pixies - all i think about now

Smith Westerns have cleaned up nicely. Just over a year ago, the Chicago foursome were of the strictly "lo-fi" persuasion, stirring up hot, filthy garage-rock candy out of Marc Bolan and Beatles signifiers. It was youthful music in feeling and sound-- their noisy full-length debut was recorded while they were still in high school-- but the remarkable hooks buried therein were clear enough to land them on the increasingly stacked Fat Possum roster. And suddenly, they had a studio budget the likes of which they definitely hadn't enjoyed before. Though the leap is audibly huge, Dye It Blonde's many successes aren't wholly the result of its gilded production values and ambition. This band was able to furnish first-class melodies from the beginning. Now they've grown along with their resources.

You can hear the progress right away in "Imagine, Pt. 3", a song originally released as part of a split 7" in April 2010. Sped up here just a touch, it's also been re-outfitted with a far creamier set of synths and guitars. The way the latter seem to clasp hands during the coda is particularly breathtaking, frontman Cullen Omori and guitarist Max Kakacek letting their individual lines mate rather than duel. While the melodic foundation was already sturdy throughout, here, what once sounded ragged in stretches is now plush-upholstered from start to finish. Every single piece of Dye It Blonde is similarly decadent, whether it's the sweet whine of semi-titular closer "Dye the World" or the twilight jangle of "End of the Night".

In an interview not long after the album's completion, Omori noted that this otherwise new set of songs was influenced by 90s Britpop luminaries like Oasis, Teenage Fanclub, and Suede. All are present sonically and spiritually, be it in brash tones, melodic IQ or the sheer scope of these recordings. Where a Smith Westerns hook may have once sounded like another fuzzy member of the Nuggets family/genus, it now unfolds like crane-shot, mainstage festival fare. "Still New" for example floats some phasered guitar interplay before Kakacek rips a hole across the chest of the song with a woozy line so big it essentially serves as a chorus. Like "Weekend", whose central, hair-flipping lick also hugs all its parts together perfectly, the song just sounds so drunk-- drunk on love, drunk on heavy petting, drunk on drink, or maybe just drunk on a some combination of the above. In song, it all depends on the lean of Omori's voice and the whip of his chord changes, the curves of his brother Cameron's bass lines.

That moony/beery-eyed feel bleeds through every corridor of this album and in turn forms a crystalline expression of what moves this band. Their use of the studio in augmenting that never goes overboard, though: this music still retains the innately psychedelic, lamplit, tongue-kissed sense of atmosphere that set it apart. There's perhaps no better instance of all that than "All Die Young", the album's centerpiece. It's a ballad turned hymn whose grand, tumbling scale and "Oh Yoko"-indebted outro celebration are peaks on an album rich in them. In its closing moments, Omori sings what sounds like, "Love is lovely when you are young." They were convincing before, but now they seem like experts.

— David Bevan, January 18, 2011 [Pitchfork | Best New Music | 8.4]

All Die Young

Hey (Pixies)

Namasthay's 31st opus, an intricate tapestry of sounds that weaves through the essence of peace and symbolic victories over discord. 'Victory,' the standout track, is a profound exploration of the universal longing for peace, encapsulated through eclectic beats and serene melodies. This album merges traditional harmonies with modern experimentation, reflecting a journey towards harmony in a world riddled with contrasts. Join Namasthay in this unique auditory experience, celebrating the triumphs of spirit and sound.

2. Where Justice Is Bound

Pavement - Cut Your Hair

The Last of The Famous International Playboys

From the upcoming album In the Belly of the Brazen Bull out May 7(UK)+May 15(US). 

Head here for more: https://www.facebook.com/thecribs

The Belly of The Brazen Bull

The Cribs - Come On, Be A No-One

one of my favorites from paul :^)

recorded on a tascam 4-track cassette recorder

for no one (the beatles)

The 'debut album' from Connie Converse, now on producer Dan Dzula's boutique label, Heroic Cities.

Originally released March 5, 2009 on Lau derette Recordings. Reissued 2015 on Squirrel Thing Recordings.

Buy @ Bandcamp

Connie Converse - How Sad, How Lovely

It's Just A Phase

Dance In Room Song

Embark on a cinematic journey with Namasthay, a visionary artist whose eclectic life is as diverse and vibrant as his music. Our story begins with a young Namasthay carving pristine paths through snow, collaborating with snowboarding legend Axel Pauporté, epitomizing the free spirit that defines his artistic voyage, filming home videos and pranks as precursor to CKY and Jackass with friends.

Transitioning from adrenaline-fueled slopes to electrifying riffs, Namasthay co-founded a punk-rock ensemble, occasionally joined by bassist and Red Bull daredevil Cedric Dumont. Although the band remained somehow nameless, their music resonated deeply within the underground scene.

A serendipitous encounter on a motor skateboard caught the attention of a producer, propelling Namasthay into the limelight as a symbol of extreme sports in Brussels on RTL TV, and to it's first CyberCafé. Armed with a diploma, he immersed himself in the throbbing pulse of the CyberTheatre and Nirvanet's underground music realms, legendary early dark web website twice awarded by UNESCO as "best of the web", where encounters with Howie B and Laurent Garnier fueled his creative fervor, and Björk’s innovative essence left a lasting impression, thru HowieB.

Deepening his sonic exploration, Namasthay drew inspiration from his brother Alex's Ninja Tune collection, diving into breaks and beats that ignited his artistic expression. His distinct flair was spotlighted in hip-hop videos by A6000 and Akro (Universal), portraying him as a unique bridge between authoritative figures and street culture in 1030 Brussels.

The narrative threads through his artistic evolution—from local sensation to an accomplished music arranger collaborating with talents like Piccaya, fostering a partnership steeped in musical synergy. The ethereal and emotive soundscapes of Boards of Canada backdrop his growth, steering him from underground acclaim to a pioneer of spontaneous music creation under his enduring DeviantArt alias, Namasthay.

Launching as Namasthay, he spearheads a new wave of Emo-Spontaneity, where every note is improvised, every song sung for the first time, encapsulating the pure essence of spontaneous creation. This approach heralds a movement where perfection resides in the inception of each musical act.

Touching heavens with Victory in his 32nd album in less than a year, his AI algorithm perceives and recognizes possible world peace starting 2027. The 25th of December 2024 he publishes his 33rd album, Singularity - anniversary of a mere one year of creation, as he started composing albums on Christmas Eve 2023...

"Namasthay: The Symphony of Spontaneity" celebrates an unyielding commitment to craft, the luminous expanse of his experiences, and his belief in music as an unscripted journey—akin to his own life—a melody that harmonizes with the unpredictable rhythms of existence. Enjoy!