Countdown to ATP: 17 days

Take a look at this line up. That's the line up of the ATP festival, Night Before Christmas. It's curated by Thurston 'noise loves me' Moore and it's ranging from good to grrreat to fan-fucking-tastic.

I had a todays post ready 30 minutes ago before it dissapeared, true story. So I cooked up a new one, the first round up in the Countdown to ATP.

+++ = must see
++ = definately checking out
+ = don't bother

The Stooges
Listen to: 'La Blues' on Funhouse
Every superhero eventually gets replaced by another, more modern, higher tech version of itself. Every superhero, but Iggy Pop. He's rock's ultimate mascotte, his serpentine, muscular appearance, his stamina not withheld by the forces of nature. He defies elderdom and keeps all of his contemporary brethren at a safe distance. In fact, every new rockstar should get schooled by Iggy Pop, as a rule. I play Funhouse regularly since the day I first heard it and it never ceases to hit me upside the head. One of the most urgent records in the history of music. Last summer he played the Lowlands festival here in Holland, I wasn't there but they aired it on tv and boy oh boy how it intensely rocked. He owns the stage, the crowd, the vibe. I could smell the dirt, grease and sweat through my television.
+++

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Sonic Youth
Listen to: 'She's in a Bad Mood' on Confusion is Sex
While everyone drools at their legacy, I remain silently clueless. I definately appreciate the way they came onto the scene. Debuting with the awesome, feedback drenched Confusion Is Sex they made a promise they could'nt keep. Kill your idols ashamedly remains a hollow statement, they're indie gods now, how nice for them. Daydream Nation fails to impress me, I don't like the impassionate vocals and if the lyrics are, uhm, noteworthy, the vocals keep me away from them. The same goes for Rather Ripped, released this year, hallelujah all around but why? I hear a band that wants to go pop but remains stuck in a late '80s collegerock mode. Totally uninteresting.
+

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Bardo Pond
Listen to: 'RM' on Amanita
One of my first psychedelic revelations came when listening to On the Ellipse while smoking the green stuff. Intrigued by the mysterious floating flutes, Sollenberger's gracious chants and the immense bulldozer riffing I entered some kind of super ego where only the group and me found ways to escape the labyrinth that's life to enter a transcendent musical paradise. Not impressed by Ticket Crystals though, I don't like the shorter songs (songs for chrissakes!) much, Sollenbergers voice loses a lot of it's otherworldy mystery when she sings audible and that's a shame to me and my weed induced fantasies. Still, from what I've heard and read, they are amazing live, so I'm not gonna miss them. Oh no.
+++

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Six Organs Of Admittance
Listen to: 'Spirits Abandoned' on Dark Noontide
Seeing Ben Chasny live is like seeing a magician at work. I saw him at the K-raa-K festival in Hasselt last year and he seized the audience completely. Here's a guy who doesn't blink while throwing up a psychedelic mega raga folk monster, he even cracked a smile while he was at it. At it, for real.
School of the Flower pushed all the right buttons, The Sun Awakens fails to do so. It's too perfect, too immaculate. I like my psychish folk to be stained and oxidated, I want to find those hooks, that pretty bridge like I'd find a piece of quartz in a pool of mud. Curious though, if he brings a band, or plays by himself. My suspicion is he'll get some Comets On Fire dudes along, or Corsano perhaps?
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