I don't really smell like wet dog, do I?

So it's kind of a big day for music releases, isn't it? We all know how much I already love the new Flaming Lips disc so you can be sure i'll be casting my consumer vote for a store-bought copy of that disc this morning. Another notable release is The DFA Remixes: Chapter One with a whole slew of great dance-rock tracks. It's got a lot of stuff previously only available on vinyl and my personal faves are the Le Tigre, Gorillaz and Blues Explosion remixes. Hell, just about every track on the disc slays with the possible exception of their treatment of Fischerspooner's "Emerge", but then I was never a big fan of that track in its original form so maybe that's why I'm not diggin' it.

Placebo's new disc Meds comes out today too. I plan on giving it a fuller review-style treatment over at donewaiting so I won't say much here either than I'm glad the boys have found their formula and decided not to fuck with things. While fmailiarity doesn't really yield groundbreaking results it can signify strength and maturity in songwriting. Hey, I think I'm going to steal that phrase and use it in my actual review. Can one sample themselves?

I'm back to reading Tom Frank's What's The Matter With Kanses? after an intital false launch a few weeks ago and this time, for some reason, the book actually seems interesting so far. I think originally I was afraid it was going to be another liberal regurgitation of obviousness but I now see that Frank (and I really should have known this since I fell in love with his writing through a piece on USA Today) really delves much further into the subject matter than I thought he would. Of course he does have an angle but at least he tries to balance it out. The jury is still out but the book seems promising.

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Speaking of original thoughts...

Now, when it seems just about every club in Chicago has a "rock" themed night -- and a bar based on the whole concept has just opened -- I think it's time we all returned to, and appreciated, the original...so get yer asses and heinies and such on over to The Pontiac tonight and enjoy Rudy and my musical stylings.

Was that last sentence okay? Sometimes I wish I could steal Chicagoist's copy editor for my own page...