Recording of March 2007: Because of the Times
KINGS OF LEON: <I>Because of the Times</I><BR>
RCA (CD). 2007. Ethan Johns, prod., eng.; Lowell Reynolds, asst. eng. AAD? TT: 51:41<BR>
Performance ****½<BR>
Sonics ****
Robert Baird
Lowdown
Today I got <I>The Essential John Denver</I> and a newly remastered reissue of Boz Scaggs <I>Silk Degrees</I> in the same package. Mercy! I got a chill pulling them out of the envelope. Denver and Scaggs together again! What kind of subtle coding was Sony/BMG sending by pairing this dynamic duo? The Seventies really did suck? We're out of ideas so here's two surefire golden oldies? If you thought the George Winston reissues were great then check out these two?
Saving All My Love For You
How anyone was surprised that Britney Spears has shaved her head is beyond me. As <I>Stereophile</I>'s assistant editor, the intrepid Stephen Mejias reminded me, she was brainwashed as a toddler thanks to that malevolent mindfuck known as The Mickey Mouse Club. Add to that she's a piece of unreconstructed white trash from Louisiana, who's now been coddled beyond all description and suddenly head shaving looks like the least of her worries.
Breed
Today Kurt Cobain would have been 40. Seems like yesterday when we were seeing that searing image of his suicide: the photo taken in the room where he died, of his Converse All Stars, still on his feet, sticking out from behind a piece of furniture.
Nashville? Knock, Knock! No One Home?
I usually go into the Grammy telecast with much cynicism already on edge and a large glass of some variety of fermented libation standing by for medicinal purposes.
Recording of February 2007: Wincing the Night Away
<B>THE SHINS: <I>Wincing the Night Away</I></B><BR>
Sub Pop SP 705 (CD). 2007. James Mercer, Joe Chiccarelli, prods.; Phil Ek, Sean Flora, Hiro Ninagawa, Brian Deck, Lars Fox, engs. AAD? TT: 41:52<BR>
Performance ****<BR>
Sonics ****
Billy Strayhorn
Last week I went to an advance screening at Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) of <I>Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life</I>, a new film about the short, creative, and ultimately kinda sad life of songwriter/arranger Billy Strayhorn. "Strays" or "Sweet Pea" as his friends knew him was part, some would say most, of the brains behind Duke Ellington's success in the forties and fifties. The film will be shown on PBS around the country in February.
Venom Soup
As history goes, the U.S.A. is weird shape these days. But not all is lost. Yeah, we got our shit: the war in Iraq, a warped, unconnected, hilariously inarticulate jackass for a president, a porous border with Mexico (oh wait, the republicans billion dollar fence will solve that). But just when it looks like it's all sliding down a rat hole it's good to remember that hey, we still got Ted Nugent. U!S!A!U!S!A!U!S!A!
Moving. Who Doesn't Love It?
Moving. Who Doesn’t Love It?
So <I>Stereophile</I> has once again moved, fortunately only three floors down in the same building this time out.
More James Brown Fallout
Watched James Brown's widow Tomi (not Tammy, she’s touchy), on <I>Larry King</I> last nite. Larry, who was at low ebb last nite and looked real bored by being used as a platform in a marriage dispute, wasn't buying any of it. Larry, bad manicure and all, looks like he's interviewed enough grieving, flaky–as–hell rock star widows.