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
April 24, 2007
New Album Releases, 4-24-2007: Mavis Staples, John Prine-Mac Wiseman, Arctic Monkeys, Lou Reed Top most promising sounding new item is Mavis Staples civil rights and gospel recounting, partly from her own experience from the scary youthful night spent in an Arkansas jail in the original song "My Own Eyes." The Staples family was all up in that civil rights era, and Sister Mavis is a gospel singin' fool besides. I'd be right interested in hearing those lungs wrapped around "Eyes on the Prize." Plus, this is produced by Ry Cooder, and has backing on some tracks by Ladysmith Black Mombazo.
Another interesting sounding new release this week comes from John Prine & Mac Wiseman, Standard Songs for Average People. They've apparently made a self-consciously old school Nashville sound country record with Jack Clement, covering things from "Pistol Packin' Mama" to Tom T Hall's "Old Dogs, Children & Watermelon Wine."
Lou Reed's Hudson River Wind Meditations comes to me listed in genres as "relaxation" and "spiritual." Reed has described it as music for meditation, but some have described it as a quiet counterpart to his infamous 1975 Metal Machine Music. In any case, it doesn't sound like anything that might reasonably be called "music." But then, you might want to go plunk down your money for some tuneless nonsense just to prove me wrong.
The Arctic Monkeys have their second album out this week, Favourite Worst Nightmare. On the strong buzz about this band, I was interested to watch their Saturday Night Live performance re-broadcast a few weeks ago. They looked real cool on stage, and all the groovy exotic instruments sure seemed impressive. Thing was, I couldn't quite remember the songs even while they were playing them. Maybe this second one will be a quantum leap compositionally, but they sure seem like their act is all style and no memorable compositional substance. On the other hand, this album ranks as high as #5 currently at Amazon. Personally, I'd actually prefer MCR.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases, courtesy AMG:
Arctic Monkeys Favourite Worst Nightmare Domino Indie Rock
Cornelius Sensuous WEA/Warner Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Electronic, Shibuya-Kei, Indie Rock
Dntel Dumb Luck Sub Pop Indie Electronic, Glitch, Experimental Techno, Downbeat, Indie Rock
The Nightwatchman One Man Revolution Epic Political Folk, Alternative Singer/Songwriter
Patti Smith Twelve Columbia Album Rock, Rock & Roll
Robin Williamson The Iron Stone ECM Improvisation, Structured Improvisation, Microtonal, Celtic Folk, British Folk, Avant-Garde, Traditional Folk
The Aliens Astronomy for Dogs EMI Neo-Psychedelia
Fred Anderson & Hamid Drake From the River to the Ocean Thrill Jockey Avant-Garde Jazz, Post-Bop, Modern Creative
The Band The Best of a Musical History [CD/DVD] Capitol Folk-Rock, Country-Rock, Rock & Roll, Album Rock, Pop/Rock
Bill Callahan Woke on a Whaleheart Drag City Sadcore, Indie Rock, Lo-Fi, Singer/Songwriter, Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Alternative Pop/Rock
The Cliks Snakehouse Tommy Boy/Silver Label Alternative Pop/Rock, Garage Rock Revival
Leonard Cohen Songs from a Room [Bonus Tracks] Columbia/Legacy Folk-Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Folk-Pop
Leonard Cohen The Songs of Leonard Cohen [Bonus Tracks] Columbia/Legacy Folk-Rock, Pop, Folk-Pop
Leonard Cohen Songs of Love and Hate [Bonus Tracks] Columbia/Legacy Folk-Rock, Singer/Songwriter
Detroit Cobras Tried and True Bloodshot Garage Rock Revival
Ibrahim Ferrer Mi Sueno World Circuit/Nonesuch Bolero, Latin Jazz
Fishbone Still Stuck in Your Throat Sound in Color Ska-Punk, Funk Metal, Alternative Pop/Rock
Front Line Assembly Fallout Metropolis Electro-Industrial, Industrial Dance, Industrial
Bebel Gilberto Momento Six Degrees Brazilian Pop, Bossa Nova, Downtempo
Golden Smog Blood on the Slacks Lost Highway Alternative Country-Rock, Indie Rock
Gus Gus Forever Groove Attack Electronica, Alternative Dance
Peter Harvey French Cantatas by Rameau and Campra Bis French Vocal Music
Colin Hay Are You Lookin' at Me? Compass Pop/Rock, Singer/Songwriter
Jean Michel Jarre Teo and Tea [Bonus DVD] Warner Club/Dance, Progressive Electronic, Electronic
Joe Ain't Nothin' Like Me Jive Urban, Contemporary R&B
Jonesy Ricochet: Pioneering in 1972-1973 El Prog-Rock/Art Rock, Obscuro, Psychedelic, Experimental Rock
Lifesavas Gutterfly Quannum Underground Rap, Alternative Rap, Hip-Hop
Lydian String Quartet Vincent Persichetti: The Four String Quartets Centaur Modern String Quartets
Magazine The Correct Use of Soap [2007 Expanded] EMI/Virgin Post-Punk, New Wave
Magazine Real Life [2007 Expanded] EMI/Virgin Post-Punk, New Wave
Magazine Secondhand Daylight [2007 Expanded] EMI/Virgin Post-Punk, New Wave
Maria McKee Late December Cooking Vinyl Americana, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Joanna Newsom and the Ys Street Band Joanna Newsom and the Ys Street Band EP Drag City Indie Rock, Folk-Rock
OOIOO OOEYEOO: Eye Remix Thrill Jockey Experimental Rock, Post-Rock/Experimental, Japanese Rock
Gottfried Rabl Hauer: Symphonic Works [Hybrid SACD] CPO Modern Orchestral Music
Vladimir Ziva Alla Pavlova: Symphony No. 5; Elegy Naxos Contemporary Orchestral Music
Nikolai Znaider Brahms: Complete Works for Violin and Piano RCA Red Seal Romantic Works for Violin & Piano
Donny Osmond Decades, Vol. 1: Love Songs of the 70's Decca Pop/Rock, Pop, Adult Contemporary
John Prine & Mac Wiseman Standard Songs for Average People Oh Boy Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Folk, Progressive Folk
REO Speedwagon Find Your Own Way Home Mailboat Album Rock, Arena Rock, Pop/Rock, Adult Contemporary
Joshua Redman Trio Back East Nonesuch Post-Bop
Lou Reed Hudson River Wind Meditations Sounds True Relaxation, Spiritual, Space, Meditation, Solo Instrumental
