SOUNDTRACK: NIRVANA: With the Lights Out (2004).
It probably sounds like an urban myth to say that Nirvana was a catalyst for new music way back then. But I can recall when “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was first on the radio, and I was living in a region of the country (hey Office fans, it was Scranton, PA) that was devoid of anything interesting on the radio; it was like a flash of light: there is interesting music out there, somewhere. So, yup, Nirvana was a great moment for me.
Now, I’ll backtrack by saying that I had just graduated college, where I had been music director of our college’s radio station. We specialized in good indie music, so I was no stranger to Sonic Youth or They Might Be Giants, or anything that would soon be played on 120 Minutes, or labeled “alternative”; but as our station had a range of about 50 feet, I couldn’t even hear it from my apartment. So, I was left with Rock 107–not a bad station, just a typical classic rock outlet–and Marywood College’s very hip, very cool radio station, that came in if the weather agreed.
And suddenly there was Nirvana.
I wasn’t that bummed when Cobain killed himself, as I’d enjoyed their releases, but they were no longer the huge band in my life. So I got some of the posthumous releases, but held off on the box set because, who needs an expensive collection of outtakes? Well, for Christmas, Amazon was selling With the Lights Out for super cheap (sometimes it pays to wait), so I figured I’d grab it.
The best thing I can say about it is that it really rekindled my appreciation for Nirvana. It also made me realize that they only released three albums (not including all of the comps and live releases), which is a teeny output for such a huge band). And, finally, and most shockingly it made me realize that “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is over 5 minutes long…WHAT? How did a 5 minute song become a hit??
Anyhow, I’ve enjoyed listening to this collection. It was cool to hear some of the early demos of songs, and see how they morphed into the ones I know. There’s a few 8 minute jams that aren’t worth hearing more than once, but overall, it’s good for those who like Nirvana and would like a little more of their story. Especially if you can get it cheap!
[READ: November 12, 2007] Scouts in Bondage
This is a fantastically funny book. It is a collection of book covers from antique and rare books that are now shockingly inappropriate. I feel that the UK subtitle is more apt for the book, because when these books were written, they weren’t meant to be risque, but as times and language has changed, they are now full of double entendre.
SOUNDTRACK: SPOON-Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (2007).
This record was heralded as the greatest thing ever when it was released. Every review I read tried to outdo the other reviews with praise for this record. I can be swayed by reviews, especially if everyone is in consensus of a CD. And, I had put Spoon on my short list of bands to check out, so why not check out the best record of the year?
SOUNDTRACK: MARILLION-Fugazi (1984).
Ah, the delights of Marillion. My best friend in high school, Al, got me into Marillion. And he started me off with this record. As such, I can’t imagine how I could realistically critique it. I must have listened to this thing hundreds of times at this point. I also got into the other Marillion albums (until the theatrical madman and lead singer, Fish, departed). I did get one post-Fish album, Season’s End, but didn’t think too much of it. Although I still regard them highly, and anyone who names an album Anoraknaphobia is still alright in my book, I haven’t heard a note of anything post-Season’s End.
SOUNDTRACK: DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE-Something About Airplanes (1999) & We Have the Facts and We’re Voting Yes (2000) & The Photo Album(2001) & Transatlanticism (2003) & Plans (2005).
collection, but not really planning on delving into any of the artists. And yet, this song just kept coming back to haunt me. The lyrics were great. And the melody was superb. There’s a part where the voices all sing “colli-i-i-ide” that is really just sublime. So, I bought the record and immediately fell in love with it. There’s really not a bad song on it. From the beautiful opening of “The New Year” to the ba-bah’s of “The Sound of Settling,” to the vivid description of teenagers skipping their classes and seeing how their bodies work. The whole thing made me go back and get the rest of their records. And I wasn’t disappointed.
My theory about Steely Dan is that they are the definition of Adult music. No one under the age of 25 should listen to them. I hated Steely Dan all through high school and college, and then sometime around the age of 30, I suddenly liked them. So, it’s something about the style, and the sound, and Donald Fagan’s voice, and Walter Becker’s whatever, that should be utterly anathema to anyone under 25. 
SOUNDTRACK: GUSTER-Parachute (1995) & Goldfly (1997).
Parachute: A really great debut, that, in retrospect, sounds almost nothing like the Guster we know and love. This sounds a bit more like the Indigo Boys. Solid harmonies over a very acoustic sounding record. Over the years, Guster have written fantastic melodies and lyrics. And this album is no exception. It’s really the production that sounds so unusual here. Very sparse and almost cool, as opposed to the warmth that they bring to their later albums. The songs are top notch, though.
Goldfly: “Airport Song” is such a fantastic single, and such a great precursor of what’s to come from Guster, that it tends to overshadow the rest of the album. Goldfly starts Guster down the road of what we’ve come to 
SOUNDTRACK: RICHARD THOMPSON-Small Town Romance (1984), Guitar Vocal (1976), Starring as Henry the Human Fly (1972).
Small Town Romance: This is a collection of live solo recordings in NYC from 1967-1982. The sound quality isn’t always the best, and RT’s voice isn’t always up to snuff. I’m thinking that all the songs are Richard & Linda or Fairport Convention works. I don’t like the early material as much as his later work so, aside from appreciating the venues and the cozy atmosphere, this isn’t a favorite disc of mine. 
SOUNDTRACK: BATTLES-Live from Chicago (2007).
SOUNDTRACK: RHEOSTATICS-Greatest Hits (1987) & ROGUES GALLERY (2006).
RHEOSTATICS-Greatest Hits: I first found out about the Rheostatics many many years ago on a driving trip to Niagara Falls & Toronto. I bought Introducing Happiness and really liked their weird sensibilities. They don’t really sound like anyone else (except perhaps one or two of Neil Young’s phases); whether it’s Martin Tielli’s alto voice, the meandering guitar work, or the harmonies of Bidini and Vesely, the Rheostatics are uniquely them.
I Just Read About That... 