The Week's CDs (4/26-30)
 

Ambulance LTD - LP
The Damnwells - Bastards of the Beat
Mitch Hedberg - Mitch All Together
Modest Mouse - The Fruit that Ate Itself
Modest Mouse - This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About
Phish - Live Phish Downloads 4/15/04
Phish - Live Phish Downloads 4/16/04
Phish - Live Phish Downloads 4/17/04

QOTD: Feeling lazy, so unless someone has a better question, I'll just stick with...comment on your discs.

Ambulance LTD - I really like this disc a lot. Much different from the typical stuff coming out of NYC nowadays.
The Damnwells - Meh. Generic alt-country and the lead singer sounds like he belongs in the Goo Goo Dolls. Great band name. I'm underwhelmed by the band.
Mitch Hedberg - I love this guy's stand up. A modern day, hipster Steven Wright.
Modest Mouse - Been on a MM kick lately. Going back to some of the older stuff I haven't listened to in a while. Both discs are great of course. However, Lonesome Crowded West is my favorite.
Phish - It's really nice having discs of shows that are this recent. All 3 shows were great (particularly the last 2).

Nick Drake - Pink Moon
Franz Ferdinand - s/t
They Might Be Giants - Indestructible Object EP
Interpol - Turn On The Bright Lights
Metric - Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?

Nick Drake - One of those, "I've heard about the album, I should check it out." So I did (er, out of the library). Good stuff, though it's a pretty short album, and there isn't much variety.
Franz Ferdinand - Some good songs, good album overall, but no single song that I adore.
TMBG - If you like TMBG, you'll like this. Their cover of "Caroline, No" is way too reverential (especially for a band that made "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" their own), but the other songs are in fine TMBG form.
Interpol - Of all the albums from the NYC hype (excluding hip hop and late 2003/early 2004), this one is my favorite.
Metric - Somebody should put Metric in the opening slot for Franz Ferdinand's tour -- similar, but not too similar sound.

SAShepard...have you had a chance to check out that Al and the Transamericans disc? Curious as to whether you liked it...

Pulp- Different Class (excellent CD from the mid 90s)
Billy Bragg- William Bloke
Robert Earl Keen- Farm Fresh Onions

Oh, no... it usually takes me a looooong time to get to a disc that's on my wish list (not enough time and discretionary income), especially if it's not available at the library (which "Analog" isn't...) I need to check out more moe., though.

Joanna Newsom, The Milk-Eyed Mender
I'm surprised this album hasn't brought more hatred. Her voice is like a 7 year old's and she can SCREECH. It's a folk album but the main instrument is harp. Kinda like something those Will Oldham obsessing weirdos and the Renaissance fair regulars can hold hands over. I think this will find a place on my year-end list.

Devendra Banhart, Rejoicing in the Hands
One of my A+ albums. It's another folk record and maybe a little more baroque or gothic or serious or something, I don't know. But it's great. He also has a duet with Vashti Bunyan on the title track and that is never a bad thing in my book.

Sonic Youth, Sonic Nurse
I imagine that a lot of people are anticipating this one. It gets my thumbs up. There has been some advance critique of the first track, "Pattern Recognition," for rewinding to early 90s format but I think the track is a winner. Some of you may have read Schrieber's review of "Unmade Bed" on PFM and, honest to god, I don't see what that song has in common with late 80s SY. It immediately makes me think of A Thousand Leaves.

Murs, Murs: 3:16: 9th Edition
A solid release amidst a load of crap from Def Jux. Murs is a good story-teller and 9th Wonder (of Little Brother) puts down the best production he's done since The Listening. IMO anyway.

Oh yeah.

ZE Records, Mutant Disco compilation
Man this is good. I pulled it out after hearing about Lizzy Mercier Descloux's death a week ago.

Supergrass - Life on Other Planets
Fountains of Wayne - Welcome Interstate Managers (I love the song: 'Supercollider')

Coheed & Cambria- In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3

Loretta Lynn- Van Lear Rose

Death Cab for Cutie- Transatlanticism

Death Cab for Cutie- The Photo Album

D12- D12 World

Saves the Day- Stay What you Are (never gets old IMHO)

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
What can you say about this that hasn't already been said? I still want to read the book detailing its recording.

Sampleslaya (a.k.a. Armand Van Helden) - Enter the Meatmarket
An instrumental CD with an old school hip-hop flavor. This is great to put on at parties or for just cruising in your car. I'm not really a fan of his house stuff, though.

John Wesley Harding - The Confessions of St. Ace
In a perfect world, this singer-songwriter would be way more popular.

D12 - D12 World
I've only listened to a couple of tracks so far. It's okay.

N.E.R.D. - Fly or Die
I've had this for weeks now and still haven't touched it.

Jack Johnson - Brushfire Fairytales
The weather's been beautiful and I've been grilling out a lot lately. This is the perfect music for a laid back spring night.

Jump, Little Children - Magazine
The cello really adds to this CD. "Cathedrals" is a simply beautiful song. I guess they are just called Jump now. I'm looking forward to checking out their latest album.

Chris Rock - Bigger and Blacker
Every time I hear the skit where Biz Markie does "When Harry Met Sally..." ("I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a salad"), I crack up.

Answer to a previous QotD concerning favorite EPs (yeah, I'm really late on this one):
Gerald Collier - Pure Tar Taste (the perfect country record)
Asylum Street Spankers - Dirty Ditties/Nasty Novelties (Sure, these two EPs provide some cheap laughs, but you can't deny the band's eclecticism and musicianship.)

Devandra Banhart - Rejoicing in the Hands

Just got this in the mail today. Even though I got it within two days of its release date, I feel like I'm really behind things with this one due to the two month advance reviews and downloads and stuff. Lives up to the praise, what more can I say. In a perfect world, this kid would make Conor Oberst give up. BUT, being a cruel world, they'll probably be touring together by August.


Maja Ratkje - Voice

Very experimental singing from this Norwegian artist. Everything's based off of her voice alone, either by insane vocal sounds and samples. From gentle to white noise screams.. some of the creepiest stuff I own. With the news of Bjork's new album relying heavily on exotic vocals (and rumors? of it being all acapella), she'd make a very nice addition. Well, Maja might be a bit too 'harsh' and would draw too much attention. And Bjork would probably get a spell of "younger, hotter singer" envy:


http://www.ballade.no/nmi.nsf/pic/ra...e/ratkjeny.jpg