Views (aka CDs) from the Six (aka my Car)

I was sipping on Schweppes Natural Peach Infused Mineral Water No Sugar (which I'm sure has been invented solely for people with mild hangovers) when I decided to dive back into The Cosmic Foxhole for my dearest readers. How are you all? That's great whatever.

Here are some CDs I have been spinning in my car, Gorgonzola. I've been playing CDs in my car because I've reached the age and/or mindset where popular youth radio station Triple J makes me furious. "Aussie hip hop!?" I yell at the radio. "Why are they talking so much shit? Just play a damn song!" I'm pretty sure the other day I even said, out loud, "Why can't these people go to a music festival and just be sober?" My youth is over. RIP.

1. Hills End by DMA's

This album is pretty good! I bought it on a whim after enjoying opening track "Timeless." If I was going to look at this picture of the band without knowing what they sound like, I would assume they play bad bogan garage rock or Aussie Hip-Hop, BUT,  the genre is actually jangly Australia-does-britpop, and
it's done well. When I play it while I'm wearing a flannel shirt and sunglasses I pretend I'm the protagonist of a cool young adult coming of age film, which is basically my life anyway.

8 Bildungsromans out of 10


2. Nonagon Infinity by King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard
I'm certain these guys have been smoking too many drug cigarettes, and not only because they decided to call their band "King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard." This album could be the soundtrack to a Power Rangers boss battle set in the 1970s. Despite being chopped up in to 9 tracks, it's more or less one long "suite" that is meant to be looped- the end of the last song lines up perfectly with the beginning of the first song. It's a fun listen! Surprise harmonica solos! Lifestyles of the Riffs and Famous! Never loud enough! Something something Black Sabbath! And also, what the shit:

7 Terrible Band Names out of 10


3. Endtroducing... by DJ Shadow
Because of the aforementioned death of my youth, I have been listening to digital radio station "Double J" aka "Old Person Triple J" inside of my house. Every week they feature a "classic album" from the past, because old people like me hate new things. Recently, they featured DJ Shadow's 1996 album Endtroducing..., so I put my copy in the car to revisit it there. For those of you that don't know of it, Endtroducing is reportedly one of the earliest albums that was made from samples. Unlike the more famous (?) Avalanches effort from 2001, it's a bit dark and moody, and more about the percussion than melodies.


I was kind of surprised to find that Endtroducing wasn't as engaging as I recall it being. The "slow build to a double-time-section" song format seems dated now, the interludes are jarring and awkward, and most of it just kind of meanders. Great mood music, but not the fantastic piece of history I remember it being.

5 Prodigy Breakbeats out of 10