Missteps and Cassette Decks

More Stupid Frogs

2010-03-17T10:08:00.000-07:00

Missteps and Cassette Decks is going on vacation for a few weeks. We're working on bigger and better things, trust us. See Ya Soon.

Currently Spinning: Dum Dum Girls "Blissed Out"

2010-03-09T18:09:00.000-08:00

This limited run cassette on Art Fag/Sub Pop/Rough Trade comes in 3 different colors and collects all of the Dum Dum Girls output until this point. All of these are sold out but Art Fag is promising a new pressing to satisfy those late for class so watch their website for that in the next few weeks. Dum Dum Girls LP will be out on Sub Pop March 30th.

Currently Spinning: Cloud Nothings/Campfires Split

2010-03-02T18:09:00.000-08:00

Cassette Edition:
Last weekend the Missteps and Cassette Deck office was graced with a package containing the newest release from Cloud Nothings , a split cassette with Campfires out on Bathetic Records(more on these guys tomorrow). Lo-fi pop is quickly becoming a completely heinous "genre" term but Cloud Nothings really perfect the art. The 4 songs here are a nice continuation of their excellent full length, Turning On, which also saw a cassette release through Bridgetown Records. Campfires play the perfect ying to Cloud Nothings zing on their side with a noisy stomp through their 5 song set. Totally recommended....and act fast as they are limited to 100.

cassettes: all week

2010-03-01T19:01:00.000-08:00

get ready

Stupid Frog

2010-02-22T19:45:00.001-08:00

Lets all go to Spatula City Tomorrow

2010-02-17T19:14:00.000-08:00

celluloid bliss

2010-02-06T14:46:00.000-08:00

Video Spotlight 2010: Episode 3 FUTURE PRIMITIVE FILMS

2010-02-03T17:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we checked out the new amazing video from U.S. Girls, "Red Ford Radio" put together by the people at Future Primitive Films. Turns out they have done some other pretty stellar videos too, with more to come i'm sure. Seriously, the Gary War video is FUCKING amazing.

Gary War "Highspeed Drift"

Blank Dogs "Setting Fire to Your House"

Zola Jesus "Clay Bodies"

Currently Spinning:

2010-02-02T16:58:00.000-08:00

"Go Grey" the new full length from U.S. Girls is destroying my brain in a simply beautiful way these days. Its out now on Siltbreeze. The new video for "Red Ford Radio" is by the folks at Future Primitive Films and is pretty stunning as well. Both are worth your time.

one question....

2010-01-24T14:09:00.001-08:00

Goodnight Friend

2010-01-14T18:44:00.000-08:00

Jay Reatard

1980-2010

Video Spotlight 2010: Episode 2 ARIEL PINK'S HAUNTED GRAFFITI

2010-01-12T18:07:00.000-08:00

Any one of these videos could easily be considered the greatest music video of all time. Take your pick!

"are you gonna look after my boys?"

"politely declined"

"for kate i wait"

What blizzard?

2010-01-11T20:56:00.000-08:00

It's just a couple of flakes

Ryan Adams and Mandy Moore.....a Pictorial Essay by Missteps and Cassette Decks

2010-01-07T19:44:00.000-08:00

Video Spotlight 2010: Episode 1

2010-01-05T17:51:00.000-08:00

This week its the Video Spotlight: Covers Edition. A few of our favorite short form motion pictures set to music that happen to be performed by different artists than the original. Enjoy!

The Music Tapes covering The Velvet Underground's "All Tomorrow's Parties"

Pajo covering The Misfits "Where Eagles Dare"

and the RIDICULOUSLY good video for Dinosaur Jr. covering the Cure's "Just Like Heaven"

Blitzkrieg Bop

2010-01-04T18:13:00.000-08:00

Mama Mia!
Apparently former Ramones drummer Marky Ramone has a killer Pasta Sauce recipe!

Hamburger!

2010-01-03T12:40:00.000-08:00

This 2010

2009-12-28T18:01:00.000-08:00

We Begin Where We Began

See You There

Video Spotlight

2009-12-15T18:01:00.000-08:00

In honor of discovering yesterday that my favorite song from Missteps and Cassette Decks 17th best record of 2009 has an AMAZING video, this week's Video Spotlight is dedicated to Tickley Feather. Enjoy!

TRASHY BOYS

FANCY WALKING

The Cherry on Top

2009-12-10T15:34:00.000-08:00

Well here we have it....its the next day (*cough cough*) and it's the LPs turn. As with the EPs we'll say a few nice things about the first bunch, then round out the rest list style. Lets hear it for lists! Enjoy!

1. Woods "Songs of Shame" (Woodsist)
Throw cassettes, acoustic guitars playing folk music, electric guitars wailing psych and falsetto into a blender and the end result is the Missteps and Cassette Decks record of the Year.

2. Wavves "Wavvves" (Fat Possum)
Missteps and Cassette Decks love brats when it comes to music. Singing songs about being bored, smoking pot and having no girlfriend pretty much personify the musical brat-type, which is why we love this record.

3. Nodzzz "S/T" (Whats Your Rupture)
Nodzzz get it right. They sound like the Beatles in shambles. Thats all anyone should really be looking for in a band.

4. Kurt Vile "Childish Prodigy" (Matador)

I told a story this week about how an Itunes shuffle session pitted a song from this record back to back with an, albeit not great, They Might Be Giants song. Kurt Vile blew them out of the room. The end.

5. Lou Barlow "Goodnight Unknown" (Merge)
Fifteen or twenty years or so from now there will be a handful of people still REALLY into Lou Barlow, following him around the country singing his tunes into his 60s. I'll probably be one of those people.

6. Pissed Jeans "King of Jeans" (Sub Pop)
This cover, the back, the inner sleeve, the music contained within, the live show: all ridiculous. Amazingly ridiculous. With a record this good did we really need a Jesus Lizard reunion? Probably not.

7. Vivian Girls "Everything Goes Wrong" (In The Red)
There's harmony music, and there's fuzz music and then there's music that blends harmony and fuzz...a million bands are doing this nowadays. We kinda like it when its done right.

8. Thee Oh Sees "Help" (In The Red)
This is the best album cover of the year. Just looking at this record on the shelf, I knew it was going to be amazing. I wasnt wrong. A turntable mainstay this year.

9. The Thermals "Now We Can See" (Kill Rock Stars)
"We Were Sick" was on repeat at the Missteps and Cassette Decks office for a good month this year. I also was sick a ton this year, perhaps a theme song of the year award is in order?

10. Jay Reatard "Watch Me Fall" (Matador)

Some would say Jay Reatard discovered the "pop song" this year. I say no one is more likely to punch you in the face from the stage these days WHILE singing a pop song. Whats better than that?

11. Pajo "Scream With Me" (Blazebirth)
12. Eat Skull "Wild and Inside" (Siltbreeze)
13. Real Estate "S/T" (Woodsist)
14. Meth Teeth "Everything Went Wrong" (Woodsist)
15. Times New Viking "Born Again Revisited" (Matador)
16. Sonic Youth "The Eternal" (Matador)
17. Tickley Feather "Hors D'oeuvres" (Paw Tracks)
18. AC Newman "Get Guilty" (Matador)
19. Mika Miko "We Be Xuxa" (PPM)
20. Yo La Tengo "Popular Songs" (Matador)
21. Flaming Lips "Embryonic" (Warner Bros)
22. Dirty Projectors "Bitte Orca" (Domino)
23. Psychedelic Horseshit "Shitgaze Anthems" (Woodsist)
24. Magnolia Electric Co. "Josephine" (Secretly Canadian)
25. Pains of Being Pure at Heart "S/T" (Slumberland)

2,000,009 : The Year In Review

2009-11-26T07:54:00.000-08:00

Ah 2009, we hardly knew you and here you are sailing off to sea, your calendars full of doctor's appointments and reminders to pay your heating bill ready to be tossed out as new landfill fodder. We here at Missteps and Cassette Decks had a pretty bang up time experiencing 2009 and would like to thank anyone else who participated in this, the last zero in the tens column year for, like, a really long time. 2010 looks to be pretty busy here as Missteps and Cassette Decks goes to SXSW and ATP New York, as well as Pavement's Central Park show(s). So make sure you stay tuned. Now lets make some lists. Part One: Singles and EPs.

Top 10 Singles and EPs of 2009

1. Sic Alps "L Mansion" (Slumberland)
The A side bops along with a great acoustic guitar hook, accenting "ooooh ooooooh's" intersect the verses while the B side creeps with a jumpy bassline and some killer distortion. The production is flawless and this single held onto its position in the center of my turntable the longest this year.

2. Woods "Sunlit" (Woodsist)
Probably only taking second billing here due to "Sunlit" being not the best Woods song ever. The B side, however, "The Dark" has been referred to on more than one occasion as "Song of the Year" here at the Missteps and Cassette Decks offices. The A side is a short lesson in rhythmic distorted vocal acoustic psych. Seriously though, "The Dark" is the best song you'll hear all year.

3. Fergus and Geronimo "Harder Than Its Ever Been" (Woodsist)
Distorted fuzz dominates this A side which somehow seems to be made up entirely of hooks. Clocking in at under 2:00 its sheer pop perfection. Great stuff. Put it on your next mixtape, you wont be disappointed.

4. Idle Times "Get Your Feet off the Ground" (Woodsist)
5. Superchunk "Leaves in the Gutter" + "Crossed Wires" (Merge)
6. Times New Viking "Move to California" (Matador)
7. Best Coast "S/T" (Art Fag) + "Make You Mine" (Group Tightener)
8. Mayyors "Deads" (Self Released)
9. No Age "Losing Feeling" (Sub Pop)
10. Primitive Hands "Split Mind" (Tic Tac Totally)

TOMORROW PART TWO: The Top 25 LPS of 2009

Monkey Brains!!

2009-11-23T18:59:00.000-08:00

OH NO!

Drug Party

2009-11-19T19:08:00.000-08:00

i spent a good deal of time today thinking about how great Sic Alps are

wee!

2009-11-14T09:07:00.000-08:00

Missteps and Cassette Decks Year in Review
Coming Thanksgiving Day 2009

Sun was High

2009-11-09T20:57:00.000-08:00

so was i.....

World Series is Over (If You Want It)

2009-11-05T18:09:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween from Missteps and Cassette Decks and the Zombeatles

2009-10-29T19:41:00.000-07:00

A Hard Days Night of the Living Dead

new toy idea

2009-10-28T12:10:00.000-07:00

I'm making one of these as soon as possible.

remember, Oswald was just a patsy

2009-10-26T17:26:00.001-07:00

Balloon Hats!

2009-10-14T17:51:00.001-07:00

My Favorite Song of All Time

2009-10-13T17:03:00.000-07:00

Also has a pretty amazingly weird and awesome video

VH1 TV Shows | Music Videos | Celebrity Photos | News & Gossip

We're Earthlings, Lets Blow Up Earth Things

2009-10-08T15:19:00.000-07:00

Much like dreams, Mr. Show skits do come true....
NASA plans to smash spacecraft into the moon (don't worry its "a cost-effective, relatively low-risk way of doing initial exploration")

work got you down?

2009-10-06T16:49:00.000-07:00

presenting some beautifully filmed, recorded and performed yo la tengo songs guaranteed to soothe....

Yo La tengo - A Take Away Show - Part 1 from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Yo La Tengo - A Take Away Show - Part 2 from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Anne Frank trumps buying records

2009-10-05T18:02:00.000-07:00

I havent been to the record store in a few weeks. Saving for WFMU Record Fair subconsciously I think. I vowed to make it to this one after missing it for a few straight years so I really need to go. I'll pack a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to cut down on the cost.

Most noteworthy of my day was the fact that my normal love of early black and white home movies was taken to a new level by a new 21-second clip featuring anne frank gazing out her window at her newlywed neighbor in the summer of 1941.

Video Spotlight

2009-09-30T17:18:00.000-07:00

Dum Dum Girls

Catholicked

Blank Girl

i know you are........

2009-09-29T19:28:00.001-07:00

but what am i?

BEST VIDEO DAY EVER

2009-09-22T18:55:00.000-07:00

holy heck this new Flaming Lips video....

Who needs a Video Spotlight when there's days like this?
The Flaming Lips "I Can Be A Frog"

Breaking News: My Favorite Band Makes a Video

2009-09-22T04:37:00.000-07:00

GOOD morning.

Weekly Record Purchase Rewind

2009-09-21T17:42:00.001-07:00

Yikes, its been too long. Illness be damned, blog updates must happen.

ok onto the three lps from this week......

Beck- Stereopathetic Soulmanure

About a month or so ago I went on a major Beck kick. One month removed from the listening spree I still stand by his first three proper full lengths (Mellow Gold, One Foot in the Grave, and Stereopathetic Soulmanure) as pure gold.

Rachel's - Handwriting

Rachel's were making violin, piano and cello music for indie kids long before Arcade Fire picked up a violin. Get into it.

Cause Co-Motion - Because Because Because

New 12 inch EP from these Brooklyn garage-pop guys. Not as strong as some of their earlier singles in my opinion but still more great retro lo fi here. Yes I said lo fi.

Sorry for the brevity, still not 100%.
Tomorrow: Old School Video Spotlight

Video Time

2009-09-16T18:20:00.000-07:00

While our CEO is sick and miserable, here's a quick happy video from Brilliant Colors....
we'll make up for lost time tomorrow. promise

Weekly Record Purchase Rewind

2009-09-14T18:58:00.000-07:00

Just two this week through the good old post office. A pair of new seven inches from our friends at Tic Tac Totally!

FERGUS & GERONIMO "Blind Muslim Girl"
Two new offerings here from Fergus & Geronimo. More catchy pop from these guys. Not as strong as their single earlier this year on Woodist, but the A side is catchy pop punk, in the style that repeats the song title probably far too often, while the B side is a throw back to doo wop and wins the battle of the sides for me.

Primitive Hands "Split Mind"
This is SENSATIONAL. Great debut here from this member of Demon's Claws(with friends). Two great 60s pysch garage classics here. This is literally on my turntable right now where its gotten a solid 10-15 spins this weekend.

Tickley Feather

2009-09-10T16:51:00.000-07:00

I love this album A LOT right now....

Not a Drum

Out in October on Paw Tracks

Weekly Record Purchase Rewind and Video Spotlight are one in the same

2009-09-08T16:56:00.000-07:00

Welcome Back

I hope everyone had a nice holiday and easily transitioned into work/school mode....

Not too many purchases this week, I spent my record money on thrift store shirts I guess. I was able to pick up a few things though, one old, one new.

Mika Miko - C.Y.S.L.A.B.F.

I used to rag on and greatly dislike this band in a "been there, done that" kinda way. But now I kinda like them (i mean they have a song called "turkey sandwich" for crying out loud). This is their first LP and it totally slays (see below). Jumping around and singing songs that rarely go over 2 minutes will never get old.

Real Estate - Fake Blues b/w Green River

Second single from this easy listening New Jersey band. Looking forward to their upcoming LP on Woodsist

VIDEO SPOTLIGHT

The aforementioned Mika Miko have pretty much dominated my youtube watching this past week. Enjoy.

I Got A Lot (New New New)

Business Cats

Wild Bore

TOTION

This Labor Day Weekend....

2009-09-04T19:17:00.000-07:00

Read a Book

Ripped by Greg Kot

Excellent book explores the current state of the music industry since the rise of the mp3, ipods, etc. Pays great attention to those (like Radiohead) who explore new ways to get their music out without the aide of record labels.

Our Noise: The Story of Merge Records by John Cook, Mac McCaughan and Laura Ballance

This just arrived in the post today, and I plan to follow this post by cracking it open with a cup of tea and a record on quietly in the background. Great photos and linear history of the label told through a combination of essays, oral histories and of course tons of pieces from the Merge archives (setlists and pressing plant order forms galore). Good stuff.

oh, and feel free to party too...

see you next week.

BMMR SMMR

2009-09-01T18:22:00.000-07:00

Portland, OR's SMMR BMMR Fest took place just about 10 days ago and suffice to say it showcased essentially a who's who of my turntable over the past year or so. Sic Alps, Box Elders, Thee Oh Sees, Eat Skull, Fergus and Geronimo, Meth Teeth and the mighty Mayyors to name a few. Some great looking and sounding footage of these bands (which I spent a good deal of time watching this weekend) is here.

Particularly devastating at the show was California's MAYYORS, who will be this weeks video spotlight. Now this band doesnt seem to make videos as much as people seem to make videos for them using random found footage to marry with their noisy Butthole Surfers meets the Jesus Lizard in a blender sound. Sadly, there used to be a clip for "White Jeep" featuring ridiculously appropriate campy horror movie footage, but its since vanished.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you.....MAYYORS.

WHITE JEEP

GHOST PUNCH

Weekly Record CASSETTE Purchase Rewind

2009-08-31T19:36:00.000-07:00

skipped the record store this weekend in favor of the local Goodwill to hunt for treasures and was lucky enough to inherit someones collection of 80s british mope heroes.

for a mere $.49 each i picked up nearly an entire Cure discography, the Smiths "Queen is Dead, Morrissey "Your Arsenal," and R.E.M. (not British) "Automatic for the People." I bought the Ronnettes single as a tribute to songwriter Ellie Greenwich who passed away last week. Come to find out she wrote basically every amazing girl group song of that era (“Leader of the Pack,” “Chapel of Love,” and “Then He Kissed Me” among many others...

Also in the mail came this new live cassette from Tyvek released by Excite Bike Tapes. Easily one of my favorite noise tape labels, their releases are always interesting and the packaging is always insanely good. Just LOOK at that cover....and trust me they're all equally as good.

coming tomorrow: video showcase and my review of a festival i didnt even attend....

I really like this video

2009-08-30T16:22:00.000-07:00

Weekly record (*cough* cassette) purchases recap tomorrow.

Comedy Thursday

2009-08-27T18:03:00.000-07:00

i think we ALL could use a laugh today....

Not that I plan on mentioning Times New Viking EVERY day, but....

2009-08-26T16:59:00.000-07:00

Born Again Revisited leaked yesterday, and based on my walk home from the train mini-listening party, my autumn could very well be soundtracked by this record.

No Time No Hope

breaking news

2009-08-25T19:29:00.000-07:00

we are NOT one of those blogs that goes multiple days without posting......

just been taking care of some business(in the front) leading towards some party (in the back)

Meet Our Staff

2009-08-23T20:29:00.000-07:00

Weekly Record Purchase Rewind

2009-08-23T19:22:00.000-07:00

lots of new records this week. some new, some old. all suprisingly really really good.
here's the roundup.

Lamps - Lamps 12" (In The Red)

Lamps - Lamps Lamps LP (In The Red)

Saw these guys open the last Clockclean er show this past april and they were pretty ferocious that night. I was excited to find both of these during trip #2 to aka records this week. (factoid of the week: i was once in a one night only improv "band" called lamps. we practiced in my bedroom and recorded to a boombox.)

Sic Alps - L Mansion 7" (Slumberland)

Pick of the week here folks. This record is seriously unreal. Two great garage throwbacks here, one more mellow, one a rocker. Remember last week when I announced Thee Oh Sees song as the best song I'd heard this year? Well that was before I heard "L Mansion."

Little Claw - Moss Has Fangs LP (Ypsilanti)

Little Claw are damn near perfect. The End

Times New Viking - Present The Paisley Reich LP (Siltbreeze)
Tonite I bought a new area rug for my apartment. Its pattern makes me think of Times New Viking for some reason. Times New Viking are also probably my current favorite band. This is their second record, the only one I needed on LP. Another good find.

Shudder to Think - Get Your Goat LP (Dischord)
Only EBAY win of the week. Glad to get this for my ever growing Shudder to Think collection.

Meth Teeth - Everything Went Wrong LP (Woodsist)

Following a cassette and an amazing 7 inch, Meth Teeth release their first full length.

Times New Viking meets Yo La Tengo

2009-08-23T07:15:00.000-07:00

Sunday is rapidly becoming my favorite day of the week, exemplified today by this great video/song
where my favorite band meets probably the most consistently GOOD band in the cosmos.

Better than Supercuts

2009-08-20T20:23:00.000-07:00

I did a pretty good job cutting my hair tonite.

I Told You Guys They Were The Next Nirvana

2009-08-19T18:38:00.000-07:00

holy heck this new Wavves song

Wavves from TERROREYES.TV on Vimeo.

In the World of "Just So You Know"

2009-08-18T18:28:00.000-07:00

The new Polvo "reunion" LP has approximately 0.5 songs that sound like the Polvo i once knew and loved.

this is what it means to be watered down.

90% percent of the money in your wallet has cocaine on it

2009-08-17T22:36:00.000-07:00

Coca Cola

TODAY Video Spotlight: Deerhoof....The Videos of the Offend Maggie LP

2009-08-17T22:28:00.000-07:00

Each one of these is amazing in its own way.

"Offend Maggie" directed by Vice Cooler .

"Chandelier Searchlight" directed by Clyde Peterson .

"Eaguru Guru" directed by Amber Smith and Ben Parrish .

"My Purple Past" directed by Asha Schechter .

"Numina O" directed by Kate Hall .

"Jagged Fruit" directed by Trevor Shimizu .

"This is God Speaking" directed by Akiko Carver .

"Buck and Judy" directed by C Spencer Yeh .

"Family of Others" directed by Eben and Sara from Flying.

"Basketball Get Your Groove Back" directed by Jamie Stewart of Xiu Xiu .

"Fresh Born" directed by unknown

Weekly Record Purchase Rewind

2009-08-17T22:22:00.000-07:00

Pissed Jeans - King of Jeans (Sub Pop)

This PA based band's third LP has been in heavy rotation since its internet leak a few weeks back. Seriously the opening song "False Jesii Part 2" makes me stage dive onto my bed every time without fail. Sure the Jesus Lizard, Cows, AmRep references are all applicable, but the band really ups their game on this one and becomes their own beast. I'm "very ready" for their August 29th record release show (Pi Lam House, 39th and Spruce)

False Jesii Part 2

The Oh Sees - Sucks Blood (Castle Face)

I love Thee Oh Sees. Seriously, their sound has wow'd me for the past year or so in various ways. Just this year they have released 5 singles, a proper LP (the AAAAMAAZING "Help") and a collection of demos and odds and sods on LP which comes with a CD of previous vinyl output. Pretty impressive. This LP is a reissue of an originally quite limited release from 2007 and wow, its a killer. "Iceberg" may be the best song my turntable needle has hit all year. Block of Ice

Missteps and Cassette Decks

2009-08-17T22:16:00.001-07:00

launching 8.17.09 analog.noise.art.