I've decided that regular updates are lame because I can honestly say I don't discover stuff worth posting that regularly. Instead I'm just going to post when I find an album I want to share. So just check up on this blog every few weeks or so and you'll find some new albums no doubt. Also, I'm getting really fed up of starting all of my posts with these sorts of things.
So recently I have been slowly working my way through every album Dave Fridmann has produced. So far it's been mostly underwhelming with only the Mercury Rev, Flaming Lips and Delgados releases (most of which I was already familiar with) sticking out as awesome. Okay, I lied, they aren't the only releases...
I had never heard of Home before a few weeks ago but after grabbing this album and loving it I've started to make my way through their other sixteen albums (including one which came out this year which you should totally look out for). But what is it about them that's so great? Well, let me just say this...
Mercury Rev + Guided By Voices = Home
FUCK YES, YOU HEARD ME. Even though this was their first album to actually be, y'know, produced and all (by Dave Fridmann no less, how they did that I'd like to know) they still retain some of the lo-fi sound that they had on their earlier albums. That combined with their often simple, 60s inspired pop songs gives them a definite Guided By Voices twang. But then there's some big bodacious Mercury Rev (a la Deserter's Songs) orchestration going on in there as well as those trippy lyrics and hooks that Mercury Rev love so much.
So, let me get this straight. Big sounding, yet lo-fi, psychedelic 60's pop that was recorded by some 90's american alternative rock band?
SIGN ME UP. RIGHT NOW.
(also the track "Aguirre (Exterior)" totally sounds like it belongs on Clouds Taste Metallic by The Flaming Lips, fuck yeah)
Give it a listen
The only albums I buy are Dave Fridmann aproved albums
Note: Fixed the link. So now you can actually listen to this album. lololol
Hey, yo. I just read this, and i thought i might let you in on a secret: Dave Fridmann is both super down-to-earth AND so much more punk rock than Steve Albini. True story. My band, Brazil, had the incredible fortune of recording with one of my own true heroes! I actually co-engineered and got to play with the same gear one of my top ten albums (soft bulletin) was recorded on.
ReplyDeleteLong story short: the guy was amazing! His method was basically to coach us, goad us into MORE noise, MORE fun, MORE! If you'd like, you can email me ( smith.aaw@gmail.com), and i will send you a download link for the album we did with Fridmann.
PS: his wife is also super cool