Dancing gets me into trouble. I was dancing after my youth and my body showed me what for. Then, that love thang, that illusion created by a lifetime of Raspberries and Badfinger songs, did another kind of dance. Oh, that’s precious. Start over.
Hey what a great fucking year. The war is going well, love was in the air, I lost weight and my hair grew back. Oh, and the music, ..honestly, every year is great.
Push on. You know, there is always good music, you just have to look, like a pig searching for truffles. I got bored with some of my usual favorites. One, Calexico, released an unlistenable record, and then there was that Dylan thing… Some old faves surprised me, though.
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1. Yo La Tengo -“I AM NOT AFRAID OF YOU AND I WILL BEAT YOUR ASS”
I love its inconsistency, leaping from genre to genre but always sounding like themselves.
Can you tell my heart’s not in this? It’s in a car heading west.
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2. Nina Nastasia – “ON LEAVING”
Perfectly sad. “Settling Song” would make me cry if I didn’t sell my soul for a year of good luck.
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3. Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan – “BALLAD OF THE BROKEN SHIPS”
Her previous solo stuff was beyond wispy, but here she presents a Sinatra/Hazelwood fot the new Dark Ages. Lanegan’s voice gets richer and deeper every year. Don’t let ’em tell ya cigarettes are bad for you, Mark.
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4. Six Organs Of Admittance – “THE SUN AWAKENS”
He should write the soundtrack to the remake of “Zabriskie Point.”
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5.Jon Langford (Double Header) – “NASHVILLE RADIO” / “GOLD BRICK”
The first is a CD that comes with a book of Langford’s art. Acoustic versions of solo, Mekons,and Waco tunes showcase Langford’s biting wit and gift for melody. “Gold Brick” is another solid coliection of originals, with some overly busy piano, though. Nice cover of “A Salty Dog” and killer show last spring.
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6.DarkMeat – “UNIVERSAL INDIAN”
23 piece band making a lot of rucus, like Dream Syndicate with sloppy horns and a drunken choir.
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7. Carla Bozulich – “EVANGELISTA”
Like a roadside preacher with her skin torn off. Lovely version of Low’s “Pissing”
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8. Neil Young and Crazy Horse – “LIVE AT THE FILLMORE”
Higher? Should be higher? Yeah. His anti-war record sounded tired. This is the shit.
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9. Okley Hall – “GYPSUM STRINGS”
Heartland rock out of Brooklyn, with a little Pentangle thrown in.
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10. The New Sound Of Numbers – “LIBERTY SEEDS”
Critics gotta have their comparisons, and and here are mine:Raincoats, Eno,Young Marble Giants,the B-52’s.
Thank fuck, now I can just list stuff.
11. A Hawk and a Hacksaw – “THE WAY THE WIND BLOWS”
12.Black Angels – “PASSOVER”
13. Jay Reatard – “BLOOD VISIONS”
14. Bonnie Prince Billy – “THE LETTING GO” Limited Edition with Extra Disc
15. Howe Gelb – “SNO-ANGEL”
16. V/A- “CONGOTRONICS 2 “
17. Sonic Youth – “RATHER RIPPED”
18. Neko Case – “FOX CONFESSOR”
19. Gob Iron – “DEATH SONGS”
20. Ali Farka Toure – “SAVANE”
Other stuff:
Cat Power – “THE GREATEST” | | | | OM – “CONFERENCE OF THE BIRDS” | | | | Akron Family – “MEEK WARRIOR” | | | | MV/EE and the Bummer Road – “MOTHER OF THOUSANDS” | | | | Acid Mother Temple – “HAVE YOU SEEN THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SKY?” | | | | The Handsome Family – “LAST DAYS OF WONDER” | | | | Pere Ubu – “WHY I HATE WOMEN” | | | | The Drones – “GALA MILL” | | | | Mudhoney – “UNDER A BILLION SUNS” | | | | White Magic – “DAT ROSA MEL APIBUS” | | | | OOIOO – “TAIGA”
Vault stuff:
Tropicalia comp. News From Babel, Beefheart, Jennifer Gentle, Pavement, Green Arrows.
Mild letdown:
Bert Jansch – “BLACK SWAN” Guest stars and
one lame attempt at a rock protest song cut into a third of what could have been a great record.
Big letdown:
New Dylan. Lame ass bar band. Half baked visionary blather should be couched in more interesting music.
Elvis Costello and Alien Toussaint. Has Diana totally neutered Elvis. Blah.
Didn’t see a lot of flicks, and most were so overhyped I could only shrug my shoulders. Most have good performances , though
“BABEL” – “NOTES ON A SCANDALL” – “LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE” – “THE DEPARTED” – “THE QUEEN” – “LITTLE CHILDREN”
I did like “THE PROPOSITION” “BROTHERS OF THE HEAD” and “CASINO ROYALE.”
Really, I’d rather just rewatch “40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN.”
Oh yeah, “BORAT?” An amusing enough skit one step above the Jerky Boys and Jackass.
I forgot stuff, but fuck it. Except, if it wasn’t for WFMU I’d be throwing shit at the walls.