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Observant’s Favorite Things – 2007

Published January 1, 2008 albums , awards , books , Favorite things , music , pop culture 8 Comments

As promised, Observant will now list her Best of 2007 CD (I just know you’ve all been holding your breath, waiting for this!) There were so many wonderful new CD’s released in 2007 (contrary to what some of the other so-called experts have said about the preceding year’s music selection). I found a lot to like, and my wallet can attest mightily to that fact.

10. Guggenheim Grotto: Waltzing Alone – This 3-member folk/pop band from Dublin sounds like CSN at times. Great harmonies all around; check out Philosophia and Vertigo.

9. KT Tunstall: Drastic Fantastic – Album cover aside (one of the worst I’ve seen), this is a nice, solid followup to Eye to the Telescope. Little Favours got 4 stars from me.

8. Rilo Kiley: Under the Blacklight – Jenny Lewis’ band is back with a new release, after taking a break to record with Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins. Favorite track is Close Call.

7. Andrew Bird: Armchair Apocrphya – I feel all floaty and melancholy when I listen to Andrew Bird (his voice sometimes reminds me of Rufus Wainwright’s), and this new album doesn’t disappoint the emo in me. Very good for those gloomy Mondays when all you want to do is pull the covers over your head and suck on a bottle of Wild Turkey.

6. The Decemberists: The Crane Wife – I know, I know. This album is supposed to represent The Decemberist’s selling out to a more corporate sound, but I don’t buy that. Accessible? Yes, but also very smart and dark enough for my tastes. Take Shankill Butchers, for instance:

The Shankill butchers ride tonight
You better shut your windows tight
They’re sharpening their cleavers and their knives
And taking all their whisky by the pint

Now THAT’S what I’m talking about; all killing and maiming and shit.

5. Arctic Monkeys: Favourite Worst Nightmare – Very nice sophomore album by this band from Sheffield, England. Lots of great tracks on this one (Fluorescent Adolescent, Teddy Picker, 505, Old Yellow Bricks, etc). Love, love, love Alex Turner’s Yorkshire accent.

4. Silversun Pickups: Carnavas – OK, it’s officially a 2006 release, but this just hit my radar screen last summer. Absolutely cannot get enough of Lazy Eye or Rusted Wheel, but the voice….the voice will freak you out once you realize it’s a man’s voice.

3. Yeasayer: All Hour Cymbals – OK, I just discovered this band the other day but I was an instant convert after hearing Sunrise, the first track on the album. This is a post-modern-middle-eastern-meets-dreampop-meets-electronica mashup that appeals to the old hippie chick in me. Also check out 2080. The album kind of drags about midway, but a few more listens will probably cure that.

2. The Kooks: Inside In/Inside Out – OK, officially another late-2006 release, but again, it just hit my radar. Like Silversun’s Lazy Eye, the Kook’s song OohLa cannot be played too much on Observant’s IPod. Great, upbeat pop hook that will make you wish you were 20 and single again (oh to have that kind of energy!).

1. The Shins: Wincing the Night Away – This was Observant’s most highly anticipated album of the year, and it did not disappoint. Phantom Limb is superb. Oh, and Australia. And Sleeping Lessons. And Split Needles, and Red Rabbits… Oh fuck, just buy the album.

Disappointments: Two of my very favorite artists released albums this year that were just sub-par, in my opinion. Definitely not up to the caliber I’m used to from them…

Lucinda Williams: West– Girlfriend’s lyrics are just downright bad and the music is monotonous and uninspiring. The first song, Are You Alright? would be a prime example of the kind of dreck found on the rest of this awful mess:

Are you all right?
All of a sudden you went away
Are you all right?
I hope you come back around someday.
Are you all right?
I haven’t seen you in a real long time
Are you all right?
Could you give me some kind of sign?
Are you all right?
I looked around me and you were gone.
Are you all right?
I feel like there must be something wrong
Are you all right?
Cause it seems like you disappeared
Are you all right?
Cause I’ve been feeling a little scared
Are you all right?

No Lucinda, I am not alright. I am fucking bored.

Mark Knopfler: Kill to Get Crimson – Same complaint – bad lyrics coupled with boring, monotonous melodies. The first track, True Love Will Never Fade starts with Knopfler singing those five words over and over and over about a bazillion times. He then ends the song singing those 5 words over and over and over a bazillion more times. I admit I have not listened to the entire album, but I just can’t stay awake past the first 3 songs. For a man who’s written and recorded masterpieces like Sailing to Philadelphia and Shangri-La, as well as led Dire Straits through a very successful career, this release is doubly disappointing. Check out One Take Radio Sessions for a better example of his fine guitar work and songwriting.

Whew! I considered giving you a list of my favorite books, but honestly I like writing about the music I’ve enjoyed this year so much more. OK, a short list then:

The Terror by Dan Simmons: Lots of pages, a monster in the Arctic and a shipwreck.

World Without End by Ken Follett: Sequel to Pillars of the Earth. Just as good and just as long (1000 pages).

The Post Birthday World by Lionel Schriver: I wrote about this one earlier in the year. Superb writing and a great story.

I read a lot of books this year, but those are my top three.

OK, so there you have it. Go ahead, take some cheap shots at my lists if you have a mind to. I can take it. What were some of your favorites from 2007?

Maximum Horsepower

Published October 11, 2007 albums , music 10 Comments

My hip cousin, Venus, is married to a very hip (and deliciously handsome) dude named Troy, lead guitarist for local Kansas City band Federation of Horsepower. They’re having their CD release party Saturday night. Today there were not one, but TWO articles in the local papers – The Kansas City Star and The Pitch. Give ’em a read!

Federation, from left: Gregg Todt, John Ferguson, Troy Van Horn, Chris Fugit

So I’m giving Troy and the boys a big shout out here from the Observation Deck. And for a taste of FOH’s sound, check out their website on Myspace. Alas, I will miss the CD release party due to a previously planned engagement, but you youngun’s have yourselves a rockin’ good time – and Congratulations!

we are stardust, we are golden…

Published February 27, 2007 albums , baby boomers , woodstock 3 Comments

Ken and I went out to eat the other night, then wandered over to a new store in town that resells CDs, DVDs and other collectible stuff like comics – which I don’t give two hoots for – and action figures – which I also don’t give two hoots for. BUT, they also had three bins of old vinyl LPs, which I immediately attached myself to, and spent 30 minutes or so poring through them, noting smugly that I owned many of them already (and that mine were in pristine condition, thank you very much). By the time I reached the Ws, I was about to give up hope of finding anything worthy of my hard-earned money, when suddenly I found the holy grail of albums – The 1970 3-album Woodstock set, on the Cotillian label, beautifully preserved with NO SCRATCHES.

For some reason, I had never procured this album for myself, (probably because I usually had a roommate or ex-husband who owned it), and had resigned myself to never owning it – not being one to purchase things on EBay (because I lack EBay confidence – don’t ask, just accept). I snatched that baby up, quick as a bunny, fearful that someone else would reach their arm in and yank it out of my hands, although there wasn’t anyone else around. Oh boy, was I proud of myself! I then spent a leisurely few more minutes perusing the DVDs and picked up an SNL Best of Chris Farley, then mosied up to the front of the store to pay for my treasures.

The skinny little teenage boy manning the cash register started ringing me up and then exclaimed “Wow, you got the best one!”

“Oh the Woodstock album? Pretty great, huh?” I replied, trying to act all nonchalant.

“Actually I meant the Chris Farley. He’s so freakin’ funny!”

Was he kidding thinking the Chris Farley DVD was more cool than the Woodstock album??? Why wasn’t he drooling over my Woodstock prize like a NORMAL human being would? Did this poor child have no idea about the cultural significance of the three-day festival of peace and love??? What kind of parents did he have anyway?? What were they teaching these kids in schools these days?

I briefly thought about preaching a sermon about the coolness of the Woodstock album over the Chris Farley DVD, but after another look at the kid I decided against it. While he could have definitely used a quick lesson in baby boomer coolness, the effort would probably have been wasted on him. Obviously if this poor child lacked proper knowledge of this most important of cultural touchstones, then he needed more help than I could possibly give him. I decided to let well enough alone.

Later, I told the one teenage child I knew would properly appreciate my treasure – my 19 year old son.

“Wow mom, that is so cool. When can I listen to it?”

And his mother was sooo proud.