The Blind Leading the Naked, Violent Femmes

Currently doing one album for each year, 1960-2020. Today: 1986.

The Blind Leading the Naked, Violent Femmes, 1986, :37

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

I discovered the Femmes right before college when I stumbled upon the gem "Good Feeling," and never looked back.  This is (I believe) the one Violent Femmes album that I haven't listened to all the way though, barring their end-of-career shite. I read that the band itself disavowed the production by Jerry Harrison.  To me it may have a somewhat less manic tone and crisp sound as 3 and Why Do Birds Sing, but it's still a fine Femmes album with all the trademark musical virtuosity and Gano yelping weirdness alternating with earnest raw emotion.  I always felt "Good Feeling" sounded a lot like the Velvet Underground's more quiet work, and on this album, "Good Friend" makes me think of early solo Lou Reed.  I vacillated on rating this and decided to round up.  Favorite tracks: "Breakin' Hearts," "I Held Her In My Arms," "Cold Canyon."

Journey To the Urge Within, Courtney Pine

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

Journey To the Urge Within, Courtney Pine, 1986, :49

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

The debut album of a saxophonist and clarinetist who apparently revived a moribund British jazz scene.  This is the kind of music that most people usually think of when they think of jazz.  Drums crashing, punctuated by bleats and the sudden wahhhh! wahhhh! of a sax and tinkling vibes.  These pieces pleasantly surprised me; they zig and zag in directions that they don't telegraph ahead of time.  I'd be tapping along to one rhythm when suddenly some other beat snuck in. Some people think of jazz as background music.  This isn't background music.  You gotta pay attention.  Favorite tracks: "Miss Interpret," "E F P."

Mistrial, Lou Reed

Mistrial, Lou Reed, 1986, :39.

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

On my very first post I cheated a little.  I used to own this album back in the cassette tape days.  I remember its corniness with fondness.  Yes, it's a little dated, but it's also got some of the patented Lou Reed wryness and wordplay.  Best tracks: "The Original Wrapper," "Video Violence."