On listening to the mountain goats for the first time

A few years ago, I began a passing hobby that I haven't really kept up--I'd approach a friend who was in love with a band I didn't know or barely knew or only knew a few "popular songs" by, and ask them to dig in deep and make me a mix tape of that band. My friend Jill, for instance, made me an incredible, illuminating R.E.M. mix (not that R.E.M. was a band I was unfamiliar with but I, unlike most I think, really connect with later-period R.E.M., from Monster to Reveal I can assure you I've broken apart and pieced back together to all those songs) called, I think, "Mandolins and Metaphors". I have a pretty spectacular mix in which I chronicle my 13 favorite New Order songs from my least-favorite favorite ("Blue Monday") to my most favorite favorite ("Temptation"). 

Sophie's  fanaticism for the John Darnielle project The Mountain Goats used to stick in my craw. She's young, so I figure she's probably more tolerant of this insufferable "let's record things that sound like shit" aesthetic that the kids like these days. Sure it's cool, but even Zola Jesus is making better, more enlightening music now that she fucking sings into the goddamn microphone.

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OVO SAD BOI

Run, do not walk, to this tumblr which attempts to explain why Drake is so sad on the recently-released cover for his new album Take Care

Got my vans on but they look like sneakers

So, here's the thing:

with this "new" signing by Odd Future's record label, "Young N***a", basically Tyler has taken a giant shit all over the nicest, least-talented dude in rap, Lil B.

And, yeah, it's fucking amazing. Here at soldout, we've expressed a fondness for Lil Boss's stoned sermons, but, truth be told, seeing Puffy stunt for dude at SXSW this past year, basically proclaiming him as the saviour of rap when Lil B then opened his show with the words (we shit you not) "learn, math, the stars" (THIS IS VERBATIM), we started wondering exactly what the fuck was going on. He gets beats from 9th and Clams, solid mad-ass beats at that, and then uses them to rap about wearing tiny shirts and shiny jeans. Lil Wayne had B hop on a track and B proceeded to rap about the exact same things.  Dude is like a clearing house of pseudo-prophetic quotes and missed opportunities and shit that even Pictureplane probably finds ridiculous. But he's kind-hearted and posts Facebook updates like "LIL B THE BASED GOD: DRINK YOURE MILK EVERY DAY DO YOU DRINK MILK? I LOVE YOU FOREVER --LIL B" so he gets a pass from having, erm, questionable talent (us included). It's easy to imagine Tyler sitting around, listening to IM GAY IM HAPPY  or I FORGIVE YOU  or BLACK FLAME and going "you know what? No. Fuck this guy. Fuck this guy. Fuck this guy, and fuck Soldja Boy, too. Wolf Gang." And basically, with "Come Threw Looking Clean", that's what he does--right down to the incorrect grammar. I bet Tyler gets as pissed as I do when Lil B neglects proper punctuation.

Anyway, maybe we could take this opportunity to discuss why it's so easy for white kids to like Lil B, who stumbles around seemingly half-drunk basically stringing words together and calling it a religion, but we'll save that for another time (B's basically the Tracy Morgan/Jordan of rap, when you get down to brass #swag.) Right now I just want to listen to Tyler rap about shooting people with llamas again. 

Listen: Young N***a, "Come Threw Looking Clean".

We're Pretty Sure the Apocalypse Is Nigh

From Rob Zombie's Facebook page, backstage at the Alice Cooper Show last night at the Whiskey a Go Go. 

Presented without comment, except: You're welcome.

SALEM: King Night vid

Perfectly dark, strobe-lit and weird, this is exactly what I see in my head when this song plays. 

SALEM - KING NIGHT from Theo Wenner on Vimeo.