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Recommended by us on 11th February 2011
...according to our Business Lady on Fri 11 Feb, 2011.
Ian Svenonius returns with a second installment of his Chain & The Gang project! Oh happy, happy day! Recorded with pretty much the same musicians and singers (this includes Brian Weber, Spencer Kelley, Arrington De Dionyso, Tara Jane ONeill and the mighty Joey Casio among many more) down at the legendary DUB NARCOTIC STUDIO by Mr. Calvin Johnson, 'Music's Not For Everyone' is another master piece chock full of Svenonius's sharp wit and amazing players. I'm really fond of the musicians on this record, I think they do an amazing job that oozes pure Olympia charm whilst also serving Ian's unique vision effectively. I saw the band on tour last year and they we're so fun and confident that it blew me away. Mr. Svenonius was sporting an amazing white suit too, how he keeps that shit so pristine on tour is beyond me. Anyone familiar with Chain's previous outing ('Down With Liberty...Up With Chains') will find this instantly accessible and fun. I'm sure you'll also note the increased confidence and competence of Ian and the band. Too many great highlight here to single them all out but I'll mention a few... 'For Practical Purposes (I Love You)' is a winning doo-wop style effort that really hits the spot, as doe's the hard rock aping of 'Detroit Music' parts I and II. '(I've Got) Privilege' (which came out as a 7" a while back) is a instant Make-Up-esque winner and the laid back irony of 'It's A Hard Job (Keeping Everybody High)' will no doubt bring a smile to your face but the best of the bunch lyrically has to be 'Music's Not For Everyone', a spacious psych-out with a sentiment that totally resonates for me. It's worth quoting actually....''....Do people who listen to music even like it? Do people deserve it even if they buy it? Music Is Not For everyone. Music is for the few, for the brave. Don't try to explain it to them though, It doesn't matter what you say. They can't understand. They'll never understand'. It's rare for music to be this witty and still being good. The lad's not lost it. Can't wait for the next tour.
It's played at pool parties, proms and pizzerias. These beings or entities dig the hard-edged dance groove of "Livin' Rough." They think it sounds real "earthy." They love "Detroit Music" (but they think it refers to a particular kind of space cake). They've chosen "Not Good Enough" to be the anthem for their Football Team when it competes in inter-stellar tournaments. It really psyches out the competition. And they know that "Youth is Wasted on the Young" expresses a sentiment that we are only beginning to understand here. But that's a more advanced society of course. It's a place where people have good taste and a sense of humor and like music that's exciting, simple and full of vitality. On Earth? Some don’t even know what they’re listening to. To them music is a sense of security, and nothing more. But they have a strategy: maybe if someone heard their music, they would like it. So they're sending out promotional "previews" for DJs and reviewers with a little written explanation, which reads: "Chain & The Gang is a group with a new record on K records which features Ian Svenonius (from Nation of Ulysses, the Make Up, Weird War etc) who is also the host of the internet chat show “Soft Focus” (vbs.tv) and authored the book The Psychic Soviet (Drag City Records and Books). Music's Not For Everyone is their new album, following their 2009 opus Down With Liberty ... Up With Chains! [KLP203]. This Music is pithy and succinct. It features roaring organ solos, shredding guitar, and plomping percussion by an all star cast (Fred Thomas, Arrington de Dionyso, Brian Weber) complete with call and response vocals by fabulous back-up singers such as Veronica Ortuño, (The Carrots and Finally Punk), Sara Pedal (Seahorse Liberation Army) and Tara Jane ONeil." That just might do the trick. Or, it'll prove that music isn't for everyone. “Ian Svenonius is the jam. If you don’t believe me, go ask someone’s older brother. Then you won’t be surprised when everyone is making spooky jailhouse doo-wop in four years. You see, the way this crazy game works is, first Svenonius is in an awesome band, then a few years later, way too many bands try to be that band. It’s been happening for years and it ain’t gonna stop now.” Tokion Magazine
1. Why Not?
2. Not Good Enough
3. For Practical Purposes (I Love You)
4. Livin’ Rough
5. It’s A Hard, Hard Job (Keeping Everybody High)
6. Detroit Music
7. Detroit Music Pt II
8. Music’s Not For Everyone
9. Can’t Get Away
10. (I’ve Got) Privilege
11. Youth Is Wasted On The Young
12. Not Good Enough (Dub)
13. Bill For The Use Of A Body
14. Why Not? Pt III
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