I won't be taking my annual dip in the ocean with the Coney Island Polar Bears tomorrow. Or beginning the day with an early breakfast of hot dogs and beer at Nathan's. It all seems too risky. But today is the last day of the year and rather than making a list of all the promises I will break four days into January, I decided to ban all resolutions.
Not gonna diet. Or quit drinking. Or become a nicer person. Or be more responsible. I think I will just swear more often and maybe buy a pair of pants that fit.
And I am going to listen to Ted Nugent's brilliant 1975 solo album completely free of guilt.
Ted's a dick. We all know that. And I have neglected that 1975 gem of record for far too long because Ted is a dick. But that's just silly. It doesn't matter how many times I marvel at the riffage and groove of "Stranglehold" or the swingin' funk of "Hey Baby," it won't make Ted any better or worse. He'll continue being a dick until he dies and me loving this album won't make a bit of a difference.
I'm gonna play this baby loud and no one will get hurt. That's a fact. When Side Two finishes, I might listen to some Clapton, too! And then I am going to have a New Year's Day, Woody Allen marathon! How about them apples?
A few weeks back, while writing up my rave of the new Robert Plant/Alison Krauss record, I mentioned their cover of Randy Weeks' "Can't Let Go" and how I thought Lucinda Williams owned that song. Last night, while listening to "Shades Of Deep Purple," I thought the same regarding their take on Joe South's "Hush."
So, since not much else is happening in the world of music, I thought you might enjoy coming up with cover versions that are not necessarily superior to the originals, though that is what I am thinking with the three I've posted here, but songs that made you think, "Really? That's a cover?"
From 2009 until 2013 or so, I would get together just about every Wednesday morning with my friends Peter on bass and Mark on guitar, to play some music. There were no rules. Mark and I would trade lead vocals and Peter would occasionally sing back up when he remembered. Our set list consisted of anything we could think of playing. Over the course of five years we had a repertoire that included songs by Merle Haggard, The Beatles and Stones, The Meters, Harry Nilsson, NRBQ, Steve Miller, The Kinks, Bruce Springsteen, Ian Hunter, Bob Dylan, Rodney Crowell and David Bowie, for starters.
Each session would begin exactly the same way. Mark & Peter would discuss their guitars, while I set up the drums. Then, one of us would start playing something hoping the other two would fall right in. Mark usually had a song prepared, but he'd never tell us what it was. He'd just start it up. When Peter & I kicked things off, it was usually a groove and then Mark would fall in.
We began as The Rock Straps, a name I thought of and loved, but one that didn't last long. We ended up as The Hard Copies.
Both Peter and I recorded hours of video and I was sure during one December jam, we played "The Christmas Song." But alas, I could not find any evidence of such. I did find this funky little number above, which was titled "Brick S**t House," obviously due to the impromptu session starter that resembled the Commodores groove.
Durango 95- The Ramones Daughter Of Darkness- Tom Jones Flowers- New Radicals We Meet, We Part, We Remember- The Holmes Brothers Louie Louie- Toots & The Maytals My Happy Day- Geraint Watkins Play Dead- Bjork
Durango 95- The Ramones/Daughter Of Darkness- Tom Jones For a few years in the early 90's, I had a DAT recorder and I was obsessed with creating mixed DATs to play in the shop. I still have a couple of hundred of those now unplayable mixes, and one of them opened with this very cool Ramones/Tom Jones one-two punch.
Flowers- New Radicals The album that keeps on giving, here's another gem from the New Radicals' "Maybe You've Been Brainwashed, Too."
We Meet, We Part, We Remember- The Holmes Brothers I always think of this song at Christmas. Remember, Christmas music doesn't always need to be traditional.
Louie Louie- Toots & The Maytals Instant happiness from The Maytals. Probably my favorite version of this oft-covered classic.
My Happy Day- Geraint Watkins Basically the Nick Lowe band but in the hands of keyboardist Geraint Watkins. This should put some pep in your step.
Play Dead- Bjork The great lost Bond theme from Miss Bjork.
And click on that Cover Version Of The Day for a lovely take on a holiday classic from our very own BuzzBabyJesus
Sal Sr., my grandfather, possessed an indescribable cool; a Dean
Martin poise most guys dreamed about. He was a man of few words and
rarely shared his opinions. He had the ability to keep you focused
because of what he wasn't saying and wasn't doing. I am nothing like
him.
He was over six feet tall, maybe 6' 2", and he loved to
smile. He was perpetually tan, though not in that George Hamilton way.
He claimed his skin color came "from all those days in The Philippines
during World War II." He loved the sun, and would work on that war time
tan every summer day, baking shirtless on the stoop at 552 Broome
Street, while listening to the Yankees on his then average/now hip
Norelco radio. He lived on the second floor with my grandmother, while I
resided with my mother and other grandmother on the 4th floor. I ran up
and down those stairs at 552 Broome Street 100 times a day.
He
said little, yet there was a playful, almost menacing side to his
unobtrusive personality. There was no one more patient, and no one in my
lifetime who hid their feelings the way he did. Two separate Saturday
afternoons come to mind, where Sal Sr. exhibited that patience. That cool.
There was the day my grandmother found mouse droppings in
her immaculate kitchen. My grandfather silently taped up the space under
every door in the apartment and stood watch with a broom. He sat on a
kitchen chair, on guard, broom upright like some twisted version of
"American Gothic." He lit Salem 100 after Salem 100, for what seemed
like hours, waiting for this critter to surrender from behind the
kitchen sink. He did, and the broom came down with a thwack that rattled
the entire neighborhood. My grandfather stood up, bagged the rodent,
removed the tape, and joined me for some baseball in the living room,
all without breaking a sweat or uttering a word.
Another
afternoon, he had been chopping ice in that same kitchen, while I was
watching baseball in that same living room. Suddenly, I heard some
psychotic whistling. It wasn't a tune. It was more like a message. The
pick went through his index finger. He continued to whistle as he wiped
up the blood and fixed himself up as if the kitchen was a M*A*S*H unit.
He said nothing during either of these incidents.
Our family was
large and loud, but mostly loud. It was newsworthy when one person at
our dinner table would talk while the others listened. No one ever
really listened. Sunday dinner, which began around 1:P.M., usually had
4-6, sometimes 6-8 of us around the table, competing for air time, as we
were already being drowned out by the Yankees on the living room set.
My grandfather's television and stereo went to eleven long before Spinal
Tap.
A typical meal would start politely, with food carefully
passed around with manners we'd somehow pull out of a hat for 30 seconds
at a time. Then, as if plotting the sabotage since the week prior, my
grandmother would come to bat like Joe Pepitone, eager to hit one out
of the park. She'd bring up some inappropriate subject for the dinner
table, usually about money or another relative. This would rile my
father. Then I'd chime in, usually with the old stand-by,
"you're missing my point," even when I hadn't any. In record time, this
faux-Waltons get together was a din of demented barking, with points
being made to no one.
All the time this was taking place, my
grandfather would continue to reach for the meatballs, dip his bread in
the sauce, and eat, saying nothing, yet smirking as if something was up
his sleeve. Something usually was. He'd push his chair back, stand up,
and start whistling. He always whistled some non-descript tune while he
"worked." He walked 10 paces to his den, turned on the stereo and
dropped the needle on one of his favorites, "The Drifters' Golden Hits,"
and cranked it loud enough to drown us and the Yankees out. This would
make my father laugh, which would make me laugh, which would make my
grandmother shout out, "YOU'RE ALL BASTARDS!'
Ahh...Sunday.
Another one of my grandfather's quietly sinister moves happened during
the Christmas season of 1970. He was an executive at a paper company,
and every winter holiday season, he would bring home a daily supply of
beautifully wrapped gifts, mostly boxed liquor bottles given to him by
co-workers and clients. My job, once we put up his tree and set up the
Lionel trains, (which almost always never worked, as the transformer
would inevitably burn out from a tinsel short on the first go around)
was to arrange the bottles and other wrapped goodies under it. That
year, just a few weeks earlier in November, George Harrison's 3 LP boxed
set "All Things Must Pass" was released. This was all I focused on that
holiday season. That was all I really wanted for Christmas, or any
other day, for that matter.
I must point out, I was not a patient
kid. By the 18th of December, I'd start sleeping less. I was sweating
in below zero temperatures. I couldn't eat. The excitement of the
holiday, not to mention a new Beatles' related album, was enough to
drive me out of my skin. This in turn, would drive all in my presence,
out of theirs. Still I pressed on, every evening, waiting for my
grandfather to come home from work with the bottles. The ritual
continued until the night that turned my Burl Ives' Christmas into a
long-term, seasonal twitch.
My grandfather came home with a half
dozen bottles and a box that measured about 12"x12". (That was the right
size, I thought.) I just knew it was "All Things Must Pass." He
handed it to me with that same smirk he sported right before the
whistling. So I asked, "This is the George Harrison album, right?" He
corrected me, "No, Salvatore. It's a box of handkerchiefs from Betty."
(Betty was his secretary. And yes, he called me Salvatore.) He smirked
again. I'm sure I laughed some nervously forced guffaw as I held back the tears.
"No it isn't. Right? It's my record, right?" My grandmother bellowed
from the kitchen, "SAL! WILL YOU NOT TORTURE HIM PLEASE?" He just smiled
wide and told me to place it with the rest of the gifts under the tree.
I did not relent. As a matter of fact, for the next two days, if I was
my kid, I would have put me out on the street, with a sign around my
neck that said, "Take him. Good luck." Every hour, I would try to reason
with him as only an unreasonable child could. "You know, it's just one I
want to open. Just that one gift...so I could listen to it. Then I
wouldn't be bothering you. See? That makes sense, right Grandpa? Hello?
Grandpa?"
It's the 23rd of December, and I was in a zone. I sat
in front of the tree, staring at that box, in a "blink, or you'll miss
it" mode, like I was waiting to catch a glimpse of The Yeti.
"Please just that one! Just that one!" He laughed and insisted, "Salvatore, they are handkerchiefs."
"SAL! WILL YOU LEAVE HIM ALONE? LET HIM OPEN IT! I CAN'T TAKE THIS!"
(My grandmother again)
I am pretty sure by now I was hyperventilating.
"No...sob..no...it's...sob...it's the Harrison album...sob." My
grandfather laughed, gave me a perfunctory head pat and started
whistling. He reached for the box and handed it to me. He said nothing.
He just smirked as I tore the wrapper off in one pull, like a pair of
velcro parachute pants.
It was handkerchiefs.
I did get "All Things Must Pass" on Christmas morning. I got over the trauma of Christmas 1970 in 2003.
Yesterday
I received as many emails and social
media updates for concert tickets going on sale as I did for concerts
being canceled. I scroll through Instagram and I see record shops shutting down out of an abundance of
caution, not to mention restaurants and theater, due to positive cases,
and yet New Year's Eve in Times Square will be taking place with
restrictions keeping the crowd to a fully vaccinated, masked and
distanced 15,000. (Good luck with that!)
NYC’s risk level has now changed to
“severe!”
On Monday, "people
who are immunocompromised and those over 65 should rethink holiday
plans." Wednesday, "schools will remain open and people who have been
boosted should gather for the holidays."
Those who write with their
left-hand but throw with their right can go maskless, but all Morrissey
fans need to show proof of vaccination and one selfie of them smiling
before they gain entry to a bar.
Well, WHAT THE FUCK IS IT? What the
FUCK is going on?
Seeing all these concert cancellations is
really doing a number on me. I started digging through boxes last night and found a stash of
ticket stubs. It was both fun and depressing. There were more than a few gems.
Elton
MSG, 1976. First time I saw him.
Opened up with "Grow Some Funk Of Your Own." My friend Frank talked
about that show for years, raving about the opening even 20 years later.
"The band must have stayed
on the groove of Grow Some Funk for ten minutes before Elton came out."
The killer lineup
of Blue Oyster Cult/Thin Lizzy/The Dictators, Palladium 1978, still a
Top Ten show of all time, no pun intended. (Kills me that the Lizzy
portion of the stub was torn.) Rush at The Palladium for the "Permanent
Waves" tour. I think they played three or four nights. I went twice. Only found
one stub. The other might have gone the way of the Thin Lizzy stub.
Another
unforgettable bill--Anthrax/Public Enemy/Primus/Young Black Teenagers
at the Ritz. That was a sick night in all the right ways.
And
all those great NRBQ Bottom Line
shows, as well as solo Zevon, Danny Gatton, The Roches and that Aimee
Mann show
where 2/3 of XTC--Andy and Dave-- reunited for a live cover of
"Collideascope." Dave Gregory was Aimee's guitarist for the night. I
knew that ahead of time and so I wore my "Drums & Wires" t-shirt. I also had a
reserved table, something you didn't get at The Bottom Line unless you
knew someone or was someone. I knew someone. Some guy at a table behind
me saw my shirt and started hounding me, "XTC tonight, right? Right? I
knew it!" I guess the shirt and special table made him think I knew something,
but I didn't. I was more surprised when I noticed Andy Partridge sitting
a few feet away than he was.
I
also remember waiting in line for almost four hours for Prince at Radio
City. This was 1983 and the "1999" tour. I ended up with 5th row, but
all the way to one side, so I missed everything happening on stage left,
including the whole "Do Me, Baby"/bed humping sequence. First time I
was happy with a shitty seat.
This too shall pass. But when?
I said this back in April 2020 when most of us were brushing our teeth with Lysol and wearing hazmat suits in our living rooms---if I had to, I could stay locked up for years and never be bored. As long as there was food in the house and my stereo and televison worked. I've got enough books and records to keep me occupied for hundreds of years. I can do it. But I'd only want to do it if I knew it was for the good of everyone. I don't want to do it because a good portion of the population is either selfish or ignorant. If I get sick, it'll be on my terms, not because of all the non-doctors and non-scientists who have to "live life" by refusing to do what is right.
"Do not go quietly into that good night. Rage, rage against the meticulously researched, peer reviewed, double blind science that could have saved your fucking life you obnoxious twat."
But I digress.
Even the crankiest among us find a way to smile around Christmas. That truly is the magic of the season. Take that feeling out for a drive all year round. It's not easy, but it's worth a shot.
Whatever your plans are today and tomorrow, and even moving forward, please think of everyone, not just those around you.
Be safe. Stay healthy.
If my perfect Christmas could be put into music, it would be this Duke Pearson song.
Rosco Gordon was one of the original Memphis Beale Streeters and put out a ton of singles in the 50's and 60's across labels like Chess, Sun, Flip and Vee-Jay. People like Elvis, Jerry Lee and even early Jimi covered his songs. But he somehow ended up in Rego Park, Queens New York, which is where he was living when he was approached to record "No Dark In America" in the late 90's. It took five years of sessions, with many tracks being built around Rosco's solo piano tracks. It was eventually released in 2004 and it has been a favorite of mine ever since.
Thanks to some scrolling on Instagram, I found out that this baby was reissued on a lovely 2-LP set, very quietly I might add, by Dualtone Records.
I love that this album is out again!
This is not your standard rhythm and blues record. Gordon's playing is unique, sounding like a cross between Fats Domino and Thelonious Monk, though that just may be due to Gordon's warped piano. (The whole story could be found on the inner gatefold of this new reissue.)
The arrangements, though traditional at the root, have just enough edge, strangeness and off the wall charm, to make this album special.
Take these selections out for a spin and if you dig them, you will dig all of "No Dark In America."
One of the more appealing Record Store Day releases back in November was a limited run of Tammi Terrell's only full length for Motown, "Irresistible." This record is actually a collection of various singles recorded between 1965 and 1968, and when it was released in 1969, it barely cracked the Top 40. There wasn't a great push from the label as Terrell was diagnosed with a brain tumor which eventually killed her in 1970.
I am a sucker for solid full lengths from Motown, as most of the label's 60's catalogue were hit singles and filler. "Irresistible" is surprisingly cohesive considering it was pieced together like Frankenstein's monster. I've had this record on heavy rotation for a month now.
A good number of these tracks have appeared on the countless Tamla/Motown collections that are out there, but this is the only place to get them all. The RSD piece might be difficult to obtain, but standard reissues are readily available.
I just love the arrangements of both the opening track "I Can't Believe You Love Me," which is not your usual Funk Brothers attack, and the revved up cover of The Isleys' "This Old Heart Of Mine." All of the songs in between are just as solid, as well.
Give "Irresistible" a spin, especially if you're a fan of the Motwon Sound.
It's going to be slim pickens as we get through the holidays, so I thought I'd retrieve a few more choice reviews from the past, that will hopefully get you laughing a bit.
All of these come from actual newsletters sent to subscribers in the years 2006 and 2007. Aside from the cheap shots and, excuse me for saying so, often hilarious comments, these brief reviews are pretty damn telling. It's no wonder music retail basically disappeared during this time. Look at what we were given to sell.
Enjoy.
BADLY DRAWN BOY - BORN IN THE UK (LIMITED EDITION).
For those of you who already shelled out the $15 two weeks ago, we now
present the same record with a bonus DVD that features documentary
footage, behind-the-scenes footage, customer-ripoff footage, and
one-more-nail-in-the-coffin-of-the-music-industry footage.
BARRY MANILOW - GREATEST SONGS OF THE SIXTIES. Barry's take on such classics as "Purple Haze," "Astronomy Domine," and "Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron."
AARON COMESS - CATSKILLS CRY.
Debut solo record from the drummer of the Spin Doctors. Also out this
week: the solo debut from the triangle player in Rusted Root, the solo
release from the guy who did the artwork for the second Maggie's Dream
CD, and the solo lute album from the guy who used to play bass in the
Police. Oh wait, that one's out already....
MICHAEL BOLTON - "BOLTON SWINGS SINATRA." No, no he doesn't. He couldn't swing a dead cat if you handed it to him tail first.
AIMEE MANN - ONE MORE DRIFTER IN THE SNOW. Miss Scrooge makes a holiday record. Break out the egg nog and the rat poison.
BELINDA CARLISLE - VOILA.
A limited edition 2 CD set is Carlisle's first new album in a decade,
and her first sung entirely in French. The repertoire consists of songs
from the '40s, '50s and '60s, which coincidentally are the ages of her
remaining fans. (Please write in for uncensored alternate punchlines!)
Includes the bonus tracks "We Got Le Beat," "Heaven Is A Place On Le
Earth," and "Our Leep Are Zeal'."
MEAT LOAF - BAT OUT OF HELL III.
Seriously, enough is enough. The first album is an undisputed
classic, but since when were records supposed to have sequels?
Although, tell that to the three million people who bought "Bat Out Of
Hell II" in '93, all of whom apparently sold it back to NYCD shortly
thereafter. And while you're at it, tell 'em that Mr. Loaf did six
albums in between Bat and Bat II.
ZERO 7 - "GARDEN."
You've heard them in boutiques and restaurants worldwide -- now hear
them in your home. Featuring layers of synthetic soothing beats and
upbeat rhythms, all held together by the most minute thread of a melody.
Sure to not offend anyone!
DEAN & BRITTA - BACK NUMBERS.
Half of Luna ("Mezzaluna" for you Italians out there) record a
sophomore record that picks up where their debut left off. Where was
that, actually?
THE WHO - ENDLESS WIRE (CD/DVD combo).
Thankfully no longer called "Who 2," Pete and Rog release their first
studio album in 25 years, which is how long it took people to forget how
bad It's Hard was.
2-BONE BURNETT!
TRUE FALSE IDENTITY is
the first release of all new material from the producer extraordinare
in 14 years, sounding a little like a Rain Dogs-era Tom Waits meets Hank
Williams. This release is a welcome return from Mr. Burnett. Oh
brother, where were thou? And TWENTY TWENTY is a 2 CD, 40 track retrospective, including rarities, lyrics, and previously unreleased tracks.
Some Of Shelly's Blues- Michael Nesmith Tapioca Tundra- The Monkees I Won't Be The Same Without Her- The Monkees Propinquity (I've Just Begun To Care)- Michael Nesmith Tomorrow And Me- Micky Dolenz Me & Magdalena- The Monkees What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round- The Monkees
I doubt if any of my favorite records of 2021 will turn up on any of the usual lists. They never do.
Is it me or them?
If that isn't bad enough, I have never even heard of 40 of the artists on NPR's Top 50!
Four of my favorites appeared on Mojo's Top 75, so at least there's that.
What is that all about?
I have a theory.
While scrolling through Instagram, you occasionally see things you do not expect or actually want to see, like a brief clip of a somewhat bitter Adam Duritz from Counting Crows talking about his career. He basically said that he was disappointed that so many records after the smash debut went unnoticed, but he accepts it. He understood. People have more fun finding something new than going back to something they have heard before.
I am the opposite. I have more fun listening to music that is almost always a guarantee than I do experimenting with the current cool list or trending artists, because searching for the best new thing is a damn chore, and it is almost always a disappointment.
Sorry. Can't help it.
That said, I am not calling this list "The Best Of 2021." These records are the ones I played the most because I enjoyed them the most.
To hell with Yebba!
BURNING WOOD'S "RECORDS I ENJOYED THE MOST IN 2021"
Field Music-Flat White Moon
The problem with Field Music is that they try too hard. They are too clever at times, and that only makes things more difficult for the listener. But "Flat White Moon" is different. The songs are more accessible and you don't have to fish for the hooks. Plus, it is a very manageable 39 minutes long. This one got better with each spin.
NRBQ- Dragnet
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Thankfully NRBQ has been adhering to that practice for over 50 years, and we are all the better for it. "Dragnet" is another gem, sweet and swingin', strange and beautiful. God bless NRBQ.
Billy F. Gibbons- Hardware
Billy Gibbons covers it all on "Hardware," from the Texas blues that put him on the map, to surf music, salsa, funk and good old rock and roll. I love the way this record was recorded. It's got a nasty feel to it and a terrific drum sound, to boot. Billy can still play the guitar and he has not lost the ability to create some heavy duty riffage. This one surprised me. I did not expect to enjoy this as much as I did.
Olivier Rocabois- Goes Too Far
I need to thank my pal Don over at IDHAS for this very original and very beautiful record. At times I was reminded of a "Hunky Dory"-era Bowie fronting my beloved Left Banke. But then there are so many ideas and sounds throughout, I gave up trying to figure out the influences. Early Elton? Check. Classic Beach Boys? Check. I just know, "Goes Too Far" hits on everything I've loved and listened to my whole life, without ever sounding like a pastiche. Do yourself a favor and listen to "Olivier Rocabois Goes Too Far."
Silk Sonic- An Evening With Silk Sonic
I can't remember the last time I complained about a record being too short, but that is how I feel about "An Evening With Silk Sonic." This one lived up to the hype. It's pure joy from start to finish, never taking itself too seriously and always delivering a hook. Yes, it even got these creaking bones to dance around while no one was looking.
Earl Slick- Fist Full Of Devils
I was hoping this wasn't going to be a
self-indulgent shred-fest, or some amelodic noodling. I wanted to like
this record. And I do. Very much. I should have known better. Earl Slick
has never been about playing fast, or overplaying. He's always been
right where he needed to be, saying just what he needed to say in as few
words as possible. If you had played half of this record
for me and told me they were finished backing tracks to a lost Bowie
record, I would have believed you. A personal favorite on the
record is "The Lantern," which reminds me in both style and attack of
the great Mick Ronson and his take on "Slaughter On Tenth Avenue." If
you're a fan of Earl Slick's playing, "Fist Full Of Devils" is worth
your time. It is arguably the strongest and most realized set of music
of this guitar legend's career.
Tuns- Duly Noted
Having never boarded the Sloan train, a Sloan side project wasn't exactly calling out my name. But a few people had suggested "Duly Noted" and I am happy to say, they were right. If Sloan was ever this melodic, with harmonies this good, please point me in the right direction. I'm ready. This record is full of smart songs, mellifluous harmonies and melodies that stick.
Cha Wa- My People
Cha Wa is a Mardi Gras Indian funk band that takes the music of the
streets into the 21st century. On “My People," the band tries to “take the influence of Monk Boudreaux and Bo Dollis and
Willie Tee [from the original Wild Magnolias] back in the day, when
they were interpreting the music of their time – the deep funk, disco,
Afrobeat and tinges of reggae,” says drummer & bandleader Joe
Gelini. This record is about as New Orleans as it gets!
Lindsey Buckingham- S/T
Since Lindsey Buckingham's 1992 release "Out Of The Cradle," a record I think is his masterpiece, his solo output has been hard to distinguish from each other. I guess I wouldn't want Lindsey to stray too far from his winning formula. I think I just wanted the formula to be as strong as "Out of The Cradle." He's finally done it with this new self-titled release. It's all Lindsey, just like previous Lindsey. But it's some of the best Lindsey you'll ever hear.
Crowded House- Dreamers Are Waiting
This was the closest thing to Neil Finn's pop heyday in ages. Not quite "Woodface" or "Together Alone," but "Dreamers Are Waiting" was less experimental and more accessible than both "Intriguer" and "Time On Earth" and it was refreshing to hear some pop melodies once again, even if the mood was not quite as playful as those classic Crowded House records. This was a solid return to form.
Robert Plant/Alison Krauss- Raise The Roof
The sequel is rarely better than the original, but occasionally you
get a winner. Bob and Ali are back with "Raise The Roof" and it's fab. I
was a bit put off by the first single, a cover of Randy Weeks' "Can't
Let Go." It wasn't bad, it just wasn't Lucinda Williams, who I think
owns that track. But Plant and Krauss are terrific once again. Especially Plant! I know all the diehard Zep fans still can't get beyond
not seeing a reunion, but props to Robert for moving on. He and Krauss
are made for each other and they sound wonderful on just about every
track. The Anne Briggs cover above is a personal favorite, as is their
cover of Bert Jansch's "It Don't Bother Me." The only misstep is the
album closer, "Somebody Was Watching Over Me" which went on about two
minutes too long and gave me the twitch.
Andy Partridge- My Failed Songwriting Career Part One
This was only an E.P., and all four songs are old. But damn, this is as good as it gets. The bad news? The XTC hunger pangs will come on fierce with repeated playing.
Kasim Sulton- Kasim 2021
Kasim Sulton has been Todd Rundgren's right hand man since his debut
on a Utopia record in 1977. I've been a fan of Kas for just as long. His
voice is a perfect harmonious companion to Todd's and his bass playing
is as important to the sound of Todd and Utopia's records as Bruce
Thomas or even Paul McCartney was to their respective bands.
Sulton's
last solo album "Three," was a favorite of 2014. In many ways, Sulton
does a better job at keeping the music of classic Todd Rundgren alive
than Todd himself. "Kasim 2021" is
full of great melodies, great playing and some fine songwriting.
Brian Wilson- At My Piano
Brian Wilson's "At My Piano" is self-explanatory. What I can't
explain is why I love this record so much. It isn't a particularly good
recording. There is a demo quality to it all. But that must be some of
the appeal. Wilson doesn't try to reinvent anything here. There are no
bossa nova versions of favorite "Pet Sounds" tracks. It's Brian Wilson
playing piano. He relies on the beauty of his melodies to carry the
record and it is, in a word, stunning.
The John Sally Ride- Now Is Not A Great Time
How can I put my own record on my list? Because if you know me and this blog, you'd know I wouldn't if I didn't like it. And the truth is, it isn't an automatic that I love any music I make. I do think The John Sally Ride is a special band with special songwriting, and arrangements that take chances many bands simply don't take. I believe "Now Is Not A Great Time" is worth hearing, if not for my contributions then for everyone else involved. These guys, John Dunbar, Sal Maida and Joe Pampel are talented musicians making some great music that needs to be heard.
Los Lobos- Native Sons
A few weeks before Los Lobos' recent covers album "Native Sons" was
released, some PR clips were floating about the web with Louie Perez
talking about the record and how the band's approach was to create note
for note copies of the songs they used to play when they were an up and
coming bar band in East L.A.. I thought, meh, another COVID lockdown
covers album.
WRONG!
"Native Sons" is a blissful, soulful, ass-kicking collection of songs
with nary a clam in the bunch. I should have known better than to doubt
one of the greatest bands in the history of music.
Cheap Trick- In Another World
I think Cheap Trick is a perfect example of a band who is damned if they do and damned if they don't. I know fans who were once diehard, but for some silly reason stopped listening after "Dream Police." With the exception of "The Doctor," which is as bad as everyone remembers it being, even the weakest CT records of their catalogue sound like Cheap Trick, and those few records still have gems if you just play the damn albums!
That said, I think "In Another World" is the best of the recent trilogy. What the hell more could you want from a tried and true band in their 6th decade?
THE TOP THREE:
Mickey Dolenz- Dolenz Sings Nesmith
I guess I'd be lying if I said, I loved "Dolenz Sings Nesmith" before the death of Mike Nesmith as much as I do now. I know it would have still made my year-end list. But this record, those songs, these arrangements and Micky's voice all sound so much more important now.
This isn't a karaoke record. And it isn't cashing in either. This is a collection of mostly deeper Nesmith cuts, reinvented to near-perfection. If the debate continues over whether Dylan has a good voice versus whether he is a good singer---I believe the latter---then I think Micky Dolenz needs to be considered as one of the best "singers" in rock and roll. If you don't believe me, listen to this album. There is joy and heartbreak is in every note.
Aimee Mann- Queens Of The Summer Hotel
Talk about arriving in the nick of time! I had no plans of even listening to this record, let alone putting it on repeat and rating it as high. I have wanted this from Aimee Mann for years. By the way, it took a few spins, but I just figured out where the melody of "Home By Now" comes from. "Earn Enough For Us" from XTC's "Skylarking." No wonder I love it so much.
Southern Culture On The Skids- At Home With...
Yes, this is my favorite record of the year, partly because I needed it, but mostly because SCOTS knows how to have a good time.
It is their best since "Liquored Up & Lacquered Down."
The
opener "Call Me" finds Rick Miller wasting away, filling out forms while
the sun shines and he runs out of beer. Nothing but bad news, so just
call him! He's around, just hunkerin' down. It's 12 months along since
he played some songs, so call him! I cannot get this one out of my head.
And then comes the one and only Mary Huff with the first cover of the day, a perfect SCOTS take on Nancy Sinatra's "Sugar Town."
"Polka Dot Dress" is so damn funky, Ike Turner woke up just to say, "Shit, that's funky." Thankfully, that's all he did. Listen to that one up at the top.
Look,
you need this record. Yeah, I'm gushing. But isn't that what music is
supposed to do? Thank heavens for Southern Culture On The Skids. I played this record more than any other release of 2021 and I am going to play it again, right now!
Oh, they cover "Dear Mr. Fantasy." And a banjo is involved. And it's genius.
THE FULL LIST OF RECORDS I ENJOYED THE MOST IN 2021:
Field Music- Flat White Moon
NRBQ- Dragnet
Billy F. Gibbons- Hardware
Olivier Rocabois- Goes Too Far
Silk Sonic- An Evening With...
Earl Slick- Fist Full Of Devils
Tuns- Duly Noted
Cha Wa- My People
Lindsey Buckingham- S/T
Crowded House- Dreamers Are Waiting
Robert Plant/Alison Krauss- Raise The Roof
Andy Partridge- My Failed Songwriting Career, Part One
Kasim Sulton- Kasim 2021
Brian Wilson- At My Piano The John Sally Ride- Now Is Not A Great Time
So apparently, it wasn't just The Beatles and the Stones and The Hollies and The Who who got on the psychedelic bandwagon of 1967. British pop duo Peter & Gordon, known for their lush production and close harmonies, tossed their hallucinogens into the ring with "Hot Cold & Custard," a record I never knew existed before this past Sunday. But thanks to a tip from my band mate, John Dunbar, I've got a new favorite Peter & Gordon record.
They weren't quite as cool as The Walker Brothers, but P&G still made some fantastic records outside of the most famous ones written by Lennon & McCartney. "Hot Cold & Custard" actually knocked me out. It has its share of typically cringeworthy lyrics like most psychedelic records of the time, but it is still a far cry from "True Love Ways" and "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing."
Most of the record reminds me of what can be found on both "Evolution" and "Butterfly" by The Hollies, though nothing is as strong. But that doesn't mean "Hot Cold & Custard" should be tossed aside and definitely not forgotten. As a whole, this album, for my needs, works a lot better than "Their Satanic Majesties Request." Nothing here is as brilliant as "She's A Rainbow" or "2000 Light Years From Home." But nothing on "Hot Cold & Custard" will make you reach for the remote like "Sing This All Together" or "Gomper" either.
My brief review of the new Neil Young & Crazy Horse record got me thinking back to my days of retail. The shop sent out a weekly newsletter which then became a weekly blog. My partner and I would begin with some headlines, then write up just about every new release, and if a Tuesday was a particularly slow release day, we'd write about something else. The newsletter was supposed to sell CDs, but instead, it mostly made people laugh. Each newsletter would have a different sign off, which was always more popular than the music we were trying to sell.
I decided to share some these reviews from time to time, especially on days when my inspiration is taking a disco nap. Almost all of these had been written in 2006 and 2007, when our brick and mortar had already shut down and we had reassembled in a midtown office, doing mail order and special orders by appointment. To say my partner and I were bitter by this time is the understatement of the year.
(h/t T.S.)
SOME HEADLINES:
VP CHENEY STABS SCOTT McLELLAN WITH FORK "I
thought he was a knockwurst," said Cheney. In related news, Maureen
Dowd hits Bush in back of head with frying pan. "I just wanted to hear
'DOINK!'," says Dowd.
MARY J. BLIGE FINALLY FINDS RIGHT KEY! Unfortunately, it was for her mailbox.
CARS ON THE ROAD The
"new" Cars will be touring without its two principals- Ric Ocasek, and
the late Benjamin Orr. Rock Legend Todd Rundgren, who is quickly
becoming the Dan Hedaya of rock, has signed on as lead singer. Rundgren
has also signed on as bassist for Loverboy, keyboardist for
Quarterflash, and bullpen catcher for the Philadelphia Phillies.
ROBERT POLLARD - CRICKETS.
It's been at least two weeks since Robert Pollard put out a new
record, so the fans are getting antsy. Features the usual drums made
out of aluminum foil, amps running on C batteries, and vocals sung
through a bullhorn. Low-fi and lovin' it!
JEFF BUCKLEY - SO REAL.
A 14 track best-of featuring songs from all one and a half of his albums, plus
live tracks from his three live records and alternate takes from his two
posthumously released outtakes records, AND a brand new outtake which
is a cover of the Smiths' "I Know It's Over!" We look forward to Sony's
Essential Jeff Buckley CD, due out sometime next year, which will feature these same tracks, less one outtake. Barrel scrapers rejoice!
JON ANDERSON & GUESTS - "IN ELVEN LANDS: FELLOWSHIP."
Founding member of prog-legends YES, and now full-time fairy, Jon
Anderson releases his long-awaited solo record, creating music inspired
by the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien. How original! Songs in Elvish,
English, and Anglo-Saxon. Could be the party record of 2006, if you're a
loser.
THE DOORS - "LIVE IN PHILADELPHIA."
Another archival release from the Bright Midnight label. This one is
from the "Morrison Hotel" tour, recorded in 1970 at the Spectrum in
Philadelphia. Apparently this is the tour where Morrison kept his shlong
in his pants and rocked the house. A great setlist and great sound.
WANDA JACKSON - "I REMEMBER ELVIS."
The Queen of Rockabilly pays tribute to her close friend Elvis Presley,
with liner notes by another close friend, Elvis Costello. Apparently,
Costello kept his shlong in his pants and really wrote up a storm for
these liner notes.
THE TEMPTATIONS - "REFLECTIONS."
45 years after their inception, and with one original member still
standing, the band sings the best of Motown. 15 new recordings of songs
by their labelmates. (Line forms to the right.)
UNTIL NEXT WEEK, WE LEAVE YOU WITH THIS: How do you know when Meg White is at your front door?
She doesn't know when to come in.
Your friends, Greg Lake, Billy Ocean, Roger Waters, Johnny Rivers, Dinah Shore, and Sid Tributary
I am working on my end of year list of favorites. I can tell you right now, Neil Young & Crazy Horse's "Barn" will not be on it. As a matter of fact, the song "Canerican" is so horrible, it makes me hate "On The Beach." If Bob Dylan's lyrics to "Blowin' In The Wind" were called "Canerican," it would suck by default. The only redeeming quality of "Canerican" is that is rhymes with "Shmanerican." Seriously, "Canerican't" and should not. "I'm Afraid of Canericans!" The best thing about "Barn" is that it made me appreciate "Trans." So I guess there will be no "Crosbican, Stillsican, Nashican and Youngican" reunion any time soon.
Okay, I'm done. Tip your waitresses.
Here's the highlight from "Barn" which is just not enough to save yet another piece of wax from Neil's ever-growing pile of dreck.
Yes We Can Can- The Pointer Sisters We Can Make It Baby- Marvin Gaye Endless Grey Ribbon- Nick Lowe Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead- June Christy Leopard Skin Pill-Box Hat- Raphael Saadiq Walking In The Rain- Grace Jones No Good Trying- Susanna Hoffs
Yes We Can Can- The Pointer Sisters Allen Toussaint via The Pointer Sisters with one of the greatest drum intros ever put to wax, courtesy of Gaylord Birch, who is not from New Orleans.
We Can Make It Baby- Marvin Gaye From the legendary unreleased, but now released of course, classic "You're The Man." I don't play this album enough. Next time you reach for a Marvin Gaye record, give "You're The Man" some time.
Endless Grey Ribbon- Nick Lowe Almost all of Yep Roc's Nick Lowe reissues contain bonus tracks, and that's how I was reminded of this terrific track, as it was incorporated, along with two other b-sides, into the vinyl sequencing on "Labour Of Lust."
Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead- June Christy This is less than two minutes of pure badass cool.
Leopard Skin Pill-Box Hat- Raphael Saadiq One of the most unlikely pairings, I think, and yet it is just about perfect. (Can something be "just about" perfect?)
Walking In The Rain- Grace Jones The world lost Robbie Shakespeare this week, one half of one of the greatest rhythm sections in all of music. I bet Sly & Robbie are on a number of records in your collection, even if you don't own a single reggae record...like maybe this one.
No Good Trying- Susanna Hoffs We can list all of the negatives of a pandemic and my list would include the endless lockdown cover records, though Susanna Hoffs had been recording covers long before COVID. Truth is, I liked "Bright Lights" a lot more than I expected to, especially this Syd Barrett tune.
I can’t really explain why the death of one person affects me
differently than another. Lennon’s was big. Freddie Mercury’s affected
me years later. Bowie’s took a few years of my life with him. Petty and
Prince, to be perfectly straight, had a tough act to follow. Charlie Watts was a gut punch/wake up
call. I’m not an idiot, but I really thought Charlie would literally
live forever.
I wasn’t expecting Mike Nesmith to leave so unexpectedly. He appeared to be enjoying the hang.
If
I was forced to explain the difference between how the death of those
giants I mentioned earlier affected me versus the death of Mike Nesmith
it would go straight to the music.
The
music of the giants is in our DNA. The Monkees have never been taken
seriously, even though Mike Nesmith was doing that hip alt-country thang
years before Uncle Tupelo. There’s a deep well of Mike Nesmith music
that needs to be embraced and loved, and listening to those under
appreciated Monkees records and those killer solo records, makes the
loss hit much harder.
What we have here are two of my favorite guitar solos of all time, both of which come from the one and only NRBQ. The first solo, from "Flat Foot Flewzy" is played by original Q guitarist, Steve Ferguson. The second, from "Get A Grip," is played by Q fan favorite, "Big" Al Anderson, Ferguson's replacement.
The "Scraps" record was the first for Anderson and I often wondered if Terry Adams required "Big" Al to play just like Ferguson. The solos are similar in many ways. As time went on, Anderson fell into his own with the band. But it's hard to ignore how much these solos have in common.
I also remember writing about the first time I saw Scott Ligon with NRBQ, who has been Q's guitarist for about ten years now, and how I thought it a bit eerie that he not only played just like "Big" Al, but also sounded like "Big" Al vocally and even looked like a "Small" Al Anderson.
I don't really have much of a point here. I'm just riffing around these two solos. Listen and decide who did it better.
I all but gave up on Aimee Mann after her undeniable masterpiece "Bachelor No. 2." Each record since has had a moment or two of brilliance because Aimee Mann is a special singer and songwriter. But mostly, all of those albums starting with 2002's "Lost In Space" right through 2017's "Mental Illness" left me cold with nothing to hold on to. I remember nothing other than a slow to mid tempo sameness. That might not be a popular opinion, but as a fan since Til Tuesday's debut, I knew what I wanted and needed to hear, and I wasn't hearing it.
That said, I wasn't going to bother with the recently released "Queens Of The Summer Hotel." But I did bother and I am sure glad I did. This is Aimee Mann's return to form; a masterpiece in its own right.
"Queens Of The Summer Hotel" is an absolutely gorgeous collection of songs and melodies, understated and beautifully delivered, as if Miss Mann was fronting The Left Banke. My initial reaction after the first run through was to just begin again, but I chose to wait. I wanted this feeling to last. So I cleansed the palatte with a few other records and went back a second time, and that go around was even better.
Most of the songs are just piano and strings, but even if the subject matter gets a bit dark, the melodies are euphoric. What makes this different than the "slow to mid tempo sameness" of the previous four records I mentioned above? I can't give a definitive answer to that other than, these songs instantly connected, while records like "Mental Illness" and "@#%&*! Smilers" felt like a lot of work for no pay.
I've been wanting this from Aimee Mann since "Bachelor No. 2" and I lost hope that I'd ever get it. "Queens Of The Summer Hotel" could end up being my favorite record of 2021.
The War On Drugs- I Don't Live Here Anymore I have not gone gaga the way so many others have gone gaga over this band. As a matter of fact, the first record I received when I joined the "Vinyl Me, Please" record club in 2014 was TWOD's "Lost In A Dream" and I disliked it so much, I cancelled my subscription, assuming each monthly selection would be too cool for my tastes. I've since rejoined and adjusted my membership preferences.
But I digress.
I expected to not make it through more than a few songs on "I Don't Live Here Anymore" but instead, listened to it all and liked a lot of it. I don't know how often I will go back, but this record has a fantastic cinematic feel to it, and it feels more melodic than "Lost In A Dream." I am hearing The Waterboys, and occasionally Neil Finn and Tom Petty. There is also an 80's vibe to it as well. That cinematic feel reminded me of the music heard in John Hughes films, and even "Tequila Sunrise" or any of the "Lethal Weapon" films, and I mean that in a good way.
Japanese Breakfast- Jubilee The blinding hype surrounding Japanese Breakfast was almost enough for me to immediately denounce everything about her and "Jubilee" without hearing a note. But it was recommended by someone I respect, so for that and only that reason, I gave it ride.
I enjoyed the time spent with "Jubilee." It is musically appealing with enough hooks and melodic phrases to keep me around. It's a bit all over the place musically, sounding at times like St. Vincent, or on a few songs, like a modern version of what Bacharach and David might have written. But Michelle Zauner's voice became irritating after awhile, and because of her squeaky tone and style, I can't help but toss this into the teen/girl/pop/diva pile, even though I recognize she is a hell of a lot more interesting than that. I'm feeling like this one needs a return visit.
BADBADNOTGOOD- Talk Memory Naming your band BADBADNOTGOOD is asking for trouble, like calling your movie "The Bomb." It's a series of good and bad jokes waiting to happen. But apparently BBNG have risen above it, as their fan base and positive reviews will attest.
"Talk Memory," their fourth, is my entry into BBNG. The reviews say it abandons the hip-hop and electronica found on their earlier efforts for a more classic jazz sound. To my ears, this record sounds like what people who don't like jazz think jazz sounds like. There is a lot of fine playing around a lot of nothing melodies that rarely take you anywhere. Stick with Miles' "In A Silent Way."
One afternoon, walking along Chartres Street in the French Quarter, I stopped in a shoe store looking for something comfortable. There was a couple, locals no doubt, and the wife was holding up a pair of incredibly gaudy platform sandals, with what I remember being a transparent pink six inch heel. The shoes were ugly. She held them up to her husband and asked, "What do you think?" He asked, "How much?" She said, "$250!" He barked back, "What's in that heel, $240?!"
I still laugh when I think about it and often use that joke.
Adele has announced a Las Vegas residency. One report says ticket prices start at $85 and go as high as $650. But most reports, including some Tweets from Adele fans claim the starting price is much higher.
"One impassioned Adele fan agreed: "I hate Vegas residencies… it’s such a
slap in the face to your fans, who cannot afford to fly out/get a
hotel/other travel accommodations…ON TOP of the cost of tickets… @Adele
... I cannot wait for the era of residencies to die." At the time of
writing, tickets for Friday and night concerts in January 2022 begin at
$2,161. The ticket prices are staggered and eventually become as
expensive as $9,444."
"Tickets begin at $2161?" It's Vegas, so they must give you $2000 in quarters when you arrive for the show!
This all began very innocently. I had been looking for a King Stitt LP that included the opening track. Before too long, I had created a 90 minute playlist for personal use. My original thought was to edit it down to a manageable 60 minutes for last Friday's Weekend Mix. But knowing that reggae music goes over like a bag of wet socks on this blog, I thought it might be best to go at it one day and one song at a time. And that is where we are now.
In brief, I love this music. Whether it's a danceable ska groove or a heavy protest song or some doo-wop/rock steady hybrid, it all makes me very happy.
Five of the seven songs come from five of my favorite reggae albums of all time. Do they all sound the same? I say, no. Many of you will disagree. But even if that is the case, maybe use it to your advantage. This mix runs a mere 23 minutes. If you have trouble distinguishing one artist from another, listen to the mix as a whole--23 minutes of rhythm, bass, drums, harmony, melody and good vibes. Maybe you'll come away feeling something different than your usual anti-reggae stance.
If you're already a fan, I hope you dig this week's selection.
The Ugly One (Lee Van Cleef)- King Stitt Sho Be Do Be- The Clarendonians On The Beach- The Paragons Stag Lack 17- Tommy McCook & Bobby Ellis Hail The King- Akae Beka Your Ace From Space- U-Roy Burning Drums- Dadawah
