After attempting to take a slight break from 24HPP and adjust to a new, ridiculous schedule I’ve come to the conclusion that that was a bad idea. It’s going to be more difficult to get updates here regularly but we choose to do these things because we love them. As such, why ignore the things you love because of the things one has to do? Outside of sheer survival (i.e. don’t blog when you have to do other work) it’s always a poor excuse.

That said, there are so many new records out/coming out and things going on around here. For the past week Buddies Helping Buddies has been promoting Control and that’s gone really well. This Saturday (January 19) we’re hosting The Lolligags, Andy From Denver and Twin Powers over at Athens’ Go Bar and it’s all free.

But enough about what I’m doing. Here’s a bunch of records/things that came out or made themselves known while we were away (MP3s at bottom of page):

-Coming out January 29 is the debut album by New York’s Murder Mystery named Are You Ready For The Heartache ‘Cause Here It Comes and so far I’m on the fence but feel like I might lean over to their side soon. They’ll play Athens 40 Watt on Monday, January 21.

-The main reason to love Canada is Nardwuar The Human Serviette. I first discovered Nardwuar (and his band The Evaporators) a very, very long time ago in the now-defunct Los Angeles scene magazine Ben Is Dead. For just about two decades Nardwuar has played host to every band you can think of and distinguished himself via his humor and interviewing skills. Back in November a second double-DVD (Welcome To My Castle; his first, double-DVD is Doot Doola Doot Doo… Doot Doo!) of his interviews was released and, oh, what a good time. He speaks with Sonic Youth, president Gerald Ford, Mickey Dolenz, Courtney Love and a host of other expected and unexpected.
Here, the guys is Blur (especially the rather menacing Dave Rowntree) completely take the piss out of Nardwuar:

-From Canada’s other end (Nardwuar is from Vancouver, these next guys are from Montreal) is the only band of swoopy-haired boys I’ve been able to stand in a long while. The Mission District will release their debut album, Youth Games, on March 1. Significantly, they sound nothing like the current mish-mash of metal/mall rock/goth that has been sold all over the world as “emo” but, rather, really conjur up memories of the occasional, decent guitar-pop band of the 1980’s (like a much lighter Cheap Trick or a less one-hit-wonder Outfield). Anyway, maybe they’re great, maybe I’m just feeling generous. Either way, give a listen because it’s free, ya know.

–Negativland‘s 1983 album A Big 10-8 Place was re-released back in November 2007. I’ve been a HUGE Negativland fan ever since I tuned my dorm-size stereo to WUOG 90.5 FM back in 1989-1990 and they were playing Negativland’s Escape From Noise. (Although released the previous year this was my first exposure to the band/project). Anyway, the point of mentioning the reissue is to hopefully turn at least one more person onto them. There’s no specific place one needs to start in their massive discography but I tend to prefer the pre-1995 stuff because I know for a fact that all the edits were done by hand-splicing miles of tape. No, it’s not because I think arduous work necessarily makes something more authentic it’s because I know when people labor so hard over something that they know isn’t going to make them any money then there’s only one reason: the love of the doing.

Also recently released was 180 d’Gs To The Future by supposedly Detroit-based, a’capella doo wop group 180 Gs . I have yet to figure out to 100% satisfaction whether or not 180 Gs even really exist or are part of the whole put-on (dig that totally fake picture below) but the album is totally, weirdly and wonderfully enjoyable in any case. Stream it all here and be mesmerized by the insanity.

-Finally, the second album by the New Zealand band with the horribly ridiculous name (Die! Die! Die!) will see release in the states on February 12. Although the only MP3 I can give you is one of the bands lesser tracks you’d do just fine looking at the bands MySpace page and listening in. Although thoroughly informed by the most surface details of bands like Sonic Youth and Black Flag, without ever touching the coattails of either, the band’s not a bad way to spend a few minutes and, who knows, maybe after several more listens I’ll get more into them myself. (Good God, I am being generous today. Don’t worry. That will fade soon enough.)

MP3: Murder Mystery-Love Astronaut
MP3: Murder Mystery-Honey Come Home
MP3: The Evaporators- (I Got A Disease) I’m Addicted To Cheese
MP3: The Evaporators-Nardwuar vs. Snoop Doggy Dogg
MP3: The Mission District-Youth Games
MP3: The Mission District-The Age of Pretending
MP3: Negativland-Theme From A Big 10-8 Place
MP3: Negativland-Four Fingers
MP3: Die! Die! Die!-Sideways, Here We Come