The Ides of April (Nearly)

I miss Rome.

Anyway.

I wrote a couple of new things this past week that have convinced me definitively that the next album is going to be something of a sharp turn from the last. That was my intention, of course, but in the past I have made similar aims only to remain, frustratingly, so similar. These most recent bits bring us up to around 14 or 15 tracks to work with for the album, which is pretty near what I was aiming for. I think we're trying for a solid 10-track album this time, in contrast to W&S. I'm more excited than ever to play the new material live as it's just got SUCH a different vibe than what we've been doing for the last several years.

On a different track, have you heard the Blonde Redhead record? It's funny to see the excessively hip deride it as their 'sellout' album. It's nearly without fault, as far as I can tell and I fully expected the Shins record to be my favorite of the year. Good music, despite every single negative force kicking against it, is so vibrantly alive and it's more exciting than ever to hear it.

The new Rolling Stone magazine has brief reviews of the latest batch of Depeche Mode reissues and they've pointed out what I've been saying to friends for some time (subjecting myself to much ridicule): re-evaluate 'Songs Of Faith & Devotion'! I still listen to this record often and it still sounds amazing.

RYAN>