Oh lord, stuck in Lodi again

I think I've been putting off writing about today's album, Chronicle Volume 1, by Creedence Clearwater Revival because what can you really say about CCR? They're musical white bread. Everybody likes it and its a handy staple, but no one is passionate about white bread. Same with me and CCR.

There are some great CCR songs and I'm glad I have them. This album is a great way to pick up all those hits in one easy package. "Fortunate Son" and "Have You Ever Seen The Rain?" are songs everybody should own. I could do without the 11 minute version of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" though.

As far as I can tell, nobody owns Volume 2 of this collection. It's full of songs nobody's heard and only bills itself as "Twenty great CCR classics" as opposed to the "The 20 greatest hits." which would you get? Just get the one CD and consider yourself all stocked up on CCR.

**********

I got another album from lala.com today. It was The Traveling Wilburys, Volume 1 (hey, another "volume" album). The mail sure is fun these days. Anyway, I thought I'd take a look at some of the stuff I've traded to see if you guys think I got a good deal.

So these trades aren't exactly this simple. They're not one for one, you just make a list of what you want and hope somebody wants to get rid of it. But if it was a straight up trade it would look like this:

Pieces of You by Jewel for Exile in Guyville by Liz Phair
New Found Glory by New Found Glory for Talking Heads '77 by Talking Heads
Before These Crowded Streets by The Dave Matthews Band for Back in Black by AC/DC
The Spirit Room by Michelle Branch for Trouble by Ray LaMontagne
Drunk Enough to Dance by Bowling For Soup for Incesticide by Nirvana

So what do you think? Any giant Jewel fans out there who are outraged that I would trade away such a great recording? It was pretty easy to get rid of a handful of albums but I could see myself getting pickier as time goes by. I guess I could just trade away the new stuff I get. Right now, though, I'm just going to listen to "You Shook Me All Night Long" over and over on Declan.

New links!

Hey, look to your right! If you have a keen eye, you'll see that I've rearranged my links a little and added some new ones. Let's go over what we've got here.

Under "Other Blogs" you'll find a link to Summer's new blog. Summer is my oldest friend (not in age, we all know you get that honor, Shawn) and I've known her since I was 12 or so. I can't really remember anymore. She lives in the DC area and has a boyfriend that's always getting stopped by the cops (or something like that). Check out her blog, she's lovely.

Also, in the interest of organization, the blogs by people I've actually met are listed alphabetically by name. It's just easier that way.

Another new addition to "Other Blogs" is Philiminated. Maggie and her friend Jamie are watching "The Amazing Race" this season and writing about it. It's the best reality show ever and you should be watching it then reading their blog. That's just the way the world works now, people.

Under "Music Blogs" I've added a link to Jon's myspace page. It's not entirely music and not completely a blog, but Jon does have some of his very own songs posted for just anybody to listen to. They're pretty catchy. Jon is Josh's roommate so if you go to Jon's page and then Josh's (abandoned?) blog, it's exactly like living with them in New York. Exactly.

Finally, a few weeks ago I added a link under the "links" header. If you click on "speaking of cute..." you'll land at Cute Overload, a site devoted to nothing but cute pictures of cute animals. It always makes me feel better. My male readers should be sure to check out the "cats in racks" section of their site, too.

So that's what's new. If you have another suggestion for a link, let me know. Otherwise, these should keep you entertained for the time being.

I think I've heard enough of your familiar song

O.k., more on Oasis. Jeff and I had super nosebleed seats at the Taft Theatre, but the show was sold out so we should be grateful. We only caught a little of the opener, The Redwalls. They sounded British, but that's about all I can tell you about them.

So before the show started, I started thinking about my long and bumpy love affair with Oasis. They are probably destined to be my nostalgia band. They made the albums I lived to in high school and college and now I was about to see them in concert for the first time. I'd spent years defending them to my friends and the public at large. Sure, they're derivative but that doesn't mean they can't make good music. Sure they're jerks who fight all the time, but (see above).

I was also a little worried that time might have mellowed them. Maybe a little disappointment had humbled them. They once played to 250,000 at Knebworth and now they're at the Taft? That might take me down a notch.

Not to worry, though. They were just as I'd expected (or hoped?). Noel played the quiet, contrite and competent brother while Liam ranted and raved about some problem with the microphone. I didn't want them to play one song and then storm off stage but I didn't mind a hissy fit here and there. It was perfect!

I ran to the bathroom when Noel broke into "Mucky Fingers" off the new album. I stood in line and just as I reached the stall the band started up with "Wonderwall." It's not my favorite song but if you're going to an Oasis concert you really shouldn't miss it. I hurried to get back to my seat but the song was already half over. Just as I walked in, though, Liam stopped the song and insisted they start from the beginning. It had something to do with that mysterious microphone problem, but I like to think he did it for me.

They played for 90 minutes which isn't bad, but when you're used to U2 or Wilco or Elvis Costello, seems a little short. Jeff and I easily thought up another 30 minutes worth of songs they could have played. The new songs were really well received and there even seemed to be more confusion when they busted out stuff from Definitely Maybe. Jeff and I went nuts when they played "Cigarettes and Alcohol" but the girl next to me seemed to wonder how I knew the lyrics. I guess I'm just old.

**********

Oh did I listen to an album today? Yes I did and it's called Chaos and Creation in the Backyard and it's by Paul McCartney. The problem is I wrote all about this album when I first listened to it back in October. I wanted to check it out again, to see if I felt differently but I don't. So read this and you'll know everything.

Please don't put your life in the hands of a rock and roll band

Jeff and I had a blast at the Oasis show last night. So did the girl standing behind Jeff that kept yelling, "I love marijuana!" So precious.

Anyway, more details to follow.

It's not math that's all wrong, it's just a lack of heat

Have you had those days when when the day just wins? You know, you get up all ready to face challenges and slay dragons but then things start to go wrong. At some point you just pack it in and realize that all you can hope for is to get home where you can quietly curl up with your cat. Sure, you'll be back to fight the next day, but this one is a write off. That was my day today.

So it's probably not the best day for me to listen to Cathedrals by Bel Auburn. I saw Bel Auburn play during last year's MidPoint Music Festival. I liked their show and they were selling CDs cheap. When I finally got around to listening to the album, I found it sterile and uninspired. I think it's a concept album, too, which is a little pompous for a band with one release under its belt. The pomposity was later confirmed by a visit to their website. This is how they describe themselves:

Hailing from Ashland, Ohio, Bel Auburn combines elements of Coldplay, Death Cab for Cutie, and Jimmy Eat World, along with a sense of melody and texture we've rarely found in fellow indie rock outfits. Our music fully embraces the thoughtfulness of our lyrics and the exhilaration of our live show to form songs that leave the listener at once moved and refreshed. Our vision of things is pretty unique, but at the same time, those listening to the music are left with a sense of familiarity, like that first smell of cut grass in early spring, as if we've all known the songs by heart all along and only needed to be reminded how simply good music can feel.

Seriously? They really remind me of Dishwalla more than anyone. There's a very mid '90s feel to their sound. It's not bad, but to go around proclaiming that your songs leave listeners "moved and refreshed" is a bit much. Is this an album or an enema?

**********

In better news, I got Milk-Eyed Mender by Joanna Newsome from lala.com last week. It's about the strangest pieces of music I own but I find it completely enchanting. Once you get past the shock of her voice (she sings like Carol Kane talks) the songs sound lovely. Her lyrics are great, too. On one song she sings, "I killed my dinner with karate." That's awesome!

Otherwise you got nothing to talk about in the locker room

The only reason I have any Cat Stevens music is because of Harold and Maude. The 1971 movie is one of my all time favorites and it features music by Cat. I immediately began scouring the interweb and record stores for the soundtrack. Turns out, there isn't one.

Cat Stevens Classics is pretty close, though. If you combine it with 1970's Tea for the Tillerman, which includes "Wild World", you have about everything you need. Oh sure, there's some crap on here. The synthesizers alone on "(Remember the Days of the) Old Schoolyard" could make it the worst song ever recorded. I'm also not a big fan of "18th Avenue" but that's what CDs are for. I just skip those tracks.

I don't listen to Cat Stevens as much as I did in college. His hippiness just seemed to fit better in those days. However, I am tempted now to go buy Harold and Maude on DVD and relive the college days when the movie made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

**********

If you read The Onion (and I know you do) pop over to the AV Club and check out their interview with Billy Bragg. He makes some interesting points about terrorism, politics and pop music. I'll share my favorite quote with you:

That really pains me, because life isn't all about love; it's not all about politics, either. It's a beautiful mixture of events that absolutely baffle you, and you think, "Why can't I do something about that?", whether those events are in your bedroom, or out there in the wide world.

True, Billy. How true.

catPod

If Tippy had his own iPod, he'd look exactly like this. Actually, I found the picture here but the resemblance is uncanny (notice the tail). You might want to check out the dogPod, too. If you're a loser.

Underrated: Oasis

Jeff and I are going to see Oasis in concert this Saturday so this week is dedicated to them. I've never seen them live and it feels like I kind of missed the boat. I mean they're really past their prime. I'll jump on that nostalgia train, though. Oasis made some of my favorite albums in the '90s and I hope to relive a little of that Saturday. Oh, to be in college again.

Anyway, I'm kicking things off this week with a list of the band's most underrated songs. It's purely my own take on their work, so feel free to disagree. Ultimately, however, I am always right.

• "Married With Children" (Definitely Maybe, 1994) - Oasis' breakthrough debut album ends with a surprising little acoustic song. It starts with a catchy tune that makes toes tap until we learn, "You music's shite, it keeps me up all night." That's when we should have known what we were getting into. Beatles song it tries to sound like: It's really an acoustic "I've Got a Feeling."
  

• "Cigarettes and Alcohol" (Definitely Maybe, 1994) - Perhaps my favorite party song of all time. If I go to a bar with this on the jukebox, it's getting played. Beatles song it tries to sound like: Oh that's a trick question because this song is a blatant rip off of T. Rex's "Bang A Gong." It's not a problem, though, because if you don't like music that sounds ripped off, you're probably not an Oasis fan anyway.
  

• "Cast No Shadow" ((What's The Story) Morning Glory?, 1995) - It's hard to find an underrated song on Oasis' second album. Thanks to "Wonderwall" practically every tune they released got constant airplay. Someone once told me that this song was about Richard Ashcroft, the former lead singer of The Verve and a Google search seems to support it. It's a quiet heartfelt tune so I could see that. Beatles song it tries to sound like: The background harmonies remind me a little of "Girl."

• "Round Are Way" (Wonderwall B-side, 1996) - Oasis has always had great b-sides to their singles and "Round Are Way" is my favorite. With a horn section and harmonica it's just a fun, rollicking song. Beatles song it tries to sound like: with those horns there's no escaping the comparisons with "Got To Get You Into My Life."

• "Stand By Me" (Be Here Now, 1997) - "Stand By Me" was actually released as a single but by 1997 Oasis was starting to fade a little and the song didn't nearly as much airplay as "All Around the World" (see today's AT&T commercials). The song has one of my favorite opening lines ever. It's right up there with "Kodachrome" by Paul Simon: "Made a meal and threw it up on Sunday, I've gotta lot of things to learn." Perfect! Beatles song it tries to sound like: It's a more uptempo "Don't Let Me Down."

• "The Girl in the Dirty Shirt" (Be Here Now, 1997) - I like it when Oasis is a little funny, when they stop taking themselves so seriously and this song seems to exude that a little. It's that midtempo rocker that they're so good at, but there's a little bit of a hoedown in there, too. Beatles song it tries to sound like: I'm going with "I've Just Seen a Face" here because of the whole hoedown thing.

• "I Hope, I Think, I Know" (Be Here Now, 1997) - Another underrated song from Oasis' most underrated album. This one is just a straight up rocker full of screaming guitars. It's also the one song I would most like to hear Oasis play live. Who knows? Maybe my wish will come true. Beatles song it tries to sound like: I think "Paperback Writer" since both have an insistent beat and dominating guitars. It could also be its b-side, "Rain."

• "Rockin' Chair" (The Masterplan, 1998) - Oasis released this collection of b-sides and live cuts in 1998 and it is still one of my favorites. The album shows their entire range as a band and the songs are all great (although I'm not a huge fan of the live stuff). "Rockin' Chair" is a song about being tired of your life and where you live all done with a nice acoustic backing. Beatles song it tries to sound like: In both sound and mood it fits nicely with "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away."

• "Fuckin' in the Bushes" (Standing on the Shoulders of Giants, 2000) - In their first studio album in three years Oasis announced that they had changed with the very first song. The whole thing is really just a guitar groove with a series of audio samples sprinkled about. Still, it's done well and is one of my favorite songs to drive to. Another tune that makes me want to break things. Paired with the second track, "Go Let It Out" the album sounds like it might be their greatest work ever. It's too bad the rest of the songs go downhill quickly and make for a mediocre outing. Beatles song it tries to sound like: "Tomorrow Never Knows" immediately springs to mind with all those samples over a main groove.
  

• "Songbird" (Heathen Chemistry, 2002) - If Standing on the Shoulders of Giants wasn't disappointing enough, Heathen Chemistry does its best to remind us that Oasis is completely out of ideas. "Songbird" is one of those light little tunes that great musicians write when their low on inspiration but high on talent. It's the kind of thing Paul McCartney's been basing his career on for years now. Still, it's a nice, sunny song. Beatles song it tries to sound like: Any of those acoustic Paul tunes from the White Album but mostly "I Will."

We're calling all bed wetters and ambulance chasers

The Decemberists make music for theater geeks. I just know these guys read too much in high school and worked the spotlight for their school's production of a Midsummer Night's Dream. At least I like to imagine so, because it makes their music seem plausible. What else could explain the pirate rock?

Castaways and Cutouts is full of chimney sweeps, gin runners, legionnares and vagabonds with their petticoats, pipes and other ephemera. It's a rich and detailed world that could only be created by someone with a little too much time on their hands.

So how's the music? It definitely evokes a mood and I often find that I have to be in a certain mood myself to enjoy it. Sometimes Castaways and Cutouts feels a little too twee - like it's trying to hard. Other times it feels like a an old letter, something that's beautiful and rarely done these days. If you can get past the initial shock and strangeness of it all, there's some great music to be had by The Decemberists.

It's cool for cats

Stripey Francoise's been typing her little paws off lately. I suggest you go check it out. Maybe this is a sign that Josh will start writing again as well.