Adebisi Shank - This Is the Album of a Band Called Adebisi Shank

I love this record. I don't even know much about the band. I can't remember where I heard about them and no one I know has ever heard of them. But this record is great all the way through. High energy, interesting ideas in every song, great playing. And no lyrics. According to their record company's website they are a "three Piece intrumental Robot/Dance rock trio based in Wexford, Ireland". From the sounds of it they are a band that is best appriciated live. If they come to my home town I will definately check them out. I suggest that you buy this record as soon as you can. It will make most of that other crap you listen to sound like the shit that it is.

About the name, I can only guess that it's a reference to Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje's character on the TV series OZ.

The Doors - The Soft Parade

The best part is when Jim Morrison starts talking about the "best part of the trip" during the title track. It's fucking hilarious. Jim...why don't you smoke another joint. I actually like this record. I think it's pretty much considered The Door's worst album and I can kinda understand why. The whole horns and strings thing is kinda weird, but I think it really works on some tracks. The title track for example is a great song. It gets kinda strange at times like Burt Bacharach was in the studio or something. The same is true for Tell All The People. But I really like the horns and Morrison's voice sounds great. I think he's a really under-rated crooner. If he had lived longer he could have evolved into Frank Sinatra's opening act. I can see him up there in a power blue velvet tux doing lounge version of Light My Fire and People Are Strange. Now I would have paid a lot of money to see that. But back to The Soft Parade. The hit was Touch Me. Not a great song because of it's super gay chorus, but it's got a good energy and I think the horns work well on it. The other high point on this record is Wild Child. Morrison's voice sound particularly raw on this one and it's got a catchy riff. I think the low point on this record is Wishful Sinful. It pretty much defines "filler" for The Doors. It's just terrible. But the real high point on this record is the eight and a half minute title track. It's got lots of that great Morrison nonsense poetry, like that crap at the beginning about petitioning the Lord with prayer. What the fuck? I guess it was the 60's and making sense was the last thing on every body's drug addled mind. Fine with me. It's a good song, often with hilarious results. The aforementioned "best part of the trip", and other great lyrics such as, "Peppermint, miniskirts, chocolate candy/Champion sax and a girl named Sandy", or "When all else fails/We can whip the horse's eyes/And make them sleep/And cry". If it weren't for Leonard Cohen Morrison might have been the greatest comedian of his generation.

Bruce Springsteen - The Wild The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle - 1973

This is a terrible record. The best part about it is the E Street Band. It's too bad that that talentless blow-hard on what I guess some would call vocals keeps fucking each song up with his idiotic caterwauling.

The E Street Shuffle - This song has some nice if not self indulgent moments on it. But this of course only happens when Springsteen shuts his word hole.

4th of July, Asbury Park - Hey Bruce, I didn't know that you were from New Jersey. This being your second album I had no way of knowing that based on your first one. This song appears to be a ballad about the salad days of the guy who changes your oil. Who cares? Lyrically it's boring and musically it's monotonous.

Kitty's Back - This might be the worst song on the album. Some of the work by the E Street Band is good, but way over the top. The lack of economy dramatically impacts its effectiveness. Does this song really need to be over 7 minutes? Absolutely not. Also the mix kinda sucks. If they had mixed Springsteen's vocals right out of the song and cut it to about 4 and a half minutes this could have been an OK song.

Wild Billy's Circus Story - I've always said that John Cougar Mellencamp is the poor man's Bob Dylan and that Bruce Springsteen is the retarded man's John Cougar Mellencamp. This song is a perfect example of what I mean by that.

Incident on 57th Street - It just keeps going and going and going and the longer it goes the more I get this sinking feeling that there is absolutely no point to what is happening.

Rosalita - I like the horns on this one. The keyboards are pretty cheesy. The lyrics are moronic.

New York City Serenade - Terrible. Just the worst.

Note to Bruce Springsteen: You aren't, never was, and never will be even half the song writer that Tom Waits is and was, no matter how hard you try.

RNR Hall of Incest - 2011 Nominees

The RNR Hall of Incest 2011 nominees list is out and is even more pathetic than expected. Let's start with the good. Alice Cooper, Neil Diamond, and Tom Waits are all understandable as far as I'm concerned. In fact I would have but all of those people in over ZZ Top or Bob Seger. I can even kinda buy Bon Jovi, (whose music i really hate). I think the Beastie Boys, Dr. John, (both of whom I like), Chuck Willis and Donovan are reaching a bit as nominees. The rest are perplexing given that bands such as The Smiths, Rush, Kiss and Kraftwerk haven't been inducted yet.

Chic? Seriously? They want to put Chic in the Hall of Fame? Why would anyone give a shit about Chic? We're talking about a band that was popular for about 3 years in the late 70s. Has anyone even thought about them since 1981? There are thousands of bands that would qualify if issuing a few popular records over the course of a few years were the only criteria for entrance. Why not put Men At Work In? Or how about Sugar Ray?

It's a laugh to think that Chic might make it in, but what's even funnier is that they aren't the worst choice out of this year's nominees. LL Cool J is on the list too. That's right LL Cool J. It is difficult to come up with words to express what I think about this. The only thing I can imagine as leading to this choice has something to do with white guilt on the part of whoever chooses the nominees and its relationship to Rap music. LL Cool J. Unbelievable.

The rest of the group is split between "has beens" who were popular and sold a shit load of records for a few years, (J. Giles Band, Donna Summer) and people who are just too obscure of irrelevant to bother with, (Darlene Love, Laura Nyro, Joe Tex). I have nothing against any of these people or groups, I even have some records by a few of them, but I don't think that any of them should be inducted into an organization that calls itself a "Hall of Fame".

The sub-mental thinking of Jann Wenner, Dave Marsh and whoever the hell else sits on the nomination board is in fine form with this year's nominees. Donna Summer over Kiss? My God. If the Hall wasn't a joke before it certainly is now. Shit, I'd put Deep Purple in over Donna Summer. Or how about Peter Gabriel. Or how about Lou Reed? Sure he's in as a member of the Velvet Underground, but not as a solo performer. Between 1970 and 1990 he was one of the most important musicians in Rock and Roll. Can you even imagine what Rock and Roll would be without him?

In closing I'd just like to remind everyone that ZZ Top is in the Hall of Fame. ZZ TOP!
Fuck, I just can't get over it.

Belle & Sebastian

Belle & Sebastian have made two of the best albums of the last 15 years.

Dear Catastrophe Waitress was the first B&S album that I heard. It's absolutely brilliant and I suggest that you all buy it immediately. The album begins a divergence (continued on their next album The Life Pursuit) away from the classic B&S sound, (a very melancholy twee), into a more upbeat sound. This can be heard especially on the song Lord Anthony. Stuart Murdoch's voice sounds as good as it ever has on this record. The song quality is pretty consistent throughout and even Sarah Martin's contribution of Asleep on a Sunbeam is great. Martin is the band's violin player and I use the word "even" because B&S has run into some trouble with songs written by members other than Murdoch, (see the album Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like A Peasant, probably their weakest). The lyrics are extremely strong on this record. Songs like Piazza New York Catcher and If She Wants Me are great examples of Murdoch's lyrical craftsmanship, offering perfect examples of his unique often fragmentary storytelling.

If You're Feeling Sinister is the other B&S album that one should own. It took me a little longer to appreciate this record, Dear Catastrophe Waitress I loved upon first hearing, but this one took months of occasional listening for me to become obsessed with it. Every song is great, with a few approaching perfection, with the exception of one. I really could have done without The Boy Done Wrong Again. Seeing Other People, Like Dylan In The Movies, If Your Feeling Sinister, and Judy And The Dream Of Horses are all grand slam home runs as songs. I love the ambiguity of Seeing Other People. I've had a few theories as to what the details of this song are about and I still remain undecided as to the genders and ages of the people involved. If Your Feeling Sinister might be the best song on the record. The minute long background track of what sounds like a schoolyard sets a perfect mood for the rest of the song. The song' structure is also interesting in that the chorus doesn't show up until about 3:40 in a song that 5:21 long. Murdoch manages to tell a religious story from a believer's point of view without sounding dogmatic or overbearing. Judy And The Dream Of Horses is my favourite B&S song. It's got a great melody, great lyrics, it's execution is perfect. It's also strong emotionally, Murdoch sings it like he means it.

Two other B&S records worth listening to are The Life Pursuit and The Boy With The Arab Strap. Neither are as good as the ones mentioned above, but they are solid efforts, each with some outstanding songs.

B&S have a new album coming out in October.

The Obligatories

Here is the list of the initial inductees into the DrReverend Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Without these people there would be no rock and roll. I don't even like all of these people or groups, but their impact on rock and roll is undeniable. If you think I've forgotten a group or person who you believe should have been included in the lists below, let me know and I'll consider them for January's inductions.

Performers:
The Beach Boys
The Beatles
Chuck Berry
David Bowie
Eric Clapton
Sam Cooke
Fats Domino
Bob Dylan
The Everly Brothers
Grateful Dead
Bill Haley
Buddy Holly
Michael Jackson
Jimi Hendrix
Led Zeppelin
Jerry Lee Lewis
Little Richard
Roy Orbison
Carl Perkins
Pink Floyd
Elvis Presley
Ramones
The Rolling Stones
Sex Pistols
Simon and Garfunkel
The Supremes
The Velvet Underground
The Who
Frank Zappa
Les Paul
James Brown
Aretha Franklin

Non-Performers:
Dick Clark
Leo Fender
Alan Freed
Berry Gordy
Sam Phillips
Phil Spector
John H. Hammond

*Addendum - I spoke with our good friend Skippy Stalin this evening and he convinced me that I am being perhaps a little too stringent when it comes to determining what is and what isn't Rock and Roll. As a result I James Brown and Aretha Franklin have been added to the list above.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame sucks. In fact it's hard to think of something that sucks worse. I mean tearing your scrotum while trying to inject cocaine into your penis, or living in Pakistan are worse, but you know what I mean.

I love all types of music but I especially love rock and roll, and the fact that the thing that calls itself the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fames" is as horrible as it is, is just depressing as hell. Take a look at the list of inductees. This is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, not the this band had 6 hits between 1965 and 1968 hall of fame. These are suppose to the "Immortals" of Rock and Roll. So someone please explain to me how the The Animals got in. I don't think that The Animals are necessarily a bad band, but the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Really? And how about Bob Seger? I can think of 10 bands/people off the top of my head who deserve to be in anything that calls itself the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" more than Bob Seger. How about Kiss? I don't even like Kiss but fuck it, they sold over 100 million records and I'll bet that quite a few more kids picked up a guitar and formed a band after hearing "Rock and Roll All Nite", than "Like A Rock". Or how about Rush? I like Rush more than Kiss, but not by much. They have a career that spans almost 40 years, they've sold over 40 million records and have 14 platinum ones. What exactly do they have to do to get in? Or how about Tom Waits, The Smiths, Iron Maiden, Lightin' Hopkins, Nick Drake, Daniel Lanois, Joy Division, or Kaftwerk. I could go on.

You might notice one name on my list that kinda sticks out a bit. As I'm sure you know Lightin' Hopkins did not play rock and roll. He was a blues musician. So what's he doing in my list? Well, for some fucked up reason one doesn't need to actually play rock and roll to get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Why the fuck are Miles Davis, Johnny Cash, Charlie Christian and John Lee Hooker all in the Hall as performers? I can understand wanting to honour those who influenced Rock and Roll, but none of those people really played much rock and roll. I mean Miles Davis? Wow the selection committee really must have had their heads inserted firmly into their assholes on that one. Another thing that really pisses me off is that they put all these blues and jazz musicians as performers and "early influences", but where are the country guys? If you're going to put Johnny Cash in, why not Willie Nelson? Or Townes Van Zandt. Or Kris Kristofferson? And you're going to put Jimmie Rodgers in but not The Carter Family? I just threw up in my mouth a little.

Anyways, I'm so disgusted with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, (ZZ Top in there you know...fucking ZZ Top), that I'm forming my own. I will have an initial induction that will include what I refer to as the  "Obligatories". These are groups and people that no respectable Hall of Fame dedicated to rock and roll could be without. After that I will induct 4 performers and two non-performers a year. I invite all 3 of my readers to send me those they think are worthy of induction. The criteria for election to the hall is a little ambiguous. What makes a performer important? It is record sales? Perceived influence on others? I guess  those both play role. I guess it really comes down to legacy. I really believe that people will be listening to Bob Dylan 50 years from now. I'm not sure they'll be listening to ZZ Top. One thing though. Those eligible for entry must be rock and roll performers. No jazz, no blues, no Gypsy soul music. I love jazz, blues, folk, bluegrass, country, and several other types of music, but this is the "Rock and Roll" hall of fame so it's rock and roll only. Also when a band is elected, ALL THE PEOPLE IN THAT BAND ARE ELECTED. I fucking hate the fact that that piece of shit in Cleveland excludes certain members of bands. Why isn't Doug Yule included with the Velvet Underground. Sure he wasn't the heart and soul of the band, but he was there and he played a big role on what was arguably their best record. Who the fuck are the assholes at the Hall of Fame, (which will henceforth be called the Hall of Incest, to differentiate it from the real Hall of Fame, my Hall of Fame), to decide who is and isn't a member of the Velvet Underground, (or any band for that matter). Fucking disgusting.

I will be announcing the "Obligatories" very soon. After that the induction ceremonies will take place annually on January 8th. That is Elvis Presley's birthday, and after all he did invent rock in roll on that day in 1972.

Bill Holt - Dreamies

Dreamies - 1974

Despite the fact that he had a family to support and minimal experience playing music Bill Holt quit his day job in 1972, locked himself in his basement for year and made a record. The album has two tracks, side A is Program 10 (in 6 parts) and side B is Program 11 (in 7 parts).

This album is pretty much in a class of its own. It's composed mostly of samples, bits from Beatle songs and found sounds via the media. JFL, MLK and Walter Cronkite all make repeated appearances. Beneath the samples are some nice acoustic melodies and pleasant enough lyrics. Program 11 is the darker of the two, although the American Airlines sign off right near the end is hilarious. One of the things that makes this album so great is that it is so unique, especially when view in its historical context. No one in rock and roll was doing what Holt was doing in the early 70s (Dreamies is one of the first and best examples of sampling in modern music). Beyond that, the songs are actually good and like a lot of good music require close listening. A casual listen will not be nearly as rewarding as putting on some headphones, (real headphones not those ridiculous things that came with your iPod), in a dark room and listening without distraction. The "Sunday Morning Song" is really catchy and I found myself humming it after a few listens, (always a good sign for me).

One of the really fascinating characteristics of this record is how it manages to capture the spirit of the time period from which it comes. Essentially it's just one big sound collage, but one that works. Holt uses both sounds and voices to create a sort of progressive confusion of sound that sincerely expresses the zeitgeist of the late 60's early 70's. It's quite an achievement.

Don't go down to your local record store to get a copy of Dreamies, (do people still go to record stores...are there still record stores). You won't find it there. I couldn't even find it while searching several popular torrent sites. The best place to find it is iTunes.

Dory Previn

On the record "Let's Get Out Of This Country" Camera Obscura have a song called Dory Previn. I didn't think much about it until I read an interview recently with Tracyanne Campbell in which she talks about listening to Dory Previn's music. So I found a few of her records and gave them a listen.

Previn was a movie song writer back in the 50's and 60's. I think she was most famous for the soundtrack to "Vally Of The Dolls". Also she was married to Andre Previn the famous conductor. They broke up after he impregnated a young Mia Farrow. What a class guy. Anyways, in the first half of the 70's Ms. Previn released half a dozen singer-songwriter type albums. It's these records that she is most remembered for.

I found six of her records, (if any knows where I can get her live record please let me know). There's not a bad one in the lot. Her self titled album and Mary C. Brown and The Hollywood sign are the best ones. Her music is very reminiscent of Randy Newman, (or vice versa). Midget's Lament from Mary C. Brown could easily pass as a Newman song. Her subject matter, phrasing, the influence of "American" music from earlier in the 20th century, are all remarkably similar to Newman's. They also share a real craftsmanship when it comes to song writing. One may not like Previn's music, but unless you're completely retarded it's hard not to admire how good the songwriting is.

Her records might not be that easy to find, but I suggest that you do so. The two I mentioned above are must haves, as is On My Way To Where, (if for no other reason than to hear With My Daddy In The Attic). Guess what that song's about...(yeah, it really is).

Mini Reviews

Mayer Hawthorne - A Strange Arrangement - 2009 
Just go get this record. If you listen to it and don't love at least one song off this album then I don't want you reading my blog.

Jonathan Coulton - Thing A Week One - 2006
A very uneven record. Shop Vac and The Town Crotch are top notch. Sibling Rivalry and Pod Safe Christmas Song are garbage. Coulton's got a pretty good voice and seems to have a knack for pleasant melodies so I'll probably spend some time with some of his other records. Also his cover of Baby's Got Back is better than the original.

Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion - 2009
My God this album is boring.  I actually listened to it a couple of times and it was really painful.  The thought of listening to it again makes me feel air sick.  From everything I've read about Animal Collective I really thought I'd love this band, but this album just sucks.  Maybe it gets better with repeated listenings, but I just don't care that much.

Crass - Penis Envy - 1980
Great album from start to finish.  I like to listen to in the morning when I walk to the subway on my way to work.

Abba - Gold

Gold - 1993

I never really understood why Abba sold 10 billion records and after sitting down for the first time in my life and actually listening to one of their albums (and a greatest hits to boot) I'm even more confused at their phenomenal popularity. Maybe it was a side effect of all that great blow that everyone was doing back in the 70s.

This record for the most part fluctuates between the mediocre (Waterloo) and the truly awful (Fernando). In fact Fernando is so gay that it makes the Village People sound like Bob Seger. Two songs stand out as better than the rest, Super Trooper and Take A Chance On Me. Both are decent pop songs that are well crafted and produced. Actually the best thing about this record is the production. Abba knew how to write songs it's just that most of them are so cheesy and lacking in depth that it's hard to like them. Thank You For The Music, Fernando and I Have A Dream are truly horrible songs. Mostly we find on this record mediocre dance/pop music that's been very well put together.

Nick Drake

It's a sad thing that Nick Drake will never get the recognition that he deserves. He never sold many records (he only made three) while he was alive but he's gotten somewhat more popular since he died. I don't remember exactly how I got into Drake, but I think it happened during a Tim Buckley phase I went through about half a dozen years ago.

At first listen I wasn't overly impressed. I think the first record I got was his second one Bryter Layter. Hazy Jane II was the initial stand out, but it took a little while for me to realize how good the rest of the record is. I spent a long time listening to Bryter Layter. The subtle melancholy of Drake's sound becomes addictive with repeated listening. Some critics have lamented the horns on the record and the fact that it isn't more of an acoustic effort, but I think they work especially on tracks like Hazy Jane II and At The Chime Of A City Clock.

Next I started listening to Five Leaves Left, Drake's first album. There are less horns and piano on this record and thus the music has a softer feel than Bryter Layter. As I try to write about this record I realize that it's difficult for me to write about Drake's albums individually. They all share certain characteristics. One thing that makes Drake so great is that he had his own sound. I never think that he sounds like anyone else, but there are lots of people who I think sound like him, (Alexi Murdoch is a good example). Drake had a great voice and was an excellent guitar player. He used a variety of tunings which made playing live difficult, as his guitar would have to be retuned between songs. I suppose someone with the right kind of personality or sense of humour could have kept audiences entertained in such situations, but Drake wasn't that person. It's been said that he was so painfully shy that he would record his vocals in the studio facing a wall.

His final album was Pink Moon. It's a stark almost despondent record. It was recorded over two evenings and features Drake alone on each track except the title one. The story goes that he hand delivered the masters to the receptionist at Island Records offices. He just placed them on her desk and walked away without saying anything. The tapes actually went unnoticed until the next week. I guess what's so striking about this record is how it contrasts his first one. To me it sounds bare and there's an exhausted sound to it, as if Drake had been beaten down. On Five Leaves Left, despite the melancholy Drake sounds much younger and fresh in a way. It was only 3 years between his first and last releases.

All of Drake's records are excellent. There really is no filler on any of his records, each song contains a craftsmanship so consistent that I can't think of another band or performer to compare it to.

Nick Drake killed himself sometime on the night of November 24/25 1974. He was 26.

Hayden - The Closer I Get

The Closer I Get - 1998

I should point out right away that I went to high school with Hayden, but back then his name was Paul and if I recall correctly he was really into The Smiths.
Anyways, I'm going to put whatever personal feelings I have about Paul aside, (trust me, they ain't much, I didn't really know him that well), and try to be as objective as I can about this record.

The record starts out well enough if not a little predictably. If you've never heard Hayden before his music is fairly typical lo-fi folky stuff. It reminds me a little of Iron & Wine. The songs get a little eclectic at various points and in my mind this is a good thing. The instrumentation on songs like Stride and Waiting For a Chance To See Her is great. On songs like these he's broken away to some extent from what I would expect from lo-fi folk by mixing in some electronic elements, (some well placed and well mixed beebing on Stride for example).

Where this album really falls down is the lyrics and to some extent the singing. The only subject that Hayden seems to know how to sing about is himself and it gets very tiresome really fast. Most of the lyrics sound like bad high school poetry (I hate to admit it but I just couldn't make it through Better Off Inside what with the promise of Instrumental With Mellontron next in line). In fact the lyrics are so bad it's a little shocking that the same person wrote the music which for the most part is pretty damn good, (if not a little repetitive). The singing is also a little weak. It's not that Hayden has a bad voice it's just that he doesn't use it in a very interesting fashion. The moany, droney, sadcore singing gets a little boring after a while.

Musically I really like this record. By far the best song is Waiting For A Chance To See Her. As an instrumental it allows Hayden's talent to shine through and not be deflected by his weak lyrics and mediocre singing. Bullet meanders on way too long and anything that was effective about this song is totally lost. Memphis and Better Off Inside are total throw aways. You Are All I Have is Hayden at his moaniest best. It's a nice simple song and I love the sound of something he's playing on it, either an ukulele or a banjo.

This was Hayden's second album and I think it's usually considered a little worse than his first, but I think that's a mistake. This one seemed more varied musically than his first record and he sounds more competent as a musician on it.

Camera Obscura

I acquire a lot of music. I am constantly looking for new stuff. Going through Pitchfork Media's top albums of the year, (I think it was their list from 2006), I came across Camera Obscura. I read their entry at allmusic.com and they looked interesting enough so I got a few of their records. As is typical for me it took me months to get around to listening to them. The first song to make an impression was "Lloyd I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken" from the album "Let's Get Out Of This Country". It's a great pop song. Tracyanne Campbell's voice sounds particularly good on this song. It has a melancholy quality that contrasts very well with the popish upbeat sound of the music. It turns out melancholy is kinda their thing. I then checked out the album "Underachievers Please Try Harder". The first song "Suspended From Class" is excellent. The second song "Keep It Clean" is almost as good. Unfortunately the rest of the record doesn't live up the expectations set by these first two songs. That's not to say that it's a bad album. It's not, it's really great. It just climaxes early. I went back to "Let's Get Out Of This Country" and found a few more gems there. The title track is great. I love "Tears For Affairs". It's got a this great 60's feel to it, (is that a Hammond organ?). A lot of their music has a 60's or even a 50's sound to it. "A Sister's Social Agony" could easily pass as a song from 1958; it's got some great Doo-wop elements.


After spending some time with those two albums I then checked out "My Maudlin Career", their most recent record (2009). That's when I really became hooked. I just can't get enough of the first track "French Navy". It approaches pop music perfection. On it's most basic level it's just another bitter-sweet love song, but it manages to transcend the notion of a typical pop song by successfully communicating ideas that are far more complex than those often found in popular music. Most music is like a Jennifer Aniston movie. In her films, her boyfriend leaves her and she's sad. Her boyfriend asks her to marry her and she's happy. Her characters have the emotional depth of a lump of shit. In "French Navy" the character from whose point of view the song is sung is in love with the person she sings about, but at the same time it's implied that she's the architect of their love's demise. That sounds a lot more like how the world really works than, "I was happy and now I'm sad". The song implies a complex and interesting psychology that is rare in rock and roll. Also, great video.

Ms. Campbell has a great voice. One thing I especially like about it is how you can hear hints of her Scottish accent if you listen carefully to certain songs.

Overall I'd say that Camera Obscura has two kinds of songs. OK songs and great songs. It's hard to decide which is better, Ms. Campbell's voice or her song writing. The only criticism I can make concerns the mix on certain songs. Sometimes the vocals are a little buried and too much compression is used for my taste. This of course isn't unique to Camera Obscura but something that's been destroying good music for about 30 years.

Mini Reviews

I haven't had much time to post reviews lately, (fucking job), so here's a few quick reviews of stuff I've been listening to lately:

Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth (1980) - I really didn't think much of this album initially, but with repeated listenings it's really grown on me. The sound is very consistent throughout the record. The two things that strike me most are the drum machine and Alison Statton's vocals. Both are something you should really hear. I've been listening to this one a lot this week.


Geto Boys - The Geto Boys (1990) - Excellent record. Fuck 'em is one of the best opening songs I've ever heard. The Sweet Home Alabama sample was an interesting choice for Gangsta Of Love, but it kinda works. Listen to this record and then listen to Ice-T's Original Gangster album. It seems to me like Ice-T was spending a lot of time listening to The Geto Boys when he was writing OG.


Kraftwerk - Autobahn (1974) - I never met a Kraftwerk album I didn't like and of course this is no exception. It is a part of the holy trinity of Kraftwerk albums, (the other two being Computer World and Trans-Europe Express). If you don't know this album, or are unfamiliar with Kraftwerk then I suggest that you stop whatever you're doing and go get this record and listen to it. Nothing you're currently doing could be nearly as important as listening to Kraftwerk. They are one of the top 10 best bands of the 20th century.

Lou Reed - Growing Up In Public

Growing Up In Public - 1980

This album has two great songs, three good songs, four ok songs, and two I could've done without. I guess this makes it somewhat uneven, but as usual I can forgive Reed for any inconsistencies, because when he gets it right it's more often than not a grand slam home run. He hits two here as far as I'm concerned with "How Do You Speak To An Angel" and "The Power Of Positive Drinking".

After listening to "How Do You Speak To An Angel" for several years I'm still not entirely sure what it's about. I think it's almost a love song in a way, but who writes love songs that sound this angry? Lou Reed.

"What do you do with your pragmatic passions
With your classically neurotic style
How do you deal with your vague self-comprehensions
What do you do when you lie"

I love these lines because they're questions I could have justifiably asked any woman I dated before MrsDrReverend.
And for those who haven't heard the song, the answer to the title question is "Hello baby". Who knew it could be so simple?

"The Power of Positive Drinking" is one of rock and roll's best drinking songs. Reed wrote a few of them, "The Last Shot" and "Bottoming Out" from "Legendary Hearts" come to mind. Drinking was something Reed knew quite a bit about and he wasn't at all shy in letting his listeners know it. This song is funny as hell and that's all it needs to be great.

"Growing Up In Public" is probably the best description I've ever heard of Reeds career. Especially if coupled with the line from the song, "with your pants pulled down". That's what I think this album was suppose to be, hence all the confessional songs about his family, ("My Old Man", "Standing On Ceremony", "Smiles"). They're not bad songs and can make the listener a little squeamish, but what would a Lou Reed album be without a little discomfort? Probably as shitty as (insert name of Bruce Springsteen album here).

"So Alone" also stands out for me on this record. I know the woman he's singing about. Her name is Sharon. I went to high school with her and I'm sure she's as fucked in the head now as she was then. "So Alone" and "Keep Away" are interesting looks at the relationships between men and women. Lots of attraction mixed with hostility. Not your usual rock and roll bullshit, but amusing insightful comments on reality.

Musically none of the songs are outstanding, but the stronger ones have catchy melodies. The songs are dominated, (as is typical with Reeds work) by guitar and in some cases keyboards. The keyboard parts in "How Do You Speak To An Angel" and "Standing On Ceremony" are particularly effective.

Overall I'd say that this isn't one of Reed's greatest records, but it's a worth a lot more than the two and a half stars that douche bag at allmusic.com gave it.

Fantastic Plastic Machine - Fantastic Plastic Machine

Fantastic Plastic Machine - 1998

I've never understood Japanese culture. I find their food disgusting for the most part, their pornography bizarre, and their traditions incomprehensible. And what's with their economy? Haven't they been in a recession since 1972 or something like that? So it's kind of surprising to me that I like this album as much as I do. If you've never heard Shibuya-Kei before I suggest you check it out.

This is the most interesting pop record I've heard in the last 10 years. FPM has taken elements of various musical styles and put them together in fascinating ways. "Dear Mr. Salesman" for example sounds very much like 60's "Swinging London" pop as it might be done by Esquivel. In fact I hear tinges of Esquivel throughout the entire album, (which of course can only be a good thing). The vocals, often female and wordless, are great, although unfortunately often buried in the mix a little more than I would have liked. The cover of Joe Jackson's "Stepping Out" is surprisingly good. My theory with covers is this, never do the big hits. Use a b-side gem, or a minor hit and find some way to highlight it's strengths. For example, if one were to pick a Warren Zevon song to cover, don't do Werewolves of London for fuck-sake. No one's is going to do that song better than Zevon. That's why it was his hit. Do Gorilla Your A Desperado instead. It's a great song no one knows and if done right could be a hit. But FPM did one of Jackson's biggest hits, and they pull it off admirably. It's not better than the original, but still a great interpretation.

Overall this is a refreshing take on pop music. I don't know if their reconfiguration of pop idioms is intentional, or just a by-product cultural interpretation, but either way it works and makes the crap coming out of West, (see Lily Allen review below), look embarrassingly shitty.

Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You

It's Not Me, It's You - 2009

I acquired this album for the most part because I kept seeing it on "Top Album of 2009" lists. To be honest I was kinda surprised to see it on those lists beside records like St. Vincent's Actor, and Wild Beasts Two Dancers. I didn't know much about Allen. I'd seen the video for Alfie, thought it was momentarily amusing but ultimately dumb and just categorized Allen as some crappy, ditzy Brit chick.

So I listened to It's Not You, It's Me and it's far worse than I imagined. It's one of the worst albums I've ever heard. My God, what do music critics see in her? (Then again should I really be surprised? It was "the critics" after all who told us at one time that The Knack were the next Beatles and that Steve Forbert was the next Bob Dylan).

Lets break this down into form (music) and content (lyrics). First form. The music on this album is at best unspectacular. It's mostly the same tired over produced dreck that passes for pop music these days. Let's just compress everything so that it's all at the same volume to ensure that we produce as flavourless music as possible. Let's not do anything interesting. Lets not take any chances because people will only buy what they know. This isn't music it's product. I do wonder though if Allen programs her own drum machine.

Let's now look at content. This is even worse than the form. Allen sounds like a 12 year old trying to pass herself off as 14 year old. The know-it-all didactic nature of her lyrics is about as nauseating as contemporary music gets. What is she, 23 years old? What exactly does she think she has to tell the world? When I was her age she was still running around with shit in her pants. What exactly is it about life that she knows that I don't? The first track "Everyone's At It" seems to be about how everyone is on some drug or another and how society is in denial about the whole thing? What the fuck? Really? This is your message? The second track "The Fear" provides such gems as "I'm not a saint, but I'm not a sinner and everything's cool as long as I'm getting thinner". Seriously? This is pretty much the worst high school poetry I've ever heard. "Back To The Start" seems to be Allen's attempt to show us all how mature she is by writing an apology of a song. But two tracks later on "Fuck You" she reverts to the mentality of a 7 year old. If you don't agree with me "Fuck You". What remarkable intellectual discourse. The few songs that seem to deal with Allen's life, (I'm just guessing that they're actually about her, I could be wrong), portray her as a self obsessed, ego-maniac slut. I think the lowest point on the record is "Him". It's gotta be the stupidest song about God since "What If God Was One Of Us" by Joan Osborne. Is it suppose to be cute or funny singing about God's favorite band or financial situation? It's not. It's sub-mental.

Lily Allen pretty much sums up a lot of what's wrong not only with music today, but with society. She endorses a vain mindless existence dedicated to morbid self obsession and the endless constant satisfaction of one's own desires. It's about as immature and obnoxious an attitude as one can assume. Worst of all it's really fucking boring.

Tangerine Dream - Phaedra

Phaedra - 1974 -

One of the best electronic music albums ever made. If you've never heard this record before I suggest you arrange to do so as soon as possible. From start to finish it's an excellent record and definitely the best album Tangerine Dream ever made. The merging and metamorphosis of sounds throughout all four tracks achieves perfection in many instances. It is pointless to try and pick a stand out track since they're all great. I suggest giving the record you full concentration when listening to it. This type of music is often most rewarding when the listener actively focuses on it. I really don't have much more to say about Phaedra other than if you haven't heard it yet I pity you.

µ-Ziq - Lunatic Harness

Lunatic Harness - 1997 -

The "ambient-techno-drums & bass" label this album has aquired is well deserved. Much of it sounds like two different records forced onto one CD bitch-slapping each other for control. The first three songs fall into this category and the results aren't great. The drums on these tracks sometimes sound misplaced and although I am a big fan of musical experimentation what's happening here doesn't always work. The fourth and fifth tracks "Blainville" and "Lunatic Harness" are the high points for me. The convergence of the three styles present are most cohesive in these songs. By the time we get to the seventh track "My Little Beautiful" we're back to that Buddy Rich meets Steve Roach meets Florian Schneider crap, (actually that doesn't sound like such a bad band). The ninth track "Secret Stair Pt. 2" is another stand out song. Here again the disparate styles converage and compliment each other in a bitch-slappingly pleasing fashion. Track ten "Wannabe" meanders into what seems almost like drone or industrial territory and is a great song except for the exceedingly idiotic lyrics. The line "I want to be your lover baby, I don't want to be your friend" is repeated several times in a voice that I think was suppose to sound creepy but ends up sounding kinda faggy. Infact I don't think that the word "lover" can be used in a way that doesn't sound faggy, (unless of course the Holy Cohen is using it). One of the things I really like about this record is that there are almost no lyrics. Musicians are for the most part morons and will ruin perfectly good songs with inane ramblings about some slut named "baby", or stories of how their father's molested them when they were two years old. To it's credit there is none of that garbage on this record. I suggest you aquire this record in the near future.

Over all, on a scale of R to Cactus I give this record 2/5 of a Jandek.

I don't do publicity balling for you anymore...

...so don't ask. I have been inspired to start this blog by that Pretentious Short Man we all know and love.

I listen to music. A lot. Most people I know hate most of the music I listen to. That's OK. I hate the music they listen to, so I guess we're even in some way but I don't know why that matters. Most people laugh at the music I listen to, but they're probably the same people who would have laughed at Jackson Pollock back in the 50's. Anyways, I'll start tomorrow, probably with something I hate.