We got T-shirts folks, lots of different ones. Including this rad Pure Pop Records t-shirt modeled above by some nameless, mindless fashionista. Come down, check em out. It’ll be shirt weather in oh… 5 months.
We’re a little over a week away from Record Store Day 2010. The last two were a lot of fun, so we’re pretty excited. There are a ton of titles this year on all formats, including exclusives, reissues, live material and all sorts of other neat stuff. In addition to all the Record Store Day releases, we’re going to be running some cool sales and putting out a ton of cheap used cd’s and lp’s.
This year we have an extra-special treat. We will proudly be hosting Grace Potter and some of her band-mates from The Nocturnals. They are going to come in to sign albums and meet fans. As if that wasn’t enough, Grace will also be DJing at the store for the final hours of the event. One can imagine a high-calibar songstress like herself having great taste! They should be arriving around 7pm.
Feel free to call the store with any questions you may have. Please take note of a few details before you do:
-Store Hours on Record Store Day will be 10am-9pm
-All of our orders for Record Store Day titles are in. We tried to get just about everything. Given the limited nature of these releases, we’re not sure exactly how much we’ll be getting of anything.
-We will not be reserving any of the event’s exclusive titles for customers. No exceptions. All items are first come first serve. If you really want that Magnetic Fields “69 Love Songs” Vinyl box set, come at ten o’clock.
-More information can be found at the event’s official website.
-Here is a fairly comprehensive list of Record Store Day releases: Read the rest of this entry »
There are as many opinions about Health Care Reform as there are strains of the flu. Like it or lump it, the legislators have legislated. Here at Pure Pop we only see one course of action when vastly complicated and controversial bills dominate the headlines; we listen to songs that are superficially connected to them. In that spirit, we proudly present 10 songs to Celebrate or Lament Health Care Reform By.
1. Gregory Isaacs “Night Nurse”
A classy start.
2. Phish “Down With Disease”
The local heroes take a stand against disease.
3. Alien Sex Fiend “Here Cum Germs”
Is being a sex fiend covered under the new plan?
4. Deltron 3030 “Virus”
Animated persons are low-risk for skin disease.
Read the rest of this entry »
A band like Yo La Tengo really illustrates how unreliable one’s concept of time can be. My brain can’t grasp the fact that they formed the same year as Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s first album came out. Ladies and gentlemen, we’re talking 1984. Ronald Regan won his second election by carrying 49 states, Ghostbusters was second-highest grossing film of the year and Jaroslav Seifert won the Nobel Prize for literature. That’s twenty-two years before the Arctic Monkey’s debut album came out. (Who’s feeling old?) I’m only beating this dead horse because I’m fascinated.
Yo La Tengo’s age is striking because none of their stuff sounds dated and they seem to always release albums that are very, very good. They’re like an indie rock Dorian Gray, except that instead of an ever-more grotesque portrait in an attic they have an ever-more robust back catalog. Even lesser titles like Summer Sun are fine albums. Popular Songs, their latest, while falling short of the magnificence of I Can Hear Beating As One or And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out, is one of their better albums. Not bad for a trio of old fogies.
Reinvigorated by the wonderful Condo Fucks project earlier this year, Popular Songs is an album sprawling in length and scope. At over seventy-minutes, the band showcases all their strengths, alternating between fuzzy jams, low-fi grooves, upbeat rockers and sparse, atmospheric numbers, all with the seamless cohesion we’ve some to expect from these Hobokens. If there’s any criticism to be made, it’s that occasional moments on the album are perhaps a bit too reminiscent of older songs, but not nearly to the extent of the aforementioned near-misstep Summer Sun. There are plenty of fresh moments here and Yo La Tengo fans should be nothing short of elated with the latest offering from this enduring and endearing trio.
In addition to the release of the remastered Beatles catalog, The Fab Four also have their very own video game coming out this week. This is entirely precedented, as Metallica and Aerosmith both have similar titles out. Furthermore, 50 Cent released an action-shooter earlier this year called Blood in the Sand. Perhaps this is a sign of things to come. Are we going to see more video game vehicles for popular bands and musicians? We’ve consulted our oracle, and the answer is yes. Here are some titles you can look forward to:
Hello. It's me.
Todd Rundgren’s Utopia – In Todd Rundgren’s Utopia, the player takes control of singer/songwriter/producer legend Todd Rundgren. Navigating a post-apocalyptic urban wasteland, Rundgren does for the city what he did for XTC, Meat Loaf and The Psychedelic Furs, he makes it better. Conjuring his magic powers, Rundgren converts the chaotic sprawl into a Utopia, block by block.
Noel quit before the fight was over.
Street Fighter: Oasis - In this old-fashioned brawler, players pick from an Oasis-themed roster of fighters and duke it out to see who’s the true Champagne Supernova of the fighting ring. All of the significant rivals of Oasis members are featured here; George Harrison, Damon Albarn, the Stewardess that kicked Liam off an airplane, the dude that punched Noel onstage as well the Gallant Gallaghers themselves. Featuring lovingly rendered 8-bit versions of all your favorite Oasis songs.
Voulez-vous etc...
Leisure Suit Serge Gainsbourg – A traditional point-and-click adventure starring the person who made being a sleazy-old-man cool (caveat, Ryan O’Neal made it uncool again). Guide Serge through swingers parties, orgies, hot-tub soirees and bikini volleyball tournaments in order to cultivate inspiration for his next classic album.
G-G-SPACE-A-L-L-I-N
Learn To Type with GG Allin – Contrary to the adult nature of the previously listed title, this one’s for the kiddies. Hosted by a digital GG Allin, beginner typers are tutored and entertained in tandem. GG will offer words of encouragement as you type along to the lyrics of a generous selection of his songs.
Buy the GTC: Special Edition and recieve a Limited Edition GTC Lapel Pin
Grand Theft Consumer – Gamers can put their morality aside and indulge their darker impulses as a record company executive. The aim of the game? Making money. Over the course of this epic adventure, players will try to break bands that sound exactly like prior label successes, negotiate exclusivity deals with box stores, issue over-priced “special editions” to wring extra cash out of super-fans and cynically exploit the deaths of any artists on their roster, all for maximum profit.
Last night we held one of our semi-regular poker nights. It was attended by elder statesmen of the Pure Popperverse, the newest blood being myself and Mr. Michael Breiner (pictured on the far right) who have been in the Pure Pop employ for six years or so. We were joined by former employee Chris Miller (pictured on the far left), a fine man and card player.
Breiner, for the second time in a row, won the proceedings with some deft playing. It was a pretty close game for the most part, with just about everyone enjoying chip-leader status at some point. The great exception to that was yours truly (not pictured). I won all of two hands, played with cowardice and swore off playing poker ever again about a dozen times over the course of the night.
As you might imagine, we listened to quite a bit of great music over the course of the evening. The night was hosted by Tanner (pictured middle left), who’s digital music collection rivals any I’ve ever seen. Our other Michael (pictured middle right) treated us to a Neko Case-themed playlist that I initially resisted only to find myself enjoying thoroughly.
In situations like these, one hopes and can expect to hear something new. Some of the better stuff we heard that I was unfamiliar with included bands called The Assembly, The Records (who Breiner emphatically recommends) and the Flamin’ Groovies, a band I’ve grown to absolutely adore over the course of twenty-four hours.
We also delighted in many Pure Pop favorites, including Kate Bush, Nick Lowe, XTC, Wire, Morrissey and the like. A fine night, all things considered.
In the wake of the collapse of grunge in the early 90′s, British rock experienced a short-lived renaissance. Shirking the dominant influence American music had had, English bands drew inspiration from their rich musical legacy. Characterized by hooky, catchy progressions and an unmistakably British delivery that included thick accents and British slang, the movement that came to be known as Britpop yielded a wealth of fantastic albums. Here are five albums that capture the scope of the movement in broad strokes:
The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses (5/2/89)
Along with the self-titled La’s album, this represents the first spark of the Britpop fire. Although it predates the movement by a few years, most of the essential qualities are present. The album’s influence would be great and immediate. Opening with the sublime “I Wanna Be Adored”, the quality never dips. John Squire’s guitar work is superlative, reverb-drenched beauty. Ian Brown spits, mumbles, snarls and occasionally sings. He’s fantastic. (Liam Gallagher would appropriate his delivery, streamlining to great success.) This is the beginning, friends.
Blur - Parklife (4/25/94)
Blur is one of the two most successful Britpop acts, a band that is virtually synonymous with the movement. Although they lost the Britpop battle to their rivals, Oasis (more on them shortly), history has been kinder to Blur, as evidenced by the reception of their recent reunion. Parklife covers a lot of musical ground, from the disco groove of “Boys and Girls” to the punky aggression of “Bank Holiday”. The lyrical heir to Ray Davies’ subversive wit, Parklife offers a fragmented view of British culture through the eyes of an unimpressed Damon Albarn. Truly a great, great album.
Oasis – Definitely Maybe (8/30/94)
The other biggest Britpop act, Oasis was the only one to make any significant impact on the American market. (That was thanks to “Wonderwall”, an excruciating ballad on an otherwise great album, but I digress.) Released almost exactly four months after Parklife, Definitely Maybe is more stylistically consistent. Oasis wanted to be The Beatles, but they sounded more like Slade. Despite the fact that they can still fill large venues across the globe, Oasis alienated many serious music fans with their arrogance and penchant for borrowing musical ideas from their influences. It’s a shame because Definitely Maybe is fantastic. Pure Rock n Roll.
Suede – Coming Up (9/2/96)
In 1996 Britpop was going strong. The rapture and devil-may-care attitude of the era is beautifully captured on Suede’s Coming Up. Suede didn’t reach the heights of success of the other bands on this list, but they were on the ground floor of the movement. With Coming Up, they aspired to make an album that sounded like a “best of” collection and succeeded. Glammy, trashy and wonderfully over-the-top, Coming Up crystallizes the immediacy and vigor of Brit Pop at its most accessible.
Pulp – This is Hardcore (3/30/98)
As George Harrison once sang, “all things must pass”. By 1998, they Britpop bubble had burst. Oasis had released a shitty album. Blur had begun to experiment with other genres. The dream could no longer sustain and cold hard reality crashed through the gates. Thank god Pulp gave us closure with This is Hardcore, a stark, reflective album that acknowledges the eruption of anxiety and ennui that had been percolating throughout the movement. Pulp’s previous album, Different Class, was a better album, but this album is the perfect book-end to the movement. It’s a little bleak, sure, but you can always follow it up with The Stone Roses.
Over a decade after it went off the air, the reputation of the short-lived sketch comedy show The State has grown to legendary status. The eleven members of the troupe have enjoyed varying measures of success as actors, writers and directors with notable projects like Reno 911, Stella, Wet Hot American Summer and the massively successful Night At the Museum films. It’s wonderful to see these fine comedians doing well, but none of these projects is as singular, outlandish or laugh-out-loud funny as The State.
In the tradition of Monty Python and Kids in the Hall, The State were a group that hit the ground running with a unique and fully-realized comic voice. Absurdity, self-awareness, inspired situations and hilarious characters were in no short-supply. During its run, quotes from the show were gleefully bandied about amongst eager friends as often as gems from The Simpsons or Seinfeld.
Dvd’s hadn’t come out when the show went off the air, and since their introduction fans have been begging for the show’s release. It’s been far too long a wait, but The State is finally available, ready to be enjoyed by nostalgic fans and curious newcomers. I emphatically reccomend purchasing this or at least checking it out. The State is dead, long live The State.
Independence Day Weekend is one of the biggest for the Hollywood Box Office. In that spirit, we’ve decided to dedicate this week’s list to songs written for movies. Sure, we could have done a list of patriotic songs, but we’re pop-culture obsessives. Bear in mind, there are many great songs strongly identified with certain films, but they only qualified for this list if they written specifically for the movie they appear in. No “Head Over Heals” in Donnie Darko, for example.
Transformers The Movie
The Touch – Stan Bush
Well before Michael Bay’s live-action celluloid nightmares, the robots in disguise made their first cinematic foray in support of the original animated tv series. Released in 1986, Transformers: The Movie became a sort of minor classic. Whereas the show had been relatively low-stakes, the film heightened the drama by killing off major characters, portraying genocide and, in certain editions, featuring swear words. This may have been enough to make the film endure, but Stan Bush’s “The Touch” ensured members of a certain generation would never forget . Wailing guitars, churchy synths and a Loggins-esque vocal delivery characterize this anthem. What is “the touch”? It’s an indelible quality that creates greatness. Featured twice in the film, it was resurrected in 1997′s Boogie Nights as one of Dirk Diggler’s ill-fated would-be singles.
Flash Gordon
Flash’s Theme – Queen
It’s common for movies these days to feature scores by rock bands and popular musicians. In 1980, it was something of a novelty. Queen’s score for Flash Gordon is a great example of how the marriage can work. Who better to provide musical accompaniment to the bombastic, over-the-top theatricality of Flash Gordon than rock’s most bombastic, over-the-top and theatrical act? Look no further than Flash’s Theme, one of the few tracks on the album to feature vocals. It is both the perfect piece to set the ironic tone of the film as well as a classic Queen track. The film was unsuccessful, retaining a small cult following, but the song lives on in Queen collections and as a ubiquitous pop-culture reference.
The Triplets of Belleville
Belleville Rendez-vouz – Beatrice Bonifassi
The Triplets of Bellville feels like a timeless classic the moment you first see it. It is a singular and striking piece of animation. It has the surreal quality of a dream. Its dialogue free-narrative gives the story a universal quality. Its elderly protagonist predates the elderly protogaonist of Miyazaki’s Howl’s Moving Castle by a year Pixar’s Up by six. Most of all, the music is absolutely, balls-to-the-wall amazing. An amalgamation of popular styles from the 1920′s, Benoit Charest’s music for this film evokes more than any amount of dialogue ever could. The film’s theme, Belleville Rendez-vous is uplifting, infectious and inspiring. I could levy a complaint or two against the film, but the music is perfect.
The Jungle Book
I Wanna be Like You (The Monkey Song) – Louis Prima
These days Disney offers vacuous, over-focus-tested entertainment designed to strike your emotional palette the same way a MacDonald’s Big Mac is intended to strike your oral palate. Once upon a time, they were the premier innovators of animation and family entertainment. They did things on old technology that would be difficult to accomplish today, post-digital revolution. They also hired some of the best song-writers of their time. For our list, we had to go with “I Wanna Be Like You (The Monkey Song)” from The Jungle Book as the penultimate Disney song. Sung by the incomparable Louis Prima, the song has a backbeat that won’t quit, tasty harmonies and a superlative melody. When Baloo tries to rescue Mowgli during this musical number, his plan derails as the song overtakes him and he helplessly joins in the performance. You know what? I buy it.
Top Gun
Danger Zone – Kenny Loggins
Top Gun is a very silly movie. One could imagine it began with a studio excec or producer muttering, “fighter jets”, scrawling it on a cocktail napkin and coming up with the plot on-the-fly at a pitch meeting. It is one of many 80′s cinematic curios, seemingly made in all sincerity with much in the way of hilariously unintended subtext and overtones. The soundtrack for the film spawned several successful singles. “Danger Zone” somehow rises above the rest, with its literal lyrics (You’ll never know what you can do/until you get it up as high as you can go), Giorgio Moroder production and Kenny Loggins’ classic vocal performance. If you can say you didn’t love it at the time, you are either a liar, or one of the members of Berlin.
Fang Island like to describe their sound as “everyone high-fiving everyone.” After a long week of damp and dismal days here in Burlington, we could all use a double high-five to the ear drums.
This group’s second release, Sky Gardens EP, delivers an epic pump-up soundtrack like none other. The effortlessly complex string arrangements and organized group vocals give the EP an adventurous and uplifting sound. Sky Gardens isn’t just a high-five, it’s a high five from the king of a magical land after saving his daughter from certain peril at the hands of an evil sorcerer. Not only that, but you were probably transported to this world after doing a kindly favor for some bum on the street that turned out to be a wizard in disguise. He gives you some crumby VHS tape and tells you watching it will change your life. When you get home from school, you pop the tape in out of curiosity and suddenly you’ve got a badass sword in your hand and you aren’t in Kansas anymore. I am certain the adventure will continue with the release of their self-titled album this August.
I had the opportunity to see these guys play last winter at 242 Main. I was pleasantly surprised when the band stayed rather motionless, and projected scenes of cartoon wizards shooting fireballs at each other on a sheet in the background. Although the turn out was small due to snow, Fang Island gave an intensely energetic and tight set. I just can’t help but get stoked on this band.
Plus, they make Kindergartener’s go CRAZY.
