Coachella Lineup Announced

Coachella, the first of the summer festival line up announcements has been made. It looks like a decent line up in my opinion, a little light on the headliners, and I'm not exactly sure how to take the Thom Yorke????. Friday and Sunday seem the best, with a light lineup on Saturday. The earlier announcements tend to help in the prediction of later festival lineups, defining what can be called the "festival circuit." Lolla predictions, thoughts Claptrappers?

Soundgarden To Reunite

For me, growing up in the grunge era, there was no greater band than Soundgarden. I pretty much went apeshit over everything they did, and had pretty much all of their albums (Save for Louder Than Love, which carried the dreaded parental advisory sticker on its cover... Mom was strict about that...). I had the "Black Hole Sun" T-shirt and went fucking bananas every time I was lucky enough to catch the movie Singles on cable. If you remember that movie, you can probably remember Chris Cornell abruptly walking into a scene where Matt Dillon's character installs a shitty car stereo on Bridget Fonda's character's car and bobs along with the tunes emanating from the car until the windows of the car shatter. Or maybe you remember that great scene where the entire band makes a cameo in that little dingy bar and rocks the shit out of "Birth Ritual", their official contribution to the soundtrack... Good times...

Alas, I would never get to see Soundgarden as they called it quits right about the time I was graduating high school, plus the region where I grew up didn't really offer up the copious amounts of show opportunities a lot of people here take for granted. However, it is my hope in the near future I get to write and/or speak the following phrase:

"I just got tickets to Soundgarden."

Apparently set to leave the Timbalands of the world, to the Timbalakes of the world, and announcing the news on his Twitter account, Chris Cornell proclaims: “The 12 year break is over & school is back in session. Sign up now. Knights of the Soundtable ride again!” Up until New Year's Day, 2010, when the big announcement was made, it always seemed like a reunion would be out of reach as it appeared the band was happy with the legacy that had been carved out for them. Last summer the Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron, and Ben Shepherd hopped on stage with Tom Morello and Tad Doyle of Tad during his solo tour, and this appeared to be the spark that set the flame (Video below). There has been little word of when the reunion will take place, but you can bet your sweet ass this Claptrapper will be in attendance.

Vampire Weekend Review

The new Vampire Weekend album is out and, to be honest, its exactly what I expected.  A flop.  A regurgitation of past material with an electronic direction.  I heard earlier in the year when the singles "Horchata" and "Cousins" came out that they would be using M.I.A. samples and going for more dance music.  Those singles didn't sound too heavy on production but  I was instantly skeptical.  Not that I don't like electronic music, I just knew I would not like Vampire Weekend on top of dance music.  If you go back to 2008 you can see that I had their debut in my top 5 of the year so I am not just reaffirming hatred for them.  This new album 'Contra' from the start made me want to seek out hipsters drinking Horchatas and see if they were doing it because Vampire Weekend told them to.  The album goes on from there and is filled with eccentricities that they hold dear or are just trying to get out there and establish a new trend.  The mix of a very crisp and natural guitar next to very processed sound may appeal to some but I think they have gone too far.  The song "California English" is a perfect example of this and is probably one of the worst experimental songs you could ever hear.  You tell me.  Are they playing the vocals in reverse and what the fuck is he signing about?  Rice Cakes?  Ohhh you are sooo cool.  Please tell me about other weird things you think are cool, I gotta write them down!

I did mention that I liked Vampire Weekend right? I liked them when they didn't find it necessary to sample so much or process their music so much. Leave that to Hot Chip.  The sound they had on the first record is apparent on 'Contra" but is completely distracted by all the superficial lyrics and beat machines.  I wish they would have just kept it simple again.   I suppose I don't dislike everything about the record and there are moments where enticing music shines through.  "Holiday", for example, sounds like it could have been on the first record and would make for a good party song.  There are some smooth melodies in between the unnecessary rhythmic samples on other songs as well.   Bands evolve and I usually like it, but sometimes I think this band is going to end up like the dodo.

California English - Vampire W...

Claptrappers, can you think of any other bands where you loved their first record and became completely disinterested on the next? 

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot overrated?

First off, I realize I am in the minority among Claptrappers in terms of my feelings for Wilco's 2002 album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, so I want to be clear I'm not speaking for the entire group here. Taking a look at our favorite albums of the 2000s, 4 out of 6 of us pegged the album in the top 10 albums of the decade -- and all four had it in the top 3. The album also made high showings on numerous other top-decade lists, including Rolling Stone, Paste, and Pitchfork.

I did not include YHFT in my top 10 of the decade, and even though I don't find the album to be bad, particularly, I guess I just don't see (or rather, hear) what all the fuss is about. I almost feel like everyone is in love with the story behind the album, more so than the music itself. Take a look at Paste's review (it was ranked No. 2).

Here's an excerpt: "Yankee has come to represent everything that’s wrong with the music business: tone-deaf executives, a gross misunderstanding of online music, an institutionalized pandering to the lowest common denominator that obstructed the release of a timeless rock classic. And yet, on another level, Yankee’s success means that the system works. The record did come out, full of glorious static and muffled drums and conflicted patriotism. People did buy it."

A vast majority of the reasoning for including the album in its top albums of the decade is not music related -- it's about the perseverance of the band. I admit, it's a good story. I've seen the "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart" documentary, and it's enjoyable. But for me, I don't find the songs to have much pull that makes me want to listen over and over.

For this post, I listened to the album in entirety to see if I was forgetting something. Here are my thoughts:

- First track, "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart," is a good opener. I like the drums and when the keys crescendo at the end. One of my favorite songs on the album.

- I like Kamera, too. It's upbeat and simple, with cool noises in the background. The first 3 out of 4 songs on this album are its best moments, I feel.

- "Radio Cure" is way too slow and boring for me. I basically always skip this song to get to the album's best song, "War on War."

- The next couple tracks -- "Jesus, Etc." and "Ashes of American Flags" make me think of a person yawning. They just don't do much for me. The 9/11 connection with "Ashes" (and how the album cover features "two towers") is kind of cool, but doesn't make me want to listen to the song.

- "Heavy Metal Drummer" is the most radio-friendly song on the album. I'm kind of sick of it, and out of their radio songs, I'd rather hear "Theologians."

- "I'm The Man Who Loves You" is a pretty catchy tune. I do like this one.

- The final three tracks, for me, just don't do much for me. Again, they're not bad songs, but I usually find myself turning off the album after "I'm the Man Who Loves You." I just don't think the songs have that "pull."

I knew this album would make a good showing in lists of top albums of the decade, but was surprised by how consistently high it ranked. So help this Claptrapper out -- tell me what makes this album so great. Is it the story, the mystique of the album? Or is it the songs that make it great?

Records Claptrappers are looking forward to in 2010

I cannot really confirm that any of these bands are putting out records this year, but I heard they were. I think 2009 was a pretty solid year to end the decade on. 2010 has a lot of expectations from bands who have only put out one album so far and will be trying to avoid the elusive sophomore slump. While others will be trying to establish themselves as the future of music.







Hot Chip- One Life Stand
Yeasayer- Odd Blood
Cold War Kids- Behave Yourself
Vampire Weekend- Contra
Spoon- Transference
David Byrne - Here Lies Love (Project with Fat Boy Slim)
Arcade Fire- ??? (I heard May, with a single due sometime before that)
LCD Soundsystem- ???
My Morning Jacket- ??? ( I hope so...)
Fleet Foxes- ???
Band of Horses- ???
MGMT- ???(Produced by Jay-Z)
Portugal. The Man- American Ghetto
She & Him - Volume 2

Can you think of others or confirm any of my guesses above?

This Shall Not Pass

Got an interesting email today about the proposed merger between Ticketbastard and Live Craption, and I felt the need to share it with everyone.

CONCERT FANS BEWARE
There's a train wreck about to happen and consumer groups say YOU will be the victim - if the two most powerful corporate interests in the live concert business get their way. But you can help stop the merger of Ticketmaster and Live Nation. The government needs to hear from music fans now. Tell the Department of Justice that you're against these monopolies amassing illegal power over consumers, before it's too late.


As a concertgoer you have already felt the pain, and if Ticketmaster and Live Nation get their way, it'll get worse. In the last 12 years, since Live Nation and its predecessor started its widespread take over of the concert industry, concert tickets have shot up 82% while the consumer price index has gone up just 17%*. We are concerned that if the two concert industry behemoths, Live Nation and Ticketmaster, were permitted to merge, the variety and quality of artists coming to local venues would be affected, and your prices could rise further and faster.

Five of the nation's most prominent public interest groups called on the Department of Justice to block the proposed merger of Ticketmaster and Live Nation.

In the consumer groups' and lawmakers' words:

"Consumers deserve a fair deal in the entertainment marketplace, not the fewer choices and higher prices that would result from this merger," said Susan Grant, Director of Consumer Protection at Consumer Federation of America.

"This merger is an insult to both musicians and consumers," said James Love, Director of Knowledge Ecology International.

"We cannot envision a remedy that would ease this chilling impediment to competition... In the absence of other effective, expeditious remedies, the proposed transaction should be prohibited." American Antitrust Institute White Paper

As described by Senator Herb Kohl (WI) in the Senate Antitrust hearing, "This merger will not only expand Ticketmaster's control of the ticketing market by eliminating a competitor, but it is also creating an entity that will control the entire chain of the concert business - from artist management to concert promotion and production to ticketing and ticket resale."

"This merger would be a disaster for consumers. Nothing short of blocking this takeover of the ticket market by two industry behemoths will be acceptable," said National Consumers League Executive Director Sally Greenberg.

"As president, I will direct my administration to reinvigorate antitrust enforcement. I will step up review of merger activity and take effective action to stop or restructure those mergers that are likely to harm consumer welfare...," said Senator Barak Obama when he was campaigning for the presidency.

If you agree with the consumer groups and lawmakers, make a difference and LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD NOW. If you are tired of paying exorbitant ticket prices and service charges and paying for parking on a per head basis and dealing with the gouging, unregulated secondary ticket market in an effort to get good seating. If you are disgusted with paying more and more every year for the live concert experience THAN ACT NOW, CLICK ON THE LINK IMMEDIATELY BELOW AND SEND A MESSAGE TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE URGING THEM TO STOP THIS MERGER!



To email your concerns click below:

antitrust.complaints@usdoj.gov


To learn more click below:

ticketdisaster.org


Public Interest Groups Call on Justice Department to Block Ticketmaster/LiveNation/Comcast Merger


Signed,
Metro / Smart Bar and The 9:30 Club, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Jam Productions, Metropolitan Talent, Another Planet, Frank Productions, Stone City Attractions, Rams Head Live, The Black Cat ...... and independent concert promoters and venue operators nationwide.

I believe it would be in the best interests of Claptrapped and everyone who loves music to follow through and voice their concerns.