Tunesday Rotation

[Davey]

What you been spinning the last week or so?

Not much from me this time except......

Another nice album from the Flaming Stars that'll likely grow into one of my favorites of 2004 eventually, but just haven't listened to it enough yet. Not too much different from their excellent Sunset & Void from a couple years ago that I've also posted about around here, which means it is very good indeed, if maybe just a bit less rocking. But still sounds great with that Lou Reed "Walk On The Wild Side" kind of vocal delivery mixed with some Tindersticks and some alt-country leanings and even sounds a little like that great unknown band Animals That Swim, meaning a bit of the Smiths in the sound too. But I just call it Davey music

Also a lot of that Post to Wire by Richmond Fontaine and some David Kilgour and Mark Lanegan and Augie March, but that's about it for me.

[Troy]

Some new stuff.

Mr. Bungle- California.
Easily, the best CD I've bought in a year or more. What fun anarchy! So unswervingly creative and ballsy. From the skewered send-up of 60s Philly Soul to the sideways stabs at big band phrasing and pre-Beatles rock textures all troweled with a thick layer of soundtrack sensiblity. The songs rocket from genre to genre at the drop of a hat. Many sections are atonal and syncopated. Yet it all sounds so right to me from the very first spin. By the third I was anticipating the changes and just getting lost in the open and deep production. There are a few tracks on here that are a total knock off of late Beach Boys/Brian Wilson, particularly the utterly mesmerizing "The Holy Filament".

I mentioned this breifly in the friday thread and Slosh mentioned that he wasn't as enamored with it as I am. I've played it for a number of people over the past few days to generally the same responses (you can just SEE the "?" floating over their heads) which leads me to believe that I may the only one around here that will really dig this. It scratches my Mike Keneally itch too . . . so there you go.

Clouseaux- Lagoon
This one just jumped into my hand for some reason. The cover and tracklist made it look like a post-modern surfband (Think "Man or Astroman" or "Pollo Del Mar"). It's actually a bizareely rocking tiki band. Humorously ironic, lots of vibes, congas and wacky brass. the closest thing to compare it to would be "Combustable Edison", but it's less lounge and more Martin Denny. Big fun, but again, I suspect there wouldn't be many fans of this around here either . . .

Tortoise- It's all Around You
Downbeat, lo-fi, sample-based and repetitive. A few moments stick out ("Crest"), but ultimately it's quite boring for me. Music for depressed drunks. The songs just lack dynamics and drone on and on . . . Cool photography on the cover, especially the aerial shot of the bombed out island city. WTF is that?

[Dave_G]

Peter Gabriel - So

A Genesis laserdisc concert filmed at Earls Court in 1992, it is actually very very good.

A Yes comp I made.

Queen - Innuendo

ABWH dvd.

Some of the Rush in Rio dvd.

Dave

[mad rhetorik]

Mr. Bungle- California.
Easily, the best CD I've bought in a year or more. What fun anarchy! So unswervingly creative and ballsy. From the skewered send-up of 60s Philly Soul to the sideways stabs at big band phrasing and pre-Beatles rock textures all troweled with a thick layer of soundtrack sensiblity. The songs rocket from genre to genre at the drop of a hat. Many sections are atonal and syncopated. Yet it all sounds so right to me from the very first spin. By the third I was anticipating the changes and just getting lost in the open and deep production. There are a few tracks on here that are a total knock off of late Beach Boys/Brian Wilson, particularly the utterly mesmerizing "The Holy Filament".

I mentioned this breifly in the friday thread and Slosh mentioned that he wasn't as enamored with it as I am. I've played it for a number of people over the past few days to generally the same responses (you can just SEE the "?" floating over their heads) which leads me to believe that I may the only one around here that will really dig this. It scratches my Mike Keneally itch too . . . so there you go.

Yes, yes, yes! I also love this album. Mike Patton is a genius. Nice to see someone else that "gets" it (then again, I also eventually "got" Lactatortots, so my tastes are irrevocably warped, eh? ; P). My fave tracks are "Arse Moriendi," "None Of Them Knew They Were Robots," and "Goodbye Sober Day." All of which have moments of metal thrown in for an extra dose of anarchy. Not to mention Balinese monkey chants (!). I approve, yessir.

I think that "Sweet Charity" and "Vanity Fair" (which can only be described as "Satanic doo-wop") are more fitting of the Beach Boys comparison. "The Holy Filament" sounds more like New Age gone awry, which to me is a compliment. How about Disco Volante? Has that album grown on you yet?

You mention Mike Keneally, whom I haven't heard. Any particular recommendations for a Keneally newb?

Anyway, I'm just glad that there's another person out there who sees worth in Mr. Bungle. Most of the people I've played it for have a reaction along the lines of "WTF is THAT noise?!?" You might like Fantomas' second album Director's Cut as well, which is an album of soundtracks given the Patton twist (themes from The Godfather, Rosemary's Baby, Twin Peaks etc.). It's a bit more metal and noisy than Mr. Bungle, though, so it might not be up your alley.

[Troy]

You mention Mike Keneally, whom I haven't heard. Any particular recommendations for a Keneally newb?

Anyway, I'm just glad that there's another person out there who sees worth in Mr. Bungle. Most of the people I've played it for have a reaction along the lines of "WTF is THAT noise?!?" You might like Fantomas' second album Director's Cut as well, which is an album of soundtracks given the Patton twist (themes from The Godfather, Rosemary's Baby, Twin Peaks etc.). It's a bit more metal and noisy than Mr. Bungle, though, so it might not be up your alley.

Thanks for the other recs!

Keneally for you, go with "Boil that Dust Speck", "Sluggo!" and maybe "Dancing". You might like his latest "Dog" more than I did as well.

[Dusty Chalk]

Some o' mine:

Kylie Minogue -- been really digging this.

Anniemal -- dig this, too, yet not as much as Kylie.

Client and City -- quirky fun -- somewhere between indietronica and electroclash, with a healthy dose of "sprockets". Meofcoursedigs.

Lali Puna -- made it to my year end list, so had to revisit.

Diary of Dreams, their entire catalog -- I'm not familiar enough with these guys, so in preparation for the new album, Nigredo, I burned the entire collection for my car. What sombre stuff they write! Nigredo still needs to sink in, but initial impressions are good.

They're one of those bands that I got into all at once. Usually, I end up overwhelming myself (Flower Kings, Spock's Beard), but not with these guys. I'm sure they would with others, who, for example, aren't into the darker electronic stuff that I am, but not me. Not by a long shot.

Notwist, last three albums -- been burning stuff for the car, and forgot how much I love these guys. So I listened to them again.

Bark Psychosis, ///Codename: Dustsucker -- great album, I don't think I even "get it" yet.

Lhasa, The Living Road -- a sleeper, this one is definitely sinking in more with each listen.

Omar A. Rodriguez-Lopez, A Manual Dexterity: Soundtrack Volume One -- like outtakes at some points, like quality B-sides at others (from De-Loused in the Comatorium).

Solvent, Apples & Synthesizers

The John Waters Christmas album

Mr. Bungle- California.
Easily, the best CD I've bought in a year or more. What fun anarchy!...which leads me to believe that I may the only one around here that will really dig this.

Not at all.

I've been listening to the Secret Chiefs 3 (Trey Spruance's side-project -- Mr. Bungle is more than just Mike Patton -- Trey Spruance has a similarly diverse view on music, which is why they were so compatible in Mr. Bungle) a lot, lately, and it's also "all over the place", yet in a completely different manner.

And yes, Fantomas' Director's Cut is easily my favourite album by them. That version of the Godfather theme is going on a future covers compilation that I'm working on.

[jasn]

I usually lurk on these threads (I can't keep up with the new stuff) but I'll chime in this week...

New (to me):
Luna: Rendevous & Penthouse - Both are very welcome for extended listenings
Joni Mitchell: Hissing of Summer Lawns & Hejira - HSL is a vinyl replacement on HDCD that I hadn't heard in years. Just great and ahead of its time

Old stuff:
Nillsson: Schmillson - If you don't know this it is highly recommended. Timeless, not dated.
Cracker: Kerosene Hat - Well worth dusting off
Mountan: Climbing - Play f***ing loud!
Suede: S/T - My glam dose of the week
Robin Trower: Bridge of Sighs - Great HDCD remaster
Carbon Leaf: Indian Summer - Xmas gift to wife (her choosing) Pretty good

[jack70]

RE:2004

Time to drop in & catch up with a few acknowledgments from 2004... First, moocho thanks to Stone & Slosh for the 04 comps. There's a few things I like in there, but mostly it's nice to get up to date on that ('04) stuff. I've heard fewer new CD releases from last year than any year in recent memory. Partly from filling gaps of older stuff (heck, I still have over 100 unopened CD's on the shelf), and there's ONLY so much time, no? But I've seen dozens of "best-of '04 lists" in newspapers and online, and I can honestly say I have not only NOT heard 99.9% of the Cds on those lists, I haven't heard OF 99% of the artists. The diversity and amount of music out there today is getting larger and larger ...fulfilling the possibilities the digital world brought forth a decade or so ago. But it DOES make for a more confusing landscape.... there's more music than EVER. I remember the days of my youth when I would flip the LP bins and have at least a half-assed idea of 90% the music available. It was a real finite amount... very few LPs in the Schwann guide were NOT in record stores. Today it's infinite (in practical terms anyway). Boy, have times changed.

I saw a mention in threads below about both Elliott Smith & Aimee Mann. They happen to have put out 2 of the very few CDs I got last year, along with Juliana Hatfield's lastest. My brief thoughts:

1- Aimee Mann-Live at St Ann's-
Aimee Fans have been yearning for a live disc for years, so this was nice to finally get. It's a double, with a DVD ver as well as the straight music CD. From a live date in NYC last summer. This will appeal to Aimee fans mostly (that's me). It's very well recorded and mixed, which was a pleasant surprise since my own live experience with her was not anywhere this clean. (too clean?) Julian Coryell plays guitar in this band for this tour, and those who have last year's CRS/RR comp can hear him (solo) on that (my submission). He's good here, playing the support/background/lead electric parts. One thing about the performance is there is nary a wrong note... these are seasoned musicians. The DVD is good... some behind the scenes stuff and interviews. I was a little critical of certain cameras not being exactly sync-ed up with the audio, but since I have only a (very) few music DVDs, I don't know if that's normal or not. The songs cover her whole career, so there's something for everyone. It's NOT spectacular, but fans won't care.

2- Elliott Smith- Songs from a basement on a Hill-
This was taken from his unfinished tapes after he died. Like Aimee's disc, this one has had fans waiting for a long time. Considering it's (supposedly) been edited ONLY in the mixing, not by adding any new tracks/stuff, it's pretty good. Obviously, we'll never know how different it would have been if/when Elliott had spent more time working on these tunes. So it's surprising how well developed most are here. It shows what a craftsman he was, in that these are obviously unfinished, yet they sound better than 95% of the singer-songwriter stuff out there. There's a Beck influence on a few, a slight different sound from him. Again, like Aimee's disc, this is more for fans of Elliott's... new listeners should start elsewhere.

3- Juliana Hatfield- In Exile Deo-
A generally quieter bunch of songs from Juliana here. Not as hard rockin as I'd like, but it's also not the same-ole same-ole. Again, like the other 2 CDs above, this is for fans only.

Another reason I reviewed those here is because I put out a live comp a year ago with those 3, plus Richard Thompson. ALL singer/songwriter styled material, and all live stuff NOT from their own CD's. I guess you could call it a live-boot, of sorts. I put it together right after Elliott Smith died, in his memory, and most of the cuts are by him. They show a side of him that none of his official albums do. In fact, the live versions of certain songs are better than his "official" CD versions, albeit technically "inferior". And a few cuts are scary in their "premonition" of his death a few weeks later. This comp is a mixed bag, but there are some gems there for fans of any of the 4 artists. As usual free copies by PM or e-mail are still (always) avail. I don't think too many here got this automatically last spring, as I've stopped sending out as many to RR'ers anymore... too many addy changes, and I rarely get a chance to post (offer new junk) regularly much anymore.

(FROM THREAD BELOW)
Madeline Peyroux I just got, though, & that had come rather highly recommended. More specifically, she's been touted a few times by the jazzbos on the Asylum's "Music" board as sounding VERY much like Billie Holiday, and that was meant in a good way. So I was very curious, and it does not disappoint.

Jeeze Jay, I had a cut of her's on my vol 14 comp a year ago, which you should have. So you should'a been a little familiar with her. Anyway, I guess that's why I've stopped sending so many comps to people here.... my junk ain't listened to... LOL.

And how 'bout them Patriots!!!?

[Olivertmc]

Rush in Rio - Disc 1
Elliott Smith: From a Basement on the Hill
Charlie Hunter Trio: Friends Seen and Unseen
Billy Bragg & Wilco: Mermaid Ave. Vol. II
Green Day: Dookie
Leon Parker: Belief
Dismemberment Plan: Change
Pedro the Lion: Winners Never Quit
Built to Spill: Live
Willie Nelson: Stardust (SACD)
Scissor Sisters: s/t

[tentoze]

Thanks to Big B's semi-annual sale on Saturday, I drove home with 11 cd's and 11 lp's for an average of just around 2 bucks a piece. Haven't gotten to much of the vinyl yet, but the cd's that I remember listening to are:

Bobby Bare Jr's Young Criminals' Starvation League, From The End Of Your Leash- the award for the longest name of a group this week, and a damn good record too.
Iris Dement, Lifeline
Lou Reed, Magic & Loss
Honeydogs, Here's Luck
Waterboys, Universal Hall
Mark Knopfler, Sailing To Philadelphia
Annie Lenox, Medusa
Steeleye Span, Below The Salt
Ethan Daniel Davidson, This Machine Kills Fascists
Donavon Frankenreiter, S/T (BLEAH)
Shemekia Copeland, Turn The Heat Up
k. d. lang, Ingenue
Jason & The Scorchers, Still Standing (BLEAH)

Holdovers from last week- Magnolia Electric Co.'s Trials & Errors (should have a vinyl copy of this in the mailbox today or tomorrow), and Grey DeLisle's The Graceful Ghost.

[Stone]

CDs:

Rancid - Let's Go
Damn, I love this album. Great, straight ahead "punk revival" goodness. I hadn't listened to it in a while, but was in heavy rotation a lot when it came out, and I still enjoy this one a ton. Not a clunker on this one if you ask me, but some favorites are "Salvation," "Radio," and "St. Mary."

Planesmistakenforstars - Up In Them Guts

Mclusky - The Difference . . .

Deerhoof - Milk Man

Xiu Xiu - Fabulous Muscles

Big Sandy and the Fly-Rite Trio - On the Go

Fugazi - 13 Songs

Social Distortion - Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll

Kylie Minogue - Fever

The Frank and Walters - Glass


Comps:

The Year In Slosh: 2004


DVDs:

Devo - Live in the Land of the Rising Sun
Wow, this one beats the shit out of the Devo Live DVD. Great recommendation, Dave G (it was you, right?). A really good live performance from summer 2003 before a few thousand Japanese kids. A quality performance and some funny interview clips too.

[Gresh]

Three in heavy rotation:

Smashing Pumpkins - Gish
Placebo - Black Market Music
Saint Etienne - So Tough

[Mike]

Radio 4, Stealing Of a Nation
Really like this album for a change of pace, as for political statements don't ask me I just enjoy the sounds. Kind of like Stills/Strokes meets 80's new wave disco oh hang on a minute isn't that INXS who I always liked anyway but now seem forgotten. It's got a mixed reception but sounds fine to me.

Bonnie Prince Billy and Matt Sweeney, Superwolf
Just got this from a friend my first CD of 2005. Soothing gentle late night folky sounds like only Will can do. Nothing new here from Will from what he's done before but if you like him you will like this.

Kasabian, Kasabian,
Getting a lot of hype in the UK but not all deserved IMO a couple of standout tracks but they sound a lot too much like the Charlatans for me, still worth trying for some.

Pinback, Summer in Abaddon,
Immediate layered sounds that just build and build. Thanks to whoever on the board who first mentioned this band, another great find for me.

Joseph Arthur, Our Shadows Will Remain,
I think it was Tentoze who sent this and what a gem, never heard of him before and if you can get past the 80's drum sounds there are some real strokes of Joe Henry type genius on here.

Kraftwerk, The Mix,
I see Kraftwerk have re-released and remastered their back catalogue not before time which made me dig out this comp from the early 90s. I know a lot of people like Man Machine but for me Computer World will be on my wish list, for the time being this will have to do.

Kanye West, College Dropout
I think it was Darius who raved about this album and the references to Stevie Wonder and Al green made me try it. Well I did, but sadly it didn't work for me, maybe me and rap are destined never to work work. The beats are ok but after a while monotonous and the rapping nothing special, the chat in between tracks didn't do much for me either. I'm not knocking rap before anybody flames me, I just don't get it, each to his own I guess.

American Analog Set, Know By Heart,
This hasn't been released in the UK yet don't know why cos it came out in 2001 and sounds as good now as it did back then. Downtempo sounds that are right up my street they remind me a lot of The Notwist Neon Golden album which somebody seems to mention at least once a week on this board and rightly so.

Greg Brown, Further In,
Similar formula to all his other stuff, good songs, solid vocals with excellent production.

KT Tunstall, Eye to the Telescope,
Debut album from Scottish singer songwriter in the vein of 70's singer songwriters but with a nice vocal delivery.

Comps
A year in Slosh, don't know if I ever said thanks for this Sloshy so I am now, it's a good un'

Cheers
Mike

[Davey]

By the way, some of you have I'm sure seen my recent blabberings about that Augie March Strange Bird CD and might even be tempted to spend a few of your hard earned bucks and take a chance on it just based on my untrustworthy and questionable taste in pop music, but I know where you can get a copy for not much more than a song. Hopefully the seller doesn't mind my posting this link, but if he does, sorry and just let me know and I'll delete it or edit it out.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...067945658&rd=1

[tentoze]

The descriptions (yours and others) I've seen so far have scared me off thus far.

[Davey]

The descriptions (yours and others) I've seen so far have scared me off thus far.

Hehehe, guess I'm getting better at describing these things then, huh? Don't think it would probably be much to your liking, but then again you are sometimes hard to figure. I wouldn't have thought you'd fall for the Decemberists either. Not that Augie March is like the Decemberists, although the Stylus review that Ithink led me to seek it out actually does mention them (but then dismisses the thought just as quickly).

"Melding phosphorescent dream pop with crushing time-breaks and jazz touches, Augie March would find pleasant company in the arms of the Decemberists, Grandaddy, or any pissed-up bar espoused by Ray Davies in the mid-sixties, but these reference points are so much ballast and boredom. Come to think of it, put all that aside." - http://stylusmagazine.com/review.php?ID=2571

[Davey]

Anniemal -- dig this, too, yet not as much as Kylie.

Bark Psychosis, ///Codename: Dustsucker -- great album, I don't think I even "get it" yet.

Lhasa, The Living Road -- a sleeper, this one is definitely sinking in more with each listen.

Hey, so you got the import of that Annie album, eh? Too rich for my blood. Or is there a US release now? Really need to hear that Bark Psychosis one of these days. I wonder if it's ever gonna get a good distributor here. I'd like to hear a little more about that Lhasa, if you care to. I remember reading about her quite a bit after the debut but can't really remember much of what they said. What language does she sing in? Is it a common type music of music? Traditional? Thanks?

Listening to the Friends of Dean Martinez do their cool and Calexico'd up instrumental version of "Wichita Lineman" right now from from ...

[Dusty Chalk]

Hey, so you got the import of that Annie album, eh? Too rich for my blood. Or is there a US release now?

Found it cheap used. I can see why. It's really kind of mediocre -- but then again, that doesn't mean it's not enjoyable, it's just not going to make my year-end Best Of 2004 list.

Really need to hear that Bark Psychosis one of these days.

I got mine at Tower -- as much as we rag on their prices, they really do have a great selection.

I'd like to hear a little more about that Lhasa, if you care to. I remember reading about her quite a bit after the debut but can't really remember much of what they said. What language does she sing in? Is it a common type music of music? Traditional? Thanks?

Multiple, I believe, including French and English and others -- she pulls that Sigur Ros thing off, where it stops mattering.

The umbrella genre is probably "smoky chanteuse music", perhaps the more caucasian moments of Martina Topley-Bird, but what sells me is that she captures a certain moody vibe that resonates with my psyche more. Sort of like you know how I don't really like Mojave 3 or Low, but I like other of that slowcore stuff? Like that, a lot.

This is definitely something you'd like, of that I have no doubt.

Listening to the Friends of Dean Martinez do their cool and Calexico'd up instrumental version of "Wichita Lineman" right now ...

I <3 Friends Of Dean Martinez. But I suppose you know that already.