On a Thursday...?

MUSIC COMMENTARY by The Mong

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Cold War Kids – “Dear Miss Loneyhearts” = 4.0
Cold War Kids finally find their stride three albums after their nearly flawless 2006 debut, “Robbers & Cowards.”  That one was a surprisingly inventive channeling of Spoon-meets-White Stripes through a neo-psychedelic filter; this one is much the same thing but this time it’s a shameless pop production polish that propels a set of equally strong tracks.

Off With Their Heads – “Home” = 1.0
Roaring vocals alone does not a punk band make. Lyrically and musically I actually find it hard to believe that this is not an attempt at parody.

OLD

Elton John – “Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy” = 4.5
A four-point-five compared to the phenomenal “Honkey Cheteau,” “Madman across the Water,” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” A solid five against most other music from that era and even today.

Kiss – “Love Gun” = 2.5
Okay, so, I guess the best place to start is to admit that I want to like Kiss more than I actually do. So, grading what is universally recognized as one if their finer efforts remains a balancing act of acknowledging their contribution to hard rock while confessing my apparent lack of taste.

G’HITS

Dusty Springfield – G’hits
A great collection of soul.

TOPIC
…the best books about Rock and Roll you ever read were?...

"Hellfire: The Jerry Lee Lewis Story"
by Nick Tosches
An amazing biography written in narrative prose.

"Gentlemanly Repose: Confessions of a Debauched Rock 'n' Roller"
by Michael Ruffino (of The Unband)
A hilariously self-aware tell-all.

"Guided by Voices' Bee Thousand (33 1/3)"
by Marc Woodworth
An astounding critical analysis of one of the greatest albums of the '90s with everyman recollections and insights as well as interviews with the guilty.

"Revolution in the Head: The Beatles’ Records and the Sixties"
by Ian MacDonald
An astoundingly insightful and exhaustively researched song-by-song sociopolitical and music theory analysis of the Fab Four’s legacy. Worth buying just for the author’s introduction, “Fabled Foursome, Disappearing Decade.” [I added this book after the original post; not sure how I forgot this one since I have been borderline obsessed with it for about two years now.]

October Musings

Cold War Kids – Reminded me of Modest Mouse, a band whose popularity is beyond my comprehension.  There’s absolutely nothing about this album that is above, or for that matter below, mediocre.  Mediocre sound, mediocre songs, mediocre production.  Guess what kind of rating it gets from me?  2 stars

Off With Their Heads – The best stuff on this reminds me of Social Distortion, notably “Shirts”.  Nothing like a little pop sensibility mixed in with a punk attitude.  “Don’t Make Me Go” was a nice change of pace from the incessant 4/4 timing of the rest of the disc.  Would have been nice if they did another one, or a twanger to further shake things up.  That said, they do what they do well despite the obvious limitations of having a vocalist who gargles with razor blades.   3.5 stars

Elton – Sometimes you can see exactly where the wave breaks. Yes, there are a few exceptions to be found on either side of it, but “Captain Fantastic” is the dividing line between great Elton and not-so-much Elton.  Short on “hits”, but long on quality, this song cycle about his writing partnership with Bernie Taupin is indeed fantastic from start to finish.  The band is at the peak of their abilities, deftly moving from rock to ballads to dare I say, Americana.  Not the greatest album he made (“Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”), but certainly his last great album. 4.5 stars

Kiss – Interesting that this would be reviewed with “Captain Fantastic”.  Like “Captain”, this lp is a definite dividing line between the band’s good and not so good stuff.  However while Elton’s is “fantastic”,  “Love Gun” mostly shoots blanks.   Having released 2  good albums the year before, there isnt enough quality material on this record, evidenced by the pointless cover needed just to get to 10 tracks.  Title track is a killer and “Tomorrow and Tonight” is a nice change of pace but  Ace and Peter’s typically standout tracks are nothing special here.  The whole thing feels like they were striking while the iron was hot, regardless of whether they had the songs to back it up.  2.5 stars

Dusty Springfield – As an unabashed lover of girly pop, this was a collection I am glad to have.   Springfield has an incredible voice, and the combination of pop and R&B is irresistible.  I would have put a lot more of “Dusty in Memphis” on here, but strictly as a greatest hits collection, this covers the bases.

Topic –  Think we’ve covered this ground before, but here’s my top 5:

·         “Moon: The Life and Death of a Rock Legend” by Tony Fletcher

·         “Fargo Rock City” by Chuck Klosterman

·         “Chronicles” by Bob Dylan

·         “This Band Could Be Your Life, Scenes From the American Indie Underground” by Michael Azerrad

·         “My Cross to Bear” by Greg Allman

Cher in a Tunnel (Think about that Mike)

Music Group October 2013

Kiss – Love Gun - 3

Kiss was the first band that I got into as a kid.  I suppose that that was before I understood what talent was.  If they didn’t have the makeup and theatrics they never would have made it.  With few exceptions their songs are completely unremarkable.  From a marketing standpoint they hit the mark.  They had the coolest album covers but the music didn’t match the expectations.  I really don’t know which song Gene Simmons felt that it was a good point to spit blood all over the place.  I love Kiss for what they are and this album was one of my favorite growing up.  I guess you guys now know where I developed my taste.

Elton John – Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy – 2

I just can’t do it anymore.  There was a time when I thought that Elton John was brilliant.  I think I've been skewed by the “new” EJ.  With the exception of Someone Saved My Life Tonight, which I’m sure was written close to home I just couldn't get excited about this album.  

Off With Their Heads – Home – 2.5

It’s funny how few people like Andrew W K, but these guys are just like him.  Lots of energy and angst, they must be an Irish band.  I’m pretty sure that I’d fear for my safety at an OWTH concert. 

Cold War Kids – Dear Miss Lonely hearts - 2

I have to appreciate the talent that these guys have, but what’s up with the production?  It sounds like the vocals were recorded in a tunnel.  It’s hard to listen to after a few songs.  The singer also started to sound like Cher after a while.  I couldn't stop visualizing a young Cher touring in front of this band.  Just another My Morning Jacket to me.

Dusty Springfield – GH

So intense and dramatic.  Holy shit, every song had me riding my horse into the sunset after freeing a town from Darth Vader and Satan.  I've never heard anyone use both ends of the piano and not the middle keys.  Beautiful voice and hard to be sad while you listen, it’s hard to stay straight too.  Seems to me I do remember getting a woody as a kid looking at one of her album covers.  I guess I’m safe

What is the best book you've read about music, fiction or non-fiction and what made it stand out?

I've only read Dave Mustane’s book and stopped about half way through.  As much as I love Megadeath, listening to a guy that has entered rehab 17 times and regardless of his success is still obviously hung up on his getting the boot from Metallica got really old and depressing.  The negativity that exuded from this book was overwhelming and I finally had to put it down.    

Cool Band Names

Holly Williams- The Highway: 2.5

My way or The Highway. This is music you need to be in the mood to listen to. Lots of ballads. Songs about the road. Songs about lost love. This is moody, introspective, and kind of depressing music. I've been really happy lately so this stuff kind of bums me out.The cd was just a little too somber for me. I know she is country royalty, but that's still only going to get her a 2.5. It would have been lower if it wasn't for The Railroad. Give me more of that, Hol.

The Sugarplastic- Bang, The Earth is Round: 3.5

If you like XTC, and I do, then you'll like The Sugarplastic. They had me right from the opening number. Quirky, cool lyrics and lots of great hooks and melodies that stay in your head for hours. This is alt/indie stuff that's right up my alley. Great power pop cd.

Refreshments- Let It Rock: 2.5
The question is- would I rather listen to Chuck Berry or this Refreshments cd?  No question these are talented guys and I definitely enjoyed this cd. But they're white guys from Sweeden. Arguably- Chuck Berry refined and developed rhythm and blues into the major elements that defined rock 'n roll and made it distinctive. His guitar riffs and showmanship influenced everyone that followed. So, I guess I'd rather listen to Chuck.

Marillion- Clutching at Straws: 4.0

First and foremost you have to be a fan of prog-rock to enjoy this stuff. Lucky for me!

Look up prog-rock in the dictionary and you'll find a picture of Genesis followed by a picture of Marillion. In fact- I have a hard time believing it's not Peter Gabriel doing the vocals on a lot of these songs. This is a great cd from start to finish- happy ending indeed. If you have to own just

one prog-rock cd... this would be a great choice.

Mother Hips

California cool music if ever I heard it. Songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist Tim Bluhm and guitarist Greg Loiacono are as talented a pair as you'll meet.  Great songwriting;  beautiful harmonies and country-tinged melodies are a winning combo in my book.  Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Topic:

I definitely think the music is the most important thing because there are a lot of successful bands that I think have pretty lame names. Does the Zac Brown Band have any imagination or cleverness associated with it. Not really. Are they popular? Just a little. But then you can also make an argument for a name like The Goo Goo Dolls. Would they be as popular if they stuck with their original name of The Sex  Maggots? I like Goo Goo Dolls. A name they supposedly got out of a magazine called True Detective.  It's the music for sure, but a cool or clever name certainly adds to the whole package.

Some fav band names:

The Snake, The Cross, The Crown.- From the crest off Alfa Romeo cars

Panic! At The Disco- from a Smith's song called panic- it's about a disco fire.

Dr. Dog- orig called Raccoon. Good name change

Hot Tuna;  Foxymorons;  Mofro;  Built To Spill; Portugal, The Man; Telekinesis; Jane's Addiction;

And of course The Mother Hips