Erata: Bad Music Update

Sooooo like I said I listen to a lot of music and I try to read a lot and I rarely get to listen to enough or read enough but it strikes me that... well... you do not believe me. I guess what it comes down to it, I do not believe me either. So in a follow up I want to give you a heads up and brief diatribe about some things I have consumed which... did not merit the Diner Reviews rather exacting specifications.

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Sun Kil Moon: April
Great name for a band and all the people like I like and respect have told me that I “have to” love them... or love him as it were. What I did not know was that the “band” was merely a vehicle for Mark Kozelak who used to head up the Red House Painters (another great band name. In a gust of indie rock arrogance i had purchased two Red House Painters CD’s which were labeled as “genius” only to find them lethargic, pretentious and overly arty. Not surprisingly so is Sun Kil Moon. The CD April comes with a highly prized bonus CD and they both will be solidly parked in my basement until I die and my children sell my CD collection, or pawn it, or throw it away. In any case that will be the next time it sees the light of day unless my pretentious indie rock snob sun decides he is interested. This is like Jay Farrar on quaaludes and if you know Farrar’s music (some of which I like) that is a particularly unattractive reference. I picture this guy staring at his shoes while a cellist noodles and he mumbles. Miss it.
http://www.sunkilmoon.com/welcome.html

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Elvis Costello: Momofuku
I love Elvis Costello. I have a predisposition to like everything he puts out. This must be one where he is ahead of me because it just seems banal, unnecessary and not breaking of any new or interesting ground. He is another guy I could listen to as he sang the phone book but.... that does not make it rock and roll. He plays with The Impostors (his long time band which includes 2 of his original band The Attractions) and it is tight and can be sweet but it is unremarkable and you wonder what motivated this effort. Pitchfork did not even review it. released on Lost Highway, miss it unless you are a completist.

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Patty Hurst Shifter: Coma La Grava (EP)
The Patty Hurst Shifter (aside from having the coolest name ever) is an excellent rocking band. They have put out some excellent CD’s including the classic “Too crowded On The Losing End”. They kind of have a Stones vibe with some good garage guitars. This E.P. Non essential. Sadly.

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Murray Hammond: “I Dont Know Where I Am Going But I Am On My Way”
Murray Hammond. Very talented. Bass player for the Old 97’s who I have an admitted affinity. Hammond has been contributing a song or two on each 97’s album for years and in the context of those albums his songs are a nice break. He has a true love for “real” country music and reaches back all the time to Merle Haggard and other classic country artists. there are few cuts on this CD (such as his cover of the classic “Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down”. He covers a couple of Carter Family classics but does not do much more then establish authentic cred. Over all, it tries to hard and takes you no where. Miss it...too.

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So there is a little sample of how i regularly suffer for this blog. 75 bucks worth of music... for nothing. I have suffered in silence too long.