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
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Al Barger and MoreThings - getting people's goats since 1998.
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All original content on MoreThings.com copyright 2008 Albert Barger or the respective authors
September 09, 2008
New CD Album Releases, 9-9-2008: Born Again Floozies, Calexico, Jessica Simpson, LL Cool J The Born Again Floozies have their third album release this week, the most excellent Street Music (13 Rebellions and a Song of Consolation). If you're not hip to the Floozies, then you're missing out on one of the best bands, with some of the best songs, and certainly one of the most unique and skillful guitarists going. This was recorded and mixed by Steve Albini.
You might partly think of them in Salvation Army band terms or vaudeville with Amy Gilmore's tap dancing, which is their principle percussion. But for no full-fledged drums or bass, they have a surprisingly funky edge. I credit a lot of that to Charlie Krone on the slide trombone. The Floozies are definitely recommended to fans of the low brass, with Krone and with Melissa Williams on the badass tuba.
Pretty nearly every song is excellent, but I might perhaps most favor "Tough Guy," a character sketch for the composer's obnoxious cheesy Christian neighbor who "bullies the meek with his Jesus talk." Then again "Dumb It Down Now" is one damned catchy rockin' groove. Then again, I would be remiss if I didn't give a shout out for "Up the River, F&*^er." [Note that I have bowdlerized the title in the name of Public Morality.
Curiously, they did not put their best recording of the year on the album. Their awesomely tight nine minute arrangement of Sly Stone's "If You Want Me to Stay" has become the #1 centerpiece of their live act, and the best showcase for their under utilized secret weapon, She-of-the-Lungs Nancy Moore. It is available for free download from the band's website. This is so far way my leading candidate for record of the year.
I'm second to none in my Floozie fandom, but I must offer a few words of criticism for the first song on the album, "We Got the Power." Now, this is an excellent song musically. It's damned catchy, and it's got a strong melody, and you can dance to it. It's a memorable tune. But it has a dumbass lyric. From the liner notes, "Our lies bring power down on innocent victims - we gotta bring truth to this power." I'ma have to call bullshit on Brother Joey here. Joey Welch pretty much has "college professor" written all over his face, and this shows him mistaking campus foolishness or Daily Kos sentiments for Deep Thought.
Two levels of criticism. First, it's a poor song lyric on an artistic level. It's just dumb abstract slogans, which wouldn't be good writing even if you agree with them. Compare these meaningless abstractions to the detailed character sketches of the "Tough Guy" or "Fly Your Flag (The Prince of 38th Street)." In the way of a good anti-war type lyric, think of something like Pete Seger famously pulling up the Civil War song about the soldiers "Waist Deep in the Big Muddy."
Also, on the political reality level, this song is just not based on much reality. One example: "We got the shot to quell our own youth." Apparently the echo chamber on campus has Brother Joey thinking something like that The Youth have been rising up against Bushitler's war, but he's been shooting them down and/or shipping them off to Gitmo. I wish. Finally, "We got the lash to break the wildflower" So which enemy is it that we're breaking that's the "wildflower": the Taliban or the Iraqi Ba'athists? End o' rant.
Still, silly politics aside, Street Music (13 Rebellions and a Song of Consolation) is by a big margin the best new album I've heard all year. If you like real songwriting, fancy guitar playing and unique sonic palettes, you need to know the Floozies.
Calexico has a new album this week, Carried to Dust. This band has gotten nowhere near the recognition they should. They have a unique dusty Southwest sound, with lots of drama and Mexican ghosts and such. What I've hear of this album sounds intriguing.
Jessica Simpson has a new album called Do You Know. Not like she really has any substantial performing talent, but I'll give her a couple of sentences if only to have an excuse to throw out some pictures. She may lack talent, but the maker has certainly blessed her on a physical level. By the way, this is supposed to be a "country" album. That apparently means that she conjured up a regular half-assed pop album, and then the producers added a bit of steel guitar and fiddle. Think Shania Twain.
Here's the listing of this week's new album releases, courtesy AMG:
Calexico Carried to Dust Quarterstick Americana, Indie Rock, Alternative Country-Rock, Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Alternative Pop/Rock, Post-Rock/Experimental
Gym Class Heroes The Quilt Fueled By Ramen/Decaydance Alternative Rap, Indie Rock
Okkervil River The Stand Ins Jagjaguwar Indie Rock, Indie Pop
Jessica Simpson Do You Know Sony Adult Contemporary, Pop/Rock, Contemporary Country, Country-Pop
AIDS Wolf Cities of Glass Skin Graft Experimental Rock, Noise-Rock
Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez Why Is Bear Billowing? Carpark Free Folk, Indie Pop
Robert Ashley Concrete: An Opera by Robert Ashley Lovely Music Contemporary Opera
Joan Baez Day After Tomorrow Bobolink/Razor & Tie Contemporary Folk, Political Folk
Ramin Bahrami Bach: The Art of Fugue Decca Baroque Keyboard Music
Eric Benet Love & Life Reprise/Friday Contemporary R&B, Urban
Carla Bley & Her Remarkable Big Band Appearing Nightly Watt/ECM Avant-Garde Jazz, Modern Big Band
Bound Stems The Family Afloat Flameshovel Indie Rock
Born Again Floozies Street Music (13 Rebellions and a Song of Consolation) Funk, Pop Underground, Salvation Army, Album Rock, Indie Rock, Alt Rock, Contemporary Folk, Experimental Rock, Adult Alternative, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, New Wave
Randy Brecker Randy in Brasil Mama Post-Bop, Fusion, Crossover Jazz, Brazilian Jazz, Contemporary Jazz
The Broken West Now or Heaven Merge Indie Rock, New Wave/Post-Punk Revival, Pop Underground
Greg Camp Defektor Bar/None New Wave/Post-Punk Revival, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Don Chambers & GOAT Zebulon Warm Alternative Country-Rock
Natalie Cole Still Unforgettable DMI/Atco Adult Contemporary, American Popular Song
Albert Cummings Feel So Good Blind Pig Blues-Rock, Contemporary Blues, Electric Blues, Modern Electric Blues
Catie Curtis Sweet Life Compass Contemporary Folk
Daughtry Daughtry [Deluxe Version] RCA Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Post-Grunge, Pop/Rock, Hard Rock
Bart Davenport Palaces Antenna Farm Indie Pop, Alternative Singer/Songwriter
Kimya Dawson Alphabutt K Indie Rock, Lo-Fi, Children's Folk, Contemporary Folk
Joey DeFrancesco Joey D! Highnote Hard Bop, Post-Bop, Soul-Jazz
Angela Desveaux The Mighty Ship Thrill Jockey Alternative Country-Rock, Country-Folk
The Donkeys Living on the Other Side Dead Oceans American Trad Rock, Indie Rock
Chris Duarte Vantage Point Blues Bureau Blues-Rock, Modern Electric Blues, Modern Electric Texas Blues
The Ettes Look at Life Again Soon [Bonus Track] 2Fer Garage Punk, Garage Rock Revival
Michael Franti & Spearhead All Rebel Rockers Anti Political Rap, Contemporary Reggae, Alternative Rap, Dancehall
Fujiya & Miyagi Lightbulbs Deaf Dumb & Blind Alternative Dance, Indie Rock, Indie Electronic
Gothic Voices The Study of Love Hyperion Medieval Choral Music
Growing All the Way Social Registry Experimental Rock, Noise-Rock, Post-Rock/Experimental
Mitch Hedberg Do You Believe in Gosh? Comedy Central Standup Comedy, Observational Humor
Horse Feathers House with No Home Kill Rock Stars Contemporary Folk, Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Indie Rock, Americana
I Furiosi Crazy Dorian Renaissance and Baroque Chamber Music
Kardinal Offishall Not 4 Sale Geffen Hardcore Rap, Dancehall
Kellarissa Flamingo Mint Indie Pop, Indie Electronic
Hal Ketchum Father Time Curb Neo-Traditionalist Country, Contemporary Country, Americana
LL Cool J Exit 13 Def Jam East Coast Rap, Hip-Hop, Pop-Rap
Patty Loveless Sleepless Nights Time Life Neo-Traditionalist Country, Honky Tonk
Bohuslav Matousek Martinu: The Complete Music for Violin and Orchestra Hyperion Modern Violin Concertos
The New Year The New Year Touch & Go Indie Rock, Slowcore
Original Score Buffy the Vampire Slayer [Original Score] Rounder Soundtracks, Original Score
Original Soundtrack Mister Foe Domino Soundtracks, Indie Electronic, Instrumental Rock
Joan Osborne Little Wild One Time Life Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Pop/Rock, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
Parenthetical Girls Entanglements Tomlab Indie Pop
People in Planes Beyond the Horizon Wind-Up Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Rock
John Phillips Pussycat Varese Fontana Pop/Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Country-Rock, Rock & Roll
Pontiak Sun on Sun Thrill Jockey Experimental Rock, Neo-Psychedelia, Indie Rock
Portastatic Some Small History Merge Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Lo-Fi, Alternative Singer/Songwriter
Rafter Sweaty Magic Asthmatic Kitty Indie Pop
Rare Earth Fill Your Head: The Studio Albums 1969-1974 Hip-O SelectAcid Rock, Pop/Rock, Album Rock, Blue-Eyed Soul, Soul, Motown, Psychedelic
Josh Rouse The Best of the Rykodisc Years Rhino/Rykodisc Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
Jules Shear More Funzalo Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Bobo Stenson Trio Cantando ECM Avant-Garde Jazz, Modern Free, Modern Creative
Subways All or Nothing WEA Alternative Pop/Rock, Punk-Pop
Emiliana Torrini Me and Armini Rough Trade Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Folk
Tricky Knowle West Boy Domino Electronica, Post-Rock/Experimental, Trip-Hop, Alternative Pop/Rock
Chad VanGaalen Soft Airplane Sub PopIndie Rock, Lo-Fi
Various Artists Don Letts Presents: Dread Meets Greensleeves Greensleeves Contemporary Reggae, Roots Reggae, Dancehall, Political Reggae
Dar Williams Promised Land Razor & TieAlternative Folk, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
Steve Wynn Crossing Dragon Bridge Blue RoseContemporary Singer/Songwriter, Baroque Pop, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Neo-Psychedelia, Pop/Rock, Folk-Rock
ZZ Top Eliminator [CD/DVD] Warner Bros. Album Rock, Boogie Rock, Arena Rock, Hard Rock, Blues-Rock, Rock & Roll, Pop/Rock, New Wave, Dance-Rock, Southern Rock
The 
