While I was working on this blog entry, I got a phone call from my ever-so-connected and always-into-something pal, Shari. With loud music playing in the background, she says (yells, actually) that she's at some kind of press party and she got a second iPod shuffle; do I want it as a belated birthday present?
Having given my old skool 5 gig model to my daughter when hers broke, I consider this divine intervention.
Sunday, March 27
The CD Cellar in West Falls Church is my go-to place for trading in the CDs I don't want for ones I do. With my 15-year-old nephew-in-law visiting, what better way to entertain than take him and Grace with me to make a musical switcheroo.
Brendan gets:
BLINK 182 - Dude Ranch
Better potty mouth punk pop than the Goodfellows poster he had his eye on.
(not being counted in the daily or year-to-date totals)
Grace gets:
1. GREEN DAY - Insomniac
"My boys," Gracie calls them. On her hand-written list of Things To Do during Spring Break (just ended), she wrote: "Buy all other Green Day CDs and listen/memorize."
2. CINEMA BEER BUDDY compilation
Jimmy Eat World, Thursday, Thrice, etc. on a 11 track collection of emo favorites.
3. FIRED UP compilation
I get:
4. ARENA - Pepper's Ghost (Inside Out)
A mistake. I bought this CD thinking it was a different version of the new release by Pepper's Ghost, a PA-based band that's opening for Ashlee Simpson tomorrow night. Turns out that Pepper's Ghost is the title of the CD, and Arena is the artist, a German metal band performing a "lite metal opera." Well, it's an interesting concept and the CD booklet is a cool-looking cartoon. I'm not a metal fan, but I'll look at this as fate moving my hand (and ears) to pay some attention.
5. The CONCRETES - You Can't Hurry Love CD single (EMI Records)
6. FATBOY SLIM - Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars
A self-defense purchase. Found this in a generic jewel box - no cover, no booket - for $1.99. Considering how much Terry plays "Palookaville," which, to my mind, has only a few good tracks and a lot of swill, this may buy me some substiution time on the kitchen boom box.
7. ESSIE JAIN - Dalliance (self-released)
A $1.99 clearance bin orphan. Since a friend and I went to see Essie's show recently at Galaxy Hut, and will probably catch her again opening for Ed Harcourt, I figured I'd rescue this 5-track demo and pass it on to my pal, so she can learn up for the show.
Purchased:
8. COMES WITH A SMILE magazine, with free sampler CD
A groovy sized (8x8 inch) glossy magazine from England. I'd never heard of it before, but it has the ubiquitous Conor Oberst on the cover, a free CD with songs from Brendan Benson, Camper Van Beethoven, M Ward and Mark Mulcahy, a personal favorite since back in his days with Miracle Legion (find a copy of "Me and Mr. Ray" - it's an MIA classic).
Sent:
9.ALANA DAVIS - Surrender Dorothy (Tigress Records)
This one was sent a while back, when it was just being released, but Alana's coming to town, so it was "reserviced." I played it the first time and found nothing caught me ear but the reworking of "Don't Fear the Reaper." But since it came again, and I may write about the show, I played it again. And nothing caught my ear but the reworking of "Don't Fear the Reaper."
Thursday, March 24
10. SECRET GARDEN - Earthsongs (Decca)
Every fear I had of new age drek - from the cover shot of the two bland lovebirds to the titles and general soft-focus feel of the press pic - was confirmed when I put this on late Friday night, finishing a jigsaw puzzle (the modern mandala) while the kids had a scary movie slumber party. I was waiting for Terry to call from the bedroom, "what is that crap?"
11. 22-20's- S/T (Astralwerks)
At this point, any four-piece guitar band is gonna have to compete with Kings of Leon, and those are mighty tough shoes to outrun. Threw this one on the player during a late-night drive to DC to meet hubby and daughter at the Amtrak station and, while it ain't no "Aha Shake Heartbreak," it's got strong beats, nice hooks, and the occasional ballad (which Kings don't do) that made the drive most enjoyable. They're playing next week at the Black Cat, with Graham Coxon and the Golden Republic, so that could be a good show to check out. (out April 19)
Wednesday, March 23
12. UTAH PHILLIPS - Starlight on the Rails: A Songbook (AK Press)
13.KIDS CHOICE compilation (Nick Records/SONY/BMG)
Past winners in the music category have included Outkast, Usher, Destiny's Child and Hillary Duff. Oh well, three out of four ain't bad. (Did you know that it's Hillary's sister who played the prom queen type in "Napoleon Dynamite"? Neither did I, 'til I read the press kit yesterday in the john...)
I passed this one right off to Grace, since I can always borrow it if I need a fix for tween tunes. There's stuff she likes (Kelly Clarkson, Switchfoot, Avril Lavigne and Alicia Keys), along with stuf she likes to make fun of (Britney Spears, who should NEVER be seen again on a children's channel; Clay Aiken and Jessica Simpson). On the whole, the good and the not-offensive outweigh the out-and-out crap. Maybe there is hope for the youth of America yet.
Tuesday, March 22
14. BRIGHT EYES - Digital Ash in a Digital Urn (Saddle Creek)
Oooh, sexy black jewel case. When Conner Oberst became the ubiquitous cover boy on virtually every music magazine I read, plus the NY Times Arts section, my first reaction was not "oh, he must be a great musician," but "oh, he must have an amazing publicist." I dug out an old CD I'd burned ages ago, and liked the free iTunes song that slams the President (of course), but it was only when Target put the CD on sale for $6.99 that I took the bait. My hype deflector shield is up, but the vaguely electronic settings of this album make his awkwardly pained voice more interesting.
Monday, March 21
Purchased:
15. NIRVANA - With the Lights Out (Geffen)
I've been lusting after this one for a while, but never had the spare coin. My parents gave me $50 for my birthday, saying I should buy something I want but don't need. Then Best Buy put it on sale for $40. Case closed. So much to hear and see!
16. JIMMY EAT WORLD - Futures
Grace's purchase, and I can't argue with her taste.
17. GREEN DAY - (Lookout)
Part of Grace's ongoing quest to complete her Green Day collection.
Among the revelations in this first Green Day album:
1. Billie Joe looks awfully cute as a young boy with curly hair falling out of his baseball cap.
2. Tre Cool was not the original drummer!
3. While the studio sound is certainly primitive, the band is surprisingly tight and the songwriting impressive for such a young band. Grace tells me that one song was written when Billie Joe was 12 years old.
Her faith in this band is well-placed.
Sent:
18. ALL HOURS - In Flagrante Delicto (hybrid Recordings)
Other recent arrivals:
19. TRAIN RIDE (DVD) (TriMedia/Columbia Music Video)
Ordinarily, I wouldn't count a film DVD in the music count, but it came in the Columbia press mailing, and it lists M.C. Lyte among the stars, so that puts it in the running. But not in the DVD player. There are so many, many movies I have yet to watch, and the opening line of the box copy runs thusly: "An off-campus get together goes horribly wrong for college freshman Katrina when Will, a sociopath senior, drugs her then joins his boys in brutally attacking her." Not for me, thanks.
But wait! There's a blurb on the back cover, too: "Entertaining and extremely thought provoking" says....DJ Jazzy Jeff. Oh, that changes everything. Where's the popcorn?
And a final (almost literally) note:
This afternoon, I was checking into vinyl prices on ebay, wondering if it was time to unload some of my unloved LPs. Some guy was selling off his Billy Joel collection, with the following subhead on his listing:
"Billy's in rehab. By (sic) His Albums Now. Come On! Who Knows"
Man, that's cold.
Reminded me of the time I was hanging out with some photogs at the WHFStival, when Scott Weiland was just launching his post-Stone Temple, pre-Velvet Revolver solo career. A press minder came by the gaggle of shutterbugs to ask if anyone wanted to be escorted to the photo pit to shoot Weiland. For a moment, no one expressed any interest. Then, one jaded dude remarked, "He could die tomorrow and this would be his last show." And, somewhat reluctantly, most of them followed the press woman to the pit.
But, hey, Scott's still here, so it's not a total bummer blog ending.
No comments:
Post a Comment