The Lonely Goatherd Blog And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats - Matthew 25:32
Up to the minute notes on the current state of free thinking and free living: Kentucky moonshine - original analysis and reporting from MoreThings, and all round pop culture museum of sight and sound - photo galleries, mp3 and video downloads.
Al Barger and MoreThings - getting people's goats since 1998.
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To explicitly state the obvious, these external links go to interesting and provocative websites, but they speak for themselves. I don't necessarily agree with anything they say - especially that no-goodnik Richard Marcus.
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All original content on MoreThings.com copyright 2008 Albert Barger or the respective authors
March 06, 2007
New Album Releases, 3-6-2007: Ry Cooder, Stooges, Mary Chapin Carpenter The main likely best pick in new album releases this week is My Name Is Buddy by Ry Cooder. The album has some kind of Animal Farm sounding storyline told through original Cooder songs in dustbowl style. The Amazon reviewer describes Buddy the cat thusly, "Buddy seems like a feline cross between Woody Guthrie and Joe Hill--a troubadour of union solidarity, interspecies brotherhood, and radical populism." For someone not known as a hitmaker, I note that this album rates as high as #12 currently at Amazon.
For you younguns what don't remember 1970, the Stooges were a pre-punk garage band with no discernible skills as composers or performers who made three albums of crap. Look, a chainsaw ripping through an old growth redwood has "raw power," but you wouldn't call it music. These guys wouldn't know a real song if it bit them in the ass, but David Bowie among other people who should have known better figured Iggy Pop as a brilliant primitive artist. Personally, I prefer the infamous Shaggs album, which at least had personality. Lacking any actual songs or skill though, the Stooges never had anything resembling a hit and broke up.
Still, what else have they got to do? Thirty odd years later, they've made a couple of albums while they wait around to die. Weirdness is their new one. Perhaps they have belatedly developed talent as composer and musicians.
For those wanting some literate folky country music with a social conscience, Mary Chapin Carpenter has a new album called The Calling.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases, courtesy AMG:
Air Pocket Symphony EMI/Virgin Ambient Pop, Trip-Hop
Arcade Fire Neon Bible Merge Post-Rock/Experimental, Indie Rock
Albert Hammond, Jr. Yours to Keep [US] New Line/Scratchie Indie Rock
Wynton Marsalis From the Plantation to the Penitentiary Blue Note Vocal Jazz, Post-Bop, Neo-Bop
The Stooges The Weirdness Virgin Detroit Rock, Hard Rock
!!! Myth Takes Warp Indie Rock
Alabama Thunderpussy Open Fire Relapse Alternative Metal, Stoner Metal
Gary Allan Greatest Hits MCA Nashville Contemporary Country, Neo-Traditionalist Country
Antibalas Security Anti Afro-Beat, Funk
Apostle of Hustle National Anthem of Nowhere Arts & Crafts Indie Rock
Bikeride The Kiss Shmamm! Indie Pop, Twee Pop, Chamber Pop
Maria Callas Verdi Heroines EMI Romantic Opera Arias
Mary Chapin Carpenter The Calling Zoe Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Country-Folk, Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Country
Johnny Cash Here Was a Man: The Ultimate Gospel Collection Columbia/Legacy Country Gospel, Traditional Country
Han-Na Chang Romance EMI Cello Showpieces
Consequence Don't Quit Your Day Job Good/Columbia/Red Ink Hip-Hop, Underground Rap, East Coast Rap
Ry Cooder My Name Is Buddy Nonesuch Contemporary Blues, Progressive Folk, Political Folk, New Acoustic
Joey DeFrancesco Live: The Authorized Bootleg Concord Post-Bop
Emmure Goodbye to the Gallows Victory Grindcore, Heavy Metal, Punk Metal, Alternative Metal
Finger Eleven Them vs. You vs. Me Wind-Up Post-Grunge, Alternative Metal, Hard Rock
Juan Diego Florez The Tenor Decca Great Tenor Arias
Christian Gerhaher Schubert: Abendbilder RCA Red Seal Romantic Vocal Music
Jeff Golub Grand Central Narada Jazz/EMI Crossover Jazz, Smooth Jazz
Gov't Mule The Benefit Concert, Vol. 2 Evil Teen Southern Rock, Hard Rock, Blues-Rock, Rock & Roll
The Greencards Viridian Dualtone Contemporary Bluegrass, Bluegrass, Americana
Higher On Fire Epitaph Emo, Alternative Pop/Rock
House of Fools Live and Learn Drive Thru Indie Pop, Indie Rock
Vijay Iyer & Mike Ladd Still Life with Commentator Savoy Jazz Political Rap, Underground Rap, Progressive Jazz, Modern Creative
Korn MTV Unplugged Virgin Alternative Metal, Heavy Metal, Post-Grunge
Little Axe Stone Cold Ohio Realworld Modern Electric Blues, Modern Acoustic Blues, Dub, Blues Gospel
Brad Mehldau Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz (Radio Broadcast) Jazz Alliance Standards, Post-Bop
The Moaners Blackwing Yalobusha Yep Roc Lo-Fi, Indie Rock
Shannon Moore Evaporate Water Music Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Pop/Rock
Neal Morse Sola Scriptura Metal Blade Neo-Prog, Christian Rock
My Brighest Diamond Tear It Down Asthmatic Kitty Dream Pop, Indie Rock
The Notorious B.I.G. Greatest Hits Bad Boy Hardcore Rap, East Coast Rap, Gangsta Rap, Hip-Hop, Pop-Rap
Anita O'Day Live in Tokyo '63 Kayo Stereophonic Vocal Jazz, Swing
Elvis Presley Elvis: Ultimate Gospel [Import Version] Sony/BMG Traditional Gospel, Country Gospel, Pop, Southern Gospel, Inspirational, Hymns
The Primary 5 Go Reaction Pop Underground, Indie Pop, Alternative Pop/Rock
Rjd2 The Third Hand XL Indie Electronic, Indie Pop, Left-Field Hip-Hop
Savoy Brown Steel Panache Album Rock, Hard Rock, Blues-Rock, British Blues
Nitin Sawhney The Namesake [Original Score] Rounder Original Score, Soundtracks, Indian Pop, Movie Themes, Electronica, Worldbeat, Indian Classical, Alternative Rap
Sevendust Alpha Asylum Alternative Metal, Heavy Metal, Industrial Metal
Shaw/Blades Influence VH1 Classic Hard Rock
Duncan Sheik Brighter: A Duncan Sheik Collection Atlantic/Rhino Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Pop/Rock, Singer/Songwriter
Son Volt The Search Transmit Sound/Legacy Alternative Country-Rock, Alternative Country, Americana
Maria Taylor Lynn Teeter Flower Saddle Creek Indie Rock
