MUSIC THREAD

If you haven't heard Conor Oberst's self-titled disc that came out in August, go find it now. Even if you don't like Bright Eyes (which I'm sort of so-so on) check this one out. It's fantastic.

 

Two things...

The new Butch Walker CD, "Sycamore Meadow," may be the best thing I've heard this year. (I'm guessing TSP may back me up on this.)

Also, if anyone's interested in the new one by The Killers, it's currently $3.99 as an mp3 download at Amazon.

 

That's well worth it. I have the album on my iPod, but have only listened to the first song called "Losing Touch". It's fantastic.

 

Woo-hoo! Another convert!! Check out his new video for "The Weight of Her". Lots of fun. Some good clips on YouTube from recent shows, specifically ATL earlier this month.,

 

I think when history looks back on the Killers, it will show a band that absolutely peaked with its first album. I listened to a bunch of tracks from the new record on XM this weekend, and I don't like any of them. Disco trash.

 

I can't stop listening to 'Dead Disco' by Danger Mouse

 

Could be. Haven't listened to the new one yet, but at $3.99 I was willing to take a chance.

"Sam's Town" was pretty weak. The first one was infinitely better.

 

I am digging the hell, however, out of "Lost Coastlines" by Okkervil River.

ADD:
PC, yeah, Sam's Town was OK and had a few very good songs, like "Read My Mind." But on the whole it was hit or miss. "Hot Fuss" was a great record from beginning to end. Very expansive. Some will say overproduced, and that Brandon Flowers' voice really isn't that strong, but nevertheless, an outstanding record.

 

Also, for some reason, I hear the Killers' "Human" and I imagine Kermit the Frog singing it.

As Rick James once said, "Cocaine ... is a helluva drug."

 

Oldest axiom in the music bidness: you get a lifetime to make your first album, six months to make the second one.

 

That entire album is fantastic. Favorite song is still "Pop Lie."

I don't feel the problem with Sam's Town are the songs, it's that, once the album was released, the band started taking themselves wayyyy too seriously.

 

That didn't help. They did everything they could to drive up expectations and then didn't deliver. The blatant Springsteen rip-off "When We Were Young" rubbed me the wrong way. too. It was "Born To Run" -- including the trademark guitar riff -- but with lyrics that sounded like a Springsteen parody.