Brian

I have an inordinate fixation on cover versions. These are a mixed bag and I think will take a few more listens to pick fav's. Look forward to the B sides.

I just thought it odd to cover Oh So Quiet as that's a cover to begin with. Bell seems to be more like a remix with vocal mirroring, ironically downplayed, Bjork's way of delivering the lyric. The No-Age version has more fun with the arrangement, but is one of those covers that leave you feeling that the band don't care about the song as they murmur the lyrics without enough expression to indicate an understanding of the song (like Madonna's read of American Pie).

on A Post About Post at April 21, 2008 11:39 AM
Score = 0

There's certainly a bit of alphabetical laziness going on here, snoop doggy dog, sunny day real estate, strokes, sugarcubes, supergrass, and sundays (6 out of twenty? hmmm). I'd take both Supergrass (there's always a few good tracks on their albums, and their second album is every bit as good as their first) and Sundays off the list (their sadly infrequent subsequent albums maintain the same level of quality, though you wouldn't want to hear them all back to back for fear of an overdose of wistful).

Although I love all her work, I'd say Aimee Mann's first album is better than any since, but I think the slant of the list is to suggest an overrated début followed by rubbish.

I'd also bother to disagree with the Belle and Sebastiane basher, Boy With the Arab Strap (3rd album), Life Pursuit (latest) are both excellent, Dear Catastrophe Waitress, despite its awkward title track has cracking tunes Step Into My Office, Wrapped Up in Books and I'm A Cuckoo.

And who put in Amy Winehouse? Her second album is an improvement on her fine debut. Or didn't they release Frank in the states?

on The A.V. Club's 20 Acts That Peaked With The Debut Album at April 21, 2008 11:08 AM
Score = 0