In the past few weeks, i've been slightly time-challenged relative to music-listening, movie-watching and book-reading. Mrs. Famous and I did go see 'War of the Worlds' and it was a nice Summer FX bonanza...nothing worth writing about though. However, there are a few things that have either just come out or are on their way soon to look forward to. Hopefully, i'll get a chance to check them out further and post up w/ some real reviews, but in the meantime kids...put the following things on your radar:
BOB MOULD - 'Body of Song'
Mould's first new album-length release since 2002, and his first since 'Last Dog and Pony Show' (released in the mid-90s) to employ a guitar-heavy full-band approach. Nowhere near 'Workbook' or 'Black Sheets of Rain'...definitely not as fulfilling as Sugar's 'Copper Blue'...hella enjoyable nonetheless.
The last few were near full-fledged techno albums, so it's nice to hear a return to a full-band guitar-driven approach...guest musicians include Brendan Canty (Fugazi), David Barbe (Sugar), Matt Hammon (1998 Bob Mould Band). There are still some subtle electronic effects ala 'Modulate', but it's a rock album first and foremost. Hits the streets July 26, but you can check out the track 'Paralyzed' HERE.
CHUCK KLOSTERMAN - 'Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story'
Klosterman's previous works ('Fargo Rock City' and 'Sex, Drugs & Cocoa Puffs') pretty much read like a book would sound if I actually got up off of my ass and wrote one (or, at least, how i'd WANT it to sound). 'Fargo Rock City' specifically had me convinced that Klosterman had stolen my past in a doppleganger-like fashion and just replaced rural Illinois w/ rural North Dakota. 'S,D & CP' was less biographical and more of a philosophical look at popular culture, but nonetheless hilarious.
His newest is supposed to expand upon an article he wrote for Spin about driving cross-country in a rental car to visit several of America's most famous rock and roll death sites, from the Rhode Island club where more than 90 Great White fans died in a fire, to the Iowa field where Buddy Holly's plane crashed. From what i've heard though, he focuses again on more his life-experiences than the sites themselves...which, depending on how much you like his work or not, could be kind of a letdown. I'll reserve judgment until after I actually read it. It's out now, so don't wait for my review...get it or any of his other books post haste.
THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS - 'Twin Cinema'
The brainchild of Canada's Carl Newman, The New Pornographers are an indie-semi-supergroup consisting of artists you may not have ever heard of...featuring Newman, Dan Bejar (AKA Merge recording artist Destroyer) and alt-folk-country-etc. songstress Neko Case. Their 2000 debut ('Mass Romantic') turned many a head, but it was 2003's 'Electric Version' that made them simultaneously an indie-rock and power-pop fan's wet dream. Multi-instrumental pop hooks and vocals so sweet you could lose a tooth with clever-as-hell lyrics to boot. Seriously, one of my favorite albums of the past 5 years.
The follow-up looks to dish out much of the same, which (in this case) is NOT a bad thing at all. Tunes like 'Use It' and 'The Jessica Numbers' elevate the power pop game to a Julius Erving level. 'The Bleeding Heart Show' manages to surge from plaintive torch song to soaring power ballad to flat-out smile-on-your-face singalong...amazingly, without ever falling into the dreaded chasm of cheese that serves as an elephant graveyard for songs of similar ilk. Like I said, they have discovered indestructible pop rock formula that causes each tune to be ultra-listenable. Could be a front-runner for favorite of the year. The album drops on August 23, but you can get a taste by DL'ing the title track HERE.
BEULAH - 'A Good Band is Easy to Kill'
This is the second time in this blog i've called this out and, also, the second time I have no 'official' review. All I can say, is that Beulah had to be one of the most underrated indie-bands to walk the face of the earth and this DVD sounds like it will do an admirable job of documenting their next-to-last tour together.
BOB MOULD - 'Body of Song'
Mould's first new album-length release since 2002, and his first since 'Last Dog and Pony Show' (released in the mid-90s) to employ a guitar-heavy full-band approach. Nowhere near 'Workbook' or 'Black Sheets of Rain'...definitely not as fulfilling as Sugar's 'Copper Blue'...hella enjoyable nonetheless.
The last few were near full-fledged techno albums, so it's nice to hear a return to a full-band guitar-driven approach...guest musicians include Brendan Canty (Fugazi), David Barbe (Sugar), Matt Hammon (1998 Bob Mould Band). There are still some subtle electronic effects ala 'Modulate', but it's a rock album first and foremost. Hits the streets July 26, but you can check out the track 'Paralyzed' HERE.
CHUCK KLOSTERMAN - 'Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story'
Klosterman's previous works ('Fargo Rock City' and 'Sex, Drugs & Cocoa Puffs') pretty much read like a book would sound if I actually got up off of my ass and wrote one (or, at least, how i'd WANT it to sound). 'Fargo Rock City' specifically had me convinced that Klosterman had stolen my past in a doppleganger-like fashion and just replaced rural Illinois w/ rural North Dakota. 'S,D & CP' was less biographical and more of a philosophical look at popular culture, but nonetheless hilarious.
His newest is supposed to expand upon an article he wrote for Spin about driving cross-country in a rental car to visit several of America's most famous rock and roll death sites, from the Rhode Island club where more than 90 Great White fans died in a fire, to the Iowa field where Buddy Holly's plane crashed. From what i've heard though, he focuses again on more his life-experiences than the sites themselves...which, depending on how much you like his work or not, could be kind of a letdown. I'll reserve judgment until after I actually read it. It's out now, so don't wait for my review...get it or any of his other books post haste.
THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS - 'Twin Cinema'
The brainchild of Canada's Carl Newman, The New Pornographers are an indie-semi-supergroup consisting of artists you may not have ever heard of...featuring Newman, Dan Bejar (AKA Merge recording artist Destroyer) and alt-folk-country-etc. songstress Neko Case. Their 2000 debut ('Mass Romantic') turned many a head, but it was 2003's 'Electric Version' that made them simultaneously an indie-rock and power-pop fan's wet dream. Multi-instrumental pop hooks and vocals so sweet you could lose a tooth with clever-as-hell lyrics to boot. Seriously, one of my favorite albums of the past 5 years.
The follow-up looks to dish out much of the same, which (in this case) is NOT a bad thing at all. Tunes like 'Use It' and 'The Jessica Numbers' elevate the power pop game to a Julius Erving level. 'The Bleeding Heart Show' manages to surge from plaintive torch song to soaring power ballad to flat-out smile-on-your-face singalong...amazingly, without ever falling into the dreaded chasm of cheese that serves as an elephant graveyard for songs of similar ilk. Like I said, they have discovered indestructible pop rock formula that causes each tune to be ultra-listenable. Could be a front-runner for favorite of the year. The album drops on August 23, but you can get a taste by DL'ing the title track HERE.
BEULAH - 'A Good Band is Easy to Kill'
This is the second time in this blog i've called this out and, also, the second time I have no 'official' review. All I can say, is that Beulah had to be one of the most underrated indie-bands to walk the face of the earth and this DVD sounds like it will do an admirable job of documenting their next-to-last tour together.
It also sounds like it has enough deleted scenes and live footage (17 songs played in their entirety) to choke a horse...not that one would ever want to do that...especially w/ a perfectly good music documentary. Comes out on August 2, but (again) you can check out the trailer HERE.
PAUL WESTERBERG - 'What Me Worry? T-Shirt'
I'm waiting on the company who made these to print up a new batch of LARGES and pretty much think it's the Westy tee i've been waiting all my life for. Heh.
Finally, to bring this blathering post full-circle via Mould and Westy (again, thanks to the Man w/out Ties site for the heads-up), the latest issue of MAGNET to hit the newsstands will feature a cover story called A TALE OF TWIN CITIES, described as: "All the brilliance, beers, breakups and bastards of young: MAGNET presents an oral history of the '80s Minneapolis scene and the stories of Husker Du and the Replacements, told by the band members and those who were there."
Nice. MAGNET is one my favorite music mags out there and, if this piece as anywhere near as good as their retropsective on power-pop they did last year, this'll be a keeper. As always, you can click on the link to head to their site via the wonderfully conveniennavigationon bar located on your right.
That'll do it for now, as i've posted more in this one section than I have the entire week. However, all of this stuff is that worth checking out and Uncle EL only tells you these things because he loves you. Peace!
PAUL WESTERBERG - 'What Me Worry? T-Shirt'
I'm waiting on the company who made these to print up a new batch of LARGES and pretty much think it's the Westy tee i've been waiting all my life for. Heh.
Finally, to bring this blathering post full-circle via Mould and Westy (again, thanks to the Man w/out Ties site for the heads-up), the latest issue of MAGNET to hit the newsstands will feature a cover story called A TALE OF TWIN CITIES, described as: "All the brilliance, beers, breakups and bastards of young: MAGNET presents an oral history of the '80s Minneapolis scene and the stories of Husker Du and the Replacements, told by the band members and those who were there."
Nice. MAGNET is one my favorite music mags out there and, if this piece as anywhere near as good as their retropsective on power-pop they did last year, this'll be a keeper. As always, you can click on the link to head to their site via the wonderfully conveniennavigationon bar located on your right.
That'll do it for now, as i've posted more in this one section than I have the entire week. However, all of this stuff is that worth checking out and Uncle EL only tells you these things because he loves you. Peace!
2 comments:
awesome Paul shirts. one thing to add, i listened to the Mould record again this morning and in all honesty it saddens me. i could barely get through track 5. damn.
See, it's actually growing on me. Like I said, nowhere near as good as anything he's done before...but I still like it.
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