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The Reviews Matrix - 2008

This page that will essentially be a way for bands and labels to keep up with the review process, from CD arrival/check-in to I-pod transfer, to initial reaction, to full review, to review publication in The Reader -- sorta like tracking a FedEx package. Because of the volume of CDs received at Lazy-i, not all get reviewed, but most get listened to and carefully considered. This will be a way to at least get some feedback and reaction on those recordings that don't make the cut of getting the full review treatment. The matrix will be updated every day a new CD is received, reviewed, etc. Reviews with are the most recent.

Updated Sept. 7, 2008.

Artist Title Label Received
Date 		I-pod Download/
listened to
Published
Comments
Rating
Brightblack Morning Light Motion to Rejoin Matador 9/7/08 9/7/08      
The Broken West Now or Heaven Merge 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Conor Oberst Conor Oberst Merge 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Department of Eagles In Ear Park 4AD 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Does It Offend You, Yeah? You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into Virgin 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Emiliana Torrini Me and Armani Rough Trade 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Facing Winter Seas Drain into Space Seven Sided 9/7/08 9/7/08      
The Faint Faciinatiion blank.wav 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Friendly Fires Friendly Fires XL 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Future of the Left Curses 4AD 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Giant Sand ProVISIONS Yep Roc 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Gus Black Today Is Not the Day self released 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Her Space Holiday Sleepy Tigers EP Mush 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Jenny Lewis Acid Tongues Warners 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Lindsey Buckingham Gift of Screws Warners 9/7/08 9/7/08      
M83 Saturdays=Youth Mute 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Okkervil River The Stand Ins Jagjaguwar 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Randy Newman Harps & Angels Nonesuch 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Silver Jews Lookout Mountain Lookout Sea Drag City 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Son, Ambulance Someone Else's Deja Vu Saddle Creek 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Stereolab Chemical Chords 4AD 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Ting Tings We Started Nothing Columbia 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Vampire Hands You and Me Cherry Red Peppermint Coffins 9/7/08 9/7/08      
The Whipkey Three The Whipkey Three self release 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Fromanhole Dissecting the American Dream Necessarily Pressed 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Tilly and the Wall O Team Love 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Dresden Dolls No, Virginia... Roadrunner 9/7/08 9/7/08      
De Novo Dahl Move Every Muscle, Make Every Sound Roadrunner 9/7/08        
Jaguar Love Highways of Gold EP Matador 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Jesse Remnant The Human Cannonball Squid's Eye 9/7/08        
Sleep Said the Monster The Weird Message You Never Asked For self-release 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Midwest Dilemma Timelines & Tragedies self release 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Patti Rothberg Double Standards Double On Tundra 9/7/08        
Neil Diamond Home Before Dark Columbia 9/7/08        
Ifihadahifi Fame by Proxy Latest Flame 9/7/08        
Mike Musick Honest Union St. 9/7/08        
U2 Under A Blood Red Sky (Reissue) Universal 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Moon Child and Robo Robb Present Save the Music Ed Words 9/7/08        
Ladyfinger/Dance Me Pregnant split 7-inch No Dancing 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Give Away Your Hearts self titled self released 9/7/08        
Chris Blake Wave Cumulo Nimbus 9/7/08        
Jeremy Messersmith The Silver City Princess 9/7/08 9/7/08      
100 Mile Stretch Elsmeade self release 9/7/08        
The Gluons Meet the Gluons Squid's Eye 9/7/08        
Matt Pless Alarm Clock Time Bomb self release 9/7/08        
Punch Sky Lifeguard Nights Head Shop 9/7/08        
Skybombers Take Me to Town self release 9/7/08        
Ki and the King Punch Your Country Evans 9/7/08        
Stone Cooper Chronicles of Decay Naked Gypsy 9/7/08        
Soft War self titled self released 9/7/08        
Patchwork Take Me Down the Interstate Scrabble Champ 9/7/08        
The United Blood & Iron Maltese 9/7/08        
Jenny Dalton Rusalka's Umbrella Glossy Shoebox 9/7/08        
Owen Sartori Another Beautiful Day in the Cube Burst 9/7/08        
Tin Veil Hand in the Dark self released 9/7/08        
Theresa J WarAlarm self release 9/7/08        
Black Light Burns Cover Your Heart Wolfpack 9/7/08        
Alina Simone Everyone Is Crying Out to Me, Beware 54 50 or Fight 9/7/08 9/7/08      
The Quantum Explorers Hello Dragon self release 9/7/08        
Bears in the Yukon You May Die in the Desert self release 9/7/08        
Sigur Ros Huarf/Heim XL 9/7/08        
Masks Phantoms And All the Rest Into a Sulphurous Horror self release 9/7/08        
This Is Radio Freedom self titled self release 9/7/08        
Jumping Ship (and other stories) self release 9/7/08        
The United DEM EP self release 9/7/08        
Only Makebelieve Message from a Mockingbird GreenTree 9/7/08        
Three for Tomorrow self titled Hopeless 9/7/08        
Brent Gunter Andalucia Sandia Crest 9/7/08        
Crap Detectors #*it Got Too Deep self release 9/7/08        
Dylan Trees Charlie Horse EP Papercup 9/7/08        
Dawn Chorus Florida St. Serenade Fractured 9/7/08        
The Rationales The Going and the Gone self release 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Paper Owls Myths self release 9/7/08        
In Cadeo Ghosts EP self release 9/7/08        
The Boy Bathing A Fire to Make Preparation self release 9/7/08 9/7/08      
Ratatat LP3 LX 6/7/08 6/7/08      
The Bellrays Hard, Sweet and Sticky Anodyne 4/28/08        
Schoolyard Heroes Abominations Stolen Transmission 4/28/08        
various artists African Party Putumayo 4/24/08 4/24/08      
Mostly Bears The Ed Mitchell Clinic Funzalo 4/24/08        
Everthus the Deadbeats John Kill and the Microscopic Lullaby Standard Recording Co. 4/24/08        
Richard Thompson Sweet Warrior Sony/Wonder 4/24/08 4/24/08      
The Long Blondes Couples Rough Trade 4/24/08 4/24/08      
Jeffrey Lewis 12 Crass Songs Rough Trade 4/24/08 4/24/08      
Holy Fuck self titled XL/Beggars 4/24/08 4/24/08   See March 5 interview
Yes
The Breeders Mountain Battles 4AD 4/24/08 4/24/08      
Black Kids Wizard of Ahhhs self released 4/24/08 4/24/08      
Basia Bulat Oh, My Darling Rough Trade 4/24/08 4/24/08      
Aimee Mann @#%&*! Smilers SuperEgo 4/24/08 4/24/08      
Andor Mixed States self released 4/24/08        
Bird Names Open Relationship Unsound 4/24/08        
Joan of Arc Boo Human Polyvinyl 4/24/08 4/24/08      
A 750ml Affair self titled Kettle Black 4/24/08        
Schaeffer Something Worth Fighting For self release 4/24/08        
Pro Audio Make the Happiness Stop Poskey Reunion 4/24/08        
Chris Beirne Freezerburn Dino Ranch 4/24/08        
Veiled Within 844 4/24/08        
Daguerreotypes Tropical Trust Auger Down 4/24/08        
She Swings, She Sways self titled self release 4/24/08        
Antherius 2008-03 Decursus 4/24/08        
Avenue F Tales from the Garage self release 4/24/08        
De Novo Dahl Move Every Muscle, Make Every Sound Roadrunner 4/24/08        
Denelian Gossip with the Devil self released 4/24/08        
The Backsliders You're Welcome self released 4/24/08        
American Princes Other People Yep Roc 4/24/08 4/24/08      
Sad Sailor Link to the Outside World Eh? 4/24/08        
We Need You self titled Eh? 4/24/08        
Andreas Brandal This Is Not For You Eh? 4/24/08        
Analog America A Four Course Meal of Found Sound Noise Order 4/24/08        
Poland Schoolboy Crush on Che Guevara Class M 4/24/08        
Girls on Film Get Close to Me Native Sun 4/24/08        
Lords of the North self titled self released 4/24/08        
Skybombers Sirens self released 4/24/08        
Black Keys Attack & Release Nonesuch 4/24/08 4/24/08      
Destroyer Trouble in Dreams Merge 4/24/08 4/24/08      
For Against Shade Side Sunny Side Words on Music 4/24/08 4/24/08      
Alex Gomez Outdoor Kitchen self released 4/24/08        
Bendicion Latin Explosion self released 4/24/08        
Siggy The Absinthe Effect self released 4/24/08        
Everything Gone Green Hiding in the Light Egg Recordings 4/24/08        
Ladyhawk Shots Jagjaguwar 4/24/08 4/24/08      
Tokyo Police Club Elephant Shell Saddle Creek 4/24/08 4/24/08      
Sean Cox Return to Me KMG 4/24/08        
Warren Teagarden Across the San Joaquin self released 4/24/08        
Victoria White The Upside Kalimba 4/24/08        
Anla Courtis, Seiichi Yamamoto, Yoshimi Live at Kanadian Sonic Eyesore 4/24/08        
Jesse Krakow World Without Nachos Eh? 4/24/08        
brekekekexkoaxkoax I Manage to Get Out by a Secret Door Eh? 4/24/08        
The KBD Sonic Cooperative Four Plus One Eh? 4/24/08        
Diamondhead Dirty Realism Eh? 4/24/08        
Tim Miller Adelaide self released 4/24/08        
Howlin Rain Magnificent Fiend Sony 4/24/08        
MGMT Oracular Spectacular Sony 4/24/08        
The Teenagers Reality Check Beggars 2/22/08 2/22/08      
Austin Collins Roses Are Black Fat Caddy 2/22/08        
Mission of Burma Vs. (Reissue) Matador 2/21/08 2/21/08      
Dallas Orbiter Motorcycle Diagrams Princess 2/21/08 2/21/08      
Cryptacize Dig That Treasure Asthmatic Kitty 2/10/08 2/10/08      
Sons and Daughters This Gift Domino 2/10/08 2/10/08
2/14/08
 A kinder gentler version of Metric? Probably just frontwoman Adele Bethel's vocals, which are loose and groovy on music that's trying to be harder than it should (could) be. (2/14/08)
Yes
Flowers Forever self titled Team Love 2/10/08 2/10/08
2/14/08
 Derek Pressnall may be the grooviest guy in Nebr-indie music, from his role in Tilly and the Wall to his role in Goo, but that doesn't mean he has anything relevant to say. Or maybe he does. Depends on whether or not you buy his "Change better come / We're not fucking around no more" millennial reach-around -- an approach whose sincerity is believable when it comes from the tap dancing band. When it comes from Vincent Gallo fronting a heavier version of Bright Eyes, it sounds less like a rallying cry than a threat that no one could possibly take seriously. (2/14/08)
No
Nik Freitas Sun Down Team Love 2/10/08 2/10/08      
Dead Meadows Old Growth Matador 2/10/08 2/10/08
2/14/08
 Since when does Matador sell stoner rock? More like stoner rock lite. These hippy fuzz-blues songs are saved by their brevity (and guitar work). (2/14/08)
Yes
Devastations Yes, U Beggars Banquet 2/10/08 2/10/08
2/14/08
 A moody uptick of Roxy Music with kinda, sorta Nick Drake darkness thrown into the mix. As deep and lush as it is, it suffers from a case of the samies.(2/14/08)
No
various artists Euro Groove Putumayo 2/10/08 2/10/08      
The Dig Full Service self released 2/10/08        
soundtrack Far from Haggersville Trinema 2/10/08        
Dan Wilson Free Life American 2/10/08 2/10/08      
A Tomato A Day box set self released 2/10/08 2/10/08      
The Dig Good Luck and Games self released 2/10/08        
The Attorneys Sterocracy self released 2/10/08        
Dereck Higgins 3 self released 2/10/08 2/10/08      
The Wagner Logic Easiest to Grab Wilderhood 2/10/08        
various artists Tango Around the World Putumayo 2/10/08 2/10/08      
various artists Latin Jazz Putumayo 2/10/08 2/10/08      
Undersea Explosion This Is Undersea Explosion LSD 25 2/10/08        
Invention Parable of the Survivors self released 2/10/08        
Burgandy Brown My Lucky 13 Sapphirerose 2/10/08        
Damien Rice Live at Fingerprints Heffa 2/10/08 2/10/08      
Shelf Life Rheuma Eh? 2/10/08        
Marina Hardy Pink Violin Eh? 2/10/08        
Dynamic Brown Hips Wave the Old Wave Eh? 2/10/08        
Bob Marsh Viovox Public Eyesore 2/10/08        
The Boneless Chicken Foundation Stars For Anyone self released 2/10/08        
Springfactory self titled Series Two 2/10/08 2/10/08      
The Exit Strategy City of the Microphones One Percent Press 2/10/08        
A Beautiful Noise Electric Soul self released 2/10/08        
Times New Viking Rip It Off Matador 2/10/08 2/10/08 2/14/08 Call it hi-fi low-fi or arty low-fi or loud low-fi or technically perfect low-fi, but straight-up low-fi it ain't. And for me, that's a plus. Cut through the sizzle static buzzsaw and you'll find plenty of tunes. Songs, too. This generation's Slanted-era Pavement? If so, it's apt that they're on Matador. And it's only a matter of time (and releases) until the static fades, replaced by perfect sound forever. (2/14/08)
Yes
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks Real Emotional Trash Matador 2/10/08 2/10/08
2/14/08
 Former Pavement frontman swerves dangerously close to jam-band territory, or does he? You might think so after the 10-plus minute head trip (the title track, his first ever) or the blues jam noodler "Hopscotch Willie," but really, it's the same old Malkmus, that songster with the adolescent Peter Brady meets Lou Reed mew, the king of indie-slacker melodicism, the last man standing from the '90s that still makes good music. Compared to the more tuneful Face the Truth it's almost a toss-off, but still worth your time. (2/14/08)
Yes
Phosphorescent Pride Dead Oceans 2/10/08 2/10/08      
Peasant On the Ground Paper Garden 2/10/08 2/10/08
2/14/08
 The only way it'll work is if you can get past Damien DeRose' obvious love (or mimicry?) of Elliot Smith, to which his melodies (if not his voice) is just shy of dead ringer. Get beyond it, and you'll discover sweet coffee shop acoustic folk that would fit right in on the latest indie movie soundtrack. More likely, though, it'll make you stumble through your bookcase looking for your copy of XO. (2/14/08)
Yes
Panther 14Kt God Kill Rock Stars 2/10/08 2/10/08
2/14/08
 After the genius of bottle-tapping single "How Well Can You Swim" I so wanted this to be great. And it comes close on the Byrne-meets-Fripp "Beautiful Condo" and stuttering funk of "Pueto Rican Jukebox." But that's about it. Buy the singles. (2/14/08)
No
Neva Dinova You May Already Be Dreaming Saddle Creek 2/10/08 2/10/08
2/14/08
 Lyrically, Jake Bellows is Omaha's version of Paul Westerberg. Clever, maybe too clever for his own good (but not for ours). Those clever words of love and loss and the joys of Tryptophan are apt to shimmer somewhere in a dream fog of a melody (fueled by Bellows' bright croon) rather than a country backbeat ("She's a Ghost") or an electric rumble ("Cloud"). When they do rock (the skittery "What You Want") it's more of a fluke than a trend, short-lived until you can return to the usual slow and drowsy and buttery stuff. Those who can keep from nodding off will be grandly rewarded. (2/14/08)
Yes
The Moutain Goats Heretic Pride 4AD 2/10/08 2/10/08      
The Most Serene Republic Population Arts & Crafts 2/10/08 2/10/08      
Lightspeed Champion Falling Off the Lavendar Bridge Domino 2/10/08 2/10/08
2/14/08
 What happens when you uproot a Brit and plant him in Omaha's ARC studios with Mike Mogis behind the board surrounded by all the local talent that Saddle Creek can throw at him. The result is a smarter, older, more tuneful version of Tilly and the Wall (sans tap dancing) meets mild-swing Morrissey and Nate Walcott-arranged strings. Pleasant and fun (if you don't take it too seriously). (2/14/08)
Yes
Head of Femur Great Plains Greyday 2/10/08 2/10/08 2/14/08 I was too quick to discard this as more bland indie pabulum on first listen (maybe I was in a bad mood?), but further listens revealed a soul cast in King Crimson and golden light, especially once you find centerpiece "Covered Wagons" with its lush strings and very real piano and more sincerity than you'll likely hear anywhere else in indie land. The Femurs have become true balladeers since those Ringodom or Proctor days, which is another way of saying they've all growed up. (2/14/08)
Yes
Cat Power Jukebox Matador 2/10/08 2/10/08      
Carbon/Silicon The Last Post self released 2/10/08 2/10/08      
French Horn Rebellion self titled self released 2/10/08 2/10/08      
The Meadows First Nervous Breakdown Single 2/10/08        
Bo Deans Still He & He 2/10/08        
Sean Madigan The Liquor Witch Greyday 2/10/08        
Kevin Devine Put Your Ghost to Rest Capitol 2/10/08 2/10/08      
Father Bloopy Ginger, Baby Dippy 2/10/08 2/10/08      
Evangelicals The Evening Descends Dead Oceans 2/10/08        
Ideal Cleaners Muchacho Speed! Nebraska 2/10/08 2/10/08      
The Pendrakes Sunday Punch self released 2/17/08 2/17/08      
The Cops Free Electricity Mt. Fuji 2/10/08        
various artist Latin Reggae Putumayo 2/10/08 2/10/08      
Shauna Burns Moon and the Fire Circle Red Rock 2/10/08        
Electric Needle Room Too Much Information Age self released 2/10/08        
Greg Roth Caught Looking self released 2/10/08        
The Wholes Bella Vita self released 2/10/08        
Eat Sugar self titled self released 2/10/08        
Kate Nash Made of Bricks Fiction 2/10/08        
Richard D. Shark A Single Step self released 2/10/08        
Ian Axel I'm On To You self released 2/10/08   2/14/08 Whenever you hear a piano-driven artist you kinda/sorta have to compare them to another piano-driven artist. Such is the case with Ian Axel, who sounds whole heckuva lot like Dan Wilson, who isn't really a piano-driven artist. He certainly doesn't sound like Ben Folds or Billy Joel, though his music is as sweetly precocious as those guys' stuff. Nothing earth shaking, certainly not indie, and dangerously close to "Adult Alternative." Generally well done. I'm surprised that one of the big swingers hasn't scooped him up…yet. Maybe they never will, and Mr. Axel will instead wind up writing musicals on Broadway. You could do worse, Ian… (2/17/08)
Yes
Atris Of the Commons self released 2/10/08        
Rock Paper Dynamite self titled self released 2/10/08 2/10/08      
Boy/Girl Secret Secret Secret Singles 307 Knox 2/10/08        
Fizzle Like a Flood The Love LP   2/10/08        
Absentstar self titled self release 2/10/08 2/10/08      
The Primidonnatives Go Vague Moon 2/10/08        
Over Sea, Under Stone Five Songs Are Not Enough SMI 2/10/08        
Scattered Trees Song for my Grandfather self released 2/10/08        
Darla Farmer Rewiring The Electric Forest Paper Garden 2/10/08   2/14/08 They need to come up with a name for this style of multi-instrumental (as in there's brass) back-beat indie calliope that was so popular a few years ago. Clown car music? Spazz baroque? Indie cabaret? Good for theatrics and a crowded stage (and angry sound guys) but not so much for listening to in your car, where the guy who sounds like a girl (or a muppet) gets lost in the cacophony and the road noise. (2/14/08)
No
Cloning Einstein self titled Invention Music Group 2/10/08        
Wensday Torch Rock Desert Dreams 2/10/08        
Rogue Heroes The King Is Dead self released 2/10/08        
Natalie Illeana Unbalanced Trax Studio 2/10/08        
Ken Hyland Self Portrait self released 2/10/08        
The Kim Philbys Whir Whir Whir Evangeline 2/10/08        
Death to Anders Fictitious Business self released 2/10/08        
Tom Fuller Band Abstract Man Mesa 2/10/08        
Fabonacci The Boundaries self released 2/10/08 2/10/08      
Hairy Ghost Pipefish Noise Order 2/10/08        
Ground Up 2 Release the Cheerfulness, China Noise Order 2/10/08        
Life in Bed Passed and Presents Polar 2/10/08        
For Science Tomorrow's Just Another Day Insubordination 2/10/08        
Division Day Beartrap Island Eenie Meenie 2/10/08        
Glorious Monster Adventures on Earth Skeptic 2/10/08        
Olivea Watson Way Down Deep Ramblin' Rose 2/10/08        
Feeding 5000 The Books We Read self released 2/10/08        
Loom Angler Exigent 2/10/08        
Tie These Hands We Work Out Workers Unite! 2/10/08 2/10/08      
Fathers Against Parades The Heat self released 2/10/08        

 

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Copyright © 2008 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.