so long, stylus meetings

This evening I attended my last Stylus contributor meeting: the first in a long series of "lasts" for me here in Winnipeg. Because of this special occasion, I went for a second pint of Little Scrapper and the meeting just seemed to ease right along. Although there's one more issue in which my writing will appear, it already feels like the end. No more nachos, no more awkward introductions and no more nerdy music references (that I can get away with). Furthermore, how am I supposed to feed my addiction to physical media without a constant influx of promotional cds!?

My reviews from the last issue:

Happy Birthday - Happy Birthday (Sub Pop)
Snotty, lo-fi rock and roll styled after the British invasion of the ’60s may not seem as refreshing as it did a decade ago, and with bands like Girls currently enjoying massive success, the self-titled debut from Vermont’s Happy Birthday is unlikely to evoke many strong reactions from critics. It’s really too bad, because Happy Birthday have made one hell of a summer record. . . . (read more)

Eluvium - Similies (Temporary Residence)
It’s always a risky move when an ambient artist transitions from experimental soundscapes to the more familiar territories of pop music. Eluvium is the moniker of Matthew Cooper, whose work is influenced by neoclassical musicians like Erik Satie and Philip Glass, and, more recently, takes its cue from Brian Eno’s work in the mid-’70s. . . . (read more)

Nice Nice - Extra Wow (Warp)
Nice Nice, an experimental duo from Portland, Ore., know how to have fun. On their third full-length (and their first for Warp), Nice Nice try to capture the energy of their bombastic live performances, and believe it or not, they actually pull it off. . . . (read more)

Kaki King - Junior (Rounder)
With such a personal arsenal of talent, Kaki King should succeed. But Junior, her sixth album, is a bit of a disappointment. It’s not terrible, but she’s capable of a better, more focused collection. . . . (read more)