Sep 012011
What coming release are you anticipating? What recently released album have you been meaning to pick up?
Yes, this is a thread in which we simply determine whether we have any enthusiasm left for new releases—and bear witness to that enthusiasm.
there is so much music now, that i don’t care about any of it. my pattern lately is that i tend to get into a band about a year after they’re big. after the hype dies down about something, i will give it a listen. i also don’t listen to a high volume of music. i’ll dig into one album for a few weeks.
also, with newer bands, doesn’t it seem like a lot of 1 and dones?
not a lot of 2nd albums it seems.
I was about to post similar sentiments; i don’t even really *have* a pattern in relation to a band’s trajectory anymore. I might “discover” them long after they, and their era, are “out of style,” or I might be right there as they ascend.
Whatever…it’s not that important to me anymore. This attitude is probably related to not being there, on the ground, at very many shows.
And yes, it does seem like there are a lot of one-and-dones.
Anyway, I was looking forward to the new Malkmus album. It’s out now. I have to say, he really sounds like a guy with a lotta time on his hands and not much willingness to challenge himself; most of these songs could have been on any Pavement album from the late period. They’re good songs if you like what he does (goofy word play, some obscure time changes, meandering song structure, hooks, and the occasional stoner guitar jam).
It’s gotten to the point where I’m surprised by a release from a band I like. I didn’t know Teenage Fanclub had a new album out last year until I saw they were coming to DC.
I guess I’m waiting to see what the new Wilco album will be like.
I have about 14,000 songs on my iPod and all I seem to listen to anymore are podcasts (mostly WTF and Sound Opinions). I haven’t been psyched for a new album’s release in about 10 years or so.
I was very curious to hear the new Kurt Vile album.
In fact, I’d be curious to hear RTH’ers thoughts on Vile in general: “naked Emperor” or the “real thing?”
Did anyone see Thurston Moore and Philly’s own Mary Lattimore on harp? I missed it.
I stand corrected. I just checked out the Tom Waits video at the top of this thread and I am now very much anticipating his new release.
Hey Saturn,
The Thurston Moore show was enjoyable. A little snoozy at times, but still cool. He’s was even able to get a little rockin’ and droney with the acoustics. That new album of his is just good, but it’s probably as close as he’ll ever get to making an RTH-friendly release. It’s even got feelings.
Not sure how I feel about the heavy reverb in the Church’s sanctuary. Meg Baird opened. I really, really love her new album, but live, I feel like she kinda disappeared at times in all that reverb. Or maybe better put to say the reverb made it hard for me to focus on the songs sometimes.
Listened to a stream of the new Wild Flag album and am anticipating buying it.
Wussy will have a new album coming out this year. I’m anticipating it!
The one time I listened to Kurt Vile’s first album, I was not impressed but maybe I should give it more time.
thurston was on letterman last night:
http://www.prefixmag.com/media/thurston-moore/benediction-live-on-letterman-video/55910/
letterman encourages mary to “go nuts” on the harp after the song is over. she does. then he pokes a little fun: “ahhh….like the gates of heaven.”
haven’t heard meg’s album yet, but should probably get on that. i like to keep track of what she’s up to.
i have vile’s “constant hitmaker” and the one after that (“childish prodigy”).
i haven’t gotten around to the “smoke rings” album.
i like both of the ones i own, but they don’t blow my mind. it’s really good indie rock.
musically, however, there’s not much to recommend: if you like *songs* with changes, bridges, beginnings, and endings, you’ll search these albums in vain.
in general, if you like expressions of clarity, it’s kind of hard to find on his albums.
sonically, i find them to be kind of mushy: lots of reverb on the instruments and delay on the vocals.
he has a vocal delivery and a sense of melody that leaves you wondering whether he’s tone deaf, or really adept at playing with the line between melody, talking, and atonality (i used to think it was the former, but now i think it’s somewhere closer to the latter. he’s putting expression ahead of being on key, coloring outside the lines).
in the end, if you went back to 1997 – 98 and projected forward from that moment with an estimate of what would be the most generic distillation of indie rock imaginable, i think Vile’s albums are pretty close to what you’d get.
there’s something in all of it, however, that i like. i guess it’s the person i hear at the center of it all; he sounds like he’s in the midst of a struggle i can get behind.
Oh…I forgot to say: I was really excited about Black Mountain’s most recent album when it came out. And the same is true of Baroness.
why did Kurt Vile have to cancel his fishing trip?
because he didn’t have any hooks
heyo….
i agree with everything you said.
it’s a textural enjoyment that i get from the songs. his one tune, Puppet For The Man, has an AM 70s groove, and he’s singing over it like Iggy.
that i like.
is this the kind of amazingly witty off-the-cuff banter that i’m missing by re-locating to Savannah?
i’m profoundly jealous of his achievements. but you already knew that.
yeah, they don’t have ball-breaking diwn there, do they?
*down
yeah..he can un-cork a pretty good primitive howl.
I thought “diwn” was an attempt to spell the philly pronounciation of the word.
There’s very little ball busting down here. They just look at me like I’ve lopped off their arms if I ball bust, even gently. That’s preferable, however, to the California reaction, which is to look down on, or lecture you about how “we don’t HAVE sarcasm here.”
that would be “daeln”
Malkmus and the woman from Fiery Furnace’s solo album are the next two I’ve been meaning to pick up.
yeah…ya GOLTTA get that L in there.
I can’t decide whether I’m looking forward to the release in November of the Beach Boys Smile. The deluxe edition has 5 CDs, the regular just 2. I’m bound to be disappointed by either but hope springs eternal.
he’s jealous of your hooks.
New Van Halen – November is the latest release date ETA
Wilco – new one is out in a few weeks, on their own label finally
The Jayhawks – mid sept – and the TOUR, I have my ticket!
Come Together: Black America Sings The Beatles – It’s out now, but I can’t find it anywhere.
Lou Reed + Metallica – I’ll give it a chance.
Not any real NEW artists, I had a last “run” with the Killers, Beady Eye, Gaslight Anthem, Cold War Kids, Black Keys but I am not finding any new bands l like enough to buy their record, let alone wait for the next one.
That’s right…I forgot about her album. I like the Fiery Furnaces enough to care about her solo album.
I’m looking forward to the new Tom Waits, and I read yesterday that a new John Cale ep is imminent. I like it when artists even older than me put out albums of interest.
Also looking forward to the new Dum Dum Girls album.
I may be the only one here, but I am looking forward to Noel Gallager’s High Flying Birds album. Liam’s Beady Eye album was a nice surprise for me, so I’m interested to see if Noel can outdo Liam. Noel admitted he named his band after a Jefferson Airplane song, which I thought was interesting.
the problem with that song, by the way, is that i don’t recall anyone thinking that he was a puppet for the man in the first place. he’s singing at imagined detractors about a perception of him that doesn’t exist.
in fact, that might be the thing about him that mystifies me: the emphatic love he has received. there doesn’t seem to be a speck of criticism of him out there anywhere. i find that surprising given his sound, and his propensity, early on at least, to sort of hide behind his hair.
i thought he’d get slammed, but he hasn’t.
it’s a good thing, but it does surprise me.
I have been discovering Tom lately. In other words, I have been listening to several of his records (all eras) constantly for the last week or so. Obsessed.
TB
Welcome aboard! This is going to cost you some money, especially since you are a completist, but it will be worth it.
Me too. The single is out now.
Sarcasm? What’s that?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/jun/30/portishead-new-album-geoff-barrow
I’m not holding my breath, though. How many years between albums? We’re going to see them in October so maybe they’ll preview some new stuff.
I’m looking forward to the Waits and would like to get the new Malkmus (Pig Lib was a fav).
That Black Mountain album didn’t disappoint, either. Those guys are cool.
Rocket From the Tombs have a new one coming out. The last time I saw them they did two new songs, and they were as good as the old ones. I think it comes out Tuesday. Blitzen Trapper has a new one that I want to check out, and The Buffalo Killers just released a new one (mine is on really cool purple vinyl).
As usual, I wish I had more money so I could get them all the day they come out. But the last time I was there I found a near mint copy of The Pagans Buried Alive and I paid extra for that one, so my record fund is depleted. But I’ll catch it back up!
No sarcasm? That’s the Golden Rule in my family.
If you can’t say something sarcastic, then do say anything at all.
He gets a lot of mileage out of the “Waiting on a Friend” riff, doesn’t he? I think once he gets out of that indie-rock mindset, he might deliver the goods.
You’ll like this Malkmus album if you liked Pig Lib, but at the same time, you mightfeel like he’s not really stretching all that much.
I can’t put my finger on it, but there’s something about this album that’s kind of tired sounding. Maybe I’m just tired of hearing the same devices.
I’ll probably buy that Portishead album, too, btw..
He likes his major 7ths, that’s for sure.
I have to say that my thoughts on his music are probably a little off since the 3rd album appears to be a delivery of said goods, based on the talk and the songs I’ve heard on the You Tube.
(Kilroy, maybe we should start a Philly only Youtube called YouzeTube).
Puppet for the Man is a case in point. His vocals are much more up front ,and the instrumentation is a lot less….ummmm….cloudy. He’s probably working with his band, rather than from the bedroom, and he’s probably gaining confidence.
Don’t get me wrong, however. I do think that the first two albums deliver the goods, albeit a different set of goods; as I said before, I like the person at the center of the songs; it’s the one thing that saves it for me. It’s a strong component.
By the same token, however, now that he’s “gaining confidence” and delivering those OTHER goods, I might like the person at the center of it all a little less. I’ll withhold final thoughts on it until I hear the whole thing though.
really, 2k? A wisenheimer like you?
That Pagans album is a sweet find.
I forgot about Blitzen Trapper, too. I wonder if this will be their Scarface album.
wilco is streaming their entire new album for free for 24 hours, until noon central time on sunday…
http://wilcoworld.net/twlsplash/
Me, three!
article /interview w/ Mike Love
http://clatl.com/atlanta/is-the-beach-boys-mike-love-a-hero-or-villain/Content?oid=3930863&bt
Priceless stuff: I came up with “I’m picking up good vibrations,” but Brian and I didn’t work on “Kokomo” together. Terry Melcher, John Phillips and I developed that, but I came up with all of the chorus: “Aruba, Jamaica ooo I wanna take ya/Bermuda, Bahama come on pretty mama.” That’s my forte, having the lyrics and concepts resonate with the music, whether it be the rhythm, the melody or what have you.
I am envisioning Mod reading this and nodding his head in profound agreement as he puffs on a fine meerschaum.
Nice find, jungleland2! I love how Love cites “Kokomo” right up front. One of these days the hatas will come around on that song.
Also, I’ve got to give credit to Love for politely correcting the interviewers’ grossly inaccurate “high harmonies” question.
That’s a really awesome interview: Love’s Peace Warrior potential is hinted at in his Dennis Wilson comments and the environmental stuff. Gotta love the Canned Heat reference! I love getting inside the mind of assholes. I envy this writer’s experience.