(127A) Buck 65 - 20 Odd Years: Vol. 4, Ostranenie (2011)

(127A) Buck 65 - 20 Odd Years: Vol. 4, Ostranenie (2011)

1. Days Go By
2. Dolores
3. Joey Bats
4. Legendary

     Buck 65 is my guy. I tend to love everything he releases (can't wait for the next full-length) and this EP was no different. He has been releasing this series of EPs over the last couple years and has not been very informative about what has been going on and when the next release is coming. This is actually the second "Volume 4". I don't know why, but there was another release under a different name that was/is only available on amazon.com for download as far as I can tell. It was 3 songs and completely separate from this was and was "pulled/cancelled" for some reason. Quite awhile after that he released this new "official" Volume 4. 

     As usual, he displays his broad range of musical influences and styles. He includes collaborations that only improve the songs he's written as he has tended to do since he released a 3 CD long album called "Dirtbike" a few years back. On this EP he collaborates with very talented Singers like Jenn Grant (with whom he has worked with A LOT lately). He has a song about baseball,  one about a silver screen movie star, and a song straight out of the old west. Pedal Steel and turntables. Great as usual, can't wait for the long delayed "Volume 5" (6?). (127)

(126A) Tenacious D - Rize of the Fenix (2012)

(126A) Tenacious D - Rize of the Fenix (2012)

1. Rize of the Fenix
2. Low Hangin' Fruit
3. Classical Teacher
4. Señorita
5. Deth Starr
6. Roadie
7. Flutes & Trombones
8. The Ballad of Hollywood Jack and the Rage Kage
9. Throw Down
10. Rock Is Dead
11. They Fucked Our Asses
12. To Be the Best
13. 39

     I am not going to spend a lot of time talking about Tenacious D. They make comedy tinged, over the top Rock Music and its just fun. Their first album was ridiculous and can never be topped but this one was a lot more entertaining than their second. Its funny, has an almost western theme. Their humor is intact and their guitar playing shreds as usual. You have to at the very least do yourself a favor and listen to "To Be the Best" a one minute homage to 80s montage songs a la "Eye of the Tiger". Good for a laugh and a listen or two. (126)

(125A) Animal Collective - Transverse Temporal Gyrus (2012)

(125A) Animal Collective - Transverse Temporal Gyrus (2012)

1. Transverse Temporal Gyrus Part 1
2. Transverse Temporal Gyrus Part 2

     In 2010, Animal Collective played a special show as part of an art installation with a Video Artist. They released this half hour EP as part of this years record store day so that their fans could get a taste of what they missed in that show and what music was written for it. The EP is just short of a half hour and is a return to their experimental, patchwork roots as well as adding some of their newer sounds and trademarks into the mix. It was an enjoyable listen, but not for everyone. You would dig this oksentaminen. (125)

(124A) Animal Collective - Sung Tongs (2004)

(124A) Animal Collective - Sung Tongs (2004)

1. Leaf House
2. Who Could Win a Rabbit
3. The Softest Voice
4. Winters Love
5. Kids on Holiday
6. Sweet Road
7. Visiting Friends
8. College
9. We Tigers
10. Mouth Wooed Her
11. Good Lovin Outside
12. Whaddit I Done

     I have the tendency to gravitate towards The later Animal Collective albums. They are one of those cases of experimental bands that lost a whole lot of their oldest fans due to their development. They have always been experimental, even on those later albums that i like but in their earlier years they were  very experimental, and very lo-fi. I have been trying to branch out a bit more with these guys and dig into their older catalogue. This album is a middle point as their sound had gone away from their first few albums and started to move in the direction of their later albums. It was considered their breakthrough album by a lot of critics and publications. It was made by only 2 members of the 4 base members (Avey Tare and Panda Bear) and it was pretty different because of that fact. Its a very stripped down affair with a lot of acoustic guitars and tribal drums. I would describe the sound as a Psychedelic, folk album with a touch of a beach boys sound. I really dug this album and it was pretty chill as far as Animal Collective releases go. (124)      

(123A) The Flaming Lips 2011: With Yoko Ono / Plastic Ono Band (2011)

(123A) The Flaming Lips 2011: With Yoko Ono / Plastic Ono Band (2011)

1. The Fear of Litany
2. Do It!
3. Brain of Heaven
4. untitled interlude
5. Atlas Eats Christmas
6. untitled outro

     I have a feeling that oksentaminen thought at least close to the same thing as me when he saw that this team up even happened and it was negative and doubtful. When i first saw that The Flaming Lips made an EP with Yoko Ono, I assumed it would be bad and not my favorite. I avoided listening to it for quite awhile and when I finally did, I was proved wrong. It definitely fits in with all the other experimental EPs from 2011 but it ended up being one of my favorites. It was less experimental from many of the others and is almost the opposite ofr the Lightning Bolt release i just reviewed. Surprisingly good stuff, and once again, a couple tracks from this were featured on "Heady Fwends". (123)

(122A) The Flaming Lips 2011: With Lightning Bolt (2011)

(122A) The Flaming Lips 2011: With Lightning Bolt (2011)

1. I'm Working At NASA On Acid
2. I Want To Get High But I Don't Want Brain Damage
3. NASA's Final Acid Bath
4. I Want To Get Damaged But I Won't Say Hi

     This is another entry from The Flaming Lips 2011 string of releases. It is an EP with another experimental band called Lightning Bolt. I have never heard Lightning Bolt before, but their style reveals itself a bit on this release. The first 2 songs are listed as The Flaming Lips with Lightning Bolt and the last 2 songs are Lightning Bolt with The Flaming Lips. It's a very experimental EP and at least worth a listen. Track 1 is the best and I'm sure thats the reason it made it onto the full length release "Heady Fwends". Not my favorite but still worth the couple listens I gave it. I'll listen to track one again  in my life at least. (122)