MUSIC THREAD

everybody who claims there's no good new music out there needs to listen to the National

 

Based on the two songs I've heard -- Slow Show and Mistaken for Strangers -- I agree it's very good and emotionally stirring, but it's definitely the type of music you need to be in the mood for. That has wrist-slitting potential.

 

I can see why someone would think that. But strangely enough, listening to The National makes my heart happy.

On another note, I think I've finally changed my mind about "Sky Blue Sky." Started listening to it about a month before it was released, and by the beginning of June, I was sure it wasn't going to grow on me.

Wrong. It's a beautiful record, an unflinchingly sad record, a poignantly hopeful record. And it gets more beautiful and more sad and more hopeful every time I listen to it. It'll never surpass "Being There" or "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot," but I think it'll acquit itself nicely as an important part of the Wilco catalog.

 

I've also come around on SBS. I guess I was expecting something more upbeat, but it really is a terrific album. Still have my issues with Nels Cline, but the album is good.

And whoever says there is no good music out there, they just aren't trying hard enough to find it. This isn't the heyday of FM radio where DJs had the freedom to play good stuff. Damn Clear Channel.

 

Did anyone catch Ryan Adams on Letterman.

God, I can't wait to have to get Easy Tiger. Loved the two songs I've heard so far. Band sounded great on Letterman and Ryan looked clean for the first time ever probably.

 

Buddy burned a leaked copy of it for me last week. Listened to it once. I like Ryan Adams and this was OK, but on first listen (and admittedly a distracted one) I didn't go ga-ga.

 

Yeah, it was solid. For those who missed it:

But my all-time favorite Ryan Adams performance on Letterman was this one:

 

Yeah, great performance of my favorite Adams song.

 

I don't check in to this thread much, but I heard a song worth talking about. It's the duet of Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson singing "Because Of You". It was a fantastic song the first time around, even though I usually don't go for Clarkson's stuff, but in a duet with Reba - wow.

 

Do you mean "Streetcore," which was released in 2003, after Strummer's death?

 

Yeah, sorry. That's it. Just didn't have it in front of me. Good album.

 

Here's some live REM in a ZIP file, with some new songs which are pretty good. Kind of mid-90s REM sound, with some of the older stuff thrown in. Definitely makes me look forward to some new REM.

http://fuelfriends.blogspot.com/