All that talk on the music talk show last night about top-5 lists and
whatnot has got me athinking again about such stuff. This is one of
those FAQ-y questions which we have toyed with in the past, and we
probably beat it to death then, but whatever.

What are the crucial local records to have? To talk around one of Nate's
points from last night, *was* there a "crucial" local release this year,
one which stood out head-and-shoulders above all others? His example was
"Todays Active Lifestyles," which I might dispute. I'd posit _No Pocky
For Kitty_ for its year (um, 1991, I guess that was).

So this year? During my show Sunday I was thinking about the relative
amounts of attention paid to _All the Nations Airports_ and _Exploded
Drawing_, here but also in general, and what struck me was that
_Exploded Drawing_ *feels* to me like what everybody *says* about _All
the Nation's Airports_ -- namely, that it's a big step forward in
maturity, or something, even if it doesn't stick out hit-wise.

Or maybe I'm just cranky and I'm trying to say "geez, the Archers made a
sort of water-treading record while Polvo made a record which I find
myself returning to again and again. Form+function=rock, or something.

If we didn't all know about Polycarp I'd say that their CD is one of the
best come-from-nowhere records I've heard in years, period, local or
not. But they didn't come from nowhere. I wonder how it has struck those
folks who *didn't* know they existed before?

Or has it struck them at all? 

The songwriting on the most recent Hellbender LP is about twice as good
as on their first one, but I'm still waiting for their drum and guitar
sounds to catch up. Thin. Thin. Thin. Even with much better production,
still sound like a slower record played at a faster speed, instead of
like themselves.

I would also like to submit the following URL for discussion:

http://www.unc.edu:80/~toybox/review4.html

Does this, in fact, represent yr common Archers fan? If so, what does it
mean? Anything?

So: 10-best local records, either now or forever. 
also: remind me of your favorite a.m.c-h posts of all time. Please.

and: instead of sending me one-line suggestions of local things to
web-ify, you might consider posting your comments. That's how I want it
to work==webpage as distillation of multi-tongued dialog already posted
to group. This means you Todd Morman: the Will Connor things at Lump are
at the end of January. Don't put it off till then.

Ross

oh yeah: YOu Raymond Brake fans better do a better job of explaining
just how the fuck you can justify calling "Piles of Dirty Winters"
"probably the best thing ever released on Simple Machines." Keep in mind
that this statement places it above both Scrawl's amazing "Velvet
Hammer" and Franklin Bruno's "Bedroom Community." I know *you* believe
it's true--but how to convert a nonbeliever?
-- 
HOT!! The alt.music.chapel-hill Guide to the Triangle:
http://sunsite.unc.edu/grady/ch-scene/
The alt.music.chapel-hill FAQ and archive:
http://sunsite.unc.edu/grady/ch-scene/amchhome.htm