Slowdive - Catch the Breeze

Upon reflection, I've decided that shoegazing was (is?) the most coherent and far-reaching rock 'n' roll subgenre since punk rock: a diverse bunch of bands, lots of guitar effects being the only real common denominator, but united in attitude and musical aesthetic. Here's what for me will always be the defining band of the era, represented by this often (unintentionally?) amusing video.

On a similar note, shoegazing is alive and well in the current year, largely thanks to the brilliant A Sunny Day in Glasgow, from Philadelphia. Here's the download from our "friends" at Pitchfork, in case you missed it the first time around.

i can’t say that i think cd singles are the coolest thing, but the station has gotten some good ones in the past couple days:

common--the people (from “finding forever”)
the pipettes—guess who ran off with the milkman? (from “your kisses are wasted on me” ep)

i really like the common one, and i have been obsessed with the pipettes for months now. they make my x chromosome feel really empowered.

best hip-hop album of the new millennium? not quite, but really good and dangerously underrespected. the best thing about “beauty and the beat” is that it is a legitimate psychedelic hip-hop album. usually when people call hip-hop psychedelic, they mean ‘space-y’, but edan samples obscure (and excellent sounding) 60s psych and raps over it about seeing colors and armies of metal. really quite amazing:

edan feat. mr. lif--making planets

and an entire concert edan did with his buddy dhaga can be found here. it's great and my mind is blown by the fact that dude raps and djs at the same time.
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on another note, the new dungen is also psychedelically awesome

As you're compiling your summer reading list, don't forget the two scintillating classics of American punk rock oral history:

Our Band Could Be Your Life by Michael Azerrad
Please Kill Me by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain

really something else (as always):

watch it b4 that skinny motherfucker (with the high voice) takes it off the 'tube

New staff = New contributors to the blog!

Fall 2007 New Staff Members:

Music Directors:
Zach Dotray
David Espinoza
Ola Switala
Harley Brown
Casey Battaglino
Nick Kahn

Development:
Gautam Mani

Promotions:
Katie Trostel

Congrats, all! Blog prudently.

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