The Difference Machine

I am sort of loving this new record from the Difference Machine, which (I guess, there's not much info) is a psychedelic rap collective from somewhere near Atlanta. HOnestly, there's not enough really trippy rap around anymore, last time i heard something like this it was Erykah Badu...

Wait here's some biographical background from the press agent:

The Difference Machine is comprised of Dr. Conspiracy and DT. The teaming up of these two has led to the creation of an album that is set apart from any “ordinary patterns and structures.” Looking through the histories of these artists and you’ll find two resumes in Atlanta that run nearly parallel in timing and impact. DT, of Clan Destined, found hip-hop through his cousins, who also taught him to freestyle and make beats. Dr. Conspiracy, whose father was a musician, grew up playing drums in various bands. They both came to Atlanta looking to weave themselves in the city’s hip-hop fabric. DT studied under Machine Drum and Vinyl Junkies, while Dr. Conspiracy was with Zone 7 and Expatriots, learning the art and craft of creating, not just absorbing, hip-hop.

In other news, my year-end is up now at Dusted in Exile, and it's getting a lot of hits, at least three of them from name-brand PFK writers...though possibly people have come to sneer. (At least they came.)I posted the list here a couple of days ago, but if you want to read my meandering observations, try here.


I would also highly, highly recommend Derek Taylor's review of the George Guesnon retrospective, because even if you don't know Guesnon (I didn't, he was a NOLA Dixieland banjoist), the story of his immense talent and difficult personality is moving on a human level. Derek knows so much about the music he covers, but he's also really good at capturing the human struggle behind his artists and records.

Also, another list ....

For those of you who aren't burnt out on lists by now, Blurt has just posted its top 75 records which, as usual, leans heavily on real people playing real instruments (not entirely, but it's a bias -- and one that I probably share). Anyway, Ty Segall made the top 5, and in honor of that, Fred pulled out my Ty interview from the fall.

Read the list here.

And if you haven't already, my piece on Ty Segall.

The year of DSL

My year-end essay is up now at Dusted. Now I just have to remember not to read ILX for a couple of months.

Also, I made a zip file of songs from my top ten, though they're not in any particular order.

Nice weekend. Saturday, Sean and I went to a community Messiah performance, mostly because one of his friends was singing the solo soprano parts, and it was beautiful. (Though not thanks to anything I did, except when I lost my place and gave up.)

Anyway, there won't be a lot of new reviews running from here on, so I'll probably be posting a lot of short things about whatever I'm listening to at the moment.

Blurt writers' lists

When I say that I love "best of" lists, what I mean is individual lists, which seem, in most cases, to be honest appraisals of the music that people loved and listened to. (I've heard about people putting records into their lists that they didn't really listen to, just because they thought they should, but I don't know anyone like that.)

Anyway, BLurt has a whole bunch of them up at the site now. Mine, which you are undoubtedly familiar with (and probably a little nauseated by at this point) is in Part 1. There is also a Part 2, equally worth a browse.

I spent some time on Wednesday listening to the New York Times Popcasts on best albums and best songs, so now I've heard bits of a lot of the mainstream albums that made mainstream writers' lists, and I've got to say, Beyonce, Paul Simon, Drake and Feist are not doing anything for me, but I kind of like that Adele song, "Rolling the Deep" and I might be into Tuneyards if I listened to it enough.

Happy happy....

Well, things are finally winding down and all the presents are wrapped and we bought all the stuff for a nice Christmas dinner, so that's that. I also got a very few Christmas cards out, meant to do more but ended up sending mostly to family and people I knew would send to us. That's our Christmas photo. You can probably tell, it was taken at absolutely the last minute with an iPod touch and its amazing reversable camera.

Also, Blurt has its year-end extravaganza going now. There are two sets of individual writers' lists. I'm in the first one, but the second one is worth perusing, too, if you've got time.

There is also a list of 50 best records.

So have a nice break wherever you are, whatever you do to celebrate. We got some snow last night and it finally looks like Christmas. Looking forward to sleeping in next week...at least past 5:30, which is killing me.

My year-end is up now

Check it out.

Or, if you just want the list:

Albums/DVDs:
1. The Soft Pack – The Soft Pack (Kemado)
2. Jack Rose -- Luck in the Valley (Thrill Jockey)
3. Wetdog – Frauhaus! (Captured Tracks)
4. Eluvium – Similes (Temporary Residence)
5. Rangda --False Flag (Drag City)
6. Ted Leo --The Brutalist Bricks (Matador)
7. The Fall --Your Future Our Clutter (Domino)
8. Mavis Staples –You Are Not Alone (Anti-)
9. Damien Jurado -- St. Bartlett (Secretly Canadian)
10. Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs --Medicine County (Transdreamer)



11. White Fence – White Fence (Make a Mess)
12. Clogs -- In the Garden of Lady Walton (Brassland)
13. Wovenhand -- Threshingfloor (Sounds Familyre)
14. Kelley Stoltz --To Dreamers (Sub Pop)
15. Andreya Triana --Lost Where I Belong (Ninja Tune)
16. Sharon Van Etten -- Epic (BaDaBing)
17. Current 93 -- Baalstorm, Sing Omega (Coptic Cat)
18. Ty Segall -- Melted (Goner)
19. Frightened Rabbit -- Winter of Mixed Drinks (FatCat)
20. Bottomless Pit -- Blood Under the Bridge (Comedy Minus One)
21. Jonsi -- Go (XL)
22. Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby -- Two Way Family Favorites (Southern Domestic)

and also, if I'd heard them in time, probably the Fresh & Only's Play It Strange and the Ex's Catch My Shoe would have gone somewhere in there. At some point, you just have to stop. Which I think is probably now.

On to 2011 our last year before the Mayan apocalypse...

Year-end mix

Here are some songs from my favorite albums of this past year...as usually, I've screwed it up, at least slightly. I forgot to put any Man Man on, and also Roy Harper, both highlights...oh well.


It's in two parts, here's the first

The second is somewhat weirder and less homogenous, if that's even possible.


Tracks
Big Dipper "Faith Healer"
Alejandro Escovedo "Golden Bear"
Ian Matthews "Desert Inn"
Thalia Zedek Band "Green and Blue"
Wovenhand "Not One Stone"
Gutter Twins, "Idle Hands"
The Dirtbombs, "Leopardman at C&A"
Human Bell "Ephaphatha (Be Opened)
Mount Eerie with Julie Doiron "You Swan Go On"
Karen Dalton "Katie Cruel"
Experimental Aircraft "With a Gun"
Jay Reatard "Flourescent Grey"
Giant Sand "The Desperate Kingdom of Love"
Bon Iver "Skinny Love"
Lights "At Midnight"
Kelley Stoltz "I Nearly Lost My Mind"
Steve Wynn "Wait Until You Get To Know Me"
Calexico "El Gatillo"
Boston Spaceships "Still in Rome"

Part 2
King Khan and the Shrines "No Regrets"
The Starlite Desperation "I Lost My Bees"
Fabulous Diamonds "Untitled" (They're all untitled, this one is track 4)
Mahjonggh "Tell the Police the Truth"
The War on Drugs "Taking the Farm"
Pontiak "Dome Under the Sky"
Retribution Gospel Choir "Destroyer"
Stars Like Fleas "I Was Only Dancing"
The Accidentals "I Can Hear Your Voice"
Michael Chapman, "A Stranger's Map of Texas/The Twisted Road"

They'll be up for seven days...I might re-up the whole thing when my year-end essay runs. But first I have to write it.