Ask An Alternative High School Teacher

Today we’ll speak with someone who has seen the future that is our children. The future sez “Start buying krugerrands now!”

So…the kids these days. What are they listening to? How bad is it?

I think teenagers’ taste in music are as all over the place as they always have been, only they’re typically listening to the derivatives of derivatives. Very few of the students would be able to tell me who M.I.A. is, but they all have about 13 different songs that sampled her second album liberally.  Then you have some students who genuinely confuse me because they like groups that are just so…odd. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony? Really? Or like if a student tells me they LOVE Nine Inch Nails; I really have a tough time understanding how anyone under the age of say, 21, might even know who Trent Reznor is.

Ask A Former Banking IT Guy Who Wants To Become An O-Chemist (Or Something Like That)

T. is part of my e-minarchisto posse (much love for the gry massive) but sometimes he’d say things about music that would make me cry blood. This is my attempt to eff the ineffable.

You and I are ebony and ivory (I probably tan better than you do) musically-speaking. If you’re into it I’m out of it, and vice versa. However, we both seem to like James Blackshaw. How is this possible?

Both of us liking James Blackshaw is possible because the universe is a vast and confusing place.  I mean, it’s like electrons right?  No two in the same atom can have the same quantum state, but they can have a few quantum numbers in common.  Our tastes, well, they’re both in an outer shell around n = 4, but you’re l = 3 and I’m l = 2.

Health – Get Color

Someone took Coil and Duran Duran and smushed them up into one package. I never cared for anything from Health before this album, but there’s a depth and fractured 80s weirdness here that’s lovely. And lovely like Gold is the Metal…, not the totally shit return of New Wave DEAR GOD MAKE IT STOP routine that’s current pummeling us from coast to coast.

I am somewhat prescient when it comes to musical trends, and like I’ve told many a person popular music will be dominated by a disco/hip hop fusion (the beginnings of which can be seen with the rise – and fall – of vocoding and are manifested most succinctly in Lady Gaga aka Peaches 3.0). But for the rest of the landscape, much of it will be seeing the 80s experimental current come alive again, and not just at Throbbing Gristle shows. Hell, just look at the cover!

Om – God Is Good

Once again Steve Albini does his engineering thing and Om does their post-stoner drone thing, though with a new drummer.

There are two striking things about God is Good: Emil Amos‘ drumming is actually better than Chris Hakius, and the shift towards a more stereotypically “ethno” flourish is somewhat painful. I am upfront about my general dislike of the way Mr. Albini – who forgets more about audio engineering in his sleep that I could possibly remember – does his thing. The levels are uneven, there’s always a KABLAAAAAAM moment, but you can hear every last detail. In this age of hyperlimited brickwalls a slant towards dynamics is always welcome, but this is silly as all hell.

Anyway, there’s some flute on here, the album is pretty short, and it is generally recognizable as an Om release. A weaker Emil Amos. release, however.

Amos is a great drummer and all, but the sitars sound out of place, unlike the sparse use of flute, which feels right. No one has to do the same thing forever, and no fan has the right to demand as such, but not all change is particularly hopeful.

Boredoms @ Terminal 5 – 9/9/09

They played “Acid Police”!