"Don't even bang unless you plan to hit somethang"

Hi!

Right, this is just a bit of a placeholder really, while I cook up something decent to blog about. I've still got to do that TV On The Radio review (I'll be damned if I let that get the better of me) and I intend to resurrect my list of the best singles of the noughties which I started on the old blog. I'm having some shite time-management issues at the moment and I'm also lacking a bit of writing discipline, so I apologise that Yer Mam! is not up to the standards that I would like it to be right now, but hey, at least I'm trying!



Okay, so OutKast's new, highy-anticipated, much-delayed album, Idlewild is now unofficially out there and the verdict seems to be extremely hostile from some of the early reviews. After a couple of cursory listens, I am saddened and disappointed to say that OutKast have done the unthinkable; they've made a bad album.

The obvious divide between Big Boi and Dre that occurred on Speakerboxxx/The Love Below is even more glaring here, despite the fact that they appear on the same track more often than they did on that epic. One of the most interesting things about OutKast has always been the dichotomy and how they compliment each other, but on Idlewild, they're just not singing from the same hymn sheet. In fact, they could have a continent between them and they couldn't sound more distant and disparate.

Whereas with the last album, I fell into the Dre camp (The Love Below was loads more rewarding than Speakerboxxx and also contained the best pop tunes), it's Big Boi who comes out the victor here, purely by virtue of coming across as more interested in the project. Dre's heart is clearly not in it and the tracks where he goes solo (with the exception of maybe 'Idlewild Blues') either fall completely flat or alienate the listener.

Maybe I'm reading too much into what is essentially a soundtrack album, but it's hard to listen to Idlewild and keep the faith that I've held since Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. Maybe it's a grower and, who knows, maybe the film will be good, but the whole thing screams Under The Cherry Moon. Dre, stick to the acting in future and Big Boi, go it alone. OutKast R.I.P.

OutKast - Morris Brown (mp3)

Here's a reminder of how good 'Kast used to be...

OutKast - Da Art Of Storytellin' (Part 1) (mp3)

I've recently realised that Bumrocks is the perfect blog. In fact, to call it a blog would be doing it a disservice, the only resemblance it has to yer average blog being the dated entries. It's more of an Aladdin's cave of great lost music (although there is an occasional new track on there). The Bumrocks guys post a tune nearly every day and the strike rate is phenomenal, with around 90% of them being a stone-cold classic. Also, they don't write some impenetrable or fawning guff about each track, further adding to the mystery, choosing to just post the track and let you fill in the blanks.

Fitting in perfectly with the current space disco trend, the Bumrockists flit between Italo, floaty, downtempo disco, celestial folk and even (gulp) prog, always skirting the cheese threshold, but never vaulting over it. So, I guess I just want to say thank you, Bumrocks, for the music. Make sure you become a convert. Here's a past Bumrocks 'hit'.

Steve Miller Band - Slinky (mp3)

Back soon, maybe tomorrow, with something more substantial.

JMx