Scratching your ears.

Everything’s still the same, and yes im suffering from post Teenage Textbook OCD. I was supposed to post some photos of my room and shit because i’ve never posted any actual pics of things i own. Which is wierd, because i guess other than leaving all your stupid writing online for others to see, posting pictures would be the final act in true internet narcissicm/ exhibition. So heads up, i’ll be posting pictures of my dog and other things that will make you really feel sorry for me.

Oh i must add today’s episode of En Bloc is fucking classic, i really hope that they release the series on dvd commercially. Everytime i watch the excellent cast of actors do their Singaporean thing, i cant help but feel all teary by their really great performances. The script is good, the “ke-leh-fei”’s are excellent (esp. during Pa’s expose of Chok’s treacherous meeting with the developers. and they all go mad and starts getting violent! Aunties throwing bottles at each other! Uncles at each other’s necks! Its a Grassroots Massacre!) Ok ok i think im getting overexcited… again..

anyway, here are some discs that i managed to find at Cash Converters again:

(oh ya i bought another copy of Rollerskate skinny’s Horsedrawn Wishes. this is the only other time that i bought a additional copy of a CD i already own, the other being Pj & Duncan’s Eternal love)

Yes. I found this at bloody cash converters AMK. its either a blessing or a curse really. It took me quite some time to make out the CD cover because it was cover with loose plastic, sandwiched in between some dance trance comps. Main’s Hydra-Calm is packaged in a jewel case with very minimal artwork, much like the music inside. The album is a compilation of Robert Hampson’s stuff just right after breaking up Loop, it comprises of the ep’s Hydra and Calm and ta-dah, hence the name! Ok, I’ve Loop and some of main’s stuff namely Frimanent and motion pool, the latter was really very much consisted of one main idea and more loose ambient-isms, not very “exciting” in that experimental way. I was quite hesistant at getting this disc, but at $5 and a rare chance to meet Robert Hampson’s Main in Ang Mo Kio, why not!!

At the roaring guitars of the first track Flametracer, i started scratching my head thinking is this a Loop track?! Slowly the trademark drums/guitar groove is treated with washings of reverb drenched guitars and yes, you get fucking hypnotised! The tracks later on are really great, and in my opinion really better than the later Main stuff that’s i’ve heard. Although closer to Loop’s guitar, bass and drums mangling, there is this really distinct ambient vibe that really is rare (seriously i mean ambient really means Lush 99.5 or Post rock stuff now), apart from the usual brian eno comparisons, Main’s Hydra-Calm is really a staple ambient disc. oh ya it has a 20 minute track “thirst” which brings to mind Fripp frippatronics since wave harmonics manipulation, guaranteed to make your fucking room and skull resonate Sunno))) style. This is space rock bliss.

Really, honestly, Band of Susan’s Veil is truly shoegaze american style. From the opening poly rythmn stabs of guitars of Mood Swing to the signal to noise to melody play in the instrumental the last temptation of susan, this guitar is going to make your head swirl. Ok most of the guitars (even the drums!) are really remiscent of Rhys Chatnam’s recordings like Die Donnergotten, with a live drummer. Instead of over dubbing one million guitars to get Rhys Chatnam’s 100 guitars played in unison swirl, Robert Poss opts for tighter arrangements and chorusing effects, which is really great. The interplay is wonderful, if you thought Sonic Youth’s Daydream nation’ guitar work is better than any Dream Theater or Racer Xalbum, u will be impressed by the stuff on this 1993 album. Well, the thing is that most of Band of Susan including Robert Poss, played under Rhys Chatnam in his one million gazillion guitar symphonies, whereas Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo (of sonic youth) played with Glenn Branca, the other harder nosier rought no wave turned classical thrash dude. Its just pretty strange how SY got this big with already reissues and an australian show where they play the entire Daydream nation. Well i do no question the depth and whatever technical ability, but Bands of Susan’s sound just makes me feel really good at that moment, that the guitar is really the best sounding thing in your head. Shoegaze because its really drony and overindulgent but never fails to tickle those hard to reach places (heh!)

I picked this The season’s fire up at borders, using a gift card. I cant say much about this disc but the words. MIND FUCKING. is a pretty good one. Willam hooker (i really never heard this guy before) teams up with Eyvind Kang (YES this one i know!!#@@!) and Bill Horist (this one i also knoooww) in 7 tracks of inciendary improv pieces digging through ragas of noise and strange familiar melodies. William hooker in the liner notes writes “STRUCTURE-FUEL TO THE SCHEME OF DREAMING” I heard this album lying on the floor of my bedroom looking at the ceiling. Well, i did it because i heard that lying on the floor straightens out your back which gravity has twisted and caused spinal problems. Raw, hard and u get Evyind Kang on guitar. mean mean mean. Strange thing is that the only online review of this album labelled this as Psych, i would call it lying down straighten back rock and roll.

Produced by Dave Fridmann, features Mercury Rev’s Grass hopper on noise things.

I loved their other album Speed is dreaming.

First track “a car or a boy” on the album featured the original Mercury Rev madman/ vocalist David baker.

Add some post nirvana Gold at stake, and some commercial artistic urges.

Terrible album. i feel shitty that i got this before reading reviews.

maybe its a grower

i remember when i heard Loveliescrushing, suddenly my ears light up, my whole brain lights up like christmas lights. Suddenly it feels like i just finished playing soccer with my school mates, like ive experienced something like never before.

i remember when i heard Astrobrite, suddenly my ears light up, my whole brain lights up like christmas lights. Suddenly it feels like i just finished playing soccer with my school mates, like ive experienced something like never before.

i remember when i heard STAR, suddenly my ears light up, my whole brain lights up like christmas lights. Suddenly it feels like i just finished playing soccer with my school mates, like ive experienced something like never before.

Sometimes i wonder what the hell does Scott Cortez do under his various shoegaze whatever ambient rock genre thang guises really to make things so magical.

And now, here we have Astrobrite’s Whitenoisesuperstar, which is only available through japanese CD sites like CDjapan, trust me its worth it. While the rest of the “modern indie”/ pitchfork beat! kids are going gah gah over My bloody valentine (well i love MBV really as well, not to the extent of comparing MBV to explosions in the sky that’s wierd!really!), its a wonder why true gems like these just dont get the “cred”, i mean borders has one million copies of Be your own pet’s album on the racks, and why? Because thurston moore like the band and signed them on his Ecastatic peace label. Think about it. halfway across the world. its like that.

Ive learnt to be careful when i start listening to this album on my ipod, it’s relentless. Upon deciding on having Whitenoisesuperstar as your soundtrack, YOU will be smothered all sharp and scathing by this Beautiful ocean of guitar. Its kind like sharp like Brad Laner’s stuff on medicine, the guitar tone eats into your ears and up into your brain. Bliss-noise is what they call this on other sites, but man, its really beautiful. “Dragonfly pinkyfuzz”, pummels earspace with huge sheets of guitar in unison and going off and Scott’s other project bandmate from STAR, Shannon Roberts (you should check her other stuff on CDbaby.com adds vocal bits and all. ACtually, i kinda think that this Astrobrite album’s a little closer to Loveliescrushing stuff, but abit more in your face. “cherryflavorburst” as its name implies is really an explosion of all kinds of sounds, fuzzy guitars and aphex twin drums and hi hats all, its 5 minutes of fucking beauty really, im not high on drugs or anything ok. I guess the lo-fi recording kinda adds to the warmth really, but i mean with music so good really lo-fi or hi-fi, listen to this album. just do really. If you’re like me and scoff everytime that stupid fucking sony ericsson ad with that guy knocking on fruits and shit and like he’s a sound addict or some shit and actually has at one point in their lives listen to feedback live or on record and actually felt something new. Please check this album out. fuck man this album is really great.

im speechless..