People are getting all grumbly again about bands receiving way more attention than they deserve. Two prominent members of a couple of local indie bands were overheard loudly bemoaning the atrocity of the Drop during their recent set at Sit & Spin. The Drop is a word-of-mouth favorite around this town, not that I necessarily agree. However, that night, the two indie-rockers disliked the set so strongly that they left the band room and hung out in front with the Internet surfers and board game players until the show was completely and utterly over.
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And speaking of things getting too much attention, I pose this question about the Cha-Cha Lounge: Since when did it become Pine Street's answer to the Christian Science Reading Room? The door guy's always reading, but lately, at any given time, and especially during happy hour, there are sure to be at least three other blokes reading at the bar, and a few more absorbing knowledge in the back. So far no one has been spotted reading an e-book in there (blasphemy!), but I'm betting that as soon as Circuit City has a sale, it won't be long.
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In the Crust Dept.: On Everclear's forthcoming album, Songs from an American Movie, Vol. One: Learning to Smile (I'm not making that up), Art Alexakis has the crust to cover "Brown Eyed Girl." This windy-titled collection of loosely themed songs is by far Artie & Co.'s worst album to date.
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The Dandy Warhols' long-awaited album, on the other hand, is pretty damn funny, in a good way. Though Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia begins with a riff stolen straight from George Harrison, most of the lyrics, awash in loads of fuzzed-out feedback, showcase singer Courtney Taylor's wryly observant sense of humor. A few examples: "Solid" has Taylor doing his famed Lou Reed impersonation as he sings about a door in the back of his head that lets all the heavy thoughts fall out. "Well it's a brand new day and I'm walkin' around Old Town/I feel cool as shit 'cause I got no thoughts keepin' me down/I'm thinkin' blahdy-blah-blah-blah to your trip." "Horse Pills" is a hilarious, Beastie Boys-esque, sleazy white-boy "Funky Cold Medina": "Butt's getting bigger do you think he'll notice maybe/That's okay, don't worry 'bout it baby/'Cause everybody knows he pumps you for your money/That's alright, don't worry 'bout it honey/'Cause your itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny-ridin'-up-your-butt bikini/keepin' on the heels 'cause you're sagging just a teeny bit more than the girls he pretends he doesn't thrill/rubbin' on the lotion and rockin' on the horse size pills." The album doesn't hit the shelves until July, but let's hope a single or two makes it to radio before then.
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Was it a dyke, or was it Doug Yule? The crew-cut 'n' rat-tailed Velvet Undergrounder--now a cabinetmaker who lives in Bothell-- joined a whole lot of VU lovers as they paid all kinds of tribute to his former band at the Crocodile. Yule played, too, with members of Delusions, Voyager One, and Acetylene backing him up. Rusty Willoughby was a no-show, but Bugs in Amber, Faith and Disease, Harvey Danger, Kinski, and several others rose to the joyous occasion, despite the sickening taco smell ravaging the room.
