Choice Cuts: April 2003

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Apr 2, 2003

CHOICE CUTS APRIL 2003 The Latest & Greatest in Indie Music & Beyond

ALBUM OF THE MONTH

Artist: DUMP

Album: A Grown-Ass Man

The Scoop: Make no mistake, my friends, this is just as exciting a music event as the new Yo La Tengo. YLT bassist (and sometime vocalist) James McNew delivers an album chock full of fuzzy guitar rock, fragile harmonies and-par for the course-brilliant covers. Both Dump and Yo La Tengo have proven themselves as among the most capable (and versatile) cover bands around, and on A Grown-Ass Man we get to see McNew lovingly tackle The Isley Brothers ("Mr. Too Damn Good"), Thin Lizzy ("Cowboy Song") and-with the help of Sue Garner-Marvin Gaye and Mary Wells ("Once Upon a Time"). Once you get done with this one, you'll want to rush out (or log on) and pick up Dump's previous collection of all-Prince covers. Mm hm that's right. But the bulk of this disc is original material, and almost all of that is gush-worthy, too. Even in its softer moments (like the shivery "Peggy's Blues"), A Grown-Ass Man is a feel-good album through and through, thanks in no small part to the abundantly evident joy and care that went into making it. A triumph, and a certain must-have for even the casual YLT fan.

Highlight Tracks: "I Wish / You Wish," "The History of Love" and "Mr. Too Damn Good"

And Furthermore...: Archer Prewitt's cover art is the absolute cat's meow.

For More Info: Order the album or listen to audio samples at http://www.midheaven.com/artists/dump.ht...

Artist: BLUEBOTTLE KISS

Album: Revenge is Slow

The Scoop: In Music We Trust again casts its eyes to the Land Down Under, and again comes riding away with a winner. Bluebottle Kiss has been at it for quite some time, and making a superfan out of Silverchair's Daniel Johns in the meantime (yes, there are still some people who register "Silverchair" on their radar). The Aussies receive their proper introduction to the States on April 29th, and Revenge is Slow fits in nicely to the current music climate without really sounding like anyone on the radio. Bluebottle Kiss moves from radio-ready shimmering pop to dissonant tides of emo, sometimes in the course of a single track ("Prussian Blue"). Guitars are the main weapons of choice for the band, but frontman/producer Jamie Hutchings deserves mention for his fairly seamless transitions between moods and genres. Sometimes Bluebottle Kiss sound ready for NPR; other times they pack a visceral punch more akin to their cited influences (Sonic Youth, The Bad Seeds, etc.). This one is still getting better with each listen.

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