Fucked Up

MC Paul Barman, “UNDOING ALONENESS”

Back when MC Paul Barman was just getting going, I remember a lot of thinkpieces coming out about him. Lots of descriptors for him describing him as smart or whatever in a way that in retrospect just strikes me as gross. To his credit, he never seemed to try and court that reputation or try and turn himself into a savior or anything. He just made his debut record, popped up on guest spots every now and again, and mostly kept a low profile. His output wasn’t fast, with his first record in 2002 and this, his third, in 2018. But, overall, it’s fun stuff - off-kilter but entertaining, and worth looking into if you read the hype back in the day but never actually tried it.

Witchcraft, “You Bury Your Head”

If you’re thinking to yourself “this damn thing sounds like it was recorded in a basement”, congratulate yourself on your fine ears. It was recorded in a basement, proudly, using vintage equipment. Plenty of bands are out there trying to recreate Black Sabbath, but few go to quite these same lengths. Do you need to actually listen to this instead of just listening to Sabbath? What’s the point of ce n’est pas Black Sabbath? Man, I dunno, sometimes I just like my noise to be different.

Killdozer, “Pour Man”

Killdozer were not a joke band. But they were a band that was never really being serious, with Michael Gerald’s vocal delivery on this thing being a good example. Why is he singing like this? Because it’s silly. Does it make the song silly? Well, not really? Kinda?

Beck, “Guess I’m Doing Fine”

Beck, on the other hand, is clearly a joke act.

Smut Peddlers, “Stank MCs”

OK, I’ll let the listener decide if this is a joke act.

Firewater, “This Is My Life”

One of the highlights on the best Firewater album, Golden Hour. It’s an album that attempts to answer the question “what if we just made the whole album out of highlights”.

Calexico, “Yours and Mine”

Hot damn, shuffle bringing the fire today! Garden Ruin was the follow-up to my favorite Calexico record, Feast of Wire. With this album, Calexico nudged slightly further away from the mariachi sounds being quite as dominant as prior records, with a little more country and folk creeping in to replace it. There are also no instrumentals on the album, another break with the past. That’s not to say there aren’t any southwestern sounds on the album, just that there is a little less influence. This song is a fine example, this is pretty much just pure country. But lovely!

Just a quick one today, Five Songs is on the road!

Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet, “You Spin Me Round ‘86”

Surf-ish instrumental band Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet are probably best known as the band who did the theme song for Kids In The Hall. That’s a bit of a shame, as they put together three very strong albums. Strong enough that at one time, underground luminary Steve Albini called them the best band recording. Anyway, thoroughly charming and full of personality, their albums are all worth giving a try, with Dim The Lights, Chill The Ham being my favorite.