Synopsis is on ice....

Yes, sadly due to Jay's lack of DYN blogger use we have frozen the Synopsis until further notice.

In lieu of the synopsis I offer a video from our last meeting;

http://flappydays.blogspot.com/2009/05/no-words.html

And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Genesis Haters

Since I am relatively new to the group, I haven't been through a session where something (or someone) gets brutally savaged for a pick. Having said that, I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Hopkins' and Mr. Mongello's take on Genesis. And while I thought we were all relatively kind to Scarlet Johannsson (perhaps because of her other fine attributes), I look forward to a time when most of us REALLY don't like a pick. Now for my quite temporate reviews...

The Thermals – Now We Can See

There’s a lot to like in this CD. First, this is a band that has learned to bring melody into their punk attitude. It makes for the kind of music I like listen to most – energetic guitars, bass and drums with volume, power and hooks. Now usually, I’m not much of a lyric guy when it comes to punk/pop, but I appreciate the effort on CD delving into the questions of how we’ll see and be seen when we’re dead and gone. The title track is great, so is the ballad “At the Bottom of the Sea”. “When We Were Alive” and “Liquid In, Liquid Out” were among my other favorites. I haven’t listened to this band before, but now I’ll go back and get “The Body, The Blood and The Machine.” 3.5 stars.

Green Day – 21st Century Braeakdown

A great contrast to the Thermals…but I wasn’t as impressed with this effort. Now that may be because I remember how vital this band was when “Dookie” and “Nimrod” came out. This is just a slicked-up version of what they always were able to do and “Know Your Enemy” is a pretty boring song compared to “Basket Case”. All the edges have been smoothed out, and while this makes for OK power pop, it’s not something I will need to repeatedly listen to. This album, and Green Day as a group, reminds me of an uncle that was a very cool guy when he was 25 and you were 15, but now you’re both older 10 years older and he’s just another guy.
3 stars.

And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead – So Divided

A very appropriate name for this album, since I am not only divided, but conflicted in my thoughts about it It has things about it that I detest in any CD…a senseless intro track, an even more senseless “Segue” and the type of production that adds sounds that, when listening in a car, make you double check whether you have a blown speaker or a mechanical problem. That said, it also has a really good mix of song styles, some excellent rock guitar, a great melodic rock song or three (“Stand in Silence”, “Eight Day Hell” and “Wasted State of Mind”), was good enough to listen to repeatedly and will encourage me to get their new CD, The Century of Self. 3 stars.

Van Halen - Women and Children First

As a rock fan, it’s hard not to like this, or any of the original line-up Van Halen records. The first two tracks were burned into my memory from years of rock radio, yet they were still fun to listen to when I put this CD in the player. The only negative on this album is the stupid and anachronistic sounding “Lost Control”. Otherwise, it’s a very good rock/metal CD that, had I never heard it before, would likely still be positively predisposed towards, and that says a lot since I was not a “VH” lover in the day. 4 stars.


Genesis – Greatest Hits
In reading from the Book of Genesis...and God said, “Let there be pretentious orchestral drivel that will resonate from the speakers…” And there was. It was Genesis. But seriously, other than Firth of Fifth, Keep It Dark and Follow You, Follow Me, I was both unfamiliar and unimpressed with this. I’m sure that if you like the band and the musical style, it’s fine, but it was all I could do to keep from going to the next track after 2 minutes or so of the track I had playing. Oh well, I guess it’s an acquired taste…like caviar or goose liver pate. Not for me.

Questions:

The Five Greatest Songs that didn’t get airplay.

Well…there is “didn’t get airplay” and didn’t get the airplay it deserved, meaning that it was out there a little, but I thought it was much better than the short-shrift it got. Both are included here. Here are my Five:

Back In The USA (Live) – Edgar Winter’s Roadwork. With Rick Derringer as a 19 year old shredder and some of the best horns to ever grace a live rock record.

Parchman Farm – Cactus. A ripping, energetic blues/rock masterpiece that never saw the light of day.

They Don’t Know – Tracey Ullman. I guess nobody took her seriously as a recording artist. This was a well produced, pop masterpiece that was ‘out there’ for only two weeks and then, gone.

Orbit – Thundermug. One of the great Who inspired pop/rock singles of the early 70’s that I found through a former bass player who had an unmarked acetate and didn’t know what it was. It was that good that we had to search it out. We found Thundermug.

Mad Ruth and the Babe – Danny O’Keefe. The only thing you’ve probably heard of his is “Good Time Charley’s Got The Blues”. This is the best song from an album called “Breezy Stories” which is great from beginning to end.

One Line Lyrics:

“All men wanna be rich, rich men wanna be king and a king ain’t satisfied until he rules everything.” – Bruce Springsteen (Badlands)

“They hurt you at home and they hit you at school. They hate you if you’re clever and they despise a fool”. – John Lennon (Working Class Hero)

“You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you can get what you need. – Rolling Stones (YCAGWYW)

Reminder DYN Crew

Next meeting has been changed to July 14th to accommodate Mr. Tolz and dis Mr. Lawless.

Synopsis is waiting upon elder Schultz to post his reviews.

All files have been update.

Because of the rain my feet are now wads of moss.

New- D'Arcy/Jay
Old- Ken (has sent to all)/Sandy
host- Alan

Ken's Quite Late Review Post

Van Halen- Women and Children First

Pushing 30 years later this disc still rocks and entertains. Their winking bravado made being a pig fun and en vogue and few bands could follow the party banger “Take Your Whiskey Home” with the vaudevillian “Could This Be Magic” and make it work. There is only one VH and it is with David Lee Roth. (4) ps. I still see dancing hamburgers during “Everybody Wants Some”….

Thermals- Now We Can See

Pretty much a follow-up to The Body, The Blood, The Machine and at first was a letdown. Lucky for me, I kept listening and lo and behold it proved to be another kick ass, intense Thermals release. Still primarily a boom-boom-boom in your face band, they actually slowed it down a few times, most notably on “Liquid In, Liquid Out”. Get past the abrasive guitars they have a lot to say. I know this isn’t for everyone, but it is for me. (4)

And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead- So Divided

If Robert Smith and Britt Daniel created a symphonic rock album- this would be it. This is prog-rock that doesn’t need to go on for 8 minutes to get their ideas out. It’s complex in a teaser way. Quite interesting and quite engaging. (4)

Green Day- 21^st Century Breakdown

American Idiot all over again. There is little that is overly compelling less a couple of good rock songs. Not to say this is garbage but I expected more. If they insisted on doing another concept album why did it have to be with the same sentiment and basically the same ideology. Oh, I know why- “automatic ka-ching”. IMHO Foxboro Hot Tubs was a better concept album that this. (3)

Genesis- Best Of

I will bandy together with Greg here- I like early genesis up to Three Sides Live then it all goes to Hell. So this mix was a fine selection to moi, except; “Man on the Corner” and “Paperlate” are omissions that were worthy and some listed never actually made the disc. The goofy song list originally provided was find by me as I used it as a quiz to see if I could remember the songs. Greg- I’m sure you’re going to take a beating for this but I got your back.

Topic;

1. What are you choice for the five greatest songs that didn’t get airplay (that you know of)?

This is hard. Does this count college stations, late night odd ball shows, Satellite and internet radio, NPR? Commercial country or, just commercial radio? If it’s the latter I don’t listen to it unless my daughters are in the car and force me to (better to oblige than to be squawked at incessantly) and then it is only one of 3 stations- sorry guys they don’t listen to CCC. I will make assumptions that this is like where the B side is better than the A side. Unless, we are talking about those artists who don’t release singles or about the AOR stations of old. Aw hell, this is the best I can do…. There is so many

· Any original recording of Robert Johnson

· The Drive By Trucker catalog

· “Beautiful Beat” Nada Surf

· “Give Me Back My Dog” Slobberbone

· “Purr” Sonic Youth

2. Name three one line lyrics that you think are brilliant.

· I put my lips to her face, trying to brush his kiss out of its place

· I see the light at the end of the tunnel, Someone please tell me it’s not a train

· Look me in the eyes and tell me if I’m satisfied

· I wish that just one time you could stand inside my shoes, and see what a drag

Oh the delays, oh the delays

Van Halen
There was something special when Van Halen was on. They created a wall of sound that still managed to keep it catchy for the masses. Here they prove that with the monstrous 1-2 punch opening of Everybody Wants…, and Cradle. After that the cd does tend to dip a bit. Again this dip is only because of other songs in the catalog. Taken alone they still have that catchy full chorus but something seems missing. The songs just seem not to stand up to the opening. They recover with Whiskey, and Magic. But remember this is nit picking. You still have great godlike guitar work, excellent bass and a solid drum. Dave leads the way being the ringleader he was meant to be. 3.0

Green Day
First this is a great record. Green Day just proves once again that they are something special. Songs that are epic in proportion that actually have something to say also. That they can write a riff, and a chorus this late in their career that others wish they could even imagine is amazing. Plus can these guys please get some respect on just how great guys are as musicians. A band not as talented as these guys would crumble under what they are trying to say. My only fault is that at a time the sound is a bit too clean, missing is some of that rough edges from earlier discs. Still the riffs are great, the chorus’s catchy and the songs have meaning. 4.0

And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead
Ginger from the Wildhearts is writing a column about great unsung cd’s. This was the first that I had not listened to. He ended the blog by saying that if you by this cd and don’t like it he will buy it back because its that great. What I remembered about these guys was that they were a noise/feedback band notorious for destroying their instruments at the end of the shows. Boy have they grown over the years. Just a great piece of musician ship. Epic in proportions, noisy at times, but still they stay focused on the piece at times. A strong sense of melody and harmony with both singers and the musicians involved. This was truly a great find and no, Ginger will not need to buy it back. 4.0
(Their new cd is even better)

Thermals
Nice cd with girl guy lead vocals. Reminds me of Helicopter Helicopter with his voice similar to the guy from Uncle Green. Not as good as some of their earlier work. They sound a bit too safe. Starts off with a nice opener but the rest of the disc sounds too much like they were trying to right 10 more just like it and stay away from taking any major chances. 2.5

Genesis
Had a friend growing up who was a Genesis fanatic and his quote to me was always Genesis died with the Then there was Three record. Not sure what Greg was trying to accomplish here but if he was looking to give a representation of unheard songs why so many from this record. And with the extensive catalog that they have available, why three from any record. Thank god for squonk to break up the sameness of all these songs. I think there is a better mix out there either from before Duke, After Duke or the whole catalog.

Song Lines.
When in doubt I whip it out got me a rock and roll band…Ted Nugent Free for all

Libraries gave us power then work came and set us free…Manic Street Preachers Design for Life

She’s a headfuck, my baby is a headfuck…The Wildhearts

I won’t ask you for you to beg me because I know you will…The Call I don’t wanna

How do you think it feels to always make love by proxy…Lou Reed How do you think it feels?


Songs

Red Hill Mining Town U2
Little Baby Nothing Manic Street Preachers
Vanilla Radio Wildhearts (or any song by the wildhearts actually)It’s Late Queen

It's (almost) All Good

…And You Will Know Us – Based on the name of this band, song titles and song lengths (I always check those when it’s a D’Arcy disc), I feared a disc of Goth crap or death metal. Instead, it was a rather well done, melodic hard rock album. The guitar work throughout is excellent, and they back it up with some solid songs. “Eight Day Hell” is damn near Beatles-esque. Could have trimmed a little fat off the longer tracks, but all in all this is solid. 3.5 stars

Van Halen – I hate heavy metal; yet have a soft spot for Van Halen. It could be Eddie’s ridiculous virtuosity, or the tremendous rhythm section and soaring background vocals. It could be the pop sensibility the band was never shy about displaying. But its not. The truth is unlike the rest of the genre they’re fun, and this album is a perfect example. The spoken word bit in “Everybody Wants Some”, “Have you seen junior’s grades”, a sea shanty for the pseudo title track; it still puts a smile on my face. Roth was the musical equivalent of the drunken uncle at the wedding, laughing too long and too loud at his own jokes, and you can’t help but love him. The worse album with Roth (“Diver Down”) blows away the best album with Hagar (“5150”). 4 stars

Green Day – “American Idiot” blew me out of the water partly because I had long ago written the band off as 2nd rate Ramones. That disc and the Foxboro Hot Tubs raised my expectations, and unfortunately, this record falls short. Ultimately, my frustration can be viewed entirely through the track “Viva La Gloria”. It starts completely out of character, a ballad with some strings that really sounds different, then mid-song they fall back into formula, 4/4 three-chord rock. That said, lots of energy and there are some good songs. It’s just too repetitive and long. 3 stars

Thermals – For purposes of this month, I call it “Genesis: the Enema”. Great guitars, good vocals, clever lyrics, catchy melodies. No massive overdubs, flutes, synthesizers, or misguided horns. ‘Nuff said. 4 stars

Genesis – A band I despise in theory and in execution. Grandiose, bloated, pretentious and dull, they’re everything rock music shouldn’t be. I’ll concede that not everything they did was awful; but it doesn’t smell every time I take a dump, either. Sadly, the non-smelly turds in their catalog aren’t anywhere on this disc, except for “Behind the Lines”. The rest made my Squonk itch. How any Genesis “best-of” excludes “The Lamb…” and “Home by the Sea” befuddles me.

5 songs that never got airplay

Far too many to list, but these are the first 5 that came to mind

Mississippi – Bob Dylan (best song of the last 20 years, period)
New Madrid – Uncle Tupelo
However Much I Booze – The Who
Impossible Germany - Wilco
Labeled With Love - Squeeze

Great Lines

Again, far too many to choose from…

“Rock and roll means well, but it can’t help telling young boys lies” – “Marry Me”, Mike Cooley- Drive By Truckers
“These days the only bars I ever see have got lettuce and tomatoes” – “Stolen Moments”, John Hiatt
“Every cheap hood strikes a bargain with the world and ends up making payments on a sofa or a girl” – “Death or Glory”, Joe Strummer

The Mong Shines

The Mong Shines

4 stars all the way for Mike M, a first for the man. But the highlight of the meeting and for the guy on the other end of the country was his dead on review of my Genesis greatest non-hits for the month. Brilliant!!! I find Mike sexier every day. That being said, the meeting was otherwise pretty uneventful. I had a stretch of horrible weeks at work so my lameness was apparent in my reviews. I will say that D’Arcy is convinced that I will, however, love ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, so even though I never received it I will hold judgment until I give it a proper review. I actually had more trouble with my own questions than I thought, but I hope everyone else had a good time with them, some of the responses were pretty good. Surprise of the month, Green Day’s long anticipated follow up just didn’t have the umph that everyone expected. Anyway, I’ll continue my lameness and wrap up my thoughts. Next month’s meeting has been rescheduled for Alan to July 14^th. I will be in California for a change, but I hope that y’all have fun and I’ll catch you in August.

Van Halen – Women and Children First – 4.5

Classic. This album can stand up next to any rock album out there. This really is a greatest hits cd on its own. I think that this cd has some of the best guitar riff that Van Halen has done.

The Thermals – Now we can See - 2

Ken might kill me for saying this, but am I wrong in thinking that this sounds a little Dylansesque? Actually a bit of Dylan meets Nick Lowe and the Fratellis. Not that there’s anything wrong with either, but I like them separate better. All in all nothing really original or exciting enough for me to get a woody over.

Genesis – Non-Greatest hits

I understand that Genesis is not for everybody and what Phil Collins has done solo over the years has probably hurt Genesis more than helped them. But, like them or not, Genesis and especially Peter Gabriel’s Genesis, was cutting edge even with all of the other art bands out at the time. All of the musicians admit that they tried to jam as much into each song as possible to really show off. This collection was full of interesting drum tracks that of course caught my ear as well as some memorable guitar.

Green Day – 1 Century

Greatest cd I haven’t heard this year. ( received this the evening before group, so in all fairness I can’t really give it a solid review)

...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead – So Divided

I’m going to go out on a limb and say that this was the worst cd that I didn’t hear this year. (I will wait to actually hear it, thanks for re-sending it D'Arcy if you have a chance)

Favorite five one line lyrics.

Ride a white mare at the footsteps of dawn trying to a woman that’s never ever ever been born - Zeppelin

J’entends en coeur - Marillion

Five greatest songs that didn’t get airplay (that you know of)

AC/DC - Shake a Leg – Back in Black

Moody Blues – Talking out of Time – Long Distant Voyager

Queen – Innuendo – Innuendo

Every Radiohead song except – Creep

Type O Negative – Love you to Death – October Rust

4 Stars All Around!

The Mong
Music Group Commentary
June 2009

...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead – “So Divided” – 4 Stars
Any band that successfully covers a Guided By Voices song has a shot at ranking high in my book: shoot and score. The best part is, “Gold Heart Mountain Top Queen Directory” is one of the least enjoyable tracks on this consistently groovy CD. Would like to hear more from these lads.

Green Day – “21st Century Breakdown” – 4 Stars
Like the Thermals new one, Green Day’s seems to be an effort to please fans of their “masterpiece,” and thus must endure the comparisons they’re (probably) hoping to avoid. Although “21st Century Breakdown” is essentially the fulfillment of my previously written wish for a pure Rock album by Green Day, it’s hard to get past the underutilization of Butch Vig (who, I suspect, really could have brought that Rock-umph! home if left to his own devices). Still, my unabashed praise is that “21st Century Breakdown” is pretty much the Awesomeness of Awesometown. The songs and hooks grabbed me on first listen, unlike “American Idiot,” but the overall sound is indistinct from that smash hit; hence, the four stars.

The Thermals – “Now We Can See” – 4 Stars
An aggressive and fulfilling continuation of the amazing, “The Body, The Blood, The Machine.” Apparently the answer is de-evolution on this one, another great theme album with songs that stand alone outside of the context of the whole. Only falls short in comparison to its 5-star predecessor.

Van Halen – “Women and Children First” – 4 Stars
Who’d’a knew this would not only stand the test of time but that it would also be a release that could (arguably) be deemed “relevant.” Hey, for better or worse, the influence of the band’s original lineup is unquestionable. So if Guns and Roses were declared the “Saviors of Rock” back in the day, what’s that make Van Halen...the “Cocks of Rock”?

Genesis – [Non] G’Hits
Okay, it took me a few reminders to get that this was Greg’s “Best of Non-Hits” and that’s a cool concept for a hit-heavy band. But Greg’s true genius is revealed in the metaphysical exploration required of ‘The Riddle of the Original Multiple-Choice Song List Followed by the Completely Inaccurate Song List.’ I think I’ve got the answer to this one: See, what Greg’s saying is that the details are unimportant, name designations irrelevant; yet, we perpetually grasp for connections that make sense. This is a clear parallel for humankind’s quest for meaning that further extends to the ultimate question of God’s existence and our place in the universe. Indeed, with the contradictory correlations between the lists and the CD (which is symbolic of entropy) as provided by the CD’s creator (Greg brilliantly using himself as a metaphor for God here), what Greg is asking us to consider is the possibility that faith will not be rewarded, that right thinking and action will not lead to everlasting glory in an afterlife paradise, but that the “Genesis” of our own self-actualizing is at hand. Bravo, Greg! Or maybe what Greg wants me to take away from all this is just that Progressive Rock generally sucks so it doesn’t matter what the tracks are titled. Could be either one. Maybe both?

Prophet Greg’s Topic

Q 1. What are you choice for the five greatest songs that didn’t get airplay (that you know of)?

A 1. Disclaimer: I can’t really commit to any “five greatest songs that didn’t get airplay” … way too many to choose from. I’d have an easier time committing to five songs that did get airplay. With the assumption that the implication is songs that legitimately SHOULD HAVE received commercial radio airplay, here are the first five (in no particular order) from the last ten/fifteen years or so that come to mind with my usual qualifier that I reserve the right to change my mind at any given moment:

1) “Pop Song” by Sleeping In The Aviary
2) “The Brides Have Hit the Glass” by Guided by Voices
3) “Baby Gap” by the Gravel Pit
4) “The Fitted Shirt” by Spoon
5) “For Lenny's Own Pleasure” by Joy Zipper

Q 2. Name three one line lyrics that you think are brilliant (or at least ones that just say it all for you). ex. "Everybody wants some, I want some too" to quote from Mike's selection this month.

A 2.
1)
“We shall survive, let us take ourselves along, where we fight our parents out in the streets to find who’s right and who’s wrong.” – Bernie Taupin (“Bennie and the Jets” by Elton John)
2)
“I shouted out, “Who killed the Kennedys?” when, after all, it was you and me.” – Mick Jaggar (“Sympathy for the Devil” by the Rolling Stones)
3)
“And if the whole world’s singing your songs, and all of your paintings have been hung, just remember, what was yours is everyone’s from now on.” – Jeff Tweedy (“What Light” by Wilco)