explodo

Sorry to get freak out juice all over you.

That's what she said?

Sweet fancy moses, One Sunday Morning is epic. Gorgeous.

I can't have an opinion on the record yet, but it does sound like the first time since Ghost that they've done what they're best at, which is to make these exceptionally dense and layered tracks sound like simple rock n' roll.

Art of Almost makes me think, "Finally, all of those Radiohead comparisons make sense."

Just tried the free version today and was back in iTunes in about an hour. My problem is that I never know what I want to listen to, so I browse through my iTunes until I see something that feels right. Having to search prior to listening ruins the whole deal for me.

Also, it kept stopping mid-album to "play an ad," but no ad played and the next song wouldn't play - the message said, "[song title] will start after your ad has played." I had to quit the program and restart four times within however long that latest Battles record is. Not that fun, really.

And maybe this is just how sloppy their search results are, but it seemed like a lot of albums were only partial albums. Strange and a deal breaker if that's the case.

yeah?

 

i'm not really feeling the new one too much

That is what I keep hearing, but I'm really liking it. Your Past Life As Blast is a stellar tune.

Okkervil River - I Am Very Far

Much better than Stand Ins, probably better than Stage Names. Sort of seems like a return to earlier stuff, which is welcome.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think they've said the "we might put out a double" thing before, and I'm not talking about Being There. Regardless, sounds like the songs fall into two camps, so maybe they can go the Paul Westerberg Stereo/Mono route. I'd accept that.

File under bands I don't get. I gave it a shot, but everything sounds exactly the same, just like on the first record only, somehow, they made it even more boring. It's like a poor man's Band of Horses. The whole plodding reverb shtick needs to go.

grumble.

 

Where was Danny-boy for me, huh? fuck you star-dog/explodo!

 

I would have helped if I could have. I don't think the Canadian presale passwords showed up in my inbox, though.

Kid A

OK Computer

The Bends

Hail to the Thief

And then an enormous gap that pretty much means I never need to hear any of it again:

Pablo Honey

The King of Limbs

In Rainbows

Amnesiac

I liked my first listen to tKOL but it's been all downhill from there. I'm tired of their direction, which admittedly is my own problem. I see in them a Wilco parallel - tepid but not awful first album, very interesting second album, then a streak of records that were each unique and excellent, the back to basics (i.e. it has a guitar) record (HttT), and then the return to 'experimental,' which ended up being In Rainbows. God help us all if the next Wilco record is as boring as King o' Limbs...

This, so far, seems a lot better than In Rainbows, which for some reason bored the piss out of me. This is weird and haunting in all the right ways.

I hope he creeps toward the midwest, but who knows with that guy.

I didn't realize that Tim Tebow sings for Mumford & Sons until the Grammys.

Ha! That is exactly what I said last night. Same for the John Mayer / Johnny Depp thing.

As for the award show, gave out something like 6 awards in 3.5 hours, right? I think it is somewhat telling that they have to say something about going to their website to see who won the actual, you know, Grammys.

And wow, pop music is bad. Katy Perry was rotten. That country song about "going back home" or some similar cliche was even worse. And I don't need to discuss Lady Gaga.

This is good. Not the direction I expected and some dull spots, but overall satisfying. He's guilty of overwriting in spots, over-singing and over enunciating in others, but I think that's what we all expect by now. Almost too slick and poppy, but the crazy dude breaks that up nicely.

The tour with Titus Andronicus should be a lot of fun.

Because we heard their other albums first? It's a bad record. Contrary to some folks, I think it would be even if it had been their debut. But disappointment is necessarily preceded by expectations, expectations are created by history.

Man, that sounds like a perfect double bill. Love that band.

 

Probably the best opener for Wilco that I've seen is the aforementioned Dr. Dog.

 

Side question: Does anybody remember who opened for Wilco at Milwaukee's Eagles Ballroom on August 2, 2004? I was there with a few friends, and recently it came up in conversation... none of us could recall who opened.

Was it Nora O'Connor?

Tip for Americans... be polite, smile a lot, and don't expect people to speak English to you. Also keep the jeans, shorts & t-shirts at home.

Aside from maybe not wearing shorts or something ridiculous like sweat pants, I don't think this wardrobe advice holds. Jeans and t-shirts are just fine. I find I get more weird comments on my shoes (often sneakers because I like sneakers) than anything else. And aside from Portugal, I never encountered any one that gave a shit that I was an American. In almost all cases, people have taken it as either a good thing or a curiosity.

Tomorrow, some dudes I went to school with are opening. Not sure how they landed that, but good for them.

Finished Ragtime, Doctorow the other day. Second time reading it, but first time outside of school which means it was the first time I paid any attention. Didn't really do it for me.

Now onto Wittgenstein's Mistress, Markson. I read Reader's Block awhile back and my brain melted.

Also struggling slowly through a book about Herman Hesse's novels.

Honest, I can get laid without having to listen to Conor Oberst.

But not by me, and that sort of defeats the purpose.

I only watch PBS, The Office, and 30 Rock. If I had cable, I would watch a lot of sports and probably Food/History/Discovery. As it is, I try to catch Rick Steves every night.

Too much new music these last few days. Yikes. Today I knocked out Band of Horses, Josh Ritter, and Black Keys. The latter two are great. The first one might take some time. Hold Steady has not yet grabbed me. I want to like it, but I'm just not sure I can care anymore.

I was hoping this would leak out prior to record store day, but it must not be going to. Oh well. Only 3 more days.

Much better than Hurricane, but still not amazing.