quote:

I'm looking forward to . . . the Matthew Sweet/Susanna Hoffs Under the Covers record

On the strength of this and a few other recommendations on this forum, I sought out a song that Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs made available online to promote their upcoming album. The song -- "12 Care of Cell No. 44" -- is great (although it took two listens for it to sink in). Hoffs sounds exactly like she did on the best Bangles singles from the nineteen eighties. Sweet's cooing, bouncy backing vocals sound (to me, at least) more like Michael Stipe than Matthew Sweet, which is fine. When their voices interlock, the harmonies aren't perfectly honeyed like the Beach Boys, for example, but it works very well. Now I'm looking forward to the release of this album, too.

AC/DC (I hope)
Tool
Flaming Lips (great album)
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Radiohead (I hope)
Primal Scream
Spiritualized

Some exciting news was posted on the blog 'some velvet blog' today. Apparently, in addition to the soon to be released compilation, Lambchop have a new studio album coming out in August, and are backing up the great Candi Staton on her new album. A busy year for Lambchop is a good year for me.

quote:

Originally posted by Daniel, Esq.:

quote:

I'm looking forward to . . . the Matthew Sweet/Susanna Hoffs Under the Covers record

On the strength of this and a few other recommendations on this forum, I sought out a song that Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs made available online to promote their upcoming album. The song -- "12 Care of Cell No. 44" -- is great (although it took two listens for it to sink in).

I'm guessing it's an all-covers album?

I'm sure someone has heard The Islands "Return to the Sea" or The Streets "Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living." I'm really excited about both these albums, and I was wondering if they're as good as I'm expecting them to be.

quote:

Originally posted by dano:
I'm guessing it's an all-covers album?

Yes. They mainly stick with '60s/'70s tunes, including several Neil Young tracks, a Velvet Underground cover, the Beatles, and so on. I usually cringe at the idea of Beatles covers. Hoffs and Sweet switch off on lead vocals from track to track, sometimes within the context of a single too.

I'm guessing Sweet is playing bass (it sounds like his style), and I know Ric Menck is drumming, and Greg Leisz is aboard for some pedal steel. Richard Lloyd (Television) and Ivan Julian (the Voidoids) are on the disc as well. That's probably more info that you asked for, but I'm a bit excited about this release, as if you couldn't tell.

The Beautiful SOuth, one of my fave bands, has a new one, Superbi, due in May in the UK. Their last one, a collection of covers, was one of my 2004 faves.

I'm excited about the two upcoming Walkmen releases. The first, A Hundred Miles Off is their proper follow up to 2004's Bows & Arrows. Secondly, they're supposedly going to release a song-for-song cover of Harry Nilsson's Pussy Cats, which Nilsson and drinking buddy/producer John Lennon unleashed in 1974. It's kind of a bizzare choice, since half of Nilsson's album is itself covers, including "Subterranean Homesick Blues" and "Rock Around the Clock". I don't really see the Walkmen-Nilsson connection, so It'll be interesting to see how it pans out. Could be an epic disaster.

quote:

The Beautiful SOuth, one of my fave bands, has a new one, Superbi, due in May in the UK.

wow... I'll Sail This Ship Alone has got to be one of my all time faves but to be honest I never heard any of the covers album. I liked Gaze quite a bit though.

quote:

Originally posted by WordsAmpersand:

quote:

Originally posted by dano:
I'm guessing it's an all-covers album?

Yes. They mainly stick with '60s/'70s tunes, including several Neil Young tracks, a Velvet Underground cover, the Beatles, and so on. I usually cringe at the idea of Beatles covers. Hoffs and Sweet switch off on lead vocals from track to track, sometimes within the context of a single too.

I'm guessing Sweet is playing bass (it sounds like his style), and I know Ric Menck is drumming, and Greg Leisz is aboard for some pedal steel. Richard Lloyd (Television) and Ivan Julian (the Voidoids) are on the disc as well. That's probably more info that you asked for, but I'm a bit excited about this release, as if you couldn't tell.

I got an advance and it's, well, OK. I love both voices (Sweet more than Hoffs) but some of the versions are just bad. And it sticks primarily to one tempo and one style. The Dylan cover is bad, but there are some decent versions of Bee Gees, VU, Zombies, and Left Banke songs on it. I'll give it a longer listen and see if it's a grower.

Just pulled this from this (below) from the James Yorkston and the Athletes website. It seems that we'll have a new one from them by Mid 2006. For those who liked the Adem cd, should check out JY's last one, Just Beyond the River.

Album #3 underway 22/3/6 - We're pleased to announce that JY Lp#3 is finally underway. It's being recorded and mixed in a number of studios around the uk with Phill Brown & Paul Webb. Hopefully it should be all done by mid May. Phill Brown & Paul Webb are known for their work with Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man, Talk Talk and possibly a few others....(!) Some tracks from the Lp are going to be the original demos that James made for this record.

What's going on? (20/1/6) - "Hello everyone. there's not been so much action of late on the JY site. Sorry about this. We're all busy behind the scenes, rehearsing the new songs for lp#3. The cunning plan is to have it released by middle of 2006 - again on Domino Records. I'm really happy with what we've got so far, i think it'll be a braw wee record. Not sure where we'll record it yet, but i've been talking with a few different producers, and hopefully something will be sorted sooner rather than later..." - JY

There's an album coming out tomorrow (U.K, not sure about elswhere) called Exit Music: Songs With Radio Heads which is basically 14 radiohead covers.

The track listing is:

1. No Surprises - Shawn Lee
2. Morning Bell - The Randy Watson Experience (Feat. Donn)
3. In Limbo - SA-RA (Feat. The SA-RA All Stars)
4. High & Dry - Pete Kuzma & Bilal
5. Just - Mark Ronson (Feat. Alex Greenwald)
6. Airbag - RJD2
7. (Nice Dream) - Matthew Herbert (Feat. Mara Carlyle)
8. Blow Out - Lo-Freq
9. The National Anthem - Meshell Ndegeocello & Chris Dave
10. Karma Police - The Bad Plus
11. Paranoid Android - Sia
12. Everything in Its Right Place - Osunlade (Feat. Erro)
13. Knives Out - Wajeed (From Platinum Pied Pipers) (Feat. Monica Blaire)
14. Exit Music (For A Film) - Cinematic Orchestra

The only one I've heard is Just by Mark Ronson and it's incredible so I'm looking forward to hearing the rest

quote:

Originally posted by Morro:
There's an album coming out tomorrow (U.K, not sure about elswhere) called Exit Music: Songs With Radio Heads which is basically 14 radiohead covers.

The track listing is:

1. No Surprises - Shawn Lee
2. Morning Bell - The Randy Watson Experience (Feat. Donn)
3. In Limbo - SA-RA (Feat. The SA-RA All Stars)
4. High & Dry - Pete Kuzma & Bilal
5. Just - Mark Ronson (Feat. Alex Greenwald)
6. Airbag - RJD2
7. (Nice Dream) - Matthew Herbert (Feat. Mara Carlyle)
8. Blow Out - Lo-Freq
9. The National Anthem - Meshell Ndegeocello & Chris Dave
10. Karma Police - The Bad Plus
11. Paranoid Android - Sia
12. Everything in Its Right Place - Osunlade (Feat. Erro)
13. Knives Out - Wajeed (From Platinum Pied Pipers) (Feat. Monica Blaire)
14. Exit Music (For A Film) - Cinematic Orchestra

The only one I've heard is Just by Mark Ronson and it's incredible so I'm looking forward to hearing the rest

I'm probably not going to listen to it either way, but I hope it doesn't suck.

"Bassist, songwriter, and virtuoso Les Claypool will kick off one of the most sustained periods of activity in his career on May 30th with the release of 'Of Whales And Woe' on Prawn Song. Marked by Claypool's wry worldview and the ferocious musical chops of the legendary bassist and his musical co-conspirators, the album is an aggressive tour de force that recalls his best work as one of the pioneers of alternative music."

I will buy it that day for sure. Probably the most interesting/suspicious albums of the year so far. 2006 is so disappointing...so was 2005.

No mention of Tool-10,000 Days?

Islands = Awesome.

Streets = Not Awesome.

Hmm..there are a few albums coming out tomorrow I'm considering, and none I'm sold on.

What do people think of the new Built to Spill, Calexico, and Josh Ritter?

The new Built To Spill is great. Interesting, catchy, awesome guitar work. I already have most of the songs on my computer, but I'll still pick it up next week.

Does anyone have an opinion on Bitter Tea yet? I have 3 tracks and all are pretty good, but I'm kind of hesitant to buy it after Rehearsing My Choir.

I also heard one great track from Calexico, but the album's getting pretty average reviews.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: joji,

quote:

Originally posted by Bobthespirit:
Hmm..there are a few albums coming out tomorrow I'm considering, and none I'm sold on.

What do people think of the new Built to Spill, Calexico, and Josh Ritter?

Don't know about the new one, but the last three Josh Ritter albums have been excellent. The new tracks he played live when I saw him this past fall were good, as well, so I'm pretty sure The Animal Years will be a winner.

It pains me greatly to say this, but I think the new Calexico record is very disappointing. There are a few good songs to be sure, but no great ones really, and the arrangements lack any hint of the jazz or electronica influences of the past. Even the mariachi horns are barely there.
Of course they're entitled to try different things, make different kinds of albums etc, and maybe they felt after the masterpiece that was Feast Of Wire and the Iron & Wine collaboration, this was the time. But to me it sounds like very average alt-country fare, more Budweiser than Budvar...