Music For Listeners 11/07/2009

1) The Beastie Boys-"Country Mike's Theme" From the CD 'Anthology'.
2) Doug Sahm & the Sir Douglas Quintet-"Lawd, I'm Just a Country Boy In Texas"  From the vinyl LP 'Mendocino'.
3) White Wires-"Pretty Girl"  From the vinyl 7" single for "Pretty Girl".
4) Two Door Cinema Club-"I Can Talk"  From the brand new CD single for "I Can Talk".
5) The Charlatans UK-"White Shirt"  From the CD 'Some Friendly'.
6) Field Music-"Measure"  From the CD 'Measure'.
7) Stricken City-"Killing Time"  From the brand new CD 'Songs About People I Know'.
8) Men-"Calculators"  From their second web only release.
9) King Khan and BBQ Show-"Ill Be Loving You"  From the brand new CD 'Invisible Girl'.
10) Charlotte Hatherley-"Full Circle"  From the forthcoming CD 'New Worlds'.
11) Brazos-"Dayglo"  From the brand new CD 'Phosphorescent Blues'.
12) Buttercup-"Betta No Better"  From the CD 'The Weather Here'.
13) The Whigs-"Hundred/Million"  From the download single for "In the Dark" found on the band's official website http://www.thewhigs.com
14) The Spinto Band-"Thayer Function"  From the brand new CD EP 'Slim & Slender'.
15) Built To Spill-"Good Ol' Boredom"  From the CD 'There Is No Enemy'.
16) Kurt Vile-"Blackberry Song"  From the brand new CD 'Childish Prodigy'.
17) Headlights-"Telephones"  From the CD 'Wildlife'.
18) Anni Rossi-"The West Coast"  From the CD 'Rockwell'.
19) Golden Lights-"Murals"  Demo sent to us by the band.
20) Brett Anderson-"The Hunted"  From the CD 'Slow Attack'.
21) Planet Earth-"Bristol and Back"  Download from our friends at Young and Lost Club Records.
22) Daniel Land and the Modern Painters-"Glitterball"  From the CD 'Love Songs for the Chemical Generation'.
23) Basement Jaxx (feat Lightspeed Champion)-"My Turn"  From the CD 'Scars'.
24) Saint Etienne-"Spring Air France (Remix)"  From the vinyl 12" remix EP 'Foxbase Beta'.
25) El Perro Del Mar-"Gotta Get Smart"  From the brand new CD 'Love Is Not Pop'.
26) The KLF-"Build A Fire"  From the CD 'The White Room (JAMS CD6)'.
27) iLIKETRAINS-"Sea of Regrets"  From the brand new CD EP 'Sea of Regrets'.
28) Mumford and Sons-"Timshel"  From the CD 'Sigh No More'.
29) U2 with Johnny Cash-"The Wanderer"  From the CD soundtrack to the Wim Wenders motion picture 'Faraway, So Close'.  Also found on 'Zooropa'.
30) "The Mid-Morning Recording"            The Fireman-'Electric Arguments'
Before this album, even some of the biggest Beatles fans didn't know The Fireman was really Paul McCartney along side, Killing Joke bassist, Orb collaborator, and record producer Youth. It wasn't until this 2008 release that he finally put their names on the packaging. and it was known to the world that the former Beatle was indeed behind the project. However, long time listeners of KRTU will know that myself along with a couple of friends have been playing The Fireman over the KRTU airwaves since the very first release in 1993. Strangely enough, being that it is a project by a Beatle, I would have to say that Music For Listeners has broadcast more of this project than any other radio program in the world. This most likely would stem from the fact that their second album, ('Rushes' released in 1998), is one of my all-time favorite recordings, and to me, ranks up there with any album by Wings or The Beatles. When I first heard in 2007 that a third Fireman album was being recorded, I had seriously high hopes for the work. When it was released in late 2008, even from just the first riffs, I knew this was going to be a different experience than before. Even casual unknowning listeners can immediately tell that this album shows another side of Macca himself, but to long time Fireman fans, it also shows another side of the project in general. This album replaces some of the ambient waves with more rock hooks and blues riffs. The atmospheric waves are still interspersed throughout, but it certainly gives a different turn to the project. Each Fireman release has had its own inner voice, but on this one, it seems McCartney thought he should give this project a bigger outer voice as well. He lends his voice to almost every track in some way, either through lyrics or samples. The lyrics are sometimes forceful and blunt, and maybe that's another reason why he decided to "hide" as it were under The Fireman name. Along with his partner in crime, Youth is always the master behind the board, and can add atmosphere to any great artist. It's because of him that the album still has huge chunks ambient surroundings, and you can still hear his stamping on the work. He is truly what makes this project The Fireman, instead of another solo album by Paul McCartney. That said, we all know that Paul is a great singles man, and the singles from this recording are amazing songs and some of the best he has ever penned. I would have to say that since 'Rushes' caught me by surprise in 1998, I can't consider this album to be a full blown masterpiece like the previous effort. However, it is a magnificent recording which stands alone as certainly one of the best musical works both Youth and Sir Paul have ever brought forth. In some ways I almost wish he would have released this third album incognito, but with the same exact content. It still would have become obvious that it was him on the project, but without all the hoopla. However, after thinking about it some more; maybe he did it because of his friend Martin Glover....A.K.A. Youth; one of the greatest sound artists of all-time. He finally gets to be placed up next to one of the greatest songwriters of anytime, and still hold his ground. Hopefully this will not be the last album they release under this moniker. All their works seems to flow and surround you, and that's certainly what I like that about The Fireman. Obviously, one of my favorite all-time projects, and I wish they would tour. "Lovers in a dream; warmer than the sun."
Michael-MFL
31) James-"Sayonara"  From the CD 'Wah-Wah'.