Everclear has returned with a new set of tuneful pragmatism entitled Slow Motion Daydream. No new tale to tell here — Art Alexakis’ songs have always been immediately recognizable, momentarily hummable, and ultimately forgettable. However… On a recent road trip, after Q106.5’s kick-ass ZZ Top classic rock block made way for the Pro Tool’d synthesis of Nirvana and Candlebox (Nirvandleba?) that is Seether’s “Fine Again,” I hit scan, eventually landing in the midst of a yammering modern rock DJ’s back announcement. He was giving props out to a new song from Everclear called “Volvo Driving Soccer Mom.” I cataloged the information in my head (Everclear/new song/impossibly stupid name/I still hate “I Will Buy You A New Life”), and scanned until I caught the tail end of Kiss’ “Beth.” But a funny thing happened a few minutes later. I heard “Volvo Driving Soccer Mom” on a different station. It was recognizable, and it was hummable. But ultimately, I wanted to forget because it hit too close to home.
We Aren’t the World
The current contretemps associated with the possibility of ½ of the band formerly known as “The Doors” reappearing as “The Doors”—when, perhaps, they ought to be retitled something like “The Dutch Doors,” indicating their partialness—was brought to mind when I was reading a piece in the March 13, 2003, issue of The Wall Street Journal. Specifically, I thought of the Lizard King, the incident from many, many years ago (the Early Middle Age of Rock, as it were), when he reportedly released his lizard while on stage during a performance in Florida. Naturally, the authorities became involved and led him away in cuffs. Some people interpreted this response as still another instance of “The Man” clamping down on the spirit of rock and roll. We had—and I suspect that the present tense of that verb holds, as well—no idea what “clamping down” means. In fact, in many other places on the planet, there might have been some actual clamps applied to his equipment prior to its (i.e., the equipment’s) removal.
I Saw the Light: A Glorious Noise Contest
I think everyone knows where I stand on Tim Rutili and his gang of urban mountainmen hellbent on rustic pop and grainy images. From his work with Red Red Meat to the collaboration on my pick for 2002’s album of the year from Ugly Casanova, I am a fan through and through. With that, I am eagerly awaiting the release of Quicksand / Cradlesnakes, the new Califone album due out March 18.
Taking a step further from the critically hailed Roomsound, Quicksand / Cradlesnakes walks the same shadowed path with a nod to Michigan Girls and Leon Spinx along the way.
Enter the contest and win a copy for yourself.
History’s Greatest Hits
Paul Robinson is a frequent contributor to GLONO’s message boards and reviews.
There used to be this cool comic book back in the 80’s called Aztec Ace, which featured a time-traveling hero getting into all kinds of adventures a la Dr. Who (except he was much cooler). Among other things, he had a massive Wurlitzer jukebox filled with history’s greatest hits. From Gregorian chants to Dion & the Belmonts, it was all in there, the greatest music of all time. I always loved that idea, having a massive collection of music in one package. Of course, back in 1985 no one could have foreseen MP3’s (or iPods). Now everyone can have history’s greatest jukebox everywhere you go, and that’s changed everything.
New Beastie Boys Anti-War Song
The Beastie Boys have released a brand new anti-war song, “In A World Gone Mad…,” on their official site. Click here to download. Here are the lyrics.
“This song is not an anti-American or pro-Saddam Hussein statement. This is a statement against an unjustified war.” – Adam Horovitz
A Direct Hit: And Yes I Do Want to Be Free
Cat Power – You Are Free (Matador)
A) I feel like I’ve already raved quite a bit about Cat Power on this site, and b) I feel like I rave too much in general. So how should I write about a record I already love but I’m self-conscious about raving about?
I emailed Jake Brown, my editor, that I was having trouble writing this review because I feel foolish (come along, fool) to rave about Cat Power one more time. I wish I was Lester Bangs, I said, and he said, “Make a lot of coffee and type non-stop until you have 3,000 words.” So I am. This is it.
Cat Power – You Are Free
Cat Power – You Are Free (Matador)
This album was covered on the main site. Read the article here.
Michael Jackson Is Weird: So Fucking What?
Dear Ulric,
A beautiful thing happened to me this weekend and I thought of you. You’re one of the only people I know who will fully appreciate the magic…
With all the Michael Jackson bashing lately everywhere you look, and I’ll admit that he seems to make it pretty easy, I got to thinking about the music. And how everybody has all of a sudden accepted as fact that Off the Wall is a great album, and that Thriller was a real classic. “And it was all downhill from there,” the story goes, as MJ got weirder and weirder and the headlines started focusing on his skin color and his chimps rather than his music.
A good article about Michael Jackson
Finally. Something intelligent written about Michael Jackson.
Out of the Cradle, Endlessly Rocking
It was Wordsworth, I seem to recall, who suggested that we all start out as radicals and end up as conservatives. This notion came to mind as a result of a comment that was made by GloNo‘s sab with regard to my piece on Hall & Oates. Actually, it was one phrase: “I’m not convinced.” Which led me to think about what it takes to actually convince someone about something as personal as music.
In the case of Wordworth’s observation, I think that what he was saying is that there is a tendency, when we are young, to be different than those who have gone before us. This difference manifests itself in a number of ways, from the clothes we wear to the books we read to the music that we listen to. In each of these cases (clothes, books, music), it is typically because there are new designers, new writers and new musicians that we have the opportunity to select new things. And so we do. Compared with what our elders wear, read and audit, this is seemingly “radical.” Just as what they had selected was perceived to be that in their earlier days.
What happens, of course, is that as time goes on, the “new” things that we have brought onto our own become dated. They are no less “radical” in and of themselves, but when they are considered in a wider context, a context that contains the works of new designers, writers and musicians, they become perceived to be conservative.