VICE V9N4 REVIEWS

Thurston Moore
Demolished Thoughts
Matador

6 A bizarre sequence of total non-sequiturs which hang together only by dint of their shared oddness of both words and recording quality. But come on: anything less from a Thurston solo record produced by Beck would have been a total disappointment. Uncle Thurston even manages to squeeze in an ode to the semi-obscure early 20^th century bohemian poet/actress/artist Mina Loy which, let’s face it, you aren’t going to get on the Brother record.

Ezra Found

Tennis
Cape Dory
Carmen San Diego Records

5 All these husband & wife and girlfriend & boyfriend duos are getting pretty nauseating. Everyone thought it was gross when Mates Of State were airing their fey, indie affection for each other in public five years ago so what’s changed? There are more girl/boy duos knocking about this year than jangly indie bands with bad Paul Weller haircuts and this record is the final straw. I’m not taking it anymore. Who’s with me?

Jim Kinsella

Panda Bear
Tomboy
Paw Tracks

8 Sung Tongs seems a long time ago and I guess we just have to face the fact that, for better or worse, the early naughts class of Animal Gang Gang Markers are now part of the furniture and safe bets for end of year “Best Of” lists on just about ever lazy music aggregating website out there.  For all the grief this groundshift has garnered in some indier than thou quarters when records this good are being kicked out who cares whether it was released in a sandpaper sleeve limited to eleven copies or not? Stepping away from the total aural saturation of Person Pitch and presenting a more focussed sound mixed by ex-Spacemen 3 oddjob genius Sonic Boom has made for yet another record that should rightfully make the top end of all those lists. Here’s hoping he doesn’t make us wait another four years for another one.

Peter Shilton

Cass McCombs
Wit’s End
Domino Records

9 The saddest thing about a Cass McCombs record is not how beautifully bittersweet and perfectly executed his songs are but how few people seem to recognise how far ahead of anyone else he is at pouring his heart out over wistfully melancholy arrangements. Yet another heartbreaking work of staggering genius.

Waylon Jammings