fallow

There isn't going to be much that distinguishes this from any other TCD's thread, so whatever. I did make a successful dance mix for a party last night; unfortunately, I left it over there so I can't tell you a tracklist. I did manage to sequence Junior Senior, The Contortions, "Sly Beyonce Walks Like a Nerd" and Basement Jaxx within 17 tracks, though. So, kudos to me.

Anyway, here we go. Why don't you just tell us a little about the albums you're listening to. I still don't know some of the artists mentioned here.

The Stills, Logic Will Break Your Heart. Yr standard Smiths-Echo & the Bunnymen-Interpol referencing band, though they drop the pretense and replace the dreary atmosphere with a lighter one. Very tight songs and rather warm keys, as well. I don't know how much durability this disc has; in fact, I get a little bored with it after awhile. That may have more to do w/ personal taste than objective opinion, though. Giles, I'm sure you've heard this already, but if you haven't, do check them out.

Metric, Old World Underground, Where Are You Now. Main project of Broken Social Scene collectivist, Emily Haines (of effects-laden "Anthems for a 17 Year Old Girl" fame). Quirky guitar pop with off-the-wall songwriting and a damn sexy voice. It gets a little uneven in spots, but this is something I could see SAShepherd, Gdrlv, stevevt, Giles, Starlover and (maybe) jarsim all liking. Unfortunately, I can't think of any direct references...it is quite different from BSS, be warned.

[[[[VVRSSNN]]]], [[[[VVRSSNN]]]]. Side project of Yume Bitsu frontman, Adam Forkner. Atmospheric guitars and sighing vocals over club backbeats. Very interesting and fun, a must for anyone with an interest in K Records.

-edit-

I forgot about this one...

Wig in a Box, The Songs from Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Pretty cool disc with great renditions by notable bands. Check out the link for a tracklist. Many bands that are discussed here are on this collection. The Sleater-Kinney w/ Fred Schneider (!) song is worth the whole thing! (Bet that got yr attention.)

Alyoshka

Wow, I'm surprised there are songs from Hedwig done by popular bands. Interesting.

stevevt

Thanks for the heads up on Metric.

[[[[VVRSSNN]]]] never really did anything for me -- at least the couple of songs I've heard.

I'll definitely be getting Wig in a Box.

Probably not listening to too much today. Doing a lot of errand-type things. Maybe some Viktor Vaughn in the car.

Also, looking forward to the Smittens/Sophie Drinker/Weeds/Dear Norah/Mirah show tomorrow.

Starlover

I've been listening to that Stills disc a lot, I'm starting to really get into it.

I'll definitely check out that Metric album.

Otherwise
LZ-Houses of the Holy
Nick Cave- Let Love In
A Perfect Circle- Thirteenth Step (mostly for 'The Nurse Who Loved Me)

SAShepherd

Stuck at work, not getting much of it done. Listening to the stuff I didn't get to this week:

Afro-Cuban All-Stars - A Toda Cuba le Gusta -- Cuban music in the vein of Buena Vista Social Club (it includes performances from Ibrahim Ferrer and Ry Cooder). I know virtually nothing about Cuban music, I just know that it's infectiously joyous music.
R.E.M. - Lifes Rich Pageant -- my favorite R.E.M. album, no question ("Begin the Begin," "I Believe," "Fall On Me" -- all classic songs). This version is an imported version which includes covers of "Toys in the Attic" and "Dream (All I Have To Do)"
George Winston - Autumn -- Vaguely "new age-y" piano music. This is pretty good, but nowhere near as good as his classic "December," which is an awesome album to listen to whenever the temperaute dips below 60 degrees.

fallow, thanks for the heads up on Metric. They've now been added to my mental lists of bands to pay attention to, so as the rest of you start reviewing, maybe there will be enough collective interest to spur me.

Also, I finally listened to the Rapture's "Echoes" yesterday. My first impression (while listening at work during stressful work times) was that I really liked some of the stuff (having now heard "House of Jealous Lovers," I can understand why it generated so much buzz for the band -- great song) and was lukewarm on some of the other stuff (the slow stuff, for example, which doesn't seem to be too popular with other reviewers, either).

fallow, now that you've spent some time with the album, what do you think?

fallow

I've had a promo copy for awhile and still love Echoes (though I'm going to drop the "best album of the year!" shout-out at every corner). It's still incredibly good in my mind, but something else may edge it - I'll decide when the time comes.

But I really like every song on the album. I understand the gripe w/ the 3 non-dance oriented tracks and I admit that the flow is thrown a curve with all of them. It also may not have been the wisest idea to end the album with two of the calm songs. It makes the disc sound like it is ready to end; I think it would work better if it made you want to hit repeat by ending w/ a killer dance track. If sequencing the disc was up to me, I'd probably put the "Killing" -> "Sister Saviour" tagteam at the very end.

Giles

I have heard of them, but not their music, will have to try listen to the album with your suggestion.

DJLinus

Gerald Collier - Breakin' Down. This CD just arrived in the mail yesterday and I've been playing it non-stop. GC was the singer/guitarist in the Best Kissers in the World (I've never actually heard any of their stuff). This album, his first full-length solo release in 5 years, is a great country rock album. Like his other solo stuff, it's pretty depressing, drink-alone music. But that's part of the appeal to me. Not as good as his I Had To Laugh Like Hell, but still quality stuff.

woofman

The Methadones: Career Objective

Led Zeppelin: How the west was won

Luce: S/T

Alyoshka

Fallow - I ordered Wig in a Box. I hope that I enjoy How is the Polyphonic Spree song?

fallow

I really like the Polyphonic Spree song, but I've only heard 3 of their other songs so I can't really give you an accurate frame of reference. They do a very good job of handling the song, though. I think that is the most important part of this disc - capturing the essence of the originals without performing a snap-by-snap cover.

stevevt

Just got back from this show.

Here's my quick summary:

* The Weeds (aka Emily Zeitlyn) were/was incredible. Unreal. Any ever hear her? She does one song on Songs from the Black Mountain Project, so you might have heard her on that.

* Dear Norah was very good. Really funny and charming. Yet another solo performance.

* Mirah was great. Exactly as can be expected -- her voice is amazing and effortless.

SAShepherd

Well, and then I went to a used CD store this weekend, and since that and the Dixie Chicks' "Fly" were the only 2 used CDs I wanted that they had in stock, I've now added it to my collection. I'll be sure to post my thoughts once I've listened to it...

fallow

Actually, I know of that record but haven't heard it. Does it get yr recommendation?

SAShepherd, I'm eager to hear what you think of the Metric album.

stevevt

Absolutely. Lots of atmospheric sounds (trains, crickets, etc.) and instrumental pieces (50/50 split with the tracks with singing, roughly), just in case either of those things throws up red flags for you.


Speaking of recommendations, I just ordered, among other things, the Metric CD. Didn't want to be left out.

My full order:

Handsome Family - Singing Bones
Metric - Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?
The National - S/T
Pernice Brothers - Australia Tour EP
Rachel's - Systems/Layers
Rosebuds - The Rosebuds Make Out
Sufjan Stevens - Michigan
VA - Wig In A Box
VA - Matinée 50!
Yo La Tengo - Today Is The Day


Listened to today:

Weeds - Some Songs for Only You
Lucksmiths - Naturaliste
Dressy Bessy - ST
Shins - Chutes...
The Wrens - The Meadowlands
Rooney - ST
Smittens - Gentlefication Now

jarsim

Wilco-More Like the Moon EP
The Strokes-Rooms on Fire
I love it. Simply said.
Hot Hot Heat-Make Up the Breakdown
Travis-12 Memories
(Warming up to it, but definitely not as good as 'The Invisible Band')
Jet-Get Born
(Don't think they're nearly as bad as the Pitchfork Media review and they're definitely not as bad as the Vines)
Death Cab for Cutie-Transatlanticism
(definitely like this one although the consensus on this forum has been otherwise - hope to catch them in concert next week with Nada Surf)

Fallow, thanks for the recommendation. I've been wanting to check out the Broken Social Scene and will have to add The Metric to my list.

Here's a late QOTD: I have this o/c thing where I HAVE to listen to an entire CD from beginning to end. I don't skip around, I don't just listen to certain songs. If I play a CD, I have to listen to it all. Anyone else like this?

jonnyrocks

Cool, man...I've been meaning to pick up these two albums. Let me know what you think of them when your order arrives.

Today's spins:
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Master and Everyone
John Cale - Vintage Violence
David Dondero - The Transient
Early Day Miners - Jefferson at Rest
Grant Green - Green Street
Damien Jurado - Ghost of David
Jim O'Rourke - Bad Timing
Twilight Singers - Blackberry Belle
Uncle Tupelo - Still Feel Gone

devilpants

Jesus & Mary Chain - 21 Singles
Oliver Nelson with Eric Dolphy - Straight Ahead
The Zombies - A & B Sides (1964-1969)

Mordred

*Raises Hand*
I can't skip at all. The last time I used the random button on a CD Player on purpose was probably 12 years ago. When I download music I can't download one song, I have to download the whole album. I force myself to listen to even the songs I don't like in the hopes that either I'll discover something about it, or it will end quickly. My wife drives me nuts when she listens to her three favorite songs on an album and hasn't heard the rest since she bought it.

Mordred

LivingINClip

Tool - Opitate

A Perfect Circle - Mer De Noms

Tori Amos - A concert for RAINN

Placebo - Sleeping with Ghosts

Those four will continue to be in and out of my cd player for this entire week or more.

Poink

New Order- Power Corruption and Lies (Classic, everyone's heard this, at at least some of it)

Broken Social Scene- You Forgot it in People (makes the rounds here quite often, so no need to eleborate)

Pernice Brothers- Yours, Mine, and Ours (Pernice is one of the best & most consistent pop songwriters of our time)

Menomena- I Am the Fun Blame Monster (Very cool little-known indie/pop with a cool-as-hell flipbook cd case)

Enon- Hocus Pocus (Part guitar pop, part synth pop. Not as great as High Society, but still a worthy album. They've been playing shows with The Rapture, so maybe some of you will see them soon)

Explosions in the Sky- Those Who Tell the Truth... (Superb Mogwai-ish "cresecendo" rock. Their second album -in stores today- is supposed to be amazing.)

The Rapture- Echoes (I think most have heard this by now. Seeing them Thursday. No Enon in Chicago though )

AotD- I generally just listen to albums start to finish given I have the time, but I will listen to bits of albums here and there when I'd rather hear 5 or 6 bands in an hour as opposed to just one.

SAShepherd

Hopefully I'll get to it next week...

For today...

The Thorns - s/t (listening to it now; like most Matthew Sweet fans, I think it's pleasant enough, but not as good as his solo stuff)
Hem - Rabbit Songs (the closest reference point I can think of is the Cowboy Junkies -- very mellow, but very good)
Kathleen Edwards - Failer (vocally, very much like Lucinda Williams; musically, more like Neil Young; lyrically, not quite as depressing as Ms. Williams; good choice for any alt-country fans)
Bruce Springsteen - The Rising (maybe you've heard of him? )
Spoon - Kill The Moonlight (another common CD 'round here)

AOTD: Yeah, I'm not a big random button fan, and the number of albums I have with a track that's so bad that I skip it is a single-digit number. I'll even stop a CD while I leave my office at work. (But I'm OK with using the random button with kids' CDs since I listen to them more often than my non-kids' CDs).

Alyoshka

Over the Rhine - Ohio (beautiful songs and an extremely peaceful voice. I love this band.)
Starflyer 59 - Old (I'm a fan of each one of their albums. They never stay the same yet they are distinctly SF59)

AOTD: I'm actually a fan of random after I have the songs memorized. I understand that on a good album it takes the songs out of their context, and makes it slightly less cohesive. But I get bored with knowing what is coming up next.

fallow

I've managed to acquire 2 new albums (one via mail, the other an emergency store run) and listened to a couple other for the station.

The store run =
Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn and Ginger Brooks Takahashi & Friends, Songs from the Black Mountain Music Project Definitely like this one; thanks stevevt. K Records never seem to disappoint.
The mail delivery =
Menomena, I Am the Fun Blame Monster which I haven't gotten to yet. Hopefully by the end of the night, but I have a presentation and 2 exams w/in this week. Don't know if I'll be able to spend time w/ it outside of background music.

Reviewing for the radio =
A Problem of Alarming Dimensions, H-Hov-Hover What I said in the review... Not bad a'tall.

Paul Westerberg, Come Feel Me Tremble I'm listening to this as I type and it's okay. Only 4 tracks in, but I've always been a Westerberg fan, so this is pretty decent. The only one that has really stood out to me thus far is "Making Me Go," though. PS, one of my favorite googlisms is "paul westerberg is angling to monopolise every perfect pop couplet in existence in perpetuity."

The Strokes, Room On Fire Everybody has a reason to either love or hate this band. Me? I'll get to that. Somehow this slipped through the cracks (seems to happen a lot w/ albums he doesn't like [ie, me having to "emergency review" the Mars Volta album {which I hated} because it got "mixed up elsewhere"]) and the Music Director forked it my way because I've been talking it up. There ya go, LOVE IT!

-edit-

I have a habit of ripping albums onto my computer and listening to my favorite songs over and over again. In the car, I never skip.

stevevt

Will do. I guess Michigan is getting a fair amount of hype and praise. Anybody else hear it yet?

Glad you like it. Weeds (aka Emily) does the song "Pure." The Weeds CD (Some Songs for Only You) is pretty much similar, with a couple of stand out tracks. Other than shows, I'm not sure where you can pick it up.

Speaking of that, Mirah and Emily put on yet another show in Burlington tonight, this time in an art studio. Just got back from it, in fact.


The site alone makes me want to buy this. Only available at CDBaby.com, right?

I'm also on the verge of picking up the Great Lake Swimmers. Anyone out there heard them?


AOTD
I always play albums in order.