranga plan on playing shows together to support
this release.

a. Can you See the Sunset does their favorite albums of the decade HERE. I see at least one of mine in there, can you guess which one??

b. Craig Finn is adapting Chuck Klosterman’s last book for a movie HERE> Sounds good to me.

c. I am kinda into these sneakers HERE>

d. I am buying these SNEAKERS very soon.

e. So david cross did coke right next to Obama, HERE> true??

f. a new Coalesce EP is coming out HERE>

g. IKEA HEIGHTS..

Ikea Heights – Episode 5 from DaveAOK on Vimeo.

h. a strange account of LA below..

i. new ted leo performed live..

j. the original “sweet dee” talks about how she got fired from “it’s always sunny in philadelphia” HERE.

k. America the home of the truly AWFUL!