Prepare for a more-than-pleasant surprise.

By the way, did the new Paul Westerberg album get released today? Couldn't find it anywhere.

I picked up Peter Murphy's album and its good. Much better than his last couple of albums. Living in Constanople certainly is making an impression on him...a very good impression.

Re: Today's CDs (4/23)
 

I picked this up as a blind purchase yesterday, after reading a few good reviews of the disc. I had no idea what to expect, just knew that it was an instrumental disc by a guitar player and a drummer. When the first burst of guitar and drums hit in the first song, I had that sinking "I just wasted 17 bucks" feeling, but it grew on me really quickly...before the first song was even over. I really like it a lot. Every song is pushed to the verge of chaos several times, but never quite reaches that point. Compelling stuff.

Re: Re: Today's CDs (4/23)
 

I just love this record. Sounds very much like Don Caballero. Very spastic, but it has some pretty surprising melodies. Glad you gave it a try!

90 Day Men may interest you. One of my friends thinks it sounds Phish-like (I must admit that one song certainly does), but it has a jazzy feel to it. I can't quite explain it. My review of it should run in neumu soon (as will my Yankee Hotel Foxtrot piece). I gave it a 9/10. If you were to check them out, avoid their older records. This one is light years better.

Oh, a shameless self-plug -- I wrote a review/1000 word essay on the Uncle Tupelo retrospective for Neumu. It's a bit rambling, not my best work, but I think I do a fair job of summarizing them in a tangible way.

A question -- where did you read the positive Hella press? The only place I've seen anything is on Flakmag.com, I'm curious who else has been talking about it. I'm working on my review of it now.

Re: Re: Re: Today's CDs (4/23)
 

I read the Flakmag review and have seen a bunch of local press from Sacramento about them. Also looked at the reviews written about them on Amazon. Nothing too substantial, but enough to pique my curiosity about the album. Glad I took the chance on them.

I might check out the 90 Day Men disc. I've heard of them before...not sure if I've heard them or not.

By the way, I've listened to Chelsea Walls...it's not great. In fact, I'm a bit disappointed, but my completist nature compelled me to buy it. The Wilco songs are good but even they don't compare to the stuff on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.

Here's my belated best of 2002 so far:
1. ...Trail of Dead - "Source Tags and Codes"
1. Wilco - "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot"
23. Hayden - "Skyscraper National Park"

I haven't bought many new albums this year - a few EPs, but not many full-lengths. I must check out Hella and the new 90 Day Men album.

The new Luna album is growing on me. It's certainly better than "Days of Our Nights," but not nearly as good as "Penthouse." I'm enjoying EC's "When I Was Cruel," but I need to give it a few more spins.

Yeah, it just came out a couple weeks ago. It's one of those confused comps that can't tell if it's aiming for the fanatics or the novices. It could have been done better selection-wise but it's a double disc set that runs at the price of a single.

Um, I dunno! You might like it! I suppose she's somewhere between Kristin Hersh, Cat Power, and Richard Buckner -- but a little more rustic than them. Lots of cello, violin, accordion, etc. Her voice doesn't have any weird affectations or bizarre nuances, but it's really lovely nonetheless.

Don't know exactly what to make of the new Doves right now, though it took me a good amount of time to settle into Lost Souls. I really like "There Goes the Fear" -- it reminds me of the House of Love (specifically Babe Rainbow) in a good way.