Lia Ices Naked!

The Mong / Music Group Commentary / May 2011

Ray Davies – “See My Friends” = 0.5 Stars
So very, very, very, very, very unnecessary. The former genius has sunk to new lows here.

Francis Dunnery – “Tall Blonde Helicopter” = 3 Stars
A strong singer/songwriter outing that has the feel and flow of a “best of,” making it more impressive.

Lia Ices – “Grown Unknown” = 3 Stars
What a voice! And here ability also equals talent. Plus she's hot. Good stuff.

Mumford & Sons – “Sign No More” = 3.5 Stars
As strong as it is, I’ll probably never listen to it again. Easily the best new release in awhile but something is keeping me from getting passionate about it.

Sex Pistols – “Never Mind the Bollocks” = 5 Stars
For its enduring cultural relevance and the fact that it’s probably better listening now that it was then, this is such “5” that it’s silly.

G’Hits – Funkadelic
Funky! Duh.

Topic votes, etc.:

Warren Zevon - No - Great but not enough "important" material to qualify.

Lou Reed - No - I hate him but he is undeniably relevant...with Velvet Underground...not as a solo artist. Same goes for Paul McCartney (with the Beatles but not as a solo artist).

Judas Priest - Yes - One of the all time defining Metal bands.

War - No - See Warren Zevon.

Graham Parsons - No - Just doesn't seem worthy to me.

Nirvana - Yes - Love them or hate them, with a single album, they redefined the music industry for a decade and beyond.

Rush - Yes - To quote (South Park's) Matt Stone: "Even if you hated Rush in the 80s and 70s, now you gotta give it up for them...or else you're just being an old dickhead." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVFgqfJg7FE)

- Guided by Voices - Yes - You can deny Robert Pollard's relevance so I'll present some heavyweight quotes for you "critics" to consider by the real critics whose relevance you've all defended so hard: "Music seems to come pouring out of some people: Mozart, the young Rossini, Paul McCartney, Price and now Robert Pollard." - Jon Pareles/New York Times / "As with Big Star...a tour de force by a good old-fashioned American basement genius." - Michael Azerrad/Rolling Stone / "Songs so undeniably strong that most bands would pump them up into epic show-stoppers are tossed off as if they were stoned doodles." - John Mulvey/NME / "Songwriters who are lucky enough to come up with 10 great melodies in their lifetime must hate Pollard who...does effortlessly what the rest of his brethren pursue to the point of frustration." Michael Corcoran/Rolling Stone / "Beatles via-Alpha Centuri confections. Pure pop!" - Dave Sprague/Interview ... ... That should do it, I guess.