Three Imaginary Girls - RCA

Bizarro turns 21! Let's celebrate...

imaginary liz — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:14:36 +0000

You know those bands that always seem to be there for you when your heart gets mangled? The band that gets your groove back in gear? For me, that's the Wedding Present.

The wonderful thing I've come to learn over the years? The Wedding Present is *that* band for a bunch of you too!

It's a strange and glorious fact that Bizarro, the Wedding Present's classic second studio album and the one that includes our favorites like "Brassneck" and "Kennedy" (to name a couple), will turn 21 years old this year. To celebrate, Gedge and company will be playing the album live, in its entirety, at concerts across North America, Japan and Europe (full tour shed-jule below). Obviously, those of us in Seattle are counting the days until April 21 when the Wedding Present is set to play the Crocodile.

We here at Three Imaginary Girls, especially me, want to mark the occasion here as well! Let's gather forces and geek out all Bizarro stylee!

Here's the idea: Send me a few sentences, a paragraph, or a story about a favorite song from the Bizarro album. Tell us all about why the song (or songs - feel free to take on more than one!) rules or how it has affected you. It can be short, long, quirky, solemn, desirous, uplifting or clinical (i.e why the particular chord progression is magical).

Because of the Times

Erik Gonzalez — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 05:53:25 +0000

5.8

http://www.amazon.com/Because-Times-Kings-Leon/dp/B000MRA3NU/

kings.jpg

A lot has been said here on Three Imaginary Girls lately about our friends, Kings of Leon. They seem to be a band that causes a lot of mixed emotions and that can all likely be traced to their current adolescent state between a little band only you and your friends like and being a full-on rock band filling arenas. Because of the Times inches the Kings of Leon much closer to the latter, not only with its impressive Top 30 debut on the Billboard album charts (and #1 in the UK), but also with the band’s decided turn towards a more restrained and mainstream rock sound. This turn has unfortunately stripped a lot from the Kings of Leon’s rock sound, leaving them listing a little too much into bland rock than they probably hoped, but there are still points were you can hope that the Followill’s can keep their identity intact.

The Kings of Leon made on odd decision to lead off the album with the seven-plus minute “Knocked Up,” a song that is sort of a modernized, man’s-eye-view of Madonna’s “Papa Don’t Preach,” but obliviously musically influenced by the Kings of Leon’s place opening for U2. Strip the vocals out, you could almost place the song as an outtake from The Joshua Tree, with the echoing, Edge-like guitar and the low, rumbling drums. And yet, somehow, the song just doesn’t come together; instead it just drifts along for seven minutes without building much musical or lyrical tension – which is what you need when you record a song of such length.

This isn’t the only odd musical departure for the band. On “Charmer” you have to wonder if someone got a little too much into their old Pixies albums for their own good. “On Call” is just straight up Third Eye Blind mainstream alternative rock and wow, you worry how easily the band converted into VH1 fare. Then they just say, “Hey, let’s be Bloc Party” and record “McFearless” – I’ll let you imagine how that turns out. “Black Thumbnail” is a little more like what you would expect from the band, a real all-out rock song, but it lacks a real hook like previous Kings songs like “Red Morning Light” or “The Bucket.”

A surprising number of songs on Because of the Times are just not memorable and that might be the biggest failing point of the album. Alright, at this point, you’re probably wondering if this album has any redeeming moments and I admit, I haven’t really painted the most flattering picture. The problem is that the Kings of Leon did manage to sneak a gem of a song onto the album, albeit with the worst title they could muster. “Ragoo” (ah yes, let’s have some pasta, y’all) is remarkably infectious and using all the strengths of the Kings of Leon: dueling guitar, Caleb’s howled vocals, and classic rock and roll hooks. The song jumps back and forth from an upbeat, chiming verse to the more aggressive, growling chorus seamlessly and somehow arrives at a middle ground that makes the song a potential sleeper hit if it could ever make it to the airwaves. Whether or not it benefits from its place after “Ragoo,” “Fans” is also a little stronger of a song for the Kings, keeping more of their sound around while merging into the mainstream. “Trunk” is a slow song that almost has a Doors-like vibe to it (well, even with the low bassline).

Maybe the problem here is that the Kings of Leon have been hanging out with too many tried-and-true rockers, like U2, Pearl Jam, Bob Dylan and the like. It has seeped its way into their sound both in good and bad ways (mostly bad): sure, the songs are catchy and melodic, but they lack that fiery soul that the band had on Youth and Young Manhood. Maybe we should forgive them for grabbing for that brass ring, but Because of the Times really lacks a lot of substance that is replaced by a lot of gloss.

Maybe the problem here is that the Kings of Leon have been hanging out with too many tried-and-true rockers ...

Essential John Denver

Tim Hanken — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 08:00:00 +0000

7.8

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000MM0Y8Y/wwwthreeimagi-20

johndenver07mar.jpg

Here are my two essential John Denver facts: I know he died in a plane crash, and I know that I like that song "Rocky Mountain High," mostly because I think it was in a beer commercial that I remember from when I was a kid (maybe it wasn't, but it's my memory so I can think whatever I want). I also know that occasionally late at night on cable I've seen commercials for various John Denver CD collections, or folk collections that feature John Denver. Every time one of these commercials comes on I think, "that John Denver had some pretty catchy songs." I've never actually ordered said CD collections, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't think about it, before my overall disgust in ordering anything off of a TV commercial kicks in and I put down the phone. On these same commercials after I get done thinking that John Denver had some good tunes, I always think, "I can't believe he actually succeeded in the music industry looking like that." This thought comes to the forefront of my mind when looking at the cover for the recently released The Essential John Denver.

As with most of the Essential series, all of the essential John Denver tracks are here, hence the "Essential" in the title. Sony Music touts their Essential series as "indispensable retrospectives" that are "comprehensive, career spanning collections." What it comes down to is all the hits are here, and they all sound as if they came right off the master tapes. I've purchased a handful of titles from the Essential series over the years and always find them to be great introductions to an artist that provide good quality sound at a reasonable price. (Although I must say they use "essential" pretty loosely, as artists like Fishbone and Cheap Trick have Essential titles. I don't think of hardly anything Cheap Trick did as essential, "I Want You to Want Me" being the obvious exception).

It's a front-loaded collection with seven of Denver's nine top twenty hits landing on disc one. It opens with "Leaving on a Jet Plane." Yes, that's a John Denver tune, although it's been covered by all sorts of people, including Slightly Stoopid, which is hysterical. Disc one also contains the aforementioned "Rocky Mountain High" and "Thank God I'm a Country Boy," which should be on everybody's party play list, along with "Take Me Home, Country Roads." Disc two starts off with "Calypso," one of Denver's four chart-topping US singles, "Thank God I'm a Country Boy," "Annie's Song," and "Sunshine on My Shoulders" are the others  I know you were silently demanding to know the other three  and all are included on Essential. The second disc also contains "Wild Montana Skies," a duet with Emmylou Harris. So if you're the type of person who'd be embarrassed about owning The Essential John Denver, you could always point to song 15 on disc two and say "I just bought it for the Emmylou Harris song," as Emmylou has made it into the hipster cool country class.

Here's the thing, though. If you've ever enjoyed any sad emo song, if you like alt-country, if you're into the cool new singer songwriters making their way around the indie world, odds are you'd dig John Denver. Denver, along with his contemporaries such as Cat Stevens, Jim Croce, and others, ruled the 1970's. They sold out arenas, had network TV specials and chart topping records, Denver even appeared on "The Muppet Show." That kind of exposure leads to influence. Just as I know all the words to "Rocky Mountain High" without even trying, odds are that a young Jose Gonzalez probably heard "Annie's Song" while growing up in Sweden. Look Jose up on Wikipedia and it states "his trademark sound is solo classical guitar with soft melody," which sounds kind of like John Denver, doesn't it? (Note: I didn't actually talk to Jose Gonzalez about this. He might hate John Denver.)

All in all, this two-disc collection is worth owning. Maybe you don't run out and buy it today, but if it ever shows up on sale somewhere, or if you ever see it used, it's definitely worth having. On those rainy northwest evenings with that special someone there's nothing better than a warm fire, a glass of wine, and some John Denver.

If you're the type of person who'd be embarrassed about owning The Essential John Denver, you could always point to song 15 on disc two and say "I just bought it for the Emmylou Harris song," as Emmylou has made it into the hipster cool country class.

First Impressions of Earth

Travis Hay — Tue, 03 Jan 2006 08:00:00 +0000

7.5

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000BVQ9JO/wwwthreeimagi-20

strokes06jan.jpg

Outside of the world of hip hop and The Ramones, I generally don't care for many musical acts that come from New York City, which is why I'm highly skeptical toward bands like The Bravery, Interpol, and any other band from NYC that happens to be the hipster chic artist du jour. Maybe it's because I prefer my music with a little Northwest flavoring, or maybe it's because I am a jaded SOB who doesn't easily buy into hype, but New York bands have to be something special to tickle my musical taste buds.

This brings us to The Strokes, a NYC band that has been dubbed everything from "rock revolutionaries" to "garage rock saviors." At the time of The Strokes' first release, Is This It? bands like The White Stripes, The Vines and The Hives were raising a garage rock revival with a sound that favored dirty guitars and cranked up amps. Singer Julian Casablancas crooned his way through a fairly solid 11-track debut highlighted by nifty guitar work by Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr. that showed plenty of potential.

By the time the band's second album hit, 2003's Room On Fire, The Strokes were critical darlings. However, it seemed as if they allowed their acclaim to interfere with their music because the record came off as a near carbon-copy of their previous album. While the press continued to wave the flag of The Strokes high atop the summit of Mt. Hype, I wasn't sold.

This brings us to the band's third release, First Impressions of Earth, a record that has been anticipated since its lead single, the Tommy Gun-tinged "Juicebox," leaked onto radio several months ago. On the record The Strokes finally prove they can deliver on the mounds of potential they displayed on their debut, showing they are more than a smoke-and-mirrors band built on a foundation of fuzzy guitars and craftily-crooned vocals.

Multiple songs are carried by Valensi's and Hammond Jr's angular, and at times mind-bogglingly masterful, guitar parts. You'd think that this would get boring after a few tracks, but it doesn't. Somehow the pair mixes it up enough to create a sound that's very un-Strokesy while retaining the The Strokes watermark. If Valensi and Hammond Jr. continue down the path they're forging on First Impressions, they could become the garage rock equivalent of Radiohead's Johnny Greenwood and Ed O'Brien. How's that for hype?

The diversity of song structure shows plenty of growth by a band that could have easily gotten away with releasing a record that sounds similar to its previous pair of LPs. The bridge of "Vision of Division" is an almost wickedly AC/DC interpretation of a Middle Eastern lick that could easily fit on a System of A Down record. The melancholy "Ask Me Anything" strangely fits in perfectly as Casablancas repeatedly sings "I've got nothing to say," and "Fear of Sleep" comes off as soothing as a late night lullaby you'd hear after a hard fought night of bar hopping amongst the hipsters in Capitol Hill.

There are very few flaws on this album. The Strokes seemingly redefined themselves and their sound while at the same time raising the stakes for any copycat hipster group — from NYC or anywhere else. Although First Impressions of Earth is the first major rock record to be released in 2006, it will likely remain one of the best of this year's offerings for a long while.

The Strokes seemingly redefined themselves and their sound while at the same time raising the stakes for any copycat hipster group — from NYC or anywhere else.

Harmonies for the Haunted

Erik Gonzalez — Fri, 16 Sep 2005 07:00:00 +0000

6.2

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000AA7HK6/wwwthreeimagi-20

stellastarr05sept.jpg

When stellastarr* broke onto the music scene in 2003, they had a number of things going against them in my book:

(1) they were NYC art students who went straight to a major label;
(2) they wore snappy suits that made them look like Interpol;
(3) they wore their influences on their sleeve, right down to a track called "Pulp Song" and
(4) they had that damn "*" in their name.

When combined, these four factors had me quite predisposed to dislike them greatly. Much to my chagrin, their 2003 debut stellastarr* (RCA) was surprising catchy and a fun listen. Ah well, so much for defining bands based on their NME/Spin/Entertainment Weekly pre-hype layout.

Flash-forward two years and stellastarr* have returned to prove that they are more than just a flash in the hipster pan. Harmonies for the Haunted is technically their second major album, but the first where they got to spend oodles of money to record the disc. This might be its Achilles' Heel. Their debut had a raw intensity that made otherwise "by the numbers" tracks stand out. Harmonies seems all too well planned out, robbing stellastarr* of the spark that made their debut so captivating.

Whereas the first album was undoubtedly indebted to Pulp for its influence, it is less obvious here. Instead, odd elements of Duran Duran, the Cure and James seem to creep in, dragging the album down from the start with dirges like the opener "Lost in Time", a song that attempts to capture a "Pictures of You" and Laid-era James swirling production. They try to kick start the album with "Damn this Foolish Heart," but it ends up coming off as what might have happened if you tried to create an indie-rock version Neil Diamond's "Coming to America".

You could give up there, resigning stellastarr* to a sophomore slump, but "The Diver" and "Sweet Troubled Soul" actually achieve the polished mood pieces that have some urgency to them. "Sweet Troubled Soul" in particular channel Duran Duran with more of a rock rather than new wave edge, but still retains the somber, dreary mood that permeates Harmonies. Lead singer Shawn Christensen's vocals in "Sweet Troubled Soul" seemed forced though, almost as if he is attempted to sound more mature by mimicking Morrissey or Ro bert Smith.

It's when stellastarr* doesn't get wrapped up into its own desire to be surrounded by a morose cloud that the album succeeds. "Born in a Fleamarket" and "Love and Longing" recapture the upbeat yet dark feel of "My Coco" and "Jenny" from stellastarr*. Christensen doesn't attempt to be Morrissey as much, instead lets his voice betray its lighter side with excellent results, especially in "Born in a Fleamarket". The album closes with a few rather unremarkable numbers, unless you really like repetitive lyrics ("Stay Entertained").

In all, Harmonies for the Haunted has all the hallmarks of a band who really wants to prove that they have staying power and artistic vision. Sometimes these stabs into expanding the sound work (e.g., Interpol's Antics), sometimes they are just too overblown and overworked for their own good (e.g., Hot Hot Heat's Elevator). stellastarr* fall prey to that classic blunder: exchanging production for catchiness. This is not to say that Harmonies for the Haunted is a bad album, instead it lacks that urgency and rawness that is what set stellastarr*'s debut apart from many of the Interpol-clones.

Harmonies for the Haunted is technically their second major album, but the first where they got to spend oodles of money to record the disc. This might be its Achilles' Heel.

In Your Honor

Joseph Riippi — Tue, 19 Jul 2005 07:00:00 +0000

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0009HLDFU/wwwthreeimagi-20

foo05july.jpg

Well, let's just start with the obvious...

Two CDs. The Foo Fighters went and did a double-disc record. Thankfully it's not one of those Dual-disc CDs like the new Springsteen, where it seems there is no way to touch the disc without scratching either DVD or CD side. Those are difficult enough to handle. No, Grohl and Co.'s new one is a pretty basic two-disc package. One CD stacked behind the other. And the artwork is a bitchin' painting of a bull — the head on disc one, the ass on disc two.

The Head-of-the-Bull disc is all rock and roll, heavier than their past albums, the "Nirvana-meets-Sunny Day Real Estate" lineup actually taking a cue from their past bands and making more obvious their former monikers which, up until now, have been barely discernable.

Grohl wails away on the opening, title track, "Can you hear me?!" while a Phil Spector-approved wall of sound/distortion backs him up and guides the songs into the Foos' best drummer entrance since the beginning of "My Hero."

The first disc of "In Your Honor" manages to push the band into a heavier and more raw sound than their past, singles-happy records. And despite the uber-popularity found with MTV Music Video awards and Dawson-Leary-getting-the-shit-kicked-out-of-him-while-Grohl-screams-away-on-the-soundtrack in "Varsity Blues," this record is a treat to any of the naysayers whom still listen to Sunny Day's "Diary" religiously.

And don't take "Best of You," the single, as an indication of the rest of the album. If you're serious about music you should have learned by now that a single, especially from a band on a major, is more than likely the worst track on the record. In Your Honor has some far better tunes.

Oh!!! Wait!! There's the second disc, the proverbial Ass-of-the-Bull disc. (Really, the artwork is Bitchin'!) and the Ass is, for the most part, Ass-coustic. (The Bull's bark is louder than it's fart, I guess you could say.)

Disc two isn't surprising, if you don't count the Norah Jones duet on "Virginia Moon," (which is very much like you think it will be, the surprise is the fact that exists).

Save for the duet, the acoustic disc is pretty straight-forward. Imagine The Colour and the Shape being sold in Starbucks as an all-acoustic re-release, and you've pretty much got it. Not at all a bad thing, but there's not much more to say.

So yeah, that's about it. Just for a real-life anecdote, I gave the record to a Nirvana and Fugazi nut at work, who was making some offhand, duragatory remarks about how Dave Grohl and Nate Mendel have gone only downhill since Nirvana and Sunny Day. He digs the shit out of the Bull's Head. So that's something.

Kasabian

JimiC — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 07:00:00 +0000

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00079018K/wwwthreeimagi-20

kasabian05apr.jpg

(I'm not going to tell them about Primal Scream… I'm not going to tell them about Primal Scream… I'm not going to tell them about Primal Scream…)

This is a review about Primal Scream.

I love Primal Scream. Even their crappy record with the Confederate flag on the front. [I know the Black Crowes. The Black Crowes are good (figurative) friends of mine. Primal Scream, you are no Black Crowes.]

I really like the way the Scream have changed through the years, from jangly C86 stalwarts to Stooges wannabes, into their most influential stage as psychedelic dance enthusiasts, through the decline into Southern fried crap, and especially into their rebirth as aggro-agit-dub-dance dirtbags. I love that their new records sound like they were assembled by pissed off robots built by the guys from Kraftwerk in collaboration with the guys from the MC5, all directed by Kevin Shields (The last part of which is kinda true. "Shoot Speed Kill Light" from the US version of Exterminator is the closest thing we'll get to a new My Bloody Valentine song in my lifetime...). But then they "keep it real" live — dirty, scary, and messier than hell, real honest-to-God rock music.

Now polish all the edges off that. Then make sure you write at least one (preferably three) radio-ready hits. Done? Good. Now, you'll need a name. Why don't you call the band… Kasabian?

That sounds like a slam; it's not. I like this record a lot. It gets frequent comparisons to "baggy" bands, especially Happy Mondays, and I guess Tom Meighan's vocals can take on that wasted-poet sound perfected by Shaun Ryder. There is an occasional lysergically dance-y vibe to it (most explicitly on "L.S.F."), but I don't really see it in any meaningful way. The original baggy movement was like a new version of the Summer of Love fueled by ecstasy and lazy rhythms. The original Summer of Love ended with gang violence (Hell's Angels security guys, at least) at Altamont. Similarly, baggy wound down at its spiritual home in Manchester as violence related to the booming drug trade exposed the seamy underbelly of those good times. Kasabian reflects more darkness in their druggy dance vibes, reflecting the times and changing the feel of the music. This is definitely not "baggy." Liz here at three imaginary headquarters mentioned Kula Shaker, which seems a lot closer to the mark. They were late comers to the party — post-baggy if you will — trying to keep dance music and rock music connected. And there was always something a bit contrived about them, as it feels like is the case with Kasabian. In both cases, that doesn't stop me from enjoying the music one bit at all.

By now you've heard the ubiquitous "Club Foot." That cut is the album highlight by far. I've heard it 1,000 times and I won't mind hearing it 1,000 more. Genius pop song.

The other hott cuts (that's right, hot with two "t's") are "L.S.F." and "Processed Beats." Most of the rest of the record sounds like a variation on one of those ideas (except for "Reason is Treason" which, while not really single material, is my second favorite song on the album, as it updates, rather than "quotes," the Velvet Underground a bit.). And while the rest of the songs on this record are not exactly filler, they won't haunt your consciousness quite like that bass/vocal riff in "Club Foot" does, either.

If this all sounds a little jaded, it probably is. I'm still a sucker for the UK music press hype machine (I bought the Terris record. And King Adora. And These Animal Men. And Marion. And Tiny Monroe. Shall I go on? No, I'm not proud. Yes, I still listen to them sometimes.). As a result of my proclivity for gullibility, I get my hopes up way too high for releases like this one, only to have them turn out as really great rather than abso-f**king-lutely amazing and/or life-changing. So don't consider this review damned with faint praise. I have a lotta praise for this record: it's a pretty rocking, pretty ripping, pretty danceable album, a whole lotta dirty (as in fuzzy and distorted) fun. And it's even a bit better heard live.

I know Primal Scream, and Primal Scream is a (figurative) friend of mine…

Well, Kasabian isn't quite Primal Scream. But they're damn near, and that's more than enough for me. Can't wait for the next one.

(I'm not going to tell them about Primal Scream… I'm not going to tell them about Primal Scream… I'm not going to tell them about Primal Scream…)

This is a review about Primal Scream.

The Clarence Greenwood Recordings

imaginary stella — Wed, 15 Dec 2004 08:00:00 +0000

8.4

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002IRXMI/wwwthreeimagi-20

copealbum.jpg

This summer, a couple hundred other lucky show-goers and I were treated to a rare, intense performance at The Hideaway. It was one of those uncharacteristically scorching August nights, exacerbated when coupled with the club's lack of ventilation and the fact that the management refused to fling open the back-alley doors for fear of leaking the sound out into the sweltering city. Packed into the hot and humid club like commuters on the Metro, we quite literally sweated through every article of clothing.

But despite the temperature, we were mesmerized as Citizen Cope, born Clarence Greenwood, strummed through an hour-plus of his unique material. It was just Cope and his acoustic guitar, occasionally assisted with some pre-recorded loops and beats, and it was enchanting. The crowd ate Cope up, and he seemed truly shocked, humbled, at the overwhelming response. After every song the Memphis-born musician modestly thanked us repeatedly, even staying post-show to shake hands with nearly the entire room-full of fans as we exited the club.

Standing there, swaying in a sea of sweaty limbs and fully enraptured in the music, I distinctly remember thinking that this would be a show that in 20 years I could tell my kids I attended, and they'd look at me jaw agape at the prospect of being able to see such a legendary artist in such an intimate setting. Cope is, in my estimates, our generation's Marley, our Dylan — an amazing storyteller whose genre-bending songs paint timeless pictures.

The Clarence Greenwood Recordings, Cope's second full-length album and his debut on RCA, is a work of art. For a musician who made his name in a New York hip-hop crew (Basehead), Cope's sound is now somewhere between reggae, folk and even rock. On the latest album, notable guest stars such as Carlos Santana ("Son's Gonna Rise") and Me'Shell Ndegeocello ("Sideways") grace the record, but for all their cred, it is Cope who speaks to us. His Southern-drawled gansta-lean vocals are the perfect fit to laid-back, slow jams like "Penitentiary" or "Hurricane Waters," or to the more urgent styling of "Son's Gonna Rise." "Bullet and a Target", the first single, is a traditional blues tune merged with modern-day rap sensibility, replete with a piano and guitar vamp and organic handclaps (the real deal, not synthesizers) that expresses "all the craziness we go through in this country," according to Cope.

Throughout The Clarence Greenwood Recordings, Cope sketches vibrant character portraits — some based on real people, others fictional — that explore universal human themes. Cope's lyrical cadence is somewhere between folk and rap; his prose depicting visceral tales of desolation, desire and drug addiction, among many others. Not only did Greenwood provide lead vocals and production on this gem, but he — a self-taught musician — also plays guitar, keys and drum machines on the tracks. For all of its components, The Clarence Greenwood Recordings is a stripped-down, raw, spiritual and soulful record pulsing with vitality.

The Clarence Greenwood Recordings captures Cope's essence on all 11 tracks. It is the album I will give many times over this holiday season, hoping to spread the word. Please: recognize.

Cope's lyrical cadence is somewhere between folk and rap; his prose depicting visceral tales of desolation, desire and drug addiction.

Citizen Cope

imaginary char — Tue, 07 Dec 2004 08:00:00 +0000

Clarence Greenwood, aka Citizen Cope, has a certain calming charm with underlying groove that has hipsters, hip hoppers and indie poppers collectively dancing and swaying together. I got a moment to hang with Cope pre-show in his RV to talk about life on the road, his inspirations and the misconceptions people have about him.

TIG: Since this column is called "Coffee with a Rockstar," let's just jump in with: what kind of caffeinated beverage do you generally drink?

CC: Regular house blend.

TIG: I was reading that your name, Citizen Cope, is a derivative of your middle name. Tell me about that.

CC: Cope was a nickname I got when I was a kid and I decided to use it for an aka. My name is Clarence Greenwood, but I wanted to have more mystique behind my name.

TIG: You were born in Memphis, correct?

CC: Yeah, raised in D.C., and I've lived in Brooklyn for the last 5 years.

TIG: Do you feel as if DC or Memphis is your hometown?

CC Definitely more DC, but actually I look at Brooklyn as my hometown now pretty much.

TIG: So, basically wherever you are is what you call home?

CC: Yeah, cause that's where I live now, I've been there quite a while.

TIG: And which city has influenced you most musically?

CC: The genesis of what I started developing was when I was in DC — just like the go-go music and stuff like that as well. The whole attitude of DC kinda has an energy because it's an outcast city that once you leave it, you have all this energy and you don't know where it came from; with all of the monuments and there's a lot of stuff that somewhat depresses the city a little bit. A lot of the artists like Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, Roberta Flack, all the way to Danny Gatt and Emmylou Harris have always had a sense of... well, there was always a little sadness in what they did but also something uplifting that brought them out.

TIG: What genre do you consider your music?

CC: I don't know. It is what it is: which is, it has choruses, has verses, has melodies. It's just songs in traditional form.

TIG: Do you ever think of that when you're writing a song like, "I want this track to have a more hiphop flavor?"

CC: No, I think it just all kinda comes. I take what I've liked as a listener and I try to add that.

TIG: So, when you're on tour, do you listen to music more or read more?

CC: Recently it's been just silence.

TIG: Really? Why do you think that is?

CC: When we're cooped up in a van, it isn't really conducive to kickin' back. It's hard to read like this {shakes hands while he holds an imaginary book}. There's been some banter in the van. Everybody is talking so I guess it's more dialogue going on right now.

TIG: Is anyone else in your family musical?

CC: No, not that I know of.

TIG: So no one was shoving a guitar in your arms when you were young?

CC: Nah, nothin' like that. I always thought that music was something mystical, something that only prodigies could do and that it had to be taught. Now I look at it more as an evolving artist. I'm a poet straight, but music has been the conduit that got me there.

TIG: Are any of your songs autobiographical?

CC: Yeah, I think a lot of the songs are an analogy of something that's happened to me or somebody that I've been with or it's a person I've run into, a situation I've been in or a feeling I've had. Just whatever inspires me.

But there's always a correlation between your life and what you're writing about and it's not like... Like, in "Salvation" when I said I got shot by the devil. "It grazed my eye and I lost half of my sight." It's not like {points to his eye}... see what I'm sayin'? In the context of what I'm sayin', I was trying to make a point about the power of this bullet or this spirit, it wasn't about... well, it's a metaphor.

TIG: Who would you pick to tour with if you could choose anyone?

CC: I would love to tour with... Lauryn Hill. That would be dope.

TIG: Do you find that people have misconceptions about you and your music and if so, what are they?

CC: Yeah, they do the whole thing of "blue eyed soul" sometimes or they focus too much on my color or somethin'. I think that music should transcend those kinds of barriers we have in society. I don't understand that. I think it's a shortcut a lot of times. If any artist uses their heart in their music, I think it has soul. Jeff Buckley had a lot of soul, Kurt Cobain had a lot of soul. Thom York has a lot of soul.

If you're talking about that kind of blue eyed soul, then I identify with it. But what they say about it is more like somebody that's copying somebody else's style and not being original. I don't think you can listen to my voice and say, "Oh, he sounds like that guy." Cause I mean, I've been influenced by a lot of cats, but I don't necessarily say I sound like Otis Redding or Joe Cocker or whoever is out there. I just think that whenever you put your emotion into your music, you're really exposing yourself for people to take shots at. It's something I didn't expect so much of, but you've got to take the good with the bad. Some people really love it and some people just take shots at you.

TIG: Is that where bullet and a target came from?

CC: Bullet and a target has a lot of different meanings. Well, let me first say the songs kinda create themselves, they feed off themselves and they happen. Anything I say about a song is in retrospect more so than I planned it to be like that; I'm looking at it listening to it now.

Part of what "Bullet and a Target" is about is people that put themselves in situations that are dangerous that have a self-destructive quality. Part of it is where society is putting them in that situation. There's people that were born into it, people that choose to do it, and there's people who are thrown into it. "Bullet and a Target" deals with a lot of things.

That's a pretty good perspective. I don't know... I like that. I like that you saw it like that. Part of it is like "don't fuck with me" kinda on that level. I've felt like I've been misunderstood. I wasn't trying to do that shit. I wasn't trying to be anything that I'm not. You can't say, "Cope sounds like this person." People that say that shit haven't really listened to me.

CitizenCopeInterview.jpg

igChar got a moment to hang with Cope pre-show in his RV to talk about life on the road, his inspirations and the misconceptions people have about him.

Kiss and Tell

The Mad Professor — Wed, 07 Jul 2004 07:00:00 +0000

8.5

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002F1G9C/wwwthreeimagi-20

sahara.jpg

That the Sahara Hotnights could put out such a fine album, get signed to a major label (RCA), get a spot on Conan, and still be only between 22 and 24 years old is impressive enough. But considering that Kiss & Tell is their third full-length album, and is not even their best effort to date, gives away what a talented bunch they must be... Of course to get signed in the US it probably helps that the Hotnights are four young, cute girls, that they are from Sweden (which has been referred to as the 'new Seattle' in some quarters), that they play spiky, yet staggeringly melodic, upbeat punk-influenced rock. And it probably doesn't hurt that lead singer Maria Andersson is dating Pelle Almqvist of another hot band from Sverige — The Hives...

The Sahara Hotnights (named after a racehorse, just in case you were wondering...) first crashed onto the scene in Europe in 2000 with their fabulous debut album C'mon Let's Pretend. Getting some media attention for their upbeat, passionate rock songs, and gigs in support of the likes of Foo Fighters was pretty impressive — considering half the band were still but 17. Indeed, in an interview, Dave Grohl said he found going on after the Hotnights quite intimidating, since they were just so good live.

Now in 2004, it seems apt that the Hotnights are attempting to crash onto the mainstream US scene with a single entitled "Hot Night Crash" from their new album Kiss & Tell. Compared with their previous two releases, Kiss & Tell presents a slightly more mature sound. The 11 songs and ~35 minutes of succinct Rock 'N' Roll on this album comes across as more balanced and even tempered, with slicker production, and with Maria holding back just a tad on her acerbic vocal stylings, so plentiful on C'mon... and the subsequent Jennie Bomb.

While perhaps occasionally missing that little extra roughness and emotional edge of earlier tracks such as "Impressed By Me", "Downhill Race" and "Down and Out", Kiss & Tell still delivers a fine collection of songs of its own. Standout tracks include the new single "Hot Night Crash", "Walk on the Wire" and "Nerves". On some of these we also find the Sahara Hotnights venturing away from just good ol' rock guitar and out into some new guitar sounds and textures, as another sign of their gradual growth — like the jangly sound and fuzzy short solo on "Nerves", as well as the little guitar solo on "Walk on the Wire" (so reminiscent of the much missed Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet). Hell, we even find some keyboards creeping into several tracks as well — another first for the Hotnights.

So, finally, what is Kiss & Tell all about? Well it seems that at the ripe old age of 22+, it's about being on RCA and the Sahara Hotnights being given their chance to make it big in the US of A. It's about whether there's any room left in the girlrockandrollband space. It's about surviving the inevitable and likely never-ending comparisons to The Donnas. And, knowing how shallow the industry is, it will almost certainly also be about being Swedish.

For me — it's just about having another Sahara Hotnights album — and another damn good one than that. What more could anyone want than that...?

...it probably helps that the Hotnights are four young, cute girls, that they are from Sweden (which has been referred to as the 'new Seattle' in some quarters), that they play spiky, yet staggeringly melodic, upbeat punk-influenced rock.

Michael Jurin of stellastarr*

imaginary liz — Tue, 21 Oct 2003 07:00:00 +0000

As reported in early July 2003, from the moment I heard my first stellastarr* song, I was hooked. Since then, I make sure to have a stellastarr* cd with me at all times... in my car, at work and at home. If you invite me over for dinner, I will most likely have a stellastarr* cd in my bag so that we can listen to it whilst chopping onions.

So, you can imagine my um... delight when a stellastarr*/imaginary Liz interview time was set. No worries that, at the designated interview time, I was scheduled to be en route to Portland for a dear friend's wedding, or that time/fate necessitated that it would be conducted using sketchy cell phone technology somewhere between here and there {note that my cell phone sucks... I usually end up saying a minimum of 45 instances "what?" "is there an echo on your end?" "a melon-baller who?" for each 5 minutes of talk time}.

Thank goodness for Kelly, who volunteered to drive while I interviewed Michael Jurin {stellastarr* guitarist and heartthrob}, adequate Southern Washington Sprint PCS coverage, and {most of all} for the Michael and mochas. With that, I bring you a transcript excerpt of a stellastarr* phone call that began in Centralia and ended near Kelso.

Coffee Specs:
I like mochas the best. I don't really care where I get one. I'll take a mocha from anywhere.

You are touring with the Raveonettes this time around... and your first European tour was with them. You all must be really close by now. How did your bands first meet up? Was it love at first sight?
We originally hooked up through our booking agent. We got really lucky because they are great folks and they are great to be on tour with. For this tour, it worked out again!

What are you listening to on the road?
Um... {the sound of clanging plastic against vehicle carpet in the background}... the Jesus and Mary Chain... Interpol... and a lot of mix cds. Arthur (drummer) makes really good mixes and brings loads of them on the road. I make some mixes too... and every once in a while we get the chance to actually DJ at places.

Sounds like you are a big music-connoisseur. What's your favorite record or band that you think is most overdue for the deluxe-reissue-2nd-cd-of-demos-extensive liner notes treatment?
I don't know. I am one of those folks that when I get into a band, I really get into them and I try to find all the different versions of stuff and the demos, etc. So usually, those reissues are just repeats of what I have already heard... but I would love to hear some more unreleased Cure stuff.

So what was the first band you ever became obsessed with?
I guess that would be Pink Floyd. My brother was really into them, and so I heard about them from him. I searched out everything I could find and listen to it over and over.

Do you think you'll ever stop using the asterisk in your name?
Who knows... we've gotten a kick out finding the different spelling and versions of our name when ever roll into a new town. We certainly aren't sticklers about it...

We're all artists and we like it in there for aesthetic purposes, but we aren't going to scream and demand and complain when it isn't in there.

So, your band is from New York... what's the most New York Rockstar* thing your band has done this year?
I would say it was when we went to the UK for the Redding festival. That alone was exciting... it was the first time we'd ever played a festival and in the UK!

So, we were all thrown off our usual time schedules because of the time zone changes and touring... and so I walk into one of the beer gardens and look around to see what is available and decide to order a beer. The lady behind the counter is like... "Um, we don't serve beer until noon... it's 11 in the morning."

That's pretty New York rock and roll, I think.

CWAR_stellastarr.jpg

As reported in early July 2003, from the moment I heard my first stellastarr* song, I was hooked. Since then, I make sure to have a stellastarr* cd with me at all times... in my car, at work and at home. If you invite me over for dinner, I will most likely have a stellastarr* cd in my bag so that we can listen to it whilst chopping onions. So, you can imagine my um... delight when a stellastarr*/imaginary Liz interview time was set. No worries that, at the designated interview time, I was scheduled to be en route to Portland for a dear friend's wedding, or that time/fate necessitated that it would be conducted using sketchy cell phone technology somewhere between here and there {note that my cell phone sucks... I usually end up saying a minimum of 45 instances "what?" "is there an echo on your end?" "a melon-baller who?" for each 5 minutes of talk time}.

AstroPOP! for September 2003

chilly c — Mon, 01 Sep 2003 07:00:00 +0000

Imaginary rock and roll astrology CD reviews by Chilly C for September 2003

Virgo {August 23-September 22}
Earth to Virgo: everyone knows your "leave me alone" vibes are vain attempts to mask a desperate-puppy "pet me please" need for attention. This month, just go for it. That's right: curl into a ball, howl for love, and wag that freaking tail until you're knocking vases off tables. When the porcelain shatters on the floor over your screaming, you'll probably sound a lot like the Divorce. The Seattle trio's noisy debut release There Will Be Blood Tonight (Fugitive) whips up quite the stir, buzzing eardrums and curdling blood. But the Divorce don't just cry for attention, they earn it. To wit: hooky guitar pop isn't usually this danceable—imagine the Faint if they were inspired by Hüsker Dü and the Foo Fighters instead of Manchester new wave. Second, the Divorce writes some of the smartest pop songs out there. Catchy and complicated, the album's ten songs twist and turn in unexpected ways from the jumps and breaks in "The Force of the Iron Cobra" to the surprise ending of "Redcoats." Third, there's that stellar band name. Fourth, they're curled up on the floor screaming and carrying on. Wait, no, that's you Virgo. But look—you got my attention!

Libra {September 23-October 22}
Your balanced personality often puts you in the role of arbiter and mediator for the less-than-flexible. What to do, though, when your friends want you to tip that balance and take sides? Simple. Explain that Even the Villain is the Hero of His Own Story. That's the album title of the new release by the Small Change (Unsmashable), and this cd is bound to both solve arguments and get everybody dancing. Sure, your friends may disagree about philosophical matters, but everyone can boogie to raucous guitar pop. "Collided" recalls Twin Cities slop-punks Soul Asylum; other songs conjure the Black Crowes, Thin Lizzy, and the Jam. Greg Collingsworth's shredded vocals give the impression that he's shouted his way through plenty of arguments himself. And remember, Libra, you're balanced, but you're also bright. If the arguments don't subside after you've tried, just turn up the volume and start dancing!

Scorpio {October 23 - November 21}
Hang on for the ride, Scorpio. Your soaring confidence steers you through a breakneck crash course of up's and down's this month without so much as an emotional scratch. I'd warn you if you were threatening to careen into maniacal territory, but so far you're impressively grounded: self-assured and self-aware. stellastarr* must be channeling your inner poise: this post-Interpol NYC art band delivers their variant on a hip retro-flecked sound (the Fixx/ Pulp/ Imperial Teen) that only a dizzying confidence could enable them to pull off. Their smashing self-titled debut release (RCA) smartly mixes loud-quiet guitars, boy-girl vocals, and serious-ironic lyrics such as "if I decide to rule the world / I'd still be coming after you…" This is what I mean about confidence: ruling the world isn't something Stellastarr* needs to work for. They just need to decide whether they want it. And Scorpio, so do you.

Sagittarius {November 22-December 21}
So. There have been a coupla big parties lately that were (supposedly) off the proverbial heezy. And you weren't invited. Not to worry. Picture the following scenario like a teen-movie montage, Sagittarius: your parents go out of town for the weekend. You decide to throw your own party and show those hipsters that you're not one to be ignored. You plaster flyers all over town. Pass out handbills to all the cool kids. You and your friends laugh and make a big mess trying to turn your house into a full-on French disco. All the while, Seattle's United States of Electronica plays in the background. Their self-released 3-song ep has more dance power than most full-length albums. Ultra-sincere about having a good time, USE turn Daft Punk's masked vocoder sarcasm into joyous, positive delight. In their ode-to-Seattle parties "Vamos a la Playa," when USE say "everyone come on," they really do mean everyone. Sagittarius, people will be talking about your party for weeks. And then, when your parents come back unexpectedly early? Again, not to worry. Once they hear USE, they'll throw down their luggage, unfurrow their brows, and start dancing too!

Capricorn {December 22-January 19}
You're great at making casual hook-ups, Capricorn, but not so great at turning them into something more enduring. Listening to the new cd by Seattle's Terror Sheets, Street Corner Fields (Sad Robot) will help you change all that. Step One: put on the cd and dim all the lights. The slow tempos will soothe you and your partner, and the mysterious sonic textures will spark some great conversation ("wait, is that a piano?" "what are they saying right there?") Step Two: when you finally head to bed, say "let's kiss for one more song." Have that song be the sweet-sounding album-closer "Until You Glow." The plaintive hidden bonus track after four minutes of silence will provide just enough surprise to keep things exciting—without spoiling the mood. Step Three: master Joe Syverson's breathy vocal style (start with the melancholic "Gravel Specs"). Use this hushed voice in morning-after conversations to guarantee a call back after you've each gone your separate ways. Repeat on the second date, this time with the songs in shuffle play mode. Time for bed, Capricorn!

Aquarius {January 20-February 18}
Even the most fervent of emotional pack-rats would acknowledge that your cluttered psychological attic needs some thinning out. In short, Aquarius: clear your head. This month, give a listen to Noba's debut cd Man With A Briefcase (self-released). Release the long-held feelings that you no longer need, and let this NYC four-piece collect the junk for you. Dexterous genre-jumpers, Noba shift gracefully from Son Volt-inspired sleepy Americana ("Bye Bye") to Jellyfish chamber pop ("Losing What's Already Lost") to twisted Elvis Costello-style bile ("The Deepest Red"). Noir keyboards and conversational lyrics will make you feel like you're eavesdropping—or at least rummaging through someone else's stuff. A vicarious thrill that's all payback and no baggage. Sometimes, Aquarius, the best voices to listen to are not the ones in your head.

Pisces {February 19-March 20}
Let's talk about that new acquaintance of yours, Pisces: the quiet, brooding type who doesn't give much away at first. Your overtures have gotten you nowhere, and now part of you, understandably, wants to give up on the potential friendship. I'm here to officially reinforce the part of you that wants to keep trying. For additional support, listen to How Not To Get There (Blue Tree), the delicate new cd by Mount Vernon WA's Mindhead. It's a challenging but rewarding listen: quiet, brooding songs that don't give much away at first. Steering clear of obvious hooks, the songs build instead on simmering, repeated phrases and on the importance of the detailed, narrative lyrics. Best of all, the last two songs are the best—and most emotionally powerful—songs on the record: "6 Months, 3 Days" is heartbreaking, and the organ-drenched "Fear" is expansive and inspirational. Had you given up on Mindhead, you'd have never made it to these great songs at the end of the cd. So when it comes to your new acquaintance, please keep trying, because 6 months and 3 days isn't really all that long for something so worthwhile.

Aries {March 21-April 19}
Lately you've felt the tug of spirituality, Aries, and you don't know how best to express it. Well, that stuff's a little out of my league—I gaze at the stars, not beyond them. But you're definitely not alone in your nascent journey into the mystic. Your unlikely fellow traveler is Evanescence, the fish-out-of-water goth band from Little Rock, Arkansas. Their debut cd Fallen (Wind Up) is breaking out like crazy with its of-the-moment riff-rock churn. Single-handedly saving the band from cliché is singer Amy Lee, who sings like Tori Amos might after watching Edward Scissorhands 100 times in a row. Lee's so-called 'dark' explorations (blood and screaming are involved, often) are about as convincingly wicked as Willow Rosenberg's vampiric doppelganger on Buffy; she shines brighter when she puts aside the gloomy posturing and tackles the bigger questions. "Am I too lost to be saved?" she asks on "Tourniquet" and it sounds like a legitimate plea. And when her Linkin Park-derived bandmates slow down on the piano-based "Imaginary," Lee belts out "I know well what lies beyond my sleeping refuge." Quite a mouthful, but she sure sounds like she means it. I can't say where your spiritual pursuit will lead you, Aries. But keep asking questions, and steer clear of the blood and screaming.

Taurus {April 20-May 20}
Your usual ability to eschew unnecessary attention somehow eludes you, Taurus. And when all eyes are finally fixed on you, you'll notice that the spotlight certainly doesn't use the eco-friendly, lo-watt bulbs. Exaggerated and hyperbolic, your month will play out like tasteless tabloid headlines, reducing your complexities into one-dimensional screeches: Supercharged Libido! Problem Drinker! Uses Work Phone For Personal Calls! This month, however, Oakland CA's Winfred E. Eye is burning right alongside you. Their new release, third full-length The Dirt Tier (Luckyhorse Industries) is a complex, detail-rich collection, but look what people are saying about them: "Sounds like Captain Beefheart!" "Sings like Tom Waits!" "Hits Metal Pieces, Not Real Drum Kit!" Of course there's more to this band than soundbites can capture. "Grey Ghosts" sighs like an old boxer during his retirement-deciding final fight, and the title track gives off sonic shivers like it's a vintage music-box in a horror movie. The difficult-to-categorize often run the risk of over-simplification. Insist on letting your complexities shine as bright as the spotlight you're under. As Winifred E. Eye says, "let's get back to living well."

Gemini {May 21-June 21}
The stars spell out kindness for you, Gemini, but to tell you the truth, I can't tell if that means you should be kind to others, or if someone's going to be kind to you. Luckily, your Gemini-twins nature makes me think: why not work both angles? It can't hurt to plink some silver into tip jars, and to quit calling your friends during "The Real World" (especially when Leah's in the booth, but I digress). And after all, good things often happen to people who do good. That's why nothing good happens to the characters in the songs on Rodeo Sauvignon (self-released), the new cd by Seattle three-piece the Reluctants. Between all-night fighting, all-night drinking, and sneaking out with lover's best friends, these tales of woe are strictly about the dirty and the down-and-out. Luckily, good things do happen to the Reluctants themselves: their snappy, distorted alt-country (equal parts Old 97's and Meat Puppets) is beginning to attract some enthusiastic media attention. The band members must tip well at espresso carts and let their friends watch Leah in peace! Hew the honorable path yourself, Gemini, and who knows what good will come of it.

Cancer{June 22-July 22}
I look at the stars so much, Cancer, that I sometimes find myself re-imagining the shapes of the constellations. Who's to say the stars of your zodiac sign look like a crab? Personally, I think they look more like a Gibson Les Paul: with the smaller stars as the frets and the Beehive Cluster as the volume knob, turned all the way up to 10. Think big this month, Cancer. Really, really big. Listen to Led Zeppelin's How The West Was Won (Atlantic). This isn't just any old 3-cd live set, it's a gigantic monument to a larger-than-life band at the peak of its powers. Featuring literally enormous performances of "Dazed and Confused" (over 25 minutes) and the 20-minute drum solo "Moby Dick," the live versions on this long-overdue release are a testament to a band that attempted heroics, defied enemies, and became something much bigger as a result. According to mythology, Cancer the crab became a constellation in honor of his valiant attack on the unbeatable Hercules. Also according to mythology, Led Zeppelin became the biggest band on the planet by being unafraid to play their songs in the biggest ways possible. And while we have no actual proof of Cancer's legendary battle, "How The West Was Won" stands as physical evidence that there was a time when Led Zeppelin really did rule the earth. So think big, Cancer, and when you look up at the sky at night, look for the guitar, and start tellin' your friends you want to be a star.

Leo {July 23-August 22}
Well, Leo. Here you are. But where is here? After successfully reaching a significant milestone in your life, sometimes it's hard to know what to do next. You finally got that promotion, or bought that new house, or got engaged to your sweetheart. So now what? Chris Carrabba of Dashboard Confessional must be asking himself that same question. On new release A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar (Vagrant) the emo poster-boy sounds like he's reached a similar crossroads: he's outgrown his persona as acoustic balladeer with the broken heart of gold, but he's a little unsure of where to go next. And while the new cd offers no radical changes, the subtle shifts in tone are almost more revealing, coming from a guy who knows that his every emotional detail will be fanatically analyzed. Lead single "Hands Down" boasts a full radio-friendly sound but relatively little romantic anguish. The sparse "Ghost of a Good Thing" sounds like Ben Folds both musically (the nasal harmonies) and lyrically, trading Carrabba's heartfelt empathy for a glib resignation. Still, on other songs he illustrates an awareness of his turning-point position, as on "Rapid Hope Loss" which contrasts bitter put-downs with genuine regret in such lyrics as "so much for so much more." There is nothing wrong with airing out your indecision, Leo. But if your recent achievements leave you a little lost, there's always something else to aim for.

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Read AstroPOP! to see what's in the stars -- and the record stores -- for you for September 2003, featuring reviews of Terror Sheets, Dashboard Confessional, the Divorce, United State of Electronica, and more.

AstroPOP! for May 2003

chilly c — Thu, 01 May 2003 07:00:00 +0000

Imaginary rock and roll astrology CD reviews by Chilly C for May 2003

Taurus {April 20-May 20}
You're feeling quite a bit, I daresay, licentious this month, Taurus. I feel it. You feel it. Your friends feel it (and trust me they don't want to feel it). How do you assuage this lust? Um, grab the bull by the horns, so to speak, and listen to Sweden's latest export — Caesars' glorious garage-rock comp CD 39 Minutes of Bliss (Astralwerks). The bouncy farfisa and scratchy vocals of breakout single "Jerk It Out" is wink-wink dirty just like your bad dreams, and you'll be feeling better in no time. And the sputtered Buzzcocks-inspired come-on "Let's Go Parking Baby" might even give you some new pick-up lines, so you won't have this loveless problem again. But if you do, Caesars have a song for that as well: "Out Of My Hands." No matter what, they got you covered for the month.

Gemini {May 21-June 21}
Your dual nature can make you totally schizo sometimes, Gemini, but really, who really cares whether it's Castor or Pollux that shines brighter? Take a cue from The Electric Version (Mint/Matador) by New Pornographers The country drawl of Neko Case meshes flawlessly with the Hollies-inspired harmonies of Newman/Dahle/Thurier et al. Here's a group that knows how to play to each everyone's strengths, and their unity-through-diversity puts the 'power' back in power-pop. The lyrics are baffling at times — but you can't take the schizo completely out of the Gemini, can you? Fast and kinetic, direct hits like "The Laws Have Changed" are infectious like SARS. Touch me, twins, I'm sick.

Cancer {June 22-July 22}
I've had it, Cancer. I can't listen to you complain about your freaking job any more. You whine and mope about the crappy pay, the unfulfilling work, the weird smell in the employee lunch room — but never once do I hear you talk about what you're going to do about it. Some advice? Listen to the new self-titled cd by Tart (Smartgirl). You'll never hear Tart whine about their job — especially because their job is to write scorching, breathless anthems for everyone's inner revolutionary. "Keep Breathing" urges us to get outside and feel the air, "Don't Forget" insists that we "live with purpose." With screams and slippery twin guitars derived from the hallowed Tucker/Brownstein tradition, Tart conjure a world where indignation isn't an end in itself — it's a means to healthy self-improvement. And they rock. If listening to this cd doesn't get you up off your ass, Cancer, I don't know what can help you.

Leo {July 23-August 22}
Talent? Creativity? Ambition? You've got it all in spades, Leo. That's no surprise. What is surprising is the fact that the rest of the world hasn't caught on to how great you are yet. Yet. Until then, you are the best-kept-secret of the select few. The Libertines know exactly how you feel. Up The Bracket (Rough Trade) derives an equation that's equal parts Clash, Supergrass, smokes, and Guinness, and the Libertines tear through the 14 songs on their debut's stateside release with a shrug and a sneer that belies their world-domination impulses. "Death On The Stairs" is brilliant in its false indecisiveness — "so baby please kill / oh baby don't kill me." "Time For Heroes" is far less uncertain: the Libertines know it really is time for heroes. And that's you, Leo: coming out of that phone booth in the cape and tights. Talent! Creativity! Ambition! It's your world, now go save it.

Virgo {August 23-September 22}
You want me to tell you what's wrong with you? First off, what makes you so sure I was going to say there was something wrong with you? This defensiveness doesn't become you, Virgo — especially since you're usually the first to parlay your prettiness right into the lap of denial. But looks aren't everything. Evan Dando can tell you that — one minute he was the ultimate alt-pop pinup boy, the next minute he was nowhere. And I don't need to tell you which of those minutes lasted eight years. Dando's first-ever solo cd Baby I'm Bored (Breath Of Salt Water/Bar None) is certainly a step in the right direction. Luckily the title isn't the only thing that's both clever and self-depreciating. The songs are classic Evan: aw-shucks narcissistic, tuneful, and oozing with his curious appeal — like your mom confessing her crush on your prom date. A few songs are sluggish from too much sleep, but "Stop My Head" bounces with well-earned caveats like, "don't listen to me or anybody else / listen to yourself." Did you hear that, Virgo? There's nothing wrong with you.

Libra {September 23-October 22}
I'm only an astrologer, Libra, I can't analyze your dreams. What I would do for you, though, is this. I'd videotape your dreams, and then, when you woke up, I'd play them back for you — with the volume turned all the way down, and with The Very Best of Daryl Hall & John Oates (RCA) playing instead. Your dream begins when a wealthy heiress ("Rich Girl") invites you to a party. A hottie at the party hands you a drink and winks ("One On One"). Then your paramour admits to having watched you from afar all night ("Private Eyes"). Meanwhile, the heiress runs off, leaving you in charge of her estate — but only if you get that law degree you've been thinking about ("Adult Education"). Jeez, this all matches up perfectly! But remember, Libra, I'm no analyst. So I can't tell you what any of this means. I don't feel the need to give such secrets away.

Scorpio {October 23 - November 21}
Scorpio, you're all about keeping in touch this month. How do I know this? The almost fanatical obsession with checking your email inbox every 45 seconds. Sure, you've sent e-mails to everyone you know. And sure, your personality is tide-influencing in its magnetism. But other people have their own lives to lead. So while you're staring at the empty screen, put The Postal Service's excellent release Give Up (Sub Pop) in your D: drive. Jimmy Tamborello's sweet synth loops will calm you down and lift you up. Ben Gibbard's breathy vocals are truly lighter-than-air — which makes the most sense when he's singing about waving from "Such Great Heights." By now you should notice that most of the songs here are about missing someone far away, scheming to get your sweetheart back, or building a fantasy world in which only you and your lover live. Ok, you can wake up now. Your inbox is full!

Sagittarius {November 22-December 21}
Friends look at your latest changes in style like you're bananas, Sag, but I know the truth. When you spend time with the gorillas, you think differently about so-called 'normal' society when you return. Ask Dian Fossey — or Damon Albarn. The Blur frontman's 2000 field study with giant video screens, cartoon monkeys, and Dan the Automator was life-changing in exactly the same way your own personal transformation has been lately. Just-released Think Tank (Virgin) is certainly not your Parklife-era Blur: the digitized voices, tribal drumming, and heavy synths testify to the (now Graham Coxon-less) band's 'new direction.' But "Out Of Time" has the weariness of 96's "The Universal," and the acoustic loop of "Good Song" is resigned and self-aware like Parklife's "To the End." Like you've been trying to tell your friends, don't think of it as a reinvention. There are now just more ways you can be you.

Capricorn {December 22-January 19}
Once again, you've gotten yourself in way too deep: massive debt, juggling a complicated lovelife, not calling your parents very often. Run Baby Run (Buttermilk) by Seattle's RC5 provides a perfect soundtrack to your manic downward spiral. A 5-song blast of white-hot punk-rock fury, this CD is perfect accompaniment for running between restaurants where you've got different dates waiting for you, or for blasting into the receiver when creditors call you. I'm not going to ask you to change, Cap — you're too set in your ways to allow that, but still — not calling your parents is pretty lame. In "Gotta Weekend," the RC5 may be talking about everything they're gonna do on Saturday night, but even hardcore punks call their mom on Sunday morning.

Aquarius {January 20-February 18}
Photo album nostalgia is a warm, fuzzy way for us to look back and assess our own history. But you're a thin-skinned sort, Aquarius, so once you catch yourself in 1992's haircut you wanna just cry and close the book on your past. As sensitive as you are, you should definitely give a listen to the Hardy Mums retrospective Us Chickens (Miller Street). Finally compiled on one cd after years of limited-edition cassette-only releases, these songs from Morristown, New Jersey's greatest band will finally get you to see that the past can really be a wonderful place to visit. The kitchen beat of the lo-fi "What's the Equation?" still delights, the creepy bossa nova of "Hey Girl" still causes shivers. But it's the unreleased tracks that tell us the most: "Get Out While I Still Can" shakes with fever, and "Brussel Sprout (We Are The Turnstiles)" is a surreal masterpiece. Now wipe away your tears, Aquarius. You need to make peace with your past, yes. But, no, you don't have to live there all the time.

Pisces {February 19-March 20}
Spring is here and you've got a fierce jones for the wanderlust. I can't really blame you for not being able to sit still, Pisces. You're finally coming out of your winter doldrums — you deserve to be scanning the horizon for grander opportunities. Ok. First of all, you're going to need some good music for your upcoming road trip and couch-surfing epic. Check out the Femurs' self-titled cd (self-released) — one-man-band Rob Schaeffer feels just like you do: restless, wistful, and looking up and down the I-5 corridor for that perfect place to crash. Catchy indie-pop songs like "Betty's Been Gone" and "Last Train to Memphis" steal the right stuff from the Ramones (the fake English accents!) and the Pixies (those four chords that go together perfectly). Even if you don't hook up with anyone on your trip, you won't feel alone with this CD.

Aries {March 21-April 19}
You come to me for advice, Aries, and I'm going to be honest. So sit down, because what I'm going to tell you — well —the truth is, most of your friends think that you're a little 'out there.' Loco. Hella nuts. But you know, I'm listening to You Are Free (Matador) by Cat Power, and I'm beginning to wonder whether your friends are the ones with the problem. Cat Power's Chan Marshall has certainly been accused of havin' the crazies before, but the songs on this lovely, introspective CD give me a glimpse of a mind that is nothing but sound (ok except for letting Eddie Vedder sing on your record but that's just me). I hear you, Aries, when I hear the forlorn "Shaking Paper," and I hear you in the hypnotic "Speak For Me." You come to me advice, Aries, I'm going to be honest. Don't listen to your friends, don't listen to me. You're doing just fine on your own.

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See what's in the stars -- and the record stores -- for you for May 2003. Includes reviews of the Libertines, Tart, New Pornographers, Caesars, Hall & Oates, and more!