Quite a successful splurge at the record store yesterday...

[nobody]

Well, spent more than I shgould have at the record store yesterday, so outside of a few things I already have on order, I'm gonna have to slow up for a while. Well, outside the new Tom Waits and Massive Attack stuff coming up. Anyway, I only gave quick listens, but not a dud in the bunch so far...

Some new stuff...

Social Distortion: Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll
If you're a fan, grab this right away. One of their very best. I read a few reviews where they were saying things like "this is what real punk sounds like" and that sort of thing. Don't really know what they mean by that. I guess "real punk" sounds like a kinda amped up rough roots rock, which is what I feel from this one. Prison Bound would probably be the closest sounding record from their past to compare this one to. Excellent release.

Interpol: Antics
Great followup to Turn on the Bright Lights. Enough similarity that if you liked that one, you're bound to like this one, but enough variation to keep things fresh. It's probably a bit more solid through and through, although their first release had a couple great singles that this one may lack. It'll get a lot of listens around here.

Dizzee Rascal: Showtime
Another great follow-up. He smooths oput some of the edges from the first effort without losing what made it unique in the first place. His flow is a bit smoother, but stil retains his signiture sound. The beats still have the same minimal vibe, but are more melodic and accessible. I don't really think this is gonna break him in the states or anything, but it is more palatable to hip hop ears raised up on the US stuff.

And, a couple oldies...

Sonny Clark: Cool Struttin
New, cheap reissue. I've heard people quibble over the sound of these cheap reissues, but considering the odds of my ever coming across a mint original in any condition and the affordability of either an original or even the stupidly high priced audiophile reissues, this does me just fine. Hard bop without being too frantic. Nice soulful blue jazz throughout. Wonderful, classic record.

Intensified: Original Ska from 62-67
2 record set from Island records convering a host of greats from the Skatallites to the Ethopians and many more. I've got a decent if smallish reggae collection but not much in the way of original ska beyond Desmond Dekkar This collection helps fill the hole in high style and gives me a great place to start searching out more.

One of the better days at the record shop I've had for some time. Who else has been shopping lately?

[Dusty Chalk]

Drat, I knew I forgot something (the Social Distortion). Yeah, that one review of it was glowing (was it Pitchfork or AMG? I forget)...

I got a couple of things myself: Interpol (haven't listened to it yet), Blackfield (only listening to it now -- more Stupid Dream than In Absentia, but all Steven Wilson, so it's good), Cradle of Filth (had to), and a couple others. So far, Tanakh (from alien8) seems to break out into a clear lead -- more along the lines of somewhere between Jim White's folk-rootsy-rock and post-rock (though nowhere near as "out there" as Shalabi Effect).

[Jim Clark]

Let's see, well of course the Interpol disc which I'm enjoying quite a bit. Have a number of thoughts on that one but I'll play it more before I go into it. At the same time I picked up the Best Of Delerium disc that came out recently. I pretty much like it although it's not going to be a big seller around here. Not having bought any Delerium it's basically what I expected plus a bit more. Shades of Enigma and occasionally Enya grounded by mighty cool sounding electronica. Oh and I forgot to mention on the Tuesday spread that I did buy that Junior Boys CD Davey's been trying and trying to bring up. It is growing on me but I certainly don't think it's worthy of the praise it's been getting. It's not even the best synthpop album released this year, let along best album in general.

jc