See You Soon

Beginning this week, our friends BuzzBabyJesus and Jeff K. will be keeping the wood burning until the 30th. They won't be posting every day, but when they do, please show them some love.

Thanks gentlemen.

See you soon.

Songs Of The Week, 2019: 10/5-10/11

Tomorrow's People-The Children Of Today- McDonald & Giles
Tonight The Streets Are Ours- Richard Hawley
You Used To Drive Me Around- Jon Auer
Descending- The Black Crowes
Since I Fell For You- Annie Laurie w/Paul Gayten
There Is Nothing More To Say- The Millennium
Everything's Ruined- Faith No More

zip


We open up with my favorite track from the McDonald & Giles record. That opening minute kills me everytime.

I just read a quote from Andy Partridge regarding production: "What's the use of having a top if you're not going to go over it?" And that brings me to Richard Hawley who goes all in, almost all the time. This track is a sweeping beauty.

The Posies' Jon Auer goes solo on one of my very favorite tracks of his, with or without Ken Stringfellow.

The version of "Descending" included here, is from the Black Crowes "Lost" sessions and it is far superior than what officially came out on "Amorica." Another killer.

A friend recently posted this early version of the Lenny Welch hit, "Since I Fell For You" on his Facebook page. As great as the 60's hit was, Annie Laurie really nails it on this 1947 version.

I've mentioned "The Millennium- Begin" on these pages a number of times. It is a record that seems to always be in heavy rotation. This track stood out on this particular go around because it finally hit me that Todd Rundgren copped the melody for "Chain Letter" on his "The Ballad Of..." album.

Faith No More has always interested me in that, the songs I love, I love and the songs I don't, I hate. I LOVE this track. The repeated "Everything's Ruined" at the end is so simple and yet so effective.

The Fab Three

Written by John Lennon, featuring Paul McCartney on bass and harmonies, Joe Walsh on guitar and Ringo on drums and lead vocals...

Regarding Writer's Block and the New Lucille Furs Record

If you click on the Now Playing link on the right, you will see that I have not eased up on my listening. Over the last week, I've considered saying a few things about many of the records I've been enjoying, and some I did not enjoy. I am still listening to the Black Crowes after reading Steve Gorman's book, but have already shared those thoughts. I finally listened to the Weyes Blood record after reading so many wonderful reviews, but was left cold by the end so I thought, why bother? I've been wanting to write a review of The Flood Models, the wonderful new record by our friend over at Power Pop, Steve Simels, but decided the record deserved more than a quick paragraph, so I put it on the back burner. I wanted to write about The End, the lost British psych gem produced by Bill Wyman but decided not to, for no other reason than not being up for it. There's a new Darkness record out, but I've shoved them in your face enough. And yesterday was John Lennon's 79th birthday. I had a great idea, but decided I'd wait until his 80th.

The topics are there, but none seem exciting enough to expand.

I do like the suggestions made on yesterday's post:

Artists you've come to like belatedly
Artists known for their covers but have written great songs for themselves

But...I need to write it up, damnit!

I've also been in selling mode, recently coming into a few solid collections, so that has kept my mind occupied. By the way, no reason not to shamelessly plug my little shop. If you're still buying records, click on the records for sale link on the right and check out a lot of new arrivals and back to school sales! Maybe a few sales will snap me out of it.


In the meantime, one record I am loving is the new one from Lucille Furs, a French retro psych band that sounds a bit like a more mainstream Syd-era Floyd, and of course a bit of Beatles and Zombies, as well. The full album is up top, but be warned, I was not sold by the first two tracks. You might be, but it really took off for me by track three and now I truly love this whole record.

Thanks for your patience.

Soooo...

I am having having one of those spells where nothing seems to be inspiring enough to piece together a few paragraphs.

Worst album by favorite artist?

Best song by artist you generally don't like?

Best pizza in NYC?

Favorite episode of "CPO Sharkey?"

Please stand by.

Songs Of The Week, 2019: 9/28-10/4

Laughing Man- The Marmalade
In The Heat Of The Morning- David Bowie
Smoking Cigarettes- Golden Earring
Girl, Don't Make Me Wait- Timebox
My Girl The Month Of May- The Alan Bown
The Sun Never Sets- Cheap Trick
She's Gone- Hall & Oates

zip

A Marmalade B side, a very early Bowie track reworked over 30 years later for the still unreleased "Toy" album, Golden Earring and the brilliant Mike Patto & Ollie Halsall as Timebox trying some R&B and succeeding with flying colors, a Dion cover by a British band who didn't know what it wanted to be, The Alan Bown, Cheap Trick still doing it right from their second to last release and a Hall & Oates classic, these are your Songs Of The Week.

Ginger Baker, 1939-2019

If anyone is attending the viewing, don't get too close to the casket. Ginger may have one or two backhands left in him.

Deep Cut Six Pack Volume Six: The Black Crowes

BLACK CROWES MANAGER:
Keith, do you know the Black Crowes?

KEITH RICHARDS:
Know'em? I wrote'em!


That was backstage on the "Voodoo Lounge" tour when The Black Crowes opened up for the Stones.

I'm just about finished reading Black Crowes' drummer Steve Gorman's new book on life with the Robinson Brothers, "Hard To Handle." It is infuriating and hilarious, frightening, and actually, a bit nostalgic, as I have been an unabashed fan since day one. These boys were my favorite live act for a good 15 years, even though the very first time I saw them live, opening for Aerosmith in 1990, was a shambles. But I miss those shows, almost all of which were stellar. Setlists changing from night to night, deep cuts, covers, hits and more, if they did a 5-night stint at the Beacon Theatre, I made sure I was at 3 or 4 of those nights.  They never quite knew how to pull off the "jam." I don't think they were accomplished enough to improvise with any authority. But when they stuck to good old rock and roll, and did their best Faces, Stones, and Led Zeppelin, they shook the foundations.

I was having some fun with the book, listening to a handpicked soundtrack as I read, and digging out some old stubs. Correct me if I am wrong, but the very few times I've featured the Black Crowes here, the response was chilly, at best. I know a few out there feel as I do, especially my friend Kevin who hipped me to Gorman's book. If you were turned off by their Otis cover, or their blatant attempt at recreating "A Nod Is As Good As A Wink" on their debut, well, that was 30 years ago. Maybe these deeper cuts will defrost you.

The opener is "Exit," my absolute favorite of their still unreleased tracks. I saw them perform this for the first time in 1995 and waited and waited for an official release. It never happened.

"Waitin' Guilty" and "Grows A Rose" are both B-sides that I believe are both better than any of the A-Sides they released since 1995.

"Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye" is probably their best ballad, even moreso than what is arguably their most famous song, according to drummer Gorman, "She Talks To Angels," which I personally don't really like that much. This was always a showstopper live, as was "Soul Singing," hardly a deep cut to fans, but it might be to you. This became a concert staple and was almost always the best part of the night.

"What Is Home" is my favorite Rich Robinson track from "Before The Frost..."

This Six Pack may not change your mind, but I bet you'll be surprised by how much you like some of it.

TRACKLIST
Exit
Waitin' Guilty
What Is Home
Grows A Rose
Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye
Soul Singing

zip