The Smiley Smile Message Board

What is everyone listening to? Write down what's on your playlist and why.

I have Rose Rossi. Her song "Hello To You" has been on repeat for me, she has this Fiona and Tori vibe about which I love. Check out her myspace, she's worth it!

myspace.com/roserossi

(http://a604.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/63/m_b34536ead1854ea02456dc1ffe23747b.jpg)

Welcome bedshaped 1987!

I am listening to some Christmas music. Yes, it's time! And I came across this holiday tune from The Moody Blues called "December Snow", from their album, December. Has anybody heard it? There's also a live version of it (which I like better) from their last live album. Justin sings it great.

NOOO! I think you ought to be forced to produce written permission for each Christmas song you listen to. Oh GAWD I despise most of the stuff. Even though I liked the BW Xmas album and think the BBs one has its moments, I can only listen to bits of them, too. Holiday music just doesn't do it for me.

As for my playlist, I'm trying to round up the year's highlights and those things I may have missed so I can produce something I feel semi-confident in as a year-end favorites list (even though I know that, as always, I'll discover something in Jan. 2008 that's from 2007, and I missed).

I'm also paying a lot of attention to two Herman Dune albums, Giant and Mash Concrete Metal Mushroom. The former, in particular, is flat-out brilliant.

I just finished listening to the new Eagles record, "Long Road Out of Eden".  I have heard some people praising this thing and I just can't understand why!!  I'm just glad I didn't pay for it!  The first single, "How Long", is pretty good.  Nothing great, but a solid slice of harmless country rock with some really good harmonies, nice guitar work from Joe Walsh,  and a good Glen Frey lead vocal.  That is the only thing on this slick overproduced pop record worth mentioning.  I didn't have high hopes, but I expected seasoned veterans to do better.  If you are interested in hearing it, DON'T BUY IT!  There are plenty of, ahem, other ways to get it.  One more note about it, Timothy Schmidt should never be allowed to write or sing a song again.  His contributions to the record are worthless pap.

Now then, to get the bad taste of that album out of my mouth, I pulled up Ted Leo and the Pharmacists "Shake the Sheets" album.  If you haven't heard him, find his stuff immediately!  You won't be sorry!  Awesome pop/indie rock with killer melodies and guitar work.  The first song from that record, "Mia and Me", is a masterpiece!

Right now: this year's "The Unfairground" by Kevin Ayers, before that "Here, My Dear" by Marvin Gaye, an underrated classic if you ask me.

Lately I've been listening a lot to Julia Kent's beautifully layered cello music:
http://www.myspace.com/julia_kent
Might appeal to anyone who's into the likes of Talk Talk, Arthur Russell, or any minimalist ambient music.

At present, the brand new PJ Harvey album (bought it on vinyl yesterday) and also Fu Manchu's We Must Obey and the Doors' archive release from this year, Live in Boston 1970.

Lee Hazelwood 'Cake Or Death'
Ry Cooder 'My Name Is Buddy'
Deep Purple 'Made In Japan'
Andrew Hill 'Passing Ships'

I've been listening to this band I recently discovered called Camera Obscura. They are a 6 piece indie pop band from Glasgow, Scotland. Their frontwoman Tracyanne Campbell has a beautiful voice. They remind me a little of The Cardigans, except not so loungy sounding. They have kind of a new wave meets 60s pop vibe to them.  Some of their songs sound like something from Today/Summer Days or Pet Sounds. They are also reminiscent of Burt Bacharach and The Zombies. The song "If Looks Could Kill" sounds like its straight out of the 60s.

Been listening to a lot of Joanna Newsom lately, along with some Ladytron, and The Bird & The Bee.

[quote[I've been listening to this band I recently discovered called Camera Obscura. They are a 6 piece indie pop band from Glasgow, Scotland. Their frontwoman Tracyanne Campbell has a beautiful voice. They remind me a little of The Cardigans, except not so loungy sounding. They have kind of a new wave meets 60s pop vibe to them.  Some of their songs sound like something from Today/Summer Days or Pet Sounds. They are also reminiscent of Burt Bacharach and The Zombies. The song "If Looks Could Kill" sounds like its straight out of the 60s.[/quote]
Yes!!! There's a radio station I listen to, 91.7 FM  KTRU (which is the Rice University radio station), and they play them a lot. That's how I first heard of them. I was listening to that station, just tripping over the fact that my band finally got played on the radio(!), and they were the act that followed us on the playlist! So, yeah, I'm a bit of a fan.

Joanna's music is wonderful, maybe an acquired taste (it's not everybody's cup of tea), but her last record "Ys" is outstanding. Check out Marissa Nadler as well.

As for myself: a lot of Caribou ("Andorra"), Great Lake Swimmers ("Ongiara"), Radiohead ("In Rainbows" of course) and (former Merry-Go-Round member) Emitt Rhodes (various albums).

There "Let's Get Out of the Country" album is absolutely wonderful.  I remember hearing the lead track, "Hey Lloyd, I'm Ready to be Heartbroken" and being in pure sugary pop heaven!  Great band!

I've been just getting into emitt rhodes stuff also.  I like it so far.  Amazing how much his voice (and songwriting for that matter) sounds like McCartney.

Hmmm...Oh I am also listening right now for the first time to Thomas and Richard Frost Visualize.  Very nice and laid back. December Rain, April Laughter is a brilliant heartbreaker of a track.  reminds me of a girl I once knew.  :-\

I recently heard for the first time also The Millennium - Begin.  I love that album.  The more I listen to it, the more I fall in love with it. Great great production...The Island is so dreamy..It's You is incredible...actually the whole album is a winner.  How did I make it to 32 without hearing this one? 

I am also seriously digging the Turtles Greatest Hits these days.  Damn I cannot find a copy of Turtle Soup anywhere (produced by Ray Davies?) and I am not paying an outrageous import price for it! lol

I'm listening to the new FTD-release of Elvis' "Pot luck"-album:

(http://www.elvisoncd.com/EIGENECD_a-z/ftd-label/potluck1.jpg)


Awesome stuff from what I would call Elvis' finest time as an recording artist ('60-'63/4). Of course there was still alot of great stuff afterwards but in the 60s it was overshadowed by the soundtracks. The 70s brought back some real great work.

i am quilty of listening to a song over and over and over again until everyone around me leaves...lol

right now jerry lee lewis "rockin' my life away" and raspberries "overnight sensation (wanna hit record)"
can't get enough of them today....  ;D

Listening to the local radio, and they're playing Bjork's "It's Oh So Quiet". Excuse me for a second while I unplug it and hurl it with great force through the nearest window. Utter garbage.

Would you rather that or the GIOMH album? :-D

I was just listening to Bjork's "It's Oh So Quiet", a wonderful song..... Like the way she does the "Shh's".....  :lol

Nah, it's The Yardbirds again, with "Roger The Engineer", good stuff!  8)

Great stuff ! His liveversions are even better imo. Check out this for example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=044050IQkdw (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=044050IQkdw)

A lot of the upcoming Mountain Goats album; also jazz pianist/composer Andrew Hill.

"Nighttiming" by Coconut Records, which is essentially a collection of solo material by actor Jason Schwartzman, the former drummer/founder of the power-pop band Phantom Planet.

I don't like all of the songs, especially the title track, but "This Old Machine" and "Summer Day" are great, catchy little songs that actually resemble organic music played by real person, which I can't say about everything produced these days.

Great artist: Kimya Dawson. Can't get enough of her, esp "Tire Swing"

Oh a Mike Kinsella trip atm....been listening to American Football and Owen. Actually just got over my American Football obsession stage and now been listening to a lot of Owen. Also got some new Joan of Arc stuff too which Im happy about.

Also been obsessively listening to my own stuff, see where to go and what to do with it.

At the moment, Bob Dylan's Oh Mercy album.

Love it! I'm a big fan of Daniel Lanois's work with Dylan, although I'm not sure that you are, Luther. I like the sound they got on songs like "Political World", "Shooting Star", and especially "The Man In The Long Black Coat".

Although it's usually criticized, I also like Dylan's follow-up, Under The Red Sky. There are some Oh Mercy outtakes on it, but I think it's an interesting, quirky (in a good way) album.

As you might have guessed, I've never been thrilled with the production on Oh Mercy. (I liked Lanois at the time--I recall being very excited by The Joshua Tree, just like the bulk of the known universe in the late 80s.) But I do like the songs, or at least some of them. It's an improvement over some of his then-recent stuff.

Under the Red Sky is more my style production-wise, but it's definitely not as deep in terms of songs.

After posting the above, I listened to World Gone Wrong for the second or third time this weekend. Now that's an album whose production really suits me, and whose material is top-notch. I'm very glad Dylan did the acoustic thing for a while there. It seems that he came back from those albums much stronger, like he used them as a springboard from which to really give the industry the finger and eschew production trends for the most part.

Interesting point; I think you'e right. I'm gonna give World Gone Wrong another listen myself.

Luther, buried somewhere below here is a Bob Dylan thread. I'd like to read your thoughts on various Dylan subjects; I know there are a couple of other Dylan fans lurking also...

Just picked up "Tommy" by The Who on CD.  First I've listened to the whole thing since I had it on an 8-track tape way back when.


If you're too young to remember 8-track tapes (or vinyl records), you missed all the good music.  :)

"She's a Jar" by Wilco.

Not a bad song, though I prefer Yankee Hotel Foxtrot to Summer Teeth (save for "Can't Stand It", "I'm Always In Love", and "How To Fight Lonliness").


And as horrible as it is, I've got this weird urge to listen to the Summer In Paradise album.

Mountain Goats. Lots of them.

I've always liked "Being There" too. Great band, Wilco. Can't go wrong really with any of their albums (that includes "Sky Blue Sky"). Check out the "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" demos as well, excellent stuff. 

I'm listening to another oldie: "Trouble Is A Lonesome Town" by Lee Hazlewood.

The YHF demos are what got me into Wilco in the first place. Why "A Magazine Called Sunset" didn't make it onto the final cut of YHF is beyond me.

And right now I'm listening to...gasp..."Matchpoint of Our Love" from the MIU Album. :o

I've rediscovered the Wondermints.  A nice little band.  I heard they've given up their career to back up some guy from the 60's on a comeback career.

I've also rediscovered early Beatles.     I didn't know it until I read the fine print, but it appears that they do several songs by that Perkins guy who played in the Psycho Movie!

Still really loving "What The Toll Tells" by Two Gallants. A great mixture of early 60's Dylan, the Rawness of Nirvana, and the Americana feel of Modest Mouse. One of my all-time favorite albums.

Beatles '68 demos.

Back to playing Message Of Our Love by The Association the stereo version a lot.


Also a lot of BW shows.

-Edit-

Southwest F.O.B. - Smell of Incense

Led Zeppelin 1 thru 4

Small Faces - Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake

Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland

Beach Boys - 1964 thru 1967 (misc.)

Beach Boys, Ramones, Queers, Fear, Circle Jerks, Black Flag, X, Minutemen, Agent Orange, Dwarves....

Willie Nelson's new CD, Moment Of Forever.

It's co-produced by Kenny Chesney, it's gotten mixed reviews, but I find it enjoyable. The sound is crystal clear, there are some good covers and interesting new ones, but most of all, Willie is in great voice!

Grand Archives, Mountain Goats, some Neutral Milk Hotel demos ('93-'95) and all weekend long, Zappa. Mostly the first four albums, but some of the other stuff up through 1970, too.

Willie's the man . Honestly, I pretty much despise country, but he 's an exception....

I love the album he did with Ryan Adams ("Songbird"), I think it was in 2005.

Besides The Beach Boys, I'm still listening to another 'outlaw': the great Lee Hazlewood, plus various other albums (Van Morrison's "Veedon Fleece", R.L. Burnside's "A Ass Pocket Of Whiskey", Harry Nilsson, The Jayhawks, Alex Chilton, Scott Walker etc. etc.).

This past weekend, after rereading Stone Alone, I got out my Bill Wyman Rhythm Kings cds. 

If you like early 50's bop and R&B, you'll love this stuff.  Its been quite successful in the UK from what I hear, but less so here in the USA.

Bill on all bass...and on lead vocal here and there.  Lots of first rate guest vocalists you may not have heard...and a cracker jack band on every tune.

Dug out Lou Reed Live. I first got this album back in 1975(?) for free by subscribing to Creem magazine.

Good song selections - "Viscious", "Satellite Of Love", and "Sad Song".  Lou's "hit" single "Walk On The Wild Side". And an amazing dual guitar solo on "Oh Jim".

Currently reading Dominic Priorie's "Riot On Sunset Strip" book (thanks AGD for the recommendation) so feelin' in a bit of a mid-60's kinda mood - a soundtrack of Boyce & Hart, The Association ... and maybe later some Byrds and Turtles ...

Jefferson Airplane

A great read.    The Dumb Angel # 4 is a good companion piece to that book.  Really takes you for a tour of the era.

Late Night Curly - Montgomery E.P.

besides that:
Phoenix - United
Lou Reed - Transformer
Aerosmith - Toys in the Attic

and various other stuff that are just mixed in...this is the stuff I have saved at work. ;x

I think this and its companion live album are better as a historical document than as albums. I don't think there's a single song I prefer on there to its original incarnation. (I've always preferred Rock N Roll Animal between the two, mostly because I swear Reed comes in singing "Sweet Jane" before the band is ready for him. I mean, it's not like it matters, but the way the lead guitar is kind of mid-phrase is funny.)

I'd love to see an official video release of that (those? was it one or two that made those albums?) show. I know there is video--I've seen fragments in various Reed documents and on youtube. I think the entire thing, maybe with some special interviews or something, would be fantastic. I doubt you'd get Reed to speak of the shows, being mostly unwilling to talk about his past, but I'm sure they could get band members, other musicians and such. Ric Ocasek was probably at that show, they could ask him about it!

You know, it's funny, other than "Oh, Jim", I don't think I prefer any of the songs to the original incarnations either, yet I enjoy the live versions ALMOST AS MUCH as the originals, if that makes any sense.

A video would be excellent. Are there any Lou Reed concert DVD's out there?

What I'd really like to see is some creative re-packaging. Do Rock And Roll Animal and Lou reed Live sell anymore? How about re-packaging them together under Lou Reed Live In Concert along with an accompanying DVD?

There are a couple of Lou Reed live dvds. One is from Montreux, circa 2000 or so (it's the Ecstasy tour, I know). Then there is the VU reunion from 95 or so. I want to say there's another 2000 one, too, but I can't recall.

A couple posts up I plugged Willie Nelson' new CD Moment Of Forever.

The title song is a Kris Kristofferson song, and it is great. "Moment Of Forever" is right up there with "Always On My Mind" IMO. And Willie, who will soon be 75 years old, sounds about half his age on this track, and the entire album.

At the moment I'm listening to Passing Ships, a 1969 album by jazz composer/pianist Andrew Hill. While I've only discovered Hill in the past few months, I am thrilled by him. This album is like a cross between the quirkiness (especially rhythmically, on the piano) of Thelonious Monk and the Gil Evans-Miles Davis big ensemble collaborations (The title track here is especially reminiscent of parts of Sketches of Spain).

And it's really a great band: Hill joined by woodwind player Joe Farrell, trumpeters Woody Shaw and Dizzy Reece, ex-Miles bassist Ron Carter, drummer Lenny White and one apiece on french horn, tuba and trombone.

I wanted to post again! This time with a new band I'm really into called The Black Summer Crush. And the song "Between the lines" has been playing on my ipod over and over.. they're really amazing and have a sound that's reminiscent of the beatles and the who. I'm sooooo digggin it. I highly recommend you guys checkin them out.. myspace.com/theblacksummercrush

(http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/3410/mg4863neweffects1yv4.jpg)

 ::) Someone should ban this guy. I think it's a bot.

hmm 3 out of 4 posts he does mention the same band...we'll see.

I'm guessing he's the second guy from the right's little brother, doing some press for free. Either that or he's the guy who rips off the Pink Floyd bits (check it out..."Lucky Girl") and since he's not busy at the moment (awaiting Wishing You Were Here to arrive--it's expected any day!), he thought he'd put in a little eLeg Work.

If that's right, do I win some back issues of Beach Boys Minutiae Magazine or something?

PS, I love the guy at the bottom right.
(http://a68.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/95/l_01bf63c7487522477a95a3e59feb6cdb.jpg)

And the one at the top left. They're trying so hard to look like rock stars.

If you're right, I'll let you be a dick for a day without any repercussion.

and :lol at the picture...I honestly thought you pulled that from some old 60s band's site til I read the name...

So if I'm wrong I get banned or something?

Oh well, I had a good run.

No, its a win-win-win situation for you...

Those are my favorite situations (followed closely by sticky and tricky, and miles ahead of no-win).

Working on another compilation for the car....I like themes....This one's kind of country/folk/rock, sort of....This is what I have so far:

1. CCR - Born On The Bayou
2. Beach Boys - Cottonfields
3. Glen Campbell - Wichita Lineman
4. The Band - The Weight
5. Kris Kristofferson - Help Me Make It Through The Night
6. Bob Dylan - Lay Lady Lay
7. Kenny Rogers - Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town
8. Johnny Cash - Sunday Morning Coming Down
9. Willie Nelson - The Warmth Of The Sun
10. Elvis Presley - Always On My Mind
11. Ricky Nelson - She Belongs To Me
12. Tammy Wynette - In My Room
13. The Byrds - Mr. Tambourine Man
14. Gordon Lightfoot - Early Morning Rain
15. Doug Sahm - Mendocino
16. Merle Haggard - Okie From Muskogee
17. Ronnie Milsap - Smokey Mountain Rain
18. Skeeter Davis - The End Of The World
19. ?

^ Look up the now-defunct Beachwood Sparks' album Once We Were Trees. I think you'd like plenty of that, and find several tunes worth including. A little Uncle Tupelo might fit in there pretty well, too.

I'm currently listening to the album "Trumpet," by Foot Foot. I've got to review it, and am sad to say I really don't think it's very good. I find that to be an awkward position, especially when I know a band is young and earnest. They've got moms and dads and boyfriends and girlfriends and egos.

I mix it up a bit. Put some CDs in the car player & hit shuffle.

McCartney-Band On The Run
Beach Boys-Surfs Up
Monkees-Pisces Aquaurius Capicorn & Jones
Brent Cash-How Will I Know If I'm Awake
Super Hits of the 70s Vol 14

That's what's in there now...

I love that series, a lot of hidden gems in there. I recently came across "Woodstock" by Matthew's Southern Comfort on one of those CD's.

Hey, Luther, who are you reviewing for?

30music.com. Mostly indie stuff, although I try to sneak in a little material for the "older folks." (I'm just 31, but to some of them, things like Wilco or Belle & Sebastian are old-people music. When I talk about things like Tom Waits and Bob Dylan, I may as well be their grandpa.)

Yeah, but look at it this way, you're "educating" them! :police:

I like to think of it working the opposite direction, too. In the years I've (on and off) written for them, I've been introduced to Herman Dune, Half-Handed Cloud, Puerto Muerto, Sons & Daughters, Inara George, Voxtrot, the Paper Chase, Fiery Furnaces and a handful of other artists I hadn't before heard that I now hold in high regard. There are more misses than hits, but I'll take a mom & pop diner over a McDonalds every time, you know?

Have to say my favorite on that particular disc is So You Are A Star by The Hudson Bros.

?? What disc?

'cause of doing a little "school" ( ;) ) work, believe it or not, i am listening to the hollyridge strings play the beach boys song book vol 2 at the moment.

Rhino's Super Hits of The 70s Vol 14

Ah. You were quoting unrelated posts, so it was a little confusing.

Listening to She's Got Rhythm, such a catchy song, I don't care what anyone says.

I am listening to this great indie star Rachel McGoye and the song is "Beautiful Disaster". Check it out on her myspace page.

I don't care either. Loved this song for 30 years now. Great drumming (whoever it was), good lyrics from Mike, and I'd take the Brian (vocally) from MIU any day.

Anyway, I dug out Bob Dylan's Modern Times. I've got to give it another try. I hate to admit that I was slightly disappointed when it first came out; overly long and repetitive songs. I WANT to like it... 

I love it.

Listening to Herman Dune's "Giant."

Legend: The Best of Bob Marley & The Wailers.

Yeah. Good sh*t.

Alfred Hitchcock's "Music To Be Murdered By".

All doors and windows are firmly shut.

Tapes 'n' Tapes' "Walk It Off." I don't like it much. (Sorry to my fellow Minneapolitans...)

I bought a Walter Steding record but haven't listened to it yet.... later I'll do a write up...... ???

I've been stuck on Joy Zipper  - "The Heartlight Set" for a while now.  And now I'm back into Stew.  Inspired be the recent success of his Broadway show, Passing Strange.  The Negro Problem "Joys and Concerns" and Stew "Naked Dutch Painter"  on and on. 

Also, I listened to XTC's Black Sea at the gym recently (meaning headphones) and loved it...again.

Cheree by Suicide    on the Downtown 81 soundtrack :3d

She & Him, Volume One. I LOVE it.

Right now I am really digging this new band Scientificlifestyle!! I love the song "OR".

I just got The Byrds - Fifth Dimension. I've had Turn Turn Turn and Sweetheart of the Rodeo for years; it's interesting to hear something from in-between the two.

I'm currently digging a song by Leslie Feist called "Now at Last". After hearing it, I wanna have her babies!

Just found Graham Parker's "Don't Tell Columbus" (2007) at the library.  Best thing he's done in years.
Good melodies and lyrics...voice somewhere between 70s Bob Dylan and 80s Graham Parker.

A bunch of Queen songs: I'm making a compilation of non-hits for no good reason whatsoever.

Do "Liar" and "Ogre Battle", my two favorite Queen songs, qualify?

They qualify, but I excluded them both! I like Ogre Battle quite a bit, but I went for a sort of cohesive album sound, and so stuck more to pop tunes instead of the proggy stuff.

This is what I ended up with. I acknowledge that, even among non-hits, this isn't really my favorite 20 songs (although it's close). As I said, I did want it to be somewhat listenable as an album. (Double album, actually.)

Side One
Need Your Loving Tonight
Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon
I Go Crazy
Jealousy
You and I

Side Two
Bring Back that Leroy Brown
Sweet Lady
Who Needs You
Love of My Life
Man on the Prowl

Side Three
Dreamer's Ball
Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy
All Dead, All Dead
Long Away
Seaside Rendezvous

Side Four
Misfire
Good Company
Coming Soon
Don't Stop Me Now
Dear Friends

Listening to Oasis' What's The Story Morning Glory. As bad a rap as these guys get, some of the songs on that album are extremely catchy. And all the fighting between the Gallagher Brothers reminds me of another band, from California actually,-and pretty popular, too,  full of family members who constantly fought with each other and still aren't on good terms to this day.

American music clubs new album...love it

My preview copy of Puerto Muerto's I Was a Swallow. And I love it. Love it. Its out in the UK already, I believe, and is out (Fire Records) in early June in the U.S. Creepy but romantic, sort of like a guy-girl duet of Tom Waits. Been listening for months, and it's growing on me.

I dig Oasis very much--

Led Zeppelin 3 & 4

Led Zeppelin 3 is a fodaing great album.

I've been listening to a lot of Bowie lately (mostly stuff from the Low-through-Scary Monsters period), plus the new Thank You Friends: The Ardent Records Story compilation (great stuff by Big Star, Chris Bell, Icewater, Terry Manning, etc. etc. etc.).

I read about that one, looks very promising! I love Big Star (as well as Chilton's and Bell's solo stuff.....).

I'm listening to Pearls Before Swine: "One Nation Underground", another forgotten gem from 1967.

Lately i found myself listening to City & Colour 'Bring me your Love'. For those who don't know, he's a Canadian singer/songwriter named Dallas Green. He's a pretty talented guy.

Listening to "You're Ex-Lover is Dead" by Stars.

Listening to "She's A Woman", and I still can't figure out why some people don't like it...

Bring on the Lucie (Freda People) by John Lennon

Traffic driving through puddles, birds chirping and, when there's a lull between those, rain hitting the street.

Just had an all night session going through my WHO CDs ( the ones with bonus tracks), "WHO ARE YOU" struck me as the best

the hummmmmmm of the air conditioning unit, the sound of voices down the hall, and the sound of my keyboard as I type.     :)

Yeah, I don't know why its not more popular. I don't think there's a weak song on it. 'Since I've Been Loving You' is such a great song and production.

The squeaky kick-drum pedal is kind of annoying on it though. How could they have not noticed it during recording?

 :smokin :brian :drunks :beer

^ But that didn't stop them from identifying sonic perfection everywhere else.

Just in the past year I've discovered Begin by the Millennium and Present Tense by Sagittarius for the first time. I have both of them in heavy rotation this week, and the more I listen, the more I love these.

I can't get into either.

My most played albums the past week or two have been Tom Waits' Orphans and Alice; the Instruments' Dark Smaland; and the first mix of a friend of mine's band's new album.

Awesome ....love those albums and I just discovered them  this past year also!  You should also check out the Yellow Balloon for some more 60's sunshine pop.  

I've got that one too. I need to put it back into the rotation as well!

Jason Falkner - Presents Author Unknown
Michael Knight - I'm Not Entirely Clear How I Ended Up Like this
Pernice Brothers - The World Won't End

I've gone motown mad this week.  Been trying to teach myself some of James Jamerson's bass lines.
How good was he?

Particularly Bernadette, It's the same old song, You Keep Me Hanging On, I was made to love her, Reach out I'll Be There.

I tried to get into Present Tense by Sagitarrius, but I only like two songs: 1) My World Fell Down and 2)Another Time

The rest of the album is too hippy dippy for me. Especially 'Song For The Magic Frog'

Willy & The Poor Boys - Credence Clearwater Revival

Cosmo's Factory - Credence Clearwater Revival

Upcoming Hold Steady.

Just bought 'Papa' John Phillips' "Jack Of Diamonds", which came out last year.

I have all his other solo albums ("John The Wolfking Of L.A.", "Pay Pack & Follow" and "Phillips 66"), as well as the Mamas & Papas catalogue, so I decided to get this one too.

A troubled soul, but an ace songwriter.  :thumbsup

The "new" POB on the sundazed site. I cannot get enough of Love Remember Me. The harmony is out of this world. Just about worn out the 30 second sample.

The harmonies that Dennis does in these "new" songs just blows me away.

Bluesbreakers - John Mayall & Eric Clapton

I thought John Phillips only released one solo album, 'Wolf King of LA' in 1970 and then dropped out. When did he make these other records?

"Wolfking Of L.A." was his first solo album, "Pay Pack & Follow" features songs recorded (but never released) in the mid/late 1970s with his pals Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, and the two Micks (Jagger & Taylor), the album finally came out a few years ago.

"Phillips 66" was recorded just before his passing, aged 65, in 2001. Finally, "Jack Of Diamonds" was pieced together from material recorded in 1972 and 1973 and intended for his second solo album, that never saw the light of day either. Also included are two tracks he contributed to the soundtrack of "Brewster McCloud" and a few other 'bonus' cuts.

These are all very enjoyable records, but I'd say that "Wolfking Of L.A." stands out as his greatest solo collection, an underrated classic.

Iron & Wine, The Shepherd's Dog.

Cool; I'm a big I&W fan.

Right now I find I'm spinning these a lot:

The POB reissue (of course)
Weezer's red album
Tusk, Fleetwood Mac
Wincing the Night Away, The Shins

... and also a few MP3s I found online by a band called Ambulance LTD which I really like. I think they have a full album available plus a few EPs, and I'd like to check them all out.

I'm listening to: BAD WATER - The Raelettes; ESQUINAS - Djavan; ELAINE - ABBA; El Perro Del Mar in general; THE DRIFTER - Steve Lawrence; Joshua Rifkin's Scott Joplin recordings; DUCK YOU SUCKER - Ennio Morricone; various Connie Smith & Skeeter Davis tracks; Del Shannon; Steely Dan; Marcos Valle; . Lots of stuff, really, but does it help?

Lou Reed's The Bells

Don't have this one, quick comment on it?

I actually just wrote about it on Alan's board. http://s3.excoboard.com/exco/thread.php?forumid=31674&threadid=410449  If you can forgive the lack of paragraph breaks (wine really does a number on keyboards), it sums things up.

Black Foliage (Animation Music Volume One), The Olivia Tremor Control ... pretty spacey in spots, just slightly weird, but leaning attractively toward poppy in other spots.

I think "Hideaway" is the best song they ever wrote. That and "I Have Been Floated." Both on that album. Frankly, I find a lot of their alleged experimentalism (I don't think there's anything particularly experimental about it) tedious, but when they set their minds to pop, they were a great band. Wish I'd seen one of their reunion shows last year.

I tend to think similarly, inasmuch as I don't think their stuff is quite as trippy or odd as its reputation might suggest. I generally like 'em for their poppier side.

As a Lou fan, I must say that it's okay, but not one of my favorites. Very weird, and a decent contrast with Street Hassle, which I think is just poetry (especially the title track). But still, The Bells has some lovely cuts, "City Lights" being my favorite (a huge Chaplin fan as well), "Stupid Man" and "The Bells," which George Starostin described as "a homebred version of Revolution 9." Just a bit tough to listen to all the way through, though Growing Up in Public is much worse and chronologically following.

I'm listening to a few albums today and tomorrow:
Wind and Wuthering-Genesis: which has grown to be my favorite post-Gabriel Genesis album. When Hackett split, that was it for me.
Under the Skin-Lindsey Buckingham: a terrific mellow and acoustic album, from a big Buckingham fan.
Real Gone-Tom Waits: much better than I thought it would be, just getting into Waits' work; which is fitting because he's touring and I just missed him ::)
Countdown to Ecstasy-Steely Dan: my favorite Dan album

Anybody else fans of these?

Caroline Herring - Lantana

**Anybody else fans of these?**

Yes. Me. All. I personally like all of Genesis in the '70s, even "And Then There Were Three." Lindsey Buckingham is amazing. He doesn't get the credit he deserves, probably because he came out of one of the biggest classic rock acts of the '70s, but "Tusk" and his solo albums are uniformely great. Strange lyrics, quirky vocals, crazy arrangements. And when he goes acoustic or does ballads, I love the introspective lyrics. There's a Buckingham tune on his third solo album called "Street of Dreams" that gets me everytime.

"Real Gone" is not a Waits album I listen to a lot. The first time I heard it, I thought it was a good rocker, but nothing stood out. I listened to it about five times last year and realized that I liked it a lot. It still hasn't yeilded anything stand-out, like most of his other albums have. But it's probably the only Tom Waits album for which I don't have complete and utter burnout.

"Countdown to Ecstacy" is amazing. The guitar solos on that one are probably the best of any Steely Dan album, in my opinion. There's not a bad song on there, though if I had to pick a favorite, it would be either "Razor Boy" or "My Old School." The cover of this album is genius too.

For some inexplicable reason, I would rather listen to GUiP anyday. I acknowledge that it's terrible in many ways, but so is The Bells. And here's a weird one--I prefer both of those two to the more highly acclaimed precedent and antecedents, Street Hassle and The Blue Mask, which I consider the two most overrated LR albums ever.

I'll tell you what Lou Reed album's overrated to me--Magic and Loss, I love the title track, but I can't get into anything else. Songs for Drella is much, much superior to my mind (one of my favorites from both Reed and Cale.)

I actually prefer Legendary Hearts to The Blue Mask, but both of them are my favorite LR albums from 1975-1988. Are you a Sally Can't Dance fan by any chance, Luther? We are a dying breed.

I love--well, really like--Sally Can't Dance. Coney Island Baby, too. The pop Reed is a good Reed. I am with you on Magic and Loss.

As am I. Can't really sit through things like "Harry's Circumcision" very well. Personally I think Songs for Drella is the best thing he's done post-VU. Nothing else even comes close for me.

Now spinning: No Guru, No Method, No Teacher by Van Morrison. "In the Garden" is one of my favorite songs ever.

Not me. I don't like the sounds on that: those later 80s tones, especially without full band, don't do it for me. And I don't like the "academic" type of presentation. When Lou (and Cale) pretend rock is serious, it drains the life out for me. For me, Lou's best post-VU are by far a few obvious choices (that I'm not ashamed to share), Transformer and Berlin, and then things like New York, Ecstasy, and then CIB, SCD, RNR Animal/Live.

Well, no accounting for taste. I find one of those lightweight and fake, the other incredibly turgid ...

Being lightweight is exactly what's great about Transformer. It's Lou Reed writing pop songs, and he's great at it. Fake? No harm in that. It's pop music, not autobiography. Bowie and Ronson were a great help, and Lou's songs were strong. As for Berlin, it's more problematic for me, and not as good. But Ezrin's production is great in an entirely different way than Bowie's was on Transformer. The whole album is the opposite, rather than hitting for a pop appeal it's trying to shock you, scare you, impress you. But it's good regardless, even despite the effort. Any faults it has are presented 10x more in Drella.

The production on Berlin is impressive, I grant you.


No way.

Not much of a response I can give to that except "yes way," I guess.

Beck

Luther, here are my 6 LR desert Island disks, I'm interested in what yours are:
Transformer (1972) (A+)
Rock ‘n Roll Animal (1974) (A+)
Berlin (1973) (A)
Songs for Drella (1990) (A)
Animal Serenade (2004) (A)
Coney Island Baby (1976) (A)

If I got 6 desert island discs and they all had to be Lou Reed (without including VU), I'd be pretty fucking pissed. But if it came down to it, I'd say Transformer, Berlin, Ecstasy, New York, American Poet and ... probably RnR Animal, but not for sure.

Mikal Blue's album "Gold".  I love male solo artists who sing, play the guitar, and produce.  His music is also very simple, awesome quality, and relaxing.

I used to be very keen on Ecstasy as well. But a funny thing happened in that I saw a live performance of Lou at the Monteraux Jazz Festival performing mostly material from said album and it was dull and lifeless. Kinda sullied my appreciation for the album, but I still like a lot of tracks.

And I meant six LR picks. I'd never make it on a desert island with just Lou to listen to--I'd become way too paranoid within the first hour...

Funny, I also saw Lou perform mostly the Ecstasy material on his tour of that album, and it was a great show. Maybe it was that I'd never seen him live, or that I was lucky enough to score front-row seats for free, or just a better night. But to me it showed how strong the material was that it stood up on its own. (And the show had a classic Lou moment. Someone in the crowd: "Rock 'n' Roll! Play Rock 'n' Roll! Rock 'n'--" Lou: "Shut the f*** up." [audience laughs] "You can leave if you're unhappy."

I'm listening to Okkervil River's upcoming (Sept 9) album, The Stand-Ins. I loved their last album, The Stage Names, and this is something of a companion/sequel. This band does not come out of nowhere and change the world, but they're a really cool band, in my opinion: obviously they're great fans of the 5+ years of rock that came before them, and they're good at what they do. Plus, I like frontman Will Sheff's lyrics--I'm a sucker for literate nerds. You can see the trailer for their new album, plus new and old songs, on their myspace if you want to check them out. I recommend it (for whatever that's worth!). http://www.myspace.com/okkervilriver (http://www.myspace.com/okkervilriver)

Right now - Pink Floyd, Dark  Side OF The Moon.

Jeff Hanson's wonderful new album Madam Owl. He's got great songs and a falsetto that you'll love. Check: http://www.myspace.com/jeffhanson (http://www.myspace.com/jeffhanson)

He's a great musician. I read that he produced Coblie Caillat's first single too.