No wonder there has been no new Wolfmother album, Marty Willson-Piper, HBO

This is what I wrote about Wolfmother on 1/28/08...

...Anyhoo, if your head has been buried in the sand for the last year or so and you haven't picked up the Wolfmother CD yet, do it. Instant classic - curious to see if these guys have staying power. My guess is yes just because this album really is multilayered and while it threatens to sound like a hodgepodge of every rock influence these guys grew up with at times, it's still just so damn good (and damn heavy) that the Pink Floyd prog influences, Jethro Tull passages, Zeppelin attempted mysticism, and White Stripes ripoffs are all totally welcome, and still totally Wolfmother at the end of the day - a totally unoriginal original masterpiece...

So... I was just jamming this the other day and wondering to myself what the heck these guys were up to since it's been almost 3 years since this album debuted, and sure enough - they broke up in August. Arrgghh. Apparently the singer has recruited new members to form a new Wolfmother - we'll see how that goes I guess while the former bassist and drummer work on their own project. Soooo disappointing. One and done.

The last time Marty Willson-Piper was in town at the Magic Bag in Ferndale (amazing show by the way) I picked up both Noctorum discs (his side project with Dare Mason) along with his new solo album Nightjar at the show. Between the expansive catalogue of The Church and the output of the individual members it is hard to digest it all because it would practically require listening to not much of anything else. Sometimes I have to put their stuff "on deck" and work it in gradually. The third of the three I'm just getting to now is Sparks Lane - the first Noctorum album. There is some great stuff on here but I think the second Noctorum album Offer The Light is a little better all the way through. The best stuff on Sparks holds up just fine with the best of Offer, but Offer is shaping up to be one of my favorites in the Church expanded universe. It's got a little of everything - the standard Marty Willson-Piper jangly pop, sugar sweet ballads, some spacey stuff and a couple of jams that really rock. Nightjar is great as well but for Marty's solo work I might start with Hanging Out In Heaven. It's a tough call.

HBO continues to turn out the best shows by far - last night's episode of Big Love was insane, Flight of The Conchords continues to be hilarious, and the new one Eastbound and Down is AWESOME. I got into a laughing fit watching it last night after watching Kenny's display at the school dance. One of the funniest scenes I have ever witnessed on TV - laughed myself into a total mess. That's only happened to me like that a few times ever from a TV show.