MUSIC THREAD

If anyone is familiar with the Midwest music scene over the past 15 years ... The Gufs are back after a seven-year hiatus with a new, independent album, "A Different Sea" ...

You can listen to some tracks here: www.purevolume.com/thegufs

A more upbeat offering than their previous album ... some catchy tunes on there aided by the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.

 

I'll have to check that out.

 

Picked up the new Beck and Ludacris CDs last week.

Love the new Beck. As expected, there's no one way to describe it, but I love it. More of a hip-hop influence than in some past CDs, but folk just the same. And you can design the black cover with the stickers it comes with.

As for Ludacris, eh. This is a solid CD but he's had better ones. He's definitely got more to say on this one -- which is nice in one sense, but at the same time, I kind of missed the comedy from start to finish.

 

After missing them at least three times before because of work, I finally saw my first live Wilco show last night. Jesus, was it worth the wait. Easily one of the best concerts I've ever attended.

Tweedy's mother died earlier this month, and I'd heard he'd been pretty subdued during much of this fall swing. But last night he seemed genuinely happy to be on stage, and it made for an awesome vibe. They played more than two hours with a near-perfect 23-song playlist (only Via Chicago would have made it better) and sounded great. And I've seldom seen an audience captivated like that one was.

Usually, when you have expectations as big as I had going into this show, it's almost guaranteed you'll be let down. Turns out, mine weren't high enough. Lots of you already know this, but if Wilco is playing anywhere near you, they're not to be missed.

 

Dedo, I felt the same way after seeing my first Wilco show ... I haven't had as much fun at a live show in a long, long time. Did they play Hummingbird? Damn, the whole crowd was singing that one when I saw them. I need to see me some more Wilco ...

 

Hummingbird led off the first of two encores. Misunderstood started the second. Kingpin was the closer. Other highlights included Jesus, etc., California Stars, and a kick-ass version of Forget the Flowers.

Another great moment -- they did Sunken Treasure, and just when they got to the "I am so out of tune with you" line, Tweedy realized he still had a capo on his guitar from the previous song. So he was, quite literally, out of tune. He laughed and said, "Holy shit, have I been off-key all night?" Then he threw the capo off the stage and they started the song over from the beginning.

Just a great night.

 

well, that's it ... I need to fire up the Live from Chicago set ..

 

If it's too loud you're too old? Maybe not according to this long, but interesting, article:

http://www.austin360.com/xl/content/music/stories/xl/2006/09/28cover.html

Any thoughts from any of the audiophiles (my lousy hearing rules me out) out there?

 

for those of you that still buy CDs, i recommend finding the nearest Tower Records and helping yourself to their going-out-of-business sale.

 

So the whole chain is going nuts up? Shame. I liked the Tower in my town. It opened when I was going to college there, was still going strong when I moved back for my first job, then looked like AIDS-coated shit when I returned for the current job. Still a cool store with a good selection. I for one will miss it.

Also: www.myspace.com/timseely. Listen to, then download, Funeral Music. Catchy as all get out.

 

yeah, it's true and annoying as hell.
prime example: the most recent flaming lips record, which is mixed so dumbfoundingly loud it renders the volume knob useless.

there are a lot of contributing factors:
1) music's gotta grab people's attention, because there is so much peripheral stuff going on
2) people don't spend as much on quality audio components anymore, instead money goes to computers, iPods, PS3s, cell phones, etc.
3) listening to music is no longer a primary activity. it's now a complementary one, which is done while working out, driving, yadda, yadda
4) music is just not that important to people anymore

 

Just saw Wilco for the third time a couple of weeks ago. Best one yet. Someone threw panties on the stage during Hummingbird, great renditions of Airline to Heaven and Christ for President and ended with Kinpin. Never can get enough Wilco.

Of course, not as exciting as getting to have some freak run up on the stage like earlier this week!