Sicko

clipping., “Story 2”

CLPPNG, the first full record from clipping., was a record with the band still kind of piecing together what they had. It would be on the next album (Splendor & Misery) that everything would come together perfectly, but there are still times on this album where things still seemed a little awkward. The individual pieces, especially Daveed Diggs, were often spectacular, but the best was yet to come.

Frank Black and the Catholics, “I Gotta Move”

A thing I admire about Frank Black is that his songs always sound so distinctly like him. Whether with the Pixies, as a solo act, with the Catholics or whatever, he always sounds like Frank Black. It’s not just the voice, either, it’s his guitar, how he constructs songs, everything. His records might vary in quality and inspiration, but they always sound like they came from him.

Hüsker Dü, “Divide and Conquer”

A thing that is easy to forget about Hüsker Dü is how ridiculously productive they were in their salad days. Zen Arcade, New Day Rising, and Flip Your Wig all came out within a 14 month period, a rate of output that’s even more impressive when you remember that Zen Arcade was a double album. Adding to the awe here is that all three records are bangers, with New Day Rising being my favorite hardcore record (which I’ve definitely never said about any other album!). Flip Your Wig somehow is the weakest of the three, and it’s great! It’s a little lighter, a little poppier, but it’s still full of energy and is probably a bit easier to get into than the other two.

David Bowie, “Heroes”

I know that as an underground rock dork, and a fan of experimental music, I should really regard Heroes (or at least the Eno years) as Bowie’s peak. But I just can’t do it. Gimme the Ziggy Stardust stuff first, please.

Daft Punk, “Revolution 909”

Daft Punk’s first LP (Homework) took house music and brought it to disco, and by resurrecting that sound of the 70s, managed to sound fresh. I think they’d do a lot more with the formula later, but this is where it started.

The Mighty Mocambos, “Calling the Shots”

The immediacy of the drums here, both in their entry into the song as well as the production, really drives things here. That insistent bell, the grit and echo, it’s fantastic. On top of that, those punchy horns, goddamn, I could just listen to this all day. And bari sax! Love it.

L’Orange & Mr. Lif, “Strange Technology”

I wonder what it is about hip-hop that pairs with sci-fi so successfully in a way that, say, rock music can struggle with. A lot of the time when rock tries to go sci-fi, it comes across as corny or ridiculous. But hip-hop can go futuristic without any real struggle, and there have been some awesome sci-fi hip-hop records. I suppose the beats can get kind of inorganic without stretching the genre too much, and that can help things.

Sicko, “An Indie Rock Daydream”

We all have those bands that are special to us. We discovered them on our own, at the exact right time in our lives, and that connection carries them with us always. Sicko is one of those special bands for me. I hit them at the perfect time, I never get tired of listening to them, and I probably never will.

Andrew Bird, “Capsized”

Are You Serious, Andrew Bird’s 2016 album, found him introducing some new sounds to his palette to go along with a new home, Los Angeles. This song could almost be described as slinky, with the sort of soul sounds that are rarely heard earlier in his discography. Some of that comes from some new collaborators as side players, and I’m sure some of it is just conscious decision to change up his sound. It’s not a full reinvention or anything, but it’s different from the preceeding albums, which were gradually getting more and more stripped down and folky.

Descendents, “Victim of Me”

At this point, with the release of 9th & Walnut, the Descendents have now released as many studio albums after their breakup as pre-breakup (4). Does it even make sense to think of their career in two phases any more? I suppose it does, because during the 80s, they put out albums regularly, while these days it takes a while for them to pop up.

The New Pornographers, “The Laws Have Changed”

Maybe the best tune off of the second New Pornographers album, this is such a shiny song. This is a smile turned into music. I sometimes forget about this album, because I love the first one so much, but I really should spin it more.

Wolves in the Throne Room, “Ahrimanic Trance”

Wolves in the Throne Room are one of the biggest bands in black metal, by showing a path that could take the aesthetics of the music but apply a different frame. They merge an ecological consciousness and an atmospheric approach at times that is not just pure fury. It’s hacky to say that their music evokes the distant, misty forests of the Pacific Northwest, so I definitely will not do that.

Poster Children, “Clock Street”

Unlike a lot of rock bands putting out records in the early 90s, the Poster Children were not signed in the wake of Nevermind. They found their way onto Sire for their 1990 album Daisychain Reaction, putting them ahead of that particular game. Nevertheless, Nirvana’s success put them in a good spot for their followup album, Tool of the Man. It’s more Pixies than Nirvana, with a bit too much brightness to really break through in that scene. But, listening 17 years on, this stuff sounds fresher than a lot of grunge does these days.

Godflesh, “Pure”

Godflesh were pioneers in heavy music, bringing together the guitars of extreme metal with the rhythms of industrial, inspiring bands on both sides of the fence. Streetcleaner is considered a classic, and after an interim EP, they returned with Pure, after some changes in personnel. The drum machine and sampling was even more forward than in the previous album, and the results aren’t really as strong. It’s something of a transitional record, where you can see the seams between the industrial and metal, rather than merging together as a whole.