Friday, November 30, 2001

just enough to make you blush

a quiver voice,
i'm in a crush

the (international) noise conspiracy | 12.04 | gamh : i can't believe i forgot to mention these cats earlier. the new band of the frontman for refused. i found out about refused simply by running into their album in a store. first their band name is great. second, the album cover was great (but i've been burned on that way too many times to rely). most importantly was the title of their album, 'the shape of punk to come'. after purchasing + hearing ornette coleman's 'the shape of jazz to come' (quite a claim, but it turns out it was quite true), i've often fallen for bombastic titles. dave eggers' "a heartbreaking work of staggering genius" (i won't get into book reviews) + then the refused. in true punk fashion + quite telling, refused broke up after putting out the album. i'm sure the other members of the band have impressive resumes as well, i just can't keep up with the swedish scene.anyway political + intelligent punk (gang of four | the minutemen), this should be a great show.

john wesley harding | 12.11 | BotH : wesley harding stace named his band john wesley harding in a nod to bob dylan. he sounds nothing like him or that album. nor in my opinion does he sound like elvis costello whom he is often compared to (he recorded with the attractions once). he is a great pop writer, though, combining folk influences.

aimee mann | 12.12 | fillmore : like most of the world, i only really knew her from 'voices carry' (a great song) until that amazing soundtrack to 'magnolia' + the follow up 'bachelor #2' album. piercing eyes to boot.

elliott smith | 12.18 | gamh : i often refer to this guy when describing other bands, + now i have to describe him. remember the film footage of the beatles when they first met bob dylan? they idolized him + were so excited to meet him. dylan (true to his don't look back fashion) cut them to size, claiming all of their songs were basically meaningless pop, with no depth. that moment forever altered the beatles' course (+ thus, the course of pop music). so there was that transition period for the beatles between writing bubble gum pop to writing psychedelic political. smith sounds like a whispery paul simon singing for the beatles during that transition phase. (shite, it took me a long time to get somewhere with that) he has an uncanny gift, posessed by few, to write melodies that are both uplifting yet eerily sad at the same time. think roy orbison. or maybe the beach boys' 'in my room.' or those weird little lullabyes by the velvet underground.

black rebel motorcycle club | 12.28+29 | BotH : i'm always searching for a local band to go see. i'm not that familiar with these guys. what i've heard is droning + fuzzy...very jesus + mary chain. too bad their name is not that good.

ray manzarek | 1.04 | gamh : jim morrison was god. but not enough credit goes to the sonic umpf behind all of his ramblings. a lot of the sex would be missing without the religious incantations of manzarek's keys. years later, he continued this work adding a familiar background to x's amazing debut. i have no idea what he's like solo. it might be frighteningly indulgent.

previously mentioned:
bebel gilberto | 11.28 | fillmore
robert earl keen, jr | 11.30 | fillmore
wilco | 12.1,2+3 | fillmore
eels (& howe gelb) | 12.3 | gamh
los lobos | 12.6+7 | fillmore
jonathan richman | 12.8 | slim's
jane siberry | 12.9 | gamh
raul malo | 12.11 | bimbo's
el vez | 12.20 | BotH
mark lanegan | 12.21 | slim's
imperial teen | 12.29 | slim's
calexico | 01.12 | gamh
sleater-kinney | 01.14 | gamh
del mccoury | 2.15 | gamh
down from the mountain | 2.20 | berkeley comm theatre
nick cave | 4.18+19 | warfield