Column 172: First Quarter Report
A glance at some recent releases

Whenever people start asking me what I’m listening to, I figure it’s time for another CD reviews round-up. These are not full, detailed reviews, rather they’re impressions after listening to these albums on and off on my stereo and iPhone over the past few weeks/months. All get the Lazy-i seal of approval.

Aimee Mann, @#&*! Smilers (SuperEgo) — Faithful Aimee Mann fans stood beside this So Cal (by way of Boston) girl back in her ‘Til Tuesday days, did an I-told-you-so when her genius was revealed on the Magnolia soundtrack, and held her hand during all the follow-ups when no one else was around. Here’s their reward: Her best album since Bachelor No. 2.

Black Kids, Wizard of Ahhhs (self released) — Available for free (the trend continues) from their website late last year, the sound is pure ’80s new romantic, and at its finest moments emulates The Cure’s Kiss Me album right down to the Robert Smith groan vocals. Columbia figured it out and gobbled them up for a formal debut slated for July. Black Kids are on the precipice, staring over the edge where bands like Arcade Fire and Modest Mouse stood a few years ago.

The Breeders, Mountain Battles (4AD) — Remember when Kim and Kelley were considered edgy and subversive (and The Pixies were still debonair)? The band never recovered after the burnout suffered at the hands of “Cannonball” way back in ’93, back when MTV still played videos, especially that one, over and over again. There are no Cannonballs hidden here, nor anything as shocking (and grand) as their cover of “Happiness Is a Warm Gun” (from Pod). Still, serviceable; but just barely.

Joan of Arc, Boo! Human (Polyvinyl) — Too often, Tim Kinsella tries to sound weird and unapproachable, so imagine my surprise at the simple acoustic pop of opening track “Shown and Told,” as well as the tumbling “A Tell-Tale Penis” and the back-beat rocker (yes, rocker) “The Surrender #2.” There are still plenty of atonal nightmares, like screamer “9/11 2” and startle-noised “Everywhere I Go.” Download discriminately.

The Long Blondes, Couples (Rough Trade) — Their thump-thump-thump New Wave dance rave-ups, like disco opener “Century” and porn-guitar fueled “Guilt,” remind me of another band named after its frontwoman’s hair color. All right, you youngsters, I’m talking about Blondie. And though vocalist Kate Jackson is no Debra Harry, her music and her band have the same upbeat, heart-of-glass style.

Neil Diamond, Home Before Dark (Columbia) — Note to Rick Rubin: Neil Diamond is famous for his bombastic, over-the-top arrangements that boast enough orchestration to launch a space shuttle. The stripped-down arrangements that worked so well for Johnny Cash may be the wrong approach here. I mean, do his fans really want an evening of intimate, acoustic folk songs? No, they want to stand up and punch the sky along with everyone else during “Sweet Caroline.” That said, there’s more to these tracks than 2005’s 12 Songs. Still, I yearn for the day when Rubin and Diamond finally break down and do an album with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

She & Him, Volume One (Merge) — One of the best moments from the 2003 Will Ferrell break-out film “Elf” was the impromptu duet between Ferrell and a showering Zooey Deschanel. I remember thinking, “Jeeze, she sings as great as she looks.” M Ward (the Him) must have thought the same thing. Deschanel is at her best when she croons her own twangy rocking material, sounding like a cuter version of Jenny Lewis. The charm wears thin in the latter half of the album, thanks to Patsy-styled torch ballads (“Take It Back), cheesy doo-wop (“I Was Made for You”) and too many uninspired covers (Smokey’s “You Really Got Me,” a flawed take on The Beatles’ “I Should Have Known Better”). Now if we can only coax her back into that shower.

The Teenagers, Reality Check (XL) — Sorta funny French synthpop is funnier because of the odd, spoken-word vocal approach, which combines Pepé Le Pew with a Valley Girl. It’s so well-recorded, however, that you can’t help but get into the clean Weezer-meets-The Cars synthpop. Irony was never so catchy.

Tokyo Police Club, Elephant Shell (Saddle Creek) — I’ve been told that a local music mogul predicted this will be the biggest selling Creek release ever, bigger even than Bright Eyes. Early criticism, however, complained that it pales compared to the band’s noisy debut EP. I say it’s far more listenable, like an upbeat Death Cab (a band terminally lost in ennui). They’re young and hip and will look good on TV. Maybe that mogul is right.

A Tomato a Day (helps keep the tornado away), The Moon Is Green (Public Eyesore) — There’s something lost and lonely about Brian Poloncic’s acoustic folk confessions, which plow the same stark territory as, say, Husker Du’s Candy Apple Grey or sad Replacements or Todd Grant’s yearning solo album. Three years in the making, it’s time that they’re finally heard. Check them out at the CD release show Friday night at Benson Grind.

The Whipkey Three, 26 (self release) — It’s the best recording Matt Whipkey ever produced with any band. As one person put it who hasn’t cared for any of Whipkey’s past projects: “I guess persistence pays off. I actually like this.” I like it, too. And it’s about as DIY as you’re going to get — Whipkey burned the CDRs and hand rubber-stamped the discs and sleeves. Pick one up at the CD-release show Saturday night at Mick’s.

The promoters of last night’s American Music Club show have every reason to be disappointed with the turnout. Heck, I’m disappointed. There were maybe 70 or 80 people there total, very much below anyone’s expectations. Maybe it was because it was a Monday night and Ryan Adams is tomorrow, though I doubt that Ryan Adams draws the same type of crowd as AMC. Add last night to the poor turnout for Matthew Sweet and Vic Chestnutt and you begin to see an unfortunate trend in terms of shows that target an older “heritage” crowd. Side note: AMC was officially One Percent Production’s 300th show.

AMC fans who stayed home last night because they couldn’t get a sitter or had to work this morning missed out on what could be the last AMC show they’ll ever get to see. I overheard Eitzel talking to a fan while he was signing a couple albums. He said that touring was getting too expensive, too hard to do, and that this might be it. And though he sounded great last night, he looked a bit agitated on stage. He was in perfect voice, opening with a couple classics off Everclear before segueing into material from his amazing new album, Love Songs for Patriots. The mix, however, was poor — too bassy, and there seemed to be a problem with the monitors. Eitzel fiddled with earplugs and looked exasperated. During one song, the bass rumbled like a bomb going off, some sort of weird effect that was distorted and strange. As the set wore on, Eitzel quit talking to the crowd and looked like he wanted to just get off stage, especially toward the end when his vocals seemed to fade and get lost in the ruckus. Still, it was a good set that at times transcended the technical glitches, especially when the band got to stretch out, and Vudi, looking like a indie version of Leonard Nimoy, leaned into a feedback-laden guitar solo.

I had zero preconceived notions about Dios (Malos). Like I mentioned yesterday, I got lost on their website and never found any music files online. After last night, I don’t think I’ve been turned on by a band as much since maybe The Smithereens’ first album. No, Dios doesn’t sound anything like The Smithereens. They do have a similar aesthetic regarding traditional song structure. But the comparison ends there. Dios also has a relationship with My Morning Jacket in that giant-sized singer/guitarist/keyboardist Joel Morales uses a huge amount of reverb and delay in his vocals, which make them sound — appropriately — big and haunting. You knew it was going to be special when, during the pre-set sound check, Morales improvised piano fills to New Order’s “Temptation” which was playing on the juke box. Their first song played off the opening organ chords of Led Zeppelin’s “All of My Love” before turning into a Dios original, sort of (I think it was merely a warm-up exercise). Whereas everything seemed lost and confused with (opener) Swords’ mix, the sound couldn’t have been any better for Dios — they did have an unfair advantage in that drummer Jackie Monzon would make my top-five “best of” list for drummers seen and heard at O’Leaver’s — unbelievable stuff. So were the songs, whose So Cal sensibilities and nod to retro supersede any indie rock labels, though they certainly are an indie band. Uber-engineer Phil Ek produced their just-released eponymous CD on Star Time that captures the band’s crisp take on laid-back rock. A pleasant surprise.

I tried to interview Destroyer. I sent the request in a month ago with the publicist. After a few weeks of back and forth, she said she just couldn’t work it out with Destroyer main guy Dan Bejar, but that he would be willing to do an e-mail interview. I hate e-mail interviews because there’s no chance for follow-up or clarification of answers, and you never know who really is answering the questions (On the internet, nobody knows you’re a dog, etc.). But I figured an e-mail interview was better than nothing, so I wrote a list of questions and sent them off. Time passed. I nudged the publicist. She nudged Bejar. He remained unresponsive. A day after the deadline I was told Dan didn’t have time to do an e-mail interview after all. It happens, it happens…

I love the new Destroyer album, Trouble in Dreams, on mighty Merge Records. The music is a combination of Bowie, Jarvis Cocker, and Bejar’s other project, New Pornographers. Repeated listenings reap glorious psychedelic benefits. And so, I have to wonder how he’s going to make it sound on The Waiting Room stage tonight, where he performs along with Andre Ethier and Mal Madrigal.

And speaking of Mal Madrigal, I got an e-mail from MM’s Steve Bartolomei saying that both of his simultaneously released vinyl-only recordings — The Road Is Glue and Life Among the Animals — are back in stock and available at The Antiquarium, the Saddle Creek online record store and (one assumes) at tonight’s show. They are worth your hard-earned rubles. Steve also mentioned that Mal is beginning to record the follow-up, and you might get a sneak-peek at those songs tonight. $12, 9 p.m.

Also tonight, the return of The Monroes and Domestica to Slowdown, this time on the small stage with Lincoln band The Sleepover Show. Will there be Hot Wheels races at this one, too? Is it possible for Jon Taylor to make his guitar sound louder than it did last time? Find out at 9 p.m., $6.

And finally, over at the notorious Saddle Creek Bar it’s a night of garage punk madness featuring The Terminals, The Shanks and Mosquito Bandito. I’m trying to imagine what The Shanks — a squall-punk maelstrom-noise nightmare when they play at O’Leaver’s, will sound like on SCB’s hole-in-the-wall (literally) stage powered by 4,000 pounds of assorted antiquated PA amps. Earplugs are a necessity. Put a “Nice Price” sticker on this one — Free. Starts at 9.

And, don’t forget O’Leaver’s. Booker/soundman/intern Brendan Walsh’s favorite touring band — The Voodoo Organist — is playing along with scatter-punk phenoms Bazooka Shootout. 9:30, $5.

What’s going on Saturday?

The marquee event is, of course, at Slowdown Jr. (they still haven’t moved it to the big stage) featuring The Cops, Little Brazil and Race for Titles, with special guest, Criteria. Even without Criteria this would have been sweet on the “big stage.” As it is, I suspect it will sell out sometime tomorrow. Get your $8 ticket today before it’s too late. The rock starts at 9 sharp.

And now, the show that’s flying beneath everyone’s radar: The Night Marchers at The Waiting Room. Who are the Night Marchers? It’s a new punk band featuring John Reis a.k.a. Speedo a.k.a. The Swami — a seminal member of Rocket from the Crypt, Drive Like Jehu and Hot Snakes fame. I’m told if you liked any of Reis’ old bands you’re gonna love this one. Opening is Muslims and Omaha’s own Bombardment Society. $12, 9 p.m.

Also Saturday night, over at The 49’r it’s Greg Loftis’ rock odyssey Malpais, with Beat Seekers. Probably $5, probably around 10. Over at O’Leaver’s it’s Cheap Hookers (the band, not the, uh, hookers) and Radio Moscow. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Also of note, West Omaha lounge The Bar Fly is featuring some very un-loungy music in the form of grit-rock cowboys The Filter Kings and Lincoln knee-to-the-groin bad asses Forty-Twenty. I have visions of baseball-cap-backwards-wearing geeks running for the doors when these guys start smashing beer bottles against amps. Fun! $7, 9 p.m.

–Got comments? Post ’em here.–

Column 171: Convo with a Cop
Jaws talks Cops and Mt. Fuji.

This week we’re catching up with Mike Jaworski — a.k.a. “Jaws” — former Omahan, frontman of Seattle rock band The Cops and major domo of Mt. Fuji Records, a label whose roster includes Little Brazil, Slender Means, and his own band.

Jaworski chatted via cell from the Fort Green Laundromat in Brooklyn the day after The Cops played at Union Pool in Williamsburg. Just down the street at The Vanderbilt Auto Service, the band’s ’96 Econovan was getting a much-needed tune-up — its first after well over 200,000 miles of road duty. Jaworski hoped that new plugs not only would fix that rough, chugging sound coming from beneath the hood, but would boost the van’s 12-miles-per-gallon fuel performance. They’ve got a long way to drive before rolling into The Slowdown this Saturday night for a show with Race For Titles, Little Brazil and special guests Criteria (That’s right, Stephen Pedersen and Co. will make their return after a long absence from stage).

For touring bands, life on the road is getting tougher these days, Jaworski said. “We’re not pulling in guarantees like Cursive. We’re a break-even band who gets by on merch sales. How else can you do this when gas is so expensive?”

Expensive as in $3.80 a gallon in New York City. That ol’ Econoline has a 30-gallon tank. You do the math. Jaworski said the answer to holding down tour costs could involve finding bands in different areas of the country, flying in, and hooking up for a tour.

“You share equipment and rent a mini-van,” he said. “We could fly into Omaha and do 10 days with Little Brazil, for example. Bands do this already, but it may become common practice. It makes a lot more sense, especially if you’re from Seattle, which is many miles from every place else.” Unlike Omaha, which Jaworski pointed out, is in close proximity to a lot of large cities.

The Cops are on the road supporting their latest release, Free Electricity, a further refinement of the band’s abrasive, slightly inebriated angry punk-rock sound that’s equal parts Bad Religion, Hot Snakes, The Clash and Jaworski’s own Midwestern songwriting flair. It’s a high-water mark for an act that’s been kicking around since ’04.

But despite such a strong album, Jaworski said the band’s trajectory seems to have “flattened over the past year and half.” His band mates are having babies, getting mortgages and finding fulltime jobs with no vacation time for touring. As a result, he’s lost his guitarist and is playing with a touring drummer. “We’re guys in our mid-30s and we’re not paying bills with this band,” he said. “Our schedule and the amount of work we can do are dictated by things people can do in their lives.”

And that includes Jaworski, who says he’s probably the Cop who likes being on the road the most. His job booking a 250-capacity club in Seattle called The Sunset affords him the opportunity to tour since he can keep track of business from the road via laptop, Blackberry and cell phone. That’s not the case with the rest of the band.

As a result, Jaworski will probably do what just about every musician in Omaha does these days — play in multiple bands and schedule tours between them. “Unless you’re in a band that’s busy all the time, I don’t see any reason not to,” he said. “You don’t have to be married to the same project; it’s okay not to be monogamous.”

Jaworski said The Cops isn’t his only venture that isn’t making money these days. Though it’s been a struggle, Mt. Fuji Records continues to survive despite a future that’s in flux. Roster acts Wintergreen and Lillydale no longer are associated with the label. Slender Means, one of the label’s best sellers, is finishing a record but is shopping it around to different labels. “If they find a bigger, better label with more resources, I would be happy for them,” Jaworski said.

The same is true for Little Brazil, “although they are permanently indentured to me,” he joked. “They have a life-long contract with Mt. Fuji. They just don’t know it.”

Fact is, Jaworski said Little Brazil has never had a formal contract with Mt. Fuji. “They don’t owe me any records, but if they look deep down in their souls, they’ll want to put their next one out on Fuji.”

Even The Cops’ last album was released jointly with another label — Seattle’s The Control Group. Jaworski explained that at the time of the release, Mt. Fuji was ending its distribution deal with Redeye. A relationship with someone at Control Group forged the way for the joint release that provides distribution of Free Electricity via powerhouse indie distributor ADA.

In the meantime, Mt. Fuji has taken on a business partner and just signed a distribution deal with Lumberjack Mordam Music Group, whose label roster includes Thick, Lookout, and Asian Man Records. Jaworski said he’s looking closer to his Seattle home for future Mt. Fuji acts, and currently is working out a deal with garage punk band The Whore Moans to release their new CD this August.

Overall, things are looking up for Jaworski, but “I wish I wasn’t so goddamn poor,” he said. “I’m rich with friends and experiences and wouldn’t trade that for anything.”