The Arcade Fire have posted a couple clips of their new single(s), “The Suburbs” b/w “Month of May.”
They have a fun virtual turntable to listen to a small sample of each cut.
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A little update on my quest to find a record player turntable DIY kit. Rega does not do (but you can buy their fine turntables at Atlas on Yates Street). Scheu does do kits… I have an email in right now with their Canadian distributor to find what it is, and what it costs.
If my DIY turntable never pans out, then I’ll save my pennies to buy a Rega from Atlas for sure.
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My man Bob Lefsetz was not very kind to my fave band The National.
“3. The National “High Violet”
Sales this week: 50,671
Debut
What kind of crazy fucked up world do we live in where the act with the number three album is unknown to almost everybody in the country?
One in which music has been Balkanized, where we’ve got endless scenes and almost no mainstream.
I’d love to tell you I love this album, but I don’t. I far prefer Broken Bells.
And while I’m at it, I’ll say that Grizzly Bear doesn’t float my boat either.
And my ultimate point is I’m now ignoring everything from Brooklyn. It’s not the new Seattle, certainly not the new San Francisco. The magazines and blogs need something to write about, and when they trumpet substandard stuff it ends up baffling the audience, makes them play video games or watch TV or listen to the same damn classic tunes over and over again.”
Ugh Bob, 50,671 people like love The National. Its not their fault you’ve never heard of them, its not their fault the rest of popular music sucks or didn’t release a record last week. Calm down.
You can’t dive into their 5th LP, listen half assed to a couple cuts and then “get it.”
Like any art, some of it speaks to you and some of it doesn’t. Having been a passionate fan for some time, there is something to the sound that attracts me and keeps me coming back. I read Bob constantly talking about how bands need to do exactly what The National have done… create real fans. They did with me.
I don’t really care that people like or dislike the same bands I do (The National have their share of critics)… but I think my frustration stems from the fact I read this guy’s emails everyday when I roll into the Zone, and all he does is spout off about the need for hard working, authentic bands… one has a small glimmer of success and he hacks on them.
Ok, I’ll stop crying. I generally like Bob’s curmudgeon-y emails even if I disagree with one part of one post.
But fuck Bob, open your ear hole.
Go with yourself.
The Morning After 
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