Nick Cave and Warren Ellis — The Proposition Original Soundtrack

• Artist: Nick Cave and Warren Ellis
• Title: The Proposition Original Soundtrack
• Year: 2005
• Format: CD
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 2006 – Christmas gift!

I was shopping around for Mary this Christmas when I stumbled on this. I hadn’t even heard of the movie The Proposition. It turns out, not only did Nick Cave, her favorite music artist, write and perform the soundtrack music, he also wrote the script. Best of all, it seems people really like it, the movie, that is. I don’t know much about his collaborator Warren Ellis, but I do know he is not the comic book author.

This really is movie music, and I would call it a “score” rather than a soundtrack. I don’t think the “songs” here are meant to stand alone; for the most part they are more like music cues. Overall, I dig it, but I like listening to scores/soundtracks probably more than most folks. I really don’t want to use the word “ethereal”, but there, I’ve done it. Of course, it’s ethereal with a very subtle Western movie edge and a not unexpected old man Nick Cave sound. Listen for yourself.

Roots Manuva — Awfully Deep

• Artist: Roots Manuva
• Title: Awfully Deep
• Year: 2005
• Format: CD
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 2006 – Another Christmas gift!
• Keeper: Maybe

The first time I heard Roots Manuva was on Leftfield‘s 1999 album Rhythm and Stealth, one of my top 100 records. Then, he popped up again on the latest Gorillaz record, Demon Days.

It’s taken me a while to get some of his solo music. I’ve had Awfully Deep on my list since came out almost two years ago. I’m not sure what to think about it. Maybe I need to listen to it a few more times. Maybe I should have started with his earlier records. Some of it is really interesting, but some of it just doesn’t seem to flow.

Read more about Roots Manuva at Wikipedia.

Sam and Dave – The Very Best Of

• Artist: Sam and Dave
• Title: The Very Best Of
• Year: 1995
• Format: CD
• Rating (1-10): 9
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 2006 – Christmas gift!
• Keeper: Yes

I love the Stax stuff. When I was teenager I couldn’t get enough early soul music, and spent as much time listening to that as I did punk rock, arty stuff, and metal. Despite that, there are some big holes in my collection. Mary helped correct that by getting this Sam and Dave collection for me. “The Very Best Of” is, of course, excellent. Who in his right mind doesn’t like “Hold On! I’m A Comin'”? Other well-known classics include “Soul Man”, “Wrap It Up”, and my favorite “I Thank You.” ZZ Top also had a hit with “I Thank You.” It’s even one of my favorite ZZ Top songs, but they had to sleaze it up bit by replacing “me” in the lyrics a few times with “it.” For example:

You didn’t have to squeeze me but you did

And so on…

Kinky — Reina

• Artist: Kinky
• Title: Reina
• Year: 2006
• Format: CD
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 2006 – Got it for Christmas!
• Keeper: Yes

Don’t read this yet. First go to the Kinky site, click on “music”, then treat yourself to “I Say Hey” from their new album Reina.

OK, glad you’re back. Just let the whole album play. Kinky has been one of my favorite bands for the last few years, and getting their albums as Christmas presents is becoming a tradition that I hope never ends. The first couple times I played Reina I didn’t like it as much as their other stuff. But now I’m feeling it! I won’t bother to explain their sound, since you’re listening for yourself, but I will say that all of their records make perfect party mixes by themselves. Skip all the work of picking out other music. Mary pointed out that they sound like they’re channeling Devo on “Again And So On.” Bonus!

When I say hey, hey, hey… haaa
When I say hey, hey, hey… haaa
When I say hey, hey,
You better look this way!

Beck — The Information

• Artist: Beck
• Title: The Information
• Year: 2006
• Format: CD
• Rating (1-10): 10
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 2006 – Christmas gift!
• Keeper: Yes

I haven’t read anything about Beck’s new record, The Information. I’m sure there are tons of intelligent and thoughtful reviews out there, but you won’t find that here. This is an excellent Beck record, with a little bit of everything and a whole lotta awesomeness. The moods and styles are typically eclectic, but there’s a certain laid back darkness to it. I like it.

Even the total package is interesting. The “Beck” label is a sticker on the case. The insert is a blank fold of graph paper. Inside, and pictured below, is a large sheet of stickers. And maybe best of all there is another disk: a DVD with a video for every song on the album! I’d say it looks like most of them were made the same day with about 30 friends, a couple hundred costumes, a rented mansion or palace, and some nutty video mixing.

You can download the album of course, and maybe even the videos, but where are you gonna get those cool stickers if you don’t buy the disk?

My favorite songs are “Cellphone’s Dead” and “We Dance Alone.” How can I not give this one a “10”?

Visit Beck.com.

XTC — Dear God

XTC -- Dear God

• Artist: XTC
• Title: Dear God
• Year: 1986
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1986 – When she worked at Plan 9 Records in Richmond, VA
• Keeper: Yes

Oh man, what was I saying before? So much for redoubling my posting frequency…

XTC created some minor controversy with their single “Dear God.” It seems it was originally a b-side for another single from the album Skylarking. It became such a hit that the album was repressed to include it. As a pop song, I think it’s solid, and certainly more interesting musically than most. The flipside on this is “Big Day” which has a much more psychedelic sound, but not as cartoonish as their stuff under the pseudonym The Dukes of Stratosphear. It’s decent but kind of boring.

And that concludes this pass through the 7 inch singles. We’re all out of Ys and Zs. For the next few posts I’ll put up some new stuff.

Weather Theatre — Bridge to Heaven

Weather Theatre -- Bridge to Heaven

• Artist: Weather Theatre
• Title: Bridge to Heaven
• Year: 1988
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 4
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: ?
• Keeper: No

I know… It probably appears one of my new year’s resolutions was to maintain my slackness in posting records, but it’s not true. I’m going to try to do better than every other day.

But this record by Weather Theatre isn’t that motivating. Even their fancy pants spelling of “Theatre” is offputting. I don’t know anything about these guys. They are a higly mediocre “alternative” band with some mild Echo and The Bunnymen wannabe thing going on. There’s a fancy pants fold out record cover, and the songs included are “Bridge to Heaven” and “Great God’s Gift.” It’s hard to believe this band came out of Seattle in the late 1980s.

The U.V’s — Dropping Bombs

The U.V.s -- Dropping Bombs

• Artist: The U.V’s
• Title: Dropping Bombs
• Year: 1989
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 4
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1989 – At our store RIP records in Norfolk, VA
• Keeper: No

The U.V’s (and that’s exactly how they spell it on the cover) are a band I know little about. All three songs on this record are incredibly boring. On “Dropping Bombs”, “Real World”, and “Deepest Blue” the band just plods along like any neighborhood garage band, with no energy and vocals, well, that go with the music. Since they are Australian, I think, I’m sure my expectations were high when I first got this.

Tad — Ritual Device / Daisy

Tad -- Ritual Device / Daisy

• Artist: Tad
• Title: Ritual Device / Daisy
• Year: 1988?
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1988? – At our store RIP Records in Norfolk, VA
• Keeper: Maybe

Tad, Tad, Tad. Do I like your clear vinyl single of “Ritual Device” and “Daisy”? I guess so. I liked it more than I expected, or remembered. It’s very uh… Sub-Pop circa 1988, which is not a bad thing. There was a time I just couldn’t get enough of this stuff. I don’t think I’ll play it ever again though. Maybe you need a new home. It’s not you, Tad, it’s me.

Sade – Your Love Is King

• Artist: Sade
• Title: Your Love Is King
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: ?
• Keeper: Yes

I played this before we hit the road for Christmas. I remember liking “Your Love Is King”, but I have to admit that right now I can’t remember anything else about it. On the back is “Love Affair with Life” and I don’t even remember if I like that one. It’s Sade; it probably sounds like all the rest of her songs, which isn’t a bad thing.

And for something totally different check out Fuel.TV. They call themselves “action sports television” but believe me, Fuel is the best music network on the air. Last night they were running a marathon of the excellent show Check 1,2 and I stayed up way too late soaking it in.