m_to_the_c

Strange, as a long-time Pavement fan, I wouldn't recommend "Slanted and Enchanted" to a casual listener first approaching the band! I guess it depends on what background you are coming from, but that album took the longest time to acclimate to. I didn't even get Terror Twilight until a few months ago, as it did nothing for me. I now see it as necessary, after you get into Wowee Zowee. It's the perfect counterpoint and the "man, I am growing up" life-fallout hangover album that I never thought Pavement could make. It really adds depth to the catalog, though it still is not my favorite (Wowee

Great song. Bad choices. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnXQa-NJ3qs

They raised over $500,000 at the benefit show alone. All tickets were auctioned...

"Hell Is Chrome" never really did it for me until I listened to it driving around after a huge snowfall. Something about the muffled sonics and the giant blanket of white creating a sublime context for it to gently bash me over the head. It then sounded as warm as the vintage gear it was recorded on at Sear Sound.

Isn't the History Channel airing 9/11 Conspiracy "documentaries" now? I understand what you are saying, though!

Are you using a desktop computer or a laptop? If it is possible, use a desktop with a souped up processor and TONS of memory. I spent part of September trying to edit a project with Adobe Premiere Pro on a MacBook (I was on the road) that I had to scrap and reassemble because the machine couldn't keep up and kept giving me error messages that went away once I was back at my desk on the big machine. If you are using iMovie 08 or 09, consider backstepping to iMovie HD (which is 06) as it's somewhat more stable. Your instinct to trim down each clip individually before bringing the sum of the pa

If you really, really, really want Jeff Tweedy to listen to your song, you can always go by the old standby of tossing a CD on stage between songs. Only, with Tweedy I'd pick a show when he's in good spirits (and for the love do NOT CHUCK IT AT HIS HEAD). Make it with a professional looking cover, all pretty-like. Who knows, Wilco could be like Guster: at one point they would make a pile of fan submitted music and play "Smash or Trash" on their tourbus in route between shows. (I think it was WAAF in Boston that had a show they'd do that with new songs back in the early 90's, which is where t

The verses of "Unseen Power..." speak to exactly what makes both bands great. Many bands would be wise to follow this template. While I dug into Up when it was released, this made me appreciate it more. I have always thought there is a great album in there, somewhere! http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/weekly_article/playing-god-with-rems-up.htm The last time I was simultaneously interested in both bands latest output was that same period, which coincided with Summerteeth. Both albums remind me of being jetlagged out of my skull with my family in a rented minivan, chasing the sun from

I really hope they have JP come out and sing Immigrant Song.

Got the Butterflies CD. Not what I had hoped, though, is an interesting artifact of the 90's: a Nirvana/Pavement hybrid! Going to give it some time, maybe it's a grower...

The files still exist, just not in the same place as pointed to by the DVD. I accessed them about 4 weeks ago by re-registering (already registered to access the Ashes downloads, couldn't figure out how to log-in) and then adding an "order" to the account. It was pretty convoluted, but eventually worked and access was granted to a .ZIP file of everything bundled together. Good luck, just know they are still up there, somewhere!

It's interesting to see how the bands' communication style has changed greatly since hopping to a major label!

It's a little deceptive since the cover art used is from a bad 1992 movie, but one of the reviews on the S/T one looks to be from one of their drummers.

I have been looking for ANY Butterflies album since hearing them on a NG Records Sampler years and years ago. Holy Crap! "Son of An Astronaut" is a GREAT song.

I was just thinking about this yesterday. Dated a girl years ago who didn't like either Wilco or Cracker. Tried to make it work, but should have seen the writing on the wall. Now I'm gloating, but the wonderful woman who I am married to now loves all kinds of music. Actually, what was probably our tenth date was an impromptu trip to Seattle to see Wilco (and others!) at Bumbershoot 2002. She was like "sure, I'll fly across the country with this guy I don't really know, to see all this music in a place neither of us has been!"

I quite enjoy his last with Wilco

Just heard the news, listening to Summerteeth now. My condolences to those who were close to him. While the Rentals first perked my ears up to vintage synths, it was Jay Bennett's use of them on Summerteeth that showed me what you could really do with them. Rest in peace! ps- The "who knows, for all we know he could be jamming with Woody" comment a few pages back gave me a smile.

Wow, listening to this now. Less beats than a typical Danger Mouse production (think the slower stuff on Beck's "Modern Guilt") What an odd fate to the most anticipated album of the year. Anyone actually planning on buying the CDR-infused packaging? This could either be a marketing ploy, or the official death rattle in the throat of major label musics.

You're going to end up getting them all anyway, but: Emotionalism Gleam I Carolina Jubilee Gleam II Mignonette / Four Thieves Gone / Country Was Mignonette and Four Thieves Gone have a fair amount of road/studio chatter that might not suit someone just checking the band out, as well as Bob Crawford vocals that might be jarring to someone expecting 100% Avett magic. These elements even out after repeated listens (and you will repeat listens!!), but at first you might not have the patience.

No doubt MMJ is the better live band. There are some Shins recordings floating around, but their performances aren't as divergent as MMJ's. The comparison was brought up as an academic point, noting shared producer. I found it odd that one would come up in the others' thread, too. One is mostly head, the other is mostly heart.

MMJ and The Shins used the same producer on their latest albums, Joe Chiccarelli. Both are "controversial" with fans, as they have flavors that weren't had in such doses before. Every single time I have brought up "Evil Urges" the standard response is "dude, but have you seen it live?" A response which I think is faulty, as in 25 years the performance will not be the same, and all we will have are these substandard recorded versions that pale in comparison to the visceral, ephemeral performances. That voice Jim James has, though! This is the same reason why I think "Chutes Too Narrow" stands

If you do make a city themed mix, by law, you have to start with "Washington, DC" by the Magnetic Fields. But I'd go for a mix of albums, not a mixtape. Depends how well you know her, I guess.

Saw that Philly show on this tour, and I'll be damned if the song that got the biggest reaction wasn't an instrumental! (Duet for Guitars #3) That is, if you don't count the dead absolute silence during the first 3 songs, all performed solo acoustic w/ harmonica. Anyone else think M Ward's bassist (and sometimes guitarist) looks like Michael Cera?

1. New Adventures In Hi Fi 2. Up (but only with Stylus' reconfiguration, check it out! http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/on_...ght/rem-up.htm) 3. Automatic for the People 4. Reckoning 5. Murmur 6. Life's Rich Pageant 7. Out of Time (memory side!) honorable mention: Michael Stipe's singing "Kid Fears", Peter Buck on "Too Lick Your Boots", Mike Mills' piano on "Soma"

The thing is, any time you have such an overpowering instrument, it's mostly about the notes you don't play. Any player worth his weight will know when to hold back, or to chuck on tons of effects and give the song atmosphere. I don't want to hear wanking on steel any more than I want to hear it on any other instrument. It has to work in context. One of my favorite songs with pedal steel on it is "Captain Easychord" off of Stereolab' Sound-Dust. It's just so surprisingly unexpected yet tasteful in their context; granted it's their latter, non-droney period. David Mead has a song "Indiana"