Almost 2 late Tuesday thread

[MindGoneHaywire]

Heard a bunch of new stuff lately, most of it only once, though. Brad sent me a version of SMILE from February, Brian Wilson's performance w/the Wondermints in London, better than the previous one I'd heard. Hard to believe this even exists, so while it may not be as rewarding an experience as hearing the most recent approximations of it from the studio tapes, it's awfully darned good.

Listened to the Eric Clapton Me & Mr. Johnson album. I didn't hate it, in fact I kinda liked it. One big problem, but smaller, probably, than most of the problems I find with just about everything he's done since 1966. Those include overplaying, rotten, slick, commercial production, and painfully mediocre songwriting. All of these & a fourth I will mention have contributed to make me not like just about anything he's done since...1966. This is probably the best record I've heard that he was on since the Bluesbreakers rec. Which is not to say that Derek & the Dominoes is not good, but it's really not my cup of tea, and if I'm going to call something a 'classic,' it's going to have to be more interesting, more passionate, and a hell of a lot less overplayed than a rec like that. And that doesn't even take into consideration the Duane Allman issue, on that particular rec. Anyway...I found this far superior to that crappy blues album he made 10 years ago, which I absolutely hated. The production sounded like Robert Cray or something...there's a lot more soul in the sound of this rec, no doubt. There is one thing that gums it up for me, and that's his vocals, which are undistinguished at best, weak at worst. Boy, this rec could've been real good if only he'd brought in a vocalist that could've made this project a real good thing instead of only a...good..thing that wasn't better because he had to do the singing. This is the fourth of the problems I have with most of his output, and it may be the least of them, but still, this is not a bad record by any means, and I'm as surprised to say that as you probably are to read it. But as much as I've hated some of his work, I try to give things a fair listen. Sometimes that's impossible...but this is not bad. That said, I may never listen to it again. Why would I, when there are superior blues albums in my collection I haven't heard enough times? Hey, maybe next time out he'll get something else right & build on this. And if it's real good I will say so. My dislike of his music doesn't spill over into irrational hatred just because I hate the influence he had over rock music by virtue of his superior overplaying.

The Streets: Something about a Grand? Much better than the rec I heard last year. This one is much more cohesive, more interesting, just better overall. I have to give it another listen, but I did like what he was doing here on this rec. Hey, he's no Eminem, but I found this at least as interesting as Outkast, something I wouldn't have thought possible based on how overblown I thought the first rec was. Doubtless there will be someone who'll think I'm nuts because to them they're both very similar, and it's always possible my memory's flaky. But for now that's my story & I'm sticking with it.

The Decline Of British Sea Power--I probably didn't give this enough of a chance 6 months or so ago when I first heard it. Didn't think I'd get another chance. It's definitely in the ballpark with the retro postpunk acts like Franz Ferdinand, stellastarr*, Snow Patrol, stuff like that. I'm missing a name or two here. Honestly, I think a band like Clinic is better than these, if not any more original. But these are all certainly worth a listen. I realize I'm awfully out of touch for thinking that these bands are derivative of bands that seemed to exist to create sounds that wouldn't be blatantly copied, sort of in the way I hear these bands sounding, but that's okay. One day some kid will explain it all to me, I'm sure.

Velvet Revolver...as Sport said, 'Iron Aftermath?' "Vanilla Foreverchanges?' Not enough like Appetite for me to like it much, not enough like STP for me to dislike it all that much. It's just kinda...there. Maybe I'll have a little more to say after a second listen, but for now it's just wallpaper, and I don't think that's what they were going for. Isn't it AVIS that tries harder?

Maybe they could take a lesson from the Little Killers. Not the Killers, I don't even know who they are, but the Little Killers, fantastic garage punk band on Crypt Records. And Some Action, not quite as good, but with an awfully good EP. Also I heard an album by Ms. Led that I thought was pretty darned good, but I'll be damned if I can remember why or even anything about it.

Just listened to the most recent Liz Phair album. She took a lot of flak for putting out a commercial record, did she? Well, if you're going to put out a commercial record, and the songs are good, I have no gripe. I'd have to give it a second listen, but it mostly sounded pretty okay to me. Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but hell, it sounded better than a Sheryl Crow or Alanis Morrissette record. Can't say I'd have any interest in owning it, but maybe that might change after a second listen. It's better than Avril Lavigne, from what I can tell, too. Umm...I can come up with more ringing endorsements if you'd like to read 'em.

On the other hand, I just heard the most recent Cardigans album. Life is one of my favorite records of the 90s. This is one fine example of some lazy-ass, mediocre songwriting. Such an uninspiring lot of nothing hasn't crossed my desk in some time, at least among records I deign to listen to. Feh.

Um, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I had nothing but disdain for their John Zorn-esque nonsense on the EP I heard a couple of years ago, but this is a different story. More like in a league with some of the retro post-punks, I guess. Not bad, and that's saying something considering I was expecting to hate it. Another pleasant surprise was the new Sonic Youth album--Sonic Nurse. On the mellow side, not too noisy, some very interesting things going on, minus the excessive dissonance & noise that makes most of their music just a bit inaccessible for a 3-chord simpleton like myself. I recommend.

Tony C & The Truth I thought might have something on RL Burnside, but that was an erroneous thought. Unless you like the idea of roadhouse bar-band-blues with a turntablist breathing everyone else's oxygen, don't bother. Kind of a waste of time.

Lastly, heard for the first time the Fela album with Ginger Baker. Very hippy-dippy-trippy, with overblown drum solos, but interesting nonetheless. I have tons of Fela, and most of it sounds very, very similar. The only stuff that rings my bell that doesn't have the sameness I hear in most Afrobeat is the Koola Lobitos stuff from the mid-60s. This isn't quite that interesting to me, but it's still worthwhile enough to merit a listen or two, even if there's something about it that reminds me of Santana.

Gotta get the new Beastie Boys album...and Bebel Gilberto...and give this Chris Robinson CD a listen...and the new Uncle Kracker...and the soundtrack to Nip/Tuck...maybe the KC & the Sunshine Band dance remixes...and the Bumblebeez 81 Printz recs, which are supposed to be something like the Beastie Boys & Beck, or something like that, though I'm skeptical...and the new I Am The World Trade Center, and the new Phish, and the soundtrack to De-Lovely...but where am I going to find the time? I'm playing with this band & it kinda cuts into my listening time. Come see me sometime, huh? Here's a pic...

[Dusty Chalk]

On the other hand, I just heard the most recent Cardigans album. Life is one of my favorite records of the 90s. This is one fine example of some lazy-ass, mediocre songwriting. Such an uninspiring lot of nothing hasn't crossed my desk in some time, at least among records I deign to listen to. Feh.

How can you say that? I thought it was a wonderful direction that they went in...to...into which they went....? Whatever...Please Sister is a nice powerful song, and the rest should appeal to the more slowcore-oriented folk of this board, I would think...anyway, you're entitled to your opinion (as always), it's just...not mine.

[MindGoneHaywire]

I'll have to give it another listen, Peter. Like most of what I posted about, as I think I mentioned, I've only had the benefit of one listen. But the Liz Phair rec sounded miles better to me. I didn't like Gran Turismo or First Band as much as Life, but they weren't bad & were at least interesting & had some good tunes. I didn't hear that on this rec on first listen. It just sounded dreary & boring, I didn't hear any hooks or interesting melodies. Maybe I'll feel differently when I get a chance to spin it again, but my first impressions rarely change drastically.

[nobody]

J,
I agree on the new Streets. It's much more developed than the first one. I've seen some fans pissd about the addition of backing vocals and the less sparse tone overall, but I think it is a step forward in sound. I've listened to that one a ton, and even my wife, who rarely likes anything vaguely hip hop since the mid 80s is into it pretty heavily.

And, yeah, you should hear the Beastie Boys, I just got out of the truck after a 12 hour drive and listened to it several times along the way. I was thinking it would be OK, but wasn't wild about the singel. Well, for me, the single is one of the weakest treacks on the disc. I can't imagine a Beastie Boys fan not digging this one. I'd have to put it high in their catalog.

Also picked up the new Cure and the new Prince (old timers day, shopping at the department store on the way out of town.) They're both good. Best Prince in years and a solid Cure record, neither will make new fans, but shouldn't disappoint old ones. The Prince record may even win a few back.

Yeah, Velvet Revolver is just kinda middling and a bit boring to me too. I can listen to it, but can't really see myself sitting around and really wanting to hear it.

I did pick up a few other things a week or so ago, but I'm tired from moving now so I'm not typing anymore for now. Later.

[Dusty Chalk]

I'll have to give it another listen, Peter. Like most of what I posted about, as I think I mentioned, I've only had the benefit of one listen. But the Liz Phair rec sounded miles better to me. I didn't like Gran Turismo or First Band as much as Life, but they weren't bad & were at least interesting & had some good tunes. I didn't hear that on this rec on first listen. It just sounded dreary & boring, I didn't hear any hooks or interesting melodies. Maybe I'll feel differently when I get a chance to spin it again, but my first impressions rarely change drastically.

No, that's okay, it just surprised me after what you said about the Liz Phair record. But did you like Gran Turismo? I have to admit, that's probably still my favourite record by them, but it's so different from Life that I can't really compare the two. Ditto Long Gone...