Here are my picks for the best long players this year. I 'm not doing the best songs of the year as they will appear in the Listomania series later on. All in all, it was a very good year for music, maybe not outstanding, but there were several superb records made in 2010. Here they are from 20-1:
20. The Sea - Corinne Bailey Rae
This is a pretty low-key record by the Leeds native. She was away for awhile coping with the overdose death of her husband last year and these songs reflect that tragedy. She has the voice of an angel though, so nuanced and soulful and full of feeling. This is what the Rihannas and Ke$has of the world couldn't achieve in their wildest dreams because this girl has that huge ingredient that they sorely lack: pure talent.
Best Songs: Are You Here, The Blackest Lily
19. The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night - The Besnard Lakes
Imagine the Cocteau Twins had a baby with the Jesus And Mary Chain and mix in some Led Zeppelin and ELO for good measure. That is about as close as I can get to describing this Montreal band. They are fronted by singer/guitarist Jace Lasek and his wife, bassist/vocalist Olga Goreas and their sound and vision are quite unique. They take dynamics to a whole new level, at times quietly ethereal and then as bombastic and heavy as it gets.
Best Songs: Like The Ocean Like The Innocent Pt. 1: The Innocent, And This Is What We Call Progress
18. Northern Aggression - Steve Wynn & The Miracle 3
Steve Wynn was a big deal in the Paisley Underground scene in California in the early '80s. His band The Dream Syndicate had a huge cult following and he was seen as one of the cool guys of the time. Well, he is now 50 and this album proves that even us old farts can still pack a punch. This album is straight-up rock played by the classic 2 guitars, bass and drums foursome, but it sounds so good. His voice is a cross between the snarl, half-talk of Lou Reed and the twang of Tom Petty. The riffs are great and the attitude is alive and well.
Best Songs: Resolution, On The Mend
17. School Of Seven Bells - Disconnect From Desire
I suppose these New Yorkers sound a lot like one of my fave '90s bands, Curve, but the vocals are clearer and the melodies are catchier. This band was created by Benjamin Curtis, formerly of Secret Machines, and twin sisters/ vocalists Alejandra and Claudia DeHeza. The music is very synth-driven and beat heavy, with the Dehezas' vocals pulling the listener into their Dream-Pop world. The album is full of glorious soundscapes and this record is a treat to listen to, for these worn ears at least.
Best Songs: Windstorm, Heart Is Strange, Babelonia
16. Mini Mansions - Mini Mansions
This band is essentially a side project for Queens Of The Stone Age bassist Michael Shuman. It always gets me when artists do a solo album or a side project to "get more creative" or whatever and it sounds exactly like the band that they are "getting away" from. Well, this sounds absolutely nothing like QOTSA, not even a bit. This is Beatlesque Chamber-Pop, full of harmony vocals and keyboards and dreamy melodies. A very interesting listen, and quite an unexpected pleasant surprise.
Best Songs: Crime Of The Season, Seven Sons, Kiddie Hypnogogia
15. High Violet - The National
Who would have expected such a collection of uptempo, happy songs? Oh wait, this is The National right? No happy, for sure, and little to no uptempo. These Brooklynites-by-way-of-Cincinnati continue with their bleak vision on this record, with much critical acclaim. While it is mostly worthy praise, I would argue that listening to them too much makes one dour and miserable, perhaps even depressed. It is great music to play when life is getting you down, or when one is feeling contemplative, but I advise against putting it on at your next holiday family get-together. It is indeed a great record though, but put away the sleeping pills and rope and razors before you put it on the Ipod.
Best Songs: Anyone's Ghost, Bloodbuzz Ohio, Conversation 16
14. Expo 86 - Wolf Parade
This Montreal band always puts out quality records, and this 3rd album is no exception. The herky-jerky rhythms and analog synth lines are their signature and they always write a mean melody as well. 2008's At Mount Zoomer was one of that year's best and a big fave of mine. This record is just a notch below that one, but it is still a brilliant piece of work.
Best Songs: Palm Road, Little Golden Age, Ghost Pressure
13. Total Life Forever - Foals
New Order meets Talking Heads on this 2nd album from these guys who hail from Oxford, England. This is a collection of songs that one can dance to, but they have a strong vein of indie-cred running through them. The rhythms and jittery guitars really do remind me of Talking Heads circa 1979, while the polyrhythms and African influences tip the cap to latter day Heads. The choruses are chant-like singalongs like the best of New Order, really bringing home the '80s influences that abound here.
Best Songs: Miami, Total Life Forever, This Orient
12. Strange Change Machine - The Grip Weeds
These Power-Pop veterans hail from New Jersey and reached a new level of acclaim with the release this year of this great double album. They wear their influences proudly on their sleeves and one can hear echoes of The Beatles, The Who, and even fellow Jersey natives The Smithereens in their music. This is music to be played in the sunshine, sitting out on the deck with a cold one, groovin' with the feeling. Little Steven of E-Street Band fame is a big champion of this band and often plays them on his Underground Garage radio show. They even do a very admirable cover of Todd Rundgren's seminal Hello It's Me on disc 2.
Best Songs: Speed Of Life, Close To The Sun, You're Not Walking Away
11. Field Music (Measure) - Field Music
This is a great record. It is 20 songs in total and I would struggle to find a dud amongst them. This is the 3rd album by this Sunderland, England four-piece and, in my opinion, their best ever. Their sound is hard to pigeonhole, but I would say a definite XTC influence is present in the way they create such intelligent Pop. They write angular melodies and at times they sound almost like Progressive Rock in the Yes or Emerson Lake & Palmer school. This is a grower of a record and I highly recommend it.
Best Songs: Effortlessly, Let's Write A Book, Curves Of The Needle
10. Halcyon Digest - Deerhunter
This band led by singer/guitarist Bradford Cox hails from Atlanta, but they sound nothing like a Southern rock group. Their milieu is not the kind of music that one finds instantly catchy, but requires a deeper investment from the listener. Once one spends some time with this beauty of a record, it becomes an inseparable part of your daily life. I quite love their sound, especially the way that no 2 songs sound even remotely alike. They are one of Indie rock's treasures and I advise you to give this record a long listen over several days and see if you can resist its charms.
Best Songs: Don't Cry, Desire Lines, Memory Boy, Helicopter
9. Teen Dream - Beach House
Music critics call this sound Dream-Pop and after listening to this beautiful record, it seems like an apt moniker. Singer/keyboardist Victoria Legrand's phrasing can be quite unusual, but these songs float along on her and guitarist Alex Scally's lovely clouds of sound. This record is chock full o' melodies which are sometimes obscured by the fog of the production, but they are indeed there and worm their way into the listener's consciousness after only a couple of hearings.
Best Songs: Zebra, Silver Soul, Norway, Walk In The Park
8. Wake Up The Nation - Paul Weller
This album is one of Weller's best solo records, which is saying a lot because of his longevity and prodigious output. This is an exercise in psychedelia and the sound is a bit strange on first listen. The emphasis is often placed on parts of the instrumentation not normally brought out front, such as a whirring farfisa organ or a cowbell. He has really stretched out with this record and gone for something different and knocked it right out of the park. The songs are all quite short, some only 1 minute and change, but it is very effective. I may even be so bold as to call this his Sgt. Pepper.
Best Songs: No Tears To Cry, Find The Torch/Burn The Plans, Aim High, Trees
7. Home Acres - Aloha
I have previously expressed my admiration for this album in this blog, so I will keep this short. Get this record. You won't be sorry. It is very good.
Best Songs: Moonless March, Microviolence, Cold Storage, Blackout
6. Wilderness Heart - Black Mountain
Give this a spin and prepare to be transported back to about 1975. Punk has yet to happen. dinosaurs roam the earth. and there, alongside Zep and Sabbath and their ilk, resides Black Mountain. Guitarist/vocalist Stephen McBean loves the '70s and makes no bones about it. This record is bludgeon riffola at its best, with an air of mysticism hanging around like Ozzy's ghost. There are great melodies here though, and co-vocalist Amber Webber adds a touch of Exene Cervenka (from '70s L.A. punks X) to the proceedings. This is the best rock record of the year folks. Grow your hair and put on the tie-dye!
Best Songs: The Hair Song, Old Fangs, Rollercoaster, The Way To Gone
5. The Suburbs - The Arcade Fire
There's not much that can be said about Canada's finest band at the moment. There must be something in the water in Montreal though, as it seems all the best Canadian bands are from there. The playing is amazing here, as is the singing, the feel, the sound, the lyrics...well, it is just another brilliant record. But, by now, what did you expect? These guys are 3 for 3 and if you didn't see their showstopping performance on Saturday Night Live earlier this fall, I beseech you to look it up on Youtube.
Best Songs: The Suburbs, Ready To Start, We Used To Wait, Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
4. Together - The New Pornographers
Lots Of Can-Con on this year's list, n'est-ce pas? These folks are one of my fave bands, so no surprise that they are high on this list, right? This record is such a grower! It is not as immediate as most of their stuff, but the Pop hooks are still there in droves. There are few writers around that make me as happy as Carl Newman does. His knack for melody and his ear for detail are unrivalled in my books. Normally, I don't much care for the songs penned by Dan Bejar, but even they are great this time. Neko Case is more understated here, but that is a good thing as she sounds less forced and more natural. Kathryn Calder is now an essential member and her contributions on piano and vocals are fantastic. Just another great record to add to the rest of their catalogue.
Best Songs: Crash Years, Sweet Talk Sweet Talk, My Shepherd, We End Up Together
3. Congratulations - MGMT
Well, I have written on this album extensively earlier this year. The critics are way wrong and so are all the bandwagon-jumping hipsters, who will listen to any drivel that Sufjan Stevens puts out and call it genius, or praise no-talent, high school assembly-worthy pretention like Joanna Newsom and call it high art whilst slagging off one of the bravest and most creative records of the year. To those poseurs, I say "Go and bugger thyselves."
Best Songs: It's Working, Flash Delerium, I Found A Whistle, Siberian Breaks
2. Maintenant - Gigi
This is my little slice of nostalgia this year. Old-style music recorded on old-style equipment by people who share my love of the sound of the Brill building in New York City in the early 1960s, Phil Spector and the wall of sound, beehive hairdos and skinny ties. Just bloody brilliant and if you don't like this, then you aren't a romantic at heart....or an old fart like me.
Best Songs: Play the whole damn thing! But, if I had to choose: The Hundredth Time, I'm Not Coming Out Tonight, Everyone Can Tell, The Marquee
1. InnerSpeaker - Tame Impala
Yes, for me, this is the album of the year. Read my earlier post about it to find out more, but this blast of stoner psychedelia just turns my crank.
Best Songs: Really, every song on the album. If you don't believe me, go play it and you'll see.
So, there it is gang. If you would like to submit a list, put it in the comments section. Oh, and Happy New Year to all 5 of you!
Monday, December 27, 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010
Listomania! - 1996
1996 turned out to be a very busy year. Martina was accepted into the Master's Journalism program at UWO, so she had to turn most of her attention to that endeavour. She was tired of working in menial jobs and wanted to pursue a career that she would find more fulfilling and interesting. Being an English major, she decided that studying to be a journalist would be a great way to put her many talents to the best use. She excelled, of course, and we all had fun listening to her do the sports on the university radio station. As for me, I became shop steward on the night shift at Loeb. We were Teamsters, famously once led by Jimmy Hoffa, who, according to legend, now rests in the end zone at the old Meadowlands stadium in New Jersey. I took on this position because I was tired of the same people running the union. There was a terrible, antagonistic relationship betwween the union and management, and I stupidly thought I could help rectify that situation. I was good friends with a couple of people in management and, while I had their ear and their respect, the bad blood was so entrenched that I don't believe anyone could have made it better. It was a stressful and interesting time, for sure. I remember that there was to be a city-wide protest of the then Mike Harris provincial government and their anti-worker policies. I passed out flyers and did my best to rally the troops to take the day off and march in the protest. It was about -20 that day, so I donned my snowsuit and set out for the fairgrounds to meet up with all the protesters. I expected only about 10 of our guys to show up, but the apathy of my fellow members was rampant, so I would be happy with only 10 out of about 200 workers. Now, this was a huge deal, backed by all of organized labour and all the big unions like the CAW. So, I got there and looked around...and not 1 single soul from my workplace showed up. I was quite disappointed, but I marched in the bone-chilling cold anyway. Some would say that I was foolish to try and do this job, but I really needed to see from the inside just how things were done and how decisions were made. I left less than impressed with the Canadian branch of the Teamsters, but it was a great learning experience overall. Here are some of the tunes that I was listening to that year:
10. In A Room - Dodgy
This power trio was considered a part of the Brit Pop movement, but their sound really owed much to classic Who. The thumping drums are very Keith Moon-like and the guitars are played with a Townshendian vigour and feel. This song comes from their 3rd and best album Free Peace Sweet. The melody is quite memorable and it is a great tune to groove along with. The vocals are very British Invasion with the 3 part harmonies and "ooohs" as well and I enjoy bands that wear their influences proudly and well. "She lies sleeping in a half- filled bed, her eyes no longer study her emptiness." Her eyes are studying the back of her eyelids methinks......
9. Burden In My Hand - Soundgarden
Taken from their 5th and final album, Down On The Upside, this tune is one of their best in my eyes. It very melodic for them, without losing their hard edge. Frontman Chris Cornell is still a powerhouse with his sandpaper vocals. But, it is the instruments that are king here. Kim Thayll still plays a mean lead guitar, not really soloing out, but hitting all the right marks. Ben Shepherd is still one of my fave bass players and on this song, his playing is so bouncy and acts almost like a lead instrument. Drummer Matt Cameron can lay down a timely beat, but it his floor tom work that makes him great. Also, check out the drumroll at about 4:25 - Holy! Just wicked! Apparently, the subject is drug addiction and it always felt to me like an update of Hey Joe. "Cause fear is strong and love's for everyone who isn't me." Fear is a man's best friend......
8. If I Could Talk I'd Tell You - The Lemonheads
This is such a simple little, 3-chord singalong, one could almost overlook it, if not for the fact that the melody will follow you around forever after hearing it. It's poppy, goofy and oh-so-happy, but infectious as all get-out. Singer Evan Dando was deep into a drug problem then, but it was obviously the happy pills that he ingested that day. This is from the Car Button Cloth album, which would be their last for 8 years. I do so love that jangly guitar sound and when he breaks into a whistle, I can't help but smile. "If I could talk I'd tell you, if I could smile I'd let you know." Now that is wasted maaann!
7. Trash - Suede
Suede were another act that had massive popularity in their native U.K., but were merely a cult band over here. Led by the charismatic singer Brett Anderson, they had several chart hits in England and Europe, with this being one. Anderson channels a young Bowie here and his band comes off quite a bit like the Spiders too. They certainly sound all Glam-rock and must have listened to a T Rex record or 2 as well. The melody is gorgeous, especially the chorus, and the guitar twists its way all through the tune, carrying it along. This song is from their 3rd album, Coming Up, and their first without guitarist Bernard Butler. Critics thought they were finished when he left, but the 17 year-old Richard Oakes fills his shoes admirably. "But we're trash, you and me, we're the litter on the breeze, we're the lovers on the streets." Trash, go pick it up.....
6. One More Astronaut - I Mother Earth
Time for some Can-Con. This album, Scenery And Fish, was a big favourite of that year. Four of us, Cope, Flip, Niall and myself, would sit in my car at lunch at work and this record was blasted at top volume many times. This song has a great sound with a big, bold production. The band featured the Tanna brothers, Jag on guitar and Christian on drums, along with a singer, Edwin, who seemed to have no last name. This song is so powerful, with a crunching rhythm and roaring psychedelic guitars. Edwin was never my fave singer, but he gets the mood right here. I also love the nice Deep Purple organ break and then the little bass solo, that then leads to the guitar crashing back in. "Headspace, alive and painless, weightless and almost sane I close my eyes, I become the sky." 'Scuse me while I become the sky? No, that's not it.....
5. What I Got (Reprise) - Sublime
Gord was pointing out that these lists contain many songs by artists that I'm not a huge fan of. This is true and here is another one. I only like 2 songs by these guys, but they are 2 great songs. (The other would be Santeria if anyone was wondering.) I like the reprise version better too because I think the guitar is better than the regular version. This is from their self-titled 3rd album, which was released 3 months after the death of singer Brad Nowell from a heroin overdose. Critics and fans went crazy for them as they usually do when someone meets an untimely death, but this tune deserves any praise it ever gets. It is a funny hybrid of Rap, Ska and Folk, all wrapped in a melodic chorus that sticks in the head. Critics have said it brings to mind Lady Madonna, but I don't hear that really. "I don't cry when my dog runs away, I don't get angry at the bills I have to pay." I used to sing that to Arden when she would annoy me.....
4. Electrolite - R.E.M.
It would be very hard to pick 1 favourite album from these guys. I mean, they are near the top of my list as far as bands go and I love so many of their records. But, if pressed, I may just pick this album, their 10th, called New Adventures In Hi-Fi. It is the last record they did with drummer Bill Berry, who retired to sit home and count his money. Michael Stipe wrote it about the view of L.A. at night from Mullholland Drive, which is apparently quite spectacular. His delivery is soft and reverential, aided by the beautiful piano of bassist Mike Mills and the violin played by Andy Carlson. I remember Taylor loving this song and making me play it over and over again. "You are the star tonight, your sun electric, outta sight. Your light eclipsed the moon tonight." Beautiful.....
3. Stinkfist - Tool
How do I follow up a gorgeous song like Electrolite? How else but with a song whose title conjures up a very unflattering image? This song was accompanied by one of the most disturbing videos ever made. Remember, it was done in stop-motion animation with those gross sand people? Anyway, this band is again not usually on my radar, but this song is so undeniably powerful and I just freakin' love it. The feeling of paranoia is so palpable here, driven home by the disjointed beats and crunching guitars. Vocalist Maynard James Keenan sound alternately like a deranged madman and a scared little boy and this is also truly effective. Justin Chancellor riffs out maniacally on his bass and drummer Danny Carey pounds away with ear-splitting force. The damn song just gives me goosebumps, what else can I say? Check out the 3:50 mark - that's when I usually start bashing around the room like a lunatic. "Something kinda sad about the way that things have come to be. Desensitized to everything, what became of subtlety?" Good question...I do know that this is probably the first song ever to use a fisting metaphor.....
2. Outtasite (Outta Mind) - Wilco
This baby comes roaring out of the blocks with some chunky power chords. When listening on headphones, I have jumped out of my skin more than once with shocked surprise. This is the first song I ever heard by Wilco and they have gone on to become one of my fave bands since then. Taken from their sophomore record, Being There, this song has proven singalong integrity. I used to play it for Reed and Laura, Steve's kids, when I babysat them back in 2002. They would sing it at the top of their little lungs and we would dance around like Pigpen in the Charlie Brown cartoons, our heads flopping from side to side. This album was 2 discs, 1 electric and 1 acoustic and this is the only song that was on both discs in 2 versions. The reverb-drenched guitars are awesome and drummer Ken Coomer really pounds out a worthy backbeat. Jeff Tweedy has written his usual self-deprecating, clever lyrics and he sings them with unusual gusto. "I know we don't talk much but you're but you're such a good talker." Jane's theme song? Hee hee.
1. The Chad Who Loved Me - Mansun
These Brits weren't around long, but this song left such a lasting impression on me. It opens with gorgeous cinematic strings, like something out of a Bond film. Suddenly, the guitars come in, soaked in psychedelia, taking the Shoegaze genre to unheard of places. The guitarists name is Dominic Chad, hence the title I suppose. The vocals and guitars are all fed through phasers, giving the song a dream-like quality that just adds to its ethereal beauty. I cannot emphasize enough just how special the guitars are to this tune. This is, indeed, one of my favourite songs of all - just absolutely leaves me speechless and I could play it 100 times in a row and not get sick of it. This is from their debut album, Attack Of The Grey Lantern, and they never came close to these heights again. "Do I feel love or just possession? Do I feel holy or nothing at all?" Holy I'd say.....
10. In A Room - Dodgy
This power trio was considered a part of the Brit Pop movement, but their sound really owed much to classic Who. The thumping drums are very Keith Moon-like and the guitars are played with a Townshendian vigour and feel. This song comes from their 3rd and best album Free Peace Sweet. The melody is quite memorable and it is a great tune to groove along with. The vocals are very British Invasion with the 3 part harmonies and "ooohs" as well and I enjoy bands that wear their influences proudly and well. "She lies sleeping in a half- filled bed, her eyes no longer study her emptiness." Her eyes are studying the back of her eyelids methinks......
9. Burden In My Hand - Soundgarden
Taken from their 5th and final album, Down On The Upside, this tune is one of their best in my eyes. It very melodic for them, without losing their hard edge. Frontman Chris Cornell is still a powerhouse with his sandpaper vocals. But, it is the instruments that are king here. Kim Thayll still plays a mean lead guitar, not really soloing out, but hitting all the right marks. Ben Shepherd is still one of my fave bass players and on this song, his playing is so bouncy and acts almost like a lead instrument. Drummer Matt Cameron can lay down a timely beat, but it his floor tom work that makes him great. Also, check out the drumroll at about 4:25 - Holy! Just wicked! Apparently, the subject is drug addiction and it always felt to me like an update of Hey Joe. "Cause fear is strong and love's for everyone who isn't me." Fear is a man's best friend......
8. If I Could Talk I'd Tell You - The Lemonheads
This is such a simple little, 3-chord singalong, one could almost overlook it, if not for the fact that the melody will follow you around forever after hearing it. It's poppy, goofy and oh-so-happy, but infectious as all get-out. Singer Evan Dando was deep into a drug problem then, but it was obviously the happy pills that he ingested that day. This is from the Car Button Cloth album, which would be their last for 8 years. I do so love that jangly guitar sound and when he breaks into a whistle, I can't help but smile. "If I could talk I'd tell you, if I could smile I'd let you know." Now that is wasted maaann!
7. Trash - Suede
Suede were another act that had massive popularity in their native U.K., but were merely a cult band over here. Led by the charismatic singer Brett Anderson, they had several chart hits in England and Europe, with this being one. Anderson channels a young Bowie here and his band comes off quite a bit like the Spiders too. They certainly sound all Glam-rock and must have listened to a T Rex record or 2 as well. The melody is gorgeous, especially the chorus, and the guitar twists its way all through the tune, carrying it along. This song is from their 3rd album, Coming Up, and their first without guitarist Bernard Butler. Critics thought they were finished when he left, but the 17 year-old Richard Oakes fills his shoes admirably. "But we're trash, you and me, we're the litter on the breeze, we're the lovers on the streets." Trash, go pick it up.....
6. One More Astronaut - I Mother Earth
Time for some Can-Con. This album, Scenery And Fish, was a big favourite of that year. Four of us, Cope, Flip, Niall and myself, would sit in my car at lunch at work and this record was blasted at top volume many times. This song has a great sound with a big, bold production. The band featured the Tanna brothers, Jag on guitar and Christian on drums, along with a singer, Edwin, who seemed to have no last name. This song is so powerful, with a crunching rhythm and roaring psychedelic guitars. Edwin was never my fave singer, but he gets the mood right here. I also love the nice Deep Purple organ break and then the little bass solo, that then leads to the guitar crashing back in. "Headspace, alive and painless, weightless and almost sane I close my eyes, I become the sky." 'Scuse me while I become the sky? No, that's not it.....
5. What I Got (Reprise) - Sublime
Gord was pointing out that these lists contain many songs by artists that I'm not a huge fan of. This is true and here is another one. I only like 2 songs by these guys, but they are 2 great songs. (The other would be Santeria if anyone was wondering.) I like the reprise version better too because I think the guitar is better than the regular version. This is from their self-titled 3rd album, which was released 3 months after the death of singer Brad Nowell from a heroin overdose. Critics and fans went crazy for them as they usually do when someone meets an untimely death, but this tune deserves any praise it ever gets. It is a funny hybrid of Rap, Ska and Folk, all wrapped in a melodic chorus that sticks in the head. Critics have said it brings to mind Lady Madonna, but I don't hear that really. "I don't cry when my dog runs away, I don't get angry at the bills I have to pay." I used to sing that to Arden when she would annoy me.....
4. Electrolite - R.E.M.
It would be very hard to pick 1 favourite album from these guys. I mean, they are near the top of my list as far as bands go and I love so many of their records. But, if pressed, I may just pick this album, their 10th, called New Adventures In Hi-Fi. It is the last record they did with drummer Bill Berry, who retired to sit home and count his money. Michael Stipe wrote it about the view of L.A. at night from Mullholland Drive, which is apparently quite spectacular. His delivery is soft and reverential, aided by the beautiful piano of bassist Mike Mills and the violin played by Andy Carlson. I remember Taylor loving this song and making me play it over and over again. "You are the star tonight, your sun electric, outta sight. Your light eclipsed the moon tonight." Beautiful.....
3. Stinkfist - Tool
How do I follow up a gorgeous song like Electrolite? How else but with a song whose title conjures up a very unflattering image? This song was accompanied by one of the most disturbing videos ever made. Remember, it was done in stop-motion animation with those gross sand people? Anyway, this band is again not usually on my radar, but this song is so undeniably powerful and I just freakin' love it. The feeling of paranoia is so palpable here, driven home by the disjointed beats and crunching guitars. Vocalist Maynard James Keenan sound alternately like a deranged madman and a scared little boy and this is also truly effective. Justin Chancellor riffs out maniacally on his bass and drummer Danny Carey pounds away with ear-splitting force. The damn song just gives me goosebumps, what else can I say? Check out the 3:50 mark - that's when I usually start bashing around the room like a lunatic. "Something kinda sad about the way that things have come to be. Desensitized to everything, what became of subtlety?" Good question...I do know that this is probably the first song ever to use a fisting metaphor.....
2. Outtasite (Outta Mind) - Wilco
This baby comes roaring out of the blocks with some chunky power chords. When listening on headphones, I have jumped out of my skin more than once with shocked surprise. This is the first song I ever heard by Wilco and they have gone on to become one of my fave bands since then. Taken from their sophomore record, Being There, this song has proven singalong integrity. I used to play it for Reed and Laura, Steve's kids, when I babysat them back in 2002. They would sing it at the top of their little lungs and we would dance around like Pigpen in the Charlie Brown cartoons, our heads flopping from side to side. This album was 2 discs, 1 electric and 1 acoustic and this is the only song that was on both discs in 2 versions. The reverb-drenched guitars are awesome and drummer Ken Coomer really pounds out a worthy backbeat. Jeff Tweedy has written his usual self-deprecating, clever lyrics and he sings them with unusual gusto. "I know we don't talk much but you're but you're such a good talker." Jane's theme song? Hee hee.
1. The Chad Who Loved Me - Mansun
These Brits weren't around long, but this song left such a lasting impression on me. It opens with gorgeous cinematic strings, like something out of a Bond film. Suddenly, the guitars come in, soaked in psychedelia, taking the Shoegaze genre to unheard of places. The guitarists name is Dominic Chad, hence the title I suppose. The vocals and guitars are all fed through phasers, giving the song a dream-like quality that just adds to its ethereal beauty. I cannot emphasize enough just how special the guitars are to this tune. This is, indeed, one of my favourite songs of all - just absolutely leaves me speechless and I could play it 100 times in a row and not get sick of it. This is from their debut album, Attack Of The Grey Lantern, and they never came close to these heights again. "Do I feel love or just possession? Do I feel holy or nothing at all?" Holy I'd say.....
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Listomania! - 1995
1995 was a pretty important year for me. Debbie had to move to Toronto for work, so Martina and I became full-time parents. We moved in with the kids and had a blast seeing them every day rather than 3 days a week. I loved making lunches for everyone and getting to sink my teeth into being a regular Dad again. Also, I was finally hired full-time at Loeb. I had already been working 40 hours a week for a few years, but now we got benefits and I knew which days I'd be working ahead of time and not have to be on call anymore. So, we all settled in to a nice, comfortable routine, and I do like routines. I know, that makes me boring as hell, but I'm not one for living by the seat of my pants, even though it has been that way most of my life. We also bought our first brand new car, a Geo Metro, which, despite its lack of prestige, was a great little car for us. Up until then, we had driven family hand-me-downs or old used clunkers that we would pray to daily to get us from A to B without breaking down. We sure had some adventures with our vehicles over the years! Probably the one that sticks out most occurred that spring. I was driving down King St. in Pop's 15 year-old Impala with Martina's brother Karel. The car was not starting properly, so Karel brought a plastic bottle of gasoline with him. You see, it was his theory that there was something wrong with the way the carburetor was working, and since I was (and still am) a complete dolt when it comes to mechanics, I let him take the lead. The car conked out on King St. near the YMCA, so I pulled it over to the side of the road. We popped the hood and Karel got out with his trusty bottle of gas. He poured some into the engine or carburetor or wherever and then got in and fired the ignition, with the hood still in an upright position. As soon as he turned the key, flames shot about 10 feet in the air and also straight out the bottom of the car. A huge plume of black smoke rose into the air, noticeable for miles around. I was standing beside the car, yelling to Karel about the flames. He proceeded to jump out of the car and start walking away, up the street. As he had left me standing there wondering what the hell he was doing, a city bus pulled up alongside and the driver came racing out with a fire extinguisher. Karel kept walking. Then, the fire truck showed up. I tried to explain what happened to the bemused fireman, who probably thought I was a brainless idiot (no argument here!) and who made sure the fire was out. When everyone had left, I saw Karel sheepishly ambling back toward the scene. He was laughing his ass off while I fumed. Now, if you know Karel, he has a real shit-eating grin on his face when he thinks something is funny. It was because of this shit-eating grin that I decided not to kill him and joined with him in cracking up about what had just transpired. I went into the YMCA to call a tow truck and everyone in there had seen the incident and were laughing quite hard when I went up to the desk to use the phone. I called a tow truck and had the car towed home. Soon after, we went and bought the Geo. Some of the tunes that I listened to in our new car were:
10. Alright - Supergrass
This sunny, teenage paean to being cool is taken from these Brit's debut album, I Should Coco. It received almost no airplay on this side of the Atlantic, but through my reading of the NME, I had the 12" single. Most people in North America would know this from an Intel TV commercial from a few years ago. It is instantly memorable, full of the catchiest hooks and Gaz Coombes' youthful vocals. The piano riff which drives the tune is a direct tip of the cap to one of their biggest influences, Madness. I always felt this song would have fit right in on an episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus. This is a song that will stick in the old craw for hours after just one listen, so go put it on! "We are young, we run free, keep our teeth, nice and clean, see our friends, see the sights, feel alright." He iiiisss an halibut!
9. King - Belly
This is the title cut from this Boston-based band's 2nd and last album. Leader Tanya Donelly was a former member of the seminal '80s band Throwing Muses with her sister, Kristen Hersh. She left in 1992 to form Belly and their 1st album Star from 1993 was a great record. But, I like this record even better, despite the fact that it was a commercial failure, due to the Grunge scene and its hold on popular music at the time. The guitars are driving and urgent, but more jangly than loud and they didn't fit in with the times. This is Power-Pop though, and the melody is catchy enough to stick in your head, sort of like one has heard it before. I love the tempo changes, not so much quiet-loud, but just a subtle shift in the rhythm. "You light the ocean from behind, I'll show you mine, I'll show you." Mmmmm.....Tanya Donelly.....
8. Catching On - Son Volt
I always find it amusing when critics go on about so called "supergroups." Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy were in a band called Uncle Tupelo in the early '90s that is now considered one of these "supergroups." Now, if any of my loyal readers can name even 1 song by them, I will be surprised. They were no "supergroup" folks - in retrospect maybe, but their records were heard by very few and sold to even fewer. Tweedy went on to form Wilco, who have become critical darlings and achieved Indie superstar status. Farrar formed Son Volt, who critics like fairly well, but their on again-off again existence has left them far behind the much more efficient Wilco in terms of star-power. I adore both bands, pretty much equally, but my sister Shannon has become one of the biggest Son Volt fans around. This is my favourite cut from their debut album, Trace. I love the melancholy everyman in Farrar's voice, very country-tinged to be sure, but this song rocks pretty hard as well. The guitar sound on this song, especially the string-bending lead, is brilliant and he can write a melody with the best of them. "As the pieces fall like candy when you're young, medicine when you're old." I'm getting to the medicine stage.....
7. Just - Radiohead
This song had perhaps the most haunting video ever - remember the one where the guy is laying on the street and people keep coming up and getting angry at him and asking why he is lying there? Then the end, where he says something that isn't subtitled, and to this day, nobody can say for sure what he says? Then, the really disturbing part at the end where all of those who had been questioning him end up lying down beside him in the street? Oh yeah, that video! Well, I love the song on its own merits too. There is the brilliant, breakneck guitar playing by Jonny Greenwood for starters, sounding so menacing and paranoid. Drummer Phil Selway crunches the skins so hard, I'll bet he had to change the heads after recording this tune. Thom Yorke uses his gorgeous voice to full effect too, singing about a friend who sounds rather annoying, and I can forgive him for spawning almost as many copycats as Eddie Vedder. "Can't get the stink off, he's been hanging round for days." You know what they say about guests and fish.....
6. Box Full Of Letters - Wilco
Here is the other guy from Uncle Tupelo with his band and their debut effort, AM. It is essentially Uncle Tupelo without Jay Farrar. They tread the same alt-country ground as well, but it is a great little tune. It showcases Jeff Tweedy's self-deprecating sense of humour, which is one of his enduring strengths. His singing sounds like that of a slacker-dude, but I like this as well. The lead guitar is played by Brian Henneman from the Bottle Rockets, who was hired specifically for this one album. Multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett would join the band for the tour to support this record and stay until after Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. "I just can't find the time to write my mind the way I want it to read." A mind is a terrible thing to taste.....
5. Floaty - Foo Fighters
This record would be among the biggest musical surprises I've ever encountered. I mean, Dave Grohl was buried behind all those drums and all that hair in Nirvana- a great drummer, but that he was a guy who was able to write, record, produce and play all the instruments on his own record? - no way! But, on this self-titled debut album, he did indeed do all of the above. I still love this album, probably my fave of 1995. On this song, there are roaring power chords, machine-gun precise drumming, and, another surprise, a huge melody that outdoes, for me anyway, anything Cobain ever did. He eventually hired a band and continues to make good solid records to this day. "He floats, floats away, on the ground, he comes back down." Todd Rundgren, eat your heart out!
4. Out Of The Sinking - Paul Weller
This song is taken from his 3rd solo record, considered by many to be his best, Stanley Road. Critics always comment on this album as being the one he returned to his roots on, but his roots were not bands like Traffic really. It sounds nothing like his true roots, The Kinks or The Who. The Traffic-vibe is further authenticated by the presence of Stevie Winwood playing organ on this album. This is a very rocking tune, with more guitar-jamming going on than any of his previous music. Once again, drummer Steve White gives me goosebumps, especially on the lead-in to the chorus, with his brilliant, jazzy rolls and fills. This is one of my top 10 Weller tracks ever for sure. "It is shining for me, all I need to be, but I can't find the key, the one to make me believe." Shine on you crazy diamond.....
3. Sick Of Myself - Matthew Sweet
I had liked his song Girlfriend back in '91 or '92, but I didn't know much about Matthew Sweet really. I loved this song right from my first listen. It is right in my wheelhouse though, a real true Power-Pop classic. From his 5th album, 100% Fun, this is all vintage tube amps and analog sound at its best. The melody is amazing, the lyrics too, and it is virtually impossible not to sing along to it. The sound of the guitars is outstanding, all garage-fuzz and distortion and the lead is played brilliantly by punk legend Richard Lloyd, late of the groundbreaking NYC band, Television. This is another record where the instruments are almost all played by 1 guy, and Sweet does a yeoman's job for sure. This was a big number on jam nights with my buddies Cope and Peesker back in those days. "I'm sick of myself when I look at you, something is beautiful and true. In a world that's ugly and a lie, it's hard to even want to try and I'm beginning to think, baby you don't know." Once again, I wish I'd written that.....
2. Nautical Disaster - The Tragically Hip
This track is on my fave album by these guys, Day For Night. There is a much darker feel to Gord Downie's lyrics on this record, and they aimed for a more adventurous musical side as well. This song is pretty much Hip-by-numbers though, but what numbers they are! It is written from the point of view of a guy having a nightmare and then waking up to find out it is all too real, that his life is the nautical disaster of his nightmare. The urgency and paranoia of the lyrics, delivered in his own singular way by Downie, paint a vivid portrait for the listener. The band does their usual workmanlike job here, but bassist Gord Sinclair stands out with his high-neck playing, especially near the end as the songs plays out with a long jam session. "The selection was quick, the crew was picked in order and those left in the water got kicked off our pantleg and we headed for home." Shudder to think...
1. Morning Glory - Oasis
This is the Gallagher brothers finest hour, or 5:03, as it were. The way it starts, with the screeching guitars, whirring helicopters, and pounding drums, then just kicks in with those roaring guitars - whew! Liam doesn't sound snotty on this song. His voice is almost melodic and carries with it an almost palpable hint of regret or remorse. The brothers were hyped daily in the media, certainly in the U.K., where they were the biggest band in the land. The melody is, as usual, very catchy and simple, which is Noel's main strength as a songwriter. He gleefully plagiarizes from all his heroes, but it is OK because he is so reverential, even throwing in the title of his fave Beatles tune, Tomorrow Never Knows. This was the end of Oasis for me as I feel they never came near this kind of fantastic song again. So, I made it #1 on my list for '95 because it is just a great song, no argument. "Another sunny afternoon, walking to the sound of my favourite tune, tomorrow never knows what it doesn't know too soon." Turn off your mind, relax and float down stream.....
10. Alright - Supergrass
This sunny, teenage paean to being cool is taken from these Brit's debut album, I Should Coco. It received almost no airplay on this side of the Atlantic, but through my reading of the NME, I had the 12" single. Most people in North America would know this from an Intel TV commercial from a few years ago. It is instantly memorable, full of the catchiest hooks and Gaz Coombes' youthful vocals. The piano riff which drives the tune is a direct tip of the cap to one of their biggest influences, Madness. I always felt this song would have fit right in on an episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus. This is a song that will stick in the old craw for hours after just one listen, so go put it on! "We are young, we run free, keep our teeth, nice and clean, see our friends, see the sights, feel alright." He iiiisss an halibut!
9. King - Belly
This is the title cut from this Boston-based band's 2nd and last album. Leader Tanya Donelly was a former member of the seminal '80s band Throwing Muses with her sister, Kristen Hersh. She left in 1992 to form Belly and their 1st album Star from 1993 was a great record. But, I like this record even better, despite the fact that it was a commercial failure, due to the Grunge scene and its hold on popular music at the time. The guitars are driving and urgent, but more jangly than loud and they didn't fit in with the times. This is Power-Pop though, and the melody is catchy enough to stick in your head, sort of like one has heard it before. I love the tempo changes, not so much quiet-loud, but just a subtle shift in the rhythm. "You light the ocean from behind, I'll show you mine, I'll show you." Mmmmm.....Tanya Donelly.....
8. Catching On - Son Volt
I always find it amusing when critics go on about so called "supergroups." Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy were in a band called Uncle Tupelo in the early '90s that is now considered one of these "supergroups." Now, if any of my loyal readers can name even 1 song by them, I will be surprised. They were no "supergroup" folks - in retrospect maybe, but their records were heard by very few and sold to even fewer. Tweedy went on to form Wilco, who have become critical darlings and achieved Indie superstar status. Farrar formed Son Volt, who critics like fairly well, but their on again-off again existence has left them far behind the much more efficient Wilco in terms of star-power. I adore both bands, pretty much equally, but my sister Shannon has become one of the biggest Son Volt fans around. This is my favourite cut from their debut album, Trace. I love the melancholy everyman in Farrar's voice, very country-tinged to be sure, but this song rocks pretty hard as well. The guitar sound on this song, especially the string-bending lead, is brilliant and he can write a melody with the best of them. "As the pieces fall like candy when you're young, medicine when you're old." I'm getting to the medicine stage.....
7. Just - Radiohead
This song had perhaps the most haunting video ever - remember the one where the guy is laying on the street and people keep coming up and getting angry at him and asking why he is lying there? Then the end, where he says something that isn't subtitled, and to this day, nobody can say for sure what he says? Then, the really disturbing part at the end where all of those who had been questioning him end up lying down beside him in the street? Oh yeah, that video! Well, I love the song on its own merits too. There is the brilliant, breakneck guitar playing by Jonny Greenwood for starters, sounding so menacing and paranoid. Drummer Phil Selway crunches the skins so hard, I'll bet he had to change the heads after recording this tune. Thom Yorke uses his gorgeous voice to full effect too, singing about a friend who sounds rather annoying, and I can forgive him for spawning almost as many copycats as Eddie Vedder. "Can't get the stink off, he's been hanging round for days." You know what they say about guests and fish.....
6. Box Full Of Letters - Wilco
Here is the other guy from Uncle Tupelo with his band and their debut effort, AM. It is essentially Uncle Tupelo without Jay Farrar. They tread the same alt-country ground as well, but it is a great little tune. It showcases Jeff Tweedy's self-deprecating sense of humour, which is one of his enduring strengths. His singing sounds like that of a slacker-dude, but I like this as well. The lead guitar is played by Brian Henneman from the Bottle Rockets, who was hired specifically for this one album. Multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett would join the band for the tour to support this record and stay until after Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. "I just can't find the time to write my mind the way I want it to read." A mind is a terrible thing to taste.....
5. Floaty - Foo Fighters
This record would be among the biggest musical surprises I've ever encountered. I mean, Dave Grohl was buried behind all those drums and all that hair in Nirvana- a great drummer, but that he was a guy who was able to write, record, produce and play all the instruments on his own record? - no way! But, on this self-titled debut album, he did indeed do all of the above. I still love this album, probably my fave of 1995. On this song, there are roaring power chords, machine-gun precise drumming, and, another surprise, a huge melody that outdoes, for me anyway, anything Cobain ever did. He eventually hired a band and continues to make good solid records to this day. "He floats, floats away, on the ground, he comes back down." Todd Rundgren, eat your heart out!
4. Out Of The Sinking - Paul Weller
This song is taken from his 3rd solo record, considered by many to be his best, Stanley Road. Critics always comment on this album as being the one he returned to his roots on, but his roots were not bands like Traffic really. It sounds nothing like his true roots, The Kinks or The Who. The Traffic-vibe is further authenticated by the presence of Stevie Winwood playing organ on this album. This is a very rocking tune, with more guitar-jamming going on than any of his previous music. Once again, drummer Steve White gives me goosebumps, especially on the lead-in to the chorus, with his brilliant, jazzy rolls and fills. This is one of my top 10 Weller tracks ever for sure. "It is shining for me, all I need to be, but I can't find the key, the one to make me believe." Shine on you crazy diamond.....
3. Sick Of Myself - Matthew Sweet
I had liked his song Girlfriend back in '91 or '92, but I didn't know much about Matthew Sweet really. I loved this song right from my first listen. It is right in my wheelhouse though, a real true Power-Pop classic. From his 5th album, 100% Fun, this is all vintage tube amps and analog sound at its best. The melody is amazing, the lyrics too, and it is virtually impossible not to sing along to it. The sound of the guitars is outstanding, all garage-fuzz and distortion and the lead is played brilliantly by punk legend Richard Lloyd, late of the groundbreaking NYC band, Television. This is another record where the instruments are almost all played by 1 guy, and Sweet does a yeoman's job for sure. This was a big number on jam nights with my buddies Cope and Peesker back in those days. "I'm sick of myself when I look at you, something is beautiful and true. In a world that's ugly and a lie, it's hard to even want to try and I'm beginning to think, baby you don't know." Once again, I wish I'd written that.....
2. Nautical Disaster - The Tragically Hip
This track is on my fave album by these guys, Day For Night. There is a much darker feel to Gord Downie's lyrics on this record, and they aimed for a more adventurous musical side as well. This song is pretty much Hip-by-numbers though, but what numbers they are! It is written from the point of view of a guy having a nightmare and then waking up to find out it is all too real, that his life is the nautical disaster of his nightmare. The urgency and paranoia of the lyrics, delivered in his own singular way by Downie, paint a vivid portrait for the listener. The band does their usual workmanlike job here, but bassist Gord Sinclair stands out with his high-neck playing, especially near the end as the songs plays out with a long jam session. "The selection was quick, the crew was picked in order and those left in the water got kicked off our pantleg and we headed for home." Shudder to think...
1. Morning Glory - Oasis
This is the Gallagher brothers finest hour, or 5:03, as it were. The way it starts, with the screeching guitars, whirring helicopters, and pounding drums, then just kicks in with those roaring guitars - whew! Liam doesn't sound snotty on this song. His voice is almost melodic and carries with it an almost palpable hint of regret or remorse. The brothers were hyped daily in the media, certainly in the U.K., where they were the biggest band in the land. The melody is, as usual, very catchy and simple, which is Noel's main strength as a songwriter. He gleefully plagiarizes from all his heroes, but it is OK because he is so reverential, even throwing in the title of his fave Beatles tune, Tomorrow Never Knows. This was the end of Oasis for me as I feel they never came near this kind of fantastic song again. So, I made it #1 on my list for '95 because it is just a great song, no argument. "Another sunny afternoon, walking to the sound of my favourite tune, tomorrow never knows what it doesn't know too soon." Turn off your mind, relax and float down stream.....
Monday, November 29, 2010
Listomania! - 1994
My life continued on pretty much the same in 1994. We lived on Maitland St. and enjoyed living downtown with its easy access to the park and bars. Martina could walk to work and, before we got Aspen, she used to take Arden with her, where she would climb up on the peat moss bags and greet customers. Gord was also working part-time at Jenkins with her, where much of his time was spent killing the thousands of mice that inhabited the place. When Jenkins closed down, around 1998, it was turned into a swanky French restaurant, the name of which I can't remember, but Gord would always shudder when we went past the place and saw people eating $40 a plate dinners in the exact spot where he used to clean up mouse crap off the floor. Steve was now married to Lynne and living in North York, so we didn't see too much of each other, but we would get together whenever he came to London. Dave was a constant and welcome presence at our place, usually along with another buddy from Loeb, Chris Watt. In fact, Chris lived with us for a couple of months when his girlfriend gave him the boot, but he eventually moved in with a couple of other guys from work. Dave and Chris made a pilgrimage to New Orleans that year as well, and had a great time and regaled us with stories of their adventures, all the while listening to mixtapes I had created just for their trip, in order that I would be with them in spirit at least. Here's the list, which features many of the songs they were grooving to in the Big Easy:
10. Longview - Green Day
I am reminded of my buddy Mark Peesker whenever I hear the distinctive bass line that dominates this song. He once borrowed my bass and learned this riff. One day, the phone rang, and when I answered, I heard a perfect note for note rendition of this on the other end. He didn't even say hello, just burst into this song and I knew right away who it was. Taken from their album Dookie, which catapulted them to the top of the charts, it is the bass guitar of Mike Dirnt that surely drives this tune. But, it really kicks into gear when the soaring, savage guitars kick in on the chorus. For a song that is an ode to boredom, smoking pot and jerking off, it sure has a lively jump to it. Billie Joe Armstrong has just the right amount of punky sneer on the vocal as well, making this song part of our soundtrack that summer. It is still my fave song by them by miles, and it is one of those tunes that I never thought Martina would like, but she actually loves it. "Bite my lip and close my eyes, take me away to paradise. I'm so damn bored, I'm goin' blind and I smell like shit." Sounds nothing like my teenage years......
9. Say It Ain't So - Weezer
Here's another band that I was never a big fan of, but really liked a few of their tunes. This song would be at the top of my list where they are concerned. I love the quiet-loud dynamic here. They do a brilliant job of making the chorus explode, led in as it is with the squeal of feedback and then the crunch of those power chords. Singer Rivers Cuomo became an instant cult hero at this time, especially after the Happy Days-inspired video for the song Buddy Holly was played 40 times a day on Much Music. I love his inflection on this song. He makes it sound very personal and convinces the listener that he is living what he is singing about, which seems to be a diatribe about his Dad's drinking problem. The melody is catchy as hell too, so one listen guarantees an day long earworm. "Say it ain't so, your drug is a heartbreaker. Say it ain't so, my love is a lifetaker." Take my life, please.....
8. Cigarettes And Alcohol - Oasis
Oasis were a band that I adored for 2 albums. Then, they seemed to run out of ideas and become a self-parody, but the first time I heard this song, I was quite excited. I loved the Gallagher's dirty sound, Liam's snotty laissez-faire singing, and Noel's obvious gift for hooky melodies and guitar parts. They had that Faces swagger and the screw-you attitude of the early punks. The guitars growl here, lurching the song forward, while the rhythm section lays down a bluesy, slow groove underneath the maelstrom. The subject matter is once again bored youth looking for something other than the daily vices of the title, nothing earth-shattering, but they pull it off so well. "I was looking for some action, but all I found was cigarettes and alcohol." Sounds like a good t-shirt slogan....
7. Cornflake Girl - Tori Amos
I used to think Tori sounded a lot like Kate Bush. I don't hear that as much now, but when she launches into the chorus of "You bet your life it is", I can see where I might have got the idea. Her piano playing is as much of a draw here as her singing. The piano parts are brilliant, plinking and plonking their way into the listener's subconscious. Again, I've never been a huge fan, but this song is just so well crafted and interesting that it cannot be denied. Her backing band is full of studio pros who lay it down with an efficiency that allows Tori to do her thing and stand out. This song comes from her 2nd album, and biggest seller, Under The Pink. "Never was a cornflake girl, thought that was a good solution, hanging with the raisin girls." While I love the sentiment of the lyric, I despise raisins...
6. Feel The Pain - Dinosaur Jr.
At the risk of repeating myself, I must confess that I never really took to these guys until this record, their 7th album titled Without A Sound. What a fantastic album! Most of the time, when I like a band, I have everything they ever recorded. But, with Dino Jr., it only happened once. The rest of their output just doesn't cut it like this one. Feel The Pain is the first song on the record and is a great opener. The sound of a cork being pulled from a bottle ushers in a great guitar line and crunchy drums, with a perfectly syncopated bass line, then J. Mascis' weak but fitting vocals on top. Mascis is considered to be a guitar genius and he sure proves that on this song. But, the real highlight of this song (and album) for me is his drumming. He had fired his drummer just before making this record and decided to tackle the skins himself. The result is a true revelation as he is quite a good drummer, all rapid-fire rolls and big, thwacking snare parts. Anyone remember the video, with him and another guy playing golf from the tops of skyscrapers in Manhattan? "I feel the pain of everyone, then I feel nothing." Jean-Paul Sartre would be proud....
5. Crush With Eyeliner - R.E.M.
From their 9th album, Monster, this was R.E.M.'s big loud guitar record. Gone were the jangly sounds of their earlier work, replaced by distortion and reverb, which was helped along by the guest appearance of Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore on this track. Michael Stipe sings this song with an affected, artsy half-talk, tongue firmly planted in his cheek. The groove is quite sexy and dirty, especially for a band like them. The lyrics are fantastic, full of allusions and metaphors, with full marks to Stipe just for the use of the word "smitten" alone. "I know you, I know you've seen her. She's a sad tomato, she's three miles of bad road." Just drive she said....
4. People Of The Sky - Sloan
This song is taken from their great 2nd album, Twice Removed, which has been voted in one poll I saw as the best Canadian album of all-time. I don't know if that is my feeling, but this song is truly one of their best. I love the way it starts out all low-fi with the slight acoustic guitar, before breaking into full Power Pop flower. It is sung by drummer Andrew Scott and was always one of my fave parts of their live show as the band members would trade instruments and Scott would come out front to sing and play guitar. Speaking of guitars, they jangle brightly on this track and the "ba-ba-ba-da-ba" backing vocals will have you singing along like a champ. "But she's there for the two with her bias undone." I never go anywhere with my bias undone....
3. Interstate Love Song - Stone Temple Pilots
Their debut album was a smash success in the Grunge boom, but it paled in comparison to their 2nd record, Purple, in my books. This song is from Purple and is one of many great tunes on that record. But, this is the standout for sure. Scott Weiland sings the words with an understatement that went missing by a lot of the Grunge bands. The guitars ring out with purpose and the bass bubbles along, but it is the solid, if unspectacular, drumming of Eric Kretz that holds it all together. He must have loved laying this one down, as it features a huge snare, lots of ride cymbal, and tons of great rolls and breaks. I certainly always love to play along with it! "Waiting on a Sunday afternoon for what I read between the lines" Words, between the lines of age....
2. Corduroy - Pearl Jam
From their 3rd, and most original, album, Vitalogy, this song has really stood the test of time. I love the way the bass noodles around at the start before the guitars just come charging in on that memorable riff. Eddie Vedder is at his best here too, sounding angry as hell and spitting out the words with a vitriol that sounds close to the bone. Bassist Jeff Ament plays maybe his finest bass part as well, providing a solid bottom and then almost soloing high up on the neck of his bass. This song is a true epic for me, usually sending me bouncing around the room and singing along with Vedder like a middle-aged lunatic. "I'll take the varmint's path, oh and I must refuse your test, push me and I will resist." Hey Mickey, get this in your head at work...it's empowering as hell....
1. This Is A Low - Blur
Back in '94, if someone asked me who the best Brit-Pop band was, I would have said Oasis. I was wrong because Blur were truly the best of the bunch. Their songs are indeed timeless, sounding as good today as the day they were released. This tune is probably my favourite of theirs, a swirling tour de force from their 3rd album, Parklife. It was never a single, but remains perhaps their most popular song amongst fans. Damon Albarn puts in such a moving, brilliant vocal, full of feeling and life. Graham Coxon's guitar is great throughout, but really kicks in on the solo and is one of his finest moments in my opinion. The lyrics reference many places in England, keeping with the band's Brit-centricness at the time. Just a gorgeous tune, no matter how you slice it! "On the Malin Head, Blackpool looks blue and red, and the Queen, she's gone 'round the bend, jumped off Land's End." Take me back to dear old Blighty.....
10. Longview - Green Day
I am reminded of my buddy Mark Peesker whenever I hear the distinctive bass line that dominates this song. He once borrowed my bass and learned this riff. One day, the phone rang, and when I answered, I heard a perfect note for note rendition of this on the other end. He didn't even say hello, just burst into this song and I knew right away who it was. Taken from their album Dookie, which catapulted them to the top of the charts, it is the bass guitar of Mike Dirnt that surely drives this tune. But, it really kicks into gear when the soaring, savage guitars kick in on the chorus. For a song that is an ode to boredom, smoking pot and jerking off, it sure has a lively jump to it. Billie Joe Armstrong has just the right amount of punky sneer on the vocal as well, making this song part of our soundtrack that summer. It is still my fave song by them by miles, and it is one of those tunes that I never thought Martina would like, but she actually loves it. "Bite my lip and close my eyes, take me away to paradise. I'm so damn bored, I'm goin' blind and I smell like shit." Sounds nothing like my teenage years......
9. Say It Ain't So - Weezer
Here's another band that I was never a big fan of, but really liked a few of their tunes. This song would be at the top of my list where they are concerned. I love the quiet-loud dynamic here. They do a brilliant job of making the chorus explode, led in as it is with the squeal of feedback and then the crunch of those power chords. Singer Rivers Cuomo became an instant cult hero at this time, especially after the Happy Days-inspired video for the song Buddy Holly was played 40 times a day on Much Music. I love his inflection on this song. He makes it sound very personal and convinces the listener that he is living what he is singing about, which seems to be a diatribe about his Dad's drinking problem. The melody is catchy as hell too, so one listen guarantees an day long earworm. "Say it ain't so, your drug is a heartbreaker. Say it ain't so, my love is a lifetaker." Take my life, please.....
8. Cigarettes And Alcohol - Oasis
Oasis were a band that I adored for 2 albums. Then, they seemed to run out of ideas and become a self-parody, but the first time I heard this song, I was quite excited. I loved the Gallagher's dirty sound, Liam's snotty laissez-faire singing, and Noel's obvious gift for hooky melodies and guitar parts. They had that Faces swagger and the screw-you attitude of the early punks. The guitars growl here, lurching the song forward, while the rhythm section lays down a bluesy, slow groove underneath the maelstrom. The subject matter is once again bored youth looking for something other than the daily vices of the title, nothing earth-shattering, but they pull it off so well. "I was looking for some action, but all I found was cigarettes and alcohol." Sounds like a good t-shirt slogan....
7. Cornflake Girl - Tori Amos
I used to think Tori sounded a lot like Kate Bush. I don't hear that as much now, but when she launches into the chorus of "You bet your life it is", I can see where I might have got the idea. Her piano playing is as much of a draw here as her singing. The piano parts are brilliant, plinking and plonking their way into the listener's subconscious. Again, I've never been a huge fan, but this song is just so well crafted and interesting that it cannot be denied. Her backing band is full of studio pros who lay it down with an efficiency that allows Tori to do her thing and stand out. This song comes from her 2nd album, and biggest seller, Under The Pink. "Never was a cornflake girl, thought that was a good solution, hanging with the raisin girls." While I love the sentiment of the lyric, I despise raisins...
6. Feel The Pain - Dinosaur Jr.
At the risk of repeating myself, I must confess that I never really took to these guys until this record, their 7th album titled Without A Sound. What a fantastic album! Most of the time, when I like a band, I have everything they ever recorded. But, with Dino Jr., it only happened once. The rest of their output just doesn't cut it like this one. Feel The Pain is the first song on the record and is a great opener. The sound of a cork being pulled from a bottle ushers in a great guitar line and crunchy drums, with a perfectly syncopated bass line, then J. Mascis' weak but fitting vocals on top. Mascis is considered to be a guitar genius and he sure proves that on this song. But, the real highlight of this song (and album) for me is his drumming. He had fired his drummer just before making this record and decided to tackle the skins himself. The result is a true revelation as he is quite a good drummer, all rapid-fire rolls and big, thwacking snare parts. Anyone remember the video, with him and another guy playing golf from the tops of skyscrapers in Manhattan? "I feel the pain of everyone, then I feel nothing." Jean-Paul Sartre would be proud....
5. Crush With Eyeliner - R.E.M.
From their 9th album, Monster, this was R.E.M.'s big loud guitar record. Gone were the jangly sounds of their earlier work, replaced by distortion and reverb, which was helped along by the guest appearance of Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore on this track. Michael Stipe sings this song with an affected, artsy half-talk, tongue firmly planted in his cheek. The groove is quite sexy and dirty, especially for a band like them. The lyrics are fantastic, full of allusions and metaphors, with full marks to Stipe just for the use of the word "smitten" alone. "I know you, I know you've seen her. She's a sad tomato, she's three miles of bad road." Just drive she said....
4. People Of The Sky - Sloan
This song is taken from their great 2nd album, Twice Removed, which has been voted in one poll I saw as the best Canadian album of all-time. I don't know if that is my feeling, but this song is truly one of their best. I love the way it starts out all low-fi with the slight acoustic guitar, before breaking into full Power Pop flower. It is sung by drummer Andrew Scott and was always one of my fave parts of their live show as the band members would trade instruments and Scott would come out front to sing and play guitar. Speaking of guitars, they jangle brightly on this track and the "ba-ba-ba-da-ba" backing vocals will have you singing along like a champ. "But she's there for the two with her bias undone." I never go anywhere with my bias undone....
3. Interstate Love Song - Stone Temple Pilots
Their debut album was a smash success in the Grunge boom, but it paled in comparison to their 2nd record, Purple, in my books. This song is from Purple and is one of many great tunes on that record. But, this is the standout for sure. Scott Weiland sings the words with an understatement that went missing by a lot of the Grunge bands. The guitars ring out with purpose and the bass bubbles along, but it is the solid, if unspectacular, drumming of Eric Kretz that holds it all together. He must have loved laying this one down, as it features a huge snare, lots of ride cymbal, and tons of great rolls and breaks. I certainly always love to play along with it! "Waiting on a Sunday afternoon for what I read between the lines" Words, between the lines of age....
2. Corduroy - Pearl Jam
From their 3rd, and most original, album, Vitalogy, this song has really stood the test of time. I love the way the bass noodles around at the start before the guitars just come charging in on that memorable riff. Eddie Vedder is at his best here too, sounding angry as hell and spitting out the words with a vitriol that sounds close to the bone. Bassist Jeff Ament plays maybe his finest bass part as well, providing a solid bottom and then almost soloing high up on the neck of his bass. This song is a true epic for me, usually sending me bouncing around the room and singing along with Vedder like a middle-aged lunatic. "I'll take the varmint's path, oh and I must refuse your test, push me and I will resist." Hey Mickey, get this in your head at work...it's empowering as hell....
1. This Is A Low - Blur
Back in '94, if someone asked me who the best Brit-Pop band was, I would have said Oasis. I was wrong because Blur were truly the best of the bunch. Their songs are indeed timeless, sounding as good today as the day they were released. This tune is probably my favourite of theirs, a swirling tour de force from their 3rd album, Parklife. It was never a single, but remains perhaps their most popular song amongst fans. Damon Albarn puts in such a moving, brilliant vocal, full of feeling and life. Graham Coxon's guitar is great throughout, but really kicks in on the solo and is one of his finest moments in my opinion. The lyrics reference many places in England, keeping with the band's Brit-centricness at the time. Just a gorgeous tune, no matter how you slice it! "On the Malin Head, Blackpool looks blue and red, and the Queen, she's gone 'round the bend, jumped off Land's End." Take me back to dear old Blighty.....
Monday, November 15, 2010
Listomania! - 1993
I turned 33 in November of '93 and my big line was that I was now as old as Jesus. I grew a full goatee and moustache combo and my hair was quite long, so I even looked the part. I never quite mastered the healing of lepers and walking on water part though. I came home from work one day to find our apartment was flooded. It was not just regular water though. It was a burst sewage pipe that left me ankle deep in other people's crap - literally. Poor Arden was up on the couch looking very perturbed and scared. When I went to the superintendent to complain, they basically shrugged their shoulders and did nothing. We also lost a month's rental deposit because we didn't give 2 month's notice. They actually expected us to keep living in that shit-infested apartment! Martina and I decided it was time to move, so we went looking for a new place. We found the upper floor of an old house on Maitland St. in downtown London in record time and moved within about a week. It was fun living there, but the place was quite tiny and the biggest problem was the infestation of mice. We put traps under the kitchen sink and our TV watching would be frequently interrupted by the snap of the traps. But, we decided mice were better than poop all over everything. During this time, we added another dachshund to the gang, Arden's half-sister, Aspen. She was a very cute and happy pup, who tormented her sister constantly and bullied her with great relish. We made the acquaintance of our next-door neighbour, Sarah, who was a 19 year-old who would lie out in the back yard in her bikini. Gord was 15 at the time and he really liked having her as a neighbour. One of his favourite activities that summer was to sit by the window and ogle her as she tanned. Personally, I never once looked at her.....We would often barbecue with Sarah and her boyfriend Jeff and we would have the tunes cranked up while we ate and drank and made merry. Here are some of the songs we were listening to back then:
10. Locked In The Trunk Of A Car - The Tragically Hip
This song comes from their fourth album, Fully Completely, which most people would consider their best record. I like it a lot, but their next one, Day For Night, is my personal fave. This tune has a brilliant groove that the band kicks into and rides right through the song. They were one of the best at that as they had a way of settling in and rocking in such a cohesive way. The guitars ring out with such a great riff, laying a solid foundation for singer Gord Downie, who once again is the master here. He sings a creepy set of lyrics about a serial killer, building the tension and urgency like a true pro. When he goes up an octave and then starts screaming "Let me out", the mental picture is complete. This is an undeniable Canadian classic. "Then I found a place it's dark and it's rotted. It's a cool, sweet kinda place where the copters won't spot it. And I destroyed the map, I even thought I forgot it. However, everyday I'm dumping the body." Grab a Canadian and pump your fist.....
9. For Tomorrow - Blur
On their debut album, Blur were more aligned with The Stone Roses and that ilk as far as their sound was concerned. For the 2nd record, Modern Life Is Rubbish, they took a left turn into traditional British pop music. They had really disliked their first trip to America and singer/lyricist Damon Albarn retreated back 'ome and came up with a record that put their influences out there for all to see. This song is a Kinks-style romp with a singalong chorus that must have made Ray Davies proud. It is so whimsical in melody, but the lyrics comment on the difficulties of day-to-day life in London. The orchestration is great too, providing a lush background for all the "la-las." Albarn's rant at the end makes areas like Primrose Hill come alive for the listener. "She's a twentieth century girl, hanging on for dear life. So we hold each other tightly and hold on for tomorrow." Jolly good!
8. Sunflower - Paul Weller
Weller put away the Curtis Mayfield records and pulled out some old Traffic records, and the product of that is his 2nd solo record, Wild Wood. This is very guitar-oriented, still soulful, but much more folk and rock influenced than his 1st album. This is built around a stinging, groovy guitar part, which is augmented by long-time drummer Steve White's brilliant work on the ride cymbal and floor toms. Just to make sure the Traffic-ness is pounded home, Weller even employs a flute solo here, which was a favourite ploy of Traffic in their late 60's-early '70s heyday. This album helped influence the next wave of British bands during the Brit-Pop revolution of the next few years. "Along winding streets we walked hand in hand, and how I long for that sharp wind to take my breath away again." Nothing better than a sharp wind, right Mickey?
7. Cherub Rock - Smashing Pumpkins
Siamese Dream is probably the album that I listened to the most in 1993. I was enamoured with the sound that they got from their guitars. They must have had a stack of pedals at their disposal, and they used every last one of them. On this song, the guitars buzz like a swarm of bees, they roar, they grind, and I still can't believe what a wonderful sound they make. Jimmy Chamberlain is his usual nimble self on the drums, and Billy Corgan's voice can be grating, but this is all about the guitars. The solo is so killer, twisting and screeching its way into your consciousness, making you useless to resist its power. This was the record that turned Gord from a backward-pant-wearing rapper wannabee into an alt-rocking, hair-dyeing maniac. "Freak out and give in, doesn't matter what you believe in." Sign me up!
6. Jimmy's Fantasy - Red Kross
I never really knew much about this band, other than they were from L.A. and they had a fetish for '70s TV shows and sounds. This is one of the catchiest songs you will ever hear. The riff is bludgeoning and heavy, yet the song is about as perfect a slice of Power Pop as you will ever find. One listen leads to another, until it is burned into your head. It is futile to deny the greatness of the melody, and you will be singing it for days on end. The album was called Phaseshifter, but, again, I know next to nothing about it. I recall hearing it once or twice, but this song is so brilliant that it renders anything else they ever did moot. I see platform shoes and long hair and Kiss t-shirts when I hear this. For some of you, that may not be a good thing, but for me, it feels like home. "Howlin' Wolf will never understand Doty Crips, the Bloods or Zeppelin." I get Zeppelin, but I'm with Mr. Wolf on the others....
5. Fade Into You - Mazzy Star
From their 2nd album, So Tonight That I Might See, this is another slow, psychedelic charmer from Hope Sandoval and company. The slide guitar is fantastic, colouring the song in shades of blue and adding to the feeling of sadness and resignation that comes across in the lyrics and delivery of Ms. Sandoval. She sings in an almost disengaged way, like she's throwing off the vocal in between filing her nails. It makes one think of a smoke-filled basement club, much in the same way that Billie Holiday's best ballads did. This is folk and country with a side of the blues and one of their finest tunes. Taylor and Martina will be very happy to see this song on the list. "Some kind of night into your darkness colours your eyes with what's not there." Black is the colour....
4. Jimmy Still Comes Around - The Loud Family
This is from the first album by former Game Theory frontman Scott Miller's next band. It is their best album, in my opinion, probably because it sounds the most like a Game Theory record. Produced again by longtime cohort Mitch Easter, it has all the usual touchstones of their albums - great melodies, jangly guitars, humour and tongue-in-cheek paranoia. This song about a wannabee mover and shaker is loaded with hooks and you will find yourself tapping a toe along to the beat. This was the last great song Miller ever wrote, but what a way to go out! "Jimmy makes a big deal of the deep things he feels. Imagine his shock when he learns it isn't real." We all know at least 1 Jimmy.....
3. Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town - Pearl Jam
For a song that clocks in at just over 3 minutes, it sure has an 8 minute title. This is my favourite Pearl Jam tune. It evokes a feeling of sentimentality in me like few songs can, not for the time it was out necessarily, but for the fact that it causes me to reflect on my life each time I hear it. Cope and I used to play this at our jam sessions back in the day. He didn't know all the words, so I was chosen to warble away while he played his guitar along. This was one of the tunes we used to sing during our lunch breaks at Loeb, making it even harder to be motivated to go back into the freezer and pick orders. Eddie Vedder really hits home here and his voice is so perfectly suited to this song, it may be his finest moment. "I changed by not changing at all, small town predicts my fate, perhaps that's what no one wants to see." I was born in a small town....
2. Sister Havana - Urge Overkill
From their breakthrough 4th record, Saturation, these guys may have put down on record one of the dirtiest and finest guitar riffs of all time. I love the way the song comes in with a ringing sound and then the guitars come roaring in, accented by the tom-toms, and then we're away to the races. This song is feverish and scorching, riding that guitar hard, kicking ass and taking names. It has a brilliant melody, a chunky, big sound, and such an amazing energy to it that I still tend to crash about the room when I hear it. Nash Kato belts out the vocal like a true blue stadium rocker and I'm inclined to join him and break eardrums for miles around. "Everyday just like a vacation with you, when I'm watchin' you and Fidel Castro in the sand, kissin'!" Viva la revolucion!
1. Mary Jane's Last Dance - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
I know I bang on endlessly about guitars on this blog, but this song might just take the cake. Producer Rick Rubin somehow got it so right! You must put on headphones and turn this up! The dual-channel guitars of Petty and the outstanding Mike Campbell are freaking amazing. forget the leads, which are cooking, but the rhythm lines are blinding! Then, add in Petty sounding so American, sounding so cool, and you've got the best song he ever recorded. There's harmonica, bass, drums - all so perfect! The sound is massive and I never tire of it. While I was writing about it, I played it 6 times in a row and it would have been 7 but for Howie whining and wanting to go for a walk. There are few songs that sound as great as this does! I must mention the ultra-creepy video that accompanied this as well, starring the luscious Kim Basinger as a good-looking corpse and Petty as the creepy dude. "Oh my my, oh hell yes, you got to put on that party dress. It was too cold to cry when I woke up alone, I hit my last number, I walked to the road." It's my party and I'll cry if it..... warms up?
10. Locked In The Trunk Of A Car - The Tragically Hip
This song comes from their fourth album, Fully Completely, which most people would consider their best record. I like it a lot, but their next one, Day For Night, is my personal fave. This tune has a brilliant groove that the band kicks into and rides right through the song. They were one of the best at that as they had a way of settling in and rocking in such a cohesive way. The guitars ring out with such a great riff, laying a solid foundation for singer Gord Downie, who once again is the master here. He sings a creepy set of lyrics about a serial killer, building the tension and urgency like a true pro. When he goes up an octave and then starts screaming "Let me out", the mental picture is complete. This is an undeniable Canadian classic. "Then I found a place it's dark and it's rotted. It's a cool, sweet kinda place where the copters won't spot it. And I destroyed the map, I even thought I forgot it. However, everyday I'm dumping the body." Grab a Canadian and pump your fist.....
9. For Tomorrow - Blur
On their debut album, Blur were more aligned with The Stone Roses and that ilk as far as their sound was concerned. For the 2nd record, Modern Life Is Rubbish, they took a left turn into traditional British pop music. They had really disliked their first trip to America and singer/lyricist Damon Albarn retreated back 'ome and came up with a record that put their influences out there for all to see. This song is a Kinks-style romp with a singalong chorus that must have made Ray Davies proud. It is so whimsical in melody, but the lyrics comment on the difficulties of day-to-day life in London. The orchestration is great too, providing a lush background for all the "la-las." Albarn's rant at the end makes areas like Primrose Hill come alive for the listener. "She's a twentieth century girl, hanging on for dear life. So we hold each other tightly and hold on for tomorrow." Jolly good!
8. Sunflower - Paul Weller
Weller put away the Curtis Mayfield records and pulled out some old Traffic records, and the product of that is his 2nd solo record, Wild Wood. This is very guitar-oriented, still soulful, but much more folk and rock influenced than his 1st album. This is built around a stinging, groovy guitar part, which is augmented by long-time drummer Steve White's brilliant work on the ride cymbal and floor toms. Just to make sure the Traffic-ness is pounded home, Weller even employs a flute solo here, which was a favourite ploy of Traffic in their late 60's-early '70s heyday. This album helped influence the next wave of British bands during the Brit-Pop revolution of the next few years. "Along winding streets we walked hand in hand, and how I long for that sharp wind to take my breath away again." Nothing better than a sharp wind, right Mickey?
7. Cherub Rock - Smashing Pumpkins
Siamese Dream is probably the album that I listened to the most in 1993. I was enamoured with the sound that they got from their guitars. They must have had a stack of pedals at their disposal, and they used every last one of them. On this song, the guitars buzz like a swarm of bees, they roar, they grind, and I still can't believe what a wonderful sound they make. Jimmy Chamberlain is his usual nimble self on the drums, and Billy Corgan's voice can be grating, but this is all about the guitars. The solo is so killer, twisting and screeching its way into your consciousness, making you useless to resist its power. This was the record that turned Gord from a backward-pant-wearing rapper wannabee into an alt-rocking, hair-dyeing maniac. "Freak out and give in, doesn't matter what you believe in." Sign me up!
6. Jimmy's Fantasy - Red Kross
I never really knew much about this band, other than they were from L.A. and they had a fetish for '70s TV shows and sounds. This is one of the catchiest songs you will ever hear. The riff is bludgeoning and heavy, yet the song is about as perfect a slice of Power Pop as you will ever find. One listen leads to another, until it is burned into your head. It is futile to deny the greatness of the melody, and you will be singing it for days on end. The album was called Phaseshifter, but, again, I know next to nothing about it. I recall hearing it once or twice, but this song is so brilliant that it renders anything else they ever did moot. I see platform shoes and long hair and Kiss t-shirts when I hear this. For some of you, that may not be a good thing, but for me, it feels like home. "Howlin' Wolf will never understand Doty Crips, the Bloods or Zeppelin." I get Zeppelin, but I'm with Mr. Wolf on the others....
5. Fade Into You - Mazzy Star
From their 2nd album, So Tonight That I Might See, this is another slow, psychedelic charmer from Hope Sandoval and company. The slide guitar is fantastic, colouring the song in shades of blue and adding to the feeling of sadness and resignation that comes across in the lyrics and delivery of Ms. Sandoval. She sings in an almost disengaged way, like she's throwing off the vocal in between filing her nails. It makes one think of a smoke-filled basement club, much in the same way that Billie Holiday's best ballads did. This is folk and country with a side of the blues and one of their finest tunes. Taylor and Martina will be very happy to see this song on the list. "Some kind of night into your darkness colours your eyes with what's not there." Black is the colour....
4. Jimmy Still Comes Around - The Loud Family
This is from the first album by former Game Theory frontman Scott Miller's next band. It is their best album, in my opinion, probably because it sounds the most like a Game Theory record. Produced again by longtime cohort Mitch Easter, it has all the usual touchstones of their albums - great melodies, jangly guitars, humour and tongue-in-cheek paranoia. This song about a wannabee mover and shaker is loaded with hooks and you will find yourself tapping a toe along to the beat. This was the last great song Miller ever wrote, but what a way to go out! "Jimmy makes a big deal of the deep things he feels. Imagine his shock when he learns it isn't real." We all know at least 1 Jimmy.....
3. Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town - Pearl Jam
For a song that clocks in at just over 3 minutes, it sure has an 8 minute title. This is my favourite Pearl Jam tune. It evokes a feeling of sentimentality in me like few songs can, not for the time it was out necessarily, but for the fact that it causes me to reflect on my life each time I hear it. Cope and I used to play this at our jam sessions back in the day. He didn't know all the words, so I was chosen to warble away while he played his guitar along. This was one of the tunes we used to sing during our lunch breaks at Loeb, making it even harder to be motivated to go back into the freezer and pick orders. Eddie Vedder really hits home here and his voice is so perfectly suited to this song, it may be his finest moment. "I changed by not changing at all, small town predicts my fate, perhaps that's what no one wants to see." I was born in a small town....
2. Sister Havana - Urge Overkill
From their breakthrough 4th record, Saturation, these guys may have put down on record one of the dirtiest and finest guitar riffs of all time. I love the way the song comes in with a ringing sound and then the guitars come roaring in, accented by the tom-toms, and then we're away to the races. This song is feverish and scorching, riding that guitar hard, kicking ass and taking names. It has a brilliant melody, a chunky, big sound, and such an amazing energy to it that I still tend to crash about the room when I hear it. Nash Kato belts out the vocal like a true blue stadium rocker and I'm inclined to join him and break eardrums for miles around. "Everyday just like a vacation with you, when I'm watchin' you and Fidel Castro in the sand, kissin'!" Viva la revolucion!
1. Mary Jane's Last Dance - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
I know I bang on endlessly about guitars on this blog, but this song might just take the cake. Producer Rick Rubin somehow got it so right! You must put on headphones and turn this up! The dual-channel guitars of Petty and the outstanding Mike Campbell are freaking amazing. forget the leads, which are cooking, but the rhythm lines are blinding! Then, add in Petty sounding so American, sounding so cool, and you've got the best song he ever recorded. There's harmonica, bass, drums - all so perfect! The sound is massive and I never tire of it. While I was writing about it, I played it 6 times in a row and it would have been 7 but for Howie whining and wanting to go for a walk. There are few songs that sound as great as this does! I must mention the ultra-creepy video that accompanied this as well, starring the luscious Kim Basinger as a good-looking corpse and Petty as the creepy dude. "Oh my my, oh hell yes, you got to put on that party dress. It was too cold to cry when I woke up alone, I hit my last number, I walked to the road." It's my party and I'll cry if it..... warms up?
Monday, November 8, 2010
Listomania! - 1992
Sorry for the lack of posts lately. I have been having trouble with my damn speakers and it's pretty hard to write a music blog without listening to the songs one wishes to blather on about. The problem has been fixed and so I intend to try to catch up.
1992 was the year when I settled in at the Loeb warehouse and started making some new friends and became more comfortable working there. It was back-breaking work, but there were enough good people and laughs to get me through the day. I met some fantastic co-workers, such as Mark Peesker, Scott Coupland, Flipster, Dunny & Tunny, and became close buddies with one Dave Elmore. I met Dave in 1991, but we became good friends in 1992. Speaking of our first meeting, I was picking orders and needed someone to pull a skid of mason jars down from the top shelf for me. The boss sent Dave over to do it as he was driving a forklift that night. There were large and small skids in the warehouse and different forklifts for each. Dave came over on a short-forked machine and proceeded to try to pull down a skid which was for a large-forked machine. The skid of mason jars toppled over and crashed all over the floor and in between the racks. As I was the new guy, Dave suggested I stand on the forks and he would lift me up and I could pull the spilled boxes out from the racks. There was only 1 kinda huge problem: I am deathly afraid of heights. Oh, wait, 2 problems: It is totally against safety regulations to have someone stand on the forks and lift them 30 feet in the air. It turned out it was a bigger job than Dave had thought, so he got me another skid of jars down and said he'd clean up himself. It wasn't until much later that I told him of my fear of heights and we have laughed about that incident many times since, both of us cracking up at the sight of me shitting myself as he raised me in the air on those forks. Dave is a great guy, giving and quite sensitive, who would agree with me if I said he is his own worst enemy at times, but he and I remain friends to this day.
The other big development of '92 was Martina going and getting a dog. Arden the dachshund was named after Shakespeare's forest and she was Martina's pride and joy. I didn't know, yet, that I was a dog person, but Arden, or Marv as I called her, was a funny, neurotic little dog who thought she was #2 in the pecking order, just a bit behind Martina and well above me. I have lots of stories about her that would take too long to type, but she was our first doggie and introduced me to the joys, and headaches, of dog ownership. Here's the music that Arden and I listened to in 1992:
10. Somebody To Shove - Soul Asylum
These guys formed in 1983 in Minneapolis, coming out of the same scene as Husker Du and The Replacements. They had a much harder-edged punk sound at first, but by 1992, they had morphed into a band with great chops, led by singer-guitarist Dave Pirner, who had a great knack of writing catchy tunes like this one. Taken from their biggest record, Grave Dancers Union, this is still punk rock, but with a melody that sticks in your head all day long. It is urgent and loud and fast, with the guitars charging along at breakneck speed. This album was a big favourite in our house and got played endlessly, as it featured lots of great songs, including Martina's fave, Black Gold. Pirner said he used "shove" instead of "love" because "that (love) has already been done." This is a fine slab of rock 'n' roll! "I'm waiting by the phone, waiting for you to call me up and tell me I'm not alone." You're never alone when you're schizophrenic.....
9. Creep - Radiohead
This song was the world's introduction to the wonders of Radiohead. I read about them in the NME and took the bus down to Dr. Disc to buy the CD single on import. While taking the bus back home from downtown, we had stopped at the stop sign at Pall Mall and Wellington. I looked out the window of the bus and saw a guy in a green pickup truck with a big smile on his face. My first thought was to wonder why he was so happy, when I noticed that he had no pants on. I then found out why he was so happy when I saw what his right hand was doing. Remember, I had just bought a song that contained the lines "I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo." Everyone on the bus was startled as he drove off and then myself and another guy started cracking up laughing. That is still one of the strangest and funniest things I've ever seen in my life. Anyway, this song is from their debut album, Pablo Honey. It bounces along on the bass line, with Thom Yorke and his gorgeously expressive voice lilting on top. I love it when the guitar threatens to kick in just before the crunch of the chorus. "I want you to notice, when I'm not around. You're so fuckin' special, I wish I was special." The guy in the truck wanted us to notice too.....
8. It's A Shame About Ray - The Lemonheads
I had never heard of these Bostonians until this, their 5th album. Led by the famously drugged-up Evan Dando, this title tune is built around a fantastically simple acoustic guitar strum and a beautiful melody. The lyrics are quite touching and wistful and easy to sing along with. I'm always reminded of a guy named Rudy who was the cleaner at the Loeb warehouse. He and I struck up a friendship over music and pot-smoking, which were my 2 favourite pastimes back then. He used to come over and play guitar while I hacked away on the bass and sang, and this was one of our staple tunes. He was also a very heavy drinker who would not leave until the last drop of booze was gone. A friend, Dan Crandles, had a party one night that we all went to. Rudy got just wasted on Irish whiskey and started going on about how he should have brought his guitar. He then said he was going to drive home and get it. I told him he was too drunk, but Rudy wouldn't let a little thing like that stop him. I thought that he would get picked up by the cops and that would be the last of him, but about 1/2 hour later, there was a pounding at the front door. I opened it and there stood Rudy, proud as a peacock and holding his guitar. He came in and sat beside me on the couch. He asked what song he should play and wanted me to sing it. I suggested this one and he launched into it, playing like a seasoned pro, while I warbled the lyric. What surprised me was that everyone stopped talking and listened to us and clapped loudly when we were done. Rudy then went outside and threw up in the driveway and headed for the bedroom, where he passed out face-down until morning. The guy was a champ! He's one of those people about whom one wonders from time to time - did he end up in jail? is he still alive? "I've never been too good with names, but I remember faces." You know, old what's-his-face.....
7. These Are Days - 10,000 Maniacs
This album, Our Time In Eden, was the band's last record with singer Natalie Merchant. It is a true song of hope which makes me feel lucky to be alive whenever I play it. The melody is great, the band can really play, and Merchant tops it all with a heartfelt vocal. It was a big family fave back then as well, often sung and played at get-togethers at Martina's Mom and Dad's house. Martina, Shannon, her friend Annette and I went to see them at Canada's Wonderland that summer and they were great. We had been sitting in the parking lot before the show, listening to tunes and smoking a ton of pot. When we came out of the show, we heard someone's car stereo just blasting away. I mentioned that it sounded like somebody was having a good time. Much to my horror, it was only when we got closer that I realized it was our vehicle with the tunes blasting out. We had all got out and locked the doors, with the keys inside and the stereo blaring! We were in the park for about 5 hours! We had to get a park security guy to come and open the locked door and I think I was a shade of scarlet never seen before or since. "These are the days you might fill with laughter until you break." Yes indeed....
6. Kosmos - Paul Weller
Weller had taken a couple of years off after disbanding the Style Council in 1989. He returned with his self-titled first solo record in '92. This song ends the album off just perfectly. During his hiatus from the music biz, he had been listening to a lot of Curtis Mayfield records and the results can be heard here. It is soulful and jazzy in that Mayfield way, with a great wah-wah guitar part and jazzy flute solos. He had left behind the political lyrics and gone for a more personal bent here, questioning life in general and his place in the grand scheme of things. His wife, Dee C. Lee, adds some great "flying high" backing vocals and I love the false ending that fades out and then back in again. All in all, it is a very powerful re-entry into music for Weller. "Take a ride into the soon, be the first one on the moon." Umm...ever hear of Neil Armstrong?
5. Fait Accompli - Curve
Taken from their debut album, Doppelganger, this song is the bomb on the dancefloor. It defies labelling, but I would say it is Gothic, druggy, shoegaze dance music. The music is swirling and noisy, with lots of synths and machine-treated guitars buzzing around. The real draw here though is the seductive vocals by Toni Halliday. Yes guys, she looks as good as she sounds, all black eyeliner and sex appeal. I bought this album on our trip to Montreal, along with the first Lush album. This is an early forerunner of the Dream Pop movement of the 2000s. "'I've come to crush your bones, I've come to make you feel old, I've come to mess with your head, Cos it'll make you feel good." You do make me feel old - this was almost 20 years ago......
4. Leave Them All Behind - Ride
This song is a gigantic tour de force. It begins with almost Who-like keyboards and then the song crashes in with a kick-ass drum beat and monstrous bass riff. The guitars come in riddled with psychedelia, riding that bass riff like a surfer in Malibu, then take off on a solo that leaves you breathless. The drum rolls all through the song are to die for. I would give my left arm to sit behind the kit and play like this just once! This song is so atmospheric and the sound is gorgeous. The vocals are typical of the shoegaze genre, a bit muffled and buried, but still quite effective. This is from Ride's 2nd album, Going Blank Again, and it is much louder than the 1st record. Just a blindingly great tune! "I don't care about the colours. I don't care about the light. I don't care about the truth." You can't handle the truth.....
3. Would? - Alice In Chains
This song first appeared on the "Singles" soundtrack and then was tacked on to the end of the band's 2nd album, Dirt, when the soundtrack was so successful. I love the growling bass lick that starts this off, with the drums coming in with their off-kilter tom-toms and big snare sound. This is written in a minor key, giving the tune an air of hopelessness and despair. These guys were big into the heroin thing and this song is full of that drugs' side effects of gloom and angst. The guitars just roar on the chorus and the ill-fated Layne Staley has a big, full-throated metal howl to put the dark words across. Jerry Cantrell could write heavy tunes like this with huge hooks in them. This is a classic in my books and by far their best song. "Into the flood again, same old trip it was back then." And the monkey on my back, won't stop laughing.....
2. Helpless - Sugar
After releasing 2 records under his own name, Bob Mould decided to go back to his roots and form a power trio. The album Copper Blue was the result and it is maybe the best record he was ever involved with. Now, that's saying a lot since he was a member of the seminal punk band Husker Du and his solo work has generally been top-notch, but this album is one of those that can be played all the way through without skipping a single track. This song is so catchy and melodic, but still has the bracing punk attack of guitars and machine-gun drums. Mould sings it with gusto in his Midwestern accent and hopelessness has never sounded so good! "I wish that I could help you, but you seem less than helpless." There is a town in north Ontario.....
1. My Morning Song - The Black Crowes
This is their best song from their best album. They are still a great band, but the Crowes hit their peak with The Southern Harmony & Musical Companion way back in '92 in my opinion. Marc Ford plays a mean slide guitar and they were never as good without him. This is so bluesey, just so balls-out, enveloping the listener with such a force that one feels moved with the Spirit after just one listen. Chris Robinson is at his Rod-with-Faces best here, just so soulful, like a southern preacher come to save us all. The band is just so killer and the addition of the gospel-tinged backing vocals put the cherry right on top. This song can be played anytime in our house, and we will all stop what we're doing and let ourselves be taken away by its feel and sound. One of the all-time all-timers for sure! "If your rhythm ever falls out of time, you can bring it to me and I will make it alright." For those who ask what Kate Hudson saw in him, give this a listen....
1992 was the year when I settled in at the Loeb warehouse and started making some new friends and became more comfortable working there. It was back-breaking work, but there were enough good people and laughs to get me through the day. I met some fantastic co-workers, such as Mark Peesker, Scott Coupland, Flipster, Dunny & Tunny, and became close buddies with one Dave Elmore. I met Dave in 1991, but we became good friends in 1992. Speaking of our first meeting, I was picking orders and needed someone to pull a skid of mason jars down from the top shelf for me. The boss sent Dave over to do it as he was driving a forklift that night. There were large and small skids in the warehouse and different forklifts for each. Dave came over on a short-forked machine and proceeded to try to pull down a skid which was for a large-forked machine. The skid of mason jars toppled over and crashed all over the floor and in between the racks. As I was the new guy, Dave suggested I stand on the forks and he would lift me up and I could pull the spilled boxes out from the racks. There was only 1 kinda huge problem: I am deathly afraid of heights. Oh, wait, 2 problems: It is totally against safety regulations to have someone stand on the forks and lift them 30 feet in the air. It turned out it was a bigger job than Dave had thought, so he got me another skid of jars down and said he'd clean up himself. It wasn't until much later that I told him of my fear of heights and we have laughed about that incident many times since, both of us cracking up at the sight of me shitting myself as he raised me in the air on those forks. Dave is a great guy, giving and quite sensitive, who would agree with me if I said he is his own worst enemy at times, but he and I remain friends to this day.
The other big development of '92 was Martina going and getting a dog. Arden the dachshund was named after Shakespeare's forest and she was Martina's pride and joy. I didn't know, yet, that I was a dog person, but Arden, or Marv as I called her, was a funny, neurotic little dog who thought she was #2 in the pecking order, just a bit behind Martina and well above me. I have lots of stories about her that would take too long to type, but she was our first doggie and introduced me to the joys, and headaches, of dog ownership. Here's the music that Arden and I listened to in 1992:
10. Somebody To Shove - Soul Asylum
These guys formed in 1983 in Minneapolis, coming out of the same scene as Husker Du and The Replacements. They had a much harder-edged punk sound at first, but by 1992, they had morphed into a band with great chops, led by singer-guitarist Dave Pirner, who had a great knack of writing catchy tunes like this one. Taken from their biggest record, Grave Dancers Union, this is still punk rock, but with a melody that sticks in your head all day long. It is urgent and loud and fast, with the guitars charging along at breakneck speed. This album was a big favourite in our house and got played endlessly, as it featured lots of great songs, including Martina's fave, Black Gold. Pirner said he used "shove" instead of "love" because "that (love) has already been done." This is a fine slab of rock 'n' roll! "I'm waiting by the phone, waiting for you to call me up and tell me I'm not alone." You're never alone when you're schizophrenic.....
9. Creep - Radiohead
This song was the world's introduction to the wonders of Radiohead. I read about them in the NME and took the bus down to Dr. Disc to buy the CD single on import. While taking the bus back home from downtown, we had stopped at the stop sign at Pall Mall and Wellington. I looked out the window of the bus and saw a guy in a green pickup truck with a big smile on his face. My first thought was to wonder why he was so happy, when I noticed that he had no pants on. I then found out why he was so happy when I saw what his right hand was doing. Remember, I had just bought a song that contained the lines "I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo." Everyone on the bus was startled as he drove off and then myself and another guy started cracking up laughing. That is still one of the strangest and funniest things I've ever seen in my life. Anyway, this song is from their debut album, Pablo Honey. It bounces along on the bass line, with Thom Yorke and his gorgeously expressive voice lilting on top. I love it when the guitar threatens to kick in just before the crunch of the chorus. "I want you to notice, when I'm not around. You're so fuckin' special, I wish I was special." The guy in the truck wanted us to notice too.....
8. It's A Shame About Ray - The Lemonheads
I had never heard of these Bostonians until this, their 5th album. Led by the famously drugged-up Evan Dando, this title tune is built around a fantastically simple acoustic guitar strum and a beautiful melody. The lyrics are quite touching and wistful and easy to sing along with. I'm always reminded of a guy named Rudy who was the cleaner at the Loeb warehouse. He and I struck up a friendship over music and pot-smoking, which were my 2 favourite pastimes back then. He used to come over and play guitar while I hacked away on the bass and sang, and this was one of our staple tunes. He was also a very heavy drinker who would not leave until the last drop of booze was gone. A friend, Dan Crandles, had a party one night that we all went to. Rudy got just wasted on Irish whiskey and started going on about how he should have brought his guitar. He then said he was going to drive home and get it. I told him he was too drunk, but Rudy wouldn't let a little thing like that stop him. I thought that he would get picked up by the cops and that would be the last of him, but about 1/2 hour later, there was a pounding at the front door. I opened it and there stood Rudy, proud as a peacock and holding his guitar. He came in and sat beside me on the couch. He asked what song he should play and wanted me to sing it. I suggested this one and he launched into it, playing like a seasoned pro, while I warbled the lyric. What surprised me was that everyone stopped talking and listened to us and clapped loudly when we were done. Rudy then went outside and threw up in the driveway and headed for the bedroom, where he passed out face-down until morning. The guy was a champ! He's one of those people about whom one wonders from time to time - did he end up in jail? is he still alive? "I've never been too good with names, but I remember faces." You know, old what's-his-face.....
7. These Are Days - 10,000 Maniacs
This album, Our Time In Eden, was the band's last record with singer Natalie Merchant. It is a true song of hope which makes me feel lucky to be alive whenever I play it. The melody is great, the band can really play, and Merchant tops it all with a heartfelt vocal. It was a big family fave back then as well, often sung and played at get-togethers at Martina's Mom and Dad's house. Martina, Shannon, her friend Annette and I went to see them at Canada's Wonderland that summer and they were great. We had been sitting in the parking lot before the show, listening to tunes and smoking a ton of pot. When we came out of the show, we heard someone's car stereo just blasting away. I mentioned that it sounded like somebody was having a good time. Much to my horror, it was only when we got closer that I realized it was our vehicle with the tunes blasting out. We had all got out and locked the doors, with the keys inside and the stereo blaring! We were in the park for about 5 hours! We had to get a park security guy to come and open the locked door and I think I was a shade of scarlet never seen before or since. "These are the days you might fill with laughter until you break." Yes indeed....
6. Kosmos - Paul Weller
Weller had taken a couple of years off after disbanding the Style Council in 1989. He returned with his self-titled first solo record in '92. This song ends the album off just perfectly. During his hiatus from the music biz, he had been listening to a lot of Curtis Mayfield records and the results can be heard here. It is soulful and jazzy in that Mayfield way, with a great wah-wah guitar part and jazzy flute solos. He had left behind the political lyrics and gone for a more personal bent here, questioning life in general and his place in the grand scheme of things. His wife, Dee C. Lee, adds some great "flying high" backing vocals and I love the false ending that fades out and then back in again. All in all, it is a very powerful re-entry into music for Weller. "Take a ride into the soon, be the first one on the moon." Umm...ever hear of Neil Armstrong?
5. Fait Accompli - Curve
Taken from their debut album, Doppelganger, this song is the bomb on the dancefloor. It defies labelling, but I would say it is Gothic, druggy, shoegaze dance music. The music is swirling and noisy, with lots of synths and machine-treated guitars buzzing around. The real draw here though is the seductive vocals by Toni Halliday. Yes guys, she looks as good as she sounds, all black eyeliner and sex appeal. I bought this album on our trip to Montreal, along with the first Lush album. This is an early forerunner of the Dream Pop movement of the 2000s. "'I've come to crush your bones, I've come to make you feel old, I've come to mess with your head, Cos it'll make you feel good." You do make me feel old - this was almost 20 years ago......
4. Leave Them All Behind - Ride
This song is a gigantic tour de force. It begins with almost Who-like keyboards and then the song crashes in with a kick-ass drum beat and monstrous bass riff. The guitars come in riddled with psychedelia, riding that bass riff like a surfer in Malibu, then take off on a solo that leaves you breathless. The drum rolls all through the song are to die for. I would give my left arm to sit behind the kit and play like this just once! This song is so atmospheric and the sound is gorgeous. The vocals are typical of the shoegaze genre, a bit muffled and buried, but still quite effective. This is from Ride's 2nd album, Going Blank Again, and it is much louder than the 1st record. Just a blindingly great tune! "I don't care about the colours. I don't care about the light. I don't care about the truth." You can't handle the truth.....
3. Would? - Alice In Chains
This song first appeared on the "Singles" soundtrack and then was tacked on to the end of the band's 2nd album, Dirt, when the soundtrack was so successful. I love the growling bass lick that starts this off, with the drums coming in with their off-kilter tom-toms and big snare sound. This is written in a minor key, giving the tune an air of hopelessness and despair. These guys were big into the heroin thing and this song is full of that drugs' side effects of gloom and angst. The guitars just roar on the chorus and the ill-fated Layne Staley has a big, full-throated metal howl to put the dark words across. Jerry Cantrell could write heavy tunes like this with huge hooks in them. This is a classic in my books and by far their best song. "Into the flood again, same old trip it was back then." And the monkey on my back, won't stop laughing.....
2. Helpless - Sugar
After releasing 2 records under his own name, Bob Mould decided to go back to his roots and form a power trio. The album Copper Blue was the result and it is maybe the best record he was ever involved with. Now, that's saying a lot since he was a member of the seminal punk band Husker Du and his solo work has generally been top-notch, but this album is one of those that can be played all the way through without skipping a single track. This song is so catchy and melodic, but still has the bracing punk attack of guitars and machine-gun drums. Mould sings it with gusto in his Midwestern accent and hopelessness has never sounded so good! "I wish that I could help you, but you seem less than helpless." There is a town in north Ontario.....
1. My Morning Song - The Black Crowes
This is their best song from their best album. They are still a great band, but the Crowes hit their peak with The Southern Harmony & Musical Companion way back in '92 in my opinion. Marc Ford plays a mean slide guitar and they were never as good without him. This is so bluesey, just so balls-out, enveloping the listener with such a force that one feels moved with the Spirit after just one listen. Chris Robinson is at his Rod-with-Faces best here, just so soulful, like a southern preacher come to save us all. The band is just so killer and the addition of the gospel-tinged backing vocals put the cherry right on top. This song can be played anytime in our house, and we will all stop what we're doing and let ourselves be taken away by its feel and sound. One of the all-time all-timers for sure! "If your rhythm ever falls out of time, you can bring it to me and I will make it alright." For those who ask what Kate Hudson saw in him, give this a listen....
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Listomania! - 1991
The year 1991 brings back a few memories, none life-altering or earth-shattering, but sometimes boring is OK. We had virtually no money in those days, as Martina was in full-time studies at Western and working part-time at Jenkins, and I was struggling with part-time work at the Loeb grocery warehouse. Martina has vivid images of seeing my feet propped up on the coffee table watching hockey on Saturday nights while she wrote her essays for school. We were horrified by the U.S. invasion of Iraq, which played out on our borrowed 13" TV daily. We would pull the couch up real close to the TV and watch CNN for hours at a time, mesmerized by the first war broadcast live into our living room. Grunge happened that year and, while I was not the genre's biggest fan, I do remember the thrill of hearing "Smells Like Teen Spirit" for the first time. I was still pretty much an anglophile as far as my musical tastes went, but American and even Canadian bands had started to make more inroads into my musical consciousness. On to the list then:
10. The Size Of A Cow - The Wonder Stuff
Taken from the year's best-named album, Never Loved Elvis (a sentiment with which I concurred wholeheartedly), this is a thoroughly poppy, goofy, dancehall style song. The main features are the rollicking barroom piano and almost Benny Hill-like swirling organ. The melody is fantastic and singer Miles Hunt's silly lyrics stick in one's head for hours on end. This was pretty much the last hurrah for this band, but it was a great way to go out. "You know that I've been drunk a thousand times, and these should be the best days of my life. Life, it's not what I thought it was." After Friday night, I have now been drunk 1001 times.....buuurrrpppp.
9. On A Plain - Nirvana
As mentioned above, I quite liked Nevermind at the time. But, it really hasn't held up over the years for me. I still like some of the songs, but I consider Nirvana to be highly over-praised. It's tough because there are so many devotees of the late Kurt Cobain who don't like hearing it said, but it's true. He was young and troubled and talented, but he was not overly original or the second coming of Christ. This song though, was always my fave on the record and it holds up to this day. It is a great ride, a 4-minute blast of guitar and drums and melody that gets me shaking my head Dave Grohl-style every time. I love the way it comes blasting in after the opening guitar noodling, its 3- chord spell just rocking out perfectly. Who would have believed back then that the most talented musician in Nirvana would be Dave Grohl? "The finest day that I've ever had was when I learned to cry on command. I love myself better than you, I know it's wrong so what should I do?" I'd rather be on a plain than on a plane.....
8. Until The End Of The World - U2
Achtung Baby was, in my opinion, the last great U2 album. Subsequent records have had a real hit and miss quality for me, but Achtung was killer! It came down to this song and Mysterious Ways, but this one came out on top, mostly because I love the lyrics so much. U2 once again reinvented their sound on this album, going to a much bigger bass and drums sound and letting their rhythm section lead the way musically. It is still familiar enough U2 though, as Edge plays a fairly signature sounding guitar here. The lyrics were supposedly written by Bono as a conversation between Judas and Jesus. I don't go for religion in any way, but these are some powerful words that he sings in this tune. "In the garden I was playing the tart. I kissed your lips and broke your heart. You, you were acting like it was the end of the world." And I feel fine.....
7. Cordelia - The Tragically Hip
For their 3rd record, Road Apples, The Hip decided to travel to New Orleans to try and get a different feel on the album. They used Tom Petty's producers to man the controls as well, and this song is the best example of the stunning results. The sound of this song is magic to my ears, with the guitars roaring and Rob Baker playing a magnificent lead. It has always been my opinion that this band would never have progressed past playing the Queen's Hotel in Kingston if not for Gord Downie. The guy is a lyrical genius, incorporating a wide array of subjects in his own quirky way. He has the advantage of being extremely well-read and his use of metaphor is outstanding. Most of their Canadian-drinking, flag-waving, I'm-a-proud-Canadian fans lack the imagination or the education to really get the meanings of his songs, but they still shake their fists anyway, and this is part of the band's charm. I know that sounds like a pretty elitist view, but I believe it to be true. "Treading the boards, screaming out Macbeth, just to see how much bad luck you really get." Is this a dagger which I see before me?
6. Black - Pearl Jam
Perhaps the biggest of all the Grunge bands, Pearl Jam were not greeted warmly by the critics at the time. I recall them being portrayed as bandwagon-jumping and money-hungry, just seeking to capitalize on the trend of the times. Well, they have proven the critics wrong as they are still around today. While I don't like all of their music, I have a deep respect for them as players and I quite like Eddie Vedder, despite his voice unleashing a million bad imitators over the years. This is an epic tale of loss and regret, which I find always touches me personally every time I hear it. The sound is majestic and soaring, with the guitars chiming and ringing out, the piano sad and melodic, and Vedder really putting his feelings across with total believability. "And now my bitter hands cradle broken glass of what was everything, all the pictures have all been washed in black, tattooed everything..." Blackness, blackness, draggin' me down....
5. Wild Hearted Son - The Cult
Holy power chords! Yes, the ones at the beginning of the song....wow! Billy Duffy was, at this time, one of the best at his craft. I consider this to be their last great song as singer Ian Astbury and Duffy had become too drugged out and full of themselves to continue making worthwhile music after this. But this has all the Cult trademarks - the roaring guitars, Astbury's howling vocals, and just a massive huge sound. I love how the solo guitar line pushes the melody along all through the song, causing the listener to divide their attention between the guitar and voice. Maybe that's what Duffy and Astbury were going for, as it is said that they would not even speak to each other during the making of this record and recorded their parts totally separately from one another. "I live outside of convention, you know the people who stare. I’m just a breed of society, I’m pushin’ hard and I’m stealin’ free." I live outside of Toronto....
4. Only Shallow - My Bloody Valentine
This song is from their 3rd and final album, Loveless, considered by many to be a masterpiece of the Shoegaze movement of the early '90s. Upon first listen, it sounds like a bunch of noise. But, once it has been heard a few times, one realizes that there are multiple layers on display here that need to be peeled away to reveal what is essentially a gorgeous song. It is dreamlike, it is druggy, but it is ultimately a classic to these ears. The bass guitar part is almost heavy-metal, the guitars are overdubbed a ton and droning, and Bilinda Butcher's voice is pushed down into the swirling maelstrom of the mix so far as to make the words indecipherable, but, incredibly, it all really works. Fire one up and slap on the headphones and see if you agree! "Speak your troubles, she's not scared, soft like there's silk everywhere." Tripping the light fantastic!
3. Snail - Smashing Pumpkins
This was the start of the Billy Corgan saga. He has been heavily criticized as an overbearing, self-important twat, which I believe to be entirely true, but he had a great sound there for a few years. From their debut record, Gish, this song is a blueprint that the Pumpkins would follow for at least the next 2 albums. The quiet-loud-quiet dynamic that was big at the time was their calling card back then, and few did it as well. I still would argue that their guitar sound is uniquely theirs as much as, say, Angus Young's is his, or Boston's guitar sound was theirs. Jimmy Chamberlain is, in my eyes, the best drummer of the 1990s hands down. The guy played with such brilliance, so nimble and quick, yet loud and savage at the appropriate times. This was produced by Butch Vig, who also did Nevermind for Nirvana, so he had a fairly good year. Corgan's voice can be annoying and his lyrics a little too angst-ridden, but it is a must to get past it and just let their wall of sound wash over you. "When you wake up you're awake, throwing your life away, Sunday, saw her coming home, saw her. Snail, what you wait for?" Why, I wait for a little garlic butter and cheese.....
2. Miss Freelove '69 - Hoodoo Gurus
This was the first song I ever heard by these Aussies, even though they had been around for years and this was from their 5th album. It is still a fave of mine nearly 20 years later and features on my playlists quite often. It is a parody of an orgy with silly, double-entendre lyrics, but it is such a catchy little tune. It has a '60s sound and sensibility to it with the Leslie organ and wah-wah guitars. The groovy soul-chick backing vocals add to the hippie feeling as well. Singer Dave Faulkner gives it his all and invites one and all to sing along with him to this brilliant melody. You may feel the urge to shake your booty too - don't resist! "Someone called the cops on us, they didn't have the heart to bust the kinky scene they found. They checked their badges at the door and joined the action on the floor when they laid their nightsticks down!" Oo-er missus!
1. There's No Other Way - Blur
Man, do I dig that groovy little guitar part that starts this song off! Graham Coxon would go on to greater appreciation over the years, but what a way to start! This is from Blur's debut, Leisure, and it started them on their way to dominating the U.K. charts for the next several years. They were originally written off as latecomers to the Madchester scene, but they proved their staying power and adaptability on many subsequent records. The bass is funky, the organ purrs throughout and the drums lay down a dance-infected backbeat. Singer Damon Albarn croons the tune in his infectious Cockney accent and you can't deny this song's charms. This was on the mixtape that Craig made me back then and, when I played it at get-togethers, this song was always the biggest hit. "You're taking the fun out of everything, making me run when I don't want to think." Woo-hoo!
10. The Size Of A Cow - The Wonder Stuff
Taken from the year's best-named album, Never Loved Elvis (a sentiment with which I concurred wholeheartedly), this is a thoroughly poppy, goofy, dancehall style song. The main features are the rollicking barroom piano and almost Benny Hill-like swirling organ. The melody is fantastic and singer Miles Hunt's silly lyrics stick in one's head for hours on end. This was pretty much the last hurrah for this band, but it was a great way to go out. "You know that I've been drunk a thousand times, and these should be the best days of my life. Life, it's not what I thought it was." After Friday night, I have now been drunk 1001 times.....buuurrrpppp.
9. On A Plain - Nirvana
As mentioned above, I quite liked Nevermind at the time. But, it really hasn't held up over the years for me. I still like some of the songs, but I consider Nirvana to be highly over-praised. It's tough because there are so many devotees of the late Kurt Cobain who don't like hearing it said, but it's true. He was young and troubled and talented, but he was not overly original or the second coming of Christ. This song though, was always my fave on the record and it holds up to this day. It is a great ride, a 4-minute blast of guitar and drums and melody that gets me shaking my head Dave Grohl-style every time. I love the way it comes blasting in after the opening guitar noodling, its 3- chord spell just rocking out perfectly. Who would have believed back then that the most talented musician in Nirvana would be Dave Grohl? "The finest day that I've ever had was when I learned to cry on command. I love myself better than you, I know it's wrong so what should I do?" I'd rather be on a plain than on a plane.....
8. Until The End Of The World - U2
Achtung Baby was, in my opinion, the last great U2 album. Subsequent records have had a real hit and miss quality for me, but Achtung was killer! It came down to this song and Mysterious Ways, but this one came out on top, mostly because I love the lyrics so much. U2 once again reinvented their sound on this album, going to a much bigger bass and drums sound and letting their rhythm section lead the way musically. It is still familiar enough U2 though, as Edge plays a fairly signature sounding guitar here. The lyrics were supposedly written by Bono as a conversation between Judas and Jesus. I don't go for religion in any way, but these are some powerful words that he sings in this tune. "In the garden I was playing the tart. I kissed your lips and broke your heart. You, you were acting like it was the end of the world." And I feel fine.....
7. Cordelia - The Tragically Hip
For their 3rd record, Road Apples, The Hip decided to travel to New Orleans to try and get a different feel on the album. They used Tom Petty's producers to man the controls as well, and this song is the best example of the stunning results. The sound of this song is magic to my ears, with the guitars roaring and Rob Baker playing a magnificent lead. It has always been my opinion that this band would never have progressed past playing the Queen's Hotel in Kingston if not for Gord Downie. The guy is a lyrical genius, incorporating a wide array of subjects in his own quirky way. He has the advantage of being extremely well-read and his use of metaphor is outstanding. Most of their Canadian-drinking, flag-waving, I'm-a-proud-Canadian fans lack the imagination or the education to really get the meanings of his songs, but they still shake their fists anyway, and this is part of the band's charm. I know that sounds like a pretty elitist view, but I believe it to be true. "Treading the boards, screaming out Macbeth, just to see how much bad luck you really get." Is this a dagger which I see before me?
6. Black - Pearl Jam
Perhaps the biggest of all the Grunge bands, Pearl Jam were not greeted warmly by the critics at the time. I recall them being portrayed as bandwagon-jumping and money-hungry, just seeking to capitalize on the trend of the times. Well, they have proven the critics wrong as they are still around today. While I don't like all of their music, I have a deep respect for them as players and I quite like Eddie Vedder, despite his voice unleashing a million bad imitators over the years. This is an epic tale of loss and regret, which I find always touches me personally every time I hear it. The sound is majestic and soaring, with the guitars chiming and ringing out, the piano sad and melodic, and Vedder really putting his feelings across with total believability. "And now my bitter hands cradle broken glass of what was everything, all the pictures have all been washed in black, tattooed everything..." Blackness, blackness, draggin' me down....
5. Wild Hearted Son - The Cult
Holy power chords! Yes, the ones at the beginning of the song....wow! Billy Duffy was, at this time, one of the best at his craft. I consider this to be their last great song as singer Ian Astbury and Duffy had become too drugged out and full of themselves to continue making worthwhile music after this. But this has all the Cult trademarks - the roaring guitars, Astbury's howling vocals, and just a massive huge sound. I love how the solo guitar line pushes the melody along all through the song, causing the listener to divide their attention between the guitar and voice. Maybe that's what Duffy and Astbury were going for, as it is said that they would not even speak to each other during the making of this record and recorded their parts totally separately from one another. "I live outside of convention, you know the people who stare. I’m just a breed of society, I’m pushin’ hard and I’m stealin’ free." I live outside of Toronto....
4. Only Shallow - My Bloody Valentine
This song is from their 3rd and final album, Loveless, considered by many to be a masterpiece of the Shoegaze movement of the early '90s. Upon first listen, it sounds like a bunch of noise. But, once it has been heard a few times, one realizes that there are multiple layers on display here that need to be peeled away to reveal what is essentially a gorgeous song. It is dreamlike, it is druggy, but it is ultimately a classic to these ears. The bass guitar part is almost heavy-metal, the guitars are overdubbed a ton and droning, and Bilinda Butcher's voice is pushed down into the swirling maelstrom of the mix so far as to make the words indecipherable, but, incredibly, it all really works. Fire one up and slap on the headphones and see if you agree! "Speak your troubles, she's not scared, soft like there's silk everywhere." Tripping the light fantastic!
3. Snail - Smashing Pumpkins
This was the start of the Billy Corgan saga. He has been heavily criticized as an overbearing, self-important twat, which I believe to be entirely true, but he had a great sound there for a few years. From their debut record, Gish, this song is a blueprint that the Pumpkins would follow for at least the next 2 albums. The quiet-loud-quiet dynamic that was big at the time was their calling card back then, and few did it as well. I still would argue that their guitar sound is uniquely theirs as much as, say, Angus Young's is his, or Boston's guitar sound was theirs. Jimmy Chamberlain is, in my eyes, the best drummer of the 1990s hands down. The guy played with such brilliance, so nimble and quick, yet loud and savage at the appropriate times. This was produced by Butch Vig, who also did Nevermind for Nirvana, so he had a fairly good year. Corgan's voice can be annoying and his lyrics a little too angst-ridden, but it is a must to get past it and just let their wall of sound wash over you. "When you wake up you're awake, throwing your life away, Sunday, saw her coming home, saw her. Snail, what you wait for?" Why, I wait for a little garlic butter and cheese.....
2. Miss Freelove '69 - Hoodoo Gurus
This was the first song I ever heard by these Aussies, even though they had been around for years and this was from their 5th album. It is still a fave of mine nearly 20 years later and features on my playlists quite often. It is a parody of an orgy with silly, double-entendre lyrics, but it is such a catchy little tune. It has a '60s sound and sensibility to it with the Leslie organ and wah-wah guitars. The groovy soul-chick backing vocals add to the hippie feeling as well. Singer Dave Faulkner gives it his all and invites one and all to sing along with him to this brilliant melody. You may feel the urge to shake your booty too - don't resist! "Someone called the cops on us, they didn't have the heart to bust the kinky scene they found. They checked their badges at the door and joined the action on the floor when they laid their nightsticks down!" Oo-er missus!
1. There's No Other Way - Blur
Man, do I dig that groovy little guitar part that starts this song off! Graham Coxon would go on to greater appreciation over the years, but what a way to start! This is from Blur's debut, Leisure, and it started them on their way to dominating the U.K. charts for the next several years. They were originally written off as latecomers to the Madchester scene, but they proved their staying power and adaptability on many subsequent records. The bass is funky, the organ purrs throughout and the drums lay down a dance-infected backbeat. Singer Damon Albarn croons the tune in his infectious Cockney accent and you can't deny this song's charms. This was on the mixtape that Craig made me back then and, when I played it at get-togethers, this song was always the biggest hit. "You're taking the fun out of everything, making me run when I don't want to think." Woo-hoo!
Monday, October 18, 2010
Listomania! - 1990
20 years ago. 1990 was 20 years ago. No matter how many times I say that, it just doesn't sound right. It was only 5 days into 1990 that I received the bad news. My Grandfather on my Mom's side, John Wesley Clark, had died of a heart attack at my parents' house. We kids called him Pop. He had shovelled the driveway and did the laundry that morning, as he usually did. The guy liked to keep busy and, even at age 75, nothing could slow him down, or so it seemed. He was a giant of a man, especially in the small town he lived in, my hometown of Capreol, Ontario. He stood about 6'2" and weighed about 250 lbs. I owe my size and much of my temperament to the man. Everyone in the family says I am a lot like him and I suppose I am. He was someone who had strong convictions and beliefs, pretty much dismissing anyone who didn't think things were black or white. My memories of him are quite fond. He and I spent a lot of time together in my childhood and he took me pretty much everywhere with him. He was the Town Foreman in Capreol, meaning he did everything from plowing roads to fixing sewers to digging graves. He literally knew where all the bodies were buried! He was a man from another time who had a million colloquial sayings that live on in our family to this day. He was an Orangeman who professed not to like Catholics, even though his best friends were virtually all French-Canadian and Catholic. He used to take me out to the cemetery when he had a grave to dig, always warning me to stay on the Protestant side of the cemetery and stay away from the Catholic side of the cemetery. It was his way of joking, highly politically incorrect nowadays, but he did have a fantastic sense of humour. He loved to tell ribald jokes and say things that he knew would shock. There were a group of 3 hobos who lived across the Vermillion River in Capreol and word got out that one of them had passed away. Pop took a canoe and paddled across the river to the old abandoned house they lived in. He knocked on the door and went inside. He saw 3 guys sitting around the table drinking cups of tea. His first words to them were, "Alright, which one of you fellers is dead?" because the 2 surviving guys had propped up the dead third guy at the table and placed a cup of tea in front of him. I have so many stories about him and I could fill pages of this blog with them, but let's just say that I'm very glad that he was my friend and Pop, and also that I think of him pretty much daily and will always cherish the years we spent together. Oh yeah, Pop, I do miss you lots too. Here's the list:
10. She Talks To Angels - The Black Crowes
These Georgia boys sounded quite out of place in 1990, with the charts still dominated by synth bands and pop like Paula Abdul and Madonna. The Crowes hailed from Atlanta and sounded like they were steeped in the tradition of bands like the Faces and Stones with their swaggering boogie grooves and dirty rock 'n' roll. This song, taken from their debut album Shake Your Money Maker, is a mostly acoustic ballad about a girl who appears to be a heroin addict and kind of a strange bird. Vocalist Chris Robinson channels the ghost of a young Rod Stewart here, all gravel-voiced and soulful. The element that makes this song for me is former Allman Brother Chuck Leavell's great organ playing, which weaves its way through the song. The guitars are brilliant too, with some very talented finger-picking going on. "She keeps a lock of hair in her pocket. She wears a cross around her neck. Yes, the hair is from a little boy, and the cross is someone she has not met, not yet." Hair of boy, eye of newt......
9. The Only One I Know - The Charlatans
This song is so groovy! The funky wah-wah guitar, the jumpy, driving bass, and the Jon Lord-Deep Purple organ tell my feet to get moving! I'm surprised that Deep Purple didn't sue these guys as this song is a dead ringer for Hush, with a bit less heaviness and more groove. This song is from the same Madchester scene that spawned The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays, but it is more exuberant and rocking than those other bands, who were more interested in crafting dance music with a laid-back stoner mentality. Tim Burgess sings in a smooth style, but the music is anything but, stomping along at breakneck speed. This band is still making music to this day and has a very loyal following, especially in the U.K. "The only one I see, has found an aching in me. The only one I see, has turned her tongue into me." But can she pull a rabbit out of a hat?
8. More - The Sisters Of Mercy
This tune is a tour de force. It features Andrew Eldritch and his bass voice that sounds at times like a wounded animal, at others like the devil himself. Dynamics are what this song is all about, starting off quietly with synth-strings and then blazing into a sonic maelstrom on the chorus. From the last Sisters record, Vision Thing, it was a return to a more guitar-driven sound, only this time the guitars were turned up to 11. Like the Floodland album, this song was co-written by Jim Steinman and features backing vocals by a gospel choir. The proper word for a song like this would be epic. "Some people get by with a little understanding, some people get by with a whole lot more." Capiche?
7. Halah - Mazzy Star
From their debut album, She Hangs Brightly, this song is like Hank Williams fed through The Jesus & Mary Chain. It is dark and laid-back, with strummed acoustic guitars that give it a kind of psychedelic, Southern Gothic feel. But the star of this show is singer Hope Sandoval. She is from Southern California, but there are no sunny sounds here. Her voice is gorgeous, drenched in echo and reverb, but what a set of pipes. She is not full of bluster or phony histrionics, but rather disengaged and oh-so-sultry. When she sings "Baby won't you change your mind" it makes me wonder what the hell the guy's problem was in the first place. "And close my eyes til I see your surprise and you're leaving before my time." No time left for you.....
6. Dig For Fire - The Pixies
This is Black Francis' stab at the sound of early Talking Heads. Taken from their 3rd album, Bossanova, the song is full of the usual strange lyrics which were Frank's trademark. The sound is bigger on this record though as producer Gil Norton has turned up the drums, really capturing the wallop of David Lovering, and the guitars are loud and rocking and really do sound amazing. The sound is cleaner alright, but it retains this band's signature sound and enhances the areas that made them such a gem in the first place. They were a huge fave of mine back then and I spent too many hours listening to them and playing, or hacking, along on my bass. "There is this old man who spent so much of his life sleeping that he is able to keep awake for the rest of his years." Still looking for the motherlode.....
5. There She Goes - The La's
Holy 1964 Batman! This would fit right in alongside any of your British Invasion stuff from back then, with its languid acoustic strumming and poppy melody. Frontman Lee Mavers has a steely quality to his voice here, especially when he growls for a bit of emphasis. Apparently, part of the reason that they made only this 1 album was that he was a perfectionist and notoriously difficult to work with, but what an album it was! They used 6 or 7 producers and scrapped them all, finally settling on Steve Lillywhite, albeit reluctantly. This is a song that eveybody knows and can sing along with, but it is brilliant in its simplicity. "There she goes, there she goes again, racing thru' my brain, and I just can't contain this feelin' that remains." Someone thought "remains" was "not today"......
4. Black Sheets Of Rain - Bob Mould
This title song from Mould's 2nd album is a return to the angry guy from Husker Du. The guitars are not melodic and acoustic here. Instead, they growl and snarl and howl, ably abetted by Anton Fier's brilliant drumming and Tony Maimone of Pere Ubu on bass. Mould sings about the environment being ruined and causing things like acid rain and he uses the metaphor to describe his mood in a very clever set of lyrics, among my favourite words that he has ever written. Some people have commented that they don't like the production on this album, but I think that he made the sound muddy on purpose to evoke his mood at the time. I am a cynic by nature and this song is a cynic's dream. "Checking in every morning to the sound of steam and caffeine. The sludge in the bottom of the cup, just like the sludge in the stream." One can eliminate coffee sludge by stirring it properly......
3. Blue Sky Mine - Midnight Oil
This is the factory / warehouse worker's anthem. I sang this at work too many times to count and never has a song captured the feelings of a group of people better. Peter Garrett gives a fantastic, impassioned performance on the vocals, all righteous indignation, frustration, and ultimately, hopelessness. This is such a catchy, driving beat, so one feels compelled to belt it out as it plays. I love when the guitar morphs into the harmonica solo around the 3:10 mark - so brilliant! It was written about the Wittenoorn asbestos mine in Australia, which was closed down in 1966 after over 25% of the people who worked there had contracted severe illnesses, despite the company's denial that any dangers existed. "And if the blue sky mining company won't come to my rescue, if the sugar refining company won't save me, who's gonna save me?" Good question.....
2. Vapour Trail - Ride
This may well be the best song ever done by one of the so-called Shoegaze bands. The melody here is just so gorgeous, surrounded by a big, busy, spacey sound. I love the swirl of the instruments as Andy Bell sings about this elusive girl. Bell played guitar in Ride, but switched to bass when he joined Oasis in their later years. I first heard this song when my ex-brother-in-law Craig made me a mixtape with all the cool songs of the day on it. It was love at first listen! It is taken from Ride's first and best album called Nowhere. The best part of the song is the mournful cello that comes in about halfway through and then, as the other instruments fade out, plays all alone to the end of the song. "First you look so strong, then you fade away. The sun will blind my eyes, I love you anyway." I'd rather go blind....
1. Then She Did - Jane's Addiction
Remember the great Ritual de lo Habitual album? Well, this is the best song from it, an 8-minute jaw-dropper of a tune. It's got great musicianship from bassist Eric Avery and guitarist Dave Navarro, before he became a reality TV and tabloid whore. Dynamics were popular in the '90s and these guys did it better than pretty much anyone else. I love this song so much, I really am at a loss for words in how to describe it. My advice would be to grab the headphones, find a copy of it and crank it up as loud as you can stand, then sit back and be transported. Singer Perry Farrell is a true artist, in the artsiest sense, a true weirdo - no playacting, Lady Gaga bullshit - and he pulls off one of his best vocals on this song. Genius! "She repaired legs like a doctor on the kitchen chairs we sat on. She was unhappy, just as you were." Whew!
10. She Talks To Angels - The Black Crowes
These Georgia boys sounded quite out of place in 1990, with the charts still dominated by synth bands and pop like Paula Abdul and Madonna. The Crowes hailed from Atlanta and sounded like they were steeped in the tradition of bands like the Faces and Stones with their swaggering boogie grooves and dirty rock 'n' roll. This song, taken from their debut album Shake Your Money Maker, is a mostly acoustic ballad about a girl who appears to be a heroin addict and kind of a strange bird. Vocalist Chris Robinson channels the ghost of a young Rod Stewart here, all gravel-voiced and soulful. The element that makes this song for me is former Allman Brother Chuck Leavell's great organ playing, which weaves its way through the song. The guitars are brilliant too, with some very talented finger-picking going on. "She keeps a lock of hair in her pocket. She wears a cross around her neck. Yes, the hair is from a little boy, and the cross is someone she has not met, not yet." Hair of boy, eye of newt......
9. The Only One I Know - The Charlatans
This song is so groovy! The funky wah-wah guitar, the jumpy, driving bass, and the Jon Lord-Deep Purple organ tell my feet to get moving! I'm surprised that Deep Purple didn't sue these guys as this song is a dead ringer for Hush, with a bit less heaviness and more groove. This song is from the same Madchester scene that spawned The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays, but it is more exuberant and rocking than those other bands, who were more interested in crafting dance music with a laid-back stoner mentality. Tim Burgess sings in a smooth style, but the music is anything but, stomping along at breakneck speed. This band is still making music to this day and has a very loyal following, especially in the U.K. "The only one I see, has found an aching in me. The only one I see, has turned her tongue into me." But can she pull a rabbit out of a hat?
8. More - The Sisters Of Mercy
This tune is a tour de force. It features Andrew Eldritch and his bass voice that sounds at times like a wounded animal, at others like the devil himself. Dynamics are what this song is all about, starting off quietly with synth-strings and then blazing into a sonic maelstrom on the chorus. From the last Sisters record, Vision Thing, it was a return to a more guitar-driven sound, only this time the guitars were turned up to 11. Like the Floodland album, this song was co-written by Jim Steinman and features backing vocals by a gospel choir. The proper word for a song like this would be epic. "Some people get by with a little understanding, some people get by with a whole lot more." Capiche?
7. Halah - Mazzy Star
From their debut album, She Hangs Brightly, this song is like Hank Williams fed through The Jesus & Mary Chain. It is dark and laid-back, with strummed acoustic guitars that give it a kind of psychedelic, Southern Gothic feel. But the star of this show is singer Hope Sandoval. She is from Southern California, but there are no sunny sounds here. Her voice is gorgeous, drenched in echo and reverb, but what a set of pipes. She is not full of bluster or phony histrionics, but rather disengaged and oh-so-sultry. When she sings "Baby won't you change your mind" it makes me wonder what the hell the guy's problem was in the first place. "And close my eyes til I see your surprise and you're leaving before my time." No time left for you.....
6. Dig For Fire - The Pixies
This is Black Francis' stab at the sound of early Talking Heads. Taken from their 3rd album, Bossanova, the song is full of the usual strange lyrics which were Frank's trademark. The sound is bigger on this record though as producer Gil Norton has turned up the drums, really capturing the wallop of David Lovering, and the guitars are loud and rocking and really do sound amazing. The sound is cleaner alright, but it retains this band's signature sound and enhances the areas that made them such a gem in the first place. They were a huge fave of mine back then and I spent too many hours listening to them and playing, or hacking, along on my bass. "There is this old man who spent so much of his life sleeping that he is able to keep awake for the rest of his years." Still looking for the motherlode.....
5. There She Goes - The La's
Holy 1964 Batman! This would fit right in alongside any of your British Invasion stuff from back then, with its languid acoustic strumming and poppy melody. Frontman Lee Mavers has a steely quality to his voice here, especially when he growls for a bit of emphasis. Apparently, part of the reason that they made only this 1 album was that he was a perfectionist and notoriously difficult to work with, but what an album it was! They used 6 or 7 producers and scrapped them all, finally settling on Steve Lillywhite, albeit reluctantly. This is a song that eveybody knows and can sing along with, but it is brilliant in its simplicity. "There she goes, there she goes again, racing thru' my brain, and I just can't contain this feelin' that remains." Someone thought "remains" was "not today"......
4. Black Sheets Of Rain - Bob Mould
This title song from Mould's 2nd album is a return to the angry guy from Husker Du. The guitars are not melodic and acoustic here. Instead, they growl and snarl and howl, ably abetted by Anton Fier's brilliant drumming and Tony Maimone of Pere Ubu on bass. Mould sings about the environment being ruined and causing things like acid rain and he uses the metaphor to describe his mood in a very clever set of lyrics, among my favourite words that he has ever written. Some people have commented that they don't like the production on this album, but I think that he made the sound muddy on purpose to evoke his mood at the time. I am a cynic by nature and this song is a cynic's dream. "Checking in every morning to the sound of steam and caffeine. The sludge in the bottom of the cup, just like the sludge in the stream." One can eliminate coffee sludge by stirring it properly......
3. Blue Sky Mine - Midnight Oil
This is the factory / warehouse worker's anthem. I sang this at work too many times to count and never has a song captured the feelings of a group of people better. Peter Garrett gives a fantastic, impassioned performance on the vocals, all righteous indignation, frustration, and ultimately, hopelessness. This is such a catchy, driving beat, so one feels compelled to belt it out as it plays. I love when the guitar morphs into the harmonica solo around the 3:10 mark - so brilliant! It was written about the Wittenoorn asbestos mine in Australia, which was closed down in 1966 after over 25% of the people who worked there had contracted severe illnesses, despite the company's denial that any dangers existed. "And if the blue sky mining company won't come to my rescue, if the sugar refining company won't save me, who's gonna save me?" Good question.....
2. Vapour Trail - Ride
This may well be the best song ever done by one of the so-called Shoegaze bands. The melody here is just so gorgeous, surrounded by a big, busy, spacey sound. I love the swirl of the instruments as Andy Bell sings about this elusive girl. Bell played guitar in Ride, but switched to bass when he joined Oasis in their later years. I first heard this song when my ex-brother-in-law Craig made me a mixtape with all the cool songs of the day on it. It was love at first listen! It is taken from Ride's first and best album called Nowhere. The best part of the song is the mournful cello that comes in about halfway through and then, as the other instruments fade out, plays all alone to the end of the song. "First you look so strong, then you fade away. The sun will blind my eyes, I love you anyway." I'd rather go blind....
1. Then She Did - Jane's Addiction
Remember the great Ritual de lo Habitual album? Well, this is the best song from it, an 8-minute jaw-dropper of a tune. It's got great musicianship from bassist Eric Avery and guitarist Dave Navarro, before he became a reality TV and tabloid whore. Dynamics were popular in the '90s and these guys did it better than pretty much anyone else. I love this song so much, I really am at a loss for words in how to describe it. My advice would be to grab the headphones, find a copy of it and crank it up as loud as you can stand, then sit back and be transported. Singer Perry Farrell is a true artist, in the artsiest sense, a true weirdo - no playacting, Lady Gaga bullshit - and he pulls off one of his best vocals on this song. Genius! "She repaired legs like a doctor on the kitchen chairs we sat on. She was unhappy, just as you were." Whew!
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