A Reader staffer shares three musical obsessions, then asks someone (who asks someone else) to take a turn.
Leor Galil, Reader staff writer
Presenting zine Chicago writer Miranda Reinert gave eight women and nonbinary people active in underground punk spaces disposable cameras to document their lives and fashion choices, and their photos accompany Reinert’s interviews in this thoughtful zine. I love Presenting because it captures what it means to be involved in a music community: bands are part of the fabric but not always the focus, because a scene can enrich your life in so many other ways. Plus, I can relate to Retirement Party front woman Avery Springer, who compares her dress sense to that of Nickelodeon cartoon star Doug Funnie.
Algebra Suicide Shout-out to San Francisco reissue label Dark Entries for continuing to show love to Algebra Suicide, an arty Chicago postpunk duo active from 1982 till 1994. This month the label drops its second Algebra Suicide reissue, the compilation Still Life. It’s a good starting point if you want to explore the duo’s stark, borderline creepy synth songs and the vividly impressionistic lyrics and dry delivery of front woman Lydia Tomkiw. Tomkiw, who was also a poet and visual artist, died in 2007, and it’s comforting to see her legacy preserved—even though her songs get right under my skin.
Ian Fink, The Order Detroit keyboardist and producer Ian Fink weaves together house, jazz, and boogie using synths, an MPC, and a little live percussion. He gives a lot of life to his minimalist tracks, and I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of the shuffling beat on “Pt. 3.”
Leor is curious what’s in the rotation of . . .
Dave Collis, guitarist and vocalist in Slow Mass
Big|Brave, A Gaze Among Them I was fond of this Montreal-based trio’s previous album, Arbor, but Big|Brave‘s newest release for Southern Lord is spacious and uplifting yet still dense and devastating. At the four-minute mark of the eight-minute opener, I found myself completely in awe of this band’s sonic reach. It sounds like the world is ending peacefully inside a blender.
The YouTube comment section of Thou’s NPR Tiny Desk Concert The Internet continues to prove that it is an unforgiving dumpster fire. Thou forever.
Mannequin Pussy’s perfect new album, Patience I’ve talked to several people recently who’ve told me they don’t like this band’s name. Welp . . . sorry you’re missing out! Mannequin Pussy is incredible! This entire album is flawless! I could listen to it on repeat for hours! I first saw them five years ago, and it’s been such a treat to watch them grow since then—and seeing them play this new material when we toured together last year was mind-blowing. The pop songs are catchier. The hardcore songs are meaner. I absolutely love Mannequin Pussy. You should too.
Dave is curious what’s in the rotation of . . .
Macie Stewart, guitarist, violinist, keyboardist, and singer in Ohmme
Karen Meat I love this band. Ohmme played with them and got to stay with them when we were touring through Iowa City, and I don’t think I’ve smiled so much at a show before. The songs are incredible, hilarious, and brutally honest, while staying danceable the whole time. They played at the Hideout the other night, and now I can’t stop singing “I’m sorry I stole your boyfriend” and “Can you and I please share a dinner? I’d like to take you on a date but I’m too poor.” Listen to them now!
Pauline Oliveros, Anthology of Text Scores I’ve been getting into alternative methods of scoring music, and Pauline Oliveros was one of the masters. Her text scores read like poetry as well as a way to communicate musical ideas. I think it’s fascinating to explore a more universal method of composition, one that can be performed by a wider scope of musicians—including those who might not be familiar with traditional Western notation. It’s a really fun anthology to flip through.
Flipshot’s remix of Jeff Goldblum’s famous laugh from Jurassic Park I thought I’d go back and revisit some classic 90s films, and Jurassic Park was at the top of my list. After I told some people I was watching it, a friend sent me a link to a hilarious remix of Jeff Goldblum’s laugh from the scene where he’s teasing Sam Neill and Laura Dern in the helicopter on the way to the island. It’s by somebody who goes by Flipshot, and it’s ridiculous. v