I Love You But Ive Chosen Facebook

OK, sorry. One last bit of bizness before I take my leave. Most of you know I also play in various bands. I figured I’d go out with a little self promotion. Come on, I’ve earned it…

Avoidance Theory is releasing a FREE EP of four songs - this may be increased as time goes on. You know how I always complain about the music biz (haha, and you thought me an my complaining ways had left the building)? Well, it’s sorta because I’m involved in the artist’s side of it too. It’s just so tough nowadays actually release music if you’re not a great touring band with loads of fans. Or you have a billion MyDisgrace or Gootube sycophants.

We’ve been having such a tough time figuring it out, that for now I’d rather people just listen to it for free than create a money barrier that truthfully is MUCH more trouble than the 5 bucks we net off of each manufactured CD sold.

So, here you go: Download the Calico Cliche EP now. Add it to your playlist. Blog it. Dump it in the Windows (or Mac) recycle bin. Burn copies and distribute them to unsuspecting polar bear biologists.

Do what you will. And have a nice day!

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“The time has come,” the Palebear said, “To talk of many things…”

Well, yeah. I already knew that reviewing music for free just couldn’t last for me. I’m just surprised that this post hasn’t come sooner.

If you know me well enough, you’re now expecting me to launch into a blistering attack on the music industry, the Shblogosphere, bands that send in CDs that don’t play in the computer, people who steal MP3s (yes, farker, it IS stealing), and all the hanger-on peeps who constantly want things from me.

The truth is that I’ve ranted about that many times before, and pretty much nothing came out of it. Understandably, no one cares because there are FIFTY BILLION music blogs out there and each and every one is pretty much better than this one.

So, I’ve decided not to waste my breath. I’ve been reviewing music for about 10 years now, although only the last 5 years have been online and pretty much only the last 3 or so have been on Palebear. It’s been way too long. I’m tired of it. I’d like to take back the enjoyment of music simply to enjoy it. I’d like to put on a CD and not have to worry about if it sounds more like MBV or GBV. I’d like to regain my closet space. Etc.

I’d like to have fun listening to music again.

I won’t be accepting any more CDs or submissions for review any longer. It was so nice to get free stuff but the work and worry involved in reviewing them just isn’t worth it. If you send them my way, assume they’re going in the trash or that I’ll donate them. The Palebear site will probably return in some form or another, most likely a personal portfolio site or some other thing. I’ll probably keep the bear logo.

For those bands who have CD reviews up currently on the site, I’m going to try keep the archives around in the background. I have to figure out how to do this, but you shouldn’t have to change your links.

Lastly, I would like to send out some thanks. I’ll keep it all positive in order to end this on a good note.

Thank you to:

Subpop - Thank you so much for everything. You were really the only bigger indie label who ever gave us the time of day. On top of that, you were already one of my favorite labels going a long way back. I wish you the best…

Filter Mag - Same goes for you, thank you for the promo materials you sent without fail, even when we failed to review more than 1 out of 10 CDs. Wish you the best as well.

SOMAFM - Elise, you’re the best. We listen to the radio show nearly every day for at least a few minutes. Hope to send you some more of our own stuff one of these days. Thanks for keeping indie pop rocks fun.

Hush Records - Thanks Chad for all the excellent music from the label, even though we were pretty spotty on coverage of your artists. Funny to hear that you’re actually Poddington, I had no idea…

Beechfields Label - Thanks for all the excellent music, you’re one of my favorite smaller labels. I wish you and the rest of the Baltimore, Maryland area bands the best in the future. I did get your compilation and it’s great.

Pants Yell! - You are rad. There are no other words to say.

Asaurus - Same to you. Thanks for all the connections to the wonderful smaller bands and labels.

Indie Swedish Bands - Thank you all, you are all amazing. I don’t mean to also exclude the Norwegian, Danish bands as well. In fact, a special thank you to everyone who sent music from other countries. I must have gotten music from 25-30 different countries over the past 5 years. It was really fun to get stuff from far away.

Everyone else I skipped - Thank you. I didn’t feel like making a huge list.

Lastly, thank you to ALL the unknown labels and bands who sent in music. It may not have seemed like it, but we appreciated getting a chance to find those diamonds in the rough. There were surprisingly many. Keep on making great music - look forward to hearing you on the radio.

See you later,
Palebear

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I haven’t posted a review on the Fleet Foxes‘ super-excellent album that came out awhile ago. I just can’t find enough good things to say about it, but that’s ok because they’re getting a ton of good press. Already, being talked about for people’s best-of-year lists and such.

It really IS a great album - a cross for me between Band of Horses, My Morning Jacket, Beach Boys, Shins, and Crosby Stills Nash and Young. That last one - I don’t know what they even sound like really, but SO many people have jumped on the bandwagon saying that there is a great resemblance that I decided to sucuumb to shoddy journalism by claiming that as well. Heh.

Oh, there is an interesting video for their song White Winter Hymnal up on Subpop. Low light, Wallace and Gromit style stop claymotion action…

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Oren Lavie
The Opposite Side Of The Sea

I’m going to admit that I’m a little bit out of my league trying to review this Oren Lavie CD. No doubt it’s a wonderful collections of smoky, quirky, mellow tunes. And actually, there is a very good chance that you’ve already heard a song. The opening track, “Her Morning Elegance” was used in a Chevy Malibu commercial.

I know I got one reference correct immediately, even though it’s an easy one - Nick Drake’s footprint is everywhere. Oren’s voice is hushed, even ragged sounding at times, which goes pretty well with the sparse arrangements. No pounding drums here. There are a lot of orchestral arrangements, at times a bit whimsical. Sometimes it reminds me of the strings on The Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby”. The other name that comes to mind is Leonard Cohen, though the songs aren’t as bleak. Also, uh, Sting? Beyond that, I’m afraid I’m going to have to let this one ride in the Ipod for a bit.

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Gregg Yeti And The Best Lights
Heart Palpitations...

If you’re wondering what’s with all the reviews on the same day, the way it works over here is that there’s a long, long, long, farking long queue of music. Every so often, I need to purge that queue so that I can reclaim space on my floor and in the closets. I haven’t done this in nearly 6 months. So there’s some “purging” afoot. I usually review about 10% of what I receive - the rest gets recycled or sent to the thrift. Yep, it has to be this way. Otherwise, I would be writing reviews in my sleep. Not that I’m doing that now.. Zzz =)

Back to reviewing - another CD that’s up my alley is Gregg Yeti & The Best Lights. A little dose of slacker-90s lo-fi-aesthetic pop is sometimes just what you need to get you out of the neu-Coldplay doldrums… OK, after I wrote that, I was thinking that I RIYL-ed a little hastily. It’s not slacker GBV-ish, not even close. There is, however, a sort of laid back feel to the songs and the voice.

Never mind that the long title (“Heart Palpitations of The Rich & Famous”) sure challenges my blog’s reformating prowess. There’s some great keeper tracks here - Gregg’s singing and the song structures are very Sebadoh-ish. Most of the songs aren’t aggro - they’re the more introspective ones. Maybe some New Pornographers in here as well? There’s also some even more mellow, dare I say shoe-gazeyness, going on in songs like “Colonize Your Eyes”. And “Building Houses” sounds almost like an Ida song.

Mr. Yeti enlists a few others to help out with singing and other duties, but for the most part he plays all the instruments. Out on Eskimo Kiss…

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The Republic Tigers
Keep Color

This is another CD that’s been kicking around in my player for a few months. I’ve been trying to “figure them out”, and it’s becoming increasingly clear that this is the wrong direction. But you know what, I’ve no time for wrong directions. So here is a blurb I found directly from Filter:

“Actually Sounds Like: Catchy Postal Service beats combined with whimsical Shins like singing create an all together unique listening experience.”

Hmm… so I don’t think that’s especially accurate. Maybe the Shins reference, but definitely not Postal Service. I actually think it sounds more Air or Mercury Rev at times. If they’re having as hard a time as me describing the music, something’s wrong. I still like quite a few of the songs and I feel like it’s going to be one of those “grow on you albums.” But so far nothing about them has completely knocked my socks off. Decent stuff, though.

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The Transport Assembly
Improbable Songs

If you have an aversion to atonal mathy-rock, I can guarantee that you won’t like this album by The Transport Assembly. I REALLY liked it, however. It has a trippy, twiggy, twisted feel to the songs. I’m not surprised to see a Jim Yoshii Pileup connection. Other bands brought to mind are Deerhoof, XiuXiu, etc. Maybe Sonic Youth a bit. The singing is kinda Elephant 6-ish though, which makes it even better for me. I am trying to pry it loose from my CD player but it will not come unstuck. Delicious, dangerous and dissonant fun.

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The Duke Spirit
Neptune

As an example of how far behind I’ve gotten, this disc by The Duke Spirit came out in April and I’m just getting to it now at the end of June. Oh well. I’ve been contemplating taking a long break until the end of the year. If I do, I’ll put up a notice on the submission page so that bands that send in their CDs will know they’ll have a long(er) wait ahead.

Back to the music - the album Neptune by The Duke Spirit has sort of struck me as a cross between Silversun Pickups, Chan Marshall, and Midnight Movies. Energetic, slightly dancey rock with a female singer with awesome pipes. That’s about all I’ve got for you right now - the band has been around for quite awhile with a good number of releases but this is the first I’ve heard of them.

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What’s wet, wild, and Weezer-esque? Why, the new Pork and Beans video from Weezer’s upcoming Red Album of course.

It’s a mishmash of popular internet memes - but who cares about that, is the song any good? Yeah, actually, it’s not too bad. Having been a Weezer fan since the Blue days, it’s nice to hear them ressurect that sound. I didn’t really care for their forays into metalheadedness.

Pork and Beans on Youtube

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I don’t usually post these quickie types of things - I leave that to the other music blogs who are all caught up in the “grind”. This is a Band of Horses video for “No One’s Gonna Love You” from Cease to Begin. I need not mention BOH is one of my favorite “newer” band.

Hm… but maybe I should post more stuff like this. It takes a lot less brainpower and time instead of making a long post that no one in their right mind will read. Or posting about science articles that no one but 30+ PBS nature show junkies like myself are interested in. It’s like Snap, Crackle, Post. No thought, instant gratification.

Maybe.

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