Fishpork

New Neutral Milk Hotel Website Breaks the Intrawebs

August 26, 2011 By Fishpork Leave a Comment

All Tomorrow’s Parties shared news of a new Neutral Milk Hotel website that showcases previously unheard recordings, a brand new box set, and a new podcast series by none other than Jeff Mangum! Unsurprisingly, the site underestimated the aftershock of such an announcement and launch. If you attempt to go to www.walkingwallofwords.com, you will get the following error message: “the server is temporarily unable to service your request due to maintenance downtime or capacity problems. Please try again later.” We’re patiently waiting for the web servers to go back up and those responsible to get things back in order. Sign me up for a box set, please!

Update: The site is now up again. And you can listen to two previously unreleased studio tracks right away!

Filed Under: Indie, News Tagged With: all tomorrows, neutral milk hotel

Album Review: Collapse Into Now

March 21, 2011 By Fishpork Leave a Comment

Collapse Into Now is without a doubt R.E.M.’s best effort in the 15 years that have passed since New Adventures in Hi-Fi. It’s the most “R.E.M”sounding record in a long time as well. Back is Peter Buck’s mandolin, and back are the classic lyrics of Michael Stipe. A lot of people wrote this band off when Bill Berry retired in 1997, saying they would never again reach the perfect flow of albums like Automatic For The People and Green; it seems that they’ve finally proven the critics wrong with Collapse.

Although 2008’s Accelerate was a great punch in the arm for the band and a return to the form of the classic Document, their latest seems like a real comeback for the band responsible for some of the best songs of their generation. Although opening with back to back rockers “Discoverer” and “All the Best” might trick you into thinking this is Accelerate Part 2, they dial it back a bit with “Überlin,” an easily relatable story of just making it through the day with your dignity intact. Another highlight, “Walk it Back,” brings to mind “Drive” off of Automatic with its almost laid back shuffle and lyrical content. The album ends with the hauntingly beautiful almost spoken word “Blue,” featuring guest vocals from Patti Smith. This my friends is one of the best songs this band has ever written. “Blue” also has one of the best codas I’ve ever heard in a song, reprising lead off track “Discoverer” in the final seconds.

R.E.M. seem to have found a producer who fits them in the new millennium with Ireland’s Jacknife Lee. He brings a classic sound to these new songs that can simply make you smile and remember albums’ past. Collapse Into Now is, at times, a cross between Out of Time and Monster, showing that they can be contemplative but also kick out the jams when they need to. If you’re a fan of any era of R.E.M, I can’t recommend this album enough. It draws on all of the band’s strengths without sounding redundant and contains some of their strongest songwriting in years. I’d be very surprised if this isn’t near the top of a few lists come year’s end.

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: R.E.M.

Album Review: Let England Shake

March 15, 2011 By Fishpork Leave a Comment

On Let England Shake, PJ Harvey’s fifth album since 2000, she takes a new direction both in songwriting and vocal style. Gone is the sometimes harsh singing that listeners have become accustomed to. Also gone are the abrasive songs heard on albums like Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea and Uh Huh Her, replaced with almost quiet, contemplative tracks that deal with the subject of war and the havoc it can cause ordinary people.

The title track kicks off the album with an addictive xylophone melody and Harvey’s new high register. It’s been said her new voice is distracting and not fitting to the music; however, this reviewer couldn’t disagree more. Her voice fits the songs perfectly and actually makes you wonder what her other albums would sound like had they been sung in this fashion. The first single, “The Words That Maketh Murder,” sounds a bit like Patti Smith Lite, which coming from any other artist might come across like a joke. Here though, Harvey is able to suck you into a story of war’s destruction in the Middle East, leaving us with one of the most intelligent songs to be released this year.

PJ Harvey sounds vital on this album in a way she hasn’t in years. This is one of the most subdued efforts from her that I can remember hearing and serves as evidence that a protest album can actually come across quite well in the modern era. The album tends to drag on a bit towards the end and, at times, the message gets lost. In the end, this is another solid effort from the lovely Ms. Harvey. I’d recommend this if you enjoy a little intelligence with your music listening experience.

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: PJ Harvey

Album Review: The King Is Dead

January 23, 2011 By Fishpork Leave a Comment

2009’s The Hazards of Love was considered a misstep for The Decemberists, but in my mind it was a beautiful mistake. Many derided it for being an overblown mess of Neil Young-esque guitar and long-winded storytelling; I for one loved the album for those very reasons. With The King Is Dead, the band has remarkably progressed their songwriting while not abandoning their roots.

Colin Meloy has greatly matured as a lyricist and storyteller. Where he used to take what at times seemed like forever to tell a story, his thoughts are now condensed into short succinct verses; and it works to the album’s benefit. These are story songs in the traditional Decemberists form. They tell tales of beleaguered and flawed characters, but the lyrics are more contemporary and straightforward then ever before.

Enough about the lyrics though. Where this album truly shines is with the music. R.E.M.’s Peter Buck guests on album opener “Don’t Carry It All,” “Calamity Song” and lead single “Down By The Water,” and it’s not surprising that these are the standout tracks on The King Is Dead. Buck still hasn’t lost his touch for a great hook, proving so with “Calamity Song” in particular, sounding like something off of Murmur. The Decembrists still sound like a band of pirates, but now it seems that they’re pirates who’ve honed their craft.

The Decemberists are tight as ever on this album, and it might be their best effort to date. It’s up there with their first two albums Castaways and Cutouts and Her Majesty The Decemberists. If you were scared off by The Hazards of Love, give them another chance with this release. It’s a musical experience you’ll be happy to have been a part of.

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: peter buck, R.E.M., The Decemberists

Fishpork’s 10 Favorite Shows of 2010

December 22, 2010 By Fishpork Leave a Comment

2010 will be remembered as the year we saw Jeff Mangum play five songs. It’s hard to compare that experience even in a year that was loaded with unforgettable performances. Deerhunter solidified themselves as Fishpork elite, Arcade Fire showed why some consider them the best band on the planet, and James Murphy all but burned down NYC. Here’s is our very biased list of our favorite shows of 2010:

1. Jeff Mangum @ Le Poisson Rouge

2. Deerhunter @ Starlight Ballroom

3. Jonsi @ Terminal 5

4. LCD Soundsystem @ Terminal 5

5. Arcade Fire/Spoon @ The Mann Center

6. Tobacco @ First Unitarian Church

7. Atoms For Peace @ Roseland Ballroom

8. Owen Pallett @ Bowery Ballroom

9. Modest Mouse @ Williamsburg Waterfront

10. Faith No More @ Williamsburg Waterfront

Filed Under: Lists Tagged With: arcade fire, atoms for peace, deerhunter, faith no more, Jeff Mangum, jonsi, lcd soundsystem, modest mouse, Owen Pallett, tobacco

The Fishpork 20: Favorite Albums of 2010

December 14, 2010 By Fishpork 3 Comments

We’re wondering if the end-of-the-year list makers have actually listened to Sufjan’s Steven’s The Age of Adz more than once (or even at all). It’s truly and unquestionably our favorite release for 2010. While we enjoyed some of the popular choices (This Is Happening, Halcyon Digest, The Suburbs, etc.) just as much as the next guy, there were some less popular albums that we really appreciated over the past 12 months (Down There, DISCO2, Shame, Shame). And is there any reason why a soundtrack cannot get some love? Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross may be the reason why The Social Network wins a Best Picture Oscar this year! Here are our favorite 20 albums of a tremendous year for music:

1. Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz

2. LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening

3. Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles II

4. Caribou – Swim

5. The National – High Violet

6. Avey Tare – Down There

7. Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest

8. Owen Pallett – Heartland

9. HEALTH – DISCO2

10. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs

11. Yeasayer – Odd Blood

12. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross – The Social Network

13. Jonsi – Go

14. Dr. Dog – Shame, Shame

15. Girl Talk – All Day

16. Vampire Weekend – Contra

17. The Magnetic Fields – Realism

18. Holy Fuck – Latin

19. The Walkmen – Lisbon

20. Gorillaz – Plastic Beach

Honorable Mention:
Seven Fields of Aphelion – Periphery

Most Disappointing Albums of 2010:
Elf Power – Elf Power
MGMT – Congratulations
Of Montreal – False Priest

Filed Under: Lists Tagged With: arcade fire, attitus ross, avey tare, caribou, crystal castles, deerhunter, HEALTH, jonsi, lcd soundsystem, Owen Pallett, sufjan stevens, the national, trent reznor, yeasayer

Fishpork’s 50 Favorite Tracks of 2010

December 8, 2010 By Fishpork Leave a Comment

2010 started off strong, producing some of our favorite tracks off the summer playlist. As the weather heated up, things fell into a summer doldrum. Now, as we develop our end-of-the-year lists, we’re finding the year coming to a conspicuous end. Similar to 2009, the list is somewhat album-heavy, as we were drawn to several stand-out records among our favorite artists. Here is our very biased list of our 50 favorite tracks from 2010 (give the page a minute to load the SoundClouds):

1. LCD Soundsystem – “Dance Yrself Clean”

2. Caribou – “Odessa”

3. Sufjan Stevens – “I Walked”

4. Deerhunter – “Helicopter”

5. HEALTH – “USA Boys”

6. LCD Soundsystem – “I Can Change”

7. Crystal Castles – “Empathy”

8. Avey Tare – “Laughing Hieroglyphic”

9. Broken Social Scene – ‘World Sick”

10. Owen Pallett – “Lewis Takes Off His Shirt”

11. The National – “Afraid of Everyone”

12. Autolux – “Transit, Transit”

13. Sufjan Stevens – “Impossible Soul”

14. Jonsi – “Boy Lilikoi”

15. Arcade Fire – “The Suburbs”

16. Sufjan Stevens – “Vesuvius”

17. Caribou – “Jamelia”

18. Crystal Castles – “Not In Love (feat. Robert Smith)”

19. Beach House – “Norway”

20. Arcade Fire – “We Used To Wait”

21. The Black Keys – Tighten Up

22. Yeasayer – “Mondegreen”

23. Deerhunter – “He Would Have Laughed”

24. Owen Pallett – “Midnight Directives”

25. The National – “Bloodbuzz Ohio”

26. Crystal Castles – “Vietnam”

27. How To Destroy Angels – “Fur-Lined”

28. The National – “Terrible Love”

29. Sufjan Stevens – “Too Much”

30. White Lies – “Bigger Than Us”

31. Panda Bear – “Slow Motion”

32. Avey Tare – “Lucky 1″

33. Liars – “Scarecrows on a Killer Slant”

34. Dr. Dog – “Jackie Wants A Black Eye”

35. Ratatat – “Party With Children”

36. Tobacco – “Lamborghini Meltdown”

37. The Walkmen – “Angela Surf City”

38. Middle Class Rut – “New Low”

39. HEALTH – “Before Tigers (Gold Panda Remix)”

40. Four Tet – “Plastic People”

41. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – “Bright Lit Blue Skies”

42. Jonsi – “Tornado”

43. Menomena – “Five Little Rooms”

44. Yeasayer – “ONE”

45. Of Montreal – “Like a Tourist”

46. Matthew Dear – “You Put a Smell On Me”

47. Delta Spirit – “Bushwick Blues”

48. Avey Tare – “Oliver Twist”

49. MGMT – “Flash Delirium”

50. Flying Lotus – “…And The World Laughs With You (Ft. Thom Yorke)”

Filed Under: Lists Tagged With: arcade fire, ariel pink's haunted graffiti, autolux, avey tare, beach house, broken social scene, caribou, crystal castles, deerhunter, delta spirit, dr. dog, flying lotus, four tet, HEALTH, how to destroy angels, interpol, jonsi, lcd soundsystem, liars, matthew dear, menomena, mgmt, middle class rut, of montreal, Owen Pallett, panda bear, ratatat, sufjan stevens, the black keys, the national, the walkmen, tobacco, white lies, yeasayer

Fishpork’s 10 Favorite Videos of 2010

November 30, 2010 By Fishpork Leave a Comment

MTV might not play them anymore, but that doesn’t mean the music video is dead. 2010 saw a resurgence of the art form. While there were a ton of worthy videos this year, we narrowed down a list of ten favorites. Featuring two videos from iconic director Spike Jonze, an homage to the French horror scene, and a web exercise that places the memories of the viewer into the experience, these are Fishpork’s 10 Favorite Videos of 2010:

10. Flying Lotus – Kill Your Co-Workers (Directed by Mike Winkelmann)

9. Holy Fuck – Red Lights (Directed by Brian Borcherdt & Michael LeBlanc)

8. Deerhunter – Helicopter

7. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs (Directed by Spike Jonze)

6. Nosaj Thing – Us (Jon Hopkins Remix) (Directed by Anthony Ciannamea & Mark Wisniowski)

5. Amon Tobin – Esther’s (Directed by Charles De Meyer)

4. How To Destroy Angels – The Space In Between (Directed by Rupert Sanders)

3. LCD Soundsystem – Drunk Girls (Directed by Spike Jonze)

2. HEALTH – We Are Water (Directed by Eric Wareheim)

1. Arcade Fire – We Used To Wait

http://www.thewildernessdowntown.com/

Filed Under: Lists Tagged With: amon tobin, arcade fire, deerhunter, flying lotus, HEALTH, holy fuck, how to destroy angels, lcd soundsystem, nosaj thing, spike jonze

A Perfect Circle to Reunite For “In Its Entirety” Shows This Fall

September 13, 2010 By Fishpork Leave a Comment

According to their new Twitter account, Maynard James Keenan and Billy Howerdel will play all three APC albums on consecutive nights at three-night stops to LA, Seattle, Las Vegas, Tempe, and San Francisco. James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins) and Josh Freese (Nine Inch Nails) will join Keenan and Howerdel on these stops, which will also include an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel on October 27. What this means for a new A Perfect Circle album is unclear. Previous interviews with the never-serious MJK suggest that the band would release songs instead of albums, but Howerdel supposedly has a vault of new tracks ready for Keenan to add vocals to. Keenan also has plans to join his “other” band shortly to add vocals for a new Tool album. New music from A Perfect Circle and Tool is good news no matter how you look at it!

A Perfect Circle – Judith by Hatama

Filed Under: News, Rock Tagged With: a perfect circle, tool

Fishpork’s 10 Favorite Shows of 2009

December 9, 2009 By Fishpork Leave a Comment

It was another full year of remarkable live shows in 2009, which was also not immune to a few train wrecks (Enon, Dan Deacon). Whether it was a cold and rainy night in Philly to see White Lies overcome a historically shitty venue to play a show for the ages or a late night train ride to the East Village to see Karin Dreijer Andersson’s Fever Ray outfit put on a visually stunning performance, this past year reinforced our music fandom. Here’s a list of our favorite shows of 2009:

Least Favorite:

Filed Under: Featured, Lists Tagged With: animal collective, autolux, Built To Spill, dan deacon, deerhunter, elf power, fever ray, Grizzly Bear, Jane's Addiction, morrissey, NIN, no age, tapes N tapes, vic chestnutt, white lies