Talk About Pop Music

The Go-Go's At Theatre at Westbury, Westbury, NY 6/7/11

2011-06-11T11:12:00.000-07:00

So I've been what you could call a "minor fan" of The Go-Go's for about twenty or so years. I liked selected songs by them as a small child (namely "Surfing And Spying" and "We Got The Beat"). And as an adult I purchased all of their cd's, vinyl singles and albums. In the past they have toured with several favorite bands of mine (namely Redd Kross and Too Much Joy). But I had never seen them play live until this past week at the Theatre at Westbury, in Westbury, Long Island, NY. The formerly-known-as-The Westbury Music Fair is a wonderful venue with wonderful acoustics. The stage also rotates, although the venue was not set-up as such for this particular concert.

The opening band was the LA-based The Dollyrots. They are refreshingly unpretentious and down to earth while simultaneously armed with your standard rock poses. They are a pop/punk trio and are fronted by the gorgeous bassist/vocalist Kelly Ogden. Highlights of their set included their single "California Beach Boy" as well as covers of Melanie's 70's chestnut "Brand New Key", an accapella rendition of "As Long As We've Got Each Other" (aka The Growing Pains theme song) and Joan Jett & The Blackheart's "Bad Reputation". The band is currently signed to Joan Jett's Blackheart Records. The band is rounded out by Luis Cabezas on guitar (whose rhythm guitar parts were somewhat reminiscent of Joan Jett) and the exceptionally tasteful drumming of Chris Black. A fine opening band, overall.

The Go-Go's 'Ladies Gone Wild Tour' is ostensibly to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their debut album, Beauty And The Beat. It was recently reissued as 2CD & 2LP sets with previously unreleased concert recordings and a remastered original album on pink vinyl. It was also touted to be their farewell tour, but Belinda Carlisle has since said that they will, indeed continue to perform after this tour ends.

The band were wonderful and were in better form than I aticipated. Drummer Gina Schock is a workhorse and bassist Kathy Valentine - who looked fantastic - was obviously enjoying playing the songs, again. Pixie-like rhythm guitarist Jane Wiedlin danced laps around the stage while lead guitarist/sometime keytboardist Charlotte Caffey, the grounding force, was excellent as always. Onetime-punkrock cheerleader Belinda Carlisle was also in fine form, leisurely hitting her notes as always.

The band was obviously well-rehearsed and sounded fantastic. They performed everything you'd expect to hear (except maybe the mid 80's hit "Turn To You") and perhaps didn't expect to hear (the Sparks/Jane Wiedlin single "Cool Places" and Belinda's Go-Goesque solo single "Mad About You"). The only songs from Beauty And The Beat they didn't perform were "You Can't Walk in Your Sleep (If You Can't Sleep)" and the fine album closer "Can't Stop the World". Nor did they delve into anything non-singles from the truly underrated Vacation album, nor anything from the long out of print Talk Show album.

The set list was:

Vacation
Tonight
How Much More
Get Up And Go
Mad About You (Belinda Carlisle)
Lust To Love
Mother's Little Helper (The Rolling Stones)
Automatic
Fading Fast
Cool Places (Sparks/Jane Wiedlin)
This Town
Unforgiven
The Whole World Lost It's Head
Our Lips Are Sealed
Skidmarks On My Heart
We Got The Beat

First Encore:
Surfing And Spying/Beatnik Beach
Head Over Heals

Second Encore:
Fun With Ropes.

They were selling the vinyl reissue (which I personally passed up as would've been my fourth copy) and ton of cool gear including a blue shirt with the Beauty And The Beat album cover and dates on back. I'm really glad I saw the band as they were unexpectedly very good.

Big Special Thank You to Michael McIsaac.

Eight Days a Week: Inside the Beatles' Final World Tour by Robert Whitaker and Marcus Hearn

2011-05-26T13:38:00.000-07:00

Robert Whitaker had a privelaged amount of intimate access to The Beatles. He's the photographer responsible for the infamous Yesterday and Today "butcher cover". As well as the black and white photo on the back of Revolver and the back-cover color photo for the UK compilation A Collection of Beatles Oldies (But Goldies!) . Whitaker accompanied the band and documented their final tour which spanned Germany, Japan and North America.

Eight Days a Week: Inside the Beatles' Final World Tour contains many previously unpublished photographs and is an intimate view of John, Paul, George and Ringo on the road with their entourage of Neil Aspinall, Mal Evans and Brian Esptein. It also clearly illustrates just how restricted the band were as they were confined to their hotel rooms. It's a very nice document of the band with their guard down as they were just about to come off the road for good.

This is a highly-recommended coffee-table book for any Beatles fan.

256 Pages, Metro Books (2008)

Dennis Wilson Camco Drums 1964 Advert

2011-05-23T17:20:00.000-07:00

Apple Records Advert April 19,1968 NME/Melody Maker

2011-05-23T17:06:00.000-07:00

The Beach Boys Smile Album To Finally Be Released As "The Smile Sessions"

2011-03-27T12:17:00.000-07:00

THE BEACH BOYS’ LEGENDARY ‘SMiLE’ ALBUM SESSIONS TO BE RELEASED THIS YEAR BY CAPITOL/EMI

Never-Before-Released Original 1966-’67 Album Sessions Compiled for 2CD and Digital Packages and Deluxe, Limited Edition Box Set

Hollywood, California - March 14, 2011 – Between the summer of 1966 and early 1967, The Beach Boys recorded, in several sessions, a bounty of songs and drafts for an album, SMiLE, that was intended to follow the band’s 1966 masterpiece, Pet Sounds. The sessions were ultimately shelved, and The Beach Boys’ SMiLE has never been released. With the full participation of original Beach Boys Al Jardine, Mike Love, and Brian Wilson, Capitol/EMI has collected and compiled the definitive collection, ‘The SMiLE Sessions,’ for worldwide release this year in multiple physical and digital configurations.

The SMiLE Sessions presents an in-depth overview of The Beach Boys' recording sessions for the enigmatic album, which has achieved legendary, mythical status for music fans around the world. The SMiLE Sessions will be released in 2CD and digital album packages and a deluxe, limited edition box set.

Co-produced by Mark Linett and Alan Boyd, all of The SMiLE Sessions’ physical and digital configurations will include an assembled album of core tracks, while the box set delves much deeper into the sessions, adding early song drafts, alternate takes, instrumental and vocals-only mixes, and studio chatter. The SMiLE Sessions invites the listener into the studio to experience the album's creation, with producer, singer and bassist Brian Wilson's vision leading the way as he guides his fellow Beach Boys, singer Mike Love, drummer Dennis Wilson, lead guitarist Carl Wilson, rhythm guitarist Al Jardine, and newest member Bruce Johnston (who'd replaced Brian Wilson in the touring group during 1965), through the legendary sessions.

"I'm thrilled that The Beach Boys' original studio sessions
for SMiLE will be released for the first time, after all these years,” says Brian Wilson. “I'm looking forward to this collection of the original recordings and having fans hear the beautiful angelic voices of the boys in a proper studio release.”

“One of my favorite songs from the SMiLE sessions is ‘Wonderful’,” says Mike Love. “The song truly lives up to its title, as do many of the tracks on SMiLE. Cousin Brian was at his creative peak during those sessions. I’m unaware of anything that comes close in pop music.”

“I recently played some of my personal acetates from the SMiLE sessions and they held up really well,” says Al Jardine. “We would come home from touring and go straight into the studio to record. Brian couldn't wait to show us his latest ideas. We were recording SMiLE and Pet Sounds material simultaneously, so the tracks and vocals all have the same great quality. Most of the vocals were done at Columbia Studios in Hollywood, across the street from Western Studios, where most of the tracking was done.”

“For me, it's always been about the way Brian Wilson brilliantly composed and 'voiced' his amazing chord progressions and melodies,” says Bruce Johnston. “SMiLE really made me smile!”

“Personally, I loved it,” the late Carl Wilson said in 1994 of the SMiLE sessions (from the Don Was-directed documentary, Brian Wilson: I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times).

“In my opinion it makes Pet Sounds stink - that's how good it is,” the late Dennis Wilson told a journalist in 1966 of the planned SMiLE album.

What Brian Wilson brought to the table, in his effort to maintain The Beach Boys' position among the top rock 'n' roll bands of the day, was beyond what anyone could have expected. Beginning with “Good Vibrations,” then into SMiLE, Wilson had begun to construct songs in a modular form, crafting individual sections that would later be edited together to form a coherent whole. In several intense bursts of creative energy, Wilson, drawing on the talents of the finest studio musicians in Los Angeles and utilizing the best studio facilities available on any given day, laid down dozens and dozens of musical fragments, all designed to fit together in any number of possible combinations. No one had done this in pop music, and Wilson had just created “Good Vibrations,” The Beach Boys’ best-selling record in a long string of hits, by using this method. His next endeavor would be an album-length version of this unique and luxurious songwriting parlance: SMiLE.

In 1965, Brian Wilson had met an up-and-coming session keyboard player and songwriter, Van Dyke Parks. Noticing Parks' conversational eloquence, Wilsonfelt that he could help to volley The Beach Boys’ songwriting into the wave of broader-messaged and socially-conscious rock 'n' roll that would come to define the '60s. They were soon collaborating on keynote songs for SMiLE, including “Heroes and Villains,” the band’s follow-up single to “Good Vibrations.” Wilson and Parks would also co-write “Surf's Up,” “Vegetables,” “Cabin Essence,” “Do You Like Worms,” “Wonderful,” “Wind Chimes,” and other bits and pieces of theSMiLE tapestry. Parks also introduced Beat-Pop artist Frank Holmes to create album
sleeve art and a booklet interpreting the album’s James Joyce-mode lyrics.

The reason SMiLE did not see a release in early 1967 had more to do with back room business that obscured the creative side of the program than anything else. In late 1966, The Beach Boys formed Brother Records, initially to produce outside artists. Soon, however, The Beach Boys would become embroiled in a court action with Capitol Records with the goal to become the top-selling artists on their self-owned, independent label. The group withheld “Heroes and Villains” and announced they would instead release “Vegetables” – recorded with the band’s own money in April of '67 – on Brother Records. By July of 1967, Capitol Records and The Beach Boys had come to terms, with Capitol agreeing to distribute the band’s Brother Records, and it was agreed that SMiLE was no longer to be the band’s next album.

The SMiLE Sessions’ global release date, complete track lists, and artwork will be unveiled soon.

“Surf's up, aboard a tidal wave, come about hard and join the young and often spring you gave. I heard the word, wonderful thing... a children's song... ”

- from “Surf's Up” (Brian Wilson/Van Dyke Parks)

The Adventure Club Sessions (KDGE, 1993)

2011-02-05T08:08:00.000-08:00

This has my money for best North-American Radio Station Compilation. Ever.

These are acoustic recordings from the studios of KDGE-FM "The Edge" in Dallas, TX. Recorded from 1989-1993, all one needs to do is consider the high-quality of artists to decide if it's the best compilation of it's kind. Here's the track listing:

1. Ocean Colour Scene - Alibis
2. Frank Black - Old Black Dawning
3. Jellyfish - The King Is Half-Undressed
4. The Catherine Wheel - Don't Want To Know If You're Lonely
(a cover of the Hüsker Dü single)
5. James - Lose Control
6. The Cranberries - Linger
7. The House Of Love - Crush Me
8. Blur - Miss America
9. The Lilac Time - Too Sooner Late Than Better
10. His Name Is Alive - Baby Fish Mouth
11. Frazier Chorus - Cloud Eight
12. Frank Black - Czar
13. James - Maria's Party
14. The Trash Can Sinatras - The Safecracker
15. The Posies - Will You Ever Ease Your Mind
16. XTC - Blue Beret
17. The Lilac Time - Raspberry Beret/Kiss Me medley
18. The Lemonheads - It's About Time
19. Suede - My Insatiable One

The Clash: Westway To The World

2010-10-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

Frustratingly short snippets and selective subject matter taint overall credibility.

The Clash may have been one of the most interesting, important and best rock bands to have ever existed. And this documentary does in fact support that theory. However, the selectiveness of the subjects discussed leaves much to be desired. Hindsight, as they say, is 20/20 - and in the case of the people responsible for this documentary - it's also very revisionist.

There is absolutely no mention of the post-Mick Jones Clash that existed from 1983-1986. Four years of a bands history is an awful lot of time to simply not feel like mentioning. Sure the album this band produced - 1985's Cut The Crap - may not have been on par with say London Calling but few albums are. To completely fail to not mention it makes me wonder why the filmmakers would simply choose to re-write history as if it never existed. All this does is support the fact that documentaries edit history any way they want. The unmentioned band (Simonon/Stummer/Pete Howard/Vince White/Nick Sheppard) toured the US in 1984 and also did a busking tour of England in 1985. By not mentioning them at all does no favors for any new young fan who actually wants to know about The Clash's actual history and not just what was graciously selected and edited for them.

Then there is the issue of obtaining great rare footage only to have mere seconds of it peppered throughout the documentary! This seems to be the biggest complaint from everyone I know who has seen Westway To The World. To not add any of this footage (i.e. The Clash playing both songs on SNL/Their appearance on Friday's/Tom Snyder/US festive footage/etc) is simply a snub to the band and its fans. All this does is leave bootleggers with even more viable footage to sell (and none of this made it way to the Special Features portion of the DVD either).

Having said all that it Westway To The World is a welcome documentary. The Clash did have an MTV Rockumentary in 1991 with some great interview footage (arguably superior to the interviews here) and great footage of the band circa-1979 that could've been used here but were not. There is however, the bonus material of all the existing footage for The Clash On Broadway. Footage of which the reason why so little exists is because Topper took out an injunction so that film never be released. Since it was never finished (because of the injunction) most of it was thrown away or deteriorated since it would never see the light of day anyway. Gee thanks Topper - now we really see you in a positive light!

The Clash and director Don Letts won a Grammy for 'Best Long Form Music Video' for this feature documentary.

The Cure: 4Play in Charlotte

2010-08-08T10:13:00.000-07:00

The Cure pictured here in their 1980 prime - they don't look like this anymore.

Fine presentation of a once-great band clearly past its peak.

I've been a fan of this band for about twenty-plus years now so I was pleasantly surprised to find out about this 60 minute segment on HDNet TV of a Cure show from June of two years ago on their 4Tour. The presentation of the band was for all intents and purposes very nice. It was not 'The Cure In Orange' - their amazing feature-length filmed concert film directed by Tim Pope (which is sobbing to be released on DVD) - but few concert films are. No fast editing and all four band members gets a decent amount of screen time which was certainly nice.

I've personally found The Cure's past few releases to be slightly lacking (in inspiration perhaps) and haven't seen them live in many years. In any case, the main problem with The Cure's performance was that songs that themselves which were once nearly mid-tempo are now very slow, and one-time fast numbers are now nearly mid-tempo (to be generous). I've seen several older bands of late (Gang Of Four, The Police, The Fleshtones) and something I've learned from them is that being older in age doesn't necessarily mean slowing down the arrangements of your songs simply because you are few years older. "The Walk" and "Primary" are two such songs that have suffered as a result of this. I don't know if drummer Jason Cooper has much to do with slowing down the arrangements but they are, in turn a different band than before with little distinction in different tempos. This was not the case when the Cure's old drummer Boris Williams was in the fold. Use of keyboards are also sorely lacking - always a constant and necessary element of the band in the past. However now all keyboard parts are done on guitar.

(See previous caption above.)

Another unfortunate is Robert Smith's voice. He's always been one with a distinctive voice, although not a very big voice at that. It's now limp, whiny and fully-exposed in a live setting. This doesn't help their cause for a great live show.

And not to kick a band when they are obviously down (so to speak) but I was actually embarrassed watching two (nearly) fifty-year old men (Robert Smith and Porl Thompson) wearing eye make-up and (in Smith's case) the silly haircut. These are things that probably should have been in been eased out of the image in the mid-nineties. All one has to do is look at picture-perfect bassist Simon Gallup and wonder what Robert and Porl are (or in this case, not) thinking. In terms of what makes music such as The Cure's successful - image is simply just not important. It's just sad, embarrassing and unfortunate when the band leader doesn't realize that himself and insists on wearing the silly make-up. It would be easy for someone unfamiliar with the band to view the make-up motif as style over substance. And to think that this band was at one time supposedly "anti-image".

However if you are a fan that believes The Cure can do no wrong - obviously you'll be hearing none of this and eat this performance up.

The Police Confidential by Danny Quatrochi

2010-08-07T11:42:00.000-07:00

The Police Confidential by Danny Quatrochi
William Morrow & Co.
October 1986
128 pages

Great companion to the Lynn Goldsmith Police books (The Police and The Police: 1978-1983) at very least.

Danny Quatrochi - Sting's right-hand man (bass technician) from New Jersey and Police roadie - put forth a fantastic book. If anything it's too short considering all the Police photos he's taken. He's one of them, so you get a lot of photos with The Police's guard down.

Embarrassingly, the back cover photo of Danny (and his awesome shirt) was how I was introduced to XTC in late 87/early 88. He was sporting a dark Drums & Wires shirt which made me think - "that's a cool shirt - what does it say exactly?". So I have Danny to thank for me becoming a huge XTC fan, unbeknownst to him.

Thanks for the cool pics of Andy, Stewart and Sting Danny - and XTC rules.

Capitol Records' Teen Set Inner Sleeve 1964

2010-07-31T18:20:00.000-07:00

All of my fellow vinyl junkies out there might be able to identify this. It was an inner sleeve found in Capitol's albums to promote their releases and their new 'Teen Set' magazine.

The Beach Boys At Theatre at Westbury, Westbury, NY 7/23/10

2010-07-30T21:53:00.000-07:00

Okay, so maybe "The Beach Boys" is something of a misnomer seeing that two of the the founding members - lead guitarist/vocalist Carl Wilson and drummer/vocalist Dennis Wilson - have both passed away. Creative leader Brian Wilson has had an active solo career since the late 80's. And rhythm guitarist and vocalist Alan Jardine was unceremoniously fired by Mike Love after Carl's passing (real classy Mike) in 1998. So basically the band in question is Mike Love and Bruce Johnston with a handful of very talented others, including John Cowsill (of The Cowsills) who sang lead on "Help Me Rhonda" and "Wouldn't It Be Nice"...and special guest John Stamos (I wish I was kidding)*.

I've been a fan of The Beach Boys since the Summer of 1998. Basically since I first saw the VH-1 documentary Endless Harmony. The Beach Boys have since become one of my all-time favorite bands. The band is now basically a Beach Boys cover band (albeit a very, very good one) fronted by members Mike Love and Bruce Johnston. I'd been hemming and hawing over the notion of seeing them for long enough (these guys aren't getting any younger) and decided to see them.

All things considered - the show was wonderful. It would have been amazing to have seen these guys circa 1965 - 1975, but as there were no time machines handy this would have suffice. Bruce's vocals on "Disney Girls" were fantastic and Mike's vocals were as good as they've always been.

The band was fantastic and the venue was intimate and the acoustics were wonderful.

Set List:

Catch A Wave
Hawaii
Little Honda
Do It Again
Surf City
Surfin' Safari
Surfer Girl
Getcha Back
Wendy
I'm So Young
Why Do Fools Fall in Love
When I Grow Up (to Be a Man)
Darlin'
Be True to Your School
Ballad Of Ole Betsy
Don't Worry Baby
Little Deuce Coupe
409
Shut Down
I Get Around

Intermission For 25 minutes

California Dreaming
Then I Kissed Her
California Girls
Sloop John B
Wouldn't It Be Nice
Disney Girls (1957)
Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring
Forever (John Stamos On Lead Vocals)
God Only Knows
Good Vibrations
Help Me Rhonda
Rock & Roll Music
Do You Wanna Dance
Barbara Ann
Surfin' USA

Encore (although they never left the stage)

Kokomo
Summertime Blues
Fun Fun Fun.

* All kidding aside, Stamos was actually, and surprisingly, well-accounted for. He alternated between rhythm guitar, drums, backing vocals, timpani, bongos and took lead vocals on Dennis Wilson's "Forever". And he made the ladies swoon and squeal like it was 1964 all over again (I kid you not).

Random Best Of Year List: 1992!

2010-06-16T15:54:00.000-07:00

The Best Of 1992:

Albums:

1) XTC: Nonsuch

2) Morrissey: Your Arsenal

3) They Might Be Giants: Apollo 18

4) Big Star: Third/Sister Lovers

5) Eggstone: Eggstone In San Diego

6) The Cure: Wish

7) John Wesley Harding: Why We Fight

8) Too Much Joy: Mutiny

9) Chris Bell: I Am The Cosmos

10) Sugar: Copper Blue

11) Television: Television

12) Beastie Boys: Check Your Head

13) Prince: The Love Sign Album

14) Barenaked Ladies: Gordon

15) Singles (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

16) The Fleshtones: Powerstance

17) Social Distortion: Somewhere Between Heaven & Hell

18) Juliana Hatfield: Hey Babe

19) Ride: Going Blank Again

20) Pavement: Slanted & Enchanted

Singles:

1) XTC: "The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead"

2) Redd Kross: "Trance"

3) Matthew Sweet: "I've Been Waiting"

4) Teenage Fanclub: "What You Do To Me"

5) Morrissey: "We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful"

6) Ride: "Twisterella"

7) The Cure: "High"

8) Tom Cochrane: "Life Is A Highway"

9) Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians: "Oceanside"

10) Toad The Wet Sprocket: "All I Want"

11) Too Much Joy: "Donna Everywhere"

12) Suede: "Metal Mickey"

13) Right Said Fred: "Don't Talk Just Kiss"

14) John Wesley Harding: "Kill The Messenger"

15) Paul Westerberg: "Dyslexic Heart"

16) They Might Be Giants: "The Statue Got Me High"

17) Blur: "Popscene"

18) Pulp: "My Legendary Girlfriend"

19) Red Hot Chili Peppers: "Breaking The Girl"

20) The Soup Dragons: "Pleasure"

The Beach Boys: Endless Harmony DVD (1998/2000)

2010-04-19T19:41:00.000-07:00

If one American band is deserving of a multi-DVD Anthology-like documentary it's The Beach Boys.

This is the VH1 special (now on DVD) that formally introduced me to The Beach Boys (beyond the handful of early hits that we all know). Needless to say it made quite an impression on me, just by musical content alone. Brian Wilson is a special (okay brilliant) composer and the Beach Boys are an unassumingly great band. However since viewing this documentary after becoming familiar with the bands' history it's fairly obvious that there is some revisionism at work here, namely from Mike Love.

If there is only one American band deserving of a documentary done in the same exact way as The Beatles Anthology with the same detail, length, affection and use of footage it's The Beach Boys. With the bands complete chronological history represented and full interviews from all parties associated with the band about the good, bad, ugly and embarrassing (they have quite a varied history). Not just the band according to Mike Love.

However this is not that documentary. Far from it. Whereas The Beatles Anthology itself is not too deep and rarely delves into any personal affairs. Surprisingly this documentary does a handful of times but only briefly and very selectively. However the whole Blondie Chaplin, Ricky Fataar-era is barely mentioned, the Landlocked album, The 1975 Beachago Tour, Jack Rieley, Bruce Johnston's firing/quitting, The 1976 NBC SNL-produced 'It's OK' special, The troubled 1977 Largo, MD show after which caused Mike Love to fly to Switzerland and meditate for six months, Eugene Landy, the bombastic 1978 Australia tour, the Adult Child album, the 1980s nostalgia/self-parody contemporary hit-seeking Beach Boys, the solo albums...none of these things and nor are several other substantial items mentioned.

This is basically an updated (but barely) version of 'An American Band' (snippets of footage - some rare - with overlapping interviews, repeat). The DVD special features are pretty nice as they contain a few songs undisturbed in their entirety. All-in-all this is fine for a casual, very-loose overview. Otherwise if you are familiar with the band and it's history, it'll just make you wish for a substantial, detailed history - the amazing, good, bad, ugly and embarrassing (because this band has it all) - just as The Beatles have available in their multi-disc Anthology.

Until that happens, you'll have to chew on this superficial item.

Big Star & Box Tops legend Alex Chilton dies at age 59.

2010-03-18T08:35:00.000-07:00

Influential vocalist/guitarist/songwriter/producer Alex Chilton, the legendary leader of both the 60's hitmakers The Box Tops and influential power pop band Big Star, died yesterday at a hospital in a New Orleans. He was 59 years old.

Chilton had been complaining about his health earlier Wednesday. He was taken by paramedics from his home to the emergency room but could not be revived.

Chilton had been scheduled to play at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas with Big Star this Saturday March 20th.

Many people are familiar with Memphis native Alex Chilton and his legend, whether they know it or not.

His first band The Box Tops had ten charting hits in the US Hot 100 in the late 60's. Notably, the number one hit "The Letter" (which Chilton recorded when he was only 16 years of age), "Cry Like A Baby", "Soul Deep" and "Neon Rainbow". These songs still get regular airplay on oldies radio today.

Chilton's second band Big Star was co-led by the late Chris Bell and are critically hailed as the ultimate American power pop band. They have subsequently influenced an entire generation of musicians. The Bangles have covered "September Gurls", Elliott Smith has covered "Thirteen" (as have Garbage and Wilco), Jeff Buckley covered "Kanga Roo" and Cheap Trick have covered their "In The Street" for the theme song of That 70's Show. R.E.M., The Replacements, Teenage Fanclub, The dB's, Graham Coxon, Wilco, The Posies, Redd Kross and Gin Blossoms all regularly site the band as an influence. The Chilton-penned "I'm In Love With A Girl" recently appeared in Adventureland.

The Replacements' 1987 modern-rock hit single and tribute song "Alex Chilton" contain the lyrics:

"Children by the million sing for Alex Chilton when he comes 'round
They sing "I'm in love. What's that song? I'm in love with that song."

All three of their studio albums have been listed in Rolling Stone's '500 Greatest Albums of All Time' list. While "September Gurls" and "Thirteen" were ranked #178 and #396, respectively, on their '500 Greatest Songs of All Time' list.

His solo work - including the great "Bangkok" single, the wild and loose Singer Not The Song EP, the fascinating Like Flies On Sherbet album, the college radio favorite "No Sex" single and the High Priest, A Man Called Destruction and Black List albums - while uneven at times all possessed unlimited charms in their own idiosyncrasies and stubbornness.

While Chilton was a gifted songwriter, he became more of a performer over the past twenty-years or so. As was his want, he was often inclined to play obscure blues covers and jazzy pop from the first half of the 1900's. He had been played shows with both a reunited The Box Tops and a reformed Big Star since the mid 1990's.

Having moved from Memphis to New Orleans in the early 80's he was a survivor of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

He is survived by his wife, Laura, a son, Timothy, and a sister, Cecilia.

He will be sorely missed by a legion of fans and music lovers this world over.

Beyond The Drums And The Wires Lies...XTC: Explode Together: The Dub Experiments 78-80

2010-02-10T01:54:00.000-08:00

This compact disc (issued at the same time as Rag & Bone Buffet)
compiles the GO+ EP (initially released with Go 2) and Mr. Partridge's Take Away/The Lure Of Salvage LP (released in early 1980). Taking preexisting tracks of songs - mainly from Drums & Wires - and re-processing them, either taking drum, keyboard parts and adding effects, slowing them down, turning them up/down, re-recording vocals, guitar, whathaveyou and giving them a whole new identity. The experiment surprisingly works most of the time. Partridge was obviously enjoying himself in the studio and it makes for a truly unique listening experience.

If you're looking for an album of catchy singles of joyous XTC pop - don't look here. This is very much a "dub" album in the truest sense of it's original meaning. Which was very popular in reggae music in the second half of the 1970's in the UK punk scene (oddly enough). "I Sit In The Snow" (over the bridge of "Roads Girdle The Globe") is very interesting as is "Madhattan" (over the backing track of "That is The Way"). "Commerciality (Signal Ad)" is a great song (over the unreleased "Refrigeration Blues"). "Beat The Bible" is a fine dub version of "Jumping In Gomorrah", "Clap, Clap, Clap" is a dub version of "I Am The Audience".

This is a collection that truly deserves repeated listens as there's always something else interesting on the listening horizon. And it's not an easy listen given the very empty nature and space of most of the material. It sounds like, in some cases, listening to the individual backing tracks in the studio and with added effects to them. Which is pretty cool given the nature of the excellence that is XTC.

The Police: Certifiable (Cherrytree/A&M Records) [3-Vinyl 180-gram LP]

2010-02-07T08:28:00.000-08:00

**** 1/2 (out of *****)

Well, after a long and boring turn of events (i.e. ordered the item from Best Buy at the end of December, it arrives weeks later damaged due to it being shipped in an ENVELOPE, sent back via UPS at their cost, told to pick up item at nearest Best Buy store) I finally got a chance to sit down with this fine set. The whole reason I ordered the item online (along with the 2-DVD/2-CD set) in the first place was because of a great reduction in price. It was reduced from $29.99 to a pretty fantastic $9.99 (as was the DVD/CD set). That's $19.99, total. And the item is a Best Buy exclusive.

The recording - from the band's wildly successful reunion tour - is taken from a show at Estadio River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina on either December 1 or 2, 2007 (they played both nights and the set doesn't specify which night). The sound quality of the recording itself is pretty superb. And the sound is pretty sweet on all six sides of this 3-Vinyl 180-gram LP set. It comes in a pretty nice gatefold sleeve with an insert and a (now expired) code for digital downloads of all the tracks.

The majority of the singles get proper airings (only omitting "Spirits In The Material World", "Secret Journey", "Fall Out" and "Bring On The Night") as do a majority of fan-favorites. "Regatta De Blanc" still gets effectively inserted into the bridge of "Can't Stand Losing You". "Wrapped Around Your Finger" gets a nice Latin-tinged rearrangement that lends itself to the song well. "Next To You" is played for the first time since the Zenyatta Mondatta tour in 1981. "King Of Pain" sounds better here than it did on the Synchronicity tour, with the only backing vocals coming occasionally from Stewart and Andy as opposed to a trio of shrill female backing vocalists (who accompanied the band on that tour).

The band sounds absolutely phenomenal. They do not sound as one might expect a band that has been collectively inactive for over twenty-years to sound. The band members although have been busy individually with careers since - or even during - the band's existence. Andy Summers sounds better than ever and Stewart Copeland sounds like he never stopped playing these songs. Sting's vocal phrasing on some of the tracks have changed but never detrimental to the song's overall effect and he is still as great a bass player as he's ever been. His voice has weathered rather nicely too. Aside from a few phantom piped-in harmony backing vocal tracks on "Truth Hits Everybody" and "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da", the band remain unaccompanied. Sting, the ever gracious bandleader and learned polyglot regularly thanks the Argentinian audience and occasionally instructs them on handclaps and backing vocals when needed.

If you are a fan of the band - you'll love it and may be surprised as how great they sound live. If you are not a fan, but like the select hit single you too may be surprised at how great they sound. And the fact that it's such a nice quality recording helps for easy enjoyment.

Recommended.

Top Ten Live Albums Of The 2000's.

2010-01-08T16:15:00.000-08:00

1) Talking Heads: The Name Of This Band Is Talking Heads (2004)

2) The Byrds: Live At Royal Albert Hall 1971 (2008)

3) Roxy Music: Live (2003)

4) The Beach Boys: Good Timin':Live At Knebworth, England, 1980 (2003)

5) The Police: Certifiable (2008)

6) The Clash: Live At Shea Stadium (2008)

7) The Raspberries: Live On Sunset Strip (2007)

8) Morrissey: Live At Earl's Court (2005)

9) Brian Wilson: Pet Sounds Live (2002)

10) Too Much Joy: Live At Least (2001)

Top Ten Soundtrack Albums Of The 2000's.

2009-12-24T10:29:00.000-08:00

1) Almost Famous (2000)

2) Hot Fuzz (2007)

3) Logan's Sanctuary (2000)

4) The Beach Boys Endless Harmony (2000)

5) The Beatles Love (2006)

6) Born To Boogie (2005)

7) Adventureland (2009) (Promotional Only)

8) Wet Hot American Summer (2001) (Digital Only)

9) Dig! (2004)

10) Wondefalls (2004) (Promotional Only)

Top 30 Compilation Albums of the 2000's.

2009-12-21T20:12:00.000-08:00

1) The Beatles: 1 (2000)

2) The Beach Boys: The Warmth Of The Sun (2007)

3) The Beach Boys: Sounds of Summer: The Very Best of The Beach Boys (2003)

4) The Byrds: The Essential Byrds (2003)

5) Blur: The Best of Blur (2000)

6) Supergrass: Supergrass Is 10: The Best of 94-04 (2004)

7) Radiohead: Radiohead: The Best Of (2008)

8) The Replacements: Don't You Know Who I Think I Was? The Best of The Replacements (2006)

9) The Raspberries: Greatest (2005)

10) Jellyfish: Best! (2006)

11) Pulp: Hits (2002)

12) The Beach Boys: Greatest Hits, Vol. 3: The Best Of The Brother Years, 1970-1986 (2000)

13) Outkast: Big Boi & Dre Present... OutKast (2001)

14) Suede: Singles (2003)

15) Morrissey: Greatest Hits (2008)

16) Paul McCartney: Wingspan: Hits and History (2001)

17) Teenage Fanclub: Four Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty-Six Seconds: A Shortcut to Teenage Fanclub (2003)

18) Ride: OX4_The Best of Ride (2001)

19) Big Star: Big Star Story (2003)

20) Certain General: Invisible New York (2007)

21) Blur: Midlife: A Beginner's Guide to Blur (2009)

22) Paul Revere & The Raiders: Kicks! The Anthology 1963-1972 (2005)

23) The Monkees: The Best Of The Monkees (2003)

24) They Might Be Giants: Dial-a-Song: 20 Years of They Might Be Giants (2002)

25) The Suburbs: Chemistry Set: Songs of the Suburbs 1977-1987 (2003)

26) The Police: The Police (2007)

27) R.E.M.: And I Feel Fine... The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987 (2006)

28) Scritti Politti: Early (2005)

29) The Smiths: The Sound of The Smiths (2008)

30) The Cars: Complete Greatest Hits (2002)

The Top 100 Albums of the 2000's.

2009-12-18T11:48:00.000-08:00

1) Brian Wilson: Smile (2004)

2) Radiohead: Kid A (2000)

3) Franz Ferdinand: Franz Ferdinand (2004)

4) Supergrass: Life On Other Planets (2002)

5) Blur: Think Tank (2003)

6) Paul Westerberg (aka Grandpaboy): Mono (2002)

7) The Futureheads: The Futureheads (2004)

8) Outkast: Stankonia (2000)

9) The Beatles: Let It Be...Naked (2003)

10) Beck: Sea Change (2002)

11) The Dandy Warhols: Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia (2000)

12) The Explorers Club: Freedom Wind (2008)

13) Radiohead: Hail To The Thief (2003)

14) The Strokes: Is This It (2001)

15) Paul Westerberg: Stereo (2002)

16) The Fleshtones: Take A Good Look (2008)

17) Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes (2008)

18) Hot Hot Heat: Make Up The Breakdown (2002)

19) D'Angelo: Voodoo (2000)

20) Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3: Olé! Tarantula (2006)

21) Gang Of Four: Return The Gift (2005)

22) Roger Joseph Manning Jr.: The Land Of Pure Imagination/Solid State Warrior (2006)

23) Franz Ferdinand: You Could Have It So Much Better (2005)

24) Pulp: We Love Life (2001)

25) Dennis Wilson: Pacific Ocean Blue/Bambu: The Caribou Sessions (2008)

26) Junior Senior: D-D-Don't Don't Stop The Beat (2003)

27) Air: Talkie Walkie (2004)

28) Sloan: Action Pact (2003)

29) Wondelick: Wonderlick (2002)

30) Brendan Benson: Lapalco (2002)

31) Aimee Mann: Bachelor No. 2 or, the Last Remains of the Dodo (2000)

32) Morrissey: You Are The Quarry (2004)

33) Jupiter Affect: Instructions For The Two Ways Of Becoming Alice (2000)

34) The White Stripes: White Blood Cells (2001)

35) Kaiser Chiefs: Employment (2005)

36) Scritti Politti: White Bread, Black Beer (2006)

37) Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3: Goodnight Oslo (2009)

38) Jason Falkner: Everyone Says It's On (2001)

39) Radiohead: In Rainbows (2007)

40) Brian Wilson: That Lucky Old Sun (2008)

41) XTC: Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume Two) (2000)

42) Sloan: Never Hear The End Of It (2007)

43) The Good, The Bad & The Queen - The Good, The Bad & The Queen (2007)

44) John Wesley Harding: Adam's Apple (2004)

45) Paul Westerberg: Folker (2004)

46) Teenage Fanclub: Man-Made (2005)

47) The White Stripes: Elephant (2003)

48) The Dandy Warhols: Welcome To The Monkey House (2003)

49) Paul McCartney: Memory Almost Full (2007)

50) The Fleshtones: Beachhead (2005)

51) Jupiter Affect: The Restoration Of Culture After Genghis Khan (2003)

52) The Posies: Every Kind Of Light (2005)

53) Arctic Monkeys: Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (2006)

54) Morrissey: Ringleader Of The Tormentors (2006)

55) Dogs Die In Hot Cars: Please Describe Yourself (2004)

56) The Soft Boys: Nextdoorland (2002)

57) Andy Summers: Earth + Sky (2004)

58) Beck: Guero (2005)

59) The Candy Butchers: Play With Your Head (2002)

60) Roger Joseph Manning Jr.: Catnip Dynamite (2008)

61) Ben Folds: Rockin' The Suburbs (2001)

62) The Strokes: Room On Fire (2003)

63) Jet: Get Born (2003)

64) Supergrass: Road To Rouen (2005)

65) Beastie Boys: To The 5 Boroughs (2004)

66) Kaiser Chiefs: Yours Truly, Angry Mob (2007)

67) The Libertines: The Libertines (2004)

68) Belle & Sebastian: Dear Catastrophe Waitress (2003)

69) The Darkness: Permission To Land (2003)

70) Beck: Modern Guilt (2008)

71) Big Star: In Space (2005)

72) Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros: Streetcore (2003)

73) Graham Coxon: Happiness In Magazines (2004)

74) The Fleshtones: Do You Swing? (2003)

75) Outkast: Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003)

76) The Arctic Monkeys: Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007)

77) Kaiser Chiefs: Off With Their Heads (2008)

78) Radiohead: Amnesiac (2001)

79) Jason Falkner: I'm OK... You're OK (2007)

80) Weezer: Weezer (The Green Album) (2001)

81) They Might Be Giants: No! (2002)

82) Paul McCartney: Chaos And Creation In The Backyard (2005)

83) Shriekback: Glory Bumps (2007)

84) TV Eyes: TV Eyes (2006)

85) Franz Ferdinand: Tonight Franz Ferdinand (2009)

86) Fountains Of Wayne: Welcome Interstate Managers (2003)

87) The New Pornographers: Electric Version (2003)

88) Sloan: Pretty Together (2001)

89) Sleater-Kinney: All Hands on the Bad One (2000)

90) Teenage Fanclub: Howdy! (2000)

91) Bell X1: Blue Lights On The Runway (2009)

92) Supergrass: Diamond Hoo Ha (2008)

93) The Fleshtones: Solid Gold Sound (2001)

94) Bob Dylan: Modern Times (2006)

95) Robyn Hitchcock: Spooked (2004)

96) The Old 97's: Satellite Rides (2001)

97) Sahara Hotnights: Jennie Bomb (2001)

98) Morrissey: Years Of Refusal (2009)

99) Gorillaz: Gorillaz (2001)

100) The Donnas: Spend The Night (2002)

The Beach Boys Top 25 Best Most-Overlooked Singles

2009-10-30T01:55:00.000-07:00

This is a list of the twenty-five best most-overlooked singles by The Beach Boys. It is a critical analysis and review based on the recognition of these comparatively unsuccessful singles and how they stand up next to more-successful singles (i.e. "Good Vibrations", "California Girls", "Surfin' USA" and "God Only Knows"). It is also in relation to how they have been represented on the very many compilation albums over the years such as 2003's Sounds of Summer: The Very Best of The Beach Boys and 2006's The Warmth of the Sun and of course 1974's Endless Summer and 1975's Spirit of America (all of which have been Top-40 albums and have gone multi-platinum). Some of these singles end up on a few compilations - while though through no fault of their own - the very many tend to be under-exposured and languish in obscurity. This list discusses these songs and reviews their merits and place in the Beach Boy singles universe.

Since first-names only are usually used, the glossary of band members is:
Alan Jardine, Bruce Johnston, Mike Love, Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson and Dennis Wilson.

Ricky Fataar and Blondie Chaplin: Band members from 1971-1973.
Van Dyke Parks: Brian's collaborator on Smile and the song "Surf's Up".
Murry Wilson: Co-author of "Break Away" and band manager from 1961-1964 (he was also Mike's uncle and the father of Brian, Carl and Dennis).

#1
Surf's Up
b/w Don't Go Near The Water
Brother/Reprise 1058
November, 1971
Highest US Chart Position: None

Generally regarded as a modern pop symphony, the title-track to the bands' 1971 album was (along with "Heroes & Villains) originally to be the centerpiece of the bands unreleased 1967 Smile album. Van Dyke Parks' impressionistic lyrics alluding to theater-of-life as such are wholly brilliant and are married beautifully to Brian's music. Indeed this was the perhaps the singularly most rewarding of their collaborative endeavors. The primary backing track (or in this case piano and Brian's vocals) was recorded in 1966 while the rest of the track was put together with loving care and attention in 1971. Which includes the absolutely beautiful end-refrain vocal-tag "Child is the father of the man/A children's song - have you listened as they play?". There is a version of Brian playing and singing this song solo (from 1966) on the Good Vibrations box Set - which is well-worth hearing. It was rather ambitiously released as a single in the US and did not chart. Just as "Good Vibrations" has been acknowledged as such - this too should be recognized as the classic single that it is.

#2
Caroline, No
b/w Summer Means New Love
Capitol 5610
March 7, 1966
Highest US Chart Position: 32

"Caroline, No" is perhaps the lone single release that completely summarizes the entire theme of what Pet Sounds was about: Love, disillusionment, followed by sadness and resignation. Childhood into adulthood. Lyrically it's a sort of "The Little Girl I Once Knew" after the breakup. The song is a perfect piece of Baroque pop with a harpsichord being the main instrument, accompanied by bass, guitar, vibraphone, flutes and saxes. Brian is the only vocalist on the track and so the song was released as a Brian Wilson solo single and later appeared on Pet Sounds. It was his only solo single as a Beach Boy. Although the song charted in the Top-40 it was only at a disappointing #32. While the song is generally recognized as being wonderful, it seems to be passed over way too-often on important Beach Boys compilations (i.e. namely the Sounds of Summer: The Very Best of the Beach Boys and The Warmth of the Sun compilations). Meanwhile the comparatively average non-charting B-Side "You're So Good To Me" is on a baffling amount of compilations.

#3
Add Some Music To Your Day
b/w Susie Cincinnati
Brother/Reprise 0894
February 23, 1970
Highest US Chart Position: 64

"Add Some Music To Your Day" is perhaps the most puzzling failures of all the underachieving The Beach Boys singles. This sincere slice of folksy Sunshine Pop and Caucasian gospel features each band member individually, very effectively, taking on various verses. The lyrics deal with the joys and love of the tangible nature of music. Consider the lyrics: "The world could come together as one/if everybody under the Sun...add some music to your day". Despite it's seemingly simple sentiment the song is handled expertly and the lyrics are never heavy-handed or preachy. Knowing the breakdown he was then-having and hearing Brian wearily sing "when day is over/I close my tired eyes" to which the band then sings "music is in my soul" is really a poignant moment indeed. This song is perhaps a bit too-overlooked as a great Beach Boys single. It charted at a lowly number 64 and was only issued as a single in the US. It was one of many, many highlights on the pretty-much-perfect Sunflower album.

#4
The Little Girl I Once Knew
b/w There's No Other (Like My Baby)
Capitol 5540
November 8, 1965
Highest US Chart Position: 20

This song in particular has had something of a new lease on life amongst Beach Boy fans and rightfully so. It is basically a creative bridge between 1965's Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) and 1966's Pet Sounds. Released shortly after (an in support of) the release of the "live"-in-the-studio album Beach Boys' Party!, "The Little Girl I Once Knew" charted relatively low for the band at #20. This was largely due to the creative use of silence after the verses which confounded radio program directors and DJs (who didn't care for any dead-air). The song features great chord changes and chiming guitar parts as well as the creative vocal arrangements and perfect vocal parts that was de rigueur for the band. The song is similar in many ways to "California Girls" which it also was the follow-up single to. The organ-part, the lighter-than-air bounce and the overall sunshine-and-blue-skies sound that also emanates from "California Girls" is also very much present on "The Little Girl I Once Knew". And considering that the two songs sound great played back-to-back it's a mystery why they're never sequenced as such on greatest hits compilations. In fact "The Little Girl I Once Knew" charted higher than several other songs yet remained off of the bands near-perfect multi-platinum Sounds of Summer: The Very Best of The Beach Boys album. It first appeared on the the 1968 Best of The Beach Boys Vol. 3 album and the 1975 platinum double-album Spirit of America. It's also a bonus track on the wonderful Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) twofer reissue CD.

#5
Cool, Cool Water
b/w Forever
Brother/Reprise 0998
March 01, 1971
Highest US Chart Position: None

Some lyrics:

In an ocean or in a glass
Cool water is such a gas

The absolutely divine "Cool Cool Water" surely earned it's right as a single for it's quality than for it's commercial appeal. It's perhaps one of the bands flat-out most amazing moments. The song started life as part of the Elements suite on the Smile album but ended up on the wonderful Sunflower album. The song contains some beautiful vocals from the band especially from Brian and Mike. It didn't make the charts but the band perform it on The Mike Douglas Show. The single edit did however appear on The Warmth Of The Sun compilation.

#6
Wendy
Four By The Beach Boys EP
September 21, 1964
Capitol 5267
Highest US Chart Position: 44

The dramatic "Wendy" (as with "Little Honda) was on the great All Summer Long album and was on the A-Side of the Four By The Beach Boys EP. However it was never a stand-alone single...until it was released as such in Germany in 1967. But the band did play it on The Ed Sullivan Show and it did actually chart at number 44. But as is always the case with this band, for every average "Barbara Ann" goes a far-superior "Wendy" seemingly all but ignored. Surf-angst at it's finest. Listen closely for the cough in the bridge.

#7
Break Away
b/w Celebrate The News
Capitol 2530
June 16, 1969
Highest US Chart Position: 63

The final Beach Boys single to be released in the 1960's "Break Away" sounds like a hit through and through. Brian co-wrote this song with his father Murray (who chose the alias of "Reggie Dunbar") at a time when his involvement with the band was comparatively infrequent, the song is successful on it's own ambitious terms. A great melody, complex vocal parts, interesting percussion and a nice arrangement largely went unnoticed to an indifferent record buying public in the Summer of 1969.
As per usual for the band at this time the song was a top-ten hit everywhere but the US.

#8
Friends
b/w Little Bird
Capitol 2160
April 8, 1968
Highest US Chart Position: 47

A Waltz in 3/4 time with ascending vocals, vibraphone, harmonica(s) and harpsichord - "Friends" is perhaps Sunshine Pop at it's purest. In fact, one could also make a case that Brain Wilson single-handedly invented Sunshine Pop. A simple-sounding song with such a unique melody (and a waltz no less) was never going to be a huge hit and so this quality single languished at number 47. A great vocal performance by the band with a nice lead vocal by Carl. A classy single to be sure.

#9
Little Honda
Four By The Beach Boys EP
Capitol 5267
September 21, 1964
Highest US Chart Position: 65

Although it was issued on the near-perfect All Summer Long album and also on the popular Four By The Beach Boys EP (their only EP in the US) "Little Honda" was never released as a stand-alone single in the US. Seeing as it so obviously would have been a huge hits, it's a bit of a mystery as to why it never was a single (in the US, at least). However it did chart as one via airplay from being on the A-Side of the EP reaching #65 (hence it's place on this list). Producer and Beach Boy associate Gary Usher recorded it with studio group The Hondells, who had a top-ten hit with it. Producer Andy Paley (of The Paley Brothers) claims it to be his all-time-favorite rock and roll record and indie patron saints Yo La Tengo have covered it. These accolades aside it is still an urgent and exciting two-minutes of 1960's rock. Dig that humming back round vocal track!

#10
Wild Honey
b/w Wind Chimes
Capitol 2028
October 23, 1967
Highest US Chart Position: 31

Although this song was a Top 40 hit it still gets overlooked in the grand-scheme of Beach Boys hit singles. The third in a trilogy to employ a Theremin (the others being "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times" and "Good Vibrations") "Wild Honey" finds the band simplifying their approach and emptying out their arrangements. A warm slice of psychedelic blue-eyed soul with spare percussion, very loose vocals from
Carl and a nice groovy little organ solo from Brian.

#11
Slip On Through
b/w This Whole World
Brother/Reprise 0929
June 29, 1970
Highest US Chart Position: None

With a groove unique to a Beach Boys record, Dennis' "Slip On Through" is Sunshine Pop with Latin-flavored funk-layered verses. The spare percussion and the bands' vocals excellently supportive the song and it's light lust-ridden lyrics. Unfortunately, this fine mid-tempo rocker was Dennis' only single for the Beach Boys. Which is a shame as Dennis has an expressive voice and sings with confidence on this track, and could have sang lead on several other potential hit singles.
This was one of the four singles culled from the excellent Sunflower album (three of which did not chart). This is also one of the singles that inexplicably failed to chart.

#12
Gettin' Hungry (Credited to Brian & Mike)
b/w Devoted To You
Brother 1002
August 28, 1967
Highest US Chart Position: None

From the very unique Smiley Smile album, the "Gettin' Hungry" single was credited to "Brian & Mike". It was the first Beach Boys-related single not to chart since the Kenny & The Cadets' "Barbie" single in 1962. The song is sparsely arranged with organ, vocals and percussion. It's a fine song and an unusual pick for a single with it's slow verses and fast choruses and is a total retreat from a "Heroes & Villains" or a "Good Vibrations" in it's emptiness. However it's still progressive, slightly odd and easily enjoyable too just as those singles were. This still hasn't helped it's cause in earning it's spot on any of the several Beach Boys compilations in existence.

#13
Long Promised Road
b/w Deidre
Brother/Reprise 1015
May 24, 1971
Highest US Chart Position: None

b/w 'Til I Die
Brother/Reprise 1047
October
Highest US Chart Position: 89

In a long and storied career full of forgotten masterpieces, Carl Wilson's songwriting debut "Long Promised Road" is perhaps one of The Beach Boys unjustly forgotten songs. With a direct melody, an impassioned guitar solo and with such inspiring and empowered lyrics as "Throw off all these shackles that are binding me down" it is easily one of the bands most powerful songs. As this list will indicate there were many, many creative high points from in the 69-73 period that were unjustly ignored because of the bands association with early 60's pop/rock. As this song will clearly indicate the band never stopped growing and changing. This song was issued in May of 1971 and did not chart. After the Surf's Up album was released in August the single was issued yet again in October. This time it reached a lowly number 89.

#14
Bluebirds Over The Mountain
b/w Never Learn Not To Love
Capitol 11572
December 2, 1968
Highest US Chart Position: 61

Originally recorded by Ersel Hickey, this song was recorded, then abandoned by Bruce as solo single and later resuscitated by Carl and Bruce for the 20/20 album. The chorus has Bruce and Carl on lead vocals with verses sung by Mike. The song itself is a nice healthy slice of groovy late 60's California Sunshine Pop with an uncharacteristically wailing guitar solo courtesy of Ed Carter. The single (one of five from 20/20) rather unfairly slumped at a mere 61. It has made very few appearances on any of the very many Beach Boys compilations. The 1983 Beach Boys Rarities album contained a very interesting Dutch single mix.

#15
Cottonfields
b/w The Nearest Faraway Place
Capitol 2765
April 20, 1970
Highest US Chart Position: 103

The band's production of their cover of the Leadbelly blues song "Cottonfields" is among one of the band's finest of the time. However, a far lesser version - produced by Brian - had originally appeared on the band's 20/20 album. The re-recorded single version was imaginatively arranged and produced by Al Jardine, who also handled lead vocals on it as well. Given it's country-vibe it's strange that the song hit #1 on the charts in Australia, South Africa, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands and #2 in the UK, yet only managed to get to #103 in the US. The song was also rightfully added to the front of the Sunflower album in the UK. Time has been kind to this single and yet it goes ignored by compilers when it comes time to appear on the many important Beach Boys compilations. A great stereo single version did appear on the 2001 Hawthorne, CA: Birthplace Of A Musical Legacy compilation album. In fact this seems to be the best available version of the song.

#16
Honkin' Down The Highway
b/w Solar System
Brother/Reprise 1389
May 30, 1977
Highest US Chart Position: None

The lone-single released from 1977's wonderfully quirky The Beach Boys Love You album, "Honkin' Down The Highway" near-perfectly encapsulates what Brain Wilson did in the early days of The Beach Boys: unexpectedly musically progressive and sophisticated yet simultaneously at times lyrically banal yet catchy and expressive. Alan Jardine sings the lead, perhaps his greatest lead vocal since "Help Me Rhonda" or perhaps "Cottenfields". Bare-bone drums, celeste, Moog synth, piano and harpsichord are the primary instruments on this goofy, blissed-out non-charting single. This single is a personal favorite of mine as is the wonderful The Beach Boys Love You album. The song has subsequently made just one appearance (on 2000's The Greatest Hits, Vol. 3: Best of the Brother Years compilation).

#17
California Saga: California
b/w Funky Pretty
Brother/Reprise 1156
April 16, 1973
Highest US Chart Position: 84

With the cheery opening line "On my way to Sunny Californ-i-a" sung by Brian, lyrics by Alan about California and all it's majesty and sung by Mike, this single seemingly should have been far more successful. The album version of the song rounds-out the ambitious three-song cycle "California Saga" suite on 1973's Holland. The remixed single version is perhaps a bit more effective as it pushes the sweeter parts (i.e. vocals, harmonica and banjo) up-front. The song deserved a better fate than eighty-four on the charts.

#18
It's A Beautiful Day
b/w Sumahama
Caribou Records 9031
September, 1979
Highest US Chart Position: 45

With lead vocals shared evenly by Al, Carl and Mike, the sunshine-filled "It's A Beautiful Day" is basically a blissed-out celebration of late 70's Southern California with nice post-Chuck Berry guitar parts from Carl. The song makes a strong case that perhaps the Beach Boys may have invented Yacht Rock as it simultaneously sounds like Chicago, The Doobie Brothers and others of that brethren.

The song was first released as the single to the soundtrack to the 1979 Neil Israel (Bachelor Party, Moving Violations, Police Academy) comedy Americathon. The song hasn't made an appearance on a single Beach Boys album since it surfaced on the amazing 1981 double-album Ten Years Of Harmony compilation. Which is unfortunate as the band hadn't sounded quite this lively and energetic since the mid 60's. It is perhaps their singularly most unfairly (and puzzlingly) obscure singles and deserves much wider currency.

Sample lyrics:

In goodtimes, sunshine, you'll feel alright
We'll maybe even do an afternoon delight
You're sure to get as high as the clouds above

OOOOOOOOOOOh
Living down in L.A.
Such a Beautiful Day

#19
Marcella
b/w Hold On Dear Brother
Brother/Reprise 1101
June 26, 1972
Highest US Chart Position: 101

From 1972's Carl And The Passions – "So Tough" album, the very groovy "Marcella" is a classic 1970's Beach Boys song. Plain and simple. Many of the early Beach Boys hallmarks are present: multi-part vocals, a catchy chorus and with lyrics about a girl. In fact the song alludes to a prostitute that Brian had...befriended around this time. It was a live-staple of the period and surprisingly didn't get any higher than #110 on the charts.

#20
Don't Go Near The Water
b/w Student Demonstration Time
Stateside SS 2194
November 8, 1971
Highest UK Chart Position: None

Okay, so this was only issued as a single in the UK (and as a B-Side to "Surf's Up" in the US) but did nothing anywhere. This surprisingly effective ecological song by Alan Jardine and Mike Love is yet further evidence that The Beach Boys were basically gothic nature boys at heart. It features a Moog synthesizer that plays the basic melody of the song, nice vocal parts and wah-wah guitar throughout. The songs' coda - with it's beautiful soaring vocals and a plaintive banjo and harmonica - is especially exceptional. It's a shame not more people got to hear this song at the time of it's release.

#21
Tears In The Morning
b/w It's About Time
Brother/Reprise 0957
October 12, 1970
Highest US Chart Position: None

Bruce Johnston's "Tears In The Morning" is lyrically successful yet ham-fisted in it's vocally melodramatic approach. However, musically it's something of an easy-listening mini-masterpiece. With horns, accordion and vibraphone in the mix it remains even-keeled and never succumbs to the over-indulgence that such an arrangement might suggest. It never charted in the US or the UK but it became a substantial hit in the Netherlands. It would be nice to see this compiled properly with other quality non-charting singles.

#22
You Need A Mess Of Help To Stand Alone
b/w Cuddle Up
Brother/Reprise 1091
May 15, 1972
Highest US Chart Position: None

"You Need A Mess Of Help To Stand Alone" from 1972's Carl And The Passions – "So Tough" album, is a gritty - for The Beach Boys that is - mid-tempo rocker sung by Carl. With an unusual rhythm, prominently breezy violin, banjo and piano the single didn't bother the charts at all. Which is a shame as it would have shown how far the band had come since the mid 60's.

#23
Susie Cincinnati
b/w Everyone's In Love With You
Brother/Reprise 1375
November 8, 1976
Highest US Chart Position: None

Al Jardine's groovy "Susie Cincinnati" - replete with car-engine revving noises, funky organ, handclaps, loose vocals and occasionally booming low-end bass sounds - has something of a reputation as a redheaded stepchild. Having been released as a B-Side to two singles ("Add Some Music to Your Day" in 1970 and "Child of Winter" in 1974, respectively) it finally earned it's own spot on an album - albeit in a slightly remixed form - on the maddeningly half-baked 15 Big Ones album. And alas as a non-charting US single with "Everyone's In Love With You" taking residence on it's B-Side. However even here "Susie Cincinnati" is sometimes erroneously credited as the B-Side. All in all it probably would have fit in quite nicely on Sunflower.

#24
Goin' On
b/w Endless Harmony
Caribou 9032
March 11, 1980
Highest US Chart Position: 83

"Goin' On" was the first single released on the last album issued during Dennis Wilson's lifetime (Keepin' The Summer Alive). It has something of a casual MOR adult-contemporary feel as the instruments give way to the modern Doo-Wop vocals. However the band hadn't sounded so good vocally in some time and sound as creative as ever as the track is very strong. Although a meandering saxophone solo is present for a few bars in the bridge - other than that, the song is great. Brian is heard all over the song and Carl and Mike deliver their parts perfectly. It's a great song surrounded by some less than great album tracks. It reached number 83 on the US charts. Yacht Rock at it's finest.

#25
Here Comes The Night
b/w Baby Blue
Caribou 9026/9028
February 19, 1979
Highest US Chart Position: 44

Perhaps one of the more controversial singles at the time of it's release, one can only wonder now what all the fuss was really about. Seeing that every other artist and their mother released at least one discofied single around this time, it's not so surprising that The Beach Boys did as well. In fact, the combination works almost too well as the the superior production (by Bruce) does not at all sound like a band not used to releasing disco records. The song itself - from their 1979 L.A. (Light Album) - is a remake of a song off of their 1967 Wild Honey album. This version, sung with pathos by Carl, features monkey noises, vocal gymnastic that only The Beach Boys could muster and bongos galore. It also clocks-in at a full eleven-minutes. There was also a single edit of 4:30 released, but the full-length album version is the one that needs to be experienced. The fact that the band famously nearly got booed off-stage for performing it at Radio City Music Hall didn't stop it from charting at number 44 and earned the band their only Dance Music/Club Music Play chart placing (where they peaked at number 48).

Mark Eric - A Midsummer's Day Dream

2009-10-16T05:27:00.000-07:00

The UK label Now Sounds has recently reissued the lone album offering by Mark Eric Malmborg - 1969's A Midsummer's Day Dream. An album of absolute Southern Californian soft-pop greatness. Malmborg was musician, model and actor based in Hollywood in the late 60's. He made scattered appearances on television shows like The Partridge Family amongst others. While this is really of no interest other than idle trivia, the real matter of import is A Midsummer's Day Dream - one of the lost slices of pop perfection from late 60's Southern California.

A warm blend of mid-60's Brian Wilson-informed Sunshine Pop - namely Pet Sounds-era post-surf pop Beach Boys. With lots of warm backround vocals, soft french horns, accentuating stings, ever-present vibraphones and a seemingly even combination of Mike Love and Brian Wilson vocals as per the adenoidal Malmborg. I'm not so sure I've heard an album that, immediately upon first listen, is so accurately represented by it's cover art - photos of a beach at dusk, scattered flowers in fields, a blonde-coiffed dude (Mark Eric) amongst yet more flowers. All in a small collage reminiscent of The Beach Boys' All Summer Long album.

The songs. "Where Do The Girls Of Summer Go" is an absolute classic, lyrically overlapping the Beach Boys songs "Caroline, No" and "The Girls On The Beach". "Laura's Changing" again takes the girl-all-grown up theme of "Caroline, No" and mixes it with yet another Beach Boys song, "The Little Girl I Once Knew". You'd be forgiven for thinking that the gorgeous "Take Me With You" was a Pet Sounds outtake. Really. The triumvirate of "Move With The Dawn", "Night Of The Lions" and "We Live So Fast" all celebrate (or simply discuss) the fast swinging lifestyle of hipsters in the late 60's. At times sounding simultaneously ultra-naive and dead-on accurate whilst being complete and unwitting snapshots of a long-bygone (but much celebrated) era.

The Now Sounds reissue - which contains great sound-quality, twenty pages of liner notes (with song by song commentary by Marc Eric himself) and sixteen bonus tracks - totaling at twenty-eight - should do more than appease the curious, let alone a fan of the classic A Midsummer's Day Dream album.

The Beatles Official Widget

2009-10-09T21:13:00.001-07:00

Blur - Midlife: A Beginner's Guide To Blur (EMI)

2009-09-28T15:39:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the return of Britpop's favorite sons (no, not Oasis, who only just finally broke up) EMI has issued a generous two-disc compilation of just some of Blur's finer moments. The band reunited to play a few shows in London's Hyde Park this past July, which was, by all accounts a rousing success. The band are even set to record a brand-new studio album Into The Silence sometime later this year.

Although 2000's The Best Of was meant as a stop-gap to round up the 1990's (which is did nicely enough), Midlife acts as a thoughtful sampler for the uninitiated. However The Best Of collection omitted a few key singles. Namely "Popscene", "Sunday Sunday", "Chemical World", "Bang", and "M.O.R.". Midlife goes and rights some of these errors "Chemical World" and "Popscene" make welcome appearances this time around (woefully "Sunday Sunday" gets snubbed once again while "Bugman" remains). The beautiful "Blue Jeans" from 1993's Modern Life Is Rubbish gets well-deserved notice here as well. Midlife also picks up where The Best Of left off and collects two fine tracks from 2003's Think Tank - "Out Of Time" and Coxon's swan song with Blur "Battery In Your Leg".

If for some reason you've had the misfortune of non being familiar with Blur's fine body of work - pick up Midlife without remorse. It's a very nice set and a great introduction - as the title suggests - for a "beginner".

Don't You Know Who I Think I Was? - The Best of the Replacements

2009-09-02T04:59:00.000-07:00

An almost pretty-okay starting point.

The Replacements are one of those bands where their legend almost over shades their actual recorded output. Some of what made the band what it was were their live performances (great, good, bad & ugly). And their singles seem to only scratch the surface. So a 'best of' for The Replacements hardly makes for a by-the-numbers textbook greatest hits collection. So it can't really accurately and fully represent the band that they were on one single disc. Having said this, this collection is pretty okay at doing this - all things considered. But for a start - the track selection seems is a tad off. "Shiftless When Idle" and "Takin' A Ride" could have been left off. Additions of "If Only You Were The Lonely", "Raised In The City", and "Little Mascara" and the great singles "I'm In Trouble", "When It Began", and "The Ledge" would have absolutely made this a definitive greatest hits collection.

For fans of the band there are two good, newly recorded (!) songs ("Message To The Boys" & "Pool And Dive"). And considering they haven't actively done anything as a band in fifteen years - they're great. Paul Westerberg sings and plays guitar, Tommy Stinson plays bass, Chris Mars sings prominent backing-vocals (esp. on "Pool And Dive") and seeing as Chris hasn't played drums in a few years and his own preference of just wanting to sing and not play they used Josh Freese of The Vandals on drums (who backed Paul on his 14 Songs Tour). The songs themselves sound like superior Westerberg solo material although they are definitely 'Mats songs.

For the uninitiated this, again, is a pretty okay compilation but only begins to scratch the surface. I'd personally recommend Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash, Tim, Let It Be and Pleased To Meet Me and that's just for for starters.

They Might Be Giants peak with the amazing Apollo 18 before our very ears!

2009-09-02T04:20:00.000-07:00

Ahh, 1992. (Sigh..indulge me if you will). The year in which They Might Be Giants were "Musical Ambassadors for International Space Year". You've gotta love it. It was with this album that I became a full-on TMBG fan. I'd first (really) heard them when they hosted Post Modern MTV for one week during the Summer of 1989 to promote the then-released Lincoln. They performed songs and advertised their Dial-A-Song service. I called it late one of the nights (it was only but a local call) and heard "How Much Cake Can You Eat?" & "Swing Is A Word". Although those songs made me a fan, it "Purple Toupee" was the song/video that really won me over.

"The Statue Got Me High" is a fun psychedelic single (and a fine lead-off single) "Mammal" is one of my all-time fave TMBG songs. "I Palindrome I" is a great, great single. "Which Describes How You're Feeling", "My Evil Twin", "Dinner Bell" and "Space Suit" are all TMBG sleepers and wonderfully psychedelic. "See the Constellation" - which samples Dee Dee Ramone for the intro count - could be considered the title track (okay, that and "Space Suit") and is, again, another one of my favorite TMBG songs. "Spider", "Turn Around" and "Dig My Grave" are funny and show TMBG still in full command of their use of insane lyrics and humor. The brilliant "Fingertips" for me, is just the icing on the cake. A wonderful psychedelic Summer afternoon cake.

I've personally, always found the final single from the album "The Guitar" to be a tad empty, crass and misguided. I'm guessing this was intended to be a hit single. Needless to say, this is the song from the album they continue performing live to this day.

Although the band still had a lot left in the tank, I'm of the thinking that they peaked around the time of getting a rhythm section? This is the last album that contains what was singularly unique and very special about TMBG.

Employ the shuffle button for this one!

The Beach Boys Summer Days & Today Vinyl Reissues And More From The Capitol Vaults

2009-08-11T23:57:00.000-07:00

Just because I've been lazier than usual I'll just reprint the information:

Hollywood, California -- August 10, 2009 -- Put the needle in the groove! Capitol/EMI's high quality "From The Capitol Vaults" U.S. vinyl campaign continues November 3 with the limited edition, 180-gram vinyl release of 11 classic, standout albums from EMI Music's celebrated catalog.

Capitol/EMI's November 3 "From The Capitol Vaults" releases, all previously out of print on vinyl, include The Band's Cahoots and Stage Fright, The Beach Boys' Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) and Beach Boys Today!, David Bowie's Aladdin Sane, Diamond Dogs, and Young Americans, Faust's Faust IV, and Frank Sinatra's Come Dance With Me!, Come Fly With Me, and In The Wee Small Hours.

Capitol/EMI launched its "From The Capitol Vaults" campaign on September 2, 2008 with 13 classic titles, all previously out-of-print on vinyl. Included in the series' debut were A Perfect Circle's Mer de Noms, The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, Coldplay's Parachutes, A Rush Of Blood To The Head, and X&Y, Radiohead's Pablo Honey, The Bends, OK Computer, Kid A (two 10" 140-gram LPs), Amnesiac (two 10" 140-gram LPs), and Hail To The Thief, R.E.M.'s Document, and Steve Miller Band's Greatest Hits 1974-78.

On September 30, the campaign continued with the release of Jimi Hendrix's incendiary 1970 concert album, Band Of Gypsys, on fiery red 180-gram vinyl, and John Lennon's chart-topping 1971 studio album, Imagine, on 180-gram vinyl.

An additional 13 titles were released on October 28, including The Band's Music From Big Pink and The Band, The Beach Boys' Endless Summer, John Lennon's Rock 'N' Roll, Paul McCartney & Wings' Band On The Run, Megadeth's Peace Sells and Rust In Peace, Queensryche's Operation: Mindcrime, Roxy Music's For Your Pleasure and Roxy Music, Stray Cats' Built For Speed, and The Verve's Urban Hymns.

On February 24, Ben Harper's entire Virgin Records catalog was released by EMI Music in limited edition, 180-gram vinyl packaging. Nine Ben Harper albums, all previously out-of-print on vinyl, have been restored to the format with Harper's supervision. The LPs were released in deluxe packaging with carefully replicated artwork and two live EPs also made their vinyl release debuts.

On April 21, 12 Radiohead EPs were released on 180-gram vinyl for the first time, including "2 + 2 = 5," "Creep," "Fake Plastic Trees," "High & Dry," "Just," "Karma Police," "My Iron Lung," "No Surprises," "Paranoid Android," "Pyramid Song," "Street Spirit (Fade Out)," and "Drill."

On June 16, the series continued with The Beach Boys' Sunflower and Surf's Up, Merle Haggard's Mama Tried, Megadeth's So Far, So Good... So What!, Plastic Ono Band's Live Peace In Toronto 1969, Red Hot Chili Peppers' Freaky Styley, Mother's Milk, and The Uplift Mofo Party Plan, Roxy Music's Country Life and Stranded, and The Specials' self-titled album. All "From The Capitol Vaults" titles feature carefully replicated artwork and packaging true to their original single or gatefold jacket LP releases. More "From The Capitol Vaults" titles will soon be announced.

Desperate Teenage Lovedolls Soundtrack

2009-07-19T02:27:00.000-07:00

Misguided soundbites mar overall impact of music...

Desperate Teenage Lovedolls is perhaps one of my all-time favorite films. I remember picking this up at Tower Records in the Summer of 1997 (a pleasant surprise indeed as I had no idea this had been released on CD). Good liner-notes and photos but the cover art is altered for some misguided reason as the original was pretty ace. I have to say this soundtrack is nearly an aural photograph of the last gasp of the early 80's LA punk scene. It's perhaps even more effective than many purposeful compilations could be as it's seemingly unaware of what it is capturing. Half of this soundtrack are purely Redd Kross tracks. Some of which have only seen release here ("Out Of Focus", "Legend" and the original version of "Ballad Of A Lovedoll"). Lone tracks by Black Flag, DTLD director Dave Markey's band Sin 34, and a wonderful acoustic track by Bad Religion frontman Greg Graffin and ex-Redd Kross guitarist Greg Hetson (billed on the original LP as Greg/Greg) called "Running Fast".

Here's the rub (someone had to screw this up I suppose), every single track is prefaced with dialog from the film (or faux applause)...on the actual track itself!! The ending of "Ballad" also overlaps entirely onto "Legend" (but not without an asinine soundbite from the film - lest we forget about the film for two minutes). Talk about a shortsighted idea. This is the sort of thing that may have been funny, once, to the people involved (and rightfully so - some of the dialog is classic). But any sort of momentum or cohesiveness is virtually ruined for anyone who wants to listen to this soundtrack more than once. Which is a real shame because the songs work so well together and probably flow better than they have any business to. Other mid 90's soundtracks did this too (Mallrats, The Brady Bunch Movie, Friends, etc). The popularity of this heinously obnoxious act was thankfully short-lived.

One wonders what the compiler of this soundtrack was even trying to achieve with such a seemingly crass, if not self-indulgent, act. Their only real intention was that of selling the film to the purchaser of the soundtrack - if that person didn't already own the home video (doubtful) or know anything about the film (again, doubtful). Sell, sell, sell I guess.

Lovedolls Superstar Motion Picture Soundtrack

2009-07-19T02:10:00.000-07:00

Great showcase for Redd Kross, Annette Zilinskas and Painted Wille...

The sequel to Desperate Teenage Lovedolls is perhaps superior to the original. The music too is almost superior. Unlike the soundtrack to that film these don't contain any ridiculous soundbites from the film. The songs themselves come from the mid-80's Southern California scene.

The Redd Kross songs are easily the best things on the soundtrack. They supply the wonderful title track to the film. They also contribute 'The Lovedolls' tracks: the wonderfully trashy "Rex Smith 9 (I Wanna Be a Cholo Chick)", the groovy rocker "Beer & Ludes" (with Cheap Trick's "Hello There" in the bridge) and the Brady Bunch cover "Sunshine Day". Lead vocals on these three songs are regrettably shared with the way-too nasally and off-key Jennifer Schwartz (who plays Kitty Carryall in both films). Their cover of "Purple Haze" is also included here as well (although that song was featured in DTLD not LDS).

There's also some truly great material supplied by others. Ex-Bangle Annette Zilinskas' beautiful Sonny & Cher cover "Baby Don't Go", Painted Willie cover Prince & The Revolution's Nikki ("Darling Shelah") and back Jennifer Schwartz on "Now That I've Tasted Blood". There are also unremarkable tracks by Dead Kennedys, Meat Puppets and Sonic Youth included as well.

Black Flag contribute the lifeless "Kickin' and Stickin'" and also back Schwartz on "The Love Machine". The wholly unimaginative score was done by Flag guitarist Greg Ginn's side project Gone. Ginn would later inexplicably deny the use of this material on the 2006 DVD release/soundtrack those eight these tracks are only available here on the original SST soundtrack.

Aside from the fantastic Redd Kross tracks, Painted Willie and the Annette Zilinskas stunner, these songs tend to work better within the context of the film than they do on their own on the soundtrack. The soundtrack is also an unwitting document of a fine time in the history of alternative music.

It Was (Just About) Twenty Years Ago Today...XTC: Oranges & Lemons

2009-06-29T11:39:00.000-07:00

Cliched and overused as it may sound, I seriously cannot believe that it's been twenty-years since the release of XTC's tenth album Oranges & Lemons. I became a fan of XTC in a pretty random way and almost as an afterthought. I had in fact unwittingly half-knew nearly a half-dozen of XTC's songs but never really knew anything beyond the choruses for "Sgt. Rock Is Going To Help Me" and "Senses Working Overtime".

Overlong back-story begins in exactly...

Sometime in early 1988 I was browsing through a book by Danny Quatrochi entitled The Police Confidential - a photo diary on the de facto Beatles of the New Wave. In the book there are several photos of Police founder Stewart Copeland and book author/Sting's bass tech Danny Quatrochi in which they sport several different Drums & Wires tour T-Shirts. Being all of almost twelve years-old and for one reason or another taken with the interesting T-Shirt design - I investigated just what was XT something or other? What does it say? XTC?

Upon further investigation, it just so happened that my older brother not only owned the Virgin International vinyl version* of Go 2, but the Epic Records vinyl editions of both Drums & Wires & Black Sea as well. These three albums made a tremendous impression on me and in short XTC became my favorite band. Being a fan of a critically-acclaimed fringe band at a young age is pretty frustrating. There's no name-recognition among your peers which can be a bit alienating and you're too young to fully indulge in being a holier-than-thou hipster.

XTC's then-most recent albums were Skylarking (with the controversial then-hit "Dear God") and Psonic Psunspot (the latter under their Dukes Of Stratosphear pseudonym). I went to Tower Records that Summer and bought the Geffen cassettes of everything from White Music to Psonic Psunspot and whatever used vinyl or UK import CDs I could find (aside from English Settlement & Skylarking - XTC CDs weren't available domestically until early 1991 as Geffen were desperately slow on the uptake). It was pretty much all about XTC (for the most part) for sometime.

Fast forward to all but a few months later in January of 1989. I'm watching MTV - when they were still a viable source for new music and not a reality television channel - and lo and behold I catch the world premiere video a few seconds in (just after the band/song/album/label credits) of "The Mayor Of Simpleton" and by the bridge I'm thinking that this is my new favorite band. The song is a concise Beatlesque tour de force with cyclical Beach Boys vocals and jangle Byrds guitars and a bass line that is absolutely sick. Of course, it turns out to be XTC. That day I march to local record store Sounds Alive Music and happily plunk down one dollar for the one-song promo CD single. Followed by the 7", 12" and import 3" CD singles.*

A month later Oranges & Lemons is released and I'm very seriously overjoyed. It's better than I think it would be - and even the lesser tracks ("Poor Skeleton Steps Out"...) are only lesser comparatively. It gets four-star reviews everywhere and gets significant exposure on MTV and lots of airplay on the local "new music" radio station WDRE-FM & local cool college radio station WBAU-FM. It was the first time in my life that I was able to enjoy (or simply witness) an album by my favorite band and actively enjoy the whole release & promote the singles/album process. And in XTC's case it was slightly unconventional. They stopped touring in 1982 but actually did tour for Oranges & Lemons. Only in XTC's case they went to radio stations & MTV and played acoustic mini-sets of a few songs and a few medleys. They even played the second single from the album ("King For A Day") on Late Night With David Letterman in late June. I actually got to meet them that year (very briefly) at an in-store signing at Record World in Garden City, NY - the day before their appearance on Late Night. "King For A Day" got lots of airplay as did the ill-conceived remixes that were (unbeknownst to the band) commissioned by Geffen.

"Chalkhills and Children", "Hold Me My Daddy", "The Loving" (the third and final single from O&L), "The Garden of Earthly Delights", "King For A Day", "Here Comes President Kill Again", "Miniature Sun", "Merely a Man" and "The Mayor Of Simpleton" - all from Oranges & Lemons - remain some of my very favorite XTC songs (you know, out of about a hundred or so). And in addition to a few exclusive others XTC are still my favorite band. The album is slightly dated - not horribly so - but ever so slightly. It's an incredible collection of songs and is still every bit now as good as it was then.

* Forgive such expressions of vinyl record geekdom but there's no turning back at this point.

The Songs Are Mine?

2009-06-27T16:04:00.000-07:00

The rumor mill has been in sway since the death of Michael Jackson. In particular, regarding the ownership of The Beatles songwriting publishing catalog. Jackson purchased the lucrative catalog in 1985 from Apple Records for $47.5 million dollars.

It was Paul McCartney - who had been buddies with Jackson after the two had appeared on each others songs (Jackson on McCartney's "Say Say Say" and McCartney on Jackson's "The Girl Is Mine") - who told Jackson about the financial benefits of publishing ownership. Not surprisingly, the two had a falling-out over the matter.

Reportedly Jackson's lawyers have claimed that the rights to the Lennon/McCartney catalog may revert back to McCartney. There has also been talk of it being in Jackson's will.

The Seeds' Sky "Sunlight" Saxon RIP

2009-06-26T09:11:00.000-07:00

Sky Saxon of the Los Angeles band The Seeds passed away yesterday at age 63. The Seeds were late 60's Garage Rockers who really liked Marijuana, that is they professed as much perhaps more than other bands actively did (by having a song called "Rollin Machine" and naming themselves The Seeds for a start). They had hits with "Pushin' Too Hard" (which made an appearance in the film Desperate Teenage Lovedolls), "Can't Seem To Make You Mine" (which was covered by everyone from The Ramones to Alex Chilton) and "Mr. Farmer" (which was in the film Almost Famous). Their first two albums - The Seeds and A Web of Sound (both 1966) are absolute classics. If you've not heard The Seeds by all means check them out. They were a direct influence in Iggy Pop & The Stooges, New York Dolls and several others.

When The Seeds broke up in the late 60's Sky kind of lost touch with reality. He had an erratic, if creatively unsuccessful, solo career. He appeared in the flim Lovedolls Superstar (the sequel to Desperate Teenage Lovedolls). He formed the brief, wonderfully-named band Purple Electricity with Jeff & Steve McDonald of Redd Kross. In 1986 they released the improvised (i.e. unrehearsed) live album Private Party. Sky most recently recorded with Smashing Pumpkins. The cause of death is yet to be determined. He was 63 years old.

Tinted Windows (2009)

2009-06-22T17:49:00.000-07:00

This is a strange one. Not the material mind you, but the band. Supergroups generally aren't supposed to make very good music - at least historically. Well, that's the theory at least. Tinted Windows is unassumingly comprised of Adam Schlesinger from Fountains Of Wayne, James Iha from Smashing Pumpkins, Taylor Hanson - the middle child from Hanson and Bun E. Carlos (aka Brad Carlson) of Cheap Trick. It seems less unnatural (than the notion of...) once you actually give it a listen.

I first saw these guys on The Late Show with David Letterman and was a little confused. What are these guys all doing together? The answer is making pretty-good Power Pop and players that sometimes have a tendency to play to their own record collection. And maybe dumb it down a notch for mass consumption (not like the very best Power Pop isn't already user friendly...). Having said this - it's overall pretty good. The band plays well together - no matter how unlikely the combination. And can still be enjoyed even without any point of Power Pop references.

The first single "Kind Of A Girl" is a sugary hook-filed knockout with lots of "Whoa, whoas". "Nothing On Me", "Messing With My Head" and "Can't Get A Read On You" are all big winners that fall somewhere between Cheap Trick (surprise, surprise), The Knack and Big Star. So, yes Power Pop. Songs about girls with big hooks, sugary choruses and sweet guitars.

Recommended: Yesly

Single Rereviews: The Monkees: Porpoise Song

2009-06-16T06:35:00.000-07:00

The Monkees
Porpoise Song b/w As We Go Along
Colgems Records 1031
October 5, 1968

Okay, so I'm something of a small-scale vinyl junkie. I've been this way for some time now. It probably dates back to when I was only about three or four years old and getting second-hand Kiss records from various relatives. Kiss were no longer deemed "cool" by most teenage standards (New Wave and Punk Rock was) so I got them. Kiss looked like a bunch of life-sized cartoon characters. They kind of were/are. Well, throughout the 1980's my tastes changed towards new wave and punk rock ("college rock" or "modern rock" as it was known as then). But along the way I became something of a fan of The Monkees television show - which was rerun in syndication - and, subsequently, The Monkees' music. As a teenager I discovered the prefab-four's more psychedelic material (Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd., The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees, Head and Instant Replay). I then basically became a full-fledged fan.

From their Head album - The Monkees' "Porpoise Song" b/w "As We Go Along" single may be one of their very best. The Micky Dolenz-sung, Hammond organ-heavy "Porpoise Song [Theme From Head]" is something of a lost-classic Gerry Goffin/Carole King song. It's also the complete (single) version of the song (4:12 as opposed to the albums' 2:56) with a great swirling-coda. This version also appears on Rhino's 1995 Greatest Hits collection. It also made an appearance in the 2001 film Vanilla Sky. "As We Go Along" (Carole King/Toni Stern) is again sung by Dolenz. It too is something of a lost-classic. It's warm acoustic guitar/flute arrangement make it a quintessential late 60's light-Psych piece of Sunshine Pop. The accompanying virtual would-be music video clips for these songs that are featured in the film HEAD are near-perfect visual representations of these songs (IMHO).

The single charted at an unfortunate #62, and like many Monkees B-sides "As We Go Along" earned it's own chart-placing (at a better-than-nothing #106). I guess commerce and art have always been at war. Along with lots of other near-steals - I recently picked-up this single for a measly one-dollar.

Hence this entire rereview.

Wonderlick's Topless In The Arco Arena

2009-06-15T06:30:00.000-07:00

On July 7th the California duo Wonderlick will release their sophomore album Topless In The Arco Arena (Missing Piece/Rock Ridge Music).

Their self-titled debut, released some seven years ago, with winning material ("How Small You Are", "I Wanna Love You" and "Donner Lake") was a nice mixture of electro-pop, warm guitars and melodic vocals. Wonderlick is comprised of Tim Quirk and Jay Blumenfield, who were one-half of New York's premier power pop/punk band Too Much Joy. Imagine The Replacements and They Might Be Giants going out and coming away friends and you almost have an idea of what Too Much Joy sounded like. Or maybe The Clash with lots of Who-like Townshend codas, early Cheap Trick smirk and post-punk Beach Boys harmony vocals. Instrumentally, Wonderlick do not sound much like Too Much Joy. They do contain various elements of 90's alt-synth rock mixed with The Pale Saints, Dubstar and the like. "Rough" versions of twenty-some odd tracks had very generously been posted for free downloads on the bands' website for a few years now. Sixteen of which have been selected for the new album.

Some standouts include, but are not limited to: "When She Took Off Her Shirt" (which is a true earworm of a song), "Everybody Loves Jenny (Except Jenny)", "A Different Kind of Love", "The Possibilities", "Devil Horns" (the closest thing to a title track) and, a perfect example that a band's pose or initial sound is sometimes far greater than the their actual legacy or material (i.e. The Ramones, The Clash, The Sex Pistols), a smile-inducing, would-be poignant reading of The Clash's "Janie Jones".

Big head-scratching omissions: "Nobody Loves You Enough" and "What You Did To Me". These were easily two of the best songs - and most concise/least indulgent - of the bunch and were not included in the final track sequence. I'm guessing they were dropped in favor of newer (read: not exclusively better) songs. "Make Some Noise", which prominently featured TMJ drummer Tommy Vinton, and a humorously fey reading of Kiss' "Rock & Roll All Nite" also failed to make the cut.

The first "single" from the album is "This Song Is A Commercial".

Here's the track listing:

1 When She Took Off Her Shirt
2 All Boys Want
3 We Run the World
4 The King of Bad Decisions
5 Fear of Chicago
6 Everybody Loves Jenny (Except Jenny)
7 You First
8 The Case Against Tattoos
9 This Song is a Commercial
10 Fuck Yeah!
11 Janie Jones
12 The C.E.O. Considers His Holdings
13 A Different Kind of Love
14 Your Majesty
15 The Possibilities
16 Devil Horns

Recommended: Indeed

www.wonderlick.com
www.toomuchjoy.com

Adventureland Motion Picture Soundtrack (2009)

2009-06-07T05:12:00.000-07:00

Adventureland is a new(ish) Teenage Romantic Comedy from Greg Molatta (Superbad). It's an autobiographical account of the wacky hijinks, romantic misadventures and employment experience he had in 1987 at Adventureland Amusement Park in Farmingdale, Long Island, New York.

The movie stars Twilight phenom Kristen Stewart, Jesse Eisenberg (Roger Dodger) and Ryan Reynolds. More importantly, it contains the best soundtrack I've heard in a very long time. It's also very nice to see a soundtrack have legitimately good songs from the era as well (much like The Wedding Singer), and - good or otherwise - not the just the same songs that everyone has heard way too-many times.

It contains a few surprising classics: The Velvet Underground's masterpiece "Pale Blue Eyes", Big Star's ageless "I'm In Love With A Girl" and The New York Dolls' earnestly sleazy "Looking For A Kiss". A few singalongs and a guilty pleasure or two: The Outfield's politely sleazy "Your Love", INXS' "Don’t Change" (a top contender for their best song), and the you-think-you-like-it power of Crowded House's "Don’t Dream It’s Over", the better-than-it-has-any-business-being punch of David Bowie's "Modern Love", rounded out by Falco's deeply profound high-camp masterpiece "Rock Me Amadeus".

Also present and accounted for are several legitimate American college rock (as it was then quaintly referred to) classics in The Replacements' Byrds/Dylan-via-The Sex-Pistols angst of "Unsatisfied" and the post-hardcore power of Hüsker Dü's "Don’t Want To Know If You Are Lonely" (later covered to lesser effect by Green Day). Not to mention The Cure's first Top-40 hit "Just Like Heaven" (which was everywhere circa 87/88).

Several other songs in the film did not make the soundtrack however: The Replacements' "Bastards Of Young" (which is the first item heard in the film), Nick Lowe's "So It Goes", Rush's "Limelight", The Rolling Stones' "Tops" and the sore thumbs of Judas Priest's "Breaking The Law" and "Here I Go Again" by Whitesnake.

Unfortunately the soundtrack was released for promotional-use-only in CD format (with liner notes from director Greg Mottola). There were also copies with various Adventureland T-Shirt giveaways. It is available for download from iTunes.

The awesome tracklisting:

1 Satellite Of Love - Lou Reed
2 Modern Love - David Bowie
3 I’m In Love With A Girl - Big Star
4 Just Like Heaven - The Cure
5 Rock Me Amadeus - Falco
6 Don’t Change - INXS
7 Your Love - The Outfield
8 Don’t Dream It’s Over - Crowded House
9 Looking For A Kiss - New York Dolls
10 Don’t Want To Know If You Are Lonely - Hüsker Dü
11 Unsatisfied - The Replacements
12 Pale Blue Eyes - The Velvet Underground
13 Farewell Adventureland - Yo La Tengo
14 Adventureland Theme Song - Yo La Tengo

Big Star to release Keep An Eye On The Sky Box Set

2009-06-06T06:56:00.001-07:00

The legacy of Memphis, Tennessee Power Pop legends Big Star never ceases to amaze.

A bit of history..

The band began life as Rock City (and then Icewater) in 1971 lead by guitarist/vocalist Chris Bell (formerly of The Jynx) with bassist/vocalist Andy Hummel and drummer/vocalist Jody Stephens. Guitarist/vocalist (and former lead singer for The Box Tops) Alex Chilton joined a few months into the bands existence. The band changed their name to Big Star - after a local supermarket chain. Much like fellow would-be contemporaries The Raspberries the band took their inspiration from several British Invasion groups like The Beatles, The Kinks and The Who in addition to American artists The Beach Boys and The Byrds.

The band recorded three albums - #1 Record & Radio City for Ardent/Stax Records and Third for PVC - each one met with glowing reviews but plagued by minimal distribution. Chris Bell left the band after #1 Record, followed by Andy Hummel after Radio City, the band then breaks up and Chris Bell passes away in a 1978 automobile accident - strangely, on Alex Chilton's birthday.

Meanwhile, their extremely hard-to-find recorded work grows in stature to legendary proportions thanks in part to The Replacements, R.E.M. and The Bangles spreading the word in the 1980's and Teenage Fanclub, The Posies, Cheap Trick, Wilco, Weezer and others doing the same in the 1990's. Which resulted in Rykodisc releasing four Big Star/Chris Bell releases, Norton releasing Nobody Can Dance and two fine reunion albums recorded with half of The Posies - Columbia: Live At Missouri University 4/25/93 and In Space.

So what is on the 98-track, four disc set? You get massive liner-notes and photos, previously unreleased songs, alternate takes, unreleased studio demos, alternate mixes, plus twenty-songs from a three-night stint in January 1973 spent opening for Archie Bell & The Drells ("Tighten Up") - reputedly the best live recording of the band, ever. Including covers of songs by Todd Rundgren, The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Kinks and T.Rex. The holy-grail of all things Big Star to be sure.

Rhino Records are set to release the Big Star box set Keep An Eye On The Sky on September 15th.

Disc One

01 Chris Bell: "Psychedelic Stuff"
02 Icewater: "All I See Is You"
03 Alex Chilton: "Every Day as We Grow Closer" (Original Mix)
03 Rock City: "Try Again" (Early Version)
04 Rock City: "The Preacher"
05 Feel
06 The Ballad of El Goodo (Alternate Mix)
07 In the Street
08 Thirteen (Alternate Mix)
09 Don't Lie to Me
10 The India Song
11 When My Baby's Beside Me (Alternate Mix)
12 My Life Is Right (Alternate Mix)
13 Give Me Another Chance (Alternate Mix)
14 Try Again
15 Chris Bell: "Gone With the Light"
16 Watch the Sunrise
17 ST 100/6 (Alternate Mix)
18 In the Street (Second Recorded Version)
19 Feel (Early Mix)
20 The Ballad of El Goodo (Alternate Lyrics)
21 The India Song (Alternate Version)
22 Country Morn
23 I Got Kinda Lost (Demo)
24 Motel Blues (Demo)

Disc Two

01 There Was a Light (Demo)
02 Life Is White (Demo)
03 What's Going Ahn (Demo)
04 O My Soul
05 Life Is White
06 Way Out West (Alternate Mix)
07 What's Going Ahn
08 You Get What You Deserve (Alternate Mix)
09 Mod Lang (Alternate Mix)
10 Back of a Car (Alternate Mix)
11 Daisy Glaze
12 She's A Mover
13 September Gurls
14 Morpha Too (Alternate Mix)
15 I'm in Love With a Girl
16 O My Soul (Alternate Version)
17 Back of a Car (Demo)
18 Daisy Glaze (Alternate Take)
19 She's a Mover (Alternate Version)
20 Chris Bell: "I Am the Cosmos"
21 Chris Bell: "You and Your Sister"
22 Alex Chilton: "Blue Moon" (Demo)
23 Alex Chilton: "Femme Fatale" (Demo)
24 Alex Chilton: Thank You Friends" (Demo)
25 Alex Chilton: "You Get What You Deserve" (Demo)

Disc Three

01 Alex Chilton: "Lovely Day (aka Stroke It Noel)" (Demo)
02 Alex Chilton: "Downs" (Demo)
03 Alex Chilton: "Nightime" (Demo)
04 Alex Chilton: "Jesus Christ" (Demo)
05 Alex Chilton: "Holocaust" (Demo)
06 Alex Chilton: "Take Care" (Demo)
07 Alex Chilton: "Big Black Car" (Alternate Demo)
08 Manana *
09 Jesus Christ
10 Femme Fatale
11 O, Dana
12 Kizza Me
14 You Can't Have Me
15 Nightime
16 Dream Lover
17 Blue Moon
18 Take Care
19 Stroke It Noel
20 For You
21 Downs
22 Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
23 Big Black Car
24 Holocaust
25 Kanga Roo
26 Thank You Friends
27 Till The End of the Day
28 Lovely Day
29 Nature Boy

Disc Four (Live At Lafayette's Music Room, Memphis, TN January 1973)

01 When My Baby's Beside Me
02 My Life Is Right
03 She's a Mover
04 Way Out West
05 The Ballad of El Goodo
06 In the Street
07 Back of a Car
08 Thirteen
09 The India Song
10 Try Again
11 Watch the Sunrise
12 Don't Lie to Me
13 Hot Burrito #2 (The Flying Burrito Brothers)
14 I Got Kinda Lost
15 Baby Strange (T.Rex)
16 Slut (Todd Rundgren)
17 There Was a Light
18 ST 100/6
19 Come On Now (The Kinks)
20 O My Soul

XTC's psychedelic pseudonym The Dukes Of Stratosphear get Deluxe Reissue Treatment

2009-06-04T00:48:00.000-07:00

XTC have just given their psychedelic alter-ego pseudonym faux-60's band The Dukes Of Stratosphear the full-on deluxe reissue treatment.

In December of 1984 the band went into the studio with drummer (and guitarist/keyboardist Dave Gregory's brother) Ian Gregory and producer John Leckie (XTC, Wings, PIL, Radiohead, Robyn Hitchcock, The Stone Roses) and recorded the EP 25 O'Clock and yet again in the June of 1987 to record the LP Psonic Psunspot. Both releases were very well-received both critically and with the general public and sold far better than the then-recent XTC releases Mummer and The Big Express. The tracks on these recordings were virtual homages to The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Byrds, The Small Faces, The Kinks, The Hollies, The Move, The Electric Prunes, Pink Floyd, and The Strawberry Alarm Clock.

Both releases have both been reissued - fully remastered with a collective fifteen bonus tracks, the complete music videos for "The Mole From The Ministry" and "You're A Good Man Albert Brown (Curse You Red Barrel)" with 24 pages of lyrics and liner notes by Dave Gregory, Colin Moulding and Andy Partridge in a hardcover book-style format - on Andy Partridge's own APE label.

Amazingly after such an awful relationship with their former label, Virgin Records have relinquished the rights to a handful of XTC recordings and awarded them to XTC.

Other XTC albums to get the deluxe treatment to be released later this year will include English Settlement, Oranges & Lemons and Skylarking.

The Beatles: Rock Band Tracks Announced

2009-06-03T03:11:00.000-07:00

The Beatles and Apple Corps have finally unveiled information on The Beatles Rock Band video game, which arrives in stores on 9/9/09 for Wii, PS3 and XBOX 360. There was a reunion of sorts for surviving members Ringo Starr and Sir Paul McCartney at the Electronic Entertainment Expo - that's E3 to those in the know - in Los Angeles this past Monday, where the two spoke about the game. There was also a screening of the trailer for the video game as well.

Ten of the games 45 songs have been revealed:

I Saw Her Standing There
I Want to Hold Your hand
I Feel Fine
Day Tripper
Tax Man
I Am The Walrus
Back in the U.S.S.R.
Octopus's Garden
Here Comes The Sun
Get Back

Abbey Road will also be available in it's entirety for download as well.

A few of the venues where the band played were also announced (The Cavern Club, The Ed Sullivan Theater, Shea Stadium, Nippon Budokan Hall and The Apple Corps Rooftop).

And, should one feel the need, there will also be exclusive replicas of Beatle gear for purchase - such as George Harrison's Gretsch Duo Jet Guitar, John Lennon's Rickenbacker 325, Paul McCartney's Höfner bass and Ringo's Pearl kit (with the iconic custom Ludwig Beatles vanity bass drum head). And a plastic Rock Band Rickenbacker guitar is still significantly less-expensive then the real thing.

My personal wish list of songs to appear are:

Paperback Writer
Rain
And Your Bird Can Sing
Ticket To Ride
Magical Mystery Tour
You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)
Hello Goodbye
It's All Too Much
Help!
I'm Only Sleeping
Cry Baby Cry
We Can Work It Out
Lady Madonna
A Hard Days Night
Go To Get You Into My Life
Eight Days A Week
The Fool On The Hill
Tomorrow Never Knows (C Major throughout)
You Mother Should Know
Mother Nature's Son
All You Need Is Love
Penny Lane
I'm Down

Several of my favorite Beatles songs aren't thought of as "guitar songs" (i.e."Penny Lane" or "You Mother Should Know") but, great songs are great songs/great chord-changes are great chord-changes. Anything from A Hard Days Night to Revolver and Magical Mystery Tour would suffice. Trippy graphics and the authentic sound of a Vox AC30 combo amp would also be nice.

Here We Come...The Monkees Vinyl Reissues from Sundazed

2009-05-18T06:23:00.000-07:00

Sundazed Records has recently reissued the first five albums by the prefab four.

Those albums are:

The Monkees (1966)
More Of The Monkees (1967)
Headquarters (1967)
Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. (1967)
The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees (1968)

Each is peppered with bonus tracks on High-Definition Vinyl and boast a nice consumer-friendly list price of $16.98.

Amazingly, in the year and a half span that initially saw these albums released - all but one reached the top of the charts in both the US and UK (The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees at an underachieving #3).
Some of the more well-known songs found on these albums are "Last Train To Clarksville", "The Girl I Knew Somewhere", "Valleri", "Pleasant Valley Sunday", "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You", "For Pete's Sake" (used as the closing theme to the show), "Take A Giant Step", "Words", "Tapioca Tundra", "She", "Daydream Believer", "Randy Scouse Git", "Love Is Only Sleeping", "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" and of course "I'm A Believer".

It's very nice seeing these classic vinyl LPs in print once again.

Big Star Reissue #1 Record And Radio City

2009-05-08T22:23:00.000-07:00

Memphis Power Pop legends Big Star are set to reissue their first two albums - 1972's mondo-influential #1 Record and 1974's even-more-amazing Radio City - on June 16th. Ardent/Stax are releasing both LPs on vinyl with fully-restored artwork (including the original labels).

However the CD release will be a twofer of both #1 Record and Radio City with the same combined artwork as on the 1992 Fantasy Records and the 2004 SACD reissues. There will, at very least, be two bonus tracks (one per LP). That being the single recording of "In The Street" which had previously appeared as the B-Side to the "When My Baby's Beside Me" single and on the 20 Greats from the Golden Decade of Power Pop compilation and the single edit of "O My Soul". Although Radio City had several outtakes - including "I Got Kinda Lost", "Gone With The Light", "Motel Blues" and "There Was A Life" - none have been included in the reissue.

How would you know Big Star? They were fronted by the late Chris Bell and lead singer for The Box Tops, Alex Chilton. One of their most well-known songs is "In The Street", a version of which was covered by Cheap Trick for the theme song to That '70's Show. Several Big Star songs appeared in various episodes of that show on several occasions. "I'm In Love With A Girl" was recently used in a Heineken commercial. Chris Bell's "Speed Of Sound" appeared in Nick And Norah's Infinite Playlist. R.E.M., The Replacements, The Bangles and Wilco have covered their material. Not to mention The Replacements' paying tribute to the band in their 1987 college-radio hit "Alex Chilton". Who do they sound like? The Beatles, The Who, The Kinks, The Beach Boys and Badfinger in varying degrees.

The Cars (1978 Elektra) A Perfect Debut.

2009-05-05T11:21:00.000-07:00

Boston, MA's The Cars contained ex-members of The Modern Lovers (which also featured Jonathan Richman and Talking Heads' Jerry Harrison), the folky and very un-New Wave Milkwood and members of comedian Martin Mull's backing band. They were an American Pub-Rock band that adapted a hybrid of Rock And Roll while carefully merging a New Wave sensibility as well. Needless to say, they were quite successful at this. The Cars may be one of the most successful debuts of the initial 1977-1983 New Wave era. The Cars contained sleek songs with sleek arrangements which is in direct contrast to the booming background vocals treated by Queen producer Roy Thomas Baker. They could be seen as the missing link between The Beach Boys and Weezer.

Rhythm guitarist and vocalist Ric Ocasek was basically an awkward New Wave Buddy Holly with songs to match while bassist and vocalist Benjamin Orr had more conventional pop idol looks and sang the more pop material. The hit singles - "My Best Friend's Girl", "Good Times Roll" and "Just What I Needed" still get lots of airplay on AOR and alternative stations. "Don't Cha Stop", "You're All I've Got Tonight" and "Bye Bye Love" were also FM hits and still get a decent amount of airplay as well. I've personally heard all-nine songs from the album on the radio at various times. And the meandering "Moving In Stereo" is pretty well known for it's appearance in Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

The album was given an upgraded deluxe two-disc treatment by those do-gooders at Rhino in the late 90's and contains studio demos of the tracks and such would-have-been-classics as "They Won't See You" and "Wake Me Up" which is easily the one to get.

The Cars - Candy-O (1979 Elektra) No Sophomore Slump And More Varied Than Debut

2009-05-05T10:13:00.000-07:00

How do you top one of the greatest debuts the 1970's? Maybe you do, maybe you don't. The Cars followed their self-titled debut with the Candy-O album. The band's sophomore album is much more diverse than their debut and touches on various elements of Roxy Music, Suicide, T.Rex and David Bowie.

Plus the album contained three sizable hit singles ("It's All I Can Do", "Double Life" and "Let's Go") and a sexy Vargas Girl painting (painted by Playboy illustrator Alberto Vargas, himself).

Whereas the debut had one, albeit very enjoyable, sound for the majority of the album - each track (without too much fuss) is given it's own individual sound. The big Roy Thomas Baker multi-tracked Queen-as-per-The Beach Boys backing vocals are present from time to time but not to the extent as on their debut. "Shoo Be Doo" is something of an homage to NY art rockers Suicide. "Double Life" and "Dangerous Type" sound like New Wave T.Rex. The trippy "Night Spots", the driving "Got A Lot On My Head", and the dark brooding title-track may be The Cars at their most all-out rocking. "Lust For Kicks" and "You Can't Hold On Too Long" are both (successful) exercises in then-modern New Wave musical and lyrical sensibilities.

"It's All I Can Do" (which was a top-40 single and was later in the film The Wedding Singer) and "Since I Held You" are both great would-be ballads - the former being a great Orr vocal showcase. "Let's Go" is this album's "Just What I Needed". A monster hit still heard on the radio today and the hand-clap segment is still invariably heard in baseball stadiums at various times during games. Also of note is "That's It" (the B-Side to "Let's Go") as it's similar to both "It's All I Can Do" and "Since I Held You" - which may be why it was left off the album. It was however collected on the Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology collection.

Candy-O arguably might be from beginning to end, song-for-song their most enjoyable - if not most interesting - album.

The Cars - Panorama (1980 Elektra) Difficult Third Album One Of The Cars' Finest

2009-05-05T09:43:00.000-07:00

At the time of Panorama's release it was deemed difficult, awkward and overly-arty. Time has proven that these things were not such bad things for The Cars. Given the somewhat agreeable one-two punch of the two stellar albums that preceded (the frighteningly good debut and just-as-good-and-still-growing Candy-O) it may have confused a segment of The Cars' audience. The band were always huge fans of - and always employed - the technological developments in pop music (i.e. drummer David Robinson's sole use of electronic drums by the time of Heartbeat City and keyboardist Greg Hawkes's wide variety of the then-current sounds). For the most part the songs themselves never suffered too much as a result. There are a few sparingly dated sounds here and there but these have since been embraced by the electronica set. However that's just gravy in this case as the songs, however lyrically obtuse (or vague if you will), do stand up to many repeated listens.

Highlights include but are not limited to "Running To You", the delightfully askew title-track, the goofy "Misfit Kid", "Getting Through", the great singles "Gimme Some Slack", "Touch And Go" and the stubbornly-slow "Don't Tell Me No". Simply put, if you like Candy-O and Shake It Up chances are you'll like Panorama.

There's not much reason why the album's lone B-Side "Don't Go To Pieces" (later included on the Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology collection) couldn't have been included amongst the ten tracks on the album in the first place and it's not a CD bonus-track here either. Aside from that small observation there's not too much griping to be had here besides from the uniformly minimal and poor CD versions of the LP front, back and inner artwork and no liner notes that was de rigeur.

The Cars - Shake It Up (1981 Elektra Records) The Last Great Cars Album

2009-05-05T09:32:00.000-07:00

Shake It Up is a fantastic album. Although I didn't realize this upon first listen. A few listens later I understood this album to be exceptional. It incorporates more synthesizer parts than before but the arrangements are good, and every guitar, synth and vocal line is purposeful, sleek and concise. David Robinson regrettably started using a lot of synthesized drums in addition to his standard drum kit which in-time began to date even some of the Cars best songs. But the songs on Shake It Up are, more often than not, thankfully untouched by such horribly dated sounds. The electronic sounds are, in large part, in perfect harmony with the guitars and basses.

"Since You're Gone" is one of Ric Ocasek's finest songs, the lightly psychedelic "Victim Of Love" and the fun, mindlessly-catchy throw-away title track are some of the best singles of 81/82. "Cruiser" is a fine straight-ahead rocker and "This Could Be Love" is melodically twitchy. Songs such as "Think It Over", "I'm Not The One" and "A Dream Away" are the weakest songs here and none of them are bad, just weak only by comparison. Nothing here sounds like filler even if it is.

As far as the currency of the songs: "Since You're Gone" and "Shake It Up" were both featured in the film and soundtrack to The Last American Virgin and "I'm Not The One" was in Billy Madison. For some reason I still indirectly associate these songs directly with both of these films.

In fact this was the last Cars album where non-single tracks got just as much airplay as some singles might have - in fact some may very well have even charted as a result. It's also the last cohesive Cars album (Heartbeat City was wildly uneven) as all of the tracks are strong and are relatively well-sequenced.

Recommended? Surely and muchly.

The Cars - Heartbeat City ( 1984 Elektra ) By No Means Without It's Share Of Compromises

2009-05-05T08:59:00.000-07:00

The Cars' Heartbeat City is indeed the sound of the Summer of 1984. And unfortunately many, many individual sounds on the album stayed there as well - as they were almost entirely dated by the end of that very Summer. The Cars constant employment of that weeks' sound gave much of the material on this album in particular a somewhat limited shelf-life. As so many synth sounds from this era didn't sound too amazing in the first place, it's pretty understandable that they didn't age too well either. Which is a shame as the songs themselves are fully-formed and full of life with pretty good arrangements. I've constantly wondered what exactly what David Robinson's (now a Boston-based entrepreneur) thought process was and how could he possibly think that his drum sound was improving with each successive album by solely using electronic drums (on both studio recordings and for live performances as well).

"Hello Again" sounds like Gary Glitter as performed by a bunch of tone-def session musicians. The song is great, but the choice of shrill keyboard parts leave much to be desired. And the Mutt Lange/Def Leppardesque "Hello"s in the intro are a bit much. "Drive" is a great song that can't be tarnished by bland muzak instrumentation - the chord sequence, the arrangement and Ben Orr's vocals are all perfect. "You Might Think" is a good, fluffy song with, once again, keyboard parts that I've always found to significantly detract from the overall impact of the song. Many of the non-singles (just four of ten tracks) are pretty forgettable and sound as if this is by design if not intention. "Why Can't I Have You" - which haunted FM radio when released - is a by-the-numbers synth-ballad with an ill-conceived synth-violin solo (it's actually an emulator but synth is a more convenient term of reference).

The two knock-out moments, for me personally, are the title-track which is a moody, warm and lightly emotive synth-heavy song with floating chorused-guitar parts. But because it is so understated and the choice of sounds on the synthesizer aren't seemingly attempting to win the award for most obnoxious synth sound ever the song is all the better for it. The vocals and guitar parts are purposeful and effective. The other big highlight is "Magic". Considering the first word uttered in the song is "Summer", it's not so ironic that this is a celebration-of-Summer song. It's probably one of my all-time favorite Summer songs and it was everywhere during the Summer of 1984. From the psychedelic bubbling-keyboard alarm intro to the chorused guitars and sweeter-than-sweet backing vocals. Perfect. Even the some of the dullest drum sounds ever can't taint the overall effect of the song.

As everyone knows, and if you didn't know, this album did the business.
Six singles, most of them huge hits, platinum album several times over.
But what's funny is how the more generic The Cars sound as a band became, whilst individual instrumental parts simultaneously became less concise, less sleek and larger than before, the more successful they became. The bass, and guitars all but disappeared while awful drum-sounds, emulators, synthesizers and Linn drums dominated the proceedings. These are initially not the things that made The Cars interesting.

This a necessary part of The Cars puzzle (without the hit singles there would be nothing of note here) and it's the only Cars album where the non-singles are, for the most part, entirely-forgettable. Shake It Up is most similar to this in The Cars catalog but that album is much more worthwhile than this. Whereas this album is an exercise in dated keyboard sounds trying to undo a few good singles and nearly succeeding in doing so.

The Cars - Greatest Hits ( 1985 Elektra )

2009-05-05T08:04:00.000-07:00

Although the band joked about calling their 1978 debut album as "The Cars Greatest Hits", this 1985 stop-gap release is a pretty okay one-stop for admirers of The Cars more popular singles. In actuality, bands like The Police, The Cars and Talking Heads had as many "turntable hits" - songs that AOR or alternative radio played as much as the label-picked singles - as they did chart hits (I personally used to hear "Got a Lot on My Head", "Running to You" and "Bye Bye Love" on local station WLIR-FM as a kid all the time). So a collection like this might leave some out in the cold. That didn't stop it from over selling six-million or so copies.

What does it have? The three formal hit-singles from their sterling debut ("My Best Friend's Girl", "Good Times Roll" and uber-hit "Just What I Needed"), only one of the three singles from their even-more-exciting sophomore album Candy-O ("Let's Go"), again only one of the three singles from the difficult/challenging third album Panorama ("Touch and Go"), a re-recorded version of "I'm Not the One" and two of the three hit singles from their 1981 Shake It Up album ("Since You're Gone" and the title track), four of the six singles from the stupidly-successful Heartbeat City album and a fine, if generic, new single , which also became a huge hit (the double-entendre of "Tonight She Comes").

Recommended? Personally I'm not a fan of best-of's/greatest hits collections but there are exceptions - when the releases have virtual lives and identities all their own (i.e. The Beatles' 1962-1966 (The Red Album) and 1967-1970 (The Blue Album) and The Beach Boys' Endless Summer). There aren't too many from the 80's - however this might might very well be one of them. For a full retrospective get the double-disc mid 90's collection Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology.

The Cars - Door To Door ( 1987 Elektra ) Underrated, Sure, But Not Illogically So

2009-05-05T07:35:00.000-07:00

For all intents and purposes, Door To Door is the black sheep of all Cars albums. It's lyrics are somewhat faceless, inoffensive and are nearly generic in stance. Which is a shame because it doesn't have too much in common with anything else in The Cars discography. The Cars were a band that moved with the times. This was bad for a few reasons. Hair bands were all the rage at the time as was full-on bland synth-rock. So, we got Ric Ocasek's somewhat watered-down versions of both. David Robinson's big booming drums have all but disappeared seemingly replaced by the non-intrusive beeps and taps of electronic drums - regarding half of the album's songs I found myself asking the question "who thought it was a good idea to release recordings of the band accompanying a drum machine?". The Cars began as band whose sleek arrangements were to accentuate the songs. Greg Hawkes whose keyboard parts in the past generally accompanying both guitars now spill all over the arrangements - which are in and of themselves, pretty unimaginative. The only things to indicate that it is in fact a Cars album are Ocasek and Benjamin Orr's distinctive vocals.

The lead single "You Are The Girl" is inoffensive, if not anemic. "Double Trouble" is a generic Orr-sung rocker with an annoying keyboard part which is intended to flesh out the chorus. Oddly, the song ends up being a highlight. The follow-up singles "Coming Up You" and "Strap Me In" are both effective and are perhaps the best songs on the album. Re-recordings of two of the bands earliest songs ("Ta Ta Wayo Wayo" and "Leave Or Stay") sound out of place and are, not-surprisingly, inferior to their original versions. Their appearances here also indicate that perhaps Ocasek's creative juices were not flowing as freely as they had before. And the title-track is perhaps the Cars worst song, if not their worst recording of a song (again, what's with the sped up drum machine?).

It wasn't perhaps the best album to bow-out on but it's by no means a total embarrassment and certainly worth hearing (or purchasing at a discounted price). Considering they were something of a respected band - one has to wonder why the band let other musical technological fashions dictate their own as much as they did. Real drums always win in rock bands - as history has well-proven. I'm glad The Cars are not remembered for this album, but for their vastly superior prior output.

The Beach Boys - Summer Love Songs: Girls On The Beach Compilation

2009-04-22T01:52:00.000-07:00

Capitol/EMI are set to issue yet another new Beach Boys compilation - Summer Love Songs: Girls On The Beach - on May 19th. Now, Capitol in the past ten years or so has released several of these sort of compilations. You know the sort of thing - a small handful of unreleased songs on a compilation with all previously released songs. The kind of releases that have an unmistakable scent of exploiting collectors. Capitol is also responsible for some fine quality releases too. What are some of them? I'll just list them all, for your convenience.

Endless Harmony Soundtrack (1998 with a significant upgrade in 2000)
The Greatest Hits Vol.1: 20 Good Vibrations (1999)
The Greatest Hits Vol.2: 20 More Good Vibrations (1999)
Greatest Hits, Vol. 3: The Best Of The Brother Years, 1970-1986 (2000)
Hawthorne, CA: Birthplace Of A Musical Legacy (2001)
Pet Sounds [mono / stereo] (2001)
Classics: Selected by Brian Wilson (2002)
Good Timin': Live At Knebworth England 1980 (2002 - on DVD as well)
Sounds Of Summer: The Very Best Of The Beach Boys (2003)
Sights & Sounds Of Summer CD/DVD Set (same as above with ten track DVD)(2003)
Songs From Here & Back (ten track live album plus, released through Hallmark) (2006)
Pet Sounds: 40th Anniversary [CD/DVD Set] (2006)
Good Vibrations: 40th Anniversary Edition EP (2006)
The Warmth Of The Sun (2007)
US Singles Collection Box: The Capitol Years, 1962-1965 (2008)

That's a lot of releases.

Considering that of all the major artists of their era, The Beach Boys (supposedly, well probably) have one of the deepest catalogs of unreleased material, one wonders why Capitol haven't tapped into the wellspring of obscure material that fans of the band will surely buy. There's more potential for definite sales as opposed to re-selling a would-be best-of compilation with a few rarities. Not too many people are willing to buy the same best-of over and over (regardless how slight the track variation may be). The track listing for this is okay, if not seemingly random. There are three cover versions included that are, for all intents and purposes, purely exercises in production techniques. And woefully needless considering the amount of great original material The Beach Boys have in the vaults. The Beach Boys' 1960's recordings are, for the most part, optimally heard in mono. So the stereo mixes are, ostensibly, alternate versions that may or may not be superior to the well-established mono mixes. The only new item to many people is the fantastic "Fallin' In Love" (aka "Lady"). Assuming it's a different version included here - the only released version was on the 1970 "Sound Of Free" solo single credited to 'Dennis Wilson & Rumbo' which was Dennis Wilson and Daryl Dragon (aka The Captain of Captain & Tennille).

Here's the track listing (* = Previously Unreleased):

1. Don't Worry, Baby [new stereo mix from newly recovered analog multi-track master]*
2. Why Do Fools Fall In Love [new stereo mix from newly recovered analog multi-track master]*
3. Wouldn't It Be Nice
4. God Only Knows
5. Surfer Girl
6. California Girls
7. Please Let Me Wonder
8. In The Parkin' Lot
9. Your Summer Dream
10. Kiss Me, Baby
11. Hushabye [new stereo mix]*
12. I'm So Young [new stereo mix]*
13. Good To My Baby [new stereo mix]*
14. Fallin' In Love [previously unreleased track, written and recorded by Dennis Wilson]*
15. Time To Get Alone [new stereo mix]*
16. Our Sweet Love
17. Help Me, Rhonda
18. Keep An Eye On Summer
19. Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)
20. Girls On The Beach

Considering some Beach Boys compilations have in fact served real purposes like, for example, 1981's excellent double-album Ten Years Of Harmony - that collected a sizable amount of their 70's gems - would be a nice collection to have remastered on CD. And some have taken on lives of their own so to speak in terms of getting material to new fans (i.e. the triumvirate of 1974's Endless Summer, 1975's Spirit Of America and 1982's Sunshine Dream). It's surprising that these have yet to appear on newly-remastered CDs by now. And then there's what fans really want. Maybe, the legendary unreleased album Smile? It's basically all recorded (the 1966-67 version that is) all that needs to be done is a definitive mix/sequence. How about the recently-recovered live album Beachago (recorded on the 1975 tour with Chicago)? Or perhaps Brian's groovy 1977 album Adult/Child? Or maybe the dozens of songs recorded in the 1969-1971 period some of which surfaced on the illicitly-released album Landlocked?

It's not as if the well of material is dry. Not by a long shot. It's just a matter of time before they wise up and start to release the unreleased stuff compiled, definitively.

The Rolling Stones To Reissue Fourteen Albums

2009-04-21T22:54:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I've come to the realization that I've been covering a lot of reissue campaigns as of late. So be it. There are a lot of things recently being "definitively" reissued. To add to that list are - hot on the heels of their umpteenth film (last year's Shine A Light) - The Rolling Stones. Their first fifteen albums - virtually all of their 1960's albums - were reissued some seven years ago. And alas, seven years later Universal Music Group (that's UMG to you and me) are reissuing everything from 1971's Sticky Fingers to 2005's A Bigger Bang.

The first four (Sticky Fingers, Goats Head Soup, It's Only Rock 'N' Roll, Black And Blue) have a release date of May 4th. The next four (Some Girls, Emotional Rescue, Tattoo You, Undercover) come out June 8th. And the next five (Dirty Work, Steel Wheels, Voodoo Lounge, Bridges To Babylon, A Bigger Bang) are to be issued July 13th.

What's that you say? I only listed thirteen? That's because UMG is going to issue the critically-acclaimed 1972 double-album Exile On Main Street sometime later this year. They're also planning to offer a collector’s box to house all fourteen releases. Although, I'm sure a large percentage of Stones fans' favorite albums have already been reissued in the first reissue campaign in 2002 - their stellar 60's work such as Flowers, Between The Buttons, Aftermath and the unfairly maligned Their Satanic Majesties Request - surely many will be pleased with the belated set of reissues.

Paul McCartney Amazes At Coachella Festival

2009-04-20T08:30:00.000-07:00

The tenth-annual three-day Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival took place this past weekend in Indio, California. Despite a troubled economy well over 150,000 were in attendance and well over one hundred acts performed at the multi-stage event. Some of the more notable acts that performed were Paul McCartney, Leonard Cohen, The Cure, Morrissey, The Bob Mould Band, Franz Ferdinand, Paul Weller, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Superchunk, X, Fleet Foxes, Public Enemy, Joss Stone, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, My Bloody Valentine, Henry Rollins, The Killers, Perry Farrell and The Hold Steady.

While several artists impressed many, the show-stopper by all accounts was the performance by Sir Paul McCartney. It's amazing that, regardless of whether the vocals are not what they once were, the tempos have slowed down a touch - some performers continue to endear with age (Brian Wilson...Sir Paul) while many others do not. Perhaps it's the all the timeless songs under the belt, the very many achievements and countless influenced by them - there's certainly something to be said for an artist who constantly stays driven and relevant regardless of current trends.

McCartney's set included "Jet", "Got To Get You Into My Life", "Band On The Run, "Live & Let Die", "Eleanor Rigby", "Paperback Writer", "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band", "A Day In The Life", "Get Back", "I've Got A Feeling", "Hey Jude", "The Long & Winding Road", John Lennon's "Give Peace A Chance", George Harrison's "Something", the John Lennon tribute "Here Today", "The Fireman", "Let It Be", "Yesterday", "Helter Skelter", "Lady Madonna", "Can’t Buy Me Love", "The End", a tribute to late wife Linda (who passed away eleven years ago to the very date) "My Love" and several others.

A poignant set list to be sure. I'm glad he's still out there doing it as well as he is. I'm of the belief that there's always room for pop music legends.

Capitol/EMI Reissues I.R.S. Records Back Catalog!

2009-04-17T22:03:00.000-07:00

Capitol/EMI, who apparently own everything, have recently reissued the majority of the mondo-influential I.R.S. label's back catalog of over 100 albums and tracks. Some of which having been out-of-print for nearly twenty years and never before available in the digital age. I.R.S. Records (aka International Record Syndicate) which was founded by Miles Copeland III (older brother of Police drummer Stewart) in 1979 and folded in 1996 was one of the most successful independent labels of all-time. Their roster included many successful bands such as R.E.M., The Go-Go's, The Buzzcocks and Fine Young Cannibals.

The digital-campaign will include releases by The Fleshtones, The dB's, The Three O'Clock, Gary Numan, Let's Active, Oingo Boingo, Wall Of Voodoo, General Public, Lords Of The New Church, Dada, Concrete Blonde The Bears, Hunters & Collectors, Havana 3 A.M, Timbuk 3 and solo albums by Television’s Tom Verlaine, The Police's Stewart Copeland (and his post-Police band Animal Logic), The Doors' Robbie Krieger and Go-Go's Jane Wiedlin and Belinda Carlisle.

All of these releases will be available from all major music retail as well as from the I.R.S Records iTunes Store. More titles are rumored to be released in the near-future.

The Beach Boys Vinyl Reissues from Capitol/EMI

2009-04-14T00:30:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't been made aware - from Best Buy's entire aisle devoted to it to the amount of articles covering it in every publication from Time to Rolling Stone - vinyl has in fact made a comeback. How big of a comeback has yet to be determined. Although some smaller labels have never stopped selling it, the major labels and the RIAA as well have been made fully aware of the demand for vinyl. New titles such as The Police's Certifiable and Elvis Costello & The Impostors' Momofuku have been issued on vinyl as well as several classic titles from The Beatles, Radiohead, R.E.M. and The Replacements.

Capitol/EMI have been very generous indeed. In addition to classic titles - on 180-Gram Audiophile Quality Vinyl with Original Artwork and Packaging - by The Specials, Plastic Ono Band and Roxy Music their "From The Capitol Vaults" vinyl campaign have issued The Beach Boys landmark Pet Sounds album this past September 2nd as well as the pretty-much-perfect 1974 double-album compilation Endless Summer - which went to Number One on Billboard's Album Charts, spent a whole three years on the charts and introduced the band to a legion of new fans - on October 28th. A release date of June 16th is also in the future for their stellar 1970 album Sunflower and 1971's almost-as-good follow-up Surf's Up. The title track of which may be in fact one of Brian Wilson's finest compositions and another jewel from the legendary unreleased album Smile.

In addition to all these vinyl releases Beach Boys fans have also been treated to a High-Definition Three-LP set of late Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson's solo album Pacific Ocean Blue (which also includes the never released follow-up Bambu) on the Sundazed label. Brian Wilson's fine new solo release That Lucky Old Sun (also on Capitol) was also given a modest, but nice, treatment complete with a gatefold sleeve.

It would be nice to see more classic Beach Boys titles be reissued on vinyl. Perhaps nice quality reissues of the over-looked classics All Summer Long, Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!), Friends and Wild Honey are imminent?

The Beatles Finally Reissued

2009-04-09T23:07:00.000-07:00

This past week Apple Corps and EMI have announced that on September 9th (get it? Number 9 - 9/9/09) they will individually release all twelve of the Beatles long-players, in properly reissued remastered-CD form. For immediate purchase initiative there will be short documentaries included with each album on the making of that particular album. As well as two box sets (one mono and one stereo) each will all sixteen discs. That's all of the original studio albums, the Past Masters set and the Magical Mystery Tour double-EP. Sixteen discs in total all with beautifully restored artwork and detailed liner-notes. The Beatles Rock Band video game will also be released for Wii, Xbox and PlayStation 3 on the same day. Digital download information will be addressed sometime in the future.

Now that's:

Please Please Me
With The Beatles
A Hard Day's Night
Beatles for Sale
Help!
Rubber Soul
Revolver
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Magical Mystery Tour (Originally and a "Double-EP" in the UK later a US LP)
The Beatles ("The White Album") (Two Discs)
Yellow Submarine
Abbey Road
Let It Be
Past Masters (Two Discs)

But here's the rub: no bonus tracks whatsoever. Which is a big rub indeed.

Granted the original initially released 1987 CDs sounded OK, but compared with the original vinyl releases they're pretty flat-sounding. And the fake (primitive) stereo process used in 1966 has never been corrected (for want of a better word). Not to mention a textbook example of compromised artwork. Remastering technology has significantly improved in the twenty-two years since (heck, there were big improvements five years after) the first batch of CDs hit stores. Considering there have been several fine vinyl reissues of the Beatles back-catalog one wonders what took so long for the CD reissues to take place. Virtually every other contemporary (or "contemporary" in quotes seeing as it is the Beatles) major artists of the time - The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, The Byrds, Bob Dylan even The Monkees to name but a few - have had their work significantly upgraded ages ago. Realistically this probably should have already taken place in 1994/1995 or so - during the great era of the BBC/Anthology releases.

The digital format has gone through various ups and downs in the past few years with the slow, niche comeback of vinyl. The preciousness of the digital medium is nowhere near that of the vinyl album. Music fans have slowly embraced this notion. Perhaps this too was sensed as well. The Beatles reissues may very well be the last large and relevant CD reissue series.

As a music fan - I seriously hope not.

Let's just hope the high-ends aren't dulled by Noise Reduction and there's no loss of dynamic range (i.e. everything in the red). The main symptom of all modern reissues. And if the recent crop of Beatles releases (Love, Let It Be Naked, Yellow Submarine Songtrack and 1) are any indication they should be amazing.

Blender Magazine Folds (or A Forest Of Trees 1, Blender Magazine 0)

2009-04-09T21:17:00.000-07:00

The latest victim in the current economic recession is Blender Magazine, who laid off thirty of its employees, published its final print issue this April. It will now be an exclusively internet-based magazine. Cover stories in the past have included Britney Spears, Avril Lavigne and Kelly Clarkson.

If you are in fact a fan of music, Blender means very little in every way. It was never anything even remotely close to being "the ultimate music magazine" as it proclaimed itself to be. Since there are several smaller niche magazines actually covering music and reviewing it beyond Blender's on average two-sentence mark, its target audience isn't exactly interested. The format, humor and the sound-bite journalism ala Maxim/Stuff was very much in vogue in the late 90's. It was the sort of magazine co-workers gathered around for a few chuckles during downtime - and then threw away. Like most disposable things - it's only a matter of time before they are properly disposed of.

Let's face it, the appeal of those "most awesomely bad" lists are pretty limited - if not done to death.

At least it will find a more suitable anyone-can-do-it home on the web.

The Beach Boys - It's About Time (Capricorn Records 1994)

2009-03-30T21:45:00.000-07:00

The Beach Boys - It's About Time (Capricorn Records 1994) ***1/2

Live May 11, 1971 at the Manley Field House, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

Recorded as a benefit for the Berrigan Brothers Defense Fund in support of the amazing Sunflower album and just three months prior to the release of the very great Surf's Up album this recording captures the band at a great point in their career. And also just a few years before they were proclaimed band of the year by Rolling Stone Magazine in 1974 for their reputation as great live act. The show is fairly laid-back and enjoyable, marred only by Mike Love's rambling, momentum-destroying inter-song patter. Although Dennis Wilson was doing post-production on Two Lane Blacktop (released just two months later) during this show the drums are handled very ably by Dennis Dragon. Whose brother Daryl (aka the Captain of Captain & Tennille) does a nice job on keyboards. The band plays pretty well here and the only real issue is with the occasional live recording mistakes of the era (poor mic placement, casually-mixed sound, etc).

There are plenty of great songs here that the band didn't include in their set for too long ("Aren't You Glad", "Cool Cool Water", "It’s About Time" and the amazing "Vegetables"). There's also a good selection of Pet Sounds tracks ("God Only Knows", "Caroline, No", "You Still Believe In Me", "Wouldn’t It Be Nice" and "Sloop John B"). Plus several other iconic hits ("California Girls, "Heroes And Villains", "Help Me Rhonda", "I Get Around" and "Good Vibrations"). There really isn't too much to complain about regarding the songs.

In fact the only thing that a band like The Beach Boys ever has to face in terms of scrutiny of live recordings is simply in comparing them to the studio recordings of the songs. And considering the attention to detail of the vocal arrangements, creative use of the studio and the general perfectionism of Brian Wilson in the 1960's, of course, the released studio recordings are always going be the definitive versions of the songs. Aside from the occasional sloppy performance (a decidedly shaky version of "Surfer Girl") this is a great live recording that any fan of the band should really enjoy.

The Ghouls - Dracula's Deuce (Capitol 1964)

2009-03-30T19:06:00.000-07:00

The Ghouls

Dracula's Deuce (Originally released: Captiol Records 1964) ****

Great surf-rock filtered through campy horror would-be novelty album

The Ghouls was a Capitol Records in-band-name-only project of producer/songwriter Gary Usher (sometime co-writer with Brian Wilson in the early 60's) featuring Richard Polodor on guitar and Rick Burns on vocals. Rick Burns sings (or talk-sings in a style not too dissimilar to "Monster Mash") faux early Beach Boys songs like "Be True To Your Ghoul" and "Dracula's Deuce" which establishes the mid-60's campy horror theme of the album. These tracks do their job just fine in creating a silly throwaway novelty theme.

However, unassumingly, six of the the twelve tracks (in fact every other track) are great, moody and very effective instrumental surf-rock songs. "Dracula's Theme" is perhaps one of the very finest slow surf rock numbers of it's kind. So good in fact that it's a shame it was released on an album such as this where the audience who'd actually appreciate it would probably never actually hear it.

"Coffin Nails", "Voo Doo Juice" and the very cool and exceptional "Weird Wolf" are variations on the reverb guitar with lots of moody organ. "Blood & Butter" and "Shake Rattle & Rot" incorporate saxophone into the mix. As for the remaining novelty-numbers "Bela Be Good" (Johnny B. Goode), "Little Old Lady From Transylvania" (Pasadena) and the "Graveyard Shift" (with a trippy little organ solo) all make much use of the phrase "grave undertaking".

Even if you've no interest in the actual album you've gotta love the psychedelic cover art with the priceless photos of Dracula posing by his wheels. Very recommended for those so inclined.

The Replacements Rhino/Rykodisc Reissue Series

2009-03-30T18:03:00.000-07:00

I've been a fan of The Replacements since Spring 1988 when my cousin John Fredericks informed me that although many bands in leather pants were being touted as "real" rock and roll, The 'Mats were indeed the real thing. He loaned me the Pleased To Meet Me cassette. I must have listened to "I.O.U." a half-dozen times before I even got to track two. I instantly fell in love. They changed the way I perceived rock music as a whole for some time. In 2008 Rhino/Rykodisc (and Twin/Tone) reissued remastered all eight of their studio albums.

Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash

(Originally released: Twin/Tone 8/25/81) *****

Sheer perfection in a reissue series of misguided ideas and awful mistakes.

Wow! This album is still as exciting as it was the first time I heard it. For the first time in digital format both Bob's and Paul's guitars are largely evident. The first CD issue of the album had Bob's guitar virtually inaudible whereas both guitars are screaming from either speaker on the vinyl issue and again...finally here on this reissue.

The songs. Well, "Raised in the City", "Hangin' Downtown", "Somethin' to Dü", "Customer" and the debut single "I'm In Trouble" may be some the most exciting songs the band ever released. This is the 'Savage Young Replacements' (for want of a better comparison) and they were seemingly fully-formed and basically perfect from their outset.

The reissue. This reissue series is unfortunately pretty awful. Poor, uninformative liner notes, audio drop-outs, edited tracks, poor selection of bonus tracks, and no information from any band members on the sessions. Of the first four releases this is far and away the best.
There's a healthy amount of great bonus material (virtually the mirror opposite of Stink) and the sound quality of these recordings are great. The only gripe is that there are other recordings from this era that could have been included here or on Stink, but were not.

However the same head-scratchingly corny/awful idea of having footsteps
and a slamming door preface the bonus tracks (seriously) is here as well as the other releases. And the choice to add an interview snippet on the end of "If Only You Were Lonely" makes no sense and is simply just asinine. It spoils the long-awaited appearance of such a good song on it's own individual track. I suppose we'll have to wait for someone else to license this material to do this correctly. The complete interview should have gone on it's own individual track. You have to wonder just who was responsible for all these consecutive bad ideas.

Thankfully this release bares little resemblance to the rest in the series.

Oh yeah and "A Toe Needs a Shoe" is awesome.

The Replacements Stink

(Originally released: Twin/Tone 6/24/82) **

I understand this was an EP but...twelve tracks?!?

The sound is more spacious than ever before, BUT, the harmonica intro
to "White And Lazy" is now newly muffled and then recovers very shortly thereafter. This was not an issue with the prior CD issue on Rough Trade. So either it was a mistake in mastering or if the master tape was damaged they chose to not use the source from a safety master. This is a pretty barren reissue. Eight tracks, four bonus tracks. Twelve total. Twenty minutes of music. That's it. The liner notes mention another take existing of "Kids Don't Follow" but it seems that no one thought to include it.

I'm not one to welcome changing the identity of a track at all but, for some reason the police-crashing-the-party intro really outstays it's welcome here. Maybe Itunes will issue "Kids Don't Follow" one day without the meandering intro and just the actual song.

There were plenty of other period outtakes not included on "Sorry Ma..." such as "D.E.A.D.", "Skip It", "Off Your Pants", "Excuse Me, Use Me", "My Town" and "I Made A Mistake" that were not unlike anything on Stink and would have made it a nice and big reissue. So this entire series is a little head scratching.

I guess we'll have to wait for the box set.

Hootenanny

(Originally released: Twin/Tone 4/29/83) *

I can't believe I'm giving this great album a bad review...but

It must be noted that I've been a huge fan of this band for just about twenty years. So these reissues were something to look forward to (as they have been supposedly in the works for ten years). But unfortunately it's been the blind leading the blind as far as these reissues are concerned.

The music. Okay so the original vinyl album was the first album that I bought by this band. It still sounds great. So does the majority of this CD actually. However, as I get to the awesomely dramatic "Willpower" I notice that the beginning of the song is chopped off!! The song has forever started with the guitar line and then a "ba-dum" tom-tom part. Now there's no more guitar line intro and just part of the "dum". I don't know how they (Rhino/Ryko) can make BIG mistakes involving the transfers/remasters on three out of the four reissues. Stink (drop-out on the intro to "White & Lazy") and Let It Be (several edited tracks!) have the same issues involving either head-scratching mistakes or blatant editing of tracks. The majority of people buying these don't want revisionist history lessons - just the material as it has existed for over twenty years.

Who thought it was even an okay idea to put the stupid preface on the index to the bonus tracks (of someone walking down a hallway, enters door, slams door and the bonus material commences)? Not only is it plain corny and needless but it bleeds onto the beginning of the following track! They couldn't even execute a bad idea properly!

The bonus tracks are iffy at best as they left off the full band studio version of "Don't Get Married" and "Shook Me, Kill Me" as well (both fine outtakes from the album). "Bad Worker" is fine but has no place on this as it's a home demo and not a studio outtake (this sort of material - home demos - is begging for it's own disc on perhaps a box set?). And the ten seconds (or so) bits from interviews at the end of these discs deserve better than fifteen seconds after the final track. While these may be awfully cute and all they don't deserve to be on the same track as say a classic such as "If Only You Were Lonely" (as on "Sorry Ma"). This sort of thing was almost still funny fifteen years ago. It's pretty pointless doing things like this now. Put the complete interview on it's own track - it won't detract from anything this way.

If you are already a fan of this fine band, you undoubtedly will have issues with several things on these releases. Reissues have been done very well for almost twenty years now (good example of a great reissue series - The Monkees also on Rhino). I highly doubt anyone was trying to break the mold here (it's obvious they wouldn't know how). I'm just shocked that these were so poorly handled on several levels, with so many (intentionally made or not) mistakes. The band and it's fans simply deserve better.

Let It Be

(Originally released: Twin/Tone 10/2/84) **

The material demands a better reissue. Period.

I've been a fan of this band for a long time, so I was understandably looking forward to proper reissues/remasters for at least ten years. Let It Be may be their best sounding disk and most representative of the band's sound. However, aside from unearthed photos - which are poorly placed inside (with text on the photos?!?) - and better sound than earlier issues on compact disc this reissue simply isn't up to snuff. And Rhino/Ryko are not to blame either. The band has acquired a certain legacy over time and simply deserves much better. First off the bonus track selection is very half-baked. Fans of the band are familiar with their outtakes by now. Let It Be's include "Who's Gonna Take Us Alive" (the best outtake of the bunch stupidly absent), the lyrically alternate version of "Gary's Got A Boner", "Street Girl" (a fine little ditty), the rocking "You Look Like An Adult" (the original version of "Seen Your Video") and a big whoops was the (new) mix of the alternate version of "Sixteen Blue". The same version (did) include Chan Polling of The Suburbs' grand piano through the entire song. A truly beautiful version, and they botched it! Why they included the same version WITHOUT the best part - or at very least a new interesting feature - of the song is simply poor on all counts.

Gina Arnold (author of the pretty decent 'Route 666: On the Road to Nirvana') wrote the liner notes. While sure, it may be sweet and cute for her to recount what it was like to be a Replacements fan twenty years ago (if that's the case for a filling up liner notes why don't a segment of us Replacements fans start sending in our of sweet stories for Tim now?) it doesn't make for definitive liner-notes writing. We still know as much about the album and there's nothing legitimate about why is it's included here in the first place. It has it's place - but not in the liner notes to one of the best albums the 1980's.

Why there was no input from any band member is certainly unfortunate and perhaps even telling. No first hand stories, memories, information of any kind from the band (aside from their ex-manager informing us that the bonus tracks...were outtakes...from the Let It Be sessions). Considering that these reissues have been in the works - or more accurately been touted as "to be released next year" for the past ten years or so - by the time they actually arrive and they don't have the bonus tracks that the fans would hope they'd include or simply expect, it's hard not to wonder what DID in fact take so long? Surely it wasn't the attention to detail. Having said ALL this, it should please a percentage of fans. I'm going to assume that casual fans (do the 'Mats even have casual fans?) of the band should be fine with this reissue.

It's issues (or reissues as it were) like this that prompt illegal trade of this great bands' music and that's not fair to the band or it's fans.

Oh yeah, and the classic iconic cover is now a few shades darker and cropped to boot!

The Shit Hits The Fans

(Originally released: Twin/Tone 1/25/85)

Although this was the last release on Twin/Tone it wasn't part of the reissue series. Hopefully it'll be released legitimately in a digital format once and for all (and with Chris Mars' original pink cover art) sometime soon.

Don't Tell A Soul

(Originally released: Sire/Reprise 2/1/89) **

Okay reissue from The Mats' supposed adult/MOR album.

This album was The Replacements' supposed 'adult, Middle-Of-The-Road, intended for tons of airplay, attract a legion of new fans' album. This didn't exactly happen and it upset some fans to boot. It's not as bad as some will have you believe (a bad album by The Replacements is probably still better than an okay album by several other artists) but it's still a pretty maddeningly-uneven album if there ever was one. "I Won't", "Back To Back", "Anywhere's Better Than Here" and "We'll Inherit The Earth" are hollow, counterfeit rockers and pseudo-anthems written by an artist under the pressure of a label hungry for hits. And what's worse is, if you have any prior knowledge of the band at all, you can here this upon the very first listen.

There are some great songs. "I'll Be You" (the band's only top forty hit)
is a great single. So great that Tom Petty (for whom the 'Mats opened for on this tour) borrowed the "rebel without a clue" line for his "Into The Great Wide Open". "Achin' To Be" contains some cliched lyrics that should make you cringe but Westerberg gives them an entirely sincere reading with a perfect arrangement for them. "They're Blind" is a fine teenager ballad with a late 50's slow-dance backdrop. "Rock 'n' Roll Ghost" and "Talent Show" are both great Westerberg outings that often get overlooked. And "Asking Me Lies" (which plenty of fans have decried several times) to these ears sounds like The Replacements in a good mood re-writing late 70's era Rolling Stones (nothing too cringe-worthy). It's unfortunate that for every great song on the album there's an awful one right behind it. Enough yammering about the original album though.

These reissues have been fraught with various issues (edited tracks, audio drop-outs, poor choice of bonus tracks, corny footsteps ending each album proper which cue the bonus tracks, ill-advised and uninformed/uninformative liner notes, etc.). So much so that one can't help but wonder if any one QC'd (Quality Checked) these before they went anywhere. It looks like that didn't happen. This DTAS disc has a surprising amount of mid-range and the loudness issues (i.e. no dynamic range, everything in the red) is not so much of an issue with this reissue. Although if you're buying this album for the first time: this is the decidedly definitive version. The sound quality on all of the tracks have been somewhat improved and not at all compromised as on reissues of earlier albums.

The band recorded an entire album (plus) with Tony Berg at Bearsville Studios but mysteriously decided to scrap it and start again with Matt Wallace. Only "Wake Up" and the fine "Portland" have been released from these sessions. One would think that a few more could have been included as bonus tracks here but alas, once again, it is not to be. You can only fathom that there's a box set in the works for all these puzzling oversights and glaring omissions.

There's an alternate version of "Rock 'n' Roll Ghost" that could have appeared here, but did not. An alternate version did appear for the vague "We'll Inherit The Earth" (sounding like an entirely different, almost very good, song). "We Know The Night" and "Date To Church" (both also on the 'Nothing For All' comp.) are pretty okay additions but are new no one. A great studio demo for "Talent Show" contains a subtle slide guitar part and shows the song fully-formed. The Slade cover ("Gudbuy t' Jane") is a fine, if insubstantial addition and The Pixies' "Monkey Gone To Heaven' secret reprise at the end is kind of funny.

The failure to include the Tony Berg sessions as bonus tracks leads one to believe (from what was included) that the band was under-pressure, uninspired and creatively scratching it's head, losing what was amazing about the band in the production in the process. Maybe we'll hear an entire pre-Petty tour live show from 1989 to hear what this band really sounded like around this time, one day.

Recommended: Almost no, but just, yes.

All Shook Down

(Originally released: Sire/Reprise 9/25/90) ****

One of the better reissues in this poorly handled series

All Shook Down is some people's least favorite album by The Replacements - I'm guessing they never heard the counterfeit-rock album known as Don't Tell A Soul. However listening to this reissue it's easily the better and more convincing of the two albums song-for-song. Regardless of the state of the band itself, Westerberg's writing was very consistent and at a peak here that I'm not certain he's reached again since.

Now about the reissue itself. I guess we're going to have to believe that the band (Paul Westerberg and company) only recorded sixteen songs for the ASD sessions because that's all that's ever seen the light of day - the thirteen album tracks, "Kissin' In Action", "Who Knows" and the spontaneous goof of "Like A Rollin' Pin" (the latter two not on this release but on their 1997 compilation 'All For Nothing...'). "Satellite" (which sounds great here by the way) was recorded at Paisley Park Studios (Prince's studio) after the ASD sessions. The one impostor here - it was recorded at the Don't Tell A Soul sessions and thus should be on the appropriate disc - is "Ought To Get Love" (with click track and all). The home demos are surprisingly well-recorded and performed (for home demos) and even show Westerberg in fine, confident form (in fact better form as a performer here than he is in the studio/his basement these days). The alternate version of "My Little Problem" (without the Johnette Napolitano vocals) is very frustrating as the bass line is a note off-key throughout the entire song. Either it's a scratch bass-line (the purpose of which is unclear - perhaps a very sloppy guide from Paul for Tommy or whoever was to play on this). Either way it causes one cringe as it's in the same place in the song for the entire song and it's just awful.

These reissues have been fraught with various issues (edited tracks, audio drop-outs, poor choice of bonus tracks, ill-advised and uninformed/uninformative liner notes, etc.). So much so that one can't help but wonder if any one QC'd (Quality Checked) these before they went anywhere. It looks like that didn't happen.

This one is bit better - all things considered. The audio levels are a bit much sometimes leaving tender ballads like "Sadly Beautiful", "Nobody" and the title track begging for some dynamic range - which means there's little difference between the acoustic ballads and upbeat rockers as far as the audio levels are concerned. As for singles like "Merry Go Round", "Happy Town' and "When It Began" these never sounded better. Everything sounds nice and clear while not entirely tampering with the original downbeat mood of the album.

All in all: Very much recommended!

Reviews for Tim and Pleased To Meet Me forthcoming.

The Decline And Fall Of The Music Chain

2009-03-30T12:23:00.000-07:00

I've spent a significant amount of money on buying records. Beautiful vinyl albums, deteriorating cassettes and crystal-clear compact discs. Which also means that I've also spent thousands of hours in record stores as well. Many of which are now long gone. Some of the stores I've shopped at: Record World, Square Circle, Tower Records, Mr. Cheapo CD & Record Exchange, The Wiz, Slipped Disc Records, Memory Lane Records, Twisted Disque Limtied, Virgin Megastore, CD Warehouse, Generation Records, Venus De Milo Records, Subterranean Records, Second-Coming Records, CD Island, Entertainment Warehouse, Revolver Records, FYE, Last Vestige Records, Coconuts, Sam Goody...the list goes on.

I still vividly recall my first-time(s) with two stores in particular. I was eleven years old. Oddly enough, both were on very rainy afternoons in the Spring of 1988. The first was Tower Records in Country Glen Center, Carle Place, NY. I was dumbfounded. They had the deepest selection of records I would ever see from a music-chain. I must have spent an hour or so going through everything. They had a huge budget vinyl section. I settled on a vinyl copy of Sting's double-live album Bring On The Night. It was the start of long relationship. That relationship faded over time with Tower's poor-pricing practices, seemingly less-interesting product and the eventual closing of it's doors in December of 2006. The second was at Mr. Cheapo CD & Record Exchange in Mineola, NY. It was also a dumbfounding experience. They had a tremendously diverse and deep section of used vinyl records (and still do). Domestic and import LP's, 12" singles, 7" singles, cassettes and CDs. I spent about a half hour or so thumbing through the 7" singles and settled on a domestic picture-sleeved "Vive Le Rock" singe by Adam Ant. I still am a regular customer of Mr. Cheapo and have been scouring their dollar bins for over twenty-years.

Music retailers have been in decline for about ten years or so. Many people have their own theories as to why. I believe it's a combination of things. A steady decrease in the promotion of good music, too-much reliance on middle of the road cookie-cutter genres which most people tire of, the increase in CD prices, underestimating the importance of MTV and its' turning into a reality-television channel, the very large and competitively-priced Best-Buy and Amazon.com. These are but a few theories as to why these retail-outlets have all but disappeared.

Any theories?