tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58602604473638188852024-03-17T09:34:52.637-04:00Alex's ReviewsHIGHLY OPINIONATED, LIKE ALL REVIEWS SHOULD BE.Alex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860260447363818885.post-2050399401664886492014-01-22T11:30:00.000-05:002014-01-22T11:30:22.243-05:00The Rolling Stones: Metamorphosis (1975)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SDXw3CFdBfI/Ut_DPWfkeoI/AAAAAAAAAqM/7Bb34tPNY5k/s1600/17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SDXw3CFdBfI/Ut_DPWfkeoI/AAAAAAAAAqM/7Bb34tPNY5k/s1600/17.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beyond the obvious inspiration from Kafka, this album cover is unique in that it is only one of two Rolling Stones albums that depict both Mick Taylor (bottom left) and Brian Jones (bottom right), though they were not in the band at the same time. The other is <i>Rolled Gold: The Very Best of The Rolling Stones</i>, released that same year.</td></tr>
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Even with the most accomplished and beloved of bands, outtakes can be very tricky turf. Witness <i>The Beatles Anthology</i>, six discs of rare and previously unreleased material from one of the greatest bands of all time. Taken as a whole, it is awfully uneven. The first installment features segments of dialog, presumably to make the collection feel like some sort of audio documentary, complete with obnoxious cross-fades where Paul is still talking about recording "My Bonnie" with Tony Sheridan while the song's intro plays. Someone somewhere realized this was a bad idea, as these snippets are only heard on <i>Anthology One</i>. All this without even really talking about the content.<br />
<br />
On the one hand, the <i>Anthology</i> boasts the first official - and digitally remastered - releases of some historically significant tracks: John, Paul, and George's first recordings as a trio; selections from the Decca audition; the rendition of "All My Loving" from <i>The Ed Sullivan Show</i> that got the 1960's off to a start, four years too late; and the acoustic demos for <i>The White Album</i> recorded at Kinfauns. This makes up roughly a quarter of what can be found on the <i>Anthology</i>. Nearly half of the series is presentations of those familiar tunes as works-in-progress. Sometimes the differences are only of interest to the obsessed, other times we get the boys' attempt at "I'll Be Back" from <i>A Hard Day's Night</i> in waltz time, an even more psychedelic "Tomorrow Never Knows," and "Fool On The Hill" in a noticeably different key.<br />
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The remaining quarter, though, is what made <i>Anthology</i> ripe for parody, even right after its initial release in the mid-90's: an early version of "And Your Bird Can Sing" that is littered with stoned giggling, studio banter that makes the spliced-and-diced filler on <i>Let It Be</i> seem interesting by comparison, and the instrumental backing tracks to "Eleanor Rigby" and "Within You, Without You." Great songs, don't get me wrong, but for the casual listener, hearing those tunes without their melodies transforms two masterpieces into a melancholy British string quartet and a trip through India in 5/4 time, respectively.<br />
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Beginning with the advent of CD's and boxed sets in the early 1990's, unreleased material has gone from the stuff of legends to the expected. Retailers have adopted this into their business model, getting exclusive "Deluxe Editions" of new albums where, for a few dollars more, you can treat yourself to alternate takes, radio edits (since people LOVE censored versions of their favorite songs!), maybe a B-side, and, depending on the artist, a remix of the album's single. Boxed sets started off as collector's items, meant to be enjoyed with a glass of wine while you read the extensive liner notes on a plush sofa placed fifteen feet in front of the hi-fi system, the speakers themselves roughly twenty feet apart. <i>The Beatles Anthology</i> opened the floodgate, and now there is nary a contemporary release that doesn't boast a special edition in some form or another.<br />
<br />
Funny enough, The Rolling Stones did all this first, predating <i>The Beatles Anthology</i> by twenty years. Granted, the Stones themselves had nothing to do with <i>Metamorphosis</i>, a collection of outtakes and demos, but credit is still due. A lot of these songs come from a period where Mick Jagger and Keith Richard (he dropped the 's' until 1977 - it probably made much more sense at the time) were not just competing with John and Paul in terms of who had the bigger fan-base, they were also hoping to make a name for themselves as pop songwriters. Recording information for these songs is scarce, but it is safe to say there are several tracks where you aren't even hearing The Rolling Stones at all - score one for us Monkees fans - and are instead hearing some of London's finest session players.<br />
<br />
Somewhere along the way, manager Andrew Loog Oldham must have told Mick & Keith to diversify their interests, because there is not a lot of the Stones' early bluesy flavor on this album. Is that a good thing? Well, that depends. As both a fan of The Rolling Stones and British pop from this era, there is a lot of potential in these songs. In a way, this album presents an alternate history of The Rolling Stones. Several of these songs are so unabashedly pop - this coming from the band whose press release warned the British public to lock up their daughters - that it is not too far of a stretch to think that in some parallel universe, <i>Metamorphosis</i> doubles as Britpop pioneers The Rolling Stones' greatest hits.<br />
<br />
Perhaps I am over-hyping a little too much, but I've always been a champion of the underdog. This is not an album that will blow your mind or alter your worldview. It is, however, one of the first times a popular band's vaults were opened up for public listening, and that is truly something. At its worst, the weaker tracks can be waved away with a "well, at least you tried." At its best are some fine songs to put on your own best-of mix to surprise your friends, mostly accompanied by the phrase, "Yep, that is The Rolling Stones."<br />
<br />
On with the show.<br />
<br />
<b>TRACK LISTING</b><br />
<i>Anyone reading this who hasn't read my album reviews before: I have a very unscientific method of rating albums where the songs are scored on a 1 to 10 scale, reserving 11 for the best track on the album, finding the average, adding a few extra points (see below after the subtotal) before racking up my final letter grade.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>The songs on this album were all recorded between 1964 and 1969. For extra information about these tunes, when they were recorded, who went on to record them, all that fun stuff, check out <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metamorphosis_(The_Rolling_Stones_album)">the Wikipedia page</a> for the album.</i><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>01. Out Of Time [10]</b><br />
Imagine dropping the needle on your record player, excited to hear this new Stones album, only to be greeted with sprightly - and very British-sounding - strings. Again, I can't hate, I think this song is a brilliant pop gem. It's catchy, well-produced, and has a good beat. What more could the <i>Ready, Steady, Go!</i> crowd have asked for? This is one gem that should be polished off the next time a Stones compilation is being assembled.<br />
<br />
A disappointingly inferior re-recording of this song can be heard on <i>Aftermath </i>and (in abridged form) on <i>Flowers</i>.<br />
<br />
<b>02. Don't Lie To Me [6]</b><br />
Discovering the Stones' earliest work, after first hearing the likes of "Paint It Black," "Brown Sugar," and "Star, Star," was like hearing an entirely different band. It's like listening to <i>The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn</i> after hearing <i>Animals</i> - both great albums, but so incredibly different. That said, I love early Stones. It has a very palpable sense of danger and excitement to it that truly does explain why they were the bad-boy alternative to The Beatles.<br />
<br />
This is not the best example of that era. The band turns in a solid performance, delivering the same menacing blues that marks so much of their early career. Ian Stewart, the sixth Stone, plays a lively piano part, while Keith turns in a solid solo, but for the song's first half, Mick sounds half asleep. It is only in the last run-through of the verse that he delivers any of his signature bravado, but it's too little, too late.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>03. Some Things Just Stick In Your Mind [8]</b><br />
From the "well, at least you tried" file, this marks the band's first foray into country music. The lyrics are insipid - a syndrome not unknown among Stones tunes circa 1964 - and the vocal delivery is a bit too exaggerated, but beneath it all is a sweet melody, some great slide guitar, and a subtle percussion arrangement.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>04. Each And Every Day Of The Year [4]</b><br />
This one is a straight-up clunker, and a waste of a trumpet overdub. The song never quite finds its footing, let alone its genre - and what was with the harp flourish at the end? Bringing the worst elements of the previous track without any of its redeeming qualities, I was reminded why the last time I heard this song was in 2003...when I took the newly-bought CD out of its cellophane.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>05. Heart Of Stone [9.5]</b><br />
This is a different version of an early Stones classic, an anti-love song about the joys of being a moody little womanizer. While the version released as a single in 1965 is a downbeat soul number, this outtake does an interesting bit of genre-bending. There is a countrified slide guitar solo, followed immediately by an almost note-for-note rendition of Keith's solo from the released version. For a song that sat in the can for ten years, this shows the first few baby steps towards the innovation that would dominate The Rolling Stones' career for the back half of the 1960's.<br />
<br />
Apparently Clem Cattini, a highly valued session drummer in the 60's and 70's, is sitting in for Charlie on this one. He had played on "Tel-Star" by The Tornadoes, "Shakin' All Over" by Johnny Kidd & The Pirates, and guested on a few tracks from The Kinks' <i>Misfits</i> album in 1978. Some session guy named Jimmy Page plays guitar here, not entirely sure what became of him...<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>06. I'd Much Rather Be With The Boys [8.5]</b><br />
From the "yep, that is The Rolling Stones" file, this song could have been a Beach Boys outtake from around the same era. If anyone takes offense to the blatant misogyny of the lyrics, one fun thing to do is give it a queer reading. Suddenly the line "I'd much rather be with the boys than be with you" takes on an entirely different meaning. Gender studies 101 aside, hearing the Stones do surf music is a unique experience.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>07. (Walkin' Thru The) Sleepy City [10]</b><br />
A wistful melody, dulcet harmonies, lyrics about being out late at night, visiting a cafe, and a yearning for companionship - this all sounds like the making for a classic Kinks song circa <i>Something Else</i> or <i>Village Green Preservation Society</i>. The resemblance to one of my favorite bands - to the point that it rivals Weird Al's style parodies in terms of authentic aping - made this a favorite from first listen. What makes the song truly special, however, is when it was recorded: September 1964. "You Really Got Me" had been released the previous month. In other words, at the time "Sleepy City" was recorded, The Kinks didn't even sound like The Kinks...or at least not the version of The Kinks I had long thought The Rolling Stones were borrowing from.<br />
<br />
Which leaves two gaping mysteries: where the Hell did this song come from, and why didn't the Stones ever try anything like this again? Oh, wait...<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Between_the_Buttons">they did</a>, and it was amazing.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>08. We're Wastin' Time [5]</b><br />
Meandering, unmemorable, and with a clumsily busy production, this one lives up to its name. The only thing saving this song from a rating of 3 (or worse) is its fluid and somewhat out of place guitar solo. Also, The Rolling Stones, God bless 'em, couldn't waltz their way out of a wet paper bag.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>09. Try A Little Harder [5.5]</b><br />
Another one that had stayed in the vault for a reason, though it boasts a beefy brass section. Sounding hesitant and limp, I can picture this song taking on a new life when performed live, with a little more oomph. Alas, it never saw official release, so it never had the chance.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>10. I Don't Know Why [11]</b><br />
Covering a Stevie Wonder song, the recently initiated Mick Taylor proves himself with an achingly beautiful solo, while Jagger sings as soulfully as ever. If one song from this collection deserved legitimate release, it was this one. Imagine this track kicking off side B of <i>Let It Bleed</i>, just before "Midnight Rambler." Oh, well, that's why the good Lord gave us the wherewithal to make iTunes playlists.<br />
<br />
I'm limiting my rambling asides from entries past (seriously, those things got obnoxiously LONG!), but here's some Stones lore for you: this song was recorded the day Brian Jones died. As to whether the fellas laid this track down before or after they heard the news, it is up for debate. Part of me thinks the song's raw emotion comes from a very real place, but <a href="http://www.keno.org/rolling_stones/a_few_others.htm#I DON'T KNOW">my pal Keno</a> claims the telephone call delivering the bad news brought the session to an end.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>11. If You Let Me [10]</b><br />
A very sweet outtake from <i>Between The Buttons</i>, with a gentle arrangement and some surprisingly vulnerable lyrics. People don't typically associate the Stones with these things, and while that may add to the novelty of hearing the Stones do sweet and vulnerable, it is a great song on its own merits.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>12. Jiving Sister Fanny [9]</b><br />
Whoever compiled this track listing did a nice job, because I have always liked the shift from Kinks-inspired balladry on "If You Let Me" to the coked-out basement blues of "Jiving Sister Fanny," recorded only two years later. Another outtake from what would become <i>Let It Bleed</i>, this has all the elements of classic Stones: a driving riff, distant and incoherent vocals, and a beat you can screw to. Somehow those ingredients never get stale.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>13. Downtown Suzie [8.5]</b><br />
The Rolling Stones had some nasty habits - they even admitted to it on "Live With Me" off <i>Let It Bleed</i> - but one of their worst was frequently crediting other people's work as their own. (Don't worry, Led Zeppelin did it, too, and their manor-dwelling asses got taken to court over it.) Similarly, Mick & Keith let bassist Bill Wyman contribute an original song only once on an official release, the song being "In Another Land" from <i>Their Satanic Majesties Request</i>, <a href="http://alexwritesaboutstuff.blogspot.com/2009/09/rolling-stones-their-satanic-majesties.html">itself a fairly divisive episode</a> in the Stones saga.<br />
<br />
It truly was their loss, because Bill Wyman is talented songwriter with a knack for melodies and often witty lyrics. "Downtown Suzie" is much more in the vein of classic Stones than "In Another Land," with bluesy verses and a shit-kickin' country chorus. The band sound like they're having a lot of fun on this one, which further presses the issue of why this didn't make its way to an official release.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>14. Family [10]</b><br />
This is the album's only outtake from the Stones' gloomy return to roots, <i>Beggar's Banquet</i>, a fact given away by its sparse and eerie arrangement. Lots of cymbal sizzles from Charlie Watts on the verses before kicking into a double-time rhythm on the pre-chorus. The lyrics' description of a damaged family matches its unsettling musical tone. Another one that should have made it onto the final album.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>15. Memo From Turner [9]</b><br />
Just like "Out Of Time" and "Heart Of Stone," this is an alternate version of a song that <i>was</i> given official release. I enjoy this version a lot, it's pissed-off and urgent, but it has nothing on the released version, which can be heard (and seen, in a modern precursor to the music video) in the 1970 film <i>Performance</i>, Jagger's acting debut. <a href="http://www.womanaroundtown.com/sections/playing-around/rental-reboot-performance-1970">The movie comes highly recommended</a>.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>16. I'm Going Down [10]</b><br />
Rounding out the album is another leftover from Mick Taylor's first few months in the band, predicting the choppy riffs that would define the band's sound for the rest of their career. Yet another masterpiece that didn't quite make the cut for <i>Let It Bleed</i>. Come on, guys, did "You Can't Always Get What You Want" really need that stupid choral intro? Some people...<br />
<br />
<b>Subtotal: 83.75% B</b><br />
<br />
<b>Replay Factor: 0.5</b><br />
I have maybe listened to this album from start to finish five times, one of those instances being while I wrote this. Considering I have owned <i>Metamorphosis</i> for over ten years, that should tell you something. The songs are good, but there is not much of a flow to it.<br />
<br />
<b>Consistency Factor: 0</b><br />
I'm being harsh with my factors this time around, which typically give an album extra points, but this collection of tracks ranks down low with <i>Satanic Majesties </i>as far as being consistent with the rest of the Stones' output.<br />
<br />
<b>External Factors: 2</b><br />
As a warts-and-all compilation of outtakes, this was pretty ahead of its time. It also showcases the most unique examples of The Rolling Stones trying on a number of different musical hats.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">TOTAL: 86.25% B</span></b>Alex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860260447363818885.post-24820061187356853512012-07-09T11:05:00.000-04:002012-07-09T11:08:22.241-04:00Pete Townshend: Who Came First (1972)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><i>"Pure And Easy"</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Growing up, I always thought The Who
were the greatest band of all time, mostly because of the sheer amount of
energy put into their music. As a young drummer, Keith Moon’s acrobatic style
of playing was as much of an aerobic workout as it was a form of musical
catharsis. I paid little attention to the actual content of the lyrics – sure,
there was that song about pinball and the one about teenage wastelands, but
what did I care? I liked it because it was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">loud</i>.
I liked it because Pete Townshend regularly smashed his guitar onstage. I liked
it because songs like “My Generation” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again” had a punk
sensibility to it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">But once I finally listened closely, I
was surprised when I picked up on all of the spiritual undertones (and
overtones) in Townshend’s lyrics. Perhaps surprised isn’t the right word –
shocked, maybe? My relationship with The Who will always be one rooted in
nostalgia, occasionally paying a visit to fourteen-year-old me, pounding away
behind my drum kit. It is my relationship with Pete Townshend’s songwriting
that has come out on top. Once I finally subjected his work to the same level
of scrutiny I had done with other musicians, I loved what I found.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">After a near-death experience on an
airplane while tripping on acid in 1967, Townshend became a staunch opponent of
drug use, devoting himself to the teachings of Persian mystic Meher Baba. Baba
himself is an interesting guy, a self-proclaimed messenger of God, but he never
expressed an interest in starting a new religion. Throughout his public career,
which began in the 1920’s, he sought to present a uniting philosophy for people
of all backgrounds: Christian, Buddhist, Jew, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, agnostic, or
atheist. His message of universal peace, love, and understanding found a new
audience with the burgeoning hippie movement in the late 1960’s. There was one
caveat – Baba was very anti-drug. In his essay “God In A Pill,” he wrote, <br />
“If God can be found through the medium of any drug, God is not worthy of being
God.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Baba’s spirituality was a major
inspiration for Townshend, who credited Baba as a spiritual avatar in the liner
notes for the original <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tommy</i> album.
He also served as a partial namesake for The Who’s song “Baba O’Riley.”
Townshend thought of music as potential medium that could evoke mass harmony
and unity among people of all backgrounds. This theme dominated his aborted
rock opera <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lifehouse</i>, which was cut
down and turned into The Who’s 1971 smash, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Who’s
Next</i>. While The Who got to keep the heavier songs from the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lifehouse</i> project, Townshend kept some
of the more philosophical numbers for his solo debut, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Who Came First</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Playing every instrument on the album,
Townshend presents an alternate universe of what his band (and yes, I’m saying
The Who were and are Pete Townshend’s band – feel free to comment below) could
have sounded like in any other form. Gone are the bombastic drums of Keith
Moon, replaced instead by a steady, laid-back style of playing that is much
better suited for the subject matter. Gone, but similarly not necessarily
missing, is Roger Daltrey’s vocals. Roger is great at belting out the heavier
tunes, but on the more delicate numbers his singing can be a bit overpowering.
Instead, we have Pete’s gentle, welcoming tenor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">“Pure And Easy,” which opens the album,
was meant to be the thematic showcase for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lifehouse</i>,
a plea for humanity to end its destructive ways. He urges us to “realize the
simple secret / of the note / in us all,” pointing to our underlying common
“note” as a means to bring about peace. If this all sounds too preachy, the
song itself is one of Townshend’s most comforting and majestic melodies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Though credited as a Townshend solo
effort, Side A actually features two songs by two of Townshend’s close friends.
The first of these is “Evolution,” a Dylanesque folk tune about reincarnation
by Ronnie Lane, who played bass with The Faces, and an occasional Townshend
collaborator. The second is “Forever’s No Time At All,” written and performed
by Townshend’s friend Billy Nicholls. It’s a joyous celebration of love, one
completely in step with the attitude of the time. Nicholls later had some
success with the song “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” which was a hit for Leo Sayer,
Phil Collins, and Keith Urban.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><i>"Forever's No Time At All" (Billy Nicholls)</i></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">After these two (welcome) detours, we’re
back to Pete, doing “Let’s See Action,” which The Who had released as a single
the previous year. This version is more relaxed, credited as “Nothing Is
Everything (Let’s See Action),” and with Townshend singing it is much more
fitting, documenting his own search for truth in one’s lifetime: past, present,
and future.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Side B opens with “Time Is Passing,”
which relates to Townshend’s oft-stated that certain notes and tones were
capable of having a profound effect on him, even in his childhood. He sings,
“It’s only by the music I’ll be free,” hinting at a religious connection
between the man and the music. The following track is an interesting choice,
recorded because it was one of Baba’s favorites, a cover of Jim Reeves’ country
ballad “There’s A Heartache Following Me.” As odd as it may seem that the same
guy who declared “I hope I die before I get old” would cover a song like this,
it is a wonderful end result, one clearly done in earnest. Townshend’s
“Sheraton Gibson” is somewhat out of place, being a bittersweet nod to life on
the road, but it amplifies the themes of isolation from the previous two cuts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The final two songs are the ones most
immersed in spirituality. “Content” is adapted from a poem written by Maud
Kennedy; unfortunately, an Internet search of that name is clouded by the fact
that there is a French adult actress with the same name. The poem is written in
the first person, presented by Townshend as being like a morning prayer,
accompanied only by piano. The closing track is by far the most overtly
religious, Meher Baba’s universal prayer “Parvardigar.” Townshend goes through
the densely-worded devotional like it’s his own words, gaining momentum over
the course of six minutes. It makes for a powerful – if slightly sanctimonious
– ending to a beautiful record.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I always turn to this album, regardless
of my mood. At times, it’s a much needed source of calm and relaxation, like
meditating. Other times, it’s happy background music for an already perfect
day. From a historical perspective, I think it’s a much more valid statement
towards how humanity can continue to better itself without getting too lofty.
Regardless, it is a versatile collection of songs from a songwriter whose
spiritual side is often overlooked in favor of the sight of seeing the man
smash his guitar to splinters onstage.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><i>Just a quick refresher, I rate the songs on a 1-10 scale, granting an 11 trump score to the best song on the album. From there, I add up the ratings and divide by the number of tracks, which gives me the subtotal. I also include other factors, which frequently help (but can sometimes hurt) the final score. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><i>The Replay Factor is simple: how often do I listen to it? Do I ever skip tracks on subsequent listens? Is it only good for certain moods or seasons?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><i>The Consistency Factor takes the artist's output into account. Is it a prime example of their work?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><i>External Factors is my "spoiler" category, a way to justify adding or subtracting an extra point or two.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><i> </i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b>TRACK LISTING:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b>01. Pure And Easy [10]</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b>02. Evolution - Ronnie Lane [9]</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b>03. Forever's No Time At All - Billy Nicholls [10]</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b>04. Let's See Action [9.5]</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b>05. Time Is Passing [9.5]</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b>06. There's A Heartache Following Me [9.5]</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b>07. Sheraton Gibson [8]</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b>08. Content [9.5]</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b>09. Parvardigar [11]</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Subtotal: 95.5% A</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Replay Factor: 3</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I bought this album about a year ago, and it has been in steady rotation since, putting it right into the upper echelon with my personal favorites.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Consistency Factor: 1</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I haven't heard much from Townshend's solo output besides his Who demos (collected officially and unofficially on several volumes called the <i>Scoop</i> series) and <i>Rough Mix</i> (1977), his collaboration with Ronnie Lane. The demos are fantastic, boasting the same homespun charm that marks <i>Who Came First</i>, but <i>Rough Mix</i> and the other scattered tunes from the 80's that I've heard seem to be in a very different musical vein. This is Townshend at his spiritual peak, without any of the sexual and social angst that can be found elsewhere...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b>External Factors: 2</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">...but it is this album's uniqueness that makes it so damn good!<b> </b><b> </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">TOTAL: 101.5% A+</span> </b></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><i>"Parvardigar"</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZkIdo55oUw?rel=0" width="420"></iframe> </b> </span></div>Alex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860260447363818885.post-40992202671559022512011-11-14T12:29:00.003-05:002011-11-14T16:28:08.061-05:00Monty Python's Flying Circus: Season 1, Episode 1: "Whither Canada?"<span style="font-style: italic;">This is technically a re-post from <a href="http://alexwritesaboutstuff.blogspot.com/2010/03/monty-pythons-flying-circus-s01e01.html">a review I wrote in March 2010</a>, but I've made enough edits and revisions that if you were aroun</span><span style="font-style: italic;">d then it's worth revisiting.</span><br /><br />It's always strange to look at an artist (or group of artists) who made groundbreaking work in their time and know that had they been around today, they would have never been given a chance. Networks, record labels, film studios, none of them are keen on taking chances on something that deviates wildly from the norm, and the ones that do always have a hard time getting picked up by fans and critics. It took a good season and a half for the American adaptation of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Office</span> to gain appeal, for example.<br /><br />Sketch comedy is a wildly uneven bag. For every groundbreaking series like <span style="font-style: italic;">Chappelle's Show</span>, there are dozens of copycat programs (on TV and online) that take Dave Chappelle's example of crude, shock-peppered humor but opt to leave out all the discussion-generating topics the master comedian was addressing.<br /><br />In my original version of this post, I riffed a bit on <span style="font-style: italic;">Saturday Night Live</span> - a viewpoint I will never shy away from having - but let me trim that whole argument down to me simply saying that its reputation as being groundbreaking, subversive, or cutting-edge is more or less a mythology put into its place by its creators and by contemporary critics whose other viewing options were such dreck as<span style="font-style: italic;"> Happy Days</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Three's Company</span>. By contrast, early <span style="font-style: italic;">Saturday Night Live</span> must have seemed like the onslaught of punk amidst the easy-breezy swill of California rock and the pomposity of progressive rock.<br /><br />But let's just call it for what it is: early <span style="font-style: italic;">Saturday Night Live</span> was young and energetic, like a cheetah among dinosaurs, but it didn't rewrite the book on sketch comedy. For the most part, though, the old episodes have not aged well - select segments are timeless, but on the whole it is little more than a charming artifact.<br /><br />The reason I harp on this is because I don't like the comparison that <span style="font-style: italic;">Saturday Night Live</span> was an "American Monty Python." It just isn't. These guys shook up the rules of what had become a stagnant format for televised comedy and did it in a way that truly has yet to be replicated - and, with the present state of affairs in the entertainment industry, probably never will.<br /><br />For that reason, I submit to you a revised and revisited review of <span style="font-style: italic;">Monty Python's Flying Circus</span>, Season 1, Episode 1, "Whither Canada?"<br /><br />Reasons #2 through #45 shall follow on a (hopefully) weekly basis.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-size:180%;" >And so it began:</span><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zJpJbL6Pzjo&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zJpJbL6Pzjo&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Click </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJpJbL6Pzjo">here</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> if the video isn't working.</span><br /><br />By and large, one should not judge the strength of a series by its premiere episode. With American programs, pilots are generally the first aired, and they usually suck. Even if they're "good," they pale in comparison with the rest of the series. Although not a proper pilot so much as it is simply the second episode they shot and the first one aired on the BBC, this one is no exception. Not to say it's awful, in fact, it's still very watchable - plenty of classic Python bits to be found here - but the moments where the show is off it feels like a cheap skit put on at a talent show.<br /><br />The opening sequence, with Michael Palin emerging from the water as the tattered "It's" Man, takes just a little too long for my liking. Still, seeing this hairy scruffian wearing the haggard shreds of a suit emerge from the sea, only to collapse and sigh the word, "It's..." before the animated credits roll is iconic absurdism.<br /><br />One of the great features of the Flying Circus series was that the troupe wanted to avoid sketch program cliches. One such cliche is that sketches are written, built up, but then brought to an end by way of a punchline, which more often than not didn't hold up to the rest of the sketch. Why end sketches in a program, when they could all be linked together, in a surrealistic stream-of-consciousness fashion?<br /><br />This first time out, though, the comedic device of people sitting on pigs is a source of linking material. Frankly, I think it's poorly played the first time (not well-performed by Graham Chapman, also some poorly synced sound), though later on in the episode it's quite funny. Maybe it's the repetition.<br /><br />That aside, this isn't some crummy pilot. They don't hold any punches with their first sketch, a phony program entitled <span style="font-style: italic;">It's Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart</span>, featuring John Cleese as the composer, hosting a program featuring the deaths of historical figures - why him? Why not?! It's got a dark undertone to it (a commentary on television violence, perhaps?), balanced out by the sheer slapstick of seeing Genghis Khan (Cleese in a filmed bit) die a cartoonish death by way of leaping in the air and landing on his back.<br /><br />My great thesis on Python, whether it's the films, albums, or television series is that their brand of humor succeeds because it combines some intelligent, cerebral wit with simple, funny-no-matter-how-many-times-or-how-old-you-are gags. This is best symbolized by the death depicted of Admiral Horatio Nelson. You don't need to know about the Battle of Trafalgar to laugh at seeing a dummy in early 19th-Century garb tossed out of a high-rise window. That in itself is a funny visual. However, you can laugh just a little harder knowing among his last words were "Kiss me, Hardy!", to his second-in-command.<br /><br />The Italian For Italians sketch is...okay. The audience laughter at Terry Jones' instructor saying he is from Gerard's Cross is something lost on me, and honestly, the only time jokes fall utterly flat for me with Python, it's usually moments like this. They also seem to make fun of a town called Dorking a lot throughout the series - is it the name, maybe? As for the Italians taking the lesson, they're played broadly, but that's the point: the Pythons are offering their own twist on the trope of using stereotypes for an easy gag. They would do it again throughout the series, and frankly, the underlying point is much more obvious in later episodes. It's amusing enough, but not a strong sketch, ending in minor-league chaos before a poor little pig is sat upon by the flustered teacher.<br /><br />A runaway pig from the tallyboard, where dead piggy #3 is crossed off, marks the debut animation from Terry Gilliam. Even in the weaker shows, the cartoons never cease to amuse. Explaining what all happens would suck the fun out of seeing it. It leads to a phony commercial for Whizzo Butter, "containing 10% more less," a product that brings with its purchase admission to Heaven. Pitchman Palin is seen with the other four actor Pythons (Idle, Cleese, Jones, and Chapman) all dressed in drag as middle-aged housewives. These little wenches are called "pepperpots," dubbed such in Cleese's pre-<span style="font-style: italic;">Flying Circus</span> special <span style="font-style: italic;">How To Irritate People</span>, relating to the shape of their bodies. The term has since become a fixture of the Python fan's glossary.<br /><br />The pepperpots can NOT tell the difference between Whizzo Butter and a dead crab, and this is apparently a good thing, although they threaten Palin that if he's one of those television pitchmen trying to get them to compare Whizzo Butter to a dead crab, they'll slit his face.<br /><br />Unfortunately, the Whizzo bit ends in a very un-Python manner, with a hard edit to the credits for <span style="font-style: italic;">It's The Arts</span>. (According to Kim Johnson's marvelous Python book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/First-Years-Monty-Python-Revised/dp/0312169337/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268460304&sr=8-2">The First 28 Years of Monty Python</a>, quite a few sketches were cut from this episode, many to be seen in future episodes, which may explain the edit.) The first segment of <span style="font-style: italic;">It's The Arts</span> features a great lampooning of the formality of names and nicknames, with filmmaker Sir Edward Ross (Chapman) being called a litany of names: Ted, angel-drawers, Franny-knickers, and everything in between. Storming off the set, Ross is summoned back by Cleese's Tom (don't bother with the "nonsense" of calling him Thomas!) with a serious question about his latest film, leading to a pleasant destruction of an anticipated punchline.<br /><br />Eric Idle, who I now unfortunately think of as the Python with the honor "Most Likely To Ride Python All The Way To The Bank," gives his own variant nickname-based interview. While Cleese's interviewer tries so desperately to be polite and personable with his subject, Eric is a cheeky smart-ass in his interview with composer Arthur "Two-Sheds" Jackson (Jones), who earned his nickname not by actually having a second shed but rather by simply <span style="font-style: italic;">thinking</span> of building a second shed.<br /><br />This doesn't keep Idle from asking if Jackson wrote his latest symphony in the shed. He drives him to his breaking point, turning from sheds to inquiring about Jackson's interest in trainspotting. After a snippy, ready to crack retort of "What's that got to do with my bloody music?", Cleese's Tom joins Idle in booting the irate composer off-set. Again, another sketch ended before getting stale (maybe even a little early) and without some silly punchline.<br /><br />The final bit of the <span style="font-style: italic;">It's The Arts</span> segment centers around Pablo Picasso's latest painting, which is being done whilst riding a bicycle. If this notion isn't delightfully silly enough, the entire thing is played out with the detailed enthusiasm of a sportscast. Picasso's route is outlined, the model of bicycle is explained, and in one of the best moments of the episode, Cleese presents an on-the-scene report while a laundry list of famous artists (dead and alive) zip by on bicycles. Palin's surprisingly informed pepperpot tells Cleese that it's Vassily Kandinsky he's seeing and not Picasso, later correcting Cleese that the (dead since 1948) Kurt Schwitters was German, not English.<br /><br />What makes the scene, beyond the incongruity of Palin's middle-aged housewife displaying a good knowledge of 20th-Century art is more than just the attention to detail. It's Cleese's performance. He delivers his lines at a mile-a-minute, like his head is ready to explode...it's one of those things, you can't explain why it's funny. It just is.<br /><br />How does this build-up climax? With the absurdist logic that makes Python so great: Picasso falls off his bicycle, unseen, the details of his painting unknown. We are informed, thankfully, that the artist is unharmed, "although the pig has a slight headache." One more piggy pops its head up from under the desk as Palin's host bids us goodnight, right in time for the end credits (around the 21-minute mark) if this were American television.<br /><br />With the lack of commercials from the BBC at that time, we've still got nine minutes to go! We get another wonderful cartoon, featuring what I consider Gilliam's staple art: animations of vintage photographs. It's twisted and slightly disturbing, but it's marvelous. And to think this was on mainstream television some 40 years ago!<br /><br />The show ends this week with an extended sketch, featuring the world's funniest joke, which induces fatal laughter. The film version of the sketch's first half featured in the 1971 film <span style="font-style: italic;">And Now For Something Completely Different</span> is performed a little better - notably in the joke's author and his mother's deaths from reading the joke - but this is a fairly important sketch for the lads. It seems all three writing teams (Chapman/Cleese, Idle, and Palin/Jones) all contributed their own bits to it, and while there are no animations, Gilliam appears on-screen in two minor roles.<br /><br />Rounding out the rest of the show, the segment lags at times (mainly in the battlefield scenes), but its high points more than make up for the bumps. Terry Jones' dorky, unsuspecting Army test subject and his tittering demise still makes me laugh, Cleese makes for a great Nazi, and the scene where the defense ministers laugh themselves to death (on the other side of a guarded door) is a beautiful stroke of macabre humor. History geeks will appreciate the stock footage of Chamberlain declaring "Peace in our time!" as Idle mentions "England's great pre-war joke."<br /><br />Idle's narrator wraps the segment with a solemn tribute at the burial site of the Unknown Joke, before a quick cutaway to stock footage of a ref blowing his whistle and a title frame saying "THE END". As a long-form sketch, this showed a sense of ambition from the get-go that the group had some interest in collaborating on long-form sketches; this approach, where Idle, Jones/Palin, and Cleese/Chapman all had a hand in the conception and delivery of the "World's Funniest Joke" sketch, would set the tone for their feature films in the 1970's and 1980's. While that is still 44 incredible half-hours of sketch comedy away, it marked the planting of a very important seed.<br /><br />Cutting back to the beach, the "It's" man is roused by way of a pointed stick (an incredibly specific prop we'll be seeing and hearing of again in future episodes) and he drags himself back out into the surf as the end credits play.<br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">FIN</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Low Points:</span><br />+ I feel like the first few episodes of this series treat Cleese as if he were the leader of the troupe, for better or for worse. He'd enjoyed the most success already by this point with <span style="font-style: italic;">At Last The 1948 Show</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Frost Report</span>, and his TV special <span style="font-style: italic;">How To Irritate People</span> (which plays like a really, really bad episode of Python.) He certainly seems to elicit the most laughs from the audience.<br /><br />+ Parts of this episode's first portion, before we get to <span style="font-style: italic;">It's The Arts</span>, come across as wobbly.<br /><br />+ The piggy gag - not unfunny, but a weak running gag.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">High Points:</span><br />+ This episode is kind of like "I Saw Her Standing There," the first song from the first Beatles album. It's hard to define the inaugural quality of "Whither Canada?", as the show most definitely picked up some serious momentum in the episodes to come, but damn if it doesn't make me happy every time I see this and know this is where it all started.<br /><br />+ Cleese's stream of ridiculous nicknames for Sir Edward "Ted/Eddie Baby/Sweetie/Sugar Plum/Angel Drawers/Frank/Fran/Frannie/Little Frannie/Frannie Knickers" Ross.<br /><br />+ Idle's ribbing of Arthur "Two-Sheds" Jackson.<br /><br />+ Cleese's sportscaster, forerunner of so many classic Cleese moments.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best Lines:</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />"We are proud to be bringing to you one of the evergreen bucket kickers. Yes, the wonderful death of the famous English Admiral Nelson."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"He say, 'Milan is better than Napoli!'"</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Oh, well, he shouldn't be saying that, we haven't done comparatives yet!"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"I don't like being called Eddie Baby!"</span> - this implies he's been called this before...<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"I'm going to get rid of the shed. I'm fed up with it!</span>"<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Then you'll be Arthur 'No Sheds' Jackson."<br /><br />"In 1945, peace broke out."<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> SCORE: 84% B</span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">In future reviews of the show, I'll be sure to go into some detail on each member of the troupe, using a key performance as a springboard (like the "Nudge, Nudge" sketch to talk about Eric Idle) for the information.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I also plan to keep a tally on two on-screen occurrences throughout the series. The first is the number of times John Cleese appears in drag. Seeing this freakishly tall man dressed as a woman is one of the funniest sights, ever. The other is the number of times Terry Gilliam appears on the show. As the animator, he didn't fancy himself as much of an actor, but when it came time for bit parts and/or the occasional grotesque, Gilliam was perfect.</span><br />John Cleese in drag count: I<br />Terry Gilliam count: IIAlex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860260447363818885.post-61339429138704663572011-11-14T10:39:00.002-05:002011-11-14T11:24:20.778-05:00I'm Ba-a-ack.....<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/U4G35BO8fTc?rel=0" allowfullscreen="" width="560" frameborder="0" height="315"></iframe><br /><br />More to come. Soon, baby.Alex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860260447363818885.post-6711502210548670902010-07-26T13:09:00.000-04:002010-07-26T13:10:06.462-04:00My Podcast<a href="http://alexcdiblasi.podbean.com/mf/web/gnqyub/Episode01.mp3">http://alexcdiblasi.podbean.com/mf/web/gnqyub/Episode01.mp3</a><br /><br />Listen.<br /><br />Comment.Alex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860260447363818885.post-72353210071014325172010-06-29T01:44:00.003-04:002010-06-29T03:26:13.096-04:00R.I.P. Peter Quaife (1943-2010)I don't have good luck in being around to catch bad news. This past Thursday, Peter Quaife, the original bassist for The Kinks (1963-1969), passed away of kidney failure.<br /><br />Even if I'm out and about all day, I always come home and check email and, as perverse as this may sound, I also check Wikipedia's page for recent deaths, sadly, as many of my musical heroes are approaching senescence. Funny enough, knowing Pete was ill and on dialysis was one of the reasons I always checked.<br /><br />But where was I this past Thursday? En route to a mini-vacation upstate with my girlfriend and some of her friends, with no Internet, no TV, and no cell phone reception. I had a wonderful time - although my mom wanted to get a hold of me and when I couldn't, she made the casual and logical assumption that I'd been tortured to death at a crack den. But that's a different story.<br /><br />Once I cleared all that up and we got back to the city, my girlfriend and I hung out at her place. Being as our relationship is still in a very early stage, we're still at the point of introducing our favorite bands and songs to one another.<br /><br />I played her some Kinks. She had a few from a compilation, but I decided to skip the "classics," which are all phenomenal tunes, and go straight for playing my straight-up favorites.<br /><br />The first song I introduced by saying, "Let me play you the one song I use as my example of the genius of Ray Davies as a lyricist." I went on to say how it is an accurate description of young romance, realistic rather than entirely smitten, with the key line in it all coming at the end of the bridge: "I wonder how long it will last."<br /><br />The song? "Something Better Beginning," from 1965's <span style="font-style: italic;">Kinda Kinks</span>:<br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/72ZscziZ24w&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/72ZscziZ24w&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br />Second was "This Is Where I Belong," the b-side of "Mr. Pleasant" from 1967:<br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZHGaIAm22Rw&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZHGaIAm22Rw&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br />Then I played "She's Got Everything," which I introduced as being "a love song with a delicate guitar solo."<br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bKTZhyY5-VM&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bKTZhyY5-VM&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br />I ended with what will, hands-down, hold a place in the five best songs I have ever heard in my life.<br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5J3gX47rHGg&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5J3gX47rHGg&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br />Now, make no bones about it, I love - LOVE - The Kinks throughout the years. For me, there's no better storyteller than Ray Davies, no better harmony vocalist than Dave Davies, and no better string of albums than what they had through the 1970's. But I realized that when it came down to introducing the Kinks songs that meant the most to me or that I found the most immediately accessible without simply running through the greatest hits, what songs did I pick? I didn't pick any of Ray's more cynical numbers like "Yes Sir, No Sir" or a preachy song like "Live Life." I didn't go for something too out there, but still amazing in its own way, like "Money And Corruption / I Am Your Man" or "Second-Hand Car Spiv." Didn't pull out anything from <a href="http://alexwritesaboutstuff.blogspot.com/2010/06/kinks-sleepwalker-1977.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">Sleepwalker</span></a> or <span style="font-style: italic;">Give The People What They Want</span>.<br /><br />No. I chose songs from those truly sublime years in the band's history. Pete's last album with The Kinks was <a href="http://alexwritesaboutstuff.blogspot.com/2009/07/kinks-are-village-green-preservation.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Village Green Preservation Society</span></a>. In my experience, the fans splinter from there. It's quite obvious in the contemporary reviews - John Mendelssohn goes from "God Save The Kinks? Nah, more like God Bless 'Em" in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Kink Kronikles</span> in 1972 to taking a massive dump on the group and their present direction in the following year's <span style="font-style: italic;">The Great Lost Kinks Album</span>, for example - and even today it seems that the only things the critics and fans can universally agree upon is that <span style="font-style: italic;">Face To Face</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Something Else</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Village Green Preservation Society</span>, and the singles from that time period are definitively essential, classic Kinks.<br /><br />It might not be mere coincidence that with Pete's departure, Ray's creative control over the group increased dramatically. <span style="font-style: italic;">Arthur</span> is a potent, at times grim, album, which is why I love it...but the same reason my father wasn't thrilled about it. <span style="font-style: italic;">Lola Versus Powerman & The Moneygoround</span> is a scathing attack on the record industry - but some contend it's too bilious. Again, same reason I love it. With the band's tenure at RCA, each record seemed to be an artistic endeavor of one kind or another. I think it's great, but for others it's self-indulgent crap. Their sound continued to change, yes, and one more time for the world - that's what makes them as a band so damn great to me; it was their versatility, along with Ray being such a wonderful writer. But, as a band's sound changes, it will lose and gain followers. It happens.<br /><br />The point I'm trying to make here is that when push came to shove, I went for introductory listening material from a time where one could safely call The Kinks a band. I don't want to disparage later line-ups of the group, but there was a greater deal of collaboration, and in <a href="http://www.davedavies.com/messageboard/viewtopic.php?id=1678">Dave Davies' heartfelt message board post about Pete</a> he suggests as much.<br /><br />So, that said...and if you're a Kinks fan reading this, it's probably the 1,000th time you've encountered this touching video, especially if Dave links this to his <a href="http://www.kindakinks.net/">fabulous Kinks site</a>...this one's for you, Pete:<br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/n6hMWM_zW70&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/n6hMWM_zW70&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br />At the beginning of "Days," for a reason that I'm sure will be obvious, I choked up.<br /><br />God Save The Kinks.<br />AlexAlex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860260447363818885.post-13602363975987669952010-06-22T02:36:00.004-04:002010-06-22T16:06:02.880-04:00The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night (1964)<span style="font-style: italic;">"The Beatles well what can I say now there's a band."</span> [sic]<br /><br />So goes Glenn Gass' recollection of a student's paper from many years ago, when his class on The Beatles was small enough that he could assign papers in it. He even specified the lack of punctuation.<br /><br />Anyway, he admitted he's such a pushover for Beatles love that all he could say in reaction to that opening line of an academic paper was, "Yes! Brilliant! That says it all!"<br /><br />That's about how I feel regarding this album. What <span style="font-style: italic;">can</span> I say?<br /><br />First of all, <span style="font-style: italic;">A Hard Day's Night</span> is a groundbreaking piece of cinema, and not just because The Beatles are in it. I don't want to get hung up on who the proper claimants should be for inventing music videos - musical shorts have existed since the dawn of talkies, so Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong are just as much of contenders for this coveted title as The Monkees or The Beatles - but Richard Lester's editing style was remarkably innovative.<br /><br />What set it apart from conventional cinema is that his background was in television and commercials. He applied that rapid-paced aesthetic to a feature-length film, especially with the musical sequences, and along with the influences of French <span style="font-style: italic;">nouvelle vague</span> and Italian Neorealist cinema created something truly unique.<br /><br />Go see the movie if you haven't. You won't regret it. And don't let the fact that it's black and white steer you away. It's marvelous. Each member of the group has their own distinctive persona. John is the cheeky one, Paul is the long-suffering - but cute - straight man (due in no small part to his pain-in-the-ass grandfather stirring up trouble wherever he goes), George is the one with the deadpan and dry sense of humor, and Ringo is the lovable goof. These personae were played upon more in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Beatles</span> cartoon series on ABC, although the lads themselves had nothing to do with it. I've seen a few episodes, and they're not so great.<br /><br />Of course, there IS one Beatles cartoon that is positively sublime, but I'll leave <span style="font-style: italic;">Yellow Submarine</span> for another day. It's one of my favorite movies ever, and watching it even as a little guy ranks among my earliest (and fondest) memories.<br /><br />Frankly, <span style="font-style: italic;">Help!</span> is even better, and not just because it's in glorious Technicolor. I think the humor is even sharper. Still, from a movie geek's perspective, it's <span style="font-style: italic;">A Hard Day's Night</span>, hands-down.<br /><br />Of course, the avant-garde film lover in me has a special place in my heart for the deliciously weird <span style="font-style: italic;">Magical Mystery Tour</span>. That's 60 minutes of psychedelic heaven.<br /><br />I'm getting off-topic, though a book about The Beatles' films would make for an interesting project.<br /><br />The second point worth making, and I don't want to spend a year and a half on my opening statement before going to the tracks, is that this album was an early masterpiece for the band. Consisting entirely of Lennon/McCartney originals (which was a HUGE deal in 1964; The Stones and The Kinks wouldn't do that until 1966 with <span style="font-style: italic;">Aftermath</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Face To Face</span>, respectively, while The Who didn't have an all-originals album until 1971's <span style="font-style: italic;">Who's Next</span>), this is the peak of the band's early pop sound. For me, everything they had done from "Love Me Do" onwards was building up to this. There's the distinct Beatles sound, yes, but they're able to incorporate the feel of those early rock and rollers and the various Motown tunes they covered on singles, <span style="font-style: italic;">With The Beatles</span>, and the <span style="font-style: italic;">Long Tall Sally</span> EP (included at the end of this review, along with a pair of singles).<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span>I would say this album is just as important for The Beatles and the world of popular music as <span style="font-style: italic;">Rubber Soul</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band</span>. Its musical influence was felt in subsequent releases by bands both in the UK and the US, including a new batch of musicians who were just as into The Beatles as they were with Bob Dylan; the album's inception, a solid collection of pop songs with very little filler material - and again, this cannot be overstated, <span style="font-weight: bold;">ALL-ORIGINAL SONGS</span> - would also pave the way for the paradigm shift that bands who didn't write their own stuff wouldn't make it. At least for a period.<br /><br />That line in the sand was definitely drawn by <span style="font-style: italic;">Rubber Soul</span>, and when I inevitably get to that fine record I'll have more to say about what a game-changer it was, but it happened here first. It was a momentous occasion for John and Paul, that's for damn sure. Of course, having George on only one song (singing only, he didn't write it) and nothing from Ringo are things I will hold against it, but these are minor drawbacks.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">TRACK LISTING:</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. A Hard Day's Night [10]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. I Should Have Known Better [9]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">03. If I Fell [10]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">04. I'm Happy Just To Dance With You [9]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">05. And I Love Her [10]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">06. Tell Me Why [9.5]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">07. Can't Buy Me Love [10]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">08. Any Time At All [7.5]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">09. I'll Cry Instead [9]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">10. Things We Said Today [11]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">11. When I Get Home [8]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">12. You Can't Do That [10]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">13. I'll Be Back [10]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Singles</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. I Want To Hold Your Hand [10]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. This Boy [10]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand [N/A]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. Sie Leibt Dich [N/A]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Long Tall Sally EP</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. Long Tall Sally [10]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. I Call Your Name [8]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">03. Slow Down [10]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">04. Matchbox [10]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I'll go ahead and point out that, to my eternal annoyance, the DVD of the film features the songs at their original speed. Yes, they were slightly sped-up for the album. I don't know why they did this on the DVD, because as a result the songs don't completely synch up. Whatever.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE SONGS:</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. A Hard Day's Night [10]</span><br />This, friends, is how you start a movie:<br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cD4TAgdS_Xw&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cD4TAgdS_Xw&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br />This song starts with an instantly recognizable bang, the musical equivalent of a gunshot at the beginning of a race. It's a song full of energy and movement. Listen closely for the bongos under the verses, adding a busy edge to the rhythm. Paul does a great job singing on the bridge, or as they called that section of their songs, the "middle eight."<br /><br />During the solo, the instrumentation is George on 12-string guitar (more on that instrument later) and producer George Martin doubling the line on piano. It's a very unique sound.<br /><br />Fantastic song, what can I say? It's a classic. It was also their first big hit in America after "I Want To Hold Your Hand," and a clear sign they wouldn't be going away anytime soon.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. I Should Have Known Better [9]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lhPvtDDxEV0&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lhPvtDDxEV0&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br />Although there's a lot of early Beatles songs featuring the harmonica - "Love Me Do," "From Me To You," "Please Please Me," "Little Child," and so on - this is the first instance of John playing the harmonica in the style of Bob Dylan, whose 1963 album <span style="font-style: italic;">The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan</span> marked the beginning of his influence on The Beatles' approach to songwriting. The song itself isn't like anything Dylan was doing at the time. He was still very much rooted in the folk-protest movement, so the harmonica is, if anything, just a sly nod and wink.<br /><br />This one's really catchy. I love when they sing this song in the movie and the schoolgirls watching them swoon. One of those girls, Patti Boyd - the blond with the gappy teeth - later became Mrs. George Harrison in 1966. Speaking of George, that solo features the 12-string guitar. I won't go into the mechanics of what gives it such a unique sound, all one needs to do is <span style="font-style: italic;">hear</span> it to know what I mean by the 12-string guitar having a "jangly" quality. This particular instrument would be a trademark in the sound of The Byrds.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">03. If I Fell [10]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8Ets2eNJzhY&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8Ets2eNJzhY&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br />During one of VH1's all-important countdowns of the greatest albums of all time, Billy Joe Armstrong from Green Day said about <span style="font-style: italic;">The White Album</span> that every song on it seemed to inspire the entire careers of later groups. The same can be said about any Beatles album, it seems, and this is no exception. I don't have any quote or any sort of evidence to back this up, but this song <span style="font-style: italic;">had</span> to be a major influence on Ray Davies from The Kinks.<br /><br />I say this because it's a pretty frank description of venturing into a new love while still tending to a broken heart. (Not to get too personal, but quite honestly, I can easily relate to the sentiment behind this song.) Everything seems to begin with the word "If": "<span style="font-style: italic;">If</span> I give my heart to you...", "<span style="font-style: italic;">If</span> I trust in you...", "<span style="font-style: italic;">If</span> I fell in love with you..."<br /><br />There's a massive sense of insecurity in this song, asking, "You're not going to hurt me like she did, will you?" There's also a hint of bitterness: "And that she will cry / When she sees that we are two." One other influence this may have had on The Kinks extends beyond the lyrics, but in the music itself. The high/low harmonies shared by John and Paul wouldn't be out of place between Ray and Dave Davies.<br /><br />It's a beautiful piece of music, a melody that sticks with you, and a genuinely heartfelt message. Amazing.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">04. I'm Happy Just To Dance With You [9]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/s59q9pPmy-I&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/s59q9pPmy-I&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br />I'll just go ahead and get this out of the way before I say this on every single song, but this album features John and Paul's best melodies, hands-down. They aren't getting too experimental with harmonies (not in the vocals, anyway; musically, there's some downright bizarre stuff going down with the chord changes, but it works and it sounds marvelous), and each one of these songs can be easily whistled. Think of some of John's later stuff - don't get me wrong, he only got better as a songwriter - but whistling the melody to "I Am The Walrus" is like trying to whistle a rap song or something. He began to favor a minimalistic approach, saying a lot with a little, and it's great, but here he's firing on all cylinders.<br /><br />Of course, the lyrics here are a bit simple, it's about sharing a dance with a girl and then realizing you love her. Basic pop stuff. George sings it, and he does a really good job. Apparently he was still self-conscious about his songwriting abilities (even though "Don't Bother Me" is one of their greatest early songs). Seeing as he had only written that one song (although there <span style="font-style: italic;">is</span> a George tune called "You Know What To Do" on <span style="font-style: italic;">Anthology One</span>, and it's nothing to write home about) by this point while John and Paul were able to write chart-topping hits in their sleep, and not just for The Beatles, but for other artists, too, it's easy to conclude George was probably somewhat intimidated.<br /><br />Anyway, good song, nothing earth-shattering, but a memorable melody and well-played.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">05. And I Love Her [10]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mOZc1ceQud0&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mOZc1ceQud0&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br />The lyrics are simply beautiful. I love the "Bright are the stars that shine / Dark is the sky" passage. This is pop balladry at its absolute best. There's a Latin flavor here, thanks to the percussion (Ringo on bongos and claves) as well as the mellow tones of George's acoustic solo. "And I Love Her" is another example of many early Beatles tunes where Paul brought a near-complete song to the table and John finished it off by writing the middle eight, or vice versa. Here, John wrote the "A love like ours / Could never die..." bridge, supposedly, although Paul claims this song is all his. I can't blame him, I wish I could write something this stunningly gorgeous.<br /><br />This tune also stands out as being only one of three (out of thirteen songs overall on the album) where there's just solo vocals and no harmonies.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">06. Tell Me Why [9.5]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1WB0QarpWU4&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1WB0QarpWU4&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br />John wrote this song to try and imitate the sound of a black female vocal group. And it shows, which is why I absolutely LOVE this song. It's got the earnest sincerity and sweetness of an early 60's pop record. The call-and-response vocals, with John singing a line and Paul and George singing a follow-up to it, sounds like something right off of a single by Diana Ross & The Supremes. This stands as one of my favorite overlooked early Beatles songs.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">07. Can't Buy Me Love [10]</span><br />"WE'RE OUT!"<br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/t7yd4-aHJSA&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/t7yd4-aHJSA&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br />If that scene doesn't make you smile, then get out of you here, because you clearly don't have a heart. It's one of my favorite scenes of all time.<br /><br />The song is bloody brilliant. It's a big kiss-off to materialism, no doubt written as a result of The Beatles' new-found fortune and fame: "I don't care too much for money / 'Cause money can't buy me love." It's true. Think of how many pop songs out there state that message again and again. I guess that's what makes love so great: it's free.<br /><br />Anyway, this is just a fun song. Paul sings like his life depends on it, George's guitar solo is perfect, and the band stops and starts on a dime. I LOVE that scream before the solo. Yet another classic Beatles tune.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">08. Any Time At All [7.5]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GD95QaVTH1U&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GD95QaVTH1U&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br />With side B of the original album, we get to the songs that weren't in the original film. I have a stronger case with the <span style="font-style: italic;">Help!</span> album, but the same applies here: a lot of these songs have been lost in the shuffle of time, overlooked in favor of the certified classics on side A, which are made all the more iconic by being in the movies.<br /><br />Of course, I'm not a huge fan of this song. I think it's just a little sloppy. It feels like John is exerting himself to get all the words in when he sings "Any time at all / All you gotta do is call", but the verses are good. Additionally, the middle eight was supposed to have lyrics, at the 1:30 mark. It clearly doesn't, resulting in what I always thought was a fairly awkward musical interlude.<br /><br />It isn't awful. But I wouldn't be putting this on a "Best of Beatles" mix CD anytime soon. It's forgettable.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">09. I'll Cry Instead [9]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZwgT1qpY_7I&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZwgT1qpY_7I&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">This photo-montage was included on the 1982 home video release of "A Hard Day's Night," but is nowhere to be found on the DVD. Bit of a shame, because I grew up with this clip being almost like a teaser for the rest of the film.</span><br /><br />In his early years, John had a bit of a nasty streak. He had some serious jealousy issues, and wasn't above mean-spirited comments or jokes at others' expenses. This song provides a glimpse into John's darker side. Here, he sings about having his heart broken - hence the crying in the song's title - before warning "You'd better hide all the girls / I'm gonna break their hearts all around the world / Yes, I'm gonna break 'em in two / And show you what your lovin' man can do." Yikes.<br /><br />And yet, despite his dastardly scheme to inflict his wrath on other girls, he admits he doesn't like to cry in front of other people. This is a hint of things to come, with John's increasingly candid, personal, and brutally honest lyrics. My only complaint is that the song's too short.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">10. Things We Said Today [11]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ev_XPaakW9Y&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ev_XPaakW9Y&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br />When I was much younger and I first heard this song, I didn't really bother to comprehend the lyrics. Besides, I misunderstood a lot of what they were singing because of their accents. Anyway, as a kid, I always this was a break-up song. It feels like it is, because most of the song is in a minor key, rather than a major key.<br /><br />Now, as a grumpy old man at age 23, these lyrics are among the finest Paul McCartney ever wrote. That's saying a lot, considering how early in his career this is, and what other masterpieces he would go on to write. It's from such a unique point of view, with two young lovers looking ahead to the future:<br /><br />"Someday when we're dreaming<br />Deep in love, not a lot to say<br />Then I will remember<br />Things we said today"<br /><br />That's beautiful. Although there is some tight competition for being the best song on the album, I will staunchly defend this song as my choice.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">11. When I Get Home [8]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GqckMdPZo04&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GqckMdPZo04&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br />This one's another misfire. It's catchy, but I don't like the intro. Otherwise, this is a song that catches Lennon in a Motown-ready mood. I just feel like it doesn't succeed on all fronts. It needs more, some layered handclaps, some double-tracking, percussion, maybe a piano? I don't know, it just seems to be missing several components. The vocals on the verses are a little thin, the chorus is slightly off, but that bridge! WOW. It's the song's saving grace, and wonderfully done.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">12. You Can't Do That [10]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/usQ8AhiRcNE&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/usQ8AhiRcNE&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br />Another delicious 12-string guitar lick, with plenty of cowbell. It's another slightly mean-spirited song of John's, rooted almost certainly in his own jealousies, but in a general context it could just be about a guy with an untrustworthy lover. John plays the distinctive, noisy, choppy guitar solo in this song, a mark of his later simplistic take on rock and roll.<br /><br />Great song...and it was supposed into the finished movie, during the big concert at the end:<br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/0EYa5YkJu4Q&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/0EYa5YkJu4Q&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">13. I'll Be Back [10]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/G9hO25z1Fu8&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/G9hO25z1Fu8&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br />This almost got the 11 ranking as the best song on the album. It's a moody song, from one lover to another, about no matter how awfully they'll be treated, he'll be back. It is never specified why, but it's again a subtle hint at some sort of weakness. Simply beautiful. I love the harmonies, the bridge, the overall feel of the song.<br /><br />And, just for fun, here are two early versions of the song. This first one is in a different time signature (6/8), and it actually works quite well during the verses before falling completely apart at the bridge. It isn't perfect.<br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JVrhrFUwdy4&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JVrhrFUwdy4&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br />Here's another early take of it, done in 4/4 time.<br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-VycKtxwyyk&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-VycKtxwyyk&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br />It's great to hear this AMAZING song as a work-in-progress. I think this song is quite overlooked and underrated. And yet, I would rank it among their best. It's kind of a surprising choice to end the album, but at the same time...I like it like that.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subtotal: 94.62% A</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Replayability Factor: 3</span><br />This is a fun album, and it can be played anywhere.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Consistency Factor: 2</span><br />After the big ones, the ones that all the critics (deservedly) worship - <span style="font-style: italic;">Rubber Soul</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Revolver</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Pepper</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">The White Album</span> - get this one.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">External Factors: 1</span><br />No Ringo, and only one George song. Poo-poo.<br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">TOTAL: 100.6% A+</span></span><br /><br />Now for the singles:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. I Want To Hold Your Hand [10]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/iim6s8Ea_bE&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/iim6s8Ea_bE&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br />I always point to this as one of their most banal pop songs, but it's SO damn good! Love the shift to a minor key in the bridge. Fantastic, catchy, it's a quintessential pop song.<br /><br />Oh, yeah, and this was their first American number one. This was a tremendous achievement for an English artist - let alone a rock and roll band - to top the charts in the States. So, in short, this song started Beatlemania in the US.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. This Boy [10]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VY-BzepTXkA&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VY-BzepTXkA&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br />Beautiful three-part harmonies, with a memorable solo performance from John.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand [N/A]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CdYrUPa-6ko&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CdYrUPa-6ko&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br />It's "I Want To Hold Your Hand"...in German.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. Sie Leibt Dich [N/A]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1vGv_d0mk6Q&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1vGv_d0mk6Q&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br />It's "She Loves You"...in German.<br /><br />Now, the <span style="font-style: italic;">Long Tall Sally</span> EP. This is the only Beatles EP that features songs not found elsewhere. The Kinks had two EP's like this. The Who had one or two...and The Rolling Stones had a few. It's like a single, but with an extra song on each side, so roughly a third of an album.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. Long Tall Sally [10]</span><br /><object width="580" height="360"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qcogXg6YYmY&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qcogXg6YYmY&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="580" height="360"></embed></object><br /><br />McCartney at his manic best, with the band playing like the building is on fire. Jaw-droppingly good. The original was done by Little Richard...you might also know him as God.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. I Call Your Name [8]</span><br /><object width="580" height="360"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8NUL-_vJgLQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8NUL-_vJgLQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="580" height="360"></embed></object><br /><br />This John song was given a new life when Mama Cass from The Mamas & The Papas had a hit with it. It's good, but not outstanding. I do like how the song shifts to a shuffle beat in the guitar solo, before going back to straight time. That's pretty cool.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">03. Slow Down [10]</span><br /><object width="580" height="360"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rYdYb-9QHaI&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rYdYb-9QHaI&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="580" height="360"></embed></object><br /><br />One of three songs by Larry Williams, a rather obscure 1950's rocker, covered by The Beatles. John's performance here rivals Paul's on "Long Tall Sally." Just phenomenally great.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">04. Matchbox [10]</span><br /><object width="580" height="360"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ou3k0131PGU&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ou3k0131PGU&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="580" height="360"></embed></object><br /><br />Ringo sings this song, originally done by Carl Perkins. Perkins, along with Larry Williams, is the most-covered artist on official Beatles releases. Ringo also sang "Honey Don't" on <span style="font-style: italic;">Beatles For Sale</span>, with George (who idolized Carl Perkins) ending the same album with "Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby." A great little rockabilly number. I'm a sucker for great little rockabilly numbers.<br /><br />Rock on.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>Alex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860260447363818885.post-42986376385954815932010-06-06T15:44:00.003-04:002010-06-06T20:31:21.123-04:00The Kinks - 'Sleepwalker' (1977)This three-month sabbatical has been pretty wild. Not that my personal life is the focus of this blog (that would be <a href="http://my-two-and-three-fourths-cents.blogspot.com/">the other one</a>), but my fiance and I broke up. It was my call.<br /><br />Between that and my semester ending, I've had a lot more time to just sit and listen to music. It's been a real renaissance for me.<br /><br />But enough about me in 2010, let's go back to me in 2001, when I first heard this album. I picked it up in May, along with <span style="font-style: italic;">Misfits</span> (1978), and I really feel like those two albums are brothers, in the same sense that George Harrison once said, "<span style="font-style: italic;">Rubber Soul</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Revolver</span> could be 'Volume 1' and 'Volume 2'." Granted, these two albums have different tones to them. <span style="font-style: italic;">Misfits</span> is a little more playful lyrically, more whimsical. <span style="font-style: italic;">Sleepwalker</span> is a darker album...in today's context, with death metal and everything, it's about as dark as Times Square at midnight, but the songs are largely unhappy.<br /><br />What I love about The Kinks - besides everything, of course - is that you can't pin them down as having a particular sound. Since they were in such a constant state of flux creatively, there aren't any transitional albums, either. No <a href="http://alexwritesaboutstuff.blogspot.com/2010/02/beatles-beatles-for-sale-1964.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">Beatles For Sale</span></a>-like album that shows where they've been and where they're headed. None of that. Instead, each album seems to catch Ray, Dave, and the boys in different musical settings. Hell, even <span style="font-style: italic;">Preservation Act One</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Preservation Act Two</span> are markedly different stylistically.<br /><br />The one precursor I have for all this is a simple one:<br />THIS ALBUM SHOULD BE LISTENED TO AT NIGHT.<br /><br />Some albums just have connotations to them, and it all goes back to when it was that I first got into it in a big way. For me, <span style="font-style: italic;">Rubber Soul</span> is a very autumnal album. <span style="font-style: italic;">Tonight's The Night</span> is a winter album. This is a late-night summer drive, with a full moon out, maybe even some lightning, out in the middle of nowhere.<br /><br />Putting this album in context within The Kinks' career, this was their first disc after all the rock operas and concept albums that began with <span style="font-style: italic;">Arthur</span> back in 1969. Depending on who you ask, this is either a perplex, inaccessible period in the band's story or some of the greatest music the group ever did. I fall into the latter, but I don't wish to disparage <span style="font-style: italic;">Sleepwalker</span> in any sense. They came off the whole rock opera thing with a tightly-packed album containing what I think Ray does best: character sketches.<br /><br />I'm sure I'll repeat this several more times when I talk about the songs, but I'd love to sit down with him and find out what inspired the stories on this album. It's surprising to read that such fairly oblique jabs like "A Well-Respected Man" and "Dedicated Follower Of Fashion" stemmed from incidents where someone pissed Ray off, very specific events. At the same time, however, he truly is an expert storyteller, and some songs just come from the top of his head.<br /><br />In a way, each song is like a little movie all on its own, a 3 to 5-minute summary of what could unfold as a great novella. Additionally, every song on the album is at least partially in the first person. Ray seemed to be returning to a more introverted literary persona, rather than the deliciously bawdy showman we encountered on <span style="font-style: italic;">Everybody's In Showbiz</span> or his Mr. Flash get-up on <span style="font-style: italic;">Preservation Act Two</span>.<br /><br />This is a terrific album, and one I always point to as proof that, unlike what most publications would have you believe, The Kinks were still producing art worth a damn long after "Lola."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">TRACK LISTING:<br />01. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cmsjzxccfc">Life On The Road</a> [9.5]<br />02. Mr. Big Man [9.5]<br />03. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC5BR3RL6ug&feature=related">Sleepwalker</a> [10]<br />04. Brother [8]<br />05. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzjoqpTqSR4">Juke Box Music</a> [10]<br />06. Sleepless Night [9]<br />07. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKqCaHpo1kE">Stormy Sky</a> [10]<br />08. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHEIetihjRM">Full Moon</a> [11]<br />09. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuD-7pcjdSk">Life Goes On</a> [9]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The songs hyperlinked above are from the band's appearance on 'The Old Grey Whistle Test' in April 1977. The user who posted the (extraordinarily high-quality) videos doesn't have them available for embedding.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE SONGS:</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. Life On The Road [9.5]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9s2XO7ViWkk&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9s2XO7ViWkk&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br />It starts off nondescriptly enough, maybe even a little too quiet as far as the mix goes. Still, Ray daydreams of venturing to London over a delicate organ/piano arrangement. Right at the one-minute mark, it turns into an upbeat rock song. It's at the perfect tempo, capturing the excitement detailed by the narrator.<br /><br />The strange thing is, this is a subject Ray has tackled before, on <span style="font-style: italic;">Lola Versus Powerman & The Moneygoround</span> and on <span style="font-style: italic;">Everybody's In Showbiz</span>; what makes it so strange is that it doesn't seem stale. He's approaching it from a different angle. On <span style="font-style: italic;">Lola</span> it's a band rising to fame, on <span style="font-style: italic;">Showbiz</span> it's about what happens once a band has achieved fame, but here it's about a kid hitting the streets and seeing the seedy underbelly of the world: "I didn't know then that the dives and the dens / Would be so vulgar and wicked and wild...", his failed encounters with "stuck-up city ladies" yields him nothing more than a cold, he naively gets seduced by a gay muscleman while "hanging out with the punks."<br /><br />His quest for success gives him holes in his socks and bloodshot eyes. At the end of the song he yearns for home, hoping to "Say goodbye to a world that's too real / Goodbye to a world that's forgotten how to feel," confessing it's taking its toll on him, he sometimes hates it, but it's all he's ever known. When he sings the chorus - "But I'm livin' the life that I chose" - he has such a sense of resignation that it's like a reluctant sigh, something he tells himself in the mirror every morning, before launching back into the chorus at full-speed.<br /><br />The song's musical energy is a nice displacement to what is a fairly downtrodden tale, one I'm sure Ray had witnessed after 15 years in "the business."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. Mr. Big Man [9.5]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lcEIBwf7ZwY&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lcEIBwf7ZwY&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br />This one HAS to be based on someone in Ray's life. It isn't Tom Robinson, though we'll talk about him a little later.<br /><br />In the YouTube comments, someone claims it's about John Lennon. While John did act like an ass towards The Kinks at the 1964 NME Poll Winners' concert, this is 13 years later, never mind smack in the middle of John's "house-husband" phase. I doubt it...but it could be about anyone who let fame get to their head.<br /><br />Anyway, this is a pretty grim song, about a former friend whose lust for money and power has made him a crooked, intimidating figure in the business world, although in the final verse, Ray suggests a far more sinister path: "Your enemies and foes / Are all stacked-up in rows / Eliminated one by one."<br /><br />There's a lot of passion in the music, and a palpable sense of hurt and anger in Ray's vocals. This album and <span style="font-style: italic;">Schoolboys In Disgrace</span> have some of Ray's best performances as a singer. He's quite underrated in that regard.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">03. Sleepwalker [10]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/p6CHpcWANiM&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/p6CHpcWANiM&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br />That is some damn funky drumming from Mick Avory on the intro. Good, catchy riff, too.<br /><br />This was the big single from the album, and their first hit in some time. It almost reminds me of "Lola," in that both songs have a slightly twisted lyric wrapped up in a catchy-as-Hell rock song. The stuff about sleepwalking seems fairly harmless until he starts talking about "Better close your window tight / I might come in for a bite," or at the end, when he says "I'll even come to your home / If you're ever alone." I read somewhere that an extra verse was cut out of the song with an overt sexual reference. I can't find any record of what the extra lines were, but I'd love to know. Whatever it was, I have no doubt that it was removed with the idea of the song being the album's single in mind.<br /><br />And how about Dave's dueling guitar solos? Listen to that with headphones for the full effect.<br /><br />Because I like this song so damn much, here it is again, and in an entirely different mix:<br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/B-uRq16lai0&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/B-uRq16lai0&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">04. Brother [8]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Zg8nRKutHDY&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Zg8nRKutHDY&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br />This could have been the single, but Ray resisted and held out for "Sleepwalker." I can see why. I used to dislike this song, I thought it was too schmaltzy. But, as is the case with a lot of Kinks songs, a close reading of the lyrics shows something much different than the music suggests.<br /><br />"You're my brother / Though I didn't know you yesterday"<br /><br />This isn't a celebration of Ray and Dave's relationship - which is an amusing, at times sweet, love/hate sibling affair - it's about how the world is going to Hell, with people "...breaking off relationships / And leavin' on sailin' ships / For far and distant shores." There is an odd sense of impending doom in this song, something we'll return to later on the album, as if everyone seems to be fleeing from some sort of cataclysmic event. While I'm glad this wasn't the single - it's too repetitive, I think - it is a good song.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">05. Juke Box Music [10]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qLQd2wjvJ1Y&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qLQd2wjvJ1Y&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br />This is a masterpiece. Never mind the lyrics - for now - but musically, the way the song builds up to an intro, with a guitar solo that sounds like it was plucked from the clouds...and whatever sort of synthesizer John Gosling was playing sounds fantastic. Sounds like the Stringman synth Frank Sampedro plays on Neil Young's "Like A Hurricane." Those short bursts of guitar solos at the end of the choruses is a pretty, melodic bit of playing. And again, Ray sounds great; so does Dave on the last chorus.<br /><br />Then there's the lyrics. It's a character study of a woman at a dance club who pumps quarters into the jukebox to simply listen to the music she loves, like an addiction. She doesn't dance, she doesn't interact with anyone else, just listens to the music. Ray assures us, the listener, that "It's only jukebox music!" After that stellar guitar break in the middle, the lyrics get personal, compounded by it being Ray and Dave singing these lyrics, seemingly to each other:<br /><br />"It's all because of that music<br />That we're slowly drifting apart<br />But it's only there to dance to<br />So you shouldn't take it to heart"<br /><br />Maybe it's because there's so much meaning in Ray's lyrics, maybe it's because Ray stands with George Harrison and Frank Zappa as one of the great idols of my youth, but there's such irony in Ray Davies telling us that his music is only there to dance to. Perhaps it's a comment on the direction they were taking, opting for a more commercial sound upon signing to Arista Records in 1976.<br /><br />It's one of the best examples of Ray Davies the storyteller, and I love how he brings it full-circle to briefly reflect on his relationship with Dave. Classic Kinks.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">06. Sleepless Night [9]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mqFYdo6fCVM&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mqFYdo6fCVM&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br />Looking through all these videos, I have to paraphrase something Glenn Gass said about The Beatles in 1966: The Kinks circa 1977 look so cool. When I was younger, I thought Dave was the shit. I still do.<br /><br />Dave takes the lead vocals on this song (although Ray gets two lines in the bridge), and he sounds great. There's something about the timbre of his voice that I just love. When I first heard The White Stripes, I thought, "Wow, this guy sounds like Dave Davies!"<br /><br />Anyway, the song is a great showcase for some backing vocal harmonies, organ, and Dave's guitar. I'm a big sucker of this, although other musicians I know think it's a cheap trick, but I love when a drummer switches to playing in double-time. That happens at the beginning of the song, it lumbers for a second, but then Mick kicks it into high gear and away it goes.<br /><br />It's a funny story, although if it were a situation happening to me, I wouldn't be laughing. The song's hero is kept awake by his neighbors having loud sex. That's already a pretty bad situation, but then in the bridge comes the critical line:<br /><br />"Once I was her lover<br />It was so good to be<br />Now she's got somebody else and I can't sleep<br />Nothing hurts people more than other people do<br />But what can you do?"<br /><br />Good song.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">07. Stormy Sky [10]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SBUSussfscM&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SBUSussfscM&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br />Amazing!<br /><br />This is a tender love song, for the most part. There's two of those great Davies twists, little lines that throw the song's balance, if one is focusing on the lyrics: "Perhaps it's a sign of what we're headed for" and "There's nowhere we can hide," both suggesting apocalyptic doom, much like in "Brother."<br /><br />The group is running on all cylinders, too: Ray goes from a sotto near-whisper at the beginning to a full-voiced bellow at the end. Fantastic. The band plays with a great deal of temperament, all building up to the 2:45 marker, where the song stops for just a second and Dave ushers in the song's coda with a great high riff. It ends perfectly, slowing down to a halt, almost like the end of a violent storm.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">08. Full Moon [11]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tvpmfzAUiWM&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tvpmfzAUiWM&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br />But we're not out of the woods just yet. This is one of Ray's best songs, period, and the easy winner of best song from the album. It's almost like the spiritual invert of "Stormy Sky." Where the previous is a dark, stormy night shared by two lovers, this clear night with a bright full moon shining down is one of solitary torment.<br /><br />Everything about this song is perfect, the way Ray asks, "Haven't you noticed a kind of madness in my eyes?", confessing to all these character flaws and quirky mannerisms as being the result of a full moon. The melody is simply beautiful, and the band does the song justice; like the last song, there's a sense of reserve until the coda. The piano break near the end brings in the big finale, where Ray is singing like his career depends on it. It's a beautiful point when the backing vocals hearken back to "Johnny Thunder" from <span style="font-style: italic;">The Village Green Preservation Society</span> (at the 3:22 mark), it still floors me.<br /><br />Songs like this are the only reason I need to defend my choice of The Kinks as my favorite band of all time.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">09. Life Goes On [9]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sPNxTaiAavg&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sPNxTaiAavg&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br />I used to hate this song, and let's face it, "Full Moon" is an incredibly difficult act to follow. I also used to hate any song that openly acknowledged one's own mortality. Now, though, the line "And one day when you are gone / You know that life will still go on" sits fairly well with me.<br /><br />Some great Ray one-liners here, "Life goes on / It happens every day," "Get that frown off your head / 'Cause you're a long time dead," and "No matter how hard I try / It seems I'm too young to die." I really like that bridge where he talks about his own suicide attempt, how he planned to gas himself to death, but hadn't paid his bills so his supply was cut off. As I've gotten older I've developed more of an appreciation for such bare-faced morbid humor.<br /><br />And on that note, I have to say, where else could we go after a song like "Full Moon" but to a meditation on life and death?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subtotal: 95.5% A</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Replayability Factor: 3</span><br />I can listen to this album anytime, anyplace, anywhere.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Consistency Factor: 2</span><br />For a band with such a long career, it's easy to pick the immediate classics. I don't think too many people will disagree with me if I say your first Kinks album should be <span style="font-style: italic;">Village Green</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Something Else</span>, or <span style="font-style: italic;">Arthur</span>. But as far as second-level Kinks listening goes, I put <span style="font-style: italic;">Sleepwalker</span> very high up as a sign that they still had it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">External Factors: 2</span><br />It's a great example of Ray's songwriting reaching new heights as far as storytelling and painting pictures of people, whether sympathetic ("Juke Box Music") or less so ("Mr. Big Man"). There's a lot about sanity, things taking a toll on one's psyche, so it's lyrically one of the more harrowing Kinks releases. It just happens to be wrapped in a deceptively gorgeous musical package.<br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">TOTAL: 102.5% A+</span></span><br /><br />And now, since there is a single to cover plus some outtakes that I think are worth mentioning, let's go into the bonus round.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">SINGLES:</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. Father Christmas [11]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CjaPXihbORk&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CjaPXihbORk&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br />This is my favorite Christmas song of all-time. It's hilarious, and it gives a good glimpse into what the holiday is really about for the Western world: greed. It's also punk, through and through.<br /><br />Also, does that video not look like the best party ever? I'd hang out with them.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. Prince Of The Punks [10]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Se8h8cqG6U0&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Se8h8cqG6U0&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br />And speaking of punks, this is the best diss song since "Positively 4th Street," an almighty "fuck you" to Ray's former protege Tom Robinson, who apparently decided to go into punk music because it was the "thing" at the time. Even without any knowledge of what/who the song is really about, it's a pretty pointed barb about the guy we all know who tries too hard.<br /><br />All I know is I would never want Ray Davies pissed off at me.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">OUTTAKES:</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. The Poseur [10]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2uCd191Fp2M&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2uCd191Fp2M&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br />This was originally going to be the title cut for the album. I don't quite know why it got trimmed, it's a really good song, a bit different in style from the rest of the disc, but in a good way. I mean, you can DANCE to this! Pretty unique song, nothing else quite like it in the canon.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. On The Outside [9]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2A8tQ9soEzk&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2A8tQ9soEzk&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br />While I like this song, I can definitely see why it wasn't on the finished album. It might have been better-suited for <span style="font-style: italic;">Misfits</span> or a Ray Davies solo release. It isn't bad at all, maybe a little too much on the side of easy-listening. Still, the song was dusted off in 1994, polished with some new tracks, and released on an EP featuring a newly-recorded version of "Waterloo Sunset," the aptly-named <span style="font-style: italic;">Waterloo Sunset '94</span>. The version here is from 1977.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">03. Elevator Man [10]</span><br /><object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nzy9ovCxSvQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nzy9ovCxSvQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object><br />Oh, my God, this song.<br /><br />I'm so proud that I have a copy of this tune. Assuming my friend Dave Emlen at the <a href="http://www.kindakinks.net">greatest Kinks site in the universe</a> posts this review on the "News & Rumors" feed, this will hopefully mean a batch of Kinks fans are hearing this ditty for the first time. It's a funky little rocker, about an elevator operator who sees all sorts of people.<br /><br />I like it.<br /><br />On that note, if you bother to click through on the YouTube link for "Elevator Man," you'll notice it was posted by one Sleepwalker1977.<br /><br />That's me. That's how much I love this album. My old email address is Sleepwalker_1977 [at] hotmail.com, so yeah...<span style="font-style: italic;">Sleepwalker</span> is an album I enjoy very much. It's super-dorky, but what can I say? I'm a dork.<br /><br />Good to be back. Hope to see you again soon.<br />AlexAlex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860260447363818885.post-34226424907347968422010-06-02T05:01:00.002-04:002010-06-02T05:04:25.059-04:00Quick Addendum - The Village Green Preservation SocietyHi Kinks fans -<br />Previously, I mentioned not being too moved by "Animal Farm." Listening to the album in mono at this Endymion hour (it's 5AM here in NYC), let me just say I've engaged in some critical re-evaluating of the song.<br /><br />In short, it's terrific. A majestic tune, with a lot more nuances than I'd previously given it credit for.<br /><br />And if you are looking to get into The Kinks, look no further than <a href="http://kindakinks.net">this fantastic website</a> for all the lyrics, album covers, chords, and a very engaged online community.<br /><br />'Night! (Or should I say, Morning!)<br />AlexAlex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860260447363818885.post-82833244296867770432010-03-12T22:40:00.003-05:002010-03-13T02:20:13.587-05:00Monty Python's Flying Circus, S01/E01 - "Whither Canada?"It's about bloody time I got around to doing this! This has been getting kicked around in the back of my head since last year when Shelley and I were watching Python religiously. A few weeks ago I watched a few vintage <span style="font-style: italic;">Saturday Night Live</span> episodes on NetFlix, and I have to say the comparisons between SNL (even in its "Not Ready For Primetime Players" heyday) and Python are bullshit. That's like saying so-and-so is "an American Beatles" or even, like so many critics and fans were searching for in the early 1970's, "the NEXT Beatles."<br /><br />Both were sketch comedy shows, yes. Both were radical departures from the standard fare of their respective countries (and that, too, makes a key difference)...but that's about it.<br /><br />Subversive by American standards was "I want to feed your fingertips to the wolverines."<br /><br />Subversive by English standards was...well, watch:<br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zJpJbL6Pzjo&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zJpJbL6Pzjo&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Click </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJpJbL6Pzjo">here</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> if the video isn't working.</span><br /><br />Regardless, this shouldn't be an excuse to knock Saturday Night Live. We're here to praise the Python...although something about that sentence just doesn't sound right.<br /><br />On with the episode.<br /><br />By and large, one should not judge the strength of a series by its premiere episode. With American programs, pilots are generally the first aired, and even if they're "good," they pale in comparison with the rest of the series. This one is no exception. Not to say it's awful, in fact, it's still very watchable - plenty of classic Python bits to be found here - but the moments where the show is off it feels like a cheap skit put on at a talent show.<br /><br />(Yes, yes, Python geeks, I'm aware that Season One, Episode One, "Whither Canada?", was the second episode filmed. No matter, what I consider canon is the airing order. This aired first, this was England's introduction to the Pythons, so there.)<br /><br />The opening sequence, with Michael Palin emerging from the water as the tattered "It's" Man, takes just a little too long for my liking. (I clocked it at 55 seconds.) Years later, Palin made a joke about the not-at-all steep grade of the ground underwater, hence the length of the sequence. Still, seeing this hairy scruffian wearing the haggard shreds of a suit emerge from the sea, only to collapse and sigh the word, "It's..." before the animated credits roll is iconic absurdism.<br /><br />One of the great features of the Flying Circus series was that the troupe wanted to avoid sketch program cliches. One such cliche is that sketches are written, built up, but then brought to an end by way of a punchline, which more often than not didn't hold up to the rest of the sketch. Why end sketches in a program, when they could all be linked together, in a surrealistic stream-of-consciousness fashion?<br /><br />This first time out, though, the comedic device of people sitting on pigs is the source of linking material. Frankly, I think it's poorly played the first time (not well-performed by Graham Chapman, also some poorly synced sound), though later on in the episode it's quite funny. Maybe it's the repetition. The idea of repetition being a simple gag for humor would be taken to its most bizarre next season, but that's...well...next season.<br /><br />That aside, this isn't some crummy pilot. They don't hold any punches with their first sketch, a phony program entitled <span style="font-style: italic;">It's Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart</span>, featuring John Cleese as the composer. However, it's nothing really to do with Mozart - he is merely the host - and instead is a program featuring the deaths of historical figures. It's got a dark undertone to it (a commentary on television violence, perhaps?), balanced out by the sheer slapstick of seeing Genghis Khan (Cleese in a filmed bit) die a cartoonish death by way of leaping in the air and landing on his back.<br /><br />My great thesis on Python, whether it's the films, albums, or television series is that their brand of humor succeeds because it combines some intelligent, cerebral wit with simple, funny-no-matter-how-many-times gags. This is best symbolized by the death depicted of Admiral Horatio Nelson. You don't need to know about the Battle of Trafalgar to laugh at seeing a dummy in early 19th-Century garb tossed out of a high-rise window. However, you can laugh just a little harder knowing among his last words were "Kiss me, Hardy!", to his second-in-command.<br /><br />Don't miss Cleese, with a German accent, uttering, "Blimey, how time flies!"<br /><br />The Italian For Italians sketch is...okay. The audience laughter at Terry Jones' instructor saying he is from Gerard's Cross is something lost on me. As for the Italians taking the lesson, they're played a little broadly, pinstripe suit-wearing spivs divided by regionalist pride. Political correctness makes sketches like these age poorly, but at the time other sketch programs would often display national stereotypes and call it humor. The Pythons are in fact offering their own twist on this trope. They would do it again throughout the series, and frankly, the underlying point is much more obvious. It's amusing enough, but not a strong sketch. Thankfully, Terry Jones sits on a pig (porcine casualty number three in this episode - PETA would be pissed!), leading to the first cartoon.<br /><br />A runaway pig from the tallyboard, where dead piggy #3 is crossed off, marks the debut animation from Terry Gilliam. Even in the weaker shows, the cartoons never cease to amuse. Explaining what all happens would suck the fun out of seeing it. It leads to a phony commercial for Whizzo Butter, "containing 10% more less," a product that brings with its purchase admission to Heaven. Pitchman Palin is seen with the other four actor Pythons (Gilliam's on-screen presence is generally that of an extra and/or grotesque, making "Terry Gilliam appearances" a tally category at the end of this post) all dressed in drag as middle-aged housewives.<br /><br />These little wenches are called "pepperpots," dubbed such in Cleese's pre-<span style="font-style: italic;">Flying Circus</span> special <span style="font-style: italic;">How To Irritate People</span>, relating to the shape of their bodies. Along with Gilliam's on-screen appearances, I'm also going to have Cleese's appearances in drag as another tally. At six-foot, five inches tall, Cleese is an extraordinarily unconvincing woman and, to me at least, as unfailingly hilarious as Gilliam's cartoons.<br /><br />The pepperpots can NOT tell the difference between Whizzo Butter and a dead crab, and this is apparently a good thing, although they threaten Palin that if he's one of those television pitchmen trying to get them to compare Whizzo Butter to a dead crab, they'll slit his face.<br /><br />So far, we've got animal cruelty, broadly-played national stereotypes, clever historical references, death, a mockery of consumerist stupidity, and one demented cartoon. Yep, this is Python, all right!<br /><br />Unfortunately, the Whizzo bit ends in a very un-Python manner, with a hard edit to the credits for <span style="font-style: italic;">It's The Arts</span>. (According to Kim Johnson's marvelous Python book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/First-Years-Monty-Python-Revised/dp/0312169337/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268460304&sr=8-2">The First 28 Years of Monty Python</a>, quite a few sketches were cut from this episode, many to be seen in future episodes.) The first segment of <span style="font-style: italic;">It's The Arts</span> features a great lampooning of the formality of names and nicknames, with filmmaker Sir Edward Ross (Chapman) being called a litany of names: Ted, angel-drawers, Franny-knickers, and everything in between. Storming off the set, Ross is summoned back by Cleese's Tom (who doesn't want Ross "bothering with all this 'Thomas' nonsense") with a serious question about his latest film. Ten seconds into Ross' guaranteed-to-be-dull yarn, Cleese interrupts with an, "Oh, shut up!", expertly dashing audience expectations.<br /><br />Eric Idle, who I now unfortunately think of as the Python with the honor "Most Likely To Ride Python All The Way To The Bank," gives his own variant nickname-based interview. While Cleese's interviewer tries so desperately to be polite and personable with his subject, Eric is a cheeky smart-ass with composer Arthur "Two-Sheds" Jackson (Jones), who earned his nickname not by actually having a second shed but rather by simply <span style="font-style: italic;">thinking</span> of building a second shed.<br /><br />This doesn't keep Idle from asking if Jackson wrote his latest symphony in the shed. He drives him to his breaking point, turning from sheds to inquiring about Jackson's interest in trainspotting. After a snippy, ready to crack retort of "What's that got to do with my bloody music?", Cleese's Tom joins Idle in booting the irate composer off-set. Again, another sketch ended before getting stale (maybe even a little early) and without some silly punchline.<br /><br />The final bit of the <span style="font-style: italic;">It's The Arts</span> segment centers around Pablo Picasso's latest painting, which is being done whilst riding a bicycle. If this notion isn't delightfully silly enough, the entire thing is played out with the detailed enthusiasm of a sportscast. Picasso's route is outlined, the model of bicycle is explained, and in one of the best moments of the episode, Cleese presents an on-the-scene report while a laundry list of famous artists (dead and alive) zip by on bicycles. Palin's surprisingly informed pepperpot tells Cleese that it's Vassily Kandinsky he's seeing and not Picasso, later correcting Cleese that the (dead since 1948) Kurt Schwitters was German, not English.<br /><br />What makes the scene, beyond the incongruity of Palin's middle-aged housewife displaying a good knowledge of 20th-Century art is more than just the attention to detail. It's Cleese's performance. He delivers his lines at a mile-a-minute, like his head is ready to explode...it's one of those things, you can't explain why it's funny. It just is.<br /><br />How does this build-up climax? With the absurdist logic that makes Python so great: Picasso falls off his bicycle, unseen, the details of his painting unknown. We are informed, thankfully, that the artist is unharmed, "although the pig has a slight headache." One more piggy pops its head up from under the desk as Palin's host bids us goodnight, right in time for the end credits (around the 21-minute mark) if this were American television.<br /><br />Thank God for the commercial-free programming of the BBC, as we've still got nine minutes to go. We get another wonderful cartoon, featuring what I consider Gilliam's staple art: animations of vintage photographs. It's twisted, it's slightly disturbing (the man trapped inside the military officer begging to be let out), but it's marvelous. And to think this was on mainstream television some 40 years ago.<br /><br />The show ends this week with an extended sketch, featuring the world's funniest joke, which induces fatal laughter. The film version of the sketch's first half featured in the 1971 film <span style="font-style: italic;">And Now For Something Completely Different</span> is performed a little better - notably in the joke's author and his mother's deaths from reading the joke - but this is a fairly important sketch for the lads. It seems all three writing teams (Chapman/Cleese, Idle, and Palin/Jones) all contributed their own bits to it, and while there are no animations, Gilliam appears on-screen in two minor roles.<br /><br />Rounding out the rest of the show, the segment lags at times (mainly in the battlefield scenes), but its high points more than make up for the bumps. Terry Jones' dorky, unsuspecting Army test subject and his tittering demise still makes me laugh, Cleese's goose-stepping interrogator is great (and we'll see him again as a Nazi before the season's end, a more famous one, in fact...), and the scene where the defense ministers laugh themselves to death (on the other side of a guarded door), with the laughter punctuated by the sounds of bodies dropping, is a beautiful stroke of macabre humor. And history geeks will appreciate the stock footage of Chamberlain declaring "Peace in our time!" as Idle mentions "England's great pre-war joke."<br /><br />Idle's narrator wraps the segment with a solemn tribute at the burial site of the Unknown Joke, before a quick cutaway to stock footage of a ref blowing his whistle and a title frame saying "THE END".<br /><br />The "It's" man is roused by way of a pointed stick (an incredibly specific prop we'll be seeing and hearing of again in future episodes) and he drags himself back out into the surf as the end credits play.<br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">FIN</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Low Points:</span><br />+ I feel like the first few episodes of this series treat Cleese as if he were the leader of the troupe, for better or for worse. He'd enjoyed the most success already by this point with <span style="font-style: italic;">At Last The 1948 Show</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Frost Report</span>, and his TV special <span style="font-style: italic;">How To Irritate People</span> (which plays like a really, really bad episode of Python.) He certainly seems to elicit the most laughs from the audience.<br /><br />+ Parts of this episode's first half, pre-<span style="font-style: italic;">It's The Arts</span>, come across as tentative.<br /><br />+ The piggy gag. (In all fairness, Shelley liked it.)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">High Points:</span><br />+ This episode is kind of like "I Saw Her Standing There," the first song from the first Beatles album. It's hard to define the inaugural quality of "Whither Canada?", as the show most definitely picked up some serious momentum in the episodes to come, but damn if it doesn't make me happy every time I see this and know this is where it all started.<br /><br />+ Cleese's stream of ridiculous nicknames for Sir Edward "Ted/Eddie Baby/Sweetie/Sugar Plum/Angel Drawers/Frank/Fran/Frannie/Little Frannie/Frannie Knickers" Ross.<br /><br />+ Idle's ribbing of Arthur "Two-Sheds" Jackson.<br /><br />+ Cleese's sportscaster, forerunner of so many classic Cleese moments.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best Lines:</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />"We are proud to be bringing to you one of the evergreen bucket kickers. Yes, the wonderful death of the famous English Admiral Nelson."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"He say, 'Milan is better than Napoli!'"</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Oh, well, he shouldn't be saying that, we haven't done comparatives yet!"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"I don't like being called Eddie Baby!"</span> - this implies he's been called this before...<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"I'm going to get rid of the shed. I'm fed up with it!</span>"<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Then you'll be Arthur 'No Sheds' Jackson."<br /><br />"In 1945, peace broke out."<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> SCORE: 84% B</span><br /></span><br />John Cleese in drag count: I<br />Terry Gilliam count: IIAlex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860260447363818885.post-81824624154477196392010-02-25T05:06:00.002-05:002010-02-25T06:22:03.276-05:00Addendum: A Beginner's Introduction To Frank ZappaThat wonderful (anonymous) comment from <a href="https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5860260447363818885&postID=6524446480897491713">the last post</a> made a good point. I'm one who celebrates his entire discography, although there are some real clunkers on his lesser albums.<br /><br />Anyway, this revised list is for the people who might run away screaming from their stereo systems the moment they hear <span style="font-style: italic;">Uncle Meat</span>. I need to keep in mind, what I consider Zappa's masterpieces just aren't for everyone.<br /><br />Let's do round two, in which FZ's more accessible material is the focus:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">10. Freak Out! (1966)</span><br />The last twenty minutes of this hour-long double album notwithstanding, this is a good, healthy blast of the mid-60's LA scene along with some finely-written pop songs...and a greasy doo-wop number that firmly established that often-repeated phrase from the LP's gatefold, "No Commercial Potential."<br /><br />Oh, how we beg to differ.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Key tracks:</span> "Hungry Freaks, Daddy," "Who Are The Brain Police?," "Motherly Love," "Wowie Zowie," "Trouble Every Day"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">09. Joe's Garage (1979)</span><br />One of the best fusions of orchestral sensibilities with rock and roll instruments, this album has some of Zappa's most memorable (and quotable) moments. Peppered throughout are some amazing guitar solos, proof that Ike Willis is the most underrated singer in rock and roll, and some of Zappa's most beautiful (and haunting) melodies.<br /><br />The only caveat is there's plenty of crude humor that might throw off an average listener with tales mocking religion, depictions of sex in German (later described in English - may want to brace yourself for that one), and incredibly unsubtle mentions of, uh...prison romance. Don't play this for your girlfriend if she's Catholic.<br /><br />Definitely play this for your girlfriend if she's a lapsed Catholic.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Key tracks:</span> "Catholic Girls," "Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?," "Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up," "A Token Of My Extreme," "Watermelon In Easter Hay"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">08. The Grand Wazoo (1972)</span><br />I was a bit reluctant to have two jazz records on here, but this one is too damn good to pass up. Featuring a true big band, rather than the usual shit-ton of overdubbage from someone like Ian Underwood or Sal Marquez (although Marquez is very much on this record, in full trumpeting force), the album's title track wouldn't be out of place in some sort of historical epic. And George Duke's hot-shit keyboard solo on "Eat That Question" and its lead-in to one of Zappa's funkiest grooves is not to be missed.<br /><br />The only thing that might throw off the "average" listener (whoever that might be) is the absence of lyrics. There really is sort of a demand, as Zappa pointed out with typical cynicism, that songs have words in the present day. Regardless, this is a great introduction for the jazz-head.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Key tracks:</span> "The Grand Wazoo," "For Calvin (And His Next Two Hitchhikers)," "Cletus Awreetus-Awrightus," "Eat That Question," "Blessed Relief" (The whole album is five tracks...they're all great.)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">07. Sheik Yerbouti (1979)</span><br />No libretto, no maniacal sonic experiments, no stage antics, just rock and roll - Zappa style, of course. This is the album for the "classic rock" fan. Terry Bozzio's vocal adventures, Adrian Belew's Dylan imitation (by the way, Adrian Belew is on this album), and the seamless dubbing of studio material onto live backing tracks make for one Hell of a trip.<br /><br />The only real hang-up here is the song that caused some trouble for FZ back then: "Jewish Princess." Justify it all you want, give them the great Zappa quote of "Unlike the unicorn, the Jewish Princess does indeed exist in our society," explain that he wasn't a misogynist, and you might still have a very indignant reaction.<br /><br />Don't play this album for your rabbi.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Key tracks:</span> "Flakes," "Tryin' To Grow A Chin," "City Of Tiny Lites," "Dancin' Fool," "Wild Love"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">06. Over-Nite Sensation (1973)</span><br />The debut of The Mothers mark III, this is a compact run of pop/rock/jazz numbers that shows off the incredible talents of Jean-Luc Ponty, George Duke, and Ruth Underwood. The real star here, though, is Frank, having lead vocals on nearly all of the songs (with MVP going to in-and-out-of-Zappa's-band-because-of-alcohol vocalist Ricky Lancelotti for his two madcap performances) and providing a great guitar solo - short or long - on EVERY tune.<br /><br />The only snag? "Dinah-Moe Humm" plays like a porno. You can't hide behind hoping the listener will focus only on the music; the song is mixed in such a way that the vocals are pretty front-and-center.<br /><br />Also, and this is my own hang-up, but I personally think "Montana" is one of his stupidest songs. Period.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Key tracks:</span> "Camarillo Brillo," "I'm The Slime," "Dirty Love," "Fifty-Fifty," "Dinah-Moe Humm"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">05. Hot Rats (1969)</span><br />Rykodisc nailed it when they referred to this album as "the album that people who don't even like Frank Zappa can enjoy" (or something to that effect). Possessing a distinctly rockier/bluesier edge than <span style="font-style: italic;">The Grand Wazoo</span>, this really is one of the best all-around introductions to Zappa as a songwriter.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Key tracks:</span> "Peaches En Regalia," "Willie The Pimp," "The Gumbo Variations"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">04. Apostrophe (') (1974)</span><br />This is one of the easiest FZ albums to hunt down used on vinyl. It's just one of those mid-70's albums it seemed everyone owned, no doubt because of "Don't Eat The Yellow Snow." Unlike, say, "Valley Girl" and <span style="font-style: italic;">Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch</span>, it's not hard to picture buyers giving equal time to both sides of this record.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Key tracks:</span> The "Don't Eat The Yellow Snow" suite on Side A, "Cosmik Debris," "Apostrophe (')," "Uncle Remus" (I actually know two people who have done as the lyrics to this song describe: stealing lawn jockeys out of rich people's lawns. One I don't think knew Zappa...in fact, they took the jockey and shot it with a Mosin Nagant rifle...the other guy did it because of this song.)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">03. We're Only In It For The Money (1968)</span><br />Quintessential Zappa, with what many consider his best band (if just on principle - and with said principle in mind, they kind of were) and an even smaller contingency feel is his only band worth a good God-damn. Plenty of humor, bold musical experiments, and even a dash of pathos here and there.<br /><br />Not to be played for hippies.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Key tracks:</span> "Who Needs The Peace Corps?," "Mom And Dad," "Flower Punk," "The Idiot Bastard Son," "Mother People"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. You Are What You Is (1981)</span><br />There's some bias in this. I love this album, and I contend it is Zappa's most accessible album in the milieu of pop-rock. The lyrical topics were life-altering (side C's series of songs on religion said things I'd been thinking for years by age 15) and just plain funny, sending up the shallower side of American society. Great vocal performances throughout courtesy of Bob Harris, Ray White, Ike Willis, and even the Indian of the Group himself, Mr. Jimmy Carl Black.<br /><br />Frank's sneering vocal line on "Dumb All Over" sounds like he's on the brink of spewing acid. Unforgettably awesome.<br /><br />Might want to skip the song where the protagonist smacks his (whiny, obnoxious shrew of a) girlfriend, though.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Key tracks:</span> "Teenage Wind," "Harder Than Your Husband," "Doreen," "The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing," "Dumb All Over"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. One Size Fits All (1975)</span><br />I reviewed this one back in the summer of 2009, so you can read all about it there. It is the album I consider the finest example of Zappa's "Zappaesque" sound, with goofy lyrics that conceal two or three different layers of meaning, mean guitar work, and musicianship that will make you wonder why you're even bothering with your garage band.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Key tracks:</span> "Inca Roads," "Can't Afford No Shoes," "Sofa #1," "San Ber'dino," "Andy"Alex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860260447363818885.post-65244464808974917132010-02-23T03:02:00.001-05:002010-02-23T03:44:10.803-05:00So, You Want To Get Into.........Frank Zappa?Have I talked about this before, the AV Club's feature called "Gateways To Geekery?" It's one of the best columns they have, though I feel like they don't do it enough. There's plenty out there that seems daunting at least from the outset.<br /><br />Anyway, this is the same premise - and be real, this might be an act of theft, but their own column is an act of theft of the type of conversations you would have with your friends ("I've always wanted to get into so-and-so, any suggestions on where to start?"), so don't even start - as the AV Club's column, making allowances for my own opinions. I really need to branch out from just music. In fact, since I still think my <a href="http://alexwritesaboutstuff.blogspot.com/2009/10/dr-no-1962.html">Dr. No</a> review stands as proof that I'm reeeeeeally rusty at writing about films, it might be better for me to frame films through such a context - "So, You Want To Get Into.........Monty Python?" or "...Soviet Film?" would be good entries.<br /><br />Let's start.<br /><br />I'm a Zappa fan who is sort of on the fence about fellow Zappa fans. The ones I meet in person I get along with really well. I was telling a friend this past weekend it's a lot like meeting a fellow drummer, in that we can talk for hours about "What was your first FZ album?" or "Who's your favorite bassist?", fun stuff like that.<br /><br />The online fan community, though? Rabid, contrary, bloviating, arrogant, misinformed, close-minded, vitriolic, territorial, and confrontational. There are some shining stars out there. My friends running <a href="http://killuglyradio.com/">Kill Ugly Radio</a> are great. It's in the comment boards, however, that the discourse can veer into some unappetizing turf. Some of these bozos can't comprehend first of all that Frank Zappa was not only human, but one with many character flaws.<br /><br />Second, anyone who doesn't appreciate one of his works is an uncultured Philistine who simply "doesn't get it." This especially becomes the constant cop-out in instances where Uncle Frank gets exceptionally vulgar. To them, if you find his work offensive, it has something to do with YOU, not the music.<br /><br />Take my dad - a very open-minded guy musically, with everything from Beethoven to Juice Newton to Cheap Trick to Indian folk music in his collection. But for the most part, he doesn't like Frank Zappa, and it isn't a case of him not "getting it." Believe me, in all my attempts to proselytize to him I have had success in all other cases (I got him into The Ramones, The Residents, Wesley Willis, and pretty much any original blues rendition of a song later done by Cream or The Yardbirds), but with Zappa's discography it's almost completely been a brick wall. One notable exception was this past January when we listened to <span style="font-style: italic;">Orchestral Favorites</span> in the car. He said it was "not bad," which on his grading scale is about a B.*<br /><br />Trust me, he "got it" when he heard "Dinah-Moe Humm." He "got it" when Flo and Eddie sang about monstrous dicks on <span style="font-style: italic;">Fillmore East, June 1971</span>. He "got it" when he heard this stuff originally, and he "got it" 30 years later when I tried playing it for him.<br /><br />His criticisms are three simple, admittedly valid points:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1.) "He Just Tries Too Hard To Be Weird!"</span><br />This is where it simply becomes a matter of taste. Some chords, timbres, tones, and intervals that may seem harsh to one set of ears could very well be another person's conception of what Heaven itself sounds like. My dad didn't care for <span style="font-style: italic;">Uncle Meat</span>, he said it was "harsh and atonal."<br /><br />And you know what? He's right. That's also the exact same reason I LOVE that album.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2.) "He Can Be Too Vulgar Sometimes!"</span><br />Since Zappa regularly singled out Republicans (though he did target Democratic figures on occasion, too), it's a safe bet that just about any serious analyst of Zappa's work is at least slightly left of center. Unfortunately, this means more than a few of them (Kelly Fisher Lowe's <span style="font-style: italic;">The Words & Music of Frank Zappa</span> does this to the point of annoyance) attempt to justify the existence of songs in Zappa's canon that contain references to bodily functions, sex, sexism, racism, and homophobia. Frank was no racist - his earliest bands featured black and Chicano musicians, before The Mothers Of Invention - and he was certainly no sexist. But he was fascinated by gender roles. He was fascinated by human nature. And guess what? Humans do some pretty interesting things. Put into an unflinchingly honest light, they can seem disgusting. They can even seem alien.<br /><br />This is the thrust of so much of his "vulgar" works.<br /><br />Ben Watson upped the ante with the claim that Zappa's trips to Vulgaria are a test on the listener's values. Things are only offensive because of one's own morals. Blah, blah, blah. It's all horse-shit. You know how some people (maybe even you, the reader) just can NOT talk about bowel movements? Yet others - myself included - can be pretty shameless in talking about our latest dump? It's not that the people - mainly women - who jokingly deny that they even create poo are close-minded moralists. They just think it's nasty.<br /><br />Again, yes, poop is nasty. But it's something we all do...and, as before, it's a matter of taste, BUT - poop can be very, very funny. (Note to self: try to avoid having the words "poop" and "taste" in the same sentence.)<br /><br />Zappa could be pretty vulgar, sometimes without using a single proper swear word. In fact, those are sometimes the worst (uh, "Keep It Greasey," anyone?). Same case can be made - how comfortable you are with such crudity is a tricky and highly subjective case.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3.) "God, That Guy Could Be A Cynical Asshole!"</span><br />Zappa wasn't exactly Mr. Sunshine, even when he was younger and slightly idealistic. For most of his career, I'd say he was a blunt realist. It is not an attitude everyone can appreciate, and I understand that. After about 1980, Frank got increasingly cynical - and I wager even bitter - regarding the declining state of affairs in the world of popular music, the world of "serious" music, and the United States. His dislike of punk music, baseless accusations of conspiracies levied on the American public, and the future of music make him come off like a cranky curmudgeon.<br /><br />That said, there is a point where I think Zappa's music has to be separated from Zappa the human, otherwise you'll find it very hard to listen to <span style="font-style: italic;">Broadway The Hard Way</span> without thinking of his dissolution of what would be his final band, or to hear any of his Synclavier albums without thinking of his claim that if he'd had a Synclavier in the 60's he never would have had a band.<br /><br />So, where to start indeed? He released almost 60 albums during his life. Sixty. The guy put out more albums than years he walked this planet. With similarly long-lived groups like The Kinks or The Rolling Stones, you can point to maybe five releases that are absolute essentials. But again, their discography is roughly a third of the size of Zappa's. As a result, I'd say a core collection of Zappa albums would number maybe 10. Keep in mind, though, that the following lists are based on even representation of his multifaceted career. Some - not all, mind you - of my personal favorites might have seeped through onto this list, but (I assure you) not because of any bias.<br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Core Collection:</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. Freak Out! (1966)</span><br />Remember everything I said about all those British Invasion debut albums? This is just the opposite. It's bold - oh, so bold - with lyrical put-downs of the authorities, education, love, the Watts riots, and close-minded conservatism. The song also has some catchy (in some instances, I think cloying) pop songs thrown in for good measure, with some incredibly bizarre avant-garde pieces to round out this 2-LP set. There's some great rock and roll, some surprising pop music, and experimental tunes you could use to frighten your grandparents.<br /><br />In short, Zappa needed four sides of vinyl to introduce himself to the world. I don't think it's one of his best, but dammit if it doesn't prove he was incredibly ambitious (and talented as a songwriter/composer) from the very start.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Key tracks:</span> "Hungry Freaks, Daddy," "Who Are The Brain Police?," "Wowie Zowie," "Trouble Every Day," "The Return Of The Son Of Monster Magnet"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. We're Only In It For The Money (1968)</span><br />If you were to only get one Frank Zappa album, it is this one. Recorded in the wake of the Summer of Love, Zappa calls out the hippie movement as one that had been taken over by kids equating freedom with free weed and free tail as well as the record companies hoping to turn the music of the counterculture into something. Some of it gets even darker, suggesting a Kafkaesque nightmare where hippies would be rounded up and placed in internment camps and warnings of a murderous police state.<br /><br />What was blasphemous to some and a nod-inducing manifesto to others then is a fine case of iconoclasm effectively calling the bluff of an entire generation that collapsed into itself like a dying star in a haze of self-importance. The Age of Aquarius would never come, frankly because the entire notion was bunk from the get-go. Frank was the one in the 1960's who was urging people to join the system if just to infiltrate it from the inside out. They could have listened...but the LSD and the titties were just too damn tempting.<br /><br />All of this lyrical bluntness is set to an amazing sonic backdrop of rock, gorgeously illustrated with some fantastic performances by The Mothers Of Invention. There's also some extremely discomforting pieces of <span style="font-style: italic;">musique concrete</span>...those with an aversion to harsh noise: avoid the album's closing track like the plague. (I think it's a masterpiece.)<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Key tracks:</span> "Who Needs The Peace Corps?," "Mom And Dad," "Flower Punk," "Mother People," "The Chrome-Plated Megaphone Of Destiny"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">03. Uncle Meat (1969)</span><br />Another double album, this features Zappa using The Mothers in lieu of an orchestra by way of layering tracks upon tracks. The music has gotten more dense and complex, and the album itself marks the debut of many of Zappa's musical staples: tuned percussion, deliberately harsh editing between songs, and a monster jam on side D. The shifts between blues vamps, avant-jazz, chamber pieces, surrealistic tunes with gorgeous melodies, and field recordings might be jarring, but this sort of manic juxtaposition is all done with a purpose: Zappa doesn't want you to differentiate so-called "high art" music from so-called "low art" music. He doesn't.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Key tracks:</span> "Uncle Meat: Main Title Theme," "Nine Types Of Industrial Pollution," "Dog Breath, In The Year Of The Plague," "Mr. Green Genes," "King Kong"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">04. Hot Rats</span><br />The jump from avant-jazz to rock-infused jazz-blues isn't all that puzzling, although Kelly Fisher Lowe mulls over it incessantly in his book; for me, I consider it the next logical step after he broke up The Mothers. Being mainly instrumental, and featuring some really tight layers of keyboard/woodwinds (all played by ex-Mother Ian Underwood), this is a very melodic album. There's no <span style="font-style: italic;">musique concrete</span>, no snippets of dialog, no underlying politics, just music for the sake of music - and an unforgettable guest vocal from Captain Beefheart on one of Zappa's signature tunes.<br /><br />I could probably list this as the second most essential Zappa release, possibly even number one if you're playing this for someone who thinks 1967 was the zenith of the civilized world (even if they were born decades after, let them have their delusions!).<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Key tracks:</span> "Peaches En Regalia," "Willie The Pimp," "The Gumbo Variations"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">05. 200 Motels (1971)</span><br />Another 2-LP set, this one the soundtrack to his 1971 film from the incarnation of The Mothers with ex-Turtles vocalists Mark Volman (Flo) and Howard Kaylan (Eddie). This has a little bit of everything, from early 70's comedy-injected cock rock to choral performance to some real classical explorations, as Zappa somehow managed to wrangle the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to perform his orchestral compositions. It's a treat to hear, and a musical kaleidoscope just as out-there as the film...which you need to see. Now.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Key tracks: </span>"Mystery Roach," "This Town Is A Sealed Tuna Sandwich" and the related suite of tunes, "Lonesome Cowboy Burt," "Penis Dimension," "Strictly Genteel"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">06. Apostrophe (') (1974)</span><br />With his final incarnation of The Mothers, Zappa scored a sleeper hit with an edit of a suite of songs from side A of this record, "Don't Eat The Yellow Snow." While it gave Zappa some long-overdue mainstream attention, the irony rests in the fact that the musically interesting passages from the suite are nowhere to be found on the single version. The flip-side features a great jam with Jack Bruce and a rare co-credit (with keyboardist George Duke) that offers a sentimental statement on the Civil Rights movement, in what I consider one of Zappa's most overlooked songs.<br /><br />It is complex rock-funk-jazz fusion (which isn't a bad word, unlike in gastronomy) with goofy and at times nonsensical lyrics. The combination made it obvious that Zappa was able to market his product to two very different segments of the public.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Key tracks:</span> "St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast," "Father O'Blivion," "Excentrifugal Forz," "Apostrophe (')," "Uncle Remus"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">07. Zoot Allures (1976)</span><br />His first solo release after the final line-up of The Mothers, Frank offered an album with a dark, grimy edge. Lots of crunchy, distorted guitar, lyrics on all sorts of subjects (stupidity, disco, torture chambers, sex dolls, pick-up methods), extremely close-miked vocals (you can even hear the spit inside his mouth - do it with headphones and it's like he's right in your ear), two signature guitar solos, and the birth of a technique called xenochrony, where a bass solo from 1976, a drum solo from 1975, and a new guitar solo are all mixed together to make a cohesive whole. Frank would get better at making xenochronous music, but its premiere appearance (on "Friendly Little Finger") is nothing to sneeze at. It's a safe assertion that this album set the precedent for Zappa solo albums recorded in the rock milieu.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Key tracks:</span> "Wind Up Workin' In A Gas Station," "Black Napkins," "The Torture Never Stops," "Friendly Little Finger," "Disco Boy"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">08. Jazz From Hell (1986)</span><br />The jump ahead ten years isn't to suggest the material released in the interim is worth ignoring - far from, I think it's his best period, especially from 1978-1982, where a whopping THIRTEEN albums were released - but his next major musical innovation, that is to say something he had truly never done before, came with this all-instrumental album. Aside from one live guitar solo, the other seven cuts are all realized on the Synclavier.<br /><br />The idea behind it is that Zappa didn't want to mess with the human element of hearing his music. With a band came temperaments, pay rates, and the fact that some things might be extraordinarily difficult for his bands to play. On earlier songs like "The Black Page," "Mo 'N' Herb's Vacation," and "Drowning Witch" that almost seemed to be the point: test to see if his bands could play such dense music.<br /><br />With every tick of the clock, the timbres on this album sound more and more like an old Nintendo, but the intricacies and sheer beauty of the works within still hold up almost a quarter of a century later...although the cover of the record is about as clinical and dreary as the outdated sounds of the Synclavier. This is Zappa the composer at his utmost.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Key tracks:</span> "Night School," "While You Were Art II," "G-Spot Tornado"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">09. Broadway The Hard Way (1988)</span><br />This audio souvenir from Frank's final tour featured a five-piece brass/sax section, demonstrating that Zappa is a great arranger on top of everything else. Zappa was also at his most political since <span style="font-style: italic;">We're Only In It For The Money</span>. It sheds a similar light on the hypocrisy of what seems like a backwards age. I'm glad it was the time I was born in, not the time in which I grew up...Jesus.<br /><br />Lots of barbed attacks on conservatism, Evangelical Christianity, Michael Jackson, and Jesse Jackson (who was making a bid for President at the time). Some people have lamented this album seems dated, but I say it's no more dated than the anti Flower Power stuff from 20 years prior. Still, musically exquisite, lyrically intelligent. What more could you ask for?<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Key tracks:</span> "Elvis Has Just Left The Building," "Any Kind Of Pain," "When The Lie's So Big," "Rhymin' Man," "Jesus Thinks You're A Jerk"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">10. Civilization Phaze III (1994)</span><br />This album's status as being both the first posthumous release and the fact that it is currently <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Civilization-Phaze-III-Frank-Zappa/dp/B000003OVE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1266902314&sr=8-1">available new for ONLY $140 on Amazon</a> makes this a dark alley in a dense city of music...and that is a travesty. He might have had the honor of seeing his "impossible" music willingly taken on by the Ensemble Modern with 1993's <span style="font-style: italic;">The Yellow Shark</span>, but it's here on <span style="font-style: italic;">CPIII</span> where he uses the instruments of the Ensemble Modern as voices on the Synclavier, the resulting pieces interspersed with old (1967) and new (1993) dialog. The notion of death lingers over the album the way it hovered over its terminally ill creator as he slowly lost his battle with prostate cancer.<br /><br />Find this album one way or another. Get a copy from a friend, pick it up dirt-cheap somewhere, Hell - TORRENT IT.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Key tracks:</span> "Amnerika," "N-Lite," "Dio Fa," "Beat The Reaper," "Waffenspiel"<br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Intermediate Listening:</span></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">These albums won't have lengthy descriptions...I value both your time and mine too much to do that. They are grouped in thematic sections rather than in chronological order.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Given the breadth of Zappa's own albums individually, there is bound to be some overlap.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Special Mention:</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Absolutely Free</span> (1967) - this one deserves its own special place as a great silver medal, bridging the gap between <span style="font-style: italic;">Freak Out!</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">We're Only In It For The Money</span>.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />You Are What You Is</span> (1981) and <span style="font-style: italic;">Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch</span> (1982) - Surprisingly with-the-times musically, these albums aren't quite children of <span style="font-style: italic;">Zoot Allures</span>...neither are his other three studio offerings from the 1980's, but as you'll see in the next section, they are filed under "Advanced Listening."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fans of <span style="font-style: italic;">Uncle Meat </span>and the classical portions of <span style="font-style: italic;">200 Motels</span>:</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Burnt Weeny Sandwich</span> (1970)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Weasels Ripped My Flesh</span> (1970)<br />The <span style="font-style: italic;">Läther</span> saga (originally intended to be released in 1977 as a 4-LP set; for some reason, the label wouldn't put it out...), which can almost entirely be found on these four sublime late-70's releases:<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Zappa In New York </span>(1978)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Studio Tan</span> (1978)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Sleep Dirt</span> (1979)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Orchestral Favorites</span> (1979)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">London Symphony Orchestra, Volume I</span> (1983)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Boulez Conducts Zappa: The Perfect Stranger</span> (1984)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Francesco Zappa</span> (1984)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">London Symphony Orchestra, Volume II</span> (1987)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ahead Of Their Time</span> (1993)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Yellow Shark</span> (1993)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fans of <span style="font-style: italic;">Hot Rats</span>:</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Chunga's Revenge</span> (1970)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Waka/Jawaka</span> (1972) - which was unofficially dubbed <span style="font-style: italic;">Hot Rats II</span> due to <a href="http://www.science.uva.nl/%7Erobbert/zappa/files/jpg/Waka_Jawaka.jpg">the cover</a>.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Grand Wazoo</span> (1972)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Roxy & Elsewhere</span> (1974)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Sleep Dirt</span> (1979) - which was apparently going to be named <span style="font-style: italic;">Hot Rats III</span>, but along with the other <span style="font-style: italic;">Läther </span>albums it was an "unauthorized" release (according to Frank), right on down to the album art...so who knows? The whole <span style="font-style: italic;">Läther</span> thing is a confusing mess of a story, with dubious claims made by Zappa that seem to contradict other things he's said, and not something for the uninitiated, or even the initiated. Just enjoy the music.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Make A Jazz Noise Here</span> (1991)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fans of the rock portions of </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">200 Motels</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">:</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Chunga's Revenge</span> (1970)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Fillmore East, June 1971</span> (1971)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Just Another Band From LA</span> (1972)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Zappa In New York</span> (1978)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Playground Psychotics</span> (1992)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fans of </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Apostrophe (')</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">:</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Over-Nite Sensation</span> (1973)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Roxy & Elsewhere</span> (1974)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">One Size Fits All</span> (1975)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Studio Tan</span> (1978)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Volume 2</span> (1988)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fans of </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Zoot Allures</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">:</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Zappa In New York</span> (1978)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Sleep Dirt</span> (1979)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Sheik Yerbouti</span> (1979)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Joe's Garage Act I</span> (1979)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Joe's Garage Acts II And III</span> (1979)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fans of </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Jazz From Hell</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">:</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Boulez Conducts Zappa: The Perfect Stranger</span> (1984)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Francesco Zappa</span> (1984)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Thing-Fish</span> (1984)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Frank Zappa Meets The Mothers Of Prevention</span> (1985)<br />(Note that in this category, the suggested listening all predates the album listed as essential. I'm not sure what that means, but it has to mean something, right?)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fans of </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Broadway The Hard Way</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">:</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life</span> (1991)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Make A Jazz Noise Here</span> (1991)<br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Advanced Listening:</span></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Note the absence of </span>Civilization Phaze III<span style="font-style: italic;"> as a starting point in the Intermediate category. That's because the only other album in his catalog that is remotely like it is the album that inspired it. There is some challenging material here, and in many cases it rewards those willing to give it multiple listens.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Descriptors here will be short. Like this one.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Lumpy Gravy (1968)</span><br />A true masterpiece in editing, with avant-classical, spoken dialog, beautiful orchestral themes, snippets of rock music (just enough to whet your appetite for more), and <span style="font-style: italic;">musique concrete</span> experiments peppered throughout 31 crazy minutes. It's a little too short to my liking, but whatever, it's the musical equivalent of an Eisensteinian montage. This is one of the few works Frank consistently spoke well of throughout his career.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cruising With Ruben & The Jets (1968)</span><br />This one's pretty simple, you have to ask yourself three simple questions:<br />1.) Do I like doo-wop music?<br />2.) Do I own a turntable?<br />3.) <a href="http://www.lukpac.org/%7Ehandmade/patio/vinylvscds/ruben.html">If not, can I stomach hearing digitally recorded drums and bass overdubbed onto vintage-style doo-wop and R&B?</a><br /><br />If you have answered yes to Question 1 and yes to 2 and/or 3, then you will enjoy this album. (Buy it on vinyl. The remixing is atrocious, and the overdubs are even worse. Zappa did it because he didn't like the way it sounded, but then made up a bunch of shit about how the tapes were in awful condition.)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thing-Fish (1984)</span><br />Would you enjoy a Broadway musical that dealt with gays, feminism, race relations, and sexual fetishes that had as its basis a hybridization of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuskegee_syphilis_experiment">Tuskegee Experiments</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIDS_conspiracy_theories">the conspiracy that AIDS was designed by the Reagan Administration to kill off blacks and gays</a>, featuring Ike Willis as a <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Q2LOpaCTs9I/RwwsSZCqGRI/AAAAAAAAADI/tLlIiC4OIik/s400/thingfish001.gif">black man-turned potato-headed mutant with a duck bill in a nun's habit</a> who speaks in a stereotypical Negro dialect?<br /><br />Wait, why are you running away?!<br /><br />Funny enough, this is the other album besides <span style="font-style: italic;">Lumpy Gravy</span> that Frank seemed to cherish. It's also (EASILY) the most divisive entry in his canon. Many hate it, some are merely indifferent, and a tiny lunatic fringe (including <a href="http://cdn-www.cracked.com/phpimages/members/avatars/1/1/121311_170.jpg">this guy</a>) swear by it.<span style="font-size:180%;"><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Final Exam:</span></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">These are the most difficult and/or uneven of releases. Zappa's work is so huge that every album has its defenders - like the one weirdo James Bond fan who claims Roger Moore is his favorite. Again, sorted by category.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">In The (Cold, Sterile) Studio In The (Cold, Sterile) 1980's</span>:<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Man From Utopia</span> (1983)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Them Or Us</span> (1984)<br />Something about these two albums make them "just kinda there;" although they both have their moments, the bad production and the lapses into humor that I think is just Frank being gross because he can outweighs the peaks. See my review of <span style="font-style: italic;">Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch</span> for why it isn't in this category.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Thing-Fish</span>, too, has been critiqued for sounding clinical, but that's not entirely fair. Much of it is (deliberately) recycled versions of old backing tracks - like a Broadway revue - with any new songs being done on the Synclavier. Part of <span style="font-style: italic;">FZ Meets The Mothers Of Prevention</span> falls into this category, too, but the songs in question ("We're Turning Again," "Yo Cats") make up for the mediocre production with potent - and funny - lyrics.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Live:</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Baby Snakes</span> (1983)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Does Humor Belong In Music?</span> (1986)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Volume 1 </span>(1988)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Volume 3 </span>(1989)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Volume 4 </span>(1991)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Volume 5</span> (1992)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Volume 6 </span>(1992)<br /><br />Those first two albums listed are reasons I'm glad most Zappa fans are happy to share their music. No one should have to pay more than ten dollars for either release. <span style="font-style: italic;">Baby Snakes</span> is a rip-off of a live document, featuring the studio version of the title track plus a measly 30-something minutes of music from the two and a half hour long movie. Anyone else I'd say, "Oh, okay, cool, a live album!" but this is a guy who wanted to release a <a href="http://www.lukpac.org/%7Ehandmade/patio/weirdo/unreleased.html#historyandcollected">12-LP set</a> in 1969 and wanted a 4-LP set in 1977. Excuse me, Frank, but I think we could have handled a double or even triple album.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Does Humor Belong In Music?</span> is from a night with the 1984 band, an ensemble much reviled by this author. Other fans seem to think the '84 band has simply been overexposed.<br /><br />And why's that? Because a lot of the <span style="font-style: italic;">You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore</span> series seems to be devoted to showing their crisp, picture-perfect renditions of complex pieces and breakneck-fast treatments of songs for casual listeners more than any other incarnation. Between <span style="font-style: italic;">Guitar</span> and the <span style="font-style: italic;">YCDTOSA</span> series (with <span style="font-style: italic;">Volume 2</span> solely from 1974 and <span style="font-style: italic;">Volume 5</span> consisting of works from 1965-1969 and 1982), I count 67 songs that were recorded and included.<br /><br />All while several touring lineups went almost completely ignored, including his 1972 big band, The Mothers' final tour in late 1975/early 1976, and Zappa's first solo tour in 1976. It's a shame.<br /><br />On the upside, <span style="font-style: italic;">Volume 2</span> is a complete concert of the Roxy-era band at their performing peak. The fifth volume consists of one disc of early Mothers recordings, including some studio outtakes (I guess you can't really do those on stage, can you?) that are all worthwhile.<br /><br />One would think Frank would have given equal time to all lineups, or at least made it a little less '84-centric. Still, these packages were 2-CD's...and there were six released, in some weird way fulfilling the plans Frank had in 1969 with the 12-LP set he'd planned called <span style="font-style: italic;">The History And Collected Improvisations Of The Mothers</span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Guitar Albums:</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Shut Up 'N' Play Yer Guitar</span> (1981)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Shut Up 'N' Play Yer Guitar Some More</span> (1981)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Return Of The Son Of Shut Up 'N' Play Yer Guitar</span> (1981)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Guitar </span>(1988)<br />Two questions:<br />1.) Do you like Frank Zappa's soloing styles?<br />2.) Are you yourself a guitarist?<br />If you answered yes to both of these, you are within all your rights to buy this albums once you have <span style="font-style: italic;">We're Only In It For The Money</span>.<br /><br />I like them all right, but I don't think I've ever listened to <span style="font-style: italic;">Guitar</span> end-to-end. The three <span style="font-style: italic;">SUNPYG </span>albums are actually pretty listenable, though some pieces (like his electric bouzouki duet with Jean-Luc Ponty on violin, "Canard Du Jour") stick out more than, say, the three title cuts, which are all different solos from the same song ("Inca Roads") from different nights. It's the sort of thing you might find yourself excited about as a guitarist...I think?<br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Extra Credit:</span></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">From this point on, strictly optional.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Beat The Boots:</span><br />These were two different volumes of bootlegs given an official release on Rhino Records with Frank's blessing. Even though Frank (allegedly) had these shows in soundboard-quality mixes in his vault, he sanctioned only the release of the bootleg tapes. As a result, some recordings are LP-quality, and others are almost unlistenable.<br /><br />That said, <span style="font-style: italic;">Volume One</span> (1991) of <span style="font-style: italic;">Beat The Boots</span> was released as a boxed set and also as individual CD's. Volume Two was a boxed set only, making it a pretty nice collector's item. In a slightly cruel twist, <span style="font-style: italic;">Volume Two</span> (1992) contains the best of the bootlegs, in terms of performance quality, historical importance, and sheer sonic fidelity. Makes me wonder if Uncle Frank did this on purpose.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Beat The Boots, Volume One:</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">As An Am</span> (1981-1982)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Ark</span> (1969)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Freaks & Motherfuckers</span> (1970) - awful sound<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Unmitigated Audacity</span> (1974) - ABYSMAL sound<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Anyway The Wind Blows</span> (1979)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">'Tis The Season To Be Jelly</span> (1967)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Piquantique</span> (1973)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Beat The Boots, Volume Two:</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Disconnected Synapses</span> (1970) - with Jean-Luc Ponty on guest violin<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Tengo Na Minchia Tanta</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Electric Aunt Jemima</span> (1968)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">At The Circus</span> (1978, two tracks from 1970)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Swiss Cheese / Fire!</span> (1971)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Our Man In Nirvana</span> (1968)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Conceptual Continuity</span> (1976)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Posthumous Albums:</span><br />Aside from <span style="font-style: italic;">Civilization Phaze III</span>, which was finished and in the can when he passed away, the canonicity of all other posthumous releases is speculative and contentious.<br /><br />The only posthumous releases that I think are essential are <span style="font-style: italic;">The Lost Episodes</span> (a collection of early stuff and outtakes, like <span style="font-style: italic;">The Beatles Anthology</span> except good) and <span style="font-style: italic;">Have I Offended Someone?</span>, a compilation of remixes of FZ's more controversial songs. Both were in the same boat as <span style="font-style: italic;">CPIII</span>, projects approved, mixed, and mastered by Zappa before he shuffled off his mortal coil.<br /><br />As for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Zappa_discography">the rest</a>? All bets are off. Any of them that aren't complete concerts (<span style="font-style: italic;">FZ:OZ</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Buffalo</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Philly '76</span>) or <span style="font-style: italic;">Lost Episodes</span>-lite discs of early recordings (<span style="font-style: italic;">Joe's Corsage</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Joe's Xmasage</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Making Of Freak Out! Project Object</span>, and <span style="font-style: italic;">Lumpy Money</span>) I say caveat emptor. You could be buying some real garbage, like noisy lo-fi rehearsal tapes for the 1972 big band tour (<span style="font-style: italic;">Joe's Domage</span>) or some head-scratching odds 'n sods collection of seemingly unrelated tunes (<span style="font-style: italic;">One-Shot Deal</span>) or something of dubious origins that someone in the Zappa camp (usually either widow Gail, son Dweezil, or vault-keeper Joe Travers) swears was an unreleased project of Frank's (<span style="font-style: italic;">Trance-Fusion</span>, which was just another guitar feature album).<br /><br />That said, happy hunting and welcome to one of the most esoteric music cults this side of The Residents.<br /><br />*The Eric DiBlasi Sr. grading scale is a patented system of oft-repeated phrases that I've aligned up with letter grades:<br />"Now, THAT was a good...(album/movie/book)" - A+<br />"Pretty good" - A<br />"It was okay" - B+<br />"Not bad" - B<br />Holding out hand and tilting it from side-to-side - C<br />"I didn't care for it" - D+<br />"Oh, MAN, that (album/movie/book)", usually accompanied by laughter - D<br />"I prefer not to think about the time I (heard this album/saw this movie/read this book)" - FAlex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860260447363818885.post-17013999158059408102010-02-19T02:40:00.006-05:002010-02-19T05:40:02.104-05:00Frank Zappa - Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch (1982)I'm beginning to think my rating system might not be 100% accurate. I'm not just talking about the inherent biases I have - I'm well aware, thank you - but I'm wondering just how an album with less tracks will fare against something with, like an average Beatles album, maybe 14 tracks?<br /><br />In all unfairness, I am selecting an artist I tend to bias in favor of, no matter what sort of guy he was in real life. In fact, the more I learn about the guy, the more I'm glad I never had an inkling of a chance to meet him - he died when I was 6 going on 7 - because we would not have gotten along. He wasn't nuts about punk music, he was a staunch pseudo-Libertarian capitalist, he ran his bands like workhorses, and his attitude from about 1980 was a painfully bitter one.<br /><br />He's the reason I try to warn people to not be consumed by negativity and become cynical towards everyone and everything. Conan O'Brien was right, it is not an attractive characteristic to be had by anyone, and too much of it just as a listener and you'll find yourself falling victim to it. I can say some pretty harsh words about music, artists, and writers that I don't like, but these are rather trifling discussions about art and the various approaches to writing criticism.<br /><br />Believe it or not, I am an optimist. I see the good in most things, I hope for the best, but I'm also not a blind idealist.<br /><br />I'll save all that deeper material for <a href="http://my-two-and-three-fourths-cents.blogspot.com/">my other blog, which is somehow even more vapid and dumb than this one.</a><br /><br />At some point with Zappa's dense, labyrinthine catalog, you have to understand that studying each record's genesis is something best left to the experts. Considering he'd pretty much always been the boss since day one, and definitely since he disbanded the original Mothers in 1969, it's a fair assessment that Frank was a one-man unit behind all of these albums. He wrote the songs, he produced them, and after 1981 he began recording them at his own studio, the Utility Muffin Research Kitchen.<br /><br />With other bands, it's not incredibly difficult to delve into artistic intent. Not really my favorite subject, either in criticism or "serious" analysis, it's made all the worse that the one guy who could explain his artistic intent has been dead since 1993. (Like he would have given his secrets away? He wasn't a fan of critics or scholars...like I said, we probably would not have gotten along. At all.)<br /><br />Another thing with Zappa is that any preconceived notions you may have about live versus studio recordings needs to go out the window. He recorded (allegedly) every concert he put on since 1972, with plenty before getting taped as well. When he wanted you to hear a live album, he would let the sound of audience applause appear on the multi-track mix. When he wanted you to hear some fantastic material laid down in real time with a shit-ton of overdubs, he would mix out the audience as much as possible.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch</span> is a half-studio, half-live album, at least in terms of where the songs were recorded. The live side is all-new material, so the ambient sounds of the audience is pretty much mixed out. If you put the CD on in your car or have it on at a party (because people party to Zappa, right?), you might not even notice it.<br /><br />Anyway, there's no linking concept. It's not an art project. It's just an album. Sometimes an album is just an album, and that is totally okay with me. It makes for a shorter review, requiring little in terms of back story and letting the songs just play out as their own pieces.<br /><br />And with Zappa, whether you consider him a composer trapped in the rock world or a rock and roller with a knack for classical music, using the term "piece" instead of song is fittingly appropriate.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">TRACK LISTING:</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHQRZzF_o6E">No Not Now</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> [8]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnVE3UTIgEM">Valley Girl</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> [10]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">03. </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uxp0keEJt9M">I Come From Nowhere</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> [10]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">04. Drowning Witch [11]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">05. Envelopes</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">[7]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">06. </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atefYqpJgOs">Teen-Age Prostitute</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> [9]</span><br /><br />My humble apologies that the album versions of tracks 4 and 5 could not be found on YouTube. After all, you should go out and buy CD's. In fact, make sure you're patronizing your local independent store and not some soulless big box chain. I owe so much of my musical development to <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&ved=0CA0QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myspace.com%2F13th_floor_music&rct=j&q=13th+floor+music&ei=LUh-S_imPM2Vtge-38WoDw&usg=AFQjCNFdLZMoAGEEUSfZPO5v4C8qTyMBHw&sig2=WygvNie_X2CpsPsD969zwQ">13th Floor Music</a> in my hometown. The owner is a grade-A bad ass. He deserves your money. The douchebags at Best Buy, Borders, Sam Goody, fye, and other overpriced shit-palaces do not.<br /><br />And fuck the iTunes store, too. Do the math and tell me that is smart shopping. Look me in the eye and tell me that is smart shopping. That's something for consumers, not listeners.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">[Additionally, as I'm prepping a conference presentation on Zappa's 1984 masterpiece </span>Thing-Fish<span style="font-style: italic;">, I promise I will do a straight-up review of the songs without veering off into the dangerous kitchen of esoteric analysis that is what Ben Watson calls Zappology. I think I scared enough of you away by taking a dump on Buddy Holly in </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://alexwritesaboutstuff.blogspot.com/2010/02/beatles-beatles-for-sale-1964.html">my last review</a><span style="font-style: italic;">.]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE SONGS:</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. No Not Now [8]</span><br />Lovely phase-shifter on the guitar here, and the barrage of falsetto vocalists are actually a welcome sound...normally, they annoy the shit out of me. I'm reminded of Tommy Mars' falsetto scat solo in the film <span style="font-style: italic;">Baby Snakes</span> and how much I wanted to reach through the television and tell him to shut up and stick to playing. Anyway, it plods along with a surprisingly accessible melody and (even more surprisingly) danceable beat. No bizarre time shifts, no breaks while Art Barrow shows off his chops in a bad-ass bass solo...it's actually pretty normal by Zappa's standards.<br /><br />That said, there's plenty to hear with headphones, including Art Barrow's wonderful bass line, a percussion chart from Ed Mann that (unlike a lot of other parts FZ wrote for tuned percussion) doesn't sound like cartoon music and instead adds a perfect counter-melody, and the tag-team vocals consisting of Bobby Martin, Tommy Mars, and Roy Estrada doing falsetto, Ike Willis' distinct and slightly gravelly voice and Ray White's soulful vocals that somehow make "String beans to Utah!" and "But I've had her sister" (respectively) sound like the coolest lines ever song, plus Frank's occasional interjections - "Shut up! You need a vacation, boy!" - making him, as usual the master of ceremonies.<br /><br />Lyrically, the song is about a woman refusing to, um..."give it up" for a guy, hence the title, and the follow-up comment "...maybe later!" There's later references to the song's protagonist making a truck delivery of string beans to Utah, a not-so-subtle poke in the eye of Utah residents (and Mormons) Donny and Marie Osmond, and the woman from earlier opting instead to ride a mechanical bull instead of her trucker boyfriend's wiener. It's a love song...one Zappa described as a country/western song on PCP.<br /><br />When the song mentions her riding the mechanical bull, former Mother Roy Estrada's falsetto laughter, trills, and disturbingly pleasured vocalizations crack me up. I wonder if this song is at all related to his later number, "Truck Driver Divorce." Maybe even "Baby, Take Your Teeth Out?"<br /><br />The only drawback with this song is a lot gets lost unless you're listening closely. Something like "Brown Shoes Don't Make It" demands your attention because it grabs you. "No Not Now" works on a subtle level, with so much going on you could invariably thing it's a funky danceable number with some (seemingly) repetitive tags sung by The Bee Gees.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. Valley Girl [10]</span><br />Boy howdy, when Frank wants everyone to hear his message, he can be as unsubtle as Johnny Rotten declaring himself to be the Antichrist. The song was a joint effort between Frank and his 15-year-old daughter Moon Unit. The story goes that Frank was so busy working in his basement studio that Moon slipped a note under his door saying she wanted to bond with him. Her constant imitations of her less intelligent classmates served as the inspiration for her contribution, while the music Frank creates shows that, if he really wanted to, he could have written songs that appealed to the masses. He just didn't want to.<br /><br />The song was a hit - it became sort of a meme in its time. Inevitably, it spiraled into something ridiculous, with the Valley Girl coloring book and even a movie (that no one named Zappa had anything to do with, although it did star Elizabeth Daily, who I know best as Dottie from <span style="font-style: italic;">Pee-Wee's Big Adventure</span>). Some Zappa fans - the very topic of Zappa fans is worthy of an anthropological dissertation - seem to disown anything the man did that people outside of the standard FZ niche of freaks and geeks enjoyed.<br /><br />Whatever, let them be killjoys in their own little worlds. This only goes to enhance my argument that you should listen to whatever you want. If you found out your archenemy listened to the same music as you, does that mean you should stop listening to that music? I sure hope not. That's just stupid.<br /><br />I think "Valley Girl" is still funny, even when separated from my two-month whirlwind romance with an over-privileged chick from the region in question. She didn't sound like Moon in the song, but she would occasionally bring up some bizarre subjects in a casual manner, as if it was normal that her college-aged male friend had to have a glass of warm milk before bed every single night or he couldn't sleep, stories about finding her dad's weed...lots of fun stuff that would have been a gas to explain to our kids about why Granddad smells like Venice Beach.<br /><br />I digress. The song is hilarious, even on repeated listening, I happen to really enjoy the music - I know FZ was doing a send-up of New Wave music, which he wasn't nuts about, but whatever, I consider his opinions post-1980 to be misinformed and arrogant - and while the dialects might be different today, we can think of the obnoxious sorority chick on the bus telling her mom to shut the fuck up over the phone, those rotten little brats on <span style="font-style: italic;">Jersey Shore</span>, even little charmers like Paris Hilton and hum to ourselves, "Valley Girl, she's a Valley Girl..."<br /><br />They don't even need to be from the Valley.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">03. I Come From Nowhere [10]</span><br />Closing out Side A is a considerably less normal piece, featuring Estrada again on lead vocals (given his appearances on this album and Jimmy Carl Black coming back for some material on <span style="font-style: italic;">You Are What You Is</span>, one has to wonder how the Hell Frank was able to make that happen). Plenty of complex little runs in the intro, but when that riff/groove comes in at 0:18, I want to get up and dance.<br /><br />Then Roy starts singing...I can almost picture this being music performed by a pop singer from another planet. Anyway, it's a delightfully bizarre delivery. The lyrics are about "Nowhere" being a land of people who mindlessly smile...perhaps a commentary on there being a pill for everything?<br /><br />Where a traditional song would end, in this example, this is where Steve Vai takes over, wasting no time in showing why he is credited with "Impossible Guitar Parts" in the sleeve. Great solo...and one Hell of a song.<br /><br />Later projects to come out of the UMRK would sound cold and sterile, but on these studio numbers only the drums have the punchiness that could only be achieved in a digital studio from the 1980's. At least it wasn't that God-awful gated drum sound that made the 80's a bad time to be a drummer.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">04. Drowning Witch [11]</span><br />This song is a massively insane construction, and a testament not only to Frank's skills as a composer - for me, <span style="font-style: italic;">Sleep Dirt</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Orchestral Favorites</span> are all you need to convert nonbelievers - but to how incredibly tight his bands could play. Much of this song plays out like a composition, although the brief lyrics about how even witches deserve a better place to die than "America's spew-infested waterways" showed that Zappa cared about the environment.<br /><br />Ecology-rock, now that would be an interesting genre.<br /><br />As a twelve-minute long piece, this song is in constant flux, while all carrying an aural tone that is incredibly suggestive of being underwater. Next time I'm in my bathysphere I'll have to remember to listen to this album on my iPod. The whole band stars throughout, as Frank and Steve Vai turn in some gorgeous guitar solos (I'm not much of a guitarist to be able to tell you which solo belongs to which player, all I know is they sound great), Scott Thunes adding some great pulse on bass, especially from 2:10 to the 3:15 mark, the synths of Tommy Mars and Bobby Martin add ambiance - don't miss that SICK arpeggiated run they do right before the song's end at 11:40, and the percussion section of Ed Mann (who I contend steals the show) on tuned percussion and Chad Wackerman on drums, playing better than he ever would on later FZ releases - in my opinion. Then again, he was filling some mighty shoes, and as one of my Zappa buddies pointed out, who knows what sort of feel FZ asked Chad to play? Maybe he wanted him to keep it relatively simple.<br /><br />Ed Mann gets the MVP award. Either he is part octopus or just one incredibly talented musician. Since we are living in the real world and not a comic book, I'll assume it's the latter.<br /><br />Zappa, with his typical affection for his band, was quick to point out how many splices he had to make, as in his opinion the band "never got it right" in real time, so he'd piece together different performances of the same song from different nights on the road to make a definitive version.<br /><br />This one clinches the 11, and not just for the magnitude of its construction or the performances. That helps, sure, but it's the end result that matters. It is a lot more than a band flexing their muscles for the audience - it sounds great.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">05. Envelopes [7]</span><br />Side B all segues into one another. This song is one Frank would do again, but with an orchestra. It's fun comparing the two, but it sounds so much cooler with the band. It's another example of Zappa the composer at his best: a beautiful melody that even non-musicians can enjoy amidst a "statistically dense" backdrop.<br /><br />I'm deducting some points because of several factors. To start, I don't think the song is balanced all that well. The bass is almost completely absent, and the synthesizers sound like they are sitting in your ear canal as they play while the rest of the band is up on stage. Additionally, while I like hearing someone's synth emulating a harpsichord, I don't really dig hearing (what I'm guessing is) Tommy Mars' synthesizers attempting to duplicate the sounds of brass instruments. It just sounds shitty. I don't even think modern synthesizers are capable of doing it with all the inflection and intonation a real player could bring to the table.<br /><br />This almost seems like a deviation, a pause from the two songs that sandwich it. I still like it, but I don't see it making its way onto a mix CD anytime soon.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">06. Teen-Age Prostitute [9]</span><br />Then there's this manic ditty, flying by like scenery on the Interstate. It's chaotic, yet finely structured, with a memorable soprano vocal appearance by Lisa Popeil.<br /><br />This song was the b-side of the "Valley Girl" single. First of all, imagine all the kids who bought the 45 and, just out of curiosity, gave this one a spin. Second, it's a fitting flip-side, representing a girl on the opposite end of the economic spectrum as the Valley Girl. While the airhead from Encino is a homophobic, shallow little wench, the portrait of the Teen-Age Prostitute is a sad one: a girl who ran away from an apathetic father to help her penniless mother, now living with an abusive pimp who keeps her loaded on drugs as she walks the streets at night. It isn't a fun read.<br /><br />The soprano vocals make the song comical, taking the edge off the lyrics, and the musical interludes are deftly executed. One flaw comes with this humorous presentation: we have to wonder how the composer feels about the song's subject? Is he sympathetic towards her, or is she an object of ridicule, responsible for her own circumstances? It's unclear...and given that his oldest daughter was two years younger than this song's titular figure, that doesn't sit well with me.<br /><br />Still, what a way to end an album.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subtotal: 90.0% A-</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Replayability Factor: 2</span><br />There's too much going on for you to just have this one on as background music, especially with "No Not Now" and "Drowning Witch." Excellent driving music, though, just keep the A/C on low and your windows rolled up.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Consistency Factor: 1</span><br />The studio side seems to pick up where <span style="font-style: italic;">You Are What You Is</span> left off, although "I Come From Nowhere" is a warped little delight masquerading as a pop song. Similarly, the live material carries on what Uncle Frankie started with songs like "The Black Page" on <span style="font-style: italic;">Zappa In New York</span>, songs that are chock full of passages that I'm sure look downright terrifying on sheet music but are pleasing to the ear. In short, this one just falls short of being part of the core Zappa releases.<br /><br />It's worth picking up...eventually.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">External Factors: -1</span><br />This is rough. It's too short, a paltry 34 minutes in length, right after a stream of albums from 1978 to 1981 that was tightly packed: the double album <span style="font-style: italic;">Zappa In New York</span> in March 1978, <span style="font-style: italic;">Studio Tan</span> in September, <span style="font-style: italic;">Sleep Dirt</span> in January 1979, the double album <span style="font-style: italic;">Sheik Yerbouti</span> in March, <span style="font-style: italic;">Orchestral Favorites</span> in May, <span style="font-style: italic;">Joe's Garage Act I</span> in September, the double album <span style="font-style: italic;">Joe's Garage Acts II & III</span> in November, the double album <span style="font-style: italic;">Tinsel Town Rebellion</span> in May 1981, a triple-LP mail order set called <span style="font-style: italic;">Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar</span>, and the double album <span style="font-style: italic;">You Are What You Is</span> in September.<br /><br />Mind you, all of this stuff came out while Zappa was battling Warner Brothers in court, shooting and editing his concert film <span style="font-style: italic;">Baby Snakes</span>, recording, and touring. He was a busy man...I can't help but imagine this album seeming so inconsequential, only six songs (sure, they're mostly long, but still).<br /><br />While Zappa's seamless editing on "Drowning Witch" is a feat, his own growing frustrations with his band - and shortly after this album, the London Symphony Orchestra - would prompt him to cut out the human element altogether and realize his compositions on the Synclavier. I don't hate his Synclavier albums, though some FZ fans swear at them and others swear by them, but his proclamation that if he had a Synclavier in the 1960's he never would have had a band is a pretty heavy insult to his own former bandmates and to musicians everywhere. It also showed Zappa as a callous asshole who didn't seem to play well with others, eager on being his own boss to a career-altering fault.<br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Total: 92.0% A-</span></span><br /><br />I will admit, this sounds like an appropriate score for <span style="font-style: italic;">Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch</span>.<br /><br />My rating system actually works...or at the very least, I want it to work so I make it work. Whatever. I'm glad I did this just to make sure. Next time I might just have to test out a double album, see how that pans out.<br /><br />Any suggestions?Alex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860260447363818885.post-73540076164188130502010-02-13T01:42:00.004-05:002010-02-18T22:54:33.857-05:00The Beatles - Beatles For Sale (1964)Well, this is embarrassing, isn't it? My longest hiatus yet.<br /><br />If it's any consolation, listening (read: having the time to listen) has not been a luxury afforded to me. I figured I'd start back with something I could write in my sleep: a Beatles review. This means three things:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1.) Me extolling the virtues of George Harrison.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2.) Me taking the chance to explain to all of you why John Lennon wasn't what he seemed...and that his best work comes from his acknowledgment of this fact, not his "efforts" to save the world while doing very expensive drugs and acting as if his first son didn't exist.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3.) Lots of hyperbolic, and yet thoroughly deserved, praise for one of the greatest things to happen to Western civilization.</span><br /><br />A couple of haircuts ago back in 2005, when I actually gave a shit about my own image and tried to wow girls by talking about how I "explicate" films and wanted to make movies myself (ha!), some bozo I went to high school with tried to start a site called Punk Press Online. He asked me to do some album reviews. I did three: <span style="font-style: italic;">Get Behind Me Satan</span> by The White Stripes, which has just come out, <span style="font-style: italic;">Arthur, Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire</span> by The Kinks (which I was just talking about to a friend earlier tonight in a Facebook message), and <span style="font-style: italic;">Beatles For Sale</span>.<br /><br />Why this album and not <span style="font-style: italic;">Pepper</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">Revolver</span>? It's simple: those albums have earned their due, their place in the pantheon of great 20th Century art. Rightfully so, they tilted Earth's axis just a little bit. But there's plenty to be found even when The Beatles weren't setting out for anything, just wanting to put out another collection of songs in time for Christmas. In a way, this makes it a bit of a parallel to <a href="http://alexwritesaboutstuff.blogspot.com/2009/07/beatles-with-beatles-1963.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">With The Beatles</span></a>.<br /><br />A year after <span style="font-style: italic;">With The Beatles</span>, having conquered America, made a terrific film, released an album of all-original tunes, and discovered the music of Bob Dylan all in the wild whirlwind of Beatlemania that was 1964, <span style="font-style: italic;">Beatles For Sale</span> serves as a bit of a progress report.<br /><br />So, just how are the boys doing after a year of superstardom? Well, looking at the cover (which can be found <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatles_for_Sale">here</a>), George looks like he just got back from a funeral, John and Paul look either burnt out or smoked out (easily both), and Ringo looks terrified. Maybe it's just the effects of what appears to be a cold day in the photo.<br /><br />It was still fun for all involved at this point, no chinks in the armor or cracks in the facade forming here...but the band's chief songwriters (at this point, it's just John and Paul) are beginning to grow in ways that suggest they might not be limited to making damn good pop music.<br /><br />I jumped the gun mentioning him above, but Dylan's influence is first felt on this album. One of my old bandmates, who seemed to have it in for Dylan, pointed towards <span style="font-style: italic;">Beatles For Sale</span> as being the first folk-rock album. But the fusion of folk and rock isn't what made Dylan, well, Dylan. That magic ingredient, the one that appealed so much to John, Paul, and George is all in the lyrics. Even on <span style="font-style: italic;">Another Side Of Bob Dylan</span>, where the focus shifted away from lonesome deaths, finding answers in air currents, and the unbearable yet imminent precipitation that comes with nuclear war, where Dylan actually looks at himself - "My Back Pages," "It Ain't Me, Babe" - he's opening up some major doors.<br /><br />Suddenly, it was okay to write about yourself. No more hand-holding, no more "she told me what to say-yay," and yet here on <span style="font-style: italic;">Beatles For Sale</span> one can sense a tentative approach to these new sensibilities. Not every song here is an eye-opening revelation into John Lennon's psyche. (Although that would eventually come.) There's a good selection of pure pop songs here, without any subtext, any deeper meaning, or anything more than a catchy-as-Hell hook. But when it's time to be serious, they (and I really just mean John on this outing, though Paul offers a sleeper of his own) nail it.<br /><br />This album finds the band in a provisional state, eager to test some new ground but not quite ready to let go of their A-side/B-side pop hit mentality. They couldn't have charged right into "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away," "Yesterday," or "Nowhere Man" without the smaller steps taken here. Some authors bitch about this album being a collection of songs rather than an "album," that is, a cohesive whole. Such detractors need to remember that in December 1964, everyone was still putting out collections of songs. Not "albums" defined as cohesive wholes.<br /><br />Consider where The Beatles' peers were at this point:<br /><br />+ The Rolling Stones had <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England%27s_Newest_Hit_Makers">two</a> albums <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12_X_5">out</a> in America, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rolling_Stones_%28album%29">one</a> in the UK. No US number one hits, but they'd had <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_All_Over_Now">two</a> number <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Red_Rooster">ones</a> in their homeland and - get this - one in Sweden with the (vastly underrated) original tune "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tell_Me_%28You%27re_Coming_Back%29">Tell Me</a>."<br /><br />+ The Kinks had <a href="http://kindakinks.net/discography/showrelease.php?release=11">one album</a> out, <a href="http://kindakinks.net/discography/showrelease.php?release=7">two</a> flop <a href="http://kindakinks.net/discography/showrelease.php?release=9">singles</a>, two massive hits (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvyDWGF290M">come on</a>, you have <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4DV-5d6a5g">to ask</a>?) and an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinksize_Session">EP</a> that included a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JP0GaPo48h0">craptastic, possibly drunken</a>, rendition of "Louie, Louie."<br /><br />+ The Who had yet to release "I Can't Explain," their first proper single. Or at least, their first single as The Who.<br /><br />In short, this was the time where The Beatles were the undeniable leaders of the proverbial pack. There were plenty of first-wavers from the UK who weren't songwriters (The Dave Clark Five, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Herman's Hermits) still in the running, but by the time Dylan went electric and The Beatles did <span style="font-style: italic;">Rubber Soul</span>, it was all over for them. That's still a year from <span style="font-style: italic;">Beatles For Sale</span>, but the executioner's axe would be coming.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl8i1JU8ke4">Not a moment too soon, either</a>...that man-baby Peter Noone and all his cutesy faces make me thank the Lord that <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sG23tmoWmg">The MC5</a> were learning how to tune their guitars right in time for these clowns to get chased off to the state fair circuit.<br /><br />That said, yes, <span style="font-style: italic;">Beatles For Sale</span> IS just a collection of songs. But so was <span style="font-style: italic;">12x5</span> by The Rolling Stones. Beatles authors need to recognize that they don't need to put down their "lesser" works to build up the undisputed masterpieces. <span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /><br />Let's get it on.<br />(I've never done this before, but maybe it will help if I list all the tracks first, providing possible YouTube links - and there's plenty for The Beatles - and such here.)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">TRACK LISTING:</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYBOkcRYm2s">No Reply</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> [10]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUe-lXAoSZI">I'm A Loser</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> [10]</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />03. </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVYuGVdGhhE">Baby's In Black</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> [9]</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />04. </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18mxYphnOAE">Rock And Roll Music</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> [10], originally by </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHeun43qcHk">Chuck Berry</a><span style="font-weight: bold;">.</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />05. </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Uk_6WWy0RA">I'll Follow The Sun</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> [10]</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />06. </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNZr7wDDFeM">Mr. Moonlight</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> [10], originally by </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DkfeL2Rt8c">Dr. Feelgood & The Interns</a><span style="font-weight: bold;">.</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />07. </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cwXnnUjnYU">Kansas City / Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> [2], originally by </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbcY0qtJ1iY">Wilbert Harrison</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> / </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvSaQupzwCo">Little Richard</a><span style="font-weight: bold;">.</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />08. </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DM20R6dGp8">Eight Days A Week</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> [10]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">09. </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ay8y8MctiOw">Words Of Love</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> [1], originally by </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Evua1U7hdM">Buddy Holly</a><span style="font-weight: bold;">.</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />10. </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpmbSGj7Qbo">Honey Don't</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> [8.5], originally by </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TMF3eK2ojY">Carl Perkins</a><span style="font-weight: bold;">. </span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />11. </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5aUXAodv4Y">Every Little Thing</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> [10]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">12. </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGTwSO34Azc">I Don't Want To Spoil The Party</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> [11]</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />13. </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJtUdoWHgK8">What You're Doing</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> [10]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">14. </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGla16U7YFo">Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> [8.5], originally by </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDw0dWSrxlQ">Carl Perkins</a><span style="font-weight: bold;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Single:</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kge_Krzuegs">I Feel Fine</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> [10]</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />02. </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZovHfoiw-Do">She's A Woman</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> [3]</span> <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Honorable Mention:</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1WytU0yZwI">Leave My Kitten Alone</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> [10], originally by </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1y_FKlwdjk">Little Willie John</a><span style="font-weight: bold;">.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />THE SONGS:<br />01. No Reply [10]</span><br />Their first album started off with <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqXrq4TqDHg">the most raucous count-off</a> this side of The Ramones. The second album had a song similarly rambunctious, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcbL6OBT6Zc">but it started with just voice - no instruments - and to great effect</a>. The third album was kick-started by <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQwwqajZXD8">the most epic chord ever strummed</a>. (Okay, enough in-text links.)<br /><br />This starts with a fairly melancholy (by 1964 standards) song about a dodgy woman, who it turns out is seeing another guy. It is never spelled out if she's a cheater, or (better still) if the narrator is a jealous ex. I like the ambiguity...though it's highly likely that I'm giving the song a modern reading.<br /><br />Regardless, the heartbreak in this song is palpable, with the "I SAW THE LIGHT" / "I NEARLY DIED" / "NO REPLY" refrains sounding like pained lamentations. There's a gorgeous melody, with a slight Latin flavor (mainly in the syncopated drum beat and the achingly dramatic bridge). In only two minutes and twenty seconds, John Lennon invented power pop...and it still holds up 46 years later.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. I'm A Loser [10]</span><br />Paired up with the gloomy "No Reply," it's easy to see why and how I point to this album as the sprouting seeds of John Lennon the emotional troubadour. He'd always turned to music when faced with a crisis. It was there for him when his deadbeat father and doting (but immature) mother weren't. It's what drew he and Paul so close in the early days...but to actually use music as an outlet instead of therapy?<br /><br />I hate that John lived with such misery hanging over him: a shotgun marriage, the stresses of fame, and the increasingly differing expectations of the fans and the critics. He bottled up his insecurities and grief behind a tough, intelligent, and smart-assed front...and if you've ever seen <span style="font-style: italic;">A Hard Day's Night</span>, boy, did he have us all fooled. The art Lennon created, though, as a result of all this suffering? Along with Ray Davies' work, it's some of the best stuff ever scribbled out by a British songwriter.<br /><br />Either audiences were incredibly stupid and aloof, or they really just didn't give a shit about the lyrics, because "I'm A Loser" reads like a suicide note. Though it's something that Ray Davies and Randy Newman are better known for, John takes these self-loathing lyrics and sets them to a bouncy melody. There is an interesting tension in this song when the harmonica comes in; previously, the harmonica had epitomized The Beatles' poppy qualities, a sprightly and cheerful sound. Here, having picked up a few lessons from old Bob, the mouth organ sounds like a scream.<br /><br />Before it makes much of an impact, in comes George with a great Chet Atkins/Carl Perkins guitar solo, bringing us back into the happy world the music has painted for us.<br /><br />It's a slice of genius, that's for sure, one of the pivotal points in The Beatles' early catalog. Thank God for it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">03. Baby's In Black [9]</span><br />This one is a bit understated, but it rounds out a trifecta of songs with sub-poppy subject matter. One of my favorite early (<span style="font-style: italic;">see Appendix at the bottom of this entry for my definitions of Beatle eras</span>) Beatles tunes, "I'll Be Back," closes out <span style="font-style: italic;">A Hard Day's Night</span> with a sense of spite not heard elsewhere on an otherwise happy album.<br /><br />One listen to the working version on <span style="font-style: italic;">Anthology One</span>, in 3/4 time, and you'll hear the boys straining themselves as a band musically. The verses work well, but it all collapses during the bridge, devolving into slightly embarrassed laughter. The next cut on the CD is the song in 4/4 time, and the moment it kicks in (without the intro it has on the finished album) everything just sounds perfect...even if John flubs a note and laughs.<br /><br />"Baby's In Black," which made it past the drawing board in waltz time, does feel a little clunky in parts. Still, an A for effort is in store. I can't imagine this song in straight time or in shuffled 4/4. It would sound awful. Still, that's a pretty sloppy solo, even for the not-so-dexterous George.<br /><br />Where this song succeeds is in the lyrics. Like "No Reply," only to a more extreme degree, there is a subtext to this song that extends beyond the surface. At first, it sounds like a rather benign pop song about a girl whose world has ended due to a break-up. She wears black and shuns other men.<br /><br />Sad, sure, but the whole "my heart is broken, therefore, life is meaningless" thing isn't uncommon.<br /><br />What I love - and I mean <span style="font-weight: bold;">LOVE</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> - </span>are the subtle hints at a much more macabre scenario: <span style="font-style: italic;">her lover is dead</span>.<br /><br />"She thinks of him<br />And so she dresses in black,<br />And though he'll never come back<br />She's dressed in black"<br /><br />The best part is it could be read either way. I don't think the screaming girls gave it much thought.<br /><br />The academic in me told the critic in my to run a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby%27s_In_Black">quick check on Wikipedia</a>, just to see if there's anything validating my suspicion. Sure enough, with some sources cited that I've read before and trust wholly, it turns out I was more right than I thought. It's about Stu Sutcliffe's bereaved fiance Astrid Kirchherr.<br /><br />Wowie Zowie!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">04. Rock And Roll Music [10]</span><br />I'd like to just go ahead and invent a saying; my apologies if some guy I've never heard of said something to this effect before me: "When in doubt, Chuck Berry."<br /><br />Here's a guy who not only defined rock guitar (though I must pay respects to Paul Burlison for inventing raga rock on The Johnny Burnette Rock & Roll Trio's version of "The Train Kept A-Rollin'") and wrote some high-energy pieces to show it off, he was a Hell of a lyricist. You can keep Elvis, Pat Boone, and Buddy Holly. I'll take Chuck...and Eddie Cochran.<br /><br />No point in making some lame-ass, long-winded build up to my bottom line about this song, I'll just say it:<br /><br />BEST BEATLES COVER. EVER.<br /><br />I like "Twist & Shout." I love the way George handles "Roll Over Beethoven." The delicate affection of "You Really Got A Hold On Me" makes it worthy of any mix-tape for that special someone. And their rendition "Money" can still put some cracks in your ceiling.<br /><br />But this one, to crib a phrase from Ian Fleming, "has the delivery of a brick through a plate-glass window." Modern, worldly-wise, and politically correct "journalists" (note the floating quotes) would call such an unabashed celebration of rock music over jazz, mambo, tango, and conga to be "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockism">rockist</a>," whatever the Hell that even means. The dopes who throw that word around can't even seem to agree.<br /><br />To me, it's an unabashed celebration of rock music as the music of youth, energy, and rebellion, something to drown out the Lawrence Welk records that parents in the 1950's danced to. And whatever, rock and roll at its essential core of youth, energy, and rebellion is something immune to the "-ism" label. Save that for the guy jacking off to Styx, Journey, or some other overproduced mid-tempo arena-ready dreck.<br /><br />Everything about this song is perfect. The way John's voice echoes. The way George Martin plays the shit out the piano. The fact that John calls it "rock-roll" music. The very timbre of John's vocals as he shouts like the building is on fire. The way the songs stops and starts with every trip back to the chorus. Its placement on the album, with three incredibly depressing songs about infidelity, self-hatred, and death preceding it, is perfect.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">05. I'll Follow The Sun [10]</span><br />Trust Paul to give us a song that can cool us off after the last number without lulling us to sleep. This song is old - a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZGNychz6EA">demo from 1960</a> exists in all its lo-fi glory - and yet it fits in perfectly among these newer, more mature songs. Granted, the original version sounds more like a Tin Pan Alley tune you'd hear in an early talkie, but with a new bridge and some incredibly tight harmonies with John - which until I heard the album in remastered mono I had thought was just a double-tracked Paul - and you have one of Paul's finest songs.<br /><br />It's short and sweet, even with the delicate electric guitar solo in the middle. This song keeps up the early Beatles trend of including Latin/Caribbean flavors in their music. With a different singer and arrangement, this could make for a passable calypso number.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">06. Mr. Moonlight [10]</span><br />This is one of the most reviled tunes The Beatles ever released...and frankly, I love it. It sounds like music you'd hear at a seedy cocktail lounge in Tijuana, circa 1961. The organ is great, John sounds like a worn-out bandleader (hey, he sort of was!) singing for the table of ladies in the front row.<br /><br />What can I say? I love this song, and I love it without any sense of "it's so bad it's good" at all. Not to get all Anthony Bourdain on you, but this is the dirty water hot dog of the bunch. Get a neon-coral colored beverage known only as "Papaya Drink" to wash it down, and you've got yourself a meal.<br /><br />A song like this, it's pretty simple: you either hate it or you love it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">07. Kansas City / Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey! [2]</span><br />Yikes!<br /><br />Why hasn't anyone singled <span style="font-style: italic;">this</span> little dumpling (emphasis on the "dump") out as an awful Beatles song? John flubs his enunciation on "Rock & Roll Music" and it sounds like he just couldn't give a shit, Paul does it and he sounds drunk, lazy.<br /><br />It really doesn't help that I've heard plenty of white boy blues just as half-assed, slow, and tired as this.<br /><br />This only goes to prove my argument that while we owe The Beatles for a lot of wonderful innovations and noteworthy firsts, we also have them to blame for some things, as seemingly every single song they did inspired another band's entire discography. Without <span style="font-style: italic;">Pepper</span>, we might never have gotten <span style="font-style: italic;">The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn</span>, and we definitely wouldn't have gotten <span style="font-style: italic;">We're Only In It For The Money</span>. However, we also wouldn't have gotten the overwrought garbage that is English prog rock (excluding Brian Eno).<br /><br />Anyway, I kind of hate this song, a pock-mark on an otherwise outstanding album.<br /><br />The strange thing is, I love Wilbert Harrison's original.<br /><br />Thankfully, The Beatles wouldn't revisit the blues again until "Yer Blues," which seemingly goes against my oft-made assertion that the Fab Four sucked as a blues band.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">08. Eight Days A Week [10]</span><br />I said this in <a href="http://alexwritesaboutstuff.blogspot.com/2009/11/monkees-instant-replay-1969.html">my review of <span style="font-style: italic;">Instant Replay</span></a> by The Monkees, but it bears repeating since I haven't written a review in 27 years: I acknowledge that my tastes by and large seem to sidestep the so-called "classics" of an artists' oeuvre. Not always - there's a reason a song like "My Sharona" (RIP Doug Fieger) was a one-hit wonder: the rest of The Knack's stuff isn't that great! - but something like The Beatles compilation <span style="font-style: italic;">1</span> or any of the seemingly infinite Stones and Who compilations floating out there only serve to rub me the wrong way. "Start Me Up" isn't a good song. "Dancing With Mr. D" is, and yet that one isn't on <span style="font-style: italic;">Forty Licks</span>.<br /><br />And so on.<br /><br />Anyway, here's the tried-and-true "classic" on an album that I'll admit has been treated like a bit of a wallflower in The Beatles' discography. Not only is it a "classic" (again, note the floating quotes) Beatle tune, it's a great Beatle tune.<br /><br />They sure knew how to pace an album: three pieces of John's heart for us to consume, a riotous Chuck Berry song, a Paul ballad, and two R&B covers to round out side A. Flip the record over, and you're politely reminded that this is indeed the same band that brought you such timeless confections as "All My Loving," "A Hard Day's Night," and "Can't Buy Me Love."<br /><br />Not only that, the song FADES IN! Can you imagine what that must have sounded like hearing it for the first time?<br /><br />It's a shuffling Motown-esque love song - oh, hey, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsW9NTfHoos">The Supremes covered it</a>! - and musically, there's something oddly triumphant about that fade-in. You can almost assume it's The Beatles giving us an almighty, "Yeah, we did 'No Reply,' but we can still do a masterpiece like this in our sleep!"<br /><br />Imagine if this had started the album proper, and not Side B. Makes me wonder how differently history would have treated it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">09. Words Of Love [1]</span><br />That's right. A one. I might stand as the only white person who doesn't get a boner over Buddy Holly. It isn't something as shallow as it being a matter of my own hatred for the veneration of the dead...I just don't like his music. I won't deny his influence, but I think the music that all his fans enjoyed was trite lovey-dovey nonsense.<br /><br />In fact, Buddy Holly is kind of like the Mozart of rock and roll. Everyone talks about him, everyone seems to worship him...but I just don't see the appeal. Of course, <a href="http://www.timeanddate.com/date/dateadded.html?m1=1&d1=11&y1=1987&type=add&ay=22&am=4&ad=27&aw=">I've outlived him since June 7th, 2009</a>, and he did all he did in 22 years, 4 months, and 27 days while I'm still adrift in a sea of reading responses, scholarship applications, conference presentations, travel grants, and job interviews.<br /><br />So...yeah. I had to flame myself before any of you did it in the comments.<br /><br />That said, I hate the original, and I think The Beatles' version is worse. The eighth-note handclaps bug me to no end, John and Paul's harmonies are God-awful and an aural depiction of them going out of their way to sound American, the guitar tone hurts my ears, and what a waste of a good slapback echo.<br /><br />Well...now that I've pissed you all off, let me take this opportunity to remind you that any comments left get screened first.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">10. Honey Don't [8.5]</span><br />Right on time! Ringo gives us a great Carl Perkins number on this, his latest vocal since "I Wanna Be Your Man."<br /><br />This has everything that I feel "Words Of Love" is lacking. It's got a nice beat, the instruments are all balanced quite well, George turns in not one, but TWO great solos (after all, Carl Perkins was one of his idols), and what's not to love about Ringo saying, "Aw, rock on George, for Ringo!" Great rockabilly guitar riff throughout, too.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">11. Every Little Thing [10]</span><br />My good friend and once non-sexual domestic partner Eric Condon and I had an interesting discussion about whether or not anything by The Beatles can truly be called underrated. It's a good question, because with 13 albums that (for better or for worse - I'm looking at you, <span style="font-style: italic;">Please Please Me</span>!) have been scrutinized and eaten up time and again by the record buying public, it's a bit like saying there's an overlooked play by Shakespeare, or that one of the corners of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Mona Lisa</span> doesn't get enough respect.<br /><br />Still, everything in context: these records, tapes, 8-tracks, CD's, and MP3's have sold in the millions. Even still, I postulate that there are some dimly-lit nooks and crannies in The Beatles' works. It's mainly, as I said in my <span style="font-style: italic;">With The Beatles</span> review, on the flip-sides of these early LP's and singles. You know "Lady Madonna," but have you heard George's b-side, "The Inner Light?" It's one of their best songs.<br /><br />There's plenty of songs that just seem...forgotten. The underside of <span style="font-style: italic;">With The Beatles</span> I've discussed before. For <span style="font-style: italic;">A Hard Day's Night</span>, the b-side is all songs that weren't in the film...an unfortunate position for all six of those songs. "Things We Said Today," although it might be the only pro-love love song in a minor key, is reason enough to still love Paul McCartney after "Silly Love Songs." "You Can't Do That" is a glimpse into John's darker side...the inspiration for the (in?)sincere "Jealous Guy" from 1971. And as I said before, "I'll Be Back" is great. Period. It's a barrage of songs that, had <span style="font-style: italic;">they</span> been the ones in the film would be the songs venerated and celebrated the way their side-A counterparts are today.<span style="font-style: italic;"> Help!</span> fares even worse, and for the exact same reason.<br /><br />Now, on <span style="font-style: italic;">Beatles For Sale</span>, the three other Lennon/McCartney originals stand in the shadow of "Eight Days A Week." Eric and I both agreed that these songs, discreetly tucked away on the b-side of what is an uneven, hastily cobbled-together album, stand as proof that, yes, Virginia, there <span style="font-style: italic;">are</span> underrated and overlooked Beatles songs.<br /><br />To begin, "Every Little Thing" was written by Paul, but has John on lead vocals. This was never a common Beatle practice; there's only one instance where George sang a Lennon/McCartney song ("I'm Happy Just To Dance With You"), and as for John or Paul singing the other's song (not counting duets) - and I do welcome corrections on this - I really think it's a one-time occurrence.<br /><br />Anyway, John's vocals are great here. I can't really picture Paul singing these lyrics, even though he wrote it. And speaking of the songwriting, oh, my God! Paul is writing something that isn't a radio-ready love song with an infectious chorus? John isn't the only one in the band growing up.<br /><br />McCartney gibes aside, this is a great song. Gorgeous melody, and the piano/timpani combo gives a nice weight to the music, a nice complement to the sweet lyrics. Glenn Gass did note that the song's chorus:<br /><br />"Every little thing she does<br />She does for me, yeah!<br />And you know the things she does,<br />She does for me, ooh!"<br /><br />...hasn't exactly aged well. What can you do? McCartney was a traditionalist; a man needed a maid. In fact, it was this tension that broke up his relationship with Jane Asher. She didn't want to give up her acting career to be a stay-at-home wife. Who did he think she was, Maureen Starkey or Cynthia Lennon?<br /><br />Pre-feminist sexism aside (again, it was a different time, they came from a different culture,) the song gets enough of a pass on its other merits to get a ten.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">12. I Don't Want To Spoil The Party [11]</span><br />Take away those trademark Beatle harmonies, and this is something straight out of the Ray Davies songbook. I praised the pacing of the album earlier...but the more I think about it, the more I have to say that only applies to Side A, which is where this song belongs. Lennon's self-portrait just as pathetic as "No Reply," as self-aware as "I'm A Loser," and distraught as the narrator of "Baby's In Black." This almost got the crown of being awarded an 11 score.<br /><br />"I had a drink or two and I don't care..."<br /><br />...and yet he's wondering why his lady has ditched him? Man, the irony, the desperation - intentional or not - is magnificent. Even though it's implied he's behaved like a drunken ass, that chorus has him acting like <span style="font-style: italic;">he's</span> the victim:<br /><br />"Though tonight she's made me sad,<br />I...still...love...her!"<br /><br />Although there's some decent competition from the songs on either side of it, never mind the two songs at the start of the album, it wasn't much of a debate for me to pick this as the best cut on the record.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">13. What You're Doing [10]</span><br />That drum cadence is something I could listen to all day. George's 12-string calls back to the sound he had with his Rickenbacker 360-12 on <span style="font-style: italic;">A Hard Day's Night</span> (and yet this song is not a hold-over from those sessions), and where's the chorus? There isn't one.<br /><br />It's unconventionally structured, with its bizarre rhyme scheme, Paul's syncopated verses (all sung while hitting impossibly high notes), and a fairly complex - for 1964 - melody. This is the kind of song that the early Monkees' stuff (the songs Micky Dolenz sang) tried so desperately to ape, no pun intended. Not even the best of the best Tin Pan Alley veterans could come close.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">14. Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby [8.5]</span><br />Two Carl Perkins covers on one album? Good as they both are, and also indicative of their love for Perkins' music, it's definitely a sign that they had a bit of a song shortage.<br /><br />After 13 tracks, we finally hear George's beautiful baritone voice on lead. It bops on with a lovable rockabilly swagger. It sounds like they're having a Hell of a good time, too, but they also sound worn out...like this last song on the album might have even been the last one they recorded for it. Still, a memorable performance, plenty of that marvelous echo that I love on the vocals.<br /><br />Before I do the subtotal, let me just say...I'm a little surprised by how uneven this album is.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subtotal: 85.7% B<br /><br />Replay Factor: 1</span><br />I have to say, side A plays fairly well, though I might skip that awful two-for-one thing at the end. Side B? Less so...kind of uneven. Those Perkins covers are good, but they're still filler. In between, though, are some real treasures of Lennon/McCartney songs.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Consistency Factor: 0<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /> </span></span>It is kind of rare for me to give a zero in this regard, but it is a pretty bumpy ride. If you're wanting to introduce someone to Moptop Beatles, play <span style="font-style: italic;">With The Beatles</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">A Hard Day's Night</span>. If you want to treat someone to some great mid-phase Beatles, look no further than <span style="font-style: italic;">Help!</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Rubber Soul</span>. This really is them in transition, and while I generally think the phrase "advanced listening" applies to other albums I might give a zero to (like <span style="font-style: italic;">Lumpy Gravy</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Studio Tan</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Thing-Fish</span>, or <span style="font-style: italic;">Broadway The Hard Way</span> by Frank Zappa), because that implies these are albums worth holding out for. As I define in my <a href="http://alexwritesaboutstuff.blogspot.com/2009/06/album-ratings-just-facts.html">Just The Facts</a> entry, a zero is an album generally classified as "for the die-hards only." That doesn't really apply here...more like, "Of the 13 Beatles albums, this is second only to <span style="font-style: italic;">Yellow Submarine</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">Please Please Me</span> as being the last one you should purchase." Still an essential part of your collection? Yes. But if you were really hurting for cash and could only buy, say, one, three, seven, or even nine Beatle albums...this one wouldn't make the cut.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">External Factors: 1</span><br />This really is a thrown-together-for-the-Christmas-market release. That's not common in the business anymore, not in this era where you can write some stupid original Christmas song (that isn't "Father Christmas") and put it out as a single, bribing your way to getting it shown on the MTV. The fact that they were expected to have a Christmas disc ready showed balls on The Beatles' part for rising to the challenge. There's plenty of criticisms to lob:<br />+ No George-penned songs<br />+ Six cover tunes...a bit of a step backwards considering that <span style="font-style: italic;">A Hard Day's Night</span> was 13 all-original tunes<br />+ The covers, barring one, aren't as memorable as their earlier efforts<br />+ A dismal three "Paul-only" vocal performances, one of them being their shitty fake blues medley?<br /><br />...but there's also plenty to praise:<br />+ Four-track recording meant more room for overdubs and a crisper sound altogether<br />+ All of the original songs are bold moves forward<br />+ Plenty of John to go around<br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Total: 87.7% B</span></span><br /><br />Now, a single and an outtake.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. I Feel Fine [10]</span><br />The subject of love is a tricky one to write about. How do you define it? What is it, even? Can you really sum up the feelings of being in love in a simple two-minute song?<br /><br />With "I Feel Fine," the answer is yes. Ask me to define love, and I'll just tell you to listen to this song. If this had been on <span style="font-style: italic;">Beatles For Sale</span>, it would be an undisputed 11.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. She's A Woman [3]</span><br />They still don't quite have the art of making a decent b-side down yet, do they? I kind of hate this song...but the chorus makes up for how awfully Paul is singing. And on that note, what is with his singing? He's shouting, he's yelping, he's mumbling...tuneless muck. That scene in <span style="font-style: italic;">Help!</span> when Eleanor Bron's character plays this song on a reel-to-reel tape player for Leo McKern and he goes, "Uggghhh! Shocking!" kind of sums up my thoughts on this song.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. Leave My Kitten Alone [10]</span><br />WHOA! This outtake remained in the can for 31 years until <span style="font-style: italic;">Anthology One</span>. All I can ask is what the Hell they were thinking leaving it off the album! This song instead of "Words Of Love" would have made the album a 92% A-, throw in the tilt factors and it would be a cozy 94% A.<br /><br />It's a shame. Oh, well, at least it's out for us to consume now.<br /><br />Have fun debating this one!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /> </span></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Appendix:</span><br /><br />I divide The Beatles' discography into three (technically four) periods -<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Pre:</span> Their first recording ("That'll Be The Day") through the Decca Audition (1958-1962) Reserved almost exclusively for die-hards, there's plenty of treasures here like the Decca Audition, the Tony Sheridan tapes, and their gigs at The Star Club in Hamburg. There's also some real shit, though, too, like their incredibly lo-fi rehearsals from 1960 that might or might not feature original bassist Stu Sutcliffe.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Early:</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Please Please Me</span> through <span style="font-style: italic;">Beatles For Sale</span> (1962-1964) The moptop phase, where they wore matching suits, shook their heads and went "WOOO!!!!", and were poised to take over the world.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mid-Phase:</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Help!</span> through <span style="font-style: italic;">Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band </span>/ "All You Need Is Love" (1965-1967) With the world placed in their hands, they don't quite know what to do with it...except make their greatest music.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Latter:</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Magical Mystery Tour</span> through <span style="font-style: italic;">Let It Be</span> (1967-1970) From the first fumble to the last, with a bitchin' double-LP and a slickly over-produced farewell sandwiched in between.Alex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860260447363818885.post-65778797015125399272009-11-15T00:03:00.003-05:002009-11-15T06:34:16.552-05:00The Monkees - Instant Replay (1969)<span style="font-size:100%;">Remember three years ago back in August when I promised I'd come back with an album review that garnered something below a B?<br /><br />For all two of you who read my reviews, you can finally stop holding your breath.<br /><br />I'll lay off the "they weren't a real band, but they also weren't the Backstreet Boys" argument this time around - pretty sure I covered it <a href="http://alexwritesaboutstuff.blogspot.com/2009/06/monkees-headquarters-1967.html">when I reviewed <span style="font-style: italic;">Headquarters </span></a><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span>way back in June - and instead focus on their decline.<span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://alexwritesaboutstuff.blogspot.com/2009/06/monkees-headquarters-1967.html"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></a><br /><br />The first nail in the coffin, despite Don Kirshner's insistence that it was his dismissal as their music supervisor, was NBC canceling <span style="font-style: italic;">The Monkees</span> television show. The band members had grown tired of the madcap adventures geared towards 13 year old kids (keep in mind that in the 1960's 13 was equivalent to 8 years old in 2009 - I'm working on a conversion chart) and regularly challenged the show's format by the end of the second season. Rather than deal with temperamental musicians/actors, NBC canned the show.<br /><br />That's one.<br /><br />The second, as much as it pains me to say this, was their motion picture, <span style="font-style: italic;">Head</span>. I'll just go ahead and say it: I have weird tastes. This manifests itself the most with my taste in movies. Yes, I would worship Charlie Chaplin if he came back from the dead. Yes, I enjoy <span style="font-style: italic;">The Godfather</span>. Yes, I love <span style="font-style: italic;">Star Wars</span>. But there's a lot of other "classic" films that I can't stand. There are a lot of modern movies I can't be bothered to watch. If a movie is surreal, bizarre, odd, uniquely shot/edited, abnormally colorful, or just plain funny, chances are it's one of my favorites. <span style="font-style: italic;">Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas</span> is all of the above. The Beatles' films - <span style="font-style: italic;">Let It Be</span> notwithstanding, I've never seen it, and so long as Sir Paul is alive, I don't think any of us will be seeing it (legally) anytime soon - all check off various criteria on this list. Hell, even Chaplin had some surrealistic humor in his short films.<br /><br />That all said, I think <span style="font-style: italic;">Head</span> is a brilliant movie. It was ahead of its time in the same sense as <span style="font-style: italic;">Magical Mystery Tour</span>, much-maligned in its time but worshiped in the art-house/film school circuit, having developed a strong cult of defenders. But that was not at all what all the teenyboppers were expecting. In some television documentary on the band, Davy Jones said they should have made "something like <span style="font-style: italic;">Ghostbusters</span>," a 90-minute version of their television show where The Monkees are the heroes on a much more grand scale than any of the Marxist (of the Groucho variety) plots of the television program.<br /><br />I was really tempted to include a clip from the film...but I can't. I've got to save that for my review of the album <span style="font-style: italic;">Head</span>. I'll just pretend I did and jump to my conclusion about their film:<br /><br />He has a point.<br /><br />That's two.<br /><br />Then - try not to laugh - after <span style="font-style: italic;">Head</span> flopped, plans were hatched for a television special entitled </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">33⅓ Revolutions Per Monkee</span>, which really, really sucked. I've seen it. Peter Tork compared it to being a TV version of <span style="font-style: italic;">Head</span>, but that's being charitable.<br /><object width="320" height="265"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qM5Lesv9Pd0&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qM5Lesv9Pd0&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="265"></embed></object><br />This was God-awful. Later in the sequence, three survivors of the first wave of rock and roll (who weren't Elvis, who ironically had his big comeback special the month they filmed this garbage), Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Fats Domino play and partake in an "oldies" medley. The Monkees are treated like rock and roll's first test tube babies, appearing in segments that spoof their personalities on the original show, while in <span style="font-style: italic;">Head</span> they played themselves attempting to escape said image.<br /><br />In fact, it was such a negative experience that Peter quit.<br /><br />That's nails three AND four!<br /><br />So by 1969, the show was done (though even then being rebroadcast as reruns), their venture into film was befuddling to the squares and largely unseen by the acid-eaters who would have loved it, their return to television was a joke (do I need to embed them doing "At The Hop" a second time?), and one of them left after buying out his contract. The band had become a sinking ship, yet the three remaining members - Davy, Micky Dolenz, and Michael Nesmith - were constantly in the studio (separately, mind you, sometimes in different studios on the same day) recording.<br /><br />In spite of the prolific in-studio work going on by the members individually, <span style="font-style: italic;">Instant Replay</span> is a fragmented pop record. Many of the tracks date back to the early days of The Monkees in 1966, when they were a project rather than a band. Many of them were re-recorded at some point in the time that had passed, but one song indeed is a mixed, mastered track dating from before the show had even aired.<br /><br />You'd think this hodgepodge compilation of songs ranging from three years to forty-five days old (yes, I looked it up - the album was released 2/15/69, the last vocal overdub was done on 1/4/69 - Andrew Sandoval, your insanely well-researched book is a Godsend!) could barely even be considered an album. Surely "real" artists (the floating quotes are meant to convey sarcasm) didn't do that, right?<br /><br />Actually, it's not uncommon, for better or for worse. <span style="font-style: italic;">Tattoo You</span> (1981) by The Rolling Stones had songs dating back to 1972 with Mick Taylor on guitar. No new songs were recorded for the album, with only vocal overdubs from Mick Jagger being the sole contributions from the band. On the other hand, there's Neil Young's lopsided 1977 offering, <span style="font-style: italic;">American Stars & Bars</span>. The new stuff was all country music with Nicolette Larson and Linda Ronstadt in tow, and yet among the older material on side B of the album is "Will To Love" (one of my favorites) and "Like A Hurricane," one of my favorite songs from anybody...and yet it sat for two years!<br /><br />Then there's Zappa, where a guitar solo from 1974 is spliced with a bass track from 1976 and a drum track from 1977. ("The Ocean Is The Ultimate Solution," anyone? "Rubber Shirt?" "Friendly Little Finger?") He called it "xenochrony," and it has since become regarded as an art all its own.<br /><br />That said, <span style="font-style: italic;">Instant Replay</span> is the musical equivalent of taking last night's dinner and reheating it in the microwave. Some bites are going to be piping hot and fresh, like it had just been prepared. Others are going to be slightly cold, making for a grating, unsatisfying clash.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. Through The Looking Glass [9.5]</span><br />A Tommy Boyce/Bobby Hart song first originally recorded in 1966, my personal favorite version, this reworked version - sounding more like a </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Magical Mystery Tour</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> outtake than the lo-fi Beach Boys-meets-<span style="font-style: italic;">Help!</span> tone of the original <span style="font-style: italic;"></span> - plods along with a beat you can do high kicks to. That's not a bad thing, at all. In fact, it's a terrific recording. The piano is bright and punchy, the song itself is well-arranged, and Micky's singing is top-notch. Very catchy, should have been a single. (We'll get to the actual single in a bit...)<br /><br />I recognize the strangeness of my own tastes. The songs I give the highest scores to here wouldn't have gotten played on the radio, sure, but I can also take a step back from my own selfish interests and say this - "Through The Looking Glass" is the only song on this album that I can say qualifies as deserving the title of classic in The Monkees' canon.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. Don't Listen To Linda [2]</span><br />That's right. A two. Not to be driving home a motif of things in pairs or double-sidedness, but there are two sides to the songwriting of Boyce and Hart. It was evident as far back as the band's first album. Yes, they gave us the classic "Last Train To Clarksville," but they also gave us their spin on "Yesterday" with the schmaltzy Davy Jones vehicle "I Wanna Be Free." Their dichotomous style is never more obvious than here. "Through The Looking Glass" showed McCartney-esque pop sensibilities amid some deft orchestration.<br /><br />"Don't Listen To Linda" has a dumb title, clearly thought of first as the song's hook, with everything else very poorly being written to accommodate it. Whoever Linda is, I know now not to listen to her. For a pop song - actually, let me restate this with emphasis - FOR A POP SONG, these lyrics are awful. A good writer can discipline themselves by forcing five pages of text (prose, poetry) a day. Some days it probably comes easily. Other days it's probably like pulling teeth. This must have been written at a dentist's office.<br /><br />Then you get someone like me, who does one of these dumb little reviews once every two weeks apparently, resulting in the written equivalent of explosive diarrhea. It goes - and gets - everywhere. I generally write these on days where I've had coffee. I think I have a problem.<br /><br />The sotto brass arrangement gets drowned in a sea of Hollywood strings in the over-dramatic bridge. Not even Davy's munchkin pop singer voice can compete with the orchestration here. And that's saying something.<br /><br />Before I move on from my Homeric simile on "Don't Listen To Linda," let me just say that you shouldn't only not listen to Linda, you should not listen to this song. You should package it and sell it as a sugar substitute for diabetics. This isn't pop. This is sucralose.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">03. I Won't Be The Same Without Her [11]</span><br />This song was recorded, mixed, and had Mike's vocals dubbed all before the first episode of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Monkees</span> aired in September of 1966. And yet it's one of the best songs here. What does that tell you?<br /><br />That said, I love the harmonies. A perfect blend of sorrow on the verses and a catchy title-chorus. The key change in the bridge is beautiful. Sounds like California in 1966. So what if it's 1969? This calls back to a much more innocent time, back before Nixon got elected, before the political turmoil and social unrest, and before Peter Tork quit The Monkees. Wait, what?<br /><br />Whatever. This is a great song. In the parallel universe where I determine the songs that will become great hits, "I Won't Be The Same Without Her" briefly dominated the radio in the autumn of 1966. Though in said parallel universe it was released by Mike & The Monkees.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">04. Just A Game [6]</span><br />Micky Dolenz wrote this song, and actually demoed it back around the time of <span style="font-style: italic;">Headquarters</span> as "There's A Way." It starts off very simple, but gradually builds with more and more instruments entering the mix. In spite of the strings and brass that come in, the song is really slight. Forgettable, even. Running only 1:48, this song either should have been fleshed out (if just a bridge to get the song over two minutes) or left in the can.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">05. Me Without You [6.5]</span><br />Kinda sounds like this...<br /><object width="320" height="265"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_egWfa5WD_Q&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_egWfa5WD_Q&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="265"></embed></object><br />It's not a full-on carbon copy of The Beatles. That would be Oasis. But the similarities are pretty uncanny. Again, another Boyce/Hart collaboration, and while this isn't a total wash, I think they thought they were doing their best work when they aped John and Paul.<br /><br />Actually...recalling all the stuff I've read, they modeled "(Theme From) The Monkees" after "Catch Us If You Can" by The Dave Clark Five, "Let's Dance On" is "La Bamba" with every single Chuck Berry riff mixed in, the fade-out of "Paperback Writer" inspired "Last Train To Clarksville," "I Wanna Be Free" clearly came out of "Yesterday," this song is son of "Your Mother Should Know." Yikes.<br /><br />One thing we can give Boyce and Hart, no matter how derivative they may or may not have been, is "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone." Since someone who owns the rights to The Monkees - arguably one of the most visual groups of their era - ironically wants them off YouTube, here's some other versions, including the original by Paul Revere & The Raiders:<br /><object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JDfWePGe9E4&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JDfWePGe9E4&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object><br /><object width="320" height="265"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZXd8qnONDIk&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZXd8qnONDIk&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="265"></embed></object><br /><object width="320" height="265"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/U0uSGsB59ko&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/U0uSGsB59ko&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="265"></embed></object><br /><br />Wait, what were we talking about? Yeah, "Me Without You" is good musically - and that solo is straight out of <span style="font-style: italic;">Sgt. Pepper</span>. I can hear George Harrison playing that guitar solo. Lyrically it's pretty banal...and it loses at least a point and a half on principle. While one could in theory make their career mimicking The Beatles, history will not be kind to you. Although if they'd tried a little harder, I would have loved to have heard The Monkees' "psychedelic" album. Can you imagine?<br /><br />I smell a mixtape!!!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">06. Don't Wait For Me [7.5]</span><br />I don't hate country. I just hate most of it. Then again, I feel the same way about most genres. Yeah, The Kinks, The Sex Pistols, Zappa, Neil, Dylan...all great, but then there's all the bands that literally do nothing for me. Grand Funk Railroad (whose best moment is a Rolling Stones cover) is a fine example of this. I'm not even that big on Springsteen. I don't necessarily hate them, I just don't care. It's the musical equivalent of going on a date with a bad kisser.<br /><br />Then there's bands like Journey, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Foreigner, Boston, and Chicago, which I equate to being like dates who have eaten garlic, suffer from meth-mouth, chain smoke, have had partial maxillofacial surgery, and are bleeding from the gums. And yet they still want to kiss you. They force their tongue down your throat.<br /><br />Mike Nesmith did some great things - overlooked, even - with fusing country and rock and roll, eliminating the laughably awful middleman of skiffle from the equation and sidestepping folk so as to avoid any Dylan connection. In 1968, Mike did a marathon of recording sessions with a bunch of Nashville's finest session men, including later Neil Young producer David Briggs on piano, yielding almost an album's worth of material. Though not all of it got released while The Monkees were intact, it has all since been released posthumously on compilations like <span style="font-style: italic;">Missing Links</span> or as CD bonus tracks. Most of it is pretty good. This one's not his best - "Propinquity (I've Just Begun To Care)" earns that title for my money, yet that went unreleased until <span style="font-style: italic;">Missing Links Volume 3</span>? - but it's good.<br /><br />Even when Nesmith falls short of his mark, it stands fairly tall on this album. I also love how genuine he sounds on these country tunes. When he does "Sunny Girlfriend" or "I Won't Be The Same Without Her," he sounds his age. But on this, he sounds like a golden-throated master, with years of experience, heartbreak, and whiskey drinking in every inflection.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">07. You And I [12]</span><br />Davy dominates on this album, and not one of them score above a 6.5 except this, which is the greatest song he did with The Monkees. Hence, it is a 12. (For good measure, Davy actually has a writing credit! No fresh from the Brill Building songwriters here! Just Davy and Monkee collaborator Bill Chadwick.) This wins by a long-shot, over anything else he did with the group. Odd he would have his best moment so late in their career...and I swear to you it has nothing to do with the mystery guest on lead guitar.<br /><br />In fact, I loved this song as a kid before I even knew who the guy was who played guitar. I knew his name, but that was it. We'll get to him in a second.<br /><br />You know how earlier I talked about "I Won't Be The Same Without Her" takes us back to a much more innocent time? This does just the opposite as a new composition, addressing the band as having potentially outstayed their welcome:<br />"You and I have seen what time does, haven't we?<br />We've both had time to grow<br />We've got more growing to do<br />Me and you<br />And the rest of them, too."<br /><br />Then comes the bridge, which carries the most potent acknowledgment of their own waning stardom:<br />"In a year or maybe two we'll be gone and someone new<br />Will take our place" - David Cassidy, anyone?<br />"There'll be another song, another voice, another pretty face..."<br /><br />Wow. (See what I mean about how this couldn't have been a hit?)<br /><br />Then there's the dramatic lead guitar line, provided by Buffalo Springfield's resident guy who dresses in fringe and sideburns, Neil "Mr. Soul" Young, the king of impassioned, dramatic lead guitar lines.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">08. While I Cry [10]</span><br />Nesmith's last contribution to the album comes a little early, with this deceptively simple, plaintive lament for a wicked ex-lover who the narrator had been warned of. It's a beautiful song in its gentle form here, but a closer listen to the acoustic guitar in the left channel, the syncopated rim clicks in the right channel, the tremoloed electric guitar, the backing vocals on the bridge (with a slight flange applied)...just a little more voltage, this could have been a psychedelic ballad. But since it doesn't need any adornments to be a great song, it's here in its best possible form.<br /><br />And the melody in the song's bridge is magnificent. Even when he's not getting his rocks off with surrealist poetry and bouncy rock, Nesmith is a Hell of a songwriter.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">09. Tear Drop City [3.5]</span><br />And the sky lifts up its almighty leg and resumes urination. I always thought this sounded WAY too much like "Last Train To Clarksville" for comfort. Then I read that the song was originally recorded in a lower key.<br /><br />Somewhere along the way, The Monkees got sick of being their own music supervisors, so the guy they hired suggested that by rehashing their old "sound" (thus explaining all the 1966-era material), they would be guaranteed hits. Thus, this song was sped up 9% to match the key of "Last Train To Clarksville." Listen closely to the tambourine. Unless it's a tambourine designed for a midget - note that I'm refraining from making a joke about Davy Jones been five foot three - I've never heard that instrument sound so tiny! And tinny, while we're at it.<br /><br />I haven't bothered to slow this song down to its original pitch...I'm curious. The fact that I haven't yet means that it's not really been on my mind. Care to know why? It's not a great song. Then it was manipulated to make it sound MORE like their first big hit!<br /><br />Okay, okay, seriously, it isn't a good song. Even if "Last Train" had never come out, this song wouldn't be that outstanding.<br /><br />So, did the new music supervisor's gambit work?<br /><br />Nope. It got to #56.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">10. The Girl I Left Behind Me [5]</span><br />This song has a great chorus and an all-too-short 12-string acoustic solo, but the rest of the song is the kind of phony-baloney crap that would have been a huge easy listening hit in the 1970's. Unfortunately, it's from 1966. A re-recorded version from 1967 is a bonus track on the CD reissue of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Birds, The Bees, And The Monkees</span>, and it's much better.<br /><br />You know who could have done this song, obviously making a change for gender? Tina Turner.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">11. A Man Without A Dream [1.5]</span><br />Somewhere I read Davy likes this song because it was more in his range as a baritone rather than as a tenor. Um, okay, the guy makes his career singing with the range and timbre of a 14 year old boy...anyway, the lyrics are stupid. ("Sometimes I think I'm a prisoner of fate / Doomed to find out things a little too late") The backing vocalists sound like they are half-awake. And the brass interlude is horribly out of place. At least with "The Girl I Left Behind Me" I can picture it being a feminist anthem for Tina Turner, produced by noted producer/murderer Phil Spector, but with this, I don't think anyone should be allowed to sing it. In fact, I'm pretty sure if you look at the sheet music (or even the master tape) directly without first praying a Latin incantation, this could happen to you:<br /><object width="320" height="265"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rI6-JzxV-_M&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rI6-JzxV-_M&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="265"></embed></object><br /><br />In Hell, this song and "Don't Listen To Linda" play constantly along with "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey on the radio.<br /><br />Ready for this? Boyce and Hart, surprisingly, did NOT write this song. Gerry Goffin and Carole King did. The same team that gave us "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow."<br /><br />Care for any further evidence that man is inherently flawed?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">12. Shorty Blackwell [10]</span><br />Micky Dolenz gets the benediction this time around, and wow...he and his sister Coco share lead vocal (and harmonize really, really well!) in this epic tale of cats, houses on hills, etc. He said it was his own indulgence to pursue a <span style="font-style: italic;">Sgt. Pepper</span>-style sound. So, if anyone ever asks you what happens when someone has virtually unlimited studio time and access to a world-class recording orchestra, look no further. It's a goofy number, but after everything else that's befallen us for the past 35 minutes, it's welcome relief. Even on a good album, this song would remain memorable.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subtotal: 68.75% D+</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Replayability Factor: 0</span><br />Can I listen to this album again and again? No. The low points are too low.<br /><br />Can I extract the best and make a playlist on iTunes? Oh, yes.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Consistency Factor: 0</span><br />It's for the die-hards, plain and simple. Davy Jones fans will probably eat this record up, but keep in mind, these are Davy Jones songs that weren't considered good enough for SIX OTHER ALBUMS before making onto <span style="font-style: italic;">Instant Replay</span>. Just...just think about that one.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">External Factors: -1</span><br />Yep. I went there. Was it out of the members' control that they had a music supervisor who said, "Hey! I know! Let's make you sound like you did 30 months ago! THAT should sell records!" ? Of course. But it still happened.<br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">TOTAL: 67.75%, rounded to 68% D+<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />Ouch.</span></span><br /></span>Alex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860260447363818885.post-89948786183815121592009-10-30T05:21:00.004-04:002009-10-30T07:12:02.708-04:00Dr. No (1962)<span style="font-style: italic;">This is my first film review. Anyone visiting my site for the first time should probably know this in advance. Regular readers, I apologize. I've never written a film review before. Can you believe that, given that I studied film along with rock music in college? I can analyze movies like it's nobody's business, but I've never done an proper review.<br /><br />I guess that's my way of saying you've been warned.</span><span><br /><br />This probably goes without saying, but there will be spoilers in this entry.<br /></span><br />The James Bond series is one I have such a love-hate relationship with. At its best, you have a compelling story, some great acting, and some memorable action sequences. However, at its worst, you have recycled or completely laughable stories, some so-bad-it's-still-just-bad acting, and action sequences that are laughable or just plain stupid.<br /><br />And I blame the producers. Bigger isn't always better. They learn this and re-learn it time and again throughout the existence of the super-spy's film franchise. Every <span style="font-style: italic;">Moonraker</span> is followed by a <span style="font-style: italic;">For Your Eyes Only</span>, but eventually they start beefing the films up and next thing you know Bond is fighting an axe-wielding Christopher Walken atop the Golden Gate Bridge while one of the replacements from <span style="font-style: italic;">Charlie's Angels</span> squeals like a stuck pig.<br /><br />It doesn't help - or maybe it does - that I'm also working my way through Ian Fleming's novels. Through the summer and early autumn I got through the first five, and oddly enough got to <span style="font-style: italic;">Dr. No</span> before school work began to (appropriately) become my primary focus. The literary Bond isn't a wise-cracking womanizer. He's a rather cold employee of Her Majesty's Government, not enamored with his job, but dedicated to his duty.<br /><br />The books have their drawbacks, which become more and more glaringly obvious as time marches on. Fleming was upper-class and English...and a man. So there's sexism (though not much eroticism, thankfully) and racist attitudes scattered throughout. It isn't uncommon for someone to be described first as being French or having traits "like all Frenchmen...". To me, it's just the words of an Englishman in the dying days of colonialism in the British Empire.<br /><br />Deborah Lipp wrote a wonderful book of lists and reviews of the series. She runs a <a href="http://blog.jamesbondfanbook.com/">great blog site</a> that features all things Bond. In her book, I feel she is a little too harsh on Fleming's racial attitudes. They're worth pointing out and calling them for what they are, but sometimes she's a bit too politically correct. (Other than that, though, she's a terrific writer and a very courteous site-runner. She warded off some pesky 13 year old who started a petty argument deftly.)<br /><br />Her book, which I picked up in Dallas this June, inspired me as a pop culture junkie, to re-watch and reevaluate Bond. I hadn't seen any of the films since middle school, but I recalled watching them almost religiously. I also recall that Timothy Dalton's two films were my standout favorites. Of course, this eventually got displaced when I discovered Monty Python and their Flying Circus.<br /><br />So, here goes. My first film review on this blog.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">DR. NO (1962)</span><br />I really don't know why this was the first choice. Bond had actually been introduced to us on the CBS series <span style="font-style: italic;">Climax!</span> in an adaptation of the first novel <span style="font-style: italic;">Casino Royale</span>, with Peter Lorre as Le Chiffre and American (!) actor Barry Nelson playing Jimmy "Card Sense" Bond, a CIA agent...<br /><br />...think about that for a minute. James Bond as an American. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Bourne">Oh, wait...</a><br /><br />Anyway, the first Bond novel having already been put onto the screen, albeit on American television in the 1950's, was sufficient grounds for them to choose a different story. The books are in an entirely different order from the film series, which continues to baffle me. I've taken the liberty to list them here with their order in the films in parenthesis:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Casino Royale</span> (21st)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Live And Let Die</span> (8th)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Moonraker</span> (11th)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Diamonds Are Forever</span> (7th)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">From Russia With Love</span> (2nd)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Dr. No</span> (1st)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Goldfinger</span> (3rd)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">For Your Eyes Only</span> short story collection, which included<br />+ <span style="font-style: italic;">For Your Eyes Only</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Risico</span>, which combined to form the story for the film <span style="font-style: italic;">For Your Eyes Only</span> (12th)<br />+ <span style="font-style: italic;">From A View To A Kill</span>, which minus "From" was the title - and little else - for the 14th outing<br />+ <span style="font-style: italic;">Quantum Of Solace</span> (22nd, though again, none of the story is on the screen. Just the title.)<br />+ <span style="font-style: italic;">The Hildebrand Rarity</span> (incorporated into <span style="font-style: italic;">Licence To Kill</span>, the 16th film)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Thunderball</span> (4th)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Spy Who Loved Me</span> (10th)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">On Her Majesty's Secret Service</span> (6th)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">You Only Live Twice</span> (5th)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Man With The Golden Gun</span> (9th)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Octopussy & The Living Daylights</span> (13th and 15th, respectively)<br /><br />What the Hell? Seriously! Oh, well.<br /><br />I'll warn you this may just turn into "the rantings of an angry fanboy."<br /><br />Whatever the case is, <span style="font-style: italic;">Dr. No</span> lends itself to being a simple, yet effective, narrative. A field agent is killed and Bond is sent to investigate. It really does play out like a detective story...and that's kind of a drawback. We know Bond with 20/20 hindsight as a globetrotting secret agent, so why is he doing what seems like police work? Because that's how he worked in the novels. This is one of the closest adaptations we'll see in the franchise of the source material.<br /><br />We first see Bond from behind, playing cards opposite the lovely Sylvia Trench, and in our first glimpse of the ruggedly handsome Sean Connery he gives us his iconic introduction while lighting a cigarette: "Bond. James Bond." It's so strange to think Fleming wanted the most ordinary name possible, because as you're about to see, those two simple syllables are pretty bad-ass:<br /><object height="265" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/raplvZFysjU&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/raplvZFysjU&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="265" width="320"></embed></object><br />See what I mean?<br /><br />That said, (and this is my second draft of this review when I realized I was simply summarizing the picture without any opinions) I like this movie. But I don't love it. As an introduction to Bond, it is pretty good. However, this could have been any generic cop/CIA man following the clues...until he gets to where the clues take him.<br /><br />I bitch a lot about the lack of realism in the films, but what makes Bond so special is that it's realism...with a twist. He exists in the real world, yes, but a dash of fantasy - just enough to make you think, "Could this actually happen?" - gives these films their oomph. So it is largely a cloak and dagger film, just set in Jamaica.<br /><br />But then we get to where this search for clues is taking us.<br /><br />Bond's journey eventually leads him to the lair of the title villain, Dr. Julius No (<a href="http://blog.jamesbondfanbook.com/2009/10/20/rest-in-peace-joseph-wiseman/#respond">Joseph Wiseman</a>), a mysterious half-German, half-Chinese with artificial hands. As far as Bond villains go, I like him, but several factors leave him very open to parody. It doesn't help that just about anything remotely ridiculous we see in the 1960's Bond outings was later made into comedy in the Austin Powers series, because Dr. No pretty much <span style="font-style: italic;">is</span> Dr. Evil. He speaks in a robotic, monotonous tone, wearing a Nehru jacket with matching trousers, and he does little other than demonstrate that his artificial hands can do some serious damage. Oh, and they are both doctors - maybe they went to the same Evil School?<br /><br />As menacing as he seems, he doesn't get much screen time. He's really only in two scenes. One is where he and Bond size one another up. And re-watching it, Dr. Evil be damned, Wiseman makes every second count!<br /><object height="295" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Rzu4VO4yPTg&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Rzu4VO4yPTg&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="295" width="480"></embed></object><br />(The armed goon with one line we'll see again later, much later, in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Spy Who Loved Me</span> as the stumpy but formidable Sandor.)<br />He anticipates Bond's every move, even telling him to put the knife he'd hidden in his sleeve back on the table, while Bond does his best to verbally wound his adversary. It's here that Bond shines, because too much in this film does he come across as kind of a brute, body-slamming a thug and snapping "Get up!" as he wipes his hands with his handkerchief, throwing Quarrel (John Kitzmiller) around before learning he's a friend and not a foe, and his seduction of Miss Taro (Zena Marshall).<br /><br />But in this scene, he shows that his greatest asset isn't his hand-to-hand combat skills or his seductive charm. It's his brain. We're meeting 007 not as some rookie eager to get his hands dirty; rather, he's a seasoned veteran. This tactic of being a smart-ass is one he'd clearly used before, and it had worked for him. But not this time. Dr. No even tells him it's to no avail, deriding him as "a stupid policeman" after offering him to join an organization called SPECTRE.<br /><br />Thinking of it in 1962 terms rather than our post-post-modern outlook where nothing is sacred and everything is ridiculed, Dr. No is a chilling villain, an adversary intellectually and physically.<br /><br />As for the girl, Honey Ryder (played by German actress Ursula Andress and dubbed by some English lady whose name I don't really feel like looking up) I think she's kind of overrated. Beautiful, yes, but iconic or memorable? Sorry, not really. A lot of the early Bond girls were dubbed and while this was probably a wise foreign-accent-masking move, I feel this gives them little presence.<br /><br />The Department of Henchmen wasn't fully fleshed out in this first excursion, and we can forgive that. Professor Dent (Anthony Dawson) is well-played, but everything about him from his voice to his demeanor seems to say "THIS IS A VILLAIN, HE IS NOT TO BE TRUSTED" from his first appearance. This really does remove some of the suspense before we see him report to Dr. No that Bond is an enemy to be feared.<br /><br />Thankfully, there are some great allies here. Straight out of the novels are Felix Leiter (played here by Jack Lord, later to start in <span style="font-style: italic;">Hawaii Five-O</span>) and Quarrel. Leiter is Bond's CIA counterpart, just as well-dressed and cool. I like Jack Lord's performance, although I feel he's underused as far as the film's action goes. Quarrel adds some comic relief, and he's very likable...but he also has the misfortune of being a black man in a film made in the early 1960's based on a novel written by an upper-class Englishman in the 1950's. He's pretty...token, prone to superstition, and when Connery says "Quarrel, fetch my shoes!" I really wish the guy would say back, "Fuck you! Get your own damn shoes!"<br /><br />The action sequences are real hit and miss. Bond's car chase with the Three Blind Mice assassins was shot in a town called Rear Projectionville, and it's a bit much when their car goes off road (hitting NO bumps, mind you!) and bursts into flames. Then again, I say this without thinking to mention that instead of gasoline, cars in the early 1960's ran on nitro glycerin.<br /><br />But then there's the scene where Bond has a tarantula crawling up his body in bed. What makes this so great is this isn't sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads (man-eating fish would become a Bond trope after being effectively used in the Bahamas-centered <span style="font-style: italic;">Thunderball</span>). No, it's a spider. And it's so well done, because it's a real threat, and Connery's sweat-drenched face is pretty damn convincing that Bond is legitimately frightened.<br /><br />The final showdown, when Bond sabotages the operation, goes too fast. Everyone immediately evacuates. Maybe it's just badly shot. However, there is a deal of tension during his fight with Dr. No, one reason being that a single carefully aimed blow from his opponent's metal hands and Bond's head would look like a crushed watermelon. The other is that they're on a platform lowering into a nuclear reactor which is quickly reaching critical temperature.<br /><br />Overall, <span style="font-style: italic;">Dr. No</span> is entertaining, with some good dialog and a smattering of tense action sequences, but it's not the first one that comes to mind if I want to see Connery at his best.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Score: 84% B</span><br /><br />PS - Bond sleeps with three women in this movie. Yes, this was the era of JFK bedding anything that walked. This was the era of <span style="font-style: italic;">Mad Men</span>.<br /><br />PPS - How did you like my first film review? I thought it sucked - definitely not as good as my album reviews - but then I think all my stuff sucks.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /></span>Alex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860260447363818885.post-21405996316788381682009-10-30T05:16:00.002-04:002009-10-30T05:21:09.525-04:00Movie ReviewsI'm about two minutes away from writing my first movie review. Unlike albums, which I have a <a href="http://alexwritesaboutstuff.blogspot.com/2009/06/album-ratings-just-facts.html">really bizarre algorithm</a> set up for, I realized that with movies I simply can't do that.<br /><br />With music, it's pretty simple, since the lineup of songs (and a runtime between 35 and 90 minutes in most instances, the occasional 3-LP epic - I'm looking at YOU, <span style="font-style: italic;">Thing-Fish</span>! - notwithstanding) makes an album episodic. What, then, for movies? Scenes? Moments? I'd probably go crazy trying to figure out some sort of algorithm for film reviews.<br /><br />Oh, wait, I have been trying to figure it out and I <span style="font-style: italic;">am</span> crazy!<br /><br />Anyway, it's kept me from doing movie reviews for too long. Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!Alex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860260447363818885.post-64874668049013616252009-10-19T16:26:00.005-04:002009-10-26T06:02:54.932-04:00Neil Young - Re-Ac-Tor (1981)Moving is a pain in the ass. I'll just go ahead and say that. Just sleep on a mat, wash the same outfit every night - and who needs technology? Right?<br /><br />Guess it's a necessary evil if you want to be able to see the world.<br /><br />After EIGHT WEEKS without my computer, which I was putting music from home onto right until the morning I left for New York, it finally came in the mail. Of course, six of those weeks were spent in a setting where I couldn't exactly unpack. I had promised to write a review of a bad album, but I couldn't resist this. The tunes from this album were stuck in my head for me to ignore the need to do it, so here it goes - the 1981 album <span style="font-style: italic;">Re-Ac-Tor</span> by Neil Young and Crazy Horse.<br /><br />This album is held in fairly low regard, I've noticed. It isn't as controversial and divisive as <span style="font-style: italic;">Trans</span> (1982), <span style="font-style: italic;">Everybody's Rockin'</span> (1983), or <span style="font-style: italic;">Old Ways</span> (1985), nor is it as hated as <span style="font-style: italic;">Landing On Water</span> (1986) or <span style="font-style: italic;">Life</span> (1987), but all across the board - at least in my experience in reading reviews of the album - it seems like a low-tier Neil Young album, like The Rolling Stones' <span style="font-style: italic;">Black And Blue</span> or any post-1975 solo Beatles album...inconsequential and "just kinda there."<br /><br />At <a href="http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:kifoxqr5ldfe%7ET2">allmusic.com</a>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Re-Ac-Tor</span> has a rating of two stars, the lowest score awarded to any of his records, and tied for such a distinction with <span style="font-style: italic;">Trans</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Everybody's Rockin'</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Landing On Water</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Arc</span> (which is a 35-minute sonic experiment of song fragments, feedback, and the guys in Crazy Horse tuning up - naturally, the mainstream critics hate it and I think it's wonderful), and the 2002 album <span style="font-style: italic;">Are You Passionate?</span>. Not even the real shit-storm records (<span style="font-style: italic;">American Stars & Bars</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Hawks & Doves</span>) are that low, each garnering a three-star rating.<br /><br />Then again, the overrated and overproduced <span style="font-style: italic;">Harvest</span>, the best-selling album of 1972, is given FOUR AND A HALF STARS. For real.<br /><br />And yet I think this treatment of <span style="font-style: italic;">Reactor</span> (I know the title is hyphenated, but for ease of typing I'll just type it out like a normal word) is unfair. Maybe it's because the reviews had my expectations so damn low that I didn't know what to expect other than 40 minutes of ass-crap. My affection for the record was probably also boosted because I had listened to it alongside <span style="font-style: italic;">Hawks & Doves</span> (1980), which like <span style="font-style: italic;">American Stars & Bars</span> (1977) before it had a good side and a bad side. While the a-side of <span style="font-style: italic;">Stars & Bars</span> featured Nashville-ready country music - not really my thing, but I can listen to it in the right mood - that I consider inferior to its flipside (which includes the majestic yet raucous masterpiece "Like A Hurricane," which I consider one of the best songs ever), the a-side of <span style="font-style: italic;">Hawks & Doves</span> features some wonderful, gentle acoustic Neil.<br /><br />It wouldn't classify as folk or country, just "acoustic." Those songs are gorgeous, and for my money he does some of the best singing of his career on songs like "Little Wing" (no relation to the Jimi Hendrix tune of the same name) and "The Old Homestead." But then comes the b-side, which features the hokiest crap passed off as country music since...well, I don't know since I'm not a country buff. Still, it's awful. When it isn't cheesy ("Stayin' Power," "Coastline") or head-scratchingly odd ("Union Man"), it features our hero espousing some pretty blatant jingoistic praise towards the United States.<br /><br />Nothing wrong with celebrating life in the land of the First Amendment (though even that has been taken away from us...thanks, Dubya!), but this is the guy who wrote "Ohio." The guy who wrote "Southern Man." And not only that, the songs themselves are...just...bad. "Boy, this country sure looks good to me!" - That's bad writing, friends. He could have been taking a piss on the Reagan administration (he didn't - he liked the bastard) and I would have thought that was a bad lyric.<br /><br />So back-to-back, I have an album that starts off really well, I thought, only to go right down the tubes in its latter half, followed by this album, <span style="font-style: italic;">Reactor</span>. How did it stack up?<br /><br />Read on.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. Opera Star [10]</span><br />Maybe I was expecting some truly bad 80's rock (not naming names...), but when this came on, I cranked it the Hell up! The song kicks off with a catchy riff, and Neil rattles off the first verse like it's "Subterranean Homesick Blues" or "Too Much Monkey Business," with a string of lyrics about a jilted lover. Those "whoo-whoo" backing vocals remind me of "Sympathy For The Devil," one of the innumerable factors leading to my dad hate-hate-HATING what I consider one of The Rolling Stones' best moments.<br /><br />Just listen to the band, and you'll hear guitar tones that we'd first met on <span style="font-style: italic;">Rust Never Sleeps</span>, which I love. This album greets you like an old friend. It wasn't just the contrapuntal experience of hearing rightist jingo country back-to-back with this neanderthal rock. I've re-listened to <span style="font-style: italic;">Reactor</span> several times, and "Opera Star" is fist-pumping rock, with Crazy Horse living up to the equine connotations by charging out like a race is on.<br /><br />This song also confirmed what I suspected since I first heard <span style="font-style: italic;">Rust</span>, and that is that Neil had to have heard Cheap Trick during this period. Had to. Between the driving tempo, the singing, the guitars, and the comical "ha-ha-HA, ha-HA!" at the end of every verse, he's rocking that same combination of rock and roll delivered with a knowing smirk rather than a pretentious sneer.<br /><br />"So your girlfriend slammed the door shut in your face tonight, but that's all right<br />Then she took off to the opera with some highbrow from the city lights.<br />Well, you grew up on the corner, you never missed a moonlit night.<br /><br />Some things never change,<br />They stay the way they are<br /><br />(Ha-ha-HA, ha-HA [ho-ho-ho])<br /><br />You were born to rock, you'll never be an opera star!<br />(Repeat)"<br /><br />That's the first verse and the chorus. I detect a bit of self-mockery. Just a few months back I read a guitar magazine where Neil talked about his playing and said something to the effect of how he plays with intensity and passion, only to add, "But I suck. I've <span style="font-style: italic;">heard</span> myself!" He has a very wry sense of humor, and it's no more obvious to me than it is on this song, where the rock 'n' roller gets ditched for some opera-going schmuck. The idea of low art versus high art is something that belies serious discussions of rock and roll (or for that matter, in many circles still, popular culture studies in general), that "It's only rock and roll" or "It's only jukebox music" (these Kink references come left and right when I'm talking about anyone <span style="font-style: italic;">but</span> The Kinks!). To avoid a blog post-derailing tangent, let me just say that thought is pure nonsense.<br /><br />The sustained notes coming from the synthesizer - and again, not an intrusively obnoxious brassy synth that one would expect on an 80's album - are in a string voice. Maybe it's the Stringman synth we first heard on "Like A Hurricane." Still, it reminds me of some <span style="font-style: italic;">Sleepwalker</span>-era Kinks (they were probably not the first, but it's the memory I associate with that tone).<br /><br />Oh, and he says "fuck" in the second verse, making references to "gettin' fucked up in that rock 'n' roll bar / And you never get tired 'cause all your drugs are in a little jar." He later did a song called "Fuckin' Up" on <span style="font-style: italic;">Ragged Glory</span> (1990), but it caught me off-guard in the best possible way. I'm not endorsing booze and drugs as a way of life, and even with Neil - who makes drug references in this song and the next - he's got a stance against "hard drugs" (see "The Needle And The Damage Done" and all of his so-called "Ditch Trilogy") while still advocating marijuana use. McCartney has the same position. Still, it's shocking to hear Neil mention drugs without talking about someone dying "out on the mainline" or how he "watched the needle take another man." Then comes that great guitar solo, heralded by Neil's declaration "I was born to rock!", showing Neil favoring the flannel/t-shirt/holey jeans image on this disc, rather than the tasseled-jacket and cowboy hat-donning bard of his softer modes.<br /><br />One of the best opening tracks ever. It's defiant, it's mildly profane, and it's fun. I'm still really weird about live albums, even if <span style="font-style: italic;">Rust Never Sleeps</span> was originally live but heavily overdubbed (or, in the case of some of the side A tracks, leftovers from the aborted <span style="font-style: italic;">Homegrown</span> album or 1978's <span style="font-style: italic;">Comes A Time</span>). For me, this is the first time we've heard from Crazy Horse in the studio since "Like A Hurricane," and even that was recorded two years before it was put out - a candidate for <span style="font-style: italic;">Homegrown</span> and possibly <span style="font-style: italic;">Zuma</span> (1975).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. Surfer Joe And Moe The Sleaze [9]</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"></span><br />This song keeps a fun, this-album-should-be-played-at-parties vibe going. The chorus beckons us to join Neil and the Horse "for a pleasure cruise / Plenty of women and plenty of booze." Though there's little significance to the nomenclature, it's allegedly a playful ribbing of Reprise honchos Joe Smith and Mo Ostin. Of all the songs on the album, this one, "Southern Pacific," and "Shots" are largely praised as the ones worth a damn. Alexis Petridis, in his entry on Neil in the <span style="font-style: italic;">Kill Your Idols</span> series, blasts the rest of the album in favor of this song.<br /><br />Maybe it's the guitar solo.<br /><br />The reason this song, as much as I enjoy it, merited a 9 rather than a 10 is because it borrows a little too much from two other, distinct songs: "Proud Mary" by Creedence Clearwater Revival in a quick blast before the first verse and, surprisingly, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by The Beatles during the verses and solo, with that minor-key descending pattern ringing just a little too familiar. But it's too damn fun for me to demerit it to anything below a 9.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">03. T-Bone [10]</span><br />"The night we recorded that we didn't have anything else happening [...] I just made up the lyrics and we did the whole thing that night. It was a one-take thing. It seems the lyrics were just on my mind. It's very repetitive but I'm not such an inventive guy. I thought those two lines were good." -- Neil Young<br /><br />The two lines, that make up the entire lyric for this sprawling 9-minute, 15-second jam?<br /><br />"Got mashed potato, ain't got no t-bone!"<br /><br />I wish I was making this up. Neil considers this his favorite off the album, not unlike his favoring of "Union Man" off <span style="font-style: italic;">Hawks & Doves</span>. The more I learn about the guy - in early November I'll be speaking on <span style="font-style: italic;">Rust Never Sleeps</span> at a popular culture conference in Boston, so Neil's been on the brain of late - the weirder he gets! With Zappa, you expect weirdness and instead find a very articulate composer masquerading as a rock guitarist. But with Neil, it's this weird dude from Manitoba who - as if genres are really worth a shit - is as much garage rock as he is folk/country, with notable forays into electronica, rockabilly, Stax-ready R&B, brassy jazz/blues...and that's just his oeuvre.<br /><br />This is saying nothing about the man behind the sideburns. Eighteen days into a three-month tour with The Stills-Young Band, he asked his bus driver to turn around from Atlanta and take him to LA, leaving a note for Stephen Stills that read:<br />"Dear Stephen,<br />Funny how some things that start spontaneously end that way.<br />Eat a peach,<br />Neil"<br /><br />Um, huh?<br /><br />"T-Bone" presents Neil at his head-scratchingly weirdest thus far, with Crazy Horse providing a hypnotic garage drone while he solos away, occasionally stepping up to the mic to remind us that he still has no meat entree to accompany his starchy side-dish, and in no uncertain terms.<br /><br />Now, I can see the potential for why any sane individual would hate this song. But that's where John Q. Public and I differ. When I think of this song as a logical treatment of minimalist aesthetics, with a static background to support Neil's wonderful improvisations as he increasingly distorts his guitar tone, it's bloody brilliant. Give those guitar solos a chance...he does some interesting things.<br /><br />Bottom line: they're having fun. If this had turned up on a concert bootleg, critics would fawn over it as a deft guitar workout. We're all fickle little bitches.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">04. Get Back On It [5.5]</span><br />The first two seconds, with its chugging snare pattern and galloping piano, paired with that title, almost immediately made me think of The Beatles' own "Get Back," which McCartney had described as "a song to rollercoast to." Thankfully, Neil has already made a Beatles quote once already, before we climbed that musical Everest that is "T-Bone." The song quickly turns into a song about...well...it's about driving to escape something. Not quite sure what. Neil hadn't toured in three years by this point, so unless this rather inconsequential number had been in the can for a while (though this sounds more like hastily-written filler), it's just a ditty about hitting the highway. It's harmless, kind of a 12-bar blues pattern set to an accented 16th-note snare beat, but it's short and a little too static (yeah, because "T-Bone" wasn't static - not at all!).<br /><br />Throw in that it's closing an otherwise stellar A-side and the fact that Neil just sounds tired here (must have worn himself out lamenting for a damn t-bone!) and, I'm sorry, we have a dud. I don't hate it, I won't skip over it in the course of listening to the album...but it's just kinda <span style="font-style: italic;">there</span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">05. Southern Pacific [10]</span><br />Remember under "T-Bone" when I talked about how weird Neil is? <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lionel_Trains#The_Wellspring_era">Neil owned a stake in Lionel Trains until last year</a>. Maybe he's just an overgrown kid - bringing us to the stage show that accompanied the <span style="font-style: italic;">Rust Never Sleeps</span> tour...but I'll save that for the conference speech... - but that's alternately cool and just plain odd. It's one thing to write songs about cars. They're manly, and while I don't consider myself a "car guy" I still recognize makes and models, and yes, driving is fun. I kind of miss it here in New York. So it's not at all odd for Neil to sing about hitting the road, it's not even all <span style="font-style: italic;">that</span> strange that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincvolt">he took a 1959 Lincoln and had it engineered to get over 100 miles per gallon</a>. It isn't even that strange that he wrote an album about it...but trains? Trains?<br /><br />Hmm. It almost - ALMOST - suffers from having the same beat, just a hair slower, than on "Get Back On It," but the rest of the group is in great form. Then there's the lyrics, where the narrator is a train engineer forced into retirement due to bad vision (as you know, Neil was 65 years old at the time and a former train engineer himself. Not really. That's what makes it so WEIRD!) and ruminates on who/what he used to be. It's essentially a folk tune, championing the working man, but set to thumping, brooding music. And his guitar growls and screeches like a locomotive.<br /><br />"Now I'm left to roll / On the long decline" - what a heart-wrenching stance on the protagonist's forced retirement.<br /><br />Naysayers of this record be damned!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">06. Motor City [9.5]</span><br />A double-time electric country, its main lick cribbing both Johnny Cash's "Ring Of Fire" and a drop of "It Ain't Me Babe" by Bob Dylan. Ignore that, though, it's a funny song, about a cranky feller upset to hear that Detroit isn't the heart of car production, that there's "too many Datsuns / In this town." He favors driving around an old army jeep that "ain't got no digital clock" while the backing vocals add, as a comedic aside, "ain't got no clock." It rollicks along until the chorus, where Neil sings quite well - a bit of an oddity on his heavier albums - and aside from the occasional blast of what I call Neil's "farting guitar tone" (see "Hey, Hey, My, My") this is a fairly clean number. A very memorable song, unique for not being the overdrive-based rock that propels most of this album, but also for clever lyrics and a dual solo between Neil and rhythm guitarist Frank "Poncho" Sampedro.<br /><br />I should also give props to Billy Talbot and Ralph Molina, respectively on bass and drums, who make up a rhythm section as solid as concrete. They give old Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts a run for their money, except Mr. Molina doesn't have the jazz training of Charlie Watts, making Crazy Horse's backbone almost unrepentantly solid. The phrase "no bullshit" is used - by me - to describe their playing, and I mean that with the utmost respect.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">07. Rapid Transit [10]</span><br />The reviews of <span style="font-style: italic;">Reactor</span> I've read all mention this song for being Neil's venture into New Wave; the reactions of the writers vary. Some think he's taking a swipe at the music, but having read the (fairly minimalist) lyrics, I don't quite see that. That staggered riff smacks of "I'm A Man" by The Spencer Davis Group, while Neil's absurdist "R-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-rapid transit" (rolling his r's) and his other stuttering intros to each line channels David Byrne of Talking Heads.<br /><br />He sings "Every wave is new until it breaks," after a repeated phrase of "Hang ten pipeline, let's go trippin'!", but again I don't think that's a dig at New Wave. This is the guy whose "Sedan Delivery" on <span style="font-style: italic;">Rust Never Sleeps</span> some two years prior, melding the electric amphetamine Dylan with punk, with another memorable "What the Hell?" Neil lyric to boot. To me, that line about new waves is more about the term itself. It's a dumb name...much like in the art world how "Modernism" was a trend, only now we've since had "Post-Modernism" and "Contemporary" arts. I've mused to Shelley that in another ten years it will be "New Art," then "Just Made Art," before we eventually return to just calling it art.<br /><br />Perhaps it's a warning, and why not? He asked before if Johnny Rotten would go the way of Elvis in "Hey, Hey, My, My" after declaring in its acoustic counterpart that it would be, imparting that old versus new is simply a state of mind. Neil was all of 36 when <span style="font-style: italic;">Reactor</span> was released, but he'd lived a lifetime in the 1970's. He'd been lumped in with the darlings of singer-songwriters because of <span style="font-style: italic;">Harvest</span>'s runaway success in 1972, created among the most harrowing music in the rock world with <span style="font-style: italic;">Time Fades Away</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">On The Beach</span>, and <span style="font-style: italic;">Tonight's The Night</span>, never mind his earlier outings with Crazy Horse, where their garage-ready sounds (they literally recorded their first album, when they were called The Rockets, in a garage) proved a perfect match after Young quit Buffalo Springfield.<br /><br />"Every wave is new until it breaks." Separate that from the music. It's a profound statement on the impermanence of life, hinted at on "Southern Pacific" and played up a great deal on the bookending tracks from <span style="font-style: italic;">Rust</span>. That's a line just as striking as "Once you're gone / You can't come back / When you're out of the blue and into the black."<br /><br />In short, since there's only one song left, I don't think it's any sort of rockist indictment of New Wave music. If he'd had some bone to pick he would have found himself rendered irrelevant in the late 1970's, when all the lads from his generation had to prove their worth against the young upstarts and art students at CBGB's, the politicized English punks, and the even more diverse punk scenes on the West Coast. And seriously, if Neil hated New Wave, I don't think he would have done it while paying homage to the band I consider its poster child: Talking Heads.<br /><br />So there.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">08. Shots [11]</span><br />And here we are at the album's finale...it feels like I'm talking about an action movie, but it is quite literally an explosive tune, with gunshots and other violent sounds throughout.<br /><br />Neil breaks out the farting <span style="font-style: italic;">Rust</span> tone again on his guitar, at times indiscernible from the guns and machine noises. He solos at every possible chance, and in what I consider a compliment, his vocal is reminiscent of Pete Townshend's. Molina's marching cadence sustains for the song's entire 7:40 run-time, and yet the song never drags or feels stagnant. With or without the gunshots, this is epic music that even haters of "T-Bone" can enjoy.<br /><br />Then there's <a href="http://hyperrust.org/Music/?s280">the lyrics</a>. It's a plea for unity - "Who knows where or when old wounds will mend?" - and also a proclamation of hatred for the ills of the world, from sexual infidelity to border disputes to the "shots" he keeps hearing. In spite of the song's musically brutal nature, there is some sense of beauty in such a frank artistic expression. There's passion in this song. Unlike too many other songs that run over six minutes in length which go flat like Diet Coke in a warm can (laugh if you want, try it - in fifteen minutes you'll be holding aspartame-sweetened caramel-flavored acid in an aluminum can), this stays interesting without shifting direction or tone.<br /><br />Sure, that guitar tone is the exact same six-stringed buzzsaw we heard on "Hey, Hey, My, My (Into The Black)," but damn it's good.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subtotal: 93.75% A</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Replayability Factor: 3</span><br />I could replay this album again and again. And I have. In the week that I've had my desktop back I've heard this record three times. It's terrific, and while it's hardly the only Neil album I can do this with - <span style="font-style: italic;">Rust</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Time Fades Away</span> - it certainly bears an elite status as being something that doesn't drive me up the wall. Okay, maybe it does...but in a good way. (See "T-Bone.")<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Consistency Factor: 1.5</span><br />Pegging Neil down is tricky. Don't even try. You think you have him figured out, but then you pick up <span style="font-style: italic;">Trans</span> and go, "Oh. Sounds like Kraftwerk. Neil Young sounding like Kraftwerk?" and promptly phone up the Devil and ask how he's faring amidst the massive snowfall that has hit the Kingdom of Hell. But as far as the true essentials - one column I do enjoy at The A.V. Club is their "Gateways To Geekery," where noobs are given a bit of guidance in terms of approaching what would be an otherwise daunting source of entertainment; they've done French New Wave cinema, Kiss, anime, etc. - and I say this with "Gateways To Geekery" firmly in mind as the standard, I'd say the essential Neil Young is the stuff just about everyone seems to agree upon. This omits <span style="font-style: italic;">Harvest</span> right out if you ask me, but I think we can all agree on <span style="font-style: italic;">Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Tonight's The Night</span> and even <span style="font-style: italic;">Rust Never Sleeps</span>, each for their own merits. I wrote about <span style="font-style: italic;">Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere</span> <a href="http://alexwritesaboutstuff.blogspot.com/2009/07/neil-young-everybody-knows-this-is.html">a small eternity ago</a>, but I can still say it's probably the safest catch-all "Here you go, let me know how you like it" album in his catalog.<br /><br />That said, and I apologize for one of my tilt factors being so overlong, I would say <span style="font-style: italic;">Reactor</span> straddles being among the immediate runner-up tier and the "for the fans" tier. It's somewhere in between those two; if you liked <span style="font-style: italic;">Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere</span>, you'll probably like <span style="font-style: italic;">Zuma</span> as well as <span style="font-style: italic;">Reactor</span> (that's why I'm so shocked by the dislike awarded to this album, to me it feels like a logical continuation of manifesto-free rock and roll from those two earlier ones!) I guess this means I have a new numerical ranking, the 1.5, the rating for albums with "if you liked album X, then you'll probably like THIS."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">External Factors: 2</span><br />Maybe I'm over-sensitive about this, as someone who has settling down and raising a family in the (still somewhat) distant future, but Neil and his wife Pegi's son Ben was born with cerebral palsy. He became the center of the world, and somewhere in the midst of that Pegi had a brain operation done to save her own life. That he focused on being a caring, devoted husband and father to a physically handicapped child is most noble and admirable. His music took a back-burner on this album and the last, although the song "Staying Power" was a salute to his and Pegi's marriage, which is going strong in its 31st year as of this writing.<br /><br />At allmusic, William Ruhlmann rather cruelly concludes his review of <span style="font-style: italic;">Reactor</span> with this:<br />"Still, he might have been better advised to have suspended record-making for a few years instead of turning out half-baked efforts like this one."<br /><br />The idea of turning to art (music, prose, painting) as therapy or escape is one of the fundamental purposes of art, neck and neck with portraying beauty or what one's definition of beauty is. Who the Hell are we to say Neil Young should have taken a hiatus from doing what he loved?<br /><br />Beyond the personal reasons there's the fact that this album doesn't suffer sounding like the 1980's. It could have been a shelved Crazy Horse album from 1978. Or 1976. Much further and their heavy tones would have been brand-spankin' new, especially in the wake of punk.<br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Total: 100.25%, rounded to 100.3% A+</span></span><br /><br />Welcome to The 100 Plus Club, Neil. I am no doubt in the minority holding this disc in such high regard, but we mustn't forget this is ALEXwritesaboutstuff.blogspot.com and not SOMEONEELSEwritesaboutstuff.blogspot.com.<br /><br />On a slightly personal note, it's good to be back, with my feet firmly on the ground and my iTunes library just a few clicks away. Soon to be unearthed and listened to (probably not until after the conference in Boston) are Buffalo Springfield, who come highly recommended from Glenn Gass himself, Todd Rundgren's work beyond the coked-out <span style="font-style: italic;">A Wizard, A True Star</span>, Patti Smith, Love, Be Bop Deluxe, Peter Gabriel-era Genesis, The Moody Blues, Smashing Pumpkins, never mind the artists I already know and love, but just haven't gotten to yet...I promise I'll get to The Residents, eventually. It's just the album I'm really keen on, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Third Reich And Roll</span> (1976), is hard to write about being two separate LP-side length sound collages.<br /><br />And seriously, Dylan.<br /><br />Be back again soon.Alex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860260447363818885.post-46240421611923728412009-09-25T07:08:00.002-04:002009-09-25T07:12:23.679-04:00Been BusyThings are hectic, as can be expected. Guess this will have to suffer a little as a result.<br /><br />So it goes.<br /><br />Anyway, I was looking at my tags for entries...there are FIVE A-pluses. FIVE. The worst grade anything has gotten was my first review, which earned a B-plus.<br /><br />I hope you realize what this means. I need to get some neutral, bad, and/or disappointed reviews up here. It's a shame my last review was for a Stones record, they're the big offenders in this realm.Alex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860260447363818885.post-48283719146177333602009-09-07T04:04:00.005-04:002009-09-07T09:05:40.975-04:00The Rolling Stones - Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967)This is the one where I piss off a margin of Stones fans, earn the respect of another (considerably smaller) margin of Stones fans, and find myself on the receiving end of sheer indifference from all other Stones fans.<br /><br />This album is one of the most divisive records ever put out. My father calls it "A poor man's <span style="font-style: italic;">Sgt. Pepper</span>" and notes that the use of drugs is a lot more obvious here than on The Beatles' album (I disagree with the quote, but he's probably dead right on that last one.) For its defenders, it was a step in the logical direction after <span style="font-style: italic;">Aftermath</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Between The Buttons</span>, a sign of their edge for experimentation. For others, this is proof that the band had lost their way, trying a little too hard to keep with the times.<br /><br />Yes, and what was <span style="font-style: italic;">Some Girls</span>? Oh, wait, that was just more of what they SHOULD have been doing instead of the aimless mid-tempo sludge that dominated their 1970's output and earned them the disparaging dinosaur title from the punks.<br /><br />(Gee, you really need to guess where I stand on <span style="font-style: italic;">Their Satanic Majesties Request</span>?)<br /><br />I love this album. Get these notions of <span style="font-style: italic;">Pepper</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">Forever Changes</span> or even <span style="font-style: italic;">Safe As Milk</span> out of your head. Hell, if it helps, pretend it's NOT The Rolling Stones. If this had been some one-off by a British underground band, it would be the object of the respect it deserves. Anyway, do whatever it takes to approach this album with an open mind, because there's not a trace of the band's blues roots to be found.<br /><br />And that's okay.<br /><br />Maybe this album's bad reputation says more about the average (let me emphasize AVERAGE) Stones fan than The Rolling Stones themselves. There's something to be said about <a href="http://stones.ytmnd.com/">the resemblance between "Brown Sugar" and "Rough Justice"</a> or the fact that damn near every album since <span style="font-style: italic;">Let It Bleed</span> has featured some rewrite of "Gimme Shelter" - though "Brown Sugar," "Rocks Off," and "Dancing With Mr. D" are all great in their own regards - in one shape or another, yes, but they also play to audience expectations. Here they are, sounding unlike their previous works...and it stands hated, in the shadow of its (overrated, but still good) cousin, <span style="font-style: italic;">Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band</span>.<br /><br />The album spent a long time gestating in the studio, mainly because of Mick, Keith, and Brian all enjoying their share of legal troubles. It was during this period that the notorious bust - on orders to "wait until the Beatle [George Harrison] leaves" - on a party at Keith's home caused a massive scandal, thus beginning The Rolling Stones' career-spanning affair as tabloid fodder (I recommend David Dalton's 1981 book for its compilation of Stones tabloid headlines - amazing stuff), from where Marianne Faithful put that Mars bar to what Mick Jagger was doing with it...yeah.<br /><br />By this point, Brian Jones was on the brink. His legal tangles kept the band from obtaining travel visas to the States, which on some level I'm led to understand played a small role in the case for his dismissal in 1969. He makes some great contributions to this album, but after that his role in the band is fairly dubious. A slide guitar here, an autoharp there...but that was it. He withered away, and it really was tragic. I can be a cynical asshole (as I was in my entry on <span style="font-style: italic;">Aftermath</span>) and say it was his fault for squandering his talent, but at the end of the day it won't change the fact that his own demons ended his life at 27.<br /><br />One of Keith's best moments (which is saying something) is in this 1973 interview, himself in the throes of a heroin addiction and discussing Brian's passing:<br /><object height="265" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lssJ1gQ_99E&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lssJ1gQ_99E&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="265" width="320"></embed></object><br /><br />This album really does mark the end of an era for them. More so than Altamont, I think. For me, Altamont didn't end the 1960's - it was the beginning of the 1970's and the image The Rolling Stones had as this dangerous force, quite possibly with the Devil on their side. This is The Rolling Stones' dying days of the innocence of their youth. Until this point, they'd been troublemakers, the scruffian alternative to The Beatles, and one of the best blues bands in England. They partied, they did drugs, but at that point in time it was all still fun and games. No one had died yet.<br /><br />The high point of the album comes with "2,000 Light Years From Home," which I interpret as an illustration of the dark side to the so-called rebellion that came with turning on, tuning in, and dropping out. You find it gets awful lonely, so many light years from home. For me, there was always something inherently nasty brooding underneath the surface of flower power. It would come to manifest itself with the great unrest of 1968 in Chicago, Memphis, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Prague. It was as if The Rolling Stones were able to see through the bullshit and know that this wasn't all it was cracked up to be.<br /><br />All this, without becoming washed-up acid casualties in the process, some great work still ahead of them.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. Sing This All Together [10]</span><br />This song is great fun. As its title suggests, it isn't too hard to sing along with. There are some great African-derived rhythms (no doubt influenced from Jagger, Richards, and Jones' trip to Morocco) on this track in the interlude, with some buried fuzz guitar. The brass arrangement is both punchy and a perfect tone to accompany the song's middle section. It doesn't grab you and shake you by the collars the way Sir Paul introduces the boys from the Lonely Hearts Club or Billy Shears, but it works in its own way. The Beatles want you to sit back and watch the show, but The Rolling Stones want you to join in on the fun, "Open [y]our heads and let pictures come." Hell, they even have Lennon and McCartney joining in on backing vocals!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. Citadel [9]</span><br />This song is a great mix of some great guitar riffing (I especially love the second guitar that drops in for a little bit in the left channel), sax, mellotron, I think some flute, harpsichord, an atmosphere of percussion, and Charlie Watts playing a staggered drum beat like a warped twist on "My Obsession" from the previous album before hitting his stride in the majestic choruses. Who said psychedelic music had to be all "Nights In White Satin" (one of the best songs of its genre) or "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" (blech - more like "A Whiter Shade Of Pail," which I usually need nearby when that snooze-fest comes on) or "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds"? This song rocks, just try to ignore the lyrics:<br /><br />"Candy and Cathy, hope you both are well<br />Please come see me in the citadel."<br /><br />Yikes. Not quite the Carroll-esque imagery of Lennon's psychedelic compositions (which I rank as his best right behind his "I just discovered Dylan" phase, which I mean as a high compliment), now is it? At least the music paints a wonderful picture.<br /><br />Since YouTube has been the subject of scrutiny from the legal teams at more than a few major labels, I couldn't find every single song from this album. So, here's The Damned doing their cover of "Citadel."<br /><object height="265" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/G4OfBpJf0g4&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/G4OfBpJf0g4&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="265" width="320"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">03. In Another Land [10]</span><br /><object height="265" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/l6x8_WWZefw&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/l6x8_WWZefw&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="265" width="320"></embed></object><br />Uh...whoa. That was definitely The Rolling Stones on "Citadel," and we could at least pick out Mick Jagger on "Sing This All Together," but who the Hell is this?<br /><br />This is actually sort of a big deal, being a song written and sung by bassist Bill Wyman. That's right, folks, the band was so keen to experiment in the studio that Mick and Keith let up their monkey grip (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey_Grip_%28Bill_Wyman_album%29">get it?</a>) on the songwriting end that they let someone else have a go. The story goes that Bill, the straight-edged member of the band (in all fairness, this was a dual title held with Charlie until the 1980's when he quietly checked himself into rehab for a drug & drink addiction; to further counter that, though, sticking up for my drummer brethren, Charlie has the distinction of being the only monogamous Stone) was the only member to show up to the studio.<br /><br />He laid down this song just the same, with some help from session man Nicky Hopkins on keyboards and two members of The Small Faces, Steve Marriott (who played acoustic guitar on the song as well) and Ronnie Lane (later to join The Faces with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronnie_Wood">another guy named Ronnie</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Stewart">a guy named Rod</a>). It turns out Mick and Keith liked the song, and it wound up on the album after they added backing vocals alongside Ronnie and Steve, Charlie added drums, and Brian added a mellotron part.<br /><br />That in itself is one thing, but how is the end product?<br /><br />It's actually a fabulous song. Bill has a good voice, though he's effected the shit out of it here. With the chant-like lyrics of the opener and the pure psychedelic gloop that make up the words to "Citadel," you might not expect much. Don't short change yourself, these lyrics are tongue-in-cheek. I've always seen this as a send-up of the psychedelic mode of songwriting - especially the third verse, where he twists the dream imagery of the earlier verses of everything being blue and feathers floating around everywhere:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">We heard the trumpets blow and the sky</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">turned red<br />When I accidentally said</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> t</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">hat I didn't know<br />How I came to be here</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, n</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">ot fast asleep in bed.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">I stood and held your hand.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br />And nobody else's hand will ever do</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">,</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Nobody else's hand.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Then I awoke,</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">was this some kind of joke</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">I opened up my eyes.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Much to my surprise.</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"</span><br /><br />The song ends with the sound of Bill snoring, tacked onto the song as a joke by Mick and Keith, who recorded the bassist snoring when he fell asleep during a late night session. A truly unique moment for the band, and one of their most memorable songs.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);">[Side note: Bill Wyman was the first Stone to put out a solo album, then a second, even a third before Mick or Keith got sick enough of each other to do their own. In fact, all three of these albums - </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 255, 51);">Monkey Grip</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);"> (1974), </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 255, 51);">Stone Alone</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);"> (1976), and </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 255, 51);">Bill Wyman</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);"> (1982) can all be found on one collection, </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);" href="http://www.amazon.com/Bill-Wyman-Compendium/dp/B00005NVLJ/ref=sr_1_24?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1252318530&sr=8-24">The Bill Wyman Compendium</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);">. It had the misfortune of being released on 9/11/01. His solo material is quite good, but only on the grounds that you don't expect to hear Stonesy songs with a different singer. He's also got a keen sense of humor, and as the band's historian has published two excellent books, </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 255, 51);">Stone Alone</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);"> and </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 255, 51);">Rolling With The Stones</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);">. He quit the band in 1992.]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">04. 2000 Man [10]</span><br /><object height="265" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gRj6i1jvHIk&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gRj6i1jvHIk&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="265" width="320"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Yes, this was the only clip I could find. All I can say is I love the Internet.)</span></span><br /><br />Back to Mick and Keith, and this one's got some weird lyrics..."I am having an affair with a random computer." It's about life in the future, but apparently it's okay to have sex with computers. It starts off with a tentative folky feel before its rocking second half. Kiss later covered it, cock-rocking it to the max, and I don't mean that in a good way. The nuances of the original are nowhere to be found in their less than delicate treatment. Oh, well. The original is great, making me wonder just how this would have been done live had they been able to tour. I bet it would have been one of the showstoppers.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">05. Sing This All Together (See What Happens) [7]</span><br /><object height="265" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/f1vUvmpZVdw&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/f1vUvmpZVdw&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="265" width="320"></embed></object><br />Is anyone else experiencing deja vu? Not just with this song being a meditation on the opening track, but with The Rolling Stones ending the otherwise stellar A-side of an LP with a song that is maybe a little too long?<br /><br />In all fairness, it isn't as bad as "Going Home." It isn't great, but it's certainly not awful. One thing I'll give it is that it is really well-done as a work of production, with all these musical colors drifting in and out without drowning the production. (I should probably go ahead and mention that Mick and Keith produced this album alone.)<br /><br />First of all, listen to this song with headphones. You'll just notice more, like for example at 0:22 in the song, you can hear Mick say, "Where's that joint?" A perfect summary of the next eight minutes. Very trippy, druggy number. It has the feel of being in the desert at night, just you, the sand, and the stars...that or doing lots of drugs. Plenty of good instrumental moments from the mellotron, some guitar/brass interplay, a glockenspiel, and a piano dueling with a spaghetti western flute. At the seven-minute mark, the verse from the opening track is resurrected before the song ends with forty seconds of white noise.<br /><br />It's a trip, not always enjoyable, but solid.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">06. She's A Rainbow [10]</span><br /><object height="265" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/icHitBsOtys&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/icHitBsOtys&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="265" width="320"></embed></object><br />I still have no idea what the Hell is going on with this song's intro - is it a carnival game? Ah, it doesn't matter. This is a terrific little pop song, dipped in a bottle of lysergic and served to you on a sugar cube. Ok, it isn't really that psychedelic, but it wouldn't fit in anywhere else in the band's catalog.<br /><br />How do Stones fans feel about this song? I shamelessly love it, the innocent piano from Nicky Hopkins, some well-used strings in the verses, some must-have-been-embarrassing-to-record backing vocals, and a mellotron that up until (literally) three minutes ago I had always thought was a saxophone. But then I heard an instrumental mix of this song from the sessions...nope. Definitely a mellotron. Good drumming here, too, nice fills. There's a beautiful piano/string solo spot in the middle of the song, and I love the pomposity-deflation that occurs with the violins sawing around the stereo soundscape around 3:55.<br /><br />Pop music was never really The Rolling Stones' thing...but damn, they NAILED it here!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">07. The Lantern [5.5]</span><br />Maybe the reason I thought <span style="font-style: italic;">Aftermath</span> had such a dull B-side was because this album has two back-to-back clunkers on its flipside. This one suffers from a horrible production job, to the point that I could chalk it up as being an error in the mixing. But it isn't. The drums and piano in the left channel are barely there, and it doesn't sound good. This means that even though the guitar might really be just a hair too loud in the right channel, with the other instruments so...absent, the guitar might as well be gunshots. Very jarring. Pretty subdued brass contribution - they sound dazed, drugged-out...if that was their intention, they did too good a job with this overlong number - though it boasts some nice brass parts at the end - that never really gains momentum, let alone that it can barely maintain what little momentum it has. Ho-hum.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">08. Gomper [7]</span><br /><object height="265" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/j17Msb6Yje8&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/j17Msb6Yje8&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="265" width="320"></embed></object><br />This song is unremarkable for the first 125 seconds. It isn't terrible, but it certainly isn't memorable, never quite capturing my attention. Its Indian roots are a little too obvious a cue from The Beatles, I guess. But then at 2:05 comes a really cool jam, led by a flute. The best part? The entire jam was played by Brian Jones via overdubs.<br /><br />Lots of world music flavor, showing broader influence than - dare I say it? - <span style="font-style: italic;">Sgt. Pepper</span>! (Cue suspenseful music.)<br /><br />No, seriously, it's got some great motifs of African and Middle-Eastern music. The trip to Morocco, where Brian and actress Anita Pallenberg broke up and Keith took up with her - Brian's own behavior being so boorish apparently that Mick, Marianne, Keith, and Anita ditched Brian without any prior notice - must have had a profound effect on their musical interests.<br /><br />Even long after the psychedelic Stones were dead and buried...Hell, even on the opening cut of <span style="font-style: italic;">Beggar's Banquet</span>, the incomparable "Sympathy For The Devil," what starts the song but the percussion of conga player Rocky Dijon? The prototype of "Brown Sugar," a song co-written by Mick Jagger and Jones' replacement Mick Taylor called "I'm Going Down" (heard on the 1975 Decca cash-in <span style="font-style: italic;">Metamorphosis</span>) has a dense conga arrangement near the end. "Can't You Hear Me Knocking?" off <span style="font-style: italic;">Sticky Fingers</span> has a pretty good layering of percussion throughout its jamming coda.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">09. 2000 Light Years From Home [11]</span><br /><object height="265" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tIGdWzXhqlo&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tIGdWzXhqlo&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="265" width="320"></embed></object><br />The Rolling Stones' psychedelic masterpiece. It's got a great message on the savage underbelly of the idealism of flower power: "It's so very lonely, you're a hundred/six hundred/a thousand/two thousand light years from home." The rest of the song is about space travel...but this isn't the goofy retro-futurist space travel we saw in 1950's sci-fi. No, this was the dark, gloomy outer space, the realistic visions of alien landscapes as bleak and desolate as anything on Earth. The lyrics were written by Mick Jagger during his stint in jail amid all the drug trials of the time, further underlining the sense of isolation.<br /><br />After the eerie intro of backwards piano and a guitar riff accompanied by mellotron, off we go, the engines of the band thrusting us onward and upward. This is the first time since "Citadel" that they actually sound like a band, and that feels like ages ago by this point. "2000 Light Years From Home" is the only song on <span style="font-style: italic;">Their Satanic Majesties Request</span> that lives up to the sinister implications of its title. Amazing. Truly amazing.<br /><br />Long, long ago when I was in elementary school, my 4th grade class did a play called "Food Wars," a nutrition-centric spoof of <span style="font-style: italic;">Star Wars</span>. Our teacher asked us to bring in "outer space music" to use as intro and outro music for our performances. I brought in this song. I was told it was too weird. What did she choose instead? Why, Meco's disco-tastic treatment of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Star Wars</span> theme, naturally!<br /><br />Their loss.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">10. On With The Show [9]</span><br />This song isn't as memorable as I once thought it was. Otherwise it would be a ten, hands-down. It is much-needed after the last song, Mick putting on the affect of a posh cabaret emcee - "We've got all the awnsuhs!". There is a little break at 1:05, before the song can really go anywhere, I'm assuming to emulate a striptease act? The song's last minute also carries on the same vibe, with plenty of indiscernible bar chatter. My favorite is at the end where a lady says with a Texan accent, "I hope you didn't record any of this!" and Mick's prompt reply is, "No, we didn't." And that, friends, is every reason why I love The Rolling Stones.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subtotal: 88.5% B+</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Replayability Factor: 1</span><br />It had been three years since I last heard this album, popping into my head only because I found myself wanting to hear "Citadel" again. I really have to be in a specific mood to hear it. As just background music - though many Stones albums DO make for perfect background music - it's got too much going on, deserving a closer listen. Besides, if you aren't in the mood for this sort of thing, "Sing This All Together (See What Happens)" can be the most annoying shit in the world.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Consistency Factor: 0</span><br />Um...sorry on this one. My guideline is that an album earning "It's for the die-hard fan" status gets zero points for this tilt factor. I think it's a great album...but it doesn't stand for comparison to something like <span style="font-style: italic;">Sticky Fingers</span>. That's like comparing <span style="font-style: italic;">Rubber Soul</span> to <span style="font-style: italic;">Never Mind The Bollocks</span>. Two great albums, but in wildly different ways. And Stones fan or not, this is not an accessible record. There are albums by The Residents more accessible than this.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">External Factors: 1</span><br />Not giving them the two was difficult, based solely on the merits of "I'll give you an A for effort." This is a mesmerizing album, the last of their great innovative works. They push the envelope as much as possible, more than a few of these songs actually possessing what Frank Zappa called "NO COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL" on The Mothers' first album, <span style="font-style: italic;">Freak Out!</span><br /><br />Unfortunately, sometimes they go too far. Not in terms of them getting too experimental, but the self-production (most noticeably on "The Lantern") was a sign that the boys shouldn't venture over to the other side of the control room window alone. They'd have Jimmy Miller for the next few albums, maybe you've heard them?<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Beggars' Banquet </span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span>(1968)<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /></span></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span>Let It Bleed </span>(1969)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Sticky Fingers </span>(1971)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Exile On Main Street </span>(1972)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Goats Head Soup</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> <span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span></span>(1973)<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /><br /></span></span></span>Mick and Keith would man the production chair again on 1974's <span style="font-style: italic;">It's Only Rock 'N' Roll</span>, and guess what? It sounds like shit. Thankfully, they got a little better at producing in time for <span style="font-style: italic;">Some Girls</span>. Anyway, the production is at its best really bold (in the case of the layering of "Sing This All Together (See What Happens)" and the chilling work on "2000 Light Years From Home") and at its worst unnecessarily and unintentionally lo-fi dreck ("The Lantern," the first half of "Gomper.")<br /><br />This also marked their first release without Andrew Oldham in the picture. He left as their manager mid-year. It's strange, the bizarre parallels with The Beatles: both groups lost their managers and proceeded with what most writers consider missteps (this album, with The Beatles it was <span style="font-style: italic;">Magical Mystery Tour</span>) that I somehow think are overlooked and underrated. One major difference, though: while The Beatles, depending on which member of the band you asked, were doomed the moment Brian Epstein went the way of the Norwegian Blue parrot (I don't agree with that at all), The Rolling Stones flourished in the new-found freedom that came without the control Mr. Oldham had exerted on the band.<br /><br />Two steps forward: great album, ditch the manager...and one step back: crummy production job and some unimaginative lyrics/songs.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">TOTAL: 90.5% A-</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Singles / Non-LP:</span><br /><br />Before we do the singles, let's visit a US-only compilation entitled <span style="font-style: italic;">Flowers</span>, released in August 1967. I don't want to go off on some stupid rant, but the US/UK disparity in releases for The Rolling Stones is Byzantine. Buy all the UK albums, you're still missing a good chunk of songs, from songs released only in the US (there's a few) to different mixes to, oh yeah, the singles. No "Paint It Black." No "Ruby Tuesday." Buy all the US albums and you're missing about an album's worth of songs trimmed from the UK releases to make room for the singles. Plus, you're buying more albums, and albums around 30 minutes in length, at that. In short, ABKCO was run by a crook - a feller by the name of Allen Klein, you may know him for some of his other exploits - and they did very little to remedy this problem with the CD reissues.<br /><br />God, at least with The Beatles we had <span style="font-style: italic;">Past Masters</span>, which gave us the singles, the ONE exclusive EP's worth of tracks, and the ONE US-only tune ("Bad Boy") in two healthy installments. (By the way, two days from now the remasters are coming out. Holy Shit.)<br /><br />That said, <span style="font-style: italic;">Flowers</span> was surprisingly balanced for a US compilation. Sure, the US listener had "Ruby Tuesday," "Let's Spend The Night Together," and "Lady Jane" from the albums, but "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby?" was given a proper release, along with ALL of the songs trimmed off <span style="font-style: italic;">Aftermath</span> (all five of them) and <span style="font-style: italic;">Between The Buttons</span>, plus three unreleased songs for good measure. I'm enumerating them based on their track listing on the original LP.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">06. My Girl [7]</span><br />Dating from the early/mid 1965 sessions for the <span style="font-style: italic;">Out Of Our Heads</span> album (their third UK album, their fourth in the US), this is the "My Girl" you're probably thinking of. It's pretty faithful to the original, though the string break is nowhere near as ornate as The Temptations' version. Mick doesn't have the inflection or emotion of the original, and the song drags as a result. But it isn't a terrible cover, though history would not have been kind to it had it been given a proper album/single release, as the original "My Girl" has entered the public lexicon as one of the best popular songs to come from America, ever.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">11. Ride On, Baby [9]</span><br />Recorded for <span style="font-style: italic;">Aftermath</span> in late 1965, this shows just how far they'd come from doing soul covers in their spare time. This is a driven, rocking number, with some kick-ass timekeeping from Charlie. This should have been on the album! As with "Out Of Time" and "Take It Or Leave It," this song was done by Mick Jagger's friend Chris Farlowe.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">12. Sittin' On A Fence [9]</span><br />The Rolling Stones do The Kinks? Though it's a Jagger/Richards original, this song could have been plugged into a certain little green amp (but keep the harpsichord) and wouldn't have been at all out of place on (sigh, I hate this title) <span style="font-style: italic;">The Kink Kontroversy</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">Face To Face</span>. Comparison to The Kinks aside, this is a lovely little acoustic country song, with some nice finger work on Keith's part and Brian on harpsichord. This, too, should have been released. It was a hit for Immediate Records duo Twice As Much. They didn't go too far.<br /><br />Next comes the actual single from the time...<br /><br />01. We Love You [10]<br />This was Mick and Keith's message of thanks to their fans and friends in the press who voiced their support during their drug trials. John and Paul are present on backing vocals (on both side of this single, in fact). The Who pledged to keep releasing their own takes of Stones songs until the two were released (managing to squeeze out "Under My Thumb" b/w "The Last Time" before they indeed were free men). Monkees Mike Nesmith and Micky Dolenz wore black armbands in support of Mick and Keith during their tour of England.<br /><br />Great. So how's the song? Amazing! The drums, the mellotron, the backing vocals, it's all one big sound. Very cacophonous production, perfect for the song.<br /><br /><object height="265" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TSjnn5fiKlE&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TSjnn5fiKlE&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="265" width="320"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Try not to look directly into Brian Jones' eyes. You might catch a contact high. Jesus.</span><br /><br /><object height="265" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rGRGgwsy_rE&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rGRGgwsy_rE&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="265" width="320"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Here it is again, shorter, with the image flipped horizontally, but it's IN COLOR! That's another thing, can they not just put this stuff out on a DVD? I guess that would make too much sense, wouldn't it? Wait till I put up the promo film for "Jumpin' Jack Flash."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. Dandelion [10]</span><br />In the midst of the "Summer of Love," The Rolling Stones pulled off a song that teeters on being kick-ass rock and acid-soaked naivety. It's a beautiful song - love the oboe solo - and there really is an innocence to this song, however imagined it might have actually been, that showed just how much respite there truly was to psychedelia, with the death of Camelot and Watts on one end, and all the turmoil of 1968 through Watergate and Hanoi on the other side. Hunter S. Thompson put it best:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"...[t]he middle sixties was a very special time and place to be a part of. Maybe it meant something. Maybe not, in the long run... but no explanation, no mix of words or music or memories can touch that sense of knowing that you were there and alive in that corner of time and the world. Whatever it meant... </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">There was a fantastic universal sense that whatever we were doing was right, that we were winning... And that, I think, was the handle — that sense of inevitable victory over the forces of Old and Evil. Not in any mean or military sense; we didn't need that. Our energy would simply PREVAIL. There was no point in fighting — on our side or theirs. We had all the momentum; we were riding the crest of a high and beautiful wave..."</span><br /><br />Though the late Mr. Thompson's quote ties more into the culture of America than England, its message is universal. Idealism reigned supreme. I guess knowing what horrors lurked around the corner from the peace and love scenes of 1967 gives such a bittersweet air to a song as pretty as "Dandelion." Who cares? I was born twenty years after it was released, and that's how I always knew it. I recall hearing it and thinking this song was quite happy for a band with such a dark and murky story. I was nine years old, and I knew it then.<br /><br />"We Love You" b/w "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfgKbSH-joI">Dandelion</a>" is a Hell of a single, better than "Penny Lane" by a long shot. If only the middle of side B of <span style="font-style: italic;">Satanic Majesties</span> had carried on the momentum, there wouldn't have been any doubt that The Rolling Stones put out two marvelous albums in 1967. Oh, well. It was what it was, love it or hate it. I'm sticking to my original statement: I love this album.Alex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860260447363818885.post-51065427574911363452009-08-26T21:27:00.004-04:002009-08-27T23:13:26.372-04:00David Bowie - "Heroes" (1977)Somewhere in between the preparation for my review of The Who's <span style="font-style: italic;">A Quick One</span> and now my fiance Shelley and I came up with the idea of the artistic spectrum of style versus substance. There isn't much science to it, in fact it's highly subjective (hey! just like this blog!) and based off of a very cliched phrase.<br /><br />Whatever.<br /><br />Anyway, the question of "who/what next" for this blog came up. Two (already?) weeks ago, I had my heart dead-set on doing <span style="font-style: italic;">Re-Ac-Tor</span> (1981) by Neil Young, mainly because I couldn't fathom why the reviews I've read are so damned indifferent towards it. However, I also promised myself to cover all bases before I began re-treading on certain artists. Yes, there will be plenty of Kinks. There will be a good amount of Zappa (85 albums and counting? The guy's been more prolific in death than Tupac!), Beatles, Stones, Neil, Dylan...but then I thought of David Bowie.<br /><br />Bowie is one of those artists I've always liked, yet I've never been absolutely obsessed with. On this made-up spectrum, he's always struck me as someone with plenty of style...but what about substance? I'd never really thought about it. I realized I'd never given much thought to his lyrics. And even when I did, it was his glam stuff, which is either telling a story - <span style="font-style: italic;">The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars</span> (1972) and <span style="font-style: italic;">Diamond Dogs</span> (1974) - rather meaningless, deliberately cut-up lyrics on <span style="font-style: italic;">Aladdin Sane</span> (1973), or someone else's tunes on <span style="font-style: italic;">Pin-Ups</span> (1973).<br /><br />Then again, I never really went through a David Bowie "phase." I tended to pick his stuff up sporadically. (Kind of like how I've been meaning to pick up Lou Reed's <span style="font-style: italic;">Transformer</span> album for almost seven years.) In 2003, I picked up <span style="font-style: italic;">Aladdin Sane</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Diamond Dogs</span>, a year before I'd copied <span style="font-style: italic;">Ziggy Stardust</span> from my local library and put it on a CD-R alongside <span style="font-style: italic;">Electric Warrior</span> by T. Rex, in late 2004 I bought <span style="font-style: italic;">Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)</span> (1980) on a whim along with <span style="font-style: italic;">Black And Blue</span> by The Rolling Stones (ugh.), and in early 2005 I bought <span style="font-style: italic;">Low</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">"Heroes"</span> together. Near the end of that year I'd come into a bit of extra money and bought eleven CD's, including <span style="font-style: italic;">The Man Who Sold The World</span> (1970), <span style="font-style: italic;">Hunky Dory</span> (1971), <span style="font-style: italic;">Pin-Ups</span> (1973), and <span style="font-style: italic;">Lodger</span> (1979).<br /><br />Is this normal for you, the reader? Because when I got into The Kinks, I GOT INTO The Kinks. I saved my lunch money, ventured to 13th Floor Music, and did my business about once or twice a month. Same with Zappa: I trudged on, buying all his budget releases (the ones with the "Cheap Thrills" sticker, priced at $11 where most of his stuff was $17) until...I don't really know. I guess fatigue? I got into American punk music in a big way, then Cheap Trick...<br /><br />Enough of this nostalgic codswallop.<br /><br />Something had to be the key to his success beyond his ability to project a series of iconic images. There had to be some reason <a href="http://www.rocksbackpages.com/writer.html?WriterID=murray">Charles Shaar Murray</a>, a UK music critic whose judgment I trust - a LOT - is as big a Bowie fan as he is Zappa or The Kinks, right?<br /><br />After kicking around what was little more than a four-year old mental image (image? Let's go with aural footprint...), I did what I should have done: I re-listened to him. Don't get me wrong, I still find <span style="font-style: italic;">Pin-Ups</span> to be laughably bad for the most part, though a really tight EP could have been culled from it. (One song that would make my cut would be his treatment of a Kinks gem called "Where Have All The Good Times Gone?") I still turn seasick green every single time I hear that plasticine close-miked sax on the awful title track from <span style="font-style: italic;">Young Americans</span> (1975). And dear God, don't get me started on that video for "Dancing In The Street."<br /><br />But then I hear him on a good day, as with this album - the second of two he did in 1977, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Clash_%28album%29">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheap_Trick_%281977_album%29">year</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marquee_Moon">of</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Never_Mind_the_Bollocks,_Here%27s_the_Sex_Pistols">great</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Aim_Is_True">albums</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Gabriel_%281977_album%29">all</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talking_Heads:_77">across</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Before_and_After_Science">the</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleepwalker_%28The_Kinks_album%29">board</a> unless you were <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ringo_the_4th">Ringo</a> or <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/therollingstones/articles/story/5934482/keith_richards_busted_stones_future_cloudy">Keef</a> - I feel like an idiot for ever doubting his capability of greatness. Is he a god among men? No, that's why I put that little qualifier at the end there. After his "Berlin Trilogy" of <span style="font-style: italic;">Low</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">"Heroes"</span>, and <span style="font-style: italic;">Lodger</span> - some making an extension with <span style="font-style: italic;">Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)</span> - that was pretty much it, until <span style="font-style: italic;">Earthling</span> in 1997, helped in no small part by Trent Reznor and the fifty-eight different remixes of "I'm Afraid Of Americans" he put out.<br /><br />Of course, every artist has hit the skids. At least once. If they didn't, they either died (you seriously want me to name names? Jimi, Janis, Duane, Buddy, Sid...), broke up (The Beatles), or were able to triumph over their struggle to make a great album (less common, but The Kinks, with the case of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Lola</span> album and its leading single's success saving their career). In his course on The Beatles, at least twice (before the <span style="font-style: italic;">Get Back</span> sessions and before the lawsuit fest that was the break-up of the band) Glenn Gass would joke, "...and after that they all moved to an island somewhere and are still making great music!" Then he would realistically counter that with, "Look, we should be grateful they broke up when they did. It had to happen, and sure, certain things may have sped it up [Apple, Allen Klein, Yoko], but could you imagine The Beatles' disco album?"<br /><br />He has a point. Neil Young revived his career in the late 1970's with this very notion - "It's better to burn out / Than it is to rust" - but they'd run their course. As a collective, they weren't able to agree on much, except maybe wanting to lynch Paul. Other than their immediate solo releases, I don't feel any of them recaptured their former glory (and even then, I have to say <span style="font-style: italic;">All Things Must Pass</span> is a rockist's Viagra, bloated, overproduced, and what was up with the third disc?). Bowie has gone in and out of vogue a few times. Given his later start, and his intermittent hiatuses from recording (it's been six years since his last album, <span style="font-style: italic;">Reality</span>), he doesn't quite have the borderline unapproachable juggernaut discography of Neil, Dylan, or Zappa.<br /><br />Yet he's just as legendary, and rightfully so. He's rock and roll's great chameleon, visually and stylistically. Sure, Zappa bounced around rock, jazz, and classical like it was a game of Pong, and Dylan's gone through more phases than the Soviet government, but Bowie kept it accessible, appealing, and endlessly fascinating. Glam Bowie, for me, is hit and miss. I love side B of <span style="font-style: italic;">Ziggy Stardust</span> plus "Starman" and "Five Years," but <span style="font-style: italic;">Aladdin Sane</span> doesn't do too much for me. At all. <span style="font-style: italic;">Pin-Ups</span> is a very bumpy covers album. His "I Can't Explain" is brittle and slow, his vocals on "Friday On My Mind" waif-like, but his version of "See Emily Play" thumps along with the kind of swagger the rest of the album tries for, but fails.<br /><br />It's not a requirement, but I really do feel one has to approach glam with - there's no way to say this politely - part of their brain shut off. What I mean is that it's fun, campy, often funny...but don't expect Dylanesque portraits, Daviesian commentary, or Zappaesque humor. It's fun to listen to and play along with, but the real draw, as for its cultural relevance, was the outright willingness to do a piss-take on gender roles. Mick Jagger was, at one point in time, considered macho - this was before the <a href="http://www.condenast.co.uk/imagelib/240x360/k_n/Mjagger_V_17mar09_rex_b.jpg">studded velour jumpsuit</a> he donned on their 1973 tour - and guys like Robert Plant, Roger Daltrey, Rod Stewart, and on down the line were the beautiful faces of the men of rock and roll.<br /><br />Then came this weirdo with a permanently dilated pupil, a shocking red mullet, no eyebrows, and...he - or she? - is kinda cute. Or handsome. Cute? This mysterious person is wearing makeup...<br /><br />Alice Cooper wore makeup, too, but he went for the schlock horror look after a glam image for his first three albums (none of which garnered attention commercially, though they are pretty good). Even then, there's no doubt - in spite of the name - that Alice Cooper was a dude. Pretty manly-looking fellow.<br /><br />But this scrawny little humanoid with the makeup and the mullet? And what's this business of singing about being an alien? Is he/she/it an alien?<br /><br />I don't mean to belabor the point. You get it, I hope. It was all Bowie's concoction, that it would garner a bunch of interest if he donned this mysterious persona and said he was gay at a time where it really was shocking, in spite of what the religious right may suggest these days. But it was an artistic phase. He grew out of it, with the terrific <span style="font-style: italic;">Diamond Dogs</span> (1974) marking the midpoint in his shift from glam-rock to soul/funk. This marked what's called his Thin White Duke phase.<br /><br />Though I can say I hate what I've heard off <span style="font-style: italic;">Young Americans</span>, which gave him a hit with "Fame," a song co-written with John Lennon (and as far as I'm concerned, the only reason it got attention), I did enjoy <span style="font-style: italic;">Station To Station</span> (1976). The soul (technically blue-eyed Philly soul, merging two of my least-favorite musical sounds together) of <span style="font-style: italic;">Young Americans</span> was *sniff* heavily dusted with *sniff* some sort of *rubs nose frantically* magic white powder, giving *nose begins to bleed* a mysterious, darker, avant-garde edge to the music. It was actually the influence of German acts like Kraftwerk, NEU!, Can, and Faust, though I'm sure doings lines of Bolivian marching powder helped to bolster the almost sterile - in a good way, not a <span style="font-style: italic;">Dark Side Of The Moon</span> way - sound of <span style="font-style: italic;">Station To Station</span>.<br /><br />Living off of cocaine and red peppers - and little else - Bowie got skinny, moody, and super paranoid. Convinced occultists wanted to perform rituals on his excrement, he collected his piss in mason jars, which he stored in the refrigerator. He famously declared England should have a dictator. He rather infamously got his picture taken while standing in the backseat of a Mercedes giving a Hitler salute outside Victoria Station.<br /><br />Not the best time in his personal life. He may have had his big United States breakthrough (commercially, though he had his Stateside admirers since <span style="font-style: italic;">Ziggy</span>), but if he'd kept it up he would have gone the way of so many.<br /><br />It came to a head one day, when as he delicately put it in a not-at-all-disgusting way, "I went to blow my nose and half me brains came out." He, musician pal Brian Eno (ex-Roxy Music), and producer Tony Visconti (who deserves to be in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, but no, we'd rather lobby for Brian Epstein coaxing The Beatles into Pierre Cardin suits) went to Europe to record the three albums now called his "Berlin Trilogy," consisting of <span style="font-style: italic;">Low</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">"Heroes"</span>, and <span style="font-style: italic;">Lodger</span>. I consider these to be Bowie at his best and his most experimental (anytime you've got Brian Eno on board, it will be so-and-so at their most experimental, and that's a great thing). One of the truly great trilogies of rock and roll, right up there with electric Dylan, Neil's trip to the ditch, The Kinks' "British" albums from the late 1960's, you name it.<br /><br />Though the introspective therapy would come with <span style="font-style: italic;">Scary Monsters</span>, the album after <span style="font-style: italic;">Lodger</span>, Bowie is certainly shaking the specter of drugs off his back. Parts of <span style="font-style: italic;">Low</span> and all of <span style="font-style: italic;">"Heroes"</span> were recorded at Hansa Studio in Berlin, which just happens to be adjacent to the Berlin Wall. The tension of the location - and the politics of the region - seemed to manifest itself in the music. Side A of <span style="font-style: italic;">Low</span> consists (almost) entirely of lyrical pieces, all relatively short...and side B is four of the gloomiest instrumentals I'd heard until I discovered there was an entire genre based off of this sound. (Meaning, naturally, in the 30 years since then there's only been gloomier, creepier sounding shit, and it's brilliant - I recommend <a href="http://www.geocities.com/veilofsec/main.htm">Veil Of Secrecy</a> for some great, dark ambient music.)<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Heroes"</span> isn't unlike <span style="font-style: italic;">Low</span>, though the differences are obvious. Both still have the same lyrical/instrumental divide, though the second album closes with a lyrical track (while the first album begins with an instrumental). It may be less dark - though "Sense Of Doubt" shows it wasn't all flushed out of the system - but I think it's the artier of the pair. The musical palate is broad, especially on side B. Given everything else that came out in 1977, including this album's older brother <span style="font-style: italic;">Low</span>, it was pretty bold for the <span style="font-style: italic;">New Musical Express</span> to give this record "Album Of The Year."<br /><br />Do I agree with that honor? Eh...not quite, but it's pretty stiff competition with Cheap Trick's first (and best) album, the rise of UK punk, debuts from Peter Gabriel and Talking Heads, oh, yeah, and The Kinks returning from <span style="font-style: italic;">Preservation</span> land and putting out their first non-conceptual or thematic or operatic album in (literally) a decade. (Sure, they're my favorite band, but I won't deny their occasional inaccessibility! See also: Zappa, Frank.)<br /><br />These albums showed Bowie was more than just an image. There was always a bit of substance beneath that style, he just seemed too busy reinterpreting the Christ myth on <span style="font-style: italic;">Ziggy Stardust</span>, Orwell on <span style="font-style: italic;">Diamond Dogs</span>, or using a lyrical technique pioneered by William S. Burroughs on <span style="font-style: italic;">Aladdin Sane</span>. There's plenty of references to the Bible and the Occult on <span style="font-style: italic;">Station To Station</span>, but here on the Berlin albums it's obvious for everyone to see.<br /><br />The weirdo with the dilated pupil shed all exterior personae and gave us the weirdo with the dilated pupil, the artist. I can forget about his crap-tastic duet with Mick Jagger on "Dancing In The Street." I can forgive him for <span style="font-style: italic;">Labyrinth</span>. At his best, he's more than just a performer. He's a composer, the writer of one of the greatest rock anthems ever, and - after a closer examination - a terrific poet.<br /><br />Style over substance, my shiny metal ass.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. Beauty And The Beast [10]</span><br />An excellent opening track, with a tense build-up of an intro. The resulting release of tension doesn't lose a drop of momentum. Its lyrics, about Bowie's split personality as a result of his drug use, are matched by the savagery of Robert Fripp's scorching guitar leads. The robotic drums do fills only when absolutely necessary...an amazing track.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. Joe The Lion [7]</span><br />I like the dueling lead guitar parts throughout the song...but it's only listenable on headphones. Otherwise it sounds like you're listening to two songs at the same time. Musically, I would say this song meanders a little too much. Very danceable beat, but what's with the spoken intro in the middle? The lyrics are apparently about Chris Burden - hence the "nail me to a car" line - the performance artist who was nailed to a Volkswagen in 1971 and for another display was shot in the arm. With a gun.<br /><br />This one is just a little too sloppy, not one of the best here. Of course, there is a Bowie fan out there who will bite my head off for putting this one down...it just isn't memorable to me.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">03. "Heroes" [11]</span><br />And all is well. A truly perfect song, with three different synthesizers chugging and puttering along to create the foggy, train-station like atmosphere, some wonderful lead guitar, and Bowie giving the vocal performance of his career. His voice was recorded from three different microphones, one up close - heard in the first part of the song - the second twenty feet away - added in with the reprise of "I, I will be king" - and the third fifty feet away, heard on the remainder of the song. This is a masterpiece production-wise, and one of the great rock anthems of the 1970's. Never mind its place as the story of lovers meeting at the Berlin Wall, that chorus of "We can be heroes / Just for one day" means something, even today. I'm surprised this song hasn't been given more airtime politically.<br /><br />My fourth favorite Bowie song, behind "Suffragette City," "1984," and "Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps.)"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">04. Sons Of The Silent Age [8.5]</span><br />The dichotomy of this song is a pain in the ass. On the one hand, there's those gorgeous verses, the beautiful harmonies in the chorus...but then there's the cheesy crooning on the chorus, and the anticipated key change that comes right as the song winds down. It pains me to give this one an eight, but it's so lopsided - to my ears - that it should probably actually earn a five were it not for the sheer beauty of the verses. Take note of the drumming, with the sizzling rolls on the hi-hats at the start of the verses, then the sixteen-beat pattern, emphasizing the slow tempo (perfectly) of the song.<br /><br />Who am I kidding? The chorus is a minor setback for a song that could have been a ten. Extra half-point because I can do this sort of thing.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">05. Blackout [9]</span><br />I knew the first four tracks of this album by way of, in this order, *gasp* an illegal Internet download, disc three of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Sound + Vision</span> boxed set I picked up for four dollars at a CD store, and the 2002 <span style="font-style: italic;">Best Of Bowie</span> compilation. Until I re-listened to this album for its review, "Blackout" was sort of an afterthought to me, the closer of side A, off in its own dark corner, as the "other" song on the lyrical half.<br /><br />It's aged better than two of its comrades. With its stomping tempo, the manic vocals and the return of the wild guitar we heard on "Beauty And The Beast" and "Joe The Lion" - with a vengeance - this song sounds like it could go off at any second. But that's the idea.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">06. V-2 Schneider [8]</span><br />The instrumental half of the album kicks off with this song, with its catchy bass line, marching drums, and a tuneful (and off-beat) sax part. When the drums switch to a standard 8-beat pattern, the off-tempo sax is made apparent to us. The influence of Kraftwerk is at its most obvious on this song, with the "Schneider" of the song's title a tribute to the band's co-founder Florian Schneider. Nice heavy guitar at around 2:40 in the song...but then it's over. It sounds like there should be more, like it's the first movement of an avant-Krautrock modernist piece. Oh, well.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">07. Sense Of Doubt [10]</span><br />The darkness so obvious throughout <span style="font-style: italic;">Low</span> returns on this song. Bowie biographer David Buckley describes it as "an eerie synth line like a scrap of sound from a silent expressionist-era soundtrack," which is perfect. I can picture this song accompanied by the visuals of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Strange Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari</span>, or something by F.W. Murnau. It's gloomy, chilling...and perfect.<br /><br />As the b-side of the "Beauty And The Beast" single, Roy Carr and Charles Shaar Murray joked that it "must have been good fun on pub jukeboxes." Funny enough, I've heard a similar quip from my father regarding "Don't Worry Kyoko (Mummy's Only Looking For Her Hand In The Snow)" as the b-side of "Cold Turkey."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">08. Moss Garden [9.5]</span><br />Beautifully atmospheric, this song is given an extra swathe of color with the use of a Japanese instrument, the koto. Surrealistically Oriental-esque, this song segues out of "Sense Of Doubt" like a transition in a dream, where suddenly everything is gentle and peaceful. Listen closely for the sustained synthesizer notes, sounding to me like a flowing stream, and the occasional chirping synth-bird. A great song, the influence of Brian Eno at its strongest - it's perfect ambient music, something you could do yoga to - and it eventually segues into the next song, like a brief meditation, and we're back in the gritty reality of the world with track 9...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">09. Neuköln [9.5]</span><br />Imagine the first few minutes of "Echoes," specifically the piano tinkles from Rick Wright, but with Ian Underwood of The Mothers Of Invention honking away on his sax. That's this song in a nutshell, a neo-noir piece inspired by a street in Berlin. The solo parts from the synth, sax, and guitar all sound so lonely, like they're being played by buskers alone under the blinking neon lights of Berlin...a terrific song.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">10. The Secret Life Of Arabia [9]</span><br />Though this song has lyrics, and it's got a danceable tempo, it sounds nothing like the material on side A. No maniacal guitar leads from Hell courtesy of Mr. Fripp, no choruses of echoes, phasing, flanges, etc. It's still adorned with a bit of production, though, its lonesome acoustic/percussion intro made to sound like it's being played in the middle of a desert night. Beautiful song, and a great way to close out, though a little too short. Again, though, maybe that's the idea, a way of snapping us out of the trance of side B.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subtotal: 91.5% A-</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Replayability Factor: 2</span><br />I have to be in a mood, yes, but I can have side B of the record on in the background at any time. Side A is a bit too wild for dinner music. How schizophrenic do you like your music to be? For me, I don't mind, but each half of the album is like hearing music from Venus and music from Mars.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Consistency Factor: 2</span><br />Pursue glam Bowie first, I say, as a way of getting acquainted with his voice. Get <span style="font-style: italic;">Ziggy</span>, get <span style="font-style: italic;">Diamond Dogs</span>...but then get this one and get <span style="font-style: italic;">Low</span>. If possible, get them both at the same time. This album is definitely the leader of the pack in the "out there, to be purchased once you've gotten familiar with his 'classic' works" category.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">External Factors: 1</span><br />The point is a plus and a minus to the album: the roles of Tony Visconti and Brian Eno. Would these albums have been possible without Eno's arrangements or Visconti's production? There's plenty of places to look in Bowie's discography that suggest that no, they would not have been what they were. He did his best work with a collaborator, one who helped define the sound and keep Bowie close to Earth, whether it's Visconti, <span style="font-style: italic;">Ziggy</span> sidekick Mick Ronson, Eno, Carlos Alomar, or Iggy Pop.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Total: 96.5% A</span></span>Alex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860260447363818885.post-21064470806244921932009-08-23T13:24:00.002-04:002009-08-23T13:28:04.405-04:00AbsenceI was at my parents' place - a little longer than I'd hoped - and was stuck with a computer from 2001 that won't install Flash updates, won't install Microsoft Office 2007, won't burn CD's (though it used to), and just plain sucks.<br /><br />So I didn't have a chance to throw together a multimedia extravaganza in the nine days I was in my hometown.<br /><br />Anyway, I'll be back on tonight with something new. Honest.<br /><br />Alex<br /><br />PS - I was a little shocked to see <span style="font-style: italic;">Re-Ac-Tor</span> not get any votes. Oh, well, the people have spoken. By a narrow, narrow margin.Alex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860260447363818885.post-61205083279023472412009-08-04T15:27:00.010-04:002009-08-05T16:43:08.134-04:00The Who - A Quick One (1966)I feel bad for thirteen days of no reviews. It's been a bit hectic for me finding an apartment in a new town, enjoying some time with my better half before her own apartment hunt, and (to some extent) coping with the fact that I apparently now have a solid reader base, beyond m@ (my part-time mentor from my hometown) and my cheerleading fiance. Why, people might outwardly disagree with something I say!<br /><br />It sounds stupid, I'm sure of it: man writes blog, people read blog, man panics. The fact is that I write for my own enjoyment, to sort out how I appreciate music, to critically assess what I love and give a re-examination to artists I've placed on a high pedestal in my youth to see how they've stood up in the time that has passed. Beyond that, I also don't think anything I write is all that good.<br /><br />Of course, I've said the exact same things about an essay on the Bohumil Hrabal novel <span style="font-style: italic;">Closely Watched Trains</span> and its filmic interpretation that my Czech professor insisted be submitted to an international writing contest sponsored by the Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences. I've said the exact same thing about my mini-thesis on The Kinks. I definitely think my feeble attempts at fiction are just that: feeble attempts.<br /><br />And I will say the same thing about my Master's thesis, whatever it may be. I'm leaning towards Zappa, my father is practically begging me to write about Les Paul (a bit unfair for me, as I am currently not a guitar player - I quip that my being a drummer "barely qualifies me as a musician"), while I myself am thinking Zappa's cultural relations might be too easy, yet at the same time a musicological breakdown of his work is...labyrinthine. That's being polite about it. Maybe the answer rests elsewhere. Oh, well, who gives a fart, I'm breaking my own cardinal rule about not getting autobiographical. I felt I needed to explain my absence.<br /><br />One quick final thing: I will also admit I am my own harshest critic, and while I reserve the option to not publish a comment on this site I find rude or unflattering*, I didn't have to. Either you guys are starved for decent album reviews or I really do have some skills to speak of as a writer. I would like to thank all of you for leaving comments. It was very touching - thanks to Dave Emlen and his <a href="http://www.kindakinks.net/">fabulous dedication to The Kinks</a> - and I realized that Kinks fans come in all shapes, sizes, and tastes, but we're all united under the umbrella of Ray Davies' genius. I wish I could say the same for Zappa fans...everyone from leftists like me to classicists to guitar hero rockists to cynical Ron Paul libertarian assholes want to claim him for their own. His widow isn't helping things at all, unless of course dividing the fan base even more sharply than before is considered helpful in some esoteric circle of which I am not aware.<br /><br />The Hell with it, let's get this started before I lay down on the couch while you read on in an overstuffed leather chair.<br /><br />I've got lots of issues with The Who, almost to the same extent as The Rolling Stones, though not as dramatically. With The Rolling Stones, I feel like they barely achieved their potential to do great things in their time. That slew of albums from <span style="font-style: italic;">Aftermath</span> to <span style="font-style: italic;">Goat's Head Soup</span> (yes, I'm a Stones fan who loves that album, one of those...) is a great run. I think <span style="font-style: italic;">Some Girls</span> was excellent, though those two interim albums are God-awful. Their longevity is to their detriment. Anthony DeCurtis, citing Glenn Gass in a documentary on Bob Dylan (I know this because Glenn proudly showed this in the Dylan class, saying, "How cool is this! I'm the guy Anthony DeCurtis is talking about! I'm quotable!") said something to the effect that his pre-<span style="font-style: italic;">Love And Theft</span> albums were so not up to par that the quality of his earlier works can begin to come into question.<br /><br />I love The Rolling Stones when they're at their peak. Unfortunately, this is only a slice of a very inconsistent cake. This is the same band that did <span style="font-style: italic;">Dirty Work</span>. Every album since then is praised upon release as "their best since <span style="font-style: italic;">Some Girls</span>" or, in more daring circles, "their best since <span style="font-style: italic;">Exile On Main Street</span>." Then a couple years go by and we all realize we were just creaming our collective jeans because The Rolling Stones once again set out and proved to us that they're not dead yet, with a leading single that is some rewrite of "Brown Sugar" to make it certain.<br /><br />With time marching forward, as it tends to do, The Who are digging a similar grave. A lot of people checked out when they lost Keith Moon in 1978. And yet enough time has passed that there are people out their who are completely fine with <span style="font-style: italic;">Face Dances</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">It's Hard</span> and appreciate them for what they are. Kind of like the rare Three Stooges fan who defends Shemp Howard and in some rare cases prefers him over Curly. And that's fine...but then John Entwistle died the night before the start of their tour, and they carried on.<br /><br />I won't judge that decision, for Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend to carry on and even release an album in 2006, <span style="font-style: italic;">Endless Wire</span>. Just don't call yourselves The Who!<br /><br />Going back to the Three Stooges, The Who were sort of a comedy troupe, The Four Stooges of rock and roll. Sure, The Beatles had charm and those cute Liverpudlian accents, The Monkees were cuddly and safe for prepubescent consumption, and The Rolling Stones were ruffians with their defiant nature...but these guys were true hooligans in the sense of fun, contained destruction. (They didn't burn churches, for example.)<br /><br />Please, do yourself a favor and watch <span style="font-style: italic;">The Kids Are Alright</span>. I'll do my best to describe the band, but the film does it better. These four distinct personalities meshed so badly together that it worked. They were notorious for not getting along, at least back in the day. In present time, Roger and Pete probably lean on each other like Siamese twins. Pete was the serious singer/songwriter of the group, seeking spiritual enlightenment, a mix of the best of Ray Davies and George Harrison. Roger Daltrey was the street smart, pretty face of the group (I don't ever think he was a particularly good-looking man myself) and not a bad singer when he wasn't overdoing it, looking just as likely a dockworker as he was a rock singer. John Entwistle was the token dark, quiet one of the band...yet also the one with the sharpest, driest wit. A snappy dresser, the proverbial anchor as both the bassist and the only one not keen on destroying his gear on stage. (In the hotel rooms, he was just as bad as the next guy. Literally, the next guy I'll be discussing!)<br /><br />And then there was Keith Moon, the reason I wanted to be a drummer. He was all the great comedic madmen combined, as destructive as Curly Howard, lovable as Harpo Marx, angst-ridden and apt to play dress up as Peter Sellers...and yet also a great drummer. Don't expect him to ever play a straight rhythm & blues-friendly pocket beat, no way...he seemed in perpetual motion, all over his drum kit, and yet with the layout of the band, with a bass pretty much playing lead and the guitar providing rhythm, it worked. I read somewhere his drumming was much like a keyboard arrangement. A bit of a stretch, maybe, but I can say he was able to take what could have been a chorus of chaos on his drum kit and make it work into being both elegant and perfectly rhythmic.<br /><br />Before the band's invention of bawdy arena rock on <span style="font-style: italic;">Who's Next</span>, before that terrible bucket of overindulgent rectal mucous that is Ken Russell's film version of <span style="font-style: italic;">Tommy</span>, before the countless farewell tours that boast to be the last time - FOR REAL THIS TIME! - only to be disproven a year or so later, before "Eminence Front," before "You Better, You Bet," before <span style="font-style: italic;">Rock Band</span> made them known to an array of 13 year olds who can afford a gaming console but can't afford a low-end guitar so they can play for real, and before <span style="font-style: italic;">CSI</span> cannibalized not just one but three of their songs into cut-and-paste "we're using this for no real reason" theme songs...<br /><br />...before all that, there was The Who, four guys from Shepherd's Bush in Northern London, who loved R&B and soul, but were terrible at it, their saving grace being one of the great defiant anthems of their time, let alone all time, "My Generation." I'm quite harsh on their first album, in the same way I was with <span style="font-style: italic;">Please Please Me</span>. There's some great songs, precursors to punk (Steve Jones of The Sex Pistols and Mick Jones of The Clash - no relation - have both said that early Who was the music they learned guitar to) like "Out In The Street" and "The Good's Gone." Even when they're whimsical, as on "It's Not True," the song is quite solid musically and on a lyrical level funny.<br /><br />When the time came for their second album, it was decided that in order to make more money off of their new LP, they would all write at least two songs a piece. Roger wound up doing one, John and Keith each turned in two, and Pete did the rest except for their cover of "Heatwave" by Martha & The Vandellas. The results are surprisingly creative, though there was no doubt some sort of pressure due to the changing current of pop music.<br /><br />Between <span style="font-style: italic;">Bringing It All Back Home</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Highway 61 Revisited</span>, and <span style="font-style: italic;">Rubber Soul</span> in 1965, the bar was raised for the British bands. I'll go ahead and throw The Beach Boys into this mix as well, because alongside Dylan, Smokey Robinson, and Marvin Gaye they were the only true innovating artists in America (though much respect goes out to the men behind the consoles, the Phil Spectors and Berry Gordys and Jim Stewarts who took American pop music beyond the realm of Fabian) at that time, though I don't think Gaye and Robinson saw The Beatles as "competition." The scenes on the West Coast were just opening up, because of this fusion of The Beatles and Dylan.<br /><br />It was up to The Beatles' fellow countrymen (plus The Beach Boys) to keep up with the ante raised by those three albums. A standard was established, and whether or not you could overcome that hurdle was a litmus test. Are you willing to go out of your comfort zone? The Rolling Stones did it with <span style="font-style: italic;">Aftermath</span>, an album of all-original tunes without a single cover to be found. Taking more of a cue from Dylan, Ray Davies did "A Well Respected Man," "Dedicated Follower Of Fashion," and "Sunny Afternoon" before ending 1966 with the one-two punch of <span style="font-style: italic;">Face To Face</span> and "Dead End Street," firmly establishing The Kinks as an individual, trend-bucking ensemble. (Right in time for them to get banned from the United States, but them's the breaks.) The Beach Boys did <span style="font-style: italic;">Pet Sounds</span>, which is a producer's album through and through.<br /><br />Other British groups thankfully (Herman's Hermits) and regrettably (The Yardbirds, Them, The Animals) didn't quite make it. As much as I love the Jeff Beck-era Yardbirds, producer Mickie Most took them out of their sonically experimental territory heard on <span style="font-style: italic;">Roger The Engineer</span> and into psychedelic pop. With The Animals is was a combination of their lack of a strong central songwriter (though that was the case with Them and The Yardbirds as well) and the fact that half the band drank too much and the other half smoked too much, and I'm not talking about ciggies.<br /><br />Though they were late bloomers, in this weird turf between The Kinks' emergence and latter-day British Invasion acts like The Creation, The Pretty Things, and The Small Faces, The Who responded to this radical shift with flying colors. I don't rank <span style="font-style: italic;">A Quick One</span> as one of the all-time greats, there were still some kinks (sorry!) to be worked out, but when they were on you'd better buckle the Hell up. What weighed their first album down so badly was their attempts at James Brown numbers. They're so bad...well, they're not quite good (though my father ranks <span style="font-style: italic;">The Who Sing My Generation</span> as one of the funniest albums ever, alongside Elvis Presley's Christmas record). They're pretty crummy, actually.<br /><br />It was "My Generation" that put them on the map, and their follow-up single, "Substitute," carried on this message of angst and a surprisingly honest message of "I look pretty tall / But my heels are high." The song isn't the same aural assault that "My Generation" was, but just as strong in every respect. Producer Shel Talmy**, apparently in an act of spite over the release of the self-produced "Substitute," put out the song "A Legal Matter" as a single. A step backwards in the short-term, yes...but thank God history has ignored this slight blunder.<br /><br />Their next single was "I'm A Boy," a beautifully arranged and funny story of a song. It was part of a larger sequence of songs Pete had in mind, to be called "Quads." I can't find much else on it, other than that they would be thematically related songs. A couple has quadruplets, expecting four little girls...but they get three girls and a boy, who they subsequently raise as though he were a girl. Groundbreaking for its time, still a bit shocking today (maybe more since everyone seems to be too politically correct for their own good), "I'm A Boy" was another step further in showing the band had morphed beyond their Mod origins, venturing into pop art, albeit musically, in the same way that I consider The Residents to be the musical embodiment of Dada.<br /><br />A few stray singles from their first album, "The Kids Are Alright" (another excellent tune) and "La-La-La Lies" (eh...not so good) and the EP <span style="font-style: italic;">Ready, Steady, Who!</span> were floated out to keep the band in the public eye.<br /><br />Then came "Happy Jack." It was a #3 hit in the UK, but more importantly it got The Who into the US charts, peaking at #24. It's a great song to hear, even today...it sounds like it's on the verge of exploding during the verses, and when the chorus comes along the band takes the idea of tension-and-release to the maximum. The word "assault" keeps coming up in these descriptions. I know in this day and age of death metal, speed metal, hardcore punk, etc., "Happy Jack" and its chorus probably sounds like a walk in the park when compared to Napalm Death or Minor Threat. Once again, just put it in the context of 1966. No record bounced along the way it did, not even "Paperback Writer."<br /><br />"Happy Jack" was recorded after <span style="font-style: italic;">A Quick One</span>, but released before it as a single. <span style="font-style: italic;">A Quick One </span>has a spirit to it, of a band with a newfound sense of freedom, the eccentric (but eager to push the envelope) Kit Lambert behind the console, and ready to pull out the stops and establish themselves as their own band. It took The Kinks' string of sardonic folk-rock singles and <span style="font-style: italic;">Face To Face</span> to show their chops beyond the (delightfully sublime) proto-metal of "You Really Got Me." In a very similar manner, <span style="font-style: italic;">A Quick One</span> was The Who's first proper album in their own realm without relying on cover tunes or trying to emulate someone else's sound or style.<br /><br />And away we go. Buckle your seatbelts...at least for side A.<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Drm48bOirLw">01. Run, Run, Run [10]</a><br />As far as album openers go, and there are many, many great ones out there, this is like the running of the bulls captured by a four-piece band. They pound this one out like their lives depend on it. Lyrically, it's quite an inversion of the somewhat scornful take on women in "The Good's Gone," "A Legal Matter," and "It's Not True." On those three tunes from their first album, the girl in question is the source of strife, in the latter examples attempting to ruin the narrator's life. Mean, moody, and magnificent. But on "Run, Run, Run," the song's subject is an object of sympathy, a hapless chick encountering nothing but horrible luck and encountering symbols of foreboding superstition.<br /><br />Beyond the whimsical lyrics, sung with the same brooding voice of "The Good's Gone," the song is a musical bombardment. Keith is pounding out four beats a measure on the snare, bass, and his cymbals, Pete and John do their things quite aptly - I love the way John brings the band back into the final verse with those solid triplets out of the solo - and Roger's double-tracked lead sounds like two equally strong performances, of which they could not pick a favorite, at least to my ears. Great song, and proof that The Who were a Hell of a hard rock band...a good three years before Led Zeppelin.<br /><br />For shits and giggles, and further proof that I love the Internet, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4_UHD5GR0o">here's the song in mono</a>. Being a slightly different mix, keep your ears open for some feedback around 1:45 in the song.<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvFuUaCe8eY">02. Boris The Spider [10]</a><br />One of John's two songs, this one being his songwriting debut on a Who album (his "In The City" was the b-side to "I'm A Boy"). He hits the ground running with a Who classic, though not a single, greeted by fans like an old friend at concerts. During the verses, John demonstrates what a strong singing voice he has, before the un-human basso chorus and the falsetto "creeeeepy, craaaaawlie" bridge show off what a dynamic set of pipes he has. Again, there's a sense of lyrical humor in this song, with the music's heaviness throwing things off-kilter in a good way, in that the song's hero sees a spider and kills it with a book. That's it, but it's turned into a 2:30 pop song. Terrific!<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLRI-qcC0ns">03. I Need You [10]</a><br />Here's something you don't see often: a drummer writing a song. Not only that, but a Hell of a good song with a good melody and a rollicking performance to boot. The song's original title was "I Need You (Like I Need A Hole In The Head)." Lyrically, it's a bit choppy. I'm led to understand it was a bit of a snap at The Beatles, as Mr. Moon felt that they talked behind his back in a code - I should probably mention that the members of the band at this point were probably still popping amphetamines which can induce paranoia, make you a better musician, and lead to the creation of <span style="font-style: italic;">Blonde On Blonde</span> - and the voice at 1:12 is Keith doing his imitation of John Lennon.<br /><br />This song also features my favorite presentation of the drums on any song recorded, ever, on those choruses, where the cymbals almost wash out the entire rest of the band. It kind of sounds like that when you're playing with a band, so I won't deny its accuracy, never mind the resulting effect just sounds cool. By the way, that's Keith on lead vocal, not Pete, though I can see how one could get the two confused.<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj83U0u9hxg">04. Whiskey Man [11]</a><br />My favorite song on the album, by far, which is saying plenty given the last three songs. John sings lead again as he did on "Boris The Spider" (sounding an awful lot like Roger), turning in another great performance. There's also a French horn solo, played by Mr. Entwistle. And it's perfect. The song is about an alcoholic who is joined by the "whiskey man" whenever he drinks. As we learn, it's a figment of his imagination, induced by the alcoholism. With the final reprise of the song's opening lines, John sings it like a looney rocking back and forth in his "little padded cell," reminding himself why he's there in the first place. Woefully overlooked, I feel, in favor of its arachnid cousin track, this is the better of the two, and one of The Who's finest moments as a band.<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi8H_JAZe-A">05. Heatwave [5.5]</a><br />This is where it stops being iconic. To its merit, the song is driven by the bass. After ripping it up on the first four tracks, this one totters along rather clumsily. The original by Martha & The Vandellas was catchy, at a stomping, clap-along tempo. But here, it seems like it doesn't quite pick up momentum, I feel at the wrong tempo, but at the same time it sounds like an outtake for what could have been a really good Motown cover (see <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtPZ6mmBigk">their amazing version of "Dancing In The Street,"</a> also by Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, from <span style="font-style: italic;">The Who BBC Sessions</span> and you'll know what I'm talking about). A good touch of wasted potential, I'm afraid.<br /><br />To make matters worse/better (depending on who you ask), the American release of this album removed this song in favor of their latest single, "Happy Jack," which also became the title of the LP. For once, the US version of the album is in fact BETTER. God, I cringe saying that...but it's true.<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VvhJfRiNZo">06. Cobwebs And Strange [10]</a><br />Thankfully, "Heatwave" is a mere 117 awkward, unsure seconds long, meaning we aren't in the "they could have done better" territory for an extended period. This is Keith's other song, and, um...it's out there. For any other band, this would arguably be about as weird as they got. But over the next few years, Keith contributed some real oddities as single b-sides ("<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Zo4Mh8Tl6c">Dogs Part Two</a>," "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdjv55zwMv4">Waspman</a>") that are at least just as odd and unique as this one.<br /><br />It's a march, it's a series of bitchin' drum solos...and that's it, but it's maniacal good fun. Hopefully you're watching the video attached for this song. It's the promo film for "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCvs5pqsMEA">Call Me Lightning</a>" intercut with footage and photographs depicting Keith's wild side, from <span style="font-style: italic;">The Kids Are Alright</span>. He may have only lived 31 years, but it seems he had a lot of fun. A lot. However much of it he remembered at the end of the day is highly speculative.<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5knS_nb_es">07. Don't Look Away [9]</a><br />The band opens the second half of the record with one of Pete's. "Run, Run, Run" this is not, but it shows Pete had as much capability to write a Beatlesque pop song (I can picture McCartney singing this on <span style="font-style: italic;">Help!</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">Rubber Soul</span>, right down to the slightly countrified solo that could have come out of George's Gretsch hollowbody, the one he had on <span style="font-style: italic;">The Ed Sullivan Show</span>) as he could do an anthemic "WHY DON'T YOU ALL F-F-F-FADE AWAY" declaration of independence set to a no-holds-barred musical backdrop. I'm docking a point for this one being maybe a hair too derivative, but a 9 is still a good score. Like <span style="font-style: italic;">Aftermath</span>, I used to piss on side B of this record with contempt, if only because these songs didn't have the hyperbolic dynamics of, say, "Run, Run, Run" or "Cobwebs And Strange." Now in my advanced age of 22 (having first consciously heard this album at age three, later buying the CD at age 12), I am once again eating my words. Pass the ketchup, please.<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFAIocFPfFo">08. See My Way [4]</a><br />On second thought, hold the ketchup. This song is pretty dull. The liner notes for <span style="font-style: italic;">BBC Sessions</span> described this as being fairly tentative compared to the version they did for Auntie Beeb (which I can't find on the YouTube, proving once again why I hate the Internet). This just sounds unfinished, again, like they could have done a significantly better take. Whatever instrument that is playing the solo (sort of a weird organ or a flute-voiced organ?) sounds stupid to me. John's bassline saves this song from being a lo-fi heap of parrot droppings, to crib a Python quote.<br /><br />Did I mention this song was written by Roger?<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktggGDS7dYU">09. So Sad About Us [10]</a><br />Mod-rock's last stand, at least until British punk shook hands with New Wave and gave us The Jam, The Buzzcocks, et al. This is a great song, and its cover by <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzwqrlGYUgo">The Jam</a> (and others) has given this song a legacy as a shimmering example of Mod rock, the first Britpop song for my money. (So they didn't just invent punk music!) A step up from "Don't Look Away" in all the right ways, a pop song unique to Mr. Townshend's pen, very much in the vein of The Who's own style and sound. One of hundreds of semi-obscure album tracks (like "Picture Book" by The Kinks, "Not A Second Time" by The Beatles, or "Take It Or Leave It" by The Rolling Stones) out there that would/should/could have been smash singles in a perfect world, had they been released as such. It's also one of the best breakup songs of all time, period.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F3p45v3BOk">Here's a clip of them doing it live</a>, which I'd never seen before. It's always neat to see these once-rare clips that were unavailable when Jeff Stein was assembling <span style="font-style: italic;">The Kids Are Alright</span>.<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIpsDTSmRyM">10. A Quick One, While He's Away [8.5]</a><br />I've been spoiled on this song. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlBip8CV1P8">Its vastly superior live rendition from The Rolling Stones' unreleased-until-1996 <span style="font-style: italic;">Rock & Roll Circus</span> TV special, featured in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Kids Are Alright</span>, is as far as I'm concerned the greatest real-time performance ever captured, and The Who's best moment as a band pre-<span style="font-style: italic;">Tommy</span></a>. It is also a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GT_ZiA1Lj0">tour de force</a>^ if you're a drummer.<br /><br />But this version? Let me play like the politicians do and dodge that question. The story behind its inception is that the band had about ten minutes to fill on the record. Kit Lambert suggested to Pete that he do a ten-minute song. He initially balked, saying a ten minute song was unheard of, and that "British pop songs are two minute fifty, by tradition!" as Pete explained to Melvyn Bragg in 1974. The agreement struck was that Pete write a ten-minute story, with each segment of the story being a song in its own right.<br /><br />Here's the breakdown of it:<br />[0:00-1:59] Her Man's Been Gone / Crying Town, then after a really bad edit...<br />[2:00-3:31] We Have A Remedy<br />[3:32-5:13] Ivor The Engine Driver<br />[5:14-6:40] Soon Be Home<br />[6:40-9:10] You Are Forgiven<br /><br />It isn't as bad as I remembered, listening to it again, once I get the blistering stage treatment out of my head...pretending it doesn't exist. What sounds like white noise during "Ivor The Engine Driver" is in fact the crash cymbals sped up and compressed, to emulate a train engine. It doesn't work out as such, but still creates an interesting effect. The performance on the whole is a bit rough-shod, though the production on "We Have A Remedy" and "You Are Forgiven" is phenomenally done. Its polish makes it obvious the band had heard <span style="font-style: italic;">Pet Sounds</span>.<br /><br />This blows "Going Home" out of the water, that's for sure; the boys here don't seem keen on wasting your time. It's an interestingly done recording, I'd love to hear the early takes of it. Even though it sounds brittle in parts, the melodies throughout are exceptional. For this to have just been from one songwriter's pen is the telltale sign of Mr. Townshend's genius. There are bits I'm not crazy about: the vocal interlude between "We Have A Remedy" and "Ivor The Engine Driver," with the heavy echoes, sounds thin...I don't like it. It sticks out to me for some reason.<br /><br />For what it is, a pressing of the boundaries for what pop music could/should be, in this case an extended story made up of several short songs, this is a successful experiment. If only more progressive rock acts had followed suit instead of pursuing the pompous classically-oriented avenues that abound with Emerson, Lake, and Palmer and Yes...ugh...<br /><br />For this tune, which I once hated (for real!), I'm giving The Who an A+ for effort, B- for the final product, averaging out for the score it's earned. Pete would return to the idea of a larger work of music telling stories or at least featuring a concept, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Who_Sell_Out">but</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_%28album%29">I'll</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who%27s_Next">save</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadrophenia">those</a> for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wire_and_Glass">later</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subtotal: 88% B+</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Replayability Factor: 1</span><br />I can hear side A anytime, anyplace, anywhere. Side B, which I do enjoy aside from "See My Way," is pretty good...but there's too many nuances in "A Quick One, While He's Away" that dictate careful listening. Careful listening, as in, headphones are almost mandatory to enjoy it all.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Consistency Factor: 1</span><br />For them, this was groundbreaking. I can't emphasize enough that they really came into their own with this album. The final track was the first venture into conceptual work, which Pete would actively pursue for the next seven years on the band's albums. Much of their "classic" career is given its grounding here. However, the format of Pete having all of four (!) of the album's ten songs is unheard of elsewhere. On all future albums, there's a song or three by John (at the least, zero on <span style="font-style: italic;">Quadrophenia</span>, at most three on <span style="font-style: italic;">Who Are You</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">It's Hard</span>) and aside from "Tommy's Holiday Camp," credited to Keith (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_%28album%29#Track_listing">but written by Pete, who gave Keith credit for the idea of a holiday camp</a>) and a few rare cover tunes, THAT'S IT. This was Pete's game, much like Ray Davies' role as the dominant songwriter in The Kinks, with the occasional contribution from brother Dave. It's a great album, this one, but hardly representative of The Who and each member's roles within the band.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">External Factors: 2</span><br />Inventing punk music wasn't good enough for them, so they had to go and invent progressive rock with "A Quick One, While He's Away," with its segments and tempo changes, which they in turn streamlined into an amazing live workout. Beyond that, nowhere else can you hear the band working collectively and creatively. As I said above under "Consistency Factor," this is the only album where you'll hear songs by Keith Moon. Or Roger, though in this case I say that's fine with me. 1966 was the year the rest of the hip world responded to electric Dylan and the matured Beatles, and though they were still freshmen in the grand scheme of the British Invasion, they passed the test.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">TOTAL: 92% A-</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Singles:</span><br />(<span style="font-style: italic;">There's a LOT, so get comfy!)<br /><br /></span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJ8Ra1JdtI0">01. Substitute [10]</a><br />Iconic Who, a more honest approach of examining youth culture by way of identity crises and putting on fronts. It is nowhere near as madhouse as "My Generation," with its acoustic guitar riff, but John and Keith cover the sonic low end of the song quite well. At this stage, Roger sounds like he's still singing a bit higher than he should, but given the lyrical themes of insecurity throughout this song it works. A great single by a band on their way to greater things.<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XfGKh-BEuo">02. Circles [9]</a><br />Make no bones about it, The Who's single discography is a confusing mess of only-available-on-rarities-compilations-from-the-1980's, a song being the b-side in the UK but not in the US, only to be put out as a US b-side the following year (but in a different mix) - it is infinitely frustrating.<br /><br />Take this song, for instance. This version is entitled "Circles," though it was erroneously labeled "Instant Party" on some other issues. THEN, they re-record the song (see below), entitle it "Instant Party," and it's the next single's b-side. Do they WANT to give us completists headaches?<br /><br />This song is a great example of The Who's early sound, fast but not overly aggressive, a nice touch of brass from John, a good guitar line on the brink of melting down into feedback, and some unique vocal interplay between Pete and Roger on the bridge. They're on fire here.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. A Legal Matter</span> - <span style="font-style: italic;">to be discussed when I cover the band's debut album, where it makes its premiere.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj1l7j73D2I">02. Instant Party [6]</a><br />The original version (recorded first, but released later) of "Circles." Now that you're that much acquainted, here comes a curve-ball: this version was originally intended to be the band's next single, their final production with Shel Talmy. It was to have a song entitled "Instant Party Mixture" (can't find it on the YouTube, but as far as I'm concerned you're not missing much) as its b-side. Still with me?<br /><br />So anyway, Mr. Talmy put out the "A Legal Matter" / "Instant Party" single, ironically becoming a bit of a legal matter for the band. As with The Kinks, Talmy played no insignificant role in the band's early development, but once he'd overstayed his welcome he couldn't have made himself scarce fast enough. That's at least how I feel.<br /><br />How is this original version here? The trouble is, the song is just okay. It sort of drones along, not as good. It seems like Talmy had begun phoning it in, as they say, with The Who.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. The Kids Are Alright</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. The Ox</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">(UK single)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. A Legal Matter</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">(US single)</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Again, all album tracks.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWe3vu0Etkc">01. I'm A Boy [11]</a><br />I talked a little bit about this one earlier, so forgive me if it gets redundant. I love this song, and quite frankly I'm shocked it doesn't get any sort of respect for being four years ahead of "Lola" and six years ahead of Lou Reed's "Take A Walk On The Wild Side." I mean, the idea of parents forcing their little boy to dress and behave like a girl? It's sick, twisted, but it's also hilarious! The arrangement is beautiful, with the harmonies on the tail end of the bridge coming straight out of the Brian Wilson playbook. Fantastic!<br /><br />There's a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNMlIUB8Rd8">slower, different version</a>, released on the 1971 compilation <span style="font-style: italic;">Meaty, Beaty, Big, And Bouncy</span>. Equally enjoyable, with a more prominent brass part (which gets a solo in the songs middle), an extra verse, and the tempo somewhere in the maestoso range. Really cool, now somewhat rare since the label will probably never remaster <span style="font-style: italic;">Meaty, Beaty, Big, And Bouncy</span>. Thanks for nothing, jerks!<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv36VfXPFno">02. In The City [10]</a><br />This John Entwistle tune was all he and Keith, with some guitar overdubs done later by Pete. So the harmonies in the verses are between John and Keith, who sounds quite a bit like Roger here. I've always found this to be a very fun song, very much influenced by surf music (it should be obvious by now Pete was into The Beach Boys, but Keith adored surf music, citing his favorite song ever as "Don't Worry, Baby" by The Beach Boys). A perfect example of the hidden treasures that can be found on the flipsides of singles every once in a blue moon. Mercifully, this song was a bonus track on the 1995 CD reissue of <span style="font-style: italic;">A Quick One</span>.<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlFU5A3UMgc">01. Happy Jack [11]</a><br />If you wanted to take 1966 Who and encapsulate them in one song, it's this one. Sheer perfection. The song about a misfit named Jack was a big hit in the UK, but it also broke The Who into the United States. Though they would still have a ways to go before they became a household name, it was a Hell of a start.<br /><br />In late 1967/early 1968, The Who came really close to starring in their own television series, a British version of The Monkees. Thankfully - or not? - nothing came of it, beyond the promo clip for "Call Me Lightning" posted above as well as <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dzs4TutH6j8">this one</a>, featured in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Kids Are Alright</span>. The film does a pretty good job interpreting the song's kinetic energy. (But then I grew up watching it.) It also sums up the band: three complete lunatics, two of whom (Keith and Pete) keep one-upping each other with who can get more cake on their face, John the quiet but equally mad enabler, and Roger, the too-cool-for-school accomplice. Great fun.<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3SXOvnZ_T0">02. I've Been Away [9]</a> <span style="font-style: italic;">(UK single)</span><br />John Entwistle's b-side is a dark piano-driven waltz about getting locked away for a crime he didn't commit by his own brother. He then vows to murder his brother upon his release. A truly upbeat, commercial-friendly tune, for sure. I love it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. Whiskey Man</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">(US single)</span> - <span style="font-style: italic;">see above; album track</span>.<br /><br />Whew, I didn't think I'd get through all these damned singles!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">WHAT?! There's MORE?! <span style="font-size:180%;">DAMMIT!</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ready, Steady, Who!</span> (EP)<br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73tRBoPZAWM">01. Disguises [9]</a><br />Rather an odd, moody number. Love the oboe solo. The lyrics sound like it could have been from the first album, though its musical arrangement is off-kilter, with swishing effected cymbals springing up throughout the recording, a droning guitar arrangement (in a good way), and some added percussion - claves, I believe. As the only...I hate saying this..."real" song on this collection, this might have fared better as a single. Then again, I don't know much about how EP's fared in their time. They seemed to have been important at some point in time, dying out somewhere in the late 1960's. Still, good song, not as memorable as their singles of this era, but a good bit of studio experimentation.<br /><br />There's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTqiikEACu4">a different version</a> on the <span style="font-style: italic;">BBC Sessions</span> album, although I wish the oboe part had been left intact...that and Roger has that whiny brat vocal that lots of modern pop-punk bands have. Not as good as I remembered it, though the rest of the band gives a more alert performance. They sounded like they were ready to doze off on the <span style="font-style: italic;">Ready, Steady, Who!</span> version, but I think that was the idea.<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XfGKh-BEuo">02. Circles [9]</a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Same as above, the b-side of "Substitute." It may be a different mix or something, but all this research has made my brain hurt. Given its running time, it's safe to assume it is the shorter, brassier version.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmxwHr57C1Y">03. Batman [9]</a><br />Yes, the theme from the <span style="font-style: italic;">Batman</span> television series, and it's awesome. The bass solo, chugging through the I-IV-V riff like it matters, is one of the coolest moments from 1966 Who. Is it a bit of a toss-off number? Yeah, sure, it is. But you know something? It's a blast!<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-0-nsLoY1Y">04. Bucket "T" [9]</a><br />A Jan & Dean cover, with Keith Moon singing, this marks part two in a three-part series on the same EP where the band pays tribute to the West Coast sound. (Sure, the "Batman Theme" might have been written by Neal Hefti, a jazz composer, and I have encountered a recording where it's used as the head for a jazz piece, but given the right band it's a Hell of a groove.) In a bizarre, but fitting, twist of luck for The Who, this was a single - with "Run, Run, Run" AS THE B-SIDE - that went to the top of the charts...in Sweden. Even their chart success had a strange sense of humor.<br /><br />Oh, and their only number one in the United States? The post-Moon piece of shit "You Better, You Bet," which sounds more like a Meat Loaf tune than The Who. Now if you'll pardon me, I need to go vomit. <span style="font-style: italic;">(Note the absence of a YouTube link for the song I just referenced. Look it up at your own risk. It's awful.)</span><br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErxZN0OQZWo">05. Barbara Ann [9]</a><br />The Beach Boys made this song popular, and The Who gave it a treatment not unlike "Bucket T," with Keith on lead vocals again, the band flying through it like they popped a handful of Purple Hearts, and a slide whistle solo. Amazing!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">BUT WAIT...THERE'S MORE!</span></span><br /><br />I saw this on Wikipedia, and decided to tally this up for shits and giggles...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jigsaw Puzzle</span>, one of at least four "great lost Who albums," the other three being <span style="font-style: italic;">Who's For Tennis?</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Five Foot Car, Four Foot Garage</span> (EP), and <span style="font-style: italic;">Lifehouse</span>. Its status is nowhere near as mythic as, say, <span style="font-style: italic;">Lifehouse</span>, mainly because every song on it got released one way or another. The record is little more than a different presentation of the 1966 Who sound with a different title.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">SIDE A</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. I'm A Boy (Slow Version) [10]</span> - <span style="font-style: italic;">reduced to a ten</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. Run, Run, Run [10]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">03. Don't Look Away [9]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">04. Circles (Version 2) [9]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">05. I Need You [10]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">06. Showbiz Sonata</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">(original title for "Cobwebs And Strange")</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">[10]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">SIDE B</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">07. In The City [10]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">08. Boris The Spider [10]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">09. Whiskey Man [11]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">10. See My Way [4]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">11. Heat Wave [5.5]</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">12. Barbara Ann [9]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">TOTAL: 89.5% B+ </span></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />(I won't fart around with tilting it, since it never got released...but with that running order I don't think the album starts or ends with fitting songs. And "See My Way" is somehow still intact, yet "So Sad About Us" is nowhere to be found. For shame!)</span><br /><br />I'd like to end this trip to Who-land with a special comment on how frustrating it is to completely capture all their singles, in spite of the plethora of bonus cuts on these early albums' reissues. Even some a-sides ("Substitute," "I'm A Boy," "Happy Jack," "Pictures Of Lily") can only be found on compilations.<br /><br />The best we can hope for from those money-grubbing jerkoffs at the label is one of those overpriced "singles box" deals with each CD holding just the tracks from the singles. (Oh, wait, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001O2E22/ref=s9_simb_gw_xu_s0_p15_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_r=1TFM8NN6XM4R635M2SK7&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938811&pf_rd_i=507846">it exists</a>!) Let's say they had twelve singles...each song could probably fit quite cozily on one 70-odd-minute CD. Makes sense, right? Wrong. They'll just put the two tracks from each single on a separate, regular-sized CD.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Put on your lipstick, lube up, and bend over, because these guys are <span style="font-style: italic;">SCREWING US</span>! </span></span><br /><br />There's a guy running a Who fansite who I asked if he could do a fellow fan a favor and send me the incomparable Entwistle b-side "Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde." (More on him in a second.) The song can be found on a 1968 compilation, the deceptively titled <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Magic-Bus-Who/dp/B00000DWGQ/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1249501160&sr=8-8"><span style="font-style: italic;">Magic Bus: The Who On Tour</span></a>, which was released in the late 1980's on CD. It has since been discontinued by the manufacturer, meaning a remaster is probably not in the cards. In other words, it will sound like shit.<br /><br />It can be found on a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Magic-Bus-Who/dp/B000QUCXX6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1249501160&sr=8-1">remaster</a> of <span style="font-style: italic;">Magic Bus</span>, imported from Japan, at the sensible price of $59.99 new, and (get ready) <span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">$162.85.</span></span> Used.<br /><br />It can ALSO be found on a compilation originally issued on vinyl by the band's label, considered an official rarities comp, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005FMKW/ref=s9_simb_gw_xu_s0_p15_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-4&pf_rd_r=1SVB335GV64XTX0MN33T&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470939031&pf_rd_i=507846">now available on CD</a> for <span style="font-style: italic;">only</span> $52.99 new, $111.17 <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">used.</span><br /><br />And yet this jackass gave me a stern, condescending attitude of <span style="font-style: italic;">"You're not asking me to break the law, are you?"</span> When I told him I figured so long as money wasn't changing hands, here's the analogy he gave me...try not to laugh:<br /><br />"The artist loses money anytime music (which they sell for a profit) is distributed for free.<br /><br />Its really no different than someone breaking into your house, taking various items, selling them and saying, "did I do something wrong?"<br /><br />in other words, it is theft. I don't participate in theft of any kind. Perhaps you need to think about that too."<br /><br />Though I won't name names, his site is actually <span style="font-style: italic;">excellent</span>. He's got an attention to detail akin to my own. Unfortunately, his attitude about sharing - the phrase tape-swapping ring any bells? - is <span style="font-weight: bold;">shitty</span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">Pete Townshend is making nickels off any of the discontinued copies of <span style="font-style: italic;">Magic Bus</span> sold</span>. As for the imports, I have no idea. Probably about the same, possibly less if they're unauthorized. <span style="font-size:130%;">If I felt like Pete (and Roger) needed the money and I was fine paying waaaay too much for music, sure, no problem</span>. A more appropriate analogy, should we even reduce the argument to them, is Pete Townshend opens his wallet and a shit-ton of money comes pouring out. A nickel rolls my way. I pick it up. I pocket it.<br /><br />I'd like to think the only thing I would have in my house worth a nickel would be a nickel. Pretty sure everything else is of considerably higher value. Why, some items cost about as much as they're charging for those imports!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Who's the thief here again?</span></span> A frustrated fan, or the shysters who refuse to be sensible about packaging rarities, a multi-billion dollar corporation? Yeah, Who site owner, I have thought about it as you suggested, and my conclusion was that <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">you're a greedy dick</span></span>, the people at the record label are (somehow) worse, and I still managed to acquire the song - <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXnMKp-Irjs">on YouTube</a>. <span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I win.</span></span><br /><br />Excuse my rant, it's frustrating to begin with, and even more frustrating that someone who actually HAS all the songs won't share. <span style="font-style: italic;">If you'd like to talk about copyright violations, I'm sure all those album covers he has posted on his site aren't exactly being paid for...</span><br /><br />Yes, it's a tragedy that being a Who fan doesn't mean the same thing as being a Kinks fan, where it's a community of literate, friendly lads (and lasses).<br /><br />But you know something? I'll bet Mr. Who Site Owner and I can agree that this clip is fucking brilliant:<br /><object width="320" height="265"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/i0XknwXqLDo&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/i0XknwXqLDo&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="265"></embed></object><br /><br />* <span style="font-style: italic;">I guess I'm too used to all those dumb-shits who comment over at the YouTube, where several of my own videos have gotten harsh, anonymous sentences from people with zero videos to their own name. A hundred people can come up and say, "Good job!," but it only takes that one asshole who says, "It was stupid, and so are you!" that can ruin my week. With this forum, I've come to realize now those pig-ignorant Philistines who've nothing better to do than spread bad vibes under a phony handle probably don't have the patience to read. You may have noticed I tend to be a bit verbose.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">But seriously, set aside an afternoon and troll YouTube comments. It says a lot about the nature of the Western world. In short, we're screwed.</span><br /><br />** <span style="font-style: italic;">Shel Talmy also produced the early Kinks. While he did a great job shaping both The Who's and The Kinks' early sound, he also sounded like a detached egocentric, unable to tell the difference between his version of "Dead End Street" and the one Ray re-recorded the following day.</span><br /><br />^ <span style="font-style: italic;">Yes, that's me...two and a half years younger than I am now. I'm quite embarrassed by it, so go easy on me. I just really think it's a Hell of a trip for a drummer and hope you can at least see that, my own little fuck-ups throughout and all.<br /><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;font-size:180%;" ><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;font-size:180%;" >Don't agree? <a href="https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5860260447363818885&postID=6120508327902347241">Leave a comment</a>!</span></div><div style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;font-size:180%;" ><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;font-size:180%;" >New? Check out my entry on <a href="http://alexwritesaboutstuff.blogspot.com/2009/06/album-ratings-just-facts.html">how I rate my records</a>!</span></div>Alex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860260447363818885.post-13279224765465756552009-07-22T21:51:00.006-04:002009-07-23T01:45:46.423-04:00The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society (1968)Time for controversial claim of the day #1<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">:<br />The Kinks are better than The Beatles - to my ears, anyway.</span></span><br /><br />Of course, this is like comparing Greek gods, nearly equal in might but catering to different needs. I don't like to say anything disparaging about The Beatles for fear of misinterpretation, but right up to their (bitter) end, their success was fueled by pop songs. Their best moments, to me, were when they deviated from that. Notable examples include "Blue Jay Way," "Tomorrow Never Knows," "Dig A Pony," and so on and so on. I can take or leave "Hello, Goodbye," but dammit, it sold!<br /><br />With The Kinks, and my own experience with fellow Kinks fans, is that we are all united by our love of what would constitute the band's greatest hits. We can all agree upon "You Really Got Me" or "Lola" as being terrific songs penned by a genius lyricist/songwriter, Ray Davies. From there, we have a select batch of albums we can say are enjoyable and great introductions to this band: what John Mendelssohn called "the three greatest consecutive albums of their time," (or words to that effect, to borrow one of his oft-repeated phrases) those three being <span style="font-style: italic;">Something Else By The Kinks</span> (1967), <span style="font-style: italic;">The Village Green Preservation Society</span> (1968), and <span style="font-style: italic;">Arthur, Or The Decline & Fall Of The British Empire</span> (1969).<br /><br />From there, all bets are off. One guy can love The Kinks' 60's stuff but hate the <span style="font-style: italic;">Lola</span> album for being too cynical (if memory serves, John Mendelssohn meets this description) or doing a massive piss-take on their "out-there" releases in the early 1970's, wherein Ray Davies did his best to make The Kinks sound like any other band but The Kinks. Tom Kitts, who wrote an amazing book on Ray Davies, <span style="font-style: italic;">I'm Not Like Everybody Else</span>, devoted most of a chapter to their 1986 album <span style="font-style: italic;">Think Visual</span>, spending as much time on it as he did their universally-praised classics.<br /><br />I know that due to my own dislike of Nathan Rabin (and others) starting off their online reviews with significant passages of their life story I've promised to not be overtly autobiographical, but if any exception is due it's this one. My senior project for my individualized major in Rock & Roll History was a mini-thesis on The Kinks. For just under a year, all I did in my free time was read, re-listen, and write Kinks. Definitely a labor of love, but totally worth it. Professor Kitts' book was one of my primary resources, due in no small part that not only is his book on Ray Davies/The Kinks extraordinary, his is the only book to have an academic standpoint. While I'm at it, Doug Hinman's day-by-day chronicle (I'm not kidding - day by day) of The Kinks' career, <span style="font-style: italic;">All Day And All Of The Night</span> was indispensable to me, as well. Just the facts, but facts researched down to the nauseating details that I love.<br /><br />My point is that I really, really like The Kinks. Which brings me to controversial claim of the day #2:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ray Davies is the best songwriter to come from England and even gives Bob Dylan a run for his money.</span><br /><br />Again, these guys are so high up in the stratosphere of talent that we can only estimate whose head his further in the clouds. Here comes the cliche fan tirade, but his music spoke to me. When I first picked up <span style="font-style: italic;">The Kinks' Greatest Hits</span> (Rhino Records, 1989) in sixth grade, I loved it on a visceral level. That guitar on those early singles stills sounds raw and potent today. After I'd grown a little more I took notice of the lyrics.<br /><br />One particular favorite of mine is in the early song "Something Better Beginning," a nice shimmering ballad from their second album, <span style="font-style: italic;">Kinda Kinks</span>. In the bridge, Ray sings what I consider the most honest and realistic love lyric, ever:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"I never thought I'd love like this until I met you</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">I found something I thought I'd never have</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">The only time I feel alive is when I'm with you</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">I wonder how long it will last..."</span><br /><br />It's great, but real - "Wow, you've altered my perspective and made me feel great...but for how long?" I am in complete agreement with Frank Zappa's assertive dislike of love songs when he said something along the lines of, "They want to you believe love is the end. Love is the beginning!" (With that in mind, we can only wonder what sort of love songs could have come out of the mustachioed one's pen...)<br /><br />Ray seemed to champion the downtrodden and the misfits of society. Paul McCartney was keen to dedicate songs to his sheepdog in the meanwhile. Ray wrote about these elements because he could identify from them. He was a downtrodden misfit growing up, and in many respects he's been a downtrodden misfit within the music industry - and I say this as a high compliment. (See also: Zappa, Frank; The Residents; Beefheart, Captain.)<br /><br />Without going into any detail, those who know me can see why I identified with his music so much - "I don't fit in but I don't stand out," indeed - growing up in a shitty, clique-driven small town isn't exactly the most welcoming environment for anyone aspiring to one day leave and never look back. (That day is actually less than a month away for me, by the way.)<br /><br />His songwriting is also laced with observations. One would think he spends most of his time sitting and watching people, studying their habits, and writing about them. As I've learned, a lot of the songs that seem like character sketches of some unknowing sap are in fact abstractions of Ray's own persona. Not all of the time, but most of the time. And when they aren't, he's generally mocking or lampooning someone else - "A Well Respected Man," "Dedicated Follower Of Fashion," "The Poseur" - with a razor's edge.<br /><br />Socially aware and hip to the climates of change that have come, gone, and stayed since 1964, Ray has generally avoided overt politics. The big exception is the <span style="font-style: italic;">Preservation</span> saga, his true masterpiece, though I'm quick to acknowledge its potential for being unpalatable to the average listener. Sure, <span style="font-style: italic;">Village Green</span> is almost too obvious of a choice to be the subject of my first Kinks write-up, but on its 348th listen I've found it still only gets better, still worthy of all the praise it didn't get the first time around.<br /><br />Without further ado, go brew yourself a cup of tea, get out your own copy of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Village Green Preservation Society</span>, and read on.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL9tyzE83nc"><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. The Village Green Preservation Society [9]</span></a><br />A catchy, anthemic, mid-tempo number that serves as an overture for the rest of the album. The old ways must be preserved and protected, lest they be forgotten. It's a charming, earnest message, but the song takes a little too long for my taste to build up. There's a great live treatment of it on video of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IScz-m4BD_0">them doing it with a brass ensemble augmenting them</a>, giving the song the touch of majesty it just doesn't quite attain in this incarnation.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA5bcZeGqwE"><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. Do You Remember Walter? [10]</span></a><br />On first listen I thought this one had quite a lyrical kick to it, as Ray wonders whatever became of his old childhood friend Walter. He retells their pastimes of smoking cigarettes in the backyard, playing cricket, and their overambitious plans to sail the oceans and "fight the world so we'd be free."<br /><br />"You were just an echo of a world I knew so long ago..."<br /><br />We all have those ghosts from our past, someone who was in our life for only a season, and then went away. What I interpreted as cynicism at age 13 I have come to recognize nine years later as being deadly accurate, when Ray says not only would Walter not recognize him, "I'll bet you're fat and married / And you're always home in bed by half past 8 / And if I talked about old times you'd get bored and you'd have nothing more to say..." I'm quoting him so much because he says it way better in verse than I ever could in prose.<br /><br />At the song's coda, he finds some consolation with the fact that "People often change, but memories of people can remain..." Beautiful, poignant, and not like anything else from its time. We're still waiting for The Rolling Stones' "Street Fighting Man" to lead us in a call to arms in a "Revolution" against the oppressive bourgeois swine who reign over us, as the contemporary messages of The Rolling Stones and The Beatles seemed to claim. But in the meantime we're all remembering our childhood friends who have become complete bores while our own lives have only gotten all the more interesting.<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjDu3E5zDks"> <span style="font-weight: bold;">03. Picture Book [10]</span></a><br />Please, please, PLEASE refrain from wanting to buy an HP printer during this song! Again showing what a stark contrast they were to their peers, the song opens with Ray and Dave asking for us to "Picture yourself when you're gettin' old," not exactly the easiest thought for a generation eager to take over the world to contemplate. The book of photographs serves as a reminder of the events of your life, of events that predated you, seeing your parents young "out boozing with their friends." Nostalgia seems to be the dominant theme on this album, but (and I think this is the point) for an era that may have only existed in those photographs. My favorite thing about this song is that these fairly reflective lyrics, with a hint of sadness ("Those days when you were happy...") are set to one of Ray's bounciest musical backdrops. He had a knack for doing that sort of thing.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MX6zBPVEU5E"><span style="font-weight: bold;">04. Johnny Thunder [10]</span></a><br />There is something Dylanesque about this song, save for the bridges, that makes me think this song wouldn't have been too out of place on <span style="font-style: italic;">John Wesley Harding</span>. It's a simple portrait of a guy who lives by his own set of rules, and "Though everybody tried their best / Old Johnny vowed he would never, ever end up like the rest." This motorcycle-riding rebel would be dusted off for another song all his own, "One Of The Survivors," on <span style="font-style: italic;">Preservation Act One</span> for no real reason at all other than to make a fun rock and roll song. The original "Johnny Thunder" rolls along with a sense of awe and with some gorgeous harmonies from the band.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYPPAe2vPTM"><span style="font-weight: bold;">05. Last Of The Steam-Powered Trains [10]</span></a><br />I love The Kinks, and I love Howlin' Wolf, so to hear The Kinks' twist on "Smokestack Lightning" is a real delight. Never mind that, given the song's placement on the album we can only assume it's Johnny Thunder's own declaration of independence. He's the last of his kind - "All this peaceful livin' is drivin' me insane!" - and alternately proud and desperate sounding. During the solo the band speeds up and then stops, as if to catch their breath, before going through the final verse at breakneck speed, like a train picking up speed. Great song, giving a musical weight to a mainly pastoral, relaxed sounding album.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiyrFSSG5_g"><span style="font-weight: bold;">06. Big Sky [10]</span></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></span>Unlike<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span></span>midphase Who (think <span style="font-style: italic;">Sell Out</span> through around <span style="font-style: italic;">Quadrophenia</span>) or George Harrison's later songs, there isn't much spirituality to be found in the music of The Kinks. "Big Sky" is, from what I can tell, the only point where Ray Davies makes even an oblique reference to God. The way the Big Sky of the title is presented is that of the Deist's perspective of God, a greater being who created everything by way of science and just sat back for the free show. "Big Sky's too occupied...Big Sky's too big to cry...too big to see people like you and me."<br /><br />Anyway, the musical accompaniment is as ethereal as its subject. Mick Avory's drumming gives the song a wholloping edge. Dave harmonizes excellently with Ray, as usual. Another great song, fairly unique for its time and unique even for its creator.<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xpsEaEXMPk">07. Sitting By The Riverside [10]</a><br />I keep describing this album as being a beautiful one, because it is. Driven by an accordion (in 1968, it probably sounded very un-Kink-like, but in 2009 it just sits as the first of many uses of it. Ray Davies used it fantastically on "The Morphine Song" on his 2008 album <span style="font-style: italic;">Working Man's Cafe</span>) the song seems to flow along like carnival music. The melody as he sings "Now I'm free and the world's at my feet" is one of the most beautiful passages Ray has ever composed. The song gentle enough until after the second verse when a swirl of sound effects fades in, including organ and I swear someone dragging a guitar pick (or maybe just their fingernail) across the strings of a piano. We are returned to normalcy for the third verse, but the unique instrumental bridge returns before the song's final tag. A testament to Davies' skills as a musical composer, not just lyrics, but also as a producer.<br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9sY3NKP7is"><br />08. Animal Farm [9]</a><br />For the longest time, this song didn't do much for me. It starts side B, but I don't think it's a good choice of an opener. Lyrically, I could always dig it, but I always thought the production wasn't so hot. Then I heard it in mono. In stereo it was a bit echoey, way too "treated"-sounding for my liking. It sounded pretty bad. But in mono it sounds crisp, its intro actually discernible. Not surprisingly, that deftly sums up the differences between the mono mix of this album verses its stereo counterpart.<br /><br />Original Kinks bassist Peter Quaife is convinced this is one of the best songs Ray's ever written. I have to (respectfully) disagree, but it's pretty good. Perhaps it's just the title...Ray is a very literate man, so I couldn't help but think it was possibly a political song in the Orwellian sense.<br /><br />Oh, well, Ray's revisiting of <span style="font-style: italic;">Village Green</span> would turn into three albums' worth (one single-LP, one double album) of Orwellian madness with <span style="font-style: italic;">Preservation Act One</span> (1973) and <span style="font-style: italic;">Preservation Act Two</span> (1974). <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86jnj8TgWS4">09. Village Green [10]</a></span></span></span><br />The next song on this wonderful album is the song that kick-started this entire project way back in late 1966. Hot on the heels of <span style="font-style: italic;">Face To Face</span>, their first truly great album, they quickly recorded "Dead End Street" (the subject of one of my thesis chapters), a fairly bleak but charming "we're all in this together" glimpse at England's working class. No doubt this song came out of a similar mindset.<br /><br />The instrumentation on this is perfect. Harpsichord, low brass, and a lead line on one of my favorite orchestral instruments, the oft-underused oboe. The oboe plays a lovely countermelody to the prechorus. As the chorus is repeated, an array of pizzicato strings come in. Its use of non-band instruments doesn't weigh the song down but instead gives it a perfect atmosphere of baroque, Elizabethan days. Fitting, as the song's narrator reflects upon missing his hometown and learning his high school crush has married. A love song in one of the most unconventional senses...at least until "Lola."<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN3kYsL-kjo">10. Starstruck [11]</a><br />It was hard to just pick one favorite off this album, but it has to be this one almost by default. In a word: Mellotron. The eerie whine throughout the song is this now-obscure keyboard instrument. The Mellotron would play tape loops to a designated pitch. On this song, the Mellotron is being played with a string voice. On the intro to "Strawberry Fields Forever," easily the most notable use of the Mellotron in popular song, it is set to a flute voice. It's a cool instrument, but notoriously difficult to maintain, heavy and fragile, making travel difficult.<br /><br />This is Ray Davies doing pop music at its most elegant. With the tight band performance and overdubs of handclaps and extra percussion, this song should have been a hit. But since the record-buying public, if we walk away from all this knowing one thing it's this, are all quite stupid, this was not the case. I've got a link to the song, which I feel speaks for itself.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmySezU9NwA"><span style="font-weight: bold;">11. Phenomenal Cat [10]</span></a><br />Oh, hey, cool, more Mellotron! This time it's set for the flute voice, after a brief intro by real flutes. A semi-psychedelic nursery rhyme, it's about a cat who learns the secret of our existence, gains eternal life, and decides to sit in a tree and eat forever. It might be a little silly and trite, but it sounds great sonically.<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3DuEA7eoZA"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">12. All Of My Friends Were There [8.5]</span></a><br />This song, the only "dud" on this album, would have been more at home on a release in 1966, where on the <span style="font-style: italic;">Face To Face</span> album or as a b-side to one of their singles. It's a good slice of Ray Davies' sense of comedy, a tale of a drunken performance and the ensuing embarrassment (hence the title), and it is a funny song. (I personally try to avoid this song in the days/hours leading up to a public speaking engagement as a bit of superstition.) But it just sounds out of place here. On <span style="font-style: italic;">Face To Face</span>, this could have garnered a 9.5 or a 10 easily, but here it sounds like yesterday's papers.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J45rHPefULo"><span style="font-weight: bold;">13. Wicked Annabella [10]</span></a><br />On one end of the spectrum of psychedelic music is the playful <span style="font-style: italic;">Alice In Wonderland</span> type of stuff that can be heard on "Phenomenal Cat" or so much of <span style="font-style: italic;">Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band</span>, but on the other end? I've never done acid - and don't want to - but it's pretty well-discussed that there are good trips...and then there are bad trips. The good trips give us these Technicolor worlds like "Pictures Of Matchstick Men" by The Status Quo or early Pink Floyd on a good day and absolute garbage like "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" by Procul Harum on the bad days. The bad trips give us these nightmarish glimpses of mysticism, the surreal, and our own deepest fears. Perfect examples are "2,000 Light Years From Home" off The Rolling Stones' attempt at <span style="font-style: italic;">Pepper</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Their Satanic Majesties Request</span> and this song.<br /><br />This song is downright sinister. Its lead vocal from Dave Davies, run through some sort of filter, sounds like the Devil himself especially in that final verse. Musically, Mick plays the drum intro like it's the start of a Voodoo dance. The guitar line during the verses is G#-F#-E, with the E being the lowest chord possible on a six-string guitar without tuning down. It sounds amazing. While "All Of My Friends Were There" sticks out like a sore thumb, this song, although it is musically heavy and the theoretical anti-"Village Green Preservation Society", it somehow works. Listen closely in the song's coda for Dave's evil laughter.<br /><br />I dare you to listen to this in the dark.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">This was also the first song I ever played on my drum set, but you don't care about that sort of information, do you? I even knew to turn off my snare to get the sound right.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaH9lrGNT8E"><span style="font-weight: bold;">14. Monica [7.5]</span></a><br />"All Of My Friends Were There" sounds like 1966 Kinks, for sure. But "Monica," though I do like it, sounds like 1963 album B-side Beatles. Sprinkled with Calypso seasoning, the song just doesn't work on this album. Ray's vocals also aren't terrific on the lead parts, though when he sings against himself in the "I-yi should die" part he sounds good. This one is just kind of there, not an awful song, but certainly not any of the heart-stopping beauties we've already heard.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMokVXCVyTw"><span style="font-weight: bold;">15. People Take Pictures Of Each Other [9]</span></a><br />Just as bouncy as "Picture Book," but lyrically it's a giant piss-take on the nostalgia Ray has been waxing for the past 39 minutes. When Mick Avory kicks the drums into motion, the song runs like clockwork. Re-listening to it, it's almost cynical on the subject of people preserving their own memories through photographs - "Just to prove that they really existed," "Of the time when they mattered to someone." The bigger message, that we're all going to die and somewhere down the line we'll just be faces in photographs rotting away somewhere, is an unsettling notion. Missing a point for being too damn short!<br /><br />"Don't show me no more, please," indeed. A nice way to end one of the best albums ever.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subtotal: 96.3% A</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Replayability Factor: 3</span><br />This album is great, damn close to perfection, and as I was listening to "People Take Pictures Of Each Other" on my iTunes, it was immediately followed up by "The Village Green Preservation Society" once again, as I have the mono and stereo albums back-to-back. And yet I wasn't inclined to turn it off. I can literally hear this album back to back without complaint.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Consistency Factor: 3</span><br />You're lucky there's enough Kinks fans on YouTube to make this album readily available to you, otherwise I'd say if you don't have it you need to go out right now and BUY IT! If you want quintessential Kinks, the album that could be used to define the genius of their lead songwriter and the musical talent of The Kinks as a band, this is it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">External Factors: 2</span><br />Self-producing an entire album for the first time, and with their commercial success on the wane in the US, Ray decided to go for broke and produce this. I won't deny its enormous lack of commercial potential. We don't even have village greens here in the United States. But that's what makes it so good - hearing it, you begin to feel for the songs' subjects. You feel just a little more English listening to The Kinks.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Total: 104.3% A+</span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Singles</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUSvjMm9-JA"><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. Wonderboy [9.5]</span></a><br />The Kinks do their best to sound like Davy Jones of The Monkees. I wasn't nuts about this one for a long time, until I found out Ray wrote this about his eagerness to have a son of his own, then it took on a whole new level of meaning for me. Now I think it's charming and cute in all the right ways. I'd like a boy of my own someday, so I feel for him.<br /><br />Ironically, I believe Ray's only produced girls! Apparently John Lennon was crazy about this song. Frankly, I'm not too surprised that this song was not a hit.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. Polly [9]</span><br />I've seen this one listed as "Polly," "Pretty Polly," "Pollyanna," and "Pretty Pollyanna" on various compilations I've come across. For now, I'll just call it "Polly." John Mendelssohn likens this to an early Who song. I happen to agree, the way it builds up - sort of like "Happy Jack" - during the verses to a rollicking fun chorus.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzpShIhvrjU"><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. Days [11]</span></a><br />One of Ray's finest moments as a songwriter, hands-down one of the best breakup songs ever. It's got a haunting blast of Mellotron during its bridges, just perfect. The lyrics are delicate and sensitive, thanking his now ex-lover for the days she gave him - "Days I'll remember all my life" - and for the effect she had on him, in the best way possible. Yet another example of Ray taking the idea of a love song and giving it his own unique treatment. One of the band's best moments of the 1960's, although no one bought it when it was first released, just another in a series of travesties involving the stupidity of the record-buying public and their neglect of The Kinks.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKTZhyY5-VM"><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. She's Got Everything [11]</span></a><br />Move over, "Strawberry Fields Forever" / "Penny Lane," there's an even better British single out there. At least by my bizarre standards. On one side, you have a perfect ballad. On its flipside, you have The Kinks at their most rambunctious. The recording itself is two years old by this point, but it serves to help mark the passing of time for a band that worked in eras. In the same vein as a lot of their early singles, but with the addition of ace keyboardist Nicky Hopkins going just as crazy on the ivories as Dave is on his fretboard - <span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >I LOVE THE SOLO HERE</span> - and the fact that the song shifts and changes makes it known that this isn't 1964, and the band has grown up. Terrific rocker.<br /><br /><object width="320" height="265"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SYtOPjPtVS0&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SYtOPjPtVS0&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="265"></embed></object><br /><br />And now for my third and final controversial claim of the day:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">As much as I love The Kinks and this album, I <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/bc/The_kinks_arthur_album.jpg">personally</a> <a href="http://www.kindakinks.net/discography/showrelease.php?release=219">feel</a> <a href="http://www.kindakinks.net/discography/showrelease.php?release=168">they've</a> <a href="http://www.kindakinks.net/discography/showrelease.php?release=226">done</a> <a href="http://www.kindakinks.net/discography/showrelease.php?release=204">better</a>.</span><br /><object width="320" height="265"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SYtOPjPtVS0&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SYtOPjPtVS0&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="265"></embed></object>Alex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5860260447363818885.post-3015644790195171692009-07-21T08:00:00.002-04:002009-07-21T12:49:30.029-04:00The Rolling Stones - Aftermath (1966)My initial reaction to this album was disappointment, but alas, that came by using The Beatles as the standard. This is what happens when an album is hyped up as being "The Rolling Stones' <span style="font-style: italic;">Revolver</span>." Groundbreaking for The Beatles means the westward wind was diverted east and the sun has stood still. Groundbreaking for The Kinks means the most thought-provoking introspective poetry to come out of England since Wilfred Owen or Rudyard Kipling. Groundbreaking for The Who is a spiritual experience. Groundbreaking for The Rolling Stones is that they did an album of all-original songs.<br /><br />I say this with a bit of joking derision, but also much affection. John and Paul could hiccup and a decent song would tumble out. For Dylan or Davies it wasn't second nature to them, it was their first nature. In the case of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, their manager locked them in a drawing room until they'd written a song. It was a bit more of a challenge for them, and their early work shows a clear line of development and improvement as songwriters. Their successes and failures got released, from early masterpieces like "Tell Me (You're Coming Back)" to slightly airheaded (but really well-produced) stuff like "Play With Fire."<br /><br />Mick and Keith could always fall back on the blues, or even somewhat contemporary R&B tunes, on their albums. They did a cover of Barrett Strong's "Money," and while The Beatles' version is a thumping romp, The Stones are downright menacing. Their demand for money - and lots of it - might as well be the musical version of getting mugged. They even did a cover of Marvin Gaye's "Hitch-Hike." I would hate to call it a crutch for the band, but it always seemed like a safety zone for them. They had seven songs in the can for an album? Add five covers and the album's a done deal.<br /><br />Ok, so it was a crutch...but it's also what made them unique. I've said this before, but The Beatles weren't a blues band. Their version of Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away" is given the full Bo Diddley treatment, turning a fairly pristine pop song into sounding like a blues song from yesteryear. And Mick Jagger is a terrific blues singer. The Yardbirds were the second-greatest blues band in England, but not because of their singer, Keith Relf; what put them on the map was their succession of guitarists.<br /><br />That said, it only dawned on me one of the last times I listened to <span style="font-style: italic;">Aftermath</span> that expecting Dylanesque lyrics over a shimmering sonic backdrop with The Rolling Stones is like expecting an album of doo-wop standards by The Kinks (now, Neil or Zappa, that's another story...). Yes, Dylan had some impact on The Rolling Stones - "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" is a pretty good example of this. But their roots were deep in the soil of the blues, soul, and to a surprisingly equal extent American country music.<br /><br />What I'm building up to is that side B of <span style="font-style: italic;">Aftermath</span> used to strike me as slightly unimpressive, by and large. But in the years that have passed since my initial listen - again, thanks to some twat who calls himself a journalist I was expecting another <span style="font-style: italic;">Revolver</span> - it's come to me that this album is the logical development of the music that inspired them in the first place. They were finally able to write a proper blues song themselves and give it their own edge in the same way they'd been doing with Howlin' Wolf numbers. It's not like The Rolling Stones would ever start sounding like The Beatles out of the blue.<br /><br />Oh...right - <span style="font-style: italic;">Between The Buttons</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Their Satanic Majesties Request</span>. Touche. Perhaps that's why <span style="font-style: italic;">Aftermath</span> feels the odd man out of their innovative works from the mid-60's. I consider these three albums to make up a trilogy, in the same manner as <span style="font-style: italic;">Help!</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Rubber Soul</span>, and <span style="font-style: italic;">Revolver</span> - let me qualify this claim - in that they began to challenge their established sound and songwriting. Would they have ever thought to use a xylophone on a record in 1963? Doubt it.<br /><br />There's some terrific Rolling Stones moments on this record, with some of Mick and Keith's greatest songs all captured here, but the album is tossed askew by one mammoth of a tune that depending on who you ask is either a major distraction or a step in the development of more progressive rock and roll. I'm of the former school of thought. It's also a pretty long album for its time - 53 minutes - but as far as I am concerned, 11 of those minutes should have stayed on the cutting room floor. (Then again, if that had been the case, the song in question would be enshrined as the great lost Stones epic. Oh, fans...we're so fickle, so stupid...)<br /><br />Since we're at an album that was markedly different in the US than it was in the UK, let me just reiterate that in these instances I always regard the UK version as the standard. This is the one with the artist-approved track listing and mixes. (Well, for the most part, let's leave the mono versus stereo debate for a rainy day. No, let's actually save that debate for monsoon season.) Thankfully, the differences are minor with The Who and The Kinks. With the latter, the US-only records have been considered obsolete since they went out of print. One of the few times The Kinks' period of obscurity in the United States worked in their favor.<br /><br />I can't get behind anyone claiming the superiority of one of the American versions of a Rolling Stones album, or for that matter The Beatles (just wait till I do <span style="font-style: italic;">Rubber Soul</span>!) because the UK albums give you more bang for your buck. There are fourteen tracks on the UK version of <span style="font-style: italic;">Aftermath</span>. Somewhere in the Atlantic, in transit to the States, a whopping five songs seemed to fall off the boat and be replaced by "Paint It Black," their latest single. I love "Paint It Black." I think it's one of the band's greatest songs, period. But in the UK, singles wouldn't often grace LP's.<br /><br />Oh, and the four songs that got lost on the voyage to the US? They were "Mother's Little Helper," "Out Of Time," "Take It Or Leave It," and "What To Do." I can't imagine the album without any of them!<br /><br />Ironically, the US version runs about 11 minutes shorter. I can think of another tune that I would have rather had on the chopping block, one running just about that length. Strange...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EL_ygXeLbdU"><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. Mother's Little Helper [10]</span></a><br />What I love about the early Rolling Stones is their image, however contrived and cooked up by Andrew Loog Oldham it might have been, as these snotty anti-authoritarians. This is a full-out attack on the middle-aged and the middle-classed, the same people who wanted to see Mick and Keith and Brian go to jail for a long, long time during the drug trials of the next year while at the same time popping pills to endure the drudgeries of their own lives. This was pretty heavy stuff in 1966, and it still is today. Drug culture is frowned upon by the mainstream, but cut to commercial and they're trying to sell you a pill for restless leg syndrome. Antidepressants have caused suicides, but damn those who go down the destructive path of drug use!<br /><br />Now, I say this as a fan of neither. You'd be hard-pressed to get me to take something for a headache. But I certainly see the hypocrisy of pill-poppers lining the pockets of the drug companies who look down their collective noses at people who are doing the exact same thing on the opposite side of the law.<br /><br />This is a great nose-thumbing opener. What sounds like a sitar in this song is just a heavily effected slide guitar, probably an electric twelve-string. I love how the song starts: "What a drag it is getting old..." before the rest of group joins in. Nice, bouncy drums and bass by the second-best rhythm section of all time. (Number one being Duck Dunn and Al Jackson Jr. from Booker T. & The MG's.) It should probably be mentioned that the Stones had never made a record this sonically innovative by this point. I can only imagine how it felt to hear this when it first came out.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dunLHcScZqI"><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. Stupid Girl [10]</span></a><br />Don't be duped by any overtly p.c. reviews you see, this song is not misogynistic or sexist. (Don't worry, when they DO take a misogynistic or sexist voice, I'll call it out.) Maybe it's because I've met more than a few girls that I could easily dedicate this song to. I know I stated earlier that one shouldn't look too hard for traces of Dylan in the Stones, but the carnivalesque organ that leads this song sounds straight off of "Like A Rolling Stone" or "Positively 4th Street."<br /><br />Whether you're a Stones neophyte or a hardcore fan, I strongly recommend Keno's Rolling Stones website. In fact, <a href="http://keno.org/">his homepage</a> has links to his sites on The Rolling Stones, classic rock polls, John Lennon, and Hound Dog Taylor. I've talked to him before via email - seeing as he runs a website I'm sure I was just another bullet point in his inbox - and he seems like a very nice guy.<br /><br />(I've had at least one bad online run-in with a webmaster for a site dedicated to one of my favorite bands. Won't say <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">WHO</span></span> the band or site in question was, other than that <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">I CAN'T EXPLAIN</span></span> how upsetting his stand-offish behavior was to me and I <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">WON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN</span></span> to believe that in contacting a site-runner that we're automatically friends because of our mutual love of a band...though that is how it should be.)<br /><br />Anyway, doing what I normally do for these reviews involves having the album pulled up on iTunes and double-checking the song's lyrics. In the case of The Rolling Stones, Mick either mumbles or the recording is just so damn murky (I'm looking at you, <span style="font-style: italic;">Exile On Main Street</span>!) that you can't tell what he's singing. Reading the lyrics at Keno's site, I was surprised to see a transcription of the vocalizations in the song's middle section. I'd always though it was just a percussive "chop! chop!" to keep time or something. They're in fact saying "Shut up, shut up!" again and again, making this song that much cooler.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zspvx89jE-E"><span style="font-weight: bold;">03. Lady Jane [10]</span></a><br />I'd always loved this song since I first heard it, thinking it as a nice little medieval/baroque ballad. But hearing Neil Young's "Borrowed Tune" (in which he mentions that the borrowed tune is from the Stones), which is based on the melody of "Lady Jane," the sheer beauty of the melody was made all the more apparent to me. Listening to <span style="font-style: italic;">Aftermath</span> end to end for the first time in a long time last night, "Lady Jane" sent chills down my spine. It's a gorgeous, haunting song, with the harpsichord and Brian Jones' dulcimer giving the song its centuries-old flavor. Not bad for a pair of kids raised on the blues!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DI6WA-2CgyE"><span style="font-weight: bold;">04. Under My Thumb [10]</span></a><br />Ok, I will readily admit, this song is sexist. But as with this song or "Brown Sugar" or "Some Girls," one must raise the issue of how likely it is that the song is being delivered in a voice. Frank Zappa's "Bobby Brown Goes Down" was from the perspective of the type of white, upper-class male he hated - you hear "I got a cheerleader here / Wants to help with my paper / Let her do all the work / 'N maybe later I'll rape her" and know it's a joke.<br /><br />Is this to be meant in the same way? I don't know. I sure hope so. You look at the ladies in Mick Jagger's life: Anita Pallenberg, Chrissie Shrimpton, Marianne Faithfull, Bianca Jagger, Jerry Hall...these are all pretty tough, independent women. To ease the mood, Brian Jones was quite an asshole to Anita Pallenberg, who he also dated for a while, prompting Keith (apparently a knight in shining armor - I'm not kidding!) to steal her from him. Ms. Pallenberg has gone on record stating Keith was the nicest and the best lover. I don't think Keith would have shared songwriting credit on a deliberately sexist song.<br /><br />Hopefully that issue can be laid to rest...<br /><br />This is a good song. No, this is a great song. Musically, it's catchy and quite well-produced, with the handclaps, a fuzzed-out bass, and Brian Jones on marimba. (A marimba being a tuned percussion instrument like the xylophone but with wooden keys, oddly enough giving it a fairly wooden, resonant tone.) That fuzz bass sounds great, forty-three (!) years later.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">As a sidenote, it is interesting seeing Brian Jones trying to look cool and defiant while playing the dulcimer and the marimba in these videos. I'm rough on the guy because of how willfully he squandered his own talent until he became a washed-up flake; it says something to be in the same band as Keith Richards and get kicked out for doing too many drugs.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">05. Doncha Bother Me [9]</span><br />After knocking it out of the park with four back-to-back classic Stones pieces, this song might sound like a streak-stopping dud. But I like it a lot. I consider it like a note for the listener, musically, saying, "It's okay, we're messing around with fuzz tones and dulcimers and harpsichords and marimbas, but we've not forgotten our beloved blues!" It was recorded alongside most of the rest of this album, meaning during the same sessions that yielded "Lady Jane" and "I Am Waiting," they ripped and roared through this tune.<br /><br />It sounds like it should be some old Howlin' Wolf tune they dusted off, but it's a Jagger/Richards composition, with its sneering slide guitar line, rattling percussion, Charlie's cymbals on the bridge adding a good (but short-lived) dose of noise, and a great harmonica line. This song would have been perfect if they'd gone through the chorus one last time with Charlie keeping time on his kit as it fades out, but that's just me. Still a great tune, able to hold its own against the heavyweights on the rest of side A.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">06. Going Home [3]</span><br />Ok, this is a pretty divisive piece. This closes out the first side of the album, and it is a full eleven minute, fifteen second blues/jam that I find more than a few issues with. For me, it hovers over the rest of the album like a black cloud, so let's just roll up our sleeves and get dirty on this one.<br /><br />This song should be fading out into oblivion around the three-minute, forty-five second mark. But it doesn't. It just keeps going. Unfortunately, throughout this first portion of the song, it seems to be building up...but to what? Well, nothing, really.<br /><br />Most days I'm not in the mood to sit down and soak all 675 seconds of it. With the album's running time of 53 minutes, it could have done just fine without this meandering workout. Richie Unterberger, writing for AllMusic, nails it in his review of this track: "There's the sense of the track getting drawn out more for the purposes of adding to its length than to make necessary musical and lyrical points, verging on clumsiness..."<br /><br />This song also set a bad, bad precedent in rock music: the idea that a song can be of extended length simply because you want it to be. Take a song that should theoretically last three to four minutes, but stretch it out to seven minutes. Or ten. Or fill up an LP side (roughly 23 minutes). Don't get me wrong, I can think of another 11-minute long song - Bob Dylan's "Desolation Row" - that is perfect in almost every regard. But Dylan's a lyricist, and he doesn't waste a second. It isn't of that length because of a meandering blues jam.<br /><br />In all fairness, I could see myself defending this song in another context, or even in another mood. When you play with a band, you can get a good thing going and not really want to stop, and it's a Hell of a lot of fun. Tragically, having both participated in and witnessed this, it's only fun if you're part of it or if it's there, right in front of you. Otherwise, it's a yawn-fest.<br /><br />And this, friends, is why I don't like jam bands. Music shouldn't feel like it's just there. Or at least the best music shouldn't just feel like it's there, unless you're listening to an ambient record, where that is the objective of it. Anyway, this song is a major distraction. It actually gets better in the last two or three minutes of it, but by that point you've sat through eight or nine minutes of so-so material. By which point just about anything would sound like blessed relief, it doesn't seem worth it, and even then it would sound horribly out of context without the last nine minutes before it.<br /><br />In short, as my criteria for a 3 states, "Bad. Next time you hear the album, you will definitely skip this one. It downright annoys you." Look no further.<br /><br />Can't wait till I unearth a 2 or, God help us all, a 1! Guarantee you that if it will come from any artist I've reviewed so far, it will most likely be The Rolling Stones. When they're good, they are ON, but when they're not so good...yikes...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">07. Flight 505 [9.5]</span><br />Remember my spiel about the second halves of early Beatle records getting a bum rap? <span style="font-style: italic;">Aftermath</span> seems to suffer a similar fate, with all but one of the big tracks, known by the slightly-more-than-casual fans, gracing the A-side. If you're going to make an album, try to keep it paced in terms of quality. Front-load it with all your best tunes and the rest of your record will just seem...dull to most listeners.<br /><br />Side B of this album isn't the stomping ground of the titans, no, but to enjoy it my advice is to take a break, then come back to it. Besides, on CD, "Flight 505" is a breath of fresh air after "Going Home." The most innovative stuff you've heard, with a nice throwback to their roots by way of "Doncha Bother Me," and Side B takes these two extremes and fuses them together.<br /><br />If it sounds like I'm making a big deal about sides, it's because I am. It's a lost art form of sequencing and pacing songs to make a listenable whole. I'm also doing my damndest to defend the latter half of this record, probably due to my own initial blowing-off of it when I first hear the album five and a half years ago. (God, it's already been that long?)<br /><br />"Flight 505" is a straight-up rock tune, twisted by the piano intro that sounds like it was recorded two doors down. Lots of ambient-sounding echo. <span style="font-style: italic;"></span>Lyrically, it's funny, a tale of a man who decides to escape his old life - though nothing is really amiss with it - and hops Flight 505. The punchline comes when his plane crashes. To me, it's like their own comment on the growing idea of escapism throughout popular music, of their entire generation wondering what it's all about and ditching their old lives for no real reason at all to pursue the answer. This sums up their own cynicism towards it. Then again, they could have just sat down and decided to write a song with a funny ending. I don't know, I wasn't there. But it's a really good song.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">08. High And Dry [8]</span><br />Interesting use of the compressed cymbals as a timekeeping device, but at the same time it borders on being irritating. Musically, it shows the band just as much in tune with country music - traditional white American music - as they were with blues, which was traditional black American music. As far as I can recall, this is their first real foray into anything resembling country, though hardly the last. And not quite the best.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">09. Out Of Time [9.5]</span><br />I initially gave this one a lower score due to my preference for the version found on their odds and sods collection, <span style="font-style: italic;">Metamorphosis</span>. That version was a different backing track, with strings, tambourine, and Mick's presence serving only as guiding vocal for friend Chris Farlowe, who had a minor hit with it. Hearing that version first, I always thought this one seemed just a little off, with its organ and marimba arrangements - and no strings.<br /><br />Then I gave it a thorough re-listening and and realized I used to be a complete idiot.<br /><br />Two things: first, the version on <span style="font-style: italic;">Metamorphosis</span> is all session musicians. It's worth hearing this version to hear Charlie's distinct drumming style and the backing harmonies by Keith, Brian, and (I think) Mick. Second, the reason I didn't like this song in early 2004 is now the reason I find it enjoyable. It's dominated by the organ and marimba, sure, but I now think it's brilliant. This is the song as they'd intended to do it, and not only is it catchy, there's an extra verse here not found on the <span style="font-style: italic;">Metamorphosis</span> version.<br /><br />Though this song was sheared off the US version of <span style="font-style: italic;">Aftermath</span>, it did resurface on the US-only compilation <span style="font-style: italic;">Flowers</span>, albeit in a slightly truncated form. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Flowers</span> caught the US up on songs removed from the records, making it seem like a useless release now, right? Wrong - it has three songs not available anywhere else: "Ride On Baby," "Sittin' On A Fence," and their cover of "My Girl." All of which are impressive.)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">10. It's Not Easy [8.5]</span><br />This song sort of grooves by, like an R&B tune from Memphis, with an organ and fuzz bass where the brass section on a Stax record might otherwise have been. I can scoff at the lyric "It's not easy, it's hard..." for being one of the dumbest lines ever, but are the lyrics to "Soul Man" pure philosophic bliss? No. But it sounds pretty good.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">11. I Am Waiting [11]</span><br />Then comes this one, out of nowhere among Mick and Keith's self-penned (successful) attempts at Motown and Stax tunes.<br /><br />The song is lonely, nervous, brooding on the verses, then angry and passionate on the bridges. For my money one of the most beautiful songs they've ever done, giving "Ruby Tuesday" and "Moonlight Mile" some heavy competition. A whiff of the sounds of the mysterious East can be found in Charlie's "thump-thump" at the beginning of each measure, before going into his gentlest swing beat on the bridges. They clearly heard <span style="font-style: italic;">Rubber Soul</span>, taking that English approach to folk and giving it a mood, lyric, and feel all their own, with only some residue of Beatles or Dylan on the edges.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">12. Take It Or Leave It [10]</span><br />I can picture Otis Redding singing this. It's a beautiful ballad and in a perfect world this would be just as venerated as the classics on the A-side of this record. Though they would have you believe otherwise, the organ, finger cymbals, and acoustic guitars on this song are indicative of a tender side to these guys.<br /><br />Just listen to it. It speaks for itself. (And with that, I give you the shortest description I will ever write for a song earning a ten.)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">13. Think [8.5]</span><br />The intro makes it sound like the rest of the song would be clumsy Kingston Trio-esque folk, but once it gets off the ground, we've got another R&B-inspired rocker. Another case where the fuzz guitar is subbing for the brass section we would hear if this had been a James Brown tune, although he did a song on his own called "Think" which is pretty damn good in its own right. Is the song anything special? No, though I am impressed that they could write something that sounds like it would have come out on Stax Records just a year before.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">14. What To Do [9]</span><br />The Rolling Stones were a little slow on the ending-the-album-with-something-memorable bandwagon, but this isn't a terrible song. Just kind of an afterthought as an ending track. It seems like it could go on for another minute or so and make an even deeper impression - in contrast to side A ending with a song that could have lost about seven minutes and been decent - and I would say along with "Doncha Bother Me" it's their most unadorned vamp of R&B on the album. No fuzz guitars, no odd instrumentation, no swirling <span style="font-style: italic;">Highway 61 Revisited</span> organ part, but it shuffles and bounces along like no other. Too short.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subtotal: 90.0% A-</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Replayability Factor: 3</span><br />In this day and age, we can merely press a button and skip over the 11-minute cure for insomnia that graces the slot of track 6 on the CD. I'm going so far as to let it slide that there is a pretty bad song on this record. Otherwise, this is a great, solid collection of all-original songs by The Rolling Stones. Their dependency on blues and soul covers has been overcome by this point. Their dependency on other things was just starting.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Consistency Factor: 2.5</span><br />Is this the first Stones album you should run out and buy? I don't really know...it's sort of in this weird turf of being both essential and nondescript that it straddles being a 3 and a 2. On the one hand, I don't think this album holds up as well as <span style="font-style: italic;">Between The Buttons</span>, which I consider their best. But it took <span style="font-style: italic;">Aftermath</span> for <span style="font-style: italic;">Between The Buttons</span> to exist. Never mind they've had a long enough career that they've got quite a few worthy entry points, much like Zappa. As an intro to the Brian Jones-era Stones, I would suggest this one and/or <span style="font-style: italic;">Between The Buttons</span>, but at the same time these are radical departures from the earlier records...so yeah. When in doubt, add a decimal point and a five.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">External Factors: 2</span><br />"Going Home" aside, much respect is due to Mick and Keith for writing thirteen fantastic songs and making an album out of them. The experimentation with new sounds is not only admirable, but successful. And the fact that they could write their own blues or soul numbers (I'm serious, there are quite a few moments on side B of the record that they sound like a Motown act or someone on Stax or King Records) alongside their own brand of sardonic, boisterous rock and roll duly earns them the title of "artists" in my book.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >Total: 97.5% A+</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Singles</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. 19th Nervous Breakdown [9.5]</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Aftermath</span> was released in mid-April of 1966; this single preceded it by two and a half months. This song is great fun, in the same accusatory, insulting vein as "Mother's Little Helper" or "Stupid Girl," with plenty of noisy guitar and bass. That torrent of lyrics in each verse? Someone must have heard "Subterranean Homesick Blues," itself inspired by Chuck Berry's "Too Much Monkey Business." I wouldn't consider it as outstanding as "Get Off My Cloud" or the next single, it seems to get a little lost at points, but it's still a Hell of a romp.<br /><br /><object width="320" height="265"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lY8T68rDPyU&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lY8T68rDPyU&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="265"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. As Tears Go By [2.5]</span><br />You should know by now I don't like making oblique comparisons between one musician and another. But this is The Rolling Stones' version of "Yesterday," and I'm saying it with a bit of contempt (for both songs, actually). They wrote it for Marianne Faithfull, whose own version is a tuneless wonder in and of itself, though she looks cute singing it:<br /><object width="320" height="265"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FhPPJ5dolxU&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FhPPJ5dolxU&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="265"></embed></object><br /><br />Their own version doesn't fair much better. Sure, Mick is actually able to change to pitch of his voice to form notes, unlike the lady who would soon become his regular girlfriend...but it's awful. Drenched in the high fructose corn syrup of sappy string production - the exact sound The Beatles wanted George Martin to (successfully) avoid on "Yesterday" - this is not The Stones' proudest moment. Far from.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. Paint It, Black [11]</span><br />Essential Stones. Moody, "I want it painted black" wouldn't sound to out of place coming from Nico (or Lou Reed, for that matter), and with just a peppering of the Eastern influences George Harrison had immersed himself in. The Stones might have been hip and cynical to most trends, quickly shaking off flower power with "Jumpin' Jack Flash," but they had to give pause for the droning beauty of the sitar. They were able to incorporate it here better than The Beatles did with "Norwegian Wood," as far as I'm concerned. Strong, powerful song in all respects. Oh, and Charlie Watts' tom-toms sound like they're heralding the Apocalypse itself...for the other side.<br /><object width="320" height="265"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/a-0deHi0Hqk&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/a-0deHi0Hqk&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="265"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Note the comma in the official title. Keith said before someone at the record label did that, and he never figured out why. Also note that any other time I type it out, I neglect the comma. Most people forget it anyway and wouldn't even notice.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. Long, Long While [3]</span><br />For the great, self-composed ventures into soul found on <span style="font-style: italic;">Aftermath</span>, this one is a step backwards. It's drowsy and half-assed...a perfect b-side, in the sense that the flipside of a single is typically a song too crummy even for an album. They've done better, and one would have thought with the classic slice of Rolling Stones that is "Paint It Black" as the a-side that the song it's paired with would be just a little better than this.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01. Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadow? [11]</span><br />I don't know how other fans feel about this song, but I think it's crazy...no, manic good fun. Lots of feedback, close-miked brass making it sound all the more claustrophobic and chaotic. I love this song.<br /><object width="320" height="265"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tTtgrPr_4IY&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tTtgrPr_4IY&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="265"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02. Who's Driving Your Plane? [6.5]</span><br />One might think the song is musically a little incongruous, dated...but the vocals are given a good swathe of echo. Not a particularly strong song, at all, but it is well-produced.Alex and Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10645304082657720614noreply@blogger.com4