Three Imaginary Girls

Seattle's Indie-Pop Press – Music Reviews, Film Reviews, and Big Fun

I went snowshoeing yesterday and managed to hurt my knee to the effect that I can barely walk on it today and I could not sleep much last night. This is no surprise since I am not at all an outdoors type of person. In order to make myself feel better about the situation, i called in sick to work today. Isn't that a great feeling? You know, the one that rushes over you the moment that you hang up the telephone and you instantly realize that you are free from the shackles of the nine to five drudgery…

So, what did I do today, you ask? I did what any sensible person would do who can hardly make it to the mailbox without a go-kart or a wheelchair, which is listen to records. All day long. Yes, what a wonderful day it has been. Here is what was on the turntable/CD player:

1) The Clash: Sandinista!

I love this 3xlp. I cannot tire of it lately. It's my favorite of theirs. What an ambitious and sprawling, experimental masterpiece! It has a little bit of everything on it and the lyrics are incredible. From "Police on my Back" to "Charlie Don't Surf," this is The Clash at their prolific best.

2) Cinerama: Va Va Voom

This is the first album that David Gedge of The Wedding Present put out after he decided to put that group on hold for a while and it is great. It is very 1960s soundtrack sounding. You can tell that he loves all that John Barry, Burt Bacharach and Barry White stuff here, which could be a bad combination, but it works extremely well on this album. After this one, he started veering back to the chaotic sound of The Wedding Present and then resurrected that band once more in 2004.

3) Nina Simone: Silk and Soul

I picked this one up at the Sonic Boom sale. It originally came out in 1967 and has recently been re-released. Nina Simone is amazing. What more can I say? She was blues, soul, funk, pop, and a fantastic piano player. Diversity was what she thrived in. If only I ever had the chance to see her live.

There was more, but this is a good start. I guess that I should eat something before I lose the ability to think.