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MUSIC
I buy a lot of CDs. And I live under the misconception that people care about my opinions. And I like to catalog things. Therefore I've decided to keep track of all the CDs I buy and what I think of them.
 


Sunday, May 02, 2004 :::

Me First by The Elected
Rating:

Why I bought it: It was at a listening station at Electric Fetus.

What I think about it: I love his CD, and it will probably be a five-star CD for me after more time with it, but I don't want to rate it too high right out of the gate because sometimes I end up getting sick of CDs that I love right off the bat. It sounds like Wilco mixed with Elliott Smith (which both make Dan shriek like a giddy schoolgirl in the Barbie aisle at Target) even though it teeters dangerously close to the twangiest regions of alt-country. This CD came out of nowhere for me, which is really exciting.

Song(s) worth a listen: Greetings in Braille; My Baby's a Dick ; A Time for Emily ; A Response to Greed

Listen at amazon.


::: posted by dan at 1:30 AM :: #
 

Enjoy Your Rabbit by Sufan Stevens
Rating:

Why I bought it: I've been into Sufjan lately after his last two CDs so I decided to try out a little of his earlier catalog.

What I think about it: This CD sucks ass and really makes me rethink my appreciation of Sufjan's music. It's an instrumental electronic concept album about the chinese zodiac. It's also boring and amaturish and downright unlistenable in parts. Trying to be different just for the sake of being different, he plops down annoying dissonant beeps and tweaks over a boring drum loop and then lets it roll for five minutes, culminating in a cacophony or random noise that is totally and unforgivably self-indulgent. That came out wordy and snooty as if I know what I'm talking about when I totally don't, but I do know that I hate this CD and everything it represents. Except the cover. I really like the cover. Sufjan should really stick to what he does best: conventional songwriting recorded with unconventional instrumentation.

Song(s) worth a listen: none

Listen at amazon.


::: posted by dan at 1:23 AM :: #
 

Out of Season by Beth Gibbons and Rustin Man
Rating:

Why I bought it: I love Portishead and she was the lead singer, so I've been planning to buy this import forever but it was always too expensive.

What I think about it: It's good. It has very little resemblance to Portishead, which I already knew, but it's quiet and balanced and easy to appreciate. It's not a stand-out album or groundbreaking (like Dummy was, for Portishead), but it's nothing to snicker at either. I'll mostly listen to it when I want quiet, soothing, maudlin music or when I'm depressed for no good reason. Her voice always kind of freaks me out, though. She sound like a pissed-off banshee, but somehow that works. This is the kind of CD I will like better each time I listen to it, so I should probably avoid rating it until I've had a few months with it, but I don't have the time for that kind of tomfoolery. Snap judgements are my bread and butter.

Song(s) worth a listen: Show; Sand River ; Romance

Listen at amazon.


::: posted by dan at 1:15 AM :: #
 

Good News for People Who Like Bad News by Modest Mouse
Rating:

Why I bought it: I really dig the cover design and it got good reviews and it came packaged with pretty buttons.

What I think about it: I've never really been a fan of Modest Mouse, not for lack of trying. It's just that their CDs seem so unfocused and disjointed, as if every song is written by a different person. Nothing seems to fit together. This CD pulls it together a little better than the last, but now they mostly just sound like the Talking Heads and The Flaming Lips rolled into one, which works really well on some songs and not at all on others. And that's what bothers me I guess: some songs are really great and others are total turdsville. It lacks any consistency in quality, but at least it's different, and like I said, when it's good, it's really good.

Song(s) worth a listen: The View ; Satin in a Coffin ; Float On

Listen at amazon.


::: posted by dan at 1:08 AM :: #


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