Welcome to yet another indescribably lame week of new album releases. It now seems like light years ago, when on a single week we got new music from R.E.M. and the Stones (it was actually about two months back). It even seems like a lifetime since the new albums from Mariah Carey and Mudcrutch, and those came out just earlier this month.
Speaking of Mudcrutch, this week brings a new Greatest Hits disc from lead mudcrutcher Tom Petty. And while we're on the subject of "mud," let's not forget Mudhoney.
Back before the rest of the world discovered what we flannelheads out here in lumberjack country already knew as grunge, Mudhoney were Seattle's favorite sons. I mean, where else but late eighties Seattle could you find a band that sounded like Blue Cheer fronted by a Stooges-era Iggy Pop? Yet that was exactly how Mudhoney sounded on the groundbreaking EP Superfuzz Bigmuff.
This week, those fine folks at SubPop are issuing a deluxe, expanded edition of that landmark EP, and expanding it from its original six songs to a whomping, stomping 32 tracks. Mudhoney also has a brand new full length album — their eighth, for those counting — out this week called The Lucky Ones.
The other big release this week is from a band that may or may not be otherwise known as Green Day, called the Foxboro Hot Tubs. From its trippy, old style album jacket artwork, to the music contained within, Stop Drop and Roll!!! screams sixties rock from it's head, to, well, it's head. But we mean that in a good way. You'll find no American Idiot style Bush bashing here. Just plenty of punked up sixties style rock in the best Stones/Kinks/Who sort of tradition.
Scarlett Johannson's album of Tom Waits covers, Anywhere I Lay My Head is getting terrible reviews pretty much across the board, including a good solid thrashing from BC's own Donald Gibson. Actually, much to his credit, Gibson was his usual very polite, charming self, even as he pretty much ripped this CD a new one.
Now, here's Tom Johnson with this week's math lesson. Today's class is on multiplication:
Article comments
1 - Mat Brewster
What no saleski love for the Methany disk? What's the world coming to?
2 - Glen Boyd
We miss Mark too Mat, and hope he is able to rejoin the NAR team soon. From what we know, Mark's absense the past few weeks is due to a family matter. But weve assured him we'll keep his seat warm while he takes whatever time he needs to take care of that. Hopefully though, he'll be contributing to the column regularly again soon.
-Glen
3 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
Sorry to hear about Mark's situation & I hope everything gets better rapidly!!
Why this band [King's X] has continually suffered from near anonymity is beyond me.
Well, because they are really boring man (imho,They Suck!!)... I still don't understand how they are now getting credited in the Prog world. I believe Magna Carta Records & crew brought them back to life but when I hear this bands name off of so many musician's lips, all I can think of is,"Thanks for Collective Soul..A$$holes". They were always quite monotonous and they tried to pawn them off as metal back in the day on Headbanger's Ball.
4 - Pico
All is not lost for this week, the James Carter is quite good. Full review forthcoming...
5 - Josh Hathaway
My copy of King's X and Mudhoney are on a UPS truck headed for my door today.
I think King's X is musically and melodically interesting. Where they fit or don't on the metal and/or prog landscape means very little to me. I don't know how to answer that. What I can say is I love the different keys, time signatures, riffs, melodies and most crucially harmonies that are part of a great King's X record. I don't have all 15 KX records because they're not all great (and some are damn hard to find anymore). At their best, they are lyrically and musically interesting to me because of the elements they skillfully bring to the table. I like them a lot and do think they've gone underappreciated. I'm excited about this new record.
And then there is the mighty Mudhoney. If you think KX is a nostalgia purpose... haha. Ahh, the days of my youth. I never wore flannel, but these guys were king when I lived in Seattle. I can't wait to hear the expanded/bonus version of what has to be considered an obscure classic record.
6 - Tom Johnson
King's X hit a rough patch in the late 90s and early 00s as a band, but strangely the side-projects sounded exactly like regular King's X albums - Doug's Poundhound and Supershine albums, and his two solo albums under his own name, especially, plus Ty Tabor's and Jerry Gaskill's separate solo works. They all sound more like King's X albums more than the King's X albums from '98-'01 did.
7 - dfth
this is GAY!!