Saturday, March 29th, 2003

Radio Sweetheart

My friend Dave down in sunny Virginia has been pestering me the last few days to find some Baxter Drury to listen to. He wasn’t able to give me any more info than the name – Baxter Drury. Is this a guy? A band? A manufacturer of mobile homes? Well it turns out he’s the son of the late Ian Drury, of The Blockheads fame. Baxter’s stuff is a lot on the spacey and droney trip – cool sounds abound thanks to collaborators Adrian Utley and Geoff Barrow from Portishead and Richard Hawley, ex of Pulp and Longpigs. I found a used copy of his debut album Len Parrot’s Memorial Lift and bought it, sound unheard. Initial impressions are this is some interesting and eclectic stuff. More after I’ve listened to it a while – this will take some time to absorb, methinks.

I also finally got a copy of Ivy’s covers album, Guestroom. I already had about a third of this material either in mp3 or on EPs or whatever, but it’s still a pleasant if slight slice of synthy pop.

Also on a covers trip, Yo La Tengo’s annual performances indie radio station WFMU are the stuff of legend. Basically, people call in with a pledge and a cover request, and Yo La Tengo play the song. Whether they know it or not (though more often than not, they do, at least in part). I’ve been trying to find at least some of the performances from one of these telethons for ages, and finally have (thanks to this month’s Magnet). Go here and scroll to the bottom – almost the whole of their 2000 set is available in mp3. The sound isn’t archival quality, but it’s fun for free. There’s also more rare mp3s and some videos (“Sugarcube” is still the greatest vid ever).

My mom just called to warn me to stay away from public places while this SARS nonsense is going on. She’s so cute.

np – Baxter Drury / Len Parrot’s Memorial Lift

By : Frank Yang at 5:46 pm
Category: Uncategorized
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  1. Mark says:

    They cancelled my karate tournament because of SARS. I’ve had it with that goddamn disease. Immune UP!