We’re going on extended vacation here at Big Diction, but you’re welcomed to still send us media for review, and it will be considered for the other publications we write for.

Local Music

All local music submissions will be considered for review or mention on Austin Sound and Side One Track One.

National Music

I have weekly mentions at Side One Track One about national bands, usually ones that are “under the radar,” or whatever that means.

Live Music / Show Announcements

First, if anyone wants to invite us to a show, we’re there.

Second, I run the “Weekend Preview” section on Austin Sound, so if you’d like a show previewed, let me know.

Finally, don’t forget that Rob writes about sports the Austinist, so go leave some deranged comments.

All the archived material will be left up if you’d like to browse. See you next year perhaps.

[Note: Bangers and Mash is a column about Brit-pop by Big Diction's arch-nemesis, and chief Welsh corespondent, Dan Cwikla. He also writes a short column in the Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogery- chwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch Gazette. -Ed.]

It’s the best album you’ll ever listen to! Well, maybe not. Still, Super Furry Animals’ disc MWNG (Welsh: MANE) is certainly the best Welsh language album you’ll ever listen to. Written and performed in the native tongue of the Cardiff quintet, as expected, the 2000 release throws a bit of everything at its audience. Ranging from lounging ballads to accordion heavy pop, MWNG is both completely delightful and, for most of the world, completely unintelligible.

Emerging from the burgeoning Welsh music scene of the early 1990’s which produced Manic Street Preachers and Catatonia among others, the Furries had consistently offered their fans a unique blend of electronica and pyschedelia served with a heaping dose of pop rock sensibilities. After achieving early success with Alan McGee’s legendary label Creation Records with increasingly experimental offerings, MWNG marked a sudden return to the basics, showcasing the group’s songwriting skills rather than their outward thinking.

Despite a noticeable cohesiveness, the album is in fact something of a deliberate collection. Bassist Guto Pryce said of MWNG, “We had some Welsh songs when we did Guerrilla but we thought it would be better if we put them all together instead of a token Welsh song here and there, on a b-side and maybe one or two on an album. We thought it would be nice to put them all together.”

Recommended Tracks:

“Ymaelodi Â’r Ymylon” (”Banished to the Periphery”), “Dacw Hi” (”There She Is”), “Pan Ddaw’r Wawr” (”When Dawn Breaks”)

Super Furry Animals - Ymaelodi ‘R Ymylon

[Note: Bangers and Mash is a column about Brit-pop by Big Diction's arch-nemesis, Dan Cwikla -Ed.]

The only album proper ever released by the Liverpudlian quartet, at the time, The La’s heralded a possible addition to the old guard of melodically endowed Britons upon its release in 1990. Marked by jangled guitars and the distinctive, gravelly vocals of frontman Lee Mavers, the album offered a simplified respite from the still thriving, extravagant Madchester scene.

The fact that The La’s ever saw the light of day was something of a feat in itself. Burdened by lofty expectations stemming from early praise by Morrissey and NME, a constantly shuffling lineup, and the often eccentric behavior of a drug-addled Mavers, the group spent nearly two years repeatedly re-recording the disc. Following its release, although the album sold well in England (eventually reaching #30), it received little fanfare elsewhere. By 1992, plagued by internal division and frustrated by perceived corruption in the music industry, The La’s entered a de facto separation, eventually officially calling it quits in 1995.

Despite a catalog consisting solely of this album and a handful of B-sides, the group has been cited as a significant influence on a number of British acts including Oasis, Travis, and Pete Doherty of The Libertines and Babyshambles. Stateside recognition has been far more subdued with the exception of the album’s fifth track, “There She Goes,” which became a hit single for Sixpence None The Richer in 1999. Although for a time the subject of the song was (HILARIOUSLY) rumored to be heroin rather than an actual girl, this speculation has since been denied by the group’s former guitarist.

Recommended Tracks:

“Son Of A Gun,” “I Can’t Sleep,” “I.O.U”

The La’s - Son of a Gun

Column: Huge Balls

     by Rob Stiller

THE BULLS ARE ON THE CLOCK!!!&@^*&%!

Have crueler words ever been spoken?

Lo, just weeks ago, I lived in a world where I thought it was only ESPN’s coverage of the NFL Draft that would induce a level of nausea that could only be rivaled by Rosie O’Donnell mating with a bean burrito. But when these six frightful words callously traversed my aural canal, I was faced with the grim reality that the social cancer that is the mock draft had infiltrated my beloved basketball.

Previously, I had come to terms my annual ritual of boycotting Sportscenter during the months leading up to the NFL Draft, that time of year when Mel Kiper puts anything and everything On the Clock!, from the Redskins to the Dolphins, and often even more surprising entities, such as his childhood pediatrician and Black Tuesday. As Dostoyevsky once wrote, man is a creature than can grow accustomed to anything, and I had grown accustomed to the exercise in futility that is the NFL Mock Draft.

Continue reading Column :: Huge Balls: “Mocking Mock Drafts”

Column: Huge Balls

     by Rob Stiller

Generally speaking, I would feel confident in saying that I am one of the most ardent followers of the NBA that you will come across. But I would never, EVER try to match NBA wits with anyone who was around to witness first hand the Celtics of the 60’s, the Lakers of the 80’s, or even the Bulls of the early 90’s because, regardless of how many books I read or how much ESPN Classic I watch, I’ve come to accept the fact that I’ll never be able to experience the game the way people did during basketball’s glory days. It’s like that scene in Good Will Hunting where Robin Williams says to Matt Damon “I’m sure you can tell me all about Michelangelo…, but you can’t tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel.” Indeed I could go back and memorize every box score from the ’86 Finals, but I could never understand exactly what Larry Bird meant to the city of Boston.

Ever since it started to seem likely that we were in fact headed toward a Boston-L.A. match up in the Finals, I’ve been lamenting more and more that fact that I missed out on the original Lakers-Celtics. But somewhere along the line I realized that anyone under the age of 30 or so is in the same boat, which got me thinking, what’s in it for us?

It depends what you’re looking for.

If we’re talking about a young generation trying to claim its slice of the NBA’s historical pie, the conversation starts and ends with Kobe*. Given his current situation, very little is standing in the way of him becoming one of the top ten players of all time. Given the shear volume of his career due to entering the league at only 18, his stats alone will be staggering. But as the Lakers stand, with a few crafty roster moves, Kobe should be competing for championships until at least 2011. Just for fun, let’s say he wins any 2 titles over that span and joins the Five Ring Club. Throw out all of the Bill Russell and MJ tag-alongs, and all of a sudden it becomes increasingly difficult to argue against him as one of the greatest players of all time. Love him or hate him, Bryant has the chance to begin a push to be remembered as one of the top ten players of all time over the next two weeks, which, with that first MVP trophy already in hand, could for all intents and purposes make my generation the Kobe Bryant generation.

But if we’re talking about a young generation building on the legacy of those who have come and gone, it would be a mistake to consider this just another NBA Finals. For that reason, what I’m most looking forward to getting out of two weeks of Magic-Bird montages is simply a bit of historical illumination, just to catch a glimpse of the glory days I’ve only ever been able to read about. Instead of regretting never having seen Bird and Magic go toe to toe or missing out on the McHale-Rambis Clothesline, one should rather seize the opportunity to own a piece of a rivalry that supersedes any player or generation. Liken it to Yankees-Red Sox of 2004, if you will. It didn’t matter if you were there in 1918 when the Sox won it all, or in 1986 when they lost it all; it was special because it was still just Yankees-Sox. That idea that a rivalry can transcend players, coaches and even bridge generations is what makes this Finals so significant, even for those of us that weren’t around for the previous installments. And tonight for the first time in 20 years, it won’t be Kobe-Garnett or Kobe-Pierce, it will just be Lakers-Celtics.

——————————-

*One brief sidenote: if the Celtics do win this series and Garnett and Pierce end up with similar performances, would this not be one of the most historically significant Finals MVP decisions ever? Think about it. With a championship, KG will be cemented as one of the all time greats, but with a Finals MVP trophy, he immediately jumps into the top 20-25. Pierce has even more to gain. For him, the Finals MVP trophy could be the difference between being remembered as a good scorer or as a great player. Fortunately or unfortunately, neither player could care less about such a thing. If only it were Shaq and Kobe in a similar situation.

Column: The Clumsy Challenge

     by Matt Anderson

Midfielder Michael Bradley (front) dispossesses England Midfielder Frank Lampard (whining).
The U.S. look to improve on a lackluster showing against England as they take on Spain today.

One week after a rather complacent United States side fell to England 2-0, they are preparing to face Spain in the second of three friendly matches taking place in Europe and the US. This is part of an effort of the United States Soccer Federation to expose their senior national side to the some of the world’s best. If you watched last Wednesday’s match against England like I did, you’re probably just as concerned.

Realistically, the United States stood a legitimate chance to win last week’s game, and even the most ardent of England supporters were expecting a hard fought game. Bluntly, it wasn’t. Instead of adopting an aggressive high speed, guns blazing, extra hot sauce tactic towards the English, the U.S. sat on their laurels and reacted (poorly) to wave after wave of England’s own dangerous attacks. Had Jermain Defoe or Wayne Rooney been able to finish their abundant chances to score, it could have been a thorough and extensive beat-down. Even with the 2-0 score, the United States appeared to rely on mistakes made by the English to stay in the game, which is a policy that will cost them dearly against Spain.

Continue reading Column :: The Clumsy Challenge: “US vs. Spain Soccer Preview”