quote:

Originally posted by m.leland:
More or less. It's also only from his Anti years (1999–Present) from what I understand.

Some of it I'm sure was before that. "Fall of Troy" and "Walk Away" were both on the Dead Man Walking Soundtrack (both are excellent songs btw). "Little Drops of Poison" was also from a soundtrack: the Wim Wenders film, The End of Violence(which was a pretty good soundtrack, although I don't remember liking that Waits tune). I believe both of those films came out in the mid-90s.

quote:

Originally posted by ericg75:

quote:

Originally posted by m.leland:
More or less. It's also only from his Anti years (1999–Present) from what I understand.

Some of it I'm sure was before that. "Fall of Troy" and "Walk Away" were both on the Dead Man Walking Soundtrack (both are excellent songs btw). "Little Drops of Poison" was also from a soundtrack: the Wim Wenders film, The End of Violence(which was a pretty good soundtrack, although I don't remember liking that Waits tune). I believe both of those films came out in the mid-90s.

Then it's just definitely not his Island years. I guess.

After my extremely ambivalent reaction to King Heron Blues, I didn't have high hopes for Califone's new record, "Roots and Crowns." But Pitchfork gave it a glowing review today, and an 8.7 score. And the MP3 featured below the review -- of "Orchids" -- is much, much better than almost anything on KHB. The harmonies are great, and the found-sound feel of the song doesn't come at the expense of melody.

I'm anticipating the album now.

I'm streaming the Califore album today from the Thrill Jockey website. It's very good. The sound of it is closer to King Heron Blues than Quicksand/Cradlesnakes, which means the songs are a little noisier and far more cavernous than they were on Q/C, with found-sounds rattling through them and rising up from them. But the experiment is much more successful here than on KHB. Most importantly, and unlike the songs on KHB, there is rhythm and movement and melody to the songs on "Roots and Crowns."

I think the Califone album almost sounds like a cross between Iron & Wine and The Liars. I've got the first three songs on constant repeat - the rest of the album will just have to wait.

quote:

Originally posted by ericg75:
The only upcoming releases on the schedule that are really must-haves for me are Modest Mouse's We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (did they steal that title from an unreleased Liars album?) . . . .

So that means the new Modest Mouse album will sound either like Talking Heads (as on their last album) or Liars (as the title to their new album implies)?

Honest to God, I hope it's Liars.

quote:

Originally posted by Daniel, Esq.:
Califone's album sounds interesting, and Pitchfork is praising it to heaven.

The Califone album is positively excellent. It's the best thing they've done under that name. I thought King Heron Blues had a certain abstracted earthiness that Quicksand/Cradlesnakes could have done with more of, but at the same time the former just wasn't as interesting to listen to as the latter. Roots & Crowns combines both.

quote:

and Johanna Newsome, which isn't my cup of tea.

You should give yt a try. Seriously. For what it's worth, her singing voice is a little more "normal" on this one, if that was your primary gripe.

quote:

What other upcoming 2006 releases have piqued your interest, if any?

Things I would like to hear quite a bit:
Tom Waits
Modest Mouse
Nas
Willie Nelson

Things I've heard and am waiting to buy:
Joanna Newsom
Tim Hecker
Squarepusher
maybe Sparta

quote:

Originally posted by Vykromond:
The Califone album is positively excellent. It's the best thing they've done under that name. I thought King Heron Blues had a certain abstracted earthiness that Quicksand/Cradlesnakes could have done with more of, but at the same time the former just wasn't as interesting to listen to as the latter. Roots & Crowns combines both.

You should give [Joanna Newsome's] yt a try. Seriously. For what it's worth, her singing voice is a little more "normal" on this one, if that was your primary gripe.

I got Roots & Crowns today on eMusic. It's very good. I think you're on-the-money, too. The new album has the experimental edge of KHB and the melodic catchyness of Q/C.

What's the Joanna Newsom album like?

quote:

Daniel, Esq. said:
What's the Joanna Newsom album like?

Very interesting singing style (she sounds a little like Bjork on this one actually) + extremely vivid lyrics + harp + string arrangements by Van Dyke Parks. It's awesome.

----

I just saw this gem on page 32:

quote:

RavingLunatic said:
I've been in too many debates like this on message boards lately

From what I've seen of it, that's because you've been keen to start a lot of debates like this on message boards lately.

Go fuck yourself, Vykro.

If you insist.

quote:

Originally posted by Vykromond:

quote:

and Johanna Newsome, which isn't my cup of tea.

You should give it a try. Seriously. For what it's worth, her singing voice is a little more "normal" on this one, if that was your primary gripe.

Yes, keylimetrev and I compared her to Bjork earlier too. I said she had the soul, if not the range. I guess I should relisten to that harp-crazy album.

Welcome back stranger. Are you pullin' up a chair?

quote:

Originally posted by RavingLunatic:
Go fuck yourself, Vykro.

Why is fucking oneself an insult? Isn't fucking oneself a GOOD thing?

Be honest, RL. You really don't think you're a low-profile guy in debates like the one a few pages back, do you? I'm not calling you out, but it seems like you take some pretty hardline positions (on art and commerce, etc) that set you up to be, at the very least, at the center of some heated discussion.

Wait a sec now; you can't "argue" with someone who's either "Raving" or a "Lunatic". I realize that everytime I start talking into the mirror.

I thought that we had a new way of saying "welcome back" to some of our absent friends and I had just missed the memo.

Welcome back, V. It's good to hear from you.

Now Playing: The Detroit Tigers...the Oakland A's don't appear to have gotten the memo tonight themselves...

quote:

Originally posted by philosopherEric:
Be honest, RL. You really don't think you're a low-profile guy in debates like the one a few pages back, do you? I'm not calling you out, but it seems like you take some pretty hardline positions (on art and commerce, etc) that set you up to be, at the very least, at the center of some heated discussion.

I was just in a very foul mood for about 2 hours yesterday.

Plus, I thought it was a real cheap shot. Here I was (in the quoted comment) pretty much voluntarily ending the debate and admitting that I need to stop this sort of thing, and Vykro goes and say, "Hey, look at this gem I found! Haha! It was all your fault, buddy."


And back on topic, I think the Califone album is just mediocre. It's got some really good songs, particularly "3-Legged Cat" and "Orchids," but overall it comes nowhere close to Quicksand/Cradlesnakes, Roomsound, or their second self-titled EP.

Has anyone heard the new Twilight Singers EP with their new full-time band member Mark Lanegan? I read the blurb about it in P4K today, and it sounds pretty intriguing.

Also, I'm betting that in roughly five years, Mark Lanegan will have been a member of every band. Somebody should start a "Six Degrees of Mark Lanegan" thread.

quote:

And back on topic, I think the Califone album is just mediocre. It's got some really good songs, particularly "3-Legged Cat" and "Orchids," but overall it comes nowhere close to Quicksand/Cradlesnakes, Roomsound, or their second self-titled EP.

Do you like anything that strays from the norm?
(this isn't a jab, this is a serious question. I'm just curious to what you might listen to the you might consider experimental to some degree that you enjoy.)

quote:

Originally posted by Sicnarf:

Do you like anything that strays from the norm?

He likes pee in his cornflakes.

quote:

Originally posted by Sicnarf:
Do you like anything that strays from the norm?
(this isn't a jab, this is a serious question. I'm just curious to what you might listen to the you might consider experimental to some degree that you enjoy.)

Well, I'm not very high on purely experimental stuff or noise. I suppose the closest albums to experimental that I've liked are:

Wind-Up Bird - Whips
Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat
Jason Molina - Pyramid Electric Co
Radiohead - Kid A, Amnesiac
M83 - Dead Cities...
Songs: Ohia - Ghost Tropic
Bedhead and Macha - Macha Loved Bedhead

as well as various post-rock (Mogwai, EITS, Season) and electronic bands (BoC, Christ, Ochre, Kelpe).

None of that stuff is really what you would call experimental or avant-garde, but that's about as close as I get. The thing is, just about all the music I listen to is too weird for anyone I know, so I end up listening to all the stuff alone or with headphones on. Music is an entirely private experience for me.



And I do like pee on my cereal, but I'm more of a Wheaties man, not Corn Flakes.

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