The Year in Beach Talk

If you've read even an inch of my personal spew on W.O.W. you know it's been a bountiful year for local music along our concrete shoreline. 2007 was as diverse, enlightening, and nationally heard as any year I can remember ('95-Present). Of course I wasn't around for the Pica Huss years, but I had the shitty demo tape while living in Troy. I tried to get out as much as possible (harder now with a mortgage in Lil' Vegas), but thankfully the kids keep churning out piles of thoughtful vinyl to keep me company till 3 a.m. Facing facts, what shall forever be known as the "preemptive Spin Magazine trifecta," was the be-all end-all. There's a reason Times New Viking, Psychedelic Horseshit, and the Black Swans got there first -- they all made wonderful fucking records. So that's one, two, and three.

Let's end rank there. Everything else isn't lesser by any stretch, just loved in different ways. Believe me or countless others taking notice, the beach is spreading (now all the way down to Rontown).


Moviola made arguably the best record of their career drifting through a portal of Modern/Aoxomoxoa freakness without ever sacrificing the mature grandiosity of the recording process or the humbleness of the songwriting. Dead Knowledge is an album indelibly Classic on first listen. Meanwhile Deadsea's Rising is the fiercest offering from Adam Smith's death squad without penance towards his band's enigmatic quest. In other words, formidable local monsters are constantly evolving.

Though I'm compelled by The Casualties of Happiness and Entrance respectively, both Hugs and Kisses and Sword Heaven are best served live. One completely nostalgic and absurd, the other beastructive and enthralling. It's comforting there are now tangible documents of both. DVDs?

Look what the rookie did/// RTFO Bandwagon made the make-shift folk-punk album of the year in Flagships, but I've yet to see them play without reminding me of keggers on 15th Ave. I heard they might have imploded? I sure hope not.


Which leaves us right back where we began the year...it wouldn't be full circle without another mention of the (what's now becoming annual) January Surprise Columbus Discount Records singles dump. My brother re-iterated the fact with his excellent year-end singles list (maybe we'll join forces soon for a megablog, who knows), but I had to re-enforce getting right with the Magic Jesus and their brilliant little Funeral Home Session/Abracadabra 7". This chunk continues to puzzle, wound, slash und burn, and smoke-out any semblance of of reality in the room. Could be subtitled "Columbus Drug Experience - The Ride" or could be held as the purest form of "real" "true" "disturbing" psychedelia this town has seen in a long, long, while.
Just wait until '08. Methinks CDR is campaigning quite early.