To my ears he isn't stiff, he doesn't show off (on the CD, can't speak for the live show), and he's very expressive.

That's just it. I don't hear expressive. I hear cold and distant. It's an artistic choice that, to these ears, wears thin very quickly.

Blueberry Boat! I don't think I've mentioned here that I got to see the Fiery Furnaces twice over the last month and they have been amazing live!

The first time, they were the headliners and only stopped for breath three or four times during the 75 minute set. They took apart the various sections of their songs and not only reordered them, but also rearranged them musically. Oftentimes, until the singing started, and unless you knew the words, you'd find the songs unrecognizable from their recorded versions. They played as a four-piece, with the guitarist and bassist doubling on keyboards and samplers. The singer and drummer (who was ferocious) rounded things out. The overall feel was much more "rock" and frantic than the CDs.

The second time, they were opening for Wilco (who were great) and so only played for 40 minutes. That time, they didn't pause even once. It was exhilarating.

paging joe boucher

Kim Cooper just sent this to me:

Am I correct in assuming that you would like to read and review Helter Skelter's “Chic and The Politics of Disco” by Daryl Easlea for Scram?

I said I'd give you first dibs on it.

I don't think I've mentioned here that I got to see the Fiery Furnaces twice over the last month and they have been amazing live!

Yeah, I love their medley approach. Fluxblog has a great discussion of one of their sets, one that culminates in comparing Eleanor with Evil Willow, here. And here's Eleanor's setlist from a mid-September show.

Thanks, David, but it's all yours. I love Chic (and call dibs on Real People if there's a LITG, Vol. 2), but I was a straight, white, completely-unaware-of-cocaine pre-teen growing up in cow country during disco's heyday; my insights into the politics of disco, and Chic's place therein, are... what's the word I'm looking for? Oh yeah, "worthless." If it wasn't in the top 40 it didn't reach my ears.

I can't tell you how happy I am that the reference to Evil Willow is accompanied by a link to "Doppelgangland," not the S6 incarnation. Season 6... <shudders violently>

I've been led to understand that I would like S6 much more now with some distance from it, but I haven't yet tested this theory.

Hey, are you going to the EDO show tonight?

Tommyrot, I wouldn't even say that. To me, "Shiny Happy People" worked. It's annoying, irritating and every other -ing, but it worked as a bouncy piece of lighthearted crap ... er, fluff.

This new one just kind of screams: "We can still write a bouncy tune, but keep it 'interesting' with weird time signature changes!"

I've been led to understand that I would like S6 much more now with some distance from it, but I haven't yet tested this theory.

I've caught some episodes in syndication & I gotta say that's a flawed theory. The only thing that got me through the second half of S6 was that it was followed by the first season of "America's Next Top Model" (the one that Elise should have won damn it!)

No EDO pour moi ce soir. I know that Texans consider stuff 100 miles away "the next door neighbors," but it's too far for me on a school night. Oddly enough, the last gig I caught also featured Jonathan. Can't remember the occasion. Maybe the release of "Alien Death Taxi" or the fifteenth anniversary of "Waltzing with the Dogs." Anyway, tonight it's me & the Fugs. Tuli's gotta be pushing 80. Speaking of Mr. Kupferberg, he was at the first non-St. John's/non-Haverford show for EDO. It was at CBGB in the spring of 1989. Eliot invited him and he came. I can still remember him going, "Yeah, I don't go out to too many places anymore. They're too loud."

Anyway, tonight it's me & the Fugs.

Hey, that's a pretty good substitute. My friend Leonard is doing a reading at the 215 Festival on Saturday, but he's not actually leaving Chicago until tomorrow, so he's also missing EDO tonight. Oh, well.

I know that Texans consider stuff 100 miles away "the next door neighbors," but it's too far for me on a school night.

Edit: and what are you, some kinda New York libr'ral wimp-boy? That's not even two hours!

what are you, some kinda New York libr'ral wimp-boy?

Yup. Anything I can't reach on foot or by subway is a major undertaking, and even long subway rides are enough to dissuade me. Of course having to climb off the couch is usually enough to dissuade me, but that's a different matter. I am the Mr. Wiggles of the Phoenix Board.

My friend sent me an advance copy of the new Bettie Serveert. So far I'm not liking it nearly as much as Log 22. This one seems more mellow and the lyrics are not very good. Anyone else heard the new stuff?