The Van Pelt‘s Stealing From Our Favorite Thieves (1996) and Sultans Of Sentiment (1997), in hindsight, provided a number of significant indie-rock mile markers. The band was led by Ted’s brother, Chris Leo; Stealing recorded by Alap Momin (ex-Dälek); bassist Toko Yasuda went back and forth between TVP and Blonde Redhead after that record; and both albums saw the light of day via cult label Gern Blandsten. After being out of print since the turn of the century, the original tapes have been mined for reissue treatment by Spain’s La Castanya, allowing listeners to trace the band from its gorgeously melodic and incendiary, post-hardcore beginnings a la the Jazz June and Texas Is The Reason to a more subdued, Slint-like bent with Leo’s increasingly spoken-word vocal style by the time the last notes ring out on Sultans. Leo will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week.
Leo: Let’s be clear, there is no need for any winemaker in Lazio to make serious wine. With the zillions of tourists flooding into Rome all year who plop themselves down with heavy feet to eat outdoors in some beautiful piazza like Campo de’ Fiori, anything you put in their glass is gonna taste great at that point in that setting. (For me too!) So why are all of these winemakers in the mountains east of Rome choosing to make amazing quality wines rather than quantity plonk from grapes like Cesanese, Bellone and Passerina? Who knows. Because they rule I suppose. Check out Marco Carpineti for example.
