Photo by Karen Hoffmann
Four days late and thousands short, here’s a look at some of the best titles to hit eMusic this week.
Okkervil River, The Stage Names: Embarrassing story. This morning, I downloaded a bunch of new stuff, and I was really excited to hear the Studio album West Coast (I had heard some really good things and noticed it on a Top Ten list on the message boards). So I start playing the record and Joe and I are sitting here grooving to it, saying to each other “how come we’ve never heard of these guys?” and “this could be huge for us” and comparing it to Arcade Fire and the Cure and Wilderness, etc. While we were listening, Joe went to download the album for himself from eMusic when he noticed that the first song — which we were listening to — was 16 minutes long. “How the hell can they sustain this for 16 minutes?” he asked.
So I go to skip ahead to see what it sounded like eight minutes in when I notice that the song I was playing was only four minutes long. And that’s when I finally realize that we are not, in fact, listening to Studio, but to the new Okkervil River album, which I had played by mistake. Whoops! Meanwhile, Joe and I have talked long and hard recently about how we have never “gotten” Okkervil, and just didn’t see the appeal. Whoops again!
Anyway, we still haven’t gotten past that first song, but suddenly I am forced to reconsider all of my assumptions about the band. Maybe I do like them, but maybe it’s only when I think they’re someone else?
PS: That Studio record is GORGEOUS. Please download. I will probably rave about it next week.
Magnolia Electric Co., Sojourner: The first two discs of the new four-disc box set from Jason Molina’s outfit (he was also every copyeditor’s nightmare, Songs: Ohia). I liked the last one a decent amount, but I’m not sure if the world needs four discs of Molina? PS: Pitchfork gave it a 7.7.
Crowded House, Time on Earth: Never been a fan at all, but I really like zimm’s user review:
I cannot believe I am seeing this record on Emusic! I am a huge CH/Finn/Enz fan and I bought this record the day it came out. All the review you will read are true: This is one of the best records of the year. Neil Finn is one of the best pop songwriters around and this record has the feel of one of his solo albums. And while these tracks need a few listens, it is an album that will grow on you. The passing of Paul Hester is all over just about every song, which give this a naturally sad feel, but Neil seems to resolve each song with a grace that indicates some sort of healing. Song hilights include “Don’t Stop Now,” “Pour Le Monde,” and “Silent House.” Every song has its moments. Its true, I have a Finn bias, but if you are a fan of well crafted pop songs, download this now. ~zimm
He’s making a pretty good case!
J Dilla, Jay Deelicious 95-98: The Delicious Vinyl Years: Or, What He Did For Other People. This is pretty much a Brand New Heavies/Pharcyde compilation record, and it does well at skipping over the blunders in favor of the wonders (”Runnin’” most of all, naturally). This says just not as much about the compilers of this Yet Another Posthumous Collection as it does about Dilla, whose aesthetic and taste were rarely out of whack with what well-tuned ears yearned to hear.
Mirah and Spectratrone International, Share This Place: Mirah have always been way too cloying and precious for me, and I’m pretty sure there’s a 0.0% chance that an album sung from the point of view of insects is going to do much to sway that. For fans, though, I’m sure this is an exciting project; incidentally, Pitchfork liked it, if you care about that sort of thing.
Peter Case, Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John: You know Peter Case because you know the Nerves because you know “Hanging on the Telephone,” which they wrote, because you know Blondie. Case is now very much a singer-songwriter, and this album evidences that.
Old ’97s, Hitchhike to Rhome: The debut that preceded the far superior Wreck Your Life.
Simple Kid, 2: Dude clearly has a major crush on 1994 Beck, and this album is all about that. Your take on this record depends, more than anything, on your take on Beck. Do with that what you will.
Public Enemy, How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul?: Joe has been trying really, really hard to like this record. Really hard.
Mirah: Never liked her much either, but I thought this record was pretty great; plays down the cloying aspect a lot, and the songs seem a bit sturdier. so people who haven’t liked her in the past might be down with this one.
I dl’d that Studio record on a whim a couple months back. Yes, it IS amazingly good. Go get it. It’s one of those things that I probably wouldn’t have heard of nor obtained if it weren’t for emusic (cuz for 6 downloads you might as well just try, right?). And I’ll probably give OR a shot, even though I was (mostly) not that impressed with Black Sheep Boy.
The West Coast disc is great. Will eMusic get the full-length follow-up, Yearbook Vol. I?
The first four songs on the new Okkervil album are better than most of “Black Sheep Boy.” Hopefully the other six songs on there live up to them. Also, don’t sleep on the Chuck Ragan album and “Funk/Soul Revival: Classic Tracks & the New Breed” is the best free download since Hit The Switch gave away their debut on eMusic last summer.
I dunno Daniel, but I hope so!
I didn’t know Peter Case was involved in “Hanging On The Telephone”!
He was also the leader of the Plimsouls, a great L.A. power-pop band, who had one hit: “A Million Miles Away”.
I’m a major CH/Enz/Finn fan, but just as I do for the Finn Bros record at emu and all but a couple of songs on Neil’s One All at emu, I think this one is flat. (Neil’s first solo record and the first Finn Bros record are well worth seeking out though….as of course are the first 4 CH records.) I’m still thrilled to see this one here. It’s also on my Saved for Later list, so I’m open to having my mind changed. Don’t think I will though.
I generally turn to emu because I’m NOT looking for things that sound like classic rock, but two new releases that jumped out at me are from Leon Russell. As PatrikC noted in his review of Angel in Disguise, it’s a return to the sound of his first few records, 35 years ago. Generally speaking, when you see “best since” in a review, it’s safe to dismiss it out of hand as misplaced nostalgia, hope or both. But I like it.
Leon’s A Mighty Flood is an advance release, set for January 1, 2008!!! While not an eternal classic, it’s a pretty interesting gospel record. In fact it struck me how perfectly suited to gospel Leon’s voice and musical style are — he’s actually overdue for something like this. Or five months early, depending on how you look at it.
While I was sampling these two, I came across a Leon release that’s been here for a while that really floored me: Signature Songs, from 2001. It’s Leon playing his you-know-what on solo acoustic piano. The one hesitation I’ve always had about his music is that it tends to be overproduced and have too many layers. This time, of course, you can hear the songs, playing and singing for what they are. I think this one is truly magical.
Since I heartily disagree with the comments posted at those last two records, I’ll swing by and add my own reviews soon. In the meantime, you can check ‘em out with what I think is the right frame of mind.
New Arrival — Cornelius: Sensuous
http://www.emusic.com/album/Cornelius-Sensuous-MP3-Download/11074051.html
Haven’t given this a listen yet. But his last release on Matador called Point was pretty badass. Crazy electronic programming & noise-pop studio wizardry. Anyone down with this guy? Yancey, Todd, Bryan?
http://s141.photobucket.com/albums/r44/imrickyd/?action=view¤t=cad344bf.flv
*cough* http://17dots.com/2007/07/02/s-s-s-s-studio-oh-oh/
Oh yes, I just saw that Cornelius record this morning and downloaded. Will check it out as soon as I make it through the upcoming Swazak record.
That Old ´97s is a really fun record, and the first one of theirs I ever heard. “Drowning in the Days” is a good one if you´d like to try before you buy, but I remember the whole thing being pretty great.
I say remember because I never actually bought it. A friend of mine played it ALL the time. I´ll be downloading it with the rest of yous.