[ Friday, March 26, 2004 ]
I've been broadening my knowledge and listening habits to include some 80s neo-prog lately. I initially gave the genre the short shrift (as I mistakenly do sometimes, case in point being Orbital..whom I dismissed as sub-par before really giving them a chance--and now they are among my favourite artists). You can't mention "80s neo-prog" without one band automatically popping to mind. That's right...Marillion. Formed out of a few regularly gigging pub bands in London in the late-70s--they were originally Silmarillion, after J.R.R. Tolkien's history of the elves...can't get much more prog than that, can you? You can, because they shortened their name and forged their musical alliance based on a mutual love of early Genesis.
They did the usual club circuit, eventually landing a prestigious spot at the famed Marquee Club in London (which also sponsored The Who, The Move and a nascent King Crimson). They were spotted by an EMI A&R; guy and signed in 1982, releasing the Market Square Heroes and He Knows You Know singles. Script For A Jester's Tear, their debut full-length, appeared in 1983, and was an immediate hit with the die-hard proggers, thanks in a large part to Scottish lead vocalist Fish (nee Derek Dick) and his near slavish Peter Gabriel-isms--as well as guitarist Steve Rothery's pseudo-Hackett/Howe riffing. Add to that Mark Wilkinson's cryptic full-colour cover art--and a neo-progressive trend was born. Still, despite the "name that Genesis tune" quality of the music, "Script For..." hasn't dated *that* badly..especially when compared to the chart stuff at that time (Kajagoogoo and Duran Duran, please stand up). The Web and Garden Party have become classics to Marillion fans..intricate and melodic, hell, they were more creative than Genesis were in 1983, even if they were doing their best to meld 1973 with 1983. Fish does remind everyone that it's the early 80s with the closing track, Forgotten Sons, a lament to "the troubles" engulfing Northern Ireland. "...Searchlight...Armalite.." are the opening lyrics, so you get the picture right quick. A credible debut in any musical climate, though I'm sure the critics at the time (in England anyway) ripped the record apart for daring to show some bold freeky prog colours in the post-punk greyness and New Romantic pastels and heavy metal black. Rolling Stone probably awarded it their compulsory "three stars".
They followed "Script For.." up with Fugazi in 1984. Sticking a bit to the lines laid down by "Script.." and cranking up the melodrama a notch or two..it's not exactly a holding pattern, but not that much of an advance either..still, they sold out venues in England and The Continent, the punters bought the record..and they even gained a cult following in the U.S.A. Mark Wilkinson had duly turned in the album artwork, and the jester from the debut became Marillion's visual symbol. For the next album, Fish decided to completely bring the lyrics up to date. Misplaced Childhood was released in 1985, and the clues to the change in direction are right on the sleeve itself. A boy wearing a drum major's uniform, holding a magpie is the centerpiece of the front cover..while the jester escapes from a window on the back cover. The lyrics concern themselves with lost love, loneliness and "wide boys" on the streets--far more initmate than his previous observations. The band also hit the mainstream in a big way with the surprise chart success of the Kayleigh single and it's follow-up, Lavender. I remember hearing "Kayleigh" on the radio, but it had little impact on me at the time. When I heard it again a couple of weeks ago, for the first time since then--I recognized the melody, but didn't have any sort of nostalgic flashbacks or anything. The album is the best of the bunch, with nice segues between the tunes..and they update the 70s prog habit of naming multiple sections of longer tunes, like Bitter Suite: divided into i. Brief Encounter ii. Lost Weekend iii. Blue Angel--gotta get those extra royalties somehow ;)
By 1987, after touring extensively, Fish was ready to leave Marillion. He stayed and recorded their fourth full-length, Clutching At Straws, and toured to support it--then announced he was departing for a solo venture. "Clutching..." moved in even more of a pop direction but with ol' Derek still there, retains at least of some of the progressive features of the first three albums. After a double-live album which chronicled the '87 tour, called The Thieving Magpie, Marillion re-grouped to find a new singer and lyricist. Steve Hogarth was the result of the search and they recorded Season's End, which was released in 1989, the first new studio album in two years. Hogarth slowly brought the band away from Fish's prog influence to a more mainstream hard rock sound, though "Season's End" is more of a bridge between the two. They continued on into the 90s (with albums like "Brave" and the horribly-titled "Marillion.com") and are still active today~though their fan-base has dwindled to the hard-core punters. They dropped by EMI in the early 90s and released the subsequent records through a few indie labels. They have set up their own small label now, and are releasing live shows through their website--a bit like King Crimson's Collector's Club series--unfortunately, they aren't offering any Fish-era shows.
Fish also released his first solo album in 1989..and has contuned to do so, setting up his own label as well--and he took Mark Wilkinson's cover art talent with him. I don't own any of his records yet, but I'm hoping to score a few and check them out. The man himself appeared on a hilarious episode of the British muso-quiz show Never Mind The Buzzcocks just recently and took the piss out of a lame Bryan Adams video...big ups to him for that!! HMV has been offering a few older Marillion re-issue titles (just the single-disc versions from 2000--not the double discs with all of the 12" singles, B-sides, etc.) in their bargain section..so I've been snapping up a few here and there--can't beat it for £5!!! See ya soon!!
Sly Stoner [3/26/2004 08:49:49 AM]
[ Wednesday, March 17, 2004 ]
Hey kids!! Happy St. Paddy's Day to ye!! Most of my record collection hasn't been delivered to my new home yet--so I've no Chieftains, Clannad or even Rory Gallagher to crank up on the stereo. Luckily, I did bring my copy of My Bloody Valentine's Loveless..and Pixie owns a few Ash discs (you gotta make do sometimes, folks). There's also a Mellow Candle track and a couple of Thin Lizzy cuts on the third disc of the "Legend Of A Mind" set (including their cover of the trad. Irish tune Whiskey In The Jar, which Metallica managed to butcher a couple of years ago..oy!). Clodagh Simmonds, who sang in Mellow Candle, also did some vocal work on Mike Oldfield's Hergest Ridge (from 1974)--and I've got a copy of that here as well...and of course, a few of the Fab Four had some Irish heritage (stand up, Messrs. Lennon, McCartney and Harrison). After I play a few albums..I'm also going to continue on into the mind-scrambling prose of James Joyce's Finnegans Wake, a crazy, post-modern, psychedelic journey through Humpherey Chimpden Earwicker's dream-state..derided as "unreadable", I will say it is a difficult and challenging read..and I've often had to take breaks from it..because of the tangle of words and connections..but reading some Robert Anton Wilson alongside of it helps..as Wilson refers to "The Wake" in his own books often and helps explain some of the quantum connections within it.
I've deleted the "New Music Blog" (Mk. I) and started up a "New New Music Blog"--in hopes that the link to invite the team will work better..unfortunately I deleted the few posts that were there and wasn't able to save them--but I'll try and re-post what I had there in a compact version.
M.A.D. has found review of a gig in Manchester, England where Mark E. Smith was rolled out on-stage in a wheelchair, Pete Shelley sang some stripped-down Buzzcocks classics, John Cooper Clarke berated GMTV (good on that, mate!) and other topics of his scorn..and Howard Devoto recited lyrics over a drum-n-bass backing. I thought MES was doing an impersonation of the Rolling Stones "2012 World Tour", but it turns out he's recovering from a mishap. You can check the gig review over at Cheek..be sure to read the comments about the gig at the review site--some of the punters have forgotten about "anarchy in the U.K.", and one even quoted Mr. Lydon himself "Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?"
Happy St. Paddy's Day, all!!
Sly Stoner [3/17/2004 08:35:51 AM]
[ Sunday, March 14, 2004 ]
Sorry for not posting in a couple of weeks..I've been busy trying to set up the new team muso-blog, but the invite link seems to post an error message to whomever attempts to respond. I've contacted Blogger support and they did get back to me in a timely fashion...however, they didn't offer much more advice than what's posted on their "help" page. I'll try overhauling the template--and re-invite the rest of the team. If anyone wants to join up, just send me your e-mail address and I'll e-mail you the link (hopefully it will work this time!). You can check the new blog here--the working title is "New Music Blog", but when the team is finally assembled, we'll have a pow-wow for a proper title.
I've also been creating CD stickers and booklets for discs that I made for Pixie that didn't have any previously--so I haven't been much for posting the past couple of weeks. I've finished the lot--so I'm freed up (well, besides helping My Dearest and her folks plan for our wedding) and can devote a few days to Blogger. Cheers to my man M.A.D. at Cheek for posting about the new blog...even in it's rough, skeletal state.
Also, Cheers to my mate Jerry (Singing Bear of Keep It With Mine fame) for the excellent discs he sent to Pixie and I. He copied the 3-CD Brit psych/prog/blooze set Legend Of A Mind for me, and the 2-CD Manic Street Preachers rarities and B-sides set called Lipstick Traces - A Secret History Of M.S.P. and a Lambchop bootleg (from Berlin in 2002) for Pixie. The "Legend..." is an overview of Decca Records' "progressive" label Deram Records, which was formed in 1968 and flourished through to the mid-70s and was home to such disparate bands as Canterbury proggers Caravan, Dylan-esque folkie-rocker Bill Fay, London blooze-boyos Ten Years After and Irish proto-pop-metallers Thin Lizzy. There are some rarities included, such as Aardvark's Once Upon A Hill/Put That In Your Pipe And Smoke It, a psychedelic jam that does sound "of it's time", but also retains it's whimsy and evocative drugginess. There's Jig-A-Jig, a Celtic-stylee fiddle showcase that was a minor chart hit for underground group East Of Eden in 1971 and Chaffeur, a 12-bar blooze by Black Cat Bones that sounds like early Fleetwood Mac on an opium-and-hashish bender. Of course, the larger acts in the Dream stable make an appearance...Brummie psych/prog stalwarts The Moody Blues lend their ode to LSD guru Timothy Leary from 1968, Legend Of A Mind, which gives the set it's title--and also their 1970 track Question. Ten Years After are represented by I Just Can't Keep From Crying Sometimes and their 1971 AOR "hit", I'd Love To Change The World. Lesser (but important to the "scene") progressive band Camel contribute two tracks as well....Lady Fantasy, from 1974 and Air Born, from 1976. It's a great set of cuts, all spread over three discs, and nary a bum track in the lot. I looked up the set on Amazon UK, and it appears to be still in-print (if you don't have a cool mate like Jerry to copy it for you)--a steal at £10 as well! A good collection from one of the better "progressive" subsidaries of the major record labels in the early 70s!!!
I've been checking out some 80s neo-prog lately as well...but I'll save that for my next post..or possibly the team blog--either way...hang in there, musos!!!
Sly Stoner [3/14/2004 02:19:48 PM]
[ Thursday, February 26, 2004 ]
Hey kids! Sitting here at the computer, listening to Gentle Giant's Live - Playing The Fool, surfing around all my friends' blogs..and found this muso-geek quiz over at Cheek, always a source for interesting content - go check it out! Here's my answers:
1. Your favorite song with the name of a city in the title or text.
Title: The Clash "London Calling" Text: tie: Genesis "Eleventh Earl Of Mar", The Grateful Dead "Truckin'"
2. A song you've listened to repeatedly when you were depressed at some point in your life.
Spiritualized "Broken Heart", The Rolling Stones "Ruby Tuesday"
3. Ever bought an entire album just for one song and winded up disliking everything but that song? Gimme that song.
Primitive Radio Gods "Stuck Inside A Phone Booth With Spare Change In My Hand" (or whatever it was called)
4. A song whose lyrics you thought you knew in the past, but about which you later learned you were incorrect.
Yes "And You And I" (the "Preacher/Teacher" section of it)
5. Your least favorite song on one of your favorite albums of all time.
E.L.O. "Laredo Tornado" ('Eldorado')
6. A song you like by someone you find physically unattractive or otherwise repellent.
Unattractive: Patti Smith "Piss Factory". Otherwise repellent: Michael Jackson "Don't Stop 'Till You Get Enough" Unattractive + Repellent: Madonna "Ray Of Light"
7. Your favorite song that has expletives in it that's not by Liz Phair.
Rated PG-13: Genesis "Back In N.Y.C." Rated R: Wire "Mr. Suit"
8. A song that sounds as if it's by someone British but isn't
anything by Happy The Man
9. A song you like (possibly from your past) that took you forever to finally locate a copy of.
Fairport Convention "Sloth"
10. A song that reminds you of spring but doesn't mention spring at all
Then: The Moody Blues "Voices In The Sky". Now: The Flaming Lips "Buggin"
11. A song that sounds to you like being happy feels.
Being: Led Zeppelin "The Ocean", Happy: Orbital "Chime", Feels: Kate Bush "The Morning Fog"
12. Your favorite song from a non-soundtrack compilation album
The End "Shades Of Orange" (from "The Psychedelic Scene" Decca Records comp. CD), or
Rahsaan Roland Kirk "Freaks For The Festival" (from WEA's "Psychedelic Jazz & Soul" comp. CD)
13. A song from your past that would be considered politically incorrect now (and possibly was then)
Van Halen "Everybody Wants Some" or "Drop Dead Legs"
14. A song sung by an overweight person.
Boy: Mountain "Mississippi Queen". Girl: Mama Cass Elliott "Dream A Little Dream"
15. A song you actually like by an artist you otherwise hate.
Hmmmm....The Strokes "Is This It" and whatever song by Interpol is the most popular or Bon Jovi "Dead Or Alive"
16. A song by a band that features three or more female members.
Three: Elastica "Stutter" Or more: anything by The Shaggs (they were a girl four-piece, right?) More than ten: Oof..this is tough, I pass...
17. One of the earliest songs that you can remember listening to.
The Beatles "Octopus' Garden"
18. A song you've been mocked by friends for liking.
Fine Young Cannibals "She Drives Me Crazy" or any progressive rock tune
19. A really good cover version you think no one else has heard
Daniel Miller (as "Sunroof")--his cover of Can's "Oh Yeah" from the "Sacrilege" comp. set
20. A song that has helped cheer you up (or empowered you somehow) after a breakup or otherwise difficult situation.
Cheered me up: The Rolling Stones "Rocks Off". Empowered me somehow: Primal Scream "Movin' On Up"
21. A song you've listened to while fucking/masturbating.
Fucking: Brian Eno "1/1", Masturbating: Something off of the Tangerine Dream "Atem" album--can't remember which tune--I was sorta busy ;)
22. A song not in English, preferably a foreign-language version of an English-language hit.
The Beatles "Sie Lieb Dicht" --singing their own "She Loves You" in German--I know, it's cheating--but that's the only thing I could think of.
Cool quiz...in other news, my mate Jerry, A.K.A. "Singing Bear", has started up his own blog again, titled Keep It With Mine. I was saddened when he discontinued it a couple of months ago--but here it is again. Show the man some love and go have a read..he's got muso-knowledge to spare and he's a good chap as well. You can check it out here. Be back soon!
Sly Stoner [2/26/2004 07:41:11 AM]
[ Thursday, February 19, 2004 ]
Well, now...I've moved the "Schizoid Man" base of operations, and am now broadcasting from lovely Oxfordshire, England. I've been here nearly a week now, with my British fiancee, the wonderful and talented Flaming Pixie. The flight over was alright--I had a head cold/sinus infection, which made takeoff and landing quite a grueling sensation, but I did get to watch (much to my chagrin after it was over) Matrix: Revolutions--wow, I didn't think they could fit *every* single action film cliche in there--but they managed to do it.
There hasn't been much £££ for CD purchases, but I did get to buy one of the EMI/Harvest Barclay James Harvest re-issues and a Magazine compilation disc. The BJH disc is their third album, originally released in 1971, called ...And Other Short Stories. The title belies the fact that almost all of the tunes break the five-minute mark, a bit of cheeky humour there, I suppose. Still, it's nicely-orchestrated and well-mannered prog that rocks out more than The Moody Blues, especially on the opener, Medicine Man and the appropriately titled Blue John's Blues. They would follow that direction more as the 70s moved along, but there's enough here for the prog enthusiast to enjoy--even if BJH were one of the lesser lights of "the scene". I did find out that the main man of The Enid, Robert John Godfrey, arranged the strings for first couple of Barclay records, and I even detected a hint of his style on "...Stories", though he had parted company with BJH before the sessions began. I plan to get the first two albums at some point and review them more in-depth. The post-EMI/Harvest BJH catalog on Polydor Records has also been re-issued, as of 2003, though there aren't nearly as many bonus tracks included. Nice to see the artwork fully-restored, though.
The Magazine disc is called (Where The Power Is...) and contains 16 tracks culled from their four studio and one live records. They were, of course, Howard Devoto's post-Buzzcocks band. Devoto left The Buzzcocks after their first couple of singles and EP were released in 1976. Perhaps he felt constricted by punk's orthodox methods, because Magazine certainly have more of an R&B;/soul groove mixed in with the punk attitude. A lot of the tunes are new to me, only having heard a couple of cuts from comp. tapes (holla out to C-Dog) and the live album, called Play. They took an art-school approach to punk, widening out it's structure and bringing in funk and even pop. I know, there were other bands who did that as well, like XTC..but you get the feeling that XTC were a pop band in disguise as punks, whereas Devoto was the real deal. Lyrically, he preferred his dark and ambiguous tales, while the music may be almost sunny. My only regret is that they didn't include the supremely creepy and weird spoken-word/sound collage called The Book. Other than that, the track list is excellent (their cover of Sly & The Family Stone's "Thank You (Falettin Me Be Mice Elf Agin)" is here also), and I found it in the bargain bin at HMV, no less!!!
That's about all for today, musos....I'll be starting up the new blog in the next couple of weeks--gotta get the template and all set up to go, and invite the other geeks in on it. Should be a pretty interesting mix of styles and such. Stay tuned!!!!!
Sly Stoner [2/19/2004 09:56:14 AM]
[ Friday, February 06, 2004 ]
Hey All! Just a quickie post from the library--it's a snowy day here, not sure about where you're at. A "Schizoid Man" thanks out to my man C-Dog for the additonal "work related" tune, Dear Employer (The Reason I Quit) by The Minus Five & Wilco. He swears it's brilliant--and I usually listen to the Dog when he's got a recommendation. And to the rest of you slackers....Ha Ha Ha..take five, it's on the Stoner this time.
This week I'm listening to:
Ange/Par Les Fils De Mandrin
Gentle Giant/Live - Playing The Fool
Jon Anderson/Olias Of Sunhillow
British Sea Power/The Decline Of...
Eloy/Ocean
Pink Floyd/The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
Sly Stoner [2/6/2004 11:38:19 AM]
[ Thursday, January 29, 2004 ]
Wa-hey, kids!! Welp, it's my final day at the job I've worked at for the past 3-1/2 years (my last day at my part-time/contingent gig was January 15th) As you can tell, I've got no work to complete, so I'm passing my time by posting this. The past week has been a bit anti-climactic for me, as I was expecting to tell off the boss, who's been really the only downer of my entire tenure here, in a Hollywood-esque way...watching his smug face melt into a blur of surprise and humiliation, while my few co-workers erupt into mocking laughter and supportive applause. Alas, no, he's left me alone for the whole week, barely acknowledging my presence and avoiding my cubicle as if the missing Iraqi WMDs are in it. I was all ready for a "Not now, Lumbergh" moment straight from "Office Space", and instead I'm waiting out my last two hours--typing this post and listening to The Orb's U.F.Orb on the crappy computer CD player that I'll never have to deal with again, when it skips all over the place....thank you, higher forces of nature.
I'll just list some "work"-related songs...the few I can think of...if you know of any..e-mail them to me..and I'll list them also.
Take This Job And Shove It/Johnny Paycheck
Workin' Nine To Five/Dolly Parton
There Is Power In A Union/Billy Bragg
Pumpin' 4 The Man/Ween
Bad Days/The Flaming Lips
(That's The Sound Of The Men) Workin' On The Chain Gang/Sam Cooke
A Hard Day's Night/The Beatles
Workin' On The Road/Ten Years After
Soul Suckin' Jerk/Beck
Bitties At The BK Lounge/De La Soul
Mark On The Bus/The Beastie Boys
This Woman's Work/Kate Bush (yeah, it's about pregnancy, and not a job--but it's got "work" in the title)
Sheena Easton/Morning Train
Got My Mojo Workin'/Muddy Waters (I know, not about a job, er..maybe..;) )
Sly Stoner [1/29/2004 10:43:41 AM]
[ Tuesday, January 27, 2004 ]
What a wacky week this one's turning to be -- Bob Keeshan, "Captain Kangaroo" to those of my age group (and perhaps a bit younger, also) has passed away -- the twin deities of my telly childhood are now gone. It was morning with the Good Cap'n and his assorted friends (Mr. Green Jeans, that moose) and you always knew that before the show ended, someone would be covered in a hail of ping-pong balls, as they magickally dropped from that trap door in the ceiling. Afternoons, of course, belonged to Sesame Street and then Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, and Fred Rogers passed away last year. R.I.P., Mr. Keeshan, thanks for the memories!!
It's also been revealed that Jethro Tull keyboardist and orchestral arranger, David Palmer, has been trans-gendered, and is now going by the name "Dee". Palmer was instrumental in arranging Tull's early to mid 70s records, like Too Old To Rock And Roll, Too Young To Die (1976) and Warchild (1974). Here's an Ananova news story, with the "Schizoid Man" quote of the week: "She broke the news to flute playing frontman Ian Anderson by saying: "There's something I need to get off my increasingly ample chest." Cheers to Triptych Cryptic for the story link. Good luck with your ch-ch-ch-changes, Dee.
What I'm listening to lately:
Missy Elliott/This Is Not A Test
British Sea Power/The Decline Of...
Van Der Graaf Generator/Pawn Hearts
Eloy/Ocean, Floating, Inside, The Power And The Passion
Focus/Moving Waves (re-mastered), Focus III (re-mastered)
Robert Wyatt/Solar Flares Burn For You ("Beeb" sessions and home demos)
Peter Hammill (of VDGG)/Chameleon In The Shadow Of The Night
Speaking of Focus, my man M.A.D. over at Cheek found a goofy recent interview with Focus singer/flautist Thijs Von Leer. It seems he's still making the rounds with a re-vamped Focus, in which he's the only original member (guitarist Jan Akkerman having left long ago). Thijs is also glad because his girlfriend loves him. Check out the "hocus pocus" with the photos, too--he's gone from a Dutch hippie to looking like something out of a Dickens novel. Here's the interview and pics..enjoy, and yodel as much as I did when reading it. Tip O' the "Schizoid Man" suede hippie hat to M.A.D. and Cheek.
In other news, My Dearest Flaming Pixie and I have decided to vacate the Flaming Lips message board, due to my conflicts with some of the regs and the site administrator. I (We) came to this decision over the past few months, when we felt that a lot of the people who made the site such a great place to talk about music and other topics had already left, and the crop of newbies from last summer who are reaching prominence now don't really add anything to the interest level, for me anyway. So, we bid The Lips BBS adieu. We have moved over to FreakScene, the official site of J. Mascis + The Fog. The board is organised much better and there are far more forums to choose from. We joined at the behest of our friend Dakota Blue, and we like it a lot so far. Maybe we'll see you there.
Also, I will be starting up another blog in the near future with some cohorts from the Lips BBS. I haven't got a title, but My Dearest has suggested "PROG F**KING SUCKS!" Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha...Hmmmmmm..something to consider...if anyone wants to be part of the new posting group, e-mail me and let me know. More news on the blog to follow--stay tuned.
Sly Stoner [1/27/2004 09:37:07 AM]
[ Friday, January 09, 2004 ]
O.K., a couple of weeks later--Happy New Year to those still using the Gregorian calendar, anyway...I guess I'll wrap up my 2003 stuff, seeing as it's now '04.
Biggest Disappointments
Gorky's Zygotic Mynci/Sleep/Holiday (Sanctuary Records) ~ Another band who's now on Sanctuary's roster (Ween, Spiritualized), their first full-length for their new label suspiciously sounds *exactly like their last one* ("How I Long To Feel That Summer...."). Seriously--there's a carbon-copy of just about every track on "How.. " on "Sleep/Holiday"!!!! I never thought I would say this, but I think that collectively, G.Z.M. has finally run out of ideas. It's sad to think that they hit their peak on Barafundle (from 1997), but that's the way it appears. Of course, if this is the first G.Z.M. record you've ever purchased (or d/l'ed ;) ), you'll think their folk-rock blend is mesmerising. Fans of the older, wacky psych/prog and even the "transition" records ("Gorky's 5", "Spanish Dance Troupe") will find "Sleep/Holiday" just another step into cookie-cutter album status. Wish I had just copied it from another Gorky's fan--I'd feel less cheated out of my money. If you want some choice G.Z.M.--check out the 20 compilation, also released this year on Sanctuary. It brings together some of the early EPs from '94/'95/'96 psych-prog era and it shows you how creative and willing they were to experiment in the studio.
The Polyphonic Spree/The Beginning Stages Of.... (Hollywood Records) ~ This album got so much attention in the music press (particularly in the UK)..and all the indie/chin-strokers at the Flaming Lips message board were falling over themselves praising it. I took the bait and bought the record--after a few cursory listens..I've decided it's just O.K.. Yeah, Tim DeLaughter and his forty theives have manic energy to spare, but for a band with so many members, the songs do sound a bit skeletal. There's not much going on in them, and most are based around a scrap of lyric or a simple guitar riff. They pile on so many extras, like theremins and choral arrangements, that it almost hides the tune's basic structure. There's no denying the catchiness of Soldier Girl or Light And Day, but the psychedelic pastiche/"Up With People" blend gets a bit irritating by the record's end--then you get to wade through a 36-minute drone that is mainly just an endurance test. Better luck on the next one, guys & gals.
Bubbling Under The Top Ten
Richard Thompson/The Old Kit Bag (SpinArt Records) ~ R.T. is back after his label-hop from Capitol Records a few years ago. He turns in his usual grab-bag of quality tunes and even gets his son Teddy to help out on a couple of tracks. It didn't make the Top Ten due to it's "same-y" content to the last bunch of Thompson releases, but even a run-of-the-mill R.T. record is better than 90% of the shite out there--and he destroys anything being put out by his contemporaries (exceptions being Billy Bragg and maybe Robert Wyatt). He always surpasses even his old band, Fairport Convention, who're still dropping their annual offering as well, I couldn't tell you how their recent stuff is--I can't be bothered to listen to anything past 1975. Richard even found time to duet with his former wife, Linda, on her underrated Fashionably Late record from 2002. It's good to have him back.
Yo La Tengo/Summer Sun (Matador Records) ~ This one falls into the same catagory as the Thompson album...the usual quality release from Yo La Tengo--but that's just it, they're not treading any new ground here, just turning in another set of heavenly ambient Y.L.T. tunes which they'll rock out more at their live shows. I don't have a problem with that at all...but it doesn't guarantee them a Top Ten spot. This one's for Tengo fanatics only--everyone else will fall asleep to it.
Best Live Show Of 2003
I actually only caught one show this year--it just happened to be Carling Weekend, or The Reading Festival, a three-day cavalcade of bands playing on a main stage and three other tents in Reading, England. My full review is in the archives for August 2003...but my favourite sets were:
1.) Elbow - BBC Radio One Tent
2.) The Mars Volta - BBC Radio One Tent
3.) Keane - Carling Tent
4.) Billy Bragg - Carling Tent
5.) Mull Historical Society - BBC Radio One Tent
6.) Grandaddy - BBC Radio One Tent
7.) Doves - Main Stage
8.) Primal Scream (with Kevin Shields) - Main Stage
9.) The Libertines - Main Stage
10.) Good Charlotte -Main Stage (Ha Ha Ha--I keed, I keed)
Sly Stoner [1/9/2004 12:36:20 PM]
[ Wednesday, December 24, 2003 ]
Happy Crimble to all! I'm excited...I finally get to open a few of my gifts from My Dearest tonight!!!! :) Speaking of Ms. Pixie ~ she has sent her Top Ten list back...drum roll please..............
My Top Ten
The best 10 CD's I acquired in 2003 (Pixie's rules)
1.) A Birthday Mix CD from my Fiance (Thanks sweetie :) ).
2.) Ed Harcourt ~ From Every Sphere Ed is brilliant! Go and buy all his work NOW.
3.) Ed Harcourt ~ Maplewood (See above)
4.) Untitled ~ by iBee*. A "calming" Mix CD from my French hippy "Dad"
5.) Keane ~ This is the last time. This is just a single - but Keane are excellent. I'm looking forward to hearing some more of their work
6.) Sparklehorse ~ Good Morning Spider. I can't remember whether I got it this year or last year. Whatever - it's still going on my list.
7.) The ***** Chronicles ~ Vols 1 & 2. 2 joint effort mixes. Half Indie/Half Prog. I'll leave you to decide which halves are the best.
8.) Elbow ~ Cast of thousands. Manc Cunts.
9.) Elliott Smith ~ No Name (A Collection of B-Sides and Live Tracks). RIP Elliott - you fucker
10.) Eureka ~ another mix (ok - this one's a tape but I did say I was following MY rules). This ones by Oh Allah* - he's going to be a famous artist one day - watch out for him.
11.) A Taste of Honey ~ another mix cd from the French hippy Dad. This one however is completely prog shit. I've been hanging around with my Fiance too much - it's starting to have an effect. Someone help me.
12.) The complete works of Lambchop. A special thanks to my very good friend Singingbear*. Take care.
*All three are members at The Flaming Lips message board
There ya have it, musos--read an' reckanize!!!!
Outstanding Re-Issues of 2003
Bob Dylan SACD re-issue series (Sony/Columbia Records) ~ Noticing the big returns on ABKCOs Rolling Stones SACD series from 2002, Sony steps up to the plate and finally delivers some decent Dylan CDs. I've got Bringing It All Back Home, Blonde On Blonde and Blood On The Tracks so far--and they sound pretty amazing! I haven't heard them on a "surround-sound" set-up..but at home and at work, I'm impressed with the re-mastering. The CDs come in cardboard "digi-paks", similar to the Stones' discs, with original artwork intact...in fact, a big improvement over the original Columbia 80s/early 90s CDs. My only complaint, similar to the ABCKO SACDs, is a lack of historical perspective on these records, particularly the mid 60s albums. No essays or "making-of" notes--well, I suppose if you've read any issue of Rolling Stone (as I haven't) this past year--I'm sure one of the boomer-fogies on the writing staff have waxed rhapsodic about the series, including all sorts of technical details. Still, it's nice to see ol' Bobby Zee get the CD treatment that *some* of these records deserve.
Arthur Brown/Kingdom Come (Sanctuary Records) ~ I only became aware of these just a month ago--the complete catalogue, just three albums (Galactic Zoo Dossier (1971), Kingdom Come (1972) and Journey (1973)) from the wild & wacky Arthur Brown. He assembled this band after the dissolution of The Crazy World, his operatic pop-psych band ("Fire"), in 1969. They did the hippie thing of "getting their heads together in the country, man", dropped a lot of acid and rehearsed some new tunes. "Galactic Zoo Dossier" was the result of these sessions..and it's a trippy affair all the way through. A bit harder-rockin' than the Crazy World, but Brown continues being willfully weird--even for 1971. "Kingdom Come" continues in that vein--but gets closer to more traditional "rock". After some usual band antics (the drummer stealing the bass-player's wife away---or something like that)..they were short a member (namely, a drummer) for "Journey", used a primitive drum machine--and stumbled upon a sound that was also beginnning to happen in Germany at the same time. They split after "Journey"..and Brown faded into obscurity--occasionally surfacing as a backing vocalist..or when he was mentioned in psych documentaries. Check these out, if you're a fan of early-70s psych/hard psych--they were doing some genuinely strange things in the "hangover of the 60s"
Barclay James Harvest re-issues (Harvest/EMI Records) ~ Yeah, yeah--technically, these are from 2002, but I only became aware of them this year. EMI re-issued the albums of their first signing to their "progressive" label (hence the name)...and filled them chock full of bonus tracks and with excellent booklets. The CD booklet cover art appears to be a desk from the 1800s with whichever B.J.H. record is represented on the disc--very very retro groovy!! I don't own any of them yet--but I plan on buying the first two B.J.H. records very soon.
Sly Stoner [12/24/2003 10:44:24 AM]
