The Lovers' Album of the Week

The Decemberists Picaresque

I have been having a difficult time writing this review. The first reason is obvious, I'm not a music critic or even a writer. But more importantly, I've just been having a hard time getting inspired. Now I understand this is not a very insuring thing to say about the album of the week choice. But I have to stress that being able to express what you feel into words is a skill and those who are less skillful as myself are more prone to "writer's block." So as I was taking a break from thinking with one of my newly reborn rituals, garage sale rummaging, I ran across a 45 record of Procol Harum's "White Shade of Pale," one of the most recognizable hits of the Sixties. I turned over $.50 of my hard-earned money and took it home. While I was listening to it for what had to be the one zillionth time in my lifetime, I thought the Decemberists are really the modern Procol Harum. On their third release, Picaresque, singer/songwriter Colin Meloy has fashioned an album chock full of poetic, Harum-like narratives that conjure up ancient times with a flair for the ole sea. Which is really nothing new for the Decemberists whose previous releases, Castaways and Cutouts (2003) and Her Majesty (2003), had already established this as the Decemberists sound ("Bus Mall," with its mentions of freeways and bus stops, is certainly an exception). However, Picaresque feels like Meloy's most satisfying and realized project. He sure can make grisly lines like "In this belly of a whale, it's ribs are ceilling beams, it's guts are carpeting, I guess we have some time to kill" work. From the crashing opener "The Infanta" (think Procol Harum's "Conquistador") to the epic "Espionage" and "The Mariner's Revenge Song" (Procol Harum's "A Salty Dog") to the lovely "Engine Driver" ("Shine On Brightly"), the Decemberists' Picaresque is an album that will be on many critics Best of 2005 lists. And if we lived in a perfect world, songs like "The Engine Driver" and "16 By 32" would be mainstream hits that someone would pick up at garage sales so many years later...

Clem Snide performs on WEVL this Friday

Clem Snide

Okay, so here's the deal. Clem Snide were going to make an appearance on The Music Lovers program this Thursday but due to traffic jams in Alabama were forced to cancel. But don't fret Snide fans because the guys will be stopping at the WEVL station tomorrow on Good Friday to perform a few songs for us from 12:00 - 12:30 pm. Sounds like a good lunch break to me!

The Music Lovers playlist for 3/24/05

1. Dirty Harry - Gorillaz from Demon Days 2. Iron Woman - Devin Davis from Lonely People of the World, Unite! 3. Post-Paint Boy - Stephen Malkmus from Face the Truth 4. Illuminated - Weird War from Illuminated By The Light 5. Like Eating Glass - Bloc Party from Silent Alarm 6. Martin Sheen - Edie Sedgwick from Her Love Is Real But She Is Not 7. Harvard Hands - The Foxymorons from Hesitation Eyes 8. Pledge of Allegiance - Brendan Benson from Alternative To Love 9. Louis XIV - Louis XIV from The Best Secrets Are Kept 10. On Vacation - The Robot Ate Me from The Robot Ate Me, On Vacation 11. Help Me - Maximilian Hecker from Help Me 12. Untitled w/Drums - Shipping News from Flies the Fields 13. Brahmny Kite - Caribou from The Milk of Human Kindness 14. Art Snob Solutions - Of Montreal from The Sunlandic Twins (Bonus EP) 15. Apache Chicken - Darediablo from 20 Places 16. Fistful of Love - Antony and the Johnsons from I Am A Bird Now 17. It's For You - Out Hud from Let Us Never Speak Of It Again 18. Alone With You - John Tejada (with Carl A. Finlow) from Logic Memory Center 19. Day Is Done - Doris Henson from Give Me All Your Money 20. Good Sons - Starflyer 59 from Talking Voice vs. Singing Voice 21. Technologic - Daft Punk from Human After All 22. Alberto Balsalm - Aphex Twin from I Care Because You Do 23. Hell Yes - Beck from Guero 24. Pencil Stick - Clogs from Stick Music 25. Eli, the Barrowboy - The Decemberists from Picaresque 26. Lion Tamer - Damien Jurado from On My Way To Absence 27. What Do You Mean? - Vic Chesnutt from Ghetto Bells

A Random Post - Most Memorable Shows of 2004

For some reason, I was thinking of all the shows that I had attended in 2004, particularly those that had left the biggest impressions on me. Here's a list (no specific order):

1. Bonnie Prince Billy - I never thought I would actually get to see Will Oldham but there he was in custom made overalls playing at Proud Larry's (!) in Oxford, MS.
2. My Morning Jacket - A storm cloud formed over the stage at Bonnaroo and finally broke during the ending song "Steam Engine." Worth the entire ticket alone! (Other memorable moments from Yo La Tengo, Grandaddy, and David Byrne)
3. Elvis Costello - I was actually on the guest list for this one after working with Mr. Costello on a video shoot for an upcoming DVD release.
4. Of Montreal - These guys are so fun to see perform. I say perform because the comedy skits between their songs are classic. And they always play two cover songs with each performance. The show at the Deli ended with Boston's "More Than A Feeling!"
5. Vic Chesnutt - Ok, so the small crowd wouldn't shut up during the show but the music was nice and the company was even nicer.
6. Morrissey - Another one that I never thought I would get the chance to see live. The show was amazing but ended short when the stage was raided by fellas wanting to touch and kiss the Mozz!
7. Snowglobe - The CD Release show was the best show I have ever seen from these local heroes. And I have it all captured on tape!
8. Reigning Sound - Every show from Cartwright and the Boys is amazing!
9. Harlan T. Bobo - (with Tim Prudhomme) Live at Shangri-La Records store with about 5 folks in attendance. I'm still not sure how they fit all their crap in that small little room in the back!
10. The Pixies - Okay, I didn't actually go to this show. But I did have tickets to it. Unfortunately, I had to work out of town. How sad...

(Other memorable shows include: Calexico, Wilco, Summer Hymns, Devendra Banhart, The Coach and Four, and Spoon)