Posts by Douglas Taylor4

Sean Lee7 said:To me, the Costa Brava feels exactly like what Bridges or Squares felt like on Hearts of Oak. It’s all about that vibe—talking about Spain, specifically around Boston. Honestly, if you were hanging out in either of those two places, you could easily find yourself falling head over heels for someone. 😳

You're making some good points. "Bridges" and "Squares" are my absolute favorites—honestly, maybe the best Ted Leo and The Pharmacists tracks ever written. Listening to them, I almost convinced myself for a second that Ted was actually from Boston instead of New Jersey. And man, that Costa Brava vibe is just incredible. I really shouldn't say what else I'm thinking... that whole feeling of the Costa Brava, being in Barcelona, the transition from spring through summer into fall, the ocean... it’s all such great stuff, but honestly, it's probably better if I don't go falling in love.

A Bucket for Buckie 😂

I'm absolutely burnt out.

A Bottle of Buckie

I know there’s already a dedicated thread for this, but it belongs here too. Since nobody else seems to be stepping up, I’ll (re)post this just so people don't claim things aren't as good as they used to be...


Ted Leo and The Pharmacists, Living with The Living, Touch and Go, 2007

Think Paul Weller/The Jam (that elegant British vibe), Phil Lynott/Thin Lizzy (sensual Irish soul), Elvis Costello/The Attractions (this isn't just a one-man show; the band is essential), mixed with a visceral American punk rock kick and a fascination with that golden era of rock from roughly 1976-82, and so on...

Much like the aforementioned Trans Am, Ted Leo and The Pharmacists make no attempt to hide their influences. It all sounds polished. But more importantly, they possess a genuine heart, distinct style, and an overflowing creative energy that easily shuts up any critics. "Living with The Living" was met with some hesitation at first, with rumors swirling about certain "controversial" elements. People started questioning the runtime of what felt like a double album—asking if they could actually stay interesting if they stretched their usual format by ten minutes. Of course they can. It clocks in at about sixty minutes and never feels bloated. They throw out comparisons to the immortal "London Calling," even if "Living with The Living" doesn't quite hit that same level of raw power. The Clash were at their absolute peak back then; Ted Leo and The Pharmacists might have passed that zenith, but they maintain an incredibly impressive form overall. Then comes the controversial track Unwanted Things. Reggae!? So what. If you don't like reggae, that's your problem. "Unwanted Things" isn't some flawless masterpiece of punk-reggae fusion, but it fits the band's sensibility perfectly and works within the album's concept. Moving on. The real stumbling block for some, I hear, is bomb.repeat.bomb. Honestly, I disagree. The guy just channeled some negative, nervous energy into a slightly different sonic palette. It works. There are plenty of beautiful TL moments scattered throughout—"the toro and the toreador," "the lost brigade," "a Bottle of Buckie"—and I won't list them all, but I have to highlight the universal anthem: Costa Brava. This gorgeous track captures a pure longing for a carefree, laid-back life. Don't blame me if I misheard the lyrics: ... everyone needs a Sunday some days, everyone needs to take some time away ... down by the beach there's a small cafe ... day and night at Costa Brava ...

Bravo. Seriously, what an incredible album. 🙂

Catch them this spring:

06/02/07 - Coachella, Barcelona, Spain
06/06/07 - Magnolia, Milan, Italy
06/07/07 - Artevive, Soliera, Italy
06/08/07 - The Cage, Livorno, Italy
06/10/07 - Chelsea, Vienna, Austria

gentlepuma20 said:Sex Change is just pure law; it gets under your skin, and honestly, the more I listen, the more I love it. I really appreciate that they didn't overstuff it like they sometimes do. It’s 11 tracks—all killer, no filler. 👍 Liberation still holds the top spot for me, but they are definitely in the zone here. This one feels a bit more flamboyant, geared toward the dance floor. That said, I might complain a little about the lack of guitars. 🙂 They didn't skimp on the 😁 Cowbell, though.

It didn't quite hit the spot when I first put it on today. I thought I’d be blown away, but I spent the whole day spinning it and just wasn't feeling that spark. It seems I still prefer this more homoerotic, electronic phase they started drifting into with Futureworld. I’m glad they stuck to that tight runtime format; Red Lin was way too long, man. I guess I’m one of those rare people who actually enjoys trans-am creativity.

Top Trans Am:

Futureworld
Liberation
Sex Change

trans am, sex change, thrill jockey 2007

reference/hintovi/ključne riječi:
80s synth sounds; 70s hard rock riffs; krautrock: Kraftwerk, Cluster, Neu!/La Düsseldorf; Tubeway Army/Gary Numan; D.A.F.; you can't tell if it's man or machine; the studio = the fourth member/instrument

The guys have absolutely crushed it in the studio again—their eighth time out. Sex Change represents the absolute peak of trans-am creativity and serves as a massive career crossroads. This album feels like a total release. It’s perfect for a lazy cruise in a low-performance car—think about that specific moment when you pull up to the highest point in a sprawling US metro area, looking out over a sea of brutalist high-rises, late afternoon hitting just right as the sunset unfolds before you; you let the car coast slowly toward the Mississippi, heading for the skyscrapers of New Jersey City, and for a split second, the birthplace, Chicago, or even all of Eastern Europe, just melts into one single image. Those red lights are blinking. Sex Change is perversely sexy, much like TA, and it clears a path through everything in its way just as effectively as Futureworld. This is Trans Am in their most human form. Trans!

I tried to condense Jason's thoughts, and it felt like following the thread started by the final fantasist because I wanted a single place to track what's new while keeping things coherent. There's more material piling up: Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Battles, etc. Please suggest whatever you want, however you want.

Rules of engagement:

1. One post per album. Jason wisely intended this in his thread, but an anarchic mess of a forum is a nightmare to read.

2. Discussions are welcome, but please take the small talk to the local threads: like personal top lists and such.

3. Leave the childish stuff at home—like "who's gonna drop the new album before Christmas?"

Moderators, please be ruthless when cleaning up the spam.

Whether it's a summary or not, I won't be crying about it. :rutvica:

Thanks for reading.

🙂

Michael Newman50 said:🤣

Seriously, man, it’s just business as usual—standard stuff before and after the show. This band is just such a headache. 🤣

___///////////.................

David, they’re finally playing on your frequency. Total bliss!

Is this really how people write about this group? If that were the case, I might actually give them a look... but I blew past them years ago in about a week flat. I’m just going to gracefully skip over them entirely. ///

And I was saying, let's go with the classics, because you've got Battles and Les Lièvres and Shellac all in that mix. But no, no 😠😠 No way. 🙂

The best works are still "Strap.It.On" and "Meantime," but those don't count, I guess.
If those Smurfs are getting on your nerves, try listening to the EPs, since it seems like only now Tyondai Braxton realized you can actually sing.

*raising hand*

I'm planning to pick up a ticket next week (though I really need to get one of those credit cards sorted out first).

I'm in. I absolutely love Barcelona. Thanks for the heads-up. 👍

Ted Leo is basically a punk rock hero wielding an electric guitar

Nicholas Perez33 said:A mix of Costell, Thin Lizzy, punk, and old-school emo just can't turn out bad🙂

~ It’s like Paul Weller or Phil Lynott mixed with the Attractions, just shifted about twenty-five years down the road.

Everything I wrote above is just for illustration, though the guy is loaded with historical references—he's truly in a league of his own.

Tyranny of distance
Hearts of Oak
Shake the Sheets

It's a string of absolute aces; nothing but top-tier stuff, and honestly, it's all I've been listening to lately.

Fair warning: I travel to other states and stay up all night just to catch this band, so drivers, watch out for me on the road...

🙂

Long live Ted Leo and The Pharmacists!

The guy's got that Celtic soul; pour him a pint of Guinness (and maybe a hearty vegan meal too)!

Cheers!

boldscout72 said:Yeah, just like me and Cijo in a Jerome Robbins novel. 😁

😂

The guy’s absolutely hammered, as usual.

Kevin Chavez3 said:Let rock'n'roll die already

😂

Rock'n'roll died long before you were even a thought in your parents' heads. 😉

Susan Edwards3 said:Oh, look at you, handing out gold stars like a kindergarten teacher. 🙂

When I’m being biased and completely subjective.

Nicholas King62 said:... and that ArcWelder have become boring now.

... which is something any band can easily fall into, right?

I feel like I need to churn out a thousand posts just to say this...

Feel free to skip/bypass this (their first album) & Everest (their last album).

Jacket Made in Canada ****
Pull *****
Xerxes ****
Entropy *** (on a good day ****)

Most of Scot MacDonald's tracks = *****
Most of the tracks featuring Graber's heavy riffing = ***

Who cares about killer riffs when you've got falsetto vocals ruining everything...

has a great video here
http://www.youtube.com/profile_video...inspace&page=1

He does. It’s a solid link—both the visuals and the audio hold up.

Sally & Jon 😍

Sally & Jon Didjits and Sonic Youth are both totally great.

Death Cab for Cutie - Built to Spill - The Microphones = this lines up perfectly with my previous take; those albums were uninspiring ---} and it seems they're just as uninteresting live.

Why did Tim turn his back on the crowd?

It’s nice to hear Roland. Honestly, BB wouldn't be nearly as good a band without him.

wants photos
http://flickr.com/photos/barelyreal/

David Yow = a total slob

Todd Trainer = a complete nutjob—what an outfit, what a party!

1. missed arcwelder.

Shit happens.

The intro is basically fifteen minutes of them rambling about how Mt. St. Helens erupted and how the band rose from the ashes and all that nonsense. Honestly, if you ask me, you could probably spawn an even better band from a pile of volcanic ash.

And yeah, they listened to the intro while sitting down, too.

I actually had this vague idea before hearing them that they might be a decent enough band. I was almost going to bug Rickey to take a peek at their digital archives. But whatever, forget it.

Alright, that’s enough out of me. I'm out...

we missed New Year's

Well, you guys are losers. ☕

If I’d actually used my head, I’d probably be sitting on a collection of 180g vinyl right now instead of staring at empty shelves.

I just want Sven's and Barin's record shop back! *sobs*

then there was the shellac. You really have to experience it; words don't do it justice. It was great. Maybe they dragged out those last tracks a bit too long, but seeing the coach tell his story made the whole thing worth it.

It’s a must.
And if only I had booked tickets for the Boston show... *sobs*
Even if their albums aren't always the strongest—it feels like the production sometimes swallows the actual songwriting, especially as they get older—I still think they're worth seeing live.

gentlepuma20 said:Look at this thread!
Wanna chat for a bit? Obviously, nobody really cares, but whatever... there was a concert, so it's only right to talk about it...

:delukssajzrolajz:

God, it's about time.

Am I waiting for news? You bet I am...

I'm glad to hear that !!! were actually good. 👍

That criminal Abigail and her little cult of followers are constantly talking trash about them.

Wicked Annabella ---} Starstruck

Days

Does anyone else still think about Walter?

Narantxa said:Don't knock it until you try it—you might actually end up liking it. 😬

Ice or ground? It’s one of those debates that seems simple until you actually have to make a decision, but there’s a method to the madness if you look at it closely. You have to weigh the immediate impact against the long-term consistency. One is about that sharp, instant hit, while the other is more about building a foundation. It really comes down to what you're trying to achieve in the moment.

I’m getting old. Honestly, I have no idea what I was listening to back then—just some random stuff by Swedish artists and Bara.
It doesn't matter.

The bass line is solid, I'll give them that. But as for the rest? It’s just not my style.

First thing that comes to mind: Steely Dan.

Another way to think about that vocal style? It’s giving me total Steely Dan vibes.

It’s also pretty obvious to me why deemjot is such a huge fan of karate.

And Narantxa, who’s basically the definition of post-punk. prog What a joke. Honestly, I’m done being surprised when people constantly trash-talk a loud, high-energy young rock band like Pussy Galore.