My friend Jeremy saw the Pixies thing on television and was telling me about it last night; he was raving about how great they sounded and how nice it was to be able to see it from the comfort of his own living room, without being surrounded by a bunch of kids in some dank little club. I think he realized about half-way through his shpiel that he sounded like an old fart, and the look on his face was priceless.

Any Low fans in the room? I'm curious about your reactions to the new album, because I'm mystified by some of the reviews I've read. Critics and reviewers praised the album before this most recent one (Trust) but were quick to say that it was more of the same and that they were getting close to exhausting their creative options within the confines they'd created.

The newest album (The Great Destroyer) is definitely a step in a new direction but it still sounds like Low to me. They have a very distinctive thing going on, and nothing on this new album seems unrecognizable.

The reviews that I've read have panned it, and while some of their criticisms are legitimate (even to my untrained ear, some of the tracks sound overproduced), mostly the reviews focus on how different it is and how they've turned their backs on the slowcore thing. So apparently last time they weren't different enough and this time they're supposedly too different. Very few reviews have taken the album on its own and reviewed it for its strengths or weaknesses.

I think The Great Destroyer is brilliant, though I'll admit that it took me three listens to appreciate it fully. And their show at the Somerville Theater on Saturday night was fantastic. I definitely recommend getting the CD and seeing them live if the opportunity presents itself.

I am awash in Buffista Mixes. I have received Teppy's package of mixes from Alicia K, Kate P, and Anne W (two of them, even), and am ripping them as we speak.

I've also solved the mystery of the mysterious extra CD that we were discussing last week.

msbelle: Steph, any idea what disks those are?

Lyra Jane: If they're the same ones I sent Gandalfe, they'd be Anne, meara, Kate P., and Alicia.

Gandalfe: I remember that there were 4 discs, but the handwriting on two of them was very, very similar. Also, I think I lost the liner notes to one of those two - at least, I couldn't find any when I went to ship them off. And, no, I don't remember whose.

Steph L.: Having checked what CDs Gandalfe sent me, I *do* have 4 CDs -- from Kate P., Alicia, and what looks like *2* from Anne W. However, nothing from meara.

Gandalfe, is that right? And if so, where is meara's CD? (That last question isn't addressed specifically to Gandalfe, just to the swap group at large.)

And Jon B.'s list of links to liner notes has the link for *1* of Anne W.'s CDs -- any chance of liner notes for the other?

Kate P.: Steph, I think Anne only had one CD--chances are that one of the ones you have labeled "Anne W." is actually meara's.

Steph L.: Well, I considered that, but 2 things led me to think that there really are 2 CDs from Anne:

(1) the handwriting on the labels of both CDs is identical;

(2) neither of the CDs' track listings match meara's track listing.

Steph is correct. They're both Anne's, and they're both the same mix. I figured it out when I listened to a couple of tracks from the original disk, the one with Anne's handwriting on it, and the volume varied wildly from track to track. Then I remembered that Jon had had to normalize the volume on one of the CDs early on, and sure enough, the handwriting on the other disk is Jon's. It was easy enough to find the post.

Jon B. "Buffista Music II: Wrath of Chaka Khan" Mar 16, 2004 4:38:51 am PST

Jon B.: Anne W's CD was definitely defective, but I was able to extract the audio and re-burn it and now it's fine. I also normalized the song levels while I was at it (some were a lot louder than others). Kate - I sent you an email for your address so that I can send the new copy back to you.

Elementary, really...

Now there's another mystery. What happened to Jon's CD? Because I should've gotten that before I got any of these mixes. Also, do we know where meara's mix is?

I haven't seen meara's OR Jon's.

I know I had Jon's mix, but a long time ago.

Lemme know if I should make a new CD and send it to someone.

Jen - I like the new Low. I like it when they're jaunty.

Dear Jon B.,

How're things going w/ FAQ Girl?

Love, Rio

Dear Rio,

Still great. Today is the eight month aniversary of our first date at the coffee shop. We have been talking about talking this summer about maybe shacking up in the fall.

How's the wedding plans?

Love, Jon B.

We have been talking about talking this summer about maybe shacking up in the fall.

That's just so romantic...

I do have a way with words, don't I?

That's just so romantic...

In our culture, you have to visit a Canadian National monument (like Niagara Falls or the Big Nickel or any Mountie in uniform will do), announce it three times, then you are considered "shacquee". You may want to show your special awareness of FAQ Girl's cultural heritage by organizing something like that.