The KEXP Blog » Review Revue

Review Revue: This Mortal Coil - Blood

Levi, KEXP — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:53:26 +0000

The idea of the band This Mortal Coil is quite ingenious, really. Ivo Watts-Russell, who founded the label 4AD Records (probably past, present or future home of some of your favorite bands) started a band in the early 80s whose original purpose seems to have been to promote his label. The band featured Watts-Russell and a rotating cast of guest musicians, most of them from 4AD bands. Many of the songs they recorded were covers, often of songs by other 4AD bands. I’m trying to imagine Jonathan Poneman starting a band and recording an album with Sera Cahoone, Sam Beam (Iron & Wine), Alan Sparhawk (Low), and Chris Martin (Kinski) covering songs by Beach House, the Ruby Suns and Tiny Vipers — and maybe throwing in some old folk tunes, too. Actually, that would be awesome.

Watts-Russell retired the This Mortal Coil name after the release of this album, but now that I think about it, he should probably bring it back. You’d buy an album featuring members of Bon Iver, Department of Eagles, Future of the Left, and the Mountain Goats, wouldn’t you?

“I’m quite pleased with this, actually. The Chris Bell cut (#6) features the Breeders gals, and is nice. Perhaps the first two had more ’stellar’ line-ups, but there are some dope additions to personnel here. I especially like Caroline Crawley outside of Shelleyan Orphan’s diaphonous setting. Avoid the soul II soulish super bonus beat breaks, and dig in.”

“#s 6 & 20 are Chris Bell covers; he was an early [founding, actually] member of Big Star who died after recording is 1st now-out-of-print LP. #7 is a Spirit cover, #13 is by Syd Barrett, & #16 is by David Roback (Opal, Mazzy Star, Rain Parade). Those are the ones I recognize. Not bad overall, but the 1st 2 volumes of this series featured a more stellar lineup of musicians. I’d hoped for better.”

“Adequate but not stunning collection of 4AD atmospherics, produced by gloom guru Ivo Watts-Russell. Not too many luminaries make an appearance this time around — Kim Deal and Tanya Donelly show up once. I prefer The Marvels of Insect Life to this…”

“4.1 was written by Rodney Crowell, Rosanne Cash’s soon-to-be-ex husband.”

Review Revue: They Might Be Giants - Flood

Levi, KEXP — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:00:30 +0000

Hey, guess who I saw in concert on Tuesday? They Might Be Giants! Guess which album they played all the songs from? Flood!! Guess how much it ruled? SOOOO MUCH!!!

A couple things I learned at the concert:

Flood was recently certified platinum 19 years after its release, making it, according to TMBG, the slowest album to platinum in recorded music history.

The gatefold vinyl version of Flood that we are looking at here (and which I have a copy of sitting at home), is the very last gatefold vinyl album ever released by the WEA group, which, the band informed us, the very last stoners used to collect the crumbs from the very last joints they rolled with the very last marijuana.

Some of their new songs (”The Elements,” for instance) are every bit as good as the gems on this classic album, even if they are nominally for kids.

Ralph Carney (best known for his horn work with Tom Waits, currently on tour with TMBG) is a kickass horn player.

“Some nice fiddle in one or two cuts. I kind of like ‘Your Racist Friend,’ but it might be the only song on the album that doesn’t whine and grate. My gut reaction is yuk.”

“‘Istanbul is an old 1920s song orig. done by Paul Whiteman. The rest actually aren’t as tinny as past songs, 1-8 ["Twisting"] is practically a Fellows tribute.”

“KCMU welcomes They Might Be Giants to the Backstage on Tues, March 20th”

“10/15/90 - I sat down last weekend & listened to this whole album & absolutely loved it! [ME TOO!] Not grating at all… genius… great maybe, grate never. Play this or be forever a close minded fool!”

Review Revue: A.C. Temple - Songs of Praise

Levi, KEXP — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:00:42 +0000

Usually it’s not hard for me to find music somewhere online by the bands covered here in Review Revue, no matter how obscure. If I’ve never heard them before, it helps give me some context, and if I have, it’s a good refresher. A.C. Temple, however, is proving tricky. Aside from the odd (very odd) YouTube video, there’s really not much out there to listen to, at least from the era of Songs of Praise, their first album. Suffice it to say they were a band for six years, put out four albums, and went through drummers, guitarists and bassists like Kleenex. From the KCMU side, this is an interesting one in that most of the reviews are negative/dismissive, yet the album seems to have made it at least up to Medium rotation. Somebody was digging it (K.F.?), I’m just not sure who.

“Strongly influenced by Sonic Youth but, it pales in comparison to SY’s finer moments. This has some good ideas, but the songs drag on and the production gives the record a one-dimensional feel.”

“Up to M. For starters.”

“You’re right homeboy!”

“This is very weak and dull to boot.”

“Would you rather boot something sharp, like a razor or a pencil?”

“Your head.”

“‘There’s a syndrome going around here.’”

“Mind you don’t fall into it.”

“This is really excellent! Very loud, rich & intense. A beautiful discordance.”

Review Revue: The A-Bones - The Life of Riley

Levi, KEXP — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:47:16 +0000

Man, nothin’ gets you going for Halloween like a heaping dose of psychobilly, am I right? Yet another band that is still a band, The A-Bones just released Not Now! this summer. Of course by now they’re elder statesmen of crazy American music, but even by the time they released their first album, The Life of Riley, they were (in)famous to those in the know…

“This is a very special LP done by people who are cognoscenti when it comes to pre-1967 rock music. In general I hate the idea of revivalist music, but I can’t help but like music like this done with such authenticity & care. Incidentally, Miriam Linna used to be the drummer for the Cramps. In addition to being in the A-Bones, she’s partially responsible for one of the best magazines in the world: Kicks. I’m sure Girl Trouble, most of the bands currently existing on Crypt, and the Cramps (1991 version) wish they could have made this record.”

“Ripping 50’s style rock’n'roll with bushings [?] of Sonics style grungeyness. Some great sax + fab songs, this is a damn fine good time. Favourites - 1-1, 1-3, 1-5, 1-8, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, 2-4, 2-6. Definitely enough for an M.”

“Psycho-billy rollicking good time for one and all.”

“My idea of a good time! ‘El Ka-bong’ was the secret identity of cartoon character Quick Draw McGraw.”

“Quality stuff. If it’s all as good as what I’ve played, this could go to H.”

“Chicken and Beer!!!”

Review Revue: Lou Reed - New York

Levi, KEXP — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:39:50 +0000

Ahhh, New York. What could be more controversial, more inspiring of both gushing love and bitter derision, than the city of New York (currently hosting CMJ and many of our KEXP DJs, of course)? Well, maybe New York, the 1989 album by Lou Reed. It took me a while to figure out just what album this was, it was so covered in reviews and comments and backtalk, so I knew I had the perfect fodder for the blog. All right, enough chitchat; let’s get into it!

“Finally, after some 18 albums Lou Reed has found a label that will let him do what he wants — so, it’s Back to Basics, a lot of this LP reminds of the simple beauty of the Velvet Underground (Moe Tucker is on 2 cuts). On this LP Lou is very political, but his writing is true street poetry. This is his masterpiece, a record that grows on you. A few Red Dots but still lots to play.”

“Very few albums these days make you stop what you are doing & listen to the lyrics. This is one of them.”

“I’ve heard only a few songs off this LP, and I can’t say that I’m particularly thrilled. Many of the criticisms he makes have been made 100s of times before… and often better. (Lou even makes a factual mistake in ‘Sick of You.’ He calls Richard Second William Second.) Lou is no doubt wealthy and, by most standards, a successful man. I can’t believe that he has been censored. He doesn’t have to sign with a major label. Few have had the lyrical liberty he has. Not everyone on RCA has been able to sing about drugs + orgies. Let’s keep things in perspective.”

“This doesn’t deserve H. It’s not lighting up my phones. I’d much rather play ‘This Gift’ than this 2nd rate MTV trend scooter music. So there.”

“Oh Phil, you are such a rock historian. Slip on an Aerosmith disc, maybe ‘Rocks’ or ‘Toys in the Attic’ next you’re spazzin’ over the ‘latest guitar thang.”

“Take a listen! ‘Endless Cycle’ is great! Lou & his many hats (+ cigarettes)!”

“The listeners on NNTNBT loved this disc.”

“Besto!!”

“Contrived anger for the masses.”

“It’s trendy to love this record and trendy to hate it. I’m one of the loving trendies. Bravo Lou!”

“This isn’t just good music. It should go in H because of the material, which is presented so well. AIDS and prostition, crack & cops, booze and kids, whales and creeks. Some of the cuts here remind me of particular cuts off Reed’s other LPs, in content or style, but this is brand new stuff and hell, Reed’s doing just what he’s been trying to do all of his career - presenting some of the shit in life today in the USA that makes him angry and afraid. Reed’s anger is in some ways directed at the government/instutitions who WE should realize are responsible for us not being able to play all of 1.1, 1.3, 1.6 on the air. H all the way. A very well-put together LP.”

“Oh he looks so cool! He sounds so aware! I think he sucks. $ Oh, and it’s BOOORING too.”

“‘Halloween Parade’ is brilliant + quite sad.”

“A great record!”

“I’ve never been a fan of the man (his solo stuff, at any rate), but this is a pretty cool return to form. ‘Hold on’ rocks!”

“After witnessing this clown as co-host on ‘120 Minutes’ (OK I was bored, so there) [thank you, youtube!] and putting up with his ‘This is my opinion so fuck yours’ attitude, I doubt I’ll give it much of a chance — ’sides, the cover’s way pretentious — what the hell would he know about life in the streets of NY — I doubt he had to scrimp and save too damn long for the leather-wear he’s sportin’ — go ahead, someone say it — ‘thinking person’s rock.’ Sorry folks, too many others doing ‘political’ that I’d rather give my ears, time & dough to.”

“This has nothing to do with the music.”

“It has [cut off]
to do with the [cut off]
can’t you see [cut off]”

“You mean, [cut off]”

“Alright X, how are you trying to convince us of your familiarity with NY?”

Review Revue: Teenage Fanclub - A Catholic Education

Levi, KEXP — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:00:20 +0000

Hey, did you know Teenage Fanclub was still a band? I didn’t, but it does indeed seem we have yet another entry in the “hey, they’re still making records” sub-category of Review Revue. A Catholic Education, the Scottish band’s debut LP, was released in 1990 (a few years after I’d left my own Catholic education), and they are currently at work on their 9th album, due out in January. The band is arguably best known for their third album, the Geffen debut Bandwagonesque, but let’s see what our friends at KCMU thought of these boy from Glasgow’s first release:

“Way cool. Remind me of the Jesus & Mary Chain. Not that they sound like them, but in that they’ve created a specific sound w/in the pot punk genre that is uniquely + distinctly them. My friends Mike + Katie say they’re awesome live.”

“& they have good taste, too!”

“Don’t ignore this! Cool, Byrds meets Dino Jr. Scottish buzz-pop.”

“Almost perfect crushed burnt orange guitar sound. Pure guitar blues seduction. Early psych furs w/out the disco bottom.” [I don't think I've seen this person's handwriting in RR before, but I think they're my favorite KCMU reviewer to date.]

“This is way better than the Pixies rec in H; well, oh at least a little better. More deserving.” [All right, I take that back.]

“I could see H, too.”

“You’re on drugs!”

“Dino Jr. makes more & better amounts of noise with 3 people than TFC does with 5 — a little too flat for my taste.”

“Hate to say it, Dave, but I agree with you. I found this to be second-rate Dinosaur Jr., but I suppose I should give it two more spins.”

“I don’t think they’re trying to sound like Dino Jr. — much poppier & more melodic than that.”

“Some things are too straight-ahead trad-like.”

Review Revue: Bob Dylan - Infidels

Levi, KEXP — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:23:28 +0000

As you are no doubt aware, it’s pledge drive time here at KEXP. For those of you who have given what you can to support the station, thank you so much! We couldn’t do this without you.

And now I’m going to talk to the rest of you, those who are sitting it out, reading our blog and listening to our station and saying, “Hey, they’re doing all right, they don’t need my money.” Actually, I’m not going to talk to you, I’m going to let Bob Dylan talk to you. No, you know what? He doesn’t even need to talk… just look at him there, looking back at you with disdain through his sunglasses. You know what he thinks you are? An infidel! Do you really want to disappoint Bob like that? I didn’t think so. Now go pledge some dough, and Bob (and I) will forgive you.

“The Zim’s much heralded return from hailing the glories of a very popular savior (not Sri Chinmoy). This is old folks’ music — a good slice of it too.”

“‘Old folks’ music’? What does that mean?”

“Whatever I mean, it’s not derogatory in this case…”

“Amazing record. Play it lots, or else!”

“‘Neighborhood Bully.’ Dylan rocks out in his old style — great!”

“I like it too!”

“Go to your room.”

“You reggae fans (and your name is legion) should not miss Sly & Robbie’s presence.”

“I remember every review screaming about what a great ‘return to form’ this was. Some good cuts (i.e., ‘Jokerman’), but a lot of it’s pretty weak. Hasn’t been worth it since ‘75 or so.”

Review Revue: Tin Machine - Tin Machine

Levi, KEXP — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:45:36 +0000

All right, you know what? I liked Tin Machine. Granted, I was just shy of 13 when the first album from David Bowie’s much-derided late-80s rock band was released, and I was perhaps the perfect audience for this project: I loved Bowie’s music, but I hadn’t built up much of a layer of cynicism and bitterness, and I had no particular feelings about him as a person or a celebrity; he was just a cool guy who made music I liked. I also liked loud, weird music, and the combination of Bowie with the incredible guitarwork of Reeves Gabrels was quite literally music to my pubescent ears. Anyway, it’s probably a good thing I never got into it with the KCMU staff at the time:

“The biggest hurdle superstars of Bowie’s stature have is that when they change direction so radically, as he does here, we question his motives — I can’t worry about his motives, all I can do is listen and when I do — I relisten to this & love it.”

“Don’t know if it’s a radical change. More like a return to his rock leanings after that shitty last LP.”

“This is harder rockin’ in an AOR way. Pretty Darn Dull! Pointless guitar james and overlong songs.”

“For those who’d like to know, Hunt & Tony Sales are Soupy Sales’ kids & played w/Iggy Pop in the late ’70s. Reeves Gabrels used to be in Rubber Rodeo.”

“‘I Can’t read’ is great. I like it, but I’m paid to.”

“Does this washed up rock star deserve your attention after mating with Mick Jagger (ask yr parents!!!) in that ‘Dancing in the Streets’ video? Gimmie a break!”

“But he’s such a babe!!!”

“Lame as a two-legged dog. This insistence on past legends still being able to create viable and vigorous music is pathetic. Nobody would give this the time of day if Bowie wasn’t in it. He was once creative and great. Now he’s merely grasping at what is considered the latest trend in hard-pop-rock. Give me the Pixies for hard-pop-rock.”

“Yes!”

“Used to be my all time here…”

Review Revue: The Hellcats - Hoodoo Train

Levi, KEXP — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:01:33 +0000

Yet another band I had never heard of before pulling their record out of the KEXP stacks, The Hellcats packed quite a bit of narrative into their six years as a band. (See that myspace link for information on seemingly every thing any of the band members ever did in or out of the band.) It seems these ladies outta Memphis were building up quite a head of steam after the release of this album, which would end up being their last. According to that same myspace page, they broke up the year after Hoodoo Train’s release “due to a business issue that arose after we got increased exposure after a review in Rolling Stone.” (Take note, all you bands hankering for “increased exposure” - it could be your undoing!) Hopefully KCMU didn’t have too much to do with the increased exposure that ultimately spelled their demise.

“‘Hoodoo Train!’ Shore is fun…”

“All women… all rockin’… all right!”

“THEY SUCK!”

“You know?… I think I saw them open for Panther Burns in Boston 2 years ago (Kim Deal was there!) but they were awful! But this is pretty great, so maybe it was a different band.”

“No, it probably wasn’t. The 2 bands are good friends.”

“‘Back Door Slam’ is cool.”

“Don’t mean to be a grump, but this album doesn’t deserve H. It’s too polished and it doesn’t really rock. Maybe it’s just that I hate country & western — sorry.”

“A great pop sound on ‘When You Walk in the Room.’ Very nice harmony vocals.”

“Found it kinda boring.”

“Great.”

“‘Where the Hell Is Memphis’ is fucking great.”

“H First LP of ‘current’ rock I’ve liked in a long time. Derivative at times but all are worth playing except 2.2.”

Review Revue: Blue Aeroplanes - Spitting Out Miracles

Levi, KEXP — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:57:15 +0000

Happy Thursday! It’s time for another installment of Review Revue. One thing that often surprises me when researching and writing this blog is how many of the bands covered here — usually bands whose heyday (if they had one at all) was in the 80s or early 90s — are still active, still touring, still recording albums. For the most part these aren’t cash-in reunions (who even knows if they’re making any money?); these are people who still love what they do, continuing to do it. And I, for one, applaud them.

Blue Aeroplanes, for instance, have been a band - with maybe a hiatus here or there — since 1981. Their longest gap between albums was between 2000 and 2006 (which, granted, is longer than many of the bands you hear on KEXP have existed), and they’re working on a new one now. For me, Blue Aeroplanes were another in the long line of bands I had heard about throughout my life but never really heard. I am remedying that now, listening to Spitting Out Miracles, and wishing I’d paid more attention at the time. Between my humble recommendation and those of the KCMU staff 20 years ago, maybe you should do the same? Hey, any band that quotes Mark E. Smith on their home page saying “not my cup of tea” must be all right.

“Adventurous. The band’s signature arrangements are still here but the group is playing with some new styles and some new instruments — most notably, folk instruments. Kinda reminds me of early records by 10,000 Maniacs but with more ‘umph.’ A lot of people want this music — they just don’t realize it yet.” [And damn, if that last sentence isn't the perfect mission statement for any radio station worth its salt, I don't know what is.]

“They’ve matured since their last mini LP, sound pretty damn good to me. Especially like 2.5. But the whole thing is close to brilliant.”

“Definitely a quality band & it shows here.”

“Heck, why they Hell isn’t this in H? I like it.”

“I like ‘Season Ticket…’”

“I like big sandy beaches…”

“I like controlled bleeding…”

“I like album covers where the artists don’t fondle themselves.”

Well, you can’t please everybody, I guess.