Recommendations Delivered

If brand new music is what you're after, those four lads from Dublin release their new album How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb tomorrow. You can't have avoided the first single, "Vertigo"; the album as a whole has been positively reviewed thus far. I've also seen good reviews of the new Social Distortion album. If you're looking for relatively new music, the recent Modest Mouse and Franz Ferdinand offerings are catchy modern rock albums. And in the compilation aisle, the newly-released 2-CD John Mellencamp set is top-notch. It's amazing how thoroughly good Cougar was in his prime.

Albums that aren't new, but which you might've missed along the way include: Ryan Adams - Gold, Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, Warren Zevon - Genius: Best Of, Robert Cray - Strong Persuader, New Order - Substance, Cake - Fashion Nugget, or The Waterboys - Live Adventures of. If you find yourself pining for those early 1980's cheese days, the Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the '80s series is spectacular. Volumes 2, 5, and 8 are particular favorites. And I think you have all the Old 97's discs except Early Tracks -- it's not as consistently good as the LP's, but it ain't bad.

I recently unearthed one of my all-timers, Adam & the Ants' Kings of the Wild Frontier. Though you've probably only heard "Antmusic" from this work, it's still something I can pop in and listen all the way through -- well, almost: "You're So Physical" is pretty lousy, even though critics and Trent Reznor loved it. You have to enjoy new wave silliness, as Adam's bizarre fascinations with swashbuckling pirates, oppressed Native Americans, and fashion trends are sprinkled over tribal beats, heavy guitars, and pop melodies. It's harder, weirder, and better than Adam Ant's solo work (including "Goody Two Shoes"). Not too long ago, Average Jimmy and I discussed the unformity of song structure in most rock and roll tunes; yeah, that's fairly well tossed overboard here. Adam (nee Stuart Goddard, Herb's long-lost cousin) is full-on crazy these days, but back in 1980, he was just a goofy new romantic. You can usually get this CD cheap (I even special ordered it in college, and it was only $14), so it's worth the purchase.

[Segue: albums released in 1980, and ones with a track featuring extended whistlings in lieu of lyrics . . .]

I think I recently mentioned the 3rd eponymously-titled Peter Gabriel album -- the one with "Games Without Frontiers," "I Don't Remember," and "Biko." Start to finish, it's a great listen. Somewhere between the prog-drama of early Genesis and the super-pop of Sledgehammer and such, Peter Gabriel was making creepy but cool music, and this album was the pinnacle. The Jam's Paul Weller, Phil Collins, and Kate Bush contribute, and the record was produced by Steve Lillywhite, famous for his production of great albums from XTC, Big Country, The Pogues, Dave Matthews, and, as we come full circle, U2 (including the new one).

And while we're stuck in 1980, if you don't have Bruce's The River, treat yourself.