those we miss you'll surely pardon

Anyone up for some yard work? It’s not as “cool” as going to a Death Cab For Cutie show and getting vomited on by a Boston University co-ed, but it’s infinitely more rewarding. After spending a long day pulling weeds and mulching, there’s nothing finer than sitting out on the patio and watching the sun set, the scent of lavender in the air.

The Cure – The Hanging Garden (from Pornography, 1982) – The wife and I disagree on which is the best Cure album. I prefer the stark minimalism of Seventeen Seconds; she makes her case for the oppressive richness of Pornography. No, we’re not getting a divorce.

Manic Hispanic – Uncle Chato’s Garden (from The Recline of Mexican Civilization, 2001) – A clever reworking of Bad Religion’s “Atomic Garden” by an LA-based Chicano humor punk supergroup.

The Darkness – English Country Garden (from One Way Ticket To Hell…And Back, 2005) – As much as I hate acts like Kiss, Ted Nugent, and Grand Funk Railroad, the demise of traditional rock, or “RAWK”, saddens me. Like non-superstore department stores, trad rock just kind of faded away while we weren’t looking. The older bands have retreated to the depressing purgatory of the summer reunion tour circuit, coasting on past glories for the benefit of a fanbase looking to fend off the long gray twilight of middle age.

At least there’s the Darkness to keep the fires lit a while longer. I appreciate how the band chooses to maintain their coy “are we sincere, or are we spoofing” stance regarding their music. There’s too much facile irony these days, either from college rock hipsters doing piss takes of classic rock songs or from emo-fied pretty boys wearing vintage band shirts as they warble out their whiny cookie cutter product.

The Toy Dolls – Up the Garden Path (from Dig That Groove Baby, 1983) – If you can get past Michael “Olga” Algar’s idiosyncratic (think cartoon chipmunk) vocals, you’ll find a first rate band playing revved up punk rock with a great sense of humor and an eye for the often poignant details of everyday life.