Music For Infants: My preliminary field notes indicate that babies, by and large, don’t give a shit about music. However, there are two exceptions in Vashti Bunyan and David Tibet, particularly Sleep Has His House. Weirds me the hell out, it does. Not because Sleep is a bad album, or because it is rightfully considered one of Current 93’s finest works and this indicates supernatural prescience, but because it’s about a dead father, sung by his living son.

But it soothes the savage beast, and so I worry not.

This past year was one of preparation and rediscovery. Health and Death and yet another triumphant Boredoms experience. Throbbing Gristle, set in motion during my own infancy, played “Discipline” in an old Masonic Temple and drew a circle around what I imagined my youth to be. Will Oldham demonstrated extreme American exceptionalism while millions inexplicably mourned a dead pedophile; Antony showed an overwhelming capacity for international superstardom, hemmed in only by being a beautiful woman who doesn’t look like one.

Some New Things I Loved:

An Imaginary Country; Tim Hecker is a man of genius, but he didn’t tell us that until this gentle slop fell into our laps.

Black Cascade; Yes, Wolves in the Throne Room is a one-note act of staggering inauthenticity according to those who know better than I, but this album has not left my player all year.

Tarot Sport; Shimmering anthems, so simple. Fuck Buttons as “Chariots of Fire”.

Get Color; I love the 80’s industrial-noise axis far more than I ever cared for post-punk, but Health’s balancing act makes me nostalgic for something I never experienced rather than annoyed by something I never experienced.

The Glass Bead Game; The most soothing recording of the last ten years.

Great Bringer of Night; This three song demo is one of my favorite things this year – whatever blackened doom sludge is, Coffinworm does it just the way I like it.

The Crying Light; Why wasn’t this in every Starbucks in America instead of Elvis Costello or some other useless old fuck?

Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free; Michael Gira is the underground’s best batting coach, grooming a stream of well-oiled players to leave his AA club for other pastures.

Some Other Things:

This year heard a heap of older Boards of Canada, whose oldest demo material has a sheen and guileless charm almost completely lacking from their later work. Same with The Black Dog, whose Radio Scarecrow got very little airplay and certainly didn’t keep any crows away. Explored the backcatalogues of Blackshaw and Fahey, and dang if I still don’t see a common thread beyond “talented guys with guitars”. Om had their moments with a new drummer, but ethno-hippy won the day while losing the war.

This year also heard a ton of metal. Old Death still thrills me. Apparently my bag is whatever you’d call new anthemic ambient black metal-ish stuff. I look forward to new work from Altar of Plagues and Coffinworm; unrelated I hope Mouth of the Architect pulls back from using female (or male, really) vocalists in such pedestrian ways. Back on track, supposedly the new Krallice is very good? Agoraphobic Nosebleed’s new one wasn’t too hot, and can someone please explain to me why Sunn is on everyone’s best list? Dear lord are they ever dull.

Biggest Surprise:

I really enjoy the Burzum album Hvis Lyset Tar Oss. As in “I listened to this album a bunch of times just this week.” Absolutely cheap and shitty, and the last track is a total panflute in the forest weep-fest that brings only tears of laughter. But it’s really quite good, and I recommend it wholeheartedly. Filosofem, however, is an overrated load of honkey-tonk.

Endnotes:

A monumental screed against bass cars lands me on WordPress.com’s frontpage, but not one person asks “Is mass murder really the proper response to public incivility?” A reasonable question, if you live alone in the woods and grow your own mycoproteins.

If their debut album was a small boat floating down a creek on a humid summer night, and their second album was a slightly corny campfire sing-along, then Love is Simple is Akron Family running a riverboat that only allows you to gamble on frog races.

Now, does that make any damn sense? No, it does not. But it’s true.

“Ed is a Portal” – ok? There are something like seven musical styles in this song, and over those six minutes you get drum machines and synths, the campground vocal harmonies they love so much, twangy geetars, and some other stuff too. I mean, it basically comes down to this – do you like good things? Yes?

Then you shall like this.

What do I like the best? “Don’t Be Afraid, You’re Already Dead,” and not just because I’m maudlin when the weather turns humid. You move along from an acoustic guitar and a repetition of the phrases “Don’t be afraid, it’s only love” in the first part and the track’s title in the second half. The middle is slathered with a lovely refrain of “love is simple.” Get it?

I figure it this way – either you get it or you don’t. And I’m pointlessly biased in the “getting it” side of things. Love is Simple is lovely. Lovely is a term usually reserved for older women as a catch-all for describing anything that’s even marginally acceptable. But in this case it means it is full of love – since “loveful” isn’t a word and “loving” is a bit too verb-y and carries a hint of intercourse with it, we’re stuck with lovely. And lovely it is. Everything sounds great, be it spanish guitar (?) or that off tune chorus thing they like so much. Or when it sounds like a sickly young hangover throwing up on itself.

Whatever.

Akron Family will be down at Castle Clinton in Battery Park on July 24.

Hope to see you there. Should be lovely.

akronfamily.com | Young God Records

I normally don’t say anything to hecklers at shows, especially when they’re drunk. But after the third or fourth outburst from this Scott Baio looking douchebag – he must have spent all week thinking up “how about less poise, more noise!?!” – even the band was gently insulting him. For whatever reason, on this night, I asked “how about a little shut the fuck up?” In retrospect, shushing would have been more appropriate, for what followed was silly and somewhat pointless. But I did the right thing (hitting tiny drunks is literally and figuratively beneath me) and so enjoyed the rest of the evening.

I also feel sort of dumb because Akron Family is an appropriate group to get exuberant with, especially in a live context. They’re friendly, have excellent stage presence and put on a hell of a show. It’s got more than a touch of southern rock, and it is a thoroughly American kind of music. The guitar playing has touches of twang beneath the fuzz, but mostly it is sweaty, playful and American. Calling something “Americana” makes me think of the rough cloth sofa pattern in my mother’s living room growing up, “1776″ and eagles liberally slathered next to pictures of horse-drawn carts and bags of open grain; these guys are more along the lines of Dickey Betts than Betsy Ross.

William Parker and Hamid Drake opened, doing a frame drum and handmade bass improv before moving onto an upright bass and drumkit for the second half of their short set. Things were running late and getting sweaty at Tonic (which is often sweaty and late) but they shut the crowd up fast. I generally don’t go for free jazz – from ignorance or dislike, I know not – but Parker’s distorted basslines and Drake’s drum playing were filled to the brim with musicianship and rock with a capital AWK. They are insanely talented people who can be found playing out in various groups all across the city. (Drake is also featured on the new Akron Family album)

Resisting song requests (from Scott Baio, natch) Akron Family kicked out the jams. They announced they were working on a new album, and that the audience would be the first to hear some of the newest tracks. The new tracks are all over the place – there was even some bluegrass-ish-esque tossed in between the southern-psych-folk-whateverthefuck – but the long builds and huge peaks remain. After ripping things up with lots of new material, Drake and Parker came back out to play through the finale, which was surprisingly structured and just real pretty (in a spiritually beautiful sense, not like girls or something). I can’t think of anyone worth hanging out with who would not appreciate $4 Yuenglings and these guys.

A review of Meek Warrior to follow. (Short Version: it’s a hippie dippie freakout good time! With dolphins!)

Here’s a link to a live set recorded on WNYC last year. Sadly there’s no young wits yelling “LSD!” or “Peanut brittle!” so you’ll be forced to enjoy the music rather than concentrating on such cleverness.

http://younggodrecords.com http://www.akronfamily.com