Altered Zones

Tao Lin Says:
This was my "most played" song (~1300 plays, I think) on my previous MacBook (~2008 to ~2010). I think I listened to it so much because (1) It has non-repeating lyrics and no chorus, which means I'm able to listen to it 3x more than a similar-- but less dense-- song before feeling not stimulated anymore. (2) It has dual vocals, which also contributes to its denseness. (3) It is not cleanly recorded, causing it to automatically contain more information, I think, in terms of there being a variety of noises that would normally be edited out or not recorded. (4) It has a computer-generated aspect (drum machine). (5) It has emotional lyrics I can relate to, for example (at 0:48), "It might have been something that you said/ or it might have been the tune of the Pinback song/ repeating in my mind that made me realize/ it's easy to be myself when you're by my side." (6) It begins and ends "full force" without a quiet intro or outro, so I don't "dread" or want to "get past" any part of it.

I think I first learned of The Stupid Stupid Henchmen by clicking bands' friends on MySpace in 2006 or 2007. I probably began on Leftover Crack's page, then clicked to No-Cash's page, then to The Stupid Stupid Henchmen's page. All their songs are free here. I don't think they've ever officially released anything, no 7"s or albums. I've fantasized about Fat Wreck Chords releasing "Charmingly Demonic" rerecorded. Another song I like by them is "Rude Girl" which begins "I took the medicine from my pops / 'cause I need to ease to put my mind at rest / 'cause there is so much I want but I will never have."

Download The Stupid Stupid Henchmen's 2008 album Charmingly Demonic via Bandcamp. Tao Lin is currently writing his third novel Taipei, Taiwan, to be published by Vintage/Knopf in 2013