All right, so I’m not sure if I’ve got this new site polished down yet, but I’m giving it a shot. Avatars and youtubes are beating down my soul but luckily everything Matador records seems to put out lately helps it reascend. Here’s my Top 5 in rotation today:
Pavement: Brighten the Corners-Nicene Creedence Edition – I used to have favorite Pavement albums and then one day they all just melted into one universal pile of affection. Obviously I’m not the only one as this is the 4th reissue for the band and features no less than 24 bonus tracks. Unreleased classics include “Harness Your Hopes,” “Cataracts,” and a killer version of Echo and the Bunnymen’s “Killing Moon.”
Brightback Morning Light: Motion to Rejoice – Eerie, rhodes driven rock forged in electric slow motion and ideal for any modern opium den.
Jay Reatard: Matador Singles ‘08 – Get past the name, quick. Because an acoustic guitar has never sounded more ideal for punk-rock. “Seesaw” is all you need to get hooked.
Belle and Sebastian: BBC Sessions – The best from 1996-2001 on weighs heavily on tracks from If You’re Feeling Sinister. The production quality is phenomenal and the band is even better. Sound from the hayday of mellow perfection.
Lou Reed: Berlin-Live at St.Anne’s Warehouse – This 2006 live performance of his 1973 album, while essentially for fans only, can serve as a comforting step for the novice Velvet Underground fan to reach into the more obscure world of the Lou Reed catalogue. I ‘get it’ more each time I listen. I think.
