01
Oct
2002
· Two new pop psychedelic masterpieces have colored my mind with crackling fragility, mysterious aloofness, and the bite of crisp cider. This Tuesday brings the long-awaited return of The Soft Boys, re-formed last year to a sold-out concert tour.
The new studio album, Nextdoorland, simply shimmers with founder Robyn Hitchcock at the helm of the original lineup of Kimberly Rew, Matthew Seligman, and Morris Windsor. While graying around the temples, the reunited Cambridge foursome slips effortlessly back 20 years into its signature swirl of new-wave quirkiness and Hitchcock's surreal lyric associations. Layered with 1960s British guitar tones, the playing is extraordinary, clever, and tight - a sound that influenced a generation of jangle-pop rockers with the group's Can of Bees album from 1979 and Underwater Moonlight from 1980. The magnetic draw of this reunion has been building since last year when the band's new home, Matador Records, re-issued an expanded version of Underwater Moonlight, and Hitchcock and Rew performed on each other's recent solo albums. Hitchcock rules my roost as the greatest living songwriter (British division), a dangerously charming cross between Revolver-era John Lennon and a dripping-wet Syd Barrett, a cocked eyebrow and a tender heart pinned upon his Dali-draped sleeve. Highlights include the climbing guitars of "I Love Lucy" and the presidential queries within "Mr. Kennedy."
· Also flickering my third eye is Sentimental Stations, a just-released seven-track CD from Tobin Sprout. Released on the indie Recordhead label, this new collection is a teaser for a full-length album due in February. The former guitarist and co-songwriter of Guided by Voices, Sprout has been nearly as prolific since leaving the band as GBV vocalist and songwriter Robert Pollard. Sprout's return to his Dayton, Ohio, basement studio as a solo artist releases the pensive, haunting quality that I love so much about his work. While his clever compositions of sinewy guitar and electric drones are rock solid and stand majestically in waves of psychedelic fuzz, it's those quiet acoustic moments, such as a piano version of "Doctor 8," that feel like walking in a drizzling rain, content and alive.
· The Recordhead imprint has also just released a nice benefit CD entitled Single Wish, supporting Caffeinated Robots, a not-for-profit organization that supports appreciation of the arts for under-privileged children in Piqua, Ohio. The lineup is amazing, with both Sprout and Pollard offering exclusive tracks. Other contributors include The Candy Butchers, Ron Sexsmith, David Garza, The Green Pajamas, and Mark Kozelek.
Television Alert:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno welcomes Jackson Browne tonight, Michelle Branch on Thursday, and Queens of the Stone Age on Monday; The Late Show with David Letterman hosts Tom Petty on Monday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien passes the mic to Jurassic 5 on Thursday overnight, Good Charlotte on Friday overnight, and Tom Petty on Tuesday overnight; MTV's Total Request Live features a visit from Bon Jovi on Tuesday; and Saturday Night Live's musical guest this weekend is Bruce Springsteen.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, October 8:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change
The Agenda - Start the Panic (Kindercore) frenzied punk rock with organ-infused Mod energy
Allister - Last Stop Suburbia (Drive-Thru) high-speed Chicago quartet hot off this summer's Vans Warped Tour
The Apples in Stereo - The Discovery of the World Inside the Moone (Spin Art) buzzing power pop from Robert Schneider and company
Jello Biafra - Machine Gun in the Clown's Head (Alternative Tentacles) all new three-CD or three-LP spoken-word rant from the Dead Kennedys founder and culture commentator
The Black Heart Procession - Amore Del Tropico (Touch & Go) gorgeous bossa-nova film-noir syncopations driven by shadowy cello and violin
Bon Jovi - Bounce (Island)
Richard Buckner - Impasse (Overcoat) excellent album from the singer-songwriter
Chevelle - Wonder What's Next (Epic) gear-head rawk fresh off the Ozzfest tour
Destroyer - This Night (Merge) featuring Daniel Bejar of the New Pornographers
Ben Folds - Ben Folds Live (Epic) recorded during spring's solo tour
Peter Green with Nigel Watson - Peter Plays the Blues (Eagle) a tribute to the classic compositions of Robert Johnson by this stellar guitarist
Catherine Irwin - Cut Yourself a Switch (Thrill Jockey) new solo album from the Freakwater member featuring lonesome covers of Johnny Paycheck's "The Only Hell My Momma Ever Raised" and the Carter Family's "Will You Miss Me"
Etta James - Let's Roll (Private Music)
Jurassic 5 - Power in Numbers (Interscope) the highly awaited return of Cut Chemist & DJ Nu-Mark, with guests Juju of the Beatnuts, Big Daddy Kane, and Nelly Furtado
k - Goldfish (Tiger Style) new from Karla of Ida
Lemon Jelly - Lost Horizons (Beggars Banquet)
Loudermilk - The Red Record (Dreamworks)
Luna - Close Cover Before Striking (Jetset) the group's sixth studio CD, featuring two bonus CD-ROM videos and sleepy covers of the Rolling Stones' "Waiting on a Friend" and Kraftwerk's "Neon Lights"
J Mascis & The Fog - Free So Free (Ultimatum) all new fro the Dinosaur Jr. founder
Christina Milan - Combustion (Def Soul) featuring guests Jermaine Dupri and Charli Baltimore
Sinead O'Connor - Sean Nos Nua (Vanguard) collection of traditional Irish songs
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - The Last DJ (Warner Bros.)
Kelly Price - Priceless (Def Soul) with guests Eric Clapton and the Clark Sisters
Royal Trux - Hand of Glory (Drag City) full-length album filtered from vintage sessions
The Sea & Cake - One Bedroom (Thrill Jockey)
Slow Gherkin - Run Screaming (Asian Man)
Sonic Youth & I.C.P. & The Ex - In the Fishtank (Konkurrent/Touch & Go) it's the Dutch jazz band I.C.P., not the clown morons, recorded over two days of experimentation
ST37 - Down on Us (Emperor Jones) psychedelic rock reminiscent of Beta Band tumbling
Text - Text (Buddy head) featuring former members of the Refused
Tiger Army - Early Years (Hellcat/Epitaph) six-song EP featuring covers of songs by Eddie Cochran and Glenn Danzig of The Misfits
The Transplants - The Transplants (Hellcat/Epitaph) new from Tim Armstrong of Rancid and Travis Barker of Blink-182
various artists - Nothing Left to Lose: A Tribute to Kris Kristofferson (Incidental Music) with contributions from Grandaddy, Rebecca Gates, Calexico, and Creeper Lagoon
· Also flickering my third eye is Sentimental Stations, a just-released seven-track CD from Tobin Sprout. Released on the indie Recordhead label, this new collection is a teaser for a full-length album due in February. The former guitarist and co-songwriter of Guided by Voices, Sprout has been nearly as prolific since leaving the band as GBV vocalist and songwriter Robert Pollard. Sprout's return to his Dayton, Ohio, basement studio as a solo artist releases the pensive, haunting quality that I love so much about his work. While his clever compositions of sinewy guitar and electric drones are rock solid and stand majestically in waves of psychedelic fuzz, it's those quiet acoustic moments, such as a piano version of "Doctor 8," that feel like walking in a drizzling rain, content and alive.
· The Recordhead imprint has also just released a nice benefit CD entitled Single Wish, supporting Caffeinated Robots, a not-for-profit organization that supports appreciation of the arts for under-privileged children in Piqua, Ohio. The lineup is amazing, with both Sprout and Pollard offering exclusive tracks. Other contributors include The Candy Butchers, Ron Sexsmith, David Garza, The Green Pajamas, and Mark Kozelek.
Television Alert:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno welcomes Jackson Browne tonight, Michelle Branch on Thursday, and Queens of the Stone Age on Monday; The Late Show with David Letterman hosts Tom Petty on Monday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien passes the mic to Jurassic 5 on Thursday overnight, Good Charlotte on Friday overnight, and Tom Petty on Tuesday overnight; MTV's Total Request Live features a visit from Bon Jovi on Tuesday; and Saturday Night Live's musical guest this weekend is Bruce Springsteen.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, October 8:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change
The Agenda - Start the Panic (Kindercore) frenzied punk rock with organ-infused Mod energy
Allister - Last Stop Suburbia (Drive-Thru) high-speed Chicago quartet hot off this summer's Vans Warped Tour
The Apples in Stereo - The Discovery of the World Inside the Moone (Spin Art) buzzing power pop from Robert Schneider and company
Jello Biafra - Machine Gun in the Clown's Head (Alternative Tentacles) all new three-CD or three-LP spoken-word rant from the Dead Kennedys founder and culture commentator
The Black Heart Procession - Amore Del Tropico (Touch & Go) gorgeous bossa-nova film-noir syncopations driven by shadowy cello and violin
Bon Jovi - Bounce (Island)
Richard Buckner - Impasse (Overcoat) excellent album from the singer-songwriter
Chevelle - Wonder What's Next (Epic) gear-head rawk fresh off the Ozzfest tour
Destroyer - This Night (Merge) featuring Daniel Bejar of the New Pornographers
Ben Folds - Ben Folds Live (Epic) recorded during spring's solo tour
Peter Green with Nigel Watson - Peter Plays the Blues (Eagle) a tribute to the classic compositions of Robert Johnson by this stellar guitarist
Catherine Irwin - Cut Yourself a Switch (Thrill Jockey) new solo album from the Freakwater member featuring lonesome covers of Johnny Paycheck's "The Only Hell My Momma Ever Raised" and the Carter Family's "Will You Miss Me"
Etta James - Let's Roll (Private Music)
Jurassic 5 - Power in Numbers (Interscope) the highly awaited return of Cut Chemist & DJ Nu-Mark, with guests Juju of the Beatnuts, Big Daddy Kane, and Nelly Furtado
k - Goldfish (Tiger Style) new from Karla of Ida
Lemon Jelly - Lost Horizons (Beggars Banquet)
Loudermilk - The Red Record (Dreamworks)
Luna - Close Cover Before Striking (Jetset) the group's sixth studio CD, featuring two bonus CD-ROM videos and sleepy covers of the Rolling Stones' "Waiting on a Friend" and Kraftwerk's "Neon Lights"
J Mascis & The Fog - Free So Free (Ultimatum) all new fro the Dinosaur Jr. founder
Christina Milan - Combustion (Def Soul) featuring guests Jermaine Dupri and Charli Baltimore
Sinead O'Connor - Sean Nos Nua (Vanguard) collection of traditional Irish songs
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - The Last DJ (Warner Bros.)
Kelly Price - Priceless (Def Soul) with guests Eric Clapton and the Clark Sisters
Royal Trux - Hand of Glory (Drag City) full-length album filtered from vintage sessions
The Sea & Cake - One Bedroom (Thrill Jockey)
Slow Gherkin - Run Screaming (Asian Man)
Sonic Youth & I.C.P. & The Ex - In the Fishtank (Konkurrent/Touch & Go) it's the Dutch jazz band I.C.P., not the clown morons, recorded over two days of experimentation
ST37 - Down on Us (Emperor Jones) psychedelic rock reminiscent of Beta Band tumbling
Text - Text (Buddy head) featuring former members of the Refused
Tiger Army - Early Years (Hellcat/Epitaph) six-song EP featuring covers of songs by Eddie Cochran and Glenn Danzig of The Misfits
The Transplants - The Transplants (Hellcat/Epitaph) new from Tim Armstrong of Rancid and Travis Barker of Blink-182
various artists - Nothing Left to Lose: A Tribute to Kris Kristofferson (Incidental Music) with contributions from Grandaddy, Rebecca Gates, Calexico, and Creeper Lagoon
