Music Update: Not Enough Progress Being Made on Youthlarge's Collection, A Gilmore Reference, and I Hate Devendra

Red Sticker Collection

The Clientele - A Fading Summer Ep, 2000
I always think I’m going to like this band more than I actually do. Apparently, their new record is good though.

Jawbox - For Your Own Special Sweetheart, 1994
If I didn't really like something eleven years ago, the chances of me liking it now for nostalgic purposes aren’t high.

Youthlarge Brought These Home

Gary Higgins - Red Hash, 1973
Guy gets busted for drugs and is sentenced to prison but before he does time he records an album. He fades into obscurity. Hipsters trumpet his long lost record for years before a hipster record label finally puts it out in 2005. And it is a really good record. It doesn’t sound dated at all. In fact, if I had been told this had been recorded in 2005, I would have believed it. Timeless folk music.

The Magic Numbers - The Magic Numbers, 2005
Latest hyped band that doesn’t do that much for me.

Pernice Brothers - Discover a Lovelier You, 2005
While easily my least favorite of the Pernice oeuvre, this CD still has enough fine moments to make it worthwhile. Plus, one of the songs was on an episode of Gilmore Girls.

Death Cab For Cutie - Plans, 2005
Yawn.

Randy Newman - The Randy Newman Songbook. Vol. 1, 2003
How did I get to be 32 years-old before I had any Randy Newman in my collection? This CD is Randy playing some of his greatest hits on the piano. Simple and wonderful. I really am not that familiar with his career but I need to educate myself starting now. This CD was a good place to start. His biting satire is unbelievable. And “Louisiana 1927” was a perfect song to listen to often in September. Anyone have any recommendations of where to go from here? Perhaps his greatest hits?

Calexico/ Iron and Wine - In the Reins, 2005
Two great flavors together at last. I’d love more of this. That last Calexico album is amazing. The last Iron and Wine EP hinted at Sam Beam branching out a bit from the voice/ guitar format. The songs are great and if you are not careful, the first song will blow your mind unless you are ready.

Calexico from this past summer. Sam Beam is hanging out on the left.

Broadcast - Tender Buttons, 2005
Broadcast is one of those bands that I will probably continue to be interested in whatever they do but never be truly taken with any of their stuff. Each one of their records is good enough to keep and have memorable moments. At their best, they sound like a 60’s girl group filtered through Mum.

No Thanks: The 70s Punk Rebellion,2003
This four CD box set is a mixed bag. It has way too many classics that any self respecting fan of this genre would already have. But then there are the more obscure gems interspersed throughout. It is well worth having though even if some of the liner notes read like a punk rock Cliff’s Notes for the novice fan. I’m not sure if this box is worth purchasing but if you could get your hands on a two CD best of, you would be quite pleased. But maybe I’m being too hard on this set by comparing it to the Nuggets box sets. Those sets have very few non obscure songs so maybe the bar has been set too high. Or maybe my expectations aren’t fair.

Kraftwerk- Minimum- Maximum, 2005
Kraftwerk is a band that I’ve never been that familiar with. I also assumed that they were the kind of band that I would like in theory but be bored by in reality. When Youthlarge came home with this two cd live show recorded last year, I gave it a shot. From what I understand, the songs on here are much shorter than the LP versions which is a plus to a novice like me. An eight minute Kraftwerk song is still plenty long. I ended up really enjoying this release. Apparently, even robots have a good sense of melody and fun. Everybody from Devo and Matmos have been inspired by this lunacy. Great stuff. Much like the recent Fall best of, this seems to be more than enough Kraftwerk for my collection. A good summation without going overboard is nice sometimes.

Devendra Banhart - Cripple Crow, 2005
I knew I was right! Despite liking one of his records and getting angry at myself for it, fuckhead Banhart returns to form and sucks up a storm. Wow, could this asshole take himself any more seriously? I think this CD is at least three days long. The songs are crap and he is mealy - mouthed again on this one. I think that song about moving to China and having Chinese children or some shit like that should be enough to draw and quarter this calculating neo-hippie. Go play in some fucking meadow with a cache of photographers behind you, you calculating, phony fuck!

American Analog Set - Set Free, 2005
I still can’t believe how much singer Andrew Kenny can sound like a woman sometimes yet not sound effete. Quite an art. I got into this band late and am only familiar with three of their five records. But I like them all. This one is no exception. This isn’t the kind of band that makes me want to do jumping jacks or anything but you can expect a solid effort everytime.