Every year, the same old thing. I sometimes think I should do this like a list or a countdown - but that's so hard to do. Until I time myself - I must've listened to this record one hundred times but it seems I only listened to it ninety-three times! - I'll never know how to numerically represent my favorites. I do know (like I talked about yesterday) you're not going to hear the things every seems to agree were the BEST of 2013. I don't even agree with something as democratic (but with metalheads over-representing) as rate your music dot com, which has Sigur Ros, Peter Brotzmann, & Boards of Canada in the top three slots. & even though I really haven't listened to any of those, I think it's safe to say those are better than Kanye West, Miley Cyrus, & Vampire Weekend, who are all supported by giant corporations who give critics all the copies they want, plus other swag, for free. No wonder they end up on year-end lists!
I'm too cynical. Listen to me say night things about bands I love tonight from ten p.m. to midnight on 88.1 fm in Lexington & online at wrfl dot fm. I found so much music that I loved that I might add more to the show when I finally put it up at the Self Help Radio website.
Friday, December 13, 2013
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Preface To Gary's Favorite's 2013: Other People Know Better
I can only conclude, after a short sampling of "best of" lists, that I am really almost completely out of touch with what people think is "good." Did I say "people"? I meant "critics."
The Rolling Stone list actually has two or three records I liked (out of maybe six I actually listened to), but - this is the bizarre thing - they include classic-rock-types (like Paul McCartney & David Bowie) as well as hip hop & country & pop. Is it me or should these not even be in competition? Are there radio stations (besides non-commercial ones) who'll play Keith Urban & Nine Inch Nails back-to-back? You get the impression they're trying to appeal to a wider audience somehow…
The Bowie record, which is on their list, isn't bad; it's just dull. Bowie fans want to like it, which probably also explains the Paul McCartney placement. Vampire Weekend's new one is number one on the Rolling Stone list, which is weird, because everyone at RFL who played claimed to hate it. My feeling is, it'll be forgotten in several years - like, I'm afraid, most of the things of this list. Right now, though, I get the impression they're there because they made some important people a lot of money.
NPR's list forgoes the "best of" (they got that from me) & also includes electronica & jazz. The question again is: why not have different lists? Surely there's someone out there who thinks a particular metal CD is better than something like Blood Orange! Why make those dudes (& you know they're all dudes) feel even more excluded than they already feel?
Pitchfork says "best" but the title is actually "highest-rated." Does anyone read Pitchfork anymore? Since when?
Spin has a lot more hip hop than the others. Is that now who buys Spin? White guys who like hip hop?
It's not strange to me that nothing I like makes the top 25 or whatever any more. I have never had my finger on the pulse of what people like. Well, maybe when I listened to commercial radio, some time before 1989 or so. Even then, I was liking bands that now seem popular - Cure, Smiths, etc. - but then were "weird" or "obscure." The first time I played the Smiths in a car with one of my classic-rock-raised brothers, he thought it was a joke. Like something off of Dr. Demento.
All of which means nothing - opinion is opinion. If you like to have your opinions backed up by magazines & websites, then you can see if they agree with you. But the term "best" - it doesn't make any sense this early on. My own opinion is that a lot of these records will, in a decade or so, be completely forgotten.
The Rolling Stone list actually has two or three records I liked (out of maybe six I actually listened to), but - this is the bizarre thing - they include classic-rock-types (like Paul McCartney & David Bowie) as well as hip hop & country & pop. Is it me or should these not even be in competition? Are there radio stations (besides non-commercial ones) who'll play Keith Urban & Nine Inch Nails back-to-back? You get the impression they're trying to appeal to a wider audience somehow…
The Bowie record, which is on their list, isn't bad; it's just dull. Bowie fans want to like it, which probably also explains the Paul McCartney placement. Vampire Weekend's new one is number one on the Rolling Stone list, which is weird, because everyone at RFL who played claimed to hate it. My feeling is, it'll be forgotten in several years - like, I'm afraid, most of the things of this list. Right now, though, I get the impression they're there because they made some important people a lot of money.
NPR's list forgoes the "best of" (they got that from me) & also includes electronica & jazz. The question again is: why not have different lists? Surely there's someone out there who thinks a particular metal CD is better than something like Blood Orange! Why make those dudes (& you know they're all dudes) feel even more excluded than they already feel?
Pitchfork says "best" but the title is actually "highest-rated." Does anyone read Pitchfork anymore? Since when?
Spin has a lot more hip hop than the others. Is that now who buys Spin? White guys who like hip hop?
It's not strange to me that nothing I like makes the top 25 or whatever any more. I have never had my finger on the pulse of what people like. Well, maybe when I listened to commercial radio, some time before 1989 or so. Even then, I was liking bands that now seem popular - Cure, Smiths, etc. - but then were "weird" or "obscure." The first time I played the Smiths in a car with one of my classic-rock-raised brothers, he thought it was a joke. Like something off of Dr. Demento.
All of which means nothing - opinion is opinion. If you like to have your opinions backed up by magazines & websites, then you can see if they agree with you. But the term "best" - it doesn't make any sense this early on. My own opinion is that a lot of these records will, in a decade or so, be completely forgotten.
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Today's Figure Of Speech: Bdelygmia
Spellcheck don't know this word: bdelgymia. & why should it? It's a heartless, unthinking, unfeeling, crappily compiled, moronically written, basic to the point of stupid piece of code in the middle of an unsatisfying, poorly-designed, horribly executed so-called What You See Is the Worst You Get content management system.
Not really. I was just employing the bdelgymia. It basically means a litany of abuse, sort of like what Michael Palin gets when he accidentally walks into the Abuse room while looking for the Argument room. Graham Chapman describes him as a "vacuous, toffee-nosed, malodorous pervert!"
This page has a lot more examples.
I don't really know how to pronounce it, though.
Not really. I was just employing the bdelgymia. It basically means a litany of abuse, sort of like what Michael Palin gets when he accidentally walks into the Abuse room while looking for the Argument room. Graham Chapman describes him as a "vacuous, toffee-nosed, malodorous pervert!"
This page has a lot more examples.
I don't really know how to pronounce it, though.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Self Help Radio 120613: A Touch Of Velvet
Beginning a new tradition: radio shows about fabrics! I can't wait for some enterprising deejay to do one about gingham!
Show is at web site. Or it's in two parts, called part one & then part two. List of songs below.
So lustrous!
(part one)
"Velvet" PBNJ Buchanan _Velvet Blue_
"Soft Velvety 'Fer" MC Honky _I Am The Messiah_
"Velvet Pants" Propellorheads _Decksanddrumsandrockandroll_
"The Velvet Glove" Jerry Colonna _The Velvet Glove_
"A Touch Of Velvet, A Sting Of Brass" Mood Mosaic _The Swingin' Sixties_
"Velvet Illusions" Velvet Illusions _Pebbles, Vol. 9: Southern California 2_
"Velvet Sunsets" The Music Emporium _The Music Emporium_
"Velvet Cave" Silver Apples _Silver Apples_
"Velvet Goldmine" David Bowie _The Rise & Fall Of Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars_
"Some Velvet Morning" Lydia Lunch & Roland S. Howard _Some Velvet Morning_
"Velvet Launderette" Poison Girls _Statement: The Complete Recordings_
"Black Velvet" Swell Maps _Train Out Of It_
"Black Velvet" The Lilac Time _The Lilac Time_
"Velvet Days" Kristin Hersh _Hips & Makers_
(part two)
"Orpheus In Red Velvet" Marc Almond _Enchanted_
"Deep Velvet" Chris & Cosey _Trust_
"Torn Green Velvet Eyes" The Magnetic Fields _Holiday_
"Deep In Velvet" Phillip Boa & Voodooclub _Boa Best Singles_
"Velvt Atmosphere" Peppermint _Keep Your Chin Up There, Sailor_
"Paint Me On Velvet" Austin Lounge Lizards _Paint Me On Velvet_
"Deadweight On Velveteen" Jose Gonzalez _Veneer_
"Another Velvet Nightmare" Frank Black _Honeycomb_
"Velvet Morning" Weird Dreams _Choreography_
"Velveteen" The Rose Of Avalanche _Indie Top 20 Vol. 1_
"Velvet Itch" Bass Drum Of Death _GB City_