Albums »Please To See The King

please to see the king steeleye spanPlease to See the King is the most Renaissance-faire appropriate of the entire electric folk genre. Every song on the Steeleye Span is traditional and entail stories of betrayal, insanity, the devil, and romance.

Not only are the songs themselves culled from the traditional past of England, they use medieval techniques – like singing into the hallow of their instruments to amplify their voices to eerie effect.

Folk greats Maddy Prior, Tim Hart, Peter Knight, Ashley Hutchings, and Martin Carthy unite to make beautiful unique music here.

My favorite of the lot are Cold, Haily, Windy Night and Female Drummer, and Boys of Bedlam, but we've been listening to the whole album while gearing up for the fair.

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Posted on September 14, 2009

Albums »IV

I became an immediate fan of The Fucking Champs' IV and have been deeply into its brutal sounds all week. I think any fan of Priest or Iron Maiden would be psyched about this band, but (rather strangely) they seems to draw an indie rock crowd that (may) sadly mistake their work for mere parody or, even worse, irony.

I think they're for real and this is just pure, unadulterated metal music but, unlike most well known heavy acts, the album's (almost) entirely instrumental. The record will make you think of Frank Frazetta paintings, giant snakes, and many of the songs remind me of early video game music taken to its heaviest extreme.

Of course, this is all just my interpretation of an album that's likely to become a personal favorite. Many fans refuse to call the music 'metal' at all and the band itself is fairly enigmatic and obtuse about their image. I can't even find out if they're playing in NY anytime soon… their site only features a blank page of 2007 tour dates. I guess I'll just have to become your best friend if you inform me of their coming to the city.

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Posted on September 7, 2009

Albums »Some Girls

I vividly recall being fascinated by this album cover while digging through dad's basement collection. What kid, or adult for that matter couldn't be impressed with this feat of design? But beyond the aesthetics, Some Girls is also possibly my most favorite Rolling Stones album.

Some purist fans may disagree, but I love the influence of disco on the boys and Shattered and Miss You are some of their best songs. But there's really nary a filler piece on the entire album – they cover one of my favorite Temptations songs, they channel the country music of Bakersfield (with the influence of Gram Parsons) in Far Away Eyes, and they slow things down with the fantastic Beast of Burden.

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Posted on August 31, 2009

Albums »Witchcraft

I was really in the mood for some sludge and after seeing that Black Sabbath Four was not available on itunes, found Witchcraft instead and was happy to hear that they fit the bill. I assumed from the low budget basement sound that the album was recorded decades ago but it's much more recent. The band probably would love to hear they managed to sound so authentic. From covering songs by Pentagram and literally recording in a basement, they seem happily entrenched in the sound of the past. They even look perfect with rock star long hair and

The Swedish band is on their way to be as underground and influential as the band that inspired them. The songs are dark and heavy and fans of Black Sabbath will be pleased so long as they don't mind the lack of catchy riffs. Her Sisters They Are Weak and Please Don't Forget Me are probably my favorites.

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Posted on August 24, 2009

Albums »Tubular Bells

It was great going into Tubular Bells knowing very little. Like many of you, I was aware of Mike Oldfield's masterpiece for the beginning of the piece that was used to evoke dread in The Exorcist. If you think you're in for an hour long horror movie soundtrack, though, you are in for a surprise. Tubular Bells changes tones every few minutes and takes you from mountain top jamming, to spoken word, to folksiness to the sailors horn pipe and more.

It's one wild ride that I've had a hard time describing to people for it's sheer variety and uniqueness. I found out after a week of listening to it that the artist was a totally hip and handsome musician, friends with personal favorites John Cale and Kevin Ayers. This composition broke new ground?with what allmusic calls “arguably the finest conglomeration of off-centered instruments concerted together to form a single unique piece”.

Tubular Bells, which prompted Richard Branson to begin his own label, Virgin, after established companies dubbed the music unmarketable. It was a global success and began the whole new age music genre.
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Posted on August 17, 2009

Albums »Black Monk Time

black monk timeI can't quite remember how I stumbled across The Monks and Black Monk Time, but I am glad I did. They remind me of many of the British invasion stuff I most enjoy, like The Troggs and The Animals, but it's a bit more raw and strange. The band, made up of American GIs stationed together in Germany were more original than just post-Beatle wanna bes. In fact, according to wikipedia, founding member Remy Essen:

“”designed” the Monks as “anti-Beatles”: short hair with tonsures, black clothes, ropes around the neck, image of being hard and dangerous”.

Their sound is sometimes abrasive, always rhythmic, and sometimes a bit silly but somehow beneath all the shouting, spoken word, banging drums and strange costumes, there is a pop sensibility at the heart of it all.

The once obscure band and album has gotten a renewed life with a recent re-release and wildly praising reviews from among other spots, the usually non plussed Pitchfork:

“When you hear it barked out by Monks lead vocalist Gary Burger over an otherworldly groove, though, it's an unlikely call to arms, and an immediate auditory stamp for one of the most strikingly original bands of the mid-60s.”

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Posted on August 10, 2009

Albums »Hurricane

grace jones hurricaneHurricane, Grace Jones’ tenth album that sparked her recent (freaking amazing) tour is a strange one. Not only in the music too. I mean, how many times have you been to a concert of an oldie and found yourself actually moved and excited by their new material? More over, how often does a former disco star’s comeback result in anything interesting? But most strangely, why is this album not released in the US?

I am working on getting a copy, hoping really that it will come to itunes soon, but in the meantime, there are several videos online. Her single, Corporate Cannibal has a visually simple but enthralling morph effect. Her other single, William’s Blood, which she dedicated to Michael Jackson at Hammerstein, does not have an official video, but you can see a video of live performances here. I also loved the bold, rhythmic song she opened with, dressed as a silver alien ghost, This is Life.

Jones told the audience that music had broken her heart. She had cried and screamed over it and walked out on it like a good Diva should. Thankfully producer Ivor Guest convinced her to get back in the game after she took him to bed, and the result is an impressive musical accomplishment.

Now if someone could just give it some distribution!

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Posted on August 3, 2009

Albums »A Divina Com?dia ou Ando Meio Desligado

The mouthful of an album A Divina Com?dia ou Ando Meio Desligado by the awesome Os Mutantes is a departure from their Tropicalia roots. Instead finding inspiration from everywhere from doo wop, brass and marching bands, psychedelia, gospel, and the blues – the band seems have left the shores of Rio far behind – but don't worry that they've lost their whimsy. Each genre they tackle is infused with their amazing whacked out sensibility.

The Bauhaus appropriate cover art featuring an engraving from Gustav Dore's divine Comedy?is not indicative of the fun the band is still having nor the fun it is to listen and re-listen to this album over and over. Especially if you're in a trippy mood.

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Posted on July 27, 2009

Albums »They Say I’m Different

betty davis they say i'm differentDon't you call her no tramp! The gorgeous and glorious Betty Davis may have been romantically linked to Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone, and of course one-time husband Miles Davis, but she was no groupie and is in fact credited with inspiring Miles to concoct the mix of funk and jazz that became Bitches Brew (a title she insisted on).

Her own rather brief career consisted of a couple of albums, including They Say I'm Different, none of which made her a huge commercial success but all of which caused controversy thanks to her ahead-of-her time “Nasty Girl” image and overt sexuality (see: He was a Big Freak – my favorite song on the album – or Shoo-B-Doop and Cop Him).

Super fun for super freaks that want to bob their heads while wearing something crazy and funky this summer.

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Posted on July 20, 2009

Albums »Vintage Violence

vintage violenceListening to John Cale's sophisticated folk pop album, Vintage Violence, is as pleasant as looking at his handsome face. His first solo album after an unamiable split with the Velvet Underground sounds startlingly modern. The soft pleading beauty of Amsterdam, the slow dancey Please, and the far away Charlamagne (that hints at the work to come in his amazing Paris 1919, the album which led me to love the man in the first place) are examples of simple American sounding timelessness, while the bubbly Cleo and Hello There draw from retro pop history.

Cale is such a distinct voice in modern music, one that I'm enjoying discovering with each album. In an interesting side note, this particular album was recorded during his brief marriage to cart-wheeling maniac Betsey Johnson. She's pictured in the album looking more toned down than her shirtless hubby, but no word on whether or not any of the arty lyrics refer to or were inspired by her.

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Posted on July 13, 2009