We're Not Who You Think We Are
by Jim Connelly
(Scat)
Actually, at this point, it doesn’t even matter how good Bee Thousand actually is, cos there is now no question that Guided By Voices are going to be the next indie-rock superstars. Which basically means they’ll be name-dropped in every alt-rock oriented rag from SPIN on down. It’s already starting. But why?
Well, its in the nature of the indie-rock game as played in 1994.
by Jim Connelly
(Ryko)
Bob Mould is god. Somebody’s bound to say it, and it might as well be me. At the very least, he’s one of my few rock and roll heroes who I can always count on. I mean, there are bands (R.E.M. & U2) who’ve provided more of my life’s soundtrack and songwriters (Paul Westerberg & Kurt Cobain) whose songs have hit me more viscerally. But for the past decade–since at least Husker Du’s Metal Circus, and maybe before– no one has been as consistently powerful and prolific. Or made a cooler noise on his guitar.
by Jim Connelly
(Reprise)
Neil Young is on a roll. Ever since 1989’s Freedom coincided with a reinterest of the noisy melodism of his best 70’s work, his name has been dropped above all others–even Lou Reed & Keith Richards–as a icon of rock ‘n’ roll integrity. Someone to look up to if you want to grow old in a what’s still considered a young person’s music. Neil responded to this attention with two brilliant albums and tours. Ragged Glory and the tour and album which followed were primal Neil, showing how idolization can sometimes lead to revitalization; the acoustic Harvest Moon was even better: he even got away by closing it with a 10-minute slow song because he’d come up with (maybe) the prettiest chorus he’d ever written.
[Read more…] about Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Sleeps with Angels