Exquisite Boredom

50 Records From 2000-2009

1. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti - The Doldrums (Paw Tracks, CD, 2004)

Mr. Pink has yet to pen a justifiable, hands-down Hit (“For Kate I Wait”, “Politely Declined” and “Can’t Hear My Eyes” came close), however, via Haunted Graffiti, he’s written about 100 more memorable moments than any of the recent glo-fi/chillwave/lo-fi crop. Many view the bedroom production values as a crutch or, worse, willful obfuscation. Really, it’s neither. Ariel Pink just was doing something completely unique on his terms. It just so happens that people like the weird, forgotten non-esoterica of cornball 80’s exercise video synths, 70’s pop smears and 90’s neon that sound like they’re coming from the neighbors’ apartment.

So, yes, influential. But more importantly, in The Doldrums Ariel Pink introduces us to a half-dreamworld that is his present day LA all while using the tools of our nostalgia to make it more universal. Some feat, indeed.

11/16 - 11/22 Sound & Vision

Matteah Bain - Death of the Sun (DiChristina, LP, 2009)
Television - Adventure (4 Men With Beards, LP, 2005, originally released 1978)
Nurse With Wound - Space Music (Beta-lactam Ring, CD, 2009)
Junior Boys - Last Exit (Domino, 2xLP, 2004)
Idle Times, “Get Your Feet Off The Ground” b/w “Driving You Sad” (Woodsist, 7”, 2009)
Dismemberment Plan, “What Do You Want Me To Say” b/w “Since You Died” (DeSoto, 7”, 1997)
Pissed Jeans, “Don’t Need Smoke To Make Myself Disappear” b/w “Love Clown” (Sub Pop, 7”, 2006)
Pink Reason, “Winona” b/w “Give Yerself Away”, “Letting Go” (Woodsist, 7”, 2008)
Caribou - Andorra (Merge, LP, 2007)
Odawas - The Blue Depths (Jagjaguwar, LP, 2009)
Desolation Wilderness - New Universe (K, LP, 2009)
Real Estate - Real Estate (Woodsist, MP3s, 2009)
Prefuse 73 - Everything She Touched Turned Amphexian (Warp, MP3s, 2009)
Big Black - The Hammer Party (Touch & Go, MP3s, 1992)
Earth - Hibernaculum (Southern Lord, MP3s, 2007)
Fugazi - The Argument (Dischord, MP3s, 2001)
The Mantles - The Mantles (Siltbreeze, MP3s, 2009)
The xx - The xx (XL/Young Turks, MP3s, 2009)
jj - jj no 2 (Sincerely Yours, MP3s, 2009)
The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms (Bar/None, MP3s, 2009, originally released 1980)
Eat Skull - Wild and Inside (Siltbreeze, MP3s, 2009)
Six Organs of Admittance - The Sun Awakens (Drag City, MP3s, 2006)
Sic Alps - US EZ (Siltbreeze, MP3s, 2008)
…And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead - The Century of Self (Justice, MP3s, 2009)
Skygreen Leopards - Gorgeous Johnny (Jagjaguwar, MP3s, 2009)
Om - Variations on a Theme (Holy Mountain, MP3s, 2005)
Baroness - Blue Record (Relapse, MP3s, 2009)
Pig Destroyer - Phantom Limb (Relapse, MP3s, 2007)
The Sadies - New Seasons (Yep Roc, MP3s, 2007)
Pink Floyd - Mettle (Harvest, MP3s, 1971)
Yoga - Megafauna (Holy Mountain, MP3s, 2009)
Wooden Shjips - Shrinking Moon For You 10” (Self-released, MP3s, 2006)
Archers of Loaf - White Trash Heroes (Alias, MP3s, 1998)
Archers of Loaf - Vee Vee (Alias, MP3s, 1995)
My Morning Jacket - It Still Moves (ATO, MP3s, 2003)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It’s Blitz! (Interscope, AAC, 2009)
Wilco - Summerteeth (Reprise, MP3s, 1999)
Kurt Vile - God Is Saying This To You (Mexican Summer, 12”, 2009)

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Lots of good stuff in here, but one that I want to point out is White Trash Heroes. That album is just incredible.

I Buy Rcrds

Recently purchased:

• Ganglians - Monster Head Room (Weird Forest, LP, 2009)
• Zola Jesus - The Spoils (Sacred Bones, LP, 2009)
• The Pink Noise - Alpha (Almost Ready, LP, 2009)
• White Hills - A Little Bliss Forever (Drug Space, LP, 2009)

Just bought these a few days back through Insound (couldn’t find anywhere local, Aquarius didn’t have ‘em). I actually own each one of these, but, like an idiot, I left them in my car this past summer where they warped into an unplayable shape. Awesome.