I'm Not There Soundtrack

As both Paul and Colin can attest to I have been obsessed with Todd Haynes' Dylan biopic I'm Not There. I don't know if it is the subject matter or the pomposity of the six different actors playing Dylan (Cate Blanchett? Richard Gere, a 12 year old black kid?), but I am obsessed. This of course is not Rotten Tomatoes, so I am gonna save my review of the film itself for another place.

This is of course the place where I can wax philosophically about music, and albums. the official sound track to I'm Not There, is in essence a Bob Dylan tribute album. This albums reads like a list the most popular indie singer songwriters (Jeff Tweedy, Sufjan Stevens, Iron and Wine, Cat Power etc.) and a list of artist whom my dad might think is cool (Jack Johnson, Eddie Vedder, Richie Havens, Roger McGuinn, etc.). On any tribute album you can go one of two ways, first is to take the words/music of the orginal song and change them to fit your own personal style; or two pay homage to the song and play the song as close to the original recording as possible. This album does it both. For those artist unfortunate enough to attempt the latter the songs are in short miserable. The shining example is "Highway 61 Revisited," which sounds like Karen O decided it would be a good idea to get drunk and go down to the 400 Bar's Dylan sound like contest.

There are song great takes on Dylan songs here, I espeically like Tweedy's "Simple Twist of Fate" which treads the line perfectly between a homage and making the song his own. Sufjan takes his own brand of pomposity on "Ring them Bells" and makes it work. Also former Pavement frontman Steven Malkmus does a fine job on the two tunes he was charged to do.

It would be remissed, if I did not mention the back up band for many of the tracks, The Million Dollar Bashers. A supergroup of side men consisting of Sonic Youth stars Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley, Wilco guitarist Nels Cline, Television guitarist Tom Verlaine, Dylan bassist Tony Garnier, guitarist Smokey Hormel and keyboardist John Medeski. They really shine and are the highlight of the album. Execept they play on the aforementioned "Highway 61," which is pure shit.

WEEN- La Cucaracha

Did I already post this? Oh well, it is deserved of a second listing.

This is the newest album from the brothers WEEN (actually not brothers and not named WEEN). For those unfamiliar, WEEN started as Gene and Dean Ween out of New Jersey, with their first album God WEEN Satan on Minneapolis label Restless Records. They would go on to record an album while high on gasses and glue (The Pod), an album of country music original classics (12 Golden Country Greats), the sexiest album cover of all time according to Playboy (Chocolate and Cheese), one of 2000's best albums (White Pepper) and one of the best albums Phish could only dream of recording (The Mollusk). I didn't even mention the other classics like Pure Guava, Quebec and the many live albums and website only releases.

La Cucaracha is classic Ween. Songs that break the barrier of definition, songs that meld early 90's electronica with Polka, songs that make you smile, dance, want to hit your bong (or your bubbler, depending on preference) and songs that just plain rock.

If you dig this album, I highly suggest checking out White Pepper, Chocolate and Cheese and The Mollusk.

Songs on La Cucaracha to listen to first: Sweetheart in the Summer, Friends, Blue Balloon, Learnin to Love and Spirit Walker.

Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog

Sam Beam apparently hasn't read the indie rock handbook. Rather than keep with his traditionally sparse sound, The Shepherd's Dog features lush production and a new direction for Iron & Wine. Fans of Iron & Wine's early recordings may not care for this new direction. But I think it's a sign of maturity and natural progression of an artist. Beam brings the same delicate vocals and well crafted lyrics but this time with something much more substantial to back it up. Enjoy.

His Name Is Alive – Xmmer

Xmmer is the latest record from His Name Is Alive released on September 18, 2007. Lead by Warren Defever, HNIA hails from Livonia, Michigan (which is just outside of Detroit for those of you on the west coast). This is the second record to feature Andrea Francesca Morici (ANDY FM) on vocals.

I just bought this record after their show last night at the 400 Bar. Fantastic show. Great songs, great band with some noisy weirdness thrown in for good measure. They're live shows usually consist of homemade stage props made from painted cardboard and people in gorilla outfits running around passing out bananas. Before this show started, they handed out a dozen or so tambourines for audience participation throughout the show. This added a nice looseness and it was kind of like a hootenanny without all the singing. Lots of good shakers last night strutting their tambo skills. Nice.

Blockhead - Uncle Tony's Coloring Book

Blockhead is probably best known for his production work With Aesop Rock, as well as some Rhyme Sayers artists. Blockhead's newest solo album is faster and more upbeat than his two previous efforts, but it's still 100% Blockhead. Dig it.

In Rainbows album artwork

Thanks for the upload. It took me awhile to find the album artwork for this, but I believe this is the official one, for those of you who are as anal as me and give a shit about something this trivial.

For those who don't like this particular one, there's a pool of album art here.

Radiohead - In Rainbows

Sounds like the Radiohead we all know and love. I paid £ 2, service charge £ .45 for a total of $5.00. There is talk that the 128 bit rate is poor quality. Sounds OK through my earbuds. Enjoy

Muse - Absolution

In reading the reviews for this album, I noticed that everyone mentions Radiohead. So that means I have to as well. But these guys are more than a clone band, they have their own grand ambitions. I'll let another reviewer sum up the album:

[It's] the sort of opus that Queen might have made had they been 25 years younger and brought up on Radiohead and Metallica as well as classical music and opera.

Overall, Muse has won me over with their grandiose rockingness.

Atmosphere-Sad Clown Bad Fall (Number 10)

Fresh off the heels of Sad Clown Bad Summer (Number 9), comes the Fall EP. Similar in style to the Summer album, this one is supposed to be about the joys of fall, the depression of the end of summer, and, well, whatever Slug wants you to think.

Having just seen them live in LA this past week, I am glad to say their touring band (consisting of Ant on the one's and two's, and a full backing band) is amazing and ads that element to his songs that is missing when it is just him and Ant. Slug took in the LA love for the entire 2 hour set, breaking down old classics and new tracks, including 4 new songs from the forthcoming full length, When Life Gives You Lemons. If the tour is coming near you, I HIGHLY suggest it.

With that, check out Lyndale Ave Users Manual and Peyote.

bob - contract with the lord

for those of you who are not familiar with the often passed over "born again" era of dylan's career (roughly 1979-1982), here's a great live recording from one of twelve shows he did in San Francisco in Nov 1979, filled to the brim with jesus lovin' grooves, soapbox sermonizing, and random shout outs from the crowd. bob seems to do little without creating a stir, and that especially goes for this period in his career. opinions may differ on the music and ideas that came out of bob at this time, but one thing is for certain: this is no put-on, he believes every word of it.

the baddest yet of the bad plus