There is nothing like a cross-country drive to catch up on my music collection. I have probably 25 cd’s that I haven’t listened to, or have only listened to once or twice. Here are some thoughts from 9 hours of music listening.

Though it breaks your heart
We had to sell the farm
Back to California where it’s warm

Low The Great Destroyer. I hadn’t listened to this cd at all, despite Low being a band that I listen to a lot. I just hadn’t incorporated it into my rotation. This album is different than the other Low albums. I am not sure exactly how it is different, but it is. Mimi Parker seems to leave all of the singing to her husband on this one, which is kind of a shame because my favorite low songs are (mostly) songs that are primarily Parkers beautiful voice and not much else; think Laser Beam, Two-Step, Point of Disgust, et. al. I need to give this one a few more listens.

King Saul fell on his sword
when it all went wrong
and Joseph’s brother sold him down the river for a song
And Sonny Liston rubbed some tiger balm into his glove
some things you do for money, and some you do for love, love, love.

The Mountain Goats The Sunset Tree. Much of the music I listen to is lyrically driven, the rhythm and melody takes a secondary role. John Darnielle is the finest songwriter I have heard in a long time. His lyrics are filled with odd (for songs) references to things like Travelodge, Saint Josephs Baby Aspirin, La Cienega etc. Instead of sounding post-modern and trite, he makes these references endearing and sensitive and sad, somehow. That isn’t easy. While listening to The Sunset Tree, I had the idea that Darnielle should do a concept album on the deaths of celebrities from their points of view. So many celeb deaths have such bizarre, sad, and twisted endings and for some reason I can see him giving them a unique story. Imagine the last minutes of Cobain, Marilyn Monroe, Sal Mineo, Belushi, the woman who dove from the Hollywood Sign, umm, Michael Hutchence; wouldn’t that be interesting?

Drivin’ by, wavin’ my fist
Makin’ ‘em mad when I’m goin’ like this

Public Enemy Rebirth of a Nation. This one kind of hurts. Public Enemy are in my top 5 favorites of all-time. I can remember hearing It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back for the first time, and I really think it changed me forever. I also remember wearing out the cassette single of Welcome to the Terrordome because I never took it out of my tapedeck. But. This new PE album sucks. It is so bad. And it hurts worse because of how perfect I think their first four albums are, and I wish they wouldn’t tarnish their discography with records like this. The beats sound like they were produced with a toaster or something. And Chuck D’s voice, once so powerful and life changing, just sounds kind of old, maybe. Just not good. Not Chuck D. (A little aside: This reminds me that my friends and I this year might be Professor Griff and the S1W’s for halloween this year).

We can drive, we can race, we can celebrate space.

The Delgados Universal Audio. I just found out yesterday that The Delgados broke up. This album is pretty good, but it is no The Great Eastern or Hate. So maybe it was time for them to throw in the towel. That being said, “Everybody Come Down” is such a fun song. It reminds me of those early-to-mid-90’s-poppy-alternative-girl songs a la Juliana Hatfield or Tanya Donnelly. I am really loving that song.

No one’s gonna tie me down
Nobody tell me what to do
Don’t you see I’ve got to be free
Sorry baby that’s the way it is with me

Paul Weller Solo Discography. The Jam is my favorite band ever, but I have only ever been a lukewarm fan of Weller’s solo work. I decided on this trip to give it more of a chance. My first thought was that for the guy who wrote those lyrics above this paragraph, he sure does sing about love a lot. Every song is about love. I understand people get older and lose their youthful thoughts, but it is just strange to listen to The Jam’s rebellious, fuck you lyrics and Elder Weller’s sweet love songs in the same sitting. People age faster than their work. Some of it is really good, but it just sounds like easy adult music; and I am not quite ready for that.

There’s a hole in my soul that will never complete, just waiting for someone to marry me. Broken hearts are overrated, you died alone because you’ve waited. It’s a great time to be alive and alone.

Troubled Hubble Making Beds in a Burning House. Pretty good. I need to listen to it more. “To Be Alive and Alone” is a fun song.

Don’t believe the lies you hear about fishes in the sea.

The Tah-Dahs Le Fun. The best live band I have seen in a long time. I saw them at The Cavern on Lower Greenville without having ever even hearing of them. By the end of the show I was a fan. I don’t think that that has happened since I saw The Long Winters open for Centro-Matic. When I first heard the album I was a little disappointed, because some of the live rawness isn’t there; but it really never is, so that disappointment is unfair. After a few more listens, I started to love the album. I have listened to hit dozens of times this summer and it is one of the most fun, tongue-in-cheek, pop records I have ever heard. See them live if you get a chance.

(continued tomorrow probably)