Reviewed my recent music purchases with Mrshl’s speculation in mind. It’s more true than I give credit that my new favorite bands are my old favorite bands or at least it would appear that way if I actually liked the new Brian Eno/David Byrne collaboration I just bought. But it’s silly – at least it hasn’t grown on me yet (I have a way of coming back to albums directly after I shout them down). It sounds like the mighty duo is summoning Simon & Garfunkel, REO Speedwagon and Enya in the scariest of ways.
I also detest the new Stereolab release. Talk about more of the same – this purchase makes me loathe my first love of Stereolab back in the 90′s. This is music for people who play it safe all the time and have dinner parties to show off their Crate&Barrel china. An unfun album – they should tour with REO Speedwagon, Simon&Garfunkel and Enya and call it the “I’m Gonna Keep On Boring You” tour.
I picked up the latest from a new band, one not on my radar until now, Okkervil River. Let me tell you something about this band – if you know what it means to be tied to the 90′s and you think that’s a problem, stay away. To anybody over the age of 30, this “new” band offers nothing but safe and familiar. Anybody younger, well you got to start somewhere and the song writing while totally derivative (all over the map: the Cure, the Kinks, Camper Van, name a folky rock band from the late 80′s/early 90′s) is catchy. The song writing is also of the stuff only people under the age of twenty-five should give two shits about (e.g. trust-fund hipster envy).
Still dipping into nostalgialand I purchased Jesus Lizard’s Liar (release date 1992). Don’t have anything bad to say about this album. It’s not them coming back from the dead to do more of the same. It’s me going back; and I have to say after listening to the previous three releases I just mentioned, I was ready for Boilermaker.
I’m still having trouble revisiting. That’s okay, pop is all about enjoying the here and now. Two weeks ago I bought the newish Animal Collective, Strawberry Jam. I still listen to that all the time. Soon I’ll grow tired of it I know and will probably never revisit it again. But it’s fresh now, hardly draws on anything rock though it’s full of nostalgia – harkening to calypso, musicals, children’s books, and olde world folk music. Yet Strawberry Jam sounds like something never created before.
I’m still listening to Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers A Night in Tunisia because, though it was released in 1957, it’s brand new to me.
And I’m still listening to the grime dub beats of Zomby because this is new music that no one on NAP likes and that makes it rarified to my world.
The thing about digging into any new subgenre, once you’ve done some research, you’re a part of that world. You get the references and things start to make more sense and all of a sudden you’re finding some answers there. Won’t be long though, I’m sure, in WednesdayWorld until Zomby is back to the dead dead (as opposed to the undead dead).
“Boilermaker” is one of the most full-on songs ever…
Thanks Wednesday. “Liar” will always be in my top five.
Not “the” top five but “my” top five..
I always liked Goat better. I had Goat in a vinyl picture disk, sold it. We still have Liar. but most of the time i wish it was Goat. That Monkey Trick song has a very cool guitar.
The older i get the more i understand what Angus Young said in some interview when asked what music he was listening to. He said something like, I haven’t listened to anything besides what I play in years. Which i guess explains AC/DC’s affirmative style. But there is more to it than that. It’s not such a conscious decision, but i dont feel i need to be searching for new music or sitting for hours listening to a record over and over, that kind of energy is saved for writing and playing music that I like, and i know what i like.
Yeah, I love Liar as well. I must admit though, my favorite song off there is “Zachariah”. I just love how slow it is. Makes me wish they did more slow stuff.
And another second for that Art Blakey album. I’m pretty sure that’s the best version of “A Night in Tunisia” EVER. I don’t think anyone was as forceful and powerful a jazz drummer as Blakey. I mean, damn.
Not to criticize y’alls comments (because I think it is right to give Jesus Lizard thanks and praise), but there is some irony to the focus on the one direct reference to the 90′s…given the over all theme of the post.
Carlos you touch on something I’d like to post more about but have trouble getting the words together – and that’s how this ideal plays into my own creativity (actually it’s how it doesn’t really play into it).
As a software developer I get a lot of time to listen to music and since I’m not working on a recording project right now I’m not pounding my ears with my own music. My connection to the gigging world is estranged too. So I pour more of my curiosity right now into “research.” Frankly if I was more active in the Chicago scene (and that time may not be far off) I’d definitely have less time to ruminate about such subjects. Chicago is perhaps THE richest musical city in the world and I don’t do it justice here on NAP. When I’m involved and surrounded by the incredible rumble of new live music (as I was through most of the 90′s), the recorded music industry can pretty much kiss my ass.
I would like to second Goat.
We focus on Jesus Lizard because there’s nothing in your post that is nearly as good. Plus, the guitar line from “Then Comes Dudley” comes straight from Miles Davis.
Software development is so 90′s…
Um as much as I like Jesus Lizard I own none and cannot remember the last time I felt a need to listen. I cannot say why as I never listened to them so much that I cannot now but think it may have to do with the fact they will always be Jesus Lizard and for some reason relegated to a past I don’t need to or want to revisit like I do other music from that time.
I would like to offer that the best version of A Night In Tunisia is from the Quintet at Massey Hall recording, one of my favorite jazz recordings live or otherwise. The lineup only requires last names for this crowd: Parker, Gillespie, Powell, Roach and Mingus.
W, there’s nothing at all ironic about it. You yourself point to the other stuff being disappointing more or less save for Animal Collective which maybe no one else listens to (great live band), and Zomby, which again you yourself assume nobody has heard of or would like. That practically leaves the amazing Jesus Lizard which gets a strong response from a group of people who have fond memories of that powerful band. Nothing ironic about it, you baiter.
I’ve posted myself into a corner.