simply cool

David Byrne connected an organ to a huge building.... This is just very very cool.

via flux=rad

these kids today and their not-math rock

According to the oracle¹, "math rock" is a style of rock music characterized by "complex, atypical rhythmic structures" and "asymmetrical time signatures." I don't love the term, but it's there, and it actually does fit. But I've been noticing it getting a lot of use lately, and none of the bands it's being applied to these days, as far as I can tell, ever stray from 4/4 time. It seems some of the other qualities that commonly went along with the weird time signatures, such as "angular" melodies (whatthefuckever that means), or "strident" vocals, or simply a lack of vocals at all, are enough these days to qualify for the genre. Battles, Les Savy Fav, and Foals are examples that come to mind, along with what I think of as "new prog" bands like Explosions in the Sky. (How much better Mogwai were than Explosions will ever be is another post.) These bands get labeled math rock because they sound a little weird, I guess.

I guess that's my only point. I'm just getting a little Andy Rooney on the indie rock scene. Heh.

Real, good math rock: Jetpack, Don Caballero, June of 44, Rodan...


¹On a side note, a Yale undergraduate I mentored this year, who is now going on to one of the top medical schools in the country, cited Wikipedia more than all other sources combined in her final term paper, and then complained about getting a B+ in the course. Yeah.

Parts and Labor

Vision of Repair and Brighter Days, from Mapmaker

Changing of the Guard, from Stay Afraid

Anything that, when it comes through on shuffle at work, causes my colleagues concern for my sanity is well worth posting about. Friends and labelmates^1,2,3 of Pterodactyl, Parts and Labor definitely make even more noise. My favorite tracks of theirs, especially from Mapmaker, not only have great energy but put great lyrics sung to catchy melodies over the earthquake-at-45rpm foundation. (Yes, a foundation that is like an earthquake. It works.)

For more samples and a video of a performance of Changing of the Guard, click through:

www.partsandlabor.net

JAGJAGUWAR records

new heights for nerd rap

The Economist really is an excellent publication.

In regards to their unbiased news coverage, might I propose that non-party people put your hands in the air and wave them just like you do not care? Or like you care but don't let it influence your news coverage?

Via the FP blog.