Skrillex/Clams Casino
Electronical Vistas
Skrillex: Bangarang (Owsla/Big Beat/Atlantic)
"The most hated man in dubstep" therefore isn't "in" dubstep at all, which allowing for a few wannabes is fine by the rest of us who aren't in dubstep, meaning 99 percent if not 99.99 percent of music consumers. If you're too smart or knowledgeable for this young goof and his damn Grammys that Robyn wouldn't have won anyway, by all means enjoy your cool. I'm not. But I know this much. This is a pop record because its shamelessly hedonistic barrage of proven dancefloor tricks will obviously be more fun at home than in a club, where it would blare forth at quadruple volume to young jerks who'd get just as excited about LMFAO. A MINUS
Clams Casino: Instrumental Mixtape (free download)
Reconstructed from tracks created for such real-life rappers as Lil B and Soulja Boy, New Jersey beatmaker Mike Volpe's comfortably disquieting illbient glitchbeat chillwave whatsis will grow on you if you give it a chance. And because it's designed to back into your space, providing the chance won't feel all that time-consuming, preoccupied as you'll be with something more engrossing while said time passes. The opening "Motivation" powers home enough hummed 'n' moaned gravitas to remind you it's there, and the closing "Cold War" caps the 40-minute album with a vocal sample that utters the title for once. In between you'll first pick up on "What You Doin'" and "Illest Alive," better known to you as the one in the middle and the one toward the end. Then slowly the rest will ooze into place via capillary action. A MINUSI love Abbey Road a lot. Sure "Maxwell" is silly but Paulie would soon do a lot worse. I might be in the minority but I always prefered "Here Come the Sun" to "Something", though both are great. Too bad George never matched their greatness again. It could be the omission of both Abbey Road and The White Album from the back of the 70's guide that lead some to think that Bob had a less than stellar opinion of them. That list can be found under the books tab. In the 70's guide there is a list of essential 60's albums. In short just because say Abbey Road is not in my top 10, it just means that there were 10 or so I liked better.
When I first listened to Abbey Road--I was 19 or 20, I think--I loved it because it was so polished and well-produced. When I played it recently, I thought it was too smooth. Of course, I had been listening to a lot of their earlier, rowdier stuff, and Abbey Road just sounded tame in comparison.
Have a list of 46 1969 albums to consider. Played eleven so far - and six of them COULD make the top ten. Guess we're looking for pure "A" records - so once I know it's not at that level - it's out.
Not even going to bother with Abbey Road until the Top Ten showdown on the last day or so. I could sing that one note-for-note --- not that anyone would want me to.
Does Village Green Preservation count as '69? If so, make that 47.
Back from the great Ed Sanders Fug You exhibition--didn't get to speak to him, Jeff--and off to Low Cut Connie.
David--great idea, but then the other two would have been lost, and me too.
And here's a Bobism on Abbey Road from 1969 -- "I think the new Beatles album is flawed and great anyway."
I've always loved Round and Round and its circuitous melodicism, back up to A for me. Although is it top 10?
Through nothing but dumb luck yesterday I sat exactly between the right and left channels while Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere was playing, with Neil's lead in one ear and Danny Whitten's rhythm in the other. There were times I couldn't decide which was more dramatic. What a lost talent Whitten was. As much as Frank Sampedro contributed (based on memory not recent relistening), I now wonder if Zuma, Freedom, and Ragged Glory wouldn't have been improved with Whitten's layer of crunch instead.
about the blogger
Starting in 1967, Robert Christgau has covered popular music for The Village Voice, Esquire, Blender, Playboy, Rolling Stone, and many other publications. He teaches in New York University's Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music, maintains a comprehensive website at robertchristgau.com, and has published five books based on his journalism. He has written for MSN Music since 2006.
follow msn music
music news
- Kanye West's video screening shut down by police in Houston
- Professor Green cancels concerts after car accident
- Stone Temple Pilots sue ex-frontman Scott Weiland
- Rihanna, Coldplay and Carly Rae Jepsen score APRA noms
- Kelly Rowland rescheduling summer tour dates for 'The X Factor'
- Kid Rock, Rolling Stones on scalping, summer tours
- Jessica Alba joins Aerosmith onstage
- Singer Nick Carter to release memoir Sept. 24
- Rolling Stones Hall of Fame exhibit opening in Cleveland
- Jon Bon Jovi lashes out at Justin Bieber over concert delays
