[Nepenthe]

What a great Thanksgiving surprise. "What If It Works," the sixth studio album from Scott Miller's second lifetime of work, The Loud Family, is due to be released in January 2006! I had no idea. After 2000's Attractive Nuisance I thought it was really over. I was just hammering on my guitar this morning and thought I'd go get some tabs for LF/GT songs and decided to check the news at http://www.loudfamily.com/ while I was there and there it was.

Now I realize this won't mean much to most people reading this, but Scott Miller's body of work is probably my all-time favorite, and for good reason.

Here's a review I did at Amazon for the first LF album: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...music&n=507846 Quote:

Outstanding Musicality I first read about this album in 1993 in Stereo Review of all places. It wasn't until late in '94 that I finally got around to buying it. Woah. This is a must must have. Scott Miller is an ingenious songwriter and lyricist. His chord progressions always have an extra little *something*, some quirk or trick it seems. The wordplay is a whole lot of fun and Scott's much maligned voice is, in my opinion, the perfect accompaniment for the hyper-melodic nature of the songs. It's a great listen beginning to end, with the exception of the one song not written by Scott. 'Interbabe Concern' is a "better" album, but this one is my perennial favorite.

And here's one I did for Days for Days: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...=UTF8&v=glance Quote:

Veers between 'truly essential' and 'merely pleasant' Days for Days is not the right place to start for someone wanting to get into Scott Miller (i.e., Game Theory and The Loud Family). For that, head straight to either Interbabe Concern or Plants and Birds (both from the Louds). I remember getting Days for Days in 1998 and hoping for a smashing follow-up to '96's masterpiece Interbabe Concern. It wasn't quite to be, as this is a different kind of album. It took me a while to get comfortable listening to this one. For the uninitiated, here's The Loud Family in a nutshell: cultured, polished lyrics; excellent sound quality; breathtaking melodicism and intricate, ever-changing chord structures; juicy, high-pitched, up-front male vocals; inventive musicianship. There are nine songs here, and most of the time I program my CD player for the even-numbered tracks only. This would have made a stunning seven-song, seven-track EP. There are at least four gems here that easily measure up to anything Miller has ever done: "Good, There are No Lions in the Street" is a nicely restrained tune containing shrewd wordplay and, as another reviewer mentioned, that wonderful tempo change. "Way Too Helpful" is one of the most gorgeous tunes Miller has done in his career. "Businessmen are okay" is quirky but catchy, actually sort of in a similar vein to "One More for St. Michael" (from Game Theory). "Why We Don't Live in Mauritania" is almost worth one star all by itself, just classic, classic Miller! "Mozart Sonatas" just never grabbed me, and "Crypto-Sicko" seems a bit awkward and overwrought. The other three tunes are quite decent but wouldn't be included in my fantasy "Loud Family's Greatest Hits" collection. Still, there are things to like and love about almost everything on Days for Days. Highly recommended for those who are already fans but haven't bought it yet (if you're new, get the far more accessible Interbabe Concern). It's a bit like Tape of Only Linda -- that album is widely acknowledged as not being up to the standards set by other Miller works, but it still contains three of the greatest essential Miller songs ever -- "It Just Wouldn't Be Christmas," "Still its Own Reward," and "Ballet Hetero."

 

[Nepenthe]

Wow, this sank like a rock. Nobody is into Scott Miller's stuff? My favorite band/bands? You don't know what you're missing.

 

[catachresis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nepenthe Wow, this sank like a rock. Nobody is into Scott Miller's stuff? My favorite band/bands? You don't know what you're missing.

I pulled Three Steps from the Middle Ages from one of the bargain bins at Camelot Music sometime in the late 90s. I only heard about the Loud Family in the last year. Yes, I'm keen to know how this new album pans out. Lemmee know.

 

[Nepenthe]

It's actually Two Steps and I'd say it's the second weakest GT album, but still has some decent material. It was the swan song, the first of many retirements for Scott ("Throwing the Election" sounds like the ending credits for a band). Big Shot Chronicles is my fave, Lolita Nation is considered by many to be their best (of the GT albums).

You should check out Plants and Birds or Interbabe, they are extremely solid efforts and should not be overlooked. They make Two Steps sound like a bunch of demos.

 

[catachresis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nepenthe It's actually Two Steps and I'd say it's the second weakest GT album, but still has some decent material. It was the swan song, the first of many retirements for Scott ("Throwing the Election" sounds like the ending credits for a band). Big Shot Chronicles is my fave, Lolita Nation is considered by many to be their best (of the GT albums). You should check out Plants and Birds or Interbabe, they are extremely solid efforts and should not be overlooked. They make Two Steps sound like a bunch of demos.

Ooops, 'Two Steps. . . ' Cheers Nepenthe for your enthusiasm. I think I will pick up one of your recommendations. Game Theory was a band I've briefly plugged on these forums before on the strength of TSFTMA: they struck me as an American version of early Prefab Sprout (more clever lyrics from Scotland).

 

[Nepenthe]

And I'm going to check out Jordan: The Comeback.

 

[Davey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nepenthe Wow, this sank like a rock. Nobody is into Scott Miller's stuff? My favorite band/bands? You don't know what you're missing.

Hehehe, went over like one of my posts Nepenthe, but you gotta admit that the Loud Family is a pretty obscure band

I have Attractive Nuisance and it is quirky, intelligent pop with lots of Beatles/Beach Boys-->Big Star type influences. Good album, but I may respect it more than actually like it. There's a few songs that are at a very high level, like "Years Of Wrong Impressions" and the closer "Motion of Ariel", which I really like, but overall I'm not that much into it. It is cool that they have ex-Zappa guitar guy Mike Keneally making a guest appearance to add a big skronky guitar solo to the end of "Nice When I Want Something". Pretty eclectic guest slot. Do they have guest spots on the other albums too?

 

[Nepenthe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davey Hehehe, went over like one of my posts Nepenthe, but you gotta admit that the Loud Family is a pretty obscure band I have Attractive Nuisance and it is quirky, intelligent pop with lots of Beatles/Beach Boys-->Big Star type influences. Good album, but I may respect it more than actually like it. There's a few songs that are at a very high level, like "Years Of Wrong Impressions" and the closer "Motion of Ariel", which I really like, but overall I'm not that much into it. It is cool that they have ex-Zappa guitar guy Mike Keneally making a guest appearance to add a big skronky guitar solo to the end of "Nice When I Want Something". Pretty eclectic guest slot. Do they have guest spots on the other albums too?

Yah, I guess you're right. I guess they're so prominent in my mind but I forget that they're just a name to most folks. (They were named by Scott after the real life family which was filmed as probably the first "reality TV" or "Real World" back in the 60s or 70s. The family sort of fell apart right before the camera over a period of a year or two.)

Aimee Mann, Ken Stringfellow, Anton Barbeau, Mitch Easter, those are the ones that come to mind, but I know there are more (and probably some folks I didn't even recognize). No huge names, but decent talents.

Attractive Nuisance isn't my favorite; I'd rank it ahead of Tape of Only Linda and a bit behind Days for Days but way behind Plants and Interbabe.

 

[catachresis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nepenthe And I'm going to check out Jordan: The Comeback.

Uhmmm. . . [J3sus!] isn't that PS's tribute to Elvis and Billy the Kid? I might have gotten that wrong, but I seem to have owned it briefly and felt mildly appalling by the silliness of it. Somewhere around Langley Park to Memphis Paddy McAloon got so sweet and cuddly, he became the Candyman (in the Sammy Davis Jr. kind of way). Mebbe you'd enjoy Swoon better if you don't already own it. Something Cheery!