NKOTB is Back in the house....

....and not a moment too soon. I hope everybody's still got their lunchboxes handy.


Yeah, so I'm minding my own business this morning, getting ready for work whilst watching the Today show, and who do they have playing???

New Kids on the Block........sigh.

They're back and they're touring.....and probably putting out a new album of predictably killer "hits".

It was at that moment this morning that I realized the true purpose of this blog and the thousand others like it. Somewhere this morning and young child was watching the Today show with his stay at home mom. Subconsciously this child was thinking to him or herself...."is this really all there is? Is this the music I have to look forward to for the rest of my life? This sucks."

Well, young child, yes....that would suck. But fortunately there is more out there than your standard NKOTB, Nsync, Backstreet Boys crap. And that is why we're here. If we can help one child find something good to listen to, then I say we've done our jobs.

So, with that......some non-NKOTB to get everyone's weekend started.

Pavement - Stop Breathin

This one's off the Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain album....I love guitars throughout the second half of this song. Its probably my favorite Pavement song.

RR

"Baby, there's no guidance when random rules"

I've been on a circa 1990s indie rock kick in the recent days thanks to my rediscovery of a Pavement mix I got a few months ago (I've also been listening to lots of Dinosaur Jr lately -- their newest due out in May is fanfuckingtastic!). Pavement, led by indie rock giant Stephen Malkmus, is one of those bands that took me a while to warm up to. The hooks have always been there for me, but I didn't fully embrace the quirky songwriting until recently.

Malkmus and Berman rockin' the mike.

I think I came around thanks in part to my interest in The Silver Jews. Fronted by David Berman, him and Malkmus have collaborated for years and exhibit similar styles both musically and lyrically. Berman has a distinct style as well -- this ain't just some Malkmus' side project.

Here are some tunes from both Pavement and The Silver Jews.

Pavement -- Summer Babe (Winter Version)
Buy Slanted and Enchanted here

Pavement -- Carrot Rope
Buy Terror Twilight here

The Silver Jews -- Sleeping Is The Only Love
Buy Tanglewood Numbers here

The Silver Jews -- Dallas
Buy The Natural Bridge here

BK