Thursday, April 29, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Colin Blunstone: Neil MacArthur (the singles) 1969
(Colin Blunstone made 3 singles in 1969 under the pseudonym- Neil MacArthur. Here are those singles with bonus outtakes. $$$)
Richard Ashcroft: United Nations of Sound (single) 2010
(2 new jams from the yet-to-be-released 'United Nations of Sound',, some insane eddie hazel dude on guitar)
Monday, April 26, 2010
Lost Album: Silkworm "Lifestyle"
Art Work by Hiroshi Kimura
1: Contempt (listen to the words in this song- "that american seems so strange, his face it wears a rictus of pain, and his villa is large, he hired Fritz Lang.. If I read Homer I wouldn't be bored, that American thinks he's a God, what's wrong with a technicolor world?" the chorus- "contempt, keep away from me, I'll keep away from you", opens crazy huge drum sound. neil young chords. awesome vocal track)
2: Slave Wages (feel good, realistic lyrics, dino jr gt riffs)
3: Treat the New Guy Right (awesome song, singalong double vocal chorus)
4: Plain (song about growin up in Montana, and sounds like 'In the West')
5: Roots (such a great acoustic tune, profound lyrics)
6: Yr Web (awesome)
7: That's Entertainment (this is my favorite song on the album, the best song that never made it on "Firewater", the brother song to "Slow Hands", the words are some of my favs, beautiful harmonies, "thats entertainment, never in our lives have we been so entertained, I know you're for me, I know you're foreign", some of Andy Cohen's best guitar soloin, Fucking-Great-Guitar-PLaying!)
8: Raging Bull (awesome mini-song)
9: Around the Outline (bizarre words and melody, like early worm)
10: Dead Air (awesome)
11: ooh lah lah (Faces cover)
12: The Bones (Tim's Best acoustic song, open C tuning, song about life, positivity, great electric gt- piano,-acoustic arrangement, "You're gonna live a long time before you go" ends this excellent but understated album)
3: Treat the New Guy Right (awesome song, singalong double vocal chorus)
4: Plain (song about growin up in Montana, and sounds like 'In the West')
5: Roots (such a great acoustic tune, profound lyrics)
6: Yr Web (awesome)
7: That's Entertainment (this is my favorite song on the album, the best song that never made it on "Firewater", the brother song to "Slow Hands", the words are some of my favs, beautiful harmonies, "thats entertainment, never in our lives have we been so entertained, I know you're for me, I know you're foreign", some of Andy Cohen's best guitar soloin, Fucking-Great-Guitar-PLaying!)
8: Raging Bull (awesome mini-song)
9: Around the Outline (bizarre words and melody, like early worm)
10: Dead Air (awesome)
11: ooh lah lah (Faces cover)
12: The Bones (Tim's Best acoustic song, open C tuning, song about life, positivity, great electric gt- piano,-acoustic arrangement, "You're gonna live a long time before you go" ends this excellent but understated album)
Blake Ian: Play The King
This is an interesting take on singer/songwriter- Blake Ian's influences from the Violent Femmes to The Elvis Presley Sun Sessions. Stripped to a live setting between acoustic guitar, vocals, and a rumbling snare drum, "Play the King" clears a path for no-bullshit, toe-tapping Folk Rock, and I mean Rock, in the classic sense of the word. A vintage side A/side B single is what the local record stores need these days. Side A ("Play the King") is energy driven, a jolt of Richie Havens style acoustic strumming, hovering under a bluesy vocal melody so catchy it's hard to get to Side B without replaying the track a few times. It's production value counts, for the fact that it's not trying to fit in with any modern trend of the week. The sound is that golden sound of the Doo-Wop recordings of the 1950's, very basic and to the point- a small group set up in a smokey recording studio playing for an intimate few, without any pretensions or pompousness.
Side B ("Somewhere at 150") continues with the same rockabilly attitude, featuring bar-stool lyrical prose up against a shuffling drum pattern, like the Violent Femmes if they had Scotty Moore on lead guitar. You don't hear the words- "play that 45 again" too often, and any DJ will tell you, a good single has a million spins in it before the tune gets old. I like how the flip side contrasts the other, the way Presley's "Hound Dog" plays off its A-side "Don't be Cruel" without straying away from the core ingredient- good old fashioned Rock and Roll.
Automatic Children: New is Beautiful
I read a review of this album recently, that said Automatic Children sound like everything else that's coming out of Brooklyn these days. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Brooklyn holds all kinds of styles of bands, and though it gets pinned down as the birthplace of Grizzly Bear and TV on the Radio, musicians who are actively in the scene, know its variety.The band- Automatic Children mixes a unique batch of influences, some might say shouldn't be mixed, others will "get it". There is an obvious blend of late 80's/early 90's Hard Rock with current Indie Rock-isms and a touch of 80's Pop sensibilities. The 80's part would be the lyrics. They are not trying to revolutionize Poetry in Rock and Roll, but leaning the other way, toward singalongs and catchy hooks. Lyrically, they are more similar to Duran Duran or The Psychedelic Furs. Musically, they're not unlike Girl/Guy groups of the 90's, like Versus or Butterglory. Imagine your favorite Indie band doing the best of Bon Jovi. That's what separates this band from the others in their category- they do what they want, without second guessing their hipster points or record store clout.
For a debut album, it represents all the qualities this band has to offer in a Pop/Punk setting with an overall production reminiscent of The Replacements. They are constantly working at finding the balance between Pop and Punk Rock.
Two notable tracks that stand out - "Coming over me" and "Be Here Now". The first song showcases both lead singers, who have very different styles. Adam- the dude, sings like a cross between Anton Newcombe and Sylvester Stallone, voicing his baritone tough-guy holler up against Crista- the girl. Crista handles the high harmonies and lead vocals with an innocence and sincerity of a true Pop star. The combination of the two work well, and I don't mean in a "Rhinestone" movie Stallone/Dolly Parton way, although I'd like to see more sequin suits in Brooklyn bands these days.
The second track noted, is "Be Here Now". First off, this is the title of a very famous Oasis song, but surprisingly brings to mind, the band- Ride, who's core member (Andy Bell) was the bass player for Oasis. Is this supposed to be a nod to the Maharishi existential quote- "Be Here Now"? Is the song intentionally rivaling Oasis, by way of The Pixies double harmonies and a gnarly bass and drum breakdown? Perhaps, they've never heard the Oasis song, or like the band for that matter. But it's hard not to compare the two.
All in all, the band passes with flying colors for a debut LP. And if you listen to an eclectic mix of music, but put the need to ROCK-OUT before anything else, give this album a listen!
The Roast Beef Curtains: Pleasure EP
This was sent to me.. The name of the band cracks me up! I haven't laughed this hard since I got The Condo Fucks - "Fuckbook". The RBC are sort of a suburban Punk band with Reggae/Dub jams that are actually pretty dope. (check "L.I.B.") But they play more of the 'Green Day' Punk stuff than the Dub. I prefer the latter. "Rabbi David" and "5th base Girl" are hilarious and awesome at the same time. I've never heard a band chant- "My 5th base girl likes Diet Coke and Gloryholes". haha
Bring these jams to the beach with a joint.
Tina Brown: Vodka and Tequila
Tina Brown is the latest addition to the Popcore.net enterprise. 'Popcore', a New York PR company focusing on 'the core of Pop music', has found their Rihanna. And like all Pop organizations, mimicry is believed to lead to success, where as other music congregations look for originality. "Vodka and Tequila" is her new single, and if I heard it on the radio, I would think it was Rihanna, but she's lacking essential qualities that separate the authentic from the genuine. Rihanna is soulful, funky, and Glam-packed whenever on stage or TV. Tina Brown is more like Debbie Gibson or Tiffany, and from what I can hear- a white impression of Rihanna. This brings to mind, similar Top 40 rivalries like New Edition & New Kids on the Block, or Prince & Justin Timberlake. There's an audience for this stuff, so regardless of whether I think Tina Brown is a 'genuine' Pop star in the making, doesn't change the fact that her new single is quite catchy! "Vodka and Tequila" is the perfect party song, and at the same time, the perfect hangover song. I know (personally) the effects of mixing Vodka and Tequila, and if I was at a dance party toward the middle of the night, I would dig this single. I would also know, the next morning would be one of amnesia. That is basically what the lyrics are about, and when you're hungover and can't find a copy of "The Velvet Underground" or "Sticky Fingers", this little funky jam would be sufficient enough.
The real question is- can Tina Brown do more than sing a catchy song, and where does an act like this go from here? I believe Rihanna writes a large part of her music, and styles her ever-changing image after her own tastes. Tina Brown is newer, less prolific, and has more to prove if she's going to storm the radio charts. That can be a motivational advantage, if the money's there, and she's got more singles in her. Pop music is a fickle business, and a dangerous one for the thin-skinned. The last time I heard from Tiffany, she was addicted to pain killers, and suffering from psychological and eating disorders. (I remember she was headlining at an amusement park?) Tina Brown is on her way up, radio-friendly, and most importantly- hot! So where she goes from here, is anybody's guess. My suggestion would be to hire a cutting-edge producer, and do everything within her power to NOT rival similar top 40 acts. Originality can go a long way, and if you are not backed by a well-connected millionaire, trying to be someone you're not in the Pop world is virtually unreachable.
Hole: Nobody's Daughter
Yo, what is this?? I did not think a Hard Rock album could suck any worse than Guns and Roses' "Chinese Democracy", but Courtney Love has surprised me! I am not a fortune teller and I don't have a crystal ball that looks into the future, but I think I can safely say, this is going down in history as THE worst album of the decade. Forget about musically evolving, she devolved since her last attempt at a 'band' record. Is it the drugs, the plastic surgery? How can someone who married a legendary songwriter miss everything that's good and necessary to writing songs? My guess, is Courtney Love is completely gone... she is so far removed from current music, and far removed from reality, ala Michael Jackson. You'd think that would work in her favor, having the luxury of using your imagination for a living, but it doesn't. The only purity I hear off this record, is her anger at the world. Maybe the younger kids like this stuff, I don't know who does. But this shit is so God awful, I'd rather be stranded on a desert island with the two MGMT albums, than endure this Hole record one more time! It's really sad what she's done to her career. I don't see her falling back on acting gigs, unless she's planning on working with Tim Burton for the rest of her life.
LCD Soundsystem: This is Happening
This is a contender for the best album of the year. I've listened to it 100 times already, and I don't think it's officially released yet. It's a big jump from the last two LCD records, which were electronic sequencer albums for the most part. This record is closer to their live act. Songs like 'Drunk Girls' and 'Pow Pow' are more straight ahead Punk songs, kindred to The Fall. The rest of the record grooves like The Talking Heads, but experiments like Stereolab. This is an example of a band with no limits or boundaries. They'll make you dance, make you sing, make you wanna drink and party the night away, but don't let the shtick fool you, these are intelligent compositions from a musicians stand-point. Other bands enter this territory of music, like Primal Scream or Pink Skull, but those bands use longer chord progressions and Classic Rock melodies. LCD bases everything around the beat. They intentionally do not overwhelm the listener with unexpected chord changes, or versatile drum beats, but focus directly on the dance element, usually staying on 2 or 3 chords over high-energy Disco grooves.
"This is Happening" marks the beginning of a new chapter for this band, most importantly, sounding-like-a-band. I have always thought of them as a dude with a lot of crazy gadgets making music on a laptop somewhere, but as live sounding as they want to get, this record represents what they're about as a collective. (unless it's all James Murphy, and the band are hired-guns for touring purposes?) Nevertheless, the end result is THE SHIT! Buy this record, it's worth your money.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
Leonard Cohen: Live Songs 1973
(This whole record blows me away! The 1st and last tracks are noted from "a room in Tennessee". This was the apex of his live career, mixing long instrumental free-jams with odd spoken-word interludes. "Queen Victoria" = $$$)
John Lennon: Off the Walls
(There isn't much to find from the "Walls and Bridges" sessions. This is a super rare Vinyl Bootleg from those sessions. It's incredible! / Note: the alternate lyrics on "Scared" $$$)
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Tommy James: My Head, My Bed & My Red Guitar 1972
(obscure tommy james album. this was his departure from psychedelia into songwriter/soul singer)
Monday, April 19, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
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