Best of 2008: Brian Jonestown Massacre
THE BEST of 2008 (so far!) SERIES :
"My Bloody Underground"
A new album from the Brian Jonestown Massacre
A new album from the Brian Jonestown Massacre
The dark iconic genius Anton Newcombe and Brian Jonestown Massacre released their 13th album less than a week ago. Despite being an interested party in BJM's music over the years, I have somehow managed to not pick up either of the Massacre's last two releases. So it was of great interest to me to hear that Newcombe was working on a new project and it was getting high praise (reportedly some of BJM's best work in years). I read about My Bloody Underground in Filter magazine yesterday (the April 25th issue) and went out and immediately picked it up.
BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE:
My Bloody Underground
FILTER SCORE: 92%
"Anton Newcombe is a frightening bat-shit genius. On its 13th album, Newcombe's Brian Jonestown Massacre has found a way to weave the frightening (literally scary; not 'he's-so-good') to make an album of dreadful density and substantial worth. BJM's modus operandi has always been to grab genres, extract the essential marrow, and then release a lo-fi album that is frightfully competent in terms of, or superior to, its influences. The title references My Bloody Valentine, The Velvet Underground and The Jesus and Mary Chain ('My Little Underground') and these influences appear with astute and buzzing accuracy. But instead of just reproducing the bliss of the former, or the too-cool screed of the later, My Bloody Underground weaves these sounds into a series of dark, fly-buzz near instrumentals, utilizing Newcombe's immense facility with drone-centered Indian music, psychedelia, and tape loops... This album is impossible to turn off." - SAM ROUDMAN, FILTER
BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE:
My Bloody Underground
FILTER SCORE: 92%
"Anton Newcombe is a frightening bat-shit genius. On its 13th album, Newcombe's Brian Jonestown Massacre has found a way to weave the frightening (literally scary; not 'he's-so-good') to make an album of dreadful density and substantial worth. BJM's modus operandi has always been to grab genres, extract the essential marrow, and then release a lo-fi album that is frightfully competent in terms of, or superior to, its influences. The title references My Bloody Valentine, The Velvet Underground and The Jesus and Mary Chain ('My Little Underground') and these influences appear with astute and buzzing accuracy. But instead of just reproducing the bliss of the former, or the too-cool screed of the later, My Bloody Underground weaves these sounds into a series of dark, fly-buzz near instrumentals, utilizing Newcombe's immense facility with drone-centered Indian music, psychedelia, and tape loops... This album is impossible to turn off." - SAM ROUDMAN, FILTER
Brian Jonestown Massacre - Bring Me The Head of Paul McCartney on Heather Mills'Wooden Peg (Dropping Bombs on the White House)
yes, this is the actual song title.
yes, this is the actual song title.
Anton Newcombe of the BJM
Newcombe isn't well liked but he is widely respected
Newcombe isn't well liked but he is widely respected
(The Best of the First Half 2008 List is coming - but here are some of the records we have told you made the list in recent days: album, album, album, album, album, album, album, album, and album. Think of it as a shopping list of contemporary good taste and this list will continue to grow until it needs to - you can check out 2007's Hot List for the First Half, here.)
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