GFMorris.com » M. Ward http://gfmorris.com The Life and Times of Geof F. Morris Fri, 19 Mar 2010 02:30:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 2009 gfmorris@gfmorris.net (Geof F. Morris) gfmorris@gfmorris.net (Geof F. Morris) posts 1440 Music I Love Geof F. Morris Geof F. Morris gfmorris@gfmorris.net No yes http://gfmorris.com/wordpress/wp-content/plugins/podpress/images/powered_by_podpress.jpg GFMorris.com http://gfmorris.com 144 144 Top Bootlegs in My Collection, As of January 2010 http://gfmorris.com/2010/02/02/top-bootlegs-in-my-collection-as-of-january-2010/ http://gfmorris.com/2010/02/02/top-bootlegs-in-my-collection-as-of-january-2010/#comments Wed, 03 Feb 2010 04:37:21 +0000 Geof F. Morris http://gfmorris.com/?p=6604 So Michael and Josh have asked for a list of my top 5-10 bootlegs in my collection via Twitter. Phew.

Click cover art where extant for the download links. If I don’t have a download link, well, I’ll go and see if I can find the CD and dig that up.

]]> http://gfmorris.com/2010/02/02/top-bootlegs-in-my-collection-as-of-january-2010/feed/ 0 Albums I Have Loved in 2009 http://gfmorris.com/2009/12/30/albums-i-have-loved-in-2009/ http://gfmorris.com/2009/12/30/albums-i-have-loved-in-2009/#comments Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:15:16 +0000 Geof F. Morris http://gfmorris.com/?p=6417 This wouldn’t be a proper “here’s what I’ve been listening to” without a GeofCast episode, right? :) Listen while you read.

Let’s follow last year’s mojo:

  • Date is in the range: 01 Jan 2009 – 25 Dec 2009. Any cutoff point is arbitrary, but this makes sense to me. I’ve been willfully listening to Christmas music lately, so this helps hold the list growth down.
  • Kind does not contain AIFF [to filter out unprocessed bootlegs and demos].
  • Album Rating is greater than three stars.
  • Genre does not contain Concert Bootleg.

This list is unoptimized; it’s actually done in alphabetical order by artist. At the end, I’ll give a best-of list, countdown style. Because I like embracing constraints, I’ll give a one-sentence statement about each album as to why it’s just so darn good. If you’ve ever talked to me for longer than 90 seconds, you know that one sentence is an unreal constraint.

  1. Wilco (The Album), Wilco. There are so many good songs on this album, but I thought I’d start with the opening track—it’s a treatise for the record and, frankly, for Wilco as a band at this point.

    Are you under the impression
    This isn’t your life?
    Do you dabble in depression?
    Is someone twisting a knife in your back?
    Are you being attacked?
    Oh, this is a fact that you need to know

    Oh

    Wilco
    Wilco
    Wilco will love you baby

    As someone who “dabbles in depression”, yeah, I love this track … and this album … and this band.

  2. Andrew Osenga - Letters to the Editor, Vol. I and II Letters to the Editor, Vol. I and II, Andrew Osenga. Yes, this is a compilation of tracks that he gave away for free; if you’re cheap, you can get Volume I and Volume II online still. But if you like it, buy the disc and support independent music. I chose “Staring Out a Window (My Confession)” because it just hits home for me.
  3. Stockholm Syndrome, Derek Webb. Okay, you can argue that, as a friend of Derek’s and one of the three guys behind derekwebb.net, I’m predisposed to loving his music. You’re right. But this is a worthy buy for the following reasons: a) it tackles prickly issues of sexuality that most Christians are uncomfortable dealing with b) Fred Phelps gets made fun of c) it’s Derek and Josh Moore doing their best Gnarls Barkley impersonation, without sounding like a cheap knockoff and d) he says “shit” on the record and gets away with it. Sorta. I picked “The Spirit Vs. The Kick Drum” because it’s just a kickin’ little track.
  4. The Hazards of Love, The Decemberists. Many long-time Decemberists fans [of which I cannot claim to be; I'm late to the game] would argue that they feared what being on a major record label would do to their music. But give Capitol all the credit in the world for letting Portland’s finest put out what lesser reviewers would call a concept album, and what I think of as “literature set to music”. The arc of this album is one unbroken story, and it’s just so well-done, with themes repeated and twisted as the album builds on itself. That makes it difficult to pick out one song, but I chose “The Rake’s Song” because that will tell you whether or not you’ll want to listen to the whole thing.
  5. Noble Beast, Andrew Bird. I really thought that Armchair Apocrypha was going to be the apex of AB’s music for me. I didn’t think that he’d make a better record, but to my ears, he did with Noble Beast. Musically, it’s just so strong: songs with movement are just such a rarity in popular music these days that hearing tracks like “Masterswarm” is simply astonishing. It’s impossible for me to pick out a track I love the most, because I love them all, but I picked “Tenuousness” for this GeofCast episode.

If you made it this far, thanks!

]]> http://gfmorris.com/2009/12/30/albums-i-have-loved-in-2009/feed/ 3 20:27 This wouldn't be a proper "here's what I've been listening to" without a GeofCast episode, right? :) Listen while you read. Let's follow last year's ... This wouldn't be a proper "here's what I've been listening to" without a GeofCast episode, right? :) Listen while you read. Let's follow last year's mojo: Date is in the range: 01 Jan 2009 ndash; 25 Dec 2009. Any cutoff point is arbitrary, but this makes sense to me. I've been willfully listening to Christmas music lately, so this helps hold the list growth down. Kind does not contain AIFF [to filter out unprocessed bootlegs and demos]. Album Rating is greater than three stars. Genre does not contain Concert Bootleg. This list is unoptimized; itrsquo;s actually done in alphabetical order by artist. At the end, Irsquo;ll give a best-of list, countdown style. Because I like embracing constraints, Irsquo;ll give a one-sentence statement about each album as to why itrsquo;s just so darn good. If yoursquo;ve ever talked to me for longer than 90 seconds, you know that one sentence is an unreal constraint. The Silent Stars, Alli Rogers. A worthy follow-up to her 2008 Christmas EP, but with new tracks and more Alli goodness. The Silent Stars, Nov. 29. I and Love and You, The Avett Brothers. Glorious harmonies, well-crafted lyrics, and fine instrumentation: worth your purchase. I and Love and You, Sep 29. Noble Beast, Andrew Bird. Lush, dense, expertly-crafted pop/folk, with whistling. Noble Beast, Jan 20. Blood Bank, Bon Iver. A fun follow-up EP to his groundbreaking solo debut. Blood Bank Jan 20. Posthumous Success, Tom Brosseau. Less reedy pop/folk than he's crafted in the past, but this modernization of his sound is still quite good. Posthumous Success, Jun 23. Oh, My Darling, Basia Bulat. Lovely pop songstress; bought this when I was after a girl who liked her music, too. Oh, My Darling, Feb 16. E.C. Was Here, Eric Clapton. Classic blues/rock from the master. E.C. Was Here, 15 Apr. Eric Clapton, Eric Clapton. More classic rock from a guitar god. Eric Clapton, Jun 4. Across a Wire: Live in New York, Counting Crows. Across a Wire: Live in New York City (disc 1: VH1 Storytellers) and Across a Wire: Live in New York City (disc 2: MTV Live From the 10 Spot), 31 Mar. The Hazards of Love, The Decemberists. Surprising for a major-label release, THoL returns our musical heroes to their literary roots to craft what lesser reviewers would call a concept album. The Hazards of Love, Mar 24. Hotel California, Eagles. Unlike The Dude, I do not hate the fuckin' Eagles.Hotel California, Sep 6. Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes. Ridiculous harmonies, lush instrumentation.Fleet Foxes, Feb 7. Dirty Birds, Kat Flint. Red-haired songstresses always get me.Dirty Birds, Jan 30. Great Escape, Nick Flora and Film at Eleven. Nick isn't just a friend---he's a very good songwriter. Great Escape, Apr 2. A Kiss in Time, Patty Griffin. I love live music, and while Patty is anti-bootleg [booooo], this is good [yaaaaay]. A Kiss in Time, Mar 19. The Law of Gravity, Andy Gullahorn. I'm pre-disposed to love AG's records, but this one really is good. The Law of Gravity, Dec 5. Around the Well, Iron Wine. So, you're looking at me, saying, "Really? A B-sides and rarities compilation?", but it's the second disc that just kills it---and Paul is right when he says Sam Beam compares to Elliott Smith and Nick Drake. Around the Well (disc 1) and Around the Well (disc 2), May 19. The Black Album, Jay-Z. I'm not hugely into hip-hop, but I like Jay. The Black Album, May 5. The Ultimate Blue Train, John Coltrane. Just a classic jazz album. The Ultimate Blue Train, Apr 18. Lie to Me, Jonny Lang. Bought this because I saw him live; feel like he's better live, but good in the studio. Lie to Me, Apr 21. Three Flights from Alto Nido, Greg Laswell. Just plain good song-writing. Three Flights From Alto Nido, Jul 18. Blue Lines, Massive Attack. Portishead begat a love of trip-hop that I expect will extend into 2010 as I enforce my completionist ways. Blue Li... Geof's,New,Music,,GeofCast,,Music Geof F. Morris no No GeofCast: Episode #001 http://gfmorris.com/2009/07/05/geofcast-episode-001/ http://gfmorris.com/2009/07/05/geofcast-episode-001/#comments Mon, 06 Jul 2009 03:31:36 +0000 Geof F. Morris http://gfmorris.com/?p=6130 Here goes nothin’. The GeofCast is designed to be the music I would play you if you came over to my house. Since my townhouse is small and the Internet is ginormous, I’ve created the GeofCast.

My model for this podcast is Steven Garrity’s Acts of Volition Radio, which has introduced me to some cool music. I hope to do the same.

Songlisting [and a bit of why I chose it]:

  1. The first song is “Epistemology” from M. Ward’s latest album, Hold Time. Hold Time isn’t as highly-rated in my world as Matt’s last two albums, but that doesn’t mean it’s not great.
  2. The most infectious song off the new eponymous Wilco album: “I’ll Fight”.
  3. I next chose “The Snow Leopard” from Shearwater’s album Rook. I came across Rook from my friend and fellow Whiskerino J.R. Caines, who is my closest musical neighbor on Last.FM. Rook was one of his top-ten albums of 2008, so I gave it a shot, and I’m glad I did.
  4. My favorite track from Iron & Wine’s recent demo and B-side vehicle, Around the Well, is “Love Vigilantes”. Often, these type of releases end up being so much filler between studio releases, but coming on the heels of The Shepherd’s Dog, this has some great tracks, and “Love Vigilantes” is in the top five songs I’ve heard in 2009.
  5. I next chose “The Wanting Comes in Waves / Repaid” off of the epic new album from The Decemberists, The Hazards of Love. As it’s just one big sonic work of art, it’s hard to strip one song out from the entire thematic arc of the story, but I have. If you know me, you know I love Shara Worden’s vocals, and she makes an appearnce in this track.
  6. There’s really no good way to follow that up, so I just took a massive left turn. One of the things I’ve come to in the last year are mashups, sonic creative destruction when multiple songs are put together. One of my favorite mashups to cross my ears in 2009 has been Jaydiohead from Minty Fresh Beats. Here’s the mashup titled “Dirt Off Your Android”.
  7. Let’s go from hip-hop to trip-hop. Somehow I missed Portishead in the 1990s, when I was listening to really bad contemporary Christian music and far too much 311 for my own good. A friend was playing this as house music before a concert I was recording, and I whipped out my iPhone to fire up Shazam to find out what I was hearing. It was “Numb” from Portishead’s Dummy, and in case you missed it back then, too, here it is:
  8. Hang on, folks, as I take another musical detour. This one takes us to the fields of Illinois, where songwriter Andrew Bird toils in solitude. His last effort, Armchair Apocrypha, was one of my favorites last year, so I jumped on his latest, Noble Beast, the moment it came out. Noble Beast focuses even more on musicality, providing depth and movement to his songs in an age when most music sounds the same at the end of the song as the beginning. To highlight this, I chose “Masterswarm”.
  9. For this last track, I figured I’d throw my friends a bone and send out a [then-]unreleased track. Yes, I’m going to bend the good will of my friend Derek Webb and play one of the tracks off of his upcoming album, Stockholm Syndrome, that he hasn’t yet leaked to the world. If you like it, please buy the album so the wee bald man doesn’t kick my ass. Most of us will remember the case of the Jena Six, and the female in this song shares that spelling. Keep that in mind as you listen to
    “Jena & Jimmy”

iMix of GeofCast Episode 001

Please leave me comments, including whether you want show notes, links, etc. I have them to provide and will go back and update this post. Mainly now, I want to go to bed.

Update, 1149 Monday: The download option will now work. Myyyyyyy bad.
Update, 2053 Monday: Show notes added.

]]> http://gfmorris.com/2009/07/05/geofcast-episode-001/feed/ 5 43:50 Here goes nothin'. The GeofCast is designed to be the music I would play you if you came over to my house. Since ... Here goes nothin'. The GeofCast is designed to be the music I would play you if you came over to my house. Since my townhouse is small and the Internet is ginormous, I've created the GeofCast. My model for this podcast is Steven Garrity's Acts of Volition Radio, which has introduced me to some cool music. I hope to do the same. Songlisting [and a bit of why I chose it]: The first song is "Epistemology" from M. Ward's latest album, Hold Time. Hold Time isn't as highly-rated in my world as Matt's last two albums, but that doesn't mean it's not great. The most infectious song off the new eponymous Wilco album: "I'll Fight". I next chose "The Snow Leopard" from Shearwater's album Rook. I came across Rook from my friend and fellow Whiskerino J.R. Caines, who is my closest musical neighbor on Last.FM. Rook was one of his top-ten albums of 2008, so I gave it a shot, and I'm glad I did. My favorite track from Iron Wine's recent demo and B-side vehicle, Around the Well, is "Love Vigilantes". Often, these type of releases end up being so much filler between studio releases, but coming on the heels of The Shepherd's Dog, this has some great tracks, and "Love Vigilantes" is in the top five songs I've heard in 2009. I next chose "The Wanting Comes in Waves / Repaid" off of the epic new album from The Decemberists, The Hazards of Love. As it's just one big sonic work of art, it's hard to strip one song out from the entire thematic arc of the story, but I have. If you know me, you know I love Shara Worden's vocals, and she makes an appearnce in this track. There's really no good way to follow that up, so I just took a massive left turn. One of the things I've come to in the last year are mashups, sonic creative destruction when multiple songs are put together. One of my favorite mashups to cross my ears in 2009 has been Jaydiohead from Minty Fresh Beats. Here's the mashup titled "Dirt Off Your Android". Let's go from hip-hop to trip-hop. Somehow I missed Portishead in the 1990s, when I was listening to really bad contemporary Christian music and far too much 311 for my own good. A friend was playing this as house music before a concert I was recording, and I whipped out my iPhone to fire up Shazam to find out what I was hearing. It was "Numb" from Portishead's Dummy, and in case you missed it back then, too, here it is: Hang on, folks, as I take another musical detour. This one takes us to the fields of Illinois, where songwriter Andrew Bird toils in solitude. His last effort, Armchair Apocrypha, was one of my favorites last year, so I jumped on his latest, Noble Beast, the moment it came out. Noble Beast focuses even more on musicality, providing depth and movement to his songs in an age when most music sounds the same at the end of the song as the beginning. To highlight this, I chose "Masterswarm". For this last track, I figured I'd throw my friends a bone and send out a [then-]unreleased track. Yes, I'm going to bend the good will of my friend Derek Webb and play one of the tracks off of his upcoming album, Stockholm Syndrome, that he hasn't yet leaked to the world. If you like it, please buy the album so the wee bald man doesn't kick my ass. Most of us will remember the case of the Jena Six, and the female in this song shares that spelling. Keep that in mind as you listen to "Jena Jimmy" iMix of GeofCast Episode 001 Please leave me comments, including whether you want show notes, links, etc. I have them to provide and will go back and update this post. Mainly now, I want to go to bed. Update, 1149 Monday: The download option will now work. Myyyyyyy bad. Update, 2053 Monday: Show notes added. GeofCast Geof F. Morris no No GNM: M. Ward, Hold Time http://gfmorris.com/2009/02/17/gnm-m-ward-hold-time/ http://gfmorris.com/2009/02/17/gnm-m-ward-hold-time/#comments Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:01:15 +0000 Geof F. Morris http://gfmorris.com/?p=5586

Yes, I’ve had this for a month, but now I have my physical copy. I’m still a sucker for physical media, because I wants all the bitses.

]]> http://gfmorris.com/2009/02/17/gnm-m-ward-hold-time/feed/ 1 Geof’s New Music: 24-30 Aug 2008 http://gfmorris.com/2008/08/24/geofs-new-music-24-30-aug-2008/ http://gfmorris.com/2008/08/24/geofs-new-music-24-30-aug-2008/#comments Sun, 24 Aug 2008 22:01:45 +0000 Geof F. Morris http://ijsm.org/?p=4492
  • Blind Faith’s eponymous album.
  • Lenny Kravitz’s It Is Time for a Love Revolution.
  • Matthew Perryman Jones’s Swallow the Sea, which I’ve been waiting for since … oh, about a half-hour after I first spun Throwing Punches in the Dark.
  • 20 Jul 1995 [Nashville, TN, USA] concert bootleg of Wilco. release1995-07-20: Dancing in the District, Nashville, TN, USA
  • 20 Apr 2004 [Minneapolis, MN, USA] concert bootleg of M. Ward, Jim James, and Conor Oberst. release2004-04-20: Pantages Theatre, Minneapolis, MN, USA (disc 1) and release2004-04-20: Pantages Theatre, Minneapolis, MN, USA (disc 2).
  • 18 Nov 2006 [Dayton, OH, USA] concert bootleg of Over the Rhine. release2006-11-18: Canal Street Tavern, Dayton, OH, USA (disc 1) and release2006-11-18: Canal Street Tavern, Dayton, OH, USA (disc 2).
  • 1 Aug 2008 [Sugar Land, TX, USA] concert bootleg of Andy Gullahorn. release2008-08-01: Andrews Home, Sugar Land, TX, USA (disc 1) and release2008-08-01: Andrews Home, Sugar Land, TX, USA (disc 2).

    • Last week was very good to my ears:

    ]]>     http://gfmorris.com/2008/08/24/geofs-new-music-24-30-aug-2008/feed/ 2     Geof’s New Music: 6-12 Jul 2008 http://gfmorris.com/2008/07/06/geofs-new-music-6-12-jul-2008/ http://gfmorris.com/2008/07/06/geofs-new-music-6-12-jul-2008/#comments Sun, 06 Jul 2008 18:16:27 +0000 Geof F. Morris http://ijsm.org/?p=4371
  • My Brightest Diamond’s A Thousand Shark’s Teeth.
  • Sigur Rós’s Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust.
  • 21 Apr 2002 [Toronto, ON, Canada] concert bootleg of Wilco. release2002-04-21: Convocation Hall, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
  • 14 Nov 2003 [Los Angeles, CA, USA] concert bootleg of Death Cab for Cutie. release2003-11-14: Henry Fonda Theater, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
  • 22 Apr 2005 [St. Paul, MN, USA] concert bootleg of M. Ward. [Thanks to emdot for the use of her photo for this cover art.] release2005-04-22: Turf Club, St. Paul, MN, USA.
  • 5 Nov 2005 [Dayton, OH, USA] concert bootleg of Over the Rhine. release2005-11-05: Canal Street Tavern, Dayton, OH, USA (disc 1) and release2005-11-05: Canal Street Tavern, Dayton, OH, USA (disc 2).
  • 2008-05-04: Derek and Sandra 4 May 2008 [Birmingham, AL, USA] concert bootleg of Derek Webb & Sandra McCracken. release2008-05-04: Workplay Theatre, Birmingham, AL, USA and release2008-05-04: Workplay Theatre, Birmingham, AL, USA.

    • Last week was abbreviated in an effort to catch up:

    • Sloan’s Parallel Play. Three stars: almost three-and-a-half, but not quite. Fun power-pop, though.
    • Eric Peters - Bookmark Eric Peters’s Bookmark. Two-and-a-half stars: it works as a tide-me-over album, which is what it was intended to be, best as I can tell. A worthy grab for EP fans and completionists.
    ]]>     http://gfmorris.com/2008/07/06/geofs-new-music-6-12-jul-2008/feed/ 3     Geof’s New Music: 18-24 May 2008 http://gfmorris.com/2008/05/18/geofs-new-music-18-24-may-2008/ http://gfmorris.com/2008/05/18/geofs-new-music-18-24-may-2008/#comments Sun, 18 May 2008 19:57:07 +0000 Geof F. Morris http://ijsm.org/?p=4303 Yeah, so uh … no new music last week. I’m in Delivery Mode, which means excess mental energy doesn’t get expended unless necessary. The only new studio release is something I actually don’t have my hands on yet, but will probably get this afternoon as I head to the office to work [told you it was busy]:

    Two weeks ago turned out pretty well:

    ]]>     http://gfmorris.com/2008/05/18/geofs-new-music-18-24-may-2008/feed/ 1     Geof’s New Music: 4-10 May 2008 http://gfmorris.com/2008/05/04/geofs-new-music-4-10-may-2008/ http://gfmorris.com/2008/05/04/geofs-new-music-4-10-may-2008/#comments Sun, 04 May 2008 15:06:04 +0000 Geof F. Morris http://ijsm.org/?p=4278
  • Deb Talan - Sincerely Deb Talan’s Sincerely, a live album that’s only available these days as a digital download.
  • City and Colour - Bring Me Your Love City and Colour’s Bring Me Your Love, which I was introduced to by Adam.
  • 4 Sep 1967 [West Hollywood, CA, USA] concert bootleg of Cream. release1967-09-04: Whiskey A Go-Go, West Hollywood, CA, USA (disc 1) and release1967-09-04: Whiskey A Go-Go, West Hollywood, CA, USA (disc 2).
  • 27 Aug 2005 [Cincinnati, OH, USA] concert bootleg of Over the Rhine. release2005-08-27: Moonlite Gardens, Coney Island, Cincinnati, OH, USA (disc 1) and release2005-08-27: Moonlite Gardens, Coney Island, Cincinnati, OH, USA (disc 2).
  • 4 Feb 2006 [Malmö, Sweden] concert bootleg of Death Cab for Cutie. release2006-02-04: Kulturbolaget, Malmö, SWE.
  • 26 Mar 2008 [Melbourne, Australia] concert bootleg of Wilco. release2008-03-26: Palace Theatre, Melbourne, Australia (disc 1) and release2008-03-26: Palace Theatre, Melbourne, Australia (disc 2).
  • 9 Apr 2008 [Louisville, KY, USA] concert bootleg of Son Volt. release2008-04-09: Headliners Music Hall, Louisville, KY, USA (disc 1) and release2008-04-09: Headliners Music Hall, Louisville, KY, USA (disc 2).

    • Last week:

    ]]>     http://gfmorris.com/2008/05/04/geofs-new-music-4-10-may-2008/feed/ 1     Geof’s New Music: 27 Apr – 3 May 2008 http://gfmorris.com/2008/04/27/geofs-new-music-27-apr-3-may-2008/ http://gfmorris.com/2008/04/27/geofs-new-music-27-apr-3-may-2008/#comments Sun, 27 Apr 2008 12:59:03 +0000 Geof F. Morris http://ijsm.org/?p=4265 Surprisingly, I was able to hold out on listening to The Weepies’ new record until this week, despite having it Tuesday. Discipline, or something. :)

    Last week was good in the studio spots, meh otherwise:

    ]]>     http://gfmorris.com/2008/04/27/geofs-new-music-27-apr-3-may-2008/feed/ 1     Geof’s New Music: 30 Mar – Apr 5 2008 http://gfmorris.com/2008/03/30/geofs-new-music-30-mar-apr-5-2008/ http://gfmorris.com/2008/03/30/geofs-new-music-30-mar-apr-5-2008/#comments Sun, 30 Mar 2008 10:55:41 +0000 Geof F. Morris http://ijsm.org/archives/2008/03/30/geofs-new-music-30-mar-apr-5-2008/ The new label releases this week are things I’d always meant to get but just hadn’t … probably because I needed some downtime to get them.

    Last week:

    ]]>     http://gfmorris.com/2008/03/30/geofs-new-music-30-mar-apr-5-2008/feed/ 2     Geof’s New Music: 23-29 Mar 2008 http://gfmorris.com/2008/03/23/geofs-new-music-23-29-mar-2008/ http://gfmorris.com/2008/03/23/geofs-new-music-23-29-mar-2008/#comments Sun, 23 Mar 2008 10:36:28 +0000 Geof F. Morris http://ijsm.org/archives/2008/03/23/geofs-new-music-23-29-mar-2008/ This week sees a couple long-awaited studio releases for me: one that just hit the streets, and another that I just never got around to getting:

    Last week:

    • Alli Rogers - You and the Evening Sky Alli Rogers’s You and the Evening Sky. Is it legal to say that you don’t like Don Chaffer’s production? [I kiddingly ask, but only because I have friends who are both fans and fellow musicians with the male half of Waterdeep, and well ... they all might string me up.] But I hear the production on “Carry a Light” and am … sorta turned off. But I guess I’m wrapped up in this visage of Alli as this guitar-bearing songstress … which she is, but that doesn’t stand up to being very interesting for 13 tracks on a CD, even for the best singer/songwriters. But it gets better from there; I really like what he does with the rest of the record. “At Sea” and “The Things We Can and Cannot Keep” are, for me, the highlights. Four stars.
    • 30 Mar 1996 [New York, NY, USA] concert bootleg of Elliott Smith. Admittedly, I’m blessed with the awesomeness that is the present era of concert bootlegging, but even for the era and technology, this is a pretty meh show. Two stars.
    • The Weepies - 20040918 - cover 18 Sep 2004 [North Olmsted, OH, USA] concert bootleg of The Weepies. Highly, highly recommended! Sounds fantastic, even for being a soundboard. [I typically find SBDs to be flat and lifeless.] Four-and-a-half stars.
    • Andrew Bird - 20070504 - cover 4 May 2007 [Portland, OR, USA] concert bootleg of Andrew Bird. Oh my, this recording’s terrible. This is only recommended for completionists. Two stars, barely.
    • Over the Rhine - 20070608 - cover 8 Jun 2007 [Nashville, TN, USA] concert bootleg of Over the Rhine. Noisy, indistinct, and overly bassy. One of these years, I’m gonna record them in that room and it’ll sound fantastic. Maybe I won’t have a terrible cough, either. Two-and-a-half stars.
    • 5 Oct 2007 [London, England] concert bootleg of Son Volt. What the heck? A Son Volt bootleg that doesn’t suck? No matter what you think of the Uncle Tupelo breakup, Jeff clearly got the support of the killer tapers. But this recording sparkles, and it’s done with binaurals, which impresses me even more. Four stars.
    • Wilco - 20080219 - cover 19 Feb 2008 [Chicago, IL, USA] concert bootleg of Wilco. Nels Cline’s solo during “Impossible Germany” never fails to make me smile. :) Another solid recording from the Riv residency. Four stars.
    ]]>     http://gfmorris.com/2008/03/23/geofs-new-music-23-29-mar-2008/feed/ 2