Paste August 2006 Magazine/CD

Thom Yorke's on the cover of the new, August issue of Paste, and surprise, he's not smiling! The cover copy promises he'll discuss "tock 'n' roll parenthood, political blackmail, and his new solo debut, the eraser." (the lowercase is a style thing, see?). Michel Gondry is also pictured; he's interviewed about his buzzed-about movie the Science of Sleep about, to oversimplify it, trying to make dreams become reality.

John Roderick of The Long Winters discusses the group's new album, Putting The Days To Bed with Paste. He calls it "definitely angrier than the first two-and the musical expression has to compensate for that by sounding fun."

There's also an interview with Paul Simon, who was apparently well-known, particularly during the 1960s, as a member of a "folk-singing duo" called Simon and Garfunkel. He's still singing too. He's also making a couple good points about Neil Young's anti-George Bush song "Living With War". He feels it serves a purpose, as people have a need to express such feelings. However, those "who want to see Bush impeached really don't need that song". He is impressed with how Bob Dylan has been able to "frequently invent himself, at a very sophisticated level". Simon recently wrote that most babyboomer artists take a commercial hit if they do something inventive. Good point, or clever spin control in case his album tanks? You be the judge.

Also featured in the magazine in convenient, short-attention-span format: Be Your Own PET, Golden Smog, The Apples In Stereo, Greg Dulli, Ane Brun, Beirut (a fellow named Zach Condon has chosen to perform as "Beirut"), Persephone's Bees (following the advert-and-soundtrack path to stardom), author Augusten Burroughs, The Daily Show's Rob Corddry (who leaves the program in a few months to start shooting a sitcom for... Fox. Yeah, that's a good idea.)


Paste August CD Track Listing:

1. Sam Roberts - The Gate (radio edit)
2. The Long Winters - Fire Island, AK (available on Putting The Days To Bed, which was released yesterday. Incredibly enraged yet so much dang fun)
3. The Bees (U.S.) - Imaginary Girl
4. Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians - One Last Time (available on Stranger Things, which was released yesterday. I was on the fence with this at first, before deciding it was nice... still not quite sure about it)
5. Midlake - Roscoe (edit)
6. Greg Laswell - Sing, Theresa Says
7. Colour Revolt - A New Family
8. Tim Easton - Next To You (edit)
9. Ane Brun - Song No. 6 (featuring Ron Sexsmith)
10. King Straggler - Good Man
11. David Ford - I Don't Care What You Call Me (radio edit) (What's with all the edited versions of songs on this compilation? The album version of this song has appeared on at least one magazine compilation before, but perhaps the U.K. market is being treated differently. That would be silly. Those magazines are sold abroad and it's an international music community! An international music community of fun. No, love. No, fun and love. Can you come back to me?)
12. Roman Candle - Something Left To Say
13. La Rocca - Sketches (20 Something Life)
14. Lotus - When H Binds To O (available on The Strength Of Weak Ties Elegant electronic/jazz tune)
15. The Ditty Bops - Angel With An Attitude (available on Moon Over The Freeway Retro, fun, and not in that "fun, incredibly pissed-off way" like that Long Winters song)
16. Frank Black - If Your Poison Gets You (available on Fast Man Raider Man. Jazzy, pretty catchy, not cheery)
17. Bruce Cockburn - Different When It Comes To You
18. Jonah Smith - My Morning Scene
19. The Muckrackers - Slip Away (Live)
20. The Drams - Unhinged
21. Syd Matters - Obstacles (available on Syd Matters. Beautiful! Twangy synth, background vocals toward the beginning that bring to mind a Sufjan Stevens song. There's a similar romantic feel here. If you hate "sweet", though... stay away)