So, I've been meaning to write about a few things lately but haven't had the time.

First off: CMJ starts (officially) one week from today. Fucking Right On. I'm even importing a fellow music-addict/booze-hound for the week, looks to be a damn good time. More on that later.

Pitchfork decided to get all pissy about them not having anything to do with the Cold War Kids being popular, and wrote a whiny review dissing their just released Robbers and Cowards. The principle arguments for why the album is not good: bloggers like them, they sound like other good bands, and they're ambiguously Christian(?). As someone who's spent a good deal of time listening to this band and this record, I don't get that vibe at all. Marc Hogan, get a life. While we're on the topic, I do like this record, though it disappointed me slightly: the songs are still great, but I hate the production. They had such a big, bare-bones raw sound on their recent EP's which was fabulous. Then when they went into the studio for the record, the got rid of the space and added unnecessary polish. I refer to this phenomena as "Wolf Parade Syndrome", as they pulled the same shit last year on their debut. Now that more and more bands (particularly bands with early buzz) are releasing an EP or two before releasing their debut, I imagine that this will become all too common. Oh, I'll finally be seeing the Cold War Kids this Friday at tiny Union Hall. Can't fucking wait.

While were talking about the P'Fork, they've not yet reviewed Annuals' new record. Hmmmm.

Joanna Newsom's Y's is beautiful, I should give it more love than I have. It also has really phenomenal packaging, if you're into that kind of thing.

I've been slammed with new records this week, here are my first spin verdicts:
The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
More of the same, with cleaner production. This band has likely peaked for me.
Menomena - Friend and Foe
What a great first spin! Once again, very creative and unique, and even a bit funky.
Malajube - Trompe L'Oeil
Need an Arcade Fire fix before their next record comes out? This will treat you nicely, especially if you speak French.
Clinic - Visitations
Returns to the garage-y, raw sound of Internal Wrangler. I like it, though not as much as that record.
Detachment Kit - Of This Blood
Really? This is who've I've been hearing all these good things about? I'll have to spin this a few more times...
Benoit Pioulard - Precis
I like this a lot already, difficult to describe but Dalen over at a tune a day already did.

And it's only Tuesday!

One more example of how fucked up the world is at the moment: the US currently has 4 Naval strike groups in the Persian Gulf, and they're not their for Iraq... Normally, you only see something like this when we're about to bomb the shit out of somebody, in this case, Iran. I hope it doesn't happen, the last thing we need is another war.