Thursday, November 06, 2003
Big ups and shout outs...
Rants
I would like to start off today by giving big ups to my comment posting compatriot Alison. Thank you for all of your wonderful comments and correcting me when I forget the name of a song that I like. What would I do without you. Not only is Ali a grammatical wiz and insightful commenter, but recently her blog (see the "Wide World of Blogs") had a post about the rules for rock audiences that was riotously funny. I strongly recommend checking it out. I am once again killing time in the dungeon that is my office by downloading and checking out the wide world of music that is out there. Unfortunately in my travels I come across a lot of absolute junk. However I do run into some pretty cool new things or things that I just forgot about. The only thing better than new music is music you have always had and you rediscover, it's like Christmas everyday. Speaking of music...
Music
For today's Band of the Day we venture back to the early 1990's and to a little state called Illinois. Today's Band of the Day is Uncle Tupelo. When UT released there first album "No Depression" they kicked off a new sub genre. Call it Americana, call it Roots-Rock, I like alt.country. Aside from the Man in Black I do not like country. However when these guys started mixing punk sensibilities with a little twang, suddenly it was not so bad. On top of that "No Depression" turned into the name of the genre fan club and then became a pretty decent music rag for the genre that still is published today. Sounds like these guys did a lot right, that's not even the half of it. When UT broke up Son Volt was formed by Jay Farrar and Wilco was formed by Jeff Tweedy. That's right kids the band who's crazy experimental album topped everyone's top ten for 2002 got it's start a little twangier (that is so not a word). My favorite tracks for the band are: "The Long Cut", "Anodyne", and "Whiskey Bottle". My favorite album is definitely "Anodyne". Next time you feel like a little twang will still rockin' it DIY, check out Uncle Tupelo.
Rants
I would like to start off today by giving big ups to my comment posting compatriot Alison. Thank you for all of your wonderful comments and correcting me when I forget the name of a song that I like. What would I do without you. Not only is Ali a grammatical wiz and insightful commenter, but recently her blog (see the "Wide World of Blogs") had a post about the rules for rock audiences that was riotously funny. I strongly recommend checking it out. I am once again killing time in the dungeon that is my office by downloading and checking out the wide world of music that is out there. Unfortunately in my travels I come across a lot of absolute junk. However I do run into some pretty cool new things or things that I just forgot about. The only thing better than new music is music you have always had and you rediscover, it's like Christmas everyday. Speaking of music...
Music
For today's Band of the Day we venture back to the early 1990's and to a little state called Illinois. Today's Band of the Day is Uncle Tupelo. When UT released there first album "No Depression" they kicked off a new sub genre. Call it Americana, call it Roots-Rock, I like alt.country. Aside from the Man in Black I do not like country. However when these guys started mixing punk sensibilities with a little twang, suddenly it was not so bad. On top of that "No Depression" turned into the name of the genre fan club and then became a pretty decent music rag for the genre that still is published today. Sounds like these guys did a lot right, that's not even the half of it. When UT broke up Son Volt was formed by Jay Farrar and Wilco was formed by Jeff Tweedy. That's right kids the band who's crazy experimental album topped everyone's top ten for 2002 got it's start a little twangier (that is so not a word). My favorite tracks for the band are: "The Long Cut", "Anodyne", and "Whiskey Bottle". My favorite album is definitely "Anodyne". Next time you feel like a little twang will still rockin' it DIY, check out Uncle Tupelo.
Wednesday, November 05, 2003
The newness abounds...
Hello everyone! It is my pleasure to introduce you all to the new "In the Congo"! We are no longer secretly in the Amazon. As you can see, we have new cooler pictures (without price discounts), there are more links, and the important ones now no longer link to Amazon (as I was apparently trying to peddle you all merchandise), but to cool new places. Oh yeah, and the monkey up top is gone. Enjoy! We are also going to start having 2 daily sections, rants and music. And with that clarification on to the rants...
Rants
So I have been thinking... I want to a "job" in music. Don't get me wrong, I already have a nice day job at Inatech (I mean Lantech) and I can't sing that well when I am not in the car. I mean something along the lines of weekend record store clerk, or working for a small promotion company/ indie label, or freelance writing/reviewing. I don't even really care about being paid (although that would be a nice bonus), I just want to do it for fun. If anyone has an idea of how to go about doing this, please let me know.
Music
As you can tell by my nifty new picture. The Band of the Day is Dayton, Ohio's own Guided by Voices. I don't think you can find a more prolific song writer than former school teacher/ frontman Robert Pollard. He has an astounding 4000 songs under his belt. However as of late he has said that he will trim it down to 50 new a year. That is still quite a lot. Even with Ryan Adam's ambitious multiple albums in a year, it comes nowhere close. Polard uses many of these songs in GBV but he also has many side projects. With the release of another box set, Hardcore UFOs, you can get even more unreleased songs from the lab. My personal favorites are "Teenage FBI", "Glad Girls", and "I am a Scientist". My favorite album being "Isolation Drills". Good Stuff. On top of that the biggest record store supporter of GBV is here in Indy, Luna Music. They are obsessed with these guys. If you want some lo-fi rock that occasionally borders more on the College Radio side of things, give these guys a spin...
Hello everyone! It is my pleasure to introduce you all to the new "In the Congo"! We are no longer secretly in the Amazon. As you can see, we have new cooler pictures (without price discounts), there are more links, and the important ones now no longer link to Amazon (as I was apparently trying to peddle you all merchandise), but to cool new places. Oh yeah, and the monkey up top is gone. Enjoy! We are also going to start having 2 daily sections, rants and music. And with that clarification on to the rants...
Rants
So I have been thinking... I want to a "job" in music. Don't get me wrong, I already have a nice day job at Inatech (I mean Lantech) and I can't sing that well when I am not in the car. I mean something along the lines of weekend record store clerk, or working for a small promotion company/ indie label, or freelance writing/reviewing. I don't even really care about being paid (although that would be a nice bonus), I just want to do it for fun. If anyone has an idea of how to go about doing this, please let me know.
Music
As you can tell by my nifty new picture. The Band of the Day is Dayton, Ohio's own Guided by Voices. I don't think you can find a more prolific song writer than former school teacher/ frontman Robert Pollard. He has an astounding 4000 songs under his belt. However as of late he has said that he will trim it down to 50 new a year. That is still quite a lot. Even with Ryan Adam's ambitious multiple albums in a year, it comes nowhere close. Polard uses many of these songs in GBV but he also has many side projects. With the release of another box set, Hardcore UFOs, you can get even more unreleased songs from the lab. My personal favorites are "Teenage FBI", "Glad Girls", and "I am a Scientist". My favorite album being "Isolation Drills". Good Stuff. On top of that the biggest record store supporter of GBV is here in Indy, Luna Music. They are obsessed with these guys. If you want some lo-fi rock that occasionally borders more on the College Radio side of things, give these guys a spin...
Tuesday, November 04, 2003
Thank you to everyone who keeps posting comments. I am glad to see we have so many Bowie fans. I myself am a fan of Labyrinth. But you know Ali, you can't go home again, or something. I would also like to clarify something. In the last post I made it sound like Carlos liked "Fity Cent" and Creed. Carlos, I apologize I know you have better taste than that. Also per your request, everyone can now find a link to a wonderful script resource in my link section. Also you can now find a section on the blogs that I visit and radio on the net. You should check out the link to the RLD guide on Giga. It's kinda funny. Also Ali you will be happy to know that Brie and I both won at hipster bingo in Qdoba last night. We thought it was kind funny.
Speaking of hipsters, let's talk about a special kind of hipster, the Mod. Get on your Vespa and let your shaggy hair blow, the Band of the Day is The Who. Talk about under-rated. While John, Paul, George, and Ringo were still writing songs to pick up fourteen-year-olds, Pete, Keith, and Roger were defining rock music and dare I say it, distortion. There would be no Backstreet Boys without the Beatles. There would be no Rage Against the Machine without The Who. I think they deserve a special prize for that. Plus on top if releasing great albums like "Who's Next", "Tommy", and "The Who Sell Out", they have been on the Simpsons. So you are listening to Baba O'Riley please call it by it's proper name and say a small thanks to The Who, they deserve it...
Sunday, November 02, 2003
Welcome everyone to this weekend edition of "In The Congo". Once again we are broadcasting for Sprungonia. Today is that special time of the week when we take some time to answer our devoted reader's comments. Lets' start by going to Wednesday's post about the Smiths. Let me just start off by saying this is not a Union blog. This blog makes no affiliation with any union including this one. However I do enjoy the union beer. Also Carlos, I am sorry but you are just plain wrong. Whiney, yes. Self indulgent, yes. But it is at least good. Unlike the shit poured down our throats today. I have had enough of "Fity Cent", fucking learn how to pronounce shit. And I mean come on, Creed. Fucking deep music for shallow people. At least Brittany and Michelle are nice to look at, but that's about it. Deep breath. Sorry about that, I get a little heated.
Now on to the comment form Mike on Thursday. First off I would like to congratulate you on your good choice of music. And you are correct, I did not mention Loaded in my list. But as you should know. A top five is not really a top five. It is more like at top twenty to thirty that rotates depending on time, place, mood, all kinds of things. As always please keep the comments coming. This is a dialogue not a monologue.
Now on to the Artist of the day. David Bowie. Bowie is one of the few great innovators of the past 30 years. He has worked with everyone from Jagger to Eno to Reznor to Henson. Even though he had a brief spandexed stint as the Goblin King, I can forgive him. He has brought us Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, Young Americans, and most recently Reality. His body of work as is expansive as it is diverse. So please everyone go break out some "Dance, Baby, Dance" and throw a kidnapped child in the air, it's fun...Really....
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