Another Spin http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/ A blog by Scott E. Shepherd - A continuing look at popular music, past, present and future. en The Byrds ? ?Retitled? http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AnotherSpin/~3/2LtlZXSmD4o/permalink.cfm http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=1009 Released in 1970, the Byrds' (Untitled)album was seen as a turning point and a high mark for the band, both by critics and fans alike. It is considered the best release of the latter-day Byrds, consisting of Roger McGuinn, Clarence White, Gene Parsons and Skip Battan. Consisting of one live album and one studio album of all new material, (Untitled)showed the group at their peak, both as a live act and a relevant recoding artist.

In 2000, Columbia Records expanded (Untitled)to a two CD set, including unreleased studio material and another whole live set. Aptly renamed (Untitled)/(Unissued),the second CD reveals such gems as the studio version of "Lover of the Bayou" and the Byrds excellent cover of "Willin'"

Though I appreciate the live music, and both sets attest to the validity of the later Byrds as a concert draw (Clarence White was one of the greatest guitarists of the early country rock sub-genre), it is the studio cuts that draw me most to (Untitled)/(Unissued); so much that I've decided to create my own version, "Retitled."

Taking the tracks to make "Retitled," I am amazed at how good the Byrds were at this point and how much of a disappointment their later albums became. Starting with he classic "Chestnut Mare," McGuinn and his newest band mates created music that both rivals the Byrds' earlier work and creates a logical bridge into their newfound interest in country rock. Clarence White's take on "Truck Stop Girl" is sweet and poignant and "Hungry Planet" is a delicious slice of country blues meets psychedelia, with a healthy helping of eco-consciousness.

I took out the original versions of "All the Things" and "Yesterday's Train," substituting them with the alternate takes supplied by the "unissued" portion of the CDs. "All the Things" is one of McGuinn's best songs, and the longer alternate version is much better. The alternate of "Yesterday's Train" is slower tempo, but it too sounds better than the original.

"All the Things," "Just a Season," "Kathleen's Song," and "Lover of the Bayou" were all to be part of a country rock opera that Roger McGuinn was developing, but the play was never finished. "Just a Season" is another of my favorite tracks from this album, with its reflective lyrics and moving melody.

The Byrds take a tongue-in-cheek approach with their rendition of "Take a Whiff" and "You All Look Alike," nodding to the anti-drug, anti-hippie establishments of the time. Skip Battan's one vocal is a powerful plea to the soldiers of Vietnam, "Well Come Back Home" that closed the original studio album.

At one point, the Byrds put on a fifteen-minute jam session, a portion of which was spliced to make "White's Lightning," an instrumental that closes out the studio portion of (Untitled/Unissued).It shows how good the Byrds were as musicians, especially Clarence White's prowess on guitar.

(Untitled)was one of the Byrds' best albums, and "Retitled" has been a fun album to make and listen to; I recommend this experiment to all Byrds' fans.



Comments]]> Mon, 31 Jan 2011 14:13:00 EST http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=1009 Giving the ?Butchers? their Due http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AnotherSpin/~3/GU4uL5Fx5mY/permalink.cfm http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=1005 To a lot of people, and even a lot of Beatle fans, the idea of owning the Beatles' American released albums on CD seems redundant, silly, and another attempt by the Beatles and their record companies to cash in on their already overexposed catalog. Even the Beatles themselves were not happy with the reissue of their Capitol albums; while Capitol managed to release Volumes 1 and 2, a "Volume 3" has been put on permanent hold, due to cease and desist orders from the surviving Beatles and the others' estates.

The Beatles and George Martin were never happy with the way Capitol originally issued their music in the U.S. Though unheard of today, Capitol received the Beatles' master tapes and was actually allowed to edit and rearrange the masters in a way it felt would better reach the American market. Rumor has it that one of the reasons the Beatles posed for the infamous "butcher cover" was in part to protest how Capitol was chopping up their music. In the span that the Beatles released eight albums in Great Britain, Capitol released eleven albums, mostly cut up from the British LPs and various singles.

American arrangers also added reverb to nearly all of the Beatles' tracks, that echo-like effect that, according to Capitol, gave the music a more "live" feel, as if you were listening to them in an auditorium. Add to that the mixing of stereo to mono and mono to stereo, and the American releases can sound quite different if you listen closely. Were the American arrangers truly "butchers?" Or did they actually improve on what George Martin and the Beatles produced? A case can be made for both.

Meet the Beatles was Capitol's first release, and catches Beatlemania in mid-stride. Released early in 1964, the album borrows the cover photo, and some of the music, from the Beatles' second British release, With the Beatles. It is here where American audiences got introduced to the early hits, like "I Saw Her Standing There," and "I Want to Hold Your Hand." With two albums and several singles of material to choose from, Capitol put out the best the Beatles' had at that time, and made a solid introduction.

The aptly titled Second Album, followed shortly after, and has been noted as being the Beatles' "purest" rock ‘n' roll release. Starting with their cover of Chuck Berry's "Roll Over Beethoven," Second Album displays some of the early Beatles finest moments. This one makes a strong argument that, while paring down albums to ten or eleven songs may seem a little "cheap," the American arrangers knew what they were doing.

Something New, however, is clearly a butcher job. The album begins with several songs from the "A Hard Day's Night" film, and British LP with the same name. But because United Artists released the A Hard Day's Night soundtrack (with only seven Beatles' songs and the rest being George Martin arrangements), some of those songs (including the title track) did not appear on the Beatles' new album. The rest was filled up with singles and tracks from other British LPs. It still works as a collection, but the fact that the arrangers decided to include "Komm Gib Mir Deine Hand" ("I Want to Hold Your Hand" in German) speaks to the slap-dash approach of this LP.

Because United Artists released the soundtrack, it's not part of "The Capitol Years" re-release. Songs used on A Hard Day's Night but not Something New, were released by Capitol as singles, and eventually found their way on the Hey Jude album in 1969. Hey Jude did what the Past Masters, Volume 2 CD did twenty years later; collect most of the Beatles' singles released post 1965.

Capitol pretty much took the Beatles for Sale album and split it to make two albums, Beatles ‘65 (released at the end of 1964) and Beatles VI. Beatles ‘65 was the first LP I ever owned. Again, it feels a bit uneven as songs like "No Reply" and "I'm A Loser" show the Beatles maturing as writers, but these songs got coupled with covers of Chuck Berry's "Rock ‘n' Roll Music", Carl Perkins' "Honey Don't" and the awful "Mr. Moonlight." "She's a Woman" and "I Feel Fine" suffer greatly from the aforementioned reverb effect the Capitol arrangers were so fond of; the vocals are so saturated, it sounds like the Beatles were singing in a cave.

Beatles VI (again, cleverly titled because this was the sixth release on Capitol) is a better collection and actually flows pretty well. Capitol arrangers wisely put "Dizzy Miss Lizzy" here with some of the other covers the Beatles did ("Bad Boy," "Words of Love") instead of leaving it as the awkward closer of the Help! LP, like Martin and the Beatles did. I also like the triad of "What You're Doing," "Every Little Thing" and "Tell Me What You See" all appearing on this album.

The Early Beatles was released between Beatles ‘65 and Beatles VI and is basically a lot of the material left over from Please, Please Me. Most of this material had already been released by Vee-Jay records, as Introducing the Beatles.

Introducing was actually released a few weeks before Meet the Beatles. Because Capitol was dragging it's feet releasing their first album, Chicago-based Vee-Jay acquired release rights to songs from Please, Please Me. Ironically, Introducing replicated Please, Please Me almost exactly, including 12 of its 14 tracks, more than any of the Capitol releases. Of course, Capitol sued, the result being Vee-Jay was allowed to produce Introducing until the end of 1964.

The Early Beatles is a good collection, but two years too late; the Beatles had already surpassed most of this music by 1965.

When the Beatles made their second film, "Help!" Capitol decided to release its soundtrack, and, like United Artists, included only the six songs from the film; the rest of the album is filled in with the scores from Ken Horne. The other songs that appeared on the British release of Help! were sprinkled throughout Capitol's 1965 Beatles releases, most ending up on the ‘Yesterday'…and Today album (released in 1966). The Help! soundtrack is good if you like the non-Beatle music from the film, plus it's the only place to hear the title track with James Bond-like intro.

Though again pared down from the original British version, the American release of Rubber Soul is much better; removing "Drive My Car" as the title track and replacing it with "I've Just Seen a Face" gives the American version a much more folksy feel. The American version also includes "It's Only Love" from the British release from "Help" and adds the delicious "false start" to "I'm Looking Through You."

"I'm Looking Through You" isn't the only altered song from "The Capitol Years," "Thank You Girl" from the Second Album has an extra harmonica solo between verses two and three, and the mono version of "I'll Cry Instead" actually has an other wise unheard third verse. Though not always as obvious as the songs listed above, differences do exist between the mono and stereo versions of many of the songs (if you don't know what I mean by "mono" and "stereo," go ask someone who grew up during the days of vinyl), and if you loved those nuances, they can only be found in the American releases.

Because of the Beatles stopping the release of a "Volume 3," ‘Yesterday'…and Today and the American version of Revolver will not be released on CD. Beginning with Sgt. Pepper in 1967, American and British releases of Beatles' albums were identical in content, though ironically it was Capitol that expanded Magical Mystery Tour from the British EP into a full-length album. Of course, Capitol also created the Hey Jude compilation, which was not released to the British audience.

Those who grew up with the Capitol versions of the Beatles' albums may get nostalgic for them and invest in "The Capitol Years," but for the vast majority, current Beatles catalog is fine the way it currently is. Still, I enjoy the Capitol albums, especially their version of Rubber Soul.

Yes, the American arrangers were "butchers," but sometimes the butchers gave us better cuts than the Beatles and George Martin did, and they deserve some credit. The Beatles weren't perfect, and who among us hasn't wished they could "enhance" the Beatles' master tapes if they could. Long live the American LPs.

Capitol also released a Rarities album back in the early eighties, which contained some slightly altered versions of Beatles songs, including "Penny Lane" with an added French horn solo at the end. It would be nice to have these versions in digital form as well.



Comments]]> Mon, 20 Dec 2010 00:04:00 EST http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=1005 I?m Not a ?Gleek,? But? http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AnotherSpin/~3/gm7e6hSR6iM/permalink.cfm http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=1003 You can't help but know something about "Glee," the dramadey about the losers of an Ohio high school who, figuring life can't get much worse, join the school's glee club in hopes they'll get the chance to show their real talents. Much like it's characters, the TV show started as a low-life summer replacement, with little chance of succeeding, and is now one of the most popular series on the Fox Network.

What makes the show really work, and what drives its success is the music; the Glee cast records and performs an average of five or six songs an episode. Most of the cast has had a prior history of performing for theater, some even Broadway. But it is still amazing how well they interpret the covers they do, sometimes drastically different from the original artists.

I don't watch the show regularly, but my wife is a big fan, and through her enthusiasm I have become familiar with the story and can't help but be impressed by the music. The Glee Cast has already put out four albums, and releases a slew of singles on iTunes after each episode airs. The cast dominates the download charts each week, with millions of Glee fans or self-proclaimed "Gleeks" eagerly awaiting more new music.

In some ways, "Glee" is like the Monkees on steroids, a with a huge TV fanbase already in place, and thousands more who are either curious, or, like me just like the music. And because the Glee Cast is covering mostly already popular songs, the "hit factor" is pretty much built in. Of course the original artist benefit too, as many have found out, when Glee fans become curious about the original versions and download them as well.

And that is probably one of the best side effects of the Glee phenomenon. Because of "Glee" and my wife's interest in the program and it's music, I have been exposed to some artists and songs I might never have listened to before. As of this writing, the Glee Cast have released over 200 songs so far, including mash-ups (two songs combined into one), most of which I've heard. So for those of you still unfamiliar with "Glee" or its music, let me highlight some of my favorites so far.

"Highway to Hell" - Some of the humor of "Glee" comes from the bizarreness of the songs selections. No real high school glee club coach would ever allow his or her students perform an AC/DC song, which makes this one of the funnier moments in Glee. Guest singer Jonathan Groff, who has a reoccurring role as a rival glee club member does an amazing job imitating the very difficult vocal stylings of Bon Scott. AC/DC fans should applaud.

"No Air" - Jordana Sparks and Chris Brown are outdone (as the original artists often are) by the Glee Cast in this wonderful ballad. I had never heard original before "Glee", but it's a favorite of mine now.

"Beautiful" - Sometimes you need to know the Glee storyline to appreciate the song. Originated by Christina Aguilera, in Glee the song is sung by the character Mercedes, an overweight African-American girl struggling with self-esteem issues. Such a powerful message.

"Last Name" - Kristen Chenoweth also has a reoccurring role as an alcoholic ex-classmate of Glee teacher Mr. Schuster, who occasionally joins the current Glee students form time to time. Her character personifies this Carrie Underwood song perfectly.

"Smile" - Another artist I had never listened to prior to Glee, this is a quirky little number from Lilly Allen.

"It's My Life/Confessions, part II" - An example of one of Glee's mash-ups, combining the Bon Jovi hit with Usher. So seamless, it seems like this was the way both songs were supposed to be.

"Poker Face" - I actually thought this was some show tune, until my wife told me it was a Lady GaGa song. The Glee Cast took this techno-dance hit and made it sound like a Broadway show-stopper. Really amazing.

"Don't Stop Believin'" - If you've heard anything from the Glee Cast, it's probably their rendition of this Journey song, complete with an acapella version of the opening piano chords. "Da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da,..."

Most of the songs I mentioned came from the first season, and I haven't enjoyed the music of the second season as much (they dedicated a whole episode to Britney Spears' music!) My wife says she hasn't enjoyed the plot lines as much either. Perhaps "Glee" is going through "sophomore slump" all artists go through, especially a show that figured it would be cancelled at any minute.

If you haven't checked out Glee's music yet, and are looking for something new, give it a try. You may even find yourself watching the show from time to time. And maybe you'll become a "Gleek" too.

Comments]]> Sun, 12 Dec 2010 01:07:00 EST http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=1003 The Beatles Are on iTunes...Finally http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AnotherSpin/~3/Fk-ClUta794/permalink.cfm http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=1000 It is either the biggest event in iTunes history or the most over-hyped event in iTunes history. The Beatles are on iTunes. Finally.

Most Beatle fans have been waiting years for this event, perhaps even bigger than the re-mastering of the original CDs. Rumors have it that the main reason the Beatles' catalog took so long to make it on iTunes was that Apple (the company the Beatles founded) was upset at Steve Jobs for using their company name without their consent. More likely, the Beatles and Apple (music) wanted to protect their most important asset, their recordings, as much as possible.

Now, not just the Beatles, but all of the original Apple recordings (Badfinger, Mary Hopkin, and James Taylor's first album) are finally available on iTunes. This is a real boon for fans of early seventies music.

It is strange timing on the Beatles (or their surviving estates) to release their music to the iTunes format on this day, which otherwise has no significance in their history. When the Beatles first went digital, back in the eighties, there was much fanfare with each album released close to its twentieth anniversary. As iTunes and the internet became more and more popular, each of the Beatles released their solo material to the format, drawing speculation that they would release their group material soon, but nothing happened.

After re-mastering the original CDs for the first time in nearly twenty years, there was again speculation that the Beatles would finally release their music to iTunes, but no avail.

Finally, nearly two years later, the Beatles have steppeed into the digital age, which brings all sorts of questions; will Beatles fans, who have waited so long, now download the Beatles music? What songs will emerge as the most popular, their early days, their "experimental" phase, or their later, more controversial days? Will the Beatles still appeal to anyone under 30?

It all seems kind of silly in the digital age that the Beatles would wait so long to release their music in the mp3 format, considering anyone could download their music from the original CDs for years. Perhaps they were waiting for technology to advance further. Perhaps they finally realized this was the only way to preserve their music for the next generations. Whatever the reason, it's nice to see the Beatles finally make it to the 21st century.

P.S. I'm back.


Comments]]> Tue, 16 Nov 2010 22:27:00 EST http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=1000 Testing 1-2-3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AnotherSpin/~3/vNcilVbcSEw/permalink.cfm http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=947
So, for no really good reason, I decided to revise and revive my blog. After nearly two years of writer's block or perhaps just general apathy, I feel the need to communicate my humble opinions about the music that matters to me.

Now at the ripe old age of 40, I admit it's getting harder and harder to relate to the newer "rock" or "alt" or whatever the kids are calling it today. And like my mother used to say about my music, "they all sound alike." Actually they sound a lot like they did twenty years ago, which really frustrates me; they're seems to be little room left for rock, as a music genre, to grow. Even the newer music I like tends to remind me of older (and usually superior) music of 30 or more years ago.

Yes, I realize that I'm starting to sound like an old fuddy-duddy (especially when I use a term like fuddy-duddy), but if you want to read glowing reviews of the Black-Eyed Peas, Kings of Leon, Taylor Swift or the Jonas Brothers, go read the latest Rolling Stone, or "tweet" your friends (OMG, LOL, ;-)).

Anyway, for those that missed me, I'm back, and this time I'll try to add some elements that will keep me and hopefully my readers interested. More to come...

Comments]]> Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:24:00 EST http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=947 Marié Digby has ?Umbrella? Well-Covered http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AnotherSpin/~3/aVb0203AZHk/permalink.cfm http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=701 In a relative few months, then virtually unknown R&B artist Rihanna shot up the pop charts with "S.O.S.," sampling from Soft Cell's "Tainted Love." Since then she has become one of the biggest new artists; her latest song "Umbrella," is widely popular, with its catchy yet slightly annoying chorus of "umbrella-ella-ella-ella-eh-eh-eh." Though considered primarily R&B/Soul, Rihanna's music covers a wider spectrum of pop and rock styles in her songs, so it's not surprising that someone would cover "Umbrella." What is surprising is that another relatively unknown singer would re-record it, not as a R&B/Hip-hop tune, but as a folksy-pop song—and do it well.
 
Though it's now beginning to get more nationwide airplay, Marié Digby's version of "Umbrella" began as a video on YouTube. There is some controversy because Digby was already under contract with Hollywood Records when she released her "amateur" video, but Digby defended herself, saying she was taking her promotion into her own hands. In the video, Digby takes an acoustic guitar and just plays for the camera, and sings. Hollywood Records has released a slightly more polished version, which is what can be heard on the radio.
 
"Umbrella" is a well-written song and Rihanna is talented enough to make it into a crafted R&B song with enough pop flair to make it an easy crossover. Yet Digby has transformed the song to a softer folksy tune that, in my opinion, resonates the true feeling of the song better (even with keeping in the "ella-ella-ella-eh-eh-eh"). It could be that I have a stronger affinity to the pop/rock world than R&B, and I'm not trying to take away from Rihanna at all, but I like Digby's version better.
 
Digby's debut EP is now on iTunes, and Hollywood Records plans to release her first full-length album next year. Digby also covers Linkin Park's "What I've Done" on her EP, much in the same manner of "Umbrella" and just as effectively. People interested in this new talent should check out her myspace site, which includes a snippet of "Umbrella" and a few songs from her upcoming album.
 
Whether you like Rihanna's version of "Umbrella" better or not, you should check out Marié Digby's take. Though a little obscure now, it won't be long Digby challenges Rihanna with her own song, and I predict someday people will be trying to make hits by covering her.
 


Comments]]> Tue, 25 Sep 2007 12:12:00 EST http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=701 The Beatles on iTunes...sort of... http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AnotherSpin/~3/KXjDEvHXoIw/permalink.cfm http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=683 The Beatles are still the biggest act that hasn't allowed their music to be released for sale on digital download sites such as iTunes. Yet, now three of the four Beatles (or their estates) have released their entire solo catalog available for download. Paul McCartney was the first to do it, coinciding with the release of his new studio album, then John Lennon, and now Ringo Starr, and I'm sure it's just a matter of time before George Harrison's estate allows the release of his solo work. All this points to a day, hopefully in the near future, when Apple (the Beatles' infamous attempt at creating a record company) will allow the release of all its holdings to Apple (the famous computer company), including, but not limited to, the Beatles recordings.

Imagine the hype: Apple on Apple! Beatles and Badfinger fans await...



Comments]]> Wed, 29 Aug 2007 16:21:00 EST http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=683 An Amazing Album http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AnotherSpin/~3/Bg5VShe61ps/permalink.cfm http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=672 I really don't know how to begin my review of the Shins' Wincing the Night Away, other than to say that it has easily become one of my favorite albums of all time, and is probably one of the best of this decade, in my humble opinion. And when I speak of it as an album , I do mean album; the Shins have strung eleven incredible songs that should be heard as a collective.
 
Had Wincing been released during the heyday of the late 60's, it would most likely be regarded in the same company as The Oddessey and the Oracle, Pet Sounds, and even Sgt. Pepper. Not that it is in anyway "retro," but it is simply one of the finest collections of pop/rock to come out in years. Leader James Mercer has created beautiful songs with catchy jangling guitar and lyrics that are both pleasant and thought-provoking; the meaning may be difficult to figure out; but the emotion is always clear.
 
Indeed, Mercer packs quite a few emotions in much of the Shins' music; it is both happy and ambivalent, bitter and upbeat, sometimes even within the same song. Mercer's lyrics are somewhat vague for those of us not in the know; yet he creates some beautiful imagery.
 
Take the opening song, "Sleeping Lessons," for instance, "Go without/till the need seeps in/you low animal/collect your novel petals for the stem and glow." The song starts off quietly, and slowly grows in to a crescendo with the chorus, "If the old guard still offend/ they've got nothing left in which you depend/so enlist every ounce of your bright blood/and it's off with they're heads/jump from the hook/ you not obliged to swallow anything you despise."
 
Wincing then moves to the upbeat "Australia," which seems to have nothing to do with the continent-nation, yet has such a catchy beat, you're sure you can make the connection if you just listen harder.
"Pam Berry," a little 30-second song seems to segue into "Phantom Limb" which I did find out (through the help of the internet) is about something specific, lesbians growing up in a small-minded town.
 
While this would seem a strange subject for a pop tune, the Shins nevertheless make it a shining, shimmering song and actually released it as the album's first single. "So when they tap our Monday heads/two zombies walk in our stead/this town seems hardly worth the time/and we'll no longer memorize or rhyme/too far along in our climb/stepping over what now towers to the sky/with no connection."
 
Yet it is the next song "Sea Legs" which seems to be the gem of the album, "Girl, if you're a seascape/I'm a listing boat for the thing carries every hope/I invest in a single life/the choice is yours."
It's a powerful song with intriguing lyrics, "of all the intersecting lines in the sand/I routed a labyrinth to your lap/and never needed a map."
 
Several of Wincing's titles invoke nautical themes ("Sea Legs", "Black Wave", and "Girl Sailor"), yet there is not necessarily a conceptual idea uniting the album. However, all the songs work well together, and I can honestly say there's not a single song that seems throwaway or out of place.
 
After "Black Wave" and "Split Needles," two of the darker songs of the album, Wincing rebounds with the more poppy sounding "Girl Sailor" and closes with the winsome "A Comet Appears."
 
Some of the long time fans of the Shins feel this album is their worst so far; indeed it is somewhat of a departure of their earlier work, which is more in line with the traditional Alternative (Modest Mouse, Death Cab for Cutie, etc.). However, I have a feeling that when people look back, Wincing the Night Away will be one of the highlights of early 21st century pop music, and perhaps a turning point for the Shins and their music.
 
Hardcore fans may be upset, but for the rest of us unfamiliar with their work, sit back and enjoy a true modern classic.


Comments]]> Mon, 20 Aug 2007 11:22:00 EST http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=672 A Link in the Evolution of Mann http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AnotherSpin/~3/iu636Hd6ASw/permalink.cfm http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=635 By 1969, Manfred Mann had gotten tired of the band that bore his name. Initially Mann and drummer Mike Hugg had started out as more of a modern jazz and R&B band (originally called the Mann Huggs Blues Brothers Band), but as the Beatles gained popularity, they developed more of a pop sound, exemplified in their biggest hit "Do Wah Ditty." Manfred Mann, the band (also known as the Manfreds), continued in that pop vein throughout the sixties, even after original lead singer Paul Jones left in 1966 and was replaced by Mike D'Abo. D'Abo can be heard on the band's other big hit, 1968's "The Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo)." But through it all, Mann and Hugg never gave up their jazz roots.
 
Sensing change in the music, and due to a decrease in record sales, Mann decided to disband the group that bore his moniker for over five years and form Chapter III, in a nod to the Paul Jones era (chapter I) and the Mike D'Abo era (chapter II). He and Hugg formed the new band as an attempt to fuse modern jazz and rock music. They released two albums, simply Volume One and Volume Two, before Mann dissolved this group and formed Manfred Mann's Earth Band (chapter IV?) in 1972.
 
Chapter III is an interesting experiment, and while bands like Chicago fused horn sections into their music around the same time, no band fused jazz and rock quite like Mann. Your enjoyment of Chapter III I guess depends upon your appreciation of modern jazz. Often, Chapter III is labeled as "progressive rock," but that applies more to the work of the MMEB than this earlier incarnation.
 
One of the main problems I had with Chapter III is Mike Hugg's vocals. While Jones and D'Abo were both decent singers, neither would fit well with Mann's new style; yet Hugg's reedy, strained voice makes it clear why he was a drummer in the first two line-ups. Mick Rogers, who became the lead singer for MMEB, may have been a good choice (and Rogers had collaborated with Hugg and Mann around this time), but Chapter III had strict rules against lead guitar, which was Rogers instrument.
 
If you can muster past Hugg's voice, there are some decent songs; "Travelling Lady" starts out the album with a heavy plodding beat with some fantastic horns sections, and a good jazz sax solo. "Snakeskin Garter" keeps the laid back feeling, while "Sometimes" echoes back to the more pop sensibilities of the previous incarnations of Manfred Mann, and "Ain't It Sad" sound like a leftover from "The Mighty Quinn" sessions. But the highlight of the album for my money is "One Way Glass," (sung by Mann instead of Hugg), which is probably the best marriage of the rock-jazz concept, and what Chapter III should have strived for throughout this experiment. The rest of the album probes too much into experimental jazz for most rock fans or jazz fans to really enjoy.
 
As I stated earlier, Mann and Hugg only made two albums with Chapter III before disbanding and going their separate ways. Neither album was very successful commercially nor critically, though both receive a sort of cult status by collectors now. Mann continued to dabble in jazz with his next group the Manfred Mann Earth Band, though he realized the need to be more mainstream to sell his records.
 
Given a better singer and a little more direction, Volume One may have become one of the great lost classics of the late sixties. I have not heard Volume Two, though I've read it's pretty much a continuation of its predecessor; Hugg is still the vocalist. Manfred Mann Chapter III is an important step in the evolution of the Manfred Mann sound (the MMEB re-recorded "One Way Glass" with Mick Rogers on vocals, though it sounds quite different). Hardcore Manfred Mann fans and fans of the more experimental bands of the sixties may want to add Chapter III's records to their collection. For the rest of us, they're just odd curios of late twentieth century music; songs that could evolve into something better down the road.


Comments]]> Thu, 14 Jun 2007 12:19:00 EST http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=635 Mac on Mac http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AnotherSpin/~3/l_NJyXrst0c/permalink.cfm http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=628 Beatle fans, or at least fans of Paul McCartney can rejoice; not only is Macca releasing a new album, but he is finally releasing his entire catalog digitally, on iTunes and other music download services.

This is a big deal; there has been a long stand off from the Beatles to release any of their music digitally, and while some of the solo music of John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr is available through iTunes, McCartney is the first to release his entire catalog, even those released on the infamous Apple label.

Rumor has it that one of the main contentions for the Beatles (or at least whomever owns the rights to their music) to release their music digitally, at least to iTunes, is copyright infringement of the Apple name and logo with Apple Computers. I don't know how much stock there is in this rumor, but McCartney's decision to enter the 21st century and go digital can only be a good thing. Maybe soon, not only the Beatles, but Badfinger and other Apple acts will be released to the digital market. One can only hope.



Comments]]> Tue, 05 Jun 2007 08:37:00 EST http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=628 CDs vs. MP3s http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AnotherSpin/~3/w_KubrfYomg/permalink.cfm http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=595 Recently I wrote about my most essential albums; what CDs I would first replace if all my music suddenly disappeared. One response I got brought up an interesting point; with the capabilities of downloading individual songs from iTunes and others; are albums really necessary anymore?
 
The ability to download individual songs from albums has been both the greatest boon and largest detriment to the music world. While all sorts of "singles" can now be created, albums on the whole can now be ignored. Indeed, what is the point of an artist releasing an "album" or CD if his or her listeners are going to select certain songs and discard the rest? Ideally the songs on an album compliment each other and flow together to create an over all experience, and certainly some artists are better at this than others. But with the creation of the MP3 file, listeners can now create their own albums and personalize their music even more. So does the artists' original intent (and by virtue, the CD as a format) become obsolete?
 
I admit that there are very few albums that I like all the way through. Often I've complained of (especially newer artists') CDs that seem go on for one or two too many songs, and wish it had been paired down or varied up a bit more. And who hasn't had a "greatest hits" package that had all that artist's best songs, save the one you really, really liked? And everyone's bought a CD or album because they really liked one song, and the rest turned out to be garbage.
 
Yet, the idea of songs existing purely as a computer file is somewhat uncomfortable to me (and yes, I'm a bit of a technophobe); your computer crashes and *poof!* no more music! And while you can burn your own CD and even create your own label and artwork for that CD, the concept still bears the stigma of the horrible "home mix" tapes that were so popular in the 80's.
 
My CD collection is vast and continues to grow and I worry that I have too much; but I still like the concept of the professionally made, professionally recorded CD. Perhaps it's the physical presence of the CD, the booklet with all the musical information that comes with a professionally produced CD that keeps me holding on to this format. I'm sure one day my kids will look at my CDs the way kids today look at their parents' LP records; relics from a bygone era.
 
With "playlists" and iPods and other portable MP3 players, has the CD already become obsolete?


Comments]]> Wed, 25 Apr 2007 17:17:00 EST http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=595 The Return of the Cover Tune http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AnotherSpin/~3/yC6v20sSU5Q/permalink.cfm http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=570 When I first started writing for the PO,I made a list of fifteen songs that I thought were some of the best cover tunes ever made. Time goes by, and while I still agree with most of my choices, I realize that there are a lot more cover tunes that are noteworthy, some which a lot of listeners may not even know about, so here is a new list of fifteen great cover tunes, and again five that are truly awful.
 
  1. "Hotel California" – The Gypsy Kings. My Spanish is still sub par, but from what little I know, I'm pretty sure the Gypsy Kings do a literal translation of the Eagles' classic. Imagine it as a flamenco song and you pretty much get the idea. Great in any language.
 
  1. "That's All Right" – Rod Stewart. Another great cover from Stewart's Every Picture Tells a Story album. Early in his career, Stewart covered a few Elvis Presley tunes, some good, some bad; this is one of his better efforts.
 
  1. "You Shook Me" – The Jeff Beck Group. Speaking of Stewart, he, Ron Wood and Jeff Beck turn this Blues classic into a song that could melt your speakers. This is much better than Led Zeppelin's cover of the same tune.
 
  1. "Nobody's Fault But Mine" – The 77's. One of Christian Rock's best bands rips Led Zeppelin almost note for note (who of course ripped this song from Blind Willie Johnson).
 
  1. "Strawberry Fields Forever" – Tomorrow. As I mentioned in another article, Tomorrow's version of the Beatles' classic is just as good as the original. Keith West, lead singer, does as good of job as John Lennon; he is one of the great lost talents of the 60's. And let's not forget a young Steve Howe on guitar!
 
  1. "The Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo)" – Manfred Mann. A lot of people don't know it, but Manfred Mann (the group) went through several major changes in their line-up during the sixties, to the point where fans of the group refer to them in stages (much like the Byrds). This is "Manfred Mann II" with Mike D'Abo on lead vocals of a then unrecorded Bob Dylan tune. Also, like the Byrds, Mann II had a reputation as one of the better Dylan interpreters.
 
  1. "John Sinclair" – Blind Melon. Best known for "No Rain," Blind Melon took this obsolete John Lennon protest song and gave it a folky-blues spin that somehow makes it more relevant than when it was first recorded.
 
  1. "The Seeker" – The Smithereens. The B-side of the single "Only A Memory," the Smithereens did a great job with this Who classic.
 
  1. "Stop Breaking Down" – The Rolling Stones. I thought this was an original Stones tune, until I saw it on a Junior Wells album released three years prior to the Stones. I guess I figured by the 70's they had stop doing covers. A great version of a great blues number.
 
  1. "Crazy" – Alanis Morissette. I hate to admit it, but Morissette's version of the Seal tune made me appreciate the song more. And got it stuck in my head all over again.
 
  1. "Smooth Criminal" – Alien Ant Farm. That a punk/metal band would remake a Michael Jackson tune is pretty remarkable in the first place; that AAF did it so well is truly phenomenal. And if you've ever seen the video accommodating this song, it is one of the best parody/tributes to all things Michael ever.
 
  1. "Some Other Guy" – The Beatles. Though they never officially recorded it, the Beatles made Ritchie Barrett's "Some Other Guy" a staple of their early days. A live version exists on The Beatles at the BBC, so I've included it on my list.
 
  1. "Gone Daddy Gone" – Gnarls Barkley. At first I thought this Violent Femmes tune was an odd inclusion in their debut album, but then everything about Gnarls Barkley is a little odd. Some people hate it, but this version just grew on me.
 
  1. "Baba O'Riley" – Blue Man Group & Tracy Bonham. Again, this is not officially on any Blue Man Group CD, but it is part of a DVD of one of BMG's performances. To hear this Who classic on BMG's unique instruments made me appreciate the complexity of this song all over again.
 
  1. "I'm Down" – Aerosmith. One of the best covers of a Beatles' tune, Aerosmith does a great job on their Permanent Vacation album.
 
Well that's some of the best, now for some of the worst:
 
  1. "Helter Skelter" – Pat Benatar. Normally I love Pat Benatar; she has is one of the best female voices in Rock, but she should never have tackled the Beatles' "Helter Skelter." And neither should anyone else for that matter.
 
  1. "Demolition Man" – Sting. Is it possible to do a bad cover version of your own song? Years after the Police broke up; Sting re-recorded "Demolition Man" as a quasi-heavy metalish song for the Sly Stallone movie of the same name. Note to all recording artists, if you're asked to remake a song for a movie soundtrack, it will most likely suck.
 
  1. "Brown Eyed Girl" – Everclear. Everclear tries to remake one of Van Morrison's signature songs. Just awful!
 
  1. "The Real Me" – W.A.S.P. W.A.S.P. takes the Who's great song of teen angst and identity crisis into a god-awful tune about rebellion of authority. Stupid.
 
  1. "A Apolitical Blues" – Van Halen. I thought this was okay until I heard the original. Eddie Van Halen may be a great guitarist, but he can't play the blues. And Sammy Hagar can't hold a candle to Lowell George.
 
Any you want to add to either list? Let me know…


Comments]]> Thu, 05 Apr 2007 15:38:00 EST http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=570 My Essential Albums http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AnotherSpin/~3/H7lYLaO99SU/permalink.cfm http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=564 Because even I am beginning to realize my music collection is getting out of hand, I began thinking about weeding out my CDs. This led me to think; what would happen if a fire wiped me out of all my music, what would be the first ones I would replace? I then thought about my "essential" music, albums that I have to have to feel my collection is complete.
 
I have decided to break it down by decade, allowing myself 10 picks per decade. This is especially difficult for me for the sixties; I could fill it pretty much on Beatles' albums alone (yes, I'm that big of a fan.) But I will try to limit myself to a maximum of two albums per group.
 
This is not a list the critics' best, and I will probably have some "glaring" omissions, (I don't own any Jimi Hendrix albums, okay?) but this is my personal "essentials," not the critics, and not yours.
 
The 60's
 
  1. Revolver – The Beatles
  2. The Beatles ("White Album") – The Beatles
  3. Beggars Banquet – The Rolling Stones
  4. Let It Bleed – The Rolling Stones
  5. Odessey & the Oracle – The Zombies
  6. Bringing It All Back Home – Bob Dylan
  7. Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd. – The Monkees
  8. Arthur – The Kinks
  9. Younger Than Yesterday – The Byrds
  10. Meaty Beatty Big & Bouncy – The Who
 
The 70's
 
  1. Who's Next – The Who
  2. Every Picture Tells A Story – Rod Stewart
  3. IV – Led Zeppelin
  4. Fragile – Yes
  5. Sailin' Shoes – Little Feat
  6. Hooligans – The Who
  7. Sticky Fingers – The Rolling Stones
  8. The Yes Album – Yes
  9. Manassas – Stephen Stills & Manassas
  10. Band On The Run – Paul McCartney & Wings
 
The 80's
 
  1. Synchronicity – The Police
  2. Abacab – Genesis
  3. The Joshua Tree – U2
  4. Sticks & Stones – The 77's
  5. A Letter From St. Paul – The Silencers
  6. Graceland – Paul Simon
  7. Freedom – Whiteheart
  8. Full Moon Fever – Tom Petty
  9. Kick – INXS
  10. The Miracle - Queen
 
The 90's
 
  1. Doubt – Jesus Jones
  2. Achtung Baby – U2
  3. Change Everything – Del Amitri
  4. So Be It – The Silencers
  5. Stunt – The Barenaked Ladies
  6. Chupacabra - Imani Coppola 
  7. The Sky is Crying – Stevie Ray Vaughn
  8. Full Moon, Dirty Hearts – INXS
  9. Sheryl Crow – Sheryl Crow
  10. More Miserable Than You'll Ever Be – 7&7 is
 
Since the 2000's are not over, I reserve the right to make that list until the end of this decade.
Well these are my essentials, what are the essentials of your list?


Comments]]> Mon, 02 Apr 2007 08:49:00 EST http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=564 "Definitive" List Defines Crap http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AnotherSpin/~3/WqXEHWZIhQw/permalink.cfm http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=554 Every time I want to give the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame some sort of validity, I'm proven how stupid it is. Again, if you want to create a museum to 20th Century music, focusing on Rock, that's cool. But to call it a "Hall of Fame" is just pretentious and idiotic.

Recently the R&R HOF teamed up with The National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) to create a "definitive" list of 200 albums that should be in everyone's collection. As NARM president Jim Donio puts it, they are "albums that have consistently excited record buyers over the years and those that have the potential for continued success based on enduring popularity.... The inevidable debate about the 200 must-own albums will underscore just how much the music and the art form mean to everyone."

Unsurprisingly, Sgt. Pepper begins the list, but it pretty much becomes a joke after that. Other entries include Celine Dion, Shania Twain, the Dixie Chicks, Kenny G., and Frank Sinatra. On a list created by the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame?? There are, of course, glaring omissions and a skewered rating system (Carol King's Tapestry is number 7, while Jimi Hendrix doesn't even make the top 40.) These are suppose to be the "200 definitive albums of the rock era," but as far as I can remember, Frank Sinatra's In the Wee Small Hours was released in 1953, a few years before the rock era. The list ends with Grand Funk Railroad's We're An American Band, and whether you're fan of Grand Funk or not, that should pretty much tell you all you need to know about the list.

Obviously with an association like NARM involved, the whole list is a marketing ploy (and the list is on Amazon.com), but honestly, who would buy an album just because someone says it's "essential" to your record collection? I would never write an "essential" list of any length because I don't know what your personal taste is, and if you really like Kenny G., why would I tell you you need the Beastie Boys to make your record collection complete?

Anyone interested in the list can find it here:http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000062961

If pressed, I could probably come up with a list of 20 albums essential to my collection, but perhaps I'll save that for another entry.



Comments]]> Wed, 21 Mar 2007 13:13:00 EST http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=554 Making ?Beautiful? Music http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AnotherSpin/~3/UceCL6urQ-w/permalink.cfm http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=539
Very few people have heard of Bic Runga here in the United States, but in her native New Zealand, she is one of that nation's biggest stars. As unique as her heritage (her father is Maori and her mother is Malaysian), Runga has quite a following and even received the attention of more internationally known Kiwi rockers Dave Dobbyn and Tim Finn (of Split Enz and Crowded House fame). Dobbyn even plays guitar on several songs on her album, Beautiful Collision.
 
Released in 2002, Beautiful Collision is a collection well-crafted pop songs mostly dealing with love and romance. Runga blends elements of jazz, rock, and folk, and even a hint of lounge singer (her mother actually was a lounge singer) into he own unique style. Her music is similar to that of Nora Jones, but Runga is more upbeat and her voice is a bit softer and sweeter.
 
Collision opens simply with "When I See You Smile," an acoustic number with just Runga and a guitar. It's a nice introduction to the album and Runga's style. The album then jumps into the standout "Get Some Sleep," a song about touring. "From here to there and everywhere and back to Union Square, where do I get some sleep?" she croons. With its catchy melody and intelligent lyrics, this is the song that grabs the listener's attention; and from here Runga doesn't let go.
 
 "Something Good" follows, and while it's a pleasant tune, it's one of my least favorite (somehow Runga using "yah" instead of "you" just grates on me). But Runga then switches gears with "Precious Things" with a definite Asian flavor, to"Election Night," an edgier, more rock feeling song. Other standouts are the title track (with its staccato strings sounding like raindrops) and "Listening for the Weather."
 
All in all, Beautiful Collision is a pleasant album that grows on you more after each listen. Bic Runga may not be a household name in America yet, but even a place as remote as New Zealand can't keep a talent like this hidden forever.


Comments]]> Mon, 05 Mar 2007 09:42:00 EST http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=539 Hear Here! http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AnotherSpin/~3/R7CCUqgfCog/permalink.cfm http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=529 Not everyone is into music the way I am. But for those like myself, who like to find "new" bands, or old bands most people forgot about, the internet is a powerful tool; if they recorded music, we can find them. Recently I've found a new ally in my never ending quest for old bands, MySpace.com.
 
Though usually associated with teens and their blogs, MySpace also provides an area called MySpace Music where bands can provide information and sound clips about their music and history. A lot of younger and unsigned musicians use MySpace to get their demos out, but there are also some sites of obscure ‘60's and ‘70's bands. Usually these are not created my the members themselves, but by a fan, and thanks to the invention of mp3 files, these sites can offer us an opportunity to hear music that is now near impossible to get our hands on.
 
This is a vast improvement to the infamous 30-second snippets most online music stores allow us to hear; most MySpace pages give us four songs to listen to in their entirety. And considering some of these bands didn't even last long enough to put out a full album, four complete songs is often more than enough to judge whether or not these bands should remain obscure. Since going on to MySpace Music, I've discovered Granny's Intentions and Andwella's Dream, two obscure Irish 60's bands, whose original albums are highly sought after by collectors, and Jennifer Stills, daughter of legendary Stephen Stills (who, not surprisingly, sounds like a cross between Jewel and her dad).
 
Not all bands have sites, so you'll have to look in the directory, but a lot of sites have links to other bands of that same era, so if you find one band you like, there may be a link to others.
 
Most of the bands I found do have CDs available, and usually you can find them on Amazon.com or eBay, though they're usually more expensive than regular CDs. That's why MySpace Music is so important; you can really hear the songs and decide if these bands are worth the extra money. Otherwise, you can just listen to the samples you like for free each time you come back to MySpace.
 
Obscure bands need not be so obscure anymore, thanks to their fans and MySpace. Go take a look; you may find a new old favorite!


Comments]]> Fri, 23 Feb 2007 14:29:00 EST http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=529 Who Needs ?Love?? http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AnotherSpin/~3/Z1g6rXWdVc4/permalink.cfm http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=523 It has been a debate over many years, who needed who more; George Martin or the Beatles? Certainly Martin benefited from having the world's most famous band as his client, yet the one and only time the Beatles asked someone else to produce their album, they ended with the less-than-stellar Let It Be.
 
Outside of the Beatles, Martin's work is relatively unknown, so it's not surprising that he is often tempted to tinker with his most popular clients' songs. With a little help from his son, Martin now offers us Love, promising us "the Beatles as you never heard them." Well, yes and no.
 
I admit that I have not heard the entire CD, so perhaps my assessment is a little unfair, but I really didn't want to shell out another $15.00 for a bunch of songs I already had. What makes it even harder to review is there are no sound samples at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble (bn.com), and let's not even talk about iTunes. The way I ended up hearing Love was going to a Borders bookstore and listening to samples once I scanned the CD. Some may argue this is not best way to review a CD, but what I heard on those samples was enough for me.
 
All you need to know about Love, is its origins; Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte originally approached George Harrison about possibly producing a show around the Beatles' music. Harrison gave his approval before he died, and that is where Love came from. Basically, Martin does "mash-ups," taking snippets of various Beatles' songs and adding them to others, with a few new sound effects. For example, the CD opens with the sounds of morning birds chirping and then the a capella voices of "Because." Another sample tosses in the meaty guitar hooks of "The End" into the beginning of "Get Back."
 
The real problem with Love is, I have heard the Beatles like this, on the infamous "Grey Album." Granted DJ Dangermouse mixed the Beatles with rapper Jay-Z, but the idea of sampling the Beatles' music and reworking it into a new sound has already been done.
 
Finally, Love sounds exactly like what it is, a soundtrack to a show created with sampling and re-editing a bunch of Beatles' songs. If you could see Cirque du Soleil or heck, even the Blue Man Group doing their routine to this music, then I guess it be a lot of fun. But as it stands alone, Love isn't really what most Beatles fans need.


Comments]]> Mon, 19 Feb 2007 13:29:00 EST http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=523 Notes on the Grammys http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AnotherSpin/~3/QnSCQHeynoc/permalink.cfm http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=516 Well the Grammys sure lived up to their reputation as the least important of all major awards ceremonies. Were you sucked into the hype of the Police reunion too? Hope you didn't tune in late because they opened the show with "Roxanne" and left. All that hype and they do one stinkin' song at the very beginning; what a rip! Oh well, at least I got to see what else was on TV that night, which wasn't much, so unfortunately I kept going back to the Grammys.

It seems, like the Oscars, the Grammys focus on one album or one artist and give them the majority of the awards. This year the big winners were the Dixie Chicks, with Mary J. Blige and Justin Timberlake getting a few nods. Everyone else could have gone home early. 

Tony Bennett and Stevie Wonder won a gratuitous "Best Vocal Duet," because Tony Bennett's 80 years-old and how-cool-is-it-that-he's-still-singing-let's-give-him-another-award-before-he-dies. I'm not saying that Bennett and Wonder didn't deserve it, but you know he's a sentimental favorite.

Some awards I was glad to see: Gnarls Barkley picking up Best Alternative Album (whatever that means), Christine Aguilera getting Best Female Pop performance for "Ain't No Other Man", and Ludacris getting the nod for Best Rap Album.

Speaking of Aguilera, why was she doing the James Brown tribute (or at least one of several), and why was she singing "This is a Man's World?" Was that supposed to be a bit tongue-in-cheek?

Carrie Underwood won a few awards, including Best New Artist, which either gives unneeded validation to "American Idol" or makes the Grammy an even bigger joke. Then again, these were the people that awarded Milli Vanilli.

And why we're on the subject of "American Idol," what was with that contest to perform with Justin Timberlake? It seemed unfairly cruel to invite all three of the finalists to the awards, sit them in the front row, and then let only one perform. Robyn Troup was the winner; let's see if she gets any record deals out of it.

Who will win next year's Grammys? Who cares; I'd rather watch the "Law & Order" marathon.



Comments]]> Mon, 12 Feb 2007 10:28:00 EST http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=516 Gone Grammy, Gone http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AnotherSpin/~3/z2k0XpFktYA/permalink.cfm http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=507 You would think someone with as much interest in music as myself would be excited about the Grammys®, but like the creators and writers of the Simpsons, I don't consider the Grammy an award at all.
 
As I stated in my Dr. Spin days, the problem with the Grammys is that the same song can get nominated for (and usually win) several categories (Best Song, Best Single, Best Performance by a Group, Best Vocal, Best Lead Singer Wearing Shades, Best Song that's already won an award…) and the Grammys have been notorious for giving the wrong award to the wrong group (Jethro Tull won "Best Heavy Metal"??). Plus when you add the fact that we now have the Latin Grammys and the Grammy for Best Latin album, the whole award ceremony seems redundant.
 
But this year the Police are reuniting! For someone of the MTV generation, that's as close to the Beatles reuniting as you can get! Rumor has it they may even do a reunion tour!
So I'll stay glued to the TV until their performance; then I'll switch back to whichever "Law & Order" happens to be on that night.


Comments]]> Mon, 05 Feb 2007 09:37:00 EST http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=507 The Hall of Fame Game http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AnotherSpin/~3/BL8-lZJB_DI/permalink.cfm http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=503 See everybody, I told you I'd write more!
 
Everyone loves to make lists and everyone likes to gripe about who's in the Rock and Roll Hall of fame and who is still sorely neglected. I have never been to the Hall and have always considered it a joke since its induction (Seriously, who puts a Hall of Fame in Cleveland?). But back in my Dr. Spin days, someone once asked me who I thought should be in the R'n'R Hall of Fame, and to list my top five. Surprisingly, the Hall has still not inducted any of my choices.
 
Since it's been a while and since this is a subject I will hopefully get a lot of feedback on, I'm going to create another Top Five acts I think should be in the Hall of Fame. Watch how many years they'll ignore my choices (yet for some reason they seemed eager to induct the Bee Gees! Go figure.)
 
  1. Nicky Hopkins – Probably one of the greatest pianists of the Rock generation, Hopkins worked as a session man for all of the top acts of the sixties; the Kinks, Jefferson Airplane, the Who, the Grateful Dead, the Rolling Stones, and yes, even the Beatles. He was also a member of the original incarnation of the Jeff Beck group. Hopkins deserves to be in at least as a sideman.
  2. The Zombies – Considered one of the "minor" bands of the British Invasion, the Zombies were nevertheless an important band and their album, The Odyssey and the Oracle, is one of the most underrated albums of the sixties. Their hits, "She's Not There," "Tell Her No," and "Time of the Season" only give the smallest glimpses of this talented band.
  3. The Cars – The longest lasting band of the original "New Wave," the Cars were pioneers of the early music video scene, often creating some of the most memorable and (for the time) advanced videos of the early eighties. Their music was pretty good too, better than Blondie, who are in the Hall of Fame.
  4. Heart – One of Rock's best sister duos, Heart also covered a lot of ground as women-as-serious-hard-rockers
  5. John Mellencamp – A lot of people did (and still do), knock Mellencamp as a Springsteen wannabe, but I think he's quite distinct from the Boss and (sorry Springsteen fans) a better singer. Mellencamp and Springsteen are as different as their respective backgrounds; Indiana and New Jersey (insert your own joke here). Plus if I'm going to hear musicians of my generation on "classic rock" stations, they better darn well start inducting some of them.
 
I don't know if the 2007 inductees have been announced yet, and I don't really care. I can guarantee none on my list will nominated, and, despite the obvious choices, the Hall of Fame will choose someone that will make me shake my head and continue to see it for the joke that it is. Don't get me wrong; I think a museum collecting artifacts and the history of Rock and Popular music of the 20th Century is cool, but to call it a "Hall of Fame" is just pretentious and silly. Maybe that's why they keep ignoring my choices.
 
Okay, I've said my beef; who do you think should be in?


Comments]]> Mon, 05 Feb 2007 09:36:00 EST http://www.partialobserver.com/anotherspin/permalink.cfm?blogid=503