• 09-06-2004, 08:52 AM
    Jim Clark
    Libertines blow the lid off with s/t second effort
    Even completely dismissing Mick Jones' hyperbole this album rockz and rollz. Are they destined to be the Clash for this generation's rockers? Who really knows (or cares) but it's nice to know that someone thinks there are enough rockers in the younger generation to even offer up such suggestions. The Mooney Suzuki has been making some inroads 'round here but for me this one trumps it without breaking a sweat. It's neither as boisterous nor flamboyount as The Mooney Suzuki but shines none the less brilliantly. To steal a line from J, this is simply the best Rock and Roll album since Streetcore. Given the producer of this fine record it almost stands to reason that this is going to have more in common with Street Core than Alive and Amplified. Listen to some samples and grab it up-You'll like it.

    jc
  • 09-06-2004, 09:59 AM
    Swish
    I just ordered it from deepdicountcd for 9.89 w/free shipping.
    I knew it was coming out, but didn't realize it was available yet. Davey posted about it weeks ago, mentioning how Mick Jones labeled it "a record this good comes out just once in a generation" or something like that. Anyway, I liked Up the Bracket so there was no reason for me not to buy this one, so thanks for the quick review.

    Swish Baby
  • 09-07-2004, 03:58 AM
    BillB
    This is good news! I came late to the "Up the Bracket" party but absolutely loved the album. After all of the turmoil the band has been through (and is still going through) with Pete I was afraid we'd never hear more from this excellent rock band.

    It's on my list for purchase this week. Does anyone in the States know if it's been released domestically?

    Bill
  • 09-07-2004, 05:15 AM
    Jim Clark
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by BillB
    This is good news! I came late to the "Up the Bracket" party but absolutely loved the album. After all of the turmoil the band has been through (and is still going through) with Pete I was afraid we'd never hear more from this excellent rock band.

    It's on my list for purchase this week. Does anyone in the States know if it's been released domestically?

    Bill

    Mine's not an import so I guess it has.

    jc
  • 09-09-2004, 09:35 AM
    Davey
    Yeah, glad to hear it. A lot was made initially of the crappy sounding production which I guess was partly because Mick Jones couldn't keep them together for more than one quick take....but most people seem to be getting around that OK. And I guess some even think it adds to the record. The first one seemed to be a pretty good recording but it had the crap compressed out of it like all too many albums today. Oh well, I'll surely be picking it up one of these days before too long. BTW, they seem to agree with your assessment of the Libertines vs the Mooney Suzuki over at the <a href="http://avclub.theonion.com/music/index.php?issue=4036#review2">Onion</a> this week.
  • 09-09-2004, 11:17 AM
    MindGoneHaywire
    Not sure if this came from the Onion, I took a quick look, but didn't see it...but it might as well have.



    Supreme Court to hear new Bjork CD

    The U.S. Supreme Court announced Thursday that it will hear Bjork's new CD Medulla during its upcoming fall session, with the court's opinion of the CD expected to be released sometime early in 2005.

    "The court is intrigued by the questions posed by this Icelandic pixie's daring soundscapes," Chief Justice William Rehnquist wrote in response to the petition for cert. "If early samples are any indication, the beatbox-heavy Medulla appears to be a vibrant departure from 2001's dark and ponderous Vespertine."

    Court observers are split on how they think the court will eventually rule on the Bjork question, but all agree Justices Kennedy and O'Connor represent the swing votes.

    "People forget that this court was ready to endorse Radiohead's Kid A back in 2000 before Sandra, in an unusually harsh opinion, called it self-important and anti-fan," noted court historian David Samuels.

    "Kennedy's the great unknown," Samuels added. "You wonder if the Sugarcubes thing will work against Bjork here. He hates when you break off from an established group. Kennedy loved the Smiths, hated the solo Morrissey. Loved the Replacements, hated Paul Westerberg out on his own."
  • 09-10-2004, 07:47 AM
    Davey
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by MindGoneHaywire
    Supreme Court to hear new Bjork CD......

    That's pretty funny, Jay. I just did a quick check on Google and nothing turned up so don't know where it came from, but it does sound kind of like The Onion. I haven't heard the new Bjork yet but I do really like her and probably will get it at some point even though most reviewers seem to be implying that it will probably only have strong appeal to her biggest fans. But I guess that does describe me since I have all her other albums :)

    I was listening to Arto Lindsay's <i>Noon Chill</i> yesterday and thinking you might like this music too. It's some nice electro-organic tropicalia from 1998 along the same lines as that Bebel Gilberto <i>Tanto Tempo</i> album we've talked about before, but I guess a little less accessible and generally not as danceable. Have you ever heard any of this Jay? I've put songs on a few comps but probably nothing you have. Some really nice ones like "Noon Chill" and "Simply Are" and especially "Anything" with Sussan Deyhim doing some guest vocals. A little out there at times but definitely on the cool side. The one after this called <i>Prize</i> on Ani DiFranco's Righteous Babe label is probably even better overall, but I do tend to pull out this one more often because of its laidback sound. Anyway, one reason I had it out is because I just put together a comp and closed it out with a couple tracks from Arto Lindsay. Nothing that really alters spacetime or the universe as we know it, but just some stuff that I've been listening to during my recent travels (avoiding what I already used on my Half Gone 2004 comp) and I'm gonna be sending out a couple copies so I'll drop you one if you like. I kind of owe you anyway for all the stuff you sent me last time. The title came about because I used it on the last comp in my loosely based Americana trilogy, <i>A Decade Of Alt-Country / Twilight / Down The Road</i>, and this one started out having a little of the same inspiration and flavor, although I might've chased most of it away by the final version below :)

    Down the Road.....Again

    1. Old Canes - Blue Eleanor
    2. Richmond Fontaine - The Longer You Wait
    3. The Lilac Time - A Dream That We All Share
    4. David Kilgour - Frozen Orange
    5. Carina Round - Sit Tight
    6. Laika - Coming Down Glass
    7. Elvis Costello - Waiting For The End Of The World
    8. Sue Garner and Rick Brown - Bomb Squad
    9. The Fiery Furnaces - My Dog Was Lost But Now He's Found
    10. The Fiery Furnaces - Mason City
    11. Wheat - Body Talk (Parts 1 & 2)
    12. Richmond Fontaine - Willamette
    13. Willard Grant Conspiracy - River In The Pines
    14. The National - About Today
    15. The Court & Spark - Suffolk Down Upon The Night
    16. Arto Lindsay - Anything
    17. Arto Lindsay - Gods Are Weak
  • 09-10-2004, 08:55 AM
    BillB
    Davey,

    If I were to pick up a copy of Vespertine would you recommend the SACD or DVD-A version?

    Bill
  • 09-10-2004, 09:07 AM
    Davey
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by BillB
    Davey,

    If I were to pick up a copy of Vespertine would you recommend the SACD or DVD-A version?

    Bill

    I only have the CD so my advice wouldn't be of much use. Probably better to ask that question more out in the open or over at the Asylum. I do think it was recorded in something like standard 48/24 PCM and worked on with ProTools so it would probably depend on which medium gave you the best playback on your system. Theoretically one would get better playback with the DVD-A if all things were equal since it wouldn't need to be converted to DSD, but all things never are equal and most playback machines convert PCM sources to something resembling DSD anyway in order to use the much cheaper bitstream DACs that have been the mainstay of most commercial disc playback machines for many years now :)
  • 09-10-2004, 09:17 AM
    BillB
    Fair enough Davey, thanks for being honest. Here's one you might answer even though you haven't heard "Medulla" yet: based on what you've heard and your knowledge of her back catalog, would you recommend Medulla or Vespertine? I'd pick up her Greatest Hits package but her entire back catalog's scheduled to be rereleased in Hi-Rez this fall.

    All of this will of course be AFTER I pick up the new Libertines' album! I love Fridays at my local record store!

    Bill
  • 09-10-2004, 09:55 AM
    Davey
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by BillB
    Here's one you might answer even though you haven't heard "Medulla" yet: based on what you've heard and your knowledge of her back catalog, would you recommend Medulla or Vespertine?

    I guess the implication is that you're new to Bjork so I would definitely say Vespertine, even though I haven't heard Medulla. It's a very pretty album with lots of growth potential for the newbie. It's not <i>my</i> favorite, but that's a different topic, right?

    Hehehe, yeah I've heard that her back catalog is coming out on SA-CD although not in the US. They are taking pre-orders in Japan but it gets kind of expensive over here. Don't know the status of the DVD-A side but I've seen people mention that all the formats can be ordered through her site. My favorite is usually <i>Homogenic</i> but it is probably her worst sounding record. Kind of a hard edge to the sound, although it does fit the music which has a stark, icy feel. Great album. I initially bought it on vinyl and later grabbed the CD used, but the vinyl has much the same sound, unlike the previous <i>Post</i> which I thought was much better on vinyl. Anyway, <i>Vespertine</i> does have one of her most magical recorded moments in the closing few seconds of "Pagan Poetry", after all the instruments drop out and it's just Bjork and her emotion filled voice along with a few layers of pixie voices, probably doubled up from hers, and then all swirling like a dance of glittering fireflies to close it. Beautiful. One of those perfect musical moments. We used it on the first <a href="http://forums.audioreview.com/showthread.php?t=2084#Song_of_the_Day_1">Song Of The Day</a> comp and I sequenced it into Tricky's "Black Steel" which I thought worked really nice. They even wrote a little article about that ending recently at the <a href=http://www.stylusmagazine.com/feature.php?ID=1200>Stylus</a> site.
  • 09-10-2004, 04:59 PM
    MindGoneHaywire
    I've heard a sliver of Arto Lindsay over the years, but nothing like what you're describing. He's long been one of these downtown weird noise types who's done a lot of playing at a venue called the Knitting Factory, which is now a fairly mainstream music venue compared to what it used to be, which was THE place for all sorts of avant-garde skronky noise jazz. Lindsay, John Zorn, James Blood Ulmer, James White/Chance, Glenn Branca, Rhys Chatham, those sorts of people. About 10 years ago they moved from one part of downtown even further downtown & are in a very interesting buillding that has several performance spaces; and they've branched out & now feature bills with all sorts of artists. I never made it to see any of the people I mention, but in more recent times I've seen Lou Reed, MC Paul Barman, the Undertones, and a few others as well.

    Lindsay's got an interesting resume, and I've crossed paths with a guy or two who's played with him, but I've never been terribly familiar with his work. So if you want to send it over this way, I certainly have no objections! I might have a thing or two for you as well...

    Oh, and I don't think I mentioned it, but in spite of how much I like the Mooney Suzuki rec, I am very intrigued by the praise the Libertines rec has gotten. Haven't heard it yet, but hopefully soon...
  • 09-14-2004, 06:00 AM
    nobody
    Just got a chance to hear both the Libertines and Mooney Suzuki. For my money, the LIbertines takes it with ease. It's got a much more rough hewn sound and keeps my attention all the way through. One of the few rock bands I've heard recently where I like both their uptempo stuff and their slower songs. Lately a lot of the bands I've heard lately seem to only sound good to me in one or the other mode. You can hear a bit of the Mick Jones influence in spots and a nice edge throughout. The Clash is likely a big influence on these guys, and they have a brit pop sensibility in places.

    I was a bit underwhelmed with Mooney Suzuki. I really wanted to like this one because I think the critics get way too upset anytime a band uses some decent production values and I could care less who else the Matrix folks have worked with, and frankly didn't know who they were until I started reading how they ruined this record and all. In fact, I think more than a few of the more recent gagare influenced bands could use a bit more polished production. Along with such praise from J, I was really expecting to like this one. But, overall a little too 70s rock for my ears. I haven't played it for the wife yet, but I expect she'll love it. I like it in parts, but just feel like it could be so much better. At it's best, it's got a kinda Kiss sound which I love. At it's worst, I'd compare it more to stuff like Foreigner or Boston.
  • 09-14-2004, 06:31 AM
    Mike
    Libertines
    Just picked up my copy today I don't know why I held back awhile but had to bite in the end. Anyway I've already listened to it twice and it's thumbs up for me. I know what you mean by 'rough hewn sound' but considering all the trouble they had putting this together it sounds very polished and cohesive IMO much better than I thought it would be. When I saw them live a couple of weeks ago they seemed very subdued but still good.

    Soundwise it's got the Clash all over it, it's got that big open spacious sound, but it blends a more mellower sound than their last and it builds nicely as you progress through the album. Easily in my top ten albums of the year so far.

    Not heard the latest Mooney Suzuki but liked their last - first?

    Cheers
    Mike
  • 09-14-2004, 08:13 AM
    BillB
    I picked up the album Sunday and have only listened to it twice but I love it. It beats out all of my purchases from a couple of weeks ago.

    If I'm not mistaken Mick Jones helped produce the album? I've really enjoyed this garage revival that started for me with The Strokes...nice simple, straight rock music. Many of the reviews of these bands refer to The Clash as an influence and I'm embarassed to say I don't own a minute of music by them.

    Any suggestions on where to start...a Clash best of perhaps? When picking up the new Libertines album I brushed by their section and saw a 2-CD set called "The Essential Clash".

    Bill
  • 09-14-2004, 08:52 AM
    Mike
    Libertines and the Clash
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by BillB
    Many of the reviews of these bands refer to The Clash as an influence and I'm embarassed to say I don't own a minute of music by them.

    Any suggestions on where to start...a Clash best of perhaps?Bill

    Hey Bill I've got an 80 minute Clash comp I put together myself from the remastered albums released a few years ago, I'll send one over if you like.

    Cheers
    Mike
  • 09-14-2004, 08:55 AM
    BillB
    Mike,

    THAT would be much appreciated! I'll PM you my info. GAWD I love this place!

    Bill
  • 09-20-2004, 08:50 PM
    MindGoneHaywire
    Having heard the Libertines disc now a few times, there's no question it's a better rec than the Mooney Suzuki rec. But it's also a different kind of thing. The Libertines rec has way more substance to it--and, interestingly, a real Robyn Hitchcock sort of sound going on at times. The Mooney Suzuki is a dumb party rec, but the best dumb party rec I've heard in a long time. Good toons on that, I still think. I knew from the beginning there wasn't much depth to the lyrics, but, as I said, it's garage rock. The Libertines effort is way more well-rounded & yes, the best rock rec I've heard, but the MS disc hit me pretty hard. Like I mentioned before, it sounds like a Lenny Kravitz rec if someone wrote him some good riffs, and that's enough to keep me occupied for awhile. Considering his influences, which spill over into his vintage-only gear philosophy, I've always kinda wanted him to come up with a rec that sounds like this one, but I've never heard it. I kinda can't stand him based on what to me sounds like tremendously unfufilled potential. And they hit what it is about him I'd want to hear but never have.

    There's something about that 'big' 70s rock sound that I've always kinda liked, from the MC5 to Grand Funk Railroad to even Led Zep at times...and that's a sound that's prominent on the MS album. And also on the new Cactus double CD collection, which I understand is a limited edition of 5,000. What I hear on the MS rec is kinda in that vein. Very American sounding. The Libertines rec is as British as the MS is USA, but it's also more varied & extensive, and top-to-bottom a great rec, not one-dimensional. Comparing these two reminds me of 1987, when I was listening to the Cult rec Electric...which sounded great, a buncha tasty riffs, not much in the lyric department, but a great party rec. By comparison there were recs like Husker Du's Warehouse, which had so much more going on, but if it lacked anything it might've been the sound & sensibility of Electric. And somewhere in the middle lay the Mats' Pleased To Meet Me, which is actually closer to how I'm hearing this Libertines rec--a little bit of everything, a little something for everybody. The only question is, will there be a better rec that we hear anytime soon? Hey, the Green Day rec comes out tomorrow & they're playing down by J&R on Wednesday afternoon. I can't get in the area where the stage is (which I think is at the bottom of City Hall Park), but I will see how close I can get. And...anybody hear anything from the new Muffs album? They're playing at a nearby club on Friday that holds about 50 people...
  • 09-21-2004, 03:51 AM
    Stone
    This one seems to be getting a lot of press, both positive and negative, and it seems to be a somewhat polarizing record. I'm intrigued enough that I'll probably pick it up, and have a feeling that I'll like it based on some of the responses here and on the CMJ board.

    Oh, and I didn't know any of the guys from Foreigner were involved.
  • 09-21-2004, 04:08 AM
    BillB
    MindGoneHaywire put it well, the MS record is very much meant to be a party record, reminds me a bit of the intent of The Darkness (but not in the "It's a goof" vein) whereas The Libertines' record is the "real-deal". It also contrasts two different sounds of "garage" from both sides of the pond.

    I caught myself humming "What Katie Did" on the way into work this morning. This is one of my favorite recent purchases along with West Indian Girl's debut.

    Bill