Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
The storm is blowing back out to sea and now we begin the process of clearing the wreckage and moving ahead, stronger for the experience and thankful for what has been spared. What am I on about? That's my literary way of saying it's time to return to my daily writing responsibilities, among them this column dedicated to helping you spend your money wisely.
Elliott Smith
Roman Candle
From A Basement On The Hill
We have a pair of re-issues from the estate of Elliott Smith this week. Sadly, these two albums represent the first and last albums of his career- well, in a sense. Basement was the album he was working on at the time of his death. It was released a year afterward and not in the manner he likely would have presented it. There was also New Moon, which was more a rarities collection than an album proper. Depending on how technical you want to be, these two albums do have something of a bookend relationship to one another.
From a Basement is being released in the same form it was initially released in. The only change to it is the label home. All of Elliott's 'indie' albums are now being released through Kill Rock Stars.
Roman Candle is the interesting and controversial release. This is the ultimate DIY record. It was recorded, roughly, on lo-fi equipment and mixed roughly. Roman Candle is favored by many Smith fans along with the self-titled follow up who prefer Smith's stripped sound to the more ornate records he'd later make. The album has been remastered by Larry Crane, the archivist of the Smith estate, and there will be some who won't welcome this tinkering at all.
“The intention that I had was to make the album more listenable," Crane said. "I felt that a lot of the guitar “squeaks” were jarring and very loud, and that many of the hard consonants and “S” sounds were jarring and scratchy sounding. I felt by reducing these noises that the music would become more inviting and the sound would serve the songs better. When I went to Roger Seibel's SAE Mastering, he proceeded to equalize the tracks a small amount and to make the volume slightly louder. We never tried to make this CD as loud as current, over-limited trends, but just to match the volume of the rest of Elliott’s KRS catalog in a graceful way. Please note that none of this album is “remixed” from the master tapes – it is still composed of the mixes Elliott created himself.”
I have a hunch I'll appreciate most of the 'improvements' in the presentation so I'll probably pick up a copy but I am not real comfortable with people messing with another artist's music after the fact in this manner. Crane knew Smith and seems to have taken measures not to be intrusive. The very idea will be too much for some. I'm curious.
Jakob Dylan
Women And Country
I'm hearing a lot about this release, chiefly from BC's Donald Gibson and former Rolling Stone editor David Wild. Our good Sir Gibson is actually going to be talking to Dylan about this new album and maybe some of his previous work as well. I haven't decided whether to check this one out before or after I read that interview.
Jeff Healey
Last Call
The music world lost a special and unique talent in 2008 when Jeff Healey passed. Last Call is the third posthumous release (Mess of Blues, Songs From The Road)to be issued by the Healey estate and finds Healey stepping out from the blues-rock sound most casual listeners knew him for and embracing his love of jazz and swing. The 14-track album was recorded and mixed by his longtime associate Alec Fraser and features instrumental versions of songs originally recorded by Lonnie Johnson and Eddie Lang among others.
All Leather
When I Grow Up, I Wanna Fuck Like A Girl
Ancient Bards
The Alliance Of The Kings (The
Annotations Of An Autopsy
Before The Throne Of Infection
Atlanta Rhythm Section
Atlanta Rhythm Section/Back Up Against The Wall
Auf Der Maur, Melissa
Out Of Our Minds
Awesome Color
Massa Hypnos
Barber, Chris & His Band
Chris Barber At The Bbc Vol 2
Barnes, Dave
What We Want, What We Get
Benatar, Pat
Greatest Hits Green Box
Black Prairie
Feast Of The Hunters' Moon
Blyton, Carey
Choral Music
Bobby Mcferrin
Vocabularies
Bodeans
Mr. Sad Clown
Brown, Pieta
One And All
Burke, Solomon
Nothing's Impossible
Caldwell, Kimberly
Without Regret
Cary Brothers
Under Control
Chalie Boy
Catch Me At Relays
Chapman, Roger & The Shortlist
Live At The Y 2001
Chapman/Whitney: Streetwalkers
First Cut
Cheap Trick
One On One/Next Position Pleas
Chino & Nacho
Mi Niña Bonita
Civil Twilight
Civil Twilight
Classic Crime, The
Vagabonds
Codeine Velvet Club
Codeine Velvet Club
Common Loon
The Long Dream Of Birds
Coolidge, Rita
The Lady’s Not For Sale / Fall Into Spring / It’s Only Love (Double Cd)
Cowan, John
The George Massenberg Sessions
Crosby, Bing
Centennial Anthology
Cuete
Love Stories 2 – The Notebook
Dame Shirley Bassey
The Performance
Darkthrone
Circle The Wagons
David Bowie
David Bowie / [2 Cd Deluxe Edition]
David Byrne & Fatboy Slim
Here Lies Love (2Cd)
David Byrne & Fatboy Slim
Here Lies Love (Special Edition)(2Cd/Dvd)(W/Bound Book)
Delta Moon
Hell Bound Train
Diablo, Danny
International Hardcore Superst
Diabolic
Liar & A Thief
Downchild
I Need A Hat
Dr. Dog
Shame Shame
Dr. Hook
Bankrupt/A Little Bit More
Dylan, Jakob
Women And Country
Earth, Wind & Fire
Raise!/Powerlight
Emery
Are You Listening?
Finger
Still In Boxes 1990-1994
Fleetwood Mac
Perfect In Every Way
Gbh
Perfume And Piss
Gene Autry
South Of The Border: Songs Of Old Mexico
Gorillaz Tribute
Smooth Jazz Tribute To Gorillaz
Grandpa Elliott
Sugar Sweet
Grant, John
Queen Of Denmark
Green, Vivian
Beautiful
Hacienda Us
Big Red And Barbacoa
Haggard, Merle
Out Among The Stars/A Friend In California
Harlem
Hippies
Healey, Jeff
Last Call
Heart
G.H. 1985-1995 Green Box
Heidevolk
Uit Oude Grond
Hitchcock, Robyn & The Venus 3
Propellor Time
Ikonika
Contact, Want, Love, Have
Insane Clown Posse
Bang! Pow! Boom! Nuclear Version / [2 Cd/1 Dvd Combo]
J-Dawg
Behind Tint 2
Jasmine
The Next Me
Javelin
No Mas
John Butler Trio
April Uprising
Jon Secada
Classics
Jon Secada
Classico (Spanish Version)
Jones, Norah
Come Away With Me Green Box
Jones, Sharon & The Dap-Kings
I Learned The Hard Way
Jonsi
Go
Judson Claiborne
Time And Temperature
Judy Garland
Judy On Broadway Tonight With Friends
Julian Cope
Peggy Suicide / [2 Cd Deluxe Edition]
Junior Kelly
Red Pond
Junior Murvin
Police And Thieves / [2 Cd Deluxe Edition]
Kalmah
12 Gauge
Ken Colyer's Jazzmen
Very Very Live At The 100 Club
Kidjo, Angélique
Oyo
Kristy
My Romance
Luther Ingram
Absolutely The Best Of Luther Ingram
Macaroons, The
Let S Go Coconuts
Machines Of Grace
Machines Of Grace
Madonna
The Sticky & Sweet Tour (Cd/Dvd)
Margaret Leng Tan (Toy Piano)
She Herself Alone: The Art Of The Toy Piano 2
Marling, Laura
I Speak Because I Can
Marling, Laura
I Speak Because I Can
Marty Raybon
At His Best
Mi Ami
Steal Your Face
Miller Band, Steve
G.H. 1974-1978 Green Box
Monroe, Marilyn
Solid Gold
Monster Movie
Everyone Is A Ghost
Morton, Pj
Walk Alone
Mr. Criminal
Love Jams Volume 2
Murder By Death
Good Morning, Magpie
Muse Tribute
String Tribute To Muse
Negura Bunget
Maiestrit
Nice Nice
Extra Wow
Parish, John
She, A Chinese Original Soundt
Park, Patrick
Come What Will
Peter Wolf
Midnight Souvenirs
Pm Today
In Medias Res
Poison
20 Years Of Rock Green Box
Putumayo Presents
Latin Party
Radio Dept, The
Heaven's On Fire
Ray Charles
Genius+Soul=Jazz / [2 Cd Deluxe 50Th Ann. Expanded Edition]
Red Sparowes
The Fear Is Excruciating, But Therein Lies The Answer
Richard Bona
The Ten Shades Of Blues
Secret & Whisper
Teenage Fantasy
Seltmann, Sally
Heart That's Pounding
Sexton, Martin
Sugarcoating
Siegbert Rampe (Harpsichord, Clavichord & Fortepiano)
Mozart, W.A.: Complete Clavierworks Vol. 11
Sinatra, Frank
Classic Sinatra Green Box
Sinbreed
When Worlds Collide
Slash
Slash
Smith, Elliott
From A Basement On The Hill
Smith, Elliott
Roman Candle
Sones De Mexico Ensemble
Fiesta Mexicana: Mexican Songs
Sotti, Fabrizio
Inner Dance
Soundtrack
Fringe (Michael Giacchino)
Squeeze
Argybargy / [2 Cd Deluxe Edition]
Stephen Sondheim
A Little Night Music
Stone, Joss
Colour Me Free
Svartsot
Mulmets Viser
Svartsot
Mulmets Viser (Ltd Ed Digipak)
Taylor, Floyd
All Of Me
The 5 Browns (Piano)
5 Browns, The: The 5 Browns In Hollywood
The Dø
A Mouthful
The Doors
When You're Strange (Songs From The Motion Picture)
The Slits
Cut / [2 Cd Deluxe Edition]
Trae
Traebute
Trower, Robin
Twice Removed From Yesterday
Tunng
…And Then We Saw Land
Under Byen
Alt Er Tabt
Unleashed
As Yggdrasil Trembles
Upon A Burning Body
The World Is Ours
Various Artists
Industry Shakers Ii
Various Artists
214 Mixtape
Various Artists
Down South Slangin 59
Various Artists
Breathing Fire – Live In Jamaica
Various Artists
Tribute To Thin Lizzy, A
Various Artists
Shapes 10:01
Various Artists
Absolute Belter
Various Artists
Amalfi: Buon Viaggio Italiano
Various Artists
Capri: Buon Viaggio Italiano
Various Artists
Rock Biographies: Led Zeppelin
Various Artists
Rock Biographies: Lynyrd Skynyrd
Various Artists
Rock Biographies: Zz Top
Various Artists
Happily Ever After
Various Artists
The Golden Age Of American Comedy / [2 Cd]
Veil Of Maya
Id
Withers, Bill
#Name?
Woolfson, Eric
Poe: World Premiere Performance
