Eels – Tomorrow Morning (E Works)
Strangest thing in the universe: A completely upbeat and optimistic Eels album. Because I can’t quite believe it, I keep listening. It’s sinking in by degrees. “I Like the Way This is Going.”
Eels – End Times (E Works)
This one is the other end of the spectrum. “Gloom, despair, and agony on me. Deep dark depression, execessive misery …” This album sets up Tomorrow Morning as the wildest mood swing ever.
Steve Hogarth – Natural Selection (Racket)
Live selections by the voice of Marillion. The arrangements are stripped to vocal and piano. Hogarth has never once made me miss Fish, and this showcase of his singular, evocative voice clearly demonstrates why. A cover of “Wichita Lineman” might not be what you expect from one of the leading lights in progressive music, but it’s beautifully effective. “When I meet God, I’m going to ask her what makes her cry? What makes her laugh? Is she just stars and indigo gas? Does she know why love has no end …”
Ray Charles – Genius + Soul = Jazz (Concord)
I reviewed this for BTO #67, and it’s the one that’s stuck in my player longest after the deadline. Includes “One Mint Julep,” a #8 hit from planet 1961 led by big band horns, Charles’ hepcat organ licks, and no vocal (except for that great band shout).
oh my god – The Night Undoes the Work of the Day (Split Red)
Chicago’s greatest theatrical, progressive, punk-schooled, organ-fronted pop trio/quartet/whatever they decide to be at the moment. This one has some beautiful piano playing by Ig and wounded, soulful vocals by Billy O’Neill on songs like “Bring Youself.” Even the more overtly lighthearted stuff like “Baby There’s Nothing Wrong (You Just Gotta Go to Work)” has bite. There’s even a chaotic, nearly unrecognizable cover of “One Thing Leads to Another” by the Fixx.
Talk Talk – Laughing Stock (?)
This weird, ambient jazz is the culmination of a new wave pop band’s deconstruction into something confounding, wholly original and mesmerizing. It’s been my favorite record for a decade.
Black Dub – Black Dub (Jive)
Fits nicely into Daniel Lanois‘ canon, even though Trixie Whitley‘s voice alone makes it sound completely different to Lanois’ solo-oriented work. It’s warm and dark, rough-hewn and unpolished in the best way. That dub bass will be familiar to listeners of Belladonna. If you liked The Good the Bad and the Queen, you might enjoy it, too.
The Call – Into the Woods (Elektra)
R.I.P., Michael Been – brilliant, mostly-unheralded songwriter. His band was called “The American U2” for a while during the 80’s, but Been had a lot more depth beyond great anthems like “The Walls Came Down” and “Oklahoma.” “The Woods” from this album is my favorite Call track, stirring and haunting. “Into the woods, I quietly go …”
In 3D – No Glasses Needed (Refuge)
I dusted off this vinyl platter from 1985 by an obscure northern Illinois band. The production is fairly dated, and there are more than a couple of songs where the band is deliberately aping Ghost in the Machine and Synchronicity-era Police, but despite being a little too close to the mark, I still love moody tracks like “Under My Umbrella” and “Lookin’ to You” and the Regatta de Blanc echoes of “Please No” or “It’s Up to You.” Less Police-derivative tracks like “Livin’ in the Real World,” “Just One Question” and “Can’t Stop” seem somewhat faceless by comparison, with more in common to mid-80s light pop-metal like Honeymoon Suite.
Mumble – Happy Living (Marathon)
RIYL: Guided By Voices, the Raspberries, Jellyfish, the Police, and Minus the Bear. Wonderfully skewed guitar-oriented pop excursions, and beautifully fractured lyrics. John Hawthorne‘s dark night of the soul has a few cracks of light showing here and there. Due November 6. I mixed this record. After hearing the songs countless times, I still enjoy them.
