Pop Rocks!: Episode 2.2

So this show turned into a disaster about an hour and twenty minutes into it. All of the lights went out in the shack, and I received reports that other places around Lawrence were without power. I called Tom and he said that I should keep broadcasting but eventually, the transmitter (running on a backup battery) would run out. Anyway! This was the show!

The New Pornographers - All the Old Showstoppers (Challengers)
International Language - This is Where the Strings Come in (Where the Bands Are)
The Razorcuts - A is for Alphabet (I Heard You the First Time)
The dBs - Black and White (Stands for Decibles)
Hulaboy - Punches like Kisses (The Genius of (the) Hulaboy)
The Ampersands - Annabel Bleach (Annabel Bleach 7")
Erik Voeks - Oh My Darlin' (Sandbox)
The Someloves - It's My Time
The Cavedogs - Tayter Country
Dolly Mixture - Everything and More
The Favourites - SOS
The Dentists - House the Size of Mars
The Fall-Outs - She's a Zombie
Shake Appeal - My Danger
The Smart Remarks - Mary's Got her Eye on Me
Airlines - Road (Nick Drake cover) (For Richard 7")
The Blow Pops - Stop! (Stop! 7")
Love - Laughing Stock (Your Mind and We Belong Together 7")
Kaleidoscope - Jenny Artichoke
The Cymbaline - Matrimonial Fears
Zumpano - Orange Air (Wraparound Shades 7")
Immaculate Machine - Jarhead (Immaculate Machine's Fables)
*POWER GOES OUT HERE, I SCRAMBLE AND EVERYTHING BECOMES A MESS FOR A FEW SONGS*
Cloud Cult - 2X2X2 (The Meaning of 8)
The New Pornographers - My Rights Versus Yours (Challengers)
Caramel - My Tailor is Rich (My Tailor is Rich 7")
Thte High Strung - Maybe You're Coming Down With it (Get the Guests)
Voxtrot - The Future Part 1 (Voxtrot)
Tullycraft - Superboy and Supergirl (Old Traditions, New Standards)
Portastatic - Through With People (Bright Ideas)
The Like Young - Writhe Like You Mean It (Last Secrets)
Bunnygrunt - Macho Beagle (Standing Hampton EP)
Guided by Voices - Game of Pricks (Tigerbomb EP)

As a new feature, I've decided to start posting reviews. I currently review new music for the station as a member of the Music Staff, and I will not only post the reviews that get taped to the front of CDs (although these posted reviews will feature a numerical rating), but I also plan on writing feature reviews as well. Oh boy.

Arthur & Yu – In Camera (Hardly Art)
Rating: 7/10

This is some pretty pleasant dream pop, and the first release on Sub-Pop’s baby brother (or sister) record label Hardly Art. Ten atmosphere-drenched tunes full of acoustic guitars, muted percussion, and one of those things that it seems like all the bands these days are using, you know, that thing you blow into and it has keys on it that everyone from the Decemberists to the New Pornographers use. It’s got boy vocals, girl vocals, and boy/girl vocals. Sometimes it sounds more like Galaxie 500 than others (“Flashing the Lobby Lights” and “1000 Words” are a dead on impressions where “Come to View (Song for Neil Young)” is more original). Verdict: This is a really nice, good record, but if I saw it in the store I wouldn’t buy it. However, a single featuring “There Are Too Many Birds” and “Come to View,” I’d buy that in a second.

RIYL: Galaxie 500
Focus: 2, 3,4, 9, 6
-Ian Hrabe, June 18, 2007

Hallelujah the Hills – Collective Psychosis Begone (Misra)
Rating: 8/10

This is by a band called Hallelujah the Hills, they’re on Misra (who have released great records by Shearwater, Destroyer, and that really great record by Phosphorescent that came out a couple of years ago. The first song kind of just sounded like standard alt-folk-indie band at first, but about 4 minutes in it hit this fucking amazing, melodic place. The second song was a complete departure, sounding more like a Guided by Voices song than anything. The whole record plays in a wonderful variety of styles, sounding like everyone from Neutral Milk Hotel to Eric’s Trip to the Mountain Goats. In short, this is some great lo-fi indie pop/rock that sounds like it was recorded in a garage and/or a bedroom.

Focus: 2, 1, 3, 7
-Ian Hrabe, June 18, 2007

The Lodger – Grown-Ups (Slumberland)
Rating: 6.5/10

Slumberland have released some pretty stellar indie pop over the years. Not only did they put out one of my favorite records, Black Tambourine’s Complete Recordings, but they also released 7” records by Honeybunch, The Aislers Set, Velocity Girl, Swirlies, Glo-Worm, and other twee staples. The Lodger are from Britan, so I might as well namedrop Sarah Records, or something (I’ve been doing that a lot lately, it needs to stop, is there some sort of twee-vival going on or something?!?). Anyway, this is the kind of music that I like, so I like this record. Really nice, fun, catchy pop songs. Nothing more, nothing less.
Sample line:
“I just want to be a peacock/ But I don’t think it’s allowed.”
Ha!

Focus: 2, 6, 4, 1
-Ian Hrabe, June 18, 2007

The Pipettes – Your Kisses Are Wasted on Me EP (Interscope)
Rating: 4/10

Straight outta England, we have the next “indie” group which will likely be targeted as a new sensation here in the states. Something the kids will go kray-zee for. Three cute-in-that-indie-way girls playing a slightly (but hardly) modern version of 60’s girl group pop. While I may deride the gimmicky concept of the Pipettes, when I listened to their debut LP We Are the Pipettes (which will finally be seeing the light of day ‘round these parts soon) I thought it was some fucking great pop music. This “EP” features two tracks from We Are the Pipettes; “Your Kisses are Wasted on Me” (duh) and the ultra short and kind of weak “I Love You” (I wish they had put a song like “Sex” or “One Night Stand” on here, because really, what girl group EVER did a song explicitly about sex?). The two new songs/b-sides “Really That Bad” and “Guess Who Ran Off With the Milkman” are a couple more great girl group pop tunes, the latter being more of a more standard indie-rock drumbeat, making the combination with the girl group thing a little interesting. In short: Are the Pipettes a gimmick? Yes, yes they are. Is their music fun? Yes, it is very fun. You should play this and ride the wave until it comes crashing down on the indie world’s sour shores.

Focus: 3, 4, 1, 2
-Ian Hrabe, June 18, 2007