A Day Without Music?

Nothing in the mail yesterday of a musical nature. Very boring mail all the way around, in fact. Not even one of those fake checks for mult-thousands of dollars, mine to cash - if I hand over the mortgage.
But it was not totally a day sans musique - I went off to the IOTA club to see Essie Jain (a singer I met in NYC at the last CMJ) and Ed Harcourt, whose new CD, Strangers, is quite good. While Essie was singing and I was ordering a drink, Ed came up to the bar right next to me (the IOTA is such a cozy joint like that), so I complimented him on the CD, which I had been listening to in the car on the ride to the club. He seemed surprised, and pleased.
His set featured fine music and good fun. Alternately charming and prickly, he has a great deadpan accent (reminded me of Elton John when he spoke; sometimes of Tom Waits when he sang) and, among other things, he did a very funny take on the Coldplay/Keane school:
"It's raining..."
keyboard chord
"I'm lonely..."
another chord
"I'm British..."
Listening to the CD again on the ride home, I heard the songs with that new illumination that comes from hearing them in concert. "Black Dress" was particularly good on both counts.
And I scored another set list, although not the one that Ed wiped his face with before asking for a towel. That one, he crumpled into a ball at the end of the show and took with him. So, no DNA samples to sell on ebay...

In today's mail, a Tuesday new release package from Columbia but not, alas, the new Springsteen.

Tuesday, April 26
1. The RAVEONETTES - Pretty in Black (Columbia)
Intriguing song title - "Love in a Trashcan" - and if "My Boyfriend's Back" is a cover of the oldie/goodie, I'm interested, but I don't have high hopes. After the White Stripes and Fiery Furnaces, I don't know if there's room in my life for another boy/girl duo.


Saturday, April 23:
Sent:
2. Hidden in Plain View - Life in Dreaming (Drive-Thru Records)
One of the bigger bands that will be playing next weekend with over 50 other (!!) acts at a local all-ages show, The Flipside Festival. The CD arrived after I filed the story. One song that I mentioned, "Bleed for You," was described in the advance material as being about "date rape." That phrase wouldn't fly in the Post section I write for, and might turn off the parents who read it - and need to drive the kids to the show - so I called it a "searing indictment of sexual predators."
3. DRIVE-THRU RECORDS SAMPLER
Tucked in the HIPV CD when I broke open the shrink wrap. A nice suprise, but why wouldn't the record company sticker such a bonus? (Unless it was destined to be a promo copy). Grace and I listened to a bit on the drive to Japanese class (hers). Steel Train stuck out for its sweet acoustic vibe among Angry White Boy Hell.

Bought (from emusic.com)
4. BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE - Give It Back!
Finally got around to watching "Dig!" and was totally engrossed in the story of one band's rise and another's implosion. Since I have the recent Dandy Warhols release, it was a pleasure to find this one on my monthly online music grab.
5. VINCE GUARALDI - A Flower is a Lovesome Thing
While looking for BJM, browsed my way to this sweet find. You can't play the Charlie Brown Christmas CD all year 'round, so it's nice to have VG doing some other gentle stuff.

Friday, April 22:
Bought:
6. FRANK SINATRA - Sinatra Sings Cole Porter (Columbia Legacy)
Aaargh!!! This is the squishy, chorale version of "I Get a Kick Out of You," not the groovy swing one. Should have remembered that the Capitol sessions were so much cooler than the Columbia ones! Not all SInatra is prime Sinatra, even when he's singing Cole Porter. I shoulda seen this coming...bummer.

Sent:
7. MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK - Commit This To Memory (Epitaph)
Surprisingly melodic for a bunch of young pop-punksters. Even a touch of the young and hungry Police, as I mentioned in my preview of MCS et al. at the Flipside Festival.
8. TIM BOOTH - Bone (Koch Records)
Handled by the same accomodating PR gal as MCS, so I asked for this oldie (2004). As a former James fan (Booth was their lead singer), I was pleased to catch his solo show at Fez (RIP) in NYC two CMJs ago, where he debuted much of this material. He's got a strong rock voice, occasionally Bono-esque lyrics (sometimes in a too-grandiose way), and isn't afraid to go into sometimes difficult listening territory. Was listening to this one in the car Saturday and went more than half-way through before changing discs - that's a compliment when a new, unknown disc is under driver's-ear scrutiny.
9. The GREENCARDS - Weather and Water (Dualtone)

Thursday, April 21:
Bought:
10. AMERICAN IDOL (Season 4) - When You Tell Me That You Love Me (RCA)
Blame it on my soon-to-be 15-year-old. I've been watching Idol now and then. And now I even have a favorite - Constantine - tho' I didn't see him do his supposedly quite credible version of "Bohemian Rhapsody." And I really want to get that smirking Scott off the show ASAP. Oh. My. God, I'm actually voicing opinions about this stuff. Enough. I bought this CD single for Grace (who likes Anthony best, even tho' she admits Constantine has the better voice). And American Red Cross gets 50cents for each single sold (I paid $2.99), so I can call it charity. But I'm still ashamed.
11. SOUTH PARK: Bigger Longer and Uncut (DVD)
I'm counting this because it was the music that forced me to buy it. Last weekend, after watching Saturday Nigth Live (Tom Brady was surprisingly good and Beck was unsurprising good (since he's just damn intrinsically cool)), I switched to Comedy Central's "Secret Stash" while I finished some front-of-TV puttering. The night's offering was the South Park movie which, not being a huge SP fan, I had never seen. But the opening song - a direct hit on the "my little town" number that begins "Beauty and the Beast" - had me grinning and the next tune, the happily vulgar "Uncle Fucker" was stuck in my head all through Sunday morning. So I gave up and I gave in.

Sent:
12. LAST TRAIN HOME - Bound Away (Blue Buffalo Records)
Eric Brace is a sweetie. The lead singer and songwriter for this local country/rock outfit has another job - former columnist and current frequent contributor to the Washington Post. A tireless supporter of local music, and a winner of a Washington Area Music Award (WAMMIE) as such, Eric never throws attitude around despite his talent and his "power." (Catch me offline and I'll tell you about another WashPost Editor, the One That's a Big Pain in the Butt.) And the band is damn good, too. Always gonna wish Eric and his boys the best.

Tuesday, April 19:
13. The DEAD 60's - S/T (Epic)
14. TOWERS OF LONDON - On a Noose/I Lose It CD single (TVT Records)

Monday, April 18:
15. WORD magazine with WORD OF MOUTH compilation CD
There's only ten tracks, but most are prime - Everything But the Girl, Magnetic Fields, etc. Was listening in the car while driving the college girl back to the train station. When she asked "who's this?" (it was a Ben Lee track), I knew we had a winner.

16. UNCUT magazine with ACROSS THE GREAT DIVIDE (Music Inspired by the Band) compilation
Another excellent selection - Wilco, Little Feat, Sparklehorse and The Band itself - from the eponymous LP I loved the best, the one (nostalgia laert!) that I got as a bonus from the Sears salesman when I purchased my first big ticket ($70) plastic record player with the detachable speakers!

TOTAL TO DATE [a new feature!]: 338