19. Keane

My big confession is I like the Keane record. I tell my rockstar friends and they say, “Fucking Keane”. Or worse. Intellectually, I know it is not cool to like Keane but I judge music by if it forces itself on me and Keane has done just that. And not just to me. I've heard rumor and received email confession from several others that have found themselves in the same boat. So this must mean that to some of us, it must be pretty good, due to the fact that we all know we are not supposed to like it. But despite that knowledge, we do. We just do.

It's been a pretty nice year for music for me so far. As opposed to last year. I get a lovely pipeline of things in due to Dave's business. List:

Engineers- a beautiful smart 1st album. We got to hear a promo. I think it came out in March.

Bill Whitten/Grand Mal- he's writing the best songs and I get to hear them. If someone would sign him again, you would too. Still my rock hero.

Scott Reynolds and the Steaming Beast- He's recording beautiful songs with Dave and Steven. He's a punkrocker with jazzy songs. Or something. This music is smart, cool and I've never heard anything quite like it. Which is very strange for these days of rehash.

PJ Harvey- Uh Huh Her. You know I've always thought she was really cool but never sat down much with one of her records. This is one I can sit down to.

Saxon Shore- Luck Will Not Save Us From A Jackpot of Nothing. I thought this was a whiney sounding title but I get it now. You gotta do the work. Noone is just going to give it to you. And the song April 14 crushes me. It made me cry. Maybe it was just the full moon.

Phantom Planet new songs. Alex how do you come up with these songs? See, the best ones I heard from his last record, were never even released yet. Maybe this time. And I love several new ones too.

New Lips. Yes they ARE going in the right direction so far.

M83. My friends like it. I sort of can't listen with my kids around. It depresses them too much in some sort of crushing way. It doesn't depress me that much.

Low and Sleater-Kinney. Ah we are so lucky. And I think it worked out in both cases. Veteran bands make awesome records with Dave. And both bands are nice and smart and good and and and..

Captain Bringdown/ Bass Piggy. We've finished recording for both of these. What can I say? I get to be in bands with people I like. My best friends and all.

Mix Tape. I think my friend Steven just made me the best mix tape (cd) I've ever had. There's no Keane on it.

4/25/05