Chris Larry tuned me onto this Japanese only release which is like a classic Matthew Sweet album from the early 90's - a number of really catchy songs and amazing hooks. Somewhere, Spike Priggen is creaming himself.
Ray Charles - In Concert, 1958-1976
Everytime I hear his voice, I still get a thrill. The stuff from the late 50's and 60's drives me insane with pleasure.
The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan, 2005
Some great songs, some mediocres ones. I still love the fact that such a huge band set the restraints on themselves (written and recorded within 2 weeks if you believe them) that they did with this record and I love the marimba!
Duke Ellington - The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse, 1971
This was recorded only three years before his death, but Duke still was looking for new statements to make. I also love that he quotes Marshall McLuhan at the beginning of the recording.
Teenline #101: All American Powerpop
Holy shit! 26 tracks of late 70's/ early 80's powerpop from across this great land of ours!
Holiday - Cafe Reggio, 1997
Who would win in a fight between Holiday and the Beautiful South in a battle of the wimpiest bands ever? PD Heaton is kind of scrappy.
Holiday
The Beautiful South
Well?
The Kills - No Wow, 2005
PJ Harvey can't get enough of her To Bring You My Love, becomes inspired by The White Stripes and decides to start a new band that sucks. And I mean sucks.
Sons and Daughters - Love the Cup, 2004
Sons and Daughters - The Repulsion Box, 2005
PJ Harvey can't get enough of her To Bring You My Love, becomes inspired by The White Stripes and decides to start a new band that is mediocre. And somewhere, Gordon Gano loves it.
2004 Teenbeat Sampler
Johnny Cohen is still putting out crappy music! And Evelyn has taken a major step down from Blast Off Country Style.
Neil Young - American Stars ‘N Bars, 1977
Why don't I own more Neil Young? Thank you Chris Larry for continuing to recommend which Young albums I should buy.
Charles Mingus - Oh Yeah, 1962
Mingus remains the one jazz musician whose songs give me the same kick in the pants that a great rock song does. The presence of Roland Kirk and Mingus' crazed vocals make this one of my all time favorites.
Grandaddy - Signal to Snow Ratio, 1999
Wow, 1999 seems like a long time ago when you listen to this. I can't argue that music was better then.
Bruce Springsteen - Devils and Dust, 2005
The seventy year-old secretary at my school is obsessed with Springsteen and lent me this CD. The title track is great, the rest is okay, but no matter what, it is better than the shit that is The Rising.
Spoon - Gimme Fiction, 2005
I just don't get the hype about this band. Decent, but definitely not earthshattering.
Joan Jett - Black Leather and a Black Heart
A best of made by Jeremy that hits the right spot. The official title of her greatest hits should be the title of this disc.
Sir Douglas Quintet - Mendocino, 1969
Stone Groove's boyfriend's great record of a true stone groove. Every song is a gem.
Fruit Bats - Spelled in Bones, 2005
So melodic, pretty, and great. One of three CDs that I've come across recently that have a song on it titled "Born in the 70's."
Super Furry Animals - Radiator, 1999
Some bands are album bands as opposed to single bands. This band is a whole collection kind of band.
Divine Comedy - Regeneration
Sorry, Bowles but this album didn't do that much for me. Weasel and Bowles may begin to deride me ---- Now!
The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema, 2005
Another perfect summer pop album. The only problem with it is that it doesn't even come out until the end of the summer!
Guided By Voices - The Odds and End, mostly 2003-2004
The end of the massive five CD best of box that Jamie made for me. And I apologize to all GBV fans out there, but this band just sort of petered out at the end, didn't they?
The Incredible String Band The Incredible String Band, 1966
Only the 60's could produce such a charming, earnest bunch. Good stuff
Bloc Party - Silent Alarm, 2005
Maximo Park - A Certain Trigger, 2005
Of all the new similar sounding bands that also include Franz Ferdinand, The Futureheads and countless others, Bloc Party do not always necessarily distinguish themselves from the pack. But Maximo Park does -- sometimes.
Sufjan Stevens - Come on Feel the Illinoise, 2005
As epic in scale as Greetings From Michigan and maybe even better? The whole album for every state thing might just be a gimmick but he's off to a great start.
Dave Pajo - Sell and Bleed, 2005
Who would have thought that Mr. Slint would end up sounding so much like Elliott Smith or have a song that sounds just like Springsteen's "State Trooper"? Not that either one of those things is bad.
The Double - Loose in the Air, 2005
Even better than their debut. This album will make Pitchfork come in their pants upon its release this fall.
Laura Cantrell - Humming By the Flowered Vine, 2005
This is good but is a letdown after her first two records. Good songs + slicker production = disappointment.
Smog - A River Ain't Too Much to Love, 2005
The John Olerud of indie rock. Sometimes great, sometimes good, sometimes mediocre, but always there producing an unassuming if not flashy output.
One of these guys once hit .363 and one of them once released the amazing album Knock Knock.
7 comments:
Nice on the neil young....do you have On the beach if not get it soon...i would like to burn that power pop comp and the new fruit bats, have you heard the last fruit bats yet?? its great I just listened to it again recently. The Mathew sweet sounds even better against his new album, which is the first album since girlfriend I havent liked. Sufan Stevens must be stopped.....
yes, i have on the beach because you recommended it.
burn whatever you would like. i think i heard the last fruit bats once while playing cards at cumberland st. and loved it.
i'd love to see you try to stop sufjan.
My money is on the B. South - Sufjan should referee.
Charles Mingus never really caught on even among jazz heads in the UK, mostly I suspect due to his last name sounding like two different english slang words, one for women's genitals the other for an ugly person.
You might be surprised but I sort of agree about the Divine Comedy. For my money Scott Walker did it so much better the first time around.
You are getting old though; lots of thirtysomething wuss-rock on the playlist, my boy....
Divine Comedy? No problem. I have long held a torch for Mr Hannon's lyrical wit whilst all around me the storms of discontent and Wainright have raged.
I have an amusing memory of a DC gig in Norwich. I went with a friend who was substantally shorter than I.
We got in late and had to stand near the back, I was forced to provide a running commentary on the gig, "ooh, the drummer has just had a drink" ,"Neil Hannon's hair is really long" etc and so on.
As for The Beautiful South, they could pretty much take on anyone in a fight and severely trample some heads with their rough working class warrior ways. Be warned, may sound pretty but you are dealing with the boot boys (and girl) of the class war.
that sir douglas quintet record has been burnin up my turntable almost nonstop for the last two weeks. bets are nerd alert downstairs knows the all the words to "i wanna be your mama again" by now. also i can't wait to hear the new fruit bats record though it will make me sad i'm not going to ecuador this summer. fruit bats + irma thomas x wings = ecuador.
anne
While I'm glad that you actually know who I am and are seemingly familiar with my music, I would like to say that any resemblance of my music to Matthew Sweet's is purely coincidental. I mean, I think he's great and everything, and he's a buddy of mine (not through music but our shared love of 60's "big eye" art.) But I've been playing in Power Pop bands since 1979. I saw the Dwight Twilley band live in 1976 when I was 12. So, I'm not really that influenced by 90's artists (well, maybe Ween). He and I just like the same records/music and the same kinda guitar players and shit.
Sincerely-Spike
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