Taking bets - will this be the only post today?

[Davey]

Hehehe, kinda slow around here lately. We should have one of those big "pat everybody on the back" type of threads where we all pick our favorite Rave Recs discovery. Or maybe just ask if anyone here plans to pick up the new Beatles Box or the Live Aid concert or any of those other big pre-Xmas releases tomorrow at their favorite urban sprawling, ma & pa busting, big-box discounter?

Or just say hi

Listening to some Vetiver right now. Cool avant folk, aided by the seemingly everpresent curator of the avant folkie scene himself, Devendra Banhart.

PS: Do you like my new Roy Lichtenstein avatar?

[Mike]

Hehehe, kinda slow around here lately. We should have one of those big "pat everybody on the back" type of threads where we all pick our favorite Rave Recs discovery.

Not my discovery but the current fave rave of mine at the moment is Ray LaMontagne's - Trouble. Allmusic give it 4 and a bit stars and here's what they say about it

"The best songs on Trouble, the debut release from songwriter Ray LaMontagne, draw on deep wells of emotion, and with LaMontagne's sandpapery voice, which recalls a gruffer, more sedate version of Tim Buckley or an American version of Van Morrison, they seem to belie his years. The title tune, "Trouble," is an instant classic, sparse and maudlin (in the best sense), and songs like "Narrow Escape," a ragged, episodic waltz, are equally impressive, with careful, cinematic lyrics that tell believable stories"

Cheers
Mike

[mad rhetorik]

Got a couple of spins that are new to me:

Mastodon: Leviathon
Alright, for all those with even a slight interest in metal...RUN OUT AND BUY THIS. NOW. Probably the best all-around metal album since Master Of Puppets. Thrashing, 'Maiden-esque melodies, dirgy bits, mulitfaceted vocals (and a general avoidance of silly "Cookie Monster" vox), Neurosis-like atmospherics, mathy structures, killer drumming (Brann Dailor is a monster!).... it's all here. It's even got a loose concept theme going on (think Moby Dick). Excellent opener "Blood And Thunder" has already been nicked by Slosh for his year-end comp, so that still leaves "I Am Ahab," "Iron Tusk," "Seabeast," and "Megalodon" to use for my own upcoming Offend Yr. Parental Unit comp. Oh yes. And 13-minute epic "Hearts Alive" ownz. This album rules, I cannot stress that enough.

Madvillian: Madvillainy
I've had this on my list for a while, and wasn't dissappointed by it. Though it does seem kind of overhyped--definitely better than 95% of the hip-hop out there, but not a spot on Paul's Boutique, The Low End Theory, or It Takes A Nation... I like the Madlib production--jazzy vibes and dense, obscure samples abound. MF Doom's delivery and rapping are unique, kind of a laid-back drawl. Some ace lines dropped, and tracks like "America's Most Blunted" are absolutely hiliarious. A party album for sure, but the "bling and bitches" stuff isn't too prevalent. I'll have to listen to it a bit more.

Nice avatar BTW. ; P

NP: Songs:Ohia's "Farewell Transmission" (fourth time in a row)

[BillB]

I will not give Capitol Records my $$$ for repackaged dreck. The Beatles have the most successful catalog in musical history. The proper albums (UK versions as they themselves intended) deserve a proper remaster, on SACD or DVD-Audio.

To chose the 22 year old CD format and make us buy twice the number of albums for the same number of songs, bragging about "24-Bit remastering" and "in the running order baby boomers remember and love", is marketing nearly as good as Bose.

Big BOOOOO!!! from me for Capitol Records...no wonder Apple was so against this project.

Bill

[Davey]

NP: Songs:Ohia's "Farewell Transmission" (fourth time in a row)

Isn't that song just the greatest? I think I made a whole post once ust to extoll the virtues of that one song. Named it my song of the year too. Or maybe co-winner along with Califone's "Horoscopic.Amputation.Honey". Beautiful stuff. Love when he sings that final verse with such emotion and that quaver in his voice and those Crazy Horse guitars all around him ... quite a song :-)

Mama here comes midnight with the dead moon in its jaws
Must be the big star about to fall
Long dark blues
Will o the wisp
The big star is falling
Through the static and distance
A farewell transmission
Listen

[nobody]

Got a sorta random stuff thread here, huh?

OK, I’ll play.

Agree that Songs:Ohia is great. It’s something that I come back to time and again and imagine I will continue to pull that one out over the years.

Other recent stuff that seems to merit permanent revisiting would be Iran & Wine: Our Endless Numbered Days and The Streets: A Grand Don’t Come for Free from this year. I wouldn’t be surprised if the latest Social Distortion ends up being a long time favorite either.

I really like the new Libertines, but is it just me or is there way too much distortion on the bass especially. Sorry, I just don’t understand why a band can’t clean that sort of thing up. I’m not saying they need some overproduced, overblown monstrosity, just keep the levels right and don’t screw up simple things. I’ve seen plenty of drunken drug addled bands manage to at least get a clean recording. It’s not rocket science.

Speaking of the Libertines, what’s with Up the Bracket? I only listened to it once online and was not interested at all. Then, the one came out this year, and I liked it instantly. Are they that different, or was my mood just swinging wildly?

Shame to hear about ODB. Greatest nickname ever in my estimation, and that song where he goes “Oh baby, I like it raw” always made me laugh. Wu Tang is for the children.

Disappointed in the new Clash London Calling demo disc. Nothing too exciting there. I’ll probably just keep listening to my vinyl on that one, although Sandinista’s the one I’ve been playin’ a ton lately.

Anybody else think the 2 CD Who collection out nowadays is great? If I’m at home, I usually pull out Quadrophenia or somethin’, like last night, but for a portable stash of Who tunes, that collection kicks ass. Kudos to the wife for grabbing it!

Saw on a TV special that Rick James and Neil Young were once in a band together. That was just weird.

Anyone remember who sang the song I Like Drugs? I used to have it on a tape, but can’t remember.
ISAN’s Lucky Cat is one of the most wonderfully relaxing synth records ever and reminds me of Brian Eno.

That rap list that came out last week got it right when they listed OutKast’s Aquemini higher than any of the other OutKast records, although I would have probably put Public Enemy at the top instead of Eric B and Rakim.

Dresdenj Dolls show was indeed killer. That guy is one amazing drummer, and the chick was really cute walking around before the show in a Smiths: Queen is Dead T-Shirt.

OK…that’s about all the musical thoughts falling in and outta my head now……….

NEXT!

[Dusty Chalk]

Yo.

Did you see that TV On The Radio were on the Late Late Show last Friday? If you missed it, you didn't miss much, they just did a straight performance of "Staring at the Sun", which was good, but I'm getting a little tired of straightforward performances.

Unless, of course, there's a chick involved.

Bassist had his back to the camera the whole time. Token white guy on guitar kind of stood out on camera (read: overexposed).

Duran Duran were on the previous week. They did a new song and "Girls On Film".

[Davey]

I really like the new Libertines, but is it just me or is there way too much distortion on the bass especially. Sorry, I just don’t understand why a band can’t clean that sort of thing up. I’m not saying they need some overproduced, overblown monstrosity, just keep the levels right and don’t screw up simple things. I’ve seen plenty of drunken drug addled bands manage to at least get a clean recording. It’s not rocket science.

Speaking of the Libertines, what’s with Up the Bracket? I only listened to it once online and was not interested at all. Then, the one came out this year, and I liked it instantly. Are they that different, or was my mood just swinging wildly?

Yeah, I wish Mick Jones really appreciated how great the production and engineering was on London Calling. So many great sounding albums used to be turned out even though that wasn't a priority. Nowadays you hear something that sounds good and you know it must've been by happy accident. I may be in the minority, but I still like Up The Bracket more than the new one. Not really all that different, though. At least not to me. Both very likeable but the debut has the level pushed way way too high as well.

[Stone]

Speaking of the Libertines, what?s with Up the Bracket? I only listened to it once online and was not interested at all. Then, the one came out this year, and I liked it instantly. Are they that different, or was my mood just swinging wildly?

Interesting; I had the exact opposite reaction. I really like Up the Bracket, and the new one to me sounds like they're just going through the motions (save for a couple of songs). I'm going to give it more of a chance, but it hasn't really kept my interest much yet.

[nobody]

Maybe I'll have to give Up the Bracket another chance.

Sounds like I may have just been having a bad day.

[Troy]

You lost the bet.

But somehow, I think you were hoping you would.

Box sets suck. They are a money making ploy, pure and simple. Just buy the albums as they were originally released.

[Stone]

Maybe I'll have to give Up the Bracket another chance.

Sounds like I may have just been having a bad day.

Not necessarily. You're not the only one to feel that way. But I'd give it another chance anyway (as I will do with the new one).

[BillB]

I like Up The Bracket but I love the new self-titled Libertines album even more. Shame it'll likely be the last for those lads...

Bill

[Davey]

I like Up The Bracket but I love the new self-titled Libertines album even more. Shame it'll likely be the last for those lads...

Have you heard the Futureheads debut? I think it's a lot better than the new Libertines myself. Real blast of a record. Nice feature review at PopMatters today. I was hoping the Libertines new one would be more like this. They have Mick Jones but the Futureheads have Andy Gill and it seems like the latter has a better feel for what I want these days

BTW, nice discussion going about it over at Rocky Road.

[MindGoneHaywire]

Davey--I listened to the Futureheads again. Still pretty much feel the same. I know it's popular with some folks but I still rate it a solid notch or two below all those other bands...

Troy:

>Box sets suck. They are a money making ploy, pure and simple. Just buy the albums as they were originally released.

I realize yr first sentence is kind of an overgeneralization...I have at least half a dozen box sets that consist mostly or solely of songs that were not recorded for or released on albums, with a bunch coming before there was even such a thing as an 'album.' I don't look at my r&b label boxes--OKeh, Vee Jay, Mercury, Swingtime, Specialty, Sue, or various collections on Rhino or Chess...not to mention jazz collections--as being money grabs, at least not in the same way Capitol's doing this Beatles box. And I do have artist boxes that I believe fall well outside of that realm as well, with the Beach Boys being the most prominent example...and James Brown & Chet Baker & the Jam & Elvis & Sinatra...now, I wouldn't invest in a Posies box, but that's another story.

Agree with nobody on the London Calling bonus disc. Bonus, my pucker. I saw some of the DVD & it looked good (though they seem to use some of the interview footage from Westway to the World), but the Vanilla disc is a bore. Snooze.

Currently listening to the Ditty Bops. Very good female-fronted pop, at least as good as Eleni Mandell, better than Keren Ann, better than the new Jill Sobule. If anyone's mentioned this band I missed it. Maybe not as good as the Asylum Street Spankers, and way more on original songs, but there's a similarity there. Anyone else hear this? It's on Warners.

I Like Drugs was the Simpletones, if I remember correctly.

I like drugs
I like drugs
Makin' me high
Makin' me high

[Davey]

Davey--I listened to the Futureheads again. Still pretty much feel the same. I know it's popular with some folks but I still rate it a solid notch or two below all those other bands...

What can I say - you obviously took a seriously wrong turn at some point in your life. Snow Patrol better than the Futureheads? You and Mr. Clark and Ms. KEXP may wish it was true, but only in a Daffy Duck world!

Futureheads rock!

EDIT: Uh oh, I'm sure you know by now there was a winky implied in there someplace

[Troy]

>Box sets suck.

I realize yr first sentence is kind of an overgeneralization...

Yes, it was. As usual. Sure, compilations of recordings never released as albums as you mention are valuable, but are the miniscule exception to the rule of cheesy Beatles boxes or Creedence boxes of Police boxes ad nauseum. Buy the albums.

Never been a fan of the "history of . . ." style box set either. Like Rhino compilers know what MY idea of the best of R&B is. I'd rather make my own decision than let some prefab demographically-tested lowest common denominator sellout make it for me.

98% of box sets suck. Is that better?

[Jim Clark]

What can I say - you obviously took a seriously wrong turn at some point in your life. Snow Patrol better than the Futureheads? You and Mr. Clark and Ms. KEXP may wish it was true, but only in a Daffy Duck world!

Futureheads rock!

How can you be so dismissive of a band based on listening to two songs? There's certainly nothing to suggest that you would enjoy the album but your comments suggest a familiarity that's not there. I've at least heard the two albums. Say hi to Bugs Bunny for me!

jc

Edit: I don't use winkies and don't intend to start now!

[Davey]

Say hi to Bugs Bunny for me!

Hi!

Damn it all, my post was too short, so now I have to add some inane words to lengthen it to the proscibed 5 characters, so as Paul Simon once said so eloquently, I'll repeat myself, at the risk of being crude, Futureheads rock!

[Ex Lion Tamer]

Can't wait to see how Davey answers this one. The plot thickens! :-)

NP: Another Green World.

[Ex Lion Tamer]

Well that was a let down :-(

[nobody]

Currently listening to the Ditty Bops. Very good female-fronted pop, at least as good as Eleni Mandell, better than Keren Ann, better than the new Jill Sobule. If anyone's mentioned this band I missed it. Maybe not as good as the Asylum Street Spankers, and way more on original songs, but there's a similarity there. Anyone else hear this? It's on Warners.

I Like Drugs was the Simpletones, if I remember correctly.

I like drugs
I like drugs
Makin' me high
Makin' me high

Ditty Bops opened for Dresden Dolls when I saw 'em last week or so. They were very good, wondered if they had a decent record out. They came on first, then some godawful band made my ears hurt for an hour or so before the Dolls came on and played a great show. 2 out of 3 ain't bad (was it Meatloaf that said that?)

Thanks for the Simpletones reminder. Wonder if I'll ever scrounge that up someday. Kinda doubt it, but at least if I see it now, I'll hopefully remember it.

[BillB]

BTW, nice discussion going about it over at Rocky Road

Checked out the thread...lots of comparisons to Hot Hot Heat who's album I felt was dreadful...not a big XTC fan either though my exposure to them is admittedly limited.

Bill

[Jim Clark]

Well that was a let down :-(

Yeah, I was hoping for something a bit more substantial too. While it's still too early to say for sure, I'm thinking I got him this time. Now, how many years did that take?

jc

[Jim Clark]

weird, I could have sworn that this thread was up to 2 pages! I recall BillB and davey chatting on page 2. Wonder where it went?


jc