Hey, that avatar looks almost like the cover of the Notwist's Neon Golden, minus the intruding sperm thingie. That would probably be a great rec, one of my favorites of the new millenium, but also been listening a lot to the similar Lali Puna Faking the Books the last few days. Very cool electro-organic sound to both.
Anyway, back to your post, have you heard the indie rock classic Girls Can Tell from Britt Daniel, Jim Eno and Josh Zarbo, aka Spoon? Woulda coulda been huge in an earlier time. What a great sound. Kinda reminiscent of the Jam, with a bit of brit-pop flair, but maybe mixed with some of that early Elvis Costello, and something more jittery, not quite Wire, but maybe the Feelies, and even a touch of Nirvana's Cobain in the vocals along with a little quirky Pavement sound to bring it into the 90s. Great rhythm section. Even a little Robyn Hitchcock at times. Been listening to it off and on for the last few days, and over and over for the last few years. Always sounds fresh. It's got cool lyrics and it rocks and it even sounds pretty nice. Actually, very nice for a rock record. At times understated, and at other times anthemic. What a timeless album. What a modern classic!
Just checked at amazon and the music editor obviously has questionable taste like me since he says....
Amazon.com's Best of 2001
This is a great, understated album that merits repeated plays. Spoon have made a literate, rocking, breakthrough record that occupies a funny place--the songs are not unconventional, per se, yet they're somehow really special. Girls Can Tell displays the emotional resonance and big rock power of, say, Thin Lizzy and Mott the Hoople; the sonically referential, indie-rock smarts of a band like Versus; and amazing hooks that recall Colin Blunstone of the Zombies. Like Jennyanykind, Moviola, and the Lilys, this Austin, Texas, trio has chosen to work on perfecting their craft without paying much heed to mainstream or trends. In spite of (but mostly because of) wrenching breakup-centered lyrical material delivered in a very real, matter-of-fact way, Girls Can Tell is one of those life-affirming pop albums you know you'll return to in years to come. --Mike McGonigal
