Chalkhills Digest Volume 11, Issue 70
Date: Saturday, 17 December 2005
Chalkhills Digest, Volume 11, Number 70
Saturday, 17 December 2005
Topics:
Re: Best of 2005
Owl-Stretching Time
Only words?
More Downloads
Albums of the Year
Ordinary people (again)
re: ordinary people
Cupola Responses
Re: Ding!
"Best Of" Lists
top albums of 2005
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2005 21:10:05 EST From: DougMash@aol.com Subject: Re: Best of 2005 Message-ID: <bd.66d179b9.30d37bfd@aol.com> Pretty good year for (XTC-ish) music, too bad there was just two new XTC songs! Here's my Top 14(?) 1. BEN FOLDS - Songs for Silverman 2. PAUL WELLER - As Is Now 3. KATE BUSH - Aerial 4. BLOC PARTY - Silent Alarm 5. FRANZ FERDINAND - You Could Have It... 6. MY MORNING JACKET - Z 7. GANG OF FOUR - Return the Gift 8. HOT HOT HEAT - Elevator 9. FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE - Out of State Plates 10. NEW PORNOGRAPHERS - Twin Cinema 11. BECK - Guero 12. NADA SURF - Weight Is a Gift 13. KAISER CHIEFS - Employment 14. ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN - Siberia (Arcade Fire was a 2004 release in the US) HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2005 18:47:33 -0800 From: Wesley Hanks <whanks1@earthlink.net> Subject: Owl-Stretching Time Message-ID: <CA8E7DCD-C66F-4649-8CB0-62D6FC867BCA@earthlink.net> Key flotsam of 2005: Al Stewart - A Beach Full of Shells The Album Leaf - Seal Beach ep Archer Prewitt - Gerroa Songs Archer Prewitt - Wilderness Brian Eno - Another Day on Earth British Sea Power - Open Season The Futureheads - The Futureheads The Kingsbury Manx - Afternoon Owls ep The Kingsbury Manx - The Fast Rise and Fall of the South The Mars Volta - Frances the Mute Mercury Rev - The Secret Migration Michael Penn - Mr. Hollywood Jr., 1947 Paul Weller - As Is Now The Ramones - It's Alive Teenage Fanclub - Man-Made Wilco - A Ghost is Born Tour EP Wilco - Kicking Television The Arcade Fire - Funeral Arctic Monkeys - Beneath the Boardwalk Broken Social Scene - their catalogue Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! The Clientele - Strange Geometry The Decemberists - Picaresque The Magic Numbers - The Magic Numbers Morrissey - Live at Earls Court My Morning Jacket - Z My Morning Jacket - live shows at archive.org Nada Surf - The Weight Is A Gift Neil Young - Prairie Wind Paul McCartney The Pernice Brothers - Discover a Lovelier You Robert Sherwood! Stufjan Stevens - Michigan & Illinois projects XTC - those two new songs Wes "Random Shuffle" Hanks
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2005 21:57:31 EST From: LadyCPlum@aol.com Subject: Only words? Message-ID: <1ab.45e738e9.30d3871b@aol.com> In our last digest, pop boy did sayeth: >Read the interview with Partridge in Word in which he says that virtually >all fiction is a waste of time (apart from Dickens) and that real life is >much more interesting, and so what is the point of reading fiction? >Um...I'm sorry Andy but that makes you sound like Liam Gallagher and must >be one of the dumbest statements of the year. Too true....he's obviously never read Harry Potter. :) Aaron Pastula did sayeth: >Interesting...personally, I think that when you're capable of emulating as >many styles and points of view as Andy is, it's hard to be surprised when >he manages to pull off an authentic "replica," for lack of a better word, >of a particular genre, be it a holiday song, dance tune, or old style >drinking singalong like "Albert Brown" -- a great homage to a WWI hero >written in a classic style, but one that doesn't require Andy to have been >on the front lines. >That said, I personally believe that Andy is more of a believer than he >lets on, at least in a general, spiritual sense that seems to have emerged >since he originally wrote Dear God I have to disagree with you on that one, mate. In all honesty, I think Andy was talking more of just the general cheery, joyous atmosphere Christmas brings out in people, not the "religious" aspect of it. I think Andy's been set in his views way too long to have changed them any over the years, the old Grinch. *meanevilgrin* Tis all for now, Amanda XTC song of the day-Terrorism non XTC song of the day-Kurious Oranj-The Fall
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2005 19:57:28 -0800 (PST) From: Tyler Hewitt <tahewitt@yahoo.com> Subject: More Downloads Message-ID: <20051216035728.26936.qmail@web51715.mail.yahoo.com> Thanks for the download sites. Check this one out: http://www.epitonic.com/ It leans more towards the punk/experimental/electronic, but there's a lot of good pop you haven't heard before in it as well. Lots of free and legal mp3's. Tyler Jamie Lowe (Hey Jamie-how you been?) wrote: Here is a little holiday present for you all who like down loading music. http://www.fingertipsmusic.com/ Fingertips has ton's of great MP3s all free and legal. Spiral was the featured track a couple of weeks back. I have made a couple killer compilations lately all from their archives. And if you are a power pop fan like me check this site out http://www.tallboyrecords.com/ for another compilation worth great songs.
------------------------------ Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2005 22:02:58 -0800 From: Phil Corless <phil@pkmeco.com> Subject: Albums of the Year Message-ID: <6.0.1.1.2.20051215215334.01d9b6b8@mail.adelphia.net> A few of my favorite albums of 2005, in no particular order: James Cooper - Second Season Sufjan Stevens - Illinois Brendan Benson - Alternative To Love Andrew Bird - The Mysterious Production of Eggs Chris Trapper - Gone Again Of Montreal - The Sunlandic Twins Dolly Parton - Those Were The Days The Decemberists - Picaresque Death Cab For Cutie - Plans Josh Rouse - Nashville Sean Altman - Losing Streak Jack Johnson - In Between Dreams Parthenon Huxley - Homemade Spaceship Kaiser Chiefs - Employment Paul McCartney - Chaos and Creation Neil Diamond - 12 Songs Phil Corless www.pkmeco.com
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Dec 2005 07:29:06 +0000 From: "Darryl W. Bullock" <dwbullock@tiscali.co.uk> Subject: Ordinary people (again) Message-ID: <43858E3C0007AE55@mk-cpfrontend-1.mail.uk.tiscali.com> Just a brief 'un. Odd that there seems to be some debate on the origins of Where Did the Ordinary People Go, even down to the suggestion that Andy penned the song for Colin. It first appeared over a decade ago, as one of Colin's songs submitted for Nonsuch. Certainly there's a Colin home demo of the song from this period - it's on the tape circulated by Virgin which also includes Colin's superior Car Out Of Control (why has this song never been released?) - and, if memory serves, the video filmed of Andy, Colin and Dave for one of the Manchester Conventions (91 perhaps) features the trio performing the song along with others, such as Andy's Goosey Goosey. Hope that helps... D Darryl W. Bullock www.writesight.com/writers/thisispop www.spaces.msn.com/members/dwbullock
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Dec 2005 09:44:40 +0000 (GMT) From: STEPHEN JACKSON <planet_skaro@btinternet.com> Subject: re: ordinary people Message-ID: <20051216094440.20200.qmail@web86607.mail.ukl.yahoo.com> James Lowe wrote: <<I spent the $.99 for Ordinary People from i-Tunes and to my ears it sounds like an Andy song sung by Colin without Dave. Wouldn't surprise me in the least if they were trying to mix things up a bit. It also seems like it could have been a B-side to River of Orchids.>> "Where did the Ordinary People Go" was demoed for Nonsuch.Colin wrote it. Steve
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Dec 2005 10:58:57 -0000 From: "Dave Smith" <David.Smith99@blueyonder.co.uk> Subject: Cupola Responses Message-ID: <ECOWS01MdnGfenvXi760000584f@smtp-out1.blueyonder.co.uk> Greetings, fellow Chalkhillers, and felicitations for this, our glorious festival of over-eating - of which I will be an ever-too-willing participant, of course. Just a coupla responses to #11-69, thought it was about time I piped up for no good reason! Powerpopboy67 spake thus: >> Read the interview with Partridge in Word in which he says that virtually >> all fiction is a waste of time (apart from Dickens) and that real life is >> much more interesting, and so what is the point of reading fiction? >> Um...I'm sorry Andy but that makes you sound like Liam Gallagher and must >> be one of the dumbest statements of the year. Surely the real difference between Messrs Partridge and Gallagher is that the latter obviously takes some misguided macho pride in declaring he "don't read books," while Andy's intelligence, learning and, above all, towering imagination, are there for all to see . . . if you care to look. If you look through history, many respected artists of all walks share this sort of opinion - would you berate a top chef for saying he prefers plain food? Woud you berate a top sportsman for not wanting to watch sport in his time off? Perhaps Andy has so much going on in his head that there simply isn't room for other people's flights of fancy? Failing all that, perhaps you could look at it as Andy's personal opinion and simply try and respect that? Calling him dumb doesn't make you look the sharpest tool in the box y'know. Paul Sandford said: >> Having had the good fortune to get to listen to the new single, I have to >> say I'm a little disappointed. To be blunt it is very very weak and >> rather dull. I'm a big fan of Colin songs but this is a turkey. Sounds >> like an outtake from AV1 to these cynical ears... I've not been fortunate enough to catch this track yet, but I'm a little confused: 1. Is this REALLY a new single release? And 2. I thought this WAS an outtake from AV1 I really ought to ask less questions . . . And finally, Travis Schulz asked: >> Anyone know how many more volumes of Fuzzy Warbles there may be, and more >> importantly, will there someday be a FW Boxed Set? Unless anyone can say otherwise, I believe there were always going to be 10 discs in the FW set - so we're still awaiting the last four, which I think are due over the course of 2006. As to the eventuality of a Boxed Set, I'm sure that in a few years, once everyone who's bought the individual sets has got them, there will be a boxed set released - perhaps with one extra song, ringtone and a postcard - which we will be asked to buy all over again. Help me get through these cynical days ;-) And that's it really. A happy holidays to you all, I hope we all get what we wish for in 2006 - and if we DON'T get that new XTC album, world peace would be a nice substitute! Mr Relph, for all that Chalkhills is, you remain "da man" so thank you as ever. Smudge out.
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Dec 2005 13:23:49 +0000 From: Mark Fisher <mark-fisher@blueyonder.co.uk> Subject: Re: Ding! Message-ID: <BFC87065.5E3F%mark-fisher@blueyonder.co.uk> At some point in the recent past, someone wrote: > Read the interview with Partridge in Word in which he says that virtually > all fiction is a waste of time (apart from Dickens) and that real life is > much more interesting, and so what is the point of reading fiction? > Um...I'm sorry Andy but that makes you sound like Liam Gallagher and must be > one of the dumbest statements of the year. It's also contradicted by his enthusiasm for various films which are, um, fiction. And I don't imagine he listens to music purely for its factual content. -- Mark
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Dec 2005 06:50:51 -0800 (PST) From: Melinda Hautala <xmelinda@yahoo.com> Subject: "Best Of" Lists Message-ID: <20051216145051.48098.qmail@web52603.mail.yahoo.com> In looking at what bands people liked this year, I feel it is my duty to point some of you toward The Features. Their album technically came out at the end of last year, but they did release several singles from it this year. The main reason I wanted to bring them up was an overwhelming feeling of "If you like those guys, you'd love these guys", as well as a feeling of "man, The Features should be bigger than they are". Check them out: http://www.thefeatures.com Their album is a mere 10 bucks. A whole slew of 5-star reviews on Amazon can't be wrong (and most of those reviews are of the "I never heard of these guys til last night, but..." type). Merry XTCmas, y'all :-) Melinda
------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Dec 2005 19:57:48 -0500 (EST) From: "ABROTSKY,JUSTIN L." <justinla@ufl.edu> Subject: top albums of 2005 Message-ID: <1533171687.1134781068090.JavaMail.osg@osgjas01.cns.ufl.edu> Long time/third time here. Maybe I was a bit lazy in my exploration of new music this year, but the two albums that really stood out were Super Furry Animals and The New Pornographers. "Love Kraft" really struck a nerve with me, with a sort of five-a-m-after-a-long-night-just-happy-to-see-the-sun-come-up mood, while "Twin Cinema" was a little more hit-or-miss (I know I'm in the minority, but I don't like Dan Bejar's input all that much.) but "Bones of an Idol" might be the best new song in ages. The new disc by the Coral wasn't that bad either, but I'm still waiting for them to move forward in their sound. They could be great. -Justin L. Abrotsky
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