Record
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Tim Elder Fashionably Angry CD Sublime Carnage. by Scott Zimmerman. August 1, 1996. See more about this title. Out of Stock. |
![]() Tim Elder, being the sole producer/promoter of his music, put together the press kit himself, so that did bode well for the music. But unfortunately his wonderful skills with prose don't translate over to genious in songwriting. His lyrics, while occasionally clever, generally fail to impress and/or amuse me. But for me, lyrics, like poetry, seldom do. And I usually don't go out of my way to give them the attention they probably deserve. If they grab me, they grab me. If they don't, oh well. Like a Jim Carroll, I'm sure this guy does have some outstanding punk songs in him somewhere, but I don't really find anything particularly amazing on this disc. The songs here are good, listenable, even moderately catchy, but still I don't think the disc and I have quite made the connection Tim has envisioned. If nothing else, it would be wise to keep an eye on Tim, whether in music or other pursuits. Apparently he is also part of a comedy troupe. That might be an experience. | |
Godzuki Trail Of The Lonesome Pine CD March. MAR 020. by Melanie Cardenas. August 1, 1996. See more about this title. Out of Stock. |
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Lilyvolt Five New Songs Cassette Wordspeak Audio Productions. by Scott Zimmerman. August 1, 1996. See more about this title. Out of Stock. |
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the Posies Amazing Disgrace CD Geffen. by Elizabeth Herr. August 1, 1996. See more about this title. Out of Stock. |
![]() The Posies have always relied on the harmonizing between lead vocalists Ken Stringfellow and Jon Auer. Amazing Disgrace finds that harmonizing a little more subtle. It seems that more attention is being paid to each one on an individual vocalizing level, although the harmonies can still be found, and they are wonderful! I find The Posies of 1996 to be a little bit louder, harder, and, if "Hate Song" and "Everybody is A Fucking Liar" (an apparent diatribe against the industry and the whole celebrity thing, where the title lyric is sung repeatedly throughout the song) any indication, a bit angrier. There are also moments of absolute beauty, like in "World", an elegant love song that is sung amazingly by Jon Auer. And, there are the fun rockers, "Ontario" and "Grant Hart". The whole album, which consists of 14 songs, is a treat to listen to. The more I listen to Amazing Disgrace, the more I fall in love with it. On a little sidenote, the album comes with a Parental Advisory sticker for explicit language. I am guessing this is simply because of the band's decision to place the song title "Everybody is a Fucking Liar" on the CD cover (had REM written the true title of Star Me Kitten on their album cover, they, too, would probably have gotten an "explicit lyrics" sticker imposed upon them). Other than a couple stray obscenities and an entire song calling everyone a fucking liar, The Posies are one of the least explicit bands I know! It is so exciting when a band I love successfully goes in a new direction and ventures into new territory. This is precisely what I feel The Posies have done with their 4th album Amazing Disgrace. If you are a fan of the band, this album will make a wonderful addition to your collection. If you are not familiar with The Posies or do not own any of their albums, let Amazing Disgrace be the starting point in your discovery of a truly wonderful band. | |
Velocity Girl Gilded Stars And Zealous Hearts CD Sub Pop. SP340. by Scott Zimmerman. April 30, 1996. See more about this title. Out of Stock. |
![]() Later I popped the CD in the player, and after what seemed like about 3 hours the album finally finished. What a disappointment! It was a rather messy and uninteresting affair, lacking the pop hooks of Simpatico!, or the creative noise of earlier recordings. Maybe this was why nobody had been talking about the record? I just hoped it would get better upon repeat listens. However, I was not particularly eager to listen to this CD again in the near future, being so overcome with grief and all, so I put it away for awhile. I waited for a couple weeks, hoping to gear myself to look at the album from a new perspective. With a renewed (though subdued) anticipation, I finally pulled the CD out again. So now the album is a little bit more enjoyable, but still not particularly recommendable. When I listen to a random song on Gilded Stars And Zealous Hearts I do often think "Hmm, this is decent. This is not as bad as I originally thought." But when it ends, I'll not remember much in the way of the melody, lyrics or anything. While its playing, I'll start composing alternate melodies in my head. So much for my attention span. "Nothing," "Go Coastal," "Zealous Heart" and "Formula 1 Throwaway" do begin to lean in the direction of the pop anthems I was hoping for, but they do not really compare to the classic hum-alongs like "The All Consumer," "Tripping Wires," "Sorry Again" and all the rest that littered Simpatico! This new music is losing me. Unfortunately, I am yet unable to meld with this record. And I really, really wanted to. Sigh. | |
China Drum "Can't Stop These Things" 7" vinyl Mantra. MNT 8. by Scott Zimmerman. April 30, 1996. See more about this title. Out of Stock. |
![]() * I take that line back. It doesn't sound like that at all. | |
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