Brad Pitt and Bruce Willis had twelve monkeys, we'll settle with just ten today. I feel like I'm forgetting a few obvious choices, but here's ten songs with the word "Monkey" in it.
Some quick thoughts on some new material from the past couple months available for your listening pleasure.
Stars-The Five Ghosts
I always have read about the Canadian indie outfit Stars through different publications through the years and how members are part of Broken Social Scene, who I'm more familiar with. I took advantage of NPR's First Listen (plug) to check out their latest offering "The Five Ghosts". What I found is an album that sounds a bit worn and tired. The idea surrounding "The Five Ghosts", I guess, are songs for a romantic night at the graveyard with titles like "I Died So I Could Haunt You" and "We Don't Want Your Body", but these ghosts lack any memorable hooks to haunt you after you listen a few times.There are some nice offerings such as "Fixed" with it's 80's like keyboards and the lead-off "Dead Hearts" with call and response vocals from Amy Millan and Torquill Campbell. Millan's vocals I've always felt a bit Neko Case-lite and the music strives for a cozy indie -pop feel of, say, the Smiths. But even the Smiths had a load of surprise in their music whether it be through music or lyrics. What "The Five Ghosts" could use more of is something to shake up the formula bit. Fine, inoffensive, and largely forgettable at times. Grade: C+
Sleigh Bells-Treats
Everyone's music critic and their uncle loves the latest album from Brooklyn noise pop duo Sleigh Bells entitled "Treats". And hey, maybe they're on to something that I haven't a clue about. Do you like your music loud? Sleigh Bells provide this plentiful...oohh it's loud, eleven loud. There is plenty of energy here as well with guitars whirling by, big beats drum machines assaulting your senses and lead singer Alexis Krauss trying to balance things out like a cheerleader with a sugary and whiny like delivery over nonsensical lyrics "Deaf Chords/Dead Ends/Sling Set Can't Make Their Demand/Dumb Whores/Best Friends/Infinity Guitars/'Go Head"...and there's loads more of where that came from...luckily only 32 minutes of it. "Rill Rill" is very similar to M.I.A.'s fantastic "Paper Planes, except it misses any of the heart, soul, or depth that single had (M.I.A. signed the Sleigh Bells to her record label because she liked the sound, go figure). And "Rill Rill" is the best thing on here. So hey, if you're into clinical loud sounding music with nothing but a generic good time vibe, you might like "Treats". I find this all a novelty. Talk to me in six years to see what the Sleigh Bells are up to or if the "hype" surrounding "Treats" will die down by then. Until then, I'll spend 32 minutes folding laundry and feel much better with the outcome. Grade: D
The Black Keys-Brothers
Six albums in and the Black Keys still can satisfy these eardrums. Their latest "Brothers" offers up more of their sensational blues-rock material. Why it's so refreshing is that it's even a bit better than their previous hazy release "Attack and Release" and it shows they've got no reason to slow down anytime soon. The sound may seem a little more polished than before and you think that with a band like the Black Keys it may hurt some of their raw jagged blues sound. Instead it adds a little pepper to the jambalaya. "Tighten Up" and "Next Girl" are slices of blues that anyone can digest, the great organ backdrop to "The Only One" is sensational, and the air surrounding the hauntingly good "Ten Cent Pistol" (My favorite track after a couple listens) shows that Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney are continuing to grow as gifted songwriters. And how about that new re founded sense of swagger? "Brothers" may seem a bit too long, but that's really trivial when you have as much good material outpouring from your speakers. A keeper. Grade: A-
Plants and Animals-La La Land
You could look at the worst thing about this Canadian indie rock band as having one of the worst band names around. Plants and Animals, it doesn't get any more generic. But their band title pretty much sums up their material, as shown on their previous release "Parc Avenue", a mixture of organic and earthy sounds full of delicious hooks and just a touch of borrowed progressive rock from the seventies, but not enough to overpower you (Thank goodness!). "La La Land" adds a few more worthwhile songs to their cannon. The guitar and piano intertwine at the end of "Game Shows" reminisces of early the Band material, the off kilter Bowie like saxophone and horn section of "American Idol" with the line "I want to be American Idol" is a treat and the slow musical build of "Celebration" is nicely done...cue up the orchestration. Do I know what they're singing about half of the time here? Not really, and the vocals being buried back in the mix doesn't help. But there's more good than bad on "La La Land" and would recommend it, if only for the ridiculous song title of "Kon Tiki" and the ever so infectious groove of "The Mama Papa" which sounds like recycled Thin Lizzy and climaxes with the chorus of "The Mama don't know what the Papa don't like and the kids just want to be left on the outside". It's my favorite of the batch here, no matter how ridiculous the chorus is. Grade: B+
Release: 1988 U.S. Hot R and B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks Position: #65 Lowdown: A quintessential song from the era. Do you know how many songs that drum beat in "Paid In Full" was used for in dance, rap, rock, or whatever remix you want to name used? An ungodly amount of times. The original drumbeat was used by Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers in "Ashley's Roachclip", but was really brought to the mainstream by Eric B. & Rakim. All of the "Paid In Full" album is essential Golden Age material, and the song is another reminder of how innovative these two were.
4. Run D.M.C.-It's Tricky
Release: 1987 U.S. Hot R and B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks Position: #21 Lowdown: I could have taken the easy route and thrown in "Walk This Way". But that was the song that really revived Aerosmith's career. Run D.M.C. already had a set of steam as shown here with the number four song "It' Tricky". "Raising Hell" marks a time when old school rap transformed into gold and platinum success and Run D.M.C. were there bare the torch. Forgot that Penn and Teller were in the video for this until I called up the youtube clip. For Jam-Master Jay who's no longer with us.
3. Beastie Boys-Hey Ladies
Release: July 25, 1989 U.S. Rap Position: #10 Lowdown: From probably my favorite album from the period "Paul's Boutique", the Beasties trade in their frat boy image and sound for the Dust Brothers and California sunshine. And what they got in return was the most innovative album of the era. "Hey Ladies" is perhaps the best of the bunch for the fact it taught me who Sadaharu Oh was and references including Chuck Woolery and Chachi in Charge still sound kitschy fresh today. "Vincent Van Gogh And Mail That Ear" and then cue up the cowbell.
2.Public Enemy-Fight The Power Release: 1989 U.S. Rap Position: #1 Lowdown: You could call the trilogy of albums from Public Enemy ("It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back", "Fear Of A Black Planet", and "Apocalypse 91: The Enemy Strikes Black") the Star Wars of the golden era. "Fight The Power" is the ultimate top dog of the bunch. It not only spoke volumes as a theme song for Spike Lee's "Do The Right Thing", it was battle cry for people to never give in to the staus quo. Self-empowerment never sounded so sweet.
1. De La Soul-Me, Myself, & I
Release: February 27, 1989 U.S. Rap Position: #1 Lowdown: I feel guilty not including any other songs from De La Soul's "3 Feet High and Rising" in the top 25 countdown ("Buddy", "Say No Go", "Potholes In my Lawn"). But at the same time, I feel very sure that their breakthrough single "Me, Myself, & I" is my favorite single from Hip-Hop's Golden Age.It's got everything you want from a song from that time period: Good Feelings + Self-Empowerment + Top Notch lyrics+ An All Around Great Vibe.While many emcees were starting to drift off on topics that were more gang and sex oriented, the guys from De La Soul brought a hippie mentality for a short time to their songs, preaching of the daisy age, and rapping effervescently over samples borrowed from a variety of material at their disposal. This also marked the point where artists being sampled wanted apiece of the cake as shown by the Turtles suing for their use of "You Showed Me" on a De La Soul "Three Feet High And Rising" song. On "Me, Myself, and I" everything comes together perfectly, the lyrics are self conscious and full of not being ashamed of who or what you think "Now you tease my Plug One Style", "Proud I'm Proud Of What I Am, Poems I Speak Are Plug Two Type", "Cause They Try To Mess With Third Degree, That's Me, Myself & I". It may be harmless in the grand scheme theme of things, but isn't that what the golden age was mostly about? Emcees and DJ's marrying a flow of great lyrics with sampled material that a new generation wasn't aware of and that positive feeling of having a good time.
10. Public Enemy-Bring The Noise Release: 1987 Hot R and B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks Position: #56 Lowdown: Taken from of my favorite albums, "It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back", from the Golden Age era, "Bring The Noise" is textbook Chuck D., militant and thought provoking. Of course three years later they had Anthrax guest on the song and they expanded their audience even more. That version is below, but the original still remains my favorite of the two.
9. A Tribe Called Quest-Scenario
Release: 1992 U.S. Rap Position: #6 Lowdown: It's one thing when A Tribe Called Quest had a great single from an outstanding album like "The Low End Theory". And "Scenario" is even more inviting thanks to The Leaders Of The New School contributions, especially Busta Rhymes. He literally tears the roof off on his part, especially the line about the dungeon dragon. "Here We Go , Yo!, Here We Go, Yo!"
8. Pete Rock and CL Smooth-They Reminisce Over You Release: April 2, 1992 U.S. Rap Position: #1 Lowdown: I remember "They Reminisce Over You" quite well, and always thought it was one of the top rap songs of the era. After reading about how it was a tribute to a member of Heavy D and The Boyz who died from an accidental fall in all of places, Indianapolis, I respect it even more.
7.LL Cool J-Mama Said Knock You Out
Release: March 26, 1991 U.S. Rap Position: #1 Lowdown: Perhaps the best starting line from a song of the era "Don't Call It A Comeback...I've Been Here For Years". LL was trying to show the world he wasn't a sellout after his last effort, "Walking With a Panther", failed to deliver the goods (Who could forget the line "I'm the type of guy who thinks the pudding is delicious" wow!). Instead we got LL's biggest and arguably best album and a memorable video in a boxing ring. He sang it for his mama, and our generation still has it ringing in our ears twenty years later.
6. N.W.A.-Express Yourself Release: 1989 Hot R and B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks Position: #45 Lowdown: Yes "Straight Outta Compton" was influential for being the beginning of bona fide street rap out of Southern California. Yes "Straight Outta Compton" was controversial for songs like "Fuck The Police". And yes I still love "Express Yourself" for being outta place on a hardcore rap album, twisting "Mr. Big Stuff" inside out, and letting Dr. Dre express himself, "Even If Yella Makes It a-Capella/Yo I Don't Smoke Weed Or A sess/Cause It's Known To Give Brother Brain Damage/And Brain Damage On The Mic Don't Manage". Of course, Dre released "The Chronic" a short four years later and Gangsta Rap blossomed in the mid nineties like flowers in May and made a lot of artists from the Golden Age look for street credentials to stay on the charts, and some just didn't have it. It just barely misses the top five, barely!
Release: 1987 Hot R and B/Hip-Hop Songs Position: #38
Lowdown: The second single from the highly influential and ever so fantastic "Paid In Full", "I Ain't No Joke" has Rakim paving the way for future rappers to be poetic. His verses had "internal rhymes" the same way Edgar Allen Poe's "the Raven" did. Anyone who thinks rap and hip-hop has no poetry to it should look no further than the number 15 song. A stone cold classic.
14.Biz Markie-Just A Friend Release: 1989
U.S. Rap Position: #5
Lowdown: "Nobody Beats The Biz" is great, but we're throwing in his biggest single here. Based on Freddie Scott's 1968 "You Got What I Need", their is something irresistible about the chorus...especially when Biz comes in with his off kilter vocals. Twenty years later, it's showing up in commercials for designated drivers. (Unfortunately, the original version is not on youtube but their is a live mash-up of the song here.)
13 .Das EFX-They Want EFX
Release: March 5, 1992
U.S. Rap Position: #1
Lowdown: "They Want EFX" was all over the radio and the MTV back in the early nineties. With a load of nonsensical lyrics "The Jibbedy-Jabber Jaw Ja-Jabbing At Your Funny Bone" or "I Caught A Snuffleufagus And Smoked A Boogaloo Spliff" and a dark underground video, I think looking at the history of samples, I'm even more impressed they used 3 different James Brown samples in one song ("Blind Man Can See It", "Funky President", and "The Payback")
12. LL Cool J-I Can't Live Without My Radio Release: December 7, 1985
Hot R and B/Hip-Hop Songs Position: #15
Lowdown: LL Cool J had a load of successful singles in the late eighties and early nineties. "I Can't Live Without My Radio", and his whole album "Radio", is where old school hip hop turned a new corner and became a mainstream success..a sort of precursor to Run DMC later that year. It was a breakthrough also for producer Rick Rubin who went on to work with, well, just about everyone the next twenty five years. And back then, who could live without their radio?
11. Ice T-New Jack Hustler
Release: 1991
U.S. Rap Position: #3
Lowdown: Ice-T's "O.G. Original Gangster" release was the first for a rapper as he included his band Bodycount and helped infuse metal and rap, something that has been done time and time (sometimes good, sometimes really badly) to this day "New Jack Hustler" is a groove that stands as a testament to an undereducated man succeeding in a ruthless drug dealing life "Turn the needy into greedy/With cocaine, my success came speedy". It's showed Ice-T's skills were more than cosmetic as his lyrics were downright introspective. Ice-T was at the top of his game here. Then came "Cop Killer", and everyone, even Charlton Heston wanted him gone.
Release: 1988 U.S. Rap Position: #7 Lowdown: The self titled single from Oakland California's Too Short was a staple on Yo MTV Raps! in the late eighties and helped assist him in gaining his first platinum album. Unfortunately, when west coast rap started to explode through the nineties, Too Short began to become drowned out by other artists doing the same thing. But, we can always go back to this golden age classic with a tight sample from the Average White Band's "School Boy Crush", which was also used by TLC a couple years later with "Ain't Too Proud To Beg."
19. Gang Starr-Jazz Music
Release: 1990 U.S. Rap Position: N/A Lowdown: Gang Starr's emcee Guru just recently passed away in April at the age of 48 from cardiac arrest. What he and DJ Premier's combination in the their band Gang Starr created was the beginning of Jazz Rap as shown here in their 1990 song for Spike Lee's film "Mo Better Blues". It just doesn't get as smooth as this. RIP Guru.
18. Jungle Brothers-40 Below Trooper
Release: 1993 U.S. Rap Position: #2 Lowdown: The Jungle Brothers are almost more of a cult band now looking back with their name dropped for influences, their style of alternative rap...a nice fusion of jazz rap and golden age fun, then their actual success. They never achieved critical acclaim like De La Soul or had the commercial successes of other bands from the era, but "40 Below Trooper" remains a fantastic party anthem from the early nineties.
17. Leaders Of The New School-Case Of The PTA
Release: 1991 U.S. Rap Position: #4 Lowdown: "It's just another case of that old PTA...". The Leaders Of The New School is often looked at where Busta Rhymes got his start. Their call and response lyrics are just another great reason to love the golden age of hip-hop. "Case Of The PTA" is good light-hearted high school fun and the sample of Ramsey Lewis's "The Mighty Quinn" is choice.
16. Naughty By Nature-O.P.P.
Release: September 24, 1991
U.S. Rap Position: #1 Lowdown: When you take the Jackson 5's "ABC" and mix it with a tale of infidelity, and you have one of the most successful crossover golden age songs to make everyone asking "Do you know what O.P.P. stands for?" They say it's Other People's Property, but feel free to add in whatever you want for that second P. A must for any countdown of rap music from this era.
This week is dedicated to the golden age of hip-hop. Allmusic defines this time as "bookended by the commercial breakthrough of Run D.M.C. in 1986 and the explosion of gangsta rap with 1993's "The Chronic" by Dr. Dre." Station To Station is going to count down it's 25 favorite songs from that era with the top five coming in on Friday. The poll question is designated to find your favorite artist from the era and the JHO radio station is programmed with some favorites, if you want some old school favorites to listen to this week. Let's start things proper with songs 25-21 today. Enjoy.
25. A Tribe Called Quest-I Left My Wallet In El Segundo
Release: July 1990 U.S. Rap Position: #9 Lowdown: A great road trip story from Q-Tip. The video really tells the story better than I can, but it does involve a dwarf in a sombrero and a missing wallet. Taken from their excellent debut "People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm", it contains samples from The Chambers Brothers "Funky" and "Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll" from Vaughan Mason and Butch Dayo.
24. Black Sheep-The Choice Is Yours (Revisited) Release: 1991 U.S Rap Position: #1 Lowdown: Taken from their debut "A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing", the Black Sheep had a pulse on matching wit and satire with a terrific flow. Much of their material including "Flavor of the Month", "Strobelite Honey", and "The Choice Is Yours" graced airwaves in 1991 not just on hip hop stations but top 40 radio as well. I pick "The Choice Is Yours" from the three for it's chorus "You can get with this, or you can get with that" because it still is a catchphrase used to this day. Samples include the Bar-Kays "Humpin" and John Hammond's "Big Sur Suite."
23. Big Daddy Kane-Ain't No Half Steppin'
Release: 1988 Hot R amd B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks Position: #53 Lowdown: If not one of my favorite, Big Daddy Kane is definitely one of the best emcees from the golden age. He had a great flow and a lot of thoughtful lyrics and rhymes going through his hits and his charisma was the tops. Singles like "Smooth Operator" and "I Get The Job Done" were bigger hits (as well as a slew of others), I've always been partial to one of his first singles "Ain't No Half Steppin'". Is it because of the lighthearted video where it looks like a knife fight is about to take place when actually he gets in the ring to play poker or is it the piano sample backing some great lines from Big Daddy "Competition I devour just like pit bull against a chihuahua"? All of the above..he is the "BIG DA double DY KANE."
22. The Beastie Boys-Shadrach
Release: October 30, 1989 US Chart Position: N/A Lowdown: Taken from one of my favorite golden age albums "Paul's Boutique", "Shadrach is an all around winner. Like so many songs from the album, the Beastie Boys jumped ahead miles from their debut with an abundance of smart and creative sampling (here we get the drumbeat to Black Oak Arkansas's "Hot and Nasty" along with a host of other samples including the Sugarhill Gang and James Brown). And lyrically...who else had something as original as rapping about the book of Daniel back in 1989? Favorite line "Smoke the holy chalice, got my own religion." Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego...just another great song from a stellar album.
21. EPMD-You Gots To Chill
Release: 1988 Hot R and B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks Position: #22 Lowdown: Any song that is going to use Kool and The Gang's horns from "Jungle Boogie" is good by my account. "You Gots To Chill" is the second single from EPMD's debut "Strictly Business" and one of the smoothest songs from the golden age. High points for the song: "I'm like Zorro, I'll put an E on your back" and of course, the closing line of "You Gots To Chill". High points for video: the great use of ice to emphasize the title of the song (back when video making was fun and simple) and the guy dancing behind EPMD members Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith, that guy is smooth, and so is "You Gots To Chill."
We'll head to the Rockies for Colorado which I just happened to fly through Denver a couple weeks ago. I thought switching planes at their airport we would see a statue of John Elway...or maybe even John Elway himself, but no dice. It seems fitting to have a band called Grizzly Bear fit the bill here for a song called Colorado so we'll give the "Centennial State" their song from their 2006 "Yellow House" release. Feel free to crack open a Coors.
Giving props to Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors tonight, one of the last true voices in modern country music (Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney, and Keith Urban be damned) as he surprised even me with keeping his jukebox down home hits to a minimum and accentuating his best material from the early to mid part of last decade Thursday night in Noblesville. Yes, the tight jeans and black cowboy hat were there, but the real magic still lies in throwing out songs like the outstanding nostalgic hoe-down of "Back When", a very underrated and unsuccessful single like "Angel Boy", along with the show stopper "Live Like You Were Dying" and the personal confession that "Things Change", even in country music, as McGraw was the most animated I've seen, unlike previous times...he feels the need to keep the crowd occupied to keep up with the new crop of country performers. It may seem awkward for a guy who just likes to come out and just perform, but to his credit, he accentuated his strengths in the songs he chose instead of going for that total jukebox setlist which is very commendable and left some concert goers scratching their heads. Elton fans got their "Tiny Dancer", the songwriting duo of the Warren Brothers, who are now part of the band?, stopped by for "Blank Sheet Of Paper" and "If You're Reading This" and songs from his latest lackluster "Southern Voice" we're kept to a minimum. Here's to hoping McGraw and his Doctors realize the strengths they had on past albums "Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors, "Live Like You Were Dying", and "Let It Go", because from the setlist tonight, it sure seemed like they knew where their best material laid. Another surprisingly good show from McGraw and his band, this coming from someone who despises sexy tractors and Carrie Underwood.
Lady Antebellum, country music's newest darling, opened with a setlist consisting of hits including "Love's Looking God On You", "Run To You", and the best booty call song of 2010 (hell, from the past twenty years for that matter) "Need You Now", but still showed their not far removed from being a bar band with the obvious Mellencamp/Romantics "R.O.C.K In The U.S.A./What I Like About You". They may be country's new shinning star, but they still need to combine some more upbeat numbers to their repertoire if we're gonna talk about them in 2020. Those Antebellum kids are having a blast....deservedly so, enjoy it.
Love and Theft opened, but as usual, me and Amy missed it having a few beverages and shooting the shit.
Here's McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors setlist courtesy ahoburgh:
Real Good Man
Last Dollar (Fly Away)
Where The Green Grass Grows
Let It Go
She's My Kind Of Rain
Back When
Just To See You Smile
Still
Down On The Farm
Everybody Hates Me
Feels So Right (McGraw solo-acoustic)
Blank Sheet Of Paper w/Warren Brothers
If You're Reading This w/Warren Brothers
Tiny Dancer
It Felt Good On My Lips
Things Change
I Like It, I Love It
Something Like That
Southern Voice
Encore:
Sing Me Home
Angel Boy
Live Like You Were Dying
The Cowboy In Me
Feist counting penguins. Norah Jones getting depressed the letter Y didn't come visit her. Darius Rucker giving support for those impaired street crossers. Come on monsters you don't have to cry..........we can be happy!!! 4 essential Sesame Street collaborations.
Riding back from Detroit Sunday after another depressing Pittsburgh Pirates loss on Saturday night, the idea of coming up with 32 songs for the 32 countries popped up in conversation somewhere outside Bryan, Ohio. Me, ahoburgh, double B, and Cornbread had watched the England/USA cup game at Detroit Brew Company on Saturday afternoon (the bbq was a grillin' for seven year anniversary). We were a little surprised with all the hype there wasn't anyone at this fine establishment a couple blocks from Comerrrica Park watching the game (a scattered few, then again it wasn't your traditional pub...which was fine, just bring us the beer). So Sunday, as Cornbread slept and dreamt about being molested on the People Mover the night before, the three of us started coming up with ideas for a post on station to station. Ahoburgh presented ten world songs, which I already had done, double B said ten ball songs..which I can't get any further than "Ball To The Walls" by Accept. So we settled on songs from the actual countries.
After a little research, I can give you the thirty two. I've only heard of a few here (England and New Order is a no brainer, our boy Rivers wrote a song with Weezer for this World Cup so I thought I'd throw it in.) I do apologize to the countries if I included a stone cold loser of a band or song (I'm talking to you Switzerland), I wouldn't want the USA to be represented by..let's just go with Creed or Carrie Underwood.
So below you have 32 doors to 32 youtube clips of 32 songs from 32 countries in the world cup. Choose wisely. You never know what will pop up on the other end. Some of it is bad and others surprisingly good. And as my support for the Netherlands team continues to stay strong (we'll take a goal off a Danes head any day) we'll finally see the two winning songs and countries in a few weeks.
The third release from James Murphy's dance-rock-punk-disco machine, LCD Soundsystem, was released last month, "This Is Happening", and he has said in interviews that it could very well be the project's last release. So there can be no reasonable doubt when an artist as ambitious as Murphy makes a statement like this that he's going to be swinging for the fences on the final at bat. The answer is still at large as to whether he actually has hit a game winning home run or not.
Past material from LCD Soundsystem has been great, ironic and cool prolonged dance numbers that have enough of Murphy's Upper East Side sheik and coolness to propel his songs above a lot of other dance projects material. In other words, there is more than just a vocoder and a dance beat here...his songs have always meant to make you get enchanted and induce you into a groove. The best way I've always described LCD stuff is Human League beats and keyboards for the 21st century with a Jonathon Richman vocal track, or someone who's singing slyly but sounds like he has a cold.
You can tell from the the cover that Murphy is going for a more mature pose this time around with a picture of him dressed in a suit, no more disco balls. So can we still have fun with his hyper-kinetic fusion of dance music if he's taking himself a little more serious? Absolutely. I'm just having troubles deciding if I like it more than his past releases. A problem of releasing three albums with the exact same number of tracks is you tend to judge them mirror to mirror to figure which one you like better. "Sound Of Silver", his previous release from 2007, is my personal favorite because the strongest songs are some of the best from the past decade ("Someone Great", "All My Friends" "North American Scum"). And holding it up to "This Is Happening", you start to make comparisons:
Both start off with over extended grooves at the beginning (that comes out as a tie as "This Is Happening"'s "Dance Yrself Clean" turns out to be too giddy to dislike by the 2:34 mark). Both have similar cheerleader shout out tracks on the third track ("North American Scum" from "Sound Of Silver" wins hands down as "One Touch" falls short). Both end with songs about Murphy's hometown is a sense ("Home" on "This Is Happening" is a great ending track, and "New York, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down" from "Sound Of Silver" has always been my least favorite song from that release.) What really standouts after several listens is that a couple weak songs (The over usage of laser beam like sound on "Pow Wow" and the totally pointless downer of "Somebody's Calling Me") on "This Is Happening" shoot and miss the mark and a couple mediocre songs ("One Touch and "You Wanted A Hit") aren't as good as "Sound Of Silver"'s weakest moments.
It doesn't mean "This Is Happening" is bad by any means though. "Drunk Girls" tribute to the Velvet Underground's "White Light/White Heat" refrain shows Murphy can bring a great song together in a shortened version. "I Can Change" has keyboards that belong in a one hit wonder eighties band's song...in a good way, not a Glass Tiger way. The guitars in "All I Want" are positively slick and cool and lead to the great spaced out keyboard at the end with Murphy saying "Take Me Home!". And the aforementioned "Dance Yrself Clean"'s keys play off the beat wonderfully. And as always, Murphy delivers drum fills that I absolutely love throughout the whole album.
So I don't know..I like the album enough to say it's not a disappointment. I would just point to "Sound Of Silver" as the LCD Soundsystem's best full effort. And if Murphy is truthful in saying this this is LCD Soundsystem's last release, he went out just fine. And if you love or hate Murphy's style, just remember the name...something tells me he is going to be around producing, writing, or doing something extra special in the next decade that will get him universal appeal along with more critical acclaim that he has already harvested from the LCD Soundsystem.
Now if you can excuse me, I am off to dance myself clean.
Why I've always considered R.E.M. a favorite band of mine. I can listen to an album of theirs from 20-25 years ago and joyfully sing along to every song like it's the natural thing to do.
It's really difficult to find a band who had a more consistent output of outstanding material in the eighties (U2 is close, but "October" and "Rattle and Hum" fall just a little short). These pioneers from Georgia brought the whole jangle pop to a new forefront and finally worked their way into the pop mainstream by the end of the decade. I could enter any of their albums, "Murmur", "Fables of The Reconstruction", "Life's Rich Pageant"...they're all great. I'm throwing in "Document" today. It's the point where they had their last album with the independent label I.R.S., it's where they had their first top ten hit "The One I Love", where they started collaborating with producer Scott Litt, and I still am refreshed to hear any "Document" songs jump out on a shuffle mix.
"Take your instinct by the reins, It's better best to rearrange." ~ The Finest Worksong
You can start with the singles. "The Finest Worksong" jumps along on Peter Buck's guitar line and I love how Mike Mills bass line lazily catches up before it starts into the verse. As Michael Stipe sings "The finest hour.." and Mills always great backup vocal gives out an "ohhh,ahhh", you've got a start worth listening to the whole album. "The One I Love", the one that got hooked up on every radio station in 1987, also has that great back and forth vocal interplay between Mills and Stipe with Stipe firing out "Fire" in the chorus and Mills bringing in "She's coming down on her own now." It's an obtuse song..one that could be looked at as a love song "This one goes out to the one I love" or an anti-love song "A simple prop to occupy my time". Either way, I've always enjoyed it. "It's The End Of The World As We Know It" has been mumbled and studied by anyone who's ever listened to the band to try to nail down all the lyrics...I still couldn't do it if I tried, neither can Stipe who once said he keeps the lines on paper to sing in concert. In a way it's like Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues", but it wouldn't work if there wasn't a sweet chorus, to break up Stipe's vocal burst verses, referring to the title and the assured feeling that "I feel fine" and backed with the "Time I had some time alone" harmony. Anyone growing up in this time period or after would try to reconstruct the parts driving around as a group in a car (or maybe that was something we did). The One I Love It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) Finest Worksong
"A stampede at the monument/To liberty and honor under the honor roll" ~ Disturbance at the Heron House
Three outstanding singles are the cornerstone to any great album, but when the other tracks crackle with energy, then you've got an outstanding album. "Disturbance At The Heron House" may be my favorite album track from these guys with Peter Buck's great guitar work. Following in the same lyrical political vein, you've got "Welcome To The Occupation" (a political class statement?) and "Exhuming McCarthy" (a look at McCarthyism...loyal to the bank of America). It's the first time Stipe's political tendencies come to the forefront and they don't strangle the songwriting. Actually, they just add another layer of depth and fiery passion to the songs. Different instrumentation is added as well with the great use of saxophone on the "Crazy, crazy world" of the the rustic "Fireplace" and dulcimer to Bill Berry's drumming march on "King Of Birds". "Standing on the shoulders of giants....leaves me cold." Indeed. Disturbance at the Heron House Welcome To The Occupation Exhuming McCarthy Fireplace King Of Birds
"Wash off the blood/Wash off the 151" ~ Oddfellows Local 151
Also present is an upbeat version of Wire's "Strange", so upbeat and partylike compared to the original's cold and menacing tone that you could pick one for either mood you're feeling that day. I've always liked the frenzied nonsense of "Lightnin Hopkins" with Stipe's call of "Crow" and Buck's crawling guitar. And the album wraps up with the slow burn of "Oddfellows Local 151" or as some people may remember it as the "Firehouse" song. Strange Lightnin Hopkins Oddfellows Local 151
I've always loved the harmony Stipe, Mills and Berry brought to their songs (I never thought Bill Berry leaving the band in 1998 would drop their material some, but it did), here they deliver in spades. I've always thought Buck delivered sturdy guitar lines, on "Document" he delivers some of my favorites. I've always loved Stipe's cryptic but yet singable lyrics, on "Document", their is tons to sing and reminisce with. "Document" may not be their best, it may not be their most experimental, and it may not be R.E.M.'s most groundbreaking work. But sometimes you don't need those elements for a band to release one of your favorite albums. And "Document" is one of my favorite albums from R.E.M. and all time on account of a great batch of songs. And I feel fine.
12 random songs from 1992
1. Social Distortion-When She Begins "I begin to roll...ahh haaaa" Grade: A
2. Bruce Springsteen-Better Days It was an awkward decade for the boss. Grade: B-
3. Radiohead-Creep There are 70 other Radiohead songs I'd rather hear. Grade: B+
4. Gin Blossoms-Allison Road "New Miserable Experience" is a nice album...and "Alison Road" is a nice song. Grade: B+
5. INXS-Beautiful Girl I forgot about this one. Nice gentle ballad with toy piano. Grade: A-
6. Black Crowes-Thorn In My Pride At a time liked it...then I saw them do a 20 minute version of it live and hasn't been the same. Grade: B-
7. Pearl Jam-Breathe Still love this PJ song from "The Singles" soundtrack. Grade: A
8. Screaming Trees-Dollar Bill Criminally underrated band and song. Grade: A
9. Stone Temple Pilots-Wicked Garden "Burn that wicked garden to the ground. Yeah" Grade: A-
10. Tori Amos-Crucify I'd never crucify you Tori. Grade: A-
11. The Sundays-Wild Horses Take the soul out of the Stones and you've got this ethereal beauty. Grade: A
12. Rage Against The Machine-Bullet In My Head "Just victims of the in-house drive by...they say jump, you say "How High?"" Grade: A
7 Albums worth revisiting from 1992:
1. R.E.M.-Automoatic For The People
2. The Beastie Boys-Check Your Head
3. Sugar-Copper Blue
4. Pavement-Slanted and Enchanted
5. Screaming Trees-Sweet Oblivion
6. The Jesus and Mary Chain-Honey's Dead
7. Alice In Chains-Dirt
Random Quote From a 1992 Song:
I don't know what the world may need/But I'm sure as hell it starts with me/And that's a wisdom, I have laughed at. The song
Random Thought On A Song From 1992:
I don't know how many times I saw Toad the Wet Sprocket open up for other bands or be included in music festival lineups in the nineties, I think I can safely say I can't count them on one hand. This song particular struck a chord because it is so uncharacteristically violent for these guys and I still don't know if it is an anti-rape song or pro, I would hope for the former. From the voice and pen of Glenn Phillips, "Take her arms and hold her down.../until she stops kicking" and the lines "And they don't know her but what the fuck/They got nothing else they can do". You know, in 1992 Sugar had their murderous story "A Good Idea" (you'd expect something this sinister from Bob Mould) and Rage had their "Fuck you I won't do what you tell me" chant going on. But Toad the Wet Sprocket? Rocking hard with a tale of rape and murder? From the same guys who brought us the lovely sea shanty "Walk On The Ocean"? Even if the song sounds a little clumsy today, it brings back memories of 1992, when anyone was trying anything a little new. A pretty damn good year for music. Until she stops breathing...
This old earthquake's gonna leave me in the poorhouse It seems this whole town is insane On the thirty first floor, a gold plated door Won't keep out the Lord's burning rain
Leaving you this weekend with a personal favorite ode to Las Vegas from the grievous angel Gran Parsons and Byrd member Chris Hillman's short lived project the Flying Burrito Brothers. "Sin City" is the perfect song to cue up on your I-pod as you begin your descent into McCarran International Airport. Sneaky Pete Kleinow's pedal guitar sets the perfect scene with Parsons' ever so lovable twang.
It was a brief supernova that no one bothered to pay attention to. Between 1969-1972, Nick Drake graced us with three treasured recordings. Each one harnessed with the same soft spoken vocals and folk guitar, yet each one very different in it's characteristics and tone. But yet, even with these differences, it's hard not to like all three in the same breathe. I can never pick a favorite. So many artists (David Gray, Grizzly Bear, Elliot Smith, Coldplay) have been influenced by his combination of acoustic based arrangements and his lyrics dealing with depression, personal disappointments, hazy sunny days, and cold desolate nights. His presence is felt more now than it was for those four years when he released three stone cold classics. So let's take a look at the high points of these three albums as if they were the three main autumn months, all of them are best to hear after the summer months are over and the approaching coolness of fall is about to return.
For September: "Five Leaves Left" 1969
When the sun in the sky isn't as high and the threat of all day rains keep you cooped up inside for the day, "Five Leaves Left" provides a pastoral retreat of perfectly paced music for the occasion. With a little help from Fairport Convention's guitarist Richard Thompson and Pentangle's bassist Danny Thompson, "Five Leaves Left" sound has just enough variety from somber strings and woodwinds ("River Man", "Way To Blue") to the occasional fluttering piano ("Time Has Told Me", "Saturday Sun") and an occasional use of bongos to help move the song along ("Three Hours", "Cello Song"). All the songs are accompanied by Drake's breathy vocals, which amazingly for his debut already have a sense of a seasoned veteran. He starts the album with the stunning "Time Has Told Me" where there is a small sense of hope, "Time has told me, you're a rare find/A troubled cure, for a troubled mind." It's followed by the breath taking "River Man" which has a wonderful string arrangement and Drake singing "Going to see the river man, going to tell him all I can/About the pain, for lilac time." Drake's poetry on "Cello Song" is some of my favorite when he gently sings "You would seem so frail, In the cold of the night/When the armies of emotion, Go out to fight." The wonderful cello that Clare Lowther adds with Drake humming along in unison is other worldly. And that low sun in the sky can't be painted more perfectly than with closer "Saturday Sun" with Drake on piano dueting with a vibraphone. "Five Leaves Left" is a fantastic debut which never had the promotion or airplay to showcase Drake's talent to the world, and unfortunately left him in the cold wondering if he was good enough to maintain a singer/songwriter career.
His second release "Bryter Layter" is a perfect soundtrack for an Indian summer day when the leaves are changing and falling from the trees. Unlike "Five Leaves Left", "Bryter Layter" goes with more of a mix of full on band arrangements (help this time around from the entire Fairport Convention and the always great musical genius John Cale) maybe going for a more commercial sound. It sounds breezy on the surface but underneath these more lively affairs are those breathy vocals of Drake and his lyrics are a bit more bleak this time around which work in an oddly fantastic way with the almost playful music that it is incorporated with. A song like "Poor Boy" brings in a jazz feel with saxophones, back-up singers and Drake's self depreciating lyrics..."Oh Poor Boy, so sorry for himself." Also working a bit of jazz is "One Of These Things First" which has Drake listing all the things he should have been instead of a struggling singer/songwriter "Could have been a signpost, could have been a clock/As simple as a kettle, steady as a rock". "Hazey Jane II" glides by with great brass and three instrumentals, including the wonderful closer "Sunday", It's a lightweight Van Morrison with a much darker undertone. The crowning gem here is "Northern Sky" which could have been a hit amongst the James Taylors and Elton Johns at the time. Drake muses "I never held emotion in the palm of my hand...brighten my Northern Sky." "Bryter Layter" is an all around pleasant affair that fared just as miserable as the debut, and Drake fell into an ever greater depression.
With winter's doom amongst us, why not settle in with an album that leaves you staring at the leafless trees and the lifeless gray mornings of November. Stripping every bit of instrumentation from the previous two albums, "Pink Moon" is just Drake and a guitar. It's such a sparse and morose affair, every time I listen to it I picture Drake in a room with four concrete walls that have nothing on them and maybe a candle burning in some corner. He may have given one last brief (28 minute) sigh into what should have been a fruitful career, but it doesn't mean his songs suffer because of the bleak arrangements and circumstances. "Pink Moon", the title track, has somehow crept its way into American commercials in the past years with it's "pink, pink, pink" chorus...who would've thought Drake's material would sell Volkswagen 38 years ago? And songs like "Which Will" with its rolling guitar line and "Things Behind The Sun" with Drake's hushed vocals are pure wonders. The beauty of "Pink Moon" is you never feel slighted even though there is less here in instruments and length. It was a perfect ending to a sadly tragic and quickly disappearing career.
"Know" from Pink Moon Know That I Love You Know That I Don't Care Know That I See You Know I'm Not There
There is no way of knowing if Nick Drake would have been around longer with proper promotion and more support from the industry. Very few artists are celebrated so long after one's death that had absolutely NO success when they were alive, and for that matter, no hope for any sort of respect at the time of their death. It makes Drake a special songwriter, one who had given into frustration, one who was too shy to perform in front of crowds that wanted sing along chants like other singer/songwriters were delivering in the early seventies, and one who at first was so excited to get a chance at being a performer, only to have his expectations crushed at every corner he turned. He passed on in 1974, but his music is something generations ahead of us will be finding comfort in for those three autumn months of your life. Nick Drake truly knew the "Way To Blue" and every once in awhile, you too may need to find your way as well.
Essential: Five Leaves Left (1969) Bryter Layter (1970)
Recommended: Pink Moon (1972)
Personal Best Of: 1. Time Has Told Me 2. River Man 3. Way To Blue 4. Cello Song 5. Saturday Sun 6. Hazey Jane II 7. One Of These Things First 8. Poor Boy 9. Northern Sky 10. Pink Moon 11. Parasite 12. Which Will 13. Things Behind The Sun
Brad Pitt and Bruce Willis had twelve monkeys, we'll settle with just ten today. I feel like I'm forgetting a few obvious choices, but here's ten songs with the word "Monkey" in it.
Release: July 1990
Release: 1991
After a little research, I can give you the thirty two. I've only heard of a few here (England and New Order is a no brainer, our boy Rivers wrote a song with Weezer for this World Cup so I thought I'd throw it in.) I do apologize to the countries if I included a stone cold loser of a band or song (I'm talking to you Switzerland), I wouldn't want the USA to be represented by..let's just go with Creed or Carrie Underwood. 
Why I've always considered R.E.M. a favorite band of mine. I can listen to an album of theirs from 20-25 years ago and joyfully sing along to every song like it's the natural thing to do. 
You can start with the singles. "The Finest Worksong" jumps along on Peter Buck's guitar line and I love how Mike Mills bass line lazily catches up before it starts into the verse. As Michael Stipe sings "The finest hour.." and Mills always great backup vocal gives out an "ohhh,ahhh", you've got a start worth listening to the whole album. "The One I Love", the one that got hooked up on every radio station in 1987, also has that great back and forth vocal interplay between Mills and Stipe with Stipe firing out "Fire" in the chorus and Mills bringing in "She's coming down on her own now." It's an obtuse song..one that could be looked at as a love song "This one goes out to the one I love" or an anti-love song "A simple prop to occupy my time". Either way, I've always enjoyed it. "It's The End Of The World As We Know It" has been mumbled and studied by anyone who's ever listened to the band to try to nail down all the lyrics...I still couldn't do it if I tried, neither can Stipe who once said he keeps the lines on paper to sing in concert. In a way it's like Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues", but it wouldn't work if there wasn't a sweet chorus, to break up Stipe's vocal burst verses, referring to the title and the assured feeling that "I feel fine" and backed with the "Time I had some time alone" harmony. Anyone growing up in this time period or after would try to reconstruct the parts driving around as a group in a car (or maybe that was something we did).
