Last week I bought a couple of earlier albums of bands that I have been getting into a lot lately. I've been a fan of Wilco, since before they were Wilco; when Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy were still talking and making records as Uncle Tupelo, during my obsession with alt country that started with the discovery of X's Poor Critter On The Road. Not long ago I got the movie, I Am Trying To Break Your Heart, chronicling the odessey of the excellent, and difficult to classify album Yankee Foxtrot Hotel, which got dropped by their label only to be picked up by a subsidiary of the same company for more money. It was a reminder of how great of a band Wilco is. I didn't have the Wilco and Billy Bragg collaboration Mermaid Avenue (a collection of Woody Guthrie soungs that had been written without music, which was provided by the aforementioned artists), so I decided to pick it up. I think it is a good album as well, but not in the same class as Yankee Foxtrot Hotel. However, I particullary like "California Stars" and "Hoodoo Voodoo", which Wilco have made theirs in a sense. Billy Bragg also gives stand out performances on "Ingrid Bergman" and "Walt Whitman's Niece."
In a sense I was into Luna before they were a band as well, that is I was a fan of Dean Wareham's previous band, Galaxie 500. I suppose it is typical understated indie rock, but I think Wareham is a superior wordsmith. I find their music atmospheric, good for background music while reading or studying. But before last year, I was only familiar with tracks by Luna on the I Shot Andy Wahrhol soundtrack and another compilation from a now defuct magazine called bob. That is until I read a glowing review of last year's release Romanitica, which contained more praise for 1995's stellar Penthouse. So from there I am still trying to assemble the backlog. Last week I picked up Pup Tent, which is another solid album, but doesn't reach the heights of Penthouse. My favorite tracks on this one are "Beautiful View", "Bobby Peru", and "Tracy I Love You."
Good stuff,Pat. I've been thinking about blogging myself but you've already outdone me so I won't even bother trying. Or maybe I will.
I liked your book reviews. I've read No Logo and it was excellent,wasn't it? Got me all pissed off at the state of the planet. It's important to get angered once in a while.
Have a good trip back,by the way. I'll check out Heartland one of these days. I went to Roppongi Hills the other day and found it hideously overpriced. The Indonesian restaurant had amazing organically fed chicken but the portions couldn't choke a mouse.
See you in September,dude.
Oh. I've been meaning to check Wilco out one of these days. You've given me more reason.
Posted by: don | August 09, 2003 at 10:56 AM
Hey Don, glad you liked it. I imagine that the book reviews are probably the least read entires. I agree that Roppongi Hills is basiclaly for the birds, the ones who can afford to live in the husing complex. As for Wilco you can't go wrong, but I think Yankee Foxtrot Hotel is my favorite right now, but I got into them with AM, which is more mainstream rockish album-perhaps more your bag?
Posted by: MC | August 09, 2003 at 12:27 PM