Thursday, November 6th, 2003
Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key
In good keeping with my ongoing Billy Bragg fixation, I borrowed Man In The Sand from the library. It’s the film about the making of the Mermaid Avenue records by Bragg and Wilco, and while not the best documentary in the world, it still has merit. Simultaneously a biography of Woody Guthrie and the writing and recording of the albums, it offers some further insights into the life of the man and the process of selecting, arranging and recording what would become the two Mermaid Avenue albums. It also touches on the well-publicized tensions between Bragg and Wilco during the sessions, which seemed to centre on matters of final mixes and song selection. In the scenes where both Bragg and Wilco are actually working together to create the songs, they seem to be getting along just fine. Artists – what’re you gonna do. Most libraries should have this film available to borrow – it offers enough insights into the two albums to be worth requesting – but all in all, Bragg’s “Talkin’ Woody” tour was more entertaining.
NOW and eye both had chats with Belle & Sebastian about Dear Catastrophe Waitress in advance of Saturday night’s show at Massey Hall.
Cheeky monkeys. Check out Chopster – Lambchop’s new website. Look for their new albums (yes, plural) Aw, C’mon and No, You C’Mon to come out February 17th – the perfect ‘sorry I forgot Valentine’s Day’ gifts.
Starflyer 59 is nothing if not prolific. The follow-up to this year’s Old is entitled I Am the Portuguese Blues and will be released January 27.
Pitchfork has a review of Per Second Per Second Per Second… Every Second which either means that copies of the album DO exist and are circulating, or that PF is part of the conspiracy. It’s quite a positive review too, which actually makes me feel better as if anyone was going to tear apart a record that was too glossy or overproduced, it’d be them. I don’t expect to have the album before next week’s show, though. Even if I mail-ordered it today, there’s good chance it wouldn’t show up until after the concert. I’ll probably have to get it there.
np – Ted Leo & The Pharmacists / Tell Balgeary, Balgury Is Dead
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11/6/03 10:30 am
You have to figure that Pitchfork automatically adds 4 points or so if Fridmann is involved with an album, though.
11/6/03 4:23 pm
Oh, the album exists alright… I’m holding it in my hot little hands right now :)
11/6/03 4:51 pm
YOU’RE PART OF THE CONSPIRACY!!!
11/7/03 12:30 pm
another album cover featuring bare forearms. ENOUGH ALREADY!!
stop the insanity.