Guster

[mr_j]

are any of you folks fans of Guster? I think I recall James talking them up a few times. anyway, i got their new record, 'ganging up on the sun' and even though i haven't even finished listening to it, i really really really really love it. surprisingly, this is the first i've ever heard by them; i've always sort of thought they were a 'jam band' and avoided 'em. now i like what i've heard.

what should i hear next, in terms of their discography?

[mere1975]

They're on my list of "I Like This Band, I Need To Listen To Them More" bands.

- Mere "my brand of power pop goodness" 1975

[Sybil]

Oh, yes, I like Guster too. I liked the last one they had out - Keep It Together. Very catchy stuff. Even one of my daughter's Marilyn Manson-loving friends pronounced it "rockin".

Sybil

[yoyoyoandy]

their live album Guster on Ice is wonderful. it has a dvd with a live show included with the cd.. good stuff right there

[Steveums]

James guested with them in london sometime last year.

Some of my more idiotic friends enjoyed them when they supported, ahem, maroon five. oh dear. i'm sure they've got over it.

[James]

Guster often gets thrown into that jam band category for one reason or another, but probably because when they started out, they were two acoustic guitarists with a mad conga player. But the songs themselves have always been pop-rock oriented. Plus, they formed in Massachusetts, and there's plenty of that going on up there.

I first saw them in 1997, when they played in front of Frog Fountain to about 120 hippy wanna-be kids at my posh private University, along with me and a couple of my friends. I remember thinking they were pretty good live and I played some of their songs a lot on my radio show.

I lost track of them for one reason or another.

When Seth started tour managing them, I found myself at a show here in London and eventually playing with them on one of their new songs, Dear Valentine a couple of nights later. But the band I saw was miles away from the one I saw in 1997. They played a song called "Come Downstairs and Say Hello", which now ranks as one of my favourite songs ever. Their song writing has just gotten so good. Their music has gotten a lot more diverse, and now that they're a foursome, they're a lot fuller live.

"Ganging Up On The Sun" is their fifth record, but they're all good. I'd get them in reverse order, which is:
"Keep It Together"
"Lost And Gone Forever"
"Goldfly"
"Parachute"

As has been mentioned, Guster on Ice is awesome. They also have a lot of live records on itunes that are really great; they don't jam out a lot but they play some interesting things, and some of their own songs interestingly.

If you get the chance to see them live, do it. They're funny. And talented. And you might be lucky and get to hear a Violent Femmes or Belle & Sebastian Cover.

Alright I'll shut up now.

Oh, before I shut up though, go check out their website and watch all the makings of this new record. They're f'n hilarious, and well produced.

Ok, that's it...

[Tracy]

James, I'm so glad that they have "given" you this space on the forum since you're not blogging on MySpace any longer. You help me maintain my cool factor with my husband.

I shall check Guster out but in the meantime this was on their website, posted on 6/06:

• We're playing the Jay Leno TV Program and also the Craig Ferguson TV Program late in June. It's like three weeks away. Watch us, see if we screw up! You only get one take! And now we have some new tour dates to tell you about.....

BTW-that area in front of Frog Fountain is all torn up right now, I'm not sure exactly what they are doing but my recent high school graduate (and his parents) has academic orientation this Sunday and Monday so I'll be sure to ask.