EELS
EELS! New Eels! The first new Eels in four years! On the 16th, they let a floaty teaser go.* Musically, it sounds airy and delicate but that means absolutely fuckall when it comes to E. The title track dropped the next day and it has some fantastic programming and samples, which makes me hope that's the direction of the album but "Fresh Blood" was its own thing and I got bummed when Hombre Lobo wasn't 13 versions of that track so...trying to mitigate...but I did buy the $85 CD/pink vinyl/t-shirt/Bobby Jr. socks bundle...of course.
Man, I'm just happy homeboy is still around. Maybe 2018 won't be a waste of time after all.
They Might Be Giants
While Dial-A-Song is back in action, the first quarter or so is going to be I Like Fun which...I don't know...feels like a waste. Not just because I've had the album since the middle of November, but because, for everyone, it came out January 19th, so fans will be getting doubles** for a while.
Although I will say the video for "I Like Fun" is just fucking perfect and the one to beat over the course of this year's 50ish other offerings, although...dude...Nick Offerman Vs. TMBG.
Also, since I haven't lodged a complaint in four seconds, I was mucho bummed to hear nothing off of I Like Fun at either of TMBG's December shows except for "I Left My Body". But, knowing them, they'll be back this way and I will just SOAK in it. Looking forward to hearing, literally, everything from ILF. The shows were still a blast as they did play a nice batch of tracks from Mink Car and it was fabulous to hear some of these again for the first time in almost twenty years. "Wicked Little Critta" is always a treat, as is "Bangs", "Cyclops Rock", and a personal favorite, "(She Thinks She's) Edith Head", plus we got THREE TRACKS from John Henry! AND THEY ARE NOW REGULARLY PERFORMING A FOURTH!!! Could 2018 be the year they do a John Henry show? NO!
I always love "Dead" but hearing them open with it after not seeing them for an extended period of time is always special. And the perfected "Trouble Awful Devil Evil" is so goddamn beautiful live and having "The Guitar" start before the clock ticked over, then playing "Auld Lang Syne" on the 31st (1st) then going back to finish "Guitar" was excellent.
Relatedly unrelated; had a hankering to listen to Linnell's solo album, State Songs. Man that is a weird, tight, dusty, square little package. I remember seeing his one live performance in New York back which I was in college where he hired a band organ (complete with its operator, Bob) to play at the Bowery Ballroom. Singular experience...
Then I moved on to his House of Mayors EP. "DeWitt Clinton" baby. That's all. Plus some of the tightest, most proficient accordion playing from the man is there on his processionals. From there, I revisited Flansburgh's solo thing, Mono Puff. I recall fans were nervous around the years of 1997 to 1999, thinking these solo efforts and the release of their first live album, video collection, and Then: The Earlier Years was an indicator that the band was breaking up. I might write a little something for March about my first twenty years as a They Might Be Giants fan...
Will might read that...aaaaaand...that's it.
P.S. Here's my absolutely glowing review of I Like Fun.
Beck
Video for "Fix Me". The presence of this many dogs along with the double meaning of the title make me wonder if this clip was sponsored by the ASPCA...of whatever the Japanese equivalent of the ASPCA is.****
Also, Beck released a rather flat cover of Lou Reed's "I'm Waiting For The Man" which tells me, for certain, that Beck has never waited for someone to sell him drugs.
Nine Inch Nails
A very pregnant pause... Fans are holding to Reznor's tossed off comment about how the EPs will come out "about 6-8 months apart". If it's six, we get EP 3 this month*****, if eight, March.
Or, if Reznor gets caught up in something else or changes his mind or whatever...who knows...
The definitive vinyl editions of With Teeth and Year Zero are, allegedly, coming in a few weeks; whether that means other stuff is in the pipeline as well...only Reznor knows the inner workings of Reznor's mind.
Now, peace be with you; go in Reznor's Name.
* And, no, "floaty teaser" is not a genteel term for fart.
** You know, like when you were collecting Marvel cards in the 90's and ALL YOU NEEDED was the High Evolutionary, but all you kept getting was fucking Storm?***
*** ...maybe THAT'S why I hate Halle Berry so much...
**** Did not know at the time of that statement that it actually WAS.
P.S. What a shitty video.
***** We didn't.
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