Pazz and Jop and Rock and Roll

The Village Voice Pazz and Jop critics poll came out in last week’s edition, and you can see my ballot here.

Again, I’m very mad at myself for forgetting the Decemberists’ “Picaresque,” which would have gone on the list in place of the various artists’ tribute to the Beatles’ “Rubber Soul.”
And lately, the household has been rocking to the Wilco live CD, “Kicking Television,” which arrived too late in the year to make the list, but I can see (hear) now was truly a contender for the Top Ten.

Monday, February 6:
Purchased:
1. ROD STEWART – The Rock & Roll Collection (Rebound Records)
If this hadn’t been $1.74 in Target clearance, I’d probably call it a rip-off, especially once I took off the nicely designed cardboard envelope around the CD and found a cheesier cover beneath, calling this “The Rock Album.” But it’s a good set of 11 songs – a few big hits like “Every Picture Tells a Story” and “Twistin’ the Night Away,” plus a bunch of Stewart favorites – “An Old Raincoat…” and “Let Me Be Your Car.”

Sent:
2. UNITED STATES – Retail Detail (self-released)
From Atlanta, and I’d tell you more, but the press bio is in a hard-to-read type and I’m too lazy to wade through it right now. According to my pals at Team Clermont publicity, recommended if you like Sonic Youth, Deerhoof, Jesus Lizard, Brainiac and Pattern is Movement. Which may actually leave me out.
3. CRISTINA BRANCO – Ulisses (Decca)
Somehow I had it in my head that this woman had some kind of operatic background, and wasn’t expecting much from the CD when I put it on as my go-to-sleep selection. How wrong I was. The woman is a rising star of the Portuguese fado style, and has a gorgeous voice which she (thankfully) never pushes. Her style is clean and direct, not a lot of fussy arrangements and when halfway through the CD, she breaks into a lovely rendition of Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You,” it’s a knockout.
She’s coming to perform at the Birchmere on March 12 (why they sent the CD) and is definitely a pitch I’ll make.

Saturday, February 4:
Purchased:
4. FIONA APPLE – Extraordinary Machine (Epic)
Finally. Been flirting with this one for weeks. She just opened for Coldplay in DC and frankly, right now, she’s the act I’d rather see.
5. CATIE CURTIS – Acoustic Valentine (TK )
$15 at Curtis’ show at the Wolf Trap Barns. More than I would usually spend (I’d wait to pick it up on sale or online) but I was so taken with the performance, and I had gotten my tix for free, so I was ready to give back. Curtis radiates a simple, straightforward warmth that has its feminist/gay underpinnings but really just wants everyone to get along and be happy in their own way. John Jennings, who works with Mary Chapin Carpenter and provides the sort of dead-on pure guitar picking that makes every song sound profound, accompanied her. Funny thing is, the CD I bought, which is a selection of Curtis’ favorite love songs (many of which she did at the show) performed acoustically with Jennings, is rather tepid in its studio form. Just goes to show that sometimes live magic cannot be replicated.

In other live music news, the charming live wire Matt Nathanson will be releasing an official live CD (he allows taping at his shows and I have a few fun bootlegs) in April. He’s another performer whose studio releases can’t match the delight of his concerts.

CD trade-in store:
6. ANNIE LENNOX – No More I Love You’s CD single
I may have this already, but it was only 50 cents, so I couldn’t take the chance.
7. ELVIS COSTELLO – Get Happy (Rhino)
Working on completing my set of two-disc reissues, which offer all sorts of bonus goodies on the second disc.
8. UNCUT magazine – Thunder Road: Songs Inspired by The Boss
Funny, I missed this on the newsstand, but “Thunder Road” is on my list of top five songs. Ever. So, of course, I couldn’t let this slip away.

Friday, February 3:
Purchased
9. ANIMAL COLLECTIVE - Feels (Fat Cat)
Available though the emusic account, purchased without my having heard a note. But it’s kept coming up in the Best Of’s, so I figured it was time. I miss CD booklets with online purchases, though.
I gather it’s a bit loosey-goosey, and I love this member’s review: “Too much hippie in the hippie dippy. OR: no more brownies for you, mister.”
10. PASTE Magazine free CD
(I’ll consider this as a purchase as I bought a subscription)
I like Paste, and I would like to write for it someday, but I’m at that phase (read: age) in life when I prefer my magazines less dense (read: bigger type).
There’s a bunch of my favorites on sampler #20 – Flaming Lips, Josh Ritter, Elbow, Ray Davies – and a slew that I’m sure I’ll be happy to get to know. But no free DVD this time.
11. NEKO CASE – Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (ANTI-)
One of those albums that existed on the edge of my radar and, while I may not have had it on the list of things to actively seek out, I said a variation of “oh goody” to see it in the mail, especially as I’ve been enjoying Case’s work on the last New Pornographers’ CD.
Out March 7th.
12. JUST A FIRE – Spanish Time (Sickroom Records)
“Detroit’s most radical rock ‘n’roll collective,” from the same Detroit scene that spawned the White Stripes and Brendan Benson.
Out March 20th.

Sent:
13. EUGENE EDWARDS – My Favorite Revolution (Flagship Recordings)
Comparisons have been made to Elvis Costello, Squeeze, Tom Petty and he’s supposedly rocking the LA power pop scene.
14. SOLEDAD BROTHERS – The Hardest Walk (Alive Records)

Thursday, Feb. 2
15. CATIE CURTIS – Dreaming in Romance Languages (Vanguard)
Curtis was supposed to be a part of this week’s Post preview but, since her show was on its way to selling out, the editor asked me to remove her section of the preview. But here’s today’s rant: though I rewrote the story to cover the deletion, someone else at the paper put back a reference to Curtis’ show selling out – and misspelled her name! It wouldn’t annoy me quite so much but a few of the copy editors are thorough to the point of anal-retentive when they question me about my work, and seem to gloat a bit when they catch me in an error, so I hate taking the fall for whoever screwed this up.
16. The ENDLESS – The Republic of Heaven (Queen of the Moon Music) Here’s what I wrote for Hyperactive! Music magazine, which will come out next month:
“This husband-and-wife team call themselves an “ethereal dreampop duo” and their debut full-length, a musical meditation on love and loss (inspired by the death of her mom) lives up to that description, and a few more besides. Adriana Roze’s haunting voice, echoing Kate Bush, Jane Siberry, even Siouxie Sioux on occasion, creates an art-house/goth vibe, while David Roze’s precise, layered accompaniment envelopes the vocals like a long velvet cloak. Some might find the sonic decorum and emotional sentiments a tad twee, and the languid, somber tone sometimes flirts with the maudlin, but the aching sincerity of this pair won’t allow you to shake the impression of shadows dancing just beyond the peripheral. Cynics need not apply.”
They didn’t ask, but I would have given it 2 and a half (out of 4) stars.

Wednesday, February 1:
17. VARIOUS ARTISTS - I Am the Resurrection: A Tribute to John Fahey (Vanguard)
Featuring Fruit Bats, Sufjan Stevens (the one with the cheerleaders), Devendra Banhart (the one with all the hair), Calexico, M. Ward (who produced), Grandaddy (heard they broke up) and a bunch of people I never heard of before. I confess, I don’t know Fahey’s originals, so it’ll be hard to say how these tunes stack up.
Out on February 14th.

18. FLAMIN’ GROOVIES – Members Edition (United Audio Entertainment)
My Giant supermarket is selling CDs now (!!), in a big cardboard display where you have to look for them like you’re picking out vegetables. The lowest priced CDs are $4 and the highest are $10. Most of the$10 ones (earlier albums by Aerosmith, Green Day) could be picked up cheaper elsewhere, but this is the one bargain I found. Sound quality?

19. LYLAS – Lessons for Lovers (Fictitious Records)
LYLAS – my 15-year-old daughter signs notes to her best pals with this – Love Ya Like A Sister.
They Say: “Lylas combines delicate, skewed pop and a distinctly American aesthetic with some of the quirkier sensibilities of baroque songs of yore.”

Monday, January 30:
20. JAMES HUNTER – People Gonna Talk (Go/Rounder Records)
This guy’s good! The minute I put it on, I was smitten with his voice – back to the smooth, soulful R&B of the 50’s and 60’s like Al Green and Sam Cooke. The CD was recorded at Toe Rag Studios, the UK's premiere analogue recording facility, where the White Stripes recorded 2003’s 'Elephant,’ and (according to the press kit) was recorded entirely live - without overdubs, computers, or even headphones – which makes for really warm sound. Fun factoid: Hunter used to sing with Van Morrison.
While Terry was listening, he said he liked it, too, but voiced his worry that maybe such music sounds too much like vintage soul, like what’s the point? Gracie, however, is 15, so what does she know of Way Back When. “This is an old style?” she asked. “Maybe we should bring this back.”
Out March 7th.

Saturday, January 28
21. JOSH RITTER – The Animal Years (V2)
Out on April 4th and I’m delighted to get it early. Saw him perform at the IOTA last year, and he was wonderful. Afterwards, when I spoke to him after the show, and told him that I’d named his last CD one of the year’s best, he hugged me. And he was wearing red sneakers with a vintage baggy suit. Did I tell you he’s wonderful?
22. BROTHERS PAST – This Feeling’s Called Goodbye (SCI Fidelity)
This week’s Post preview (paired with a classical trio), these guys combine electronica and jam band grooves. I liked the CD so much on first listen, I put it on again that evening while dinner guests were in, and it sounded fine once more. Would have liked to go to the show, but after the Catie Curtis show (same night), I was tired and wanted to see Steve Martin and Prince on SNL.
23. The LOST PATROL – Lonesome Sky (self-released)
I wrote about this band last summer for the Post, conducting an email interview with the female lead singer while I was in upstate New York during my father’s decline. She was a sweet person, grateful for the coverage, and she sent me the new CD with a sweet note: “thanks for your support of us.”
24. CASIOTONE for the PAINFULLY ALONE – Etiquette (Tomlab)
Coming to the Galaxy Hut next month.
25. DEERHOOF – The Runners Four (Kill Rock Stars)
Bay area art-pop darlings, #6 in Pitchfork magazine’s Top 50 Albums of 2005. Someone else says: “20 different misses at conventional songwriting, silly attempts at traditionalism that go fascinatingly awry in every way possible...one of the year's most playfully dense, eminently relistenable calamities.” And a Billboard magazine list of artists’ choices had this one selected by Beck and Jeff Tweedy. So that’s a promise of something strange.
26. HEM – No Word from Tom (Waveland Records)
Coming to the Birchmere in coming weeks to open for my dear Josh Ritter. This CD collects a number of cover tunes and rarities. On first listen, lovely stuff.
27. The BEAUTIFUL GIRLS – We’re Already Gone (Cornerstone RAS)
Australian critics’ darlings, they’re going out on the “Yellow Snow Tour,” a name that doesn’t inspire confidence.
They Say: “a sonic mix of reggae, dub, hiphop and rock influences.” Also, a reference to “surfer/rock reggae.”
Out February 14th.

YTD: 76
I had to deduct one CD from last entry’s total, having discovered that I listed the same CD twice (which I do only if I receive an actual duplicate disc).