Recent CD Purchases

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 3:32 pm

Who Shot Sam? wrote:Got the Rhino Handmade CD reissues of two great albums - Monkey On A Chain Gang and Tantilla by the pioneering Virginia-based guitar/drums duo House Of Freaks. I remember seeing them with my brother at a little club in Hollywood in the 1980s and being amazed by their ability to get such a big, thick sound out of just two instruments. I had a vinyl copy of Chain Gang years ago, but it was lost somewhere along the way.

Listening to these great records again, you can see where the trend of two piece rock-blues bands like The White Stripes and The Black Keys began. It's so great to have companies like Rhino and TwinTone preserving great music - Rhino with Handmade and TwinTone with its offering of high-quality custom CDs of things like the early Replacements albums and The Feelies' first few discs.

Just saw this story on Billboard.com. Shocking brutality - very sad news.

RIP...

Two Held For Murder Of Musician Harvey
January 09, 2006, 10:30 AM ET

Chris Morris, The Hollywood Reporter

Richmond, Va., police said Saturday that two men had been arrested for the New Year's Day murders of musician Bryan Harvey and his family and the slaying of another three people found dead in Richmond on Friday.

Ray Joseph Dandridge, 28, and Ricky Javon Gray, 28, were arrested in Philadelphia. The pair was charged with four counts each of conspiracy to commit murder in the murders of Harvey, his wife and their two young children.

They were additionally charged with one count each of auto theft and conspiracy to commit murder in the deaths of three family members found bound and slain Friday in their ransacked home.

Harvey was a member of the two-man band House Of Freaks, which attained prominence during a 1980s stay in Los Angeles.

Goody2Shoes · Post by **Goody2Shoes** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:06 pm

That story is local news for me, sadly. It is believed that one of the 3 people killed on Friday was an accomplice in the murders of the Harvey family on New Year's Day. His wife, Kathryn, was the owner of a very fun and cool toy store called World of Mirth. The kids were only 9 and 3. Horrible shame.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:09 pm

Goody2Shoes wrote:That story is local news for me, sadly. It is believed that one of the 3 people killed on Friday was an accomplice in the murders of the Harvey family on New Year's Day. His wife, Kathryn, was the owner of a very fun and cool toy store called World of Mirth. The kids were only 9 and 3. Horrible shame.

Makes you want to go live in a cave somewhere.

HOF were a really fun band. Two great albums - too bad Rhino didn't understand how to promote new music at the time.

Post by **BlueChair** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:16 pm

I think new music tends to get lost on Rhino, since their focus is archival material.

Quite a good showing of albums you picked up, Sam.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:31 pm

BlueChair wrote:I think new music tends to get lost on Rhino, since their focus is archival material.

Quite a good showing of albums you picked up, Sam.

Yeah, wish I could enjoy them. I was projectile vomiting this morning and am still feeling very run-down this afternoon.

VonOfterdingen · Post by **VonOfterdingen** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 4:31 pm

Im going on a conference next week and want to buy a new cd for the trip with an artist i dont know already

So i was thinking either Sufjan Stevens or Wilco? And whoever i choose - what album - can somebody tell me that?

Mr. Average · Post by **Mr. Average** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 7:34 pm

(Come on and Feel the) Illinoise
Sufjan Stevens

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 8:33 pm

And in my finest moments
I am really just like him ...

Mr. Average · Post by **Mr. Average** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 11:14 pm

...probably the most unsettling lyric on the record, but effective as a thought provoker...

guidedbyvoices · Post by **guidedbyvoices** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 2:59 am

I hate Wilco, and absolutely love Sufjan's Illinois. While John Wayne gacy grabs you first, I find Casimir Pulaski Day is the real highlight. I could write 5000 words on how the lyrics are poetry, the lines he chooses to repeat, how he paints a complete picture like a movie with an economy of words, and it has made me think about it over and over. I think of that godawful movie with Charlize Theron and Keanu that couldn't do in 2 hours what that songs does in 4 minutes. Astonishing. That song really moves me.

I expected it to be like Elliot Smith doing something like They Might Be Giants' James K Polk, but instead, it's much more. And yet, there's a sense of fun, like the zombie song. I bought Michigan soon after and it has taken me longer to get into it, still hasn't really clicked. Also, a month late, but his Christmas songs are online, just google Sufjan Christmas mp3 and you should find them. I really enjoyed them too.

VonOfterdingen · Post by **VonOfterdingen** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 4:54 am

thanks - i'll go for Illinoise then

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 11:10 pm

As one of my New Year's resolutions, I've decided to cut out compulsive CD purchasing in 2006 and limit myself to two discs a month, max.

Looks like January's selections will be this:

and this:

followed in February by this:

and this:

Morrissey's out in March, isn't it? Man, this is gonna be hard!

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 3:30 pm

A mere 2 a month! Arctic Monkeys are getting RAVED about here as the most exciting bunch of 19 year olds with guitars in a long time.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 3:34 pm

Otis Westinghouse wrote:A mere 2 a month! Arctic Monkeys are getting RAVED about here as the most exciting bunch of 19 year olds with guitars in a long time.

Believe me - 2 a month is progress.

I read Alexis Petridis' glowing review in the Guardian. That - in addition to a listen to couple of their songs and strong encouragement from the Sheffield contingent on the Richard Hawley board - was enough to convince me.

Mike Boom · Post by **Mike Boom** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 4:05 pm

phwooarrrr - the Watson Twins eh!

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 4:13 pm

Mike Boom wrote:phwooarrrr - the Watson Twins eh!

Another one for you Mike...

Dunno what's she's doing with that pinecone.

Mike Boom · Post by **Mike Boom** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 4:19 pm

damn - an unbuttoned blouse and a pine cone certainly does it for me!

selfmademug · Post by **selfmademug** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 4:41 pm

Sam, those four look worth it for the covers alone! Or is one not supposed to judge things that way?

I think I buy about 2 CDs a month. That is, I actually buy or acquire about 6-8, but I think I buy 2.

Boy With A Problem · Post by **Boy With A Problem** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 8:02 pm

WSS wrote:

As one of my New Year's resolutions, I've decided to cut out compulsive CD purchasing in 2006 and limit myself to two discs a month, max.

I don't think you can do it. Set achievable goals!

Anyway - I'm in an airport book/cd/dvd store yesterday browsing the magazines and the music on is this ambient lounge stuff, but real familiar and I quickly realize I'm hearing a really trippy version of "Guns of Brixton" which is then followed by "This is Not a Love Song" - I stick around for the next song and it turns out to be "Too Drunk to Fuck" - I must have been standing there with my mouth open because a guy quickly came over to ask if he could help and the next thing I knew I had bought a record called Nouvelle Vague....which my wife really hated when I was playing it this morning - (I will admit Teenage Kicks is not very good done in this style)....

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 9:06 pm

An MBA fave. Some of the singing is ludicrous. I like it, but it's a bit too 'novelty record' for my liking. Still, massive hats off to them for including the immortal Josef K's classic 'Sorry for Laughing':

When we groove on into town
Charles Atlas he starts to frown
Cos he's not made like me and you
Just can't do the things we do

Mr. Average · Post by **Mr. Average** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 12:30 am

Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
Matisyahu - Live at Stubb's

Miles Davis - Sketches of Spain ('cause someone ripped my copy off my desk at work).

Robin Trower - Bridge of Sighs. This was an important album in my youth, so I needed a CD copy of it. It doesn't age as well as many, but beter than others.

noiseradio · Post by **noiseradio** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 12:36 am

That Matisyahu record is pretty good. It gets a little same-y after a while, but I really like it.

hollyh · Post by **hollyh** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 1:40 am

Two LPs by the Jayhawks, Rainy Day Music and Tomorrow the Green Grass. I haven't listened to them yet but I loved Hollywood Town Hall.

Plus I pre-ordered Ray Davies' Other People's Lives, which is due out on Feb 22 (I saw him at the Supper Club in New York last November so I've heard several of the tracks already, plus, uh, somehow several tracks floated onto my computer, I have no idea how they got there, I would never do an illegal download or anything...)

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 9:06 pm

A rare action today: hurrying to buy a CD at a shop on its day of release. Arctic Monkeys, for my 13 year old laddie. The sound of 4 excitable 19 year olds from Sheffield, perfect for my boy. Sounds like fun on a partial first hearing. Nothing hugely original, but the words seem nicely observed and their sound is good.

Other motive for heading to Fopp: Hatful of Hollow still only £5. have a worn out (copied) tape somewhere. Know every note and word by heart, but now to hear it properly... I think it's the best document of the Smiths, surpassing Queen Is Dead even.

Post by **BlueChair** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 10:11 pm

hollyh wrote:Two LPs by the Jayhawks, Rainy Day Music and Tomorrow the Green Grass. I haven't listened to them yet but I loved Hollywood Town Hall.

RDM and TTGG are the Jayhawks' two best in my opinion. I'm sure you'll love them