In a gig I've been referring to as my coming out of retirement, I will be playing whatever the hell I feel like. Because it's Natt Spil, because it's Tuesday, and because I'm me, and if you've ever seen me DJ, I usually tend to play whatever the hell I want anyway. The Spil is the perfect place for that.
Come for late dinner, where they make the best damn stone oven pizza around. Awesome wine list, too.
But if you really want a feel of what it's like to see my spin.... just show up tonight, causelikes no CD or nothin can represent. This comes closest, though; listen to Triller.
Here are some things I just may play tonight; who knows?
The verdict is still out on the following few, as I haven't listened to the rest of the album enough. However, these are pretty decent tunes to start with. The B-52s - Funplex My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges This song ain't bad, but the rest of the album, at a glance, sounded.. really weird and random. Madonna - Spanish Lesson She still needs many lessons herself. It's pretty obvious this is Neptunes-produced. Wait-- like almost the whole album is. Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip - Development The Mystery Jets - Umbrellaland Mike Doughty - 27 Jennifers An older song, finally appearing on his new album, Golden Delicious. Anything Doughty is typically in the category below [meaning: very good] but lately his newer stuff is.. tedious, tried, and tired. Still, he was responsible for this so he deserves a fair chance: Soul Coughing - Super Bon Bon
The verdict is in and they rock; buy the albums, or at least think about it. The Teenagers - Sunset Beach The Teenagers are fun because they don't care what they say. And the music's good. Destroyer - Blue Flower/Blue Flame Bejar. Awesome. Awesome awesome awesome. I've had my doubts in the past about the whole Destroyer thing, but it's bona fide. Frightened Rabbit - The Modern Leper Awesome follow-up to one of last year's faves, this is good stuff. Jim Noir - Don't You Worry Beach Boys //Beatles who? Jim Noir follows his 2006 album nicely, too. Pure spring/summer poppy fun.
Other random things: Stylophonic - Soulreply Nirvana - Lounge Act [Z-Trip remix] Smashing Pumpkins - Rocket Because this is one of the best songs off one of the best albums from one of the best bands of the 90s. Period.
Y una mas, para mi amigo argentino, quien ya no se ha presentado. El tema que he intendado darles a Uds antes. Bersuit Vergabarat - El Tiempo No Para Acá presento la misma canción, cantado por la fabulosa Fabiana Cantila, quien yo ví en Buenos Aires hace un año.
So.... I've been to more than a couple good shows in the past few months [and one which I try to forget that I didn't actually go to], so it's peculiar that I choose the least impressive to write about not 30min after leaving it.
New Pornographers were.... ok. Okkervil River was.... ok.
/end review.
Naw, srsly, NP was the first band that got me into the whole Indie Rock thing several years ago, with their instantly rememberable, totally memorable and entirely adorable geetar hooks and nearly-meaningless refrains. Not to mention their first two albums were released back when Neko was still unknown enough that she could get away with having artistic [!] nude [!!!!] photos [!!] on her own personal web page [anyone remember that? phew, it's hard for me to forget].
Oh, how they've grown. Now not just the eldest member of the band but also the other redhead [that'd be lead singer AC I speak of] sports a beard. Wha? Would Rivers Cuomo ever grow a beard? Even now, nearly 15 years into his career? Doubt it. And, of course, he's picked up an acoustic guitar.
And despite the facts that: [a] I've never been too impressed by the Okkervil boys, [b] that I only really went to the show because my decrepit friends ax'd me to [and promised, lyingly, to go out with me afterwards.... *ahem*], and [c] that I visually bumped into an ex-girlfriend [of course, effortlessly stunning, grr] not once or twice but thrice and tried not to wonder what the hell she was doing standing near a pimply-faced boy [no, I'm not being a hater; I'm just sayin].... despite these things, oh yeah and the Julylike heat/humidity, I was still able to enjoy the show.
My favorite NP songs are still the ones that could be played with three members + Neko, only there for her beauty-- both visual and vocal. "All For Swinging Your Around", "Mass Romantic", "Electric Version", "The Laws Have Changed", "Letter From an Occupant". All brilliant, and if you walked past my bathroom four, five, six years ago you'd most likely hear me, at the top of my lungs, piping right along-- with Neko's parts.
And so it was a bit of a disappointment to only hear a couple of those. Nevertheless, I was a bit surprised [and very happy] to hear a couple of them.
where the hell were you, you brilliant, brilliant man?!
AND WHAT ABOUT BEJAR?! What the hell? So what if he wasn't there. At least without him, they still played one [the only Bejar-penned/sang song they let the Okkervil dude sing, which admittedly was kinda cool]. But stil.. fucking hell. I waited most of the night to hear one of his songs, and totally expected to hear one of the Jackie songs. Oh well. It' still good here in my bedroom.
And the encore.... two songs? Whatev. Good thing one was totally rad. ELO's [that's Electric Light Orchestra, for y'all kids] "Don't Bring Me Down", wow. The pre-beard, pre-acoustic power-chording New Pornographers woulda covered Blink 182 or [in an ill-advised attempt at being ironic] fellow Canuck Alannis Morisette. But the new shed any self-conscience or vulnerabilities and cover ELO. Again, wow. It was good. I whoo-oo'd and whistled it all the way home. It wasn't the first time they've covered it, though.
Ok, enough ramble. Well, almost-- it should definitely be said that Neko's replacement, Kathryn Calder [who is apparently AC's niece?] coulda put on a red whig and a tighter t-shirt and no one woulda known that Neko wasn't there. Good work, niece.
Now, then, some songs they forgot to play, which are mostly Bejar's work, and a few from a couple of his [many] side projects.
In a gig I've been referring to as my coming out of retirement, I will be playing whatever the hell I feel like. Because it's Natt Spil, because it's Tuesday, and because I'm me, and if you've ever seen me DJ, I usually tend to play whatever the hell I want anyway. The Spil is the perfect place for that.
