The Lonely Goatherd Blog And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats - Matthew 25:32
Up to the minute notes on the current state of free thinking and free living: Kentucky moonshine - original analysis and reporting from MoreThings, and all round pop culture museum of sight and sound - photo galleries, mp3 and video downloads.
Al Barger and MoreThings - getting people's goats since 1998.
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To explicitly state the obvious, these external links go to interesting and provocative websites, but they speak for themselves. I don't necessarily agree with anything they say - especially that no-goodnik Richard Marcus.
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All original content on MoreThings.com copyright 2008 Albert Barger or the respective authors
May 15, 2007
New Album Releases, 5-15-2007: Steve Nieve, Gretchen Wilson, Wilco, Linkin Park There are a number of big name album releases this week, though none of them looks like anything to me. One thing does look somewhat intriguing though, Steve Nieve: Welcome to the Voice. I haven't heard much about it, but Elvis Costello's right hand man has what is listed as an "opera," with performances by Elvis, Sting and the Brodsky Quartet. I remain healthily skeptical of classical music turns by pop musicians - even Elvis - but this lineup should be worth a listen.
Also, Wilco has Sky Blue Sky. I would be more likely to call their undistinguished songwriting Sucky Bland Sucky, but some critic types really think this band is the shiznit. In fairness, it's not just critic types, as this album is currently #5 at Amazon.
I would maybe slightly more favor the third album by Gretchen Wilson, One of the Boys. She generally strikes me as lowest common denominator modern commercial "country" music, but at least I can remember one or two hooks from "Redneck Woman." That's more than I can say for Wilco, to which I've given more careful listening.
Linkin Park has a new album Minutes to Midnight, their third. I don't understand why they've sold three trillion albums, but they looked halfway like somebody last week on Saturday Night Live. Still, I couldn't remember a thing about either of those songs after watching carefully. Still, they're the #1 seller currently at Amazon, so what do I know?
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases, courtesy AMG:
The Horrors Strange House Loog Garage Rock Revival, Punk Revival
Linkin Park Minutes to Midnight Warner Bros. Alternative Metal, Post-Grunge, Rap-Metal
Rufus Wainwright Release the Stars Geffen Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Chamber Pop, Singer/Songwriter
Wilco Sky Blue Sky Nonesuch Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Country-Rock, Indie Rock
Gretchen Wilson One of the Boys Sony Contemporary Country, Country-Pop
Mayer, Albrecht New Seasons: Handel for Oboe & Orchestra Deutsche Grammophon Baroque Music for Oboe & Orchestra
John Anderson Easy Money Warner Bros./Raybaw New Traditionalist, Honky Tonk
Barry & the Remains The Remains [2007 Bonus Tracks] Epic/Legacy Frat Rock, Garage Rock
Stefano Battaglia Re: Pasolini ECM Structured Improvisation, Avant-Garde Jazz, Modern Creative
J.D. Blackfoot The Ultimate Prophecy Radioactive Pop/Rock
Melanie C This Time Red Girl Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Pop/Rock, Adult Contemporary, Urban
Betty Davis Betty Davis [Bonus Tracks] Light in the Attic Funk, Soul
Betty Davis They Say I'm Different [Bonus Tracks] Light in the Attic Funk, Soul
Dry Branch Fire Squad Thirtieth Anniversary Special Rounder Bluegrass-Gospel, Traditional Bluegrass, Progressive Bluegrass, Appalachian Folk, Old-Timey, Contemporary Bluegrass, String Bands
Dungen Tio Bitar Kemado Indie Rock, Neo-Psychedelia, Psychedelic, Prog-Rock/Art Rock
The Fall A World Bewitched: Best of 1990-2000 Artful College Rock, Indie Rock, Post-Punk
Five Blind Boys of Mississippi Something to Shout About? Shout Traditional Gospel, Southern Gospel, Black Gospel
Funeral for a Friend Tales Don't Tell Themselves Atlantic Post-Hardcore, Screamo, Emo
Genesis Genesis 1976-1982 Atlantic/Atco/Rhino Pop/Rock, Prog-Rock/Art Rock, Album Rock, Soft Rock, Adult Contemporary
Good Shoes Think Before You Speak Brille Indie Rock
The Groovie Ghoulies 99 Lives Green Door Punk-Pop
Guided by Voices Live from Austin, TX New West Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Guitar Dealin with Signal and Noise Onitor Indie Rock, Indie Electronic
Ian Hunter Shrunken Heads Yep Roc Album Rock, Hard Rock, Singer/Songwriter
I Am the Ocean ...And Your City Needs Swallowing Uprising Post-Hardcore, Progressive Metal
Jefferson Airplane Sweeping Up the Spotlight: Jefferson Airplane Live at the Fillmore East 1969 RCA/Legacy Album Rock, Folk-Rock, Psychedelic, Pop/Rock, Hard Rock
Luny Tunes/Tainy Los Benjamins: La Continuacion Machete Music Reggaeton
Megadeth United Abominations Roadrunner Speed Metal, Heavy Metal
Michaelangelo One Voice Many Columbia Psychedelic Pop, Folk-Rock
