Archived Albums of the Week
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UNCLASSIFIABLE ALBUM OF THE WEEK!
This week, it's ALL About Morcheeba. It's R&B, it's Soul, it's ambient, it's melody driven, it's pop, it's indie... whatever it is, it's haunting, and the album (Big Calm) is completely that. Calming. It makes me breathe. Last Days of Disco sdtk is worth it if you need to get revved up to work, to play, whatever. But the film sucks. Poor Whit; once so smart, now so dated. Also love Peter Gabriel song on City of Angels. But I hate soundtracks generally. Because they're like mix tapes you don't control. And if you like only ONE song on a soundtrack? You're expected to buy the whole thing because it's of course the ONE song that's not being released as a single. Like, for instance, the Ben Folds 5 song on "Godzilla". Why the hell would I want to buy THAT? Music prices went up when I was away. Conspiracy? I guess so, since I wasn't around to spend hundreds a week on CDs. Thank God for Ms. B-O-O-T-S and her messengers. STAY AWAY FROM: The Lilith Fair CD. A collection of not-so-great-ish hits from artists whose albums are a LOT better than what they're showcasing themselves with here. And Sarah, I KNOW you run the festival, but did you HAVE to put that overplayed, underwritten song as your contribution? And the Indigo Grrrrls? I love you guys, but I outgrew you Freshman year and only still listen out of nostalgia. Even still, please, stop preaching, and start singing. Or, if you preach, preach prettily? WHY I'M EXCITED: Liz Phair's new CD comes out August 11. It will be packaged in the three-years-worth-of-sediment that has settled on it since it was recorded. WHY I'M STOPPING NOW: Because the Brit bands I bought in England (Travis, Duffy, Drugstore) suck on repeat listening. Oy, you think you have it bad here where MTV plays too much of the same and way too much rap and hip hop? You've NEVER heard hell till you've heard the Stepford Girl and Boybands that have infiltrated England. There are more than you can shake a stick at, and trust me, after hearing them, you want to shake the whole friggin tree until it falls on top of them. All Saints? Try Old Spice. And that's my 2 cents. OLD I finally got Juliana Hatfield's EP after it's been out for months... A friend just flung it my way and let me tell you, ouch! Poor girl... I mean, she really ISN'T all that bad, but from the EP's first track on, it's just cringe-inducing - girl, T.M.I., okay? Cringe-inducing might make it seem unworthy of purchase; quite the contrary, it's quite cool jangle-pop. The cringes come from the TOO self-referential lyrics (below, the chorus): So why don't you want me? Poor girl. Anyway, the other CDs I've been listening to are ones that I burned myself (no questions, please). I was feeling particularily listless and sleep-deprived, so I recorded my own "mix" onto a CD - below, the track listings, in case anyone gives a shit. (And I don't expect you to). P.S. I Love You - Billie Holiday In other AOTW news, I got to play DJ last night at 4 am while Molly watched videotapes of her dance rehearsals (she's coreographing/directing/performing in a piece for the Joyce SoHo this summer). I went through all 200 CDs in the player, and Molly, Chad and I were surprised how often the music linked with the movement. Yes, THAT was how I supressed sleep. But one old CD jumped out at me - September 67's "Lucky Shoe". Quite melodic girl pop (NOT spicegirls - think more Luscious Jackson with a little less edge). Okay, bye! (NOTE: Josh cannot be held accountable for stupidity today) ALBUM OF LAST WEEK! Well, I finally found the album I was looking for. Jen Wood's GETTING PAST THE STATIC. It's on WIN records, and if any of you like Elliot Smith, you'll love her (if you can find her). This is DEFINITELY my album of the week, if only for the songs "Stay" and "Halo". Simple melodies, one guitar, one girl (no harmonies). Sometimes a violin. VERY simple, but instantly hummable and on repeat listenings, better and better. It's sad that I found J. W. this week, and not last, because if i had, then certantly RAY OF LIGHT, Madonna's new album, would be album of the week. You see, I've always admired and respected Madonna as much as anyone, but her music has always been hit-or-miss for me. Not this album. It's like Radiohead's amazing OK COMPUTER, only more melodic (and not as pretentious). Radio-heads take note: I still love Ok Comp, just not as much as the next guy. There is one good thing to say about LA, and that is that I found Jen Wood there at Aron's, a comprehensive indie-music store about the size of a NY city block. Make it one of your stops next time you're in town... ALBUM OF TWO WEEKS AGO! Other listenings this week: Garrison Starr's major label debut. The album's growing on me; I've had it a few months, but never got past the first few songs. Track 2, "Superhero", is what got her noticed, and rightfully so. If you ever see it on a listening station, give it a spin. Also, Kacy Crowley's debut. Kacy has a voice that's somewhere between Alanis and Shawn, and a sound that ride Sheryl Crow. It's sorta blues-y, sorta rocky, and plenty fun. Her "Hand To Mouthville" was a minor hit last fall, and its rolling rhythm and cool harmonies make it fun to listen to on repeat. Guilty Pleasure This Week: The Bed of Roses soundtrack, which is SO fucking drippy and sappy and sickly-sweet that it made perfect writing music. If only that damn "I'll show you how to take me" song wasn't on it...
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