Poobah's Done Some Updatin'

Website is updated except for Jay and Sandy's reviews. Schedule has been scientifically reconfigured and now includes a Wild Card (WC).

Next order of biz to pick our dinner night.

Thank you and goodnight.

DIddy Wah Diddy

Music Group 11/30

The High Strung – These Are Good Times

I’m a garage rock guy, and they won me over as soon as the vocals kicked in and sounded to me like Ray Davies in a younger day. I was a little surprised that I hadn’t heard of them or at least seen them on some power pop blogspots along the way. Good songs, good playing and a good feel, though not great…just good. But pretty good. 3 ½ stars.

Arcade Fire – Suburbs

I’m not a big fan of this style of music, and this CD was barely tolerable for me, but I did listen all the way through trying for the life of me to find something I would enjoy. It just wasn’t there…kinda like a movie where you hate all the characters and just want them to die. A movie like “The Grifters”. But I digress…since it did not connect with me emotionally, it had no chance with me. 1 ½ stars.

The Creepshow – They All Fall Down

Thanks, D’Arcy! I’m a sucker for hot chick vocals and I don’t even care that this is the little sister of the original singer (Hellcat), this was a fun listen. I don’t have enough “psychobilly” in my collection, so this is a welcome addition. The songs and feel do get somewhat repetitive along the way, but overall, I enjoyed it a lot and will listen to it again. 3 ½ stars.

Leon Redbone – Double Time

Definitely an acquired taste, though historically, I’ve always found him at least as interesting to listen to as Tom Waits. I remember hearing “Shine on Harvest Moon” on Dr. Demento, so for me, he’s more of a novelty and less of a “serious artist”. I gave this artist points for production and image and uniqueness and managing to be confused with Redbone (Witch Queen of New Orleans) in the early-mid ’70’s. 2 stars.

John Eddie – Happily Never After

Obviously not his best solo work – that would be “Who the Hell is John Eddie”. This is just a warm up for that…kind of MOR, not really rock, blah blah blah…a wasted pick on my part. Tradable for a mid-level prospect and a PTBNL. 2 ½ stars.

The Hives – Greatest Hits

Glad I listened beyond the first four tracks…their style changed dramatically after they learned how to play their instruments. I like their later stuff and had little use for the “pure punk” screaming tracks.

Topic – “A is for Apple…

# - 5 Chinese Brothers
A – Allman Brothers
B –Beatles
C – Costello, Elvis
D – Dylan, Bob
E – Elton John
F – Fountains of Wayne
G – George Harrison
H – Hank Williams
I – Iggy Pop
J – Johnny Cash
K- Kinks
L – Led Zeppelin
M – Matthew Sweet
N – New York Dolls
O – Offspring
P – Pete Townshend
Q – Queen
R – Rolling Stones
S – Simon & Garfunkel
T – Tony Bennett
U – Uncle Tupelo
V – Van Morrison
W – Wilco
X – X
Y – Young, Neil
Z – Zappa, Frank

Lots of toughies…no Bowie (aced out by Beatles and Dylan), no Sinatra, etc…

Reverend Eddie "High Fire" Leon

The Mong
Music Group Commentary
November 2010

John Eddie – “Happily Never After” = 1 Star
A bit too ‘on the nose,’ trying-to-be easy-listening crossover pop. Not sure if it’s because its production is too clean or because it’s all so trite, but “Happily Never After” leaves an aftertaste of Christian Rock meets Hollywood Soundtrack. Yuk!

Arcade Fire – “Suburbs” (New) = 3 Stars
Doesn’t quite live up to the hype of what, to this point, has been a vastly overrated “art school” band but “Suburbs” suggests that Arcade Fire is actually on their way to crafting something great. Looking forward to the next one.

The Creepshow – “They All Fall Down” (New) = 3.5 Stars
As individual tracks this is plucky, high-octane fun but, sadly, as a collection of songs it gets a bit repetitive. Still, each song races by at an agreeable pace so it’s hard to fault this nearly-one-trick-pony for delivering the goods, as advertised. Great vocals and creepy-cool lyrics propel the deceptively slick production to make this one rock harder than most similar efforts. But one question: is it a requirement that every (so called) Psychobilly band have a reverend as a member?

The High Strung – “These Are Good Times” = 4.5 Stars
Wow and wow. Guess I now know who to accurately compare Sleeping in the Aviary to. Another phenomenal band I missed along the way that I never would have heard if not for our fine club. Thank you, boys.

Leon Redbone – “Double Time” = 2 Stars
It’s hard not to find Leon Redbone’s intentionally anachronistic work charming and endearing; nor is there a single fault in the craft or execution. I guess it just comes down to me not really giving enough of a shit to want to listen to it of my own free will.

The Hives – G’Hits
Me, I love ‘em. But underrated or overrated? You tell me.

Topic:
Your favorite ABCs (pseudo-desert island list of entire catalogues). Only one band/artist per letter, your choice of alphabetization.

50 Feet Tall
Archers of Loaf
The Beatles
The Clash
Dinosaur Jr.
Elton John
The Fixx
Guided by Voices
The Hives
Isis
Joybang
The Kinks
John Lennon
Matthew Sweet
Nirvana
Okkervil River
Pavement
Queens of the Stone Age
Rush
Spoon
Trans Am
The Unband
Violent Femmes
Wilco
The Police (Since I had not one legitimate pick in “X,” I’m picking one I had to give up elsewhere.)
Neil Young
The Zombies

Per Jay’s request for lists of runner-ups, etc., the hard choices for me were “B” (Beastie Boys, Big Star, The Black Keys, Built to Spill, Black Sabbath), “G” (Green Day…for me…obviously) and “P”(Robert Pollard, The Poster Children, The Pernice Brothers, the Pixies and my cheat claiming the Police for “X”) and “S” (major contenders being Sonic Youth, Superdrag, Superchunk, and The Snake The Cross The Crown). Most of the rest were no-brainers while some (like “U” and “X”) just had little or none to chose from. And, no, U2 is not the obvious choice. Yes, they’re a great band but that stuff is so beat into the ground for me (even the deep cuts…remember, I went to college in the late-80s/early 90s) that I honestly could care less if I never heard any of it again.

Its a shame people feel the need to cheat or at least learn to spell

Arcade Fire

Well if you want to paint a picture of the suburbs, the best way to do it is take the same thing and repeat over and over again. After a great opening tune, what follows is a continual follow up of sameness. The songs never stand amongst them selves and seem quite safe. I get it the suburbs. 2.0

John Eddie
MOR. 2

High Strung
The month of shared lead vocals continues. This bunch a garage rock songs take the genre and at times add a bit of beatlesesque psychedelic feel to them. Like the songs that lean more to this approach than the others because lead vocals can grate a little. But this is nit-picking for this is a very good guitar based rock album. 3.0

Leon Redbone
Thankfully there was some good guitar noise this week to help with this selection. As a person who played Trombone I have been aware of this music since 5th grade. And honestly I don't really like. So judging this is tough. But after the yodel it got one more song then I was done. The playing was week. His attempts at I am guessing scat-singing sounds like someone the next morning after a bender. 1

The HivesA good collection of Stones meets the Ramones.

The Creepshow
Found these guys by accident but with a description of Bad Religion meets Rev Horten thought they deserved a listen. Glad I did. A fun cd that I guess is being called physcobilly. That horrible misnomer aside, this is 10 great songs that come in around 30 minutes. Great guitar, Hammond organ, slap bass, what more can you ask? The dual lead vocals are great on their own and when they are combined it works even better. And finally a road song that I actually don't want to vomit when I hear it. 3.5

a-aerosmith (acdc); b-beatles; c-the call; d-dramarama; e-echo and the bunnymen; f-the frames; g-ginger; h-hanoi rocks; I-iron maiden; j-judas priest; k-kiss; l-lou reed; m-manic street preachers; n-nazereth; o-ocean colour scene; p-placebo; q-queen; r-replacements; s the snake the crown the cross; t-thin lizzy, u-ufo v-vic chestnut(van halen); w-the wildhearts, x-xtc; y-yngwie malmsteen; z-zebra.

The missing Poobah's Prognosis.... or reviews

Arcade Fire-Suburbs
This will go as the other two Arcade Fire releases for me. First couple listens have appeal. Music is full and lush with the occasional addictive hook. After a few more listens the songs feel long and repetitive and their pretentiousness emerges. Do they fondly reminisce about growing up in the suburbs or loathe them. Or loathe them because they fondly remember growing up in them.... who the hell knows. (2.5)

Leon Redbone-Double Time
Sounds like a novelty and in small doses its ok. A nice smooth ragtime/blues change of pace when it pops up on Zune shuffle. The "Sheik of Araby" sounded like the bathroom scene from Naked Gun and did force me to visit the emergency room as I blew an entire cup of coffee threw my left nostril rupturing it..... Leslie Nielsen R.I.P. (2.0)

Creepshow- They all Fall Down
Lots of high energy, thrashy and angry rat-a-tat in your face rock that while pretty good, got grating by the 5th song, until that nice "Sleep Tight" Natalie Merchant voiced song came on. Another disc that in small bits is fine. Not remarkable but good for right time. (3.0)

High Strung- These Are Good Times
Quirky power pop that wavers between Robin Hitchcock and the Kinks. Each song is unique as if it is a challenge to themselves to keep them all different. This won't be for everyone because of his kiddie, Geddy Lee like voice, but if given the chance you'll find their brilliance.(4.0)

John Eddie- Happily Never After
Pretty staunch MOR adult rock. I either liked the music or the lyrics but rarely both in the same song. Sounded like a neighborhood bar favorite hipster who really wasn't all that hip once he left that bar. (2.0)

Best of the Hives
Love the Hives. What I personally go from this mix was that, in my modest opinion, the keep getting better and I tend to like the newer songs over the earlier songs. They slowed up so you can actually get the song. Excellent mix.

Topic
 While this was actually a fascinating activity it pissed me off royally as I had to leave off many Ken-acclaimed bands. I also used poetic license when it suited my needs.

#	2 Cow Garage	M	Magnetic Fields
A	Aerosmith	N	Nada Surf
B	Beatles	O	Okkervil River
C	Cracker	P	Prince
D	Dylan	Q	Queen
E	Ella Fitzgerald	R	Rolling Stones
F	Frank Black	S	Southern Culture on the Skids
G	Genesis	T	Drive By Truckers
H	Hives	U	Velvet Underground
I	Ian Hunter	V	Stevie Ray Vaughan
J	John Hiatt	W	Who
K	Kinks	X	XTC
L	Luna	Y	Neil Young
		Z	Zappa

Making a list and checking it twice...

Arcade Fire – I bought this in August and pegged it as my most disappointing album of the year. Revisiting it hasn’t changed my opinion. The sense of abandon and musical urgency on “Neon Bible” isn’t here. It’s a very restrained yet somehow still over-emoted, self-important record. The repeated lyrical themes of “the kids” might have connected if the musical themes were better. At the end of the day, “The Suburbs” is remote and uninteresting, which ironically seems to be Butler’s premise in describing the subject matter. 2 stars

Creepshow – Aside from the ridiculous opening, this is a nifty little disc.  Nice combo of rockabilly and punk with excellent vocal work throughout.  At 25 minutes long, it doesn’t wear out its welcome. The tear-jerker “Sleep Tight” was my favorite of the bunch, managing to sound retro and simultaneously fresh.  3.5 stars

John Eddie – An unremarkable disc.  What I find most interesting is that there’s very little here that suggests John Eddie had the capacity to make the brilliant and tragically ignored “Who the Hell is John Eddie?” just a few years later.  Based on this release, he made a quantum leap talent-wise in a pretty short period of time.  2.5 stars

The High Strung – I’d like to think that if these guys met the Arcade Fire somewhere, they’d kick the crap out of them and steal their meal money just on principal.  In your face, snotty garage rock with attitude to spare.   4 stars

Leon Redbone – Pre-Uncle Tupelo “Americana”.  This mix of jazz, blues, country and cabaret is as American as it gets.  Redbone is a unique artist who makes his signature style work by somehow delivering this material with sincerity, yet with a nod and a wink as well.  Not something I’ll reach for all the time, but there’s nothing else quite like it.  3.5 stars

Hives – Love me some garage rock, and this fits the bill.  Just a relentless barrage of power chords delivered with a punk snarl.  Definitely a keeper.

Discussion Question


More than what was asked, but I hate to just look at the positive side of things. Yin needs its Yang...

The Nice List

2 Cow Garage
Allman Brothers
Bob Dylan
Clash
Drive By Truckers
Elton John
Fountains of Wayne
Gaslight Anthem
Hold Steady
Ian Hunter
Johnny Cash
Kinks
Lucinda Williams
Marah
Nick Lowe
Orbison, Roy
Petty, Tom
Queen
Rolling Stones
Springsteen, Bruce
Townshend, Pete
Uncle Tupelo
Velvet Underground
Wilco
XTC
Young, Neil
Zevon, Warren

The Naughty list

.38 Special
Alabama
Boston
Chicago
Doobie Brothers
Eagles
Foreigner
Grand Funk Railroad
Hagar, Sammy
Iron Maiden
Jimmy Buffet
Kansas
Loverboy
Money, Eddie
Nugent, Ted
Ozzy Osbourne
Pink
Queensryche
REO Speedwagon
Styx
Twisted Sister
Urban, Keith
Vai, Steve
Wilson, Brian
X (Exene vocals)
Yes
Zombies

Greg's Absentee Reviews

Leon Redbone – Double Time - 4
This guy just makes me want to move to New Orleans (I haven’t made it to Mississippi yet) and sit on a porch in the 100 degree heat listening to an Philco 42-350 drinking a spiked lemonade. I understand that he’s not for everybody, but he’s a one of a kind, at least as far as I know. I probably would have left off Sheik Of Araby, but otherwise this is a great cd.

The Hives – Best of the Hives
It’s amazing how some of the Hives stuff can be so good, and other songs can royally suck. I’ll give it to them that they are wicked tight and the lyrics are fun. I know what I can play with my wife in the car and what I can’t. This would be what’s referred to as an “oh my god” and the power button would get a disapproving swat off. I don’t let her get away with that too often, but in this case I think that she’d be right. I’m glad that this was a GH and I didn’t have to rate it.

The Creepshow 3.5
These guys are along the same lines as The Hives, but I like them. The drumming is original and the songs were fun.

John Eddie – Happily Never After – 3

Great lyrics. I felt like I was in slow motion while listening to John Eddie, but I could use a slowdown. It was borderline country, but lucky for Eddie, I watched Crazy Heart on DVD this week so I’m a little more tolerant than usual when it comes to country. I had this playing in the background and a few times I forgot that it was on. Overall it was worth the time I listened to it.


Arcade Fire – The Suburbs - 4

Dis be da shit! Way the pick of the month!

The High Strung – These are good times – 2.5

Wow, this could go one way or another depending on my mood. Not the most original disk, a lot of Beatleish sounds and guitar and some Fratellis influence, not bad bands if you want to combine a couple of sounds, but I think that it had enough good songs that I’ll be kind and say that it deserves another couple of listens.



List your A, B, Cs of music, choosing ONLY your favorite band or artist for each letter (and also choose one number or symbol, which starts the run).
311

A AC/DC
B beatles
C concrete blonde
D Dave Matthews
E eagles
F Faith no more
G genesis peter Gabriel
H heart
I iron maiden
J journey
K killers
L led Zeppelin
M marillian
N nationals
O Oh no, I have no O bands that I love
P pink Floyd
Q queens of the stone age
R rush
S scarlet johansson
T tool
U u2
V van
W Tom waits
X x-mall deutschland
Y yeah yeah yeahs
Z zebra