MUSIC THREAD

Finally got the new album from Jayhawks founder Marl Olson and Gary Louris. Love it. Any fan of the band should pick it up.

Also, found In Rainbows by Radiohead for 5 bucks at Rite-Aid. Pleasant surprise.

About Neko Case, I love her voice and it sounds just as good live. Never thought her to be unpleasant in her interviews, she just may be tempermental. Who knows what the clown in the audience was saying to her.

 

New Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band is really solid. Maybe not as good as last year's, but really solid. And I've been wearing out the new Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (former DBT guitarist/co-frontman) and the new Ben Kweller, which has a distinctly country vibe.

 

Appreciate the heads up on the new Marc Olson and Gary Louris "don't call us the Jayhawks anymore" album. I'd heard a new song by them and am glad they have patched up their differences.

And Barsuk, when I'm home on a computer with sound on it, I'll have to search for Jason Isbell's new band. I always liked what he brought to DBT.

 

I was really disappointed in Jason's first album. I assume the new one is better, based on this. Your thoughts?

 

Agreed. The dude knows what he's doing.

 

My only advice is don't mention it to Fenian. His daughter is/was in a Maroon 5 phase and he's not taking it well.

 

I'm just now getting around to much of the new music from the spring. I am loving the latest offering from Ben Lee, The Rebirth of Venus. There's not a song on the cd I didn't like on the first listen.

 

I'm really getting into the new CD from Lacuna Coil. It's called "Shallow Life". A little different than their earlier stuff but it's a good different. "Spell bound" is a great track.

 

I liked, but didn't love, his first one. Thought it was a little to pretty, if you know what I mean. Too polished; too clean. But it grew on me.

I like the new one a lot more. It's still not as raw as his DBT stuff, and it's clear he's trying to develop his own sound, but there are some damn solid songs on the record.

 

The new one is better overall. Much more layered. But that first album had some great songs. "Try" and "Razor Town" are better, IMO, than any of the singles off the new record. "Dress Blues" is up there, too. And his live version of "Try," which normally stretches into the 8- to 10-minute mark and includes riffs from "The Ocean," is incredible.

 

I'm listening to the new Decemberists album on the NPR live concerts podcasts.

Un-freaking real how great this album is. If this isn't No. 1 on most year-end lists, there is something wrong. Sounds awesome live too, it's the show from SXSW where they first played it.

 

Finally listened to all of Tinted Windows. Great stuff, the kind of record nobody seems to make anymore. Will definitely get many spins through the summer. Parts of it sound like a great lost Cheap Trick album.

Anybody heard the new Ben Harper record?