Listening Booth
DeWester
location: Bay Area, CA
listening to: anything and everything
registered: 2000.07.03
posts: 343
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I always enjoy the discussions about what's being listened to currently, so I thought I'd start one. Here goes...1. Randy Newman - Good Old Boys. I finally got around to buying the deluxe Rhino reissue of this dark masterpiece, and reminded myself of how great an album it is (and how great Newman's music is in general). Not a bad song in the bunch. The second disc, a live run-through of the album as it was originally intended, is sort of a Holy Grail for Newman fanatics. I found it mildly interesting.2. Loudon Wainwright III - So Damn Happy. Ol' Loud, live at LA's Largo with some special guests (Van Dyke Parks, Martha Wainwright, etc.) The same impeccable songwriting. Not really an essential purchase for the Wainwright fan who already owns "Career Moves," the 1993 live release, but solid.3. Guster - Keep It Together. I love this band...I still prefer their last album, "Lost And Gone Forever," but this is still terrific.4. Chicago - Stone Of Sisyphus. I've had various copies of the "lost" Chicago album since it was shelved in 1994. Got this one from former Chicago guitarist (and sometime Infosource poster) DaWayne Bailey. I copied it recently for the guy who runs melodicrock.com, rediscovered it, and have been spinning it again. The band's best album in my opinion. Certainly loads better than the drivel they pooped out in the '80s.5. Supertramp - Slow Motion. I bought this when it came out and wasn't impressed. Recent board discussion led me to revisit it. I'm still not impressed. Rick Davies minus Roger Hodgson equals uninspired songwriting as far as I'm concerned. I didn't really like Hodgson's "Open The Door," either, but it at least had a few great tracks.6. Dennis Wilson - Bamboo. The intended follow-up to "Pacific Ocean Blue." Never released. Dennis' voice, never the strongest of instruments, is on its last legs. Elegaic.7. Kenny Loggins - It's About Time. A curiosity purchase--I really like "Leap Of Faith," his 1991 release, but I hated his next album about as much as I've ever hated anything. Kenny's still clavicle-deep in New Age mush, but the songs are a little stronger. Eh. I could take it or leave it.8. Paul Carrack - It Ain't Over. I've always found Carrack to be a better singer than a songwriter, which is why this album was such a pleasant surprise. Really solid stuff here. Nothing that could be considered exciting or adventurous, but overall the most consistently enjoyable album of a long career.9. Billy Falcon - Songs About Girls. His first release in nearly a decade, and his best ever. Superb lyrics coupled with the same ragged singing and Long Island good-rockin' vibes. Also, I did the artwork for the album. Where's my Grammy?
D
DeWester
(view)
I always enjoy the discussions about what's being listened to currently, so I thought I'd start one. Here goes...1. Randy Newman - Good Old Boys. I finally got around to buying the deluxe Rhino reissue of this dark masterpiece, and reminded myself of how great an album it is (and how great Newman's music is in general). Not a bad song in the bunch. The second disc, a live run-through of the album as it was originally intended, is sort of a Holy Grail for Newman fanatics. I found it mildly interesting.2. Loudon Wainwright III - So Damn Happy. Ol' Loud, live at LA's Largo with some special guests (Van Dyke Parks, Martha Wainwright, etc.) The same impeccable songwriting. Not really an essential purchase for the Wainwright fan who already owns "Career Moves," the 1993 live release, but solid.3. Guster - Keep It Together. I love this band...I still prefer their last album, "Lost And Gone Forever," but this is still terrific.4. Chicago - Stone Of Sisyphus. I've had various copies of the "lost" Chicago album since it was shelved in 1994. Got this one from former Chicago guitarist (and sometime Infosource poster) DaWayne Bailey. I copied it recently for the guy who runs melodicrock.com, rediscovered it, and have been spinning it again. The band's best album in my opinion. Certainly loads better than the drivel they pooped out in the '80s.5. Supertramp - Slow Motion. I bought this when it came out and wasn't impressed. Recent board discussion led me to revisit it. I'm still not impressed. Rick Davies minus Roger Hodgson equals uninspired songwriting as far as I'm concerned. I didn't really like Hodgson's "Open The Door," either, but it at least had a few great tracks.6. Dennis Wilson - Bamboo. The intended follow-up to "Pacific Ocean Blue." Never released. Dennis' voice, never the strongest of instruments, is on its last legs. Elegaic.7. Kenny Loggins - It's About Time. A curiosity purchase--I really like "Leap Of Faith," his 1991 release, but I hated his next album about as much as I've ever hated anything. Kenny's still clavicle-deep in New Age mush, but the songs are a little stronger. Eh. I could take it or leave it.8. Paul Carrack - It Ain't Over. I've always found Carrack to be a better singer than a songwriter, which is why this album was such a pleasant surprise. Really solid stuff here. Nothing that could be considered exciting or adventurous, but overall the most consistently enjoyable album of a long career.9. Billy Falcon - Songs About Girls. His first release in nearly a decade, and his best ever. Superb lyrics coupled with the same ragged singing and Long Island good-rockin' vibes. Also, I did the artwork for the album. Where's my Grammy?
