Sunday, February 29, 2004
Greetings all…….and welcome to another installment. I just realized that updating this blog is a good excuse for not working on my tax returns today. I’m sure I’ll think of many such excuses between now and April 15th.
Here’s what’s currently loaded in my CD player:
1) Rueben’s Accomplice – Untitled
A friend of a friend of mine plays in this local band. Several tracks from their album “The Bull, The Balloon, And The Family”, due to be released March 16, 2004, are contained on this homemade CD. Sounds pretty good to me. I urge every one of you to turn off the TV, get off the sofa, and get out and support local music.
2) A Perfect Circle – Thirteenth Step
This band, featuring members Tool, Marilyn Manson, and Smashing Pumpkins, plays a kind of understated, cerebral, and atmospheric hard rock. I think it’s a good album, but I’m getting too old for this stuff.
3) Calexico – Feast of Wire
It’s impossible to describe this eclectic Tucson band’s music. To me they kinda sound like a poppier version of an old spaghetti western soundtrack. This latest album, from 2003, rightfully earned them a place in some critics’ annual ‘best of’ polls. I’m looking forward to their local show on March 14.
4) Hans Olson – The Best Of Hans Olson Volume Two
Phoenix legend Olson has been playing his own brand of blues/folk music in local dives since 1973. This mostly solo album includes 15 of his best cuts, all previously released on long out-of-print albums from the past 30 years.
5) Trey Anastasio – Plasma, Disc 1
At last count I owned something like 30 CDs worth of live Phish music, clearly overkill for even the most ardent Phishhead. Yet I still felt strangely compelled to pick up this two disc set recorded live on Phish leader Trey’s 2002 solo tour. Here, Anastasio leads his ten piece band through a mixed bag of Phish tunes, solo songs, and a Bob Marley cover, all of which are stretched out in fluid extended jams that somehow seem less cluttered and more focused than many recent Phish recordings. With three cuts lasting over 16 minutes each, one song takes me all the way to work.
6) Patti Smith - Horses
When this album was released in the pre-punk era (1976) it was considered lewd, rude, and crude. 28 years later, it sounds like a classic rock and roll album.
TURNTABLE CORNER: Believe it or not, I still have a turntable. These are the most recent albums to cross it.
The Suburbs – Credit In Heaven
The ‘Burbs were a great Minneapolis band that made the rounds in my college years, and this 1981 double album was perhaps the their finest hour. This was released on CD a couple of years ago, but I’ve been too lazy and too cheap to pick it up.
The Jam – All Mod Cons
Though they made a big splash in the UK, this British punk/new wave band never caught on in the US. This 1978 album sounds a bit dated now, but it’s still fun to hear it.
Thanks to all of you that have e-mailed using the link at the top of this page. Keep the e-mails coming, as it makes me feel like this is somewhat less of a waste of time.
Cheers!!
Here’s what’s currently loaded in my CD player:
1) Rueben’s Accomplice – Untitled
A friend of a friend of mine plays in this local band. Several tracks from their album “The Bull, The Balloon, And The Family”, due to be released March 16, 2004, are contained on this homemade CD. Sounds pretty good to me. I urge every one of you to turn off the TV, get off the sofa, and get out and support local music.
2) A Perfect Circle – Thirteenth Step
This band, featuring members Tool, Marilyn Manson, and Smashing Pumpkins, plays a kind of understated, cerebral, and atmospheric hard rock. I think it’s a good album, but I’m getting too old for this stuff.
3) Calexico – Feast of Wire
It’s impossible to describe this eclectic Tucson band’s music. To me they kinda sound like a poppier version of an old spaghetti western soundtrack. This latest album, from 2003, rightfully earned them a place in some critics’ annual ‘best of’ polls. I’m looking forward to their local show on March 14.
4) Hans Olson – The Best Of Hans Olson Volume Two
Phoenix legend Olson has been playing his own brand of blues/folk music in local dives since 1973. This mostly solo album includes 15 of his best cuts, all previously released on long out-of-print albums from the past 30 years.
5) Trey Anastasio – Plasma, Disc 1
At last count I owned something like 30 CDs worth of live Phish music, clearly overkill for even the most ardent Phishhead. Yet I still felt strangely compelled to pick up this two disc set recorded live on Phish leader Trey’s 2002 solo tour. Here, Anastasio leads his ten piece band through a mixed bag of Phish tunes, solo songs, and a Bob Marley cover, all of which are stretched out in fluid extended jams that somehow seem less cluttered and more focused than many recent Phish recordings. With three cuts lasting over 16 minutes each, one song takes me all the way to work.
6) Patti Smith - Horses
When this album was released in the pre-punk era (1976) it was considered lewd, rude, and crude. 28 years later, it sounds like a classic rock and roll album.
TURNTABLE CORNER: Believe it or not, I still have a turntable. These are the most recent albums to cross it.
The Suburbs – Credit In Heaven
The ‘Burbs were a great Minneapolis band that made the rounds in my college years, and this 1981 double album was perhaps the their finest hour. This was released on CD a couple of years ago, but I’ve been too lazy and too cheap to pick it up.
The Jam – All Mod Cons
Though they made a big splash in the UK, this British punk/new wave band never caught on in the US. This 1978 album sounds a bit dated now, but it’s still fun to hear it.
Thanks to all of you that have e-mailed using the link at the top of this page. Keep the e-mails coming, as it makes me feel like this is somewhat less of a waste of time.
Cheers!!
