10,000 Shots, Real McKenzies

It’s Manic Monday! Wherein I listen to a rocker, a punker, or just a general banger.

10,000 Shots, Real McKenzies, 2005, :30

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

I'm a long time fan of these guys.  Loud guitars and caterwauling bagpipes and Paul McKenzie's drunken guttural vocals.  Mostly songs about drinking and touring ("Pour decisions, a punk musician just ain't as cute at 53 / I have forsaken money makin' / Yeah, you still wish you were me"), plus traditional folk songs all revved up. If you don’t like loud guitar and caterwauling bagpipes and gruff vocals, don't worry.  You can listen to, uh, one song; the final track, "the Catalpa," is a traditional Irish song to the tune of "The Boys of Kilmichael," and sung here in a straightforward, pleasant acoustic style. So, why on earth didn’t they put the pretty funny "Bugger Off," a foul-mouthed love/hate valediction to their audience, at the end of the album?  Favorite tracks: "Smokin' Bowl," "Farewell to Nova Scotia," "Pour Decisions."

Dirt Track Date, Southern Culture on the Skids

Dirt Track Date, Southern Culture on the Skids, 1995, :49

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Country surf rock with a twang and a "if we think it’s fun we'll do it" attitude.  These guys are the musical grandsons of Jimmy Buffet. They blend solid musicianship with knowing winks and goofiness.  Toe-tapping, catchy, and funny.  "It don’t matter if your pants are shiny / If your dick is big or your dick is tiny.” Come on, who wouldn’t love that? Well, lots of people, but this isn't for the kind of people who take offense a little desultory vulgarity.  Sure, end the album with five full minutes of the sound of cars roaring around a racetrack. Why not? Favorite songs: "Soul City," "Greenback Fly," "Whole Lotta Things."

Held on the Tips of Fingers, Polar Bear

It’s Jazzurday! Wherein I listen to a jazz album, like a grown-up.

Held on the Tips of Fingers, Polar Bear, 2005, :42 

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Never heard of this album or the band; apparently bandleader and drummer Sebastian Rochford is a big deal in jazz circles. If Tom Waits were a jazz drummer, he’d make this album. It’s the musical equivalent of a carnival barker. Hints and riffs of Kurt Weil, middle eastern ragas, and metal slide in and out in turn.  It’s all horns and percussion, out-of-time clonking and wailing and frenzied crashing. Dave Brubeck might wonder at what he hath wrought. There is at times a good deal of histrionic screeching. But I like histrionic screeching; others may not. Adventurous, eclectic, surprising, and reveling in it. It’s not all wonderful; the five-minute “Fluffy (I Want You)” is a bunch of weird creaking noises. I don't particularly like weird creaking noises; others may. Favorite track: “Beartown.”

Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd

It's Finally-Got-Around-to-It-Friday!  Wherein I discover a classic that everyone else already knows about.

Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd, 1973, :42

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Being a Classic Rock Guy from a young age, I’ve heard most of these songs at one time or another (I'm sure "Time" and "Money" are played on the radio at any given point on the globe 24 hours a day), but not all at once, in this order, and probably I’ve never heard the last three tracks. I started listening thinking I knew what my reaction would be: oh, Pink Floyd, not my thing, shoe gazing noodling, this album does have some great songs but it’s way over-hyped. Turned out I was wrong. I revise my opinion. Listening to it all at once, on headphones, in order? This blows your mind, man. I like the spoken word pieces that fade in and out, the chopped and scattered sounds, the way the songs segue into one another — everything, all the “concept album” features that have become so commonplace and trite since. Yes this is a five star album. It definitely sets a mood. “Any Colour You Like” is guitar noodling, yes, but not dreamy, indulgent, psychedelic noodling. It’s an energetic sort of noodling. Don’t forget the headphones! Favorite tracks: “Time,” “Money,” “Us and Them.” Favorite unheard tracks: “Brain Damage,” “Eclipse.”

Ben and "Sweets", Ben Webster & Harry "Sweets" Edison / Twelfth, Old 97’s

Ben and "Sweets", Ben Webster & Harry "Sweets" Edison, 1962, :39

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Tenor sax and trumpet veterans jam. Sound like they’re having fun, like on the eight-minute "Kitty," a lost Bond theme that never was. Swinging and rolling. Very pleasant and sometimes they even get close to something like a bop. Nothing that blows your mind or drops your jaw but all very professional, skilled, and melodic. Wynton Marsalis said this is music for "grown folks" and if you don’t like it you need to stay home sucking your thumb and playing video games. That kind of sounds like fun, too, though.  Favorite tracks: "Better Go," "Kitty."

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Twelfth, Old 97’s, 2020, :43

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

The first artist to be featured here three times is, yep, the Old 97's. This is their new album. Possibly their best since Too Far To Care. Maybe sometime in the future I'll think it's five stars. Some truly genius songs on this one. If I tried to quote the good lines I'd just end up listing the lyrics to the whole song. Oh what the hell. “I like you better than a six pack of beer / And that’s the perfect amount / To make my vision unclear.” Classic. "It's safe to say we're in a real bad way / Mama used to try, now all she does is pray." Got some Magnetic Fields-esque lyrics, a Yo la Tengo melody, fast rhythms and lyrical callbacks. That last part sounds like an Old 97's line! What rhymes with callbacks? Ball sacks! This thing writes itself. I'll add that, with all due respect to "West TX Teardrops" and other terrific Murry tunes, his contributions to this album aren't really up there with his finest efforts.  Favorite tracks: "Confessional Boxing," "The Dropouts," "I Like You Better."

Youth Of America, Wipers

Youth Of America, Wipers, 1981, :30

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

The Wipers were an early punk band, just a few years after the Sex Pistols and Ramones, but located in the out-of-the-way, then-unhip Portland, so this album went largely unnoticed and achieved cult status later in life.  Kurt Cobain cited them as a major influence.  With six songs, one at ten and a half minutes, another at six and a half, I wouldn't say that this album is punk music so much as post-punk before there was much of a punk to be post.  Ahead of its time.  Passionate, raw vocals and smart lyrics, energetic yet methodical music.  Plodding, plotted, ready to strike.  But you might wait three and a half minutes for it to do so.  Favorite tracks: "Can This Be," "When It's Over."

Blue, Joni Mitchell

Blue, Joni Mitchell, 1971, :36

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

With introspective lyrics, complex melodies, and a swooping, lilting, pure voice, Mitchell sings the trials and tribulations of women who love the wrong men in a world that talks a good game of free love but fails to deliver.  She meets an old lover in a bar and he picks songs on a jukebox.  "Now you're romanticizing some pain that's in your head / You got tombs in your eyes, but the songs you punched are / Dreaming, listen, they sing of love so sweet." Dang.  But that voice easily swoops from Dylanesque contempt and vitriol to an easy free come on. Who else might unironically sing "I want to shampoo you"?  This album contains multitudes. Favorite tracks: "Carey," "River," "A Case of You."

My Favorite Things, John Coltrane

My Favorite Things, John Coltrane, 1961, :40

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

The title track is the classic "Sound of Music" Rogers and Hammerstein song, turned to a 13-minute saxophone and piano instrumental heavily influenced by Eastern music.  Since I don't know anything about chords or musical modes or times, I can't really talk about this music except to say that I enjoy it.  Favorite tracks: well, there's only four songs on the album (with two single edits of the title track added to the "deluxe" version of the album), but the title track is a five-star classic, and Cole Porter's "Every Time We Say Goodbye" is also great.

Computer Games, George Clinton

Computer Games, George Clinton, 1982, :40

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

This is Clinton's "first" "solo" album after disbanding Parlifunkadeliment.   It's pretty funky, but you know, I kind of expected it to be funkier.  It could be funkier.  I guess it's the reliance on those '80s staples, synthesizers and drum machines.  Still, a fun album.  Favorite track: the 13-minute "Man's Best Friend/Loopzilla."

Thunder, Lightning, Strike, The Go! Team

Thunder, Lightning, Strike, The Go! Team, 2004, :40

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

You can hear the love of disco in every track of this album.  But a new generation of disco, alt-disco, indie-disco, with hiphop and playground chants (“We Just Won’t Be Defeated,” the exuberant clap-along “Huddle Formation”) and samples; “dancing like nobody’s watching” in music form.  Exuberant, happy, defiant, for the kids.  If it’s too weird, you’re too old.  This isn’t in my traditional wheelhouse and I love it.  It makes me happy.  This is the re-released version with the samples all made legal and stuff.   Favorite tracks: "Ladyflash," "Huddle Formation."

Lost In the Ozone, Commander Cody And His Lost Planet Airmen

Lost In the Ozone, Commander Cody And His Lost Planet Airmen, 1971, :38

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Not knowing what to expect outside the classic "Hot Rod Lincoln," I was pleasantly surprised to hear straight country roots, à la the Burrito Brothers, steel guitar and fiddle and honky-tonk piano and Carl Perkins guitar licks and all.  It's not all pure country, though; there's a couple of more rocking numbers.  Whatever the tempo, lots of paeans to gettin' high here: "Seeds and Stems (Again)," "Wine Do Your Stuff," title track.  Favorite tracks: "Hot Rod Lincoln" (which is musically a distant outlier from the rest of the album), "Midnight Shift."

Warren Zevon, Warren Zevon

Warren Zevon, Warren Zevon, 1976, :38

 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

I'm on a eponymous album kick!  No reason, though.  It just happened that way.  This 1976 album, although eponymous, isn't Zevon's debut (that was Wanted Dead or Alive).  But it is a truly impressive, slump-free sophomore album; fully half the track listing reads like Zevon's greatest hits.   This is swaggering Zevon in your face, mythologizing outlaws and wearing his out of control, lunatic persona on his sleeve, but also romantic and wistful.  Favorite tracks: "Hasten Down the Wind," "Poor Poor Pitiful Me," "Carmelita."

John Prine, John Prine

John Prine, John Prine, 1971, :44

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

I'm a longtime Prine fan but I've only ever heard three albums in their entirety.  Here in his debut we find a young Prine, his trademark deadpan wit not quite fully realized, or perhaps quashed by record execs who think that sort of thing won't sell platters.   But either way, he sure came out of the gate swinging.  It takes some chutzpah for a young man to include "Angel From Montgomery," from the point of view of a fiesty elderly woman, on his debut.  It also takes balls of brass to include "Jesus Christ died for nothin' I suppose" on "Sam Stone," a tale of a junkie vet.  Really great stuff; possibly a five-star album.  Favorite tracks: "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore" (very Kris Kristofferson), "Angel From Montgomery," "Illegal Smile."

Give the People What They Want, The Kinks

Give the People What They Want, The Kinks, 1981, :40

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Ray Davies' concept for this album was a stand against mass media's delight in feeding lowest common denominator.  As a whole, it's not their finest hour, but it's got some great pop moments, and Davies' arch sneer elevates the material.  Favorite tracks: "Destroyer," and "Better Things" is one of the best songs in the whole Kinks oeuvre.

Not So Much To Be Loved As To Love, Jonathan Richman / The Slider, T. Rex

Not So Much To Be Loved As To Love, Jonathan Richman, 2004, :38

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

What do you get when you let Jonathan Richman do his own thing, unhindered, for decades? This album.  Twee, silly, heartfelt, maudlin, utterly indulgent through and through, same themes as ever.  Not that that's necessarily a bad thing.  Even a lesser Jonathan Richman song is honest, and fun, and life-loving.  There's a couple of French songs and couple of Italian songs on here, and, well, good for Jojo for trying new things.  There are a couple songs I might even save space for on a best of Richman: "Vincent Van Gogh," "My Baby Love Love Loves Me."

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The Slider, T. Rex, 1972, :44

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

I'm perfectly aware that people consider this a five-star classic, but it just doesn't move me.  Too much guitar noodling and heavy riffs for my taste.  At least it doesn't take itself too seriously.  Fun lyrics.  Favorite tracks: "The Slider," "Ballrooms of Mars," "Chariot Choogle."

Graveyard Whistling, Old 97’s

Graveyard Whistling, Old 97’s, 2017, :41

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

The first repeated act is one of my favorites, the Old 97's.  They're near their best here, rocking and twanging like much younger cowpokes.  This is probably not a true five-star album, but close.  Favorite tracks: "Jesus Loves You" ("He's got the whole word / In His hands / I've got Lone Star / in cans" — brilliant), "Good With God," "Bad Luck Charm."

Prolonging the Magic, Cake

Prolonging the Magic, Cake, 1998, :46

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

A Cake album!  Don't they all pretty much sound the same?  Not nearly as good as their absolute masterwork, Comfort Eagle.  Now there's a five-star album.  This one is pretty good! Favorite tracks: "Never There," "Alpha Beta Parking Lot."

The Evening Call, Greg Brown

The Evening Call, Greg Brown, 2006, :56

★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

I've been a long-time fan of Greg Brown's often brilliant work, so I looked forward to this one eagerly.  I hate to give two stars to an album by someone of Brown's stature, but that's what my impression was.  Sludgy and slow, with too little of the wry wit that makes his material so enticing.  Favorite track: the spoken word chant of "Eugene" stands out in my memory.

Blessed Are…, Joan Baez

Blessed Are…, Joan Baez, 1971, 1:30

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

A double album from the queen of folk music. Baez' rich soprano, while strong and pleasant, isn't my favorite instrument and I'm not really a folkie, so this didn't grab me like it might have.  There's nothing boring about it, it just rarely rises to the level of inspiring.  Favorite tracks: the covers of "Salt of the Earth" and "Let It Be" are both terrific versions.  I also like "The Brand New Tennessee Waltz."

Blame It on Gravity, Old 97’s

Blame It on Gravity, Old 97’s, 2008, :46 

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

I'm more than familiar with this band, but don't have this one under my belt.  Of course, if you go to enough shows, you hear a lot of the songs.  Alt-country doesn't get better than the Old 97's.  I prefer them rowdy to soft and sentimental, though.  Favorite tracks: "Dance With Me," "She Loves the Sunset," "This Beautiful Thing."

Spacedust & Ocean Views, Anders Osborne

Spacedust & Ocean Views, Anders Osborne, 2016, :58

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

I picked this for its intriguing combo of Louisiana-themed song titles and Swedish artist.  Quite good modern blues-pop.  Osborne has a pleasant, strong voice.  Favorite tracks: "Life Don't Last That Long," "Lafayette."

We Are All Where We Belong, Quiet Company

We Are All Where We Belong, Quiet Company, 2011, 1:03

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Chosen at random.  I didn't know anything about this Austin, TX band before I started to listen.  Not bad, but not really my kind of music, all grandiose and lush like u2.  Introspective, literate lyrics.  A tad overlong, with lengthy song titles, each with its own parentheses.  Favorite track: "You, Me, & The Boatman (Truth Is, I've Been Thirsty My Whole Life)."

Yellow Submarine Songtrack, the Beatles

Yellow Submarine Songtrack, the Beatles, 1999, :45

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Well, it's the Beatles, you know?  Obviously I've heard most of these songs before, but not in this order, and not all of them.  For example, I don't hear the brilliant "All Together Now" or the psychedelic "Only a Northern Song" very often.  Favorite songs: title track, "Think For Yourself," "Nowhere Man," and others.

Praise And Blame, Tom Jones

Praise and Blame, Tom Jones, 2010, :38

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

This terrific gospel album is a wonderful surprise.  Jones' voice is powerful and carries a lot of emotional weight.  It's not corny at all. At times he growls like the Blind Boys of Alabama, or bellows like a preacher.  Even though I don't listen to a lot of gospel and almost no Tom Jones, I could see myself returning to this one.  Favorite tracks: the cover of "What Good Am I," "Did Trouble Me," 'Didn't it Rain."

Ties of Blood and Affection, Jeremy Pinnell / Golden Hits, Roger Miller

Ties of Blood and Affection, Jeremy Pinnell, 2017, :32

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Chosen at random, knowing nothing about it.  I was pleasantly surprised.  Good solid literate country rock.  Favorite tracks: "The Ballad of 1892," "The Way We See Heaven."   

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Golden Hits, Roger Miller, 1965, :22

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Trailers for sale or rent, rooms to let fifty cents.  We all know that one.  I'm bending the rules a bit here, with this greatest hits comp instead of a real album.  But I think Miller is mostly from the singles era, anyway.  Not being familiar with his work outside of "King of the Road," I was surprised to find so many of his songs to be of the novelty genre.  Favorite songs: "King of the Road," "Dang Me," "Chug-a-Lug."

 

St. Louis to Liverpool, Chuck Berry

 St. Louis to Liverpool, Chuck Berry, 1967, :34

 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Of course I am huge fan of the man who invented rock 'n' roll.  But I only know him through the singles, the anthologies and greatest hits.  So I wanted to see what a whole album by the great one was like.  Well, it's brilliant, of course.  Every song at least in some way intriguing, almost all electrifying.  I cannot imagine how this must have blown people's minds in 1967.  Favorite tracks: "You Never Can Tell," "Promised Land," "No Particular Place to Go." 

Gotta Get O’Raggednized, Clover’s Revenge

Gotta Get O’Raggednized, Clover’s Revenge, 2016, :26

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Sanitized Celtic rock, mostly covers.  A mini-album, or EP as we old people say.  A little too polished for the material.  There's something sad about vicious Irish rebel songs sung with a fruity, shiny, pop-perfect voice.  Favorite songs: "Little Beggar Man," "Waxie's Dargle."

American Pie, Don McLean

American Pie, Don McLean, 1971, :45

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Wow!  I've heard the title track.  Everyone has heard the title track.  But I didn't know McLean had such songwriting skill beyond the big hit.  Apparently "Killing Me Softly" was written about him and his deadly songwriting chops.  Just beautiful stuff.  Favorite tracks: "American Pie," duh, and "Vincent," and "Everybody Loves Me, Baby."

Everything Sucks, Reel Big Fish

Everything Sucks, Reel Big Fish, 1995, 1:03

★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

Exuberant ska.  Apparently their debut album; some of the members were teens when this came out.  It shows. At an hour, it's way overlong.  Dare I say... an aptly named album?  Favorite Track: "Sell Out," maybe?  They're all pretty much the same.

Sound Affects, the Jam / Sillion, Johnny Flynn

Sound Affects, The Jam, 1980, :35 

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

I'm pretty familiar with the Jam.  I wasn't moved by this album, although I certainly recognize the greatness.  Maybe this one is just too experimental for me.  For example, "Music for the Last Couple" starts with some not unpleasant noises, then about 40 seconds of silence, then a pretty good song.  Why?  Favorite tracks: "That's Entertainment," "Start!"

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Sillion, Johnny Flynn, 2017, :45 

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

I'm a huge fan of Flynn's masterwork, Alarum.  In comparison this one is kind of sleepy.  The problem is probably me.  This is an introspective, literate album.  It doesn't do to come to a conclusion after one quick listen.  But at an album or two a day, that's all I can give it for now.  Favorite Tracks: "In the Deepest," "Tarp in the Prop."

2 x 4, Guadalcanal Diary

2 x 4, Guadalcanal Diary, 1987, :43

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

I honestly have no idea why I picked this album.  I think I was looking for something similar to Tragically Hip or the Rembrants or something.  Like, what was going on in the 1980s that wasn't Husker Du?  Anyway, this album was... okay.  Decent jangle rock.  Best tracks: "Litany (Life Goes On)," and the cover of "And Your Bird Can Sing."