In House #1727: Jeremy Enigk's World Waits; New Robert Pollard

This week sees the return of Jeremy Enigk, whose previous solo effort Return of the Frog Queen came out a decade ago. World Waits is the new release from the former voice of Sunny Day Real Estate and The Fire Theft, and it finds Enigk in a decidedly more mature frame of mind. The tones here are subtle and deliberate, occasionally rising to the kinds of crescendos for which his voice seems tailor-made, but often reminiscent more of Peter Gabriel rather than anything Enigk has done with his past bands. Enigk will be touring the U.S. throughout the month of November in support of World Waits, out on his own Lewis Hollow Recordings label.


Also recently out, also from the former frontman of a band associated with the 1990's, is the second release of 2006 from the ever-prolific Robert Pollard. Normal Happiness is the latest from the former Guided by Voices frontman, and it finds him in familiar territory: lo-fi, guitar-drenched, hook-filled tunes averaging two minutes a (power) pop. In many ways the release recalls the best of Pollard's Guided by Voices days, what with its breeze by length (16 songs in 35 minutes) and occasional off-the-cuff-ness. For those who may have thought that the dissolution of GBV also meant an end to Pollard's career as a songwriter, there are now two compelling pieces of evidence that suggest otherwise. Normal Happiness dropped last week on Merge.

Finally today, Chicago's Chin Up Chin Up recently released their second full length, This Harness Can't Ride Anything, on Suicide Squeeze. The release is their first since the tragic death of bassist Chris Saathoff in 2004, and features bass parts culled largely from his demos. The band is currently out touring in support of the new album with Cursive and The Thermals, and hits The Venue in Boise tonight.


In House #1727.
Airdate: 10/18/06
Focus: New releases from Jeremy Enigk, World Waits, and Robert Pollard, Normal Happiness. Plus new music from Chin Up Chin Up, playing Boise tonight, Bishop Allen, The Silent Years, and reissued Pavement.

BONUS MP3s-
Jeremy Enigk, from World Waits: "Been Here Before" (MP3)

Robert Pollard, from Normal Happiness: "Supernatural Car Lover" (MP3)

Chin Up Chin Up, from This Harness Can't Ride Anything:
"This Harness Can't Ride Anything" (MP3)

Pavement, from Wowee Zowee: Sordid Sentinels Edition (reissue, due Nov. 7th):
"Rattled By the Rush" (MP3)


PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #191