Haven't updated the probably less-than-interested world with my latest musical adventures, but here goes nothing...
SQUEEZE just released a new double-CD set of their BBC recordings. Somebody went back and did some major league repair work, because I have some of the original BBC transcription records and this stuff sounds light-years better. All their hits, some acoustic shows, full band, early, late... it's the entire panoply of Squeeze done live in studio and done extremely well.
DAVE EDMUNDS has apparently put a new band together, which is great news. His emergence from... wherever you emerge from when you haven't toured in awhile... is heralded by a new single CD compilation from the U.K., "The Many Sides Of Dave Edmunds, Greatest Hits and More!" Covering all the bases with that lengthy title, I guess. Nothing new here for fans of Mr. Edmunds, but it's an especially well chosen set with songs from the whole range of his career. The liner notes say Dave was never pigeon-holed, and woe be for me to try, but if hard-charging, rockabilly tinged guitar hero power pop pushes your buttons (and/or The Everly Brothers), Edmunds is your guy.
One of Edmunds' and Nick Lowe's band buddies, GERAINT WATKINS, has just released his own new solo CD, "In A Bad Mood." Taking a page from Mr. Lowe's recent, subdued recordings, this is a stately piece of crooning, a little blues and a little piano and a couple of rockers.
Finally, in an effort to review at least ONE release from THIS century, I note with great pleasure that Liam Finn, Neil Finn's hugely talented son, has both a studio album and several live sets available (studio through Yeproc, live mail-order only via kufala.com). I caught Liam opening for Dad's band Crowded House last year, and he's mighty good. Wholly unlike the Crowdies (we're talking some pretty ferocious, clanging, one-man-band racket here) but great nonetheless. I almost prefer the immediacy of the live stuff, but "your mileage may vary."
More once my ears recover...
