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The (English) Beat “I Confess”

“As lovely a bit of singing as I’ve heard all year,” I remember Elvis Costello being quoted back in 1982 in response to a question as to what he was listening to. He was listening to “I Confess,” the lead-off track to Special Beat Service, the third and sadly last album from The Beat a/k/a The English Beat for us Yanks on account of the Paul Collin’s Beat. I post this song even though The Beat’s first album, I Just Can’t Stop It is one of my favorite albums of all time. As good as that is, it doesn’t have anything as good as “I Confess.” And it’s good thanks to that lovely bit of singing by Dave Wakeling. Soulful, stinging, and yes, confessional. No, it’s not a joke, it’s cards on the table time.

1 month ago - 24 -

Lou Ragland “I Travel Alone”

There are few better mailbox surprises than delivery of a new release from my yearly subscription to Numero Group, the wonderful, Chicago-based reissue label. Friday’s present was a I Travel Alone, three CD compilation of late 60s to mid 70s songs from Cleveland soul singer Lou Ragland. Like nearly every Numero release, the contents of this one were largely unheard by me until its arrival and play. And like nearly every Numero release, big chunks of I Travel Alone elicit the kind of “where has this been all of my life?” reaction that I hope all new “old” music will. The title track, which as the liner notes explain, might be better called “Travelin’ Man,” has the dusty patina of not-quite-state-of-the-art recording. It reminds me, in the best way possible, of a Leslie Kong production of late 60s Toots & the Maytals or Desmond Dekker. Whatever it lacks in polish, Lou more than makes up for it in feeling, with an exuberant lead vocal, and well-arranged horns and backing vocals. In a better world or on a bigger label or with a slicker recording it woulda coulda shoulda been a smash. But that’s okay, because it is with me right here right now anyway.

The Jazz Butcher Conspiracy “Nothing Special”

Is this song really 26 years old? Really? Because it sounds like it was written yesterday. Just for me. Bless you, Jazz Butcher. Bless you.

But I don’t want the sea
And I don’t want the beach
And everything I do what is out of reach
And I ain’t gonna do a single thing
Gonna be the man who sat down
And I ain’t gonna laugh
And I ain’t gonna play
I wish I could be a thousand miles away.

I’m a train. And the name of this train is the NOTHING SPECIAL.

It’s just an ordinary train.

2 months ago - 1 -

Django Django “Love’s Dart”

No longer sharp.

It’s Valentine’s Day! Oh, how I had to restrain myself from posting The Pursuit Of Happiness’ “Killed By Love.” But that’s all that I need to say about that. Here’s something a bit more subtle and recent from one of my favorites of this young year. Django Django remind me (and apparently a few others) of The Beta Band, but that’s a good thing. The plucking of guitar strings, the drumming of drumsticks, the crackle of static, a thwack of synthetic percussion. These are a few of my favorite things. So is “love’s dart” Cupid’s arrow? I like to think so.

If you walk in circles you’ll find yourself back at the start.

XTC “Snowman”

Why oh why?

I have had and on some days continue to have such an obsession with XTC, that all it takes is an “English Settlement 30th anniversary” blurb somewhere, anywhere, and all of those songs and all of those good memories come back.

Speaking of “English Settlement 30th anniversary,” here is my favorite song from it. The last song from it. Side four, track four. All shimmery and twinkling out of the cross-fade from “English Roundabout,” but quickly given the Terry Chambers walloping that carries it to near the end, when the jingle bells and tambourine shimmy and shimmer it out again. In between, Andy Partridge mines the ice and snow metaphors for the love that’s freezing freezing and isn’t pleasing pleasing. And why not? It is called “Snowman.”

People will always be tempted to wipe their feet
On anything with “welcome” written on it.

3 months ago - 12 -

Chairlift “Met Before”

I just played this song 8x in a row, which is usually a reliable indicator that I think a song is good. And this one really is. On “Met Before,” Chairlift put a modern veneer on some classic pop music elements. A rolling, thumping beat, punctuating big guitar chords, many whoa-ah-whoas and ba-bah-ba-bahs, in and out in less than three minutes. But it’s the exuberance of Caroline Polachek’s vocal that really takes this to another level. She’s met someone that she really digs, someone she’s certain she seen before. Like at that party on the ninth floor where he quietly made an impression holding the door open for her. And you can hear how happy she is to see him again. An audible happiness that causes her voice to break. And for the object of her affections to smile. And for me to smile.

I saw Chairlift play Schubas last weekend. I wish they hadn’t gone on at 12:15 AM, and I wish I wasn’t old and tired, because I didn’t stick around long enough to hear them play “Met Before.” What’s funny is I was near the front of the room, and guitarist Patrick Wemberly called me out when he saw me navigate my way to the back. “Is the door closed? You can’t leave.” Haha. I could and I did. And I’m really sorry, because Chairlift’s Something is my first favorite album of 2012.

3 months ago - 1 -

Fucked Up “Queen Of Hearts”
 
As I dodder off into middle age, there are troubling signs that I may be going a little soft, not only in the abdomen, but in the ears. After all, this was the year that I fully embraced the catalog of my parents’ favorite sixties, MOR, easy listening, pop craftsmen, The Association. I worry that this infatuation may not just be a momentary appreciation for complex vocal arrangements, but a more lasting taste for some white bread and vanilla ice cream—comfortable, safe and familiar flavors, easy to swallow, easier to digest.

Fortunately, this was also the year of Fucked Up.

By “the year of Fucked Up,” I mean a year in which an established-but-hardly-mainstream band rightfully got attention for being ambitious and challenging (at least to me) in the often narrow worlds of hardcore and indie. And while I’ve admired Fucked Up in the past in itty-bitty pieces, there was nothing itty-bitty about Fucked Up in 2011. Not only David Comes To LIfe, a 18-song, 78 minute “story” album, but a series of non-LP 7” singles and a faux compilation of late 70s pop rock, pub rock and post punk to help establish DCTL’s characters and settings.

David Comes To Life is a great listen, but it’s not easy listening, and not just because it’s hard rock (if not hardcore). Even with liner notes and a lyric sheet, its story line is difficult to understand, and it’s delivered in singer Damien Abraham’s incessant bark. But if you are a believer that Big Statements are best appreciated in small doses, you could have no better small dose than the album’s second song and first single, “Queen Of Hearts.” While it sets the tone and the story of the album, “Queen of Hearts” more than works on its own. After all, it has the ingredients of a classic rock ‘n’ roll song: A ringing introductory guitar line. A ringing introductory lyric (“Sun rises above the factory, but the rays don’t make it to the street”). A boy-meets-girl story delivered by a boy and a girl (a sour screaming Damien and a sweet singing Madeline Follin, guesting from Cults). A hook in the “Hello, my name is David! You’re name is Veronica! Let’s be together! Let’s fall in love!” Great lines throughout, even if you can’t always make them out. Great rock riffing throughout, especially in the close/fade.

“Queen Of Hearts” has a great video that matches the ambitions of Fucked Up in 2011. “Queen Of Hearts” tops my iTunes plays for 2011. “Queen Of Hearts” kicks off my Best of 2011 playlist on Spotify. Best of all, “Queen Of Hearts” kicks me in my 49-year-old ass like “Ace Of Spades” or “Back In Black” kicked the 18-year old me in the ass.

I guess that means I can continue listening to The Association without fret. For now. Whew.

4 months ago - 2 -

X “The Have Nots”

Hey! It’s a 99% song! From 30 years ago! With alcohol!

Dawn comes soon enough for the working class.
It keeps coming sooner or later.
This is the game that moves as you play.

Timeless. Like a lot of X music.

4 months ago - 1 -

The Beatles “It’s All Too Much”

Here’s a seriously undervalued song from the canon of my favorite musical artist of all time. Up there with “If I Needed Someone” as my favorite George Harrison Beatles song, and probably in my top 15 or 20 of all time Beatle songs, “It’s All Too Much” dates from the heady, swirling 1967 sessions (and sounds like it), but wouldn’t show up for a couple of more years until the Yellow Submarine soundtrack was released. This version technically isn’t in/on Yellow Submarine though. It’s a longer mix that just magically showed up on my MacBook one day.

Posted because I’ve been on one of my occasional Beatles kicks, and “it’s all too much” kind of describes what’s going on right now.

4 months ago - 3 -