One-minute reviews – 15: Hayseed Dixie, We Are Only Riders, Patches & Gretchen, Ned Collette & Wirewalker
The second part of my doubtless ill-received batch of 60-second reviews. I’ve lost friends over these, y’know – so tread with care.
Hayseed Dixie – Killer Grass
Yee fucking ha. Not enough metal. Too much duelling. Not enough standards (fuck ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and The Who). Right amount of grass. Killer ‘tudes. (Shrugs.) Yep. That’s the Dixie. Hotcha!
Various – We Are Only Riders
Nick Cave. Lydia Lunch. Debbie Harry. Mark Lanegan. Johnny Dowd. Mick Harvey. All gathered together in one place (individually, in pairs) to pay tribute to Jeffrey Lee Pierce. You know whether you’re going to like this one before you hear it, right? It’s all very solemn – pretty much exactly how I DON’T remember The Gun Club. (Still, it’s nice to hear The Raveonettes still haven’t progressed beyond their one idea of ripping off the Mary Chain. I like consistency in life.)
Patches & Gretchen – Sugar Head Pie
I’m told IN BIG BLOCK CAPITALS I will like this. Sure, I like Patti Smith (some). Sure, I like The Replacements (some). Sure, I like the fact this mid-West duo (one, the sister of Aimee Mann) have a song called ‘Review Of Patches And Gretchen’. Sure, I like Dorothy Parker. But, most especially, I like the fact that this – their sprawling sophomore album – was reviewed in City Pages by AN EX-MEMBER OF BABES IN TOYLAND.
Ned Collette & Wirewalker – I Had A Love
Moody, slow, moody. The Australian answer to Tenebrous Liar. Now send me the question. You can tell these folk listen to Soulsavers.