...he just got at the annual Hawaii State Library book sale. Its a big thing over here every July and I just got back from the "special viewing and purchasing night" available only to members of The Friends Of The Public Library before the official public opening tomorrow. Yay me.

1. Yeah, I know we have a special forum for this but I don't feel like posting and then wading through several pages there so, too bad. I'm doing it here.

2. I feel like writing tonight, hence this post.

3. I take special interest in this every year because they always have an odd assortment of books, tapes, records, DVDs, cd's and stuff worth digging through even if it has to be done in a humid, non-air conditioned high school cafeteria.

First of all, I have to say that I was pretty bummed that I got there late and only had a about of hour's worth of time to feverishly browse through the library's offerings. By the time I got there it was a mob scene of sweaty locals elbow to elbow busily tossing books into large containers and cardboard boxes. As a result I hardly found any good books worth having this time as it was already picked over. On the plus side however, I did manage to raid their cd display table and came away with the following for three bucks each, all in excellent condition:

Placebo - Sleeping With Ghosts

Say what you will, I like Placebo despite the singer's adenoidal and slightly straining off-key voice. Prior to this I've only heard and downloaded a bunch of their "singles" so I thought this might be a good time to start buying their actual albums. I don't recognize any of the songs listed on this one and it may not be their best album but for three bucks it certainly worth a whirl. And its on the Astralwerks label, which is usually a good sign.

Nickelcreek - This Side

And here I was just talking about this band in my last post. This album was produced by Alison Krauss and features harmonic bluegrass "pop" if it can be called that. I've heard a couple of their sweet, countryish songs before and what I heard, I liked. As I get older I have been more appreciative of the "country/folk" genre and need to begin to get more of this in my collection. This might have been my best find overall.

Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds - s/t

Okay. I've never heard this one before and took a chance on it. I listened to the whole thing on the way home and I have to say this: It is clear to me now that Izzy Stradlin was really not one of the creative forces behind Guns n' Roses. This album is a very bluesy and has Stones-influenced written all over it and I kind of expected that rather than a pop metal one but first of all, Izzy shouldn't sing. Ever. He has a raspy, low registered voice which if you can't really sing is the way to go but still sounded more than a little harsh to these ears. The guitar playing was alright, sort of meandering, boozy, and easily identifiable as one half of the guitars in GNR but clearly, not the exciting half. I can see how guys over 40 years of age who haven't left the seventies musically might dig this over a few beers, pretending that they're in an authentic blues club, fantasing that they're listening to a white blues guitarist legend but really this album doesn't shine or catch fire like, say, Robert Cray's older albums do. Instead it feels like an album that got made because Izzy had the chance and support of Geffen records at the time and not because he had a burning desire to make a great blues-rock album that he couldn't find an outlet through his previous band. The album sounds like a third-rate London Quireboys record. I'll give this a few more spins but I'm fairly sure I'll be trading this one in or selling it. Any takers?

James - Laid

Ah, the sweet sounds of 90's era Britpop, how I love thee. It's not clear to me why I haven't bought this album before if not for the fantastic Laid song but there you are. Another reminder that there are so many good albums I haven't got around to purchasing yet. Can someone tell me why the band members are all eating b-a-n-a-n-a-s on the front cover? It's kind of disturbing in a silly sort of way.

Beck! - Odelay

A replacement for my nearly worn out other cd. Classic. Beck is one of the few artists from the 90's that continues to improve and impress me. There's not much he can't do. His latest one Guero is probably one of the best albums I've heard all year.

Mazzy Star - So Tonight That I Might See

Mazzy Star. The band that made indie girls everywhere wet their panties for in the early 90's. It sounds so wistful and dreamy. Perfect as background music for contemplating that recent breakup or hidden angst that the world just doesn't understand you. All kidding aside though this is definitely worth having and I hadn't heard it in about ten years now. Such nostalgia only to be rivaled by listening to some Portishead.

A Perfect Circle - Mer De Noms

I only had a burned copy of this previously so I bought it. A good album that is intricate and layered which makes repeated listenings interesting. There's something dark and creepy about Maynard James Keenan that keeps me coming back for more though at times he is a bit dramatic, over the top and hammy. In essence this is really innovative, complicated prog-metal melodies with interesting time signatures that keep me off-balance but all fits together somehow in an eerie sort of way. Recommended but surely you guys know that already.

Brad Mehldau - Largo

Brad Mehldau does a version of Paranoid Android on this? Really? On piano you say? How cool is that. I remember hearing Mehldau for the first time on a CMJ cd sampler years ago for his Exit Music For a Film and was immediately captivated by its sad, rainy day feel. This is not your cheesy lounge piano stylings here. No sir. First class, rich, jazz-piano instrumentals with a first-rate backing band that are intricate and perfect for floating around your head. I don't understand why he hasn't scored any films yet. His music is perfect for that kind of thing. When I put on the song You're Vibing Me I immediately get a mysterious Twin Peaks kind of vibe.

Smashing Pumpkins - Pisces Iscariot

I never had this cd though I've probably heard a lot of these b-sides and outtakes before. Boy, this was back when SP could do no wrong, eh? Even their unreleased and rare stuff was good. Poor Billy. Even if his latest stuff is lukewarm to fair there's no denying his former brilliance.

Laura Branigan - The Best Of Laura Branigan

I confess that I bought this for the sheer nostalgia value that the song Gloria gives me. It takes me straight back to to my middle school years where this is playing on the FM radio in the car and my mom's singing along to it off-key. She passed away recently didn't she? Laura Branigan that is. Not my Mom and her bad singing voice. What can I say? When I saw this it took my self, it took my self control away and I had to buy it.

Trust Co. - The Lonely Position Of Neutral

You know, I seldom buy anything that nu-metal without hearing the whole thing first simply because 90% of it is sheer and utter crap. When I saw this I thought back to an article I read it in Filter magazine who recommended it as being good so I'm going out on a leap of faith here. If it sounds like something that should be featured on the Vans Warped tour I'll be using the disc as a frisbee for the neighbor's dog, the plastic casing as a coaster, and taking the insert to the bathroom to be used to wipe my ass with.

Moby - 18

A questionable purchase here I'm afraid. I'm not sure why exactly I caved and bought this. Moby seems to be a fey, new age, sensitive guy that dabbles in electronic music. I remember this being his most popular album a few years back. Somehow the picture of him standing on the cover smiling and wearing a space-age astronaut outfit makes me, like Eminem, want to punch him in the face. There's actually a song on here called Jam For The Ladies... how retarded. (*sigh*) If I don't like this I'm sure someone else will won't they? Actually this second song titled In This World is pretty good only because he's not singing on it. He's just sampled a 60's era black woman emoting over his heavy synth and piano riff.

Tori Amos - To Venus and Back

Hey, its a double album! Oh wait, one of the discs is live...Hey, its Tori Amos! Oh wait, its Tori Amos... What to do, what to do...For years I keep trying to give Tori Amos a chance but her over-emotive hearfelt cries over the piano has never really done it for me. Maybe I keep buying the wrong albums. She's certainly done quite a few hasn't she? The last one I bought was Under The Pink and I kind of regret that decision now. She's cute though. Damn you Tori if you've let me down again.

Can't fathom the Trust Co or Laura Branigan, but otherwise those are good albums.

This happens to be my favorite Mehldau album, as a matter of fact. He really branched out on this one, sounding a bit more . . . rock . . . than he ever has before. Typically he's "just" an incredible jazz pianist with a lot of classical leanings, but he joined up with Jon Brion and let him have his way with him. If you dig into his catalog, you'll find that this one sticks out for being quite different - and that's why I return to it over and over. Bill Evans is one of his biggest and most obvious influences, for those of you looking for a RIYL.


Be sure and check out their other albums after you've digested this one. They really couldn't screw up for me after Laid. And, in fact, I think they got better. Millionaires has surprisingly risen to the top spot for me - if I need to hear James, this is the album I'm grabbing, followed by Whiplash.

Bait your hook with a smaller chunk of offal.

James appeared on the I'm Your Fan Leonard Cohen tribute album, in which all of the acts are pictured holding bananas as Cohen does on the cover of his I'm Your Man. I'm guessing the Laid cover is from the same photo session.

Other random trivia: I'm Your Fan is also where John Cale's cover of Hallelujah, as heard in Shrek, originated from.

haha

I went to high school with the bass player in that band. They're from Montgomery, AL, and they used to be called 41 Down. I never went to any of their shows when they were around under that name, but I was told by friends who knew that they softened up their sound considerably when they were signed to the majors. The album title is very appropriate. I saw them play on Conan, and they were awful. "Neutral-Metal".

I initally read this as Nickleback and so I was looking forward reading your defense

I only picked up Pleased To Meet You a couple of months ago and I think it has become my fave James album.

Steve

If you don't have Tori's Little Earthquakes, sell all your other Tori albums and buy that one.

I agree with Millionaires being my favorite James album, but what a consistently good band.

all in all, a pretty good haul Rami. What's your favorite track on Pisces?

I think you're a little tough on the Izzy album and would definitely disagree with you regarding his creative input into GnR. He wrote a great deal of those Use Your Illusion albums. 14 Years, Dust and Bones, Double Talkin' Jive all could easily fall on the Ju Ju Hounds album. Yeah, it's derivative of the Stones and Faces, but so what? Lord knows there are enough white boys with guitars who have been ripping them off for years, Black Crowes for instance.

I totally didn't get that 40 year old/blues club scenario. Does anyone see Izzy Stradlin as a blues guitarist, someone 'who never left the seventies musically' or otherwise? That was just left field.

See for me, GNR stopped being interesting at Use Your Illusion so I guess we're just going to have to agree to disagree about Izzy here.

It's not that I have any angst for a white guy playing the blues, its just that this album is so tepid. There's literally no creative spark throughout which is what disappointed me greatly. It's as if he set out to make a very bland Stones album. Maybe its a generational thing but like a lot of the Rolling Stones albums, they don't move me at all.

Now The Black Crowes on the other hand, are aces. They crackle with energy, no matter how throwback their sound is.


Favorite Pisces Iscariot song: Mmmm. Hard to say but I guess I'll go with Blew Away which I believe was sung by James Iha. I always liked his singing. Its too bad his solo album was so mediocre.

Yeah, this is one of those agree/disagree points. I always really liked that Izzy album, particularly the first half. Shuffle it All, Time Gone By are a couple of favourites. I have most of the Black Crowes output, save for maybe their last release, and really didn't feel a huge difference between them and Izzy's hand at that Stonesy style. Wait, no that's not true, the Crowes debut is kills Izzy's album. After that, I'm pretty indifferent to the Crowes, except Wiser Time. I still throw them on from time to time hoping that eventually I'll find some gem I've overlooked. I think their songs go on too long for the most part.

And in truth, there really isn't ANY GnR, post Illusion. Except for that dumb covers album and their Sympathy for the Devil cover which was awful. I don't count Axl's insanity as Guns anymore.

If you like that Placebo at all (sounds like you do), you should absolutely pick up Without You I'm Nothing and the s/t. "Nancy Boy" is awesome.

It's not an accident that the Eno trilogy (Laid, Millionaires, Pleased To Meet You) is brilliant. I too am a huge fan of Millionaires, and I find it surprising how almost no one ever talks about it. Goddamn, it gives me goose bumps just thinking about songs like "I Know What I'm Here For" and "Shooting My Mouth Off."

Whiplash was probably their least best post-Laid release (imo), but it's still better than most bands' best efforts. "Waltzing Along" is the shit.

I love James so much.