The Science of Lauralogy

Oh-kay. So I haven’t written in approximately 12 years, but I feel justified since I had a whole lot of nothing/commuting/hospital chilling to do for the past month back in glorious Carthage, MO. But, now that I’m back in the winter wonderland known as South America (i.e. Buenos Aires) in June where all the locals are bundled up while I walk around in my cute new dress and jacket, hesitating to come back to my house where the building was built so perfectly over 100 years ago to keep the heat of the Argentine summer out, that it is actually about 15 degrees colder inside than outside, which basically means: BLOG TIME!

Basically, I’ve sorta drifted a bit away from the hip-hop/rap I love so much and have been really focused on alt-country as of late. So if you’re here for the rap, sorry (but maybe a surprise will follow as this post trials off); if alt-country’s your thing, you’re welcome. Pop/dance/country/gospel/et al: sorry, not today.

No Depression put out its last official print magazine this month (well May/June, really) and I have to say I was saddened by that. They promise to stick around and do the blog/site thing and issue 75 promises a bi-annual bookazine. So, to them, I say thanks for the years of advice and continually good-excellent music journalism!

The Hold Steady’s fourth studio album Stay Positive is set to drop in the US on July 15th. Obviously, I will buy it upon my return on the 31st (in addition to watching the X-Files movie!); however, being as I’m impatient and Hardie’s dad somehow bought a copy already (?), I gave into my Generation MySpace tendencies and got an early-release, less-than-legal copy…. but I will buy it. I promise. Since the internet freaked out last time I posted a Hold Steady single (“Sequestered in Memphis” fyi), I won’t even post another song from it. Yet. But I will write about it.

The thing I’ve loved for years about the Hold Steady is that as much as they do change (on the musical level), the music never really changes. The themes sorta stay the same, the beats/instruments kinda stay the same, sure-as-hell Craig Finn’s vocals never change. But it never grows old. Each new album seems a little better (if not a whole lot better… meaning Boys & Girls in America versus Separation Sunday versus The Hold Steady Almost Killed Me). But they are all alike. They all sound like the Boss if the Boss got a better band and wrote lyrics like a good version of the Decemberists. So I guess, what I’m saying, is maybe if Bubba followed the Hold Steady’s lead and didn’t feel the need to reinvent/popiffy himself with every new album, then Deliverance wouldn’t stand alone as his greatest (although I do enjoy Dark Days) album ever.

Out of Stay Positive’s 11 tracks, the early stand-outs seem to be: the aforementioned “Sequestered in Memphis,” “Slapped Actress,” “Magazines,” and the title track [which really, really runs with the "we do the same thing/themes over and over" idea]. I also really enjoy “Lord, I’m Discouraged.” And you have no idea how hard it is for me to not post these tracks for everyone. Like I said, though, I am buying the album and if you promise you will too, shoot me a comment/email and I’ll hook you up. But basically, I love the Hold Steady and for the 4th time, they did not disappoint. I look forward to the Stay Positive Tour’s inevitable stop in Portland – especially since now as a legal adult (i.e. 21) I can see them wherever they play!

So, outside of bootlegging The Hold Steady new album’s, what have I been doing lately? Well, nothing outside of falling in love with James McMurtry/Alejandro Escovedo, rekindling that high school love affair with the Old 97’s, being paralyzed by the continued awesomeness that is Lil Wayne (seriously, a milli in one week?! Even without that, the number of Weezy F. B/Elvis comparisons I’ve heard all week is absolutely ridiculous.)

In conclusion, it feels really weird to be back in Buenos Aires. Going from summer to winter is way more upsetting than doing the opposite.

Anyways, fuck it all, I had a really good night:

Jackie Chain – “Blinded by the Light”

Soooo not new, but I like it anyways. It kinda shows what the hell the Huntsville scene is up to, and well, since they are up to sooo much, it makes sense to post it.

The Hold Steady – “Stay Positive”

Okay, I said I would not post any new THS songs, but technically I wrote that yesterday and since then have done a lot and have thought a lot (but mainly drank a lot), so I think it pertinet to show y’all how great the new album is. And please please please buy the fucking thing on July 15th or I’ll feel bad. So, thanks in advance (ditto from the band… although outside of that one night in Canada and Hardie’s dad I have NO connection to them, but still, you understand…)