What are you listening to?

[Magician]

New SunnO))) and new Isis. Haven't had a chance to give the former an in-depth listen yet, but the Isis record is really grand.

[munch]

cool. I have to give the new Isis a listen... :)

[CommieRabbit]

The new Sunn O))) is good, in fact it seems they poured real talent into this album and finally broke out of their gimmicky hipster-metal niche. Domkirke was a good move away from their norm but didn't fully innovate upon their formula at all (which is fine in most cases, but they were becoming stagnant). This album makes the drone genre proud, and offered them a chance to live up to their misappropriated hype. Gonna get grilled for this but whatev, I've been listening to drone since way back.

I didn't like Sunn O))), but I do now thanks to this album.

[Vanna]

[AKA*NYC]

i really like the last track on the sunno))) album. it's redolent of pink floyd in all the right ways. the rest of the album is a decent gateway drug to get people to explore other genres but not much more.

compare tracks 2 and 3 with this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsQINPL8JRw

and/or the entire volk album by laibach

[knitwit]

[hamletpowpowpow]

I've only given the new Sunn a cursory listen - musically it's pretty interesting. Need to listen more. I give them kudos for moving in a new direction. It's no Black One, which is still one of my favorite records of all time. I don't know how I feel about the vocals being so prominent in the mix. I think it's a grower...we'll see.

Also - I totally slept on posting this - but HTRK's record finally dropped last month - after nearly two years in limbo.
If you don't know them - they're like the only band I really give a damn about. Push my buttons so damn hard. Rowland S. Howard's proteges. Like suicide combined with the birthday party, slowdive and the mego back catalog. They've promised me a record for A Room Forever - but alas, it's yet to happen.

http://blastfirstpetite.com/htrk.html

[ahlefeldt]

ALEXANDER ROBOTNICK - PROBLEMES D' AMOUR

[Magician]

I checked out HTRK, thanks hamlet and I'm enjoying it.

Also really enjoying the Tim Hecker Imaginary Country record, I'm kicking myself for waiting this long to pick it up.

[ddohnggo]

i alway saw htrk's record at twisted village in boston, and never gave it a second thought. i like how the name is pronounced "hate rock" lulz.

listening to: emeralds - "what happened"
kinda regret missing them at no fun fest, but whatevz.

[hamletpowpowpow]

Glad yr digging it, magician.

You know, I know yr supposed to call it "hate rock" but I can't quite bring myself to do so. Still been calling them HTRK.

I hear you, q, but I don't know that I agree. Marry me tonight is a little over produced at times - but I think it has a focus and clarity that their earlier stuff didn't. They've become more minimal over time, and I like that approach more. In fact, the stuff they've done post-MMT I think is their best work. Maybe it took working with a producer to reign them in, but whatever it was, it worked.

I don't know how I feel about the Tim Hecker record - it kind of feels like an afterthought. I mean, I like it, don't get me wrong - but it doesn't have the emotional catharsis of "Harmony in Ultraviolet", which is hands down one of my favorite records of all time. I don't know - I could be wrong - maybe I just haven't spent enough time with it. I do know the guy is strapped for time and has a lot going on - I can't help but feel that it effected his work.

Still - what's wrong with the world (or me) that a new Tim Hecker drops and I'm like "meh". But you know, I had the same reaction to the last Fennesz, which to my ears didn't top the brilliance of Venice.

And Joey - that emeralds record is fucking phenomenal. *a lot* like mountains - but with out the folk/john fahey/robbie basho elements.

I checked out HTRK, thanks hamlet and I'm enjoying it.

Also really enjoying the Tim Hecker Imaginary Country record, I'm kicking myself for waiting this long to pick it up.

[ddohnggo]

i've listened to the new tim hecker a few times and i agree with you that it's pretty good, but not great. harmony in ultraviolet was significantly better. imaginary country seems way too cold. the first time i saw tim hecker it was so fucking killer and loud, i loved it. but i saw him recently at LPR and it kinda sucked. it was total zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

also agreed that venice is better than black sea. that song with david sylvian is way too sick. did you see fennesz with sakamoto last summer? his guitar playing was kind of a joke.

do you know whether emeralds is going to play a one off nyc show after no fun?

[MoFiya]

St. Vincent - Actor

I am into this kind of stuff...
Check out "The Strangers" (1st track) if you dont know her:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb6T0pMOc0s

[hamletpowpowpow]

Yeah - I missed the LPR show, but heard it was terrible. I saw him maybe two years ago at the Issue Project Room and it was fucking stunning. This was when it was still in the grain silo. One of the best laptop performances I've ever seen, save for Fennesz back at Tonic in 99 or 2000. Even though there was nothing to see, it was so sonically engaging, it was was incredible.

And I skipped the Fennesz/Sakamoto show - I heard it was awful as well.

I've heard that in the right venue, Emeralds are killer live. Sadly, I can't find a fucking thing about live dates online. Their own website is out of date - there's nothing on Hospital's site, or the No Fun site...

Also - I'm calling bullshit on Wolf Eyes touring and not coming to NYC - last two tours I saw them they were incredible. I've raved about them before on here - no need to get into it again. Still my favorite live band (until I get to see the Jesus Lizard again in sept).

But here I am pretending that I still go to shows. I gotta say, I just haven't been into it at all lately. Maybe I'm just getting older.

i've listened to the new tim hecker a few times and i agree with you that it's pretty good, but not great. harmony in ultraviolet was significantly better. imaginary country seems way too cold. the first time i saw tim hecker it was so fucking killer and loud, i loved it. but i saw him recently at LPR and it kinda sucked. it was total zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

also agreed that venice is better than black sea. that song with david sylvian is way too sick. did you see fennesz with sakamoto last summer? his guitar playing was kind of a joke.

do you know whether emeralds is going to play a one off nyc show after no fun?

[philip nod]

New Sonic Youth.

can't stop listening to it