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10:42 am by Dave Pearson in mp3 downloads
Ive got to thank Ryan Slack who put me up on Powderfinger, a band he discovered on his mission to Australia. These guys are big-time "down under" and wherefore they havent been exported "up over" is beyond me. On this this their fifth record album, (and their first US release) they come out smoking with an instant classic comparable to Radioheads The Air embolism, and Travis The Man Who . . . With any fortune they power just get the thinking mans Coldplay.
Just when you sentiment there couldnt possibly be any melancholy brit-pop turf left to be explored, Powderfinger vocalist Bernard Fanning takes the listener of an emotional tour of his angst-filled vision of post-Beatlesque and its a damn fine ride. His voice has subtle sunglasses of Pre-Saturday Night Fever Bee Gees–you know, the gimpy Gibb who always had a finger in his ear. Nice stuff. If you like whatsoever of the aforementioned bands including the Beatles–go get it.
5:39 am by Dave Pearson in mp3 downloads
As a big fan of the Smashing Pumpkins Ive been keeping tabs on Billy goat Corgans new project Zwan. Joining the Mastermind of the Battle of Midway are Pumpkins drummer Jemmy Chamberlain, A Perfect Circles Paz Lenchantin on bass voice, And Lusterlessness Sweeney and David Pajo on guitar.
After officially disbanding the great Pumpkins one would expect Nightstick to explore different melodic terrain in this new incarnation. Thankfully Mary Headliner of the Sea, finds Corgan returning in mid-season form–seemingly picking up where Siamese Dreaming left off.
Though this record resonates with Corgans trademark level-headed, its not like hes digging up soggy old Pumpkins. Theres nothing that sounds rehashed on Blessed Virgin Star. In fact various tracks relish of the Cure. And lyrically Corgan steps out of character toward a decidedly more spiritual spot. Still and all, almost people that hear a Zwan strain for the first time will pretermit these subtleties and sham that the Pumpkins get released a new one.
At the end of the day you can take the boy out of the Pumpkin only you cant take the Pumpkin out of the boy. Just because hes going by a different name doesnt mean hes out of his Gourd vine.
2:11 am by Dave Pearson in mp3 downloads
Former Til Tuesday front woman Aimee Mann has always been a personal favorite of mine, but even Ill admit that her final two solo records (2002s dismal Lost in Outer space and final years pretty sub-par The Forgotten Limb) did footling to quench the usual thirst I have for her wreak. When I first heard she was working on a Christmastide album I shuddered with horror - firstly, Im not a huge Christmas Day fan (music or otherwise) and secondly, I started fearing for the worst that Manns career was starting to slide into the can.
Im delighted to study, however, that One More Drifter in the Snowfall is non the life history suicide move I had anticipated. It is, in fact, quite an pleasurable record with a loungy old time feel that is instantaneously likeable. "The Christmas Song," "Ill Be Home For Yule," "Winter Wonderland" and a handful of other classics are honored here with care. Manns vocals ar soothing to the ear and even though youve heard these songs a million times before, they sound brilliant under Manns wing. Personally, my deuce favorites on Drifter ar a underwrite of Michael Penns (Aimees husband) "Christmastime" which I think is even better than the original and Aimee and special guest Grant Lee Phillips take on "Youre A Beggarly One Mr. Grinch" with Phillips voicing the storyteller of the story; its a real hoot. One More Vagrant in the Snow isnt quite up there with holiday classics released by such legends as Frank Sinatra, Martin, Como or defy I accuse myself (gulp!) The Carpenters, but it is an enjoyable addition to my very thin collection of Christmas music and I think it could turn a darling for those who feed it a fair shake.
2:55 am by Dave Pearson in mp3 downloads
Poe (aka Annie Danielewsky) is a considerable endowment. Her in vogue, Haunted contains 17 confidently rendered songs whose coordinates intersect somewhere between Garbage and Aimee Mann and I cerebrate its the best music value of the year.
Annie has sampled excerpts from spoken word tapes that she discovered in the noggin of her late Fathers home, as well as some eerie answering machine recordings from her alienated Mother, and it is these parental narratives that put the haunt in Haunted.
Theres no terminal to the back-story involved in this record–many of the songs could be considered as a musical companion to her brother Marks glorious novel House of Leaves. A critically beloved book about a family world Health Organization moves into a house that is much bigger on the inside than it is on the outside.
Though the record album contains a fair share of experimental distractions, most of it worked for me and none of it detracts from the fact that Haunted is jam-packed with well o’er a dozen wonderfully engaging and accessible songs.
I agree with the critics who get dismissed some of her lyrics as a flake too threadbare, but itÕs the only flaw here and one easily overlooked as you lose yourself in this house of many floors, hidden corridors and unexpected treasures. In truth, really good record. Confidence me. It knocked PJ Harvey out of my player and enjoyed an uninterrupted two week stretch before I finally ascertained Coldplay.
4:02 am by Dave Pearson in mp3 downloads
With her newest release The World Tamil Association Have Spoken, New Pornographers femme fatale, Neko Case, shows how a great live album is alleged to be executed. With a financial backing band that is equally great in their own right, The Sadies in tow, Case and troupe deliver a handful of cover tunes, originals, and new yet-to-be-released tracks all in just under a breezy 35 minutes.
The unreleased tracks such as If You Knew" and the self-titled track ar meant to keep fans patient until Case releases her new studio record album in 2005. Thankfully they do simply that; and theyre every bit as good as anything shes done in the past. Re-recording such classics as "Favorite" off the criminally surd to find Canadian Amp EP and "Blacklisted" from her last studio album - she breathes exciting new life into them, and in a live scene, give Cases sultry land croon an added kick.
The real pleasures of The World Tamil Association Have Spoken though, ar Cases prize choice in covers. Buffy Sainte-Maries abysmally overlooked "Soulful Wraith Of Blue" is granted a well home here. The same goes for The Shangri-Las rollicking "Train From Kansas City." Shell also has a crafty wit about covering the superb "Loretta" by the Nervous Eaters, and then following it deuce songs subsequently with "Rated X" by Loretta Lynn. Simply genius. World Tamil Association closes out strongly with a knee-slapping hoedown interlingual rendition of the traditional "This Small Light" and a banjo strummed, backing-vocal-heavy rendition of the even more traditional "Wayfaring Stranger."
Some Typesetter’s case fans english hawthorn see The Tigers Have got Spoken as a ploy for Neko to delay her next solo liberation for whatever reason, but true music fans wont be fooled. Treasure this album, because live records this serious dont come along all that often.
Neko is the character, a pillow slip of meeoww!
What was the last name of the Niko that used to sing with the Velvet Subway?
just curious,
Nicos real name actually wasnt regular Nico. It was Christa Paffgen. Nico was a stage appoint that was made up to seek and farther her modeling career in the mid 60s before the Velvet Underground were even in the pictorial matter. So I guess the answer youd be looking at for is Paffgen. Thanks for reading material the site!
I dont know wHO is the most sexy Neko or Jenny whatsername from Rilo Kiley - Id kill for either.
Oldies, but Goodies!
What can I say–even though we failed to review this album when it came out, it received the coveted honour of beingness my favourite album of 2000–Im sticking to this, even though when she accepted her Grammy, she could have been a tad less drunk and bitchy.
Live albums from Electronic artists unremarkably fall somewhere between the words redundant and detestable and if anyone should know this its Wacky Punk. Six years agone they released Alive 1997, a time capsule of a live album culled from their tour of their first masterpiece Preparation and boy was it a lesson in what not […]
Few bands can mix electronic beatniks and heavy metal without failing miserably, but Ministry jam it out better than most. "What About Us" opens up this pandoras box as the bands first modern song since 1999s Dark Side of the Spoon, and on "Just now One Fix" from 1996s Psalm 69, Ministry good similar to […]
This debut outing by the newest darlings of the Brits trades, should be filed somewhere betwixt Travis and Coldplay. Easy one of the most accessible albums of the new year, Starsailor soars from track to data track upon the sandpaper-honey vocals of sexy frontman James II Walsh. A voice that invites alot of light […]
Who could have predicted that eight years since their last release, and 11 days (!) since their last domestic release, Scotlands long missed sons, Trashcan Sinatras would come stunned of virtually nowhere and offer up one of the prettiest records of the year? No one and only should have - thats for sure. Particularly when […]
What's the dilly, yo?
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