I’ve Been Bliggins-ed

So I’d sorta forgotten that AOL had a music thing, mostly because the only contact I have with them is their instant messaging program and the fact that I edit their internal promotional videos, but I got an email yesterday (from the guy who made it, aw) that pointed me toward this little cartoon thing with my Voxtrot review as the script. So, not only are they doing a music thing, but it’s as snarky as Pitchfork used to be. I’m actually glad the word “heretofore” got edited out, because I don’t think Mo’s reaction would have been pretty. I’m not sure if this is supposed to be comedy, but the “1-900 number” joke at the end is pretty late-80s Evening at the Improv.

———–

Chris Clark “Love’s Gone Bad” (mp3) Alternately, Motown’s Dusty Springfield. Tall, blonde and white. From California. Recorded a full-length on Gordy’s “Weed” subsidiary, then went on to co-write the script for “Lady Sings the Blues.” Hmmm. “Bad” is pretty good, though—particularly listen for one of James Jamerson’s most frantic performances. (Motown, 1966 | Buy Hitsville for the love of god)

Junior Senior “Take My Time” (mp3) Good news: Junior Senior’s 2005 wonder Hey Hey My My Yo Yo is finally going to be released in the US, which means that the 25 bucks I stupidly paid for an import two years ago will finally, gloriously be wasted. Even better news: the album, especially this song, still sounds both five years ahead of what else is out right now, and deliciously in tune with an imaginary 1981 rooftop party organized by Rod Temperton. (Crunchy Frog, 2005 | Buy it Later)

Guided By Voices “Teenage FBI (Live from Austin, TX)” (mp3) I went to somewhere in the neighborhood of 20-30 while they were touring, and lots of strange, fun and not-so-fun things have happened to me, and I’ve made things happen to others too I guess, at Guided By Voices concerts. One time I was recovering from ankle surgery and, although I had a cane to help me walk, was hopping on one foot with my cane pumping above the crowd in my right hand (I belive, during “Echos Myron”). One time I was standing in line for the bathroom, and Tim Tobias left the stage (between songs), ran over and peed in the trashcan about 2 feet away from me. I tried not to look, but I kind of looked. Another time, I punched a drunk guy in the face for “accidentally” grabbing the girl I came with’s boob for the tenth time (I often turn into an overly chivalrous mongoloid when I’m really drunk). Then two other guys dumped beer on him, and I think he got dragged out later. One time, durng the Isolation Drills tour, I drank either 12 or 13 $2 Budweisers, and ran halfway home at full speed, ears ringing but cool air feeling so good. The time they played Indy for New Year’s Eve (I forget what year–whichever year Joe Strummer died, it was right after that), the first song they played after the ball dropped was “Twilight Campfighter” (my favorite GBV record is Isolation Drills), and people I didn’t know were grabbing me by both shoulders, yanking me toward them, and screaming the lyrics in my face, then we’d turn and shove our fists in the air at the same time. And that last gesture, I must have done that about 2-3,000 times at GBV shows, which is 99.9% percent more often that I’ve done it anywhere else. The song that inspired the most fist-punchings? Fucking TEENAGE FBI, man. I’m of the opinion that a decent chunk of my rationale for loving GBV shows so much was that they were the Great Equalizer, In Strictly Sound Quality Terms. All of the live songs, whether from Vampire on Titus or the twice-fore-mentioned Isolation Drills (or Do the Collapse, which, true to an ironic reading of its name, was smashed into something you can slide under a door by Ric Ocasek), were on the same sonic level, which just means a lot to me, for some reason. (New West, 2007 | buy)

Bottom of the Hudson “Bee Hive” (mp3) Okay, this is weird. So I’m writing the thing above, remembering things and whatever, and this song comes up on my iTunes shuffle. I’ve been meaning to give this record a good listen for a week or so now, since after my first pass I noted to myself (and probably someone over AOL-Brand IM) that they sound a lot like, well, Guided By Voices. Most of it comes from the singer’s voice, which has a ring of Pollard’s faux-Victorian weird British affectation. But seriously now, I’m no music theorist or anything, but just tell me you can’t sing “Teenage FBI” along to this! I swear. (Absolutely Kosher, 2007 | buy)