By Captain Beefheart, from Doc at the Radar Station
Don Van Vliet, aka Captain Beefheart, died of MS last weekend. I learned of it from a fellow traveler here in Blogistan, otherwise I'd be clueless.
I found Beefheart late in his music career. I was sixteen in 1980, listening to some fairly edgy stuff, like Robert Fripp, The Residents, Devo's first records, Zappa. I read a rave review, and picked up the new Beefheart (a good review was all it took back then, with disposable cash spilling out my pockets). One more record followed in 1982, then he gave up music to concentrate on his painting.
Doc at the Radar Station was a brutal thumping, with heavy rhythms, fractured blues guitars, the Captain alternately growling and screaming his poetry, occasional stretches of atonal saxophone. It was love at first listen. Not quite the sound of anarchy, maybe of a society near collapse.
I almost went with a performance clip here, but decided that the uninitiated might get a better taste with lyrics deciphered. Rock on, Captain.
"Somebody's had too much to think"
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Rhode Island Is Famous For You
Erin McKeown, from Sing You Sinners
Yep, another quirky female singer-songwriter. I'm just in a mood.
This video is actually two songs, a cover of a song Blossom Dearie made famous in olden times, and a McKeown original called "Melody".
Pencils come from Pencilvania,
Vests from Vest Virginia,
Tents from Tenntessee
Yep, another quirky female singer-songwriter. I'm just in a mood.
This video is actually two songs, a cover of a song Blossom Dearie made famous in olden times, and a McKeown original called "Melody".
Pencils come from Pencilvania,
Vests from Vest Virginia,
Tents from Tenntessee
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Verdi Cries
By 10,000 Maniacs, from In My Tribe
One of my favorite bands in the '80s. Unusually literate, with Natalie Merchant having her first go at fame. I adored her, but my wife disliked her voice, and what she described as the sameness of her songs and limited vocal range.
Still, we managed to see them twice. The first was on the Kentucky campus, opening for REM on their Fables of the Reconstruction tour (1985). The Maniacs were new to me, but I liked their set better than REM's (not a big fan of Fables). Natalie was such a free spirit, spinning on stage in a gauzy skirt and mary janes. We saw them again 2 or 3 years later at Bogart's in Cincinnati. They had graduated to the main act, supporting their incredible In My Tribe. Opening for them was an unknown Tracy Chapman, with only a guitar, just prior to her debut's release.
"Verdi Cries" is the last song on In My Tribe, ending with a gorgeous string coda. The cello has made me cry on more than one occasion.
One of my favorite bands in the '80s. Unusually literate, with Natalie Merchant having her first go at fame. I adored her, but my wife disliked her voice, and what she described as the sameness of her songs and limited vocal range.
Still, we managed to see them twice. The first was on the Kentucky campus, opening for REM on their Fables of the Reconstruction tour (1985). The Maniacs were new to me, but I liked their set better than REM's (not a big fan of Fables). Natalie was such a free spirit, spinning on stage in a gauzy skirt and mary janes. We saw them again 2 or 3 years later at Bogart's in Cincinnati. They had graduated to the main act, supporting their incredible In My Tribe. Opening for them was an unknown Tracy Chapman, with only a guitar, just prior to her debut's release.
"Verdi Cries" is the last song on In My Tribe, ending with a gorgeous string coda. The cello has made me cry on more than one occasion.
Friday, November 19, 2010
A Horse in the Country
Cowboy Junkies, from Black Eyed Man
Cowboy Junkies debuted in 1986 with The Trinity Sessions, recorded in an abandoned church. Critics loved it. Luckily, I didn't start with that one, as I wouldn't have gone back to the well. The disc has a dynamic range running from soft and slow to softer and slower. Despite the beauty of the performance and arrangements, I always have difficulty staying awake through the whole record.
Black Eyed Man, from 1992, still has the sleepy vocals of the gorgeous Margo Timmins, but the band isn't afraid to dig in. These are deep songs with complex narratives and emotions, and repeated listens are rewarding. "A Horse in the Country" became a favorite because I can play it on the guitar, and the song is within my vocal range.
These Canadians are still at it, getting strong reviews for the new Renmin Park.
But lately it just seems to me
That this life has lost its mystery
Cowboy Junkies debuted in 1986 with The Trinity Sessions, recorded in an abandoned church. Critics loved it. Luckily, I didn't start with that one, as I wouldn't have gone back to the well. The disc has a dynamic range running from soft and slow to softer and slower. Despite the beauty of the performance and arrangements, I always have difficulty staying awake through the whole record.
Black Eyed Man, from 1992, still has the sleepy vocals of the gorgeous Margo Timmins, but the band isn't afraid to dig in. These are deep songs with complex narratives and emotions, and repeated listens are rewarding. "A Horse in the Country" became a favorite because I can play it on the guitar, and the song is within my vocal range.
These Canadians are still at it, getting strong reviews for the new Renmin Park.
But lately it just seems to me
That this life has lost its mystery
Monday, November 15, 2010
Landed
Ben Folds, from Songs for Silverman
Though he started with a reputation for silliness, Ben Folds has become an accomplished writer and performer. His first big hit was "Brick", a story of taking his girlfriend to the clinic on Christmas for an abortion. Yeah, heavy, but a strong emotional grounding, and an engaging subtlety.
Songs for Silverman is a beautifully produced record, and choosing a song to share was difficult. "Jesusland" almost won out, but "Landed" hits me harder. Between the melodic piano and the lush strings and the high tenor, this sounds like vintage Elton John. If Gus Dudgeon wasn't dead, I'd swear he had produced it. The longing and regret of the lyrics always grabs me where I live. The bridge always makes me well up.
If you wrote me off, I'd understand it,
'Cause I've been on some other planet,
So come pick me up, I've landed.
Though he started with a reputation for silliness, Ben Folds has become an accomplished writer and performer. His first big hit was "Brick", a story of taking his girlfriend to the clinic on Christmas for an abortion. Yeah, heavy, but a strong emotional grounding, and an engaging subtlety.
Songs for Silverman is a beautifully produced record, and choosing a song to share was difficult. "Jesusland" almost won out, but "Landed" hits me harder. Between the melodic piano and the lush strings and the high tenor, this sounds like vintage Elton John. If Gus Dudgeon wasn't dead, I'd swear he had produced it. The longing and regret of the lyrics always grabs me where I live. The bridge always makes me well up.
If you wrote me off, I'd understand it,
'Cause I've been on some other planet,
So come pick me up, I've landed.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Happy Birthday, John
Always my favorite Beatle. They were all very witty, but there was a darker edge to John, and that spoke to me.
I remember a Tuesday morning in December, 1980. I woke and sat down to breakfast. My father said, "One of your heroes died last night." He didn't say it with any malice, but not with any sadness either. He is fairly liberal, but I think he regarded Lennon as a radical. Not really a Beatles fan.
I didn't fully comprehend the news till I got to school. It was all that anyone was talking about, although, being 16, I can't imagine many of us really had much first hand knowledge of the Beatles. Still, it was a somber day. When I got home, the news was showing the huge crowds crying and singing outside the Dakota. The magnitude of the loss began to come into focus.
The two deaths that have affected me most in the world of music were John Lennon and Kurt Cobain. Cobain died on my 30th birthday. I don't know that I have ever cried about either death, but both left me feeling empty, like I'd lost a piece of myself. I don't know if that void ever gets filled again.
I think John's best solo work was his first, Plastic Ono Band. He was going through primal scream therapy at the time, and the wounds of his life were laid bare. These are songs that I have cried over, "God," and "Mother," and here, "Working Class Hero."
I remember a Tuesday morning in December, 1980. I woke and sat down to breakfast. My father said, "One of your heroes died last night." He didn't say it with any malice, but not with any sadness either. He is fairly liberal, but I think he regarded Lennon as a radical. Not really a Beatles fan.
I didn't fully comprehend the news till I got to school. It was all that anyone was talking about, although, being 16, I can't imagine many of us really had much first hand knowledge of the Beatles. Still, it was a somber day. When I got home, the news was showing the huge crowds crying and singing outside the Dakota. The magnitude of the loss began to come into focus.
The two deaths that have affected me most in the world of music were John Lennon and Kurt Cobain. Cobain died on my 30th birthday. I don't know that I have ever cried about either death, but both left me feeling empty, like I'd lost a piece of myself. I don't know if that void ever gets filled again.
I think John's best solo work was his first, Plastic Ono Band. He was going through primal scream therapy at the time, and the wounds of his life were laid bare. These are songs that I have cried over, "God," and "Mother," and here, "Working Class Hero."
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Hold On
Tom Waits, from Mule Variations
Yes, I know, I will soon fill this blog with songs called "Hold On". I might even make it a running gag. But I will have to like the song, and I really like this one. I was inspired to share this one by my new friend, Penny. We share a lot of common ground musically, with Tom Waits at the top of the list. If you haven't visited her yet, get on it!
Mule Variations was released in the early Aughts. Waits' music falls into several categories, and this record includes most of them: fractured gospel, corrosive stomps, creepy spoken word, and hypersentimental balladry. "Hold On" falls into the last group. The people in his songs come from the underside of society, rife with flaws, but struggling to find love. Their hearts are usually in the right place.
Well, go ahead and call the cops,
You don't meet nice girls in coffee shops.
Yes, I know, I will soon fill this blog with songs called "Hold On". I might even make it a running gag. But I will have to like the song, and I really like this one. I was inspired to share this one by my new friend, Penny. We share a lot of common ground musically, with Tom Waits at the top of the list. If you haven't visited her yet, get on it!
Mule Variations was released in the early Aughts. Waits' music falls into several categories, and this record includes most of them: fractured gospel, corrosive stomps, creepy spoken word, and hypersentimental balladry. "Hold On" falls into the last group. The people in his songs come from the underside of society, rife with flaws, but struggling to find love. Their hearts are usually in the right place.
Well, go ahead and call the cops,
You don't meet nice girls in coffee shops.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Three More Days
by Ray LaMontague, from Till the Sun Turns Black
From the shoe factories of New England comes a singer-songwriter who draws favorable comparisons to Otis Redding and Van Morrison. His fifth album has just been released, but this is the first single from his second album. I dig the intensity of his vocals, and the horn charts are terrific. This is music for grown-ups--thoughtful, soulful, longing.
From the shoe factories of New England comes a singer-songwriter who draws favorable comparisons to Otis Redding and Van Morrison. His fifth album has just been released, but this is the first single from his second album. I dig the intensity of his vocals, and the horn charts are terrific. This is music for grown-ups--thoughtful, soulful, longing.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Call Out the Military
From Living Room! by Richard X. Heyman
!988? Not a great year for music, if I recall, but it saw the LP debut of one Richard X. Heyman. Heyman is from the burbs of Jersey, and has been kicking around the music business since the late sixties. Rolling Stone raved about Living Room!, but it failed to catch on with the public.
Most of Heyman's recordings are DIY one-man band efforts, like Mike Oldfield or Todd Rundgren, and recorded in his own living room studio. I first heard him in 2002, when he came around to a local radio station to promote Basic Glee. He started as a drummer, but his songs are smart, dense, melodic slices of guitar-driven power pop. He's never had any major promotion, but his music is worth searching out. If you like this, check out his website.
!988? Not a great year for music, if I recall, but it saw the LP debut of one Richard X. Heyman. Heyman is from the burbs of Jersey, and has been kicking around the music business since the late sixties. Rolling Stone raved about Living Room!, but it failed to catch on with the public.
Most of Heyman's recordings are DIY one-man band efforts, like Mike Oldfield or Todd Rundgren, and recorded in his own living room studio. I first heard him in 2002, when he came around to a local radio station to promote Basic Glee. He started as a drummer, but his songs are smart, dense, melodic slices of guitar-driven power pop. He's never had any major promotion, but his music is worth searching out. If you like this, check out his website.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Hold On, Hold On
Neko Case, from Fox Confessor Brings the Flood.
I first heard Neko Case as a featured vocalist with The New Pornographers. I was dazzled. She's also got solo albums dating back more than a decade. This is from 2005, a flawless record.
A voice as big as all outdoors, in the service of great songs. Kind of a high octane version of Cowboy Junkies. There is a great concern for wildlife in her music, but it's not always on the surface of the lyrics. Some might call them inscrutable, but like so much of my favorite music, it gives up its secrets a little at a time with repeated listening. She's the real deal.
I first heard Neko Case as a featured vocalist with The New Pornographers. I was dazzled. She's also got solo albums dating back more than a decade. This is from 2005, a flawless record.
A voice as big as all outdoors, in the service of great songs. Kind of a high octane version of Cowboy Junkies. There is a great concern for wildlife in her music, but it's not always on the surface of the lyrics. Some might call them inscrutable, but like so much of my favorite music, it gives up its secrets a little at a time with repeated listening. She's the real deal.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Stupefaction
Since I can't figure out an MP3 solution, I'll just have to live with Youtube. I actually dislike music video for the most part. It forever changes the way one hears a song, cementing a visual that is frequently half-assed low-budget patchwork. Did I mention that I don't care for videos? I'm going to see about getting some video for my earlier entries, too.
Graham Parker was one third of my New British Invasion triumvirate of heroes, with Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson. Only Elvis stayed with me for the long haul, but the other two had their day. I loved the cynicism. These guys were misanthropes through and through, just as I was. Parker's contempt for humanity comes shining through on "Stupefaction" from The Up Escalator. His fame was on the wane at this point (1980), certainly in the US. Parker has continued to put out strong music, without the stylistic transformations of Jackson and Costello.
I'm no longer as bitter as I was, and I cut humanity a bit of slack now, but I have sweet memories of this song.
I can't see the point
But I see the attraction
Graham Parker was one third of my New British Invasion triumvirate of heroes, with Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson. Only Elvis stayed with me for the long haul, but the other two had their day. I loved the cynicism. These guys were misanthropes through and through, just as I was. Parker's contempt for humanity comes shining through on "Stupefaction" from The Up Escalator. His fame was on the wane at this point (1980), certainly in the US. Parker has continued to put out strong music, without the stylistic transformations of Jackson and Costello.
I'm no longer as bitter as I was, and I cut humanity a bit of slack now, but I have sweet memories of this song.
I can't see the point
But I see the attraction
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Post Poll Wrapup
I never know what to say after a poll closes. I can safely conclude that some of you play instruments (at least 12 besides me), and most play guitar and/or piano. The comments were much more entertaining than the poll itself, as it should be. Anecdotes are always better than statistics, right? Right!
My apologies for ignoring this blog so much recently. It nags at me, but I just feel that a music blog without any actual music on it is criminally insufficient. I've been looking for some kind of mp3 player that I could embed, but I haven't seen anything that I trust. Understand that we have two computers out of commission right now due to viruses piggybacking on downloads. I feel very leery of them as a result. Perhaps I could utilize Youtube embeds, but I'm not yet convinced. Any ideas out there? I am fairly savvy about many things, but technology is not one of them. Any help would be appreciated.
Rock on!
My apologies for ignoring this blog so much recently. It nags at me, but I just feel that a music blog without any actual music on it is criminally insufficient. I've been looking for some kind of mp3 player that I could embed, but I haven't seen anything that I trust. Understand that we have two computers out of commission right now due to viruses piggybacking on downloads. I feel very leery of them as a result. Perhaps I could utilize Youtube embeds, but I'm not yet convinced. Any ideas out there? I am fairly savvy about many things, but technology is not one of them. Any help would be appreciated.
Rock on!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Poll: Do You Play?
Usually, I write here about music I'm listening to. After picking up my guitar for the first time in months, I started thinking about the creative end.
I'd like to know about the instruments you play. I don't care if you are proficient; most people aren't. If playing is a recreational activity for you, if you are able to pick out a tune of some sort or lay down a beat, that's good enough for me.
I am an actively mediocre guitarist, but I will also take credit for the piano. I took lessons for about three years in middle scchool. I don't remember any pieces, but I can still find my way around a keyboard and sheet music if I need to. I am also an awesome air drummer, but all my efforts at translating that to real drums have failed, so I won't claim percussion.
I hope you can see that this is wide open, with only the most modest of criteria. I can't make a poll with every instrument, so there are some general categories to take in some more uncommon instruments. If you choose a group category, I invite you to comment and get specific.
I'd like to know about the instruments you play. I don't care if you are proficient; most people aren't. If playing is a recreational activity for you, if you are able to pick out a tune of some sort or lay down a beat, that's good enough for me.
I am an actively mediocre guitarist, but I will also take credit for the piano. I took lessons for about three years in middle scchool. I don't remember any pieces, but I can still find my way around a keyboard and sheet music if I need to. I am also an awesome air drummer, but all my efforts at translating that to real drums have failed, so I won't claim percussion.
I hope you can see that this is wide open, with only the most modest of criteria. I can't make a poll with every instrument, so there are some general categories to take in some more uncommon instruments. If you choose a group category, I invite you to comment and get specific.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Lip Service
From This Year's Model by Elvis Costello.
The whole album remains a huge touchstone for me, over thirty years down the road. I hate to say that he peaked so early, and there were other high points, but there, I've said it. He never did better than this. For me, the album is intractably linked to the repressed anger that was my internal life in my teen years. The powerlessness, the humiliations, the rejection by the fairer sex. It's all here, and much more articulate than I was at the time. Where I was left speechless, Elvis spoke for me.
"Lip Service" is built on a strummed 12-string riff, much brighter musically than the lyrics would warrant. The singer appears to have gone with the preemptive strike, rejecting before he can be rejected. Going through the motions, with sincerity the fallen victim.
"When did you become so choosy?
Don't act like you're above me,
Just look at your shoes."
"Lip service is all you'll ever get from me"
The whole album remains a huge touchstone for me, over thirty years down the road. I hate to say that he peaked so early, and there were other high points, but there, I've said it. He never did better than this. For me, the album is intractably linked to the repressed anger that was my internal life in my teen years. The powerlessness, the humiliations, the rejection by the fairer sex. It's all here, and much more articulate than I was at the time. Where I was left speechless, Elvis spoke for me.
"Lip Service" is built on a strummed 12-string riff, much brighter musically than the lyrics would warrant. The singer appears to have gone with the preemptive strike, rejecting before he can be rejected. Going through the motions, with sincerity the fallen victim.
"When did you become so choosy?
Don't act like you're above me,
Just look at your shoes."
"Lip service is all you'll ever get from me"
Monday, May 10, 2010
The Correct Answer Is...
Well, I can't say that went as expected. The miniscule masses have spoken and it is a tie. Rubber Soul and "I hate The Beatles" both garnered 3 votes. The former is not a bad choice, really, but the latter is just unacceptable. Imagine, haters hanging around the house of love that this blog embodies! Well, I never! Alas, to each her own.
Happily, my brother weighed in with the correct answer, Revolver. Yep, you were all wrong, except those related to me. Let me explain as pompously and verbosely as I can muster.
Rubber Soul is a great record, especially the British version that is now the standard. "Nowhere Man" alone would almost have me voting for it. The Beatles grew up on Rubber Soul. They began to take chances with form and content, witness "Norwegian Wood". A remarkable endeavor that has aged very well. Yet, Rubber Soul was just crossing the threshold into a new world.
Revolver is as near perfection as any recording by anyone. My brother, in his comment, said it very well: "It marks that delicate place at the top of the arc, just after they perfected the three-minute pop song, and just before they blew it up." No two songs sound similar. This was the peak, still ambitious, without the egoism that got in the way later. Paul's songs gleam with a highly polished pop gloss. George had his strongest outing pre-Abbey Road. And John opened the door to the Sgt. Pepper room with "Tomorrow Never Knows." Not a weak or dull song anywhere.
Sgt. Pepper, on the other hand, does get dull and weak in spots. The first concept album, and the first flawed concept album. The great parts (the title song, "Good Morning," "A Day in the Life") are outstanding. But there is filler. Good filler like "Lovely Rita" or "Fixing a Hole," and bad filler like "She's Leaving Home" and "Within You Without You." The record sounds forever an artifact of the summer of '67, terribly dated by its gimmickry. A lovely listen, but overcooked.
Magical Mystery Tour was originally released as a double EP: The soundtrack of the horrid TV film directed by Paul, and a disc of odds and ends. The soundtrack has only the title song and "I Am the Walrus" to recommend it. The second disc fares better, with "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields Forever." But the semi-listenable curiosities like "Your Mother Should Know" and "Blue Jay Way" drag the whole affair down. Truly the first big artistic failure the band had encountered.
The White Album is a favorite of many, but it is bloated with disposable filler. It would have been a truly great single disc, but everyone had songs that just had to be included. It's no coincidence that the record comes with four individual photos of the band members, not a group shot. They were not working as a unit any longer, and the product suffered. Some of their greatest songs are included here, but wading through the ankle deep crap like "Rocky Raccoon" or "Yer Blues" or "Revolution 9" makes you work for the pleasure.
Let It Be is where the stress fractures became compound. The recording sessions were a disaster, with the band even breaking up briefly under the strain of being together. Paul made himself boss and alienated everyone. The sessions were mixed and mastered by more than one producer. Glyn Johns, later of Who's Next fame, had his version rejected. Paul wound up giving the job to Phil Spector, who butchered it for posterity. The record has some brilliant songs, including "Two of Us" and "Let It Be", but mostly it shambles along, leaving one to wonder what would have resulted at the hand of George Martin.
The band pulled themselves off the mat with a terrific swan song in Abbey Road. It's not perfect, but neither is it hard to listen to. The mini pop-opera that closes the disc is truly inspired and thrilling, and George gives hints of imminent greatness to come. This is the work of a veteran band, concentrating on making a group effort for a change. This record holds up incredibly well over time.
There ya go, the truth as I see it. Thanks to all who voted. I think a Bowie poll seems to be the consensus for the next go-round, so I'll get on that soon. Rock on!
Happily, my brother weighed in with the correct answer, Revolver. Yep, you were all wrong, except those related to me. Let me explain as pompously and verbosely as I can muster.
Rubber Soul is a great record, especially the British version that is now the standard. "Nowhere Man" alone would almost have me voting for it. The Beatles grew up on Rubber Soul. They began to take chances with form and content, witness "Norwegian Wood". A remarkable endeavor that has aged very well. Yet, Rubber Soul was just crossing the threshold into a new world.
Revolver is as near perfection as any recording by anyone. My brother, in his comment, said it very well: "It marks that delicate place at the top of the arc, just after they perfected the three-minute pop song, and just before they blew it up." No two songs sound similar. This was the peak, still ambitious, without the egoism that got in the way later. Paul's songs gleam with a highly polished pop gloss. George had his strongest outing pre-Abbey Road. And John opened the door to the Sgt. Pepper room with "Tomorrow Never Knows." Not a weak or dull song anywhere.
Sgt. Pepper, on the other hand, does get dull and weak in spots. The first concept album, and the first flawed concept album. The great parts (the title song, "Good Morning," "A Day in the Life") are outstanding. But there is filler. Good filler like "Lovely Rita" or "Fixing a Hole," and bad filler like "She's Leaving Home" and "Within You Without You." The record sounds forever an artifact of the summer of '67, terribly dated by its gimmickry. A lovely listen, but overcooked.
Magical Mystery Tour was originally released as a double EP: The soundtrack of the horrid TV film directed by Paul, and a disc of odds and ends. The soundtrack has only the title song and "I Am the Walrus" to recommend it. The second disc fares better, with "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields Forever." But the semi-listenable curiosities like "Your Mother Should Know" and "Blue Jay Way" drag the whole affair down. Truly the first big artistic failure the band had encountered.
The White Album is a favorite of many, but it is bloated with disposable filler. It would have been a truly great single disc, but everyone had songs that just had to be included. It's no coincidence that the record comes with four individual photos of the band members, not a group shot. They were not working as a unit any longer, and the product suffered. Some of their greatest songs are included here, but wading through the ankle deep crap like "Rocky Raccoon" or "Yer Blues" or "Revolution 9" makes you work for the pleasure.
Let It Be is where the stress fractures became compound. The recording sessions were a disaster, with the band even breaking up briefly under the strain of being together. Paul made himself boss and alienated everyone. The sessions were mixed and mastered by more than one producer. Glyn Johns, later of Who's Next fame, had his version rejected. Paul wound up giving the job to Phil Spector, who butchered it for posterity. The record has some brilliant songs, including "Two of Us" and "Let It Be", but mostly it shambles along, leaving one to wonder what would have resulted at the hand of George Martin.
The band pulled themselves off the mat with a terrific swan song in Abbey Road. It's not perfect, but neither is it hard to listen to. The mini pop-opera that closes the disc is truly inspired and thrilling, and George gives hints of imminent greatness to come. This is the work of a veteran band, concentrating on making a group effort for a change. This record holds up incredibly well over time.
There ya go, the truth as I see it. Thanks to all who voted. I think a Bowie poll seems to be the consensus for the next go-round, so I'll get on that soon. Rock on!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Polling Place
Time to kick this up a notch. Let's do a poll.
For me, pop music begins with The Beatles. I believe that one can know a lot about a person by their favorite Beatles album. And I am only referring to the albums that were conceived and created as whole albums, not song collections like Meet the Beatles or Beatles For Sale. Technically, Magical Mystery Tour falls under this rule, too, but I will let it slip through the dragnet.
So I want to know what camp you fall into. I have definite ideas about each of the seven records that I'm including, but I won't bias anyone by hinting about my favorite. I know everyone would just want to emulate me. Ha! Don't be like me.
So, vote, and I'd love to have a comment arguing your choice, if you have the courage of your convictions. Rock on!
For me, pop music begins with The Beatles. I believe that one can know a lot about a person by their favorite Beatles album. And I am only referring to the albums that were conceived and created as whole albums, not song collections like Meet the Beatles or Beatles For Sale. Technically, Magical Mystery Tour falls under this rule, too, but I will let it slip through the dragnet.
So I want to know what camp you fall into. I have definite ideas about each of the seven records that I'm including, but I won't bias anyone by hinting about my favorite. I know everyone would just want to emulate me. Ha! Don't be like me.
So, vote, and I'd love to have a comment arguing your choice, if you have the courage of your convictions. Rock on!
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Johnny Strikes Up the Band
By Warren Zevon.
The first track on his commercial breakthrough, Excitable Boy. This record holds a special place for me. It was the second album I ever owned, after Sgt. Pepper. It's a little more poppy and accessible than his debut, but still very dark in its content. This song serves as a hope-filled intro to an album featuring werewolves, headless Thompson gunners, rapists, and (eek!) lawyers.
"And Johnny is my main man,
He's the keeper of the keys,
He'll put your mind at ease,
He's guaranteed to please,
Back by popular demand"
The first track on his commercial breakthrough, Excitable Boy. This record holds a special place for me. It was the second album I ever owned, after Sgt. Pepper. It's a little more poppy and accessible than his debut, but still very dark in its content. This song serves as a hope-filled intro to an album featuring werewolves, headless Thompson gunners, rapists, and (eek!) lawyers.
"And Johnny is my main man,
He's the keeper of the keys,
He'll put your mind at ease,
He's guaranteed to please,
Back by popular demand"
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
The Underdog
By Spoon, from Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga.
They've been around since the mid 90's, but I only found them with this record a couple years back.
Propulsive acoustic guitar, then huge horns (like Simon & Garfunkel's "Baby Driver") and sleigh bells for the chorus and breaks. Great dynamics, raspy impassioned singing. What's not to like? A hard song to shake once it's in your head, but why would you want to?
"You got no time for the messenger,
Got no regard for the thing that you don't understand,
You got no fear of the underdog,
That's why you will not survive"
They've been around since the mid 90's, but I only found them with this record a couple years back.
Propulsive acoustic guitar, then huge horns (like Simon & Garfunkel's "Baby Driver") and sleigh bells for the chorus and breaks. Great dynamics, raspy impassioned singing. What's not to like? A hard song to shake once it's in your head, but why would you want to?
"You got no time for the messenger,
Got no regard for the thing that you don't understand,
You got no fear of the underdog,
That's why you will not survive"
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Everything to Everyone
By Everclear, from So Much For the Afterglow.
(Psst, new blog at Out of My Mind. Pass it on...)
I love this entire album, not a bad song on it. What I love is the emotional depth. Art Alexakis shares his deepest heartbreaks: absent father, Mom's nervous breakdown, growing up in the projects, addicted girlfriends. Beneath the pop rock veneer, this is very raw material. This is heresy, I know, but it reminds me of John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band. Not as primal, much shinier production, but the emotional core of pain is similar. Okay, string me up for hyperbole, but I believe it. (I don't believe in Beatles. I just believe in me, Everclear and me. That's reality.)
"I think you are blind to the fact that the hand you hold is the hand that holds you down"
(Psst, new blog at Out of My Mind. Pass it on...)
I love this entire album, not a bad song on it. What I love is the emotional depth. Art Alexakis shares his deepest heartbreaks: absent father, Mom's nervous breakdown, growing up in the projects, addicted girlfriends. Beneath the pop rock veneer, this is very raw material. This is heresy, I know, but it reminds me of John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band. Not as primal, much shinier production, but the emotional core of pain is similar. Okay, string me up for hyperbole, but I believe it. (I don't believe in Beatles. I just believe in me, Everclear and me. That's reality.)
"I think you are blind to the fact that the hand you hold is the hand that holds you down"
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Idiot Wind
From Bob Dylan's 1974 classic, Blood on the Tracks.
I have often gravitated toward angry music. Anger was a major theme in my life, and music that reflected that served as a catharsis. Dylan provided two of my favorite songs to seethe by, "Positively 4th Street" and "Idiot Wind". This is assuredly the lesser of the two, wheezing along for eight minutes, but with the added bonus of paranoia. How do I hate thee? Let me count the ways.
This song has an unusual chord progression, making it an interesting one to play on the guitar, as well. I'll delve into my favorite songs to play and sing some other time.
"You hurt the ones that I love best and cover the truth with lies,
One day you'll be in the ditch, flies buzzing around your eyes,
Blood on your saddle"
I have often gravitated toward angry music. Anger was a major theme in my life, and music that reflected that served as a catharsis. Dylan provided two of my favorite songs to seethe by, "Positively 4th Street" and "Idiot Wind". This is assuredly the lesser of the two, wheezing along for eight minutes, but with the added bonus of paranoia. How do I hate thee? Let me count the ways.
This song has an unusual chord progression, making it an interesting one to play on the guitar, as well. I'll delve into my favorite songs to play and sing some other time.
"You hurt the ones that I love best and cover the truth with lies,
One day you'll be in the ditch, flies buzzing around your eyes,
Blood on your saddle"
Gateway
Music is a passion of mine, but only one of several. This blog is intended to focus on only music, though it will also announce when I have posted to my older, now private, blog. My musical tastes are eclectic, but seldom veer into the truly obscure. If I can plant a few positive earworms, or get people sampling great music that is new to them, more's the better.
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