Wednesday, September 13th, 2006

Time	Event
9:35a	Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. - The Land of Pure Imagination ROGER JOSEPH MANNING, JR. The Land of Pure Imagination (Cordless) For those keeping score at home, The Land of Pure Imagination, the debut solo album from Jellyfish/Beck keyboardist Roger Joseph Manning, Jr., is a revised version of Solid State Warrior, the album Manning released as both a Weed file and a Japanese CD last year. (Read Brian Briscoe’s original review here for more details.) The most notable change, besides the new title and cover art, is the replacement of “What You Don’t Know About the Girl,” “Sleep Children” and “’Til We Meet Again” with three new tunes. While I definitely miss the Bacharach-style production pop of “What You Don’t Know,” the pop waltz “Appleby” and the soulful ballad “In the Name of Romance” make up for it. The more epic “Pray For the Many” doesn’t impress on first listen, but will probably improve over time, as Manning’s music tends to do. At any rate, pop lovers who didn’t want to dick with Weed or Japanese import prices can finally live the glory that is this album, and I’m sure your Jellyfish-obsessed buds can dub the missing cuts for you. Michael Toland (Comment on this)
12:30p	Tobias Fröberg - Somewhere in the City TOBIAS FRÖBERG Somewhere in the City (Cheap Lullaby) Tobias Fröberg already has a rep for being the next Swedish breakout singer/songwriter a la José Gonzaléz. While Fröberg certainly shares Gonzaléz’ penchant for quite, acoustic-based songcraft, he has more in common with his Norwegian countrymen the Kings of Convenience, especially an obviously deep love for Simon & Garfunkel. He’s perfectly comfortable with the upbeat pop bounce of “What a Day” and the gospel lushness of “Someone,” and isn’t adverse to dropping Moog synthesizers and pianos into his stark arrangements. His delicate melodies and plainspoken voice put on their best faces in the stripped-down folk of “The Features of a Human Face,” “When the Night Turns Cold” and “For Elisabeth Wherever You Are,” where even the enhancements are subsumed to the acoustic guitars and voices. Fröberg’s work is as pretty as that of his better-known compatriots, but it’s earthier and more soulful. Recommended. Michael Toland (Comment on this)
12:53p	Motörhead - Kiss of Death MOTÖRHEAD Kiss of Death (Sanctuary) At 60, Motörhead leader Lemmy Kilmister is apparently catching his third (fourth? fifth?) wind. Kiss of Death, the latest slab of boiling concrete from the ultimate power trio, is as much of a bellyripper as the band’s last record Inferno, the best Mot&oul;rhead disk in years; if anything, it’s better. Though the album still glows with the overtly metallic sheen of Inferno, the songs are tighter, more tuneful and full of patented Motörhead hooks. Whether Lemmy is mackin’ on ladies young enough to be his granddaughter in “Christine,” “Trigger” or “One Night Stand” (in which he proclaims “I been a slut all my life”) or laying on a dose of his own distinctive social commentary in “Sucker,” “Kingdom of the Worm” and the monstrous atheist anthem “God Was Never On Your Side,” he’s supported by what’s possibly the best Motörmusic since the glory days of 1916. If Mot&oum;rhead’s roaring upward momentum continues, it’ll surpass all previous peaks by the time Lemmy hits 65. Michael Toland (Comment on this)
12:56p	Diamond Dogs - Up the Rock DIAMOND DOGS Up the Rock (Smilodon) As a rock writer, I’m supposed to use critical thinking and objectivity in consideration of the CDs that cross my desk. But all that goes out the window when I get a Diamond Dogs record. Sure, I could tell you that the Sweden-based collective is one of the most derivative bands in existence, specifically of the Faces. But every time I hear a Dogs disk, I have to say, “So fucking what?” The combination of leader Sulo’s rough but dynamic singing, superb songs and the band’s tightly crafted rough-and-tumble is everything I want out of rock & roll; even if the Faces were still around, I’m not sure they could better the work of the Dogs. ( more behind the cut ) (Comment on this)
4:36p	Palodine - Desolate Son PALODINE Desolate Son (Tarnished) Palodine’s music evokes mystery, especially that found squirreled away in the lonely, dark places of America. The songs twist on a country/folk axis, but fresh tendrils in blacker, meaner shades wave in the breeze. Katrina Whitney sings like she’s trying to hold back the bad news; Michael Aryn and Jason Brooks use their instruments to support her worldview. As you might expect from songs titled “Vengeance” and “Devour Me,” there aren’t a lot of smiles here, but there’s no bombast either. The dour mood holds, but it’s not without its moments of sunlight peeking through the clouds. If you think Tarnation is too cheerful or the Walkabouts too rocking, Palodine will be right up your alley. Michael Toland (Comment on this)

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