CDs Nuts

Cassadaga Bright Eyes (Saddle Creek)

How’s this for a review: If you’re the kind of person who buys this, it’ll be your new favorite album. Of course, I’m assuming here that if you bought this you’re a 14-year-old boy who draws a giant 69 on all his book covers. If not, you might still enjoy it with some liberal fast-forwarding. First off, skip the skits. And most of the songs. I know you think they’ll be funny like the show, but if you’re so high that you laugh at someone introducing the next song (probably off a cue card) in Meatwad’s voice, you should probably be listening to the new Panda Bear album or something.

Don’t waste such apparently killer shit on Andrew W.K., man. The only songs you’ll listen to more than once:  “Girls Like Status,” a Hold Steady B-side; “Book Worm Resin” by Brass Castle; “I Want Candy” by MC Chris. Ironically, the funniest (and actually best) song here is Mastodon’s “Cut You Up With a Linoleum Knife,” but listening before you see the movie will spoil the film’s funniest scene.

---

Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters Colon The Soundtrack Various (Williams Street)

 “Handle With Care” is a powerful-ass song. Through his verse for the cover version on Jenny Lewis’ solo album, Conor Oberst has absorbed the essence of Tom Petty. Not Damn the Torpedoes Petty, but maybe Wildflowers Petty.

2005’s I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning was Oberst recovering the Next Gram Parsons title Ryan Adams left at rehab. But with Cassadaga, it’s Jackson Browne who needs to watch his ass.

The recent semi-sweet Four Winds EP was not sufficient notice for taming the tremor in Oberst’s voice. I mean digging AM gold’s one thing, but he’s like bordering on actually going back in time here. At one point (“Make a Plan to Love Me”) he joins what have to be Nashville backup singers who were cryogenically frozen after recording a Charlie Rich single, and the combo overshoots ’70s yacht rock to the point of encroaching on Lawrence Welk’s turf.