The Polyphonic Spree - The Fragile Army Sadly this is the first Spree album that didn't sweep me off my feet. Which is a shame cause I love the theme. Their new uniforms and the Army Of Love concept. There's something really epic in that, like their history as a band is a story and this is the dark chapter. It reminds me of wrathfulness in Buddhism (not anger like we know it, but a virtuous anger powered by love that Buddhas use to battle negative delusions). When I saw them live this winter, they played the show in their uniforms and during the encore returned in their classic robes to a chorus of "love, love, love..." Even then I didn't quite click with the songs, but the theatrics and the energy in the room made it work. Part of what tripped me up on the new album is the eight minute long mash-up preview the Spree released a few months ago. Thirty seconds of every track woven together so seamlessly that it successfully stands as it's own song that I still listen to. What got lost from mash-up to final album is a major quality I look for in a Spree album: operatic structure. I'm a huge fan of songs that weave multiple melodies, choruses, bridges, breaks, and segues into a single song. The Fragile Army's strongest track is it's self titled track "Section 24" for that very reason, it sounds like five songs, each with their own strong hook. Every song mixes it up a bit, and every song has at least one passage that's really catchy and in some cases, Younger Yesterday, euphoric. But only a few songs hold that magic from beginning to end. I'm also not entirely sold on the track order either. Their previous albums toy with standing as one hour long song where the Army feels more seperated. The album's still growing on me. For the very reason that there's something to be found in every song. It's just a shame that there's so many great snippets but very few great songs.
Shortbus Soundtrack I recently fell in love with the movie and randomly decided to see if that love would carry over to the soundtrack. And it did. It's a little hammy in parts, a little melodramatic in others, but the melodies are simple and poppy and waltzy and make me sway and bounce like a Muppet, which is the highest praise I can give songs, "it's gotta Muppet beat." Yo La Tengo was credited in the movie for their contributions, but Scott Matthew does the heavy lifting on the album with his folky ukulele plucking and raspy Bowie vocals. The album breaks up Scott's tracks between lighter faster songs to keep things afloat. My only reservation with the album is that sometimes the sappiness overwhelms, like it wants you to cry along. And maybe you're not in the mood to cry right then.
Kanye West - Late Registration One of my "years after the fact" purchases. Great cause I can listen to the music separate from the hype or the constant movie trailer use, but it doesn't leave me with much to say cause everyone already praised all the praise for this album years ago. Sadly I own very little rap, something I hope to remedy. I picked this one up partly due to my Jon Brion obsession and a few tracks I'd heard with his rich toy piano productions. It's just a solid, end-to-end album. Unlike Army and Shortbus I haven't really picked out individual Registration tracks. When I put it on, it's to listen to the entire thing. I even love the skits, which I know people tend to skip or turn off in their iTunes. I do have to fix my track names though, as the auto-namer in iTunes mixed things up. Looking at the back of the CD it seems there's 5 more tracks than there should be?

I've been in sort of a music-buying-lull lately. I'd been looking forward to the Spree for months. The preview clips of the new White Stripes haven't really won me over and I'm not even sure what's next on the horizon. I know Nellie McKay has a new album due in September, but there must be something before that right?

Labels: amoebaeats, critiqua

Amy Winehouse - Back To Black This album just blows me away. She should have done the Casino Royale song. The Bond producers better nab her for the next.
Air - Pocket Symphony I've listened to this album twice today and both times it sort of passed me by. Like it got to the end and I barely realized I'd been listening to it. That's good and bad.
Carla Bruni - Quelqu'un m'a dit My friend turned me on to her. Pretty pretty.

My friend gave me a 3 disc mix tape of 2006 music, so I might be making a second music trip soon to pick up stuff that's catching my ear in the mix.

Labels: amoebaeats, critiqua, listy

I feel like there were other purchases between that last one and this one, but I can't remember...

Lewis Black - The Carnegie Hall Performance A little looser than his other stuff, like he's just coming on stage and talking. Still hilarious.
David Bowie - Diamond Dogs I actually haven't given this a proper end to end listen yet, I bought it before my Mother's Day flight and then slept the whole time. But it's Bowie, so I'm probably safe.
The Flaming Lips - At War With The Mystics Almost sounds a little hip-hoppy, just bought it today so I haven't heard it all yet. The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song is such a fun opener.
Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It In People I'm really getting into these guys. I can't wait to listen to this one.

Labels: amoebaeats, critiqua, listy

Sondre Lerche - Duper Sessions My reason for going to the store. He really nailed the quartet/lounge/jazz vibe, there's a few covers on the album, but he emulated the style so well that even the originals sound like covers. That may not be an entirely good thing though.
Ms. Dynamite - Judgment Day Not as instantly catchy as "A Little Deeper" but I haven't listened to everything yet. I do admire the way she wears her politics on her sleeve.
The Beach Boys - Little Deuce Coupe / All Summer Long I think I'm about done with the Beach Boys now.
Steve Martin - Comedy Is Not Pretty I have this on vinyl, I should really sell all my vinyl, I never listen to it.
William Shatner & Leonard Nemoy - Spaced Out I don't know where this desire for camp came from, but it isn't healthy.
David Bowie - Space Oddity Now that I wrapped up Simon and Garfunkel and the Beach Boys I needed a new artist to obsess over. Picking up original albums after only having Best Of's is extremely satisfying, so many little nuggets that I'd never hear until Wes Anderson decides to include them in a soundtrack.
David Bowie - Hunky Dory For example...

Labels: amoebaeats, critiqua, listy

The Beach Boys - Sunflower / Surfs Up These last two Beach Boy's purchases have taken a turn for the bizarre. The songs I've liked are more for camp-value then anything else, and the idea that I could use them ironically in a movie or TV show.
Simon & Garfunkel - Bookends This finishes off my S&G collection. "Old Friends" makes me want to crawl into a fetal position.
Seu Jorge - The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions I'm so happy they released this.
Bob Marley - Exodus I'm not sure if I agree with the "remastering" of this album. They cleaned it too much, it doesn't sound like music from 1977.
Broken Social Scene - Feel Good Lost Haven't given it a full listen yet, but I like what I've heard so far. Oddly enough I'm not really in the mood for ambient instrumentals (ten years ago you'd be hard pressed to get me to listen to anything with words).
Broken Social Scene - Broken Social Scene Wooo Feist! Sounds more like Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs on this album, but easier on the ears.

Labels: amoebaeats, critiqua, listy

They Might Be Giants - Then, The Early Years Good God what a lot of songs. Favorite right now has to be Kiss Me, Son Of God.
Paul McCartney & Wings - Wings Wild Life I wasn't into this one right away, but like Red Rose Speedway it's growing on me more and more.
Stereolab - Sound-Dust More haunting then their other stuff. I like.
Stereolab - Mars Audiac Quintet Bummer, I bought it used and the CD inside was Transient Random-Noise Bursts, so I returned it when I got off work. Guess it wasn't meant to be.
Simon & Garfunkel - Parsley, Sage Rosemary & Thyme I've only got "Bookends" to buy to complete my little S&G collection. Good stuff. And now I know where that "Hey there lamp-post, whatcha knowing? I come to watch your power flowing" bit by Mr. Burns came from (I knew it was a song reference but I could never remember).
Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water Feuilles-O.
The Beach Boys - Carl & The Passions "So Tough" / Holland This is another one that's growing on me. I find myself oddly drawn to the fairy tale EP included as bonus tracks.

Labels: amoebaeats, critiqua, listy

Babilonia - Readymade FC I went ahead and bought it on iTunes for $10. I don't usually buy anything but singles on iTunes but I really wanted this album and didn't want to wait for the price to come down (or a used copy to show up). Such a great album.

Labels: amoebaeats, critiqua, listy

So I went to Amoeba to buy Babilonia by Readymade FC...but it was 20 bucks! I don't know why it's so expensive, maybe it's an import? Anyway, as much as I adore the CD, I decided to wait until it comes down a few bucks. Of course I couldn't leave without buying something:

John Lennon - Mind Games I was pretty turned off by the production on RockNRoll and that bled into my thoughts on all of John's solo albums. But I'm starting to come around now. Still don't really like R'N'R, but I'm really digging the rest now.
John Lennon - Double Fantasy Yoko rocks.
Paul McCartney & Wings - Red Rose Speedway Hmmm, I'll need to give it another listen or two, but it didn't grab me.
The Beach Boys - Today! / Summer Days (And Summer Nights!) I prefer post-Pet Beach Boys to pre-Pet Beach Boys, but this stuff is just classic, you can't fight it.
Simon & Garfunkel - Sounds Of Silence Continuing my "best of" replacements.

Labels: amoebaeats, critiqua, listy

First impressions of my latest lunch break purchases:

Rick Moranis - Agoraphobic Cowboy After two weeks was it all I hoped for and more? Yes. Musically, it sounds like a country album, for better or worse, but the lyrics make me smile every time. When I'm in a Mighty Wind mood this will do nicely.
Cat Power - Moon Pix I just found out she cancelled her US tour due to illness. :(
Sigur Ros - Agaetis Byrjun A little more energetic and melodic then "()" so it'll probably spend more time in my rotation.
John Lennon - Walls And Bridges I like the production more then Rock'N'Roll and Milk And Honey, but my favorite track is the stripped down acoustic "Nobody Loves You (When You're Down And Out)" bonus track included with the remaster.
Paul Simon - The Paul Simon Songbook Down and dirty Simon, I like.
They Might Be Giants - John Henry I didn't recognize any of the song titles when I picked this one up, but once I listened to it I was all like "hey, I know these songs!" True story.
Belle & Sebastian - Dear Catastrophe Waitress This was the wild card purchase. I heard it on someone's iTunes at work and sort of dug the sarcastic lyrics with the sunny-pop sound of the first few songs so I went ahead and bought it. But I'm not sure if it's an album I love, at least on first listen. We'll see.
Simon & Garfunkel - Wednesday Morning, 3AM I have a "best of" SiGa CD that I plan on replacing with all the real albums cause I'm anal like that.

Labels: amoebaeats, critiqua, listy

I was very disappointed to find out that even though "Agoraphobic Cowboy" is on iTunes, it won't be in stores till February 7th. I still came out on top yesterday I think:

Cat Power - The Greatest It's toe tappin. Not as hypnotic as "You Are Free" but the Memphis band clicks with her voice. "Willie" is my favorite track right now.
Sigur Ros - () I haven't given this CD a proper chance yet since it's sort of a ambient, concept album. It makes me want to move my stereo into my bedroom cause I imagine it would be great to fall asleep to.
John Lennon - Rock 'N' Roll I can't stand the production of the album, but it's still cool to hear "Come Together" in "You Can't Catch Me."
Gorillaz - G-Sides This was finally in the used section after wanting to buy it forever. Mostly for "12d3" which I could just loop forever.
Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited All these remastered Dylan CD's are cheap right now so I've been picking one up every visit since I've never listened to Dylan and I'm slowly filling the gaps in my musical education. What's up with "Ballad Of A Thin Man?" Someone explain this song to me.
Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans This guy sure does love the Jebus. It would turn me off except his music is so darn catchy. This one's more quiet-banjo-picking then the others.
They Might Be Giants - No! The cleanest sound of any TMBG albums I have, which is good cause I can slip a few tracks into mix CDs without breaking he flow. "Where Do They Make Balloons?" "The House At The Top Of The Tree" "I Am Not Your Broom" and "Sleepwalkers" are my favorites.
George Harrison - All Things Must Pass I have this on vinyl but my record player is in my bedroom and I don't really listen to it enough. Great to finally have "My Sweet Lord" and "I Dig Love" on my iPod and at work.

Labels: amoebaeats, critiqua, listy