[SOM]

I find myself going through another Old 97's / Rhett Miller phase...

The Old 97's can get a bit redundant with the same ol' supercharged rockabilly beat at times, but there is such a wealth of power pop and clever lyrics. This becomes even more apparent on Rhett's solo albums where he is unleashed from the (at time) homogenous music of the 97's.

Rhett Miller is becoming one of my all time favorite song writers.


Anyone else perceive the brilliance?

[stereocilia]

I'm with you SOM.  I hear what you're saying about the redundancy, but I am amazed that they can keep coming up with tunes that sound like Old 97's songs without sounding like they're cutting and pasting.  I saw them in Austin not long ago and I was impressed. Good stuff.

In the slightly lower-energy category, I've been digging Gary Louris/Jayhawks, too.

[sbrtoy]

Rhett's last solo album was his best work in my opinion. The 97's seemed to be coming to the end of their creative road...

[MerRev]

I have to agree with the exception of The Instigator.  Rhett's songs are infectiously fun sing alongs.
The Old 97's Live in Santa Monica's Troubadour club is a pretty good concert DVD worth buying if you haven't checked it out yet. 

"Eighteen-hundred miles from this old nightclub
A girl is turning 22 today.
How am I supposed to entertain you?
My fingertips are useless when my mind's so far away.

Eighteen-hundred miles from Manhattan
The nightclub yawns and opens up it's doors.
Thank god that I don't have to pay the cover,
'Cause every night I'm broker than I was the night before

Yeah this old nightclub stole my youth,
This old nightclub stole my true love,
It follows me around from town to town.
I just might get drunk tonight and burn the nightclub down,
I just might get drunk tonight and burn the nightclub down.

Telephones make strangers out of lovers,
Whiskey makes the strangers all look good.
Well my angel of the morning is in mourning.
My life was misspent, don't let me be misunderstood."

[SOM]

Rhett's last solo album was his best work in my opinion. The 97's seemed to be coming to the end of their creative road...

I get the impression that Rhett would love for his solo career to take off, and keeps coming back to the 97's mainly due to their (relative) success. Not that he's half-hearted with the 97's, anything but that! Agree that The Believer is Rhett at the top of his game.

I bought the latest 97's album "Blame It On Gravity" and think it sits just fine amongst their other releases. Don't see the creative juices drying up at all...

I have to agree with the exception of The Instigator.

I put off buying The Instigator forever, finally bought it used, and promptly fell in love with the album! I think it has some *fantastic* songs on it! A little uneven, maybe, but truly has some gems...


Right now I've got Buick City Complex stuck in my head!


Do you wanna mess around?
Do you wanna spend the night?
I've known both kinds of love
But I want to get it right this time

I don't wanna settle down
I don't want to make no plans
Exept for what I'm gonna do
With a pair of idle hands

CHORUS:
They're tearing the Buick City Complex down
I think we're the only people left in town
Where are you gonna move, where are you gonna move?
Do you wanna mess around?

Do you wanna be my girl
Do you wanna be my friend
Do you wanna start it off
Just to see how it will end

Do you wanna mess around?
I mean deep down in your bones
In hotel swimming pools
On public telephones

They're tearing the Buick City Complex down
I think we're the only people left in town
Where are you gonna move, Where are you gonna move?
Do you wanna mess around?


PS - I had the good fortune to be at the Gruene shows where they recorded Alive & Wired. Fantastic show in a classic Texas dance hall....a summer night doesn't get much better than that!

[MerRev]

SOM and Rhett Miller fans- I owe you an apology.  I listened to The Instigator tonight and realized it's a very likeable album with some really good songs.  I especially like the layered vocal approach on Terrible Vision with Jon Brion, Karen Kilgarriff and Chrissy Guerrero.