Ali Campbell Craps Out The Classics

Ladies and gentlemen, a few words about UB40 alumnus Ali Campbell.

His new release, "Great British Songs" has hit a nerve usually reserved for Rod Stewart, American Idol, or anyone who thinks "Napoleon Dynamite" is funny.  This record has absolutely nothing going for it.

NOTHING!

This viscerally horrible release, and quite possibly the worst thing I've heard in the last 20 years, is a collection of your favorite British hits, all given the "Air Jamaica" TV ad treatment, in a soulless attempt at recreating the success of his band's 1983 LP "Labour Of Love," which was a huge hit, I suspect, because no one watching MTV had any idea that other reggae artists aside from Bob Marley existed.

Who's the brilliant putz who gave a thumbs-up to fake, white reggae versions of "Paint It Black," "Honky Tonk Woman" and "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother?"

"Great British Songs" is lazy and cheap and manufactured and unlistenable and offensive. Oh, and by the way Ali,  the guy who wrote "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" is from Passaic.

To paraphrase Peter Clemenza, "They shoulda stopped him at the beginning. They shoulda never let him get away with that. They was just asking for trouble,"

Listen for yourself. I created a 4 minute sampler of the whole record. I bet you give up after 2.

"GREAT BRITISH SONGS"

Bonzo Goes Bananas

In a newly surfaced soundboard recording, one that is being called the "first soundboard of the 1977 tour," as well as being rumoured to have been "leaked" and supplied by Jimmy Page to the very popular, Japanese Led Zeppelin bootleg specialists Empress Valley, please enjoy the opening song from opening night in N.Y.C.. on June 7th, 1977.  (at the bottom)

I obsess, as I am wont to do over so many things, over live Led Zeppelin recordings. Like the Grateful Dead and Bruce Springsteen, every Zeppelin performance offered something different than the night before. While the Dead and Bruce would often change set lists, Zeppelin's set lists usually remained the same. It was what happened during each of those songs that offered surprise.

The E-Street was and is a well-oiled machine, while both the Dead and Led Zeppelin, would more often than not, experiment and improvise to the point of self-implosion. It's one of the main reasons it took years for me to appreciate the Grateful Dead. I had always been subjected by friends, to horrible sounding live performances, from 3rd generation cassette tapes, annoyingly referred to by date, and then was expected to sit through 15 minutes of noodling to get to the 5 minutes of magic.

Because I was a huge fan of Led Zeppelin, doing that very same thing with countless tapes, and years later, CDs, bothered me less, and then I realized, it was no different than the Dead. I think it was my Zeppelin vigilence, along with the help a book called "Led Zeppelin Live" by Luis Rey, which broke down every single live performance, right down to minute details of guitar solos and drum fills, that made me appreciate what the Dead had been doing for so long.

Zep's tour of 1977 is my least favorite, and this is mostly due to Jimmy Page. I'm pretty sure this was a big drug year for Jimmy and his playing shows it. Almost everything I've heard has been one sloppy mess. But as I said, anything can happen at anytime, and it's on this version of "The Song Remains The Same" where John Bonham goes absolutely berserk and blows my mind.  Jimmy Page hits more clams than the Lundy Brothers, but this is more about the rhythm section. That's why it's here.

I don't suggest wasting your precious time trawling through hours and hours of poor sounding Zeppelin tapes to find that magic, though if you are more than a casual fan and have never done so before, you have no idea of the treasures that await you.

THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME

Happy Holidays

 


 


 


 


 

The Great Lost XTC Album

I wore out the aluminum on this CD when it first came out in 1993. Martin Newell is credited with writing both words and music, while Andy Partridge handled production, engineering and DRUMS!

Nothing Newell had released prior, either solo or with the Cleaners From Venus, or since, quite measures up to the pop perfection of "The Greatest Living Englishman."

Thanks, Andy!




THE JANGLING MAN


GREATEST LIVING ENGLISHMAN

A Nod Is As Good As A Wink...And Better Than Sticky Fingers. (There, I've Said It.)

Everyone loves the Faces, yet I've run into very few who take them as seriously as the Stones. I get that. The Faces only released four albums to the Stones thirty four, and really, The Faces didn't take themselves too seriously.

If you don't know "A Nod Is As Good As A Wink...To A Blind Horse," I suggest you make it your next purchase and discover one of the great rock and roll records of all time.

It is Rod Stewart when Rod Stewart was arguably the best singer in the game. It is Ronnie Wood before he became a parody of Ronnie Wood. It is Ronnie Lane and Kenny Jones, a rhythm section that could effortlessly pound you into the ground, give up the funk, and swing lightly, most of the time during the same song. And it's Ian McLagan, adding just the right amount of barrelhouse piano and church-ified organ to keep these rockers legit.

Songs like "Miss Judy's Farm," and "You're So Rude" were FM staples back in the day of real radio, while the hit "Stay With Me" remains in heavy rotation. But that's not all you need. Their cover of Chuck Berry's "Memphis" does not let up and both "Love Lived Here" and "Last Orders Please" show a soulful side of this band that rarely gets props.

But the winner, the song that did it to me last night, was Ronnie Lane's gorgeous "Debris." Rod plays Mick to Ronnie Lane's Keith. It's a bit " Wild Horses" and a precursor to the equally gorgeous "Glad & Sorry" from the boys' final LP "Ooh La La."

A week from now, I may no longer feel that this record is better than "Sticky Fingers," but right now I am still on that high. At the very least, "A Nod Is As Good As A Wink" will remain in my Top 5 of Greatest Rock Albums Of All Time.



DEBRIS

Sunday Night Covers #17: Ronnie Spector Does Billy Joel

Or was Billy Joel really doing Ronnie Spector?

SAY GOODBYE TO HOLLYWOOD

"Omelet du Homage" : THE WEEKEND MIX

I've been listening to Joe Jackson's "Night & Day" for almost 30 years now, and it's been almost 40 that I've been listening to Badfinger's "Straight Up," and it took "STEVES" suggestion to finally have it hit me. "Breaking Us In Two" is "Day After Day." How did I miss that one?

@ "ITSOK2BRIGHT," all of your Zeppelin entries would make a great mix on their own, but I'm not sure if that's what I was looking for. LZ just took a song, re-worked it, and claimed authorship...like 30 times. I know I used the word "rip off" on Wednesday, in which case, your suggestions would indeed make sense.

Thanks to all who participated. Here's what I've got for you.

TRACK LIST
Day After Day- Badfinger
Breaking Us In Two- Joe Jackson
In Between Days- The Cure
Pot Kettle Black- Wilco
Death Is Not The End- Bob Dylan
Tender- Blur
Welcome Back- John Sebastian
Mystery's All Mine-Jules Shear
It Only Costs A Dime- The Everly Brothers
Brilliant Mistake- Elvis Costello
I Want To Tell You- The Beatles
Only A Memory- The Smithereens
Ooh! My Head- Ritchie Valens
Boogie With Stu- Led Zeppelin
My Heart Hurts- Nick Lowe
Mary Anne- Marshall Crenshaw
Young Americans- David Bowie
When You Come Back To Me- World Party

THE ZIP




Coming in just under the wire for posting, but not soon enough for inclusion on the mix, was this suggestion from "LAMEREX." It's a good one.

The Animals' "Cheating" vs. Tom Petty's "Breakdown."

Thanks Lamerex, and to Soundsource for the quick supply of the Animals MP3, which I still only have on vinyl.

 CHEATING


BREAKDOWN

The Lead Balloon Of Blog Posts

The minute I hit the "publish" button on yesterday's post, I thought, "This isn't very good." My cute little request for audience participation even prompted one reader to write, "Sal, I think it's time for you to take a walk and get some air."

I don't think the reader's comment was mean-spirited, but it did help precipitate the already bad feelings I had with the post. It's not easy doing this everyday. EVERYDAY! The ideas don't always come. For instance, what I really wanted to post yesterday was a story about this woman in my neighborhood who sells two dollar sweaters. (See?)

As it turns out many of you submitted entries, so the response made me feel a little better.

As for the all of the musical rip-offs/homages suggested, there are many to sift through, but I think I can piece together something worthwhile.

Thanks to everyone.

And apologies, if an occasional post is not quite up to snuff. You should see what I don't publish.

MAÑANA

Audience Participation

I received a copy of the new 2 CD deluxe remaster of The Jam's "Sound Affects" CD. It's the usual tra-la-la, with a second disc of demos and outs. I'm happy. But I was also reminded that "Pretty Green" is Steve Miller's "Swingtown" and "Start" is The Beatles' "Taxman."













Come on, Mr Weller. Twice on one album?













Between now and tomorrow afternoon, can we come up with a dozen or so more of your fave rip-offs...uh...tributes that I'll put together for the "Weekend Mix?" Don't know if I'll have them all, but I'd love to hear something I haven't heard before.

If It's Tuesday...blah blah blah...It Must Be "THE PROMISE!"

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN- THE PROMISE: THE "DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN" STORY
(3 CD/3 DVDS)

If you don't know the story by now, I'll tell ya. But it's gonna be quick.

Legal problems, among other things, held up Bruce's follow-up to "Born To Run." So the songs piled up.  Everyone made nice, "Darkness..." came out, and this is a lot of what didn't.

Nothing on the 2 CDs worth of outtakes will make you say, "Wow! Why did he leave THAT off the record?" Not even "Because The Night" or "Fire," which are both wonderful, but are also so ingrained in our live Springsteen psyches, that they are not so much revelations, but more like "told you sos."

The rest of the 21 tracks are a blast, though admittedly, the anticipation inevitably led to a let down. Nothing here hit me the way so many of the tracks on "Tracks" hit me the first time I cracked open that set, or even such b-sides as "Pink Cadillac," "Be True," or "Held Up Without A Gun."

An early version of the Gary U.S. Bonds' hit "This Little Girl" is good, but not better. Southside Johnny's "Talk To Me" is almost identical. The alternate and inferior "Racing In The Street" is...well...what I just said.  Still, "The Promise" is a gift, and by all means, necessary if you're a Bruce Springsteen fan. This should not be considered a new Springsteen record, but more like a good deed on the part of the man himself. The fans wanted it and now we've got it.

Let's not forget the rest of the package. Included in this set, and sadly, only in this set, is the newly remastered version of the classic album, which I must say, might be worth the price of admission. There is new power in an already powerful record and the E-Street Band, especially the rhythm section, will surround you and pound you. The sound is stellar! I imagine this will eventually be available separately.

But the real meat & potatoes are the DVDs. Here's what you get:

DVD 1: The Promise: The Making of "Darkness on the Edge of Town"
 (This is what aired on HBO a few weeks ago.)


Haven't gotten to these two yet, but they sure look good.

DVD 2: Darkness on the Edge of Town (Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ, 2009)
1. Badlands
2. Adam Raised A Cain
3. Something In The Night
4. Candy's Room
5. Racing In The Street
6. The Promised Land
7. Factory
8. Streets Of Fire
9. Prove It All Night
10. Darkness On The Edge Of Town

Thrill Hill Vault (1976-1978)
1. Save My Love (Holmdel, NJ 76)
2. Candy's Boy (Holmdel, NJ 76)
3. Something In The Night (Red Bank, NJ 76)
4. Don’t Look Back (NYC 78)
5. Ain't Good Enough For You (NYC 78)
6. The Promise (NYC 78)
7. Candy's Room Demo (NYC 78)
8. Badlands (Phoenix 78)
9. The Promised Land (Phoenix 78)
10. Prove It All Night (Phoenix 78)
11. Born To Run (Phoenix 78)
12. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) (Phoenix 78)

DVD 3: Houston '78 Bootleg: House Cut
1. Badlands
2. Streets Of Fire
3. It’s Hard To Be A Saint In The City
4. Darkness On The Edge Of Town
5. Spirit In The Night
6. Independence Day
7. The Promised Land
8. Prove It All Night
9. Racing In The Street
10. Thunder Road
11. Jungleland
12. The Ties That Bind
13. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
14. The Fever
15. Fire
16. Candy's Room
17. Because The Night
18. Point Blank
19. She's The One
20. Backstreets
21. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
22. Born To Run
23. Detroit Medley
24. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
25. You Can't Sit Down
26. Quarter To Three

Don't know if it's "the greatest release ever," as one friend put it, but as boxed sets go, it's pretty damn hip.

BUY IT HERE--->http://www.amazon.com/Promise-Darkness-Edge-Town-Story/dp/B0040JHXTI/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1289871899&sr=1-1






ALSO OUT THIS WEEK

JIMI HENDRIX- WEST COAST SEATTLE BOY 4 CDS/1 DVD


West Coast Seattle Boy - The Jimi Hendrix Anthology tracks Hendrix's remarkable journey from little known R&B sideman to international stardom through an unprecedented assemblage of previously unavailable recordings.

This long-awaited career-spanning box set is not a collection of existing Jimi Hendrix albums but instead 45 unreleased Jimi Hendrix live and studio recordings including demos and alternate versions of songs from Are You Experienced, Axis: Bold As Love, and Electric Ladyland. West Coast Seattle Boy includes Hendrix’s never before heard version of Bob Dylan’s “Tears Of Rage,” solo acoustic recordings of Electric Ladyland favorites like “Long Hot Summer Night” and “1983 (A Merman I Shall Turn To Be)”as well as never before heard live performances from Berkeley and the legendary Band Of Gypsys Fillmore East concert on New Year’s Eve 1969 combined together with such new Hendrix songs as "Hear My Freedom," "Hound Dog Blues," "Lonely Avenue" and more.

The crown jewel of Legacy Recordings' monumental Jimi Hendrix catalog project, West Coast Seattle Boy - The Jimi Hendrix Anthology is the first Hendrix collection to bring fans access to a comprehensive treasure trove of previously unreleased recordings -- including demos, alternate takes, live concert jewels and more -- from all phases of the artist's recording career (1964 -1970).
West Coast Seattle Boy - The Jimi Hendrix Anthology offers the most complete collection of Jimi's pre-Experience R&B performances (including his singles with the Isley Brothers, Little Richard, Don Covay, King Curtis and more) to ever be officially anthologized while bringing together the most comprehensive and revelatory set of unreleased, fully realized songs, never before heard live performances, alternate studio takes, acoustic and electric demos and other rarities drawn from every chapter of Jimi Hendrix remarkable life and career.
West Coast Seattle Boy - The Jimi Hendrix Anthology includes the 90 minute DVD Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Child, a new documentary directed by the Grammy award winning Bob Smeaton (Beatles Anthology, Festival Express, Beatles: The Studio Recordings). The acclaimed documentary tells Jimi's incredible story in his own words. The documentary features some of Jimi's greatest performances as well as rare and never before seen footage and photos. Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Child also includes--for the first time ever—examples from the Hendrix family archive of the late guitarist’s personal drawings, postcards home to his father, song drafts, sketches, and lyrics. Jimi's interviews and private writings shed new insights within the extraordinary life and career of the greatest guitarist of all time.



I know, sounds good!  I am always skeptical though, when it comes to a "new" Hendrix release. Guy recorded 3 1/2 albums while he was alive and has released 82 since he's been dead. Still,  I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a more than a tad excited about listening to this.

BUY IT HERE--->http://www.amazon.com/West-Coast-Seattle-Boy-Collectors/dp/B003YDZV90/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1289871937&sr=1-1









THE BEE GEES- MYTHOLOGY (4 CDS)

New box with each of the 4 discs spotlighting a G.B. (You know...Gibb brother.)

I love this band. Not just the hip and cool early stuff, but the middle-period crap, the killer pre-disco stuff like "Main Course" and "Children Of The World," the legendary "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack, and well...not so much after that.  But up to that, I LOVE THIS BAND.


TRACK LIST

• Disc One 
• (Barry)
• Spirits (Having Flown)
• You Win Again
• Jive Talkin'
• To Love Somebody
• Tragedy
• Too Much Heaven
• First Of May
• More Than A Woman
• Love So Right
• Night Fever
• Words
• Don't Forget To Remember
• If I Can't Have You
• Alone
• Heartbreaker
• How Deep Is Your Love
• Love You Inside And Out
• Stayin' Alive
• Barker Of The UFO
• Swan Song
• Spicks And Specks
•  
•  
• Disc Two
• (Robin)
• I Am The World
• New York Mining Disaster
• I Can't See Nobody
• Holiday
• Massachusetts
• Sir Geoffrey Saved The World
• And The Sun Will Shine
• The Singer Sang His Song
• I've Gotta Get A Message To You
• I Started A Joke
• Odessa
• Saved By The Bell
• My World
• Run To Me
• Love Me
• Juliet
• The Longest Night
• Fallen Angel
• Rings Around The Moon
• Embrace
• Islands In The Stream
•  
•  
• Disc Three 
• (Maurice)
• Man In The Middle
• Closer Than Close
• Dimensions
• House Of Shame
• Suddenly
• Railroad
• Overnight
• It's Just The Way
• Lay It On Me
• Trafalgar
• Omega Man
• Walking On Air
• Country Woman
• Angel Of Mercy
• Above And Beyond
• Hold Her In Your Hand
• You Know It's For You
• Wildflower
• On Time
• The Bridge
•  
•  
• Disc Four 
• (Andy)
• Shadow Dancing
• I Just Want To Be Your Everything
• (Love Is) Thicker Than Water
• An Everlasting Love
• Desire
• (Our Love) Don't Throw It All Away
• Flowing Rivers
• Words And Music
• I Can't Help It (With Olivia Newton-John)
• Time Is Time
• Me (Without You)
• After Dark
• Warm Ride
• Too Many Looks In Your Eyes
• Man On Fire
• Arrow Through The Heart
• Starlight
• Dance To The Light Of The Morning
• In The End

BUY IT HERE--->http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002HFP0R4/ref=s9_simh_gw_p15_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0DC8P67AKRJ0YBCZQ1VT&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846




STILL THERE IS MORE


BRYAN ADAMS- BARE BONES
Stripped down vers....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..THUD! Oh sorry.

http://www.amazon.com/Bare-Bones-Bryan-Adams/dp/B0045LSIRM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1289871977&sr=1-2

NORAH JONES- ...FEATURING
18 track compilation of Miss Jones as special guest. Hosts include Willie Nelson, Charlie Hunter, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Ray Charles, Outkast, Foo Fighters and more.


http://www.amazon.com/Featuring-Norah-Jones/dp/B003YWUTJI/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1289872048&sr=1-1


KID ROCK- BORN FREE
"It’s his State of the Union address, a deeply personal statement that looks at racism in America, empathizes with soldiers in Iraq (Rock visited the troops last Christmas) and also lays bare his tormented relationship with Pam Anderson."

RAWK!!
http://www.amazon.com/Born-Free-Kid-Rock/dp/B003ZHQVJO/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1289872171&sr=1-1


PINK- GREATEST HITS...SO FAR
Okay, easy now with the "so far."

http://www.amazon.com/Greatest-Hits-So-Far-Deluxe-DVD/dp/B0045DO8NI/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1289872305&sr=1-1

RIHANNA- LOUD
http://www.amazon.com/Loud-Deluxe-Rihanna/dp/B00428ZRFY/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1289872331&sr=1-1

SUPERTRAMP- BREAKFAST IN AMERICA (2 CD DELUXE EDITION)
Newly remastered and now including a second disc of live tracks recorded in 1979.


http://www.amazon.com/Breakfast-America-Supertramp/dp/B00408MS5S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289872354&sr=1-1

Layla & Other Assorted Mono Mysteries

So completely enthralled for the last year by the stunning sound and revelations to be found on The Beatles' Mono boxed set, I've become a bit obsessed with the word "mono." That's all I want to hear- mono recordings of my favorite music, because, if it was recorded in mono, isn't that the way it was meant to be heard? Just ask Phil Spector. (You can bake a note inside a cake.)

It's not just the purity of it all. It's also the fun of hearing the mix, which more times than not, offers something different than what is to be found on a stereo version. (And vice versa, of course, but in this digital age, most of us have forgotten the mono hits we used to hear on the radio.) Punchier drums, acoustic guitar where you never thought there was before, a vocal inflection that may have been buried, these are just some of the many nuances that may surprise you when A/B-ing your favorite song.

One example that made me go "Oooh," was "I'm So Tired" from "The White Album."  The stereo version has Lennon's voice on top of Paul's on the chorus. The mono has Paul's voice on top of Lennon's. Maybe I'm a bit cuckoo, but when you've heard something the same way for so long, that little shocker is one of the many joys of being both a Beatles' fanatic and a lover of music in general.

I think the last remaining record labels have caught on as well, with Sundazed Music, often releasing vinyl-only editions which feature the "long lost original mono mixes" of everyone from Bob Dylan and The Byrds to the Vanilla Fudge and most recently, The Hollies & The Mamas & The Papas.  (All of which are fantastic.) Sony got on the bandwagon too, with the just released Bob Dylan Mono Recordings. I must say, I am all for it.

So, when I have a minute, (and when don't I), I search for "mono lps" on eBay, as well as trolling the net looking at many other blogs, hoping someone will have posted some rare mono edition of a classic.

A recent find on eBay was the debut from the Grateful Dead, a record that in its first mono state, just sold for $115.00. I snagged a copy about a month ago for $30. The cover has a few seam splits, and the vinyl looks worse than it plays, but for $30, I was thrilled. The difference between stereo and mono on this release is jaw-dropping. It sounds as if the band recorded it twice, in two different sessions, with different musicians and instruments.

I also found a mono mix of Derek & the Dominoes' "Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs" on a bizarre little website, but I'm not sure of its authenticity. Just when did record labels stop releasing both mono and stereo editions? I would think 1968 or 1969, and "Layla" came out in 1970. This claims to be a "needle drop upload" from a "white label/mono DJ" LP,  and unfortunately I have nothing but a sound file to go on.  I came up empty when trying to find any more information.

Listen to "Little Wing" in both stereo and mono and tell me what you think. I admit, I would have preferred to illustrate this phenomenon with tracks from the first Dead LP, but I just don't have the ability to upload vinyl. Plus, I was really hoping someone could should shed some light on this supposed mono copy of "Layla."

LITTLE WING (stereo)



LITTLE WING (mono)



And please don't tell anyone, but here are both the stereo and mono versions of "I'm So Tired," just for fun.

MONO


STEREO

Sunday Night Covers #16: Karl Wallinger Does Paul McCartney

MAN WE WAS LONELY

"Joe Jackson-Look! Covers!" : THE WEEKEND MIX

I'm pretty sure I haven't done something like this before. If I did, you can let me know with a snide comment. Or, you can just ring my doorbell and run away.


During his live performances, Joe Jackson has always found some time to pay tribute to the songwriters who have influenced his own music, citing Lennon & McCartney, David Bowie, Andy Partridge, Todd Rundgren and Becker & Fagen as some of his very faves. I've collected more than a few dozen of these covers from various years and sources. And for you Burning Woodies, I've put together a Philanthropist's Dozen. (That would be a Baker's dozen plus an additional half dozen, less two.)

The quality runs from good to excellent and the performances are all worth a spin. Everyone from Zappa and the Ramones to the boys I mentioned earlier get the call out.

Oh, and if anyone runs into the imbecile from the Amsterdam show who was whistling during "Anyone Who Had A Heart" & "Can We Still Be Friends," could you please smack him in the nose! I mean, who whistles to themselves at a rock concert?

(And how about my cool artwork, eh?)

Enjoy, and have a good weekend!

TRACK LIST

Reeling In The Years
Karma Police
Mayor Of Simpleton
You Can't Do That
Anyone Who Had A Heart
Girl
I'm Gonna Make You Love Me
Dirty Love
Can We Still Be Friends
I Feel Possessed
You Can't Be Too Strong
Knowing Me, Knowing You
Senses Working Overtime
King Of The World
Eleanor Rigby
I Can't Give You Anything
Scary Monsters



ZIP FILE

Where The Hell Is That Girl Called Eddy?

Sometime in 2004, a record came in the mail by A Girl Called Eddy. I don't remember what it was that made me listen. I wasn't a fan of its producer Richard Hawley, and nothing else, not band members or song selection--you know, a cover or two that may pique my curiousity--particularly motivated me. But I listened and it became a bit of a mini-classic for me.

Eddy, born Erin Moran (not that one), along with Hawley and his lush production, delivered an Aimee Mann meets Phil Spector selection of melancholy pop tunes, each made to feel like its own movie, thanks to Moran's emotional vocal performances.

So what happened? I vaguely remember a bit of a buzz at the time and that was that.

This was the first single, "Tears All Over T0wn."



This is the gorgeous album closer, "Golden."


These are two wonderful, non-lp covers, Lennon's "Julia" and Elvis Costello's "Baby Plays Around."





If you're reading Erin, hope all is well. There's a rumor going around that you're working on the follow-up to "A Girl Called Eddy." Come on! We're not getting any younger.

But He Don't Need No Friends

 

Whereas I had no qualms about possibly hurting Eric Clapton's feelings with my less than favorable review of his last piece of crap, I'm feeling guilty just thinking about what I'd like to say about the new Ray Davies release, "See My Friends," a collection of Kinks' classics, misguidedly reworked as passionless duets with a roster of super and not so superstars Ray calls his "friends." (So Ray, had Lars Ulrich over for a game of snooker lately?)

Davies' last two solo releases, "Other People's Lives" and "Working Man's Cafe" were both beyond wonderful, and though "The Kinks Choral Collection" sounded like a bad idea early on, I quite liked the finished product.  My problem with "See My Friends" mostly lies with the friends, and with the fact that nothing here is better than or even remotely more interesting than the original versions.

Bruce Springsteen sounds as if he had never heard "Better Things" prior to "take 1" of the recording. The liberties he takes with the melody are unpleasant.

Jon Bon Jovi sounds like Jethro Bodine with his hilarious phrasing on "Celluloid Heroes."

"Air-vree baddies uh draymer/air-vree baddies a star-wuh."

Normally I would stand-up for Metallica and their special brand of heavy metal. I mean, just how badly can you screw up "You Really Got Me?" It's like not knowing how to make toast. But I have been put off by these guys since James Hetfield's brainless reading of "All Day & All Of The Night" at the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame concerts last year, where he sang, "All day/and all of the NIGHT TIME/all day and all of the NIGHT TIME." And besides, if you look at the video, Ray looks absolutely bored and put off as well. Why are they here?

It's great to hear the sorely missed Alex Chilton on "Till The End Of The Day," one song here that has some soul. But, the call and answer between Ray & Jackson Browne on the verses of "Waterloo Sunset," probably Davies' greatest song and definitely in my top 5 favorite songs of all time, seems tossed off, as if all involved settled on their very first idea. Plus, the overall arrangement is just dismal.

Other guests here include Lucinda Williams (not bad), Mumford & Sons (another one of the better entries), Gary Lightbody and Paloma Faith (ooh boy), and Black Francis & Billy Corgan (two of the more annoying personalities in rock and roll).

Why? How? Those are my questions.

My request of Eric Clapton to "stop making records" lit a fire under many, as if Eric was actually going to listen to me. I'm not harboring the same ill-feelings about Ray Davies. Clapton has been letting me down for years. Ray has rarely let me down. But, what upsets me most about "See My Friends" is what appears to sound like, at least to my ears, something half-assed, like just maybe Ray wanted nothing to do with this. Of course, that may not be true at all, considering he just revisited his catalog with a choir on his prior release. But on that "Choral Collection," you hear something from within. "See My Friends," which came out last week in the U.K. and has been curiously bumped until Spring of 2011 in the U.S., sounds like a forced experiment; no better than Natalie Cole being electronically paired with her dead father on one of his hits.

Sunday Night Covers #15: The Connells Do Jethro Tull

LIVING IN THE PAST

"My Week" : THE WEEKEND MIX

It all started with "2:19" by Tom Waits, first song played on iPod shuffle as I made my way into the city for some errands. Then over the course of the week, there had been some discussion with some friends about Alice Cooper, Split Enz & The Everly Brothers. Of course, there was the Black Crowes fiasco from yesterday. Then I thought of the Black Crowes cover of "Lucifer Sam," which made me think of Bowie's cover of "See Emily Play," which is from "Pin Ups," where he also covers Billy Boy Arnold. Is this little glimpse into my mind at all helpful, or does it just make you want to pat me on the head and say, "It'll all be ok, son?"


I have to admit, I quite like the way this all plays out.

I'm feeling this mix, so I hope you do, too.


TRACKLIST

Right Now- The Creatures
Exit- The Black Crowes
Lucifer Sam- Pink Floyd
Nobody Takes Me Seriously- Spilt Enz
2:19- Tom Waits
Our Lips Are Sealed- Terry Hall
Go To Hell- Alice Cooper
Bittersweet- Galactic
You Can't Hurry Love - The Supremes
5 Months, 2 Weeks, 2 Days- Louis Prima
Linin' Track- Taj Mahal
I Wish You Would- Billy Boy Arnold
Baby What You Want Me To Do- The Everly Brothers
Shake It- Howlin' Wilf & The Vee Jays
House For Sale- Nick Lowe
Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone- Leon Redbone

zip file

Sick Again

On April 11, 1981, my cousin and I saw Utopia at the Palladium in NYC, or should I say, he saw Utopia. I only heard them. My eyes were closed and my head was resting on the seatback, as I suffered through a fever of 104 degrees. I refused to stay home.

Years later, when Jimmy Page toured with the Black Crowes, I shlepped my flu-ridden body, with clogged ears and swollen glands to the balcony of Roseland and toughed it out for what I think was a pretty good show. All I really remember was trying to swallow some water with what felt like a gourd lodged in my throat.

Unfortunately, the older we get, the harder it is to ignore symptoms, especially when you're a world-class neurotic like myself. This week began the week-long residency of The Black Crowes at the Nokia Theater, and as per usual, I thought I'd try to see a show or two, as this band never fails to excite me in a live setting. I thought my recent illness had been on its way to some other poor soul's body. I had been feeling good and looking forward, not only to the show but to seeing my friend who had never seen the band before.

I am disappointed to report, that 45 minutes into the show, whatever had knocked me down for 5 days last week, paid a surprise visit like a tsunami, though there is the theory that the breaded codfish sandwich I had at Walker's was more likely the cause than a relaspe.

We ran out of the theatre like breaking out of jail. This feeling of dread, with chills, headache and an overall sense of imminent death continued through yesterday and last night, hence the missing post.

My apologies to all readers, and especially to my friend, who made the long trip here for some of the worst company in the shortest amount of time she has ever experienced.

For the record, The Black Crowes, who mix up the set list every night, performed what I'd like to call, my "dream set list," adding insult to injury.

You can check it out if you care at www.crowesbase.com

One more story, if I may.

One of the earliest Black Crowes performances I attended was in 1992 at New York's Beacon Theatre. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band was the opener. I was with my friend Sal and we both thought it was one hell of a show. The band did play a "new, unrecorded song," called "Exit." It was a riff-heavy rocker, that from 10 rows away, seemed like the greatest thing ever at the time. For years, that song haunted me. I couldn't find it on any bootlegs, and over the years, through many performances, I never got to see the band perform this song again.

In 2006, The Black Crowes released a 2 CD set called "The Lost Crowes," featuring all the songs they recorded for the 2 albums that should have been released in the mid-nineties, but never saw the light of the day. "Exit" was part of those sessions, but was inexplicably left off this collection. (At the time, I made a mental note to tell Chris Robinson off if I ever got the chance.)

The band has since reintroduced "Exit" to their live set, but it's rare.

They opened the second set with it on Tuesday night. I was already in fetal position, shivering in my bed. Feel sorry for me? Just a little?

I found a video of the Beacon performance from 1992, but this version from 1995 sounds better.

Hopefully, I'm back for good.

If It's Tuesday, It Must Be Street Date: 11/02/10

7 WALKERS- 7 WALKERS

Dead drummer extraordinot Bill Kreutzmann, legendary Meters bassist George Porter Jr., Austin voodoo man Papi Mali, and multi-instrumentalist Matt Hubbard have put together a collection of New Orleans-centric tunes around Robert Hunter lyrics for a laid back and groovy record that, at its heart, really just sounds like a Papa Mali record. But that's good! There's nothing earth-shattering here, but it's got some soul and all the right clanks, honks, and twangs to appeal to fans of all involved.

BUY IT HERE--->http://www.amazon.com/7-Walkers/dp/B0043A0Q4I/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1288635400&sr=1-1









AFROCUBISM- AFROCUBISM

"In 1996, a group of Mali's finest musicians were due to fly into Havana for a speculative collaboration with some of Cuba's most brilliant singers and instrumentalists. For reasons that have never been made clear, the Malians never arrived. A very different album was recorded: 'The Buena Vista Social Club'. The rest, as they say, is multi-million selling history."

This is a beautiful record, sharing the same vibe as the Buena Vista Social Club, but with a Malian slant. Unique and joyous, I say! (And I mean it!)

BUY IT HERE--->http://www.amazon.com/AfroCubism/dp/B0041ON2ZG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1288635446&sr=1-1








ELVIS COSTELLO- NATIONAL RANSOM

I've been listening to this record and reading the raves for weeks now. My initial thoughts on both the record and the overzealous reviewers were unkind. I've mellowed.

The comparisons to "King Of America" are not completely unfounded. "National Ransom" has plenty of the acoustic roots music found on KOA, but KOA is in my Elvis top 3, and nothing here comes close to the brilliance of the songs on that record.

But it is EC, so I don't give up easily and "Ransom" has grown on me, but just a bit. One problem is the muddy production. The whole time you're feeling like you wanna blow dust off the needle, or tell your oblivious friend to stop standing in front of your speakers.

The other problem, sadly, is the songs. Nothing here sticks to your ribs the way an Elvis Costello song should. He's older and his writing has changed. But even his last two, unfairly dismissed releases, "Momofuku" and "Secret, Profane & Sugarcane" had songs I remembered and wanted to hear again. So far, with "National Ransom," that's not the case.

The ballads are lugubrious. Vaudeville pieces like "Jimmie Standing In The Rain" and "A Slow Drag With Josephine" are just plain annoying. And the supposed rockers like "The Spell That You Cast," "Five Small Words" and the title track are tuneless, and they just don't rock.

It's not all bad. Costello still knows how to tell a story and grab hold of your soul. "Stations Of The Cross," and "Church Underground," both sounding like something from the "Spike" sessions, as well as "Dr. Watson, I Presume," and "All These Strangers" all possess the qualities every EC fan waits for, album after album.

My feeling is that "National Ransom" will get even better. But right now it feels like a homework assignment, where you'd rather be doing something else, though you know if you stick with it, you'll feel gratified.

BUY IT HERE--->http://www.amazon.com/National-Ransom-Elvis-Costello/dp/B003ZDZ1XK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1288635479&sr=1-1








NEIL DIAMOND- DREAMS

I'm a fan. I like the cool early stuff on Bang. I like the big, sing-a-long hits of the 70s. I don't mind the post "Jazz Singer" stuff. (It served a purpose.) And the recent Rick Rubin records were solid, though admittedly, rarely played in my household after the initial listen. But this type of record makes me wanna yack.

Neil takes a dozen classics from 60s and 70s, and lathers them up with his special brand of melodrama. The unnecessary over-singing serves no purpose other than to make the already camp "Alone Again (Naturally)" even more hilarious. And speaking of hilarious, try listening to his take on The Eagles' "Desperado" without thinking of Walter Brennan. I dare you.

NOTHING TO SEE HERE--->http://www.amazon.com/Dreams-Neil-Diamond/dp/B0041U7RE2/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1288635503&sr=1-1







BRIAN ENO- SMALL CRAFT ON A MILK SEA

''The work in this collection is a result of an occasional collaboration between myself, Leo Abrahams and Jon Hopkins. The two of them are gifted young player/composers whose work, like mine, is intimately connected to the possibilities and freedoms of electronic music. Over the last few years we've worked together several times, enjoying exploring the huge new sonic territories now available to musicians. Mostly the pieces on this album resulted not from 'composition' in the classical sense, but from improvisation. The improvisations are not attempts to end up with a song, but rather with a landscape, a feeling of a place and perhaps the suggestion of an event. In a sense they deliberately lack 'personality': there is no singer, no narrator, no guide as to what you ought to be feeling. If these pieces had been used in films, the film would complete the picture. As they stand, they are the mirror-image of silent movies - sound-only movies.'' --Brian Eno

There's more than enough on this release that reminds me of Eno's masterpiece "Another Green World," though, as Eno himself said, there are no vocal tracks. I can't say this record is for everyone, but if you're a fan, this is quite good.

BUY IT HERE--->http://www.amazon.com/Small-Craft-Milk-Sea-Brian/dp/B0040V7J36/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1288635582&sr=1-1








PAUL MCCARTNEY & WINGS- BAND ON THE RUN (DELUXE EDITION)

The usual bells and whistles have been applied to this new deluxe edition of Paul's classic. Unfortunately, these particular bells and whistles are not that appealing. At least, not to me, as it seems it's not that much different than what's been out before. The addition of the first time officially released "One Hand Clapping" stuff is ho-hum.

Band on the Run will be available in a variety of formats originating with the single disc digitally remastered, essential 9-track STANDARD EDITION. The 3 disc (2CD, 1 DVD) SPECIAL EDITION features nine bonus audio tracks (including the top 10 smash "Helen Wheels"), rare footage of the McCartneys in Lagos and behind-the-scenes at the famous album cover shoot, original Band on the Run promotional video clips, the One Hand Clapping television special (highlighted by studio performances filmed at Abbey Road in 1974) all with beautifully enhanced packaging. Collectors will be especially thrilled by the 4 disc (3CD, 1 DVD) DELUXE EDITION which adds an extraordinary 120-page hard bound book containing many unseen and unpublished photos by Linda McCartney and Clive Arrowsmith, album and single artwork, downloadable hi-res audio versions of the remastered album and bonus audio tracks, a full history of the album complete with a new interview with Paul and expanded track by track information for all four discs. The deluxe edition also includes a special Band on the Run audio documentary (originally produced for the 25th Anniversary edition.) The original remastered album and bonus audio content will also be issued in a 2 disc 180gm audiophile VINYL EDITION that comes with an MP3 download of all 18 tracks


BUY IT HERE--->http://www.amazon.com/Band-Run-Deluxe-1DVD-Combo/dp/B003XX2O8W/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1288635624&sr=1-2

CHEAP VERSION HERE--->http://www.amazon.com/Band-Run-Special-1DVD-Combo/dp/B003W2HKSS/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1288635624&sr=1-1



ALSO OUT THIS WEEK

THE AUTUMN DEFENSE- ONCE AROUND
http://www.amazon.com/Once-Around-Autumn-Defense/dp/B00435KL0C/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1288635683&sr=1-1

HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS- SOULSVILLE
http://www.amazon.com/Soulsville-Huey-Lewis-News/dp/B0042NJ0LQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1288635702&sr=1-1

N.E.R.D.- NOTHING
http://www.amazon.com/Nothing-n-r-d/dp/B003U82O8K/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1288635719&sr=1-1

NEVILLE BROTHERS- AUTHORIZED BOOTLEG: WARFIELD THEATRE, 1989
http://www.amazon.com/Authorized-Bootleg-Warfield-Theatre-Francisco/dp/B003XQRZ2O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1288635738&sr=1-1-spell

V/A- 25TH ANNIVERSARY ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME CONCERTS
http://www.amazon.com/25th-Anniversary-Rock-Roll-Concerts/dp/B0042ZH87C/ref=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1288635766&sr=1-3

John Cale's Greatest Mistake

I've been on a John Cale kick, on and off for about 35 years now. Somehow I never tire of his most commercial releases, "Fear,"" Slow Dazzle," and "Honi Soit," or his baroque masterpiece "Paris 1919," which I found out a few years ago, was a big influence on Jeff Tweedy. Everyone should own "Paris 1919."



Then of course, there is the gritty punk of "Sabotage Live" and the early folk of "Vintage Violence." All of these records contain songs with influences as far ranging as Brian Wilson and The Beatles to Kurt Weill, Bob Dylan and John Zorn. And let's not forget his classical training.

One of his more recent releases, 2003's "Hobosapiens" was a return to the pop sensibilities of his early-seventies' masterworks, or I should say, Cale's version of "pop."  With over 30 solo records in 40 years, John Cale has repeatedly pushed the envelope, and each release, whether easy on the ears, or specifically aimed at your nerve endings, is worth your time, even for just one listen, because Cale is never boring.

This weekend I listened to 1975's "Helen Of Troy." Side one, then side two, then side two again, then "My Maria," the opening cut on side one, three times in a row. (That happened because I couldn't get enough of Chris Spedding's brilliant guitar solo.) I also decided that "Helen Of Troy" was Cale's second best album.

Then I saw this...

This album came out without Cale's consent, who considered the tapes unfinished. After shipping the first pressings, Island Records replaced the track Leaving It Up To You with Coral Moon, because it mentioned Sharon Tate, wife of film director Roman Polanski, who was killed in 1969 by the Charles Manson gang. Things turned sour, and Cale and Island did go their separate ways.

"It could have been a great album. I came back from finishing Patti Smith and had three days to finish "Helen Of Troy" before I went on Italian tour. I was spending eighteen hours a day in the studio. When I got back, I found the record company had gone ahead and released what amounted to demo tapes. The trouble was that Island had their own ideas of what that album should sound like. They wanted to include songs I don't particularily like, but it was also an impertinent assumption on my part that I was capable managing myself. My determination to have "Helen Of Troy" the way I did was not really fair to Island or my management, especially at a time when Island was losing it's percentage of the market, which was making everybody very paranoid."

I did not know that.

"Helen Of Troy" represents the best of Cale's bottomless well of styles and ideas. With a dozen songs averaging 3-4 minutes, each with stunning melodies and unexpected arrangements, covering every influence I mentioned above, "Helen Of Troy" is John Cale's Greatest Hits.  To think, this record, which was never released in the U.S., was never meant to come out at all.

MY MARIA