A.K.A. "CHAN MARSHALL"

CAT POWER

The title track from Cat Power's upcoming album has been circulating through cyberspace for a while now, but it took Chris the Swiss over at Music of the Moment to get me thinking about posting some tracks from earlier in her career.

I've been smitten with Ms. Marshall's haunting, one-of-a-kind voice for quite some time now, though I've always secretly longed for fuller instrumentation and arrangements to occasionally buck that voice up. I have no idea what the bulk of the new record will sound like; I just know that I very much like the subdued strings that buoy the title track. Of course, just because the LP was recorded in Memphis doesn't mean that this'll be another Dusty in Memphis, but a boy can dream, can't he?

The Greatest will be released by Matador Records on January 24, 2006.

[MP3] [left-click] "The Greatest" [from the LP The Greatest, 2006]

[MP3] [left-click] "Free" [from the LP You Are Free, 2003]

[MP3] [left-click] "The Devil's Daughter" [from the LP The Covers Record, 2000]

[MP3] [left-click] "Cross Bones Style" [from the LP Moon Pix, 1998]

[MP3] [left-click] "Rockets" [from the LP Myra Lee, 1996]

WHERE YOU GET YOUR MUSIC... 4TH!

THE CARDIGANS

Other, better blogs (My Old Kentucky Blog, Scenestars, Said the Gramophone) have already been sharing some of the best tracks from the Cardigans' new CD - the somewhat surprisingly solid Super Extra Gravity. Still, I am not about to be dissuaded from offering yet another somewhat surprisingly solid track from it, as well as a sampler of previous Cardigans and Cardigans-related tunes.

Lead singer Nina Persson worked with Sparklehorse's Mark Linkous and Shudder to Think's Nathan Larson on a 2001 project credited to "A Camp." This LP included the Persson/Larson cover of "The Bluest Eyes in Texas" that appeared on the 1999 soundtrack to Boys Don't Cry, as well as the Nancy Sinatra/Lee Hazlewood-esque country-pop of "I Can Buy You."

[MP3] [left-click] "Overload" [from the LP Super Extra Gravity, 2005]

[MP3] [left-click] "Please Sister" [from the LP Long Gone Before Daylight, 2004]

[MP3] [left-click] "Erase/Rewind" [from the LP Gran Turismo, 1998]

[MP3] [left-click] "Lovefool" [from the LP First Band on the Moon, 1996]

[MP3] [left-click] "The Bluest Eyes in Texas"/Nina Persson & Nathan Larson

[MP3] [left-click] "I Can Buy You"/A Camp

WELL... HELLO, SAILOR...

STARSAILOR

Starsailor is one the countless single-word bands that followed in Radiohead's wake (Travis, Coldplay, Kent, South, Paloalto, Muse, Keane, on and on, on and on...). I liked a few of the songs on their first album, either didn't hear or didn't like the ones on their second, and have just now had the opportunity to listen to their third.

Can't say that I'm especially impressed, though I suppose it's not "bad," either. It's just not... you know... The Bends or OK Computer.

Regardless, I'm posting, as usual, my two favorites from it, as well as two of my favorites from their debut.

Starsailor's latest CD will be released on November 1st.

[MP3] [left-click] "This Time" [from the LP On the Outside, 2005]

[MP3] [left-click] "White Light" [from the LP On the Outside, 2005]

[MP3] [left-click] "Poor Misguided Fool" [from the LP Love is Here, 2002]

[MP3] [left-click] "Tie Up My Hands" [from the LP Love is Here, 2002]

SILVER JEWS

Didn't know much about these folks before; don't know all that much more now. But... leader David Berman started this up back in the late '80s or early '90s with future Pavement frontman Stephen Malkmus. Apparently, they enjoyed making noise.

In more recent years, Berman has reportedly struggled with substance abuse, depression, and suicide issues - three things I have more than a passing acquaintance with. Alas, I lack the ability to make music; I can only listen.

I've read at least one review of the Silver Jews' latest CD, Tanglewood Numbers, that suggests that longtime fans may be surprised by the disc's hi-fi sound. Can't really comment on that, other than to say that the songs, at least, still tend to be rather ragged and deliberately[?] anti-mainstream. My two favorites [below] may be the most "polished" of the lot, and I would also recommend the sly little charmer "How Can I Love You (If You Won't Lie Down)?".

For more info and stuff, try [here].

[MP3] [left-click] "Punks in the Beerlight" [from the LP Tanglewood Numbers, 2005]

[MP3] [left-click] "Sleeping is the Only Love" [from the LP Tanglewood Numbers, 2005]

[MP3] [left-click] "Random Rules" [from the LP American Water, 1998]