Recent CD Purchases

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 8:45 pm

Otis Westinghouse wrote:Two great songs: title track, and the one that goes 'you're still in my heart... like the rain'. Rest is good, but for me a little too like pastiche to be really impressive, as totally evidenced by the 'period piece' feel of the live performance at the Mercury. All very nicely done, but all a little too familiar.

Bollocks to THAT!

He's up front about the fact that he loves old music and draws on it for inspiration. What's wrong with that? In a world brimming with soulless crap that passes itself off as cutting edge, his music has heart, soul and integrity.

BTW, the track you're thinking of is "Just Like the Rain".

Bad Ambassador · Post by **Bad Ambassador** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 5:32 am

I'm with WSS on this. 'Coles Corner' is a superb record and, to these ears, his best. That's not to say the previous albums weren't up to much, his catalogue is a joy from start to finish.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 11:44 am

Who Shot Sam? wrote: his music has heart, soul and integrity.

Up to a point. Just a little too close to pastiche for my tastes. Will listen to it more, though, to see if I reassess, as can so often happen with music. Someone raved about The Ocean, which strikes me as just average. Go on, kick me!

New Word out. Raves about M. ward, which I was v close to getting today, but was on a shopping spree for my youngest's 6th and domestic guilt got the better of me, as did the prices of his prezzies! Best news is the (Andrew Collins, a fan) review of Lloyd's Anti-Depressant is that it lives up to its name. This would make my year - a cracking new Lloyd, and a bit of attention, at least more than the almost invisible MIFL.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 2:34 pm

Otis Westinghouse wrote:Someone raved about The Ocean, which strikes me as just average. Go on, kick me!

'Twas yours truly, I'm afraid. *puts on steel-toed work boots*

Otis Westinghouse wrote:New Word out. Raves about M. ward, which I was v close to getting today

Well, after your fairly muted reaction to Hawley (see if you can catch the pun), I'm not certain you'll like it.

...and I thought I knew you!

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 4:10 pm

Ocean is my least favourite track on Coles Corner.

Whatever

Bollocks to that

Whatever

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 5:23 pm

so lacklustre wrote:Ocean is my least favourite track on Coles Corner.

Now I like it even more!

Are you mocking me or just talking to yourself again?

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 3:44 am

Who Shot Sam? wrote:Well, after your fairly muted reaction to Hawley (see if you can catch the pun), I'm not certain you'll like it.

...and I thought I knew you!

Mute records, I guess. Chinese Translation is on the new Word sampler, and I like the feel of it. Interesting voice, nice arrangement. Good sense of lots of influences but having a distinctive voice/sound/feel of his own.

I'm ful of surprises, though, eh?

Sampler also had a track off the Charlotte Gainsbourg LP, which has had rave reviews here. Sounded nice. Sexy, cool, reflecting the Franco-English mix of her parents in its sound.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 7:32 am

Yeah, I've heard good things about that Gainsbourg album. Not available over here though.

miss buenos aires · Post by **miss buenos aires** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 9:12 am

Just got:

The Mountain Goats - In the Sunset Tree
Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass
Nouvelle Vague - Bande Ã Part

pophead2k · Post by **pophead2k** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 9:24 am

Picked up Regina Spektor's Soviet Kitsch and Bob Dylan New Morning.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 9:24 am

Ooh, nice selections! I really like that Mountain Goats album and am hoping to get the Yo La Tengo. Lemme know how you like the Nouvelle Vague. I really enjoyed their first one, but was not sure if I was up for another dose of new wave bossa nova.

miss buenos aires · Post by **miss buenos aires** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 10:30 am

I'm really liking the Yo La Tengo and the Mountain Goats. Nouvelle Vague...it's a little one note. And I didn't like the song selections as much as on the first one (Heart of Glass? Pride (In the Name of Love)?). But there are some winners on there, too. So I'm glad I bought it.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 10:32 am

miss buenos aires wrote:I'm really liking the Yo La Tengo and the Mountain Goats. Nouvelle Vague...it's a little one note. And I didn't like the song selections as much as on the first one (Heart of Glass? Pride (In the Name of Love)?). But there are some winners on there, too. So I'm glad I bought it.

The Buzzcocks' cover is on there, isn't it? I saw them do that on Morning Becomes Eclectic and was a little bit disappointed to find out that it wasn't on the first album.

Mike Boom · Post by **Mike Boom** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 11:05 am

Hate to piss on anyones parade but I find The Mountain Goats one of the most irritating band/singer/songwriter Ive ever heard.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 11:08 am

Mike Boom wrote:Hate to piss on anyones parade but I find The Mountain Goats one of the most irritating band/singer/songwriter Ive ever heard.

Add it to the list of stuff you don't rate that I like - Cat Power, The Decemberists...

I personally have no interest in downloading old Beach Boys demos and Neil Young's execrable screeching gets on my nerves - so there!

What fun would it be if we all liked the same things?

lostdog · Post by **lostdog** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 11:22 am

Who Shot Sam? wrote:Neil Young's execrable screeching gets on my nerves - so there!

I second that motion. Young's whining, monotonous racket is the single most over-rated catalogue in the pantheon of so-called rock Gods.

Mike Boom · Post by **Mike Boom** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 12:25 pm

I wholeheartedly agree that it would be no fun if we all liked the same thing.

I think Neil Young has a wonderful voice, full of emotion and character - I think the way its kinda cracked and warbly just seems to highten the surreal quality of his best lyrics and the feeling he puts into his songs. Its also spawned a whole host of imitators - the Flaming Lips, Grandaddy etc, all of whom Id rather listen to than The Mountain Goats. A million years ago, when I was but a young lad and first heard Neil Young the first thing that grabbed my ears and made me pay attention was his voice. I think its fantastic!

invisible Pole · Post by **invisible Pole** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 12:46 pm

The Mountain Goats was on my list of bands to check out as they seem to get a lot of interest in the music blogs world. Sounds like they're quite controversial, too.

Any thoughts on Of Montreal and Grizzly Bear, two other bands occupying plenty of space on the net ? Thanks in advance.

miss buenos aires · Post by **miss buenos aires** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 1:28 pm

invisible Pole wrote:Any thoughts on Of Montreal and Grizzly Bear, two other bands occupying plenty of space on the net ? Thanks in advance.

I LOVE Of Montreal. Seriously, they're one of my favorite bands. And they give one of the best live shows I've ever seen. I have to add a major caveat, though, which is that if you find them annoying, you'll find them unlistenably annoying. Love them or hate them. But check them out. You can also listen to their performance on the "Morning Becomes Eclectic" podcast.

Mr. Average · Post by **Mr. Average** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 2:12 pm

Joe Bonamassa "Blues Deluxe".

Man, this guy can play. No, he can sing. No, he can sing and play. He can do it all. Probably one of the most under-recognized pure talents I have in my collection.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 2:34 pm

Who is he? Have you heard Raul MidÃ³n?

Any band name starting with 'Of' has to be OK.

Neil Young's voice is one of the 10 wonders of the world.

Played Coles Corner again, or most of it. The title track is so supremely good that I think the rest of the LP has been elevated in stature as a result. I've had that song on my brain all day, it is life-upliftingly perfect, I agree. Richard Hawley deserves lots of praise, but it doesn't make a 4-star LP a 5-star one!

Ordered Modern Times + DVD (regular version only in shops now already), and Lloyd's Anti-Depressant which I suspect strongly may be second favourite record of the year, if the Word review was anything to go by,

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 2:46 pm

Otis Westinghouse wrote:Any band name starting with 'Of' has to be OK.

...or incredibly pretentious - take your pick.

Otis Westinghouse wrote:Neil Young's voice is one of the 10 wonders of the world.

Can the other 9 really be that bad?

Mike Boom · Post by **Mike Boom** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 3:04 pm

I like "Grizzly Bear". They have that ethereal/spooky/Cocteau Twins/heavy reverby/echo thing going but from an American folky angle. Their song "Colorado" is really beautiful.

Jackson Monk · Post by **Jackson Monk** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 3:29 pm

Mike Boom wrote:Hate to piss on anyones parade but I find The Mountain Goats one of the most irritating band/singer/songwriter Ive ever heard.

More irritating than The Feeling??? Surely not possible!!

Jackson Monk · Post by **Jackson Monk** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 3:37 pm

On the subject of the excellent Hawley album, 'Born under a Bad Sign' is pretty damn good I think.

Just bought Captain's album .This is Hazelville'. I liked the Glorious single - reminded me of Sprout. So far its growing Also picked up Stephen Fretwell's splendid wrist slashing album.

Are WSS and Otis becoming the new Jackson Monk/WHAR ?

I think it's time you guys took this thing to a new level and entertained us more.

Ps. Can't wait for the Llod Cole album either