CDs
acquired in 2005
Return to Michael K. Bourdaghs homepage
For a list of the CDs I acquired in 2004, see here; for those acquired in 2003,
see here
(The format here is suggested by the lovely
logbooks, hand sewn and as hefty as a wizard’s spell book, found at the Peter
Pan coffee shop in
×××½Paul McCartney, Chaos and Creation in the Backyard (2005; Capitol). A nice little piece of work from the Macca, especially the first several songs. (12/26/05).
×××Little
Creatures, Night People (2005; Tone Records). Latest release of very
cool acoustic pop-rock from one of
××××Flamin’ Oh’s, Long
Live the King (2005, SMA Records). New material from a revised line-up of
one of the most talented and popular bands in the
×××½The Hypstrz, Live at the Longhorn: The Complete Recordings (Bomp, 2005). Originally recorded
back in 1979 at the Longhorn, a bar that was the heart of the
××××The Blue Hearts, The Blue Hearts Box (1999, Meldac). A boxed-set of the first three albums by
The Blue Hearts, a legendary Japanese pop/punk band from the late 1980s (many of
whose members ended up in The High-Lows: see below). Thanks to the hit movie Linda Linda Linda, they’re enjoying something of a revival here in
×××½The High-Lows, Relaxin’ with The High-Lows (2000; Kitty Enterprises). Yet another fine Shibuya-kei band, The High-Lows are quickly becoming a new obsession with me: the more I hear of their sophisticated pop-rock, which references everything from Brian Wilson to The Kinks to Phil Specter, the more I like it. They sound a little bit like early RC Succession here: another reason to smile. (11/30/05).
××××Various artists, Fujiyama Rock (2005, Victor). A nice compilation of early (1956-1964) Japanese rock and roll by such artists as Yukimura Izumi, Mickey Curtiss, Hamamura Michiko, Hirao Masaaki, Kiyohara Takeshi, and The Tokyo Beatles. This stuff stands up quite well, I think. (11/30/05).
××××Ray
Davies, Thanksgiving Day (2005;
V2).
Head Kink Ray Davies’ solo album has been in the works for nearly a decade now, and it’s
finally starting to come out in dribs and drabs. This EP contains two versions of the
title track, a wry new anthem for today’s
The Roosters, DIS. (2003; Triad). Originally released in 1983. The Roosters’ fourth album—and their best, I’m told. (11/22/05)
Majima Masatoshi, Yozora no hoshi kuzu (2002; Meldac). Originally released in 1991. Maxi single from one of The High-Lows (and a former member of The Blue Hearts), includes a Japanese-language cover version of The Kinks’ “I Need You.” (11/22/05)
×××½The Ike Reilly Assasination, Junkie Faithful (2005; Rockridge). The latest from Ike Reilly, who’s been one of my faves the last two or three years, a remarkable alloy of Dylan, Midwestern garage punk, rap, etc., all blended together with a strong sense of history. My first reaction is quite good; he’s getting a bit more creative in terms of musical hooks and production, though the hiphop detailing that marked his earlier recordings seems to be fading away here. (10/20/05)
Various
artists, Yomigaeru jisaku rôdoku no sekai (2005;
××××Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, Gifted: Winter Selection (1993, Sony). An EP collecting six songs from Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra’s early 1990s releases—found it for a mere 100 yen at a flea market. (10/16/05)
Misia, Love is the Message (2000; BMG). Misia has a great set of pipes as
one of the finest soul divas
Cornelius, The First Question Award (1994; Polystar). His first solo album. (10/16/05)
××Dave Davies, Chosen People (2005; Wounded Bird Records). Little brother Dave Davies’ third solo album, originally released on vinyl back in the early 1980s when the Kinks were still a going concern, is finally reissued on CD, two decades later. (10/12/05).
×××½Flipper’s Guitar, Singles (1992; Polystar). Best of collection by the legendary band that included both Cornelius and Ozawa Kenji among its members. (10/11/05).
×××½The Tokyo Beatles, Meet the Tokyo Beatles (2005;
Various artists, Nihon kayô shi (1994, Nippon Columbia). A 3-CD anthology of Japanese popular songs stretching from the 1930s to 1960. A good survey of music from the period, but all of the songs are given in abridged versions (always read the fine print!), and there is an annoyingly serious female narrator who shows up between the songs to make sure we understand their historical importance. (10/11/05)
×××Tokyo Jihen, Kyôiku (2004, Toshiba EMI). The debut CD by Shiina Ringo’s new band. It’s a bit heavier on the guitars than her previous solo releases, but very much in the same musical vein. I like her brainy, cacophonous pop tunes, as always, but I think I’m having the same problem with her that I’ve been having lately with Aimee Mann: like Mann, Shiina has an indelible and unique style that shines through on all of her songs, but it doesn’t seem to develop beyond that. In other words, her albums and songs all seem basically interchangeable. But I’ll have to give this a few more listens, of course. (9/19/05)
Tulip, Singles (1998, Toshiba EMI). A 3-CD anthology collecting all of the singles released by the great 1970s folk-rock band Tulip, which has reunited in recent years and begun touring and recording again. (8/31/05)
The Rolling Stones, Exile on Main Street (1994, Virgin). Originally released on vinyl in 1972. See comment below. (8/31/05)
The Beatles, Magical Mystery Tour (1987, EMI). Originally released on vinyl in 1967. The long-term project to replace all of my vinyl LPs with CDs continues to make slow, steady progress. Anticipated date of project completion: Sept. 14, 2036. (8/31/05)
×××Sokabe Keiichi, Love Letter (2005; Rose Records). The latest from Sokabe, former leader of Sunny Day Service. This has a much harder rock sound than his earlier solo releases, which is on the whole a good thing: his one great weakness is a tendency for mushiness. In fact, he sounds positively punk on a few cuts here, a bit of a surprise. Several of the songs are terrific (“Yûmei ni naritai,” for example), and even in this noisier, gruffer incarnation, Sokabe’s distinct songwriting style shines through. (8/2/05)
The
Tigers, Again (2002; Polydor). Originally released on
vinyl in 1970. The fourth album by The Tigers, one of the most popular of the
Groups Sounds movement in
×××××Eels, Blinking Lights and Other Revelations (2005; Vagrant Records). This is about as good
as it gets in American pop: Brian
Wilson (in one of his depressed, minimalist phases) meets Bob Dylan (in one of
his more tuneful phases). It’s a
double CD and, yes, there is some filler, but man oh man there are also some
absolute gems here: “Railroad Man,”
“Hey Man (Now You’re Really Living),” “Things the
Grandchildren Should Know.” The
best stuff I’ve heard from anyone in a long time. You can hear a wonderful in-studio visit
by E from the Eels on the Steve Jones show on Indie
103.1 FM in
×××½Aimee Mann, The Forgotten Arm (2005; Super Ego Records). A nice comeback for Ms. Mann; “Goodbye Caroline” ought to be a great big hit but, well, I’ve pretty much given up on the notion of justice in the pop music charts. As a whole, the album doesn’t quite rank with her I’m With Stupid or the Magnolia soundtrack, but it is a marked improvement on her more recent releases. (7/24/05)
×××The Roosters, The Roosters (1993, Nippon
××Suzuki
Shigeru, Selection (2003;
×××Nishioka Takashi, Kida Takasuke, Saitô Tetsuo, Tokedashita garasubako (2003; Avex). Originally released on vinyl in 1970, a one-shot studio project bringing together members of The Jacks (Kida) and Itsutsu Akai Fûsen (Nishioka), plus a leading folk singer (Saitô). Yet another early 70’s classic release from the URL label. (7/2/05).
××Sakamoto Ryûichi, Chasm (2004; Warner Music). The first pop record by Sakamoto in nine years—he makes a temporary return from his recent work in Brazilian music genres. As with all of Sakamoto’s work, keenly intelligent, but it doesn’t grab me the way his best work in the past did. (7/2/05)
×××Sokabe Keiichi, Shimokitazawa Concert (2004; Rose Records). A live recording from the former leader of Sunny Day Service, one of my favorite recent Japanese bands. He’s a terrific songwriter. (7/2/05)
××××Ry Cooder,
Chavez Ravine (2005; Nonesuch). I received this as a farewell gift just before I left for
×××Vodka Collins, Boy’s Life (1998; The Orchard). More strong material from the 1990s, reformed version of the band. (5/10/05).
××Harco, Ethology (2004). Intriguing indies’ postmodern pop from
Various artists, Impossibles! 80s Japanese
Punk & New Wave (2002;
×××M. Ward, Transistor Radio (2005; Merge Records). Read an interesting review of this in the LA Times and was intrigued enough to plunk down my cash (well, credit card) to buy the thing and give it a chance—eclectic stuff, mostly acoustic, with pop, folk, and blues tinges. (3/22/05)
××××Bob Dylan, Oh Mercy! (2004; Sony). Originally released on vinyl in 1989. For my money, the last really great Bob Dylan album—even though it received none of the acclaim that greeted the subsequent (and inferior) Love and Theft and Time Out of Mind. For some reason, the establishment of rock criticism decided to proclaim the latter the great Dylan comeback album, but Oh Mercy! has three or four songs on it that can cut anything on Love and Theft to shreds. (3/22/05)
××××Vodka Collins, The Boys in the Band (2004, 3d). A best-of compilation featuring the work of the 1990s, reformed version of Vodka Collins. The legendary Japanese glam rock group from the 1970s still has its chops, with new recordings of some of their old hits (“Sands of Time,” “Automatic Pilot”), as well as some fine new material, including the title cut. Very nice. (3/10/05)
××××Bela Bartok, Complete Solo Piano Music, György Sàndor, piano (2003; Vox). A very reasonably priced 5-CD set featuring all of Bartok’s striking solo piano music, recorded in 1963 by one of the composer’s direct students.
Dave
Davies, Rainy Day in June (2005;
×××John Lennon, Rock N Roll (2004; Capitol). Originally issued on vinyl in 1975, now reissued with added bonus tracks. It sounds a good deal better than my old vinyl copy did (at least, the way I remember it sounding, back when I had a turntable), and it’s a very attractive collection of old rock ‘n’ roll standards performed lovingly by John in his “Winston O’Boogie” phase. (1/16/05)
××××Buffalo Springfield, Retrospective: The Best of Buffalo
Springfield (1990, ATCO). Originally
released on vinyl in 1969. I’ve wanted a copy of this ever since
freshman year in college, when my roommate had it. One of the
best
For a list of the CDs I acquired in 2004, see here; for those acquired in
2003, see here