Frusciante, as you may or may not know is the guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.... his solo stuff blows me away - from carefully controlled sonic bliss to raw acoustic masterpieces, his seven most recent albums (including six released in a six-month time period- like this beautiful relationship I could count on and savor for half a year) are all dear to me.
Frusciante conveys emotions beautifully and with sincerity - with otherworldly undertones, in some cases. His songs get better with each listen. The songs often make me feel as though I'm flying, or makes my eyes open a little wider or feel things more intensely. Music's effect at its purest.
I recommend "Shadows Collide with People" as a first dip into Frusciante's stuff.
Also check out Frusciante's side project Ataxia (with Joe Lally from FUGAZI and Josh Klinghoffer.) Delicious!
***
And now Mr. Lanegan....(remember him in Seattle's Screaming Trees and later as guest vocalist for Queens of the Stone Age?)....his work includes trademark whiskey-and-cigarettes voice laced into dead-slow rock-n-roll .... and sometimes the gravelly voice hits a soul-touching note in the more roots/gospel songs.
ANY of Lanegan's solo albums are worthy of checking out.... his most recent collaboration with Soulsavers (a UK release but Wooden Nickel had it in for me within a DAY!) is a gospel-tinged album that's as much about being lost as it is being saved. Poignant and raw with death and love and life themes running through it. This album came to me at the perfect time.
***
The Bicycle Thief is/was a side project (What? - so I like side projects!
) for Bob Forrest of Thelonious Monster and Josh Klinghoffer... the album You Come and Go Like a Pop Song is an introspective look at life and routine and relationships from the perspective of a newly recovered drug addict looking back over his shoulder. At once captivating, easy to rock out to, and a gut-wrenching late-night drive soundtrack. Now you know what's fueling my musical fantasies and making my life worth living. Do feel free to share your favorite musical escape.
