Music Library Catch-Up: Beautiful Supermachines, Andrew Bird, Danielson, Distant Seconds, Fucked Up, High On Fire, King Crimson, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buck Owens, Dolly Parton

Although it has been a while since I've done one of these, I've been keeping up on the listening side of things if not the writing-about-what-I'm-listening-to side of things.  Anyway, here's some albums by artists who I've already reviewed, for the most part.

The Distant Seconds/Beautiful Supermachines - Hot Buttered Anomie/Consumed Split EP (2010).  A split vinyl release from two excellent Austin bands!  The Distant Seconds mix their brilliant minimalist guitar pop with some lovely keyboard and skronk-noise.  Have a listen!  The Beautiful Supermachines are both noisier and poppier than the DS and have a maximalist sound that provides a great contrasting complement.  Pick up the EP.

Andrew Bird - Anonanimal/See The Enemy single (2009).  Featuring two remixed versions of "Anonanimal," a track from the fantastic Noble Beast album of the same year.  The song itself isn't so distinctive in Bird's catalog that it needed two more versions, but they're pretty fun, anyway.

Danielson - Moment Soakers single (2009).  Three years (!) after the last brilliant full-length Ships, Daniel Smith released this two-song single.  "Moment Soakers" has all of the drama of the Ships-era Danielson, and the b-side is an ok cover of ABBA's "Eagle."  Make of that what you will.

Fucked Up - Couple Tracks: Singles 2002-2009.  This collection has many of Fucked Up's hard-to-find (and not so hard to find) singles and range from the only-ok hardcore of the early Fucked Up to the mindblowing psychedelic thrash of the more recent stuff to a number of surprisingly pure pop singles, including a couple of covers of the Dolly Mixture.  Recommended.

High On Fire - Snakes For The Divine (2010).  This one seems more proggy and less stoner/sludgy than prior HOF albums.  And it utterly kicks ass.  I am such in the thrall of this album that I can hardly separate my lizard brain from my analytic brain enough to explain how great it is.

King Crimson - In The Wake Of Poseidon (1970), Islands (1971), Earthbound (1971), The Great Deceiver: Live 1973-1974, USA (1975), Beat (1982), and Three of a Perfect Pair (1985).  My friend Phil recommended that I check out live KC from the 70s after my last King Crimson write-up.  Very good call!  I rounded them out with the two 70s albums that I didn't have plus the two 80s albums that I didn't have.  Poseidon and Islands are both jazzy, but Poseidon is a better album (although not as good as In The Court Of The Crimson King, which preceded it, nor Lizard, which followed).  I could forgive the meandering on Islands if not for the terrible pop songs that break it up.  Earthbound, Deceiver, and USA are all live albums.  Earthbound has some great performances, but the sound quality is utterly miserable.  Deceiver has incredible sound quality and some pretty seriously amazing proto-metal music on it.  USA is in the same boat.  Beat and Perfect Pair are from the new wavish KC of the early 80s, and both feature the twitchy guitars and bizarre riffage that make Discipline such a fine album.  But neither is quite as strong as Discipline, although both have their moments.

Jerry Lee Lewis - The Golden Cream of the Country (1970).  Maybe it isn't first-rate Jerry Lee, but Golden Cream does feature the Killer making country music his latest bitch.  And that's good enough for me.

Buck Owens and His Buckaroos - I've Got A Tiger By The Tail (1965).  How is the Bakersfield sound different from rock music?  It's as close to rock music as it is to country here.  But history says this is country, so I'm not going to argue.  Either way, this is an album to hear.

Dolly Parton - Just The Way I Am (1969-1970).  Hello, Dolly!  I don't know if anyone else out there has noticed, but Dolly Parton - especially the Dolly Parton of the early 70s - was one good-looking lady.  This quickie compilation pulls tracks from three immediately prior albums.  Great songs, though!  I especially enjoy Dolly's take on "In The Ghetto," which is as hilariously inappropriate as Elvis's take.  I mean, it has to be, because the song is about as hilariously misguided as any popular song outside of "Hit Me Baby One More Time."