24.2.05
The Naming of Things
Most of this post will be the latest installment of New Music JKD Listens To, but first, some Other Business.
Namely - Chris Webber was traded to the 76ers for a sixth man, an eighth man, and a fifteenth man. I really and truly hope this works out for him, and the 76ers, but it won't; C-Webb is easily one of the most underachieving superstars in NBA history. His own numbers - and even, for several years, his team's performance - were and are very impressive. But last year, when Webber was injured for most of the year, was the best illustration of what kind of player Webber is - the kind that makes his teammates better. Than him.
The Kings were far better before Webber came back than after - and then, even after, were far better when he was off the floor. It's tough to see how this trade doesn't help the Kings - gives them anonymous, unselfish rebounding muscle and defense, and allows the rest of the team - Stojakovich, Bibby, Miller et. al. to play the sort of pressure-defense, up-tempo-offense game that suits them so well.
Marc Stein disagrees with me. But, well, I don't care.
Now to the real stuff:
Namely - Chris Webber was traded to the 76ers for a sixth man, an eighth man, and a fifteenth man. I really and truly hope this works out for him, and the 76ers, but it won't; C-Webb is easily one of the most underachieving superstars in NBA history. His own numbers - and even, for several years, his team's performance - were and are very impressive. But last year, when Webber was injured for most of the year, was the best illustration of what kind of player Webber is - the kind that makes his teammates better. Than him.
The Kings were far better before Webber came back than after - and then, even after, were far better when he was off the floor. It's tough to see how this trade doesn't help the Kings - gives them anonymous, unselfish rebounding muscle and defense, and allows the rest of the team - Stojakovich, Bibby, Miller et. al. to play the sort of pressure-defense, up-tempo-offense game that suits them so well.
Marc Stein disagrees with me. But, well, I don't care.
Now to the real stuff:
- Andrew Bird's new album, The Mysterious Production of Eggs, is just flippin' fantastic. Wonderful melodies, catchy songs, crazy swoopy violin and violin-played-as-guitar. Esp. good are "A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left," "Fake Palindromes" and"The Naming of Things." Buy it.
- Drive-By Truckers re-released their previously out-of-print first two albums, Gangstabilly and Pizza Deliverance. Both are, of course, excellent, featuring such DBT favorites as "Bulldozers and Dirt," "Nine Bullets," "Too Much Sex (Too Little Jesus)" (on Pizza Deliverance), "18 Wheels of Love" and "Steve McQueen" (on Gangstabilly). I know you guys haven't listened to me yet on this, but you should.
- Some band from NYC named Skelter just released an album. You should probably buy it. Also, e-mail them and bug the drummer about releasing the digital remasters of his previous band's long-rumoured "Ministry Sessions."
- Misc. other stuff
- William Shatner's album is actually pretty damn good
- As are the Tarbox Ramblers
"I know there are groups at the top of the charts that are hailed as the saviours of rock'n'roll and all that, but they are amateurs. They don't know where the music comes from."Listen to the man, kiddies. Kinda knows whereof what he speaks.
perma-linky posted by jkd : 12:14
