by: Kyle Olson, KUCI Music Director
Listen,
Uncle Kyle had a heck of a weekend, full of mojitos, Brazilian BBQs, badass concerts, etc. Then, he is doing some serious work in the job that actually pays him (I cannot pay my rent with love, I’m afraid). So, do be kind if these blurbs don’t deliver the goods like normal. I’m tired and cranky and full of pistachios so I feel sort of ill.
The Blow – Poor Aim: Love Songs (K)
Musical pet peeve numero UNO: you buy an album, and then, years later, it is re-released with numerous bonus tracks. Your reward for being on top of things, music-wise, is getting dicked over by the same bands you support. Grand. When the Blow changed their (her) sound to the chart-topping electro-jamz you guys totally dug into on “Paper Television”, she started on a tiny EP on States Rights Records, teaming up with Y.A.C.H.T. Now that EP is out of print, but K Records were thoughtful enough to repress it for all of you who aren’t as cool as I am. Not only that, they doubled the length of the EP with 7 new remixes. Your sloth has truly paid off. (This is what a bitter jerk looks like.)
Blonde Redhead – 23 (4AD)
Hey everybody! Look! It’s the new Blonde Redhead album!!
Skeletons and the Kings of All Cities – Lucas (Ghostly)
So, I guess these kids used to be called “Skeletons and the Girl Faced Boys”, but they’ve changed it for no discernible reason. This is some unusual stuff. Sounds like a cross between Fog, the Unicorns, and Animal Collective. Yes. I am pleased with that description. Now have some serfs bring me some mutton, for I am THE KING OF MUSICAL DESCRIPTIONLAND!!!
Au Revoir Simone – The Bird of Music (Our Secret Record Company)
Comin’ from the mean streets of BK comes some serious fucking cop-killing rap. And by “serious fucking cop-killing rap”, I mean all-girl synth-pop in the vein of Camera Obscura with a touch of Hot Chip. (For the record, the girls in Camera Obscura did 10 years in Folsom for killing a cop. That’s a little known indie-pop funfact.)
Various Artists – Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For Theaters Colon The Soundtrack (Williams Street)
This is, shockingly enough, the soundtrack to the Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie. There are things you’d expect on this soundtrack (aka MC Chris, Schooly D, etc), and then, for God knows what reason, a bunch of metal like Mastodon and Andrew W.K. (the latter you, of course, cannot play on KUCI). Do you like Dadaistic cartoons? Heavy metal? Nerd rap? Anthropomorphic fast food? Enjoy.
Bill Callahan – Woke on a Whaleheart (Drag City)
Remember that EP I added by this guy the other week? No? Why not? Oh, because you don’t read these things? Fair enough. Well, here’s the rest of the Smog-dude, Jim O’Rourke-y, Joanna Newsom-lovin’ album.
Pop Levi – The Return to Form Black Magick Party (Counter)
I guess this guy used to be in Ladytron, but this doesn’t sound much like that at all. Though, he IS wearing black and has eyeliner on the cover, so, there’s that. This is more of a junky Of Montreal meets Olivia Tremor Control raw words gritty etc.etc. adjective garage adverb electronic touches verb words etc.
Laura Veirs – Saltbreakers (Nonesuch)
What? Girl with glasses who sings folk-pop? And is smart enough to have studied both Chinese and geology in college (and acted as translator on a geological expedition)? And rolls with the Decemberists? And more weird rhetorical questions that have no real answers? Yes.
Kite Operations – Heart Attacks, Back to Back (KOA)
I think “shoegaze” is a pretty evocative genre name. It’s descriptive. The label of this describes it as Sonic Youth, Slint, Built to Spill, and Sunny Day Real Estate. Guitar plus some pop plus some decent trance-y repetition. Does that work for you? Good. I’m done.
Thanks to all the folks that still read this, and play new music that I spend hours every week picking out. It means a lot to me. I hope you’ve liked having me as a music director for the last year and a half or so. I’m going into the home stretch, as I expect this will be my last quarter. Just want to throw that out there. I know it’s a bit premature to say goodbye when I have at least two months left, but I figure that anyone wanting this position is going to have to start sleeping their way to the top now. It takes more than dinner and movie to woo this fella. (Also, I don’t have too much power over who becomes MD other than probably my personal recommendation which probably counts for SOMETHING. So, making out with me is really more of a personal favor than a career move. Just wanted to throw that disclaimer out there.)
-Kyle
P.S. What the hell am I even talking about anymore?
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