j's indie/rock mayhem - 14th march 2007
[and a hearty howdy to you all. the spring weather is emerging here in north carolina and it's just a beautiful time to be alive. i wore my sandals for the first time this year the other night and that made me endlessly happy, so tonight's music reflects that.
a congratulations to mike walmsley who answered this week's trivia question: in last week's interview with the whigs, they mentioned opening for what mid-90s alternative rock superstars from australia? hint: their debut album was frogstomp. mike correctly identified silverchair as that band and as a result, he's taking home a copy of the whigs' debut, give 'em all a big fat lip and a $5 gift certificate to B.B.'s new and used CDs and DVDs in quaker village shopping center. congrats, mike.
now, while the heels are a #1 seed and still alive in the march madness, let's celebrate by getting to the rock. onward.]
J's Indie/Rock Podcast: 14th March 2007 Show
Theme Song - Peaches - "Rock Show"
>
Dinosaur Jr. - "Almost Ready" [obviously, from this song at least, dinosaur jr. has lost none of its thunder. while mascis has been refining this sound for years, it hasn't sounded this fresh in quite a long time. it's good to know that one reunion record is going to be good this year. yeah, i'm looking at you, iggy.]
Drive-by Truckers - "Where the Devil Don't Stay" [the lead track from 2005's the dirty south. gritty, dirty, real and raucous. announcing from the get-go that this ain't no ordinary album. there's a reason it was my co-# 1 album of 2005.]
the Clash - "Police on My Back" [from sandinistas! one of these days i'll give this album the fair, full hearing it deserves, but my attempts to listen all the way through have always left me disappointed. this song, however, is tremendous.]
For Squirrels - "8:02 PM" [from example. a really underrated (and sadly, increasingly forgotten) slab of mid-90s alt-rock that still rings loud and true.]
>
El-P - "Run the Numbers" [from his forthcoming i'll sleep when you're dead. i haven't played el-p much on my show, but i've definitely played his fellow def jux records cohorts. and this song runs like the blue blazes. it's a bit long, but with only one listen under my belt i'll give this album one thing: it's a cohesive unit. hip hop albums can often sound nightmarishly scattered and incoherent. this is one, united beast.]
Neu! - "Super" [from neu! 2. one of two tracks that get multiple treatments in the form of original recorded tracks being either slowed down or sped up dramatically. oh, kraut-rock, i love you so.]
John Doe - "Hwy. 5" [by request. featuring neko case, this song was co-written by doe and former X bandmate exene cervenka. case does a fantastic job filling exene's shoes in the harmony parts and overall it's a great song. from forever hasn't happened yet.]
Radio 4 - "Start a Fire" [from gotham, the last good piece of music this band put out. their subsequent releases have left me cold, to be generous.]
>
the Whigs - "Violet Furs" [from give 'em all a big fat lip. i stick by my assertion that the guitar riff in this song sounds vaguely afghan whigs-esque. it's got that great, sultry, slung back vibe to it. that's the extent of this band's connection, style or otherwise, to the afghan whigs. they said so. listen to the interview.]
Dilated Peoples - "Work the Angles" [from the platform. dilated's first two albums are really, really solid pieces of hip-hop. their most recent records - i can't even explain. one of the best parts about this song is the reference to the 'Baseball Furies' from the movie the warriors.]
Pop Will Eat Itself - "Can U Dig It" [so, why not follow it up with a song from this is the day...this is the hour...this is this! that very obviously lifts dialogue cuts from the warriors also. from the woman dj introduction to the constant repetition of cyrus' legendary "can you dig it?!?!" invocation. an awesome song.]
Uncle Tupelo - "Gun" [from still feel gone. took me a bit to come around, and i don't totally agree with him, but my friend andrew told me he didn't understand why people praised UT's first album so much when this one was so much better. this song is certainly part of a good argument to back him up.]
>
Jesse Malin - "In the Modern World" [from jesse's forthcoming third solo release, glitter in the gutter. jesse's perfected a pretty sharp niche of populist, 'storytelling' songwriting. he's not charting any new territory - far from it. he's a classicist in a lot of senses. but he's good at what he does. and the guests on this new record (josh homme, jakob dylan, bruce springsteen) show he's getting respect from someone out there.]
Josh Ritter - "Snow is Gone" [seemed too perfect for today. from his remarkable hello starling album.]
Flesh for Lulu - "Postcards from Paradise" [from long live the new flesh. a song that, admittedly, i'd never heard until paul westerberg covered it on mono, but i sought out the original and simply adore it. glammy, arena-style rock with a mean pop streak.]
the Church - "Almost With You" [from 1983's the blurred crusade. the church's early records are criminally hard to come by (without paying import prices) here in the states. would someone please rectify this?]
>
Jarvis Cocker - "Heavy Weather" [from the forthcoming jarvis album. it really is shaping up to be every bit as good as some of pulp's best work. i must have listened to "don't let him waste your time" about 20 times in the last week.]
Future Clouds & Radar - "Drugstore Bust" [from their self-titled debut. with a purposefully lo-fi feel and a seeming knack for hooks, this band is maybe carrying on in the lovely tradition of guided by voices. something to watch.]
Call Me Lightning - "Beaming Streaks" [by request. from soft skeletons. the review sticker likened this band to q and not u and while i hear what the reviewer meant, anyone used to the casual genius that seemed to arc from the fingers of q and not u is bound to be a bit disappointed in these guys. don't come at them from that angle, and you may be onto something.]
Sleeper - "Inbetweener" [from their debut album smart. i'm more of a fan of the stephen street produced sophomore album, but if you like your britpop straight, no chaser, this is a great album for you.]
>
Health - "Morning Sigh" [from the fantastic where you from? there are some grand rock comparisons here somewhere - nick drake, crosby, stills and nash, maybe? this music is gorgeous though. go out and see them when they're around.]
Spoon - "The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine" [from gimme fiction. i like this song quite a bit - minimalist spoon at its best.]
Randy Newman - "Burn On" [from sail away. randy newman's songwriting legacy is slowly being eaten up by his numerous academy award nominations for disney/animated film soundtrack songs, but you know, his albums are unstoppable snark and incisive wit and romance all in one. this song focuses on the cuyahoga river and its intense pollution, so thick at times that between 1936 and the 1970s the river actually caught fire many times beacuse of oil and other debris.]
R.E.M. - "Cuyahoga" [and guess what this song's about? from life's rich pageant. in a recent discussion over at the a. v. club, REM's legacy was discussed with much input from readers. the article is worth reading, even if it boils your blood. the comments are pretty solid most of the way down as well. i even threw in my two cents somewhere down the line.]
>
Rufus Wainwright - "Chelsea Hotel # 2" (live) [from the i'm your man soundtrack - a documentary of a series of live tribute performances to leonard cohen. wainwright's stirring take on this song is quite, quite good. the whole record is a winner, as a matter of fact.]
the Pogues - "Thousands are Sailing" and "If I Should Fall From Grace With God" [i chose two songs off of if i should fall from grace with god in order to celebrate st. patrick's day this coming saturday. i don't have any real irish ancestory in me, but for one day a year we can all be that way. and i love the pogues. so there we go.]
That'll do it for this week. I'll be back next week with more new music and a bunch of stuff I didn't get to play this week - including the new Son Volt! Which I accidentaly left at home. We're going to have to hear more. Until then, Go Heels! and take care.
a congratulations to mike walmsley who answered this week's trivia question: in last week's interview with the whigs, they mentioned opening for what mid-90s alternative rock superstars from australia? hint: their debut album was frogstomp. mike correctly identified silverchair as that band and as a result, he's taking home a copy of the whigs' debut, give 'em all a big fat lip and a $5 gift certificate to B.B.'s new and used CDs and DVDs in quaker village shopping center. congrats, mike.
now, while the heels are a #1 seed and still alive in the march madness, let's celebrate by getting to the rock. onward.]
J's Indie/Rock Podcast: 14th March 2007 Show
Theme Song - Peaches - "Rock Show"
>
Dinosaur Jr. - "Almost Ready" [obviously, from this song at least, dinosaur jr. has lost none of its thunder. while mascis has been refining this sound for years, it hasn't sounded this fresh in quite a long time. it's good to know that one reunion record is going to be good this year. yeah, i'm looking at you, iggy.]
Drive-by Truckers - "Where the Devil Don't Stay" [the lead track from 2005's the dirty south. gritty, dirty, real and raucous. announcing from the get-go that this ain't no ordinary album. there's a reason it was my co-# 1 album of 2005.]
the Clash - "Police on My Back" [from sandinistas! one of these days i'll give this album the fair, full hearing it deserves, but my attempts to listen all the way through have always left me disappointed. this song, however, is tremendous.]
For Squirrels - "8:02 PM" [from example. a really underrated (and sadly, increasingly forgotten) slab of mid-90s alt-rock that still rings loud and true.]
>
El-P - "Run the Numbers" [from his forthcoming i'll sleep when you're dead. i haven't played el-p much on my show, but i've definitely played his fellow def jux records cohorts. and this song runs like the blue blazes. it's a bit long, but with only one listen under my belt i'll give this album one thing: it's a cohesive unit. hip hop albums can often sound nightmarishly scattered and incoherent. this is one, united beast.]
Neu! - "Super" [from neu! 2. one of two tracks that get multiple treatments in the form of original recorded tracks being either slowed down or sped up dramatically. oh, kraut-rock, i love you so.]
John Doe - "Hwy. 5" [by request. featuring neko case, this song was co-written by doe and former X bandmate exene cervenka. case does a fantastic job filling exene's shoes in the harmony parts and overall it's a great song. from forever hasn't happened yet.]
Radio 4 - "Start a Fire" [from gotham, the last good piece of music this band put out. their subsequent releases have left me cold, to be generous.]
>
the Whigs - "Violet Furs" [from give 'em all a big fat lip. i stick by my assertion that the guitar riff in this song sounds vaguely afghan whigs-esque. it's got that great, sultry, slung back vibe to it. that's the extent of this band's connection, style or otherwise, to the afghan whigs. they said so. listen to the interview.]
Dilated Peoples - "Work the Angles" [from the platform. dilated's first two albums are really, really solid pieces of hip-hop. their most recent records - i can't even explain. one of the best parts about this song is the reference to the 'Baseball Furies' from the movie the warriors.]
Pop Will Eat Itself - "Can U Dig It" [so, why not follow it up with a song from this is the day...this is the hour...this is this! that very obviously lifts dialogue cuts from the warriors also. from the woman dj introduction to the constant repetition of cyrus' legendary "can you dig it?!?!" invocation. an awesome song.]
Uncle Tupelo - "Gun" [from still feel gone. took me a bit to come around, and i don't totally agree with him, but my friend andrew told me he didn't understand why people praised UT's first album so much when this one was so much better. this song is certainly part of a good argument to back him up.]
>
Jesse Malin - "In the Modern World" [from jesse's forthcoming third solo release, glitter in the gutter. jesse's perfected a pretty sharp niche of populist, 'storytelling' songwriting. he's not charting any new territory - far from it. he's a classicist in a lot of senses. but he's good at what he does. and the guests on this new record (josh homme, jakob dylan, bruce springsteen) show he's getting respect from someone out there.]
Josh Ritter - "Snow is Gone" [seemed too perfect for today. from his remarkable hello starling album.]
Flesh for Lulu - "Postcards from Paradise" [from long live the new flesh. a song that, admittedly, i'd never heard until paul westerberg covered it on mono, but i sought out the original and simply adore it. glammy, arena-style rock with a mean pop streak.]
the Church - "Almost With You" [from 1983's the blurred crusade. the church's early records are criminally hard to come by (without paying import prices) here in the states. would someone please rectify this?]
>
Jarvis Cocker - "Heavy Weather" [from the forthcoming jarvis album. it really is shaping up to be every bit as good as some of pulp's best work. i must have listened to "don't let him waste your time" about 20 times in the last week.]
Future Clouds & Radar - "Drugstore Bust" [from their self-titled debut. with a purposefully lo-fi feel and a seeming knack for hooks, this band is maybe carrying on in the lovely tradition of guided by voices. something to watch.]
Call Me Lightning - "Beaming Streaks" [by request. from soft skeletons. the review sticker likened this band to q and not u and while i hear what the reviewer meant, anyone used to the casual genius that seemed to arc from the fingers of q and not u is bound to be a bit disappointed in these guys. don't come at them from that angle, and you may be onto something.]
Sleeper - "Inbetweener" [from their debut album smart. i'm more of a fan of the stephen street produced sophomore album, but if you like your britpop straight, no chaser, this is a great album for you.]
>
Health - "Morning Sigh" [from the fantastic where you from? there are some grand rock comparisons here somewhere - nick drake, crosby, stills and nash, maybe? this music is gorgeous though. go out and see them when they're around.]
Spoon - "The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine" [from gimme fiction. i like this song quite a bit - minimalist spoon at its best.]
Randy Newman - "Burn On" [from sail away. randy newman's songwriting legacy is slowly being eaten up by his numerous academy award nominations for disney/animated film soundtrack songs, but you know, his albums are unstoppable snark and incisive wit and romance all in one. this song focuses on the cuyahoga river and its intense pollution, so thick at times that between 1936 and the 1970s the river actually caught fire many times beacuse of oil and other debris.]
R.E.M. - "Cuyahoga" [and guess what this song's about? from life's rich pageant. in a recent discussion over at the a. v. club, REM's legacy was discussed with much input from readers. the article is worth reading, even if it boils your blood. the comments are pretty solid most of the way down as well. i even threw in my two cents somewhere down the line.]
>
Rufus Wainwright - "Chelsea Hotel # 2" (live) [from the i'm your man soundtrack - a documentary of a series of live tribute performances to leonard cohen. wainwright's stirring take on this song is quite, quite good. the whole record is a winner, as a matter of fact.]
the Pogues - "Thousands are Sailing" and "If I Should Fall From Grace With God" [i chose two songs off of if i should fall from grace with god in order to celebrate st. patrick's day this coming saturday. i don't have any real irish ancestory in me, but for one day a year we can all be that way. and i love the pogues. so there we go.]
That'll do it for this week. I'll be back next week with more new music and a bunch of stuff I didn't get to play this week - including the new Son Volt! Which I accidentaly left at home. We're going to have to hear more. Until then, Go Heels! and take care.
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