Besty...Resty...WESTY.

Per the internet altar of all things Westerberg (Kathy's wonderful MAN WITHOUT TIES site), iTunes has released a mini-version of the Rhino's highly-debated 'Besterberg' called (nyuck, nyuck) 'Resterberg'. $7.92 will buy you just the new and soundtrack songs included on the full release:

Dyslexic Heart/Seein' Her/Man Without Ties/A Star Is Bored/Stain Yer Blood/Once Around the Weekend/All That I Had/C'mon, C'mon, C'mon

To note, when I said 'highly-debated'...that may just be me. Maybe it's because i'm such a fan, that I felt the compilation was nowhere near representative of his best work. Focusing on his earlier major label work, it barely nods to the breadth of what I felt was some of his most creative solo output in 'Stereo/Mono', 'Come Feel Me Tremble' and 'Folker'. '14 Songs' is a classic in it's entirety, but the two albums that followed ('Eventually' and 'Suicane Gratification') were lacking despite a FEW great tunes on each.

That said, if you've never looked into P-Dub's post-Mats work or you're a completist who has to have every release...check out the Rhino 'Besterberg' page HERE for a tracklisting (w/ audio clips) and some additional video goodies.

FRUIT BATS

'Spelled in Bones'

One could speculate that the departure of Gillian Lisee from Chicago's Fruit Bats, would bring about a disappointing departure in sound from their fantastic 2003 release 'Mouthfuls'. Luckily, band founder/chief indian Eric Johnson has once-again assembled a capable group of musicians and an album full of some of the sweetest pop-folk-rock i've heard in a while. An optimistic recording both musically and lyrically, 'Spelled in Bones' is at least on par w/ the previous effort (again, a tough act to follow) and it's release (July 26th) syncopates perfectly as it helps you cope w/ the inevitable turn from Summer to Fall.

Check out some tracks from the aforementioned 'Mouthfuls' on their Sub Pop page HERE and then buy it to tide you over.

Hey. Mix.

Whipped up a little Memorial Day mix for Mrs. Famous. Stuff she digs...to enjoy while we get ready for company and the whatnot:

Speed of Sound - Coldplay
Beautiful Day - U2
Such Great Heights - The Postal Service
Let Go - Frou Frou
Clocks - Coldplay
Say Something New - The Concretes
Light & Day / Reach For The Sun - The Polyphonic Spree
Penny Lane - The Beatles
A Shot In The Arm - Wilco
Bitter Sweet Symphony - The Verve
I of the Mourning - The Smashing Pumpkins
Burning Photographs - Ryan Adams
Bad Day - R.E.M.
(Shine Your) Light Love Hope - Bob Mould
Why Can't I Be You? - The Cure
Since U Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson
There She Goes - The La's
AAA - Paul Westerberg
Heavy Metal Drummer - Wilco
Let My Love Open The Door - Pete Townshend
Hangover - Poi Dog Pondering
City Of Blinding Lights - U2

Lyric - ZWAN

Memorial Day BBQ Tip #321

Doing some grilling today to celebrate the day off work? To add some flavor to those burgers, wieners or PORK CHOPS...crack open an ice cold cerveza, put the stereo speakers out in the yard, crank up the volume and loop THIS over and over for about an hour.

'Real Tomato Catsup Eddie?'

Speaking of Music Documentaries...

August 2nd will bring about long-anticpated 'A Good Band is Easy to Kill', a film that encapsulates San Francisco's Beulah on the 2003 trek in support of what would be their final album as band: 'Yoko'.

A truly underrated band, I was fortunate to catch them on their final tour when they swung through here. I'll post a full review when i'm able, but in the meantime check out the trailer HERE.

Until then, I reccomend checking out the following CD's (you can buy most of them at the link to their site over to the right):

(From L to R): When Your Heartstrings Break, The Coast is Never Clear and Yoko

THE FLAMING LIPS

'The Fearless Freaks (The Life & Times of an American Invention)'

Let me preface this review, by saying those of you who have never experienced a live performance by one of the most interesting bands on the planet...shame, shame, shame. Part sci-fi/b-grade horror movie/Bugs Bunny cartoon performance art (okay, a LARGE part) and part psychedelic pep band dance party, it is an experience not to be missed. It may sound corny, but it's a show that'll make you glad to be alive...or maybe even okay that you're going to die (eventually).

Anyhow, this excellent documentary chronicaling Oklahoma City's weirdest sons, dropped on DVD a few weeks back. Filmed by Bradley Beesley, who's been collaborating w/ the Lips since 1991, The Fearless Freaks does a wonderful job at illustrating just why this band and it's members are so fascinating. Lovingly put together from over 400 hours of footage, you not only get a look into the band's musical evolution...but the family life that brought them there.

The human element provided by the family movies and interviews w/ family members of both lead singer Wayne Coyne's and multi-instrumetalist's Steven Drozd, add an 'American Acid Punk Rock Success Story' to this film. The documentary's title comes from a semi-weekly sandlot tackle football game, where a team made up of teens including Wayne and his brothers would get whacked out of their heads and basically kick the shit out of each other. The influence of family into what this band has become and the access you're given to it via this film is pretty cool.

From a musical perspective, Beesley captures the Lips journey from the earliest stages of the band through Wayne's triumphant walk over the crowd at Coachella in a giant bubble. As much as I love this band, i've always stated that the performance aspect of the band liberally borrowed from the same bag of tricks used by The Butthole Surfers before them. I was very pleased to see that called out and spoken to by both Wayne and Gibby Haynes himself. I think musically however, that they've gone way beyond the Surfers in scope and continue to push boundaries. Plenty of footage of recording sessions, live performances, parking lot & boombox experiments (watch the movie)...a healthy buffet of everything that one would need to see and hear to understand what they're about.

I'm a music documentary nut and this one is a keeper. The bonus disc is full of fun stuff, my only complaint being the live performances included looked like they were filmed on handheld VHS and only covered the band's performances in the front half of the 90's. Check out the trailer in either Windows or Quicktime .

On CD, I highly recommend the following:


(L to R) Transmissions from the Satellite Heart, The Soft Bulletin and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots

Hoo Boy...Look at the Sombrero on that Kid!

For those of us in the U.S., that rare and wonderful scientific anomaly known as the 'three day weekend' is once again upon us. Like the working stiff's 'Great Pumpkin', it rises only occasionally to bestow upon the cubicle-bound girls and boys, the gift of an extra day to decompress...and barbecue.

As fortune would have it, a kind soul blessed Mrs. Famous and I with tickets to the Cubbies tomorrow. I can think of no better way to kick the unofficial beginning of Summer into overdrive, than spending the day at the 'Friendly Confines.' Old Style and ivy = bliss. If Carlos Zambrano is reading this: Carlos, step away from the PC...need to talk to your family? Use the damn phone eh?

For those of you looking for an appropriate sacrifice to the BBQ gods, click HERE for an engaging tutorial on how to fix 'Beer Can Chicken...WITHOUT THE CAN!'

I'm sure i'll post up with some other baubles and trinkets for your head over the course of the weekend, but if not...have a great weekend! GO CUBS!

'SHUFFLE UP AND DEAL!'

SHUFFLE...one of the best features on the iPod. Here's the last 20 to come up on mine:

Let's Count Our Losses - Jay Bennett
I'm A Disco Dancer (Fatboy Slim Remix) - Christopher Just
Ensure Your Reservation - Polyphonic Spree
Tex - Orange Peels
Indie Rock 'n' Roll - The Killers
Television - The Reunion Show
Kathy's Waltz - Dave Brubeck Quartet
Crabbuckit - k-os
Word To the Mic - DJ BC & the Beastles
I'm In Love w/ a German Film Star - The Passions
Can't Stop - M83
Chump Change - The New Pornographers
I'm Always in Love - WILCO
These Are the Ghosts - The Bees
AOR - American Suitcase
Senses Working Overtime - XTC
The Observer - Flaming Lips
All Good Naysayers - Sufjan Stevens
Dig the Subatomic Holdout - Beulah
Cut Out to FL - RJD2

'Dude, you got some 'Arzt' on you.'

Exploding science teachers? An underground black-fog belching Locke-grabber? Walt kidnapped by the original members of Three Dog Night? WHERE DOES THE DAMN UNDERGROUND HATCH LADDER LEAD TO AND WHY AM I SHOUTING?!

I both love and hate ABC's LOST...the cliffhangers they dropped on me at the end of last night's season finale are exactly what kept me coming back every week. It's really the only thing I cannot stand to miss on TV...now, I will be left to ponder all Summer long what the hell is really happening on that damn island AND, from groin pulls to internet-induced wrist injuries, how the Cubs can manage to have every decent player on DL.

If you haven't been watching, do yourself a favor and watch from the beginning when they re-run it over the Summer (Wednesdays @ 7P CST). It's addictive as hell. I may have to end up watching some of these again before the Fall and try to catch some things I missed first go around...then have Mrs. Famous cane me for how much of a freak i'm being over it.

For even bigger fun, browse through the LOST message boards HERE. The amount of theories being thrown around in there may result in disclosure of the whereabouts of Jimmy Hoffa, who killed Kennedy and what the sound of one hand clapping really sounds like. Funny stuff.

EELS

.
'Blinking Lights and Other Revelations'

2 Discs, 90 minutes and 33 songs of beautifully fucked up sonic textures layered over each other. Everything but the kitchen sink, but tied together into something extremely interesting and listenable. If the last thing you heard by them was 'Novacaine for the Soul'...this is completely different and, IMO, better.

You can check out some of the tunes HERE . You can buy it now.

PERNICE BROTHERS

'Discover a Lovelier You'

Arguably, not as solid as their last full-length ('Yours, Mine & Ours')...but i'm enjoying the hell out of it regardless. For those not familiar w/ the Brothers Pernice, they doll out some of the prettiest alt-folk-pop (w/ an emphasis on the alt and pop) out there today. Think of a bit of an early Cure and HUGE Smiths influence...there are points when I felt like I was listening to something from the early-80's and I mean that as a compliment.

You can listen to 6 out of the 13 tracks HERE (and buy the damn thing for that matter...pick up the others while you're at it, you'll be glad you did). Album drops on June 14th.

I Fought the Law and the Law Won.

I had to report for jury duty yesterday. It was not at all like a zany Pauly Shore movie and, next to Reno, NV, the criminal court building on California is one of the most depressing places i've ever been.

I was almost called onto a murder case, which would have been tons of fun i'm sure. Luckily, I must of been considered to a be a little too Pauly-esque and the judge sensed I would be trouble. Good thing too...I was so going to bust into Rod Stewart's 'Love Touch' * during opening statements.

Anyhow, look for some posts that are actually of a musical variety soon. I'm starting to sound like effing Rob Sheffield or something.

* If you didn't see the video for the song or the film 'Legal Eagles' that won't be funny...actually, it won't be that funny if you did. ROD STEWART!

Sith Happens...

Went and saw Episode III yesterday. Have to say I enjoyed it for the most part, but near the end I realized: 'wait a minute, I know what happens already.' Don't get me wrong...lasers, wookies, Samuel L. Jackson...It's all very exciting. However, just as you near the end of this 2 and 1/2 hour dilly, you remember there won't be any real payoff...you know Obi Wan will end up laying the smackdown on Anakin and the babies being born end up looking an awful lot like Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher.

So, all that aside, it's a lot of fun and action packed. Not near enough Greedo, but I can look past that. Nobody was dressed up when I went, but I always thought it would be funny to line up dressed as Ming the Merciless and be like: 'Hey Guys, what's up? CYLONS!!!'

HEY KIDS:
Wanna' make your own Stormtrooper Armor (and, thusly, hold on to your virginity until age 45)? ENJOY!

NARA!

Pop got a couple of sampler CD's at JRM, but I didn't buy anything there. I found this at the Virgin Megastore...

...earlier in the day. Out of print nonetheless. Way cool and we'll definitely be talking more about Nara at a later date. One of my favorite artists EVER.

Jazz Hands?

Folks are in town and i'm taking my Dad to the largest Jazz & Blues record store in the world:

JAZZ RECORD MART

Walked by the JRM many a time, but never popped in. Should be cool!

Death to Indie-Yuppie Comfort Rock!!! Yeah.

FYI: Do you like bands like the Shins, the Arcade Fire and the Postal Service? Conversely, do you also make a steady paycheck and enjoy the occasional fancy coffee beverage? Well, in an interview with the Columbia Spectator, Vice Records label manager Adam Shore, has declared you may be part of the dawning of the "indie-yuppie establishment".

Per Shore, the 'indie-yuppie' is anyone who identifies themselves through their love of what he considers the ultimate in polite, passive alternative rock: bands like the Shins, the Arcade Fire and the Postal Service that he derides as "comfy music."

Check out the NY Post article here:
DIE INDIE YUPPIE SCUM!
...then ditch those Arcade Fire albums for the musical equivalent of sweatpants that they are or wallow in shame over the fact that Adam Shore thinks you suck. Yay Labels!

Mmmm...SAURIAN.

U2 @ THE UNITED CENTER / MAY 12th, 2005
Mrs. Famous and I headed to the United Center last Thursday to catch U2 in their fourth (and last) Chicago appearance on this leg of the Vertigo tour. We listened to openers Kings of Leon from a bar area on the outside concourse...not bad, but not at all my cup of tea.

Some of you know, I'm pretty die-hard when it comes to this band...but I'll take a shot at being objective as well: The overall mix/sound was a little muddy, Bono in both stage presence and vocal performance was nowhere near as energetic for a large part of the show as I remember from the Elevation tour and the absence of anything at all from POP was very disappointing.

That said, the show was still absolutely amazing. The stage setup looked to be a carbon copy of the 'heart' from the last one...but that couldn't have been farther from the truth. As sick as even I am of hearing 'Vertigo', that tune in combination w/ an insane light display that wound around the crowd/band/all points in between and an amped up arena of people singing along...killer. I really can't do the stage/lights justice, a great juxtaposition of the over-the-top ZOO TV/POPMART set-ups and the more understated Elevation.

More importantly would be the music. Like I said, sound coulda/shoulda been a lot better, but after a while I forgot all about it. Crowd was was singing along to just about everything, always cool to see that many people in unison...even if it is for only a few hours. Funny enough, two of the biggest highlights for me were 'Elevation' and 'Beautiful Day'...both were '...and the clouds parted' sort of performances, band and audience in perfect syncopation. Political messages abound, w/ 'Sunday' and 'Bullet' being used as plea for an end to violence in the middle east and 'Streets' and 'One' a platform for the ONE Campaign to end global AIDS and poverty.

My favorite part of the show was the Achtung Baby trifecta in the 1st encore. Whenever I see 'End of the World' performed live, it solidifies that the EDGE is probably the most amazing guitarist I've ever seen and ever will. Goosebumps. That nite's version of 'The Fly' had balls I didn't hear from the last go around, sounded great.

So, twas a good show...a BIG show.
Complete opposite of the Wilco show the Saturday before @ the Vic and, as much as I loved that, I just need to bask in a huge rock'n'roll spectacle sometimes. I wasn't disappointed.

Setlist:
Vertigo/All Because Of You/Elevation/Gloria/The Ocean/Beautiful Day/Miracle Drug/ Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own/Love And Peace Or Else/Sunday Bloody Sunday/ Bullet The Blue Sky - The Hands That Built America (snippet) - When Johnny Comes Marching Home (snippet)/Running To Stand Still/City Of Blinding Lights/Original Of The Species/Pride (In The Name Of Love)/Where The Streets Have No Name/One

Encore 1: Until The End Of The World/The Fly/Mysterious Ways/With Or Without You - Strangers In The Night (snippet)

Encore 2: Yahweh/Bad - Norwegian Wood (snippet) - Sexual Healing (snippet) - 40 (snippet)

Konichiwa Bitches...

...and welcome to my blog. I've tried this a couple of times, hopefully I'll keep up with this one. Most of the rambling will likely be of a musical variety, but if I want to write about how kick-ass the Jack in the Box Super Taco is and how the fact that we have nary a one in the whole Chicagoland area is an obvious attempt by the man to bring me down...I'm gonna' do it. So, enjoy...and just remember I ain't Pitchfork.com, this is a music site for the common folk. Whoo.