OT: New Music?

EZSnappin · Post by **EZSnappin** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 9:20 am

pk500 wrote:I'm really digging Neko Case's new single, "People Got A Lotta Nerve," available for listening here:

http://www.anti.com/artists/view/13/Neko_Case

Can't wait for the release of her new record in a few weeks!

Take care,
PK

Hey, I like this! I've always liked her voice, but she seemed to straddle a line musically that didn't work for me - not alt-country but indie-country. That track is more country, but modern classic like Tift Merritt or something. I'll have to keep an ear out - thanks!

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 10:06 am

I think EZ mentioned this service before, but I signed up for eMusic this past week. It's a subscription music service that uses DRM-free MP3s (using VBR between 160-256k/sec), so there are no iPod issues. Their selection of mainstream stuff is limited, but their indie selection is really good. You get 25 free songs for signing up, and I picked the cheap $13/month plan for 30 songs. You can sign up for more songs-per-month and reduce your price-per-song. I picked up:

Titus Andronicus, The Airing of Grievances. Noisy, chaotic garage rock that aspires to be a lot more than that. Not an easy record to like on the first listen but I find it growing on me with each listen.

Heartless Bastards, Stairs and Elevators. A really good album somewhere between Cat Power and the harder-rocking PJ Harvey songs. The lead singer has one of those voices that make the song.

The Twilight Sad, Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters. On the surface, this seems like navel-gazing ruminations on a sad childhood, but damn if isn't a well-crafted, heartfelt album. It has a thick sound that manages to be arena sized and intimate at all the right moments. Double-bonus for the singer having a great Scottish brogue.

Cut Copy, In Ghost Colours. This is to New Order what Rancid is to the Clash -- at worst, a great cover band. I think they are a worthy successor and deliver some great synth-pop ditties here.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 3:27 pm

Just listened to the new U2 album from start to finish. I'm a U2 fan, and initial reaction is, "Meh."

No great single. No significant change in sound. Production seems a bit too slick.

Meh. Maybe it will grow on me.

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 3:50 pm

I loved "Post-War," M. Ward's last album. But his new record is leaving me limp. Sounds like a bunch of B-sides from his Bakersfield sessions with Buck Owens.

Take care,
PK

GTHobbes · Post by **GTHobbes** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 3:51 pm

pk500 wrote:Just listened to the new U2 album from start to finish. I'm a U2 fan, and initial reaction is, "Meh."

No great single. No significant change in sound. Production seems a bit too slick.

Meh. Maybe it will grow on me.

Take care,
PK

Shame to hear that about the whole cd, PK...I've listened to the boots song 7 or 8 times and "meh" is my opinion as well. If that was the first song I'd ever heard from them, I never would have become a fan.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 4:33 pm

The entire album is streaming for free at U2's MySpace page, by the way.

Take care,
PK

greggsand · Post by **greggsand** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 4:51 pm

pk500 wrote:The entire album is streaming for free at U2's MySpace page, by the way.

Take care,
PK

Pretty funny story about the album leak & lengths U2 went to prevent it from being leaked. Whoops:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/159904/u ... rised.html

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 5:09 pm

greggsand wrote:
pk500 wrote:The entire album is streaming for free at U2's MySpace page, by the way.

Take care,
PK
Pretty funny story about the album leak & lengths U2 went to prevent it from being leaked. Whoops:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/159904/u ... rised.html

Oh, yeah: That record is "out there," in a TON of places. No problem finding it.

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 6:07 pm

EZSnappin wrote:
pk500 wrote:I'm really digging Neko Case's new single, "People Got A Lotta Nerve," available for listening here:

http://www.anti.com/artists/view/13/Neko_Case

Can't wait for the release of her new record in a few weeks!

Take care,
PK
Hey, I like this! I've always liked her voice, but she seemed to straddle a line musically that didn't work for me - not alt-country but indie-country. That track is more country, but modern classic like Tift Merritt or something. I'll have to keep an ear out - thanks!

Got my mitts on the album, and sadly "People Got A Lotta Nerve" is the standout track on the record. It's also a bit of an anomaly, as Neko definitely is taking her "chanteuse" credentials seriously on this record, perhaps a bit too seriously. This album definitely has a "torch songs" vibe to it that doesn't thrill me.

There also are some alt-country tunes, but most of the songs on this record are ballad-esque. This record feels a bit too uptight for me, for lack of a better term.

Plus the lyrics are as cryptically stupid as on all Neko Case albums. Her music and voice -- ah, that magnificent voice -- always have caused me to overlook just how inane most of her lyrics are.

That said, I still like it because I LOVE this chick's voice. But this record disappointed me a bit upon first listen because "People Got A Lotta Nerve" is such a good song.

Take care,
PK

EZSnappin · Post by **EZSnappin** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 6:12 pm

Bummer. I really like that track.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 6:38 pm

EZSnappin wrote:Bummer. I really like that track.

It's not a terrible record, not at all. I just expected this to be boffo. Instead, it's just solid, at least on first listen.

Take care,
PK

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 6:44 pm

GTHobbes wrote:
pk500 wrote:Just listened to the new U2 album from start to finish. I'm a U2 fan, and initial reaction is, "Meh."

No great single. No significant change in sound. Production seems a bit too slick.

Meh. Maybe it will grow on me.

Take care,
PK
Shame to hear that about the whole cd, PK...I've listened to the boots song 7 or 8 times and "meh" is my opinion as well. If that was the first song I'd ever heard from them, I never would have become a fan.

I wouldn't judge the album by "Get on Your Boots." That song is definitely the odd ball. "Magnificent", "Breathe", and "Crazy Tonight" are classic U2 songs. "No Line on the Horizon" would have fit on Pop... "Fez" on Zooropa..."Unkown Caller" and "Moment of Surrender" on AYCLB, "Standup Comedy" on HTDAAB.

edit: Out of 490 votes at the U2.Interference.com, only 2 rated "Boots" as their favorite song, 163 for "Magnificent", 95 for "Moment of Surrender." Now that I've heard the album about 20 times, I actually like "Boots" more in the context of the album. They needed an up tempo song to kick start the second half of the album. It's an odd choice for a single, but at least it got people's attention.

I agree about the over production, but I really like the album so far. Only time will tell. My gut tells me it will be my 5th or 6th favorite behind Achtung Baby, The Joshua Tree, War, and Boy.

BTW, if "Magnificent" or "Breathe" was the first song I'd ever heard from U2, I'd be a fan.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 7:00 pm

My problem with the U2 record is that all of the songs sound faintly or distinctly the same, except for "Moment of Surrender," "White as Snow" and "Cedars of Lebanon." Similar tempos, similar riffs, similar guitar effects, etc.

And even "Moment of Surrender" has a definite "Stuck in a Moment" vibe.

I guess homogenization can be a problem when a band remains unchanged for 32 years, and this is a pretty homogenized record upon first listen.

But at least the songs are solid. It's one thing if a collection of bad tunes sounds the same, but these aren't bad tunes.

Take care,
PK

Badger_Fan · Post by **Badger_Fan** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 5:49 pm

This is more specifically for db or any other hip hop guys, but has anyone else checked out the new P.O.S. record? Twin Cities rapper in the Rhymesayers/Doomtree vein that is just fantastic. Check it out.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 7:10 pm

Former Drive-By Truckers guitarist/vocalist Jason Isbell just released his second solo album, "Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit," and it's EXCELLENT.

Isbell, always the most pop-oriented of the Truckers, has stripped away almost all remnants his former band on this record. This album has a nice mixture of alt-country strumming, a few rockers and a nice helping of Muscle Shoals country/gospel/R&B.

Take care,
PK

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 12:59 pm

pk500 wrote:
EZSnappin wrote:Bummer. I really like that track.
It's not a terrible record, not at all. I just expected this to be boffo. Instead, it's just solid, at least on first listen.

Take care,
PK

I like it, but agree that it's not the great record Fox Confessor was. It probably could stand to be shortened by a couple of songs. But her voice is so amazing that it doesn't really matter what she's singing. She could be crooning the ingredients off a box of cereal and still make it sound beautiful.

I have the same reaction to it that I did to the last New Pornographers album. It's quite good but seems disappointing because it follows such a home-run record. It'll just need a little time to breathe on its own.

greggsand · Post by **greggsand** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 5:42 pm

Anyone hear the new Jack White project "The Dead Weather"? It's pretty cool, a little less "RAWK" that The Raconteurs. 2 songs at http://www.thedeadweather.com (one's a Gary Numan cover). Kinda reminds me of Yeah, Yeah, Yeah's or something.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 10:44 am

"Monday" from Wilco's upcoming concert DVD, "Ashes of American Flags." It will be released April 18. Can't wait to get my mitts on this:

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qN5iytN-hlI&co ... edded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed>

Take care,
PK

greggsand · Post by **greggsand** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 12:32 pm

pk500 wrote:"Monday" from Wilco's upcoming concert DVD, "Ashes of American Flags." It will be released April 18. Can't wait to get my mitts on this:

Take care,
PK

Yeah, that's going to be pretty hot (and new wilco album in June!).

If anyone cares (and why would ya really), my band, Silly Nelson & The Cop Cars, has a new EP ("Adult Braces") out today. They moved to the release date up a month to try & thwart the file sharers - that'll work!

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZSt ... 7&s=143441

greggsand · Post by **greggsand** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 1:19 am

Wilco fans: Wilco is live streaming the first gig of their tour this Wednesday (4/15) from Milwaukee:

http://wilcoworld.net/roadcase/

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 10:02 am

greggsand wrote:Wilco fans: Wilco is live streaming the first gig of their tour this Wednesday (4/15) from Milwaukee:

http://wilcoworld.net/roadcase/

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 10:42 am

If you're a fan of the early 90s alt-rock band Sugar, and I most definitely am, then you'll love Bob Mould's new album, "Life and Times."

This is not Husker Du-era Mould. But it's not "Modulate" Mould, either. It's a very listenable record filled with crunchy hooks, a wall of sound and a few ripping solos. Reminds me very much of the two great records by the Mould-led Sugar.

I'm really digging it.

Take care,
PK

greggsand · Post by **greggsand** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 1:13 pm

A local band here that I'm finding myself digging is called Dogweed. Very Silver Jews / (country-ish) Beck:
http://www.myspace.com/dogweedcountry

Worth a listen IMO.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 2:56 pm

Not new music at all, but a band that I somehow totally missed on during their heyday: Over The Rhine.

Heard a track on Sirius and liked it enough to look into them. Some amazing stuff!

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 4:22 am

pk500 wrote:If you're a fan of the early 90s alt-rock band Sugar, and I most definitely am, then you'll love Bob Mould's new album, "Life and Times."

This is not Husker Du-era Mould. But it's not "Modulate" Mould, either. It's a very listenable record filled with crunchy hooks, a wall of sound and a few ripping solos. Reminds me very much of the two great records by the Mould-led Sugar.

I'm really digging it.

Take care,
PK

Swine - I've now had to spend an hour digging them out, as well as his solo CD (the Hubcap one). Now if only I can find my 'Warehouse Songs and Stories'...