Nomo, Ghost Rock (Ubiquity, 2008)
El Michaels Affair, Sounding Out the City (Truth and Soul, 2005)
Tommy Guerrero, Loose Grooves and Bastard Blues (Galaxia, 2007)
Friday, November 25, 2011
My Black Friday
Three great albums bought used at Soundstation in New Jersey. Thanks Bob!
Nomo, Ghost Rock (Ubiquity, 2008)
El Michaels Affair, Sounding Out the City (Truth and Soul, 2005)
Tommy Guerrero, Loose Grooves and Bastard Blues (Galaxia, 2007)
Nomo, Ghost Rock (Ubiquity, 2008)
El Michaels Affair, Sounding Out the City (Truth and Soul, 2005)
Tommy Guerrero, Loose Grooves and Bastard Blues (Galaxia, 2007)
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Oranges and Lemons
On the way back from work last week I picked up XTC's Oranges and Lemons (1989) at K Starke Records on Western Ave. XTC had first been recommended to me by my friend Ben Mercer, who sent me a copy of Drums and Wires (1979) in a CD swap last year (he got Bandwagonesque). More on that other XTC album later.
By cover alone, it's clear Oranges and Lemons is a young, mixed-up relative to both Sgt. Pepper's and Yellow Submarine. (It's one of those albums you somehow recognize from seeing in music shops when you were 15.) XTC's mixture of heartfelt British pop with cartoony, inane imagery recalls that era of the Beatles. But after the first spin, further listening proved difficult, even frustrating, for me. There's A LOT to listen to on this double album. Songs like "Merely a Man" and "Mayor of Simpleton" are packed with melodies: vocals, background vocals, guitar lines, trumpets, even pitched, flanged drums and bass seem to carry their own lyrical force. Down side: this makes an album of otherwise catchy pop songs almost impossible to completely digest in one sitting. Up side: serious replay value.
So then I went back to Drums and Wires. I was amazed! These two albums sound like they were recorded by two entirely different bands. Not surprisingly, Drums came out in '79 at the height of New Wave. It sounds like it. And even though this album is much more frenetic and jerky than Oranges, it proves to be much more of an enjoyable listen for two reasons. One, the songs are more cohesive, hold together better in feel and tone. Two, the arrangements are simpler. Whereas Oranges fills up space, Drums cuts to the chase. Especially on "Life Begins at the Hop", one of my favorites from the album.
By cover alone, it's clear Oranges and Lemons is a young, mixed-up relative to both Sgt. Pepper's and Yellow Submarine. (It's one of those albums you somehow recognize from seeing in music shops when you were 15.) XTC's mixture of heartfelt British pop with cartoony, inane imagery recalls that era of the Beatles. But after the first spin, further listening proved difficult, even frustrating, for me. There's A LOT to listen to on this double album. Songs like "Merely a Man" and "Mayor of Simpleton" are packed with melodies: vocals, background vocals, guitar lines, trumpets, even pitched, flanged drums and bass seem to carry their own lyrical force. Down side: this makes an album of otherwise catchy pop songs almost impossible to completely digest in one sitting. Up side: serious replay value.
So then I went back to Drums and Wires. I was amazed! These two albums sound like they were recorded by two entirely different bands. Not surprisingly, Drums came out in '79 at the height of New Wave. It sounds like it. And even though this album is much more frenetic and jerky than Oranges, it proves to be much more of an enjoyable listen for two reasons. One, the songs are more cohesive, hold together better in feel and tone. Two, the arrangements are simpler. Whereas Oranges fills up space, Drums cuts to the chase. Especially on "Life Begins at the Hop", one of my favorites from the album.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Blue Eyed Soul, Mayer Hawthorn, and... James Taylor?
Mayer Hawthorne's picking up some steam with the new album, How Do You Do?, which adds some slick and gloss to his previous efforts. I first came across Hawthorne's work a year or two ago by reading excellent sites like Soul Sides and Mixtape Riot. Now more than ever he's being compared to blue-eyed soul acts because he's white and he does retro-soul. Critics are putting him in the same sentence with Michael McDonald (I can see it), but also with Black soul acts, mostly from the Stax era and region.
My question is: what about the Delfonics, Smokey Robinson, Shuggie Otis? It seems like a lot of times when we get these new, usually white, retro-soul acts, people always make the comparison to Southern Soul, most likely because it's seen as the definition of authentic soul music. But Hawthorne's music has way more pop than blues. It is certainly influenced by Motown. (Nathan S. at DJ Booth does mention the Smokey influence, and, by the way, I agree with him on the Snoop feature.) And some of those chunky bass lines and keyboard swirls could have fit perfectly on Inspiration Information. Take a listen.
Anyway, not to jump too many musical waters at once, but why does Hawthorne even have to be put in the blue-eyed soul camp at all? Besides the obvious, I mean. If the opening track sounds exactly like Philly soul, then let that be the comparison. I'm into criticism over racial authenticity -- especially as it pertains to African diasporic music -- but maybe Hawthorne's being white is NOT the most crucial feature. Truth is, when I think about the word "soul" I think not just of the genre that fused R&B and gospel, but of music carrying deep and genuine expression. Music that is heartfelt, sincere, passionate. So when I think of all that PLUS blue eyes I think of this performance from 1992. James Taylor may look like your high school principal but just listen to this other kind of (white) "soul" music and try not to be convinced.
My question is: what about the Delfonics, Smokey Robinson, Shuggie Otis? It seems like a lot of times when we get these new, usually white, retro-soul acts, people always make the comparison to Southern Soul, most likely because it's seen as the definition of authentic soul music. But Hawthorne's music has way more pop than blues. It is certainly influenced by Motown. (Nathan S. at DJ Booth does mention the Smokey influence, and, by the way, I agree with him on the Snoop feature.) And some of those chunky bass lines and keyboard swirls could have fit perfectly on Inspiration Information. Take a listen.
Band Rehearsal from MayerHawthorne on Vimeo.
Anyway, not to jump too many musical waters at once, but why does Hawthorne even have to be put in the blue-eyed soul camp at all? Besides the obvious, I mean. If the opening track sounds exactly like Philly soul, then let that be the comparison. I'm into criticism over racial authenticity -- especially as it pertains to African diasporic music -- but maybe Hawthorne's being white is NOT the most crucial feature. Truth is, when I think about the word "soul" I think not just of the genre that fused R&B and gospel, but of music carrying deep and genuine expression. Music that is heartfelt, sincere, passionate. So when I think of all that PLUS blue eyes I think of this performance from 1992. James Taylor may look like your high school principal but just listen to this other kind of (white) "soul" music and try not to be convinced.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Magic Sam's "West Side Soul"
Magic Sam was born in Mississippi and later moved to Chicago to become one of the true local legends of electric blues. Shame I hadn't heard of him til I found a copy of West Side Soul (1967) at the Harold Washington Library downtown. What an incredible singer and guitarist. Interesting that the first track, "That's All I Need", is a pop R&B number that highlights his upper vocal range in a Motown kind of melody, but on the rest of the album his blues guitar steals the show. Listen to this album. As an introduction, there's some great live footage below.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Live Blogging the Hideout Block Party
4:04. Booker T doubles up with two classics, "Born Under A Bad Sign" and "Green Onions". He wrote the former with William Bell for Albert King. Organ on "Onions" sounds identical to original MGs version. Wish this guitar didn't sound like a noodly Satriani. Gimme some more tremolo and less fuzz.
6:55. Really enjoyed Jon Langford but now Mavis is onstage and holding court. Band has a great mix and is a great testament to her original sound without comIng across as leftovers. I used to think the problem with "You're Not Alone" was it sounded TOO much like Jeff Tweedy but this performance convinced me. Great vocal delivery and blend for the band.
7:05. Nice subtle "fuck you" to the Tea Party. Go Mavis!
8:24. I really like Dosh. How many acts can consider the sound board as one of their instruments? weird placement in the lineup though. I do dig him more than Animal Collective, but as far as electronic acts go, he's not exactly rocking the crowd. Probably a good thing though.
Used to listen to Pure Trashna lot in 2005. Saw Dosh live at the Living Room in Providence that year. Set was so different. He was dropping shit off the stage and mic-ing the sounds of it hitting the floor. Now most of this stuff is pre-prepared but well layered in the moment nonetheless. I like.
9:35. Do Andrew Bird songs always have so many fragmented parts? Seems like he is switching tempos and doing starts and stops more than I remember from the albums. Maybe it's a necessary byproduct of looping the whistle and violin. As I wrote in my GBV review, I place a high value on "cutting to the chase" and the loops can sometimes frustrate (not unlike the TuNeYaRdS Pitchfork set in that way). Can't complain though. Some of these new songs are top-notch.
6:55. Really enjoyed Jon Langford but now Mavis is onstage and holding court. Band has a great mix and is a great testament to her original sound without comIng across as leftovers. I used to think the problem with "You're Not Alone" was it sounded TOO much like Jeff Tweedy but this performance convinced me. Great vocal delivery and blend for the band.
7:05. Nice subtle "fuck you" to the Tea Party. Go Mavis!
8:24. I really like Dosh. How many acts can consider the sound board as one of their instruments? weird placement in the lineup though. I do dig him more than Animal Collective, but as far as electronic acts go, he's not exactly rocking the crowd. Probably a good thing though.
Used to listen to Pure Trashna lot in 2005. Saw Dosh live at the Living Room in Providence that year. Set was so different. He was dropping shit off the stage and mic-ing the sounds of it hitting the floor. Now most of this stuff is pre-prepared but well layered in the moment nonetheless. I like.
9:35. Do Andrew Bird songs always have so many fragmented parts? Seems like he is switching tempos and doing starts and stops more than I remember from the albums. Maybe it's a necessary byproduct of looping the whistle and violin. As I wrote in my GBV review, I place a high value on "cutting to the chase" and the loops can sometimes frustrate (not unlike the TuNeYaRdS Pitchfork set in that way). Can't complain though. Some of these new songs are top-notch.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Miles Davis Quintet (1967)
Every now and then I return to a phase of heavy listening to the second Miles Davis Quintet. If you have never heard this band, or even if you have, I recommend watching this performance from 1967. Listen to how intensely these musicians are interacting with one another as each solo develops.
Thank you Jordan for buying me Miles Smiles for my 16th birthday!
Thank you Jordan for buying me Miles Smiles for my 16th birthday!
Sunday, September 11, 2011
B96 9/11 Tribute
If you listen to B96 here in Chicago, you've probably heard the new Bruno Mars song in remembrance of the September 11 attacks. Producers took the chorus from "Lighters" and filled the verses with audio clips from speeches by Michael Bloomberg and George W. Bush from the weeks and months after 9/11.
This thing is shockingly painful to hear. A more successful project would have simply used audio honoring the heroism of those who lost their lives that day. And I think that's what the original intention probably was. But by the middle of the song, we've swerved directly into Bush II's original spin: by coming together and fighting for freedom, the American people have regained their dominance as world superpower.
The very last thing I want to commemorate today is the fact that 9/11 put us on a path to international war and domestic division. But by rehashing the shallow argument that the people of this country have somehow been brought together in the decade since 9/11, all I can think of is how that assertion is just one big shortsighted lie. Don't most agree at this point that we had a moment of unity in the immediate aftermath, and then we blew it? The most false thing you could do to remember 9/11 a decade later is pretend the last decade never happened.
Like I said, they could have just made a song in tribute to our fallen civilians and emergency workers who lost their lives before all this turned to shit. Wait, someone already made that song. In 2002.
This thing is shockingly painful to hear. A more successful project would have simply used audio honoring the heroism of those who lost their lives that day. And I think that's what the original intention probably was. But by the middle of the song, we've swerved directly into Bush II's original spin: by coming together and fighting for freedom, the American people have regained their dominance as world superpower.
The very last thing I want to commemorate today is the fact that 9/11 put us on a path to international war and domestic division. But by rehashing the shallow argument that the people of this country have somehow been brought together in the decade since 9/11, all I can think of is how that assertion is just one big shortsighted lie. Don't most agree at this point that we had a moment of unity in the immediate aftermath, and then we blew it? The most false thing you could do to remember 9/11 a decade later is pretend the last decade never happened.
Like I said, they could have just made a song in tribute to our fallen civilians and emergency workers who lost their lives before all this turned to shit. Wait, someone already made that song. In 2002.
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