More Rush this week, with possibly their three best albums? I've played a lot recently and my current favourite album is 2112 which is joined this week by two of their best 80s "synth" albums Moving Pictures and Signals - plus a Modest Mouse and a Lambchop finished off in Suede.
Modest Mouse - Good News for People Who Love Bad News
Rush - 2112
Rush - Signals
Rush - Moving Pictures
Lambchop - Nixon
Suede - Suede
Modest Mouse take a bit of getting used to, which is a good thing. It means they're a bit different. I'm thinking Pixies with a touch of Vampire Weekend, Tom Waits, Beck, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers and even The Clash. The singer Isaac Brock is a real squawker a la Black Francis but I like it - he certainly doesn't lack passion.
The intriguingly entitled Good News For People Who Love Bad News is the Seattle band's 4th album and comes before We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (which I have somewhere but can't lay my hands on at this juncture) and after a debut in 1996 called This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About - great titles.
Unlikely Rock Trivia Fact No. 1: Modest Mouse's We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank album features Johnny Marr.
And it's true we named our children
Unlikely Rock Trivia Fact No. 2: The cover of Rush's 2012 album Clockwork Angels shows the time of 21:12
By the way while researching Rush albums (I am preparing an album ranking) I came across this. At first I thought what a talented band to be able to reproduce Permanent Waves so closely, then on looking more closely I realised it was the same person playing all parts, including the singing! Incredible.
Lambchop are so lo-fi, down tempo, and laid back, my wife actually fell asleep at one of their concerts (but she also fell asleep during Kraftwerk so maybe that’s not so significant). I think they were the sort of classy Americana band that enjoyed a very brief moment of fame just around the turn of the millennium when that kind of music became very popular. Previously a bit of a cult underground band they reached a level of commercial success first with this album Nixon (2000) and then the follow up Is A Woman (2002). I haven’t followed them since then but understand they are still going under the stewardship of regular leader Kurt Wagner (the only original).
The intriguingly entitled Good News For People Who Love Bad News is the Seattle band's 4th album and comes before We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (which I have somewhere but can't lay my hands on at this juncture) and after a debut in 1996 called This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About - great titles.
Unlikely Rock Trivia Fact No. 1: Modest Mouse's We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank album features Johnny Marr.
And it's true we named our children
After towns that we've never been to
And it's true that the clouds just hung around
Like black Cadillacs outside a funeral
3 top Rush albums in the player this week following on from the clean sweep in log #100. I'd forgotten what an amazing album 2112 is. The first side is a 20 minute concept piece about a future dystopia ruled by "The Priests of the Temple of Syrinx" who dismiss a man (/young boy?) who discovers an ancient guitar in the dirt:
What can this strange device be?
When I touch it, it gives forth a sound
It's got wires that vibrate and give music
What can this thing be that I found?
See how it sings like a sad heart
And joyously screams out its pain
Sounds that build high like a mountain
Or notes that fall gently like rain
I can't wait to share this new wonder
The people will all see its light
Let them all make their own music
The priests praise my name on this night
The ruling priests respond with:
Yes, we know it's nothing new
It's just a waste of time
We have no need for ancient ways
The world is doing fine
Another toy will help destroy
The elder race of man
Forget about your silly whim
It doesn't fit the plan
The whole piece is stupendous musically with mind blowing musicianship and gravity defying changes. My favourite part is where the boy learns to play the guitar - starting from tuning it to strumming a lovely ascending scale (all in about 2 minutes).
The only disappointment is the story ends suddenly without resolution with:
Attention all planets of the solar federation
We have assumed control
What's that all about, eh? Any Rush fans know?
Side two consists of 5 excellent regular sized tracks (a high proportion for a 70s Rush album and the quality is maintained through all of them). Check out Twilight Zone below - it's got a lovely Rush "bounce".
Side two consists of 5 excellent regular sized tracks (a high proportion for a 70s Rush album and the quality is maintained through all of them). Check out Twilight Zone below - it's got a lovely Rush "bounce".
As ever with early Rush you do have to contend with Lee's ear splitting vocals. There are moments where he sings normally (as in the above track) and he has a great regular voice which I wish he had used more.
Unlikely Rock Trivia Fact No. 2: The cover of Rush's 2012 album Clockwork Angels shows the time of 21:12
In the early 80s Rush trimmed down their progressive pretensions and produced a series of accomplished synth/pop/rock albums including Moving Pictures and Signals. The former is more revered but I actually prefer the latter now which was arguably Rush's last great album - they are both very good albums which stand up well today.
Unlikely Rock Trivia Face No. 3: Geddy Lee's full name is Geddy Lee Weinrib and Alex Lifeson's orginal name was Alexandar Zivojinovich.
By the way while researching Rush albums (I am preparing an album ranking) I came across this. At first I thought what a talented band to be able to reproduce Permanent Waves so closely, then on looking more closely I realised it was the same person playing all parts, including the singing! Incredible.
Lambchop are so lo-fi, down tempo, and laid back, my wife actually fell asleep at one of their concerts (but she also fell asleep during Kraftwerk so maybe that’s not so significant). I think they were the sort of classy Americana band that enjoyed a very brief moment of fame just around the turn of the millennium when that kind of music became very popular. Previously a bit of a cult underground band they reached a level of commercial success first with this album Nixon (2000) and then the follow up Is A Woman (2002). I haven’t followed them since then but understand they are still going under the stewardship of regular leader Kurt Wagner (the only original).