Buried Treasures & Opinions on Animal Collective
Buried Treasures: Jim and Greg dig up another set of underground musical gems.
Music News
2008 has come to a close, and the numbers are in. According to Nielsen SoundScan's end-of-year report, Taylor Swift was the top-selling artist of 2008. Lil Wayne and Coldplay also had good years, but overall album sales were down a whopping 14%. It's not all bad news for the music industry, however. While physical sales for complete albums continue to plummet, music sales overall are up; more than 1 billion digital tracks were sold. And, profits from concert sales are up 8%. This figure is the result of fewer tickets being sold for more money, and Jim and Greg wonder if consumers will be able to keep up with rising ticket prices in this failing economy.
It looks like digital music sales will only continue to increase. Steve Jobs of Apple has made it even easier for music fans to purchase and download music from the iTunes store by removing all Digital Rights Management software from its files. But, accessibility comes at a price--$1.29 to be exact. Amazon and other online stores have been selling DRM-free files for almost a year, but iTunes was the last to hold out with the labels' demands. So if both Apple and the music industry are winners, where does that leave the consumer?
Pioneering punk guitarist Ron Asheton of the Stooges died this week at the age of 60. While he died at young age, Asheton lived long enough to experience a Stooges reunion and revived fan interest. He is best remembered through his music, in albums like Fun House. And you can listen to Asheton's 2006 interview with Jim and Greg during this Sound Opinions episode.
Buried Treasures
Feeling guilty about holiday gluttony? Why not start 2009 fresh with a healthy New Year's resolution to find more undiscovered music? Jim and Greg are here to assist your efforts with these Buried Treasures:
Greg
- Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan, Sunday at Devil Dirt
- Springhouse, From Now to OK
- Blackstrap, Steal My Horses And Run
Jim
- Ponytail, Ice Cream Spiritual
- Fucked Up, The Chemistry of Common Life
- Women, S/T
Merriweather Post Pavilion Animal Collective
Has the first great album of 2009 come upon us? That's the question Jim and Greg answer in their review of Merriweather Post Pavilion by Animal Collective. This is the 9th album for the experimental indie rockers, and one that is inspired by the concert venue in Maryland. Their goal was to make an album worthy of such an outdoor arena, and both Jim and Greg think that Animal Collective was successful. Previously Jim has felt that they veer too much towards the jam band spectrum of things, but with Merriweather, he's won over by the fresh melodies and dense harmonies. Greg explains that the songwriting is much stronger on this album. He calls it an "ecstatic dance record," one that is a perfect antidote for the gloom of winter. Both critics give Merriweather Post Pavilion a Buy It.
Featured Songs
- Dead Kennedys, "California über alles," Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death, Alternative Tentacles, 1987
- Taylor Swift, "Love Story," Fearless, Big Machine, 2008
- The Velvet Underground, "I'm Set Free," The Velvet Underground, MGM, 1969
- The Stooges, "Dirt," Fun House, Elektra, 1970
- The Stooges, "T.V. Eye," Fun House, Elektra, 1970
- DJ /rupture, "Reef," Uproot, The Agriculture, 2008
- Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan, "Come on Over (Turn Me On)," Sunday at Devil Dirt, V2, 2008
- Ponytail, "Beg Waves," Ice Cream Spiritual!, We Are Free, 2008
- Springhouse, "Passion," From Now to OK, Independent Project, 2008
- Fucked Up, "Crooked Head," The Chemistry of Common Life, Matador, 2008
- Bon Iver, "Re: Stacks," For Emma, Forever Ago, Jagjaguwar, 2008
- Blackstrap, "Lay Down Low," Steal My Horses and Run, Tee Pee, 2008
- Women, "Black Rice," Women, Flemish Eye, 2008
- Animal Collective, "Also Frightened," Merriweather Post Pavillion, Domino, 2009
- Animal Collective, "Summertime Clothes," Merriweather Post Pavillion, Domino, 2009
- Thunderheist, "Sweet 16," Sweet 16, Big Dada, 2009
- The Drifters, "Answer the Phone," I'll Take You Where the Music's Playing, Rhino Atlantic, 1965
- Weezer, "Heart Songs," Weezer (Red Album), DGC, Interscope, 2008
- Daft Punk, "Teachers," Homework, Parlophone France, 1997
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