You Down with B.O.C.?

You've probably never delved deep into the back catalogs of many of the Classic Rock radio hit-makers. You've probably never considered it. Take some time this time to consider this. Years before we were told of the Reaper and were informed not to fear the guy, there were a handful of records put out by Blue Oyster Cult that just plain rock. Like, for real. They rock. Perhaps we'd better start from the beginning, so here's their self titled debut.














Get that shit here.

They Might Be Fucking Rad

There were once two Johns. The two Johns continue. They are akin to gods. Gods that touch us, but not in that appear-as-a-goat-and-have-an-illegitimate-child-like-zeus kind of touch. The other kind.

Try this on:





Disc One
Disc Two





Which is this:








and this:








plus a bunch of bonus tracks on each disc. So there's that.

Here's some "It's been awhile" gifts.

William Elliot Whitmore is the one. The one. I saw him perform recently, and he had a bottle of whiskey that he was sharing with the crowd. He opened the bottle, took a pull, then handed to the front row. Eventually the bottle made its way back.

Animals in the Dark

Because it ain't easy to find, Here's the Animal Collective Rob da Bank BBC Session. With one of my favorites: This specific version of Winter's Love.

Rob Da Bank BBC Session

Also quite difficult to find is Hank Williams the way God intended.

Alone With His Guitar

The new Fucked Up record is a bit of a departure, and all the better for it.

David Comes To Life

And for no real reason, if you happen to want to take it for a test run or something. here's the new Death Cab.

Codes and Keys

Des Ark - Don't Rock The Boat Sink the Fucker

Download

Godspeed You! Black Emperor

I saw Godspeed this week, just like the last time, nine years ago, it was a mind blowing as well as face melting. The performance was the closest equivalent to a truly religious experience. In honor of the awesome, here be the other three GYBE records. The last post has Lift Yr Skinny Fists. I updated the link in said post soes youse can have a more sense making folder.


F#A#(Infinity)

Slow Riot For a New Zero Kanada

Yanqui U.X.O.

Lift Yr Skinny Fists Like Antenna to Heaven

Yesterday there were some words being thrown about. Strong words. Words like "perfect" and "record." I laid claimed to a few yet they've gone unheralded. Here begins the heralding:

This is another one of them "alone listenin'" records. I would suggest loud and laying down for a first listen. There are some who feel this record and the band in general are repetitive or even boring. True it is repetitive, but in the way that waves roll onto a beach are repetitive. Or crash into rocks depending on where you are in the record. This is how much of the album feels. Like waves. It will move you about if you let it envelope you in it's blanket of alternating ups and downs. And not just ups and downs, but the ins and outs. The small and the large. The constant struggle for balance between desolation and hope. There are bits that will give you chills, bits that may very well bring you to tears with their beauty, and there are some parts that are just damn good (the entire record.)

I quite hope you enjoy this record on at least half the level that I do. If you're already privy to the magic then...well done.

Perfection

the Stone Roses

Long ago there were roses (and well they continue.) A small minority of said roses were comprised of stone. For a band that only made two records they made quite the impact. Unfortunately, the Second Coming isn't fantastic. Their first record though is nearly flawless. Not a lot of nearly flawless records about. I can't think of any specific flaws, but let's not be throwing around words like perfect (though it just might be.)

The production on this record is both phenomenal and wildly appropriate. Appropriate is always the way (for me at least) to gauge production. If you want to know why some blues or country sounds great or others sound not so, look at the atmosphere presented just by the production values alone. Herein lies the problem with many (the majority of) recordings.


How about this?