August 29, 2018 - Fleet Foxes - Bedouin Dress (2011)

After a day spent with Wipers in Portland, it's time to head up the road to Seattle, in order to visit with 21st century indie darlings Fleet Foxes. I don't know too much of their music, but I think Helplessness Blues is a decent album.

Bedouin Dress begins as a low-key guitar and piano affair. Robin Pecknold's voice is a touch grating to me on its own because of its loudness, but it sits nicely among the harmonies, which take on a gentle Crosby, Stills and Nash/Beach Boys quality here and there, especially in the the middle a cappella section. A fiddle comes in at 0:46, and the tune puts on the guise of a modern Incredible String Band, though not as quirky. It has that organic, shambling, nomadic aspect to it, the various instruments finding their own places in the mix.

I am also reminded of stuff like Rod Stewart's Every Picture Tells A Story album, Jackson Browne, and the Eagles (Seven Bridges Road, maybe?). A lot of music history flows through Bedouin Dress, maybe that's why it appeals to me. It's certainly good enough on its own without comparisons, but I enjoy recognizing older songs or influences within newer songs.

August 27, 2018 - Wipers - No Fair (1981)

No Fair starts off like a chilly, wet December day in Portland, Oregon, hometown of Greg Sage and his band, windshield Wipers. Notes drip off a lonely guitar like water off dark, leafless trees. It sounds depressing, like we're being led down stone stairs to a dungeon, especially with the heavy Black Sabbath chords and cymbals.

At 0:46, Greg Sage begins speaking as if in a dream, about shadows and the hallways of a sleepless night. When he comes to his senses at 1:32 and looks at the bars around him, he cries out it's no fair!!! The bass cranks up the tempo at 1:38 and snare locks in with it. The great growling guitar is punctuated by piano chords, a chain hitting against the cell door.

Sage wails out the words, and I notice that when he sings Every time I turn around you're there at 2:17, for whatever reason I am reminded of the line 'are you gonna drop the bomb or not' from Alphaville's Forever Young, which I know from having watched Napoleon Dynamite countless times.

There is a whole Dylan Thomas 'rage against the dying of the light' theme here. If your situation ever becomes hopeless, at least you can choose to not go quietly.

Portland, Oregon, was named after Francis Pettygrove's hometown of Portland, Maine. Pettygrove won a coin toss. If he had lost, the city would have been named Boston, after Asa Lovejoy's hometown. I can't imagine two major cities named Boston, can you? Our country would have twice as much arrogance (and maybe twice as many Red Sox caps. No fair!!)

I dare think this, but what if a coin toss had resulted in Greg Sage being named Tom Scholz? Let's be glad that never happened. I think Portland would rather be known for a cool indie band like Wipers than a classic rock turd loaf like Boston. These guys were both home recording enthusiasts in their younger days, but Sage was the natural artist.

cooler than Boston:

August 25, 2018 - Sandro Brugnolini - Amofen (1970)

Amofen, a psychedelic instrumental by Italian composer Sandro Brugnolini, was introduced to me earlier this year by my friend of good taste, Steve M.

The music begins with a snaking electric guitar, tentatively searching for a place to call home. It finds a path at 0:30, then suddenly repeats itself, shedding its harmless visage for sharper fangs. Bass and drums get together soon after, and the guitar goes off in search of its identity.  After 3:00, an organ arrives in the guise of a sage, and joins the guitar on its journey into the future.

August 24, 2018 Music from Bandcamp #34

#34 Walter Payton Bears Spring Training Camp BandCamp

1) Never Pet A Burning Dog - Microfiche (Sydney, Australia)

The title is worrisome. I like the repeating piano motif. Creaky, whistling items start hanging around. Monkeys? Honking geese?

2) Casio & Delay - James Cooper (Detroit, Michigan)

whoa yeah...delay delay delay delay delay...drums organ drums organ drums organ...chicka chicka chicka etc.

3) Rocket Ship - The Vesuvians (Chico, California)

What's interesting to me is that the lyrics include 'milky way', and today I found a Milky Way bar in the refrigerator and ate half of it...and I never eat Milky Way bars. It was pretty good, better than Three Musketeers, but not as good as Snickers.

The music starts off with a Simple Man/Hey Hey My My guitar thing. It all sweeps up a few notches at 0:15 into a growling guitar army, kind of Smithereens-ish. I like it. For some reason, I'm trying to determine how it would sound if the Midnight Oil singer were on this one. I like the vocal delivery, words are enunciated clearly. Rock on. Cool NASA/astronaut voices at the end.

August 23, 2018 - Bruce Springsteen - Out in the Street (1980)

When I listen to Out in the Street, I imagine Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band as a gang in the West Side Story universe, banging on garbage cans, leaping for joy on the sidewalks, brimming with passionate youthful energy just a few parallel blocks away from the Jets. Or, alternately, as the one gang in The Warriors that has no interest in fighting or protecting their turf...they just want to dance in the street and play music. "Sure, your gang can pass through here, go ahead! Your colors? Aw man, like we told the Baseball Furies, we don't care about that, now come on, let's get the music going guys!"

In the opening verse, Bruce sings baby, darlin', and honey, getting his girl all worked up about going out that evening. She deserves a night out after all day...working that hard line. And so does the Boss. He works five days a week loading crates down on the dock, a young guy who lives for the weekend, getting out of my work clothes, and having a good time. He sings about himself, but it's also for the enjoyment of his girl, who is certainly just as excited.

The song bursts with energy. Bruce sings with unbridled enthusiasm and freedom; every word delivered is a celebration of rock n roll. The E Street Band are primed, Bittan's happy piano octaves, Federici's light glockenspiel taps, Clarence Clemons blowing out one of his classic sax solos at 2:20, Bruce and Little Steven banging out guitar chords, Weinberg and Tallent working the groove.

August 21, 2018 - Archaïa - Robots dans le formol (1977)

Remember the guards at the witch's castle in The Wizard of Oz? O-we-o, we-o-o. Well, here they are again in a new interpretation, courtesy of Archaia's Robots dans le formal.

The scene opens with ominous guitar and bass as the camera pans along a stone corridor of torches and shadows. From side hallways come a series of strange voices: a low groaning at 0:09, panting at 0:23, and then the chanting of the castle guards at 0:34.

A glaring synthesizer alarm at 0:55 suddenly sends everything into chaos. Guards bump into each other, fall down stairs, a general panic ensues, the rhythm goes every which way, like rocks tumbling down the mountainside.

A semblance of order returns at 1:25, guards help each other to their feet, "so sorry about running into you there, what was that alarm all about? Did the witch go on a bender and misplace her crystal ball again?" They get themselves together and cautiously resume their chanting at 1:54. Then just as they get comfortable...arghh!! The witch sounds the alarm at 2:14. "Is she just messing with us? Maybe that girl and her dog are driving her nuts, I know I'm sick of hearing the kid crying about Kansas and that Aunty Em of hers. Like the dog, though, cute little guy."

At 2:56, the witch makes an announcement: "Apologies for the alarms, fellas. I meant to hit the intercom button. So, guess what? I converted my broomstick into an electric guitar and wanted you to hear me play. Plus this will drown out that little dog's yapping. Hope you like!"

They don't like. By 3:37, the guards are losing their minds. "Ughh, your wickedness! Will you stop playing that thing, you're hurting our ears! Do you want us to get the bucket of water? We will, you know."

"Oh is that right?! You don't like it?" The witch is pissed! At 3:55 she slams her palm down on the alarm button, sending the guards into a tizzy, which allows the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion to knock a few of them out and steal their uniforms. And so on.

Archaia were from France, fans of the legendary French group Magma and the psychedelic style of music called Zeuhl. Robots dans le formal appears as a bonus track on a CD reissue. I recommend reading Stanton Swihart's excellent allmusic review for a bit more about them.









  

August 19, 2018 - Blue Cheer - Sun Cycle (1968)

Looking over the Blue Cheer wikipedia page, I couldn't believe that singer and bassist Dickie Peterson kept the band going more or less up until his death in 2009. There were something like 28 different members of the band over the years. I thought they only put out two albums in the late 60s and then vanished into history.

Sun Cycle is from their second album, Outsideinside. Lyrically, I have no idea what it's about, some sort of convoluted poetry about the sun, light into darkness and back into light. Honestly, I enjoy the melody of the tune more than the actual words or meaning. I've always enjoyed the chord changes and guitar riffs that take place during the chorus.

The music is a giant pan of psychedelic wah guitar, panning from speaker to speaker. Leigh Stephens kicks out the jams with Hendrix-like aplomb.



  

August 18, 2018 Music from Bandcamp #33

bandcamp 33

1) Titanic Destination - The Protesters (Sydney, Australia)

Oh yeah, this is cool. Love it. Everything in place, interesting musical progression from opening to first verse. The chorus has a mix of cheery major vocals with somber minor chords. Wah guitar, yah. Great horns.

2) Torrente Cresciuto (Siroe, re di Persia) (G.F. Handel) - Les Songes (Montreal, Quebec)

I love baroque, it's just like Nigel Tufnel said, 'simple lines intertwining.' Uh-oh, there are vocals. The soprano is great, too bad I'm not into opera, the high frequencies just slice my head in two. The playing is excellent, recorder, harpsichord, and cello.

3) Tending to the Crops - Dustin Crenna (Picton, Ontario)

Wow! This is a stuffed animal parade! Martin Rev and Joe Meek/Blue Men in there, with a very slight stars and stripes melody. Excellent. Love the slight echo after 0:32. Watch out for the Rabbit Man, Farmer Dude!

August 17, 2018 - Bee Gees - You Should Be Dancing (1976)

If you were to drive over Bee Gees mountain, the summit would be identified with a You Should Be Dancing sign. Behind and below were the quaint hamlets of To Love Somebody, How Can You Mend A Broken Heart and I Started A Joke. Straight ahead and just over the hill is the Saturday Night Fever momument, and a small theater that shows Sgt Peppers on a continuous loop (remember, folks, Peter Frampton's in it too!), followed by a sharp descent through the villages of Tragedy and Too Much Heaven, before ending up in the wasteland of The Woman In You (along with the video...in you).

It's hard not to dance to You Should Be Dancing, but you should also be listening closely. Maurice Gibb's bass is totally amazing. He also arranged the horns, which are like a cross between the sports themes of Johnny Pearson's Heavy Action and Bill Conti's Gonna Fly Now. Dancing certainly requires athleticism, just look at John Travolta there in the video! And check out Andy Gibb on stage with the other three, that's cool. Wow, it's a fantastic tune!

I thought the lyric was what you doin in your bed at night. Like, you shouldn't be sleeping, you should be out at some nightclub with your swinging neighbors. The actual lyric is what you doin on your back. Huh? I hear more than one syllable. There's a delay. They mean the same things anyhow, right? nudge nudge. Listen to Barry at 1:58 - goes right on to the dawn...2:00 - yeahhhh. lol.

I never hated disco. It was mostly the conformity of the dance moves, kind of like that country line dancing achy breaky heart stuff. It looked weird...heck, I was too young anyhow, not much frame of reference. Considering the first album I ever bought was Muskrat Love, I was not one to judge. I eventually learned to hide my love away for disco, especially after I Want You To Want Me and My Sharona came on the scene and blew my little mind. Hey Mark, you're getting too old for that Village People stuff, you should be listening to Van Halen.

August 16, 2018 - John McLaughlin - Dragon Song (1970)

It's time for some black cauldron guitar magic, courtesy of John McLaughlin and his circle of electric Hendrixian wizards: Buddy Miles on drums, Billy Rich on bass, and Larry Young on organ. Make sure your seat belts are fastened. Dragon Song, from Devotion.

It opens with spooky haunted Scooby Doo amusement park music, shadows and dark corners. A funnel cloud forms around our heads at 0:30, and we feel the violent flapping of large wings sweeping us up into the air. We rise higher with the guitar as it pulls us along. By 0:54 we are on a magnificent dragon. It blows out a few bursts of fire and smoke, preparing us for a jump to light speed.

At 1:04, McLaughlin lays his wicked wah wah fingers on the dragon's fretboard neck and we take off. I remember I had this book called the Encyclopedia of Rock (uh, don't look for it, it's not there anymore), and there was a photo of John McLaughlin playing guitar. If I recall correctly, he was wearing a regular long sleeve button shirt with a backstage pass sticker on it.. The caption said he was one of the fastest most accurate guitar players alive or something. Yeah, just listen. Whoa...

He goes on like this until around 2:15, when he starts stabbing out little chords and the rest of the band gathers itself in around him. At 2:35 it's time for a break at some Jetson-like star diner. Need some refueling. The dragon need food! Buddy says he's good.

At 3:00 we suddenly find ourselves being dropped off back at the amusement park. We say our goodbyes, had a great time, thanks. Then the space wizards hop back on their dragon and bid us farewell.

August 15, 2018 - Humble Pie - Stone Cold Fever (1971)

Stone Cold Fever first appeared on Humble Pie's 1971 album Rock On, and has since shown up on various compilations, including Humble Pie-The Best, which features the classic cover of what looks to be a woman with a cream pie smashed on her face.

The song is a perfect representation of the distinct styles of the group's two fantastic guitarists: Steve Marriott and Peter Frampton. It begins with a powerful four barre chord pattern - E at 7th fret, then back down the neck for a low slide up to B, D, and A. Drums, bass, and second guitar join in on the next go around, preparing us for a sonic journey to classic rock heaven.

The band locks into a groove at 0:17, followed by Steve Marriott's husky cigarettes and alcohol vocals at 0:26: Oooh, stone cold fever, yeah, it's hard to see. The harsh reality of the rock n roll lifestyle, eh? A descending riff comes in at 0:41, complete with cowbell and twin guitar double helix.

Marriott blows his harp at 0:57 and we are back into the main riff. Then, at 1:41 the Marriott switch is suddenly turned off we are whisked away into a signature Peter Frampton solo, like one he would later play on Do You Feel Like We Do. Marriott hangs out stage right, playing rhythm. The Marriott switch is back on at 2:27, complete with harmonica solo and then into a sample of blues rock riffs. A bit more feverish moaning and groaning before the song comes to a dramatic and sudden end.

August 13, 2018 - The Chameleons - Don't Fall (1983)

The other day we had Don't Bring Me Down, and now we have Don't Fall by the Chameleons. Two don'ts make a do. I am reminded of the Simpsons episode where Bart joins the Junior Campers and he has to read the book called The 10 Do's and 500 Don'ts of Knife Safety. It features the confusing instruction: Don't Do What Donny Don't Does.

The song begins with dialogue from a 1946 film called Two Sisters from Boston. It's not nearly as unsettling as the voice at the beginning of The Rising Storm's Frozen Laughter, but it adds an element of mystery as it leads into the song's great guitar riff. Bassist and lead vocalist Mark Burgess reminds me so much of Julian Cope, especially his early years with The Teardrop Explodes, his voice has that great wide open British accent. The overall atmosphere is reminiscent of The Cure's A Forest - a gothic landscape of nightmares and disconnected reality, the main character lost in a parallel world that makes no sense. Freak out, nothing's familiar. It's all dark and dreamy, layers of reverb, cool little picked guitar section at 2:42.






  

August 12, 2018 Music from Bandcamp #32

b.a.n.d.c.a.m.p.

1) Diamond 'Round Your Finger - Max Barth & THE BACKDRAFT (Wadern, Germany)

Straightforward classic rock tune, main guitar riff, organ, big chorus. Kind of a long bridge from Boston to Pearl Jam to Jesus Jones to Blur or something. Radio-friendly production. Great, now I'm picturing the Evenflow video where Eddie Vedder falls from the rafters into the crowd. Show off.

2) Space Monkey - Mammoth Water (Denver, Colorado)

Funky bass. Wah guitar. Whooshing sound, keyboards. Electronic drums. If Pink Foyd were a funk band, they might sound like these guys.

3) Roots Ambassador - International Dub Ambassadors & Gomba Jahbari (San Juan, Puerto Rico)

Puerto Rico, my heart's devotion, let it slip back in the ocean...sorry, West Side Story always enters my head when I see Puerto Rico. Starts off quite nicely, one of those happy roots tunes. This is an excellent recording. All the classic late 70s reggae stew ingredients: clavinet, wah guitar, guiro, cowbell. Awesome.

August 11, 2018 - Electric Light Orchestra - Don't Bring Me Down (1979)

I was in the seventh grade at Alan B Shepard Jr High School in 1979 when ELO's Don't Bring Me Down was a hit. It was on the radio, at school dances, all over the place. Its effect was so loud and immediate: the pounding drums, the catchy descending guitar riff, the banging piano, Jeff Lynne's opening vocal slamming out of the speakers with undeniable authority. I loved it, and so did most of my classmates.

Like most everyone, I thought the lyric was Don't bring me down, Bruce on the chorus. But this was a mondegreen, like George Baker's Little Green Bag. Lynne supposedly sang a nonsense word, grooss. I didn't know anyone named Bruce other than Bruce Springsteen, so I thought he was the Bruce who was bringing Jeff Lynne down. There were no Bruces in my life whatsoever. I guess he could have meant Bruce Wayne, but I didn't make that connection. Jeff Lynne now sings Bruce in concert, since it's what the people want to hear.

I also never understood why someone would look good just like a snake in the grass. In my book, that's an alarming vision (depending on the variety of snake).

Don't Bring Me Down is the final track on the album Discovery, the cover of which shows this Aladdin-like guy holding the ELO Simon game spaceship in his hands. At the time, it was the only song by ELO not to feature strings. Rock n Roll!

August 9, 2018 - Fred Neil - The Dolphins (1966)

Fred Neil is generally remembered as the writer of Everybody's Talkin, which became a big hit for Harry Nilsson after it was featured in the film Midnight Cowboy. That's certainly a great song, but The Dolphins is something extra special.

The lyrics express the heavy weariness that the narrator carries around from a world of so much war and hate. He remembers his younger days when he felt carefree, but now he's older and longs to find a place where he can transcend all the crap and live in peace. In his mind, the dolphins have it pretty good, and they pull at his soul.

The music laps at the shore where he walks, sparkling sunlight dances off the water in the form of heavily tremoloed guitar, the bass follows thoughtfully behind him. The drums pick up after a minute, additional guitar/bouzouki floating above him like a seagull.

The song and music are fairly representative of Fred Neil's character. He was quite reclusive, rarely gave interviews, and did not seek fame. From the mid-60s until his death in 2001, he devoted his life to the protection of dolphins.

August 7, 2018 - The Temptations - Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today) (1970)

Ball of Confusion (TWTWIT) is The Temptations in their psychedelic soul phase. It describes many of the then-current issues facing the US in 1970, most of which forty-eight years later are still sadly relevant and even more destructive. An even bigger ball of confusion.

Co-writer (with Barrett Strong) and producer Norman Whitfield performs the dramatic count-in One! Two! One two three four! The music is performed by the legendary Funk Brothers. Bob Babbitt's ominous bass enters, joined by Dennis Coffey's hall of mirrors echoplex guitar.

The Temptations all take turns on lead (with the exception of Otis Williams):

Eddie Kendricks sings the opening lines - People movin out, people movin in, why, because of the color of their skin.

Dennis Edwards (who died earlier this year just two days before his 75th birthday), takes over next and sings the impressive rapid fire segregation, determination, demonstration, integration, aggravation, humiliation, obligation to our nation.

Paul Williams sings the sale of pills is at an all-time high, young folks walkin round with their heads in the sky.

And Melvin Franklin sings the shortest but possibly most popular lyric and the band played on.

My favorite lyric is at 2:52 - Eve of destruction, tax deduction. Of course I also like the part about the Beatles' new record's a gas.

hasn't there been enough💀😢😠💩💣....why is ❤️ ☮️ 🎶 ✌️ 😃 so elusive?

August 5, 2018 - Dennis Bovell - The Grunswick Affair (1977)

Compared to the dub jalopy of Ball of Fire, Dennis Bovell's The Grunswick Affair is a sleek Cadillac. It is smoooooth...everything in its right place. The horns are intoxicating, powering the whole machine down a quiet empty road at night. The bass and guitar are the solid suspension that keep it all moving in comfort. Little noises peek in from the side every so often - scraped guitar strings, various split seconds of sound. A faultless creation.

Dennis Bovell was born in Barbados but moved to London at a young age and immersed himself in the Jamaican dub scene. Besides being a superb bassist and guitarist, he also became an in-demand producer, working on albums by a diverse range of artists such as The Thompson Twins, Madness, Fela Kuti, and Alpha Blondy. He has also partnered extensively with Linton Kwesi Johnson. Additionally, he has released albums under the name Blackbeard, among which I Wah Dub is highly recommended.

August 4, 2018 Music from Bandcamp #31

ban dc amp

1) Perihelion - Dave Luxton (Olympia, Washington)

My first thought is Vangelis. Something from Blade Runner. Dreamy atmosphere, ominous and mysterious. Layers of keyboard stretching across each other.

2) Cloud Sigh - Ashan (Oakland, California)

Another ambient recording, breezes and dulcimer(?). All processed into a misty trek across the sky. A gentle soothing otherworldly voice appears at some point. Very delicate.

3) The Long Wait - Irreverend James and the Critical Mass Choir (Montreal, Quebec)

Sweet piano, like the vocals too. Cymbals like a wave crashing. Whoa, now we start moving! Fast tempo, toe tapping part. Then back down again. Carrying a burden, feeling alone, drifting. Don't wait, gotta seize the day. get the work done. Great tune, full of passion.

August 3, 2018 - Bim Sherman - Ball of Fire (1977?)

This one called Ball of Fire (something) you know. Today I present Bim Sherman's Ball of Fire, a groovy tune from the compilation Flashing Echo: Trojan in Dub 1970-1980. The backing musicians are the Roots Radics, a popular Jamaican session band.

Since this is a dub version, I figured there should be a regular version, but I have been unable to find one. Therefore, I am not sure why this track is attributed to Bim if he just utters the few opening words (I presume). I don't even know what the exact recording year is.

This is classic dub: lots of different instruments trailing off into echo space, percussive bops, keyboard clanks, bass keeping things together.





  

August 1, 2018 - The Plastic People of the Universe - Toxika (1974)

The Plastic People of the Universe is a Czech band who were instrumental (haha) in the eventual end of one-party communist rule in their country. Their constant persecution and arrests for just wanting to play music inspired people like Vaclev Havel to form Charter 77, an informal group of free thinkers opposed to the human and civil rights violations of the government. The work of activists like those in Charter 77 finally brought about the Velvet Revolution in 1989, which resulted in the conversion of Czechoslovakia to a parliamentary republic.

Their best known album, to Westerners anyway, is 1974's Egon Bondy's Happy Hearts Club Banned, a parody of that other famous album. Egon Bondy was a Czech poet and philosopher, and a main character in the Prague Underground. Most of the songs on the album are his poems set to music.

Toxica is a ramshackle psychedelic mess. A rough translation of its lyrics:

I am the victim of allegiance, toxicomaniacal. It could be sad but it's rather funny. I drink beer and take pills, but still can't fall asleep. Morning I'll return some empty bottles. Julia will help me with that.

The music opens with dual violin and saxophone, joined by slithering wah wah electric guitar. At 0:46 a guitar tiptoes about, setting off panicked violin and saxophone squawks. At 1:20 the drums come in and the music relaxes into the groove as the guitar takes a wild noisy wah wah ride up and down the fretboard for almost two minutes. At 3:15 a messed up theremin enters the mix, and why not? Everything is everything.