September Notes

Alejandro Escovedo – Bought this one based on the unanimously fawning reviews, and initially thought I got hosed. However, this has been a slow grower over the past couple of months. Good mix of guitar driven rock, restrained and well-placed strings with a dash of twang. Shades of Bruce and Lou Reed throughout. Not earth shattering, but pretty solid. 3.5 stars

Scarlett Johansson – Never got it. Couple of XM channels playing it to death, and what I heard was ok. I give her rack 4 stars.

Del Amitri – Competent, if not particularly exciting Brit-rock. Sound is firmly entrenched in the 80’s, from which this disc had to have come from. Nothing dreadful here, but it does seem to all sound the same after the first couple of tracks. Don’t know that I could distinguish them from about 10 other bands of the same ilk. 2 ½ stars

Velvet Crush – Another great surprise from the DYN group. Never heard of this band, but I really enjoyed it. The production and harmonies reminded me of Matthew Sweet. “Why Not Your Baby” made me hit the repeat button every time, a perfect slice of Americana crossbred with power pop. Would definitely want to hear more. 4 stars

Tom Morello – I don’t care for loud, in your face, non-melodic music. I appreciate the energy, but most of it gives me a headache. Except for “Be Yourself” and “Doesn’t Remind Me”, I found it a chore to get through this disc even once, but that may be more a reflection of my taste than the quality of the music. Tom Morello might be a freaking genius, but I’m sure not the one to render an objective opinion. I’ll pass on judging it and leave it up to you incredibly open minded, embracing all-genre folks to decide. How’s that for responsible, Mongillo?

Discussion Part 1

Fearless Leader’s question wants songs “virtually everybody knows and any band worth their salt can play”. Since there aren’t too many bar bands that are going to play “Wild Thing”, “Crazy” and “It Had to be You”, it sounds to me like he wants songs you’d hear a band play at any wedding or some such function, and my answer is written as such. These are not songs I necessarily like, but using Ken’s terms, would have to be labeled standards.

The Police - Every Breath You Take
Romantics - That’s What I Like About You
Van Halen – Jump
Billy Idol – Dancing With Myself and his version of Mony Mony
Kool & the Gang - Celebration
Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You

Part 2

To me, the problem with the nomenclature “classic” is that it has become interchangeable with the word “old”. This is due to the “classic rock” radio format, in which anything made before 1990 in the rock genre is assumed to be good, and most anything made after 1990 doesn’t exist. A “classic” as defined by radio also has to be well known, and I strongly disagree with that. “Louisiana Rain” is the best track off Petty’s “Damn the Torpedoes” album, and is the one cut that never gets radio play.

I would define a classic as a work of enduring excellence that is timeless; something that is still resonant and sounds fresh regardless of when it was recorded.

In terms of the question, Ken wants it answered is “consensus” songs. I assume that means songs an average rock/pop listener would be at least familiar with if they listened only to “classic” rock stations.

5 often played post 1990 songs I would define as classic:

REM – “Losing My Religion”
Radiohead – “Creep”
Neil Young – “Harvest Moon”
Counting Crows – “Mr. Jones”
Beck – “Loser”

Post 1990 Songs treated like classics but are not

“Smells Like Teen Spirit” – Nirvana (sounds dated)
“Alive” – Pearl Jam (sounds dated)
“Tears in Heaven” – Clapton (it sucks)
“Bittersweet Symphony” – the Verve (dated)
The entire Offspring catalog (sounds dated AND it sucks)