Listening to, today, cause I'm studying for upcoming shows...

• St Vincent - St Vincent. Admittedly, I've only heard this once; and that was in the car on the way to work today. But it's perfect for playing in a car: it's loud, bass-heavy, the drums are compressed and pumped-up to absurd levels (along with everything else). It's the first time she's done a record with this hyper-compressed modern feel, and it actually sounds great (in my car anyway). While the drums-and-bass-forward production initially made me think she'd taken a Liz Phair-like turn for the dance floor, after a couple of songs, it was clear that it was just a matter of emphasis: her songs are still St Vincent songs, but now the bottom end aggressively thumps and bumps, while her guitar shreds and her melodies twist and spiral away into the air, as they always have. Makes her tunes a lot more accessible while still preserving most of what makes them interesting. Good stuff. Going to see her this coming Tuesday.
  Four Laquos: « « « « «

• Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Wigout at Jagbags. Malkmus is, as ever, a clever rhymer ("cinnamon and lesbians", "we lived on Tennyson and venison and the Grateful Dead", "a love like oxygen, so foxy then, so terrific now"), an energetic singer and a giddy guitarist. While the songs on this don't quite hit the highs of some of their other records, it's still a good listen. My iPod refuses to pick any of these songs in shuffle. Going to see them this coming Monday.
  Three Laquos: « « « « «

• The Funkees - Dancing Time. They're a Nigerian band (they're coming to your town, they'll help you party down), active in the 70s, and this record is a 'best of'. It's funky afro-rock, very 70s, very raw, lots of energy. Very fun.
  Three Laquos: « « « « «

You got anything new?