New Stuff Worth Hearing

[Jason Panella]

I'll post it here too, since I can't seem to stop listening to it-- Los Lobos' the Town and the City is a great album. It's slower than their past few albums, more personal in nature, and deals very subtly with characters crossing borders (both literally and figuratively). The band has the entire album streamed on their site.

I also saw that the greatly missed math rock band Chavez has a collection coming out called Better Days Will Haunt You. I think it's a collection of their two LPs and one EP. I own their final album, Ride the Fader, and let me tell you--it's one of those albums that lurk in the back of your mind for years. In a good way.

[Kyle]

I also saw that the greatly missed math rock band Chavez has a collection coming out called Better Days Will Haunt You. I think it's a collection of their two LPs and one EP. I own their final album, Ride the Fader, and let me tell you--it's one of those albums that lurk in the back of your mind for years. In a good way.

When Chavez was in its heyday, I listened to emo (or to make me sound more hip - "post-punk" as it was often called at the time) exclusively. I just couldn't grasp Chavez and I'm not really sure why. It continues to surprise me how often they get name checked. It's also surprised me how jazzed people are for the Chavez collection. I can say I'm interested in going back and listening to my old copy of Ride the Fader and listen for what I might have missed the first time around.

[Joel]

I've mostly been captivated by very slow and fragile stuff lately, mostly:

Laura Gibson - If You Come to Greet Me (Hush)

Alela Diane - The Pirate's Gospel (Holocene)

Judee Sill - Heart Food (have we had a Judee Sill thread? she was SO INCREDIBLE. I haven't fallen for an artist as much as I have for her in a long, long time.)

Honorable Mention:

The Lonely Forest - Regicide EP

Wax Tailor - Tales of the Forgotten Melodies

[Jason Panella]

When Chavez was in its heyday, I listened to emo (or to make me sound more hip - "post-punk" as it was often called at the time) exclusively. I just couldn't grasp Chavez and I'm not really sure why. It continues to surprise me how often they get name checked. It's also surprised me how jazzed people are for the Chavez collection. I can say I'm interested in going back and listening to my old copy of Ride the Fader and listen for what I might have missed the first time around.

I think Chavez is very different from the emo bands circa the late '90s. I've always thought they were more math rock than anything else, or a more technical version of Archers of Loaf (one of my all-time favorite bands). One of the neat things about them is that realizing they're good is a reward for sticking with them for a few listens; the first time I heard Ride the Fader I thought, "eh." Second time: "Eh!" Third: "Eh HEH!" Now it's gem after gem.

[Hugues]

These two reissues of Judee Sill from Water (as well as Dreams Come True) are probably my favorite reissues this year. The rhinohandmade one was certainly great, but out of stock and too expensive now.

Judee Sill's music world is deeply spiritual. Regular listens of this music brings peace to the soul (at least mine). Andy Partridge's notes for Heart Food are remarkable.

The second Karen Dalton record is finally available on CD? Great news! I love her first one. But now Thom you have me wondering: the first album wasn't official? I didn't know about that. Do I miss something?

Edited October 19, 2006 by Hugues

[Guest thom_jurek]

These two reissues of Judee Sill from Water (as well as Dreams Come True) are probably my favorite reissues this year. The rhinohandmade one was certainly great, but out of stock and too expensive now.

Judee Sill's music world is deeply spiritual. Regular listens of this music brings peace to the soul (at least mine). Andy Partridge's notes for Heart Food are remarkable.

The second Karen Dalton record is finally available on CD? Great news! I love her first one. But now Thom you have me wondering: the first album wasn't official? I didn't know about that. Do I miss something?

The first karen Dalton wasn't unofficial, it just wasn't material that was created for an official release. It was informal stuff. When you hear this new one, it will simply blow your mind, as it is the album she is known for.

[yank_eh]

I haven't heard the whold album yet but I'm really digging the song Belle by a band called Alif Tree. Anyone else heard this?

Bjork meets Morcheeba meets French chanteuse, backed by a piano-enhanced, looped Mazzy Star vibe.

PS- Thom, thom thanks for the info and Hem and Greg Brown. Mr. Brown is playing in my town on Monday. I'm too cheap to drop a twenty on him but I'm sure as heck gonna try to win tickets on the college radio station.

[opus]

Bjork meets Morcheeba meets French chanteuse, backed by a piano-enhanced, looped Mazzy Star vibe.

[Ears perk up...]

You wouldn't happen to have a URL, would you?

[yank_eh]

Opus, go here and click on Belle for a brief excerpt. I'd love to hear what you think.

[Chadb]

Thom (or anyone else)

Have you heard the new Converge album. I think it's amazing, it might be neck and neck with Jane Doe after my first few listens. Has a really interesting sequencing with the first five tracks just rocketing by, none over a minute and a half, then the great title track, followed by an almost 10 minute long doom like track. Really great stuff.

And to anyone with a passing interest in country music, I highly recommend then new Alan Jackson album. It's country soul, like if The Isley Brothers wanted to make a country album.

[Kyle]

3. Califone - [Roots & Crowns] Even weirder and more edgy than their last one, this baby gets under your skin and stays there.

I've been listening to this one a bit lately and I really like it. I thought I wouldn't like it, or at least I thought I would like it because I thought I should like it because by liking it, it would prove that I like weird, experimental music. But, I actually like it. It does get under your skin, that is for sure.

[Holy Moly!]

The Lonely Forest - Regicide EP

Seconded. Very promising EP by these guys. Jack Endino was an inspired choice of producer for this material; never thought i'd see him doing a proggy piano-rock record!

[mattakc]

Question For Thom Jurek.

I've been a big fan of your work in allmusic and paste magazine etc and I was wondering if u would recommend the following cd's and if they are all worth purchasing or not

Neko Case-Fox Confessor Brings The Flood

Jolie Holland-Springtime Can Kill You

Ramblin Jack Elliot- I Stand Alone

Damien Jurado-And Now That I'm In Your Shadow

Isis-In The Absence Of Truth

thanks!

[Overstreet]

Somebody emailed me a new U2 song. Sigh. Candy to a baby. I pondered the ethical implications while I listened to it about a dozen times. "Window in the Skies" is the most celebratory song they've played since "Beautiful Day." And it features a couple of Bono's more painful rhymes ever. Still... it's an addicting song, and a great anthem for Easter.

Edited November 12, 2006 by Jeffrey Overstreet

[Christian]

"Karen Pernick - Two Kinds Of Weather (with Bill Frisell, Robin Holcomb, Wayne Horvitz)"

--Thom, can you elaborate on this title? I don't recognize Pernick's name, but I know of the other three, of course. Where'd she come from?

[Hugues]

Keith Urban - Love, Pain and the Whole Thing

Really? Did you like his previous ones too?

[Darren H]

Little Drummer Boy, the new live album from Mark Kozelek, is great. It would be a great introduction for anyone new to the Kozelek/Red House Painters/Sun Kil Moon universe.

[yank_eh]

I like what I've heard so far from the forthcoming album from Super Furry Animals frontman Gruff Rhys.

It's called Candylion and the title is suggestive of the music's flavor. it's candy-sweet, slightly psychedelic, very playful pop.

[opus]

As someone with a passing interest in the whole experimental/apocalyptic folk genre (Current 93, In Gowan Ring, Revolutionary Army Of The Infant Jesus), I'm intrigued by the Trees Community disc.

And I'm very excited about the new Frazer/Tarnation disc. Frazer is one of those vocalists. Some label could release an album of her just singing through the phonebook and I'd probably buy it.

I've been listening to the new Deerhoof, which I find alternately charming, wonderful, and frustrating.

[Hugues]

I've been listening to the new Deerhoof, which I find alternately charming, wonderful, and frustrating.

So do I, they're on Tomlab in Europe now. Only ten tracks this time, which is good I think, as there were twenty on the previous one, and it was too much, I didn't enjoy everything from start to finish. This time I'm charmed by the few ethereal tracks on the album. I love the sound of this band, but I'd like to be more surprised by the compositions, the ideas aren't all great enough. That said on first impressions.

[Joel]

The Trees Community - The Christ Tree (available now)

Well Thom, I had to order this based on your recommendation. I've got a good feeling about this one.

MY CURRENT SUGGESTIONS...

Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? - disco?

Bobby Bare Jr. - The Longest Meow

Miho Hatori - Ecdysis

Edited January 14, 2007 by joel

[utzworld]

Been stuck on the Dreamgirls soundtrack, Once Again by John Legend, and Jay-Z's comeback album "Kingdom Come" for the last couple of months. "Kingdom Come" is getting the most rotation in my Jeep. He's got a song called "30-Something" that's my new national anthem!

[Anders]

The Good, The Bad & The Queen is in regular rotation on my iPod right now. I'm loving it. Damon Albarn continues to be one of my favourite musicians, and he brings along Paul Simonen and production from Danger Mouse. Anyone else listened to TGTB&TQ yet?

[Jason Panella]

Yeah, while I'm not super flip-over-backwards-crazy about it, I definitely like the GB&TQ album. It's very solid, and it continues to prove how good of a songwriter Albarn is, even when he's not involved with his "main" gig.

[Joel C]

The Good, The Bad & The Queen is in regular rotation on my iPod right now. I'm loving it. Damon Albarn continues to be one of my favourite musicians, and he brings along Paul Simonen and production from Danger Mouse. Anyone else listened to TGTB&TQ yet?

FWIW, 'Herculean' is the Free iTunes download this week, till about tomorrow afternoon. Very interesting. I'm starting to like what I hear with Danger Mouse's fingerprints on it.