wild mercury

Ashes of American Flags

2009-02-25T16:11:00.006-06:00

Putting all other things aside momentarily, when your favorite band is set to release a new album, a concert DVD and most certainly at least one opportunity to see them perform live sometime this year, things can't be all bad. Early reports on the DVD are good; it's already won an award for cinematography. See the trailer here:

Musings on Bruce

2009-01-26T12:58:00.001-06:00

The Boss (does anyone still call him that?) is all over the news lately, with the Inauguration, the upcoming Super Bowl appearance, and a new album hitting stores tomorrow. It’s a good time for me to offer a quick review of the latest 33 1/3 book I’ve read, on Born In The USA. The 33 1/3 titles are small, neat little books for those that need more than liner notes. Born In The USA is not one of my favorite efforts from Bruce Springsteen, so I picked this volume to reacquaint myself. It may have been the complete over saturation of Bruce in the music world when this record came out in 1984, or the heavily commercialized sound, but I rarely play this album. The author, Geoffrey Himes, makes the case that this record, along with Nebraska and the numerous outtakes from this period (many now have been released on Tracks) is Bruce’s finest hour. This is a tough argument for long time fans who revere the trilogy of Born to Run, Darkness on the Edge of Town and The River as his best work, not to mention some of his latest efforts as a mature songwriter.

Himes' main argument is that Bruce refined his songwriting approach from the romantic, symbolic and often complex lyrics of his earlier work to a simplified and ultimately more successful style during this period, culminating in Born In The USA. His other main point is that thematically, Bruce shifted from the youthful rock’n’roll dream mentality to a focus on real characters, and what it means face the harsh realities of life. I agree that the early records were often overwrought, with young Bruce trying to cram in every musical and lyrical idea he had into each song. But I would argue that the critical songwriting shift Himes points to really occurred in 1977-78, with Darkness on the edge of Town. We went from the dreamlike imagery of Jungleland to the realities of Factory in a heartbeat. Darkness paved the way to the stripped down songwriting of Nebraska and Born in the USA, but for me, musically it’s superior.

Going back and listening to Born in the USA, it’s a better record than I gave it credit for, but ultimately sounds a little dated, while Darkness sounds timeless. I’ve always felt that Born In The USA was a calculated effort to propel Bruce from cult status to pop superstar, and perhaps the simplified song style was more about public accessibility than the artist’s own refinement. But that’s the cynic in me. The songs hold up, and tunes like Surrender are certainly more accessible to a mainstream audience than It’s Hard to Be a Saint in the City, but guess which one most fans would prefer to hear him perform live?

Whatever your point of view on Bruce’s music, the 33 1/3 book on this album is worth reading, even for the most knowledgeable fan.The book is very well researched and offers many interesting facts about this period in Bruce’s career. It would have benefited from some editing, as it is repetitive and a little tedious in spots.

Also, if you’re a Darkness fan, good news was released today; a 30th anniversary special edition re-release is planned for this year, along the lines of the Born to Run box set a few years ago.

Regarding the new record, I’ll reserve judgment until I hear it all, but early reviews are not impressive. Working On A Dream sounds fairly innocuous, but the Wrestler is superb. Bruce normally takes his time between releases, but this one comes right on the heels of Magic. I don’t want to suggest that the album was rushed to coincide with the Super Bowl performance, but in this era of music and marketing, I’m sure that is exactly what happened. I guess this means we'll hear Workin' On A Dream this Sunday instead of Candy's Room (one of my favorite songs when performed live) or Adam Raised A Cain.

SeeqPod - Playable Search

Transformer Man

2008-12-22T17:33:00.007-06:00

Somehow Neil Young manages more than seems humanly possible. As if his outpouring of new music and the releases of his archive material isn't enough, he embarks on one of the coolest projects I've read about recently. Neil drove his 1959 Lincoln across the country to a guy named Jonathan Goodwin, who is transforming the behemoth from a 9 mpg guzzler to something that will ultimately get 80-100 mpg. The technology is intriguing to say the least. Basically, the ethanol fuel in a small engine powers a generator that charges the huge pack of batteries in the trunk, which runs the car's electric motor. The goal is for the ethanol to be used like we now use oil in our cars, creating something close to a vehicle that barely requires refueling. Neil drove to Wichita on Route 66, filmed the trip, and before his winter tour was hanging out in the guy's garage helping out and writing the occasional song. Oh, and when they achieve 100mpg Neil plans to race it cross-country for a $10 million prize. How cool is this guy?! It makes you wonder how much the auto industry (and big oil) is holding back on alternate fuel technology.

LincVolt

The 1959 Lincoln, by the way, is amazing automobile. The Lincoln is a prime example of the excess of the jet age, when cars had fins and chrome to make them look like rockets. The '59 Cadillac Eldorado is considered the epitome of the style, but the Lincoln, with its crazy front and rear grilles, is pretty sweet.

Cream and Sour Grapes

2008-12-21T17:30:00.008-06:00

I'm sorry to report only sixteen measly posts this year. I think I did about 100 my first year. It has been difficult to find time to sit down and write here at Wild Mercury. And when I do, it's typically been covered by 20 music blogs already. But you've heard me lament about this before. The answer is to simply sit down and write what's on my mind. The following caught my attention recently:

From the land of the dinosaurs, there was endless comment and speculation on the Led Zeppelin reunion, so much that I ignored it here. Thousands of fans weighed in the pros and cons of Plant vs. no Plant. For me, the bottom line is that I want to see Page, Plant and Jones on play on stage together. It's not Zeppelin without Bonham (John that is) anyway, so I don't care what they name the band. What I do not want to see is Page and Jones playing Zeppelin songs with Steven Tyler or that guy from Wolfmother singing them. That would be sad and pathetic. If it happens, they should play anything but Zeppelin songs.

What you might have missed last month was Cream drummer Jack Bruce ranting about all the Zep hype. Said Jack, “Everybody talks about Led Zeppelin, and they played one fucking gig — one fucking lame gig — while Cream did weeks of gigs,” Bruce said while accepting an award in November. “Fuck off, Zeppelin, you’re crap. You’ve always been crap and you’ll never be anything else. Cream is 10 times the band that Led Zeppelin is.” Bruce is referring to the mini Cream reunion that didn't exactly get rave reviews, as I recall. Admitting that he was having a little fun with the media, he went on to say in an apology, “The thing about Zeppelin is that obviously it’s a little bit of jealousy on my part — or more than a little bit — because the audience was created by Cream and Jimi Hendrix…this sort of very large audience…Then Zeppelin came along and had a very easy ride in that way. We were the pioneers and pioneers don’t always get the recognition they deserve, maybe.” Jeez, talk about sour grapes. If he means that Cream was the first to rip off American blues, I agree. Muddy and Howling Wolf were the pioneers, pal. Where would Clapton or Page be without the blues? I would not agree that Cream paved the way for Zeppelin, who consequently had an 'easy ride.' I could go on for days about this, but clearly Bruce is envious of the royalties amassed from Zeppelin's formidable catalog. Maybe if Cream had stayed together more a few years, they would have a greater legacy. He concluded his rant by saying “Let’s face it: Jimmy Page ain’t no Eric Clapton, no matter what anybody thinks." That's like arguing which is better, apples or oranges, but Jack, you're no John Bonham.

SeeqPod - Playable Search

Seeqpod

2008-11-21T22:19:00.006-06:00

The latest web music tool I've found is pretty clever. Seeqpod automatically searches websites and allows you to create playlists by searching playable tracks and building playlists. Then you can embed the player in your own site with one simple click. And of course it's free. I'll be playing with this for a while in future posts, so enjoy. It's a great way to discover some new music. Once again, the Internet trumps FM radio. Click on the link at the bottom of the panel to set up an account and build your own playlists. Submitted for your review:

This track by the The National is from the Virginia EP, a disc included with a DVD documentary of the band. I really liked The Boxer, and saw them at Lollapalooza this summer, but everything is starting to sound a bit similar.

Shambala is one of my favorite 70's tunes. How can you not love Three Dog Night?

As I've mentioned before, I used to be an an obsessive XTC fan. Greenman is a great track from one their last studio albums, Apple Venus Vol. 1. An amazing pop band, but without touring, their exposure to a wider audience was doomed.

I threw in a Dinosaur Jr. tune because I love that J Mascis guitar sound.

Finally, the Secret Machines. I was big on these guys a few years ago, but sadly this is the only track on their latest release that I found tolerable.

SeeqPod - Playable Search

Tell Tale Signs

2008-10-09T20:20:00.005-05:00

Dylan’s back, and he’s got everyone running for cover again. It’s true, as Larry Sloman points out in the liner notes for the Bootleg Series Volume 8, that Dylan’s eight ‘bootleg’ cds of ‘extra material’ are enough to make a career for any other performer. Indeed, what Bob leaves on the cutting room floor often surpasses his own official album releases. From Volume 1-3, Blind Willie McTell and Farewell Angelina rank among the best songs he’s ever written, and no one but Bob could explain why he chose to shelve them. The same is true for Volume 8, released on Tuesday and loaded with gems. It’s a combination of alternate versions, early demos, unreleased tracks and blistering live versions of songs from his ‘late period’, 1989-2006. His recent studio albums are astonishing, but Volume 8 gives us a bonus, and sheds some light on his creative process. The alternate versions of Someday Baby and Most of the Time are radically different from what ended up on the albums, but are nonetheless impressive. And the unreleased tracks, Born in Time and Red River Shore in particular, rank right up there in his whole immense catalog. You could buy this release (should buy it, in fact) and not feel like it’s a collection of oddities for hardcore fans only.

But alas, I have a complaint. A rather big one, in fact. I got the 2-cd set for $18.99, which is more than fair. But the limited edition release, priced at over $100, contains a third disc of treasures and a book of all of Bob’s single record picture sleeves. Why must I pay an extra $80 for that? I don’t care much about the book, but that third cd is important. For the majority of music fans, the 2-cd set is enough, but I count myself amongst a small group of fanatics that want that extra disc of material, and I feel like we’re being taken advantage of. Of course the third cd is not available on i-tunes. I noticed this trend with the U2 remastered releases, with a hefty price tag on the premium edition for the fans who just can’t say no. Well I want that third disc, but I’m saying no. Columbia should not be surprised when these tracks start showing up on blogs and torrent sites. For God’s sake, some of Bob’s fans have been buying his records for 45 years, and this is how you treat them? Shame.

My Lollapalooza - 2 and 3

2008-10-05T22:11:00.000-05:00

Okay, it's ancient history by now, I know that. I have no explanation for why I can't seem to get to this blog lately, but such is life. I need to get back to my idea from a few months ago and keep the posts very brief, but more frequent. Just a few words on what I saw on Day 2 and Day 3, so I can move on:

Day 2 for me of course was dominated by Wilco. Of course I've seen them numerous times, and this set was certain to be less adventurous since they were playing to a festival crowd. But I have no interest in Rage Against the Machine, and let's face it, if you're at a festival and your favorite band is playing, ya gotta be there. I pushed to the front to see the boys play a great energetic set, including a new tune called One Wing ( a WIP, or work in progress as Tweedy called it). The band came out in brightly colored and sequined Nudie suits, which looked like a cross between the Grand Ol Opry and Sgt. Pepper. A splendid time was guaranteed for all.

Wilco - One Wing - August 2, 2008

Earlier in the day I caught several bands including:

Dr. Dog - Their low-hi, retro sounding albums are deceiving. They are potent, great live band too.

Foals - I really enjoyed this energetic set from these so-called 'math-rockers'. Intricate and alternative, like King Crimson meets the Cure. I just wandered over to the Citi stage for this. One the great things about a festival with so much diversity is to discover a band you're never heard of.

DeVotchKa - This set was a blast. Never thought I'd see a rock band with a female tuba player.

DJ Bald Eagle - I don't really get the appeal of the whole DJ thing. Maybe in a dance club, but not here.

Battles - Similar to Foals, but not nearly as good.

Broken Social Scene

By Sunday, I was starting to burn out a bit, so I got to the fest a little late. The suprise of the day was Blues Traveler, which played a terrific set, closing with a cover of I Want You to Want Me. One of the original jam bands, and still going strong, and I saw a lot of young kids really getting into it. Love and Rockets was good, but even better was the National, who attracted an overflow crowd at the Playstation 3 stage.

The crowd slowly gathered all afternoon in anticipation of Nine Inch Nails. I chose NIN mostly because I couldn't care less about Kanye West, who was heading the other end of the festival. I really have no connection to the type of music NIN plays, but I was curious. I only lasted about a third of the way through, bored by the brooding and aggression. The light show was pretty amazing, though. I felt sorry for some of the parents who there with their young kids in a sea of bodies as Trent Reznor growled about wanting to 'fuck you like an animal." So I wandered over to the other end and discovered one thing about Kanye; without the studio, the dude can't sing.

Even though the Sunday headliners disappointed, I will almost certainly return next year.

My Lollapalooza:1

2008-08-04T20:56:00.007-05:00

I attended nearly all of the 3-day mother of all festivals, and over the next few posts I'll share some thoughts. I must say I was pleasantly surprised, in fact amazed, at the smooth organization and lack of major hassles for such a large scale event. Any major gripes you might read from attendees is just whining. The bottom line is this: The performers started within five minutes of the scheduled time (Bonnaroo take note). I never waited in line to buy a beer, food, or use the toilets, concessions were very reasonably priced, and the crowd control was effective yet an unseen presence. The festival grounds are huge, so sound bleed from one stage to the next was not a problem. It's really two huge outdoor festivals separated by a carnival. At Wilco, I had absolutely no sense of what was happening at the other end of the field at the Rage performance. At the little stages in the middle, you could simply wander around and sample, like a musical smorgasboard. All in all, it was a major thumbs-up.

A few small gripes, in case any of the organizers might be reading: On the first day, it was not clear that you didn't have to wait in the huge line to enter if you already had a wristband. I didn't figure this out quickly enough. The Friday schedule contained a little too much overlap. I know choices must be made, but on Friday, if you wanted to see the entire Raconteurs set, you were destined to be a half mile away from Radiohead, the main headliner, which started 15 minutes later at the other end. Also, the south field was enormous. Is there a way to add a few more screens for those in the way back? But these are minor issues. A few words on my Friday lineup:
I started the afternoon with Yeasayer, who did not disappoint. I've gushed about their debut All Hour Cymbals, and as I imagined, their tribal, multi-textured music sounded great on stage. Next was The Kills, a duo from London that has drawn some comparisons to the White Stripes, but heavier on the synth, drum machines and dance groove. They spent too much time between tunes fidling with the electronics, so I moved on to the north field for the Black Keys, and the Akron duo absolutely rocked. Two guys, a basic drum set, one guitar and some impassioned bluesy vocals. The Keys impressed the hell out of me. Akron, O indeed.

I stuck around for the Raconteurs on the same stage, listening to Cat Power on the Playstation Stage while we waited. I slowly pushed my way forward with the mass of people. The Raconteurs were by far the loudest act I saw all weekend, louder even than Nine Inch Nails, but they were fantastic. Jack White tried hard to simply be a band member and not the front man, but right now he's like King Midas, and clearly the focus is on him. Probably my favorite set of the weekend. I caught the end of Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks on the way to Radiohead. After the Raconteurs, Radiohead was like a lullaby. Their performance was impeccable, a beautiful spectacle of sight and sound. The general feeling was that we were all seeing a once in a lifetime performance. Those that camped out all day for the prime spots missed out on a lot of great music elsewhere, but it was probably worth it.

More on day 2 soon.

Black Cab Sessions

2008-06-22T23:50:00.002-05:00

On of the coolest things on the Net these days is the Black Cab Sessions, which are impromptu performances in the back seat of London cabs by various indie artists. This concept of course is inconceivable without the instant access of digital video and the YouTube mentality. 99 percent of uploaded video on the Net is either porn or useless nonsense. This series is something worthwhile. Check this clip by My Morning Jacket and you will see this is a great idea.

Robert & Alison part 2

2008-06-20T20:56:00.006-05:00

Well, it was not my intention to take a two month hiatus, but that's what has happened. My last entry was about the anticipated summer tour of Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, and a few days ago I was fortunately in attendance at their sold out show at Ravinia. It was a wonderful show under the stars, everything it was promised to be. Two voices that no one would have expected to compliment each other so well, it seems that these two are soulmates, musically anyway. The show of course featured most of the Raising Sand album, and several solo tunes by Alison and T-Bone Burnett. As expected, many in the crowd were there for Plant, and the loudest cheers were for the Zeppelin nuggets; a slow dirge-like version of Black Dog led by a haunting banjo playing the famous riff, a great version of Black Country Woman from Physical Graffiti, and a superb version of the Battle of Evermore, without a doubt the highlight for me. I must admit that back in the day, this song was a little bit of a buzzkill when we were blasting Led Zeppelin IV at high volume, but now, 37 years later, it was fabulous. Plant sounded younger than his years, and Alison singing the part of Sandy Denny was terrific. The entire show really brought a smile to my face. The tour continues; go see them if you can.

Greg Kot's Review

Stockholm, 5-16-08

Robert & Alison

2008-04-23T17:15:00.005-05:00

One of my favorite albums of 2007 is the basis of a highly anticipated tour this summer. Last weekend Robert Plant and Alison Krauss kicked off their highly anticipated tour in Louisville to rave reviews.

Although some Zeppelin fans will probably blame this tour for delaying a dream Zep reunion tour, the Plant-Krauss collaboration is so good that it would be a crying shame not to hear it live. One would guess that a few of acoustic Zep tunes might find their way into the set, and Plant did not disappoint, bringing out Black Country Woman, The Battle of Evermore and an acoustic version of Black Dog. Other setlist reports include Hey Hey What Can I Do and the blues classic When The Levee Breaks, redone famously by Zeppelin in 1971. This bodes well for the tour, and I'll report later this summer when they hit the Chicago area.

I'll be on the lookout for some live recordings to share.

For obsessive compulsives

2008-04-20T20:24:00.005-05:00

If liner notes and record reviews are not enough for you, turn to the 33 1/3 series of books from Continuum publishing. 33 1/3 is a series of pocket sized books, around 150 pages, that focus in detail on great albums old and new. Written by scholars, critics, and musicians the series has attracted a fanatical following. They have been around for a few years, and up until now I have resisted, thinking I'd rather spend 10 bucks on a CD. But the music geek in me has recently prevailed. I also have a weakness for collecting small things of identical size (there's a psychological condition for this, but I don't know the name). I love reading about music, and chances are if you're reading this blog, you do too. In some ways the books I've read are like graduate thesis papers; intriguing, but not always the best writing. Detailed footnotes and bibliographies are provided for further obsessing. Here are brief reviews of the first two I've read, to help you decide if you're ready to take the plunge:

#17 - Led Zeppelin IV - Author Erik Davis tackles one of the greatest albums of all time. Davis is an expert in mysticism and the occult, and delves into the hidden symbolism pretty heavily, maybe more than most readers care to read about. He does make a compelling argument for the overall meaning of the album, though, and balances the occult theory with a good knowledge of all things Zeppelin. He also offers a really insightful review of all the things we loved about the 12-inch record and the concept of creating an 'album' of songs, notions that have fallen by the wayside in the digital era. I was hoping for more detail on the recording sessions at Headley Grange, but there are other sources for that.

Conclusion: A must-read for Zeppelin fanatics. Casual music fans may be overwhelmed.

Buy It

#37 - The Who Sell Out - Written by John Dougan, a Who fan with a PhD in American Studies, the book is really more of a history of the Pop Art and pirate radio era in mid 1960's Britain than an intense analysis of the album. Sell Out is an overlooked masterpiece, and I found the discussion of cultural climate that led to the music very worthwhile reading. I didn't know much about the pirate radio movement and this book provides a complete history, which of course is instrumental in the concept of Sell Out. If you're looking for 120 pages on the Who though, you will be disappointed.

Conclusion: Anyone with an interest in 60's rock music should read it. If you're a Who fan that has forgotten about Sell Out in favor of the Who's more well-known albums then you should definitely read it.

Buy It

More to come as I continue to read. There's 56 in the series and counting....

The 33 1/3 Blog

Cover Who?

2008-04-07T21:01:00.004-05:00

Paste Magazine reports that the Who (or the Two, as they are now sometimes called) is planning a covers album for their next release. I have a mixed reaction to this news. A covers album is often perceived as the easy way out, a way to inject new product into the market without the burden of songwriting. I can't imagine Pete Townshend resorting to such tactics, although he has admitted difficulty in writing new 'Who' material in recent years. Pete is such a superb songwriter that I'd rather have a disc full of Pete throwaways than half-assed versions of old R&B tunes. On the other hand, the Who cut their teeth on R&B, and Pete doesn't do anything half-assed. This might be an interesting way for things to come full circle. Either way, it's a new Who record in the works, so let's be grateful for that.

Like sands through the hourglass....

2008-04-06T20:17:00.009-05:00

Time to get back on track here, as I've had another extended lapse. Work/life burdens and a trip to Costa Rica have absorbed my blog time. I think the key is shorter, more frequent posts, so here we go...

Lately I've been really digging the new record by Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks, Real Emotional Trash. I missed the heyday of Pavement, in fact I missed a lot of the indie rock scene in the 90's for a variety of reasons. Fast forward to I think his fourth solo record and I'm getting drawn in. Although this doesn't really sound anything like the Pavement songs I have heard, it's hard to ignore. Malkmus caught my ear recently with his Dylan covers on the I'm Not There soundtrack. Malkmus is not for everyone, and this is not the most accessible music you'll run across, but if you like great guitar work, quirky songwriting and absolutely surreal lyrics, this is for you. The music reminds me of Cracker and at times, Lou Reed. It's uniquely American. I like Malkmus because he's in his 40's, a father, and he's just trying to break some new ground.

Speaking of unique, I'm also digging the debut album by Yeasayer, All Hour Cymbals. This music is hard to describe. It's indie rock with a tribal undertone,containing Eastern, African and even Native American influences. No debut album should be this adventurous and this good. These guys are a quartet from Brooklyn, which makes it all even more surprising. The only down side to Yeasayer is their name, which reminds me of 70's pop artist Leo Sayer (if you remember 70's you know why this is bad).

2080 - Yeasayer

It's Just That Simple

2008-02-26T20:43:00.014-06:00

At this point in time Wilco might be the best rock band in the world. To their adoring (and compulsive fans) they certainly can do no wrong. What better gift to their faithful followers than a 5 night run in a intimite venue where they promised to play all of their songs from their studio recordings, plus a few assorted rairites? And they delivered. I was lucky enough to see 2 of the 5 shows (tickets were gone in seconds). Fans waited for hours in sub-freezing temps to be at the front of the stage and first row balcony for the general admission shows. The band responded by sending out hot chocolate and coffee. The Riviera is a pit, but the sound was great, and good audience recordings can be found on-line. Wilco still has a large share of die-hard, respectful fans that can remain almost dead silent for the quiet acoustic numbers, although these days may be numbered as the band grows in popularity.

At 3 hours, 30+ songs each night, the shows were vaguely disguised as rehearsals for their current tour, but the band played with such precision and energy that one would never know. It was really exhilarating to hear the deep album cuts that you always hope a band will play instead of the expected crowd-pleasers. Wilco did both, and seemed to be having a lot of fun doing it. A Wilco show is a wild ride of hard energetic rock, quiet country tinged tunes, walls of feedback-drenched sound, superb musicianship and vocals, and animated stage presence, They are not to be missed when they play in your town.

Among the many highlights from the 2-16-08 show was It's Just That Simple, the only song with a lead vocal by bassist John Stirratt, and rarely played. The crowd reaction to this song, with a beaming Jeff Tweedy on bass, was hair-raising after it ended. Long overdue, said Tweedy, and indeed it was. Andrew Bird joined the band for much of the set, too.

The 2-19-08 show included a combination of Poor Places>Reservations>Spiders(Kidsmoke) near the end of the first set that was truly stunning. This show was simulcast on WXRT, and pretty easy to find on-line. At the end of the last show Tweedy remarked "Let's do this again next year." We can only hope.

New Music 2008 - The Whigs

2008-02-11T20:15:00.000-06:00

When I saw the Redwalls in a Chicago club last December a hard rocking band named the Whigs were on the bill as an opening act. We came in mid-set, and these guys were playing so loud it was a little hard for these middle-aged ears to process, but I liked what I heard. Their new album, Mission Control, just came out and it's the first thing that's really caught my ear in 2008. The Whigs sound is defined by tight playing, good melodies and harmonized vocals, but what really leaps out is some fantastic drumming. Hailing from Athens, GA, the Whigs evoke the intensity of Foo Fighters with a 90's alternative rock-pop feel, particularly bands like Buffalo Tom. I also hear strains of the Clash, but make no mistake, the Whigs are carving out their own sound, and I predict you will hear a lot about them in 2008.

"Right Hand On My Heart" from Late Night with David Letterman

Production City - from Mission Control

Silver and Gold

2008-02-05T22:15:00.000-06:00

The last album I bought in 2007 was the first one I bought in 1987. I suppose I dwell on 'classic rock' a little too much here, and it's a little depressing that The Joshua Tree, at 20 years old, is now in the same category. Oddly, it was also the first CD I bought that sounded like crap. Like the other early U2 CDs (debut through Unforgettable Fire), the sound quality was muffled and lifeless, which is exactly why I bought this remastered version. The good news is that there's a dramatic improvement in the sound quality and a second disc of rarities that is an essential CD on it's own.

Arguably the greatest album of the 1980s, the Joshua Tree is one of three tremendous musical peaks in U2's work (the other two being Actung Baby and All That You Can't Leave Behind). If you have to choose one U2 album to take to that desert island, this has to be the one. The mere fact that there is an album's worth of unused music from this period is testament to this creative peak. The bonus tracks range from more experimental material to very strong compositions that could have easily fit on the album (the Joshua Tree clocks in at 50 minutes, part of its strength, in my opinion). I always liked the live take of Silver and Gold from the Rattle and Hum disc, and on this bonus disc, we get a studio version and the Sun City version, with Bono, Keith Richards and Ron Wood.

Silver and Gold (Studio)

Silver and Gold (Sun City)

More remastered U2 album releases are promised, and hopefully we will get an equal share of bonus tracks.

Is it 2008 yet?

2008-01-29T19:57:00.000-06:00

Egads I'm behind. No posts for over a month. I meant to publish a review of my favorite songs of 2007 weeks ago. At this point it seems like old news. However, I need to do it just so I can turn the page. So here they are, briefly, in no particular order:

Impossible Germany - Wilco. Really any song from Sky Blue Sky. Here's a nice live performance from their appearance on Austin City Limits:

Alaska - Dr. Dog. The 70's live again. Their records are low-tech affairs, but I saw them perform live last fall and they've got the chops.

Country Caravan - Blitzen Trapper. More 70's gold from this Portland, OR band. A real schizo album (Wild Mountain Nation). Loads of fun.

Icky Thump - The White Stripes. Jack does it again. A Led Zep/rap masterpiece. It's too bad Meg's breakdown sidelined their tour last year.

Silver and Gold - U2. Yes I know it came out in 1987, but a studio version was released on the Joshua Tree box set reissue. I love this song. More on this one later.

Sea Legs - The Shins. An engaging song from a really good album.

Please Read The Letter - Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. A fantastic album. I'm looking forward to their tour.

Imitosis - Andrew Bird. It took me a while to warm up to the album, Armchair Apocrypha. All of a sudden it clicked. This guy is hugely talented. He reminds me of Beck in some ways.

Apartment Story - The National. Sometimes one song leaps out at you from a album. This one certainly did.

Crumble - Dinosaur Jr. A welcome reunion. I don't care if it sounds like their work in the 90's. I love that guitar sound.

You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb - Spoon. I find Spoon a little tedious over the course of a album, but in small doses they are brilliant.

I'm Not There - Sonic Youth
The Wicked Messenger - The Black Keys. It's hard to pick a favorite from the I'm Not There soundtrack, so here's one from each disc.

The Wicked Mesenger - The Black Keys

There. On to bigger and better things.

Christmas In Jail

2007-12-23T15:52:00.000-06:00

A sobering thought, and another obscure classic from the Doo Wop era, courtesy of Bob Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour. Christmas in Jail was the flipside of The Youngsters 1956 single Dreamy Eyes, released on the short lived Empire Records label. This clip includes an intro by Bob, and a public service announcement by Mr. Smooth himself, Barry White. Be careful out there, kiddies.

The Youngsters - Christmas In Jail

Poor Old Rudolph

2007-12-20T17:21:00.001-06:00

I was hoping to post a few more entries of substance before the end of the year, but time once again is flying by. All I can manage at the moment is to share some unusual holiday music here in the waning days of the year. This song comes courtesy of Bob Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour. Bob typically chooses a lot of pretty obscure music from the 40s and 50s, mixed in with old standards and more well known artists, but this selection from last year's holiday show is way out in left field. The Bellrays are a band from Riverside, California that call their music "Maximum Rock & Soul," Listening to the Bellrays, they say, "is like getting kicked in the balls by James Brown. Imagine a bus full of Motown recording artists being steamrolled by Black Flag, and you have a pretty good idea of what the Bellrays sound like." Ok. I'll check them out and report back, but in the meantime, dig Poor Old Rudolph, from a 1996 compilation CD titled A Vital Gesture Xmas - Volume 1.

The BellRays - Poor Old Rudolph

We all know the 1964 TV special, but Rudy was first created in 1939 as a coloring book by Robert May, an employee of Montgomery Ward. May's brother in law Johnny Marks put the story to music in 1949, and it has been recorded by many artists, most notably Gene Autry. Marks also wrote the immortal "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and "A Holly Jolly Christmas." One of my favorite versions of Rudolph is by Dean Martin. I posted this last year, but here it is again.

Dean Martin - Rudolph

I'm Not There - The Soundtrack

2007-12-01T17:10:00.000-06:00

I raved about the film earlier this week, so how's the soundtrack, you ask? Well, I've listened to both discs about 10 times, and overall it is enjoyable. Dylan is one of the most covered songwriters of all time, so the bar is raised. Two discs, with an interesting combination of veteran performers and some of the newest indy-alternative artists around. The result? Most of it is very good, with the standout performances mixed between the old and the new. A good cover respects the original but succeeds in conveying the cover artist's style in the song. There's nothing interesting in mimicking the original. However, a cover that totally obliterates the original seems like a cop-out. On I'm Not There, there's some of the former, and very little of the latter, which overall is a good thing.

The best part of the collection is that many of the songs are Dylan's lesser known material. This may be due to Todd Hayne's influence in the musical backdrop for his complex film, or the individuality of the artists, but it works. There's no Like A Rolling Stone or Blowing In The Wind here, but instead Dark Eyes and Goin' To Acapulco, to name two examples.

The mother of all Dylan Covers is All Along the Watchtower by Hendrix. How do these compare? Here's the summary, with my one blurb review. This review is for the non-Dylan fanatics. If you're not planning on buying the 2-CD set, buy the tracks in green. You won't be disappointed.

Disc 1
All Along the Watchtower - Eddie Vedder and The Million Dollar Bashers (MDB) (the soundtrack's 'house band'.) Nothing new here. Not the best way to start the CD.
I'm Not There - Sonic Youth. Fantastic. Thurston Moore nails this beloved 'lost track' from the Basement Tapes.
Goin' To Acapulco - Jim James and Calexico. James vocal breathes new life into this overlooked track from the Basement Tapes. A haunting scene from the film too.
Tombstone Blues - Richie Havens. Not exactly revolutionary, but it's hard not to like Havens style.

Ballad of A Thin Man - Stephen Malkmus and MDB. Malkmus and the band deliver almost a copy of the 1965-66 sound, but despite the unoriginality, it really works. Malkmus seems to be relishing every nuance in the song.
Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again - Cat Power. Uninspired. I didn't like the Dead's version either. Maybe only Bob can deliver this one.
Pressing On - John Doe. A killer version of a song from Bob's overlooked Christian period.
Fourth Time Around - Yo La Tengo. This one kind of lulled me to sleep.
Dark Eyes - Iron & Wine & Calexico. Has a nice percussive quality. An interesting cover.
Highway 61 Revisited - Karen O and the MDB. A pointless cover. Maybe ok if you're a bar band, but otherwise....
One More Cup of Coffee - Roger McGuinn and Calexico. Adequate. The mariachi horns of Calexico add a nice feeling, but it's not essential.
The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll - Mason Jennings. A faithful, folk style rendering of the original, but not essential.
Billy 1 - Los Lobos. A great job from a great band. I wish they would have done another one on this collection. I never listen the Pat Garrett soundtrack Dylan did, so this feels fresh.
Simple Twist of Fate - Jeff Tweedy. Tweedy uses the lyrics from the New York demo version, but it's not enough. I didn't like the way Jeff sang this one. Disappointing for me.
Man In The Long Black Coat - Mark Lanegan. Very similar to Bob's own version. Good, but not essential.
Senor (Tales of Yankee Power) - Willie Nelson & Calexico. Sounds like Willie phoned this in. Of course, I'm not a big fan.

Disc 2
As I Went Out One Morning - Mira Billotte. A pleasant rendition from this folk artist, but she doesn't really bring much of her own style.
Can't Leave Her Behind - Stephen Malkmus and Lee Ranaldo. More Malkmus! He never sounded this good in Pavement.
Ring Them Bells - Sufjan Stevens. Hmmmmmm. This version is totally different from the original, but I'm not big fan of Stevens musical style. Probably the most radically different of the entire collection, so for that I'll say yes.
Just Like A Woman - Charlotte Gainsbourg & Calexico. A predictable version of this song by a female lead vocalist. You don't need this one.
Mama. You've Been On My Mind - Jack Johnson. Jackson throws in part of Dylan's speech 'Last Thoughts On Woody Guthrie,' but Johnson's barefoot, carefree style doesn't suit this song.
I Wanna Be Your Lover - Yo La Tengo. The band sounds like the Sir Douglas Quintet, which suits the Stones parody of this song completely.
You Ain't Goin' Nowhere - Glen Hansard. I love this song, and the performance is rollicking, but it's probably not essential.

Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window? - The Hold Steady. Described as blend of the Replacements and 1973 era Bruce (who was trying hard to be Dylan), this one of my favorites. Perfect song choice.

Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues - Ramblin' Jack Elliott. A folk version with a little bluegrass, and it's hard not to be charmed. Elliott, who's 76, was a huge influence on young Bob, and it's great to hear things come full circle.
The Wicked Messenger - The Black Keys. Oh Yeah! A blistering blues version. A lot of artists maybe be intimidated by a Dylan song and afraid to depart from the original. The Black Keys obviously are unafraid.
Cold Irons Bound - Tom Verlaine and the MDB. A tortured Verlaine goes on for 7 minutes. I liked it, but it's tough to recommend it to a non-fanatic.
The Times They Are A-Changin' - Mason Jennings. Again, a copy of Bob's original version.
Maggie's Farm - Stephen Malkmus and the MDB. Like Ballad a Thin Man, this is a 1965 era facsimile, but what the hell, Malkmus is so into it that's it's fun.
When The Ship Comes In - Marcus Carl Franklin. Franklin is the 11 year old African-American boy who plays a version of Bob in the film. Amazing.
Moonshiner - Bob Forrest. A traditional song rearranged by Dylan, so it's not really a cover. Good song, though.
I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine - John Doe. Also fantastic. It has a gospel feeling, and Doe's vocal performance is jaw-dropping.
Knockin' On Heaven's Door - Antony and the Johnsons. An aching version of this song from a relatively unknown NY band. I need to check this band out.
I'm Not There - Bob Dylan and the Band. Finally, an official release of this fanatic favorite. A legendary outtake from the Basement Tapes sessions, you've got to own this one.

Whew. That's a lot to digest. Go see the movie, and buy at least some of this wonderful soundtrack. For more the best source on the bottomless sea of Dylan covers, go here.

I'm Not There - The Movie

2007-11-27T21:15:00.000-06:00

With the release of the new Dylan biopic I'm Not There and the accompanying soundtrack, I've once again immersed myself in Bob's universe. I'm usually there most of the time anyway, but every so often events like this film/soundtrack remind me how vast Bob's universe really is. I'm not a film critic, and I'm quite sure I'm not equipped to provide an impartial review, but Todd Hayne's new film is a dream come true for Dylan fans, so chock full of detail that my head was spinning. I actually wanted to watch the film again, that same night.

Haynes does the right thing by approaching this film in a challenging and experimental way. A Hollywood biopic in the style of Ray or Walk The Line would be predictable, a little boring, and would not even begin to explain the complexities of Dylan. In choosing to portray Dylan with six different actors, none of which actually are Bob, Haynes blends the correct proportions of symbolism and fact. As a result, we get a wonderfully complex story of six lives that are woven together to tell Bob's story, or parts of it anyway. Significant points in Dylan's history are inserted into the fictional accounts, such as Bob's visit to Woody Guthrie's deathbed or his rural appearances during the Civil Rights Movement. Cate Blanchett's turn as Jude Quinn represents Dylan during the frantic 1965-66 period in England, and is the most literal representation. Her performance is phenomenal. We also get Heath Ledger playing a actor who reminds us of Bob in the early 70s, living in California, marriage on the rocks. Ledger's character played Jack Rollins (Dylan circa 1963, played in the film by Christian Bale) in a film within the film. It's like a kaleidoscope, endlessly spinning, but still giving us a constant focal point. For an artist as complex as Dylan, the film fits like a glove.

Oh and the details! Haynes is obviously a Dylan fanatic as he has peppered the film with obsessive detail, such as sporadically inserting a line of song lyrics into the dialogue, or naming songs of the fictitious Dylans with actual working titles of Bob's own songs. The Cate Blanchett scenes pay homage to Dont Look Back, as the hotel room, limousine and the cinematography are nearly recreated. I could go on and on. The film is currently playing in limited release in smaller theaters, and won't be released to widespread commercial theaters until next Spring. In this limited distribution the film is definitely playing to a captive audience; I sensed that everyone in the theatre was a Dylan fan. It will be interesting to see how the film will be received by a larger audience. Someone with little Dylan knowledge might be completely befuddled. For Dylan fans though, it feels like Christmas came early this year.

Musicology 101 - Just Like A Woman

2007-11-22T14:33:00.000-06:00

I’ve had this post on my mind for quite some time, and the holiday gives me a little time to put it together. This year I started a series of posts called Musicology 101, which focuses on one particular song. Due to circumstances beyond my control, the series has only amounted to two songs to date. I chose Dylan’s Just Like A Woman today because he claimed to have written this on Thanksgiving. From the liner notes in Biograph:

“I think I was on the road… I think I wrote it in Kansas City or something… yeah I’m pretty sure I did. I was invited over to somebody’s house for Thanksgiving dinner but I didn’t go, didn’t feel like doing anything, I wasn’t hungry. I stayed in my hotel room and wrote this.”

No one but Bob knows if this is true. Dylan is known for his grand fabrications in interviews, and many accounts of the Blonde on Blonde Sessions have him working on songs in a Nashville hotel and recording on the fly into the wee hours of the morning. But that’s irrelevant. What’s important is that Just Like A Woman is one of Dylan’s most enduring songs, on perhaps his greatest album. Widely regarded as a sexist and anti-feminist taunt, the song was criticized by many when released in 1966. The critics seemed to interpret the song as an indictment of women’s inherent weakness. Even 5 years later, Marion Meade in the New York Times stated "that there is more complete catalog of sexist slurs." where Dylan defines women's natural traits as greed, hypocrisy, whining and hysteria." That's a bit heavy. There’s no doubt that Dylan is remarking on the childlike emotions of a certain woman, commonly thought to be Warhol groupie Edie Sedgwick, but I don’t hear any intent that it’s directed at women in general. [Leopard Skin Pill-Box Hat is also thought to be about Edie, who may have also inspired the album title. Ironically, Bob played both songs last time I saw him]. On the original recording, the lilting arrangement has a nursery rhyme quality, as Dylan seems to mock the immature girl that lurks below the surface of the woman:

Nobody feels any pain
Tonight as I stand inside the rain
Ev'rybody knows
That Baby's got new clothes
But lately I see her ribbons and her bows
Have fallen from her curls.

Ironically, it could be these very qualities of childlike innocence and vulnerability that attracted him to her in the first place. In the end, he speaks of his own vulnerability:

It was raining from the first
And I was dying there of thirst
So I came in here

then later...

I just can't fit
Yes, I believe it's time for us to quit
When we meet again, introduced as friends
Please don't let on that you knew me when
I was hungry and it was your world.

In later years, the live performances of this song take on quite a different tone, as Dylan reflects on this failed relationship with a critical eye on his own failings as well as hers. Check out his solo performance from 1974, one of my favorites, from Before the Flood:

Interpreting Bob Dylan’s music is a daunting task. There are hundreds of books on the subject, and not much help from the author. When asked about the song in a 1992 interview, Dylan responded, “That’s a hard song to pin down. It’s another one of those that you can sing a thousand times and still ask what it is about, but you know there is a real feeling there.” Like all great poetry, it can mean different things with each reading, and this, my friends is why his music will endure for centuries. Happy Thanksgiving.

Just Like A Woman
Recorded March 8, 1966
Columbia Recording Studios, Nashville, Tennessee

Released as a single in September, 1966.
Bob Dylan, lead vocal, guitar and harmonica
There's some confusion over who played what on these sessions, which included:
Robbie Robertson, Al Kooper, Ken Buttrey, Rick Danko, Charlie McCoy, Wayne Moss, Jerry Kennedy, Bill Aikins, Henry Strzeleci, Joe South, Garth Hudson, Joe South and Paul Griffin, among others. [Little known fact: sweeping the studio floors was a young janitor named Kris Kristofferson].

more on Blonde on Blonde
the final word on Blonde on Blonde, and some damn good writing

Amazing Journey - Discs 2 and 3

2007-11-20T21:42:00.000-06:00

Picking up where I left off, here are my thoughts on the 2nd and 3rd discs in the new Amazing Journey: The Story of the Who DVD box set. Disc 2 is a feast for Who fans. Split into 6 parts, the first 4 segments are in depth studies of the band members musical prowess, spliced with historic footage and interviews. Among lots of interesting revelations, you've got the Edge explaining Pete's flamenco guitar style, and session drummer Rob Ladd trying to breakdown Keith's unorthodox drumming. Cut to Keith literally leaping out his seat while playing, from the Live at Leeds footage. It may be more information than the casual music fan will care about, but for a Who fan, particularly anyone with an interest in the band members extraordinary talents, it is spectacular. Best of all, we get more rare and previously unseen video. I've read dozens of articles and books on the Who, and I still learned quite a bit from these segments.

Part 5 focuses on the art school origins of Pete and its influence on the visual aspects of the band, including the mod symbology and guitar smashing. Again, this is important stuff that has been previously unexplored in a documentary format. It's fun to see the original early 60's Coke commercial that the Who did the music for. Part 6 takes us to the sessions for Real Good Looking Boy, and is somewhat reminiscent of the footage from the Kids Are Alright when the band is working on Who Are You. As a finale, the disc includes the earliest known video of the band, taken at the Railway Hotel in 1964 as the High Numbers. Primal, that's all I can say. Oh, there's also a Scrapbook section with other anecdotes, but it's worthless.

Disc 1 and 2 comprise the basic package, and overall I would probably recommend this DVD set over The Kids Are Alright to someone that wants a good overview of the band. As I said in my previous post, The Kids is a really entertaining film, but it doesn't offer the insight of Amazing Journey. Disc 3 is a bonus, and is currently available in a limited edition package at Best Buy. Containing about 90 minutes of footage from the December 11, 1979 performance at the International Amphitheater in Chicago, this is particularly thrilling for me, as I was at that show. Ticket demand for this tour was huge, and in Chicago, fans without tickets were able to watch the show on a live simulcast at outlying theaters. Hence, a pretty decent video of the show exists, and this version is improved in both audio and visual quality.

I'm not complaining though. I paid $25 at Best Buy for the 3-disc set, so this bonus disc was practically free. And, I get to relive my first Who show. Rock concerts are of the moment; even the best ones leave only fleeting memories. I remember a lot from this show that was nearly 30 years ago, and this video helps me fill in the blanks. Coming only 6 days after the tragedy in Cincinnati, it's miracle our parents let us go. The Amphitheater was in a rough neighborhood, and none of us could drive. We got a ride down by a friend's older brother, and chipped in for a long cab ride home. From our seats we couldn't really discern the facial expressions of the band. The video reveals that Pete was quite clearly drunk, with the toussled hair and glassy eyes of his 'cognac period.' The band was asked to acknowledge the fans out in the movie theaters, and there's a funny bit where Pete says through his shifty eyes and sideways grin " We would like to say hello to (reading from a cue card)......the people in...Gateway and Nortown. Both of those places are my hometown. We were born there." These were our heroes, in the flesh.

Musically the band is in fine form, despite a new drummer who was certainly no substitute for Moon, and retrospect, the wrong guy for the job. It's an unbelievable set list, including Young Man Blues and lots from Quadrophenia. I remember the surprise of hearing The Punk Meets The Godfather at this show and it is a great moment in the video. We expected to hear Love Reign O'er Me and 5:15, but not this one. When I think of that show I always go right to that song. Quadrophenia was only 6 years old in 1979, and seeing them perform it that night feels like my slim link to the Who's past.

But I'm rambling. The bottom line is that the limited edition set is worth the extra money if you are a Who fan, but maybe not so much for the casual observer or those of you who are just curious.

Amazing Journey - Disc 1

2007-11-15T21:08:00.000-06:00

For my next trick, I will provide a un-biased review of the recently released DVD Amazing Journey: The Story of the Who. Many of you know that I'm a huge Who fan. The Kids Are Alright, released in 1979, had a profound effect on me, and up until now has been the only definitive documentary on the band. The Kids was a labor of love by a true fan, Jeff Stein, who pulled together video footage and interviews into a racous story. We were led to believe that Stein had unearthed all of the decent footage of the band, and the long awaited DVD reissue a few years ago added almost no new material.

Along comes Murray Lerner, who scoured the Earth to find more, including the earliest known footage of the band from 1964 and actual video from the beloved Leeds show in 1970. The film was destined for a theatrical release this fall, but apparently the decision was made to go the 'direct-to-video' route. It's a two disc package, with a limited edition third bonus disc of the December 1979 performance in Chicago. More on that later. Here are my thoughts on Disc 1:

In many ways, this film does a better job of explaining the birth and evolution of the band than The Kids. Wheareas Kids contains more musical performances (and complete songs in some cases), Amazing Journey is a true documentary, done in chronological format with more inteviews and historical context. Beginning with wartime London and childhood experiences, the film does a great job of explaining the early years, how the boys met, and the transformation from dance hall band to singles band to international rock stars. It is a little frustrating that the live footage is cut so short, but overall it's a much more informative story. The film spends a lot of time on the 1964-1969 period (through Tommy), but I was disappointed in the brief, glossed over coverage of Who's Next and Quadrophenia, the band's best work, and arguably the best rock albums of the 1970s.

The band members, family and close confidants are interviewed separately, and their comments are woven throughout the story. Pete's comments are characteristically flippant at times, but insightful. John's brief bits are obviously older, don't shed much light and are a little depressing, as it is clear that he was in failing health at the time. It's Roger's interview that cements the entire film together. You really learn it all from his interview bits. If the DVD had a feature to watch his interview in it's entirety, it would be riveting. It is clear that the Who was, and is, everything for Roger, and he candidly recalls the high points and low points with complete honesty. It's heartbreaking when he talks about being kicked out of the band, or when he discusses his inability to approach Pete during the increasingly difficult periods of writing new material. As the film progresses, the complex friendship between Pete and Roger, always a source of wonder, is slowly revealed.

Overall, Amazing Journey is a must for all Who fans, and will satisfy anyone curious about the history of this great band. The Kids are Alright is great entertainment. Amazing Journey is enlightenment. I'll review Disc 2 in the next post.

I'm The Face - The High Numbers (The Who, 1964)