SOUNDTRACK: THE DIVINE COMEDY-Liberation (1993).
This is considered by many to be the “first” Divine Comedy album, even though Neil Hannon released a previous album under the name Divine Comedy (Fanfare for the Comic Muse). He disowned that album, but, as you do, he reissued it several years later after much demand.
This is the second Divine Comedy album that I bought (after Promenade). And so, because I just reviewed Promenade, this review works as something of a comparison, which is of course, unfair, as Promenade should be compared to this, but so be it.
What I was most struck with, when listening to this disc after Promenade is how, even though the album covers are designed similarly, and everything about the discs suggests they should be similar, just how dissimilar the music is. Not in a global “who is this band?” sense, but just in the particulars of the orchestration.
With Liberation, there’s no Michael Nyman influence. Rather, you get some beautifully written orchestral pop music. Although the orchestra is not terribly conventional: with harpsichord and organ being among the top instruments heard.
In a comparison to Promenade, Liberation is less thematically consistent but has more singles to offer. “Bernice Bobs Her Hair” (the title of an F. Scott Fitzgerald story, so the literate songwriting is clearly in evidence) is a wonderful pop song. As is “The Pop Singer’s Fear of the Pollen Count,” (“Even when I get hay fever I find, I may sneeze, but I don’t really mind… I’m in love with the summertime!”) the catchiest ode to summer this side of the Beach Boys. “Your Daddy’s Car” speeds along on plucky strings and is just so happy, even when they crash the car into a tree. “Europop” is a fantastic dressing down of Europop songs while still being hugely catchy.
Because I really enjoy Promenade (and Casanova) I tend to overlook this disc, but really it is just as good, and in some cases better than those two. An air of pastoral glee pervades the record making it a real joy to listen to. Especially in the summer.
[READ: December 8, 2008] Then We Came to the End
This book has the great distinction of being written in the first person plural (the narrator is “we,” for those of you who don’t remember eighth grade grammar). This, of course, brings the reader into the story almost against his or her will. Really, though, as you read it, you don’t think of yourself as being in the book, but rather, that the company that the unnamed narrators work for is something of a collective mentality. And so it is.
The narrators work at an unnamed advertising agency in Chicago. The time frame is the late 1990’s to early 2001 and there are lots and lots of layoffs. Any time someone is laid off, “we” say they are “walking Spanish down the hall” (from a Tom Waits song). And slowly they watch as one by one, staff are let go. (more…)
SOUNDTRACK: BARENAKED LADIES-Gordon (1992) & Maybe You Should Drive (1994).
SOUNDTRACK: TORI AMOS: The Original Bootlegs (2005).
SOUNDTRACK: MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE-The Black Parade (2006).
I know that Green Day is derivative. It’s obvious that they aren’t the originators of any kind of punk anything, and yet, they seem to have been the catalyst for a new breed of poppy punk bands, and they make an excellent reference point for these snotty young kids who sing catchy choruses with brash guitars. My Chemical Romance follow in a Green Day footstep. I don’t know too much about their previous records, but this one garnered rave reviews, so I thought I’d check it out. It seems to be some kind of concept album.
SOUNDTRACK: MODEST MOUSE-We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank (2007).
Shouty shouty shouty. Modest Mouse are a fun shouty band, they have some catchy songs, but they seem so noisy most of the time that I am shocked, shocked, I say, that they ever had a hit. And “Float On” from their last album WAS a hit. So much of a hit that “Weird Al” stuck it in a medley of songs of his latest album. Now THAT’s making it big. And, yet, I’m still confused, because their music isn’t pretty. 
SOUNDTRACK: RHEOSTATICS-Introducing Happiness (1995).
This is where the Rheos really hit their stride! The first 4 songs are simply great, including their cover of Jane Siberry’s “One More Colour.” If you check out my comments on the Rheos’ Greatest Hits record, you will see a comment about Jane Siberry; I had totally forgotten they did this cover, and somehow this validates my earlier comparison, so good for me. Anyhow, the song “Claire” is on this disc, and it is simply one of the best songs ever. Ever. Totally catchy, totally pretty, great background vocals…everything about it is great. Later on the record you get a back to back of two more great songs, “Take Me in Your Hand” and “Jesus Was Once A Teenager, Too.” Simply gorgeous melodies with thoughtful lyrics. There are a couple of wacky tracks on here too. The kind where people prick up their ears and make a “did someone fart?” face. But they’re kind of brief, and contextually they work, its just that when you’re casually listening to pretty songs, and then you get one with screams and guitars, it tends to make things go wobbly. But overall, this is a great record. If you’re going to try the Rheos, obviously Double Live is the place to start, but this is a close second. 
I Just Read About That... 