Friday Commercial Consumables
Before I list some of my current reads and listens, I've got a question for you out there. Anyone know where on the web I can find all the New York Times Notable Books, by year? I've found this page and this one, neither of which fully do the trick. The NYTimes website is classically dense. Several books I've recently enjoyed have been NYTNBs, so I figure I should begin digging into the full list for more gold.
OK, so onto this week's FCCs....
MUSIK
I've gone mainstream recently! It's different and I think I did OK in this relatively unknown territory. ;-)
1. Rolling Stones - 40 Licks. Bought it for the convenience of having 36 of their hits on CD (never upgraded them from vinyl, with the exception of Satanic Majesties & Between The Buttons). Plus, I was curious about the 4 new songs. 3 are utterly forgettable Jagger ballads, but the 4th is a Keith Richards penned and sung tune called "Losing My Touch." It's a subdued, almost Waitsian, late-night ballad; with a surprisingly passable vocal from the worst singer in rock. The hits are sequenced for listening effect, not chronology. And the booklet pictures are simply great. Get yer ya yas out, one more time. Worth it.
2. Ani Di Franco - So Much Shouting, So Much Laughter. A double live CD. More subdued than I was expecting, but she rants against the terrorists *and* dubya on one track - "Self Evident." Good
3. Beck - Sea Change.. He of the multiple album covers (long time EC fans will sense some deja vu). I bought the one that sort of resembles the Goat's Head Soup artwork; passed on the one reminding me of the famous Hendrix Band Of Gypsies bootleg cover (the medusa of cables coming out of Jimi's fro). The Beck cover is also nicely color-coordinated with the new Marianne Faithfull CD, on which Beck also guests (see next entry). The press & hype have already made the case of how Sea Change is a love-lost cathartic piece. So all I'll say is...the production is exquisite! In fact, it's so sonically gorgeous, I've barely begun to hear the lyrics. This one is staying near the player, for a while. Most definitely worth it.
4. Marianne Faithfull - Kissin Time. If the changes on Sea Changes drag for you and you're in need of a slightly more uptempo Beck, look no further than the lead-off track on this new CD. Beck's on a couple of tracks, along with Jarvis Cocker, Billy Corgan, Blur, Jon Brion, Smokey Hormel & Dave Stewart. So many collaborators could have turned this into a boring hodgepodge. But it works because they've stuck to a simple formula: Ms. Faithfull's elegant & weary balladry, coupled with programmed atmospherics by the guest artists. A true cross-generational success, unlike Gap Jeans. This CD updates, yet again, the timeless Ms Faithfull. She even sounds, dare I say it, happy. Try it.
5. Peter Gabriel - Up. I'm surprised I picked this up. I never really got into his post Genesis stuff. Even Genesis was so-so, way I figured it. But waddya know - initial impressions of this CD are ++. A bit dense in spots - it's not a throw-it-on-anytime CD. I guess he expects us to actually pay attention and listen to it, like an album. Good for him. I like the compositions & craft - it's definitely not a AOR airplay piece of crap. However, "The Barry Williams Show" could be a radio hit, if there were any programmers left. Will warrant further listenning. What do you think of it?
6. James Taylor - October Road. Gosh oh golly, but he sure does fits like a favorite pair of slippers. There's nothing really happening here, but if you have a sunset warming your face and a honey to snuggle up with, what a soundtrack. Harmless. Well executed. Like a vintage wine it will go down easy and you'll feel ok.
7. Others: Eddie Cleanhead Vincent w/ Cannonball Adderley Quintet. Wow! Great! A remaster, reissue from '61 recordings. A couple of bootlegs: AC/DC 'Rarities' - very good sound. fantastic performances. Tom Waits "Euro Visions" from Mule Variations tour. Good sound. Sir Douglas Quintet - "Rockin On Route 37" Slightly muddy live tracks to open, but then it becomes a collection of rarities.
Before I list some of my current reads and listens, I've got a question for you out there. Anyone know where on the web I can find all the New York Times Notable Books, by year? I've found this page and this one, neither of which fully do the trick. The NYTimes website is classically dense. Several books I've recently enjoyed have been NYTNBs, so I figure I should begin digging into the full list for more gold.
OK, so onto this week's FCCs....
MUSIK
I've gone mainstream recently! It's different and I think I did OK in this relatively unknown territory. ;-)
1. Rolling Stones - 40 Licks. Bought it for the convenience of having 36 of their hits on CD (never upgraded them from vinyl, with the exception of Satanic Majesties & Between The Buttons). Plus, I was curious about the 4 new songs. 3 are utterly forgettable Jagger ballads, but the 4th is a Keith Richards penned and sung tune called "Losing My Touch." It's a subdued, almost Waitsian, late-night ballad; with a surprisingly passable vocal from the worst singer in rock. The hits are sequenced for listening effect, not chronology. And the booklet pictures are simply great. Get yer ya yas out, one more time. Worth it.
2. Ani Di Franco - So Much Shouting, So Much Laughter. A double live CD. More subdued than I was expecting, but she rants against the terrorists *and* dubya on one track - "Self Evident." Good
3. Beck - Sea Change.. He of the multiple album covers (long time EC fans will sense some deja vu). I bought the one that sort of resembles the Goat's Head Soup artwork; passed on the one reminding me of the famous Hendrix Band Of Gypsies bootleg cover (the medusa of cables coming out of Jimi's fro). The Beck cover is also nicely color-coordinated with the new Marianne Faithfull CD, on which Beck also guests (see next entry). The press & hype have already made the case of how Sea Change is a love-lost cathartic piece. So all I'll say is...the production is exquisite! In fact, it's so sonically gorgeous, I've barely begun to hear the lyrics. This one is staying near the player, for a while. Most definitely worth it.
4. Marianne Faithfull - Kissin Time. If the changes on Sea Changes drag for you and you're in need of a slightly more uptempo Beck, look no further than the lead-off track on this new CD. Beck's on a couple of tracks, along with Jarvis Cocker, Billy Corgan, Blur, Jon Brion, Smokey Hormel & Dave Stewart. So many collaborators could have turned this into a boring hodgepodge. But it works because they've stuck to a simple formula: Ms. Faithfull's elegant & weary balladry, coupled with programmed atmospherics by the guest artists. A true cross-generational success, unlike Gap Jeans. This CD updates, yet again, the timeless Ms Faithfull. She even sounds, dare I say it, happy. Try it.
5. Peter Gabriel - Up. I'm surprised I picked this up. I never really got into his post Genesis stuff. Even Genesis was so-so, way I figured it. But waddya know - initial impressions of this CD are ++. A bit dense in spots - it's not a throw-it-on-anytime CD. I guess he expects us to actually pay attention and listen to it, like an album. Good for him. I like the compositions & craft - it's definitely not a AOR airplay piece of crap. However, "The Barry Williams Show" could be a radio hit, if there were any programmers left. Will warrant further listenning. What do you think of it?
6. James Taylor - October Road. Gosh oh golly, but he sure does fits like a favorite pair of slippers. There's nothing really happening here, but if you have a sunset warming your face and a honey to snuggle up with, what a soundtrack. Harmless. Well executed. Like a vintage wine it will go down easy and you'll feel ok.
7. Others: Eddie Cleanhead Vincent w/ Cannonball Adderley Quintet. Wow! Great! A remaster, reissue from '61 recordings. A couple of bootlegs: AC/DC 'Rarities' - very good sound. fantastic performances. Tom Waits "Euro Visions" from Mule Variations tour. Good sound. Sir Douglas Quintet - "Rockin On Route 37" Slightly muddy live tracks to open, but then it becomes a collection of rarities.
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