Palebear Archives

July, 2008

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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“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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