McMurtry has sounded great live the three times I've seen him. Don't go
expecting to hear stories about the songs or anything like that. McMurtry
lets the character and personality of his songs speak for themselves for the
most part. Occasionally he'll show a bit of his sardonic sense of humor
Picked up the new Old 97s record "Fight Songs" yesterday and I dig it alot.
But I think those early reviews about it being a radical departure are a bit
overstated. There are new song structures and more multi-tracked vocals and
harmonies on great new tunes like "Oppenheimer", "Murder" and "19".
Jerry Curry writes:
Remember Fire Town anyone?
Absolutely. Decent first album with a classic song in "Carry the Torch" and
a second album ("The Good Life") that's solid all the way through. Hey
maybe if the next Garbage album flops, we can look forward to a Fire Town
reunion!
--Slonedog
JPRiedie writes: Don't be silly. Their most mature and compelling work is
Achtung Baby. 1991
If anything, I think U2 has gotten less "mature" during the 90s. Like REM,
they seem bent on making fun of themselves to less than hilarious effect.
In the 80s, sure they were pretentious, but at
That's the New Radicals "You Get What You Give" from last year's "Maybe
You've Been Brainwashed Too". It's suddenly ubiquitous once again. I think
I also heard it on a promo for "Dawson's Creek" or one of those teen shows.
Always thought the singer sounded dead on Karl Wallinger of World
What does everybody think of Rolling Stone's typically head up their ass
selection of Kurt Cobain as Artist of the Decade? Try most pathetic loser
of the decade. The guy had nothing interesting to say musically or lyrically
and then he blew his brains out. Any alternative selections we P-2ers
I think I'm one of the few who can appreciate both sides of the Posies.
Initially I was pissed that "Frosting..." wasn't "Dear 23 part 2". But
listening to that album now, I think the sound holds up very well. That
"textured beauty" of "Dear 23" (produced by the guy that did that first
Stone
Okay, here's a criminally underappreciated album for ya:
Brad Jones "Gilt Flake"
I first heard this record way back in 1991 when a friend lent me a copy of
it (okay, I'll namedrop. It was Tommy Womack's wife, Beth). I always
regretted that I didn't make a copy of it back then. So I was
Hate to disagree with all you folks who like the new Petty, but my initial,
all too hasty reaction to it is not positive. I hate the way Petty's vocals
are produced (especially "Free Girl Now") and he doesn't really sing until
the fifth or sixth song. Too much Dylan, not enough McGuinn.
George Figgs wrote:
I don't understand this almost predictable switch of formerly dubbed
alt-twang bands to this pet-sounds pop thing. we've seen it with joe h,
jayhwaks, wilco, golden smog, and the old 97's.
Slonedog responds:
While a handful (and it is just a handful folks) of the songs on
Carl Wilson wrote:
Me, I think the pop turn is as much the result of a sudden but sincere,
methinks, rediscovery that shiny happy music is not inherently evil, and is
a way out of rock's dead ends in a similar way that the adoption of twang
influence had been.
Slonedog responds:
It may be a "way
James Gerard Roll wrote Kelly Willis: A little flat and slick at first
impression but certain songs have really grown on me. What I cannot figure
out is why her cuts on compilations (i.e. Real: Tom T. Hall Project and Rig
Rock Deluxe) practically bring me to spasms of joy and are often my
Chad wrote: I was going to go see him, but now I don't know if I should
waste my time. So would anyone be willing to enlighten me, or tell me why
I'm
listening the wrong way, etc.?
If Joe Henry's recent appearance on Sessions At West 54th is any indication,
he is well worth seeing live in his
Count me in as another P2er who'll be heading to the Birchmere for the Steve
Del show on the 18th. For those of you who may be coming to town for the
show, you may be interested to know that the V-Roys are playing the next
night at IOTA, a cool small club in Arlington, Virginia. Looks like an
I've been listening to the Damnations record as well and I can't really
recommend it. The noticeably slicker-sounding "Unholy Train" is a great
song but I think too many of the others are flat-out boring. They sort of
sound like the Indigo Girls with inferior songs and a banjo.
Just my
I wasn't referring to the Indigo Girls occasionally pretentious lyric
content or their enthusiasm. I was referring to how the Damnations
harmonies sound similar to how Amy Ray and Emily Saliers' voices mesh (the
Indigos main strength, I think). Anyway, I do want to catch the Damnations
live. I
Boy don't you hate it when people take your original subject line and go off
on some weird tangent.
Just kidding,
Slonedog
-Original Message-
From: Jerry Curry
To: passenger side
Sent: 3/3/99 1:29 PM
Subject: RE: Kelly Willis Michael WHERE YA Been PURCELL?
On Wed, 3 Mar 1999,
Excerpts from recent postcards:
Why do people love for country or alt.country bands or so-called
alt.country bands to do covers of godawful cheesy rock songs? Why do people
respond to these
more than they do to the, OK, I'm going to say it, "real" songs?
Two reasons I think.
1. If you do like
Tommy Miller wrote: If you are interested, Steve Earle won the Gibson Award
for Best Male Acoustic Guitar Player. Seems like it was about a year ago
when I said I thought Steve was one of the best guitar players in country
music. I got flammed big time. Jon W. from Kentucky really disagreed
I have to agree with the Jeff Lynne supporters out there. Yeh, his
production on the Petty, Harrison, Wilburys, et al albums gives them all
that bank of acoustic guitars/compressed drum sound but I think he brought
out some of the best work these guys have done. Besides, I really like ELO
too,
Hey, how come Greg Kot liked "Summerteeth" so much he put it at 25 on this
list but in his Rolling Stone review, it warranted only 3 and 1/2 stars?
Just asking...
--Slonedog
Yeh, Merle's an icon and you have to see all your heroes atleast once
BUT when I saw him at the Birchmere in Alexandria, VA last year (a
birthday present from my girlfriend), he and his band didn't exactly knock
themselves out. They played for all of about an hour and the tickets were
dan wrote about Apple Venus Volume 1:
What the heck is that record about? Greatest hits, or what? Man I love
XTC.
It's an all new album described as orchestral-acoustic. It's out February
23rd. An album of more electric stuff (Volume 2) is tentatively scheduled
for the fall but could be
If I'm not mistaken, there is a former Judybat or two (along with a
former V-Roy) in a band called the Nevers who are supposed to have a
new CD out this month.
--Slonedog
As a native of Lexington, KY, I must defend the honor of my beloved
Wildcats. I watched them demolish Mississippi State the other day.
And they've gotten up for big wins against Maryland and Auburn this
year. If things go well, they could go far again this year. So
there.
As to your
If I'm not mistaken "Iris" is from the album after "True Colors"
which was called "Waiata" here in the States and "Corroboree"
elsewhere. Both are great albums by the way.
--Slonedog
I think there's a line about "shed my skin" in the Crowded House song
"Love This Life" from "Temple of Low Men".
--Slonedog
Has anybody mentioned "Has Anybody Here Seen Hank?" by the Waterboys
(from 1988's "Fisherman's Blues).
--Slonedog
28 matches
Mail list logo
