Yo Ho Ho

It's that time of year, kids! Here are a few suggestions on what to listen to as we hit the holiday season -- in other words, here are all the holiday albums I own:

• The Carpenters - Christmas Collection (1996 - 2 CDs). The late, great Karen Carpenter could sing Coors Light commercials and make them sound classy. This collection contains their 1974 and 1978 Christmas releases, and they both are really top notch.
  
  
• Various - Now That's What I Call Christmas! (2001 - 2 CDs). I feel like a complete fraud for owning this, but you just can't argue with the songs on this comp: Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Dean Martin, Perry Como, Johnny Mathis, Burl Ives... and those are (in order) tracks 1-10 of 36 total! There are some clunker artists/tacks (*NSYNC, Britney Spears), but it's otherwise an absolute classic and a great collection.
  
  
• The Reverend Horton Heat - We Three Kings (2005). This one is tough to find but worth the effort if you are a fan of the good Reverend. Rockabilly Christmas, surprisingly conservative in their covers overall, but definitely off the beaten path. Throwing the riff from the "Batman" TV show theme into "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" borders on pure genius.
  
  
• Sufjan Stevens - Songs for Christmas (2006 - 5 CDs). As with all Sujan albums, there's brilliance and peculiarity here, often all wrapped up in the same song. 42 songs, containing Stevens' five Christmas albums from 2001-2006. You're sure to get the same amount of big fans as well as quizzical looks with this one. I love it, although it does have its up and down moments.
  
  
• Various - A Very Special Christmas (Vol. 1 - 1987, Vol. 3 - 1997). Volume 1 is a classic -- with Bruce Springsteen's "Merry Christmas Baby," Run D.M.C.'s "Christmas in Hollis," and U2's "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," how could you go wrong? A must-have for the 80's hipster or alt-reveler. Volume 3 -- well, I really got it for No Doubt's "Oi to the World," but the rest of the album is surprisingly decent and definitely worth a listen.

Happy Holidays!

- Snilch

Compilate Me

Yes! More long lists of albums I'm catching up on! Terrible for you (the reader), great for me (the blogger). The beat goes on, in semi-alphabetical order:

• Big Dipper - Supercluster: The Big Dipper Anthology (2008 - 3 CDs). Denis gave me Heavens and Craps to listen to, which led to this. This anthology is almost everything they ever recorded (the two albums mentioned above plus the EP Boo-Boo; only the album Slam is not included), plus bonus tracks, PLUS an entire unreleased album! All for under $20 as well. If you're a big fan like Denis, you get Boo-Boo, bonus tracks, plus the unreleased album that you never owned: quite a good deal. If you're just getting to know them, like me (although I did know The Embarrassment, Bill Goffrier's former band), you get most of the band's output, including gems like "She's Fetching," "All Going Out Together," "Man O' War," "Loch Ness Monster," "Younger Bums," and the epic "Faith Healer." Incidentally, those are just the highlights for Disc One (!). This collection grows on you as you give it more listens.
  Verdict: Highly recommended. As I wrote this review and listened to this album, it climbed from the CD Rack into my Portable CD Case, and eventually Disc 1 (Boo-Boo/Heavens) ended up in my Car CD Changer. Compilation index rating is high value: low on the longtime fan ripoff because of the price point versus the amount of rare/unreleased material AND the extensive liner notes (they have band comments on every song as well as commentary on the unreleased album), extremely high on the casual fan rating. Three CD's for $18... that is simply perhaps the best deal ever. Take them up on the deal, assuming there are any left (there were only 5,000 copies made).
  
  
• The Godfathers - Birth, School, Work, Death: The Best of the Godfathers (1996 - 1 CD). The title track is what brought me here; they don't stray far from it with their other songs. I like the sound, although it is a bit repetitive. Less edgy rockabilly indie rock. I'll listen to it in the future.
  Verdict: Recommended if you like "Birth, School, Work, Death." Compilation index is low value for the collector, high for the average fan -- it's all the latter will ever want or need. CD Rack.
  
  
• Guided by Voices - Human Amusements at Hourly Rates (The Best of) (2003 - 1 CD). Thanks for Scott for this one. Matador blows up the Compilation Index again (they are responsible for the Big Dipper anthology too) with this "Best of" CD, released at the same time as the "Best of" box set. This is what I am sure the record business calls a "worst practice": by giving consumers a choice, you immediately split your potential buying audience, as well as instigate the process of actual thought. For example, let's say Fred hears that GBV is releasing a greatest hits album. Fred's a "completist" (i.e., must own everything Bob Pollard and GBV have ever done, including things like one of the 200 vinyl singles they gave to friends in 1983, or copies of a "bootleg" of Pollard's piano recital at age 11), and thus his salivary glands are immediately activated; typical record policy is to keep him in this frothy, frenzied state until he and his hard-earned cash are soon parted. The "box set vs. single CD" options interrupts this state -- confused, Fred looks at the actual merits and tracklists of each and begins to use that part of the brain that controls rational thought as part of this process. Fred will then actually consider not only whether to get the box set or the single CD, but also the possibility that (gasp!) it's not worth the money because he has everything already. For me, this CD is just my speed: great overview with some tasty tunes. (As for Fred, he reluctantly give in to rational thought: it really wasn't worth it to get the either the single CD or the box set. However, in a moment of weakness, impulse control once again clubbed rational thought over the head with the notion that he needed all of GBV's music in ONE place [how convenient!], that he needed to support the band [how altruistic!], that he needed the 35-page deluxe booklet [how nerdy!]... basically, that he needed it. Six months later, he sits staring at the dusty box set, wondering what he was thinking.)
  Verdict: Recommended. High value for the casual fan; the hardcore fan will want the box set. CD Rack.
  
  
• John Lennon - Lennon Legend (2007, 2003, 1997 - CD, DVD). What I want out of a John Lennon compilation is the best of the best of his solo work plus his half of Double Fantasy. I'm in luck! This is exactly that. It is TERRIBLE, however, that they are selling essentially the same compilation for the third time in the last ten years; undoubtedly they will sell a slightly repackaged version again in 2013.
  Verdict: Recommended if you fit my criteria. Compilation ripoff factor is off the charts on this one -- any time you keep trotting out the same horse with a different colored saddle you know it's not right. The DVD clips are cool.
  
  
• Orange Juice - The Glasgow School (2005 - 1 CD). Edwyn Collins' old band. Things I liked associated with this album: 1) Collins' song "A Girl Like You," which he did solo; 2) the sentiment of the title The Glasgow School; 3) the joke that "O.J." is short for guilty. Things I liked on this album:
  
  Verdict: Not recommended. Pile of Death, which (as you might of guess) means the Compilation Index is pretty much at 0.
  
  
• Jay Reatard - Singles 06-07 (2008 - CD, DVD). I mentioned Jay Reatard here, but this is a better starting point. It's more consistent yet more varied musically, and it's catchier yet darker. It's where I'd start -- a very nice compilation.
  Verdict: Highly recommended. Portable CD Case. Compilation index is assumed to be high value, as I believe that only four tracks are available on CD at the moment, while at the same time it's a good overview.
  
  
• Siouxsie and the Banshees - The Best of Siouxsie and the Banshees (2002 - 1 CD). Ron got me back into Siouxsie after declaring "Dear Prudence" better than the original version by The Beatles (heresy!) and "Cities in the Dust" to also be "desert island CD worthy." Then I began taping 120 Minutes on VH1 Classic (not the original shows, which is too bad, but pop-alternative "hits" from the 80's and 90's) and realized there are actually a ton of tunes I really like by them.
  Verdict: Highly recommended. High on the ripoff scale for hardcore fans, but great for an overview of some excellent songs. A few mis-steps ("Peek-a-Boo" comes immediately to mind) keep this out of the Car CD Changer, and instead in the Portable CD Case.
  
  
• Linda Thompson - Dreams Fly Away (1996 - 1 CD). Linda Thompson has an unbelievable voice. This compilation showcases that for sure, and it's the best album I've heard of hers. I was shocked at the amount of content that was unreleased on this compilation; that gives it value for completists and casual fans.
  Verdict: Recommended, and scores great on the compilation index. CD Rack.
  
  
• Elliott Smith - New Moon (2007 - 2 CDs). There are certain artists that, on principle, I hate. Not dislike, not grudgingly acknowledge as "great, but," not "willing to listen to but not really into." Hate. I fundamentally hated Elliott Smith and his approach to music. Would politely listen while quietly seething underneath the surface. Hate. And the only way I even was willing to listen to this album was because of Sean -- he forced it down my throat. Bought a copy for me (and one for Scott), packaged it up, and sent it our way because it moved him so much. Love. I open the package. Hate. I listened to it. Confusion. Then again. Grudging acceptance -- no, more than that. I cannot bring myself to say it -- it's... it's... sigh. Alright, I can't deny it. It's... love. Love. Love, love, love. If I can love it, so can you.
  Verdict: Highly recommended. Would be a Car CD Changer album if it were a little more up tempo. Love.

- Snilch

You Asked, So I Listened

Any of you who asked me to listen to albums may think you were shouting into a void, but, yes, I was indeed listening. Since I'm still clearing my backlog, I thought I'd acknowledge a bunch in one fell swoop. If yours isn't here, fell free to a) e-mail me and b) prepare to be further ignored. (I probably just forgot.) I do appreciate the suggestions, so feel free to keep them coming.

The list:

• Bitch Alert - I Can Feel Your Bones (2006). This is from Andrew, who I think was legitimately shocked that I actually bought something by this band. I'd called it homogenized Finnish punk. "Skeleton" is an amazing tune - well, in a simple, catchy, well-harmonized, broken English sort of way. This album is decent, but it's more a novelty in terms of the way the album comes off. The ladies have some chops but it doesn't completely work. I really hope they didn't try and write this in English, because if they did, start digging for bodies in the backyard now. Maybe they were low on cash and just had Babelfish translate the album, although I'm not sure what you input (in Finnish) to output (in English) themes like stealing money from widows who just killed their abusive boyfriends, peeling skin and "feeling" bones, and asking to get beat up by your drug dealer, if you started with lyrics of, say, peace, love, and understanding. Not sold yet? Example one: they try to rhyme "star" with "star" in one song. Eight times. (To be fair, it's almost the same as trying to rhyme "orange.") Example two: they try to rhyme "worry" with "sorry." Example three: they have songs called "Would You Be My Mental Big Sister, June?" and "Please Let Me Die First." And I didn't even talk about the song told through the eyes of a stuffed bear that comes to life after hours and watches television. I am running away screaming.
  Verdict: Not recommended. Sell-back pile 1.
  
  
• Donna the Buffalo - Sliverlined (2008). This was suggested by Dave, whose meetings and videos we produce. I was surprised to find out Donna the Buffalo has been around for 20 years - and Dave tells me they've got a rabid fanbase called "The Herd." I picked this album as the reviews indicated this was a good reflection of both their past and present. Now I'm admittedly not a huge jam band fan (as they were described online), which scared me, but I think that's an inadequate and facile description. They actually compare more favorably as a folk-rock (as opposed to country-rock) Drive-by Truckers - excellent musicians, multiple writers, different voices and styles on different songs, but all the while remaining true to their band's sound. I'm not sure what I was expecting; it was not something this fun, relaxing, and light. That does not mean they can't play, or that the songs don't have depth (they do); it just sounds like... well, like "summer." In the end, more poppy than I was prepared for (in a good way), and there are a few duds, but overall it's a great listen and well worth my time. And yours.
  Verdict: Highly recommended. Portable CD Case.
  
  
• Shelby Lynne - I Am Shelby Lynne (2000). Another Andrew suggestion, who clearly feels I need some country music "cultcha." Very vocally aggressive -- it surprised me from the start -- and more soulful than I expected. It's pretty eclectic and it's very, very good. I'm glad I did not go in with any preconceptions; it was a much nicer surprise that way. Definitely worth a listen; I'd compare her voice to Bonnie Raitt, with a much wider range and more effortless delivery. If you're like me, you'll be hooked by the time you hit "Why Can't You Be?" And by the time you hit "Dreamsome," you'll realize why: it's her world, and you're just listening to it.
  Verdict: Highly recommended. Portable CD Case.
  
  
• MGMT - Oracular Spectacular (2007). This one was not requested by Andrew, but he instigated the process by sending me a video for the single "Time to Pretend," which is a spectacular throwback track that vaguely reminds me of The Stone Roses (in vibe more so than music). I took a shot that the album would follow suit.; unfortunately, the rest of the album is pretty boring and a little full of itself. At times, it's an unfortunate mishmash of what sounds like spectacularly talented musicians all playing against each other. I'm not sure I can declare a winner of that battle, but I can declare the loser: me, for having bought the album.
  Verdict: Find an mp3 of "Time to Pretend". Pass on the album. Sell-back pile 1.
  
  
• Motörhead - Overkill (1979). Yes, yet another Motörhead post. This one was suggested by Dirt Mall's Johnny Anguish. I had decided going in I only needed one Motörhead album; and at first, it did sound too much like Ace of Spades for me, so it looked like I was off the hook. But by the time I hit the end of the album I couldn't rightfully put it in Sell-back pile 1; the b-sides (included on the re-mastered version, along with two (!) versions of their cover of "Louie, Louie") hooked me. I am a sucker. This one is a keeper.
  Verdict: Recommended after Ace of Spades. CD Rack.
  
  
• The Screaming Blue Messiahs - Bikini Red (1987), Totally Religious (1989). Liz lent me some tapes from the late '70's and early '80's, and thought I'd be into these guys. She was right. My much more clever comments on the band are here; these albums are both very good. The Messiahs are a UK band obsessed with America... so think of them as a rockabilly, remarkably less successful U2. And without the longevity of the Irish boys. These are fun albums that a niche audience will love.
  Verdict: Recommended, but these are long out of print; Bikini Red is better but tougher to find. I wouldn't go overboard to pay for either unless you've heard/love the band - hopefully the albums will be re-released someday. Both go into the Portable CD Case.
  
  
• Dusty Springfield - Dusty in Memphis (1969). Well, Andrew certainly has a lot of suggestions, now doesn't he? Of course, he has excellent musical taste, so it's tough to go wrong with them. Sadly, going in I knew the name Dusty Springfield (born Mary Isabel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien), but couldn't tell you a thing she ever did. This album is not my cup of tea; that should not necessarily discourage you. Clearly she has a great voice and the songs are well put together... I'm just not into it. I didn't realize she sang "Son of a Preacher Man," which is a great song. If you liked the original, you'll probably be interested in the Rhino re-release, which includes 14 additional tracks, 10 of which were "previously unissued."
  Verdict: I can't recommend it, but you may love it. For me, Sell-back pile 1.
  
  
• Prinzhorn Dance School - Prinzhorn Dance School (2007). The only reason I'm writing this blog is Yves' challenge to me at his going-away party, and thus when he makes a request I am honor-bound to respect it. Plus he introduced me to Love of Diagrams, who I love. The liner notes state: "This record is meant to be played loud." When you hear the album, you understand why. It's minimalist in the tradition of Young Marble Giants, which would be the only minimalist album I own. Well, before listening to this album at least. I am not a minimalist fan, but this is truly, truly outstanding. IMHO, they are the best pretenders to the YMG throne in the 30 years since Collossal Youth came out. This is not for everyone, but don't be scared by the minimalist tag: it's a great album.
  Verdict: Highly recommended. Car CD Changer album.
  
  
• Wilco - Sky Blue Sky (2007). BFF Becky told me to check this one out. She does not know I am not a Wilco fan at all, despite a) numerous attempts to get into them, b) prodding by Sean, AND 3) liking both Uncle Tupelo and Gob Iron. Well, this is an interesting album - I have to admit that I did enjoy it. There still is something here I just can't come to grips with and totally embrace, but it's my first "in" with this band; we'll have to see if repeated listens opens that up even further. Good call, Becky!
  Verdict: Recommended, and I'd like to hear what Wilco fans think. CD Rack.

- Snilch

New Music, 2007-2008 - Part 3

Yes! The third of three parts. Onward:

• Burnt Fur - Unfurl (2008). I listened to their tunes on their myspace page, and was duly impressed. So I figured it was worth the plunge to get the album. Describing themselves as Electro/New Wave/Experimental (and who am I to argue?), this Boston band's release is a tale of two albums: there's the half that sounds good, and there's the half that doesn't. When they are good: great mix of guitar, keyboard, and vocals that blend together. When they are not: the music and vocals don't jibe, and/or the music nudges over the fine line between "not complicated" and "simplistic." Overall, it's a nice listen, but you're clearly slumming. It's terrible in the car; it's good on my office boombox. Tracks 1, 3, 6, and 8 are, respectively, pedestrian; not bad but not good, and therefore not good; ripping off a band who was, in turn, already ripping off Nine Inch Nails; and awful. Tracks 2, 4, 5, 7, and 9 are, respectively, reminiscent of very early Ministry and therefore decent; pretty solid both lyrically and musically; ripping off Pearl Jam’s opening to “Corduroy,” with a solid (and original) remainder; good; and why I bought the album. There's something here, just not enough of it, or enough variation.
  Verdict: It's close. Recommended for the five tracks that are good. CD Rack.

• The Cribs - Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever (2008). These guys are the real deal -- excellent musicians, smart lyricists, and thoughtful arrangers. Three is the magic number here. Three brothers from England, this is there third album and it boasts three great (and I mean great) tracks: the angular "Men's Needs"; the cacophonous "Ancient History" (chorus: "I drag up ancient history/Hope that they'll forgive me"); and the spoken word missive "Be Safe" (which features Lee Renaldo of Sonic Youth). And the rest of the songs are either good or very good. The production is excellent -- they get a dynamic mix of sounds out of all of their songs, despite the standard rock instrumental setups. Quite impressive. They seem to be approaching alternative rock at its logical extension, and I think they've got a serious future ahead of them.
  Verdict: Highly recommended. You're damn right this is a Car CD Changer album.

• Crooked Fingers - Forfeit/Fortune (2008). Eric Bachmann, the frontman and sole songwriter for this outfit, is pretty prolific to be flying under the radar: between Archers of Loaf, Barry Black, his solo work, and Crooked Fingers, he has now released sixteen albums and EP's since 1993. Not bad for a guy still living out of his car. Of those sixteen, I'd only call two pedestrian: his soundtrack Short Careers in 2001, and this effort. Neko Case injects some life into the last song on the album, but by then it's too late. Not bad, just not great. I'd characterize it as "pretty bland."
  Verdict: Not recommended. I'll keep it in my CD Rack out of respect to the man, but expect it to be gone by the next culling. The Archers of Loaf albums Icky Mettle and White Trash Heroes, Barry Black albums Barry Black and Tragic Animal Stories, and Crooked Fingers s/t debut are better places to start than this.

• Millencolin - Machine 15 (2008). The eighth album by everyone's favorite Scandanavian skatepunks. Usually their albums consist of one or two mind-blowing tunes and the rest not hitting the mark, but here they are a little less aggressive and a little more consistent, which makes the album a nice listen front-to-back and surprisingly solid as a whole.
  Verdict: Recommended. Portable CD Case.

• The Roots - Rising Down (2008). The veteran Philadelphia jazz-rap outfit is back, following up on 2006's brilliant Game Theory. Evan tried to get me to listen to these guys for years, and I can see why. This is very solid, although it's a little more mellow and a little less aggressive musically, and thus I prefer Game Theory.
  Verdict: Recommended. CD Rack.

• Bruce Springsteen - Magic (2007). I heard "Radio Nowhere" and loved the song -- Bruce is back! So I bought the album... and not so much, unfortunately. Great song, though.
  Verdict: Not recommended. Sell-back pile 1.

• Tapes 'N Tapes - Walk It Off (2008). Following up on their impressive 2005 debut The Loon, the boys clean up their sound with an overly produced effort. Sometimes production makes an album (like The Cribs, above); sometimes it completely takes the edge of the music and sanitizes it in a horrible, horrible way, wringing the life out of the music until the sponge is dry. You may have guessed -- this is the latter. It's just too clean; there are a few excellent songs here, but they rest have been polished to death. Did I mention I loved their debut?
  Verdict: Not recommended. Sell-back pile 1.

• Weezer - Red Album (2008). Now the first thing with this album is to listen to it in the correct order -- start with track 3 ("Pork and Beans"), play it straight through to the end, then play the first two tracks; "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived" is a final track if I've ever heard one, but an odd choice for the second track of the album. Their track ordering choices are not good, but otherwise this is their best album since Pinkerton. "Pork and Beans" is absolutely fantastic, which always helps; the rest of the songs seem really autobiographical, which in this case works. It's really remarkably good, especially since (IMHO) they launched three bombs in a row before this one. It's an impressive return to form -- classic Weezer, which inevitably is good sounding, guilty pleasure rock. They do what they do, and they do it well.
  Verdict: Recommended. Portable CD Case.

• Wire - Object 47 (2008). Wire's story follows a bit like the Buzzcocks: Wire released three seminal albums in the late 70's, went on hiatus, then released some tired-sounding albums from the mid-80's and early 90's before re-forming at the beginning of this decade. (Granted, in the Buzzcocks case they had a longer layoff to the early 90's, and a shorter time to reforming early this decade, but you get the idea.) Here's the difference between the two: the Buzzcocks have not been able to recapture the magic, but Wire has. At a Buzzcocks show, you feel the electricity through the old songs, and the lack thereof in the new ones; at a Wire show, it's a blur of electricity, front to back, no matter what era is being played. And this album is great. Anchored by the three great tracks ("One of Us," "Perspex Icon," and "All Fours", the latter starring Page Hamilton from Helmet), this album is a good listen. They're art rock at its finest, and have proven they still have their game after all these years, despite guitarist Bruce Gilbert leaving the band. Close your eyes -- you'll think it's a lost classic.
  Verdict: Highly recommended. Car CD Changer.

- Snilch

New Music, 2007-2008 - Part 2

Part Two of our look at new music. Onward:

• The Black Watch - Icing the Snow Queen (2008). One of my all-time favorite groups -- it's just too bad that no one has ever heard of them. They have an amazing story, which will have to wait until their next album, but here's a quick synopsis: The Black Watch (essentially John Andrew Fredrick and J'Anna Jacoby) had ten releases over a 14-year period, before Jacoby left to tour with Rod Stewart (!), leaving Fredrick on his own to release four albums and one EP since 2003. It has felt like a bad breakup; of the four post-Jacoby albums, this is closest to the classic Black Watch sound. Think The Cure meets My Bloody Valentine with pop sensibilities. I may enjoy Tattermedallion a little more this one in the post-Jacoby era, but this album is really nice -- if you like your music a little folkier, this is a great place to start with your first Black Watch album. And if this were a breakup, I think Fredick has finally been able to push past it.
  Verdict: Highly recommended. This album, Amphetamines, The King of Good Intentions, Lime Green Girl, Tattermedallion... I just named five of my favorite albums. Get one of them if you can find them (although Lime Green Girl is probably the best place to start). Portable CD Case "with privileges."
  
  
• The B-52's - Funplex (2007). Hard to believe, but this is only their seventh album, and the first since 1992's Good Stuff. As usual,The B-52's bring incredible harmonies to the table to contrast with Fred Schneider's delivery (his best line: "I am a fully eroticized being!"). This does not feel like an album that they've been creating for 16 years, more like picking up where they left off with Cosmic Thing: danceable, poppy, quirky fun. No huge hits here, but enjoyable.
  Verdict: Recommended. CD Rack.
  
  
• CSS - Donkey (2008). Album #2 from everyone's favorite Brazilian dance troupe finds the band adding a little more musical oomph to their sound, with mixed results. My favorite song is "How I Became Paranoid," which properly marries indie rock sensibilities, pop harmonies, and a dance beat (I give it an 89, Dick!) into a great pop song. That's a really tough thing to create. If they continue on this trajectory, I would not be surprised if their next album was landmark in quality. Still, this album is very very good and quite a fun listen. Hop on while they're still incubating.
  Verdict: Recommended. Portable CD Case.
  
  
• Nerf Herder - IV (2008). Most famous for writing the title theme for the TV show "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," the nerd indie rock boys are back. They've always struck me as being on the cusp of something really great, but that promise has never translated into a great album. That's the case here once again -- bits and bobs are decent, but the songs themselves are just lacking. I think they want to be this generation's Devo; they need to be smarter both musically and lyrically to get there.
  Verdict: Not recommended. Pile of death.
  
  
• R.E.M. - Accelerate (2008). Let me start by stating that I am not an R.E.M. fan. I associate old R.E.M. (i.e.,1983-87, the I.R.S. records) with visiting my brother at Kenyon College in the early 90's -- that was the vibe of the campus and it seemed like we heard them everywhere we went. I associate Green (e.g., "Orange Crush," "Stand," "Pop Song '89") with my freshman year in college; when I hear anything from Out of Time (e.g., "Losing My Religion," "Shiny Happy People"), I think of my senior year in college. And when I hear anything else (1992-2007), I think of a band that lost its way (i.e., crap). This album makes me think of Kenyon. It's not quite as jangly as that era but it has that vibe. No real "hits" here, but I like this better than anything since Out of Time. Minus the regrettable last song, I think they've done what U2 has failed to do: recapture their magic from the 80's. (IMHO, of course!)
  Verdict: Recommended. Portable CD Case.
  
  
• Sloan - Parallel Play (2008). Sloan was on a bit of a run: the career compilation A-Sides Win was fantastic, the follow-up Never Hear the End of It (reviewed here) was absolutely great -- the best, most consistent album they've ever done -- and the show that followed it was a great mix of their new and old material. Their show on this tour (reviewed here) was a step back; Parallel Play (reviewed... well, I guess right here) is a further drop-off. I would not be surprised if these were castoffs from the aforementioned NHTEOI sessions... two excellent songs, the rest completely pedestrian and sadly disappointing.
  Verdict: Not recommended. Sell-back pile 1.
  
  
• TV on the Radio - Dear Science (2008). When Scott and I saw these guys at the Boston Music Awards a few years ago, we were blown away by the first couple of songs, then not so much by the rest. And their Return to Cookie Mountain album (although it was universally praised) just didn't move me. But I heard something in their music that I liked, so when Chris Dahlen's review for Pitchfork said this was catchier than their previous albums, I felt I needed to take the plunge. And this is very good. It's like Bad Brains decided to mellow out and try to mimic Prince; at other times that have moments that recall Morphine, Hybrasil, or The Michael Stanley Band. (Okay, the latter is quite a stretch, but I couldn't resist the reference.) This may not be exactly up my alley, but it is really good. Headphones or big stereo listen for this one for sure.
  Verdict: Recommended. CD Rack.

- Snilch

New Music, 2007-2008 - Part 1

I'm sure most people want to know what new music I'm listening to -- that's usually what they ask me about as a starter. To be honest, I've done a pretty piss-poor job of spelling that out lately; so I'm going to make up for it and play catch-up with a bunch of albums from 2007 and 2008.

I'd like to make one general comment before beginning: the radio is terrible, and the current state of music is extremely pedestrian. There is a little voice in my head that keeps saying, "Guitar music is done, something else is next," but I can't see what or who that might be. This has been an incredibly stagnant decade for pretty much all forms of music, and thus nothing I'm going to review over the next few posts is revolutionary by any means. There is a lot of good music out there, just not the next Nirvana or My Bloody Valentine.

That being said... I've heard a lot of very good music this year, so I really shouldn't complain. Yet I still do. Ah, poor Mrs. Snilch Report...

In alphabetical order:

• The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible (2007). Now when I asked for any thoughts on this album last year, what I got back was resounding silence. So when I saw the album cheap, I figured I would give it a shot. This album is very good; it's just that their first (Funeral) was epic. And this is not. If you've never heard Funeral, it's similar to listening to U2's October without hearing Boy: on its own, it's a very good album; when compared with Boy, its warts begin to show. A couple of classic songs, but I'll pick up Funeral again nine times out of ten over this one.
  Verdict: Recommended. Portable CD Case.
  
  
• Battles - Mirrored (2007). At times this sounds like a demented version of Jesus Christ Superstar; other times it sounds like Mars Volta. In either case it's a highly pleasing cacophony of sound.
  Verdict: Recommended. CD Rack.
  
  
• The Big Sleep - Sleep Forever (2008). At that start, it appears this is album plodding and full of itself; the first three songs are instrumental. By the time the album hits track 5, the brilliant "Pinkies," it's apparent that this is more of a single thought stretched over the glorious map of an album. There's a wistfulness and an epic quality to their ambitions as a group that come through -- a little shoegazer, a little prog rock, and even a little stoner rock. (Okay, light stoner rock.) A little slow at times, and it feels longer than it really is, but still... Winner. Winner. Winner.
  Verdict: Recommended. Car CD Changer.
  
  
• British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music? (2008). Album #3 from this English band, still trying to measure up to their impressive debut album from 2003, The Decline of British Sea Power. I like this album but it overstays its welcome a tad. It sounds very familiar, very safe, very 80's -- it's very "pleasant" music. Probably would be perfect to impress your new potential girlfriend or boyfriend that you're hip, while safe (i.e., not living in your mother's basement planning horrible revenge on people who wronged you in the fifth grade). Great for doing dishes or playing in the background while you're doing something else. I know it sounds like I'm damning this album with faint praise -- I like it more than that. Sort of. How about this: I'm glad I bought it.
  Verdict: Recommended. CD Rack.
  
  
• M83 - Saturdays = Youth (2008). After the bomb that was Digital Shades Volume 1, I honestly wasn't sure whether M83 would ever touch the heights of Before the Dawn Healed Us. This one is not quite there, but it's a step in the right direction. This has a depth and a vibe to it that DSV1 did not; I don't like primarily keyboard music unless it can capture a spacey/dreamy aspect while having at least a slight edge. This does. I will still be enjoying this in ten years.
  Verdict: Recommended. Portable CD Case.
  
  
• Jay Reatard - Matador Singles '08 (2008). This is a CD compilation of a series of limited edition 7"s released by Matador this year. If you don't know his work... well, let's just say Jay Reatard amuses me -- he writes bent pop songs. Great disc but definitely not for everyone. Generally pretty simple musically and lyrically; think Andrew W.K. with more wit and musical chops. He's mid-tempo indie/pop/punk rock... tough to absolutely classify, which is reason #212 I like him.
  Verdict: Recommended. Portable CD Case.
  
  
• Teddy Thompson - A Piece of What You Need (2008). This is Teddy's third album (fourth if you count his album of country covers), and his best one yet. The only son of Richard and Linda Thompson, this album sees Teddy sounding absolutely confident, and surprisingly establishing his identity as a crooner. Think Eric Matthews meets Jens Lekman. Not my kind of music but my kind of album. I find myself shocked that he's progressed this far in such a short period of time. It's nice to hear him find his voice and his own identity outside of his famous folks.
  Verdict: Recommended. Almost CD Changer worthy, but ends up in the Portable CD Case.
  
  
• The Thalia Zedek Band - Liars and Prayers (2008). Thalia Zedek has been fronting bands in Boston since the late '70's, including Uzi and Come, and I've always felt I should like her stuff on principle... but it's never happened. This album is where I can happily meet her halfway. Sounding like Courtney Love in about another ten years of serious smoking, minus the haughtiness, Zedek has a lot more life in her. Musically, it's a standard three piece plus a viola and a piano, which sound great. Vocally, she goes for it as well -- she's got the voice of wisdom combined with the earnestness of youth. The small complaint I'd lodge would be that there is not much variation from song to song musically; but, in the end, I still feel this is an under the radar, great sounding album.
  Verdict: Recommended. Portable CD Case.

Wow... uniformly positive. How did that happen?

- Snilch

Wax Ecstatic

I'm not sure if you've heard... vinyl is back.

CD shoved past vinyl in the late 80's, relegating the survival of the format to audiophiles and DJ's; now, in what might be a "Rocky"-type comeback, vinyl may now be spelling the end of CD's.

Yes, that's right. Those same large black coasters that have existed in your domicile primarily as nostalgic references to a time gone by... are now potentially pushing their commercial successors out of business. For the first time in the last 20 years, sales of vinyl are going up significantly.

How is this possible?

This is how we got here: in the past ten years, people who wanted the flexibility of music in an electronic format have turned to mp3's, which has (for quite some time) been driving CD sales downward. As the convenience that CD's has offered has been supplanted by mp3's, the audiophile vinyl-only purists (living amongst us like recessive genes) have kept the format on life support, evangelizing that a CD could never match the richer sound quality of an album.

So now we've come to the tipping point, where audio purists are becoming a larger segment of the record/CD-buying public. Don't believe me? The next time you go into Newbury Comics, look at the vinyl section. It's growing.

But the proof is in the pudding. Having owned it for six months, it seemed like the right time to finally open the wrapper on the LP version of Bob Mould's Body of Song. I was shocked at how much fuller the sound was than on CD (the song "Paralyzed" in particular). So, a few weekends back, Scott, Bubba, and I got together to take a larger listen for ourselves. Cranking the stereo (with Mrs. Snilch Report wisely taking cover at the Jersey shore), we ended up finding that the music did sound at least as good, and often better, on LP than on CD. A few notables:

• Hüsker Dü - Warehouse: Songs and Stories. (1987) I always wondered how this band went from a small label to a major, yet saw the quality of its mastering plummet. Well, here is the answer: the CD mixes were crap, the vinyl mixes were great. I've been listening to "Could You Be the One?" for 20 years now, and swear it never sounded as good as when I heard it on record. The drums sound much less tinny, the guitar much more rounded and full -- it's almost as if the album was originally "digitally sanitized" for CD. The other Hüsker albums we sampled (Metal Circus, New Day Rising) were also better than their CD counterparts, but not as strikingly better as Warehouse was.
• The Dandy Warhols - The Dandy Warhols Come Down.(1997) This was a complete shock. I've always preferred their self-titled 1995 debut as an album front-to-back, and (confession time) I even made this CD a Sell-back Pile 1 victim. On vinyl, I was finally hearing the album as it should have been presented. It has a much fuller sound and a much better bass response than its CD counterpart, which is key to the their sound. My impression now? It's a totally dynamic album, probably CD (LP?) Car Changer worthy. I'm still in shock. I'm glad Scott brought this along, as it may have been the highlight of the day for me.
• Sleater-Kinney - Dig Me Out. (1997) This is, IMHO, S-K's tour de force in a great catalog of albums, and yet I felt like I was listening to it again for the first time on vinyl. There was great sound separation and a clear bass sound (despite the fact that they don't use a bass, but a guitar with bass pickups). You could really hear the Rubber Soul guitar sound come through very clearly on "Turn It On." A very enjoyable listen.

And I could go on and on.... In the end, our small sample size revealed the ultimate advantages of vinyl to the ear: a richer, more rounded guitar sound; better bass separation and response; and a more "forgiving" and warmer overall sound. I think it's like watching film versus video: there is something inherent in the medium that adds to the viewing/listening experience and the overall enjoyment. I've always maintained that film "emotes" to some extent; I think vinyl does the same from a sound perspective.

So I'm sold. Dig out your turntable, hook it up to your stereo, and listen for yourself. Of course, there is one drawback: great turntables haven't been in production for a number of years... I actually only have mine as a result of Sean's leaving for Portland back in the day. And even that is having some issues; I am hoping it's simply a result of not properly grounding it and thus causing my left channel to freak out. (As opposed to being an issue with my receiver, but I'm not sure how to test that precisely.) But when I get that fixed -- it's back to the vinyl. Again.

- Snilch