Weekend Mix/Red Red MEAT Puppets

After a long break The Meat Puppets dropped a new album a couple weeks ago which reminded me how much I liked "Meat Puppets II" back in the day.
I like "Dusty Notes" (2019) quite a bit. It's a reunion of the original members, Kirkwood brothers and drummer Derrick Bostrom, and does and doesn't sound like their past work in all the right ways.
Somehow I got it into my head to make a mix with Red Red Meat. I couldn't resist the title.
Turns out they go well together, both being dominated by guitar, and playing unique combinations of twisted Americana and punk rock, with Red Red Meat covering the blues, while The Meat Puppets traffic in country twang. At times they both resemble REM at their pre-MSG prime.

It plays kinda like an indie "Exile On Main Street" with quite a bit of territory explored and plenty of hooks. The two principal songwriters play well off one another, and their voices compliment in a virtual band-ish way. Here's the first two:

Red Red Meat material recorded between 1992-1997
I'm not a fan of the MTV era Meat Puppets after Kurt pulled them out of oblivion and onstage for Nirvana Unplugged. That attention caused them to disband.
By then there was only one original member.
The Meat Puppets material included here(1984-95, 2019) largely skips that period.

Red Red MEAT Puppets

Red Red Meat Puppets II

Enjoy!

-BBJ

What's a Fernweh?

Everyone likes a good cover version, yes? But what about when someone tells you that your favorite song off of your favorite album of all time is the new single from a band you never heard of before?

I was not amused.  I refused to listen, much in the same way I would refuse to see Ralph Macchio play Stanley Kowalski.

Instead, I decided to listen to the band's debut record, which my friend highly recommended and as it turned out, I really liked The Fernweh. Released last year, The Fernweh is a solid record sounding a bit like the British folk and prog I love so much---Fairport Convention, Strawbs, Bert Jansch---with a hint of Syd Barrett psychedelia---and a touch of Echo & The Bunnymen. Or, you can take what Spotify has to say about them:

"The Fernweh was created by three musicians, Jamie Backhouse, Ned Crowther & Austin Murphy, who wanted to make a record that embodied their love of British folk & psychedelia. Three years in the making, their eponymous debut album brings together a collection of songs that examine childhood nostalgia, memory and loss through a distinctly British lens - a creative strand that runs through many of the group’s influences: Anne Briggs, The Zombies, Frederick Delius, Basil Kirchin, Fairport Convention & Joy Division (See Junk - One Hundred Fixes For The Fernweh)."

The Ferweh passed my test and out of respect, I decided I'd listen to their new single, a cover of "Sunrise," my favorite song off of my favorite album, "The Who Sell Out." It's at the top, and I don't hate it. I am not even remotely offended. It's quite good.

Phew.

Check out the debut by The Fernweh or just start with the two tracks I've posted here.

Records, Vinyl, Wants, Needs, Bought & Sold

Twice a year, if that, I use this space to reach out to all of you regarding your vinyl collections. I have made a living buying and selling records and CDs for almost 30 years. More like 40, if you count the early years when it was more of a part time job. But with the vinyl fetish reaching a fever pitch of obnoxcocity---I made that up--- it has become increasingly more difficult to acquire collections. You see, everyone thinks they have gold.

A good condition copy of "Beatles '65" is worth about as much as a great condition copy of "Beatles '65, which is about nothing. But it's hard to convince people of that, because it's The Beatles and, well, people think they know everything. Also, many just don't want to give up their collections, even though both turntable and collection have been in storage for years. The worst of it comes from those who think they can sell their collection themselves, which usually falls apart the minute they realize, they actually have to work to do it.

I work very hard at what I do. Selling records pays my bills when I have records to sell, and when I don't, it sucks. It's a job like any other, albeit when it's fun, it is really a lot of fun.

That said, I am looking for records. All the time. Small collections and large. I sell mostly on line, in a Facebook vinyl group I created about 3 years ago and on Discogs. Here is the link to my Discogs shop. Feel free to go shopping!

If you have records you'd like to unload, please contact me. I realize it will do neither of us any good if you are further than a car trip away, but I also have a want list, which is below. Maybe you have some of these, which can be shipped easily.

That is all.
Thanks for your time and thanks for looking.





WANT LIST
(Specific pressing can be discussed later)

Corrosion Of Conformity- Deliverance
Tages- Extra Extra
Galactic Ruckus
Herbie Hancock- The New Standard
John Mayall- A Hard Road
Jimi Hendrix- Band Of Gypsys UK Puppet Cover)
Jigsaw-Leatherslade Farm
Jigsaw-Aurora Borealis
Redd Kross- Show World
The Easybeats-Friends
Kaleidoscope-Faintly Blowing (Reissue)
Aardvark (Tapestry Reissue)
Prince Buster's Fabulous Greatest Hits
Queen Rock Montreal
Pops Staples-Father Father
Paul Weller-Illumination
Paul Weller- Wake Up The Nation
Marty Stuart-Saturday Night/Sunday Morning
Del Amitri- Twisted
Rufus Wainwright-Want Two
Levon Helm-Electric Dirt
Foxy Shazam-Church Of Rock N Roll
Chris Isaak-Beyond The Sun
Gilberto Gil 1968 (s/t)
Van Morrison w/ Georgie Fame- How Long Has This Been Going On
Sparks- Lil Beethoven
Stray Cats-Choo Choo Hot Fish- 10"
Neil Young- Ragged Glory
Tears For Fears- Everybody Loves A Happy Ending
North Mississippi All Stars- Electric Blue Watermelon
Queen- Live At the Rainbow 74 (4 LP Box)
The Parlour Band- Is A Friend
The Runaways- s/t
The Runaways- Queens Of Noise
Koobas
Michael Penn-Resigned
Little Bob & The Lollipops- Nobody But You
David Byrne & Brain Eno-Everything That Happens
Aerosmith- Nine Lives
Paper Bubble-Scenery
Booker T & The MGs- Union Extended
Hot Dog (Guinness Records)
Mortimer- s/t (Phillips)
Rickie Lee Jones- Pop Pop
Black Crowes- By Your Side
Nick Lowe-At My Age
Van Morrison-Days Like This
Bryan Ferry-Frantic
Bryan Ferry-Mamouna
The Replacements- Live Inconcerated
The Replacements- Don't Buy Or sell, It's Crap
Buzzcocks- More Product In A Different Compilation
Procol Harum- Shine On Brightly (Original UK)
Shawn Colvin- Fat City
Ian Hunter- Artful Dodger
Brian May- Back To The Light
Jimmie Vaughan- Plays Blues, Ballads & Favorites

No Songs Of The Week This Week

I have now spent 90 minutes on a task that shouldn't take more than 20. The computer is not cooperating and I have lost the patience to troubleshoot. I am sorry. Next week, I will double up.

Carry on with your Sunday morning.

"Off The Shelves: The Ides Edition" : THE WEEKEND MIX

You should all know the deal with "Off The Shelves" by now, so let's get right to it.

TRACKLIST
Standing In The Rain- The James Gang
Rosewood Bitters- Joe Walsh
She Laughed Loud- The Merry Go Round
Caroline- The Casuals
Have You No Shame- Sean Costello
Formidable- Sylvain Sylvain
Power Trippin'- Power Station
You Move Me- Dion
Sunrise, Sunset- Louis Armstrong
It's Like I Never Learned A Thing- Larry Tagg
Mean Ol' Wind Died Down- North Mississippi All Stars w/ Lucinda Williams
Hooked On A Feeling (Backing Track)- B.J. Thomas
The First Ever I Saw Your Face- Stereophonics




Standing In The Rain- The James Gang
The Tommy Bolin version of The James Gang gets a bad rap, but they weren't all that bad. This was the single from the "Bang" album.

Rosewood Bitters- Joe Walsh
Every Joe Walsh album has at least one gem and this Michael Stanley cover from Joe's album "The Confessor" is that gem.

She Laughed Loud- The Merry Go Round
I'm surprised that more people aren't completely gaga over The Merry Go Round. That first (only) album is coming in the coffin with me. This was a B-side.

Caroline- The Casuals
Written, produced and probably played and sung (mostly) by Roy Wood.

Have You No Shame- Sean Costello
The first time I heard this song it was performed live by the Tedeschi Trucks Band. It was written but never recorded by Donnie McCormack. This is the one studio version I could find and it will do.

Formidable- Sylvain Syvain
An unlikely beauty from a NY Doll.

Power Trippin'- Power Station
This one goes deep. A Japanese bonus track, from the 90's reunion of the original Power Station. Yeah, I know, but it's funky.

You Move Me- Dion
It's Dion.

Sunrise, Sunset- Louis Armstrong
Never a favorite from "Fiddler On The Roof," but Satchmo's version is too cool.

It's Like I Never Learned A Thing- Larry Tagg
The Tagg half of short-lived MTV stars Bourgeois Tagg. This one is full of hooks.

Mean Ol' Wind Died Down- North Mississippi All Stars w/Lucinda Williams
I love the idea of the NMAS, but no one album ever stuck to me. This track though, from "Electric Blue Watermelon" really slays me.

Hooked On A Feeling (Backing Track)- B.J. Thomas
You know the tune, but hearing just the backing track really wowed me. Magical.

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face- Stereophonics
I'm a sucker for this song and Kelley Jones really does a fine job on it.

zip

Hold On

They hung a sign up in our town
"if you live it up, you won't
live it down"
So, she left Monte Rio, son
just like a bullet leaves a gun
With charcoal eyes and Monroe hips
she went and took that California trip
Well, the moon was gold, her
hair like wind
She said don't look back just
come on Jim
(Chorus)
Oh you got to
Hold on, Hold on
You got to hold on
Take my hand, I'm standing right here
You gotta hold on

Well, he gave her a dimestore watch
and a ring made from a spoon
Everyone is looking for someone to blame
but you share my bed, you share my name
Well, go ahead and call the cops
you don't meet nice girls in coffee shops
She said baby, I still love you
Sometimes there's nothin left to do

Oh you got to
Hold on, hold on
You got to hold on
Take my hand, I'm standing right here, you got to
just hold on

Well, God bless your crooked little heart
St. Louis got the best of me
I miss your broken-china voice
How I wish you were still
here with me

Well, you build it up, you wreck it down
you burn your mansion to the ground
When there's nothing left to keep you here, when
you're falling behind in this
big blue world

Oh you got to
Hold on, hold on
You got to hold on
Take my hand, I'm standing right here
You got to hold on

Down by the Riverside motel,
it's 10 below and falling
by a 99 cent store she closed her eyes
and started swaying
but it's so hard to dance that way
when it's cold and there's no music
well your old hometown is so far away
but, inside your head there's a record
that's playing, a song called

Hold on, hold on
You really got to hold on
Take my hand, I'm standing right here
and just hold on.

Favorite Songs #7: Clubland

This wasn't easy.

It turns out that my favorite Elvis Costello song does not appear on any of my 5 favorite Elvis Costello albums. I tossed around a few and even considered something stupidly obvious, but after thinking a bit longer on what it is I love about EC and The Attractions---the playing, first and foremost---I had to go with "Clubland."

"Clubland" came out of the box sounding like a Costello standard. If you had 10 of the greatest pop songwriters in a room and challenged them to write an Elvis Costello tune, I bet they'd all write a song resembling "Clubland."

To say Elvis Costello, Bruce Thomas, Steve Nieve and Pete Thomas hit a creative peak with "Clubland" seems ridiculous, since so much amazing music followed. "Trust," the 1981 record that features "Clubland" is uneven at best. Yet, the songs that do work, work wonders. Even Nick Lowe's production seems special on just this track. The album is co-produced with Roger Bechirian, so maybe he had something to do with it. No matter. "Clubland" is the one.