Latest Music Purchases...

[Thanin]

I've always wanted to appreciate Jazz more, but I just don't know how. It makes me wonder if some forms of art will always just be lost on certain people. I acknowledge how Jazz is obviously better than classical, but I just never want to listen to either.

Some of my music interest lately has been Mirah. She is in a constant state of Lo-Fi Indie, so if you like that then by all means check her music out. Be warned though: she doesn't rock out as much as she rocks in. So if you're looking for something to put you in the mood for trashing old people or blowing up small puppies, you're better off looking someplace else.

Her first release, You Think It's Like This But Really It's Like This is a nice place to start. The songs are generally on the more sweet/sentimental side, but I think it's the natural sad/subdued tinge in her voice that keeps you from feeling like you're (and she's) sick with happy. She really plays around with different styles on this one, but never loses her Lo-Fi feel.

By the way Tyler, I listened to a few of the I hadn't hear of before on your list and we Really have different taste in music.

[Tyler]

90% of what's on that list I've never heard. It's all stuff I've heard associated with stuff I've liked.

[jtmx1]

Hey Ty,

Have you heard of the Arctic Monkeys? I've been reading about them this week. I think they are pretty cool. Here is their website: arcticmonkeys.com/index.htm

[lonniemarie]

I've really been into what has been described as alt-country ie Ryan Adams, Wendy Matthews, etc. Because I've been listening to this type of music, my friend has been giving me different people to check out and see what I thought of them...one of the groups he recommended to me is called The Dedringers. Not too bad...here's a link if anyone wants to check them out...

www.myspace.com/thededringers

PS I really liked the song "What You Know"...

[rickus]

Checked out from the library last night"

1. Coldplay — Parachutes, I really like this! Especially track 6, Trouble.
2. The White Stripes — Get Behind Me Satan.
3. The White Stripes — White Stripes
4. Rhino Records — The Last Giant: The John Coltrane Anthology

rickus

[amanda]

Oo! Oo! I bought something! So now I can participate in the thread. Hooray!

Purchased from amazon.com earlier in the week:
Chotto Matte a Moment by IQU
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000C2HJ/sr=1-2/qid=1138202809/ref=pd_bbs_2/002-8682199-9972056?%5Fencoding=UTF8

Several years ago, I caught IQU (sounds like some funky ailment, doesn't it?) at a Flaming Lips show in OKC. The band consists of keyboards, stand up bass, and the dude who plays the theremin and turn tables. I took an instant liking to them. Instant, I tell ya. I even picked up their EP Girls on Dates at the show (which sounded absolutely NOTHING like what they played during their set, but was likeable just the same).

I've had Chotto Matte a Moment on my Amazon wishlist for forever and a day. I finally decided to buy it with some left over Christmas cash I had. It should arrive sometime around February (I'm cheap. I qualified for the free shipping, so I took it.). Very excited about it! I haven't had any new music in quite some time.

[Betterout]

rickus said:

1. Coldplay — Parachutes, I really like this! Especially track 6, Trouble.
...
3. The White Stripes — White Stripes

I liked both of these albums quite a bit. And while I do like the White Stripes, I think I liked the Coldplay offering a great deal more. I remember commenting at the time that they sounded a lot like radiohead-lite with "sensitive guy on the beach" lyrics. As time passes, and I hear more and more by them, and more and more of other bands imitating them, I've had to eat my words. I really just think they sound like Coldplay, and that's not bad. At any rate, this was a fine debut for anyone, and I still think it's far better than their sophomore effort. Not heard their new stuff.

Amanda said:

Several years ago, I caught IQU (sounds like some funky ailment, doesn't it?) at a Flaming Lips show in OKC.

That was such a great show. Sure, the Lips were headlining, but there were a slew of other acts that night, Sonic Boom (of Spacemen 3), Robyn Hitchcock, and Sebadoh also put in an appearance. Maybe some more did, too, but those are the ones that I remember well.

As for the IQU show that night, I have to agree that it was awesome. That said, one of things I remember most about their set was the fact that the keyboard player was wearing an incredibly short skirt. At one point, she crouched down to retrieve a cord on the stage floor, and she flashed her undies at everybody. I guess I'm a real sick-o for remembering that... sorry. I can't help it: I don't ever think about sports.

[Tyler]

Urges = good.

[rickus]

My very kind sister gave me a Barnes & Noble gift card for my birthday and last night I ordered a CD with it. Of course I don't have it yet... But hey, it's on it's way.

Recently purchased: Talk Talk's Natural history. After hearing No Doubts version of It's My Life I've been looking for this album both at the library and in the stores. The gift card gave me an excuse to order it online.

Checked out from the library last night:

Patti Smith - Land (1975 - 2002) which is a 2 disc compilation. There were two of these at the Downtown branch. I picked them both up to looked at them. They both had the same CDs in them, but one reeked of (some kind of) smoke. I put the smoky one back and grabbed this one. And now I realize that this one doesn't have the liner notes in it.

The Duke Ellington Carnegie Hall Concerts, from January 1943.

[rickus]

I was so impressed by Coldplay's Parachutes, that last night I checked these titles out from the library:

1. Coldplay's - X&Y
2. Coldplay's - A Rush Of Blood To The Head
3. I also checked out Sting's - Sacred Love

[mj]

Hey, you know that song, Clocks? Yeah. I love that song.

[Betterout]

Mandy ordered me "John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band" a few weeks ago, and it came in the post yesterday. I listened to it a few times today. I wanted it for a variety of reasons. My friend and ex-bandmate Dave Murray highly recommended it, as did my "Rock Snob*s Dictionary" and "Music Hound: Rock" books. And allmusic.com, which uses the AMG ratings, gave it five stars. I have to say that, despite its high praise, I'm a little disappointed in it. That surprises me, because I really wasn't expecting the sky to shake when I listened to it. You see, I'm a big Beatles fan, but not exactly a Lennon fan. I guess I like his music well enough, but I find it a little too lackluster and sparce in comparison to the Beatles catalog, and he seems to sing about himself way, way too much. Maybe that's the problem more than anything: I'm not John Lennon, so I can't exactly relate. Yeah, like everybody else on the planet, I do like some of his biggies, like "Imagine," "Watching the Wheels," "Happy Christmas (War is Over). However, unlike many others, I draw that line to exclude "Instant Karma" and "Beautiful Boy." So, any way you slice it, I did enter into this whole Plastic Ono stuff with a little bit of trepidation.

For those of you who don't know the story behind this one, Lennon had been undergoing Walter Janov's primal scream therapy prior to the recording. This must have set off something in him that made him want to use this album as something like a document of his psychological state and also as a musical clothesline. It was his first real solo record, so he also wanted to stake his own ground and state just how through he was with the Beatles ("that's how much 'fuck fish'")--apparently this was not too much to keep him from using Ringo as the drummer. His music isn't all that different, just a lot more minimal in scope. Gone are the George Martin string arrangements, the bouncy Paul basslines, the ... well, whatever it is George did. (Oh stop you bellyaching--I love George!). Lyrically, this album is difficult. Several of the songs are about the death of his mother, including "Mother" and ... wait for it ... "My Mummy's Dead." He says a lot of hateful things about religious experience on this album, too. But it's all in good fun, right? He also screams a whole lot, and throws around a few instances of the word 'fucking.' There's a cheesy explosion sound on the end of one song. Do you know what the song is about? Yes, it's about the death of his mother.

That said, there are some moments of real muscial and lyrical genius. The songs "Isolation," "Love," and "God" all strike me as excellent songs. "Love" is lyrically the best of the set, with its touch/reach and wanting/asking/needing imagery. "God" is just John's goofy personal creed, but it's done very, very well. "Isolation" is musically my favorite. There are also two very fine rock & roll numbers, "I Found Out" and "Well Well Well." "Look at Me" may as well be "Julia," but that makes it good, 'cos "Julia" is good.

Here, read what www.allmusic.com says about it:

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
The cliché about singer/songwriters is that they sing confessionals direct from their heart, but John Lennon exploded the myth behind that cliché, as well as many others, on his first official solo record, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. Inspired by his primal scream therapy with Dr. Walter Janov, Lennon created a harrowing set of unflinchingly personal songs, laying out all of his fears and angers for everyone to hear. It was a revolutionary record -- never before had a record been so explicitly introspective, and very few records made absolutely no concession to the audience's expectations, daring the listeners to meet all the artist's demands. Which isn't to say that the record is unlistenable. Lennon's songs range from tough rock & rollers to piano-based ballads and spare folk songs, and his melodies remain strong and memorable, which actually intensifies the pain and rage of the songs. Not much about Plastic Ono Band is hidden. Lennon presents everything on the surface, and the song titles -- "Mother," "I Found Out," "Working Class Hero," "Isolation," "God," "My Mummy's Dead" -- illustrate what each song is about, and charts his loss of faith in his parents, country, friends, fans, and idols. It's an unflinching document of bare-bones despair and pain, but for all its nihilism, it is ultimately life-affirming; it is unique not only in Lennon's catalog, but in all of popular music. Few albums are ever as harrowing, difficult, and rewarding as John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band.

[rickus]

I neglected to post my most recently checked out CDs on Friday. I'll be returning them tomorrow and getting a few new ones, but here's the list.

Peter Gabriel's - Long walk home: music from the motion picture Rabbit Proof Fence. (A lot of what sounds like whale song on this. I was kind of confused.)

Peter Gabriel's - Passion: music for The Last Temptation of Christ. (I liked this though I could never explain why. There is very little in the way of rock or pop music on it. It's mostly traditional middle eastern instrumental music with a lot of chanting thrown in for good measure.)

Peter Gabriel's - Up (A lot of the music and vocals on this CD felt influenced by Trent Reznor. That made me sad. Peter Gabriel made [in my opinion] some of the best music of the 80's. And while I didn't expect his style to stay stuck in the muck of the past, I didn't expect the very Reznor like sounds to explode out of the speakers. The first track, Darkness would have been very much at home on Pretty Hate Machine. Of course, I know no one composes in a vacuum, and that we grab on to some influences, and are grabbed by others, I would expect someone with the history and talent of Peter Gabriel to be more subtle in how much that influence shows in his work.)

George Winston's - Linus & Lucy, The Music of Vince Guaraldi

Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack Chocolate. (This was for Katie)

[rickus]

I'm not going to change my earlier post, but please disregard the part about the Peter Gabriel album UP. I'm listening to it again, am at the 3rd track, and I already don't agree with what I wrote about it.

[Thanin]

Rick, when you wrote that about 'Up' and how parts of it sound like NIN, I had to check it out. Even having read your post, I was shocked by how 'Darkness' is nothing but Reznor. But I suspect that this was nothing more than an attempt at making a single for the radio to help sell the CD. Gabriel always did this in the past didn't he? I think 'Steam', 'Big Time' and 'Sledgehammer' are some glaring examples of this. Unfortunately I think Mr. Gabriel was a little too out of touch with the newest generation to make this little trick work for 'Up'.

[Jeff]

Gabriel's Up got a very bad rap. It was dismissed by the critics. Rolling Stone only gave it two out of five stars ( www.rollingstone.com/artists/petergabriel/albums/album/88409/rid/6067727/ ) and said that Gabriel "never sounded more out of touch."

Part of the problem is the way Gabriel labored over these songs. The CD took him 10 years to make, and he worked on it almost continuously. He recorded sometimes as many as 10 or 20 versions of the same song working and reworking them until they sounded just like he wanted. 10 years is a long time. In 1993 the Barry Williams Show would have been a biting satire of current events. But in 2002 its observations seem almost childish. As you said, Rick, Darkness sounds like it is influenced by NIN. Try to imagine the song released in 1994 or 1995. It would have been very innovative. In 2002, when Up was released the sound had come and gone and diffused itself into such no talent bands as Linkin Park and their ilk.

I read Pitchfork reviews; they're mostly hip ( www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/g/gabriel_peter/up.shtml ). They give it a 7.2/10, which is almost exactly what I'd give the CD. (I do think that the Pitchfork reviewer is a little hard on "More than This," which is serviceable Gabriel.)

Not the greatest CD in the world. But I do think there is a lot to like on it.

[Jeff]

I really like the following lyrics from Up:

From “Darkness”:
walking through the undergrowth, to the house in the woods
the deeper i go, the darker it gets
i peer through the window
knock at the door
and the monster i was
so afraid of
lies curled up on the floor
is curled up on the floor just like a baby boy

i cry until i laugh

from “No Way Out”:
i remember how you held the goldfish
swimming around in a plastic bag
swimming around in a plastic bag

you held it up so high
in the bright lights of the fair
it slipped and fell
we looked everywhere

from “I Grieve”:
and life carries on and on and on and on
life carries on and on and on

did I dream this belief?
or did i believe this dream?
now i can find relief
i grieve

from “More than This”:
nothing fades as fast as the future
and nothing clings like the past

from “The Drop”:
watching as the sun goes down
i sit inside this plane
notice how the city lights
are like the nerves inside the brain

one by one
they're going out
you watch them dim

one by one

you watch them fall
and wonder where they're falling to

[rickus]

I left off Monday saying I was in the process of rethinking my evaluation of Up. I didn't want to leave off without putting up something about it. I'm hurriedly typing this out at work so I apologize for all of the typos.

UP

I first listened to this CD when Katie and I were driving back from Tulsa Saturday night. I nearly wrecked when the sound from Darkness exploded out of the speakers . This probably tainted my view of the album overall. When typed my hurried review Monday, I had only listened to the album that one time. But had already begun to question my opinion about it. So I popped it in again and as I said in my second post, by song three realized I had judged it a little too hastily. Having listened to the album now 12 times in the last 3 days, I think I can give an honest contemplative opinion. The Music is good, and of course the vocals are wonderful. But when it doesn't work it really doesn't work. I'm confused by the way the songs are arranged. I'm not sure what the story he's trying to tell is. The first three songs are layered with fear and self analysis. Then two very personal songs about someone's demise. Immediately followed by The Berry William's Show? Many of the songs don't seem to know how to end. Growing Up has a 40 second fade that makes your index finger itch to hit the skip button. And then songs like My Head Sounds Like That and More Than This end in odd instrumental meanderings that don't aid the song at all. But in the end I come away liking Up. But not the way I want to.

DARKNESS - I think my earlier criticism still stands on this one, with one small amendment. Some years back Jeff told me that the beach boys had recorded sever versions of the song Good Vibrations, and couldn't decide which version they liked best so they put them all in the final cut. I can't hear that song now without picking out the different cuts. While I don't think that's what Gabriel did hear, that's the way it feels. There are moments when we get angry Reznor like synthesizer screeches with an altered metallic voice, immediately followed by soothing piano with vocals almost at a whisper. I've read the lyrics and understand the motive for the duality in the song. But I don't think it works. And this is sad for me, because I think it could have been a good song. But the style pendulum is swinging way too wide here, and the "Fear" portions of the song are executed badly.

Growing Up - This song is slow to get started considering where it is going. Whe are a full minute into the song before we get to the meat of it. Growing up opens with an a simple string and piano combination with Gabriel's voice kind of "setting the stage." Then we get to classic Gabriel, with tempo, beat and arrangement is more reminiscent of his earlier Top 40 works like Big Time.

Sky Blue - This mournful song is one of my favorites. It too is slow to get started, but then the whole song is slow and full of a sort of tired course working in the background under Gabriel that gives it a sort of black Baptist spiritual feel. But my favorite part is the tinny guitar that comes in throughout but used sparingly. It gives just enough country twang to feel... The only word that comes to mind is "Real." I don't know what else to say, except good song.

No Way Out & I Grieve - These songs are sad, in the way that only Peter Gabriel can create a sad song that oddly still leaves you feeling hopeful. I have no idea what these two songs are about. I'm pretty sure that someone has been gravely hurt in No Way Out, dies and we then get I Grieve. The lyrics leave the feeling that I should know who these songs are about. Gabriel kind of hints at this a bit with the lyric: "The news that truly shocks is the empty empty page" These are both good examples of how his music can stir the emotions. They seem very personal and I got the sense of being almost voyeuristic listening to them. Sad music, but well done.

The Berry Williams Show - Yes Jeff. It's observations almost seem childish. But none the less valid. Today's reality TV programing is just as vile as it was in 92, maybe more so. I don't know how many singles were released from the album, but I know this one was. It seems an inappropriate song to stick out there to generate sales. What songs on this album would have done better, I couldn't say. I do like the song though. It's a very Shock The Monkey kind of song. It's too bad that it fell on deaf ears.

My Head Sounds Like That - I think this may be the weakest song on the album. It's slow, cryptic, and sad. But I don't know why. The lyric I like the best is: "The moment's come and go like water, I try to hold them but they're fading." It bothers me that this is the best lyric in the song. I'm tired of water being used as an analogy for life, time, memory etc. That's is probably more of a statement about me than of the song but I probably wouldn't have said it if the lyric were comfortably tucked into other lyrics that held as much weight. This song feels hollow and doesn't have a story. And the last 40 seconds of the song are some crazy kind of siren-horn thing that reminded me of the Beetle's for reasons I am clueless about.

More Than This - This is the best song on the album. That said, I think it was mixed badly. The music drops off at the beginning of the chorus, and I felt pensive waiting for the music to be let go again. I think that's what keeps the song from being single worthy. But the percussion, guitar and synth when they're allowed to be heard really are wonderfully energetic, and could have carried the song just fine throughout.

Signal to Noise - This is my second favorite song. It has almost everything I love about Peter Gabriel rolled up into it. He's always been very comfortable incorporating "traditional ethnic" vocals into his music and I've always like that. This song is no exception with what sounds like some kind of middle eastern yodel. He also includes a lot of strings like violin and cello. You may be gong "Hugh?" But it really is put together well. At about 4:30 the percussion is cut loose, with a wonderful heart beat rhythm, the strings bring to song to a crescendo at 5:30. And the song explodes into a very satisfying emotional completeness. The songs down fall is that it takes so long to get that point. This song is a good example of where I would have expected Peter Gabriel to have gone in his style.

The Drop - Water again. It's done much better here though. The shortest song on the album, it's just him and a piano. There's no effects on Gabriel's voice and you realize that he's not the young man who belted out Sledge Hammer any more. I think the song's about people that aren't in our lives anymore, and what has happened to them. I like the fact that it's at the end. It causes me to reflect back to the beginning of the album to the songs Growing Up and Sky Blue which I thought were about trying to escape attachment. I'm not sure why, but it reminds me of the scene in Blade Runner where Roy (Rutger Hauer) dies. It's very sad and pretty and before you know it, it's over.

[rickus]

Recently checked out from the library:

Peter Gabriel's - Hit (when I request CDs from the library I am at the mercy of others as to when they come in. I requested this CD compilation at the same time as the other Peter Gabriel albums. I have no idea why I felt the need to tell you that. But I did.)

Eurythmics - Peace
Eurythmics - Greatest Hits
David Bowie's - Heathen

[rickus]

Checked out from the library last night:

The Bangles - Greatest Hits. This was actually for Kyle, who has been banned from the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Library system for vandalism. He wouldn't go into details, but apparently 5 years ago he checked out The Joy of Lesbian Sex, and in true Dadaist fashion put mustaches on all of the women in the illustrations. He entered the book in The Senior Art Show at UCO where the Directing Supervisor of the Edmond Library saw the book, made some inquiries and got Kyle into a lot of trouble with the University and the Edmond Police.

After much unwanted attention from local newspapers and television stations, he says he didn't have to go to jail, was allowed to graduate, had to pay for the book, and was banned from possessing a library card for the next 10 years. Beyond this he wouldn't say much. Apparently it's still kind of a touchy subject. Hey Kyle, only 5 more years to go.