a coherent collection of random statements regarding God, words and tunes

And now, for something completely different.... conciseness....

Still not ready to write the bigger column, although I can go ahead and eliminate one of the two right now. I am sad to report that the best thing about the new Modest Mouse album, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, is its title. After the wonderful surprise that WAS Good News for People Who Love Bad News, and the addition of The Smiths' Johnny Marr to the band, I was expecting even better things this time around. It was not to be. Unless you wanted a whole album's worth of the screamier moments of GNFPWLBN. Highlighting is one thing; this is nothing other. Anyway, go backwards in the catalogue and be more rewarded...

What I've been listening to this week, actually, is my co-workers iTunes, and as I work with a ton of creative types it's allowed me to stumble into a whole bunch of good stuff that I -- and maybe you too -- want to explore further. Maybe some of these will get reviewed in more depth later on. But for now, and in rapid-fire, go fetch (and those visiting from the Plantation should be forewarned that there's little new to see here ):

Abandoned Pools -- Humanistic. Some pretty good pop from the guy from the Eels (who previously hadn't done anything for me)

Albert Hammond Jr. -- Yours to Keep. Likewise, some even better pop from the guy from the Strokes (who likewise, previously hadn't done anything for me, and additionally befuddle me with the constant comparisons to the entirely dissimilat and vastly superior Television).

Alexi Murdoch -- Time Without Consequence. VERY Nick Drakian, but stands on its own. Suffice to say, I like it.

Derek Webb --The Ringing Bell. His brand-new one -- pretty good -- more on-point and decidedly non-"evangelical" (the caricature everyone thinks of, not the real thing), and he's clearly spending even more time with the Beatles than usual -- but this thing is freakin' Dogs'-short.

Dustin Kensrue -- Please Come Home. Another intelligent Christian folkie. Actually, kinda sounds like Richard Ashcroft doing a country-western album.

Dylan Hears a Who. A whole album of exactly what you think it is.

Godspeed! You Black Emperor -- f#a#infinity and Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven. They're compared to Sigur Ros and I guess I can see that (i.e., this'd be considered "post-rock"), but they're more interesting than that, and without the shrieky grating vocals....

The Good, the Bad, and the Queen. Kinda like Elvis Costello forgetting everything he knew about American music and forming a dub band instead. I'd've never guessed it was Damon Albarn (Blur/Gorillaz), Paul Simonon (The Clash), Tony Allen (Africa 70/Fela Kuti) and Simon Tong (The Verve). And I didn't.

Joe Christmas -- North to the Future and Upstairs Overlooking. Really fun Christian garage-band tuneage, and sadly long since defunct.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club -- Howl. Had heard a lot about them, but never actually heard them before now. Sounds like Jack White and the aforementioned Ashcroft putting a band together, and asking Elliott Smith to sit in for a few sessions.  (Actually, someone on Amazon put it "Johnny Cash vs. Love & Rockets," which isn't terribly off base either. )

The Boy Least Likely To -- The Best Party Ever. Big Star meets Jonathan Richman, kicks the crap out Jack Johnson (Alex Chilton, of course, is packing the knife) and remakes the Curious George soundtrack. 

Grandaddy. A bunch of it. Imagine Neil Young starting in the garage and staying there, but only bringing his acoustic. Yeah, you SHOULD be intrigued.

Kamikaze Hearts -- Oneida Road. What I've been waiting 15 years for Son Volt to finally sound like.

Modest Mouse -- The Moon & Antarctica. See above.

Oh yeah: And I am still seriously digging on the Divine Comedy album mentioned a couple entries below. Transportational? You betcha. Life-changing? Well, at the very least it's the right soundtrack for a bunch of other life changes. 

That'll keep us for now. Until next time.... and if I can ever get that CD back from Marion (which oughta give you a big hint right there)....

 

Posted by: burninglight at 21:15 | link | comments