Host in the Machine - January Reviews

Midwest Miguel

Joybang – I’ve listened to this 6-7 times, and it is just not registering with me. I don’t find anything good about it, but there is nothing patently offensive either. Reminds me a little of the Smashing Pumpkins and Slater-Kinney, both of whom I’ve never been able to get into either. Guitars are good, songs are a little repetitive, vocals are ok. In fact the whole dang thing is ok. Nothing more, nothing less. 2 stars.

Mars Volta – Every once in a while, I make a mistake in that I judge the proverbial book by its cover. When I saw the song lengths involved, I assumed the worse about this disc. I would like to admit how wrong that was of me to do. I would like to admit it, but I can’t, due to the fact that the disc stunk. Ungodly bad. In fact after 2 listens, I am at a loss to think of a single positive thing to say about it. I can’t even give it my old prog rock review standard, “I didn’t like it but the guitarist/drummer/keyboardist is/are really good” line. It’s just a lot of freaking noise, absolutely fugging pointless. It’s hard for me to pick a low point, but if pressed, I’d have to go with “L Via L ‘Viaquez”, which accomplishes the rare feat of sucking in two languages over pseudo-intellectual, middle eastern jazz Phishy noodling. Close behind was “Cassandra Gemini”. Memo to band: if I can run two miles at the Y, and the song is STILL not over, its too freaking long. Mike’s rule of rock #7: Unless the name of your band is the Allman Brothers or the Grateful Dead, don’t record 30 minute long songs. You all will never know how close I came to writing a 2 page review of this disc out of spite. 0 stars

Cursive – Whoever wrote this one had some anger/relationship issues. I’m not sure I’ve heard a song as brutal in lyrics and execution as “A Gentleman Caller” for quite some time. Most of it is too grating for my taste, but I liked the subtler tracks like “The Recluse” and “Harold Weathervein”, which had a Lou Reed/Velvet Underground feel to it, with the cello, bells, etc. “Staying Alive” is an excellent song, but runs on about 3 minutes too long. The Bellmore tracks were not my cup of tea, but I don’t think I’m exactly their target audience. I played it for my teenagers, and they liked it, said they could see it getting on the radio station they listen to. 2.5 stars

Waterboys – Hadn’t heard these guys in a while. Nice album, but the sound is hopelessly dated, and the disc doesn’t hold up nearly as well as “Fisherman’s Blues”. The wall of sound built on “Church Not Made With Hands”and “Rags” is wonderful, but on some of the other tracks, like “All the Things She Gave Me”, the mix is too tinny. That dang ‘80’s drum sound is prevalent throughout, giving the whole disc a Tears-For-Fears meets Simple Minds kind of feel. “Red Army Blues” sounds like really bad John Waters soundtrack music. Mike Scott’s Bono-ish vocals hold up very well, and the playing is consistently solid. All in all, a decent disc by a generally overlooked band that didn’t get the attention that they should have back in the day. 3 stars

The Fugs – I submitted this because I believe that Mid-1960’s, New York hippie pornographic protest folk rock is a genre this group has given short change to. In truth, Ken asked me for a Fugs disc, and we agreed the group needed to know about the Fugs. I’m sure this is a love/hate disc, with no middle ground, but these guys really have been short changed by history. Zappa and the Mothers of Invention get all the kudos, when in fact the Fugs were doing that kind of music first. The mixture of country, bluegrass and rock was not heard of at the time, and their debut album came out before Dylan went electric. Some of the protest-y material is a bit dated, but thanks to Dubya, not entirely obsolete. The live stuff shines, and proves that there was some legitimate musical chops in the band. The Fugs reunited in the 1980s and put out a couple of CDs, but they sucked, and none of the material was included. “Nothing” is my personal favorite, very minimalist. 3 sheets of Saran Wrap and 2 Coca Colas.

Discussion Topics

Top 10 of 2005

I thought this year was a little weak. Lots of 3-3.5 star discs, not many in the 4-5 star range. With the exception of #1, I don’t think any of my top 5 would have made last year’s top 5….

Honorable Mention – None. Not a single freaking one. Nada. Zip. Zilch. The man has beaten me down. I’ve lost the will to mention CDs honorably.

10. Liz Phair – Somebody’s Miracle
9. The Moaners – Dark Snack
8. Death Cab for Cutie – Plans
7. My Morning Jacket - Z (Mad props to D’Arcy for submitting this one)
6. Aimee Mann – The Forgotten Arm
5. Marah – If You Didn’t Laugh, You’d Cry
4. Son Volt – Okemah and the Melody of Riot
3. White Stripes – Get Behind Me Satan
2. James McMurtry – Childish Things
1. Bright Eyes – I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning


Discussion Question 1

I ask this question because I get sick to my stomach every time I hear a great song being used to sell products. Pete Townshend in particular, has whored the Who catalog out to anyone who is willing to write him a check. Did Dylan really need the money he got from Victoria’s Secret?? One of the lowlights of the last year for me was hearing Steve Earle’s great “The Revolution Starts Now” being used to sell Chevy Trucks. That kind of prostitution ruins a song for me, and lowers my opinion of the artist every time. I understand intellectually that the songwriter owns the song, and can do what he or she wants with it, but I think it is just wrong to sell it to the highest bidder. Is a younger band justified in doing this to try to get exposure and a little jack? I don’t think so. It’s less of a sin but a sin no less in my eyes. Yes Neil, I’m aware U2 did it with their ipod ad, and I’m not excusing them or justifying it, but at the very least it was a music related product, and a new song. It wasn’t as if they sold Band-Aid the rights to “Sunday Bloody Sunday”. It is naïve to think that art and commercialism exist outside of each other’s realms, however, in my humble estimation, any artists who agree to have their songs sold for commercial products are whores, and the level to which they’ve sold their souls is just a matter of negotiation.

Discussion Question 2

The best band in the last 10 years is:

Wilco – 8 great CDs. Always evolving, never repeat themselves.