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
June 05, 2007
New Album Releases, 6-5-2007: Porter Wagoner, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen We get an unusually rich bounty of new albums this week. Top intriguing pick for us hicks is Wagonmaster by Porter Wagoner. Brother Porter is one of the most famous country singers ever because of his 20 year tv series, yet is probably one of the most underrated artistically.
He's a couple of months short of 80 years old, but it looks like ol' boy still knows how to get his freak on with some Bible beating, Southern goth, and some serious mental disturbance. This album features a song called "Committed To Parkview" which Johnny Cash wrote for him years ago after finding that they had both spent time in the same Nashville detox center. The album was produced by Marty Stuart, and also includes a contribution from Porter's classic banjo picker Buck Trent. "My Many Hurried Southern Trips" was co-written with his old partner Dolly Parton. FULL WAGONMASTER REVIEW
The biggest talk has been for Paul McCartney's Memory Almost Full, partly because it's Macca and partly because it launches a new Starbucks record label. I don't care much about those machinations, but his last album was easily the best thing he'd put out in 20 years. He started work on this album in 2003, took a break for the completely separate Chaos And Creation In The Backyard album that came out in 2005, and came back to this. According to his note included on the Amazon page, he figures about half the songs were written pre-Chaos and half after. Note that McCartney plays all the instruments himself except for some string sections.
Bruce Springsteen with the Sessions Band Live in Dublin has 23 songs on two CDs, and there's also a DVD version. [Note that the DVD is cheaper than the CDs.] The Sessions Band rates higher musically in my book than the E Street Band. I'm particularly interested in hearing what they've done with "Blinded by the Light." Amazon reviewer Scott Holter compares this performance of "Jesse James" to prime time 1980s Pogues. That surely sounds promising.
Anchored in Love: A Tribute to June Carter Cash was produced by John Jr, and features a strong crop of June lovers including Willie Nelson, Ralph Stanley, Loretta Lynn and Billy Joe Shaver. Best of all, for her top key hit "Ring of Fire," we get Elvis Costello.
Good Girl Gone Bad is Rihanna's third album. I know she's a big name, but I can't remember any of her songs. But she's real popular, and she sure is cute. Plus, all the reviews I'm seeing have been gushing about how good it is.
Boo! There's a new Marilyn Manson album, Eat Me, Drink Me. He's one of the sorriest excuses for a "rock star" ever. Judging from his records, he's never particularly had any interest in even trying to be an actual musician or composer. His career has never been anything more than faux-shocking shtick to scare the straights. Ooh, Satanism! Elvis Costello wrote a summary of Manson's future career while Brian Hugh Warner was still in grade school. "How many times can you jump out of the cupboard before someone gets suspicious or someone gets discovered?" Still, the guy puts a lot of effort into being "controversial," so I want to throw him a bone. Therefore, I note for the record that I am deeply disturbed, shocked and offended by Marilyn Manson.
Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons made a BUNCH of hits in the 60s and 70s. They were the prime competition for the Beach Boys no less back in the day, but they just don't get proper respect these days. The excellent Rhino three CD + DVD combo Jersey Beat: Music of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons will put you right on that count.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases, courtesy AMG:
Cowboy Troy Black in the Saddle Warner Bros./Raybaw Pop-Rap, Rap-Rock, Contemporary Country
Paul McCartney Memory Almost Full Hear Music Album Rock, Pop/Rock
Rihanna Good Girl Gone Bad Def Jam Dance-Pop, Urban
Shellac Excellent Italian Greyhound Touch & Go Indie Rock, Noise-Rock, Post-Hardcore
The Afghan Whigs Unbreakable: A Retrospective 1990-2006 Rhino Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Rock
The Aggrolites Reggae Hit L.A. Hellcat Ska Revival, Contemporary Reggae, Reggae-Pop
Martha Argerich Live from the Lugano Festival 2006 EMI Chamber Music Festival Highlights
Big & Rich Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace Warner Bros. Contemporary Country
Bonde do Role With Lasers Domino Alternative Dance, Club/Dance, Indie Electronic
James Brown Gold Polydor Funk, Soul, R&B
James Brown Jazz Verve Funk, Soul, Standards, Jazz Blues, Soul-Jazz, Ballads
Chris Cornell Carry On Suretone/Interscope Post-Grunge, Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Singer/Songwriter
Daddy Yankee El Cartel: The Big Boss El Cartel/Interscope Reggaeton
Matthew Dear Asa Breed Ghostly International Indie Electronic, Experimental Techno, Club/Dance
Dream Theater Systematic Chaos Roadrunner Neo-Prog, Progressive Metal, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock
Thomas Fehlmann Honigpumpe Kompakt Experimental Techno, Techno, Ambient Techno
Frank Foster Manhattan Fever Blue Note Hard Bop, Soul-Jazz
David Fray David Fray Plays Bach & Boulez Virgin Classics Baroque and Contemporary Piano Music
Get Him Eat Him Arms Down Absolutely Kosher Indie Rock
Tord Gustavsen Trio Being There ECM Chamber Jazz, Contemporary Jazz
Barbara Hendricks Nordic Songs EMI Post-Romantic and Modern Vocal Music
Andrew Hill Change Blue Note Avant-Garde Jazz, Post-Bop
Etta James Jazz Verve Vocal Jazz, Jazz-Pop, Ballads, Soul-Blues, R&B
Junior Boys So This Is Goodbye [Deluxe Edition] Domino Indie Electronic, Alternative Dance
Ladybug Transistor Can't Wait Another Day Merge Indie Pop, Chamber Pop
Suzie LeBlanc Tout passe: Chants d'Acadie Atma Classique Traditional Canadian Vocal Music
The Long Blondes Someone to Drive You Home Rough Trade Indie Pop, Indie Rock
The Loose Salute Tuned to Love Graveface Indie Pop, Alternative Country-Rock
Marilyn Manson Eat Me, Drink Me Nothing/Interscope Industrial Metal, Alternative Metal, Heavy Metal
James Pugh X over Trombone Albany Modern and Contemporary Trombone Concertos
Pelican City of Echoes Hydra Head Post-Rock/Experimental, Instrumental Rock
Pissed Jeans Hope for Men Sub Pop Post-Hardcore, Noise-Rock
Poison Poison'd! Capitol Hard Rock
The Police The Police A&M Album Rock, Pop/Rock, New Wave
Pretenders Get Close [Bonus Tracks] Sire/Rhino Album Rock, Pop/Rock, New Wave, Hard Rock, Rock & Roll, Soul
Pretenders Learning to Crawl [Bonus Tracks] Sire/Rhino Album Rock, Pop/Rock, New Wave, Rock & Roll, Hard Rock
Rjd2 The Third Hand [Instrumental] XL Underground Rap, Left-Field Hip-Hop, Indie Electronic, Alternative Rap
Carina Round Slow Motion Addict WME/Interscope Indie Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Singer/Songwriter
Sean Na-Na Family Trees Or: Cope We Must Dim Mak Indie Pop, Indie Rock
Jimmy Smith Straight Life Blue Note Hard Bop, Soul-Jazz
Bruce Springsteen with the Sessions Band Live in Dublin Columbia Pop/Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Rock & Roll
Stroke 9 The Last of the International Playboys Rock Ridge Post-Grunge
Marty Stuart Compadres: An Anthology of Duets Superlatone/Universal New Traditionalist, Bluegrass, Contemporary Country, Traditional Bluegrass, Americana, Progressive Bluegrass
They Shoot Horses Don't They Pick Up Sticks Kill Rock Stars Experimental Rock, Indie Rock
Tiger Army Music from Regions Beyond Hellcat Punk-Pop, Punk Revival, Psychobilly
Trembling Blue Stars The Last Holy Writer Elefant Indie Pop, Indie Electronic
True West Hollywood Holiday Revisited Atavistic American Underground, Paisley Underground, Neo-Psychedelia, Alternative Country-Rock
Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons Jersey Beat: Music of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons Rhino Doo Wop, Pop, Teen Idol
Various Artists Anchored in Love: A Tribute to June Carter Cash Dualtone Alternative Country, Contemporary Country
Various Artists Eccentric Soul: The Prix Label Numero Chicago Soul, Soul, Deep Soul, R&B, Northern Soul, Pop-Soul
Various Artists Monterey International Pop Festival [Razor & Tie/Starbucks] Razor & Tie Pop/Rock, Psychedelic, Hard Rock, Blues-Rock, Deep Soul, Southern Soul, Folk-Rock
Various Artists Warped Tour: 2007 Compilation Side One Dummy Skatepunk, Punk Revival
Various Artists We All Love Ella: Celebrating the First Lady of Song Verve Vocal Jazz, American Popular Song, Crossover Jazz, Mainstream Jazz
Von Sudenfed Tromatic Reflexxions Domino Alternative Dance, Indie Rock, Indie Electronic, IDM
Porter Wagoner Wagonmaster Anti Traditional Country
Muddy Waters Breakin' It Up, Breakin' It Down Epic/Legacy Blues Revival, Electric Blues, Electric Chicago Blues, Chicago Blues
