ROBERT FORSTER

Today's ROBERT FORSTER is the former co-leader of the underrated GO-BETWEENS, not the actor from the underrated "Jackie Brown." Forster's musical cohort, GRANT McLENNAN, died in May of 2006, thus putting an end to that '80s and '00s enterprise (both men spent the '90s as solo artists).

Mr. Forster will be releasing his first solo album in almost 12 years in April. It is called THE EVANGELIST, and includes the two songs below....

[MP3] "Did She Overtake You"

[MP3] "Demon Days"

NIGHT CANOPY

L.A.'s NIGHT CANOPY principally consist(s) of singer-songwriter AMY BLASCHKE and former PRETTY GIRLS MAKE GRAVES drummer NICK DeWITT. Their ouvre is moody folk-pop, sometimes employing a lite-dark, late-'60s groove. The songs below are taken from their 2007 album, OF HONEY AND COUNTRY.

[MP3] "Sing Me to Sleep"

[MP3] "Signs of Life"

R.E.M. - PART 2

R.E.M. on WIKIPEDIA.

From the LP LIFES RICH PAGEANT, 1986 >>>
[MP3] "Fall on Me"
[MP3] "Superman"
[MP3] "I Believe"

From the LP DOCUMENT, 1987 >>>
[MP3] "Welcome to the Occupation"
[MP3] "Strange"

From the LP GREEN, 1988 >>>
[MP3] "Orange Crush"
[MP3] "World Leader Pretend"

R.E.M. - PART 1

R.E.M.'s new LP, ACCELERATE, comes out this Tuesday in the U.S. I've already gone and expressed my sadness and disappointment [HERE]. It occurs to me now: The truly troubling thing is that the band made most, if not all, of the adjustments that I (and most fans and critics) thought they absolutely had to make in order to reinvigorate their sound, yet they still produced a largely lackluster and leaden effort. !Ay chihuahua!

(Of course, not all critics are finding it "lackluster" and/or "leaden," as I see that both Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly are raving. "Raving mad," methinks.)

Late Thursday night, I found myself compelled by coffee & crankiness to pop MURMUR into the player, strap on my trusty Grado 60s, and crank the volume to a level that's slowly-but-surely eroding my ability to hear high frequencies. Sure enough, the band's debut album still sounded fresh, vital, and new -- even 25 years after its release. And it's not as though I wanted the new disc to sound like MURMUR (or LIFES RICH PAGEANT or AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE, for that matter); I just wanted some semblance of the inspired communion of songwriting and performance that had elevated those records to classic status. Too much to ask for? Guess so.

(But enough with the bitching. Honestly, enough already.)

Now... you may need to crank the volume a bit on these early-career cuts, but methinks them well worth the effort....

From the Hib-Tone single, 1981 >>>
[MP3] "Radio Free Europe"

From the EP CHRONIC TOWN, 1982 >>>
[MP3] "Wolves, Lower"
[MP3] "Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars)"

From the LP MURMUR, 1983 >>>
[MP3] "Sitting Still"
[MP3] "Shaking Through"

From the LP RECKONING, 1984 >>>
[MP3] "So. Central Rain"
[MP3] "Pretty Persuasion"

From the LP FABLES OF THE RECONSTRUCTION, 1985 >>>
[MP3] "Green Grow the Rushes"
[MP3] "Wendell Gee"

ODDS 'N' SODS #8

[MP3] MIXEL PIXEL/"Fake Girlfriend"

[MP3] ELECTRIC SIX/"Down at McDonnellzzzzzzz"

[MP3] MADONNA [w/JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE & TIMBALAND]/"4 Minutes to Save the World"

[MP3] THE BLAKES/"Lintwalk"

[MP3] ANE BRUN/"Raise My Head"

[MP3] SUN KIL MOON/"Heron Blue"

PORTISHEAD

I was going to start this by saying that I was finding PORTISHEAD's new album, THIRD, to be pretty tough sledding. Then I remembered that I've found damn-near all of Portishead's albums to be pretty tough sledding, so this is merely par for the course.

Thank goodness for BETH GIBBONS' cracked-ice, zombie croon. Without that, I probably wouldn't even bother to be bothered by my inability to embrace their stark, narcotized vibe.

Rumor has it that THIRD will drop on April 28.

PORTISHEAD on MySPACE.

[MP3] "Magic Doors"

[MP3] "The Rip"

THE RACONTEURS

Much like GNARLS BARKLEY last week, THE RACONTEURS felt compelled to move up the release date for their second LP, CONSOLERS OF THE LONELY, to help mitigate an Internet leak.

While there's nothing quite so effortlessly classic as "Steady, As She Goes" this time around, I still find myself drawn more to the "BRENDAN BENSON"-sounding entries than the "JACK WHITE" efforts. (Generally-speaking, though, that merely reflects my preference for pop-rock over blues-rock, and White's closing "Carolina Drama" has to rank as one of the album's highlights.) (And, come to think of it, "The Switch and the Spur" below shares some brassy swagger with "Conquest" from the last WHITE STRIPES album....)

THE RACONTEURS on MySPACE.

[MP3] "The Switch and the Spur" [REMOVED BY REQUEST]

[MP3] "Many Shades of Black" [REMOVED BY REQUEST]

THE SUBMARINES

I had THE SUBMARINES' DECLARE A NEW STATE! at #11 on my Top Albums list of 2006. Now, still-married JOHN DRAGONETTI & BLAKE HAZARD are back with the decidedly sunshinier follow-up, HONEYSUCKLE WEEKS. Look for it May 13 on NETTWERK.

THE SUBMARINES on MySPACE.

From the LP HONEYSUCKLE WEEKS, 2008 >>>
[MP3] "You, Me and the Bourgeoisie"

From the LP DECLARE A NEW STATE!, 2006 >>>
[MP3] "Peace and Hate"

THE KOOKS

Back in 2006, it was pretty easy to confuse Brighton's THE KOOKS with any number of other 21st century Britpop bands. The passage of two years hasn't really changed that.

Still, in 2006, I used 4 of the 14 songs from their album of the time (INSIDE IN/INSIDE OUT) on mix CDs. In 2008, I'm using 4 of the 12 songs from their present album (KONK) on mix CDs. So that's consistency for you, at the very least.

KONK should be globally available come April 15.

THE KOOKS on MySPACE.

From the LP KONK, 2008 >>>
[MP3] "See the Sun"
[MP3] "Mr. Maker"

From the LP INSIDE IN/INSIDE OUT, 2006 >>>
[MP3] "Ooh La"
[MP3] "Jackie Big Tits"

COUNTING CROWS

Hey, whattaya know? COUNTING CROWS are still a band! Who knew?

And the better question: Does anyone still care? After all, it's been six years since their last album (the if-a-tree-falls-in-the-forest-obscure HARD CANDY), and 15 years since AUGUST AND EVERYTHING AFTER blew up bigger-than-big (and left contemporaries like GIN BLOSSOMS and TOAD THE WET SPROCKET choking on their dust).

The new long-player, SATURDAY NIGHTS & SUNDAY MORNINGS, is out today. I don't hear a breakout single on there ("1492" rocks hard but in vain), so it's hard to imagine this effort serving as catalyst for a comeback. Stranger things have happened, I suppose (for example: People keep buying that damn JACK JOHNSON record. Ugh.)

COUNTING CROWS on MySPACE.

From the LP SATURDAY NIGHTS & SUNDAY MORNINGS, 2008 >>>
[MP3] "Cowboys"
[MP3] "Come Around"

From the LP HARD CANDY, 2002 >>>
[MP3] "Miami"
[MP3] "American Girls"

From the LP THIS DESERT LIFE, 1999 >>>
[MP3] "Hanginaround"
[MP3] "All My Friends"

From the LP RECOVERING THE SATELLITES, 1996 >>>
[MP3] "A Long December"
[MP3] "Angels of the Silences"

From the LP AUGUST AND EVERYTHING AFTER, 1993 >>>
[MP3] "Round Here"
[MP3] "Mr. Jones"

BONUS TRACK >>>

[MP3] "Einstein on the Beach (For an Eggman)"

DAWN LANDES

Seems the New-York-City-by-way-of-Louisville singer-songwriter DAWN LANDES won't leave me alone. I happened upon her song "Bodyguard" on the 'Net quite some time ago, but I couldn't make up my mind whether or not I liked it enough to post it. So I filed it in the "In Limbo" bin. And I moved on.

But then her CD, FIREPROOF, showed up in my mailbox. All of a sudden, sort of. Just like that. Dammit, I thought, now I'm obliged to listen to this whole dadgum thing. Which I did. And "Bodyguard" was the best song on there. And "Twilight" was my next-best. So I was getting closer to posting, but still not quite there yet. There were certain nagging reservations, I guess you'd say. Certain lingering uncertainties.

So then, last night, I'm reading an old issue of Entertainment Weekly. I don't subscribe to Entertainment Weekly, but my brother did and then my brother died so now I get his Entertainment Weeklys. And in this particular one -- the one I was reading last night -- who else but Dawn Landes should get mentioned? Exactly. Just like that.

So, you see, it's fate, I guess. My brother died so I would be sure and post on Dawn Landes. Funny the way things work.... He was only 50, and I'm still not sure I exactly love this goddam song....

DAWN LANDES on MySPACE.

[MP3] "Bodyguard"

[MP3] "Twilight"

THE CHARLATANS UK

If you're of a mind to, you can download the new CHARLATANS UK CD, YOU CROSS MY PATH, for $0 by heading [HERE]. (If you're not of a mind to, there'll be no helping you....)

THE CHARLATANS UK on MySPACE.

[MP3] "You Cross My Path"

[MP3] "Oh! Vanity"

FRANCOISE HARDY - PART 2

FRANCOISE HARDY on WIKIPEDIA.

[MP3] "Comment te dire adieu"

[MP3] "Ce petit coeur"

[MP3] "Le premier bonheur du jour"

[MP3] "Tu peux bien"

[MP3] "Des ronds dans l'eau"

[MP3] "Ou va la chance"

ODDS 'N' SODS #7

[MP3] WE ARE SCIENTISTS/"After Hours"

[MP3] TOKYO POLICE CLUB/"Juno"

[MP3] MYSTERY JETS/"Veiled in Grey"

[MP3] TREMBLING BLUE STARS/"Beautiful Blank"

[MP3] JAYMAY"Blue Skies"

[MP3] SNAKE & JET'S AMAZING BULLIT BAND/"Kolmilan"

FOREST CITY LOVERS

Toronto's FOREST CITY LOVERS are purveyors of dark-edged, atmospheric indie pop. Their second album, HAUNTING MOON SINKING, is available both [HERE] and [HERE].

FOREST CITY LOVERS on MySPACE.

[MP3] "Waiting By the Fence"

[MP3] "And the Trees"

TAPES 'N TAPES

Not infrequently, I find myself more than a little mystified by the prevailing winds & whims of the MP3 blogging community. A couple years ago, Minneapolis' TAPES 'N TAPES was all the rage, it seemed, everywhere but in my house.

April 8 will see the release of their new album, WALK IT OFF, and I continue to struggle to understand their appeal. Even my favorite track from the new disc, "Conquest," never quite delivers on the promise of its terrific, skittering guitar and infectious backbeat.

Oh well. "To each his/her own," as the saying is wont to say....

TAPES 'N TAPES on MySPACE.

From the LP WALK IT OFF, 2008 >>>
[MP3] "Conquest"
[MP3] "Say Back Something"

From the LP THE LOON, 2006 >>>
[MP3] "Insistor"

BONUS TRACK >>>

[MP3] "Cowbell" [The Black Eyes Remix]

ANGUS & JULIA STONE

One of the many problems with year-end best album lists is that -- inevitably, invariably -- things get missed. Case in point: ANGUS & JULIA STONE's A BOOK LIKE THIS.

If I'd discovered this Aussie brother/sister team a few months ago (as opposed to a few weeks ago), their debut LP may well have made my 2007 Top 12. Alas, alas.

But: Better late than never.

(For variety's sake, I like the fact that both boy & girl take turns at the mic. The selections below will give you a taste of each....)

ANGUS & JULIA STONE on MySPACE.

[MP3] "Just a Boy"

[MP3] "A Book Like This"

I AM KLOOT

I AM KLOOT is a trio from Manchester led by singer-songwriter JOHN BRAMWELL. Their latest LP, I AM KLOOT PLAY MOOLAH ROUGE, was released as a limited edition late last year. It's supposed to be released in a more traditional manner sometime soon, but be damned if I can nail down a date. In the meantime, there is the subsequent smorgasbord to whet your collective appetite....

I AM KLOOT on MySPACE.

From the LP I AM KLOOT PLAY MOOLAH ROUGE, 2008 >>>
[MP3] "Ferris Wheels"
[MP3] "Hey Little Bird"

From the LP GODS AND MONSTERS, 2005 >>>
[MP3] "No Direction Home"
[MP3] "Over My Shoulder"

From the LP I AM KLOOT, 2003 >>>
[MP3] "Cuckoo"
[MP3] "Your Favourite Sky"

From the LP NATURAL HISTORY, 2001 >>>
[MP3] "86 TV's"
[MP3] "Stop"

R.E.M.

Not so much a leak as a dam-break on this one....

Unfortunately, it's "much ado...," as I had feared.

Okay, look. I'm not one of those hardcore, protectionist R.E.M.-bassadors who bought CHRONIC TOWN the day it came out and started shouting "sellouts!" circa LIFES RICH PAGEANT. Like a lot of people, I didn't truly "find" the band until the one-two punch of OUT OF TIME and AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE. "Losing My Religion" "Drive," and "Man on the Moon" were crucial marking posts, to be sure -- but, ultimately, no more so than "Belong," "Texarkana," "Monty Got a Raw Deal," or "Find the River."

It was during this time period that I "borrowed" a hated college roommate's copy of EPONYMOUS and -- armed with a cheap-but-sonically-pristine pair of headphones -- began to delve into the band's lauded back-catalogue. This was a revelatory listen. From the sheer kinetic energy of "Radio Free Europe" and "It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" to MIKE MILLS' indispensable counterpoint vocals on "The One I Love," "So. Central Rain" and "Fall on Me," I was transfixed in a way that I hadn't been since my 13-year-old ears first achieved aural orgasm with DEF LEPPARD's PYROMANIA (and wouldn't be again until my 27-year-old ears found deep-and-lasting love with OK COMPUTER).

So... MONSTER was the first R.EM. album I purchased on the day of its release, and I've managed to maintain the tradition ever since. But with increasing difficulty, post-BILL BERRY. 2004's AROUND THE SUN, in particular, plunged me into a deep, dark pit of despair. The songs were largely lifeless. Incessantly mid-tempo. Muzak too sluggish to accompany supermarket shopping. Muzak just sprightly enough to drive in-chair aerobics at the old folks' home. Mercy, mercy me.

It seemed quite clear that, if R.E.M. were ever going to mount anything even resembling a career-kickstarting comeback, certain changes would have to be made. For starters, producer Pat McCarthy would have to be jettisoned -- not for professional incompetence, but because Buck, Mills, and Stipe had become too comfortable with him (as they'd become too comfortable with Scott Litt before him). Next, they'd need to pick up the pace. On stage, they continued to prove themselves capable of kicking ass. In the studio, a sort of inescapable, blanket lethargy seemed to descend upon them. Perhaps a listen to "Gardening at Night," "Pretty Persuasion," "Can't Get There From Here," or even "Star 69" would serve as an instructive reminder that speed kills (and that, in rock 'n' roll, that's a good thing).

Last but not least, Mike Mills' musical role would have to be re-thought. For years, the man had been straying from his bass -- the instrument that had grounded the band from the get-go, freeing PETER BUCK to develop his unique, circular, no-solo guitar style. Too often of late, Mills seemed satisfied to sequester himself behind a piano (where his melodies tended to be generically pretty) or some vintage synthesizer that Buck had picked up on his restless-leg travels (the last three R.E.M. records are hopelessly clogged with energy-deadening keyboard fills & folderal). Finally, Stipe would have to take the muzzle off Mills and let the man sing a little. Mills' "sunny" tenor had always served as perfect foil for Stipe's sometimes-whiny/sometimes-gravelly baritone. Their vocal interplay -- as much as Buck's arpeggios and Mills' melodic basslines -- was a signature of early-to-mid-career R.E.M., and it was long-past-due that they rediscover it.

Which brings us, finally, to ACCELERATE -- the long-promised, would-be return-to-form. The context seemed promising. A new producer (Jacknife Lee) had been brought on board to keep the ship from slipping instinctively into safe harbors. The songs are faster (and shorter) -- many clocking in at under three minutes. Buck plays guitar! Mills plays bass! Stipe sings! And so does Mills! There's a rough-edged energy to the thing. It feels off-the-cuff; thrown-together -- not over-produced; over-arranged; over-thought; over before it even began. Yet: It falls flat. It still feels generic, somehow. There's heat but no light. In the end, in its own way, it's a collection of songs no more noteworthy or distinguished than AROUND THE SUN's. (And you have no idea how much it pains me to say that.)

Lead single "Supernatural Superserious" provides a pretty good case-in-point. It's a catchy little thing, and -- sure enough -- there's Mike Mills, on cue, singing high & striving on the chorus, just as in olden days. But that ends up being the problem. It's the dreaded Copy-of-a-Copy Syndrome. Diminishing returns -- despite all best efforts and intentions -- are inevitable. (See/hear "Leaving New York," "Imitation of Life," and "Daysleeper" for further proof/evidence of this decade-long trend.)

Elsewhere on the new record, opening one-two "Living Well is the Best Revenge" and "Man-Sized Wreath" have the feel of NEW ADVENTURES IN HI-FI rockers like "The Wake-Up Bomb" and "Departure." They're serviceable, sure -- but, ultimately, forgettable. Fact is, R.E.M. have never been particularly adept at the "gritty" thing. They'd do well to surrender that territory to PEARL JAM once and for all and just get on with it.

"Hollow Man" starts out as a bad ballad before loping into a bad GOO GOO DOLLS/COUNTING CROWS chorus. "Until the Day is Done" is musically by-the-numbers and lyrically on-the-nose. Funny how much more effective Stipe's political testaments were when presented as oblique allegory or inscrutable haiku ("Talk About the Passion," "Green Grow the Rushes," "Cuyahoga," "Disturbance at the Heron House"). "Mr. Richards" is a lazy guitar rewrite of UP's swirling electronic dervish "Hope." And closer "I'm Gonna DJ" should have remained a live-performance-only rave-up. Committed to disc, it sounds canned & mechanical (& absolutely no fun at all; "Superman," where are you?).

So that's that. As I've been writing this, I've found myself feeling more angry than sad -- though the sadness will come. Should I feel the need, I still have the sanctuary of that lauded R.E.M. back-catalogue to retreat to. And it's not as if ACCELERATE is the worst highly-anticipated album I've heard this year (not so long as BOB MOULD and THE BREEDERS are around). In the end, it's all about unreasonable expectations, I guess. The impossibility of being young again. Of turning back the clock, popping EPONYMOUS into the player, strapping on the cheap-but-sonically-pristine pair of headphones, and discovering something utterly new that delights and surprises at every tuck and turn. R.E.M.'s 14th album, ACCELERATE, alas, possesses no such transformative magic. Shame on me for wanting so desperately to believe that it might.

[MP3] "Horse to Water"

[MP3] "Sing for the Submarine"