Leo

Anybody have a spare Oink invite by any chance?

Thanks

PM me your email address and I'll send one your way, providing you weren't kicked off the site at some time.

Man I am so behind the times.....didn't he do this already??

 

LouieB

To me, everything he did post Trace was a bit of a letdown because Trace was such a fresh, singular release.

He has finally relocated the musical mark he lost after Trace, with the Search!

You could've knocked me over with a feather after I finished listening to The Search earlier today. It's such a great little record, with a beautiful flow and nearly every song sounding like a highlight. I thought I liked Okemah well enough, but this blows it away.

 

I'm so glad to see Jay finally reaching past the alt-country ghetto and trying something familiar but just a little bit different. There's a real southern-pop feel to some of these songs that reminds me a little of R.E.M. in the early '90s. Lots of variety, too, with piano, memphis horns, backwards guitars, and so forth. Already my favourite SV since Trace.

"It's fucking execrable".

Wait ...

Maker? Is this you?

Just kidding. Really like this as well. Finally, Farrar makes good on the promise of Trace. It's very bright and stretches his vision out. Like it a lot.

Happy Birthday Chandler.

Any sweetie of Jen's is a sweetie of mine.

See you this weekend.

Saturday I only listened to The National releases, over and over and over and wondered when the next would come. Great news!!!

(Lu is majorly bummed out, clearly.) And the repetition on some of the songs is irritating to me as well. Maybe I need to spin it a few more times, I don't know, but there seem to be alot of records sitting in piles around my place that are also calling out for some attention.

 

LouieB

She's a freaking train wreck. They say time heals. Apparently not enough time has passed between WWT and West.

Her themes on the last two studio albums do tend to be repetitive and, at times, border on tiresome, but that bluesy groove she couches them in usually hooks me.

. Her delivery is universal, and as a French, I guess I can attest.

As a human being, I don't know what you mean.

Even what I have heard of this Lu album, it is a hard listen. (Particularly Come on...really a low blow so to speak.)

 

LouieB

Lou, I've got to disagree.

The sentiment certainly is direct and uncomfortable, but she accomplishes it perfectly. Plus, the tune ROCKS with Crazy Horse guitar and Ray Manzarek organ. I thought it was one of the highlights of the album.

You've got to admit, she's got BALLS!

Going to miss you next weekend.

OK. Listened to it and, it's ... pretty good.

I enjoyed listening to it. Wasn't floored, like when I first heard S/T, or like on the 3rd listens of Car Wheels and Essence, but I liked it.

Once again, she's brutally honest. Her lyrics may not be brilliant like early Dylan, or inspired like Tweedy, or magic like Waits; but, WTF, do they have to be? Instead, she just bears this vulnerable heart in plain and direct language. Behind her words are resignation, then acceptance. It works.

I think it's a worthy addition to her catalogue.

Are you a Dylan fan? Think Knocked Out Loaded or Down in the Groove. Seriously. That bad.

Ouch! That's severe. It took him 10 years to rebound from those imposters.

There must be something redeemable about West. At least I hope so -- I'm seeing her in April.

luckily i got beyond that.

Yeah, because WWT is a great album. Right there with S/T, Car Wheels, and Essence.

Those Three Days is one of the most honestly brutal songs I've ever heard. She conveys the dichotomy that is "love" as well as anyone.

Have not yet heard West but, really, how bad can it be? She's a treasure.

Don't back down. How was Pettite vs. the AL last year? It's possible that Maroth and/or Ledezma could have better seasons.

It is possible that either Ledezma or Maroth could have better seasons than Pettite, if last year was an indication of his numbers this year. Last year he gave up 100 ERs. Not good.

But lately, he has been an every-other-year performer. If 2005 is an indication of how he'll do this year -- as George Kell would say, "look OUT!" CY numbers.

Ledezma probably has the greatest upside of all three. But I'd have to give the edge to Pettite.

So, which one are those guys better than...Wang, Pettite, or Mussina ???

Er ... uh ... I mean ... you know ... OK, I forgot Pettite sold his soul to go back to the Bronx. I was thinking Randy was the 3rd starter.

If they are smart they won't have Zumaya closing games. Picking up Mesa was a terrible idea, because now they have two mediocre relievers (Jones, Mesa) fighting for the 9th inning spot. Neither of those guys should be used in any situation but the 9th inning with a 3 run lead. Zumaya is just so much better than either of them, but I fear for you guys that he's gonna end up the closer and Jones and Mesa will start giving up runs in the 7th/8th instead of the 9th.

 

And I don't see their starting pitching being as good as it was last year. Just like the White Sox pitching fell off, I think theirs will too. It was too flukey good.

Chisox were loaded with tired pitchers who overachieved: Buehrle, Garcia, Contreras and El Duque.

Tigers got there with 4 twenty year olds and a "crafty lefty."

I think the real value of Mesa will be in the bullpen itself -- showing the young pitchers work ethic and what it takes to stay in the majors for 20 years.

Jones scares the hell out of me but he got to the World Series.

Everyone else in their division got worse, and they got better. That offense is going to put up TONS of runs because they added

 

Also, a rotation of Zambrano, Rich Hill, Ted Lilly, Jason Marquis, and Mark Prior will be a lot better than people think. Rich Hill is going to have a really good year.

Zambrano will be great, Hill will be OK, Prior will only tease and Lilly and Marquis will tear your heart out with frustration.

Who's going to close? Dempster or Wood?

Dude, it could HAPPEN.

Our (I mean ... "their") 5th starter, Maroth or Ledezma, is good enough to be Yankees 3rd starter.

Same batting order with Sheff in the middle.

Mesa, Zumaya and Jones to close out games.

What's not to like?

AL East:

Yankees squeak past Toronto. Toronto gets wild card.

AL Central:

Tigers have best pitching in MLB and take the best division. Twins come into year overrated and don't finsih .500.

AL West:

Angels win MLB's worst division.

NL East:

Mets live up to billing and win division running away; but division also provides the Wild Card -- the Phillies.

NL Central:

Astros win tight race ahead of Cardinals, Brewers, Cubs and Reds. Cubs get off to hot start scoring tons of runs but fall (not as dramatic as '69) in second half when staff completely falls apart.

NL West

Padres beat out Dodgers last week of season in baseball's best race.

Padres beat Mets in NLCS. Tigers beat Angels in ALCS.

In a rematch of 1984, Tigers again win in 5 games.

Serioulsy!!!

it would be great if they played the state theater. i was also at the london show and it was great.

Yeah, the London show was great. I was at the Toronto show the night before with possibly the most reserved crowd in which I ever sat. BORING.

I think they would do nicely at the Opera House in Detroit rather than the State. Comparable size, incomparable sound.

Also check out Red Apple Falls.

How is this?

Millions Now Living was my first. Djed still stops me dead in my tracks after years of listening. It's the quickest 20 minute track you'll hear.

CNN has it's finger on the pulse of America.

(For once.)

They quickly lifted it off the pulse when they ran the story listing the contents of that dead person's refrigerator.

WTF!!!

yesterday i signed up with emusic, and then regretted doing it, so i cancelled my account. now the stuff i got yesterday doesn't work. so, i was wondering if anybody out there would YSI (or sendspace or the like) a couple songs that i'm missing (i was able to get most of the albums on my ipod before i cancelled except these tracks)... anyway, i am missing:

 

"Northline" from Winnemucca by Richmond Fontaine

and

"Trick Bird", "Saw Tooth Sung a Cheater's Song", and "Lion & Bee" from Heron King Blues by Califone

 

thanks for any assistance!

Califone

Enjoy!

Yes. Sad Songs is just as good or better than Alligator. Really looking forward to the new one.

Very jealous of you guys (Allison, Lou and Wendy). Having seen them 3 times in the past 4 months only leaves me wanting more. Listening to them more than anyone else these days.

Lou, strange (maybe not) that you mentioned Eleventh Dream Day. I just pulled out and listened to Lived

To Tell for the first time in years on Saturday. What a great album.