Catchin' Up

Ladyhawk- 3.0
Channeling a lot of my favorites here. Son Volt, Replacements, Dinosaur Jr. Lots of fuzzy distorted guitar work combined with some lazy vocals give the album a nice bluesy grunge rock feel. Although a few tracks had too much of a melancholy overtone for my liking. All in all a solid record.

The A’s- 4.0
Any guitarist who has played with/for Roger Waters is Aces in my book. Way to go Rick DiFonzo. This has got to be an Alan selection- great rock band from Philly. I love this stuff. Still sounds relevant today- can’t believe it was released in 1979. Lots of catchy hooks with a great power pop/new wave vibe to the whole thing. And a sense of humor to boot. A fun, energetic record for sure.

Keith TOTP- 4.0
Who would have thought it? My first impression- right from the picture on the front cover to the over the top name of the entire cd- F*ck You! I’m Keith Top of the Pops by Keith Top of the Pops & His Minor UK Indie Celebrity All-Star Backing Band- left me thinking that I was going to hate this. What a surprise to find songs like Two of the Beatles Are Dead, I Hate Your Band, and What’s On Your Mind. This is good music- solid, likable indie tunes that are catchy, honest, and clever. I liked it more with each listen and Try Your Best is a great outro to a really good cd.

Sleeping In The Aviary- 4.0
I thought I was listening to Dr Dog when I heard the title track. And you know I love Dr Dog. I’m a big fan of straight forward indie pop rock- catchy, melodic hooks with solid lyrics to keep it all interesting. And being an old guy, I really liked the nod to the 50’s and 60’s. On first listen I thought too much do-wop and sha-la-la, but subsequent listens proved to be more satisfying. They took something old and made it their own. Nice.

Hayes Carll- 3.5
What a good month for DNY music. Hayes Carll plays what I call Country music- honky tonk, twangy irreverence. This is Texas country music. Not that over-produced crap that comes out of music row. Honest music. John Prine meets Merle Haggard music. And a great duet with Carey Ann Hearst to boot. Good stuff.

Question:
Right now my fav artist is Wilco. Now mind you- I like every thing they’ve ever done- a lot!! So if I have to pick a favorite cd I guess any cd from Summerteeth to Sky Blue Sky would be my favorite. I can’t pick one, sorry. They are all incredibly good. Least fav, but still great would be AM.
Part 2- the swap- Shouldn't Be Ashamed off of AM swaped with Reservations off of Yankee Hotel