Saturday's Times had an interview with the wonderful Jill Sobule. Why now? Well after 3 years her last album 'Pink Pearl' has finally got an official release in the UK (Long overdue). Sobule says that a new album should be out in the autumn (in the US at least). She talks wonderfully about how a lot of (US) radio stations refused to play her single 'I Kissed a Girl' . "Back then, girls weren't supposed to sing about kissing other girls, but I could see how hip it was about to become. I have to say, I loved being bad. When I sang I Kissed a Girl, I felt like Ice T doing Cop Killer." It's also funny to hear her talk og her time playing with lloyd Cole's band (and for the record, they were great Live). -"I offered to join as a joke, then he called me up with rehearsal dates". Obviously Todd gets a passing mention as the producer of Sobule's fantastic debut 'Things here are Different' (If you don't already own it - shame on you)
Whilst the Decemberists have been around for a number of years, and a friend of mine is a big fan, I have to confess - a few tunes aside - they have never really made much of a splash with me. With their fifth album - 'The Hazards of Love' - a 17-track concept album that sort of tells a story about a fair maiden ravished by a shape-shifting demon (no, really) - however, I am suddenly find myself surprisingly won over. On some levels - like most concept albums - it is utter tosh, but with its repeating musical motifs and reprises, making you quickly think that actually there are only about five actual songs on the album - a clever trick. Like with all good concept albums this makes listening on shuffle not the ideal way to digest this album - especially as their are short 'interlude' pieces joining all the songs too. Added to all this the fact that the band seem to have a love for early 70's British folk/prog/heavy metal and this walks right up my street - and will ...
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