R’s mini book review post below inspired me to note briefly the CD’s that’re spinning in my car at the moment. I’m in CD mode because I can’t get to the archive just now, so my iPod is empty. It’s balls.

Anyway, here’s the rundown, and some impressions :

Minus the Bear : Menos el Oso
- I frickin love Minus the Bear… i still listen to Highly Refined Pirates and the rest on a regular basis, so I really was looking forward to this record. Happily, it’s an outstanding record, and I’ve listened to it quite a few times. That being said, it lacks a certain quality from the other records that’s a little hard to pin down. The best I can come up with is that it’s just less “fun” than the others. That’s totally ambiguous, I know, but it’s the best I can do for now. At any rate, I guess you could say it was a little disappointing, but just barely. Hooray is my favorite track, for multiple reasons. Check it.

Constantines : Tournament of Hearts
- Initial snap judgement is that it’s not as compelling as Shine a Light, but it’s certainly not bad. I have to listen a few more times, but nothing stuck right out, which is a contrast with Shine, where I immediately had a number of songs stuck in my head.

Regina Spektor : Live at Bull Moose EP
- Unsurprisingly, quite good. It’s short, only 5 tracks, but most of them aren’t on Soviet Kitch, so it’s worth having (especially for 4 bucks… thanks, Don!). Of course, if you don’t have any of her work, you need to adjust that deficiency immediately. That’s an order.

Jawbox : Jawbox
- Um, yeah. Bought it to replace a copy I used to have (on cassette!) and couldn’t stop listening. Classically important work. Fucking great. Own it.

Brad Mehldau Trio : Day is Done
- More of the same from Brad. Not that that’s a bad thing… they do what they do really well, and if they happen to seem obsessed with Radiohead and the Beatles, well, can you blame them? Knives Out (Radiohead) is the opener and really outstanding, but I’m a big fan of the title track, which is a Nick Drake song originally. If you’ve got other Brad Mehldau cd’s, there’s no reason not to add this one.

Bloodhound Gang : Hefty Fine
- Yeah, it’s a guilty pleasure. As always, catchy pop songs that can’t be played on the radio or MTV. I need to exchange my copy for one that isn’t fucking censored though. Honestly, it should be illegal to sell censored CD’s that don’t have a giant label indicating such. On top of which, as retarded as censorship usually is, it’s doubly so here. They blank out the word “shit” and “fuck”, but of course leave untouched the track Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo, which (if the title didn’t indicate) is literally a sting of crass euphemisms for genitals and their supported interactions. I mean, really. Sell the record or don’t (cough WalMart cough) but there just isn’t a “kid friendly” version of it. Deal.

The Bad Plus : Suspicious Activity?
- Good, as always. In particular (and to my great surprise) I really like the (Theme from) Chariots of Fire. It’s remarkably well done.

Juliana Hatfield : Made in China
- Talk about a record I was excited to buy. We have every single Juliana Hatfield record that exists as far as I know. Wait, no, we don’t have Juliana’s Pony. Or, we wouldn’t even if such a record existed which, I submit, it does not. Anyway, it’s entirely possible that this is her finest record. That’s a tough thing to really certify for an artist with so many records. I mean, can you really even put “Become What You Are” on the same ground? Probably not, but when I say I like this record, I really, mean it. If the record as a whole isn’t at the top, certain of the songs here are way up there. The record starts strong and stays interesting right up until the last track, in which Juliana pushes her penchant for repetition *way* beyond the point where I can tolerate it. It’s really just bad, and mars what is otherwise almost flawless. Fortunately, it’s at the end, where it’s easy to skip. All in all, highly recommended.

Monday, October 17th, 2005 @ 11:33 pm Music, Records
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