In The iPod: Spring 2007

I read this article about the new Rufus Wainwright album, Release the Stars, and decided to check it out since I really liked his two songs on Leonard Cohen I’m Your Man tribute album (“Chelsea Hotel No. 2” and “Everybody Knows”).  I think I’ve listened to it twice and already I can tell it’s going to be on heavy rotation.  “Going to a Town” is the infamous track with the lyric “I’m so tired of America”, but there isn’t a bad track on the album.  I also like the tracks, “Between My Legs,” “Sanssouci,” and “Release The Stars.”  Actually, I’m so impressed with it that I’m going to seek out some of his other albums. I have to admit I’m a little bit disappointed in the new Wilco, Sky Blue Sky. Is it “Dad Rock”? I don't know, but it is veering too much into classic rock territory (one of my least favorite genres), which was one of the reasons I wasn’t really into Loose Fur. If they are going for a traditional rock sound I would prefer something closer to AM or Being There than this. That being said there are some good, tracks, but despite the flaws of A Ghost is Born I prefer it to this album. But i have ot admit latley, it has been growing one me. I also have been lsitening to Uncle Tupelo's 89/93: An Anthology, which has some gems that I had previously unaware of since I only had Anodyne, a great album. By the way, it is represented with three tracks on the anthology. "Graveyard Sgift" is a classic. It also contains the previously unavailable album cuts "Outdone," "I Got Drunk," "Sauget Wind;" cover tracks "I Wanna Be Your Dog" and Effigy; an alternative accoustic version of "Looking for a Way Out" and a live version of "We've Been Had." I’m still not sure what to make of Kings of Leon’s album Because of Times.  I think the music is pretty cool, but the lead singer sounds like Randy Newman to me and that's not cool. I’d also put Damon Albarn’s latest band The Good, the Bad, and the Queen in this category. This may be the first project he has been involved in that hasn’t blown me away. I need to listen to these two albums more before making my final summary judgement. A while back I got the Marie Antoinette soundtrack and it has some really cool stuff.  Old new wave favorites like “I Want Candy” Bow Wow Wow, “Kings of the Wild Frontier” Adam and the Ants, “Ceremony” New Order, and “All Cats Are Gray” by The Cure.  In addition, I’ve discovered some old new wave classics like Bow Wow Wow’s “Aphrodisiac, ” “Natural Not It” Gang Of Four, and “Hong Kong Garden” by Siouxsie & The Banshees. I also discovered a new band that has three songs on the soundtrack, The Radio Dept. as well as a cool new song from The Strokes’ latest album, “Whatever Happened.”

Comments

[Eric]

I'll have to check out the new Rufus. If you're going to his back catalog, get Wainwright's "Poses." I think that's his best work--I have been listening to it off and on for five years straight.

You know how I feel about the new Wilco, but I think the Loose Fur at least was a little more experimental.

I don't see the Randy Newman connection.

Did you ever fall in love with the Tapes n Tapes?

[MC]

The article mentions "Poses" as being a standout album. So I'll be tracking it down soon.

I don't like Kings of Leon's lead singer's vocal delivery, something about it reminds me of Newman. I guess it's like how you don't like Neko Case's voice.

I don't think I've ever heard any Tapes n Tapes, however, it seems they have been mentioned to me before somewhere other than here. What do you recommend from them?