never stop loving and discovering music

...to me at least:

AgallochXelaWorking For a Nuclear Free City

All very good. Check ‘em out.

When I get into musical discussions with other people passionate about music, I often have to ask what makes music move people. Music is one of those things you can’t really put your finger on – it’s not simply melody, not only lyrics, not just sound, and not merely rhythm. Is there a common thread that makes music ‘good music’ then?

There are so many wonderful bands out there that slip into obscurity, and stuff I’m amazed that sees the light of day and becomes ‘popular’. Is music then 100% subjective?

...wasn’t entirely a discovery per se, since I’d already chatted with them via myspace, but I got around to hearing some albums by the unwieldly-named Sanchez is Driven By Demons- forgive them a bit, they are Swedish! - and very much enjoyed it. They freely admit to a lot of Mogwai/Godspeed/etc. love but I like the results they’re starting to create more recently. Nothing earthshattering yet but definitely better than I was initially expecting.

So I’d better mention some names like the Primitive Calculators and King Loser and the Robots and etc. Then yesterday there was Hive Mind and the Lotterboys and Takashi Wada. And the Shadowplayers DVD, but that’s not really musical, though it’s all ABOUT music and everyone should check it out. Yup. ;-)

...Alcian Blue’s debut (very nice goth/shoegaze mysteriousness), 7 Year Rabbit Cycle’s Ache Hornes (a bit Low, a bit Codeine, a bit Deerhoof…), the Pendulum Floors’ A Kicking Good Time (mid-90s out-there Optigan-driven odd lo-fi…stuff), Shuji Inaba’s Yoenzange (vocal and guitar demi-oddness)...good day today, I’d think!

Trust me, I willed it upon myself, with all the promos and review copies I pretty much asked for from a slew of people. Getting around to it all will be something else, I figure. Eep! But that’s partially why I’m taking my vacation, to give myself a break (of course, I’m still bringing the iPod with me…).

Terrastock was and is this indescribably wonderful thing. And while it doesn’t encompass all of my listening experiences by any means, it’s a good peek into a lot of it. So if you’d like to hear any of it - or indeed, ALL of it! -feel free ...

Billy Mackenzie has slowly but surely over time become one of my most favorite singers ever, making the tragedy of his suicide all the more distressing. But what a series of records he left behind - I’m now engaged in tracking down a slew of collaborations and otherwise uncollected efforts. If you’re new to the man, try out the Associates’ Sulk - you won’t regret it.

I give to you Crooked Hook. V. noisy and Blue Cheer/Mountain, not unique by any means but entertaining. Here’s their Myspace page if you want to investigate some more. Opening for the Boris/Thrones/Growing tour, now that’s good stuff (and you should definitely check all three of those groups out too).

I’m not sure whqt horrible thing would have to happen to make this not the case, but it’s good to have an achievable goal on the list!