Screen capture from the Speedy Ortiz video for “Tiger Tank.” The band is playing tonight at West Wing.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Good ol’ Pitchfork. Some of the shit that they’ve pushed to the top of the list has, indeed, been shit. And though their reviews are hit and miss, music fans have no choice but to take Pitchfork seriously since it’s the default “house organ” of the indie music scene. In fact Pitchfork has become so successful, the folks behind the website recently launched a new film review website called The Dissolve, so now you can get that famous Pitchfork point of view about the movies opening this weekend (though The Dissolve will never have the impact on the film industry that Pitchfork has had on the indie music industry…).

Anyway… I say all this because I do keep an eye on Pitchfork if only to help guide my Spotify listening habits (though these days I almost exclusively rely on review aggregator Album of the Year for that need), and noticed they got it right when they lauded the new release from Massachusetts band Speedy Ortiz called Major Arcana (Carpark). The record already was at the top of my personal music-listening list before it was ordained with Pitchfork‘s “Best New Music” status, scoring a massive 8.4 rating

For me, Speedy Ortiz conjures comparisons to Guyville-era Liz Phair (but much heavier), Breeders, Pavement… It will end up on my “favorites of 2013” list.  If you haven’t heard their stuff, check out the YouTube vid at the bottom of this post.

Anyway, before the Pitchfork review came out, Speedy Ortiz booked its current tour, which consists mostly of small rooms and house shows, like the one going on tonight at West Wing here in Omaha. If you don’t know what West Wing is, well, look it up on The Google. The band now has a booking agent and are likely to play more “traditional” venues the next time they come through (though the band comes out of the Boston DIY basement scene which they love, and I’m told has played at West Wing before).

I’m still trying to figure out a game plan for going to tonight’s show. As I’ve said many times before, whenever I go to a house show everyone thinks I’m a cop, or someone’s dad come to spy on his son/daughter, and I can’t blame them as I’m usually old enough to be the father of most people in the room… No idea when this starts, who else is playing or how much it costs, but if you see someone who you think looks like a narc in the crowd, be sure to say hello.

If you don’t feel like going to a house show, Melvins are playing tonight at The Waiting Room. This is being billed as their “30th Anniversary Tour,” and features the core band of King Buzzo and Dale Crover. Honky (ex-Butthole Surfer Jeff Pinkus’ band) opens. $17, 9 p.m.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.