I meant to tell you about the "new" Nick Drake CD earlier in the week when I was talking about getting reacquainted with old friends, but for some reasons, it had to wait.
But, I'm happy to report that "Family Tree," issued by Bryter Music via Tsunami Label Group, is worth the wait. There have been rarities CDs before -- like 1991's "Time of No Reply" and 2004's "Made to Love Magic," of which Amazon.com said, "This is surely the final word on Nick Drake; unless, of course, those Aix-en-Provences tapes and that mythical lost Peel session from August 1969 ever make themselves known."
"Family Tree" has eight of the Aix tunes alongside a number of other home-made recordings ... 28 in all, including two performed by his mother Molly Drake. Those two songs go a long way in showing her musical influence on her son.
This is not a Nick Drake record for beginners, who will glean more from the three LPs issued during his lifetime, but for his fans, this disc -- with a letter penned by his sister Gabrielle -- is a revelation. It gives a glimpse into Drake's development and finally presents in a good quality setting many elusive recordings.
OK, there's nothing legendary or rare about Fountains of Wayne, but I love 'em anyway. They remind me of the Bay City Rollers crossed with Elvis Costello or something pithy like that and their witty, slice of life songs have great choruses and classic pop melodies. "Traffic and Weather" didn't knock me out on the first listen, but repeated spins have made us better friends.
That the great title track hasn't become a smash like "Stacey's Mom" from "Welcome Interstate Managers" is sad.
France's Nouvelle Vague made its name with two discs of lounge-y bossa nova covers of classic '80s new wave tunes. So far this year the group has compiled two CDs of works by others. The latest is "Coming Home," a selection of 17 of Olivier Libaux and Marc Collin's favorite soundtrack tunes.
Among the inclusions is Serge Gainsbourg's funky-as-heck "Requiem Pur Un Can" and works by John Barry, Vangelis, Ennio Morricone, Alain Goraguer and others. A wide-ranging and engaging compilation, but one that is less fun than the group's own music.
Until "Nux Vomica" ("Poison Tree") landed on my desk, I'd never heard The Veils, but this -- the second CD from London-based New Zealander (or is he a New Zealand-based Londoner?!) Finn Andrews -- is a great sardonic, diverse pop record that reminds this listener of the post Birthday Party work of Nick Cave (and not because of the Down Under connections) and The Divine Comedy of Neil Hannon.
The band has also been compared to Echo & the Bunnymen, but The Veils have a sort of cosmopolitan quality that the samey Bunnymen never boasted.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
