01.23.07
Posted in some albums we done liked others we ain't, back catalogue, matthew ryan - January 23rd, 2007 at 10:36 am by Mimi
Sigh.
Matthew Ryan – Concussion and From a Late Night High Rise
Sometimes I just hate myself for missing out on the good stuff while I’m off reading books about math theory or comic books. (And here I will have to WARN for me talking in comic book metaphors and references for a while, since I’ve been on a comics-reading jag lately.)
These two albums are very different, which to some people would show depth of talent and interest and to others will be just annoying—
Digression: I think we have all had the experience of hearing a record and just flipping the hell out over how perfect and integral to our continued existence it is only to buy the artist(s)’s other work and be gob-smacked by how unlistenable it is. There are acts that transcend this—but even I don’t want to listen to Guitar Town. Change is hard, and there’s a fine line between artistic development and what devoted listeners will stretch to accommodate (looking, as per always, at you, Ryan Adams). We all find our own balance with this. I am often the person who likes someone’s early work and hates the subsequent (big budget) stuff. Cricket is much more loyal of a listener than I am. [I like to think not loyal to a fault. That’s probably arguable though.—Cricket]
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01.21.07
Posted in some albums we done liked others we ain't, back catalogue, willie - January 21st, 2007 at 7:30 pm by Cricket & Mimi
I sat down to write a sort of “compilations and ‘best-ofs’ that you must own.” But then I realized, really what do I know about what you should own? Nada. So, instead, here is a rambling excursion through compilations I own that feel necessary to my continued existence and Mimi’s as well, since I conscripted her to help me write this. Maybe they are to your continued existence, too, you just don’t know it yet.
GOLD Greatest Hits - Dolly Parton
It feels a little risky, starting right out with Miss Dolly. But really, who doesn’t love Dolly? She’s an insanely talented song-writer. Her singing may not be for everyone but is undeniably beautiful. She’s like a mad genius with the marketing and all. I mean what do you know about her personal life? Nothing! And yet she gives every appearance of being honest, open, friendly and forth-coming all the time. She has amusement parks! Seriously, that’s like my dream someday. Cricketworld! You’d have to be 21 to get in, and have a valid Valium prescription, but hey! We won’t kick you out for being drunk. [You get a theme park, I’m setting my ambitions slightly higher with a banana republic of my very own stocked with guys in grass skirts and no winter.–Mimi]
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01.20.07
Posted in cricket spazzes, hot live action, cory branan, avett brothers, lucero, chris milam, todd snider - January 20th, 2007 at 4:36 pm by Cricket
One of the best things about this gig is opening my inbox every day and finding emails suggesting new bands for us to cover or giving us news about what’s happening with bands so that I don’t have to do the work to find out for myself.
This morning I learned that Jeff Nichols’ film Shotgun Stories is premiering at the Berlin Film Festival on Feb. 14th, 2007. None other than Ben Nichols has written the score for this movie (Jeff Nichols is Ben’s youngest brother, apparently talent runs in the family). I understand it’s a very southern story in vein of To Kill a Mockingbird and Hud. Friends and readers in Berlin or close by, y’all need to go see this, since you can see it first, and report back to us on the film and the Lucero-driven score.
*
Cory Branan is playing a couple shows next weekend in Kentucky with Todd Snider. This is a double bill not be missed. If you’re within 5 hours’ drive and a fan of either of these guys, you better hop on up to see this. This tour is also taking Todd (sans Cory) through Texas and out to the west coast so go get tickets now.
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01.14.07
Posted in mimi hates on pop country, random - January 14th, 2007 at 5:36 pm by Mimi
So. Nashville Star.
This is the thing, don’t judge. Take some time and Tivo this gem of reality television to watch with your people when y’all’re all drinking and you need something to feel superior about. You will not regret it.
As a side note, if you see me in the next couple weeks, Cricket didn’t get tired of my bullshit and decide to shut me up. I tripped over a suitcase and went flying. The black eye is a product of my own stupidity. (Yes, I am pretty casual about this, remember the chupacabra incident at Mucklewain? If I’m not injured somehow, I must have been laying low nursing the last injury.) [She does look like some tried to take her down. I swear, she fell when she was alone. She’s not lying because she’s afraid of what I’ll do next.—Cricket]
I need to say upfront that I hate reality tv and my only experience with it is some other episodes of this show and my mom making me watch Amazing Race now and again. If I sound ignorant of the genre, I actually am. /superior tones
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01.12.07
Posted in some albums we done liked others we ain't, cricket spazzes - January 12th, 2007 at 11:52 pm by Cricket
Sometimes I wish I could just bypass the whole review process. Not because I don’t want to do it. I just want to speed the course of action up. Occasionally it feels important that y’all get an album as quickly as possible. But I suppose for most of you, if I just say “Go get this album right now!” it isn’t enough to launch you immediately from your chair and propel you directly to the record store. Plus, I figure a bunch of you have like real jobs which force you to sit at a desk all day and you probably need HCT to break up your workday, right? But trust me when I say in this instance, the album is so unbelievably, incredibly good that you might want to fake a doctor’s appointment so you can get up out of that cubicle and go get it. Or at least do it on your lunch break, okay?
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01.09.07
Posted in some albums we done liked others we ain't, hot live action, drag the river - January 9th, 2007 at 12:24 pm by Cricket
This isn’t so much the first review of 2007 as it is the very belated last review of 2006. The last really cool music related thing (’cause of course I’m so awesome that I did all kinds of other cool things in those last few days of the year) I managed to do in 2006 was to take a spur-of-the-moment drive down to Memphis to see Drag the River perform the last show of their recent tour. They played with Halfacre Gunroom [I loooove Halfacre Gunroom, and have for years. I’m glad they’re getting more exposure!–Salome] and Ben Nichols. Halfacre Gunroom was pretty awesome, the kind emo/punk/country that I’m so fond of, though sadly I was so excited for DtR that I don’t think I gave them the attention they deserve. Rick Steff sat in on accordion with Ben doing his solo acoustic gig and that was, well, beautiful is really the best word to describe it. Later Rick also sat in with DtR, but let me back up a bit.
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