Sinister: since you went away it's been night time all day...

[Christopher McQuain]

Actually, I've never been so much into guided by voices (though I do
consider Yo La Tengo one of the very best American bands, and ICHTHBAO a
near-perfect album- if those pretty voices and sweet tunes don't get to
you, you must be heartless), but now that I know...under the stars was
done by Steve Albini, I may have to check it out. 

A Steve Albini production can be the best thing in the world for an
album. Some very, very good albums have been done by Steve, who
"records" and "engineers" things not to be "intentionally crap", but to
be intentionally as abrasive and challenging as possible; he'll never
let you escape from the drums, no sir. I call the effect of him being
behind the board the "Albini lurch"- things he's produced sound queasy
somehow, manic-depressive. In their own way, Steve Albini productions
have the most extreme clarity and sonic cleanliness of any pop/rock
music. 

Albini as a person is also misrepresented. He is only a prick when he
needs to be, i.e. when his strongly (even rabidly) held aesthetic
principles are under attack. I've met him, and he was definitly one of
the most gracious, unassuming, and down-to-earth "rock" type people I've
ever met. He's also quite cute- he looks a lot like George
Stephanopolous without the bad hair. Has anybody ever seen George
Stephanopolous and Steve Albini in the same room? Hmmmm.....
 
Some Albini classics:

Rid of Me - PJ Harvey (her best album and permanently in my top 10)

After Murder Park - The Auteurs (again, Albini gives a band their best
album)

Seamonsters - The Wedding Present

Surfer Rosa - The Pixies

Secret Name - Low

SIGN  IT: 

-2 or 3 Things I Know About Chris 


Section 5: Word Use
Pupil uses three given words in one sentence. 
Example: Disco/Hope/Apocalypse:
"When the apocalypse comes, I hope I'm at the disco."

1. Merchant/Bread/Buy
2. Wake/Up/Bitch 
3. Slap/Slap/Slap
4. River/Fish/Boat

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 +-+  "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" "tech-heads and students" +-+
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