Michael Stipe offers a comments on his band’s latest endeavor using language that I can’t reprint here and rumors of former drummer Bill Berry joining the tour are squelched. 

Although not a household name, singer/songwriter and former Soft Machine drummer, Robert Wyatt is a creative force worth taking the time to seek out. The quiet and enigmatic Brit writes some of the most wonderfully strange music this side of sanity. “Comicopera” is his latest outing and features help from frequent musical collaborators, Brian Eno, Phil Manzanera (both of Roxy Music fame) and Paul Weller (Jam).

A tragic fall from a third story window in the 70s left him partially paralyzed altering his musical career and forcing him to concentate on composing instead of performing, although he still does the odd ocassional live performance recently accompanying Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour on stage for a different interpretation of “Comfortably Numb.” To say Wyatt’s sound is unique is an understatement, his compositions often come off like the score to a sad but wonderful dream. Give it a listen, you’ll not likely to hear anything else like it.

P.S. He also has some of the best album titles; “Shleep,” Cuckooland” and “Ruth is Stranger than Richard” being my favorites.

At first listen Donavon Frankenreiter’s “Recycled Recipes” seems harmless enough. He’s got a sort of slacker/ surfer style of guitar playing and singing that is easy enough on the ears… for a while.

Eventually though, it wears on you like a smoky voiced ant boring a hole through your soul.

Frankenreiter jackjohnsons his way through six covers that fail to measure up to the originals. His apathy toward the lyrics drags The Bands’ “It Makes No Difference” to a screeching halt. His version of Wilco’s “Theologians” is at best unnecessary and at worst a travesty unlike any the world has ever seen.

A laid back version of CCR’s “Fortunate Son” is the brief glimpse of promise in an otherwise unfortunate collection. That’s only because it reminds me nothing of the original, thus negating any visceral urge to vomit at his desecration of someone else’s hard work.

Does iTunes offer refunds?

A few things I ran across tonight while scanning through the music mags and sites:

- Elvis Costello will be joing Bob Dylan on the second leg of his U.S. tour. No Michigan dates were announced.

- Loreena McKennitt will be making a second appearance to the area this year at Detroit’s Fox Theatre on Oct. 16. Very talented lady, I saw her show in Ann Arbor this spring and highly recommend catching her live. She travels with an entourage of nine other musicians and their sound is hypnotic.

- No, no: the super-talented, but highly addicted, Amy Winehouse has canceled her North Amercian tour dates due to “exhaustion” which the British tabloids refer to as rehab. Pity, but maybe she can squeeze another song out of the experience.

- Joni Mitchell will release new music in the fall of this year. It’s titled “Shine” and will be on the Starbucks label; Hear Music. It’s said to be music of “an environmentally conscious” nature.

Good night, DJ.

The ever enigmatic, Neil Young announced plans for a new studio album entitled, “Chrome Dreams II.” Rumor has it, that there was an unreleased Young album from the 70s called “Chrome Dreams” that somehow got lost along the way, so maybe this makes up for that omission.

Also from Neil this year is a graphic novel based on “Greendale,” his 2004 musical tale of life in America.

Jason Schwartzman was born famous. His mom his Adrienne! and his uncle directed The Godfather. We just didn’t know who he was until he burst onto the scene in 1998’s “Rushmore” (easily in my all-time Top 10 funniest movies of all-time).

Schwartzman has also seen some success in pop music with his former band Phantom Planet, for whom he played drums. Without Phantom Planet what would we remember about the OC?

With his new project, Coconut Records, Schwartzman takes the lead and it’s really fun. The first album, Nighttiming, is difficult to describe, but it’s fun. The entire album is driven by Schwartzman’s ability to sell a joke without telling you he’s kidding.

http://www.myspace.com/jasonschwartzman

I haven’t posted in a while, because quite honestly I haven’t been very inspired to write about popular music lately.

I hate to admit it, but Jacob was kind of right about the new White Stripes CD, it’s just kind of bleh. It’s not the worst thing I’ve ever heard, but it’s certainly not the best. The new Ryan Adams CD is a solid effort, but it’s not love at first listen.

I have listened to “Rehab” like 60 times in the last 2 days. I’m trying to buy the rest of her album, but iTunes is failing to cooperate. Sarah thinks Amy Winehouse has a Joplin quality, I think that what I’ve heard reminds me of 60’s girl groups.

I likes.

Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur, a compilation disc featuring contemporary artists (and Aerosmith) performing John Lennon songs was released Tuesday.

I’m sure “purists” will cringe at Avril Lavigne performing Imagine and X-Tina Aguilera’s version of Mother, but I don’t care if it can expose young people to John Lennon’s work I think it’s a good thing. Plus it goes to a good cause… probably. Assuming half the profits weren’t eaten up by Los Lonely Boys’ rider.

Time to practice your Wilbury Twist

Tuesday is new music day.

Paul McCartney’s new album was released today. I don’t plan on buying it. Instead I’m going to intend to buy it for the next six months or so, while listening to people tell me it’s his best since The Beatles, and eventually forget about it. Pretty much the exact same thing I’ve done for the last three Sir Paul albums (that’s right, albums).

OAR has a new CD. I didn’t look but I bet its live (okay, I just peaked. It’s live. Huge surprise there!). I know some of you like OAR. You wanna know how I know? You won’t stop telling me.

Chris Cornell is a solo artist again and he’s got a new disc. I actually like him, but I’m not IN like with him. Know what I mean? I think you do.

Brian “Marilyn ‘I’m not Paul from The Wonder Years’ Manson” Warner has a new collection of songs to scare people who would be just as easily scared by a Beatles cover band. I got it, he’s weird. Let’s move on.

Why am I so upset? The White Stripes CD is still a week away and I have nothing new to listen to tonight.