Monthly Archives: December 2014

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Strange

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JoelBill Joel has always been an elusive manifestation to my eclectic-sponge-like ears. That being said, let’s celebrate 1977 and Mr. William Martin Joel’s 5th solo effort, The Stranger.

It’s become overly apparent that Only the Good Die Young, the 2nd track on the 2nd side, garners some east coast Catholic schoolgirl sentimentality. Let’s not overlook the obvious here (the lyrics… I’ll leave that observation, and optional endeavor up to you). I leave this as elusive as I can, as to allow myself the opportunity to touch upon such a subject at yet, an undisclosed time. Do the good die young? If you ask Catholic schoolgirls, the answer is a resounded “YE-AH!”

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Groovy Feelin’

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FeelinOriginally released on 1966’s Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme by the great Paul & Art, Harpers Bizarre, Santa Cruz, CA’s own pop-rock (and Mt. Dew) favorites, staked their claim in the soil of hip-tified-radio-extravaganza with their cover of 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy) from their debut album, 1967’s Feelin’ Groovy. Feelin’ Groovy? No, seriously… feelin’ pretty damn far-out? Hip your lobes to some Harp Biz, my friend.

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The Moog Strikes Bach

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TMSBBack in 1969, Hans Wurman released The Moog Strikes Bach… for RCA Red Seal Records, which is a bit of a strange title considering that ½ of the electronic interpretations derive from the master works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. What the hell… it’s Dr. Robert Moog’s toy, and it’s a gift to all ear-kind, or some type shit. IT’S CLASSICAL MUSIC REINTERPRETED IN 1960’S ELECTRO, PEOPLE! Get on board!

Sincerely,

(starting to get sick and my head is as congested as a Verizon Wireless store in Westwood, CA) Mr. PG

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In Search of the Red Headed Stranger

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Screen Shot 2014-12-07 at 11.06.19 PMI’m not sure why the local brick & mortars in and around the Los Angeles area haven’t stocked the 1975 Willie Nelson classic, Red Headed Stranger (you know, the one with Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain on it). There are currently 1080 owners of this album on Discogs, and there are 19 copies on sale starting at $0.99, yet I’ve still never seen one among my multiple hunts throughout the last 12 hunting months. “Just order it on Discogs, then, and stop wasting my time!” I just can’t justify paying more for shipping than the item being shipped, Mr. and / or Mrs. Mud Stick.

The search continues, for the elusive, Red Headed Stranger.

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Skeew Lartsa

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Skeew LartsaFamous covers are not unlike priceless pieces of contemporary art (be that yesterday’s contemporary, or today’s). Very seldom, however, does an album’s backside (album ass?) get its proper notoriety. Subtle yet compelling posterior album art often goes unnoticed, as is the case with the poem featured on the back of Van Morrison’s 1968 classic Astral Weeks. Displayed here is a composition by the man, with no title, and no indication of its inspiration. I dig its almost throwaway inclusion on Astral Weeks, taking up such invaluable real estate, and it has inspired me to look much more closely to the array of hidden treasures just an album flip away.

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Blues Mood

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MoodyI’ve been saving this guy, and because of its nostalgic significance, or the glazed remembrance thereof, I’ll leave the heartfelt discharging for another, more thought-out hour. Today’s intentions are only to mention that my personal connection with the Moody Blues don’t reside within the rhythmic walls of Days of Future Passed and In Search of the Lost Chord, but instead, throughout 1986’s The Other Side of Life.

When in first grade, my father would drive me to school, and in 1986, he had this album on cassette. Day after staggering day, I was exposed to Your Wildest Dreams… so much so that its contagious melody never really left my mental jukebox.

I was lucky to find this album on vinyl while attending University school in Milwaukee some several years ago, but it’ll never replace the reeling spins of the original… my father’s cassette copy of The Other Side of Life.

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Survive Sick

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INCBridging the gap between the end of Refused and well, the return of Refused, lead singer Dennis Lyxzén of both the (International) Noise Conspiracy (featured here) and well (again), Refused, busied himself pushing melodic, left-wing, anti-capitalist rants over a bed of garage-rock, and this, Survival Sickness, (really, ANOTHER comma… yup), was their best installment.

Released in 2000, The (I)NC rivaled then hip-cats, The Hives, in the dingy streets of quality indy rock. Take what little money is in my wallet, and place it squarely on the (International) Noise Conspiracy winning over the half-witted (yet commercially prevalent) Hives. Do it. Now… and listen to the rhythms of truest propaganda.

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Kiss Your Ass Goodbye!

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MeaniesThe Blue Meanies headlined a show in Madison, Wisconsin back in 1996-97. The New Loft maybe? The Something Union? The venue escapes me, but the experience never would.

Telegraph was the opening act… a few bright-eyed months after they’d manifested themselves from their previous moniker, The Skolars. Same band, new name. I’m going to say it was a Friday night. Cold. Wisconsin winter cold. There was a line. And a $5 cover.

It may have been the bullhorn glued between the microphone and lead singer Billy Spunke’s face, but the invitation from a now deceased friend to attend this particular show seems to strike a chord much louder now, than it did then… and at the time, I could hardly hear myself breathe.

The Blue Meanies, the ska-revivalist-post-hardcore bastions of late nineties yesteryear are no more, but the flame that fuels their legend will forever shine, if only within the pages of nostalgia. I miss my friend, and if he were here today, I’d thank him for introducing me to this astonishing band.

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Source Tags & Codes

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ToDTrail of Dead (aka …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead) scored an instant classic with their first full-length for Interscope Records (and third overall), 2002’s Source Tags & Codes. Their first of three for the label, Source Tags & Codes is widely considered the band’s most accomplished, and critically honored effort, and is number 1 in my “next to spin” pile (followed by The Million Dollar Quartet and Kiss Your Ass Goodbye! by Blue Meanies). Although I’m partial to So Divided, the band’s fifth album, Source Tags shows what an already talented band can do, given respect, and major label luxuries. Give it whirl.