Music I’ve been listening to the past coupla weeks: new albums from Bebel Gilberto, Beirut, Besnard Lakes, Dexys (well, an album of radio sessions and outtakes), Drive By Truckers, Duke Special, Fall Out Boy, The Good The Bad & The Queen, Hours, Kings of Leon, LCD Soundsystem, Modest Mouse, Neil Young (Live at Massey Hall 1971), Of Montreal, Metheny Mehldau (Quartet), Ry Cooder, Timbaland, Van Der Graaf Generator, Wilco.

How many of the above will reside on the iPod after another month is still open to question. Have already deleted Air’s Pocket Symphony, but Arcade Fire is gonna be on there for some time to come.

For me, the biggest surprise in the above batch would have to be Kings of Leon. I never really got their appeal in the past but the extended opening track (Knocked Up) on the new album (Because of the Times) is a definite keeper.

Normally I wouldn’t comment on reviews written by other local reviewers. Everyone can make mistakes from time to time, and Buddha knows I make enough for an army of Pitchfork writers. But I was really stumped by the review of the latest Modest Mouse (We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank) in the current issue of HK Magazine. Their reviewer gives it a poor review, says that “their time has passed,” and somehow completely fails to mention that Johnny Marr is now a full time member of the group.

While sales is of course no relation to quality, the fact that this album debuted on the Billboard charts in the US at number 1 (and it’s their first number 1 album in a long career) likely says that their time has not quite passed yet. I think I prefer the review over at A.V. Club where they say, “another terrific set from a band that couldn’t make something dull even if drowning were the only other option.”

Hongkie Town
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