Circle 21
Circle, um, 21.
First., a couple of corrections: The Go, as recommended on my first circle, are actually just a Status Quo for the 21st century, and I can’t frankly see the need. Meanwhile, Ida’s album, Ten Small Pieces, is a work of utter genius, and I completely failed to pick the best or even most representative track.
Onto this time. We kick off with AC Newman - the whole album is pretty good. Like his work with the New Pornographers, its all post-something powerpop, with lyrics that mean less the more you listen to them.
Chuck D, on the other hand, still clearly believes that hip-hop should still be the CNN of the ghetto (and yes, I am aware that I am white, middle class and from rural Lancashire). The whole Wired CD was released under the Creative Commons license, which means you don’t need to feel guilty about downloading it for free.
Lesley Winer released one album under the name (C). I love this track, although everyone else i have ever played it to doesn’t. The Fiery Furnaces are not as clever as they think they are, but still good in places. Probably best to avoid the EP.
I have no idea who recorded I am New York, but we had a great trip there at Easter and it feels right.
I now work far from an HMV or Virgin Records, and even further from the independent shops of Soho where I used to by a lot of music. But I am near an Oxfam that gets a lot of CDs, so I have started buying a lot from there, usually on the basis of what the cover looks like. Willis is an early beneficiary of this policy, and her whole album is pretty good, although she clearly is barking.
Uncle Tupelo are credited with sparking the alt.country movement. Regardless, their best of is strong. Steal My Sunshine is the first tune I bought from the iTunes music store, and it does sound like summer, which we still have a little left of.
The Bothy Band only released a few albums, but Old Hag... is simply wonderful - traditional Irish music that has nothing to do with Enya or Riverdance. I suspect most of you have more Throwing Muses albums than I do, but this is still great.
The Clean are very catchy. Thee More Shallows are another Oxfam find - OK but not great.
Random is what I believe is known as grime, and MC Lady Sovereign is, apparently, Queen of the Chav rappers, but as soon as she went “ch-ching!” I was hooked. Patty Moon is a German jazz singer who hasn’t quite mastered singing, but I love the chord changes in this and the sweeping strings.
Keen observers will notice that I have been quite consistent in including a track in French on every circle. This is not deliberate, but there I do wish I spoke French better (i.e. at all). What I love about this is the backing track, with the repeated sound of what appears to be a young Mademoiselle being startled by the business end of a Gaulloise, presumably wielded by a seduction-minded Serge.
I bought one Earlimart album by mistake in New York, and a second on Oxfam. Both are good. The Long Ryders have a fair claim for having beaten Uncle Tupelo to the alt.country punch, and their best of is darned good value if you can buy it for £2.99 from Oxfam. The Long Winters are not the last band on this comp whose name starts with “The” but theirs is a good album.
Pavement were one of those bands a lot of people thought I would like - some of it is great, but there is a lot of stoned jamming on the rerelease of their classic album.
The Kingsbury Manx don’t seem to have every been photographed, only rarely release records and may not play live: I love them. Their first album was fairly accurately described as like Simon and Garfunkel covering the Velvet Underground. They have broadened their sound since then, and their drummer has finally saved up for a snare drum and some coffee. This is quite possibly their best album. but all are worth checking out.
Cake are another Oxfam find, simply because I liked the name. Good album, and I can feel that I have helped alleviate suffering in the world!
Beth Orton: ace? Finally, Sophie probably deserves the credit for the Bees, but I like both of their albums a lot.
First., a couple of corrections: The Go, as recommended on my first circle, are actually just a Status Quo for the 21st century, and I can’t frankly see the need. Meanwhile, Ida’s album, Ten Small Pieces, is a work of utter genius, and I completely failed to pick the best or even most representative track.
Onto this time. We kick off with AC Newman - the whole album is pretty good. Like his work with the New Pornographers, its all post-something powerpop, with lyrics that mean less the more you listen to them.
Chuck D, on the other hand, still clearly believes that hip-hop should still be the CNN of the ghetto (and yes, I am aware that I am white, middle class and from rural Lancashire). The whole Wired CD was released under the Creative Commons license, which means you don’t need to feel guilty about downloading it for free.
Lesley Winer released one album under the name (C). I love this track, although everyone else i have ever played it to doesn’t. The Fiery Furnaces are not as clever as they think they are, but still good in places. Probably best to avoid the EP.
I have no idea who recorded I am New York, but we had a great trip there at Easter and it feels right.
I now work far from an HMV or Virgin Records, and even further from the independent shops of Soho where I used to by a lot of music. But I am near an Oxfam that gets a lot of CDs, so I have started buying a lot from there, usually on the basis of what the cover looks like. Willis is an early beneficiary of this policy, and her whole album is pretty good, although she clearly is barking.
Uncle Tupelo are credited with sparking the alt.country movement. Regardless, their best of is strong. Steal My Sunshine is the first tune I bought from the iTunes music store, and it does sound like summer, which we still have a little left of.
The Bothy Band only released a few albums, but Old Hag... is simply wonderful - traditional Irish music that has nothing to do with Enya or Riverdance. I suspect most of you have more Throwing Muses albums than I do, but this is still great.
The Clean are very catchy. Thee More Shallows are another Oxfam find - OK but not great.
Random is what I believe is known as grime, and MC Lady Sovereign is, apparently, Queen of the Chav rappers, but as soon as she went “ch-ching!” I was hooked. Patty Moon is a German jazz singer who hasn’t quite mastered singing, but I love the chord changes in this and the sweeping strings.
Keen observers will notice that I have been quite consistent in including a track in French on every circle. This is not deliberate, but there I do wish I spoke French better (i.e. at all). What I love about this is the backing track, with the repeated sound of what appears to be a young Mademoiselle being startled by the business end of a Gaulloise, presumably wielded by a seduction-minded Serge.
I bought one Earlimart album by mistake in New York, and a second on Oxfam. Both are good. The Long Ryders have a fair claim for having beaten Uncle Tupelo to the alt.country punch, and their best of is darned good value if you can buy it for £2.99 from Oxfam. The Long Winters are not the last band on this comp whose name starts with “The” but theirs is a good album.
Pavement were one of those bands a lot of people thought I would like - some of it is great, but there is a lot of stoned jamming on the rerelease of their classic album.
The Kingsbury Manx don’t seem to have every been photographed, only rarely release records and may not play live: I love them. Their first album was fairly accurately described as like Simon and Garfunkel covering the Velvet Underground. They have broadened their sound since then, and their drummer has finally saved up for a snare drum and some coffee. This is quite possibly their best album. but all are worth checking out.
Cake are another Oxfam find, simply because I liked the name. Good album, and I can feel that I have helped alleviate suffering in the world!
Beth Orton: ace? Finally, Sophie probably deserves the credit for the Bees, but I like both of their albums a lot.
posted by Toby Scott at 7/21/2006 07:37:00 PM
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