Really Short Record Reviews
I've picked up a bunch of CDs recently. Here are some really quick reviews
in reverse chronological order of when purchased:
The Jayhawks - The Jayhawks (Bunkhouse Tapes)
First Jayhawks album. Used to be only 1000 vinyl copies. Now on CD. Very country, but up-tempo country. This really isn't proto-Jayhawks. Not much harmony. Not nearly enough Louris. Nice to have but won't get played much.
Cheap Trick - In Color (Albini Re-Record)
Re-recorded while working with Albini because the original mix sucks. Not actually released, but leaked on the net. Google it, then be sure to buy a copy when it's actually released. Much more muscular and crunchier than the original, sometimes self-consciously so. Long enough ago that Zander could still hit the high notes. Worth tracking down.
Straight Outta Burbank
Compilation of songs from Bomp! artists. Lots of songs for the money.
Cheap Trick - Sgt. Pepper Live
Sounds like Sgt. Pepper. Just go listen to Sgt. Pepper. This doesn't add anything.
Betty Blowtorch - Last Call / Are You Man Enough
All-girl hard rock band. Leader now tragically dead. Both discs are loud raunchy fun.
Riot grrrl stuff. Too noisy for me. I like a hook and this doesn't have many. Doesn't make it bad, just not for me.
Toilet Boys - The Early Years
Glam/Hard Rock with a cross-dressing front-man. I'd actually rather have some of their later releases, but I can't find them on CD anymore.
The Dictators - Every Day Is Saturday
'Tators rarity CD. Harder-edged versions of some songs. Great radio spots. It's a must-buy for any Dictators fan. (And if you're not a fan, what the hell is wrong with you?)
Shoes - Double Exposure / Tongue Twister / Present Tense / Best
Shoes are power-pop, but not hard-edged power-pop. Think softer Fountains of Wayne songs. The songs are just great. Lush vocals and fuzzed guitars. You really can't go wrong. Buy some!
Colorado had a Punk scene?
I recently bought a CD/record combo called Rocky Mountain Low, detailing the Colorado Punk scene from the late 70s. (A friend recommended it to me when he heard I was going through some of my old vinyl-based Punk.)
I know what you're thinking: I didn't even know that Colorado had a Punk scene.
Well, they did and it was pretty damn cool.
And, if you're up on your Punk history, you might also think: Hey, Jello Biafra is from Boulder. I bet this is all early Jello stuff.
Well, it's not. There are two songs featuring Jello, one a harrowing tale about a school bus driver. (Actually more of a audio story than a song.) The other is a vinyl-only bonus, mentioned below. But that's it for Jello. This is the scene from which Jello came. But it's not a scene driven by Jello.
What you do get is a surprising variety of really good stuff. Some is Punk loaded with energy and rage, but short on melody. (That's not a criticism.) Some is straight-ahead Rock 'n' Roll. There's a good smattering of female bands and band members. There's clever Punk and just plain pissed off Punk. And there's a song about killing the President that would get you a Secret Service visit today. (I like to play that one extra loud in the car.)
Of course, there are also some great band names, too. Dancing Assholes?
Yes, please!
The whole package is very impressive and makes me miss the days of vinyl, which isn't something I normally miss that much. It's a two record set. It comes with a huge booklet filled with information, bios, and photos. (Wanna see Jello with a beard and long hair? It's there.) It also includes a CD version, so you don't have to rip the vinyl just to get it into MP3s. And the sound quality is impressive considering the age and obscurity of the music.
Now, don't go thinking that just because it includes a CD version that you won't need to dig out the old turntable. The vinyl contains the very first, pre-Dead Kennedys, version of California Über Alles, which is not on the CD.
If it's been awhile, replace that needle and turntable belt first. I found LP Gear to have good info on needles and belts. Plus, they shipped fast. If you no longer have a receiver that accepts a phono input, J&R has a cheap pre-amp.
And the whole freakin' package is just $28, including shipping! Just go buy it!
And if you're just dying for more info on the Colorado Punk scene, well, here ya go!
Impediments to my ever forming a garage band...
1) The garage is full of crap. I'd have to move the car.
2) I can't play guitar. Can't even play bass. I can't play piano either.
3) I'm not inclined to learn, either. Plus I have big meaty palms with stubby little fingers.
4) I have no idea what I would write songs about. Do we really need more liberal political bands? I've been happily married for a long time, so I don't have any tales of love-based woe. I work at home in my jammies, so I can't really complain about work. I just can't generate any angst anymore.
That last one is probably the killer. If I did somehow conquer 1-3 above, then I guess I could write songs about:
- Insomnia
- Tea
- Sexy Nuns
- The US Constitution
- BBQ
- Religion
- OS X
- Baseball
Well, gee, maybe that's enough? Guess I better start cleaning out the garage.
Geoff Useless - Tell Me What EP
It's time for a CD review!
Your first question is bound to be, who the hell is Geoff Useless? Well he's a punk from New Hampshire. He played for a bit with The Queers. He's also in a punk band called The Guts. And he has his own band, too. The guy gets around.
I ran into him on Twitter. I can't remember who followed who first. But he's a great guy and released this EP last week.
Now, before getting into each song, note that this EP isn't real punky. It's got some pop and some folk. That's cool with me. But this isn't a really a punk release. So don't go expecting loud.
The first thing you notice about the EP is the cover. It's a goof on the iconic Elvis/Clash cover. But it's got Geoff's face, with a really goofy-yet-cool expression. I love this photo. It really captures the guy. He's goofy-yet-cool.
So, throw the CD in the drive and what do you get? First off, you get Geoff's voice. Y'know how Joey Ramone had that Liverpool via Queens accent? Take that, lighten it a little, and run it through New England. Now you have Geoff. He's got some guy with him who does the backing vocals. He's great, too. His voice works well with Geoff's. I'd tell you his name, but I don't have the CD by my side.
Now, onward to the tracks:
Tell Me What: Okay, this is the main track. Everything else is basically bonus material. And that's fine, because this is one fine slice of catchy pop. It's an ode to his girlfriend. (She also appears in the adorable video.) The production is just slick enough that you could play this on the radio. (Does anyone listen to the radio anymore? I never really did, I must admit. MPLS radio sucked in the 80s in direct reverse proportion to the quality of the music scene.) But it's not overly-slick. It's just right. It's fun. It's heart-felt. It has call and response vocals and nice harmonies. It ends with a trademark Beatles progression. Everything about it feels right. It's just a great song. Buy the EP, just for this. Seriously.
Told You Once: The second track clocks in at less than a minute. It's a little bluegrass ditty. Twangy harmonies throughout. It's fun. You think it ended, then it doesn't, then it does. I love it. And if you don't like it, that's okay, because it's only 55 seconds long.
Comin' Round Again: This track is folky, with a church organ supporting. It starts sparse, they breaks out the organ. It's not as catchy as Tell Me What,
but frankly, I haven't heard anything in the past 3 years that is. As with the prior tracks, there's great backing vocals, sometimes providing harmony, sometimes not. It ends with a fade out, then a fade in to some studio shenanigans. That doesn't do much for me. But it's harmless silly fun.
The EP was originally released, for free, online. Buying the CD, which you should do, snags you two bonus acoustic demo tracks.
I'll Always Be (Me): This is your basic don't pigeonhole me
/ I'm true to myself
sort of track. It's a fine song. Not my favorite, though.
Beware: Nasty little ditty about how everyone wants to kill you. It's not a cute ditty either. It's an agressive acoustic number. Reminds me of Husker Du's Never Talking to You Again.
It's that kind of acoustic agression. I love this. Hearing Geoff tell you that you're going to die die die is a blast.
And all this was only four bucks! Four bucks! That's all!!! Go buy the damn CD!
Butch's Latest
So, Butch Walker has a new CD out. I didn't like his previous release all that much. You can read my review but the bottom line is that it was too dour and mawkish. (The dourness was understandable as the poor guy's house burned down, destroying everything he owned. But that doesn't mean I have to like listening to it.)
Anyway, the latest is called I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart. So, how is it? Much better. Not perfect. But much better. About half the songs are winners. That sounds harsh, but I'm picky and have high expectations for the Rock God,
even if he's doing everything but rock-out-with-his-cock-out.
The first thing to know about this release is that it's all over the place. There are some typical Butch pop gems. And there are some of the somber pieces in which he has over-indulged in the recent past. But there's also some country. And one song that I swear must be Queen.
Part of it is Butch growing
as an artist. But that's just part. I realized what this release is while listening to it on my daily walk yesterday. This release is a production demo. In addition to being a musician, Butch also produces. And he's been successful at it. I'd wager that most of his income comes from producing, not from his own CD sales. And this release covers the bases in terms of production. It's a genius move, frankly, even if it leaves me feeling a little used.
So, let's get into the tracks:
Trash Day: Typical Butch pop song with snarky-yet-clever lyrics. But there's no chorus and no hook and there's not enough going on melodically to make it work. It's not a bad song, by any means. But it's not strong enough with which to open the album, either.
Pretty Melody: Overproduced. Not catchy. Tommy no like. It just doesn't work for me. The part right before the chorus sound like a Cheap Trick song I can't place. The piano is almost Costello/ABBA/Rachmaninoff, but not quite. The whole track is just kind of a stylistic mess.
Don't You Think Someone Should Take You Home: Nice shot at country, but misses the mark a bit. There are three problems with the song: 1) Butch's voice isn't gritty enough for this song. 2) There ain't no harmony. Maybe a little in the chorus? So little that I'm not sure. 3) The big bass drum beat every measure is distracting.
And why does Butch's voice change so much halfway through? Done right, this could be a great Jayhawks song. I'd love if Butch pulled a Reznor and made this available as GarageBand files, so I could tone down the bass drum and add harmonies.
Stripped Down Version: Oh good God, this is gorgeous! (The preceding exclamation should not be construed as an endorsement of the existence of God.) Lush, fits Butch's voice, some actual melody, soaring chorus. It's not rock, by any means. But it's wonderful. The little yeah
at the end of the chorus keeps it from being too smooth. It's a little touch, but it's important. The self-referential bridge is just clever enough to work without being twee.
Canadian Ten: Second shot at country. This one is much better. It's not as gritty a song, so Butch's voice works better. There's some fun harmony going on with the background singers. It's a beautiful song. That said, I hate it. It's just not my kind of song. But it's not a bad song. It's really well done, just not my cup of tea. Also, tweeting that I'm listening to this song generally nets me 6-8 fake followers.
Temporary Title: This song bugs me. It starts rolling along in a sparse fashion, then has that tell-tale series of three dropping chords to tell you that it's going to open up into a bigger form. And then it doesn't, really. It adds more instruments, but doesn't really grow. And you call that a chorus? Overall it's kinda catchy, but leaves me unfulfilled. It just feels lazy.
She Likes Hair Bands: This is pretty much the same sort of thing as Trash Day. Same sort of snarky-yet-clever lyrics. This one actually has a chorus. It's not bad, but it's not really hooky either. But the lyrics are fun. (The thigh/thigh rhyme
is more lazy than clever, though.)
House of Cards: Damn! This is a good one. Nicely done pop. Has chanted counter-vocals that remind me of Queen. Fits Butch to a T. Lots of melody. Good chorus. Nice orchestration that feels Beatlesque to me. Butch + Queen + Beatles = Tommy like! Why isn't this the lead track?
They Don't Know What We Know: If the previous track reminds you a little of Queen, this track really could be a Queen track. (And I mean that as a compliment.) You'll see what I mean at just past the halfway mark, when the squeaky-balloon Brian May guitar kicks in. Great song. As with the previous track, why is this buried on side two?
Days/Months/Years: This track is goofy, in a great way. The lyrics are, frankly, in the gutter. It's just a fun goofy gross track. It's pretty solid, musically, too. Normally, this is the kind of track that Butch might stick at the end of an album as a hidden track. (Instead it's the penultimate track. I'm guessing because the last track closes the album so well.)
Be Good Until Then: The album closer is a quiet little number that's basically a series of pieces of advice. None of it is earth-shattering, but nor does it feel, well, pretentious. It's just a nice little piece and feels just right as the closer.
So, there you have it. First half of the album has a great track and a few decent-but-nothing-special ones. The second half is loaded with gems.
I can't talk about the album without mentioning the sorta single that preceded it. Butch did a really cute cover of Taylor Swift's You Belong With Me.
I hate to be catty, but Butch sings it much better than Swift did, at least on the Grammy's. Butch can hit the high notes and sings on key. Swift? Not so much.
Anyway, it's the sort of big bouncy song of which Butch needs to write more. It sounds so much like really good Butch that it was a week before I realized it was a cover and not a Butch original.
I got a coupon for a free download of it with the CD. Of course, I had already grabbed a copy when he put it on his blog.
Music Survey (4 of however many more until I get bored)
I'm renaming this a Music Survey,
rather than a poll because it's unlikely that anything would get more than a single vote. I'm just more interested in people's favorites.
So, here's the question:
What's your favorite cover version of a song?
Since this is a survey and not a poll, feel free to list multiple songs.
Music Poll Results (3 of ?)
Well, there weren't a load of votes, once again. But, hey, ten is better than six.
First place goes to the Ramones with 3 votes.
Second place goes to Black Flag with 2 votes.
Everyone else received a vote each: Crass, Fear, Fuckboyz, NoFX, and the Sex Pistols.
No one voted for the Clash.
Music Poll (3 of 50)
I think last week's poll was a little too difficult, hopefully a factor in the dreadful number of votes cast.
So this week's is an exercise in simplicity:
What was the best punk band ever?
There are loads of possibilities: Ramones, Sex Pistols, Clash, Black Flag, X, Dead Kennedys, and a whole shit-load more.
Have at it. Vote this time, dammit!
Music Poll Results (2 of 50)
Well, the second weekly music poll garnered even fewer votes than the first week. (6 versus 17) At this rate, next week's poll will only have two votes. And note that this all includes my vote as well as my wife's.
The winning release, with a full 2 votes, is the New York Dolls' One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This. This is a great album. It wasn't my choice but only because, while it's great, it's not as great as the Dolls in their prime. I voted for the Dictators because I thought their come-back
actually exceeded their releases in their prime. But I'm happy to see the Dolls come out on top. They also have a new release, which I haven't listened to enough on which to form an opinion.
In second place is the Dictators' D.F.F.D. (Dictators Forever, Forever Dictators). I think it's a wonderful synthesis of everything that made the 'Tators great, all combined into a single album. Adrian split his vote, so they get a combined total of 1.5 votes.
Tied for third with a vote each was Love Tractor with The Sky At Night and Metallica with Death Magnetic. I've no clue about Love Tractor, but I'll have to take a listen sometime soon. I'm not a big Metallica fan. I really like their covers. There's something cool about their jack-hammer approach applied to other folks' tunes. The same holds true for the Dickies. Yes, I just compared Metallica to the Dickies. However, unlike the Dickies, I really don't like their original songs. For me, there just isn't any song there. It's sludge sludge sludge, followed by technical guitar wankery, repeat. But that's just me. And it's based primarily on watching my wife play Guitar Hero: Metallica.
On the other hand, I've listened all the way through Metal Machine Music, on headphones, so it's not as if I can't take the loud abrasive stuff.
Bringing up the rear is the Stooges with The Weirdness. It got the other half of Adrian's vote. I haven't really been able to get into it. I love some of Iggy's recent solo work. But the Stooges release doesn't really do it for me.
Here are the full results, such that they are:
New poll tomorrow morning, providing I stop wallowing in self-pity and actually run a third poll! Right now, I have no clue what the question will be.
Music Poll (2 0f 50)
What's your favorite come-back
album from a mid-70s through the 80s era band?
The idea here is that basically every band from the mid-70s through the 80s, from Bon Jovi to Flipper, has reformed and issued new releases in the new millenium. Most of these suck. But not all. What's your favorite come-back
album from one of these bands?
I've chosen this era to encompass punk, new wave, and hair metal, plus anything else that fits in the timeframe.
Here's my vote: The Dictators' D.F.F.D.
And here's why: The Dictators had three albums back in the day. The first showed off their goofy proto-punk charm. The second showcased their pop hook chops. The third simply rocked your balls off.
D.F.F.D. is a synthesis of all three aspects of the band. It takes everything that was great about the Dictators and rams it together into one glorious album. It's goofy. It's has great hooks. And it rocks.
I'll also give an honorable mention to the Go-Go's for God Bless The Go-Go's.
