Must Reads: Richard Beck in n+1

n+1 is a thrice annually (three times per year. I think that's how you say it.) published literary magazine that examines all sorts of neat things, from politics to literature to culture. The latest issue includes a 9,500-word (!) examination of the new indie music world with a focus on the history and influence of Pitchfork. Richard Beck wrote the aptly titled "5.4" and you should read it.

Beck looks at Pitchfork's journey from collection of indie-loving Minnesotans writing love stories about their favourite records in the 1990s to the cultural juggernaut that it is today. He also looks at building "cultural capital" and what indie music has become in this day and age where the word "indie" has a completely different connotation.  Beck also uses the word "pedantic" a lot.

Overall the article is worth your time, if you can spare the 0.5-1 hour you'll need to consume 9,500 words.

h/t to @comfortablekid

Let the Industry Circle Jerk Begin! Juno Award Nominees Announced

If the Grammys are a steaming pile of shit, then the Junos are a steaming pile of shit with gravy, cheese curds, and Chad Kroeger's ball sack hair. Like the dysfunctional shit-show that takes place every February at L.A.'s Staples Center, the Junos are full of absurd categorical nominations, undeserving nominees, industry politicking, ridiculous standards for certain categories, hip-hop/rap discrimination and poor host selections. Despite some improvement in recent years, the Junos are still hilariously stupid in many aspects. BUT WE STILL LOVE 'EM!

The nominees for the Junos were announced today and they did not disappoint. LET'S MAKE FUN OF THEM!

The Top 25 Songs of 2011

(Ed. note: I am well aware that it is January 16, 2012. I am also aware that most best-of 2011 lists came out at the end of December, 2011. I wanted this list to come out at that time but it took me so fucking long to write this. I wasn't anticipating this post to be this long, but it is...so...yeah. Deal with it.)

Well, another year and all that shit. It's been an OK year for music, in my opinion. I always seem to say this at the end of every year. "Yeah it was decent. Not great, but not terrible". In reality, the true measure of a year's worth of music cannot be calculated until long after December 31. Opinions change. What was good in 2011 may not appear as good in five years. The fact of the matter is that we cannot yet begin to determine what songs sound "dated", or trapped in their time. Some songs will inevitably be associated with one point in the history of popular music, other songs will transcend. That's my criteria for judging the best. Do they retread and regurgitate old tricks? Or do they create a new way of writing and creating that other artists desperately attempt to catch up to?

INTO THE NEON FILLED NIGHT - The Best of 2011

Ed Note: Bernie Trotsky is a Duran Duran obsessed quasi-hipster living in Peterborough, Ontario. He enjoys a good harlequin novel and has been known to start flat-earth debates. 

This year's installment is the largest one yet. I was finally able to whittle down my list to the top 30 songs of the year. As always, an artist or musical act may not be represented on the list more than once. Listed below are  honourable mentions, songs that were disqualified due to my asinine stipulation that artists may not be represented on the list more than once, and, if this wasn't hipster enough as it is, a reference to last year's list. Anyways, check it out!

The Best of 2011 and beyond

It's been some time since I last posted anything and for the three people that read this blog, I apologize. There really hasn't been a lot to write about in the past two weeks. Combine that with the holidays and you have a recipe for apathy. However, I promise that there will be more posts as soon as 2012 gets going. And Lord willin', there'll be more topics to cover.

Of course, this is the time of the year that all of the major music publications and websites have their "best-of" lists. Yes, they tend to get played out, and I know that I've only had a few posts and haven't reviewed anything yet, but I figured that an end of the year "best of" list is in order. After all, this is my favourite thing to write about it. I love doing these lists because they tend to spark great debate and discussion amongst music lovers.  First, I'll post my top 25 songs of the year, then my top 10 albums. I'll also have a post discussing Rolling Stone magazine's top albums of the year, which is always worth a laugh or two.

I especially enjoy reviewing my picks with Bernie Trotsky, since he and I share very similar AND very different tastes. Trotsky is a friend of mine that takes his music quite seriously. Once in a while on Drums and Wires I'll have him chime in and give you his opinion on things. For his inaugural post, he will give you his Top 30 Songs of 2011. It will hopefully be the first of many posts for Mr. Trotsky.

Well, enjoy the posts and the rest of your holidays. If you like a post, please share it on facebook, twitter and the like.

This Week in Utterly Repulsive Facist Bullshit: Indonesia State Declares War on Punks

If you haven't seen filmmaker/anthropologist Sam Dunn's "Global Metal", a documentary profiling the heavy metal genre's influence in all corners of the globe, please go see it. If you have, then you'll know the part when Dunn travels to Indonesia to seek out some the country's prominent metal bands and diehard fans. It is mentioned in the film how strict Indonesian culture is regarding popular Western music, particularly music like heavy metal and punk with their themes of defiance and anger. Some of the interviewees, including drummer Lars Ulrich, describe Metallica's first concert (about 3:30 into this clip) in Jakarta, in 1993, where a riot broke out outside the stadium walls. Not wishing to set a good example for the young rioters, the police and military declared open season on batting the shit out of any young person outside the stadium wearing a black shirt. Even if they had a ticket to get in.

The British Are Coming... for Your Number 1 Spot

Don't get between a Brit and his music. After all, this is the island that produced some the best music the world has ever seen (The Beatles, Led Ze...blah blah blah). They've also produced some of the worst (Spice Girls, Spice Girls, etc.). Regardless, Britons are rabid about their tunes.

Exhibit A: there is a somewhat large faction of British music fans that are fed up with the way their charts are dominated by pop tarts. Most of these pop tarts are from shows like Pop Idol or the X-Factor. Simon Cowell is involved with most of these shows. Therefore, the Brits have a huge hate on for Simon Cowell. In the eyes of many, he is the symbol of all that is wrong with British music.