Friday, May 19, 2006
Quite the little stack of bundles today:
1.YOKO K and friends – PostSecret show demo (self-released)
If you haven’t seen the amazing PostSecret art project, go now to the site and experience this simple – and simply brilliant idea for yourself. Curator Frank Warren asked people to mail in anonymous postcards with written, drawn and/or illustrated confessions. The results, which some MTV watchers may know from the All-American Rejects video for “Dirty Little Secret,” can be hilarious and heartbreaking.
The music is chill – gentle washes of sound and a breathy female vocalist – that sounds fully realized, not demo-lite at all.
A theatre presentation- of PostSecret material on the big screen, plus dramatic readings and songs from FOUND magazine, are the subject of next week’s Live! preview for the Post, hence my getting this disc of original music for the show.
Two sides of the same story? (Funny they should arrive on the same day)
2. DARRELL SCOTT – The Invisible Man (Full Light Records)
I thought this might be another generic country dude, but I read the bio and perked up immediately. No, I didn’t know that this is the sixth album from a guy who’s an active member of Steve Earle’s Bluegrass Dukes, nor that he’s written songs for the Dixie Chicks, Keb Mo and Guy Clark, but them’s good credentials in my book. And I’m gonna pay attention when a guy is quoted saying, “There were times when I got up on my soapbox on this record. But I think we’re living in the weirdest time of my lifetime, and I’m going to say something about it.” The Earle connection reassures my that the outrage is one I can relate to.
Out June 27th.
3. PAULETTE CARLSON – It’s About Time (Pandean Records)
With her big mane of wavy blonde hair and a song called “Thank You Vets,” I’m hesitant. Could be a serving of red state meat-and-potatoes country…(and no, I’m not anti-vets; it’s just another example of the sad state of affairs that the self-righteous right has commandeered the flag and the troops as if only they care)…ah, says here she was lead vocalist for Highway 101 and critics’ quotes compare her to Kitty Wells, Stevie Nicks, Dolly Parton, Maria McKee and…Randy Travis (as in “the female…”) And she wrote the “Vets” song for her brother, a Vietnam vet. If I ultimately disregard the CD, it’s just ‘cause I’m not the biggest country fan. Out in June.
Two cardboard-encased pitches to preview:
4. MARIANNE DISSARD – demo (self-released)
Dissard and Amor are coming to the IOTA, and she asked if I might preview them, Her CD features music by Joey Burns of Calexico, and she did the all-French lyrics. He is also helping her re-record these songs with the intention of releasing an official album this fall.
5. NAIM AMOR – Sanguine (Amor Music)
Dissard’s husband and touring partner also gets Joey Burns’ help for his jazz/lounge/experimental rock. Amor also released a pair of CDs, “Soundtracks” (Vol. 1 and Vol. 2) on Howie Gelb’s OWOM Records, so he’s got street cred, too.
Two delightful reissues in the same puffy envelope:
6. DELANEY & BONNIE – Home (Stax)
The kind of re-discovery that makes my mail a joy to open. Here, the husband-and-wife deep-fried Southern soul team is backed by Booker T. and the MGs, plus the Memphis Horns and two young studio turks of the period - Leon Russell and Isaac Hayes (!) on keyboards. The original 1969 album is expanded to 16 tracks for the reissue. Tasty!
7. MERL SAUNDERS and JERRY GARCIA – Well-Matched: The Best of… (Fantasy)
Kudos, first of all, for the wonderful cover. It’s rare that non-limited (i.e., you pay more) packaging can do something that makes you stop and take notice but this one – designed as a digipack book of matches – opening with a top-to-bottom flap, the liner notes booklet tucked in to simulate the rows of matches – is truly clever. And while I can by no means be considered a Deadhead (Q: “What does a Grateful Dead audience say when the drugs wear off? A: “Who is that shitty band?”), I can get behind this duo trading licks in a more jazzy, earthbound style than the Dead’s usual cosmic noodlings – tho’ I still think Jerry’s a pretty lame vocalist. Covers of tunes like “Positively Fourth Street,” “Mystery Train” and more, including a previously unreleased take on “I Second That Emotion.”
Thursday, May 18
8. Beethoven for Kids (KOCH)
9. Eloise – (KOCH)
10. HOTEL LIGHTS – eponymous (Bar-None)
Darren Jesse was in the mighty Ben Folds Five, and now he’s got a new band and a CD which features guest appearances by pals from Sparklehorse, Archers of Loaf and Fountains of Wayne (mother of pearl!).
Wednesday, May 17
11, 12, 13. MIDDLE DISTANCE RUNNER – Plane in Flames (self-released)
An unfortunate coincidence that this album, by a DC-area band, arrived the same day that the news featured new footage of the airplane that crashed into the Pentagon. And the band sent three copies, in case I want to share them with friends, “particularly any folks at the Washington Post.” As a lowly freelancer, I know no folks.
Tuesday, May 16
The last major record label that sends me new releases on a regular basis (most of my stuff comes from independent publicity people), Columbia material usually arrives on Tuesday, as did this package. Four CDs, divided evenly between stuff I’m curious about, and two I may never get around to. See if you can guess:
14. TYE TRIBETT & G.A. – Victory Live! (Sony Urban Music/Columbia)
15. SUSAN CAGLE – The Subway Recordings (Lefthook/Columbia)
16. VARIOUS ARTISTS – WWE: Wreckless Intent (Columbia)
These are phrases that tell me I need not break the shrinkwrap:
"aggro-rock"
"head-crunching"
"World Wrestling Entertainment programming"
17. ANJANI - Blue Alert (Columbia)
Right there onthe cover, in type about a quarter of the size of the singer's name is "(produced by Leonard Cohen)" and, indeed, that's a selling point.
Friday, May 12
18. The NEVER – Antarctica: A Storybook Record (Trekky Records)
First listen was very impressive. Orchestral pop from Chapel Hill, NC. The full CD release comes with a 50 page illustrated storybook that tells the same strory, and either can be enjoyed (it says here) separately. But I like the music, and the concept, so I want the whole deal (this advance comes sans livre.)
Out July 11th.
19. JUDGE JULES – Proven Worldwide ( )
Put this one on in the car, starting an evening drive and the propulsive dance beat (is that redundant?) was initially quite enjoyable. But my fast-forward finger got impatiently by the third track, as the beat didn’t vary and the female vocals – the breathy, processed kind, hiding a weak voice (like Madonna, but without the gimmicks/hooks) – combined with trite lyrics (“Without love, I had….nothing”) grew tiresome. I’d rather hear this supposedly master DJ (ranked Top 10 most popular in the world, the press kit says, in DJ Magazine) on his recently-released re-mix CD, The Global Warm Up. Just as some great lead guitarists were never meant to front a band, many DJs fail to impress when they are the auteur.
Thursday, May 11
Purchased:
20. SNOW PATROL – Eyes Open (A&M/Polydor)
I don’t like this trend toward different stores having different versions of a CD. I was in Target and was already willing to buy the Snow Patrol “limited edition” for $11.98, but I don’t like to encourage this “Available Only at Target – Limited Edition CD/DVD Set.” Yes, it’s nice to get 3 extra live tracks and bonus interview footage, but what if I don’t live near a Target? Or if every Big Box store gets their own exclusives? Then the completist fan gets screwed.
Sent:
21. DR. JOHN – Mercernary (Blue Note)
22. T-BONE BURNETT – The True False Identity (DMZ/Columbia)
Is he still married to Sam Philips? I like to think of them as being an uber-hip musical couple.
23. IRON HERO – Safe as Houses (Self-Released)
24. The REMOTE – Too Low to Miss (Global Underground)
They Say: “The Remote are Depeche Mode after two weeks in Ibiza, they’re Joy Division if Ian Curtis had done a pill, Japan if David Sylvian had spent twenty four hours clubbing.”
I Say: Besides the fact that they spelled out “24 hours,” that’s a compact - and clever - description.
Out: July 11th.
Wednesday, May 10
Okay, so I won’t count these Mother’s Day purchases in my YTD total:
BARRY MANILOW – Greatest Hits of the Fifties
HARRY CONNICK, JR. – On Broadway, Vol. 1
Sent:
25. RADIO 4 – Enemies Like This (Astralwerks)
26. YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND – eponymous (Vanguard)
Via UME Promo Player:
27. CAT STEVENS – Gold (2 CD’s worth)
28. DIANA ROSS – Blue
Sunday, May 7, 2006
29. STEPHEN MERRITT – Showtunes (Nonesuch)
Advance word on this CD was sketchy, said that Merritt’s collection of short tunes (most under 2 minutes long) for Chinese theatre pieces was pretentious (Merritt pretentious? who’da thunk it?). And the initial reaction - one of the singers sounds just like Miss Piggy (and it’s a guy, too!) – is one of “what the f…?” But the guy’s clever wordplay, seeming obsession with death, and jaunty melodies can win you over if you have a taste for Brecht, Sondheim, or something almost completely different. ($9.99)
30. PRINCE – 3121 (Universal)
“Black Sweat” = cool song. ($8.99)
31. VARIOUS ARTISTS – I Believe to My Soul (Rhino)
A round-robin of righteous soul from Mavis Staples, Billy Preston, Ann Peebles, Irma Thomas and Allen Toussaint, lovingly produced with a minimum of fuss and bother, but a whole lotta heart, by the classy Joe Henry. ($7.99)
32. VARIOUS ARTISTS – Hear Music Playlist, Vol. 2 (Rhino)
The usual comment for these collections – great selections - like Sam Philips, Sondre Lerche, Zero 7- well-worth buying at a discount (and only at a discount) price. They are, after all, promotional samplers, ($3.99, from the slightly scratched bin)
From the $1.99 Clearance Bins:
33. 1 GIANT LEAP – Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost DVD single (Palm Pictures)
Glad that Grace didn’t look over my shoulder as I paid for this – the front cover has a pic of a naked man holding up a weight by a piercing through his penis.
34. GREGORIAN CHANT – Christmas Chant (Milan)
Never pass up a good deal on something that could work on next year’s Cool Yule compilation.
35. ROBIN HOLCOMB – The Big Time (Nonesuch)
Back in The Day (the childless NYC years), I did promo writing for Elektra Records which, at the time, included stuff from the Nonesuch label. I remember Holcomb fondly as an arty woman who created pure, melancholy American music. The cool black who checked me out seemed pleased I had rescued this one from the castaways and remarked how much he liked her.
And a freebie:
36. VARIOUS ARTISTS – SXSW AV Subwoofer sampler (MoRisen Records)
Gracie’s choice;
37. GATSBYS AMERICAN DREAM – Volcano (Fearless)
She grabbed it on a friend’s not-so-recent recommendation. Word of mouth and mix CDs play a big part in exposing her to new music. Right now, she’s hot on a band called Streetlight Manifesto, that I’ve never heard of, but Emma, too, says she first heard them on a mix. Emma doesn’t even have a working radio in her college dorm.
38. OST – Take the Lead (Republic/Universal)
Grace loved the movie and wanted the music as a souvenir (why God made soundtrack albums). I may borrow it - Lena Horne and Q-Tip?, a guy named Dirtbag, and a version of “Que Sera, Sera” performed by Sly & the Family Stone.
Saturday, May 6
39. SNOWGLOBE – Oxytocin (Makeshift Music)
I like these guys. Wrote about them awhile back when they came to town to play Galaxy Hut, based on another neat CD.
Friday, May 5
Sent:
40. The 303’s – Lines of Parallel Minds (Cult Hero Records)
Purchased:
41. BLACK-EYED PEAS – Elephunk (A&M)
Some great tunes here, but I feel guilty even listening to “Let’s Get Retarded.”
Thursday, May 4, 2006
42.PATTERN IS MOVEMENT – Stowaway (NFI)
From Sonic Youth on, I’m not a fan of the disjointed noise band concept. Don’t understand it, don’t like it, don’t follow it.
Wednesday, May 3, 2006
43. SSM – S/T (Alive Records)
Detroit avant rock outfit.
Tuesday, May 2nd:
Purchased:
44. PEARL JAM – S/T (J Records)
Ugly inner cover, with the guys looking like zombies. Gonna see them in DC on the 30th.
45. VARIOUS ARTISTS – Uncut magazine sampler
I don’t want to turn the page in my music magazine and see a full-page, full color shot of a torture scene from “Hostel” - involving eyes, no less. Yeeeccchhhh.
YTD Total: 302
