Best section ever

So yes, I am here to kick start the ridiculous section of our YAAC blog entitled “Doom”. I can only assume that this is here because Alex and I are so bloody adamant that out grim recitals are heard at every meeting and that some how, every little thing we bring up has to, in some way, relate back to some sort of ungodly rumbling, usually called doom.

However, I think I’ll kick start this wee corner of our internet by just talking about some music I’m enjoying listening to at the moment, some of which could possibly be described as “doom”, but then again, if you’re anal and torrid about such things, you wouldn’t call them doom at all. but here goes.

Stars Of The Lid – The Ballasted Orchestra

Stars Of The Lid tick more of the “drone” box than the doom one, but they make elegiac chimings which make grown men cry in train stations (10 points if you can place the quote) .

In all seriousness though, sometimes its hard to believe that this is just two men and a tonne of spare time. “Ballasted Orchestra” is their third record I think, and I got it for christmas and have pretty much been living by it. Sleeping, working, eating to it. it is taking over my life and makes silence seem loud and everything with any form of rhythm seem completely obsolete. I think i may pitch it to the others that we use some of their work for a sound thingy or something in the future. it’s definitely “arty”, but not in the same way as funny facial hair or wearing a hat indoors. but aye, “The Ballasted Orchestra” by Stars Of The Lid is a lovely, zoned out drone album which you’ll be lucky to listen to the whole way through without falling asleep (which is a good sign).

Melvins – Honky

I love the Melvins. so so much. they really are super. fellow YAAC’er EleWeston took a trip to see them live and I still burn with envy every time i hear about it. “Honky” is definitely doomy. its all very eerie and sinister and has their most typical “doom” song on it. its twelve minute long and has a stupid name which I cannot for the life of me remember. I do remember however, putting said song onto a heavy old play list for a friend and he said “corr blimey” when the heavy bit kicked in. so that means it’s doomy.

It’s taken me ages and ages to track down this album but I found it the other day and got it for just under a tenner which I’d say was pretty fair. it’s definitely a difficult album to get into but when it clicks and the fast segueing between the upbeat, hell for leather Melvins married with the oppressively slow, horribly muted Melvins makes for such a unique listen that it makes some of their other efforts (all of which are super) seem a little out of place, it has to be a winner. i’ve been sitting and letting Buzz’s soft girlish voice relax me before working too much for the past few snowy days.

all in all, very glad to have finally got this one.

Pavement – Crooked Rain Crooked Rain

I’m seriously falling for this band. I know i really shouldn’t, but their bloody indie credentials are spilling out all over the place. again, they don’t really, in any way, shape or form tick the doom box, but they’re just so damn nice to listeh to, that after all the morose droning and head bobbing of the last two albums i’ve written about, it all seems to make sence when Stephen Malkmus starts singing about tennis and being a spy and “gold soundz” whatever they may be (“Gold Soundz” is the best song they have ever done).

I had their last record before hearing this and though it was pretty good, but Crooked Rain… is better. it lives up to its famed status indefinitely and all the tongue in cheek singing in the world can;t take away it’s gentility. sometimes it reminds me of Sonic Youth without the guitar effects, or Q And Not U without the shaved heads and angst. besides, Pavement couldn’t be any more West coast if they tried. anyway, that doesn’t matter. I really want to go to Primavera this summer and watch them as they’re getting under my skin a lot.

Growing – Vision Swim

Last one. Promise.

Growing are one of the best bands I’ve ever listened to. Again, more droney…maybe venturing into “noise” territory. I couldn’t possibly comment. Their earlier output was definitely pretty doom worthy, but “Vision Swim” is their last album and its far more hip and rhythmic than plain old doom.

My lovely mother bought if for me for Christmas and i put it on as soon as I got it and it’s flapping awesome. I must admit, due to being bad and downloading it a while ago, i knew what i was in for. but still. “Morning Drive” is one of my favourite Growing tracks, the propulsiveness of it all just makes you engage instantly with what’s going on and the array of noises blend into one throbbing tide. i find it great to work to. I’m not sure the others agree. I put some on at the animation w/shop and I think Jess can be quoted in saying: “Seriously, what the fuck is this?!”.

But in all fairness, Growing are a hard edged band to try and like after not hearing them before. So i suppose being met with instant hostility is a common affair for them. Personally though, they’ve become one of my favourite bands and this album is precisely why. if you know them already and haven’t heard this, think the last two EPS they did as well as some of the dancier bits from “Colour Wheel” and make them all sound better mixed, recorded and more concise as an album. if you’re not familiar with them, just take a chance and try, try so hard to like it. if you close yr eyes, it sound s a bit like Basshunter down a well.

Right, so i’ve christened the doom section of the YAAC blog with that, a completely redundant twenty or so minutes of typing.  I’ve enjoyed myself and, more importantly, have stopped thinking about the snow outside. (which has been causing a considerable amount of disrupt I might add).

so thanks for reading if you’ve read it. I think i might do this again and inpeach on to you my musical warblings of late. I’ll try and figure out how to work my way around this here blog and update you with something more important in the future. till then though, happy life.

see you all soon

Robinx