Crib Notes

This is the inaugural edition to a new column where I discuss some of the music I listen to every week.

Here at the Loaf, I get A TON of CDs. Due to time and space constraints, I never get to write about most of them, even if I like them. When I add all the music I download online, either through MySpace, band websites or, uh, extralegal means, I end up with a slew of things that I either never play or just give a cursory listen. I assume that, in the age of the Internet, a lot of music fans are in the same position as me. This is my attempt to rectify that.

Since it’s difficult to write full-fledged reviews, these will just be initial impressions based on a quick listen or, in some cases, hearing the first few tracks of an album. That will allow me to cover as much music as quickly as possible. I reserve the right to change my opinion at any time. For now, I’m limiting my purview to albums, but I may eventually include singles (MP3, 12-inch, 7-inch, etc.), too. The resulting “Listening Stack” will hopefully resemble something similar to Robert Christgau’s now-defunct “Consumer Guide” in the Village Voice, minus the distracting letter grades.

Any local acts who want to get in on this should send me their discs. I am going to make a special effort to cover Atlanta artists. But I have to warn you that if I don’t like your album, I’m going to say so. If I love it, I’ll write the equivalent of a kiss — or a firm handshake, if you prefer.

By the way, this column has absolutely nothing to do with the booking of the music section, so a mention won’t help or hinder you from being profiled in the paper. This is purely my personal opinion based on hearing a CD for the first time, and nothing more. Additionally, a mention in this column has no bearing on whether an album has been or will be reviewed in CL’s Media Mashups column.

Finally, I know that this is a somewhat pretentious introduction. I just want to lay out a few ground rules so there’s no misunderstanding. Of course, all of these so-called rules are subject to change at a later date.

Chris Fortier, As Long as the Moment Exists (EQ Recordings): Sometimes progressive house can be exhilarating in a way that a long journey, full of twists and turns, can be. Other times, it can be really boring, with one track sounding indistinguishable from the next. Unfortunately, Chris Fortier’s new album is too much like the latter.

Calvin Harris, I Created Disco (Almost Gold): With a title like I Created Disco, one expects MySpace sensation Calvin Harris’ album to be sort of a joke. And it is. On tracks like “This Is Industry” and “The Girls” (where he goes on and on about the kinds of girls he likes), he sings drolly over deliberately outrageous synth beats. Whoever said irony was dead never anticipated the rise of snark.

[Album of the Week] Liars, Liars (Mute): Liars’ last album, the awesome Drum’s Not Dead, was like an intense, feverish jam session, with only muttered vocals to break up its dark, nightmarish sounds. The band’s new, self-titled album, however, is more accessible — at least in relative terms — channeling the band’s hallucinatory energy into a series of finite compositions of varying quality. There are some standout tracks, including the pummeling “Plaster Caster of Everything” and “Cycle Time.” While a solid album, however, Liars doesn’t feel as intensely necessary as Drum’s Not Dead. For an alternate opinion, read Corey Licht’s review in CL’s Aug. 23 issue here.

Liars open for Interpol Friday, Sept. 21, at the Tabernacle.

Theo Parrish, Sound Sculptures Vol. 1 (Sound Signature): Theo Parrish, one of the great underrated house producers, tends to use two styles — circuitous, trance-like beats reminiscent of Kraftwerk, and a lush, soulful house vibe. I tend to prefer the former (best captured on 2000’s Parallel Dimensions) because it’s so distinctive, but Sound Sculptures hews toward the latter. It’s a little uneven, but a few of the cuts, particularly “Twisted Friskie Biscuits,” are winners.

[Recommended] Supermayer, Save the World (Kompakt): Superpitcher and Michael Mayer are best known as the kings of European micro-house, a techno/house subgenre that, despite considerable publicity and critical raves, never quite caught on in the U.S., although it influenced big-name DJs like John Digweed. (I’m referring to its lack of penetration in 1,000-capacity mainstream superclubs, not its ability to pack small rooms with music snobs like myself.) The duo’s full-length debut as Supermayer, which arrives after several 12-inch collaborations and remixes, is more unpredictable than their reputation suggests. It’s filled with little keyboard suites and bizarre sample-driven exercises. Of course, it has some monster dance tracks, too, like the funky house cut “Planet of the Sick” and the epic progressive track “Two of Us.” It’s strangely beguiling. (Sept. 25 release date)

Waajeed presents, The War L.P. (Fat City): Waajeed is a former member and longtime collaborator of the late Jay Dee, which may be all you need to know about how this album, a showcase for artists signed to his Bling47 label, sounds. I need to give it a few more spins to decide whether I like it. But it’s always nice to hear Invincible, an indie-rap vet who deserves a wider audience (she was last heard on Dabrye’s Two/Three), and newcomer Tiombe Lockhart has a nice, sweet singing voice.

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