Sunday Spins?

[Davey.]

California Stars

I'm listening to Mermaid Avenue by Billy Bragg and Wilco right now. I hadn't heard it for awhile since I only have the LP, and my vinyl and I are in different states right now. But I never forgot how good it is so when I saw a copy at the library yesterday, I grabbed it. Getting kind of homesick for the coast right now, I'd like to dream my troubles all away on a bed of California stars. Seems to be stuck on track 2, for about the fourth time.

Hey, nice Sunday out there! Clear and chilly outside, way over yonder here. Been listening a LOT to the new Laika album, Wherever I Am I Am What Is Missing. One of those rare albums that I can just put on in the morning and listen to all day, at least whenever I'm in and listening. Always sounds good and has an enchanting feel. Smooth and organic, but still feels like your motoring at high speeds along a scenic European road at night under the glow of a pink moon, even when you're just sitting still. Although it's hard to keep your whole body still when those underlying glitchy beats are trying to make your limbs do things they weren't designed for doing .

The sound isn't really anything new, since this musical style was nearly perfected by them back in the mid 90s when they arrived on the scene fully formed with Silver Apples on the Moon and almost from the first listen became one of my favorite bands. And now on their fourth album Margaret moves a little closer to the front with her vocals, singing more than the sing-speak style she often used in the past, and they trim back some of the layers of sound to come up with another fabulous album. I think the first two will always be tied for first place in my mind, but this new one easily falls into second place already, well ahead of Good Looking Blues, even though that last one had a few very high points. The trouble with it was it didn't have a good flow between those stellar moments. This one may not reach the same peaks but it's so solid and just plain loveable that I like it more. At least that's my story now.....I can always change my mind later.

You can kind of tell what your gonna get inside just by looking at the cover, as it just features some simple line drawings in a classy three-panel digipak with separate lyric booklet.



Bout time for some football now, with 49ers vs. Green Bay, so music will have to wait......