I had a stick of CareFree gum, but it didn't work. I felt pretty good while I was blowing that bubble, but as soon as the gum lost its flavor I was back to pondering my mortality.
Posts: 569 | Location: Chicago, IL | Registered: 14 December 2007
It also sounds like The Thermals may have an album coming out this year too. Good new from two good bands.
I had a stick of CareFree gum, but it didn't work. I felt pretty good while I was blowing that bubble, but as soon as the gum lost its flavor I was back to pondering my mortality.
Posts: 569 | Location: Chicago, IL | Registered: 14 December 2007
I've just found out that one of my favorite unheard of folk/americana artists is coming out with a new record.
Todd Snider - Peace Queer (August 19)
Todd Snider plays a unique Nashville country tinged folk/rock. He specializes in telling stories of the down and out with a satirical eye and a keen wit.
He's been on a roll since 2003's Near Truths and Hotel Rooms which is a live set in which he lost the band. It was just he and his acoustic guitar, going through his very strong back-catalog. As good as the songs are, the better part is his storytelling regarding how he wrote the songs. A perfect window into who Todd is as an artist.
He followed up the live album with arguably his masterpiece - 2004's East Nashville Skyline, which featured the hysterical protest song "Conservative Christian, Right Wing Republican, Straight White American Males" and the funny and thought provoking "Ballad of the Kingsman", which compares the FBI investigation of "Louie Louie" to people blaming Marylin Manson for the Collumbine massacre.
Next came 2006's The Devil You Know which is every bit as good as East Nashville Skyline, and even made Blender's, No Depression's and Rolling Stone's year-end best of 2006 lists. The title track is a rollicking rock-a-billy track which explores race relations through the story of a black kid that robs a bank. "Looking for a Job" is an anthem for those who have nothing to lose, as the protagonist construction worker tells his boss to kiss off. And "Just Like Old Times" finds bitter-sweet romance in a story about a pool hustler that meets up with his ex-girlfriend who is now a hooker.
Although last year's Peace, Love and Anarchy was a mediocre odds and sods collection to finish his contract with Oh Boy records, it features some of my highlights from last year, such as the rocker "Cheatem Street Warehouse," the Jimmy Buffet-like "East Nashville Skyline," and my personal favorite "Some Things Are", a story that is so touching it almost brings tears to my eyes every time I listen to it. It tells the story of a man who discovers that they boy he has raised might not be his son. I wont ruin the story for you, but it pulls at my heart-strings every time. It also features Todd's classic wit, with lines like:
"The doctor will see you now is not what that means, It's a smaller room with even less magazines, Where you sit around and wait for an hour it seems."
As you can tell, I'm totally geeked out for this release. I may sound like a fan boy, but if this post gets one person hooked on this well-deserving artist, I will have had a good day. Please check out his work.
________________ Fighting for peace, that's like screaming for quiet.
"Mission Accomplished (Because You Gotta Have Faith)" - Todd Snider Peace Queer
Posts: 562 | Location: Los Angeles | Registered: 18 December 2006
Originally posted by just indie: cant wait for deerhoof, of montreal, tv on the radio. i am also interested to hear the new okkervil river, deerhunter, and thermals albums.
I wish Deerhunter and Deerhoof would agree to a release schedule in which they did not release new albums in the same year. That way, I might stop getting them confused.
________________ Fighting for peace, that's like screaming for quiet.
"Mission Accomplished (Because You Gotta Have Faith)" - Todd Snider Peace Queer
Posts: 562 | Location: Los Angeles | Registered: 18 December 2006
As some of you know, I've been out of town for a while. My wife and I went to Washington to check out two concerts by Andrew Bird and Josh Ritter. The Concerts were amazing, and I'm dieing to talk about them in more detail, but I will save that for somewhere else.
But at the concert Andrew Bird mentioned he had a new record that was in the process of being mixed due out at the end of the year or early next year, and he played a few songs off it. It's hard to tell what they will sound like on record since he plays things so much differently live, but from what I heard they sound really really really good. I love how Andrew doesn't have to "mature" by playing into different musical styles. Instead, with every release he takes his own signature style and refines it like gold. I have no doubt this next album will be equal or greater than his previous best.
---------------------------- I'm the operator with my pocket calculator.
Just found out that Winterpills have a new one coming out on October 14th. Also, my most anticipated album of the year, Elephant Micah's Exiled Magicians, is due out any day now, though it depends on how fast his record label rectifies their screw-up.
-------------------------------------------------- Anatomy to me is a homesick stomach and a broken heart
Posts: 4167 | Location: NE Indiana | Registered: 14 April 2005
I wish Deerhunter and Deerhoof would agree to a release schedule in which they did not release new albums in the same year. That way, I might stop getting them confused.
Add another to a list that's looking pretty strong for the rest of the year:
The Streets new album to be released in September.
About a month ago I was thinking it looked pretty thin for the rest of the year. Now with TV on the Radio, The Thermals, The Streets, Okkervil River, The Walkmen and GZA it's looking pretty good. Hell, I'm even looking forward to hearing what of Montreal, Blitzen Trapper and Deerhoof are up to. I'm excited.
I had a stick of CareFree gum, but it didn't work. I felt pretty good while I was blowing that bubble, but as soon as the gum lost its flavor I was back to pondering my mortality.
Posts: 569 | Location: Chicago, IL | Registered: 14 December 2007
The most anticipated album for me would have to be Brian Eno & David Byrne "Everything That Happens Will Happen Today" [also: the new Mount Eerie, Dungen, Midlake, of Montreal, The Verve, TV on the Radio and Brian Wilson] Still hoping that MBV and Grizzly Bear will release something this year. The full list with my anticipated albums: http://rateyourmusic.com/list/JACOK/anticipation__updated_july_2008_
Originally posted by JACOK: The most anticipated album for me would have to be Brian Eno & David Byrne "Everything That Happens Will Happen Today" [also: the new Mount Eerie, Dungen, Midlake, of Montreal, The Verve, TV on the Radio and Brian Wilson] Still hoping that MBV and Grizzly Bear will release something this year. The full list with my anticipated albums: http://rateyourmusic.com/list/JACOK/anticipation__updated_july_2008_
The new Grizzly Bear LP will be released in April of '09 if I recall correctly.
(But yes, I can't wait for that release as well...)
+ Where the land is low is where the water flows to.
Posts: 307 | Location: Vancouver, BC | Registered: 21 February 2008
