Delta 5 – Singles and Sessions 1979-1981 (Kill Rock Stars)
With the current post-punk revival, it’s about time that some of this band’s legendary output become commercially available again. Everyone seems to think that “Mind Your Own Business” is their best tune, but while it’s great, my vote goes for the sublime “Now That You’re Gone”. If you like The Slits or Gang of Four, you won’t be disappointed.
Saint Etienne – Tales from Turnpike House (Savoy Jazz)
Apart from one song that’s a misguided take on Led Zeppelin-style hard rock, this is another terrific effort from a great band and after being out in the UK for months, it finally got a domestic release this past Tuesday, though in modified form.
Colin Meloy with Laura Veirs at Town Hall (New York) – Thursday, January 26, 2006
This was an excellent show featuring covers, songs by his old band Tarkio and of course old and new songs from The Decemberists catalog.
Rogue Wave – Descended Like Vultures (Sub Pop)
Over the last few months, I keep coming back to this record again and again. Infectious melodies, great songwritings and enough hooks for a fishing expedition are the order of the day here. If I would’ve heard this album sooner, it’s quite possible that it would’ve made
my Top 10 list for 2005 .
Field Music – Field Music (Memphis Industries)
This is a new band from the UK featuring members of The Futureheads and Maximo Park. However, they sound nothing like either of those bands. Instead, imagine an indie-pop band hopped up on Skylarking-era XTC, Something Else-era Kinks and a hint of The Shins (especially on the closing song, the stunning “You’re So Pretty”; trust me, this song will get stuck in your head for days).
In summation, if The Futureheads are like a modern-day version of XTC’s 1979 classic Drums and Wires, then perhaps Field Music is like a modern-day Skylarking or Oranges and Lemons, though that’s a bit too simplistic.
Grand Sichuan International
Before the Colin Meloy show last night, I had dinner there last night and it was fabulous.
Grand Sichuan is one of the few places that I know of where you can get authentic and very tasty Sichuan, Cantonese, Shanghai-style and (in their East Village) location Hunan-style food (as opposed to your typical Americanized Chinese fare) for a reasonable price. I can’t wait to go back!
Veronica Mars (Wednesday, UPN)
After a 6-week absence, this terrific show about a teenage private investigator returns and it’s as good as ever. Plus, I have to hand it to any show that uses Old 97’s “Four-Leaf Clover” (a duet with X’s Exene Cervenka) during a chase scene in Mexico gets bonus points from me.
Love Monkey (Tuesday, CBS)
This show is so bad that it’s almost good, though I still got a bit angry at myself for watching it again this past Tuesday, thinking “I just wasted another hour on my life on this crap”. Regardless, it’s fun to see how they ceaselessly namedrop and try to be hip and how they fail so badly on all counts. I could probably write a book on what’s wrong with this show.
The Nomi Song (Not Rated)
I knew only a little about Klaus Nomi before watching this wonderful documentary a few days ago, courtesy of Netflix. Along with offering a glimpse into Nomi’s all too brief life (he died of complications related to AIDS in 1982) and career and being a moving and heartfelt tribute, it made me wish that I was old enough to have experienced the culture of the East Village in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.
The Shout Out Louds – Howl Howl Gaff Gaff (Capitol)
This is another record that may have ended up on my Top 10 list for 2005 if I’d heard it earlier. Regardless, it’s an excellent indie-pop record with ‘80s influences (I hear The Cure and Jesus and Mary Chain) that are apparent, but that never overwhelm the band’s sound or the songs.
