Paul Simon’s new album, Surprise, hits Australian stores on May 13. You can preview four tracks on his official website right now.

The album is a collaboration with the legendary Brian Eno (you know, he made the Microsoft sound). And, as the title suggests, the four tracks are a lot better than I expected. His last album, You’re The One, was a low key, one colour, acoustic affair. Listen to the electric buzz on the first track on the new one, How Can You Live In the Norhwest?, and Simon sounds not only modern but heck, maybe even relevant.

The world music voices hit on Wartime Prayers, but even then the song is full of dynamics and power (if not so much emotion – Simon is still the master of detachment. He is a rock, you know). And there is a bright shiny eighties guitar on Fathers And Daughters (courtesy of Bill Frisell?) but it’s a sweet, sweet song.

Paul Simon is pretty much the pinnacle of a certain age of artists. So many times you read that so-and-so’s album is their Graceland, that mid life masterpiece that appeals to people everywhere. And he’s made more money than most people and doesn’t need to do anymore. But it’s good to see him come out of the woodwork and try to add another album to an already great and brave catalogue.

Oh and I’m sorry the album cover really sucks.

SITE: Paul Simon’s official site
– featuring streams of 4 songs from Surprise
SITE: Some German online shop that has samples of all songs

Summer’s in the evening, talking to whoever’s around
Spirits in the ceiling, feelings in my stomach drowns

Country’s come a-crumbling with a stunning sound of bass

Good men do nothing vs. withdrawl in apathy
Life is in the living and don’t you wanna live with me?

The Crimson, a Harvard publication, has published an interview with it’s most distinguished modern rock star – the newly engaged Rivers Cuomo of Weezer.

It’s a revealing interview – the interviewer really confronts Rivers on his more eccentric aspects. His attraction to Asian/Japanese girls. Personal dramas around Pinkerton. The drop in the quality of his work in the last few albums. And Rivers, to his credit, gives each question a proper answer. No Damon Albarn style “we’re not going to be talking about that.”

I’m really loving Make Believe of late. They just make me so happy with their sound. And as Rivers says, he’s once again touching on the personal on this album. Pinkerton, as great as it was, looks like a one off detour into the hyper-personal. And it’s been co-opted by every emo fucker with eyeliner anyway. But songs like Perfect Situation and Peace are some of their best work. Listen to that last little bit of Peace where Rivers sings on his own. It’s out of this world.

Also recently, I’ve been listening to a CD of Weezer b-sides, most of which taken from the site Weerez.com. Lots of great Weezer arities and a whole new world of obsession, if you’re into that kind of stuff.

SITE: The Crimson Interview w/Rivers Cuomo
SITE: Weezer official site
SITE: Weerez.com

MP3: Weezer – Peace
– from the album Make Believe (Geffen, 2005)
MP3: Weezer – Mykel & Carli
– b-side of the single Undone (Geffen, 1994)

I think Bob Ellis said it best
You’re just a witness who knew me when
You don’t know me now, you can’t testify
If you saw me now, looked me in the eye
Cos we’re not the same after all these years
There’s an echo here but the sounds not clear
I’ll take a scorched earth policy
Because history is history

Neil Young: Heart Of Gold finally gets a cinema release in Australia on May 11th. Also, Young’s new album, Living With War, is now streaming from his official site, Neil’s Garage.

…and this blog is quickly turning into the “Comic Reel Wrap” column at Comic Book Resources. All I seem to talk about are films and DVDs. Still, Jonathan Demme’s little movie about Neil Young, and his concerts last year at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, is finally getting a release. Word is the Australian distributors wanted to go straight to DVD. In this day and age, I almost wouldn’t mind. Let’s face it, I’m going to buy this DVD when it comes out anyway.

It’s a busy year for Neil. His new album, Living With War, is streaming from his official site and is out digitally in a couple of days (US time) and the CD version not long after (though no Australian date has been set). You can find more info at Neil Young News but basically it’s a hastily written and recorded attack on conservative America. And it’s FAR BETTER than I imagined.

And hopefully the year will wrap up with the long awaited, 8 DVD Archives set. Oh let it be yes.

SITE: Heart Of Gold @ yourmovies.com.au
SITE: Neil’s Garage
SITE: Neil Young News

We Jam Econo, the documentary about the Minutemen, is finally released on DVD on June 27th. Details of the release is on their website and it looks like a pretty indie venture.

SITE: We Jam Econo – The Story Of the Minutemen – offical site

MP3: The Minutemen – History Lesson Part II
– From the double album Double Nickels On A Dime (SST, 1989) – buy here

A friend recently played me highlights of his own, personal, best of Elliott Smith. 24 tracks. Lots of things had to be cut obviously.

Things that came out of our little chat:

* I still don’t know the first album very well. The nameless songs drive my head in.
* Neither of us own any Heatmiser.
* My friend liked the rockers a fair bit more than I do.
* It took us a while to really appreciate Basement… for what it was without thinking of Elliott Smith’s passing.
* Ballad Of Big Nothing can be performed in standard tuning, in C.

Of course, the real best of will come out, and soon. Someone’s looking at the licensing I’m sure. There’s enough minor hits to jusitfy it – Waltz #2, Son of Sam and of course Miss Misery herself. Throw in a couple of the random covers that ended up on soundtracks, the odd Heatmiser track, and presto! And let’s face it, the world is not about to run out of skinny, angry, depressed 19 year olds. And god dammit, there’s worst things that are discounted to $20 come christmas. Truck this stuff out by the tonne. Get the kids away from their bloody Simple Plan and find some real pain. And even though I have all the tracks I’m sure I’ll be picking up a copy too.

Aside: I had a quick browse of Sweet Adeline to write the above ramble. Good to see it’s still going. I used to visit this site every day. I also came across a great site of Elliott b-sides on mp3.

SITE: Sweet Adeline
SITE: Elliott Smith B-Sides

MP3: Elliott Smith – Trouble
– From the soundtrack to the film Thumbsucker (Hollywood, 2005). This is a cover of a Cat Stevens song recorded during the Basement… sessions.
MP3: Elliott Smith – Ballad Of Big Nothing
– From the album Either/Or (Kill Rock Stars, 1997)

The Crustaceans are a Sydney pop band who have been around for a few years now. I’ve always liked them, but with so much coming out at the end of the calender year, their album I’m Happy If You’re Happy, on got a few plays before I moved on, probably back to the Magic Numbers album or something. Sorry guys.

I finally got around to giving this album some time yesterday and just fell in love. It’s almost alarmingly fun. It’s pop, it’s witty, it’s catchy and it’s clever. (Which is, of course, the worst thing about pop. It’s rash-like qualities. And sometimes it’s too smart arsey for it’s own good.)

But the Crustaceans manage to avoid that. There is some nice stuff going on along with the silliness. And at least it’s not po-faced songwriters with no humour. Telecaster, the first track, was a single, and I know it divided some people. It’s clever, but it’s also fun, a crazy fanatsy. Who else is writing songs like this? No one. That alone makes it special.

I’m just rambling here. But I really like this album. Their website seems to be down (redirecting to their label site?) and there are no upcoming gigs I can find. Oh well.

SITE: http://www.myspace.com/thecrustaceans

MP3: The Crustaceans – Telecaster
– From the album I’m Happy If You’re Happy (Popboomerang, 2005)

Go and cheat at solitaire
I don’t care
Lie to yourself
Til your blue
Til it’s true

I’m not going to pretend I know very much about this man. So I hope I don’t deeply offend any Cohen fans out there. I really haven’t given him the time he is due. Here’s what I do know:

* He looks a bit like Leonard Nimoy, and the first name thing confused me for a while as kid.
* He usually looks cool despite the point above.
* Like a billion other people, I love Jeff Buckely’s version of Hallelujah, and my first real exposure to Cohen. That’s one pretty song.
* I caught the clip for First We Take Manhattan on Rage once and it’s gorgeous and scary and a bit like Seventh Seal.
* Ween parodied the cover of his Greatest Hits
* He worked with Phil Spector
* I don’t think I’ve heard more good things about a single show in my life than Came So Far For Beauty, the tribute to Cohen that was put on by the Sydney Festival two years back.
* I’ve just been thinking about getting a nylon string acoustic guitar and someone recommended I revisit old Leonard.

So this morning I’m treated to news of this movie and the trailer. It features footage from the Came So Far For Beauty shows, with Beth Orton, Jarvis Cocker, Antony, and other performances by U2 and others. So maybe now it’s my chance with Leonard. I’m such a doco junkie.

I can’t really recommend a place to start with Cohen with much authority, but I love Suzanne and it’s a pretty important song for him so there you go.

SITE: Trailer for Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man
SITE: Leonard Cohen.com

MP3: Leonard Cohen – Suzanne
– From Greatest Hits (Columbia, 1975)