Stickers promoting albums that showcase no signifying identification on their covers intrigue me a bit. I’m not entirely sure why, but it may have something to do with the idea that these stickers are meant to be discarded along with the plastic factory seal on which they live. With that humble thought in mind, stickers like this, found on Tool’s 2005 vinyl release of the 2001 album, Lateralus, would, by 2015, be all but extinct from the social conscious. It’s stupid, I know, but I treat these little additives as bonus time capsules that need preserving with the same amount of care as the records themselves. Just another thing to keep, save, hoard, and appreciate, I suppose.
Author Archives: The Prudent Groove
Natural Ingredients
Few things capture the 90’s indie scene quite like the combination of words, Luscious and Jackson. The all-girl trip hop quartet landed a colorful full-length with their 1994 release, Natural Ingredients. Nothing abrasive or threatening, NI makes for a perfect soundtrack to long drives during the sun-sweltering summer with the volume up and the windows down. It’s positive groove music for kids looking for quality schtick without all the bullshit. Shirt-clinging humidity, a soft, cooling breeze, and this frosty blue record are the Natural Ingredients for an exceptionally luscious evening.
A Day in the Life
I speak of this only because I happen to notice it today, a day in which busywork afforded me the opportunity to listen to stereo recordings with a single ear bud (not ideal, but embraceable), while performing my spreadsheet-happy daily chores in a swift and efficient fashion.
Here, for those who’ve never asked, is a sprint through the progression of a normal, 9-5 (10-7) day (in regards to my organic music consumption).
9:31am: Feeling a bit homesick and decide to mentally frolic through the painted walls of my feverish memory as a youngen at my Grandparent’s farmhouse and cue up 50 Number One Country Hits.
9:56am: Arrive at work and continue the 50-track playlist and wonder, countless times, why I haven’t ordered 1975’s Red Headed Stranger by the great Willie Nelson on vinyl ($5.85 off Discogs.com… I mean, k’mon!).
2:11pm: Finish the epic 50-track memory-machine-gun and dry the reality from my eyes.
2:12pm: Cue up The Pharcyde’s Bizarre Ride II and remember that this album was once, and for a very long time, my favorite album.
5:36pm: Finish BRII and feverishly, and without music, complete my daily objectives.
7:56pm: With a quasi-clear head, and the freedom of the evening, I drive home and enjoy the lamenting screams from Refused’s The Shape of Punk to Come and think to myself, in an empty car, I should have been a musician.
For what it’s worth, I’m going to make it a point, today, at least, to finish these waking hours exactly where I started… with Jack Greene’s There Goes My Everything. Happy trails, and pleasant evening, kids.
The Bomb, Dmitri… the Hydrogen Bomb!
In 1964, the greatest film the world has ever known exploded onto the pale faces of Western civilization. Today, I obtained the closest thing to an officially released soundtrack from this, my all-time favorite film, Dr. Strangelove. Dropping the same year as the film, this various artist comp features a total of 13 tracks, with only one of them being featured in the aforementioned film. But that’s certainly ok, and completely without contention, for you see, this album, with all its 1964-infused Dr. Strangelove poster art, is for visual stimulation, instead of those more pleasing to the ear. I’m elated to welcome the most recent addition to my billowing record collection, Dr. Strangelove and Other Great Movie Themes.
Burning Inside
I am in no way ashamed to admit that I went through a Ministry phase. I’m also not apologetic to concede that said phase lasted the good part of 14 years. I’ve witnessed their bone-crushing live act more than a few times, and was even fortunate enough to walk away from one show with a (purchased) autograph, and a “game used” drumstick. Ministry was, at one time, my favorite rage band. Now, she serves as a nostalgic milestone, whose chapter I’ll reread from time to angry time.
Burning Inside, the band’s 1989 single off their ass-kicking masterpiece, The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste, features 12″ remixes to both the title track, as well as fan-favorite Thieves, and offers a live cover of Skinny Puppy’s Smothered Hope. For a cool $6.99 from (what I remember to be) Second Spin back in Madison, WI, this copy of Burning Inside joined its industrial brothers and sisters in my then blossoming collection.
A classic track by a classic band in the throes of their heyday, Burning Inside is essential Monday afternoon listening material, and as with all Ministry records featured here, comes highly recommended.
All Systems Go…
… straight to sleep! It’s been a long weekend… thanks, kiddos!
O Groove, Where Art Thou?
The offices of The Prudent Groove are taking a vinyl-less weekend trip to Newport Beach, but in our passing, we suggest a spin (or three) of the flawless country / bluegrass soundtrack to the grand and goofy motion picture, O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Have a great weekend, listening friends, and stay cool and fully hydrated (for those of you in Southern California’s current heat wave).
Another Year of Beauty
Nothing says “I love and appreciate you, happy birthday” quite like NOFX’s 2007 live album, They’ve Actually Gotten Worse Live!. In the celebratory mood, the Prudent Groove wishes a heartwarming happy birthday to its favorite fan, and its number one supporter…
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KIDDO!
With love, the PG.
Nightmerica
Do yourself a blood-thirsty-flavor and catch-on to 2006’s Nightmerica by Love Equals Death released on Fat Mike’s own Fat Wreck Chords label. Released on only 220 blood red records, this unknown spectacle remains one of the rarest of the collection. Think big, be big, I suppose.
Nighty-night, kiddos.
Cobbed Corn Against Humanity
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.
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 