reubent, i'd offer the following:
1. song for song, i'd say this year's model is the strongest, esp. the deluxe version, which has great obscurities like big tears and tiny steps. on a certain level, i think the playing's great, esp. the thomases on bass and drums, but as per bdps' remarks, it does sound a tad studied and restrained compared to, say, graham parker and the rumour.
2. my other go-to is imperial bedroom, which really is more of a chamber piece than a rock album; i think the songs are better matched to the band's more clinical virtuosity, although steve naive tends to overplay like a MF.
3. i also dig the odds and sods collection, taking liberties, which by and large rocks the hardest and is the least fussiest record in his canon.
1. song for song, i'd say this year's model is the strongest, esp. the deluxe version, which has great obscurities like big tears and tiny steps. on a certain level, i think the playing's great, esp. the thomases on bass and drums, but as per bdps' remarks, it does sound a tad studied and restrained compared to, say, graham parker and the rumour.
2. my other go-to is imperial bedroom, which really is more of a chamber piece than a rock album; i think the songs are better matched to the band's more clinical virtuosity, although steve naive tends to overplay like a MF.
3. i also dig the odds and sods collection, taking liberties, which by and large rocks the hardest and is the least fussiest record in his canon.
