Day-o, fair readers. The sun is shining, the hot dogs are roasting, the fireworks are blasting outside the Emerald office, and it’s got Mr. Lang in a downright good mood. So after last week’s column filled with some rather frightening musical tidbits, it’s time for only the warmest, fuzziest news to both brighten and enlighten.
And boy do I have some sunny news to report. All hail to the queens of rock and roll! This week’s issue of Time Magazine features an “America’s Best” segment that picks Oregon/Washington riot grrl sensation Sleater-Kinney as our great nation’s best rock band. Yeah, Time. In the article, the bandmates recall a time when they were recording in the same studio as The Backstreet Boys, and BSBer Kevin — who, by the way, is pushing 30 — mistook the trio for fans instead of musicians.
Of course, there is a good chance the pick would be different had Radiohead not been born on the British Isles. But even if both Radiohead and SK — truly two bands that receive all of Mr. Lang’s adoration — hailed from this side of the pond, the ladies should still beat the boys. Sure, Radiohead secured impressive, massive outdoor venues. But for my money, nothing is more rock-and-roll than being in the club watching SK’s Carrie Brownstein turn her guitar neck horizontally to hit the riff and give a leg kick toward the audience in the process. The only real difference is the band’s reluctance to sign with a major label. Of their five major albums, three have been released on the Kill Rock Stars label, which was also Elliott Smith’s first home. If the band had exposure outside the Northwest, college radio and stunningly productive word of mouth, the girls could challenge the Brit boys to a battle of the bands for the ages.
Other music notables include The Roots as best rappers, Cassandra Wilson as best singer, Lucinda Williams as best songwriter and DJ Craze as best DJ.
The second color in this week’s rainbow: new releases. On Sept. 11, the now-defunct Ben Folds Five will re-release the album that sparked their national success, “Whatever and Ever Amen,” with four bonus unreleased tracks. Bassist Robert Sledge wrote and sings one of the tracks, and drummer Darren Jessee wrote another. The re-release will hit stores the same day as Folds’ solo debut, “Rockin’ the Suburbs.”
Although current rumors that Weezer will record a new album in the next two months are false, the band has written a number of songs, which they describe as being more rock ‘n’ roll than some of the tracks on “Weezer II,” a.k.a. The Green Album. The news is a promising sign that fans will not have to wait another four or five years for the next record. The boys did have to cancel two European shows to film the video for The Green Album’s second single, “Island in the Sun,” but the oh-so-nice gents plan to make up the shows ASAP.
Dreamy Washington indie rockers Death Cab For Cutie are set to release the follow-up to their smashing “We Have the Facts and We’re Voting Yes” album sometime this fall.
Speaking of the Pacific Northwest, Built to Spill’s new album drops on Tuesday, and Sam-and-Janet duo Quasi will release “Sword of God” on Aug. 21.
Also, shows! Most people have probably heard about former Soul Coughing leader Mike Doughty at Taylor’s on Sunday and Ani DiFranco popping by Cuthbert Amphitheater on Monday. But the action doesn’t stop there. Lesser-known group Black Rebel Motorcycle Club will be a sure-fire hit at the Hollywood Taxi in Springfield on the 12th. Our lovely neighbor to the north, Portland, will also host a number of worthy acts, including G. Love and Special Sauce on Tuesday and The Reverend Horton Heat on the 19th. The Reverend is scheduled to stop by Eugene later this summer.
For those who worry that punk might be dead, “Scottish” punksters The Real McKenzies’ show on July 1 in Corvallis quickly dispelled those fears. Be-In correspondent Punk Rock Darren reports that a scant three songs into the band’s set at AJ’s bar, lead singer Paul McKenzie spewed forth the liquor and other stomach contents in an impressive stream of vomit onto the stage. Confused, he looked at his mess and demanded to know which “punk bastard” puked on his stage. Suddenly realizing he had nobody to blame but himself, McKenzie continued the set for another hour. “After all,” he said, “If you can’t stand on your own puke, what can you stand on?” To which bassist Jamie Fox replied, “My puke.”
Finally, take a look at all the rock on the charts. Sure, some of it is uninteresting bands such as Staind and 311, but the latest efforts from Stone Temple Pilots, Tool, Weezer and Radiohead are all still holding on the top 30 of Billboard’s chart.
So, all in all, things aren’t that bad in the world of music. But before departing the office to catch the last of the bombs bursting in air, Mr. Lang must deliver the skinny on the new Tori Amos album, “Strange Little Girls,” due out Sept. 18. Amos, known for being eerie and performing covers during concerts, has combined her two qualities,into an album of covers by male artists, ranging from The Beatles’ “Happiness is a Warm Gun” to Eminem’s “97 Bonnie and Clyde” and The Boomtown Rats’ “I Don’t Like Mondays.” Sheesh.
Best bet concert for the week: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club at the Hollywood Taxi on the 12th.
Jeremy Lang is an associate editor of the Emerald. He can be reached at [email protected].