I couldn't wait for lunch and am now on my second listen of the new Sun Kil Moon album. It's Modest Mouse covers and much like Kozelek's AC/DC, Cars, Kiss, etc. covers - you probably wouldn't realize these were MM songs unless you were familiar with their lyrics because he has completely transformed them. (Though "Dramamine" - MM's most well known song prior to Good News - has some signature Mouse-esque acoustic guitar moments, and "Convenient Parking" has the same basic song structure as the original.)

If you aren't a fan of Modest Mouse but love Kozelek - you'll most likely enjoy this as much as What's Next to the Moon. Though so far only the last track, "Ocean Breathes Salty," stands up to my favorites from that album: "Up to My Neck in You" and "If You Want Blood." But I am only on the second listen.

I wonder if this is how it must feel for hardcore AC/DC fans to come across WNTtM. To some degree it's just cool to hear songs you know so well sound so different. However, I find myself just wanting to hear the original - especially with a song like "Jesus Christ Was an Only Child" where the original version is completely unique and Kozelek's version sounds like... well, like everything else he does.

Overall this is a good album, but more than anything it makes me want to listen to Modest Mouse and for Kozelek to put out another album of his own stuff.

_________

Now, a truly noteworthy album I cannot stop listening to is M. Ward Transistor Radio. It is for sure going high up on the best releases of the year list. Almost every song is "wow" great.

What with opinions being cheaper to purchase than albums...

Is Brendan Benson any good?

Nice, Joe. I agree completely about the higher reverance.

Misha, I'm sorry to hear that the Boggs are serious because they sound like John Hammond Jr. doing his painful imitation of Son House.

Tina, I'm not a Modest Mouse fan, but interested in hearing Kozelek's album.

Is Brendan Benson any good?

I love love love Lapalco, (which is available on emusic) but not so much his other two albums including the most recent one.

He is very Matthew Sweet-esque, nice straight up pop with clever rhyme-y lyrics. I'd go Lapalco - especially the first two tracks "Tiny Spark" and "Metarie" - if you don't like those, you won't like his other stuff.

ETA:

But interested in hearing Kozelek's album

It's on emusic as well - do you do the emusic thang, C.I.? I forget.

It was The Alternative to Love I had my eye on. I had flicked past it a couple of times in record shops and knew he had some connection to Jason Faulkner or Jon Brion or somebody I liked a good deal. But Lapalco, eh?

It's on emusic as well - do you do the emusic thang, C.I.? I forget.

Just signed up the day before yesterday. I'll check it out.

Oh and the second picture down makes me either incredibly ashamed of myself or incredibly proud to be a dad. I can't decide.

Oh and the second picture down makes me either incredibly ashamed of myself or incredibly proud to be a dad. I can't decide.

"Mmmm, junkie trannie heinie."

Just signed up the day before yesterday. I'll check it out.

Woohoo! My emusic user name is kansian just in case you see it pop up (and I have public lists and such but there is no way to search for people by username - it's dumb - you just have to kind of happen upon them).

And: Ohmygodcutebaby!!

But Lapalco, eh?

Yeah - I just wasn't impressed with Alternative to Love at all. Lapalco is harder to find in stores though.

I'll keep an eye out for you, Tina! I have no idea what my username is.

Also: thanks! Li'l Sphere is precious, even when checking out tranny junkie butts.