Among the 1000+ mess of CDs, I'm culling. It's my 35th birthday and actually I'm very comfy kicking back with headphones and the more dubious CDs in my collection.
Airport 5. -
Life Starts Here [Fading Captain Series] Guided By Voices off-shoot doesn't have the same hooks as the main band. Apart from track 4 "Wrong Drama Addiction". "The Dawntrust Guarantee" promises, but doesn't deliver. These guys need to edit.
Mr Wright -
Hello Is Anyone Out There [Le Grand Magistery 2001] El Records pedigree and sophisticated arrangements. "Darling Honey" is a sweet duet. This label's house style has been appealing (Momus etc), but doesn't hold my interest. This is going to be a challenge in many titles I'm reviewing tonight. Tonally, stylistically, they'll be on the mark, but lacking the solid songwriting or something special to warrant a place in my collection. "Coming Home" is nice though. The guitar playing has picked up. "Winter On Harrow Road" is another strong point. It's tempting to rip just the two or three tracks of interest.
Jackie-O Motherfucker -
Fig. 5 [Road Cone 1999] This is a monster to review quickly. That's clear before I even put it in. Just extracting it from the packaging is challenging. The name. The politics. Ten seconds into the first track, and I'm intrigued, and know I need more time with this and the next one:
Jackie-O Motherfucker - Liberation [Road Cone]
Microstoria -
Init Ding [Thrill Jockey 1995] I'd forgotten how warm and enveloping the burbling glitch noises could be. Makes me want to pull out Oval's Systemich. More noodly than others from the discography, and I don't feel the need for more than one or two glitchy discs.
Lithops -
Scrypt [Thrill Jockey 2003] The
Stylus Magazine review is thoughtful. This is more avant than the Microstoria disc, with some of the same suspects. Again, I'll pass. Both discs are provocative, particularly on headphones, at times a little painful. Perhaps I'm too old (or have moved on somehow) for the Noize music thing, but this, along with Merzbow and others are probably going to be sold. That said "Insections" is as described, an insectoid and fascinating glitch symphony.
The Lonesome Organist -
Cavalcade [Thrill Jockey 1999]. Gamelan..hmm. Must be steel drum. Multi-instrumental frantic, zaniness. Clearly a talented guy, but it wears after a while. The title is apt. This is gone.
William Orbit -
Pieces in a Modern Style [Warner 2000] I had thought this was dance music, but that's just the second disc with a couple of trance remixes. It's actually performances of new-agey classical. This is gone.
Milton Nascimento -
Nascimento [Warner 1997] Opens with samba drums which are refreshing, and not the schmaltz that I've come to expect. But
National Health -
Missing Pieces [ESD 1996] Rarities that didn't make into either National Health album. Apart from what sounds like rehearsal noodlings, there are elements of acid-folk that appeal. But overall, this is the noodly prog that I avoid.
New Tweedy Bros - S/T [Ridon 1968] Cute hexagonal foil cover. Ritchie Unterberger sets this up to be a two-hit disappointment. The two high points fall short for me. This is gone.
Muslimgauze - Narcotic [Staalplat] Provocative titles like "Saddams Children" and "Gulf Between Us", but I've wondered if this super prolific artist was somehow appealing more to collectors pf political art and fetishists than dedicated listeners. Based on this album, this isn't holding me. Its an industrial-electronic collage of samples of middle-eastern instrumentation and field recordings. Track 8 "Narcotic" has some interesting panning going on with the bongo percussion, intriguing on headphones.
Richard Thomas -
Shoes and Radios Attract Paint [Lo Recordings 1997] The
Allmusic reviewer nails it. Thoughtful, fresh, uneasy listening, but not sure I'll listen to it.
This process of finding stuff I don't enjoy, and double-checking that I really won't enjoy it, well, its not very enjoyable. The moment I find something good, I set it aside in the keep pile. Anything remotely bad, gets a good listen. What a masochistic way to spend my birthday, but also satisfying.
Mum -
Finally No One Are One [Fat Cat 2002]
Pitchfork Media hits the mark by noting that the child's perspective and innocence can be cloying. But perhaps in small doses (I'll keep it for the meantime).
India.Arie -
Acoustic Soul [Motown 2001] I thought I had sold this. Somehow it escaped. After a skim I can confirm that the urban-smooth thing just isn't for me.
The Kicks -
Hello Hong Kong [TVT 2004] Sound-alike dross. Although "Pretty One" is catchy.
Alice Cooper -
Dirty Diamonds [New West 2005] A return to "Billion Dollar Babies" says the reviewer. Hmm. I haven't heard his "classic". Off-putting to read that he's a spokesperson for the Republicans.
Allmusic was helpful with a good track by track analysis (handy how they indicate standouts). I'll check out his 70s material when I come across it in the $1 bin, but I'll pass on this. An odd fit for the New West label.
Leon Parker -
The Simple Life [Label M 2001] I like the body-percussion acappella of "Caravan". And Joel Dorn has reissued some strong jazz. But I haven't found much contemporary jazz that he's put out standing the test of time. Gone.
It's Tuesday evening, and I'm back at the headphones.
David Grubb's The Thicket [Drag City] is first up, but I'm lulled into it, its a pleasure. A few minutes go by without my even pondering reasons to ditch it.
The Gossip -
Arkansas Heat [Kill Rock Stars] Sleater Kinney style queer power punk. I've tended to ditch EPs and hold onto LPs, but this one stays despite its brevity.
Fiona Apple -
When the Pawn.. [Sony 1999] I find her public persona annoying, and the whole campaign to get her album published. Her songwriting may be too embittered and focused on break ups for me.
John Cage -
Four Seasons [ECM New Series 2000] The idea of toy piano is appealing. As always, impeccably recorded. But the discordant thing...perhaps not my thing these days.
Caesars -
Paper Tigers [EMI Sweden 2005] The metacritic blurbs talk of filler. The iPod ad track "Jerk it Out" certainly has cool farfisa, but I tend to agree that this is mediocre.
Pearlene -
Murder Blues and Prayer [Dim Mak 2003] The hype seems promising of raw Beefheart style blues. In fact, its Jon Spencer-ish grind, and grating (perhaps the mastering is partly to blame, but John Golden usually does a great job). The band's name pays tribute to Son House (also promising), and they cover his "Jinx Blues", they have a great rawk attitude, catchy titles like "Mutilation Boogie", but ...hmm. The title track had me hooked. But that seems to be the high point.
Sakesho - We Want you to Say [Heads up 2005] What was I thinking. Was it the label since it has dabbled in SACD.
Victoria Williams -
Musings of a Creek Dipper [Atlantic 1998]
