Fresh from a night’s sleep of blowing off some exclusive Bay Area screening of the Feist documentary, I reflected back on this week’s offerings of the pop variety. Lots of reunions, big projections and promises for 2011, national tours, international tours, reissues and singles releases. Here’s the rundown of gossip, insights and remixes of your favorites in no order in particular.
In the aftermath of the Oasis blowout, Liam and the rest of the gang, sans Noel, have conjured up this Beady Eye gimmick. From the first glimpse it sounds like a late night piss take after throwin’ down back lager and ingesting some of that Mancunian working class wizz. Beady Eye has released their first single via internet download called ‘Bring the Light.” With Noel these days allegedly making “fucking amazing demos,” his lyrical absence is duly noted, with brother Liam rambling on and on with one too many “baby come ons,” pounding single note piano keys. Seek cover from the incoming wave of fan disappointment.
Creation Records founder and Oasis discoverer Alan McGee has done his presidential gestures of damage control on behalf of his rock n’ roll star protégés. “It's too early to fucking say. Think of the talent in that band: Gem [Archer], [Chris] Sharrock, Liam Gallagher, the best frontman there's ever fucking been! And Andy Bell, one of the best guitarists up there with [Jimmy] Page. How can that be a bad band?” All that hype aside, he did tell the NME two days prior that the Gallaghers will resolve their differences and “Oasis will reform in 4 to 5 years.”
Speaking of Andy Bell, his previous band Ride (you thought I was going to say Hurricane #1, didn’t you?) is getting their big debut LP Nowhere reissued on Rhino as a two disc affair this December 21. Also included will be their Today Forever EP and a previously unreleased live show in LA from their first North American tour. Let’s hope this convinces Mark Gardener to get off his duff and in turn inspire Bell to ditch Liam, Gem and the lads in order to reform what NME once proclaimed to be “the only band that matters.”
To follow up recent word on their upcoming album Carpark, Cloud Nothings have provided us with a sneak peak from the album. “Understand At All” rings with the sound of today’s garage noise that is not under the influence of Mountain Dew. Cloud Nothings are on a European tour with Les Savy Fav and are currently playing in the UK.
Also just heard this clubby revision of Lil Kim’s classic; “The Jump Off feat. Mr. Cheeks,” courtesy of New Zealand DJ/remixer T. Rice. Don’t know much about this dude other than he seems to like remixing hip-hop with his own minimalist and often funky beats. Forget her recent beef with Cash/Money’s Nicki Minaj and rediscover ‘Kim’s ‘03 era through the blender of a deep bass loop that backs the ultra chill “Straight Jump Off ” (T. Rice Edit).
Lil Kim, “Straight Jump Off” (T. Rice Edit)
And back to the topic of the Brits and the Brit Pop rehashings; Jarvis Cocker has put his mediocre solo musings on hold to “reform” Pulp, in order to promote another “best of” titled Preemptive Greatest Hits. At least this compilation dares to include a pre-Island Records era track, thanks to the inclusion of the lusty Gainsbourg-on-the-cheap heave-and-breathe disco jam “My Legendary Girlfriend“. But like the previous compilation Hits, this retrospective of sorts fails to tread back into the band’s 80s output. Perhaps the Sheffield gang is too “over it” to revisit the Red Rhino and Fire Records indie days.
While on the topic of reunions and the like, will the reunited Buffalo Springfield return again in 2011? According to this Richie Furay Crawdaddy! interview, and given the electric feel of their acoustic set at Neil Young’s Bridge School Benefit, why the hell not? The Cars are doing it, Guided by Voices did it and um, Soundgarden did it as part of Conan O’Brien’s own comeback. I guess now is the time where we are supposed to be grappling with our own various nostalgia triggers (or nausea, whichever comes first) or our collective short term memories.
In on the road news, San Francisco’s Weekend launched a national tour about a week ago where they are set to perform some 19 shows this November. Also their chirpy Slumberland labelmates Tennis are set to play Hotel Utah in SF this Sunday while LA’s loftwave romantics Kisses are playing a totally hip west coast venue hopefully somewhere near you. As always folks, check your local listings for show dates, locations and times.
