Shakespeare In The Alley

Very interested. I'm in Manassas, VA, and Charleston might be a bit out of my travel range, though.

DD/LY amazes me. I've listened to it so much since it came out. But it's still fresh every time I bring it back out. For all the talk of HV being their "stripped down" album, I think it's actually DD/LY. It's really just a bunch of simple grooves, not too much more. But it works. Good to see some Hey Venus love. It deserves more than the reputation it has as a simple pop album. The fact that it is a simple pop album, with so much more going on in terms of vocal harmonies and whatnot, is what makes it such a tremendous album. I can never argue against Guerilla though. I'll be revisiting t

I go back and forth so often. And Radiator is a frequent #1 choice. I could legitimately argue anyone of them being my favorite, though. But right now I'm most into Phantom Power, Dark Days/Light Years and Hey Venus!

I sometimes think that this might be their very finest album. But I can never be sure.

It was supposed to come out last year, but some record label bullshit stopped that from happening. So the album "leaked," and it's been relatively easy to find for about a year. Instead of releasing the actual album, they sent out blank discs with veiled messages to go find the album online, since it had officially streamed at NPR. I ordered the blank disc/poster thing last year because I liked the album too much to not pay anything for it. Said record label bullshit was finally settled this year, and the album was officially released on CD/Vinyl box set a few weeks ago. The box set was temp

It was the 2nd best album of 2009 for me. It's amazing to me how each one of those songs wouldn't be out of place on the singer's main band's albums. Really impressive work by Burton and Linkous. It's also amazing how so many diverse singers/writers can sound so coherent on the album. I'm not typically fond of albums with many different vocalists. But this one works. Even though I played the hell out of my digital copy of that album, I'm still hearing new things when I listen to the CD through a better set of speakers. It was already an amazing album, but the better sound quality of the offi

Volcano - Beck (From the acoustic Modern Guilt sessions) Hoodoo Voodoo - Jeff Tweedy Eu Protesto - Tony da Gatorra vs. Gruff Rhys Freak Me Out - Weezer One Shine - The Roots Hard Fucking - Tenacious D Like A Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan (MTV Unplugged version) Sarn Helen - Super Furry Animals Cryin' Won't Help You Now - Ben Harper Domingo a Noite - Luiz Bonfa

No offense, but if you go to a Wilco show expecting Rolling Stones covers and songs Tweedy recorded with bands that aren't Wilco, you're only going to leave disappointed.

Easily the best album released in 2009. And it still blows me away every time I listen to it.

Coming back to this one. It's still no Demon Days, but it is a really good album of its own.

Whoa. I live in Virginia. I'm gonna have to keep a look out for those plates.

I think the "album" has been scrapped. But I'd be shocked if none of that material surfaces. That little documentary from earlier this year had some really intriguing snippets of music. It seems like The Very best of Neil Diamond stemmed from those orchestral sessions, so I don't think they'll be wasted. I have the utmost trust in those guys' quality control. If the instrumental stuff wasn't working, I bet they'll find a way to make it work.

Interesting is probably the best word. I think the pitchfork review (5.6) was pretty spot on. I don't think this is a horrible album at all, and I really like Gruff's songs. House With No Mirrors is a pretty great one, actually. I even like some of Tony's songs. There are a few moments where I'm really digging the fuzzy guitar chords+glitchy techno bleeps formula they used here, but as a whole, it's a bit much. I've listened to it 7/8 times so far, and I'm still interested in it, for whatever that's worth. Either way I'm glad he made it. It's an interesting side of Gruff, and it could have a r

Tickets are going to be a bit pricey. But considering the stage show they've been putting on in Europe, and the chance that this is the last album/tour for Gorillaz, I think it'll be worth it.

Your thoughts on TTOCL?

I don't think a Kinks/Dylan comparison makes sense. But ask me who's a better band, the Kinks or the Beatles, and I'd say the Kinks without a second though.

I went up to Pittsburgh to see them at the Warhol museum. What an interesting show. I really wasn't expecting too much, as I'd only heard Extended Vacation, and only liked it a decent amount. But man, they blew me away. Glenn and Darin seemed so happy to be playing in that small theater, and they pretty much played from everywhere in the room. A really neat atmosphere, and the songs were incredible. Obviously I'm aware of how great Glenn is, but it was really something else to see him front and center with all the odds and ends he uses for these gigs. Lots of great banter in between pieces, so

It's...interesting. I'm not expecting much more than a bunch of spacey techno-ish jams. And so far, it's delivering. But I'm most excited to see how this influences SFA's next album, whenever that comes about.

Not sure if anyone here is interested, but this is streaming here.

I've seen Whiskey For The Holy Ghost at my favorite used CD shop a few times, but I've never picked it up. If it's there next time, I'll grab it.

Mark's one of my favorite singers that I've never really given much of a listen to. His songs with QOTSA are obviously awesome, and his cover of Man In The Long Black Coat is perfect. But that's really all I've heard him do. I saw this album leaked, so I'm checking it out. Really neat stuff. Might finally force me to give Mark's solo/Screaming Trees material a chance.

I was, and I still am, very fond of Lotusflower. The album, not the whole triple set. So far, nothing on 20Ten approaches the highlights of Lotusflower. Or the highlights of 3121/Musicology/Planet Earth, for that matter. But it's still early.

That is a pretty convincing photoshop. The Onion delivers.