All New (at least to me) - 04/11/05

Okay, for today's show I went back to the racks of new stuff to find things I should be listening to. I pulled a bunch of the ones with stars (which mean that not only are they new, but that the people (or at least one person) who listen to them think they're good too) and then I jumped down to the bottom shelf (of six or seven shelves) which is the stuff that is still new but it's the oldest of the new stuff and will be rotated out when a new shelf worth of stuff is ready to be put out. In making my picks I use several factors. The archivists (the people who listen to the new discs before they go on the shelves) write little (usually a sentence or less) reviews on the label stickers and offer R.I.Y.L. (recommended if you like) comments and tracks they thought were good as well as whether or not it is FCC acceptable to be played during daytime hours. Sometimes, when I've been doing my show this way for a while, I can tell what I'll like just by who wrote the review and how much they liked it. I also judge by band name, cover art, band name logo and band name and album title font choice and song titles. It's a very scientific process.

But to get to the good stuff, let's move on. Since it was all new stuff and thus stuff I hadn't heard before (or at least very much of, in some cases), I'll be doing the "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly" listings.

The Really, Really Good:
Kelly Buchanan, The Peels, The Wonder Stuff, The Sixfifteens, The Go-Betweens

This was all really good stuff. Solid, driving rock 'n' roll. The Kelly Buchanan was like angst-y, girl-fronted rock. The Peels just rocked. As did The Sixfifteens. The Wonder Stuff was a bit lighter but catchy as all get out. The Go-Betweens was a reissue sampler of past stuff. I really dug it.

The Good:
Karmella's Game, The Phenomenauts, Cheating Kay, The Organ, Miss TK & The Revenge, The Last Conservative, Grey Does Matter, Mates Of State, Dynamite Boy

I was surprised by the sound of Karmella's Game. I'm not sure what I had expected but the rocking, guitar-driven music was not it. The Phenomenauts was this really neat rockabilly sounding stuff. All based around space. It was really surprising. The Organ was a little lighter than I thought it was going to be, but in an "air-y" kind of way. I'm not sure what I thought Miss TK & The Revenge was going to be but it turns out to be synth-y kind of pop. I liked it. The Last Conservative was catchy. Grey Does Matter was abou the same. Which was what I was in the mood for. I'd heard the Mates of State cover before. It's just as good as I remembered it. Dynamite Boy was what I played instead of a request. The guy wanted to hear Dynamite Hack. Dynamite Boy was pretty good though. Average guy pop-punk.

The Pretty Good:
Kasabian, The Rosebuds, The Decemberists, Handsome Boy Modeling School, Iron & Wine, Allison Krause & Union Station, Louis XIV, Love Tractor, Kristy Hawkshaw, The Crimea, Cantinero

Every review I've read of Kasabian rips on them but I find their sound to be unique, at least at times, and I think they've got a good thing going there. The Rosebuds was early in the show and while they were good, they fell behind as better stuff came along. The Decemberists are coming to Portland in May. I plan to go. Hopefully I come around on the band a little bit. Handsome Boy Modeling School is one of those groups that all the hipsters dig and, frankly, I've never really seen why. Sure this album had some really creative guest appearances but it did very little for me as music. I expect better and am constantly disappointed. I'd heard a ton about Iron & Wine and upon listening, while I liked it, found it to be a bit lackluster. I should really love Allison Krause & Union Station. I cannot for the life of me figure out why I don't. Louis XIV played in Austin while we were down there (actually so did about a third of the bands I played today - The Peels, Love Tractor, The Crimea, The Books, for instance). I didn't see them then and I'm now glad I didn't make too much effort. Love Tractor, however, I did see in Austin. Not how I remembered them but it was the end of the night and the end of the week, so I was pretty dead. I love "Nip/Tuck," but I didn't love Kristy Hawkshaw. Kind of Kylie Minogue-lite. The Crimea were just not as good as their hype. Good but not great. The Cantinero song was catchy and all but it really didn't stand out. Kind of like the wallflower of the bunch.

The Really-Not-Too-Bad-But-Just-Not-Very-Good:
Little Barrie, Anders Parker, Githead, Mae, Damien Dempsy

Little Barrie was just unexcitingly like all the rest. But not quite as good. Anders Parker was billed as an alt-country journeyman but if so, I can see why he's never had great success. Githead featured a guy from Wire. I don't think it was the most talented guy from Wire though. Honestly, I didn't really give Mae a fair shot (see below) but I wasn't too impressed with the first 30 seconds or so. Damien Dempsy was billed as an Irish singer/songwriter and he sure was, which is not something I really dig.

The Really Bad:
Minus Story, The Books, The Kills, Arkade

Minus Story was kind of disonant and not catchy at all. But still better than (albeit just slightly) The Books. This was hardly music. And for that matter so was The Kills. I meant to play a different song but this is what I ended up playing. And it wasn't too good. The Arkade wasn't too bad (it could be on the list above this) it just paled in comparison to some of the better stuff.

The Doesn't-Count-Because-I-Knew-I-Liked-It-Because-I-Own-It-And-Have-Listened-To-It-A-Hundred-Times:
Kasey Chambers - If you read my blog at all you know I'm in love with this girl and her voice.

The Pleasant Surprise:
Green Jelly - This one was a request and, since apparently I had them confused with the purveyors of that abominable "Everything About You" song (Ugly Kid Joe), I was not looking forward to it. But it was good. Solid hair-metal rock. I'd listen to more. Big surprise. Seriously.

 
Kasabian - Running Battle
The Rosebuds - El Camino
The Decemberists - We Both Go Down Together
Handsome Boy Modeling School featuring Pharrell Williams & Julee Cruise - Class System

CD1
Iron & Wine - Gray Stables
     (started the CD-R a bit into the song)
Kasey Chambers - More Than Ordinary
     (played a little of Follow You Home and then switched)
Allison Krause & Union Station - Crazy As Me
*Talk*
Minus Story - Misery Is A Ship
The Books - If Not Now, Whenever
Kelly Buchanan - Letter In Your Mailbox
Black Lipstick - Viva Max
Louis XIV - All The Little Pieces
Love Tractor - Another One
Kristy Hawkshaw - Just Be Me  (Nip/Tuck soundtrack) 

*Talk - PSA - Wildlife Land Trust*
The Peels - I Only Miss You When You're Gone
The Wonder Stuff - Better Get Ready For A Fistfight

CD2
The Sixfifteens - Since Yesterday
The Kills - Now Wow
Arkade - Theodore [Heart]'s Rainclouds
Karmella's Game - In Spite Of Karl
Little Barrie - Be The One
The Phenomenauts - Welcome Back
Anders Parker - Something New
*Talk*
Githead - 12 Buildings
Mae - This Time Is The Last Time (Wave remix)
     (I mistakenly switched the track knob on this one just after it started and decided to just move on)
The Go-Betweens - A Little Romance
Damien Dempsy - Apple Of My Eye
Tina DiGeorge - Steal
The Crimea - Bombay Sapphire Coma
Cheating Kay - You Take The Words Away
Canitnero - That Guy
Neko Case - Soulful Shade of Blue (Buffy Ste. Marie)
*Talk - By  Request*
Green Jelly - Carnage Rules (request)
The Organ - There Is Nothing I Can Do
Miss TK & The Revenge - Nowhere To Go
The Last Conservative - Anything But Goodbye
Grey Does Matter - Already All Ready
Mates Of State - Starman (David Bowie)
*Talk - Promo - Web*
Dynamite Boy - Man Of The Year