Music Recommendations from Chandler
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THE MUFFS- Simple recipe: one
part Ramones, one part Shirelles = heaven! All the Muffs albums are
great, except "Alert Today Alive Tomorrow" -the only group my wife
likes as much as the Beatles.
Website: http://www.the-muffs.com/
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PAOLO CONTE - "The Best Of Paolo
Conte" (Nonesuch)
Website: http://www.swonderful.net/
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CAETANO VELOSO - lots of great
stuff -try the soundtrack to "Tieta Do Agreste" (Blue Jackal) or
"Omaggio a Federico e Giulietta" (Nonesuch)
Website: http://www.caetanoveloso.com.br/
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JOLIE HOLLAND - "Catalpa" - a
little spotty, low rent, quiet, folky - a gorgeous voice, some magical
moments.
Website: http://www.jolieholland.com/
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JOANNA NEWSOME - "The Milk-eyed
Mender" - A strange, brave singer who never succumbs to trying to sound
pretty -plays harp (not harmonica -harp!), too. Again, a little spotty,
but she's an interesting lyricist, and the good stuff is compelling and
original.
Website: http://www.walnutwhales.com/
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GERAINT WATKINS - "Dial 'W' For
Watkins" (Yep Roc) -features a
rather astounding Louis Prima-style version of "Heroes and Villains" -a
pal of Nick Lowe, who also appears.
Website: http://home7.swipnet.se/~w-69550/
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THE WHO - "My Generation" and
"The Who Sell Out" re-issues (Polydor)-lots of great extra stuff on
both; "The Who Sell Out" is probably in my top 5 or so of all time.
Website: http://www.thewho.net/
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SANDIE SHAW - "The Collection"
(Telly Disc) -great Brit-imitation Bacharach.
Website: http://www.sandieshaw.com/
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more, quick: Cotton Mather, Don Byron (start w. "Bug" on
Nonesuch), Sam Phillips, the Roches, Wilco, Polyphonic Spree,
Peter Blegvad,
Darlene Love, Randy Newman, Patty Larkin, THE KINKS, DAMMIT!
etc., etc... |
OF MONTREAL- "Satanic Panic in
the Attic" (Polyvinyl) -
I've been a big fan of these guys since day
one. Lead singer/songwriter Kevin Barnes may always be too whimsical
for his own good, but he's been dependably brilliant and surprising for
about ten albums now (favorites: "The Gay Parade" (Bar None),
Coquelicot Asleep in the Poppies" (Kindercore) and "The Bedside
Drama A
Petite Trgedy" (Kindercore).
Website: http://www.ofmontreal.net/
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NRBQ- "The Best of NRBQ - Stay
With We" (Columbia/Legacy)
- dpendably brilliant and surprising for
about 35 years now. I just saw a reunion show in Northampton that
featured pretty much all band members, past and present, that really
couldn't've been better. Fans who are
unfamiliar with the original line-up are missing out on something
amazing; of course, their new album, "Dummy" (Edisun), is pretty much
fun, too. (Other faves: "Kick Me Hard", "Tapdancin' Bats", and "Scraps"
(both on Rounder); and "Live at
Yankee Stadium" (originally on
Mercury)- all wunnerful, lots more, too.
Website: http://www.nrbq.com/
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THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS- "Electric
Version" (Matador/Mint) - great, loud pop; liked
their first one, too
(though I wish I had a clue what they were singing about more of the
time.)
Website: http://wwwthenewpornographers.com/
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GEOFF MULDAUR's Futuristic
Ensemble- "Private Astronomy - A Vision of the Music of Bix
Beiderbecke" (Deutsche
Grammophon/Edge Music) - I don't know much about Bix, but between
this and
Ry Cooder's "Jazz" (which featured some of the same compositions), I'm
getting pretty curious. This and the last LIZ PHAIR album ("Liz
Phair", on Capitol) were tied for my favorite albums
of 2003, and this is a much less guilty pleasure. The heart of this
album is as gorgeous and unclassifiable as it was 75 years ago, and
there's some nice cameos from Loudon and Martha Wainwright.
Website: http://www.geoffmuldaur.com/
To learn more about Bix Beiderbecke, visit the Bix
Beiderbecke Resources website.
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BRUCE HAACK, Esther Nelson, and
Dimension 5 Records - "Listen Compute Rock Home" (Emperor Norton)- my
fake son just gave me this one yesterday, and I'm still trying to
figure it out. As far as I can tell, most of it was recorded in the
sixties and seventies, a lot of it for a
children's album, and it involves narration, sound effects, electronic
music.. uh.... very playful, and very different. Yup, these people are
nuts.
Website: http://www.brucehaack.com/
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LIGHTNING BOLT - "Ride the
Skies" (Load Records) -the
most
gleefully maniacal and anarchic piece of noise/art rock in ages.
Website: http://www.loadrecords.com/bands/bolt.html
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SHARI ELF - "I'm Forcing
Goodness Upon You" -daffy
primitive artist on holiday, with some inspired moments -like this
verse from "Tenderness vs. Watering the Lawn Backwards":
"I met the man of my dreams in the "Making Vases From
Wallpaper Scraps" art class
We exchanged wallpaper samples
I borrowed his glue and he borrowed my scissors
He has everything I want in a man
Everything I want and more, stuff I don't want"
-I rest my case.
Website: http://www.sharielf.com/ |
BOB DYLAN - "Love and Theft"
(Columbia) -this one is
truly exceptional, magical, nonchalant, funny,
soulful, and as good as anything he's ever done, thus indispensible...
Website: http://www.bobdylan.com/
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DUKE ELLINGTON - "Highlights
from the Duke Ellington Centennial Edition (1927 - 1973)" (RCA, 3
discs) -Speaking of indispensible -a wonderful place to start (or
finish.) All the Dylan adjectives apply here as well.
Website: http://www.dukeellington.com/
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LIZ JANES - "Done Gone Fire"
(Asthmatic Kitty Records)
-lonely, weird folk music, nicely sung.
Website: http://www.industrialbeauty.com/lizjanes/main.html
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RUFUS WAINWRIGHT - "Want One"
(Dreamworks) -still
sings a little too gorgeous for his own good, but
this is the best yet (the others are good, too.)
Website: http://www.rufuswainwright.com/
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KOMEDA - ""Pop Pa Svenska / Plan
714 Till" (Minty Fresh)
-Swedish group's third U.S. release is made up
of their first album and an EP, both from the early 90's, sung entirely
in Swedish, mostly by Lena Karlsson; very poppy, with interesting chord
voicings and time signatures.
Website: http://www.komeda.se/
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BOB & RAY - anything.
They're the best.
Website: http://www.bobandray.com/
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