Learning to Read the Schedule- Nov. Reviews

Roseanne Cash- The List

Nice, airy covers of songs that have been covered many a-time (most of them at least). While I didn't disdain this disc like I expected to, much of it is actually not so bad, there appeared to be little emotion put into any of the songs. The affable country beat was of the norm and her delivery sounded perfect- but that's the problem- it was perfect without an ounce of oomf. Automatic .5 for lineage and 2 for the rest. (2.5)

Stone Roses- The Stone Roses

Manchester 90s hippie rave jam out. Fun blast of the past with songs that are subtle in the way they rock. Only annoyance is in the hushed vocal delivery which renders some songs lyrically undecipherable. The disc starts strong fizzles a bit in the middle- the once clever "Don't Stop" being "Waterfall" backwards doesn't hold up that well IMHO- but it picks up momentum at "Made of Stone" to the end. Would like to have heard what they would be like if they just cut loose. Still a decent album to get digitally finally. (3)

Raveonettes- In and Out of Control

You either like them or you don't. The sound is a throwback to everyone's favorite producer-murderer and the mix is muddy with hints of 80s like high pitched drum. They haven't changed this from day one and at first listen I, being a fan, was a little bored with the fact that they are still using this shtick, but they wore me down. The songs are catchy, subject matter interesting (that of situations where you are in or out of control) and hell that 60s sound is actually pretty cool. I am officially and official fan. (3.5 leaning to 4)

The Beat

Exemplarily simple pop-rock who were definitely fans of mid-career Beatles and could have fit nicely in the late 90s revival with Dada, Fastball and Posies. Would think they would rock live- are they still alive? The more plays this one got the more I enjoyed it. (3.5)

Avett Brothers- I and You and Love

Utter perfection. (5)

Dr. Dog Ghits

Liked some, not others. This is definitely a Sandy band- heard Wilco noodlin, Blitzen Trappen'esque' musings and a little hippie vibe. Some songs sounded as if they had good ideas but stopped short of fine tuning them and decided to leave the half finished versions as is. I liked the Ringo Starr layered drumming though. I give it a resounding so-so.

Topic

1) Best Debuts. Luckily I only 1,478 bands to go through

· Velvet Underground- "Velvet Underground"

· Cracker-"Cracker"

· Led Zeppelin-"I"

2) Worthy Comebacks

· Johnny Cash- American Recordings

· Aerosmith -"Permanent Vacation" & "Pump" not anything more current

· Booker T- "Potato Hole"

3) Instrumentals

· "Approaching Storm"- Chicago

· "Apricot Brandy" - Danny Gatton

· "Maggot Brain"- Funkadelic

· "Hang Up Your Hang Ups" - Herbie Hancock

· "My Favorite Things"- John Coltrane