Ugh, I hate summer. Heat and humidity suck.
You ever get those stints when you _have_ to listen to an album everyday at least once? How about an older album whose brand-spankin’-new appeal has waned? For me lately, that’s been the Catherine Wheel‘s album “Adam & Eve”. Why? Who knows? I listened to it in the university radio station when I had a show (you gotta love the promo copies college radio gets) and gave it little further thought.
“I must have been crazy. I think I was being brave. I think I was Bruce Lee. I might have been Michael Caine.”
That album came out in ’97. Pavement, Sebadoh and Archers Of Loaf were mostly what I was listening to at the time. I was familiar with the Catherine Wheel and enjoyed the progression they made from their shoegazing peers like Ride and Slowdive. But “Adam & Eve” was different. It wasn’t a lush wall of guitars like “Ferment” and “Chome”. It wasn’t balls-out rawkin’ like “Happy Days”. It was different and it didn’t strike my fancy. Play some Pavement, damnit!
“If Superman and Sonic Youth are fairy tales, it’s time to face the truth”
About a month ago while I was working on something that will hopefully see the light of day in the next couple of weeks, I was lookin’ for a different album to listen to. Built To Spill? Nah. New Stephen Malkmus album? Already listened to it today…twice. Some Yo La Tengo, then? I always listen to a lot of Yo La Tengo, but now for something different. “Adam & Eve”? I remember that album…barely. Why not?
“Thunderbird can you see yourself big bird? Thunderbird just speak it more discreetly. You’re making it sound absurd.”
If I actually drank and enjoyed wine, I could say that this album needed some time to age before its bouquet could be realized. That sounds dumb and besides, wine is murder on your kidneys. I know the album hasn’t changed, but it got really good all of a sudden. So now I listen to that album nightly while readin’, surfin’ or playin’ with the cats. But not while Dena’s around ’cause she usually asks “what’s this crap you’re listening to?” and then retreats to our bed room to read and watch TV. On a side note, she’s beginnin’ to like the Lips (who are playin’ that “Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto” concert in Toronto with the Stones, BTW).
“But as I sit here with my cup staring at it as if I’m some crazy poet when I’m not. I’m just a rock n’ roll Joe with tales of woe.”
Man, the Catherine Wheel‘s “Adam & Eve” is an awesome album.
