The Go-Betweens: The house that Jack Kerouac built - Video

What can I say? I just couldn't resist after seeing Robert...



PS
You can find news on Forster's forthcoming (!)album here. Great news.

Robyn Hitchcock: I Often Dream Of Trains

Something old and new at the same time from the Robyn Hitchcock catalogue has just been released: "I wanna go backwards", a box with albums of the oxfordian from the early 80's with rare songs, outtakes etc. This made me feel like going backwards too, specifically to what is considered by many his best LP as a solo artist (meaning that the Soft Boys'"Underwater Moonlight"' is nearly everybody's favourite), this "I often dream of trains".
Also, I banged into it while watching a beautifully made documentary on Hitchcock, BBC4's "Sex, food, death..", I saw the title track's video (which you find down here, btw), and realised that "I often..." (the song) must have one of the best arpeggios ever.
Anyway, this is not the IODOT that you can find in the box, but the 1995 CD edition...Although I think I'll soon make up my mind and go buy "I wanna go backwards" as well... In the meantime enjoy this

I Often Dream Of Trains

Learn more on RH @ FoxyTunes
Or @ his Official Site
Or read Pitchfork's review of "I Wanna Go Backwards"

The Go-Betweens:The Acoustic Stories (the MP3's)

I assume many of you, if you are go-betweens' fans, already know the "That striped sunlight sound"DVD, which is divided into two sections: one the proper concert, and two the Acoustic Stories part, where Robert and Grant talked about their career and performed 11 songs out of it in splendid stripped-down acoustic versions. I had been looking for the MP3's of that acoustic performance for a long time but with no luck, then I finally rolled up my sleeves, found the right software and did it myself: it took me some time so I really hope you appreciate it.
I have also decided to create two zip files: one with the "complete"acoustic stories (including all the talks inbetweens songs), and one songs-only.
All of it @ 192k.

Tracklist:

1. Lee Remick
2. Cattle and Cane
3. Part Company
4. Bachelor Kisses
5. Head Full of Steam
6. Bye Bye Price
7. Dive for Your Memory
8. German Farm House
9. Too Much of One Thing
10. Here Comes the City
11. Finding You

The Acoustic Stories
The "Complete" Acoustic Stories

Best of 2007 (& You Let Me Down List)

It took me some time but I've eventually made it...

1-Radiohead: In Rainbows
Being the best band in the world helps, you know.

2-Arcade Fire: Neon Bible
It was hard to beat the blietzkrieg success of "Funeral", but they somehow maneged to make it. I so intensely hope they're going to keep up the good work (and make my dream come true: be the "new" Radiohead. Be so important, so connected to the audience, to the zeitgeist).

3-Low: Drums And Guns
I saw Alan Sparhawk freak out on stage and got how deep this album cut into his brain, into his sould, and how this is not only rock'n'roll, this is no pose. This music is important, it's true.

4-Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever Ago
This man took me by surprise: come out of the blue and with the most impressive and emotional songs a songwriter has penned in quite a long time. Yeah, the names of Elliot Smith and maybe even Leonard Cohen come to mind. I do hope we'll hear from him real soon.

5-John Doe: A Year In The Wilderness
I listened to this so many times that I think I know all the lyrics like a teenager would. Great man too, saw him and talked to him a couple of months ago. And he doesn't make me regret his X days.

6-Panda Bear: Person Pitch
One of 2007's best surprises: I hadn't paid attention to Animal Collective much, mainly because I never really dug their first album, so when I listened to Panda I was totally blown away. The beach boys, one of the best productions (the sounds are modern but yet so warm)...all the good things contained in these compositions will probably make this a huge album also 10 or more years from now.

7-LCD Soundsystem: Sound Of Silver
I liked his first thing, no doubt about it (I'm all for the analogic you know, except for some artists that really lead me to believe they are some geniuses...), but S.O.S. (is it intended?) definetely convinced me he is the one of the few out there who play dance/elctronic stuff worth the buy.

8-Spoon: Ga Ga Ga Ga
Best indie guitar band of the year.

9-Animal Collective: Strawberry Jam
Same as Panda Bear. More or less.

10-The National: Boxer
Because of that voice. Because of a couple of songs like "Fake empire" and "Start a war".

11-Scout Niblett: This Fool Can Die Now
These days it's hard not to put in a list of the best music around some album with Bonnie "Prince" Billy. He's Midas. Niblett's never been so good though.

12-Okkervil River: The Stage Names
Second best indie guitar band of the year.

13-New Pornographers: Challengers
They make me whistle, holler, sing out loud. And they have Neko Case: my fave indie gal when Chan's not to be seen.

14-Tinariwen: Aman Iman
Love the guitars.

15-Tori Amos: American Doll Posse
Can a Tori Amos' album be still good with scarce piano-driven music in it? . "American..." proves it can.

16-Prince: Planet Earth
He still makes me dance like it's 1999... And I know the lyrics kinda suck, but heck, he's never been no Randy Newman. Anyway by far the best thing he has done since the -much- underrated "Rainbow Children". And before that we have to go waaaaaaaay back.

17-Richard Thompson: Sweet Warrior
He is -probably- my favourite guitar player. No doubt he has written better songs (and the old LP's with Linda make me want to grab my guitar and cry because I'll never be that good, not in a million years..), but still "Dad's gonna kill me" did the trick.

18-The Shins: Wincing The Night Away
I don't know...I absolutely loved the first two, so maybe I didn't give it enoght time. Yet it is hard not to find Mercer music meaningful on a craft basis.

19-Joss Stone: Introducing
I know it's not your indie cup of tea. But -although I may be the only person on Earth to think it way- "Introducing" IMHO is almost as good as "The Soul Sessions". She's not cool? I'm sure your average music critics will declare Amy uncool as well in a couple of years.

20-Alela Diane: The Pirate's Gospel

My favourite (post-new-pre etc etc) folkster of the year.
My favourite (post-new-pre etc etc) folkster of the year.

And now the all new...

YOU LET ME DOWN list:
(In no particular order)

-Bruce Springsteen: Magic
-Interpol: Our Love To Admire
-Giardini Di Mirò: Dividing Opinions
-The Stooges: The Weirdness

-Sophia: Technology Won't Save Us

-Smashing Pumpkins: Zeitgeist

-Wilco: Sky Blue Sky [And to Jeff: Why? Why this lame -and boring- album? I had to see it coming from the awkward title, I suppose...]

PS
Big surprise for Go-Betweens'fans @ the next post.

Western Electric: S/t

Sid Griffin was the leader of the great Long Ryders, which gave some excellent Paisley Underground albums to the history of rock and roll, and after the band split he embarked on a career as a solo artist but gave birth to two new bands as well, one being the bluegrass-oriented Coal Porters, and the other being this one, the Western Electric, whose only result was this self-titled album. What they play is basically the good old rock'n' roll with some country in it (Gram Parsons' ghost is rarely absent when it comes to Sid Griffin's oeuvres), but they don't despise some programming, and some drum machines (!) in the mix.
This may not be his Griffin's best effort(the Long Ryders' days are hard to beat), but at least he gave us an "Emily in ginger", a little masterpiece, and a perfect example of what a simple chord progression (and a far less than complex guitar arrengement) can do. The video speaks for itself.

More about Sid Grffin @ FoxyTunes.



Western Electric

Happy New Year, everyone (with Radiohead webcast)

...and I'll be back soon with Go-Betweens' bootlegs, and I think Rain Parade, Sid Griffin, and (I ought to, you know that) my Best Of 2007 list.