Bad Religion, and their 1990 follow-up to 1989’s epic No Control, brought to the mainstream another lasting SoCal mainstay with Against the Grain. Here, reissued on 660 pressings in lush, purple vinyl from back in 2010 (a nice even number), was a Hot Topic exclusive release. I believe I acquired this number from the Ventura, CA Pacific View Mall Hot Topic, which, I must certainly add, had absolutely no view of the Pacific. Whatever, I knew what I was looking for, and here she is, safely resting with her adopted siblings.
Monthly Archives: March 2015
Same as it Ever Was
Per Merriam-Webster:
disdain
: a feeling of strong dislike or disapproval of someone or something you think does not deserve respect
HOP, or House of Pain, and this, their 2nd full-length offering is in no way associated with the above noun, but this album’s vigor certainly makes for an appropriate dust cover.
J. R. and Drunken Ira Hayes
Listen, for reasons that transcend both you and me, J. R. Cash holds, and will always hold, a deep-rooted seed of importance with me (and my Midwestern upbringing). Bruce McCulloch put it accurately when he said that Greatest Hits albums were for housewives and little girls, BUT, I must state that a little gathering of the goods, if you will, is nothing of an ill-comprised representation of one’s output. Are there better albums of Mr. Cash’s to be had? Shame on you for asking. Does this one hold sentimental value far more than any top 40 single on the bullshit charts? You bet your ass! I’ll be as gone as a wild goose in winter…and I welcome you all to join me.
RIP J. R. Cash.
JJJ
Although the Thunder Down Under album is considered Hot Snakes’ 4th offer, it’s actually a live-recorded album, presented to the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), for their use and distribution on the radio station Triple J. JJJ… mystery solved.
Live
1967 was a good year for the Kinks. If you don’t believe me, and you most certainly should, here is a live album on Reprise Records titled, The Live Kinks. The grandfathers of garage rock, this album burns a necessary spot in every collector’s library.
VIVA LA KINKS!
Is it Red?
Actually, it’s more orange than red… RFTC, Rocket from the Crypt’s 1998 album (and their 5th studio offer overall) contains the following Rocket classics, Dick on a Dog (hence the title of this post), Panic Scam, When in Rome, and Lipstick. It’s difficult to say, but to be honest… well, let me back up. I own 98% of every song Rocket released. I consider them the best live band I’ve ever seen, and it’s a toss-up between them and The Kinks for the coveted, “my favorite band” honor. That having been said, RFTC is, by far, the band’s weakest effort. How can you consider it weak if it contains the above classic tracks (you likely aren’t asking yourself)? The answer to this hypothetical is blindingly simple: the rest of their catalog is so damn good, that RFTC acts like skipping scratch on the pristine record of their discography (or something like that).
There is no bad Rocket from the Crypt lyric, yell, riff, beat, song, or album, but RFTC simply doesn’t compare to the likes of Circa: Now!, Group Sounds, Paint as a Fragrance, Hot Charity, Scream, Dracula, Scream!, or even Live from Camp X-Ray (not a live album). So, this brings us to the point (GET ON WITH IT). If I had to, as of right now, here is how I’d rank Rocket’s 7 studio albums (not including either EPs, for obvious reasons). The only criteria by which I form this humbled opinion is a) analyzing the album as a whole (instead of the sum of its parts), and b) how does it stand up to the band’s other releases. So, here goes:
1) Circa: Now! (released in 1992)
2) Scream, Dracula, Scream! (released in 1995)
3) Group Sounds (released in 2001)
4) Hot Charity (released in 1995)
5) Paint as a Fragrance (released in 1991)
6) Live from camp X-Ray (released in 2002)
7) RFTC (released in 1998)
Seeing this list in black and white scares the shit out of me, but I stand by it.
Half and Half
I was collecting any and everything Andrew Jackson Jihad for a hot minute a few years ago. Snatched among my bounty was this 2009 split with Cobra Skulls on Suburban Home Records titled, Under the Influence, Vol. 6. This half and half version is the least rare of the three versions with 1000 pressings (I must have hesitated for some stupid reason when purchasing). There is a swamp water green version (700 pressings), and the rarest, a maroon version pressed into only 300 records.
A quick and unjustifiably easy way to describe the great AJJ would be to call them folk-punk. Their raw emotion lingers, and welcomes continued listens. Check out their first full length, People Who Can Eat People are the Luckiest People in the World released on Asian Man Records back in ’07 if you haven’t already. That one comes highly recommended, if you’re into highly recommended records.
Blood vs. Beer
Here is a small, yet valuable lesson to be learned while attending Kiss shows. At some point, Gene Simmons will spit blood. Repress your craving for overpriced beer and stick around for this spectacle. I got thirsty and missed it, and will likely never get the opportunity to witness this again. That damn beer was not worth a lifetime of blood-spitting regret. Learn from my failures, kids.
A&M
Let’s take a little look-see through this colorful back catalog to the now defunct A&M Records, shall we? As noted before (I think…), A&M Records was started by Mr. Tijuana Brass himself, Herb Alpert. Groovy, no? If you look closely, you’ll notice a few CTI Records scattered about (Wes Montomery’s A Day in the Life and Antonio Carlos Jobim’s Wave), and let’s not forget that CTI Records (Creed Taylor Incorporated) started as a subsidiary of A&M before spreading their independent wings and going solo in 1970, which places this insert somewhere between 1967 and 1970… for what that’s worth. Sidebar, I’m rapidly running out of inserts, and this deeply saddens me. The hunt shall undoubtedly continue.
Wes Mo
Wes Montgomery and his nonchalant approach to classical guitar on this CTI Records / (SP-3001) smooth-jazz release needs no outlandish introduction. Kicking shit off with his interpretation of A Day in the Life, and including Eleanor Rigby on this here b-side, Mr. Montgomery’s interpretation of radio classics stand, in their own right, as adversaries within the crafted medium… or some type shit. This is a good album, is all I’m saying… happy Monday.
LA’s Finest aka Latin lingo
When 1991’s Cypress Hill dropped their muther fuggin self titled opus (1991… how long ago is / was that?! ) their single, Latin Lingo was perceived with prominence and prestige so much so that Mr. Prince Paul was a viable contributor. Brush up on your Latin Lingo, kids.
The Prudent Groove 