Forgotten Disc Friday

Favorite records of 2011

2012-01-13T09:19:00.001-05:00

If you want to see what I enjoyed the most (music wise) in 2011 you can check out my 25 favorite albums of the year right
here.

FDF should be "back" next week. The "25" took a while to get posted.

Thanks as always for reading.

Just an update...

2012-01-04T18:53:00.002-05:00

Due to the holidays and short weeks its been a struggle to sit and write.

Working on my favorite records of 2011 as well. This should kick back up hopefully for Friday the 13th, but I'll probably post links to that list for the music fan in you.

Happy New Year!

FDF Volume 3 Issue 251 - The Brian Setzer - Boogie Woogie Christmas

2011-12-23T08:00:00.006-05:00

Album – Boogie Woogie Christmas
Artist – The Brian Setzer Orchestra
Key Players – Dennis Farias, Kye Palmer, Kevin Norton, Will Murillo – Trumpets. Robbie Hioki – Bass Trombone. Craig Woods, Alex Henderson and George McMullen – Trombones. Don Roberts – baritone saxophone. Ti Misica, Ray Herrmann, Matt Zebley and Jim Youngstrom – Saxophones. John Hatton -bass. Bernie Dresel – drums. Brian Setzer – guitar, vocals.

Produced By – David Darling

Release Date – October 10, 2002

What caused me to blow off the dust? - It is the Christmas season, and who wants the same old same old right?

Overview – Brian Setzer made a name for himself in the 80's Rock-a-billy revival band “The Stray Cats”. After a few years he branched out with his “Orchestra” taking on swing music and finding a second wave of success with hits like the remake of “Jump Jive and Wail”. Setzer surrounds himself with competent players for a fun take on some of the songs of the season.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – The album starts with the old standard “Jingle Bells” but quickly has the swing/poppy bounce to it. You can see and hear the band just snapping fingers and bobbing back and forth. The lyrics are quick and gritty with some fun play on words. Pretty true to the original, but a lot more “full” as you'd expect with an Orchestra treatment. Setzer himself is a great guitar player and has a great short solo before the horns come back in for the final verse. “Boogie Woogie Santa Claus” is a little smoother vocally, but the band is having a great time with the big fills and strong bass line. The drums are kept it check so the horns really stand out. There is a saxophone solo mid song that the trumpets seem to get ignited by before Setzer takes a solo. “Winter Wonderland” is true to form, with the BSO twing to it. Setzer starts singing without much accompaniment, before the horns come in. Setzer has a longer, and earlier guitar solo before making way for the saxophone solo. The bass work from Hatton continues to be very strong and right up in the mix. Another classic comes in “Blue Christmas”. Setzer works with a percussive background and background singers rather than being surrounded by the band for the first verse and in to the second. Its not until the second verse is done do we hear a guitar section that lays nicely over the percussive back beat. Setzer has enough fun he continues the solo. The solo is strong, and to the point. The harmonies return at the start of “Santa Claus is Back in Town”. Once the verse begins Setzer has more of a growl to his voice, really reaching down with the 12 bar blues there for the dissection. The horns are back with full effect and seem to really come at the right time with big fills and then fade, before doing it all over again. The lyrics are sung slowly with, as noted, heavy feel for the blues. Ann-Margret joins in a duet on “Baby It's Cold Outside”. Ann begins the singing and its hushed with her taking the lead and Setzer offering a line here and there underneath her. The band is hardly in the mix as the two trade lines. You can hear brushes on the snare drum and a muted horn, to a strum of guitar, but we are focused on the vocals. Setzer has a short solo before the lyrics start up again. It repeats the style for the duration. “The Nutcracker Suite” is an instrumental medley of selections from the Nutcracker. It has the big band touch which really perks the track up fun. “(everybody's waitin' for) The Man with the Bag” has a staggered vocal delivery with focus on the downbeats and the horns are bright and round out the sound. The horns and saxophones again take solo runs which is refreshing and the band is able to showcase their talents. “Sleigh Ride” will have you longing for this version all the time. It just has your feet really moving and the horn accents are tight. Miss the whip cracks, but I'll take the saxophones for a nice mix up. “So They Say It's Christmas” begins with a flamenco style guitar and Setzer is very “loungy” in this vocal delivery. Tracks like this can throw off a listener of the whole record as it is very different than the others. The plus side is the diversity of the band, able to speed up/slow down and still sound great. “O Holy Night” has Setzer on guitar with a choir singing behind him. He does the first verse alone, and the second verse as just rim shots dropped in. Still has the BSO vibe, but also a pretty straight forward version (for these guys). “The Amens” closes out the record and it is just shy of a one minute track. It has a church feel to it, not the big swing track you'd think as an album closer. Pretty and nice, but sorta odd at the same time to close the record out with.

FDF Overall Take – You get the traditional, and not traditional all spend up and “swung” out. For all its good parts it does get old fast though. Toss a song on a holiday mix though, to perk things up.

Links
Official site is here

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

Jingle Bells
Nutcracker Suite

Looks like you can still track the album down
here.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 250 - Northside - Chicken Rhythms

2011-12-09T08:00:00.001-05:00

By: March

Album – Chicken Rhythms
Artist - Northside
Key Players – Warren Dermody – vocals. Timmy Walsh – guitar. Cliff Ogier – bass. Paul Walsh – drums.
Produced By – Ian Broudie

Release Date - 1991

What caused me to blow off the dust? - All this talk of the Stone Roses re-forming have me being a little nostalgic for music of the time.

Overview – Formed in 1989 this is the lone release from Manchester, England's “Northside”. They'd blend shoe-gaze with dream pop and be placed under a “rave scene” band as well.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – The full band comes right in at the start of “Take 5”. After a few runs Paul Walsh runs the percussive instruments and Tim Walsh chimes on his guitar. Ogier has a swooping bass line, but the tambourine and jangly guitar really stand out. Dermody doesn't start to sing until after a good minute, leaving the listener with a wall of music to absorb. It has the Manchester sound of the era, deep bass lines and ringing guitars. The band as a cool break down mid song with Ogier and Paul Walsh getting to show off some, before the chorus returns. Very strong, solid opener. “Weight of Air” has another bright start with Ogier leading out of the gate with a punctuated bass line before the Walsh boys join in. The vocals are a little less frantic than the opener, they lean back to a bit more of the atmospheric approach. Timmy Walsh finds a real bright jingle to his guitar as “Funky Munky” starts. Paul and Ogier jump on board for a fun romp as the song seems to bounce forward playfully. Ogier has the bass high in the mix and Paul seems to keep his drum strikes in check moving forward with ease. “A Change is On Its Way” finds Paul rolling across his cymbals as Timmy lightly strums. After a few rolls Paul gets things moving a long some and Ogier finds his place on the bass. Dermody is still a little hushed, not really pushing himself rather giving a full baritone delivery of the lyrics. Listening on headphones they phase between the headphone speakers and it almost dis-orients the listener. I don't ever recall hearing this or feeling this way. The song actually seems to fall apart in the later sections before it kicks back around, but its not overly exciting. “Yeah Man” really shows off Ogier on the bass. He chugs out this quick bass line and the Walsh’s do what they can to keep up it seems. Timmy gets to have a few quick runs on the guitar after Dermody just says “Yeah Man”!! It is a psychedelic romp if you will. Hard to use those two together, but the guitar and drums have one feel, but the bass gives you a total different view. Its largely an instrumental track with only the songs title being shouted out. We slow it down again on “Tour De World”. Dermody has a more “breathy” vocal delivery on this track and it also feels like Timmy has his first real guitar solo, a wah-wah infused jam that is far too short. Ogier gets to play along with the birds as “Wishful Thinking” starts up. Timmy comes up with some light guitar strums before Paul comes on drums. A trippy, slow, almost plodding track, but it somehow has a bright feel to it. The longer guitar section at the end is a nice touch. The track that got me to buy the record comes in “Shall We Take A Trip”. Dermody says “L”, “S”, “D” as Timmy strikes the guitar. What unfolds as the band comes in is nothing short of Madchester nostalgia. Harbor to guess anyone that was in to this genre recalls this song. A tripped out drug infused track that finds the band really moving along. Timmy is all over his guitar but its Ogier finding a really solid bass line that keeps this tune on track. A true time capsule moment of a track. The short wah-wah portion with just the drums for 20-30 seconds gets me every time and Dermody calls out “Baaaaaasss guitar” and Ogier comes in with his hook, great stuff! “Who's To Blame” is again another slower feeling track than the one prior, but that can't fool you. The guitar riffs blend with an acoustic guitar and Paul Walsh seems to be in a contest with Ogier for who can keep better time with more of punch of their role. Lets call this a draw. We get raging again as “Practise Makes Perfect” takes off. The band is tight and really on task. You may not think of “tight” when you think of bands from this era, or genre, but they are. The album wraps up with “My Rising Star”. Paul Walsh rumbles across his drum kit before Timmy comes in with big ringing chords. Ogier plays along with his usual tight bass lines and Dermody is hushed and breathy, perfect for the vibe of the closing track.

Where are they now? - There is not a lot of information. A lone record before the internet took off sort of limits and web pages and the like. If anyone has any information, please feel free to comment it up. I for one am curious!

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – I never saw the band live. I am not even sure the band toured the States?

FDF Overall Take – If you like the “Madchester” scene you will be right at home. The probably just slipped under your radar. Based of what you may have heard at the time it may feel like the same old same old, but they had some really great ideas and production work pulling the bass and drums up is really strong.

Links
A myspace page.

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

Shall We Take a Trip
here.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 249 - The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - Let's Face It

2011-12-02T08:00:00.004-05:00

By: March

Album- Let's Face It

Artist – The Mighty Mighty Bosstones

Key Players – Joe Sirois -drums. Dennis Brockenborough – trombone, backing vocals. Kevin Lenear – saxophone, backing vocals. Tim “Johnny Vegas” Burton – saxophone, backing vocals. Joe Gittleman – bass guitar, backing vocals. Nate Albert – guitar, backing vocals. Dicky Barrett – lead vocals. Ben Carr – dancer/bosstone

Produced By – Paul Q. Kolderie and Sean Slade

Release Date – March 11, 1997

What caused me to blow off the dust? - The band is due to play a local show, and was surprised I hadn't actually talked about this record yet for the site.

Overview – Formed in 1983 the Boston based ska punk band Mighty Mighty Bosstones (Also called simply Bosstones) found influence in the 2 Tone Ska scene coming out of England in the late 1970's. They'd seem to struggle in the underground scene with light album sales, but a fevered live show and ravenous following would keep the band active. They'd catch their biggest break with the release of this record. The album would have three singles, all that would chart on billboard charts and the album would go platinum in the US. They'd go on hiatus after 2003 and reformed in 2007 where they remain active releasing albums, singles and occasionally touring.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – The 12 song, just a bit over 30 minute album begins with “Noise Brigade”. Sirois gets things rolling and the smooth bass line from Gittleman joins. The horns blaze in and Barrett is off to the races. He has a gruff/gravel voice but sings to be light on himself almost having a bubbly pop song vibe, before it skanks it up good. The horns add a real punch and are not overused. The band has a slower interlude with various vocals coming in before Barrett launches in to the final verse. A song that would eventual make its way in to the top 10 (#7 peak) on the Alternative charts is “The Rascal King”. Again the bass and horns are the focus at the start. Gittleman has a high punch to his drum, almost a piccolo snare drum”ping” to them being struck. Musically the band is tight and focused. Albert has some lighter guitar fills but the horns and the duo of Sirois and Gittleman seem to be the showcase. Gittleman is all over the bass with a wonderful walking bass line. Rather than a guitar solo there is a horn section that leads to a cool organ section as well. “Royal Oil” also charted (at #22) and seems a little mellower than what we've heard. Sirois slowly rolls off the drums and the track is just a more laid back vibe. The horns do punch through but the ping of the snare seems to really ring out over and over. The big single from the record comes in “The Impression That I Get”. Albert gets to lead off with his choppy guitar riff and is joined with the horns bass and drums. Again Gittleman really shines on the bass. Really listen to the bass line the next time you hear this track (see below) and I think you'll be impressed. The gruff sing along chorus gets even the stuffiest of stiff shirts fist pumping and pogo dancing wherever there is room. A solid track that still sounds great.. “Let's Face It” keeps things moving right along. The band never seems to slow things down, as they have found what works for them. There is some light organ fills again on this track. Albert has a quick and distorted guitar solo and then Brockenborough gets a quick shining moment on a strong, albeit short trombone section. Feeling far more punk at the outset “That Bug Bit Me” finds Albert riffing fast and hard with Sirois playing along just about as fast. Up to this point the fastest track on the record. The horns don't appear until the second verse and provide longer tones rather than fills. Barrett has a particular howl to his voice on the track. A great barn burner of a track. Clocking in at an astounding 3:50 “Another Drinkin' Song” follows. This is the longest track on the record starts off almost smooth with the horns taking the forefront. Barrett is much more laid back and Sirosis and Gittleman provide the simple back beat. Albert throws a few guitar riffs, but noting overly flashy. About the 2 minute mark the track seems to change direction and gets interesting with the band really firing off one another. It has this really “full” sound to these ears as well, before Barrett mellows things out, but by then the band is right there for the sing along choruses. Alberts guitar punches the speakers as
“Numbered Days” begins. The band all come in urgently but when Barrett starts to sing it backs off some. There is some slick production here with the loud to quiet and back aesthetic, but it really works. “Break So Easily” starts quieter with Albert playing a few light notes, but don't be fooled. Brockenborough leads the charge with the horns in to the verse. Parts of the verses are spoken rather than sung, and when sung it seems like the whole band is right in your face. It gets loud, urgent and almost frantic. Barrett is gruff again (more than usual) and you almost feel your own throat hurting after listening. Sirois quickly gets “Nevermind Me” rolling. Gittleman has heavy compressed distortion on his bass but the horns steal the show again. The horns chip right through sometimes with longer notes, others with short 16th note precision. The horns hit like a machine gun. We keep the speed up with “Desensitized” and the closer “1-2-8”. If you feet don't move on these two tracks, I really can't help.

Where are they now? - The band is still active but on a lighter schedule. They will play a few shows a year. The band is slated to release a new record on December 6, 2011 called “The Magic of Youth”. Dicky Barrett is the announcer for the Jimmy Kimmel Live late night show. Bassist Joe Gittleman, Tim Burton and Ben Carr have been the other consistent members of the band.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – Actually have seen the band live three times. Considering they are a “Boston” band it could be seen as being a little too low. The first time was July 25, 1995 as part of Lollapalooza. They then did two shows are part of the WBCN River Rave at the Tweeter/Comcast/Great Woods on June 7 and 8, 1997. They headlines those two shows over Foo Fighters and Porno for Pyros. A true homecoming indeed.

FDF Overall Take – Have to admit it has been some time since I played this record front to back. Its really pretty great. If you like the style enough this is well worth your time. Its fun, uptempo and overall really great. There is a reason it sold well. Chance are you have a copy, dust it off..if not check out some of the clips. It has been too long.

Links
Official Page
myspace page

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

The Impression That I Get
Royal Oil
Rascal King
Rascal King Live

The album appears to still be in print. You can grab one here

FDF Volume 3 Issue 248 - downset. - Do we Speak a Dead Language?

2011-11-25T08:00:00.001-05:00

By: March

Album – Do We Speak A Dead Language?
Artist - Downset
Key Players - James Morris – bass. Chris Hamilton – drums. Ares Schwager – guitar. Rey Oropeza – lead vocals.
Produced By – Roy Z

Release Date – September 10, 1996

What caused me to blow off the dust? - I try to mix things up on the site. Going 80's one time, to 90's alternative and even dipping in to harder stuff. Just felt like mixing it up.

Overview – This was the second full length album from Los Angeles California band downset. Blending rap metal, hardcore and alternative the four piece would be seen as a political band before they'd realize it. Singer Rey Oropeza's own father died had the hand of the LAPD so the band would turn to political and deeply personal songs. The band would tour, release a few albums, but never garner much mainstream success. They'd disband in May of 2009 just saying the band had “run its course”.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – Fifteen tracks in under fifty minutes gets started with the track “Intro” which is a segment of a speech from Martin Luther King with chimes and bass. “Empower” takes right off with the grinding fusion of rap/rock. Schwager finds big guitar riffs while Hamilton focuses his anger on the hi-hat. Oropeza pushes himself hard on the vocals and the band has that grinding heavy feel through out. Schwager and Morris have a good tandem run with Hamilton keeping pace and the tempo locked in. It is a heavy and hard intro track. Morris gets the intro on the track “Eyes Shut Tight” riffing a few times before the guitar and drums come in. Oropeza is a little less rushed on this track, but the track is still heavy, but the vocals are a lot less “shouted”. The band does some heavier stop/starts about 1:45 in to the track with Schwager really buzzing on his guitar and after a verse of that Morris gets up in the mix as the band settles back and Schwager throws some delayed guitar riffs over the top. It swells up again and gets a lot heavier. They repeat the chorus again and the track comes to a close, but not before Schwager gets another run. “Keep on Breathing” has Schwager starting with a distorted guitar before the band comes in quickly. Morris finds a tight groove and Schwager joins while Hamilton keeps it all in check. Oropeza continues be angry, and on point. His vocals may not be flashy, but they fit right in with the music. The band is good about some stop/start time signatures, usually with, in this case, a big bass riff to bring it all back in. Hamilton starts things off on “Hurl a Stone”. Oropeza is back to a quick vocal delivery, barking at times and giving tight rapped lyrics at times. Schwager found a great riff on this and won't shake it loose, which is fine with me. Schwager seems to go even faster on “Fire” and Morris and Hamilton are just fine playing along, as quickly as he is. The track has some backing “shouts” in the chorus as the big down beats get your head bobbing at a rapid pace. We seem to settle things down with “Touch” as Morris and Schwager both calmly play and Hamilton slowly rolls across the drum kit with some lush cymbal rolls. The tempo is set from Hamilton and suddenly it picks right up and Oropeza breaks the silence with the vocals asking if you have “any love in your heart?”. The song reverts back to the smooth intro for a time, then Oropeza opens it up again, the track follows this pattern for the duration. Schwager seems anxious to get things started on “Against the Spirits” and again Hamilton is happy to play along, he teases it some, but Morris comes in and it takes off. This is about as fast as the band has been, they are just in the zone and its all out there. Morris pulls a funky bass riff out before the full band gets back in to it and off they go again. This is some speedy stuff. Oropeza leads off “Sickness”. This is the first track that comes to mind where it is only vocals first, before the band comes in. We get full, and heavy, before letting Oropeza sing with the band easing up some. Still heavy, but a refreshing change from the norm of the record. One might think, due to the vibe of the record that a song like “Pocket Full of Fatcaps” has to do with bullets. Wrong. This has to do with spray painting. How gangster is that? It is actually pretty gangster. This was the lead single that I recall hearing from the album with its punchy drums and buzzing guitar. It seemed so new, so heavy and so on point. Check out the sample below, if you like stuff of this genre, you'll dig. “Sangre De Mis Manos” is sung in Spanish, but even language doesn't slow down the urgency and heavy vibe of the track. “Horrifying” continues what he have heard which leads in to a reprise of “Sickness”. The tracks all see like bookends. We actually get a piano??! intro on “Permanent Days Unmoving”. The vocals are spoken and it appears to be a soft spoken poem. The album closes out with “Ashes in Hand” a track which has Schwager and Hamilton slowly growing in intensity as Oropeza comes in shouting “sex kills” before the band gets heavier right along with him. Schwager uses some delay on this guitar again, while Morris and Hamilton grind the track forward to the point where Hamilton appears to grow two more arms and just goes wild on the drum kit. Suddenly we change directions, everyone eases off the throttle and the track wraps up. The track still rolls to silence until about 8 minutes when an unlisted track begins, again it starts out mellow and remains a loose instrumental jam.

Where are they now? - As noted the band broke up in 2009.
James Morris worked with a band Supervillain but their site hasn't been updated since 2005. I wasn't able to find much else on what the guys are doing now.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – I saw the band one time opening for Deftones and Orange 9MM at the Middle East in Cambridge MA. I am not sure of the date due to a lack of a ticket stub. The downset page has a tour history, but it only goes back as far as 2000. This was on the tour for this record as I had the guys sign the cd.

FDF Overall Take – If you are a fan of bands like Rage Against the Machine you'll be right at home. Fast, heavy but still melodic at times. It might seem a little dated, but I hadn't listened to this record in a long time and found it refreshing for some reason. Honestly though if you like the style to begin with there is little for you to NOT like on this record.

Links

Official Page
Facebook page.
Twitter
myspace page

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

Pocket Full of Fat Caps
Empower
Eyes Shut Tight

The album appears to be in print still. You can track it down here.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 247 Eyes Adrift - Self Titled

2011-11-18T08:00:00.003-05:00

By: March

Album – Eyes Adrift
Artist – Eyes Adrift
Key Players – Bud Gaugh – drums and percussion. Curt Kirkwood – guitar, lead vocals on most , Krist Novoselic – bass, vocals on 3,6 and 12.
Produced By – Stuart Sullivan

Release Date – September 24, 2002

What caused me to blow off the dust? - I am not even sure how I stumbled upon this cd to begin with. I recall being struck by 2-3 songs though. Its just been sitting on the shelf for a while.

Overview – So you take the bassist from Nirvana, the guitar player from the Meat Puppets, toss in the drummer from Sublime..and well..you have it. The band would blend alternative rock and “cow punk” for a pretty fun romp. They'd disband in 2003 after this lone release.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – Gaugh opens on the cymbals to get “Sleight of Hand” underway. Kirkwood strums his guitar and before you know it a deep bassline is swooping in. Filled with percussive instruments the band is comforatble with its laid back feel and pace. It feels like a big change from what the each members prior bands had done. “Alaska” is a little more heavy with the guitars, but the band still holds to the “power trio” with some big riffs and Gaugh clacking off the snare drum. A long guitar opens up “Inquiring Minds” with Gaugh hardly touching the cymbals. This is the first track that Novoselic has lead vocals. The track is about the murdered girl “JonBenet Ramsey” and they sing her name about putting flowers on her grave. The bass and drums are top notch on the track, it is mixed flawless and Kirkwood really has a great tone for the duration. “Untried” again finds Kirkwood in fine form on guitar. A clean guitar sound throughout after a simple drum intro finds Kirkwood a little more laid back on his waving vocals. The acoustic guitars blend with a few electric chords as “Blind to Me” gets underway. Again, we are laid back some vocally. Novoselic has a nice tone to his bass and seems okay with a secondary role on the track. It is a well mixed track with the subtle drum work from Gaugh ringing out. “Dottie Dawn and Julie Jewel” finds Novoselic on the lead vocals with a deep country vibe. Kirkwood uses a slide on this guitar and Gaugh really has a solid back beat for the duration. You can hear the smile in Novoselic's voice which is a lot of fun. This was one of the first songs from the collection that really stood out with me. We feel a bit more “heavy” as “Solid” gets underway. Big guitar riffs with cymbal smashes, but we mellow it out vocally. Kirkwood seems in his element when he can have a laid back delivery. There are a few more vocal harmonies but they are not expansive on the track. We go laid back again on “Pyramids” which finds Gaugh playing some keyboards. This adds a nice touch to the bass/drum/guitar feel of the record. Kirkwood again is smooth and not pushing himself too hard. They have an exended outtro on the track where they find a comforatble pocket to play. We get heavy, again thankully, at the start of “Telescope”. The guitar and bass seem to have a “chugging” sound which help set it as another stand out on the album. As solid as the band is, the heavier stuff just seems to sit better with me personally. Kirkwood actually seems to get angry with his guitar on the backend of the track. “Slow Race” has about a 30 second slow intro before the guitar comes up and finds Gaugh slowly rap-tapping on his snare. Novoselic's bass work works in and out, providing a welcome feel to the track. “What I Said” is another track with a more laid back feel before the full band comes in. Here the band has a nice full sound for the three piece and the vocals are strong and there is a perfect guitar/slide solo. The album concludes with the lengthy track “Pasted”. It starts off noisy, then settles right back down. Novoselic has the lead vocals and it has little bit of rock-a-billy feel to it, but not the 12 bar blues to go with it. The band changes directions a lot, mostly it feels like they are trying to find their way. There are longer guitar solos with rumbling drums and then a longer buzzy guitar run. It can be a little taxing on the listen and sort of an odd choice for an album closer, but it makes sense at the same time since you will be challenged as a listener. It seems to be a long and loose jam session.

Where are they now? - This was a one and done thing for the band. Kirkwood is back with his band The Meat Puppets. Gaugh is back with the new incarnation of Sublime called, Sublime with Rome. Novoselic wrote a weekly blog for a bit and is currently in law school.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – I never saw the band live, and there is a pretty good chance there was never a tour.

FDF Overall Take – What is good, is really good on this. Personally I'd like a little heavier of a record. Even with the electric guitars it never really seemed to unload on the listener. The band found a comforatble place to have some fun. If you stumble upon it you may be more surprised than you expected.

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

Dottie Dawn & Julie Jewel.
Inquiring Minds
Telescope

The album is out of print, but you can track it down easy enough, like right here

FDF Volume 3 Issue 246: Heretix - Gods and Gangsters

2011-11-04T08:00:00.001-04:00

By: March

Album – Gods & Gangsters
Artist - Heretix
Key Players – Marvin Huffman – drums, percussion. Eric Hill – Bass. Brian Hill – guitar, vocals (lead vocals on “Fire Inside”). Ray Lemieux – lead vocals, acoustic guitar
Produced By – Ed Stasium (5 tracks produced by Ross Humphrey)

Release Date – June 15, 1990

What caused me to blow off the dust? - I am not sure many outside of New England have ever even heard of them.

Overview – Boston band Heretix blended a bountiful pop/rock sensibility. At times heavy, at times soothing always melodic. The band would be well known in the Boston area winning awards for albums, live shows and many “best” categories (Best male vocalist for example). The band would be signed to major label but the times were changing and the band was dropped.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – The ten song, just shy of 40 minute album opens with the title track “Gods and Gangsters”. A big bass and drum hits right out. The band settles back and Lemieux comes in. He has a deep and strong voice. (When I refer to the Hills I'll use first names). Brian offers some good backing vocals whole Eric and drummer Huffman keep everything in check. The overall sound of the band is similar to the rock that was on the radio at the time. Just that touch of heavy with big hooks. Huffman breaks things down and they toss some vocal effect on Lemieux as Eric and Brian fire notes back and forth. The song keeps a pretty consistent verse/chorus/verse feel. Brian starts off “Climb to Begin” on his own. Huffman rumbles in and Eric joins with the rumble of his bass. Lemieux is a little more laid back on the first verse. The acoustic guitar seems to be a little higher in the mix on the verse. The track has a good deep riff at times that will reach out to grab the listener and find them reaching for their “air guitar”. Huffman sets the tone as “Simple Wish” begins quickly Eric and Brian join. They run through a few bars before settling back a little and the vocals begin. Lemieux is a little laid back, but still very strong. Brian gets a quick guitar solo and the band seems to let him go with it. It is not flashy or too long before Lemieux comes back to the chorus. The shortest track on the album comes in “Up and Running”. Takes a little to get rolling but the Hills seem to have a lot of fun with Eric having a particular rumble to his bass. Huffman really pushes this forward and you can actually hear the smile on Lemieux's face as he sings. Just a fun, rocking tune. Lemieux plays the acoustic a the start of “My Head” and after a few bars Huffman wants to get things rolling and the rest of the guys agree. As the verse is started it gets hushed and Lemieux doesn't seem to have a set of lyrics are the start, he does get to the words making sense and your feet will be tapping along before you know it. The song has a very rock-a-billy feel and they seem to tease “Aint that a Shame” as well, but they don't go all the way there. If the band had a “radio single” from the record it came in the track “Heart Attack”. The band is a little subdued on the track, but it has that big rock vibe with soaring chorus and the switch of strummed acoustic guitars to big guitars. Huffman seems to keep everyone from taking off and manhandles the tom-toms as the chorus approaches. The backing vocals are well timed as well, just on parts of the chorus. One of the most underrated songs of all time in my humble opinion. Eric gets to stand on his own for a moment at the start of “Insomnia” as Huffman joins. Brian rings a few choppy guitar lines over and the vocals begin. Eric is high in the mix for a lot of song, as a bass player I enjoy that touch. Brian Hill takes the lead vocals on “Fire Inside”. Eric plucks a few short notes and Huffman seems to hit everything on his drum kit once, but not too hard..just working his way around the drum kit. Brian does an amicable job, but he also seems to be comfortable with his abilities. “Turning Around” finds Brian buzzing on his guitar with Huffman and Eric offering up choppy fills before Lemieux starts to sing. The track has Brian doing a solo earlier and the band seems to be okay with the change up. The backing vocals are strong again. The album concludes with the track “Waste of Skin”. Brian comes out of the gate and Huffman finds a steady, calming beat. It is a more laid back track that still contains the elements of what makes the band, and Lemieux so strong. Good harmonies, tight playing and a big sound at all the right times.

Where are they now? - There appears to be no facebook, myspace or even unofficial band page. If any band member, or friend of the band, has any info drop a comment and I'll be glad to update. One person I think is a match is Ray, and it appears he is in the real estate business now.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – I only saw the band live one time. It was April 17, 1992 at “Nightstage” in Cambridge MA. The support band was Letters to Cleo that night and I recall the night well, as a friend of mine turned 21 that night. He had fun, we all had fun.

FDF Overall Take – I read one review that compared them a little to bands like Candlebox and Collective Soul. In a sense I see it, both those bands had heavy riff based tracks on the radio, which Heretix does here. Ray Lemieux is a terrific vocalist and that sets them above the aforementioned bands. If you see this in the cut out bin, and like early 90's rock you'd be VERY much at home. The track “Heart Attack” alone is worth the cost of a download.

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!
Wow, I can't even find a clip from this record on line. I'll need to work on this...

Out of print, but you can find copies here.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 245: Richard Ashcroft - Alone with Everybody

2011-10-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

By: March

Album – Alone With Everybody
Artist – Richard Ashcroft
Key Players – Richard Ashcroft – guitars, bass, drums, percussion
Produced By – Chris Potter and Richard Ashcroft

Release Date – June 27, 2000 (US)

What caused me to blow off the dust? - For some reason I just started humming one of the tracks off this records.

Overview – This was the first solo record released by singer Richard Ashcroft. Ashcroft, at the time, had come off the disbanding of the group he fronted “The Verve”. Ashcroft would play the bulk of the instruments and surround himself with a series of others to create the record. Ashcroft would also take a few leftover Verve tracks for this record.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – The 11 song, just under 60 minute album opens with “A Song for the Lovers”. Filled with strings that are then complimented by trumpet (Duncan Mackay). Ashcroft comes up and has a particular drawl to his voice. He sings in a fluid baritone and strums the guitar as it starts to get a little busier musically. The lyrics are sung a little on the speedy side for a song with this feel. A strong album opener that wouldn't alienate listeners of Ashcrofts prior band. There is some extended full band moments as well. This is a solid opener. “I Get My Beat” continues with the quiet string intro. Flutes and trumpets are also present. Ashcroft plays a laid back choppier acoustic. Playing more short chords the supporting players seem to get more of a look over. Judd Lander offers up some harmonica fills while Jim Hunt will swap between saxophone and flute. Ashcroft strums his guitar as “Brave New World” begins. BJ Cole offers up some very laid back slide guitar that adds a haunting feel to the track. Pino Palladino joins on bass and adds a very solid bass line. The tone of his bass notes just grab the ears as he and Cole really seem to shine. Cole gets a little more room as the chorus approaches as well as after. The album has not really opened up to this point, we are getting some pretty acoustic lead tracks and that is an okay thing. One of the tracks taken from The Verve was “New York”. Palladino and Cole both return on this track. A slow to build track before drummer Peter Salisbury sets it in motion. This is the first more “rocking” song on the record. It is a welcome change of pace. Ashcroft seems to be pushing himself and the guitars have that bit of distortion that gives it a little dirt. Ashcroft also does some harmonies with himself on some looped and delayed backing vocal portions. These are the parts you long to have repeated and they go ahead and do that. Chuck Leavell plays the hammond organ as “You on My Mind In My Sleep” begins. Complimented with strings and then switching to piano Ashcroft joins and sings the first verse. Drummer Peter Salisbury rolls across and the track seems to dig in. Ashcroft seems hesitant at times to really get going. His songs have feeling and emotion, but he tends to let the whole experience take you in. Cole on Slide guitar, the piano and organ from Leavell as well as the “just at the right time” Palladino bass fill. A pretty song indeed. BJ Cole continues to be a strong force on the record as “Crazy World” gets underway. Steve Sidelnk is on percussion and seems to be in a rush, pushing everyone to join him. Salisbury is along for the ride Ashcroft is capable of singing at this quick pace and offers a real nice change between tracks. The backing players continue to shine, he really did a strong job finding such a great supporting cast. We slow it down again, seems to be the trend here, with “On A Beach”. There is not a lot of new ground here. Pretty guitars, nice slide guitar, strong bass work cap it off with strings or horns. Hands down my favorite track on the record comes with “Money To Burn”. Almost starting with a country feel heavy on the harmonica from Judd Lander. Ashcroft seems pointed on his vocal and when the hook of the chorus comes its just excellent. There is just something that strikes a chord with me personally when he “ooohhhhhhh baby's” in to “my sweeeeeeeeeet savior” etc. The congas, the bass, the harmonica with the string fills are great. On the liner notes there is no indication of backing vocalists so it leads one to believe that the vocals were mixed and Ashcroft as a solo work. Easily the song I'd play for any new listener first. Ashcroft has a thing on this record for five plus minute tracks which makes the 3:44 track “Slow Was My Heart” sort of unusual. Again, we go back to a much more mellow track. Still, a very listenable track but Ashcroft seems confident in his co-players that he almost wants to show them off. Another track rumored to be left over from the Verve is “C'mon People (We're Making It Now)”. Ashcroft opens with a bouncing piano line before the bass and drums join in. Ashcroft seems very comfortable and capable with us craft. I never knew personally how much he can play with regard to instruments. He may not be some virtuoso player, but he really seems to focus on his talents and won't overdo it. I personally find his uptempo songs, like this, just more fun. The album concludes with “Everybody”. Keeping with the uptempo/downtempo tracks we end on a more somber but musically competent conclusion.

Where are they now? - Ashcroft has released three solo records and is a member of the band “RPA & The United Nations who released a record in July 2010.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – I have never seen Richard Ashcroft as a solo performer.

FDF Overall Take - Ashcroft has a great voice, even under rated perhaps. There are some real gems on here and its a record you could put on an not be embarrassed to play, or own. I'd like a little more "rocking" like New York and the like, but it was his debut solo trying to give him room to spread his wings. Solid effort.

Links
Official site is here.

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

The album can still be purchased here.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 244 Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Orange

2011-10-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

By: March

Album - Orange
Artist The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
Key Players - Judah Bauer- guitar. Russell Simins – drums. Jon Spencer – vocals, guitar, theramin
Produced By – Jon Spencer and Jim Waters

Release Date – October 1994

What caused me to blow off the dust? - Jon Spencer is one of those artists where I seemingly have everything they have put out, but I hardly ever listen to for some reason. Mood music I guess. Figured I'd go with the one that planted the seed with me to begin with.

Overview – Formed in 1991 the New York City based band Jon Spencer Blues Explosion would blend various styles such as rock and roll, with punk, mix in some blues here and there and go on to release seven studio albums (so far). Their sound would be emulated by bands such as the White Stripes

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – The 13 song 44 minute album opens with the track “Bellbottoms”. The guitar are choppy across the top and seem to have a muted feel but Simins works his best to get the bottom rolling. There is a string section on this track that fills out the sound. There is is a lot of “yelling” on the track of “hooooo” while the band works to find their place. Spencer only speaks a few lines of lyrics. They also have a few moments where the track comes to a complete stop before coming back in. Spencer stops the track and tells us he needs to tell us about “bellbottoms” and they chant the line as Simins hammers away. Bauer and Spencer battle back and forth on the track and it winds to a rowdy conclusion. The band has fun with the jamming style of their play. “Ditch” has a cool southern feeling blues riff. Bauer and Spencer find the right tandem with one taking more of a bass line approach to the guitar while Si minis just smashes his crash cymbal over and over. The tempo is mixed allowing for the chorus to have this big guitar sound that mixes right enough buzz with a ringing guitar sound. There is a John Zorn like saxophone solo at the tail end of the track and a cow bell clunks in the right speaker seemingly from nowhere. We keep it buzzy and quick as “Dang” starts. Simins slowly starts to build this before a heavily distorted harmonica blows over. Spencer's vocals are heavily distorted as well as he shouts and seems to fight the harmonica. Spencer launches in to a theramin solo as the three seem to make this overwhelming wall of noise. We slow it down some as “Very Rare” finds a different low end. Simins drums are tight and clear on the track as Bauer and Spencer look to get things underway. Neither wants to really take off, and you can hear some of the early sounds that like minded artist Beck was using. This is an instrumental track and is a track showcasing their quirky and fun style. “Sweat” seems to fall under the blues tag for sure. Simins keeps the drums simple as Bauer and Spencer once again find a way to have one guitar go deep and swampy while the other wants to ring over it all, being cheery. “Cowboy” has a twangy but compressed vocal portion. The guitars again have that wonderful diversity and Simins is quiet at the start. The riff repeats and the song seems to try to gain some traction but takes a bit to get rolling. Over all the track has a cool vibe, but it doesn't seem to hold attention like others have. Title track “Orange” follows. Guitars are a little cleaner and Simins starts off with a simple and pointed drum line. Strings return and the track has a big sound while at the same time seeming minimalist. Simins gets up on this ride cymbal clanging out a great tempo as Bauer and Spencer take over once more. “Brenda” sounds like a garage/demo tape until Spencer starts to sing in his falsetto. Rhythmically the track is a little stagnant until the twin guitars do a little feed off one another. “Dissect” is also similar, with Simins beating the tom toms as Bauer and Spencer wrestle their guitars. Musically this track feels all over the map with odd time signatures, stoppages and then big monster riffs. It has it all one could say. Single guitar opens “Blues X Man” and then a second drops in the 12 bar blues riff. Spencer doesn't really sing, he speaks in Elvis Presley like “good evening/hello mama” style. Female vocalists sing the chorus of “blues explosion man!” adding a nice touch. “Full Grown” seems to have Simins off to the races. He seems to cut loose on the track at the intro, working his whole drum kit complete with cowbell. Bauer and Spencer sit back and let Simins have his way and get excited on the backing vocal yells. Guitars are seemingly hesitant to really get rolling, sitting back until the right time. Guitars are more pointed at the start of “Flavor” which features Beck. Simins punches a tight back beat that constrained as Spencer and Bauer again work in tandem. Both are going in two directions, but always seem to blend perfectly. Beck appears at the end of the track reciting some lyrics. “Greyhound” is the album closer a nice heavy sounding track with that wonderful deep guitar/high guitar mix that you'll either love or hate on the record. Being instrumental adds to it, the slow blues the frantic punk rock vibe is solid.

Where are they now? - The band is still active as a unit, but haven't released anything new in some time. In 2010 Spencer was quoted as saying the band was having fun playing live/touring and the chances of new material seemed a possibility. They did a large re-issue of their prior releases in 2010 as well. The three members are active in other projects, production etc. They are busy that is for sure.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – I saw the band one time. December 8, 1998 at Avalon in Boston. Someone my buddy and I got upstairs to the “VIP” area and were able to view the show on the rail with no obstruction. It was a rowdy set, with the band really active and fun on stage. It seems like they don't tour as much these days, I'd see them again.

FDF Overall Take – First things first, if you are looking for a “blues” record I'd be hard to sell this to you as being such. The perception of what the “blues” is, is the cause for concern. The band dabbles in it for sure but a blues record I wouldn't classify it as. The band is accomplished for sure, blending various tempos and instruments. For a track that might be challenging to a new listener the next would have you curious as to how they did that. “Orange” is a good record to start with, overall I'd recommend it.

Links
Official site here.

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

You can track down the album here.

Nothing...

2011-10-14T13:32:00.001-04:00

Yeah nothing today.....back next week probably....

FDF Volume 3 Issue 243 - Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back

2011-10-07T08:00:00.000-04:00

By: March

Album – It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
Artist – Public Enemy
Key Players - Professor Griff – Minister of Information. Terminator X – Assault Technician. Flavor Flav – The Cold Lamper. Chuck D – Messenger of Prophecy
Produced By – Rick Rubin (executive)

Release Date – April 14, 1988

What caused me to blow off the dust? - Okay I realize this is one of those records that many probably say “how can you forget it?” Remember this site is all about the whole album, not just a track..and sticking with that..its been a very long time since I've listened to this front to back.

Overview – This is the second album, and first major label release from New York rap act Public Enemy. Formed in 1982 the band would garner almost immediate fame with their politically heavy hip hop tracks. They'd mash up with Anthrax setting the metal and rap world on their heels. They have very few line up changes and barring some controversy in an article the band would be heralded as one of, if not the most import rap act. This album would be voted album of the year in the Village Voice and it continues to make “best of all time” lists to this day.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – A BBC intro from 1987 comes in “Countdown to Armageddon” which is just a live show about to start. Air raid sirens wail as audience cheers and the London Audience is warned. As the show seems to start it fades and “Bring the Noise” starts. Chuck D is the lead on the track with Flavor Flav shouting out key words, mostly his famous “yeah boy”. This version is not the sped up metal version with Anthrax. That would come later. D and Flav tandem on the second verse heavy with the samples and scratches from Terminator X. Another one of the bands bigger songs comes up in “Don't Believe the Hype”. A little slower on the back beat D and Flav are back firing off one another. Flav stammers and uses a slight delay on his “Don't..don't don't believe the hype” for added punch. The track has a deep groove, but the band is not dishing the lyrics very quickly. Flav has a little freak out near the end, but the song remains steady. Flavor Flav takes the lead on “Cold Lampin with Flavor”. The heavy looped sample allows Flav to be right on task and he delivers at a rapid pace. Remember..Flavor Flav is in everything you eat after all. We go back to a live setting for the intro on “Terminator X to the Edge of Panic”. The audience chance shouts “Terminator X” when asked who the DJ is. The track starts and the song “Flash Gordon” from Queen is sampled and scratched/delayed before the lyrics from Chuck D start. Terminator X finds some good samples to really cut the song up nice giving D and Flav various ins and outs on the track. “Mind Terrorist” has a cool loop at the start with almost a jazz back beat. Flav shouts “get that bass for your face” and tosses the “Yeah Boy” and these are the lone lyrics really sung/repeated for the 1:15 track. “Louder than a Bomb” finds Flav right at the start and after a few lines the bass gets low and he shouts out to Chuck D who then starts his run of rhymes. Terminator X seems to get a little bit of a showcase here as well. We got back to a live setting for some stage chants as “Caught, Can We Get A Witness?” starts up. Personally these are the tracks that stand out for their speed and prescsion. They are on a mission on this track which just adds to the appear. The lyrics are sprung on you quick and the tempo of the back beat really pushes it forward. The cool wah-wah guitar sample is perfect. “Show Em Whatcha Got” uses a saxophone repeating the same few notes as D chants “Public Enemy Number 1” and there are various lines spoken as the sax loop continues for close to 2 minutes. Flav starts out all by himself as “She Watch Channel Zero?!” begins. We have a more metal riff feel on this, we can see its laying the ground work for their work with Anthrax. The guitar riff buzzes and the drums are a bit canned, but feel like a live drummer. The simple back beat doesn't have the focus the guitar seems to garner. D and Flav work off one another per the norm, and this song has a heavy and almost angry feel. “Night Of The Living Bassheads” is another track that seems to use horns in the back beat/loop. Chuck D has the main lyric and the horn loop is almost overpowering at times. It just seems to play the same honking note. There is a cool break, but it comes back to the honking note. I can't stop focusing on it, and its really sort of annoying, I can't finish the track. We head back to London for a stage announcement and then “Black Steel In the Hour of Chaos” starts. This is a little darker, slower track. The bass is heavy and the lyrics are a bit more pointed. When I worked as an intern in Boston radio the main jock I worked with/for used “Security Of The First World” as a music bed when he took calls. He used a re-mix version that was a little longer. It was fun to watch because even talking to callers he knew when he needed to hit the button and get back to the start. Just this sample brings back a lot of memories. “Rebel Without A Pause” has some Terminator X work once more (there needs to be more!) we have a shivering sample that runs through the verses which gets old, but the backing snare sample sounds cool with Flavor firing back to Chuck D. The track ends when we go back to London for some live stage banter. “Prophets of Rage”has some great Terminator X work (ask and you shall receive I guess). We close the record out with “Party For Your Right To Fight”. A mix of heavy samples and scratching. A plus way to go out.

Where are they now? - Public Enemy is still writing and recording. They are no longer on a major label and choose to do things on their own terms. They have a new album due in 2012 according to reports.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – I have never seen the band live. Figure my best chance would have been as part of Lollapalooza.

FDF Overall Take – It is very easy to hear why this record has and had such a wide appeal. Few acts seem to 'rap' today and this seems so new even though it is over 20 years old. The members have passion and urgency and it is not cluttered with a lot of fluff. I can't speak for the more recent albums, but the early ones, like this, are well worth your time.

Links
The official band page http://publicenemy.com/

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

The album is very much in print, you can grab it here.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 242 Static-X Wisconsin Death Trip

2011-09-30T08:00:00.002-04:00

By: March

Album – Wisconsin Death Trip
Artist – Static - X
Key Players - Koichi Fukuda – guitars, keyboards, programming. Tony Campos – bass, backing vocals. Ken Jay – drums. Wayne Static – Lead vocals, guitars, programming.
Produced By - Ulrich Wild and Static-X

Release Date – March 23, 1999

What caused me to blow off the dust? Lead singer of the band (Wayne Static) released a solo album recently. I haven't heard it, but it got me thinking about the band, and it has/had been a while for sure.

Overview – This is the debut album from Los Angeles band Static-X. The band would blend nu metal (popular at the time) with industrial and alternative rock. (The band likes to call their music “evil disco”) Formed in 1994 the album would go platinum, but it would never break the top 100 on the Billboard charts (It would chart higher on others, such as “Heatseekers”, where it would go to #1). There would three singles released form the record, but none would crack the top 20. They'd continue to release albums and tour until 2009 when they'd go on hiatus.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) - “Push It” is the first track on the 16 song album. It was also the first single released to radio. The guitars bass and drums all come up with big riffs before it gets the buzzing start/stop feel. Static has a gravel voice and gets help with some yelps and screams. The track is heavy with a very heavy industrial feel. The wall of guitar is at the front of the mix with the bass and drums rumbling under. Fukuda tosses in a few samples about the two minute mark, but the band is quick to keep the buzzy swirl on going. The album has the same feel of intensity and “I'm with Stupid” is no less intense. There are a bit more keyboards and samples than the lead off track and the band uses the stops in music for the samples. Static is a little more rapid on his vocals during the verses and will reach down for some heavy growls. Campos and Jay work well together keeping the tempo in check. Fukuda gets a short keyboard run and then everyone drops out excluding the vocals and Jay on the drums before it all comes back for one more run of the chorus. The second single from the album “Bled for Days” follows. The keyboard stutters before the grind of the bass and guitars start. Its loops on the same big riff and Static begins the vocals. The vocals are chanted almost and they band seems okay with the samples filling the gaps. Leading to the chorus the sound gets very big and intense. Static sings even quicker and the backing vocals are slightly subdued but stand on their own during the barrage of sound. The term “evil disco” fits. A female voice is used in the sample that starts with “Love Dump”. Jay clangs the drums then switches to the bass drum and the guitar riff begins to play a similar pattern. It seems to take ages, but the band finally comes in and the song rumbles forward. Static has a limited vocal range and on this track he seems to be going up in range from prior tracks. When you sing a line “your ass smells like a rose” I guess you don't want sappy sounding vocals. The blend of industrial and hard rock works well. Easy to cite the Ministry influence through out. The guitars are phased speaker to speaker on “I Am” a track that seems to find Jay hitting the drums even harder, if that is even possible. Campos offers quick bass chords before Static starts to sing. The backing vocals are largely limited to background screams as Fukuda will change between guitars and samples. “Otsegolation” has the heaviest keyboard/sample intro to this point on the record. Jay, and Campos work to fit in and then the guitar cuts across like a sceeching wheel. The song as a slight “tin” sound to it, but the band has found a bottom heavy vibe only offset by those screetching guitar chops. Birds chirp in the sample as “Stem” begins. The intro continues to be a low key, slow building track with Fukuda light on the keyboard. Static gives a yell and the band comes in. It is heavy, but has a little more bounce to it. It has a little bit of a funk groove to it with the swooping calm bass line but the guitars on overdrive toss that theory out the window. The track fades right over to “Sweat of the Bud” which sounds like a plane taking off before Campos and Static fire the sound off one another. Campos sounds like a caged animal trying to get out. His tempo seems to excite the band and the guitars and bass seem to have all that more crunch. Static gets some vocal treatment so as he shouts “GO” it has a bubbled sound that is a hybrid of evil/alien. Fukuda tosses a keyboard sample that seems to send the track in a different direction, but that is short lived and the wall of guitar, bass and drums takes it back over. Fukuda opens with a repeated few notes and then “Fix” takes off. Static is right up on the vocals with no delay. Static again is quick and almost changing his parts. Campos seems to get a good punch out of his bass at times and the guitar is as heavy as always. “Wisconsin Death Trip” has the choppy guitars and Fukuda drops in a chirping sample giving it a funny feel, but it makes the guitar bass and drums seem all the more brutal when they come in. Atmospheric keyboards start of “The Trance Is The Motion”. It is just the keyboards/samples before electronic hand claps and then Campos is the first one heard. Slow plodding bass line for a few bars and then Jay gets on the ride cymbals before the single long droning guitar parts start. We haven't broken any new ground, but the change of pace musically seems a little refreshing. The album concludes with the longest track in “December”. The atmospheric keyboards are again the norm and spread out before the vocals start. There are no buzzing guitars, just a hushed vocal track. The song doesn't feel that long and ends suddenly.

Where are they now? - The band is currently on hiatus. In 2009 Wayne Static reported he'd be focusing on his side project “Pighammer” and his debut will be out on October 4th, 2011. Tony Campos joined Ministry for a tour in 2007 during some band downtime, he is listed as a former member but the “current” band does not list a full time bass player. Ken Jay left the band around 2001. Fukuda is a member of the band Drugstore Fanatics.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) - I saw the band two times. The first was as a headliner on May 7, 2000 at Lupos in Providence. I don't recall a ton of the show, and I don't have a list of the support acts which sometimes help me remember more. The second time was part of Ozzfest. July 30, 2000 at the Tweeter Center in Mansfield, MA. Again, I don't recall them as being a main stage or side stage band. I think they were main stage, but I am not 100% sure.

FDF Overall Take – If you like industrial/metal music you'll like it. It hasn't aged the best and feels sorta the same for the duration, but it is what it is. Some songs resonate better than others. The record is a good into to the band, and as noted, if you like the genre you'll dig.

Links
Official Site

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

You can still get the album

here.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 241 - Texas is the Reason - Do You Know Who You Are

2011-09-23T08:00:00.004-04:00

By: March

Album – Do You Know Who You Are?
Artist – Texas is the Reason
Key Players – Norm Arenas – guitar. Chris Daly – drums. Scott Winegard – bass. Garrett Klahn – guitar,vocals.

Produced By – J.Robbins

Release Date – April 30, 1996

What caused me to blow off the dust? - Shuffle on iTunes. I heard 2 tracks in the span of an 8hr work day and decided I wanted to listen to it in full.

Overview – This is the first and only full length album from New York City based band “Texas is the Reason”. Formed in 1994 with a name inspired by a Misfits song entitled “Bullet” the band would become an underground sensation. The album, rumored to be named after the last statement heard by John Lennon would also allude towards the John F. Kennedy assassination theories in the song titles. The band was about to really get big and sign to a major label when they headed to Europe for a tour. On the final night of the tour founders Daly and Arenas agreed this would be their final show and would subsequently dissolve the band.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) The 37 minute album opens with “Johnny on the Spot” with all the members coming in together. There is a particular punch to the drums and Klahn has a nasal vocal style, but he pushes himself with the big riffs and the help of Arenas and Wiengard. The band is on task with not a lot of big fills, a straight ahead rock song. After the second verse the band seems to have a short jam, but head to the chorus before long. The section just feels a few bars longer. After the second chorus the music slows some with Wiengard and Daly holding it down for the guitars to chime off one another. Daly seems ready to go and hits it down and the band comes back in for another run at the chorus. Daly likes his snare and crash cymbals but towards the end finds the rumble of his tom-toms as Arenas and Klahn battle off one another at the conclusion. “The Magic Bullet Theory” begins with a grating guitar riff and the whole bands comes in. The two guitars sound great together with neither really taking the other over. The two are focus points on the song with Klahn really wearing his emotions on his sleeve. The band offers a few portions of backing vocals. We mellow out, at least at the start of “Nickel Wound”. Winegard and Daly again lay the foundation as the guitars work to find their place. When Klahn comes in he is more laid back, but then the music gets more urgent. They strike forward the band fires off each other. We get those big walls of bass/guitar/drums which can get the listener in a particular mood. Some of the backing vocals are shouted, but they are tucked under the music enough so as to not pull the listener away. They do repeat this formula, but it somehow doesn't feel stale. Winegard is solo at the start of “There Is No Way I Can Talk Myself Out of This One Tonight”. The guitars join forces before Daly comes in. Often identified as an emo band, you can hear it in the vocals. I'd have to say if you were not sure what “emo” is, this is a pretty good example. The mix is good on the track as one can hear the tambourine shaking along with the clanging hi-hat as the guitars swirl. The band never really opens up like you might think they would or could, still it fits with the feel of the record. “Something to Forget” has Daly and Winegard for the first 15 seconds before Arenas and Klahn come screaming in on guitars. The urgency lays back some when the verses are sung, but they still hit hard. Daly hits the kit pretty hard on the track and Daly feeds right off him as the two are the cornerstone of the track. Klahn seems to push himself pretty well and there are backing vocals to really fill out the song. While speaking of the backing vocals this track is the most they are utilized, at least to this point, and it honestly gives the song all that much more punch. The guitars are great too. “Do You Know Who You Are?” is an instrumental track, with the guitars buzzing on one side, but ringing distinct lines at the same time. The bass and drums are pretty hushed having the guitars be the main focus. We get back to full bore on “Back and To The Left” an almost punk rock tempo Klahn seems to be pushing the band, almost begging them to keep up. He, and Arenas attack their guitars and Daly continues to abuse his drum kit. Easily one of the stand out tracks on the album. Daly clicks off “The Day's Refrain” and continues as a single guitar comes in. When the full band comes in we are little more on the laid back side. They get a little more rowdy towards the end but it not to push away listeners. The album concludes with, what in my opinion, is their shining moment the track “A Jack With One Eye”. The guitars work off one another at the start before the very methodical drum beat from Daly starts. Wiengard swoops the bass line the same as the guitar part, while the second guitar starts to break out. Its a hushed, slow building song which repeats the riff for close to the first minute of the song. When Klahn comes in, he is quiet and held back some as the band seems to drop riffs and notes in a scattered pattern only then swelling as one massive collective and just hammering with a great hook. Klahn, once again, really pushes and digs deep as the band just explodes around him. They repeat this and it doesn't loose any of its punch. You want this over and over again and they pull through. I bet this is/was epic live. A great album closer.

Where are they now? After the band broke up Klahn went to the band “New Rising Sons”, Daly went to Jets to Brazil and Winegard starting working in the music business and then getting back to playing with the Americans. In 2006 the band re-formed for what was supposed to be a one off show in New York, it sold out quickly so a second show was added. The band insisted there would be no tour and they were not reforming the band. Since then there is some info on their
label page

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – 100% admit I found out about this band well after they broke up.

FDF Overall Take – There are some really great moments on this record. Even if you are not sure what “emo” is (check here) you'll start to get it if/when you listen to this. Sure others may have done it before/better/faster/stronger etc, but this is a very strong example of the genre. The mystique of the band is even more full blown with the demise before they could have potentially exploded. It is a good rock record, really. Worth your time and very few “duds” on the record.

Links
myspace

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

You can still find the album here.

Farewell to REM

2011-09-21T21:29:00.000-04:00

Thank you for the memories.

Band Annoucement

FDF Volume 3 Issue 240 The Church - Priest = Aura

2011-09-16T08:00:00.000-04:00

By: March

Album – Priest = Aura
Artist – The Church
Key Players – Peter Koppes - guitar, Jay Dee Daugherty - drums, Marty Willson-Piper - guitar, Steven Kilbey – bass and lead vocals.
Produced By – The Church and Gavin MacKillop

Release Date – March 10, 1992

What caused me to blow off the dust? - I will admit I am a casual at best fan of The Church. It seems what I like, I like, but I had never really explored their catalog. They released a few records I'd buy one, they'd release a few more I'd buy another. Just felt it was time to give this the old “front to back”

Overview – This is the eighth studio album from Australia based band “The Church”. Formed in 1980 Marty Wilson-Piper, Steve Kilbey and Peter Koppes have remained members to this day. Blending alternative rock, new wave and tosses of psychedelia the band have had their ups and downs in the US. Widely known for their 1988 album “Starfish” (Under the Milky Way is on this record) the band has struggled to gain further commercial success. This particular album, rumored to have been fueled by opiate use, would take the band in a new direction. They'd record the longest album to this point, with many songs over 6 minutes in length. It would be released to a mixed reception. Koppes would leave the band for a while as well. Things would get “better” with the three by 1998 and in 2010 the band were inducted to the ARIA Hall of Fame in Sydney Australia.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) - “Aura” starts off the record with lush keyboard sound scapes slowly building before Daugherty rolls across the kit and everyone comes in. Kilbey sings in a deep baritone and keeps his bass line groove locked in. The guitars from Wilson-Piper and Koppes are strong, but are quick and allow for the vocals to be sung without much tension from the band. Hushed backing vocals add to the dark feel and Daugherty hits the drums with just that right amount to push things. Wilson-Piper and Koppes do a nice job backing off one another on guitar. Musically the band is tight knit, a trend that will last the record. “Ripple” begins with a single guitar repeating a riff before the vocals start. Kilbey has a unique voice, its very deep and he doesn't seem to push, or want to push himself, but it is perfect within the context of the songs. The full band comes in and the song is a little more uptempo than the opener, but it is not really “rocking” track. Still, the backing vocals, the layers and texture of the track are very cool, offering the listener a series of directions to follow, none which would be wrong. If you like bass, its there, drums, sure thing, you get my drift? Lush guitars once more shimmer at the start of “Paradox”. This track has more work with the backing vocals and the call and response, but its not campy. At this point the listener will either love, or be bored with Kilbey's vocals. They continue to be deep baritone with just that right push, never really going out of control, or of context of the song. Percussive instruments and then a long drum build up get “Lustre” started. Daugherty is a very tight drummer and the production on his drum kit is terrific. From the toms, to cymbal crashes the listener is awash in a great sound. Wilson-Piper and Koppes are no slouches either. The guitars continue on “Swan Lake” a track that feels a little slow(er) than other tracks so far on the record. We haven't really taken off. The band wants you to listen to the words, to experience the music and its hard to focus on other things when the song plays. Daugherty starts things on “Feel” with a simple tempo and Wilson-Piper and Koppes on guitar ringing over one another. Kilbey seems to soar a little more over their playing while laying down a complex bass line. This feels like the most uptempo and “catchy” song to this point. The band sounds good when they spread out, and the piano helps. The bass from Kilbey plays nicely off a piano as “Mistress” begins. The guitars are kept in check and are quiet as the song slowly rolls forward. Another strong example of band harmonies on backing vocals as the drums and percussive instruments accent the keyboard fills. “Kings” opens a little more playful and feels a little more “poppy” with the big drum burst after the guitar intro. It feels like it could have (or should have) taken off, but it keeps a steady even pace. Once again the production on the record is great with every instrument clear as if you were in the room. From the simple tambourine shake to the rumbling floor tom you can hear it all. Kilbey has his bass right up as “Dome” gets underway before Wilson-Piper and Koppes compliment him on guitar. Again, the band seems a little hesitant to really take off. It is a pretty song, as many are, you just want them to unload at times. “Witch Hunt” is hardly 2 minutes long, a big change from other tracks and it fades out to “The Disillusionist” which slowly fades up with the guitars and drums. This track stands out as the backing vocals feel the most pushing on the whole record. Almost chanted, and deep (from the gut) this is the most vocally hard hitting track. “Old Flame” goes back to the guitar intro we have become used to. Kilbey is still hushed and the guitars are very low in the mix. It feels very slow overall, a very moody track. Kilbey plucks the bass alone as “Chaos” begins. A single guitar adds on before Daugherty hits the floor toms and he seems to push the song forward. Kilbey sounds strong on the track as the instruments tend to lock in early but provide a solid underbelly. Kilbey and Daugherty seem to work well off each other on this track and towards the middle Daugherty unloads about as much as anyone has heard. The best part is that is was so good they do it all over again. The album concludes with the track “Film”. A slow percussive build as keyboards join in and after a few bars Daugherty hits down and the guitars and bass join in. The track is instrumental and is actually quite good in showing the members talents. A solid album closer.

Where are they now? - The band is still active. All three of the core members still write, record and tour as The Church, but also have released solo albums. Jay Dee Daugherty was brought in prior to this album, coming from Patti Smith's band. He'd stay with the band until 1993.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – I've actually never seen the band live.

FDF Overall Take – I don't have a ton of Church albums so its hard for me to really be a judge. As great as the band sounds I waited for them to give me a rocking tune. Sure its pretty, sure Kilbey sounds wonderful as do the others. I know there are thousands of records that rock and thousands that are laid back. The band feels held back at times but long time fans seem to look at this as a real shining moment for the band. It showcases a great cohesiveness for sure. It is not bad, really its pretty darn good, but it is a mood record. You'll put this on late night vs. trying to get a party started that is for sure.

Links
The band official page here.
Tons of info on a Wiki page

I am a big fan of Boston based Music Blogger Bradleys Almanac. Brad hit the show in which the band played this album (and two others in full) he posted to his site. If the links are down I am sure a nice message might have them restored for you. No promises though, but he is one of the good ones. If you start here you will find the "Starfish" set he recorded, the links to the other posts/albums are there too.

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

Various sources of them playing some of my faves from the record (oh and one studio version)

You can still get the album here.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 239 - The Amazing Royal Crowns - Self Titled

2011-09-09T08:00:00.000-04:00

By: March

Album – The Amazing Royal Crowns (Self Titled)
Artist – The Amazing Royal Crowns
Key Players – The Colonel (J.D.Burgess) – guitars. Super8 Nate (Judd Williams) – Drums. Jason “King” Kendall – vocals. Jack “the Swinger” Hamilton - bass
Produced By – Tom Buckland and The Amazing Royal Crowns
Release Date - 1998

What caused me to blow off the dust? - Strike another one to the 1.00 bin in Ohio when I was on vacation. I recalled "Do the Devil", so why not?

Overview – The band was formed in the early 1990's and gigged around New England. The Providence, Rhode Island based band would win the WBCN Rock and Roll Rumble in 1997, a local showcase for bands with cash, prizes and studio time as awards. Two years later the band was legally forced to change their name to “The Amazing Crowns” to not confuse fans with another band “Royal Crown Revue”. Still, they'd tour extensively with like minded bands (Mighty Might Bosstones) but after a second release in 2000, and the rockabilly genre losing its luster the band folded.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – The album opens with the track “Shiverin In The Corner”. Burgess has a very cool compressed, but clean guitar sound and then it begins to get that rockabilly vibe. The ride cymbal gets a work out from Williams and Hamilton chugs across the bass. Kendall is quick and aggressive on his vocals, but they are clean. The guitar eases off after the first verse letting the bass and drums drive the song, a fun opener. If there was a single off the record released to radio, it came in“Do The Devil” and for good reason. After singing the song name horns come in and the surf vibe on guitar takes over. The horns feed off the bass and drums in a 12 bar blues run. They shout “Do the Devil” and there is a great trombone solo from Chris Rhodes (the horns are from Spring Heeled Jack Boys) and there is a great sax run as well. Its a fun foot stomping romp of a song. Burgess continues with the great guitar sound as “Fireball Stomp” opens. Hamilton and Williams are laid back, but mark the time perfectly. Burgess gets to solo for a bit while Kendall cheers him on before Williams rumbles the drums back in time. “Scene Of The Crime” has a very cool vibe with Burgess repeating a few guitar notes before the bass and drums swing in. Kendall doesn't have this elaborate range, but he chants when he should and then sings with a snarl in his voice when he needs to. If you are not sure you like rockabilly this would be a song to test yourself on. Its toe taping stuff for sure. “Minute With The Maker” follows suit, book ending the prior track really well. Burgess continues to shine on guitar with a great solo that has that great blend of punch and twang. The song wraps up with one of the few moments so far where there are backing vocal harmonies. “Gretschy” is a little slow to get off the ground, but when it takes off its about as fast as anything on the record. Williams hammers out the beat and Burgess attacks his guitar. Hamilton is thumping the upright bass with quick strokes on this instrumental run. The bass is a little too low in the mix, but the band is really tight on this track. The only vocals are “1-2-3-4” as the band circles around a riff. The bass is a little more even on “Mr Lucky” and Williams seems to get the biggest work out. I am not sure how big his drum kit is, but he makes it sound like a stadium kit, he is just all over the place with tight fills and driving rhythm. Burgess chops his guitar over the bass and drums and Kendall as a particular howl to his voice on the track. “Rollercoaster” follows with Burgess as the lone instrument at the start. He works to get it rolling, then the band comes in and it takes off. He picks at his guitar with Williams and Hamilton locking back to the 12 bar blues with Kendall singing at a machine gun pace. Williams drums get this rumble later in the track that shakes the floorboards. “1965 G.T.O” is the longest track on the record at 3:21. It is a little slower at the start, with Kendall singing a few words before the band all comes in to accent the vocals. After a bit of this Burgess takes off and the band follows suit for a rowdy, quick rumble. “King Of The Joint” continues the same path we have heard, the band doesn't really break new ground, but they do this music so well there really is no need. It will feel very repetitive to some, but your feet are tapping so quickly you tend not to mind. “Wreckin Machine” takes off like a bull out of the gate and the band rumbles along with Kendall singing about has quickly as he can. We seemingly slow things down for “If He Can't”. This is the first track I really feel Hamilton's upright bass gets the attention it deserves. You'll be dropped back in to “Happy Days” with the feel of the song, he just swings it mama. The final two tracks “Harem Caravan” and “Swimming In Drinks” keep true to the entire record. Each member is clear and and on task, the bass rumbles, the drums rumble and the guitar punches you right over the top.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – I never saw the band live.

FDF Overall Take – I have no idea if the band had much of a ripple outside of New England. If you are a casual fan of the genre, you may get bored quickly. It is a very solid effort, but it can sound repetitive to some that don't have the patience for it. They put a good twist on it with the speed of the songs, hardly ever holding back, if at all. Worth a spin if you can find it for few bucks.

Links
Myspace page

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

You can still find the record here

FDF Volume 3 Issue 238 - Peter Murphy - Holy Smoke

2011-09-02T08:00:00.001-04:00

By: March

Album – Holy Smoke
Artist – Peter Murphy
Key Players – Eddie Branch – bass. Peter Bonas – lead and acoustic guitars. Terl Bryant – Drums and percussion. Paul Statham – keyboards, acoustic guitars. Peter Murphy – vocals, guitar, keyboard
Produced By – Mike Thorne and Peter Murphy

Release Date - April 14,1992

What caused me to blow off the dust? - I have been a very casual fan of his work. I don't have many of his solo records but I heard a track by him recently and it got me to thinking it was time to have another listen.

Overview – Peter Murphy was born near Northampton, England in 1957. He fronted the goth band “Bauhaus” and was soon pegged with the moniker, “Godfather of Goth”. Bauhaus disbanded in 1983 (for the first time) and Murphy tried his hand at acting and dance and then formed a band called “Dali's Car”. That band would only release one record. Murphy would struggle in his native country, but would slowly gain momentum with US audiences. This was his fourth solo release

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – The lead off track “Keep Me From Harm” has a chant going for the first 30 seconds or so before the bass and drums start. Murphy seems light on his vocal delivery and the cheerful piano from Statham helps. Branch seems to work the bass well and he plays well with drummer Bryant. Statham has some nice fills and is the instrumental highlight throughout. “Kill the Hate” opens with a calm slapped bass from Branch. The guitars ring a delay over the bass and Murphy's deep baritone grabs you right away. It is a slow to grow song. The bass and guitar lead the way with some percussion instruments before Bryant rumbles across the kit to get things a little more uptempo. Murphy won't stain too hard and he doesn't need to. All the instruments are layered nicely with no one instrument being the dominant focus. Statham puts down a heavy church organ sounding portion towards the end as the song begins to wrap up. We start with keyboard once more on
“You're So Close”. After a quick intro the keyboards get a little more colorful. The ambient vibe then brings in the bass and guitar. The drums seem to be focused on just the bass drum. After a bit of a tease the band comes in and the vocals begin. Bonas has a very nice full guitar sound on this track with the backing vocals and harmonies being strong points as well. The band seems to really gel as the track progresses with some nice layers on the vocals, and the band just growing together. No guitar solo, no off the chart drum part, just perfect with in the context here. The track that was a single comes in “The Sweetest Drop”. Keyboards flutter and guest vocalist Alison Limerick offers up some light coo's before the deep baritone from Murphy rumbles. As the chorus approaches after the first verse he seems to really push himself. He is not going out of range, but seems to push himself more. Branch finds a nice groove in his bass line. In the later verse/chorus Murphy works in tandem with Limerick. She doesn't take the lead but offers a compliment to Murphy. The first guitar solo comes as Bonas puts some light effects on this guitar, but it is not a flashy run. Branch and Bryant also keep things in check before Limerick comes in with a few more howls. It maintains this feel for the final minute or so of the track as it starts to fade. Bonas strikes his guitar with choopy, but suppressed notes at the start of “Low Room”. The start of the track finds the band seemingly chomping to get started. Bryant pounds a note here, thee the next time, then two. The full band comes in almost at the one minute mark before Murphy starts the vocals. It has a twangy feel to it almost, but it not country by any means, just has that “feel” for some reason. Branch finds a pocket with the bass and Bonas is careful with his guitar fills but the two continue to be spot on. There are times the track seems to stray from the course, but they all quickly come back on task. Murphy seems urgent on the track, with the guitars ringing his sentiment with short choppy rings. “Let Me Love You” has a cool guitar intro, simple, but it hits you right in the brain. Statham offers up ambient fills as the only other instrument as Murphy sings the entire first verse. This is a formula that is kept with Branch coming in later, but the drums don't ever really take off. Bells, or chimes, ring before Bonas come up on guitar at the start of “Our Secret Garden”. After a few bars the bass and drums come in. They keep pace and Statham puts in some short keyboard fills but nobody is really pushing the track forward. It seems to find it's comfort zone early and then Murphy begins to sing. Murphy sounds good and is really the focus on the track as the band seems to sit back. Statham seems to be higher in the mix with his keyboard fills, but they are not flashy and seem to fit just fine with the tempo and feel of the track. “Dream Gone By” has a more uptempo, rock intro. There appears to be both acoustic and electric guitars and the drums punch right through them. This feels like the quickest song on the record, but it is hardly “blazing”. Murphy is in fine form and the acoustic guitar adds a nice touch to the electric guitar parts. This sets up the good guitar solo, even if it is after a sort of campy “counting lyrics” portion. The solo is long and the acoustic adds even more a bite. The album concludes with “Hit Song” another slower, yet big sounding track. Branch, Bonas and Bryant hold back. Murphy pushes along pretty well and gets some backing vocal help. Bonas finds his groove with some delayed guitar fills while Bryant keeps everyone in check with on the spot timekeeping. Bryant gives it a big stadium floor drum “boom” before Murphy comes with the chorus for a “lighter in the air” moment. There is a tenth (hidden track) that is about 40 seconds long of the same“oohs/ahhs” that open the record....you are not missing anything.

Where are they now? - Murphy was part of a few Bauhaus reunion tours as well as a new release from the band in 2008 called “Go Away White”. (The band would break up again before the actual release). Murphy has released many solo albums and his most recent “Ninth” came out in 2011. He has released tracks via his website as well. According to his site he is on tour (see links). Murphy, who has lived in Turkey for the last 20 years, is a Vegan, Muslim and father of two children.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – I have not seen Murphy as a solo artist. I did see him fronting Bauhaus on a reunion tour November 13, 2005 at the Orpheum in Boston.

FDF Overall Take – Murphy has a great voice. Really its pretty awesome. He doesn't have this soaring vocal style, but its deep and full and really pulls you in. He surrounds himself with strong musicians as well which adds to it. The tracks are okay on this album. The single(s) are good some stuff seems to go on just a bit too long, but overall its a decent record. You'd be able to find this in the cheap rack at your local shop. A deal for sure.

Links

Official Site
Twitter Feed
Peter on Facebook
And, a good old myspace page

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

Let me Love You – Audio only
here

You can still find the album, here is one place

All is well

2011-08-31T13:29:00.003-04:00

Made it through the storm here on the East Coast just fine. Thank goodness.

Should be on schedule for a new post this Friday.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 237 - Dig - Self Titled.

2011-08-26T08:00:00.003-04:00

By: March

Album – Dig (Self Titled)
Artist - Dig
Key Players – Anthony Smedile – drums. Phil Friedmann -bass. Johnny Cornwell – guitar. Jon Morris – guitar and backing vocals. Scott Hackwith – lead vocals, guitar.
Produced By – Dave Jerden and Dig

Release Date - 1993

What caused me to blow off the dust? - I recall a song or two, but stumbled upon this in a buy 2 get one free bin...and the rack was all $1.00 cds to start with..sooooooooooooo.

Overview – Los Angeles, California based band Dig formed in 1991 at the dawn of the grunge movement. They'd blend grunge with alternative rock and a dash of shoegaze. They'd garner their lone “hit” from this record (“Believe”) which would be played on MTV and chart on the Modern Rock and Mainstream Rock charts. They have issued two follow up records.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) - “Let Me Know” opens with a big wall of guitars, after a few looping riffs one guitar breaks out some before the bass and drums join in. It has that early 90's alternative rock feel. Hackwith has his vocals compressed and the band resorts to the big guitars after each verse, filling with big riffs. The drums and bass are low in the mix, freeing it up for the three guitar players to strum along. It is not overly interesting musically and the compressed vocals get a little grating. At the same time the band seems to be working on setting their own sound. We get a quick guitar solo before returning to the main hook of guitars and the song concludes. We get a more “grunge” feel at the start of “I'll Stay High” with the guitars having more a deep tone. The bass is a little more a focal point repeating the same few notes. The band repeats the intro riffs before getting a little more aggressive and Hackwith begins to sing. Uncompressed, Hackwith has a decent set of pipes for a rock band. The band likes to lock in to a riff and there are no break out drum, bass or guitar fills/solos. They keep the track in a straight line for the verse/chorus and second verse. They get a little hushed before the chorus but come up back and heavy and it then ends abruptly. A single, out of tune guitar opens up “Unlucky Friend” with Hackwith singing along, sometimes not really on key. This goes on for about one minute, then the full band comes in. Semdile hits the drums a little harder and they band seems to “right the ship” after the intro. It still feels pretty vanilla for a rock tune. We get the first real guitar solo with just one guitar taking the lead and the others giving chords. It comes back around but mellows out where it could have taken off. Hackwith takes the song back through another verse and feels almost “too long”.
“Anymore” is a little atmospeheric. I can see/hear why the band had a shoegaze tag, but up to this point barring the intro they are not a band I'd call shoegaze. Hackwith is hushed on his vocal delivery while Smedile is hesitant to take off on the drums. Friedmann seems to be a little more open on his bass and you can hear some nice fills on the back sides of the verses. This is the most laid back track up to this point (only 4 tracks in). The track has a false ending after the guitar solo, just another short guitar interlude, but makes for an odd ending. “Conversation” starts off as such, a series of people talking and bottles opening et all. The guitar and drums begin to set the tone, but Hackwith is singing very slowly as the conversations continue underneath. After the second verse the band comes in a little harder and heavier and Hackwith pushes himself. The band is quick to change their mind, where a heavier section could continue they fall back to a more somber/blues riff. When that should go on, the vocals take over. It is an curious song, can't sing along to it too well, but has some big riffs at times. The track that was the single comes in “Believe”. Here I can see a little of the “shoegaze” tag. Friedmann and Smedile start things off and while one guitar buzzes a second does more of the big swooping notes one would associate with “shoegaze”. Hackwith pushes himself just right on the vocals and the backing vocals from Morris are very nice. The track blend a great bit of rock with the more “jangle” of the guitar. We haven't heard the good harmonies until now and the band latches on and this works to their benefit. They seem to do the chorus that one extra time which is a nice touch since it works so well. Smedile rumbles the drums again and the guitars ring out over it as the song wraps up. “Feet Don't Touch the Ground” has a swirling intro as well, with Friedmann high in the mix and the guitars working off the drum line. As the verse starts everyone settles back and lets the song begin to take a more focused shape. Morris again is on backing vocals for the chorus and guitars seem to come at you from everywhere before the bass rings out. This track is really a stand out from a production standpoint as each player seems to be on the same level. The bass work is the most exciting with some bigger/swooping fills. A decent track. “Ride the Wave” gets back to the more driving rock feel with some big runs on the bass and drums. “Green Room” has a laid back feel on the instruments and vocals as the band sings about getting high, but they break out after the first verse where everything seems to get louder and faster before it settles down again. They repeat this formula a few times. “Tight Brain” is a tight rocking opener, the band sounds best at times like this, just a big whallop to the ears. They are in and out in just over 2 minutes. “Fuck You” has some chugging guitars and bass and, as one would expect its a pretty straight forward song with regard to subject matter. The album concludes with the track “Decide” a little more slow and mellow dramatic track. Lots of emotion pouring out but it feels a little out of place at the same time. Sort of a drag to end the record with. Oh but wait, there is a rowdy rocker at the end, its a different track, but not broken off the final track. It sounds a little “rough” and the band is just making some rock noise as Hackwith sings some unrecognizable lyrics. It ends abruptly, thankfully.

Where are they now? - The band is still listed as being active, their last release was in 1999. The band is largely intact as well. Cornwell and Smedile have been replaced.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – I never saw the band live.

FDF Overall Take – The first few songs are average at best. It feels very generic and almost boring at times. It was just “that time” in music when labels were after anything “grunge”. It hasn't aged the best, sounds a bit cliché and is largely unremarkable. “Believe” is the stand out to these ears and is worth seeking out.

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

And...we..are..back...

2011-08-22T12:34:00.000-04:00

Greetings.
Sorry for the lack of an update last week. I was “off the grid” as they say. A music junkie never rests really though and I was able to get to a cool little indie music shop on my time off and I grabbed a fair number of cds that are strong candidates for future entries.

I guess when I write “What caused me to to blow off the dust” I'll have to admit that it was the “Buy 2 for a buck get a third for free” cuz the deals were that good.

Hope to be back this week, should be that is....

Thanks for reading,
March

FDF Volume 3 Issue 236 - Material Issue - International Pop Overthrow

2011-08-12T08:00:00.001-04:00

By: March

Album – International Pop Overthrow
Artist – Material Issue
Key Players – Ted Ansani – bass, vocals. Jim Ellison – guitars, lead vocals. Mike Zelenko – drums.

Produced By – Material Issue and Jeff Murphy

Release Date – February 5, 1991

What caused me to blow off the dust? - I actually read on another blog how vastly under rated this band is/was and it got me to thinking I needed to go back to see for myself.

Overview – This was the debut album from Chicago power pop band “Material Issue”. The band formed in 1985 and would form in college and release an ep before recording this debut full length. The label reportedly didn't expect it to sell too well, but it would sell about 180,000 copies in the US and would reach number 86 on the Billboard charts. The band would release two more full length records to even less fanfare and they'd be dropped by the label. They'd garner a strong reputation for their live shows and their hard work seemed to be turning things around with new material and a hopeful new deal. Sadly Ellison committed suicide in June of 1996.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – The album starts with the bands highest charting single in “Valerie Loves Me”. The song would hit #3 on the Modern Rock charts. Opening with a lone guitar before Zelenko comes in with Ansani. The bass and drums have a light pop bounce to them and Ellison begins to sing. It has a little UK pop band vibe to it, as the verse comes towards an end the band gets urgent and they return to the simple, more calm back beat. They do this leading in to the chorus when Ellison screams the song title. They like to do the quiet to loud bit a few times, each coming off the verse and before the chorus is shouted. “Diane”, the second of three songs in a row with a woman's name in it, again starts with the guitar before Ansani really comes up on the bass. Ellison has a scowl to his voice while it still keeps the light heartedness. This track seems to be a little bit easier on the ears than the first for its pop/radio friendly aspect. This track was also released as a single from the record. Ansani and Ellison have good harmonies and there is a short instrumental break after the second verse, but no real flashy guitar. The chorus is one of those easy to sing along to anthems sure to have you clapping along (or tapping your feet at the very least). The third song with a female name in the title comes in “Renee Remains the Same”. Once again, a single guitar starts the track off before the bass and drums. Ansani has a strong stroke on the bass and Zelenko is careful to not open up too much on the drum line. The guitar has a great sound to it and the band is very tight. The band is quickly establishing its sound and pop sensibility. There is not a lot to be bummed out about on this record. “This Letter” seems to pull some acoustic guitar and is a little more laid back than the other tracks up to this point. The backing vocals and drums are much more in the mix on this. The drums are struck hard but within the context of the track. The guitar(s) compliment the range that Ellison works to push. The harmonies later in the track are once more strong and Zelenko is hard at work on the percussive instruments. After a quick short drum burst “Out Right Now” comes right in with the vocals. Ellison seems to be spirited in his delivery here and the song has a quicker vocal delivery. He gets aggressive at the chorus, but it is more an urgent push than “anger” if that makes any sort of sense. The mix on this track (and the record) is very good, the subtle shake of the tambourine is just as high in the mix as the bass and guitar. We are also in and out of the song in under 2 minutes. “Crazy” has the big dueling stadium rock sounding guitar as the vocals come in. Ansani has a strong bass line that punches at the right time while Zelenko continues to shine on the drums. Ellison and Ansani harmonize nicely at the chorus as the song keeps its wonderful pop bounce for the duration. Ellison has about as big a guitar solo as he has had. It is nothing flashy at all, and once again the band uses the right balance with the length of it before coming back in for another round of the chours. “Chance of a Lifetime” is a little more dark feeling and Zelenko and Ansani set the tone. The drums are choppy, at a marching band tempo. The harmonies are very strong at the chorus with the highs and lows more extreme than they have been. You can really hear the band break things apart vocally. Once again Ellison has a run on the guitar and the band is a bit more frantic here. It is a nice change for the band, and again they know the right time to switch back to the poppy chorus. The title track, “International Pop Overthrow” follows and it has almost a “Ramones” feel at the start. Everyone is firing off one another and the vocals seem a little compressed and distorted some. It is a pop/punk track without a doubt and the repetition of the chorus I find simply charming. We lay it back some on “Very First Lie”. Acoustic guitars come out and Zelenko finds comfort on the rim of his snare. It is not a ballad, but it is a heartfelt song, as you can tell by the way the lyrics are delivered. The band gets a little antsy and rock out more about 1:40 in and it gets a bit more urgent. The drums are higher in the mix to push it along but Ellison has struck a chord and lays it all out there. Ellison opens “Trouble” with some big pop power chords before Ansani and Zelenko kick it in to higher gear. At this point I realize that Ellison is one of those singers, that you might not see as being “excellent” but for what he does in the context of the tunes is perfect. He seems to understand the right range to go, and I never hear him strain to get to a particular range. The song is a straight up rocker with a burst of guitar for good measure. “There Was A Few” finds Ellison right up on the vocals from the start. Everyone seems to be a little more in the background with their instruments at the start. The guitar is not flashy and the drums don't overpower. The band was looked at as a version of the “Replacements” and that seems to hold true on the pop punk “This Far Before”. The guitars and bass just chop in to you and the drums drive right at you. The harmonies continue to be very strong, they have this down. We go a little mellow again on “A Very Good Idea” which is strumming guitar chords from Ellison with a very simple Zelenko drum part put down. The lead up to the chorus is nice and the bass of Ansani starts to swell up wonderfully, a mellow track as noted, but far from a “ballad”. “Lil Christine” is a rocking album closer with Ellison slicing across the strings for a few bars at the intro and having the bass and drums come right in. A strong album closer showing off all the elements that make the record so strong, the harmonies and most notably the fine playing from each member.

Where are they now? - After Ellisons death in 1996 what was recorded by the band was released as “Telecommando Americano” in 1997. Ansani still works in the music business, released solo work and played with many bands. Zelenko also still performs most recently linked to a band called “The Ladies and Gentlemen”. In 2011 Zelenko and Ansani reformed the band for one show as “Material Re-Issue” to celebrate the 20th anniversary of IPO. The gig went well enough the band was slated to play again in June of 2011. There is a music festival named in honor of this album as well. (See links)

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) - I never saw the band live.

FDF Overall Take – So, are they under rated? I will have to say yes, but not WILDLY under rated. It is not criminal that people may not know who they are, but if you like pop/punk, pop rock with that 90's alternative feel you will be right at home. The harmonies are really strong, and they are very full sounding for a trio. I enjoyed going back to this record and I am sure I'll dust off the others to just listen while they are on the brain.

Links
Link to the festival in the albums name

Curious? Check out some music:

Cool clip/story on the 20th Anniversary

FDF Volume 3 Issue 235 - Spinal Tap - Break Like the Wind

2011-08-05T08:00:00.000-04:00

By: March

Disclaimer – By now people realize this was a “made up band”. I realize this as well. Rather than try to be funny, and continue with the parody I'll treat this like any other release from a band (fictional or otherwise) with the write up and where are they now etc.

Album – Break Like the Wind
Artist – Spinal Tap
Key Players - Derek Smalls – bass and vocals. David St.Hubbins – guitar and vocals. Nigel Tufnel – lead guitars and vocals. Caucasian Jeffery Vanston – keyboards. Ric Shrimpton - drums

Produced By - Danny Kortchmar

Release Date - 1992

What caused me to blow off the dust? - I can honestly admit hardly a week will pass that I don't think of, or quote something from the film. I tend to focus on the “black album” and don't, or haven't spent much time on the others, so this was just a good excuse.

Overview – This was the follow up album from the band “Spinal Tap”. Their debut was the soundtrack for the film “This is Spinal Tap”. This is the 13th (fictional) or 2nd “legit” release from the band

FDF Comments (aka the songs) We get hit right away with the bass and drums as “Bitch School” starts. St.Hubbins has the lead vocals and has a certain ring to his voice. The guitars are crunchy and the drums are straight forward. Smalls bass work is a little hidden but he and Tufnel offer some harmonies on the chorus before the first guitar solo gets underway. Shrimpton shows attention to his ride cymbal and the band follows the standard rock format of verse/chorus/verse. “The Majesty of Rock” has a quicker tempo than the opener. The band falls in to the mystic, magic type feeling. The keyboards are big and there are big orchestral feeling sweeps. The style will get you to crack a smile for their overall vibe on the song. The lyrics are sung quickly but it is the over the top feeling of the music that is fun. Tufnel gives a quick guitar solo with an instrumental breakdown along with him. Shrimpton hits the drums pretty hard as Smalls slides down the bass strings. Dweezil Zappa sits in on guitar and opens “Diva Fever” with a punch. The lyrics are chanted and sung quickly about how the band can't go back to places, or women of their past. Zappa gets to really show off, I honestly never knew he was as strong as he is. He gets a few turns to really show off, and he doesn't disappoint. Another one that blew my mind was singing backing vocals on “Just Begin Again” was none other than Cher. Yes..that Cher (is there another?) A much mellower track, full of a string section and piano intro to boot. The band shows their sensitive side. The first part Cher is hardly heard, but she gets a solo verse after a Tufnel guitar solo. St.Hubbins sings along with Cher at times as well and the two sound quite good together and at one point both holding a high note almost comically long. A fun and funny head scratcher of a song. The rock comes back with “Cash on Delivery” with the guitars both feeding off one another. Timothy B.Schmit (The Eagles) offers up backing vocals with Tommy Funderburk. The song has that big 70's arena rock sing along feel to it. The harmonies in the backing vocals are strong and the Tap never fails when it comes to a guitar solo, short or long. Smalls gets to run off the bass before the return of the verses. “The Sun Never Sweats” comes at you with some neat synth and guitars working in tandem. The band does have a big sound more often than not. The vocals are clear and the harmonies continue to be strong. The band has struck a chord, because the sun doesn't sweat..now does it? Good point guys. The guitar solo is quick and to the point, before the band finds a neat syncopation to change things up before the verse resumes. We keep with a “sun” theme in “Rainy Day Sun”. This track as a beatles type feel. The piano intro and the vocals sung only through the right channel will do that. The London Panharmonic Orchestra compliment the piano work from Nicky Hopkins and the strings continue to round things out. The orchestral part is rather long and really breaks the mold for the bands sound. “Break Like the Wind” is chock full of guitar guests. Tufnel will take the middle solo, but Slash, Jeff Beck and Joe Satriani all play on the track as well as Steve Lukather from the band Toto. The early verse has you unsure where these guitar players are, but after part of the first verse it all opens up. Once the guitars do come in, do they ever come in. Each player gets a run and you can pick out the styles pretty easily, with each screeching higher than the last and playing faster than the last. It all ends on a big note and you breathe a sigh of relief. “Stinking up the Great Outdoors” follows with Jimmy Wood on harmonica opening the track before St.Hubbins starts to sing. Waddy Wacchtel provides a great slide guitar solo over this fun bluesy stomp rocker. Tufnel takes the lead vocals on “Springtime”. The track still has the big rock feel but has more keyboard work from Vanston than other tracks. Tufnel sounds great, with a little more of a soothing voice than St.Hubbins, but each fills the correct moment so it is a nice mix. The track has sort of an odd approach after the second verse, seemingly falling apart before it comes back around. “Clam Caravan” is another track that Tufnel take the lead vocals on. Luis Conte adds percussion and Steve Lukather piano. Tufnel spreads his wings even more playing the Coral Sitar. This is the most mellow, ballad sounding track on the album. Tufnel is laid back in the vocals and once the sitar comes in the band has you feeling as though you are in a caravan. It is a little plodding at times, but the band continues to shine by not just playing, or doing the things you think a rock band should. Schmit and Funderburk offer vocal back ups on “Christmas with the Devil”. A rock and roll Christmas song, you don't hear this on the radio at the holidays..time to fix that folks. It could be the extended guitar solo that keeps people away, not really sure but it rips pretty darn good. Track 13 is not listed on the liner notes or in the lyrics. A piano track with spoken lyrics, almost more of a story told by St.Hubbins and Tufnel It is less than 2:30 long as well. The album wraps up with the track “All the Way Home” a song the band mentions (and sings a capella in the film). This time around it has a more rockabilly feel with the guitars and drums. The recording has the “rough demo” sound to it as well which adds a nice touch.

Where are they now? - As far as “Spinal Tap” the band would release a third album in 2009 called “Back from the Dead”. This was viewed as a 25th Anniversary Tour/Album etc. Harry Shearer (Derek Smalls) continues to voice multiple characters on “The Simpsons”.

Christopher Guest (Nigel Tufnel)- has been married to actress Jamie Lee Curtis since 1984. Guest has worked in film and music in various roles for years.

Michael McKean (David St.Hubbins)- has kept busy with TV roles, (Winning a celebrity Jeopardy tournamnet) working on stage, screen. He continues to play music as well.

All three of them have extensive reumes. Reading their wiki pages alone will impress most.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – Yes, Spinal Tap has toured, yet I did not go see them. Shame on me.

FDF Overall Take – There are moments for sure. As noted the band are VERY accomplished musicans. They write and play very well together and with others. Some of the lyrics will get you to roll your eyes, but chuckle at the same time. If anyone was to look for Tap music they'd probably go with the albums soundtrack as that is the most familiar. Still, this is worth tracking down, even of its just for “Bitch School” and the guitar solos.

Links

A very good fan site is here.

Curious? Check out some Music!

Here is the trailer for the film:

FDF Volume 3 Issue 234 - Funkadelic - Hardcore Jollies

2011-07-29T08:00:00.001-04:00

By: March

Album – Hardcore Jollies
Artist - Funkadelic
Key Players – Jerome Brailey – drums. Boogie Mosson and Bootsy Collins – bass. Bernie Worrell – keyboards. Garry Shider and Glen Goins – guitar. Eddie Hazel and Michael Hampton – lead guitars. George Clinton – lead vocals. Ray Davis, Fuzzy Haskins, Grady Thomas, Calvin Simon, Garry Shider, Glen Goins – vocals.

Produced By – George Clinton

Release Date – October 29, 1976

What caused me to blow off the dust? - I've always been curious about this band. You hear them always acknowledged as influences so I took it upon myself to get some of the records from this time. For some reason I forget I have these records but when I listen I love them. There is something wrong with this picture.

Overview – This is the ninth studio album by the funk legends. This was their first on a major label as well. The band would change some after this release. The band had released an album just a month earlier and after this it was the last “Parliament/Funkadelic” album in which three of their members would appear. Funkadelic was actually the backing band for Clinton’s Parliament project. The band would try to keep both rolling for some time with each having its own unique focus on soul, funk or rock.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – The forty minute, eight song album starts off with “Comin' Round the Mountain”. The bass has a particular swirl to it as the guitars bounce off the bass line. You always get a chime guitar that brings out bright riffs. Brailey give the hi-hat much love as the band finds the groove and locks it down. There are a series of vocalists singing, not one clear vocal leader as indicated in the cast of performers. As the chorus approaches the band finds a deep groove and the wah wah guitar has a sloppy in a good way sound. The guitars work to burst out, but the band keeps it all tight. The first good solo comes off around 2:45 after a vocals interlude and it is just the right length, not taking away from the bass and drum line. Brailey fires off on the ride cymbal as Hampton takes a strong lead for the duration, a great guitar solo. The solo ends and the band plays a little tag off one another for a few bars before it fades out. The drums roll across the kit and a reggae feeling track “Smokey” begins. The tempo is a lot slower and the bass finds a nice deep place and rumbles underneath as the guitars and vocals are more playful over the top. There is no clear cut lead vocalist again as there will be one voice over a few others, all singing the same line. It is not really harmonies in so much as giving you that big full vocal feel. Worrell has some fun on the keyboards bending pitches and keeping the vibe focused a little more to the reggae feel. The end of the track breaks down with a little less focus and seems a bit scattered as Worrell does fills over the vocals. A hard stop might have worked better. Try not to sit still as “If you got the Funk, You Got Style” starts. Once again, the bass, drum and keyboard give that great bottom feel as a lone guitar pops a few notes. The percussive instruments play off the line of various vocalists. The music pattern of the song is consistent, but the band works in the percussive and various back beat, tempo changes to their benefit. The song feels a little scattered at times, but tight at others. The bass from Bootsy is kept in check sadly. Worrell gets the keyboards locked in as Hampton starts up his guitar and “Hardcore Jollies” takes off. The guitar is slightly compressed but each note stands on its own. The intro solo lays it down before the bass comes in and it is off to the races. This is an instrumental track that just lays it all down. Each member keeps on task when not soloing but Hampton is the focus and it just slays. “Soul Mate” is such a change from the prior track. A lone lead vocal portion with, what feels like, just a bass, guitar and drums. It is about as straight forward a song as any you'd hear. Not a bad track, but feels almost boring by the rest of the album standards. “Cosmic Slop” follows. This is a live re-make of the 1973 song from the Funkadelic album of the same name. This was recorded during a rehearsal for the 1976 tour. Hampton has the lead and is just off the charts. Worrell lays the ground work on the keyboard with Brailey locking in on a tight beat. Hampton is going to let this run though, he is not being held back and for a rehearsal he just lays it all out there. After about 1:30 the vocals come in but the melody put out by Worrell and Brailey remain constant. The vocals seem a bit off, but since it is a rehearsal that is to be expected. The verse runs, then Hampton gets to unload again. The payoff is great. “You Scared the Lovin' Outta Me” is a slower track with a fuzzy guitar into. The vocals are a little slower and the band seems to find comfort in a laid back approach with no vocals, or instruments really breaking out. The album concludes with “Adolescent Funk” a track that is heavy on the longer keyboard work from Worrell. The keyboard is the focus here with a splash of guitar and then the vocals come in, but really this is showcase for Worrell. He doesn't go way out there, hey gets somewhat creative, but doesn't take it anywhere that feels over done.

Where are they now? - Due to legal issues Clinton dissolved the band in 1981. Clinton still tours both as a solo artist as well as with the “P-Funk All Stars”. Their last album was a collection of outtakes and demos released in 2008.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – I have seen George Clinton live one time, but it was not billed as a Parliament/Funkadelic show. It was a Lollapalosa set on August 3, 1994 set. I don't recall a lot about it though. He played a mid/day set and I was probably walking around some checking out booths and the like. I'd like to go again.

FDF Overall Take – There are some really great moments on this record. Some of the reviews were not the strongest, but if you are looking to explore the band this is a good record to start with. You get some very cool bass and even better guitar. Easy to hear how this band influenced so many others. You can find some of these records for cheap money, and you'd be happy you grabbed one, of not some.

Links
Decent Wiki article on the band
here

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

Audio via Youtube for the track Hardcore Jollies

A slower version *but wow oh wow* version of "Cosmic Slop"

Here is a ripping RIPPING live version..please watch..seriously.

The album is still in print, you can get it here.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 233: Mercury Rev - Deserter's Songs

2011-07-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

By: March

Album – Deserter's Songs
Artist – Mercury Rev
Key Players - Adam Snyder – B3, Mellotron, Wurlitzer. Suzanne Thorpe – flute. Dave Fridmann – piano,bass, mellotron, backing vocals. Jimy Chambers – clavinet, harpsichord, drums. Sean “Grasshopper” Mackiowiak – guitar reels, woodwinds. Jonathan Donahue – vocals, acoustic guitar, chamberlin strings.
Produced By - Dave Fridmann, Jonathan Donahue

Release Date – September 29, 1998

What caused me to blow off the dust? I've been a casual fan of the band, but the recent release of the this same record as an “Instrumental Edition” reminded me it had been some time since I'd listened to the band.

Overview – This is the fourth studio album from Buffalo, New York band Mercury Rev. The band, who combined rock with variations of “Art Rock, Dream Pop” and “Chamber Pop” to name but a few quietly made records and this album was a surprise “hit” for the band. Made on their own terms with a plan to disband soon after the UK Press voted it album if the year in 1998. The band continues to make records and perform live. The band has still not charted a record in the US but have cracked the top 20 in the UK.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) - The band starts off the record with “Holes”. A wonderful lush sound scape starts before the vocals start. Donahue has a particular sound to his voice, maybe not that technical, but perfect for the band/sound. The band comes in and the piano takes a bit more a dominant role with the strings and percussive instruments aiding in the sound. Chambers comes in on the drums before a theramin solo begins, yep..a theramin solo (it also be a bowed saw solo?). The song comes back around for another verse. It is a pretty, quiet, but at the same time, full sounding opener. Matt Jordan offers a terrific flugelhorn portion as well. “Tonite It Shows” opens like a movement from a Broadway show. Harp plucking and a small string section compliment the vocals. The band is not in a hurry musically or lyrically. The songs are complex and allow you to get lost in them. The percussive fills, the strings are all delicate yet punctuate when needed. The acoustic guitars remain strong as “Endlessly”begins. The band uses some pretty sounding female vocals to start off the track before the progression of the song gets started. To this point there is no clear cut musical whiz in the crew. Each holds a key to the bands sound and no one person seems eager to really take off or show off. It could be a quiet piano fill, a short burst on the guitar. The bass is simple plucked notes that might tandem with a flute section. “I Collect Coins” is the shortest track on the disc running under 1 minute and 30 seconds. It sounds a bit like an off key piano working to get started. More a transitional piece as there are no vocals. Levon Helm of “The Band” plays drums on the next track, “Opus 40”. You don't hear him at the start as there is some B3 organ and strings that start with Donahue singing. The song picks up the pace and for the first time on the record it feels like the band will “take off” and they do, well for them, come the end of the first verse. There is a nice B3 “solo” after the verses and you get touches of other brass instruments to fill out the sound. A soaring track from the band that comes at the right point of the record. There is almost a false ending at about the 3:50 mark as the female vocals come in with some whistling as the band starts to take things down to single notes and lush tones as it fades even more. The saxophone at the start of “Hudson Line” is provided by Garth Hudson (The Band). The lead vocals are taken over by Mackiowiak. His vocals are strong and seem a bit more “powerful” than Donahue. He as a little bit of a Trey Anastaio (Phish) sound vocally to me personally. The drums keep this track moving forward, but they are not pounding, allowing for set ups fro the B3 to ring out. Hudson comes back on for another run on the sax portion. A very strong track throughout. “The Happy End (The Drunk Room)” is a bit of cluster at the start. A piano line is erratic and played over and over as strings sing over the piano line. This repeats for a over a minute of the track before the strings get a little more complex and try to push the song forward. This is another short track that holds that odd feeling, then false ends, then wraps up with more hammering on a piano. Another transitional track. The lone song that could be a “hit” or even radio single in the US comes via “Goddess on a Hiway”. A pretty song with nice piano intro and a nice walking bass line from Fridmann. Fans of the Flaming Lips will feel right at home (Fridmann has worked production with the band). A song I'd have anyone listen to first and foremost from the band from this record. The vocals might sound a little odd, but like most cases they fit the mix and vibe of the band so well. For me personally this is the best song on the record. “The Funny Bird” has another bigger, full, intro that lays back quickly. The vocals are heavily laden with effects. It is a unique twist, but sometimes feels like they could have done better with just a reverb or delay. It causes you to focus on it so much but the band is quick to pull your attention to them and for really the first time the whole band crashes down for a few bars. It rolls back to the early vibe, but we get the explosion again which is so worth it. A big drum, bass and guitar interlude that is really strong, so strong you get it again! “Pick Up If You're There” is a tandem of keyboard of instruments at the start establishing a haunting vibe. The strings and the sounds of a scratchy record playing only continue to set the mood. The bowed saw (or theramin) is an interesting touch and the song seems to start losing steam as it heads to completion. There is a hushed spoken portion that makes this song not totally instrumental, but it really is. “Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp” is a fun bouncing track. The band seems to open up a lot more on this and get loose. It is a nice change for the band who you can almost see and hear smiling as they play this tune. Fridmann has a nice bass line higher up in the mix as Donahue and Grasshopper fire off one another on guitars, a very fun and strong album closer...or so you'd think there is an instrumental track after this running about 2:30 in length. Largely forgettable.

Where are they now? - As noted the band is still active. An instrumental re-issue of this very record was released in May of 2011.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – I've never seen the band live.

FDF Overall Take – This is a late in the evening type record for people that might be willing to sit for a bit of a musical challenge. There are not a ton of big huge hooks, or even hummable lines for that matter, but it is so intricate, delicate you accept what might seem as a challenge to listen to. It strikes me as odd the band are from New York, they just seem to feel like a band from Europe.

Links
Official site click here

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

Goddess On A Hiway

Endlessly

Opus 40 Official Video

Goddess on a Hiway from Jools Holland

Holes – Live from Jools Holland (not the best quality)

You can still find the album, buy it
here.

FDF Volune 3 Issue 232 - The Darkness - Permission to Land

2011-07-15T08:00:00.001-04:00

By: March

Album – Permission to Land
Artist – The Darkness
Key Players – Ed Graham – drums. Frankie Poullain – bass. Dan Hawkins – guitar. Justin Hawkins – vocals, guitars, synthesizer, piano
Produced By – Pedro Ferreira

Release Date – August 5, 2003 (in the US)

What caused me to blow off the dust? - I am sure it was one of those one hit wonder shows, or charts I read about. I loved this record for a time. I wanted to go back to it again.

Overview – This is the debut album from UK based “The Darkness”. Blending glam, hard rock and twitch of heavy metal the band would scream on to the music scene in 2003. The album would have four singles, crack the US charts and win a series of music awards. Lead by flashy singer Justin Hawkins the band would do their best to bring back the fun in a rock show and album. They were just fun. After a follow up album the band would disband, only to announce a reformation in March of 2011

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – Right off the bat we get a big guitar and and pounding drums as “Black Shuck” begins. The two Hawkins brothers mash the guitars as Poullian and Graham get the march beat going. Its not overly technical, but hard rocking. Justin hits his operatic notes as the chorus approaches with many call and responses on the chorus. The band has a very straight ahead rock feel to them. The vocals shine as Justin will go from baritone to a wailing falsetto and back again. Dan takes a quick guitar solo and we do the chorus again before wrapping up with one real good vocal push from Justin. “Get Your Hands Off My Woman” has Graham and Poullian feeding off one another at the start before Dan comes in with the guitar and Justin sings in an even higher range it seems. The band has a few more more musical break outs leading to the chorus and the guitars continue to scream and buzz throughout. Poullian and Graham repeat the intro later in the song before Dan has a turn at the guitar solo and we get the chorus again. “Growing on Me”, an ode to sexually transmitted diseases has an 80's big metal feel to it. The band sounds full and right in synch, but it is a little slower than the prior two tracks. Justin soars vocally over the backing vocals in the chorus, all the while the band seems locked in to the groove. Poullian has a strong bass line that is buried a little too deep for my liking but it stands out once you notice it. Per the norm we get a guitar solo and the chorus repeated to the conclusion of the song. The song that was the biggest hit and most widely known follows in “I Believe In A Thing Called Love”. A single guitar starts,with a second to join in with the bass and drums. The verse is rather tame as they settle in to a rock 4/4 vibe leading up to the chorus. When Justin sings the chorus eyebrows raise as he goes off the chart with his high falsetto. At first, when the song was getting early airplay, people couldn't decide if this was a joke or serious. Serious for sure. Justin sings another verse and we hit the chorus. After the second chorus he shouts “GeeeeeeeTAH” before Dan plays a solo that compliments the vibe of the track and we come back around for a musical break down, just the drums thumping begging for a hand clap and foot stomp and sing along. If you don't “get it” by now, you've stopped the album and are done. If you stick with it, Dan gets a second guitar solo and we get teased with another chorus, but it never happens. The big, stadium rocker comes to an end. Graham is the lone instrument at the start of “Love Is Only A Feeling”. After a few bars on the kit the guitars and bass come in. Acoustic guitar joins Justin as he starts to sing. Justin has a strong voice and in this more laid back setting he seems to shine even more. This is their most laid back song to this point as well. There is a second guitar solo to keep us in check. Perhaps my favorite track follows in “Givin' Up”. This has it all. The guitars, the bass, the drums the soaring falsetto. Justin seems to be ff the charts on this vocal range on this one. The guitar work is a lot of fun with tandems then single solos, just a great bit of crotch rock going on here! Strap on your spandex!!! “Stuck in a Rut” is another forcing rocker and Justin is really pushing the vocal boundary as the band chugs along with him. This has a “quiet/loud” feel as they hit the chorus the flood gates open up and Justin goes way up. This is some off the charts stuff. The brothers tag team on the guitar near the end as Poullian and Graham hold the back rock solid. “Friday Night” begins with a blend of acoustic and electric guitars. Justin waxes poetic about a girl in his classroom and the band is surprisingly laid back. Not all of them can be barn burning rip roaring rockers. Still, tracks like this resonate more as the band can be a little more expressive with their sound. “Love On The Rocks With No Ice” also begins a bit more laid back before the guitars come in. Graham keeps a very simple back beat as the brothers Hawkins come with the guitars. The dueling guitars are common as the track goes on and it works to a big wall at the end. The album concludes with “Holding My Own” a track that starts with a lone guitar before the full band comes in. A little on the laid back side for an album closer as it has the feel of a power ballad, well at least as power ballad as the band is capable of.

Where are they now? - As noted the band took a little bit of a break from one another. In 2005 Poullain left the band. A year after that Justin Hawkins left the band. He'd go on to form Hot Legs. The rest of the guys formed “Stone Gods”. Both bands are on hiatus as it was announced in March of 2011 they were working together again as “The Darkness”

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – I did see the band live once. It was April 4, 2004 at Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel in Providence, Rhode Island. It was a packed and sweaty show for April. The band dropped the big hit “Thing called Love” very early in the set and I heard a few people who arrived late ask “did they play it already?” It was a campy over the top rock show. At one point Justin was in the audience on shoulders playing a guitar solo and he got down and was heading towards the stage and of course the audience was up tight to him, a band member shouted “Let the master through”. It was just a classic moment.

FDF Overall Take – You need to take this one for what it is. The vocals are awesome though. Justin can really nail the range and if you like your music a bit campy but a whole lot of full rock sound, well this is for you. What feels like a gimmick at first will quickly change your tune when you hear they can actually do this, and do it pretty well.

Fun Fact about the band. - In October 2005 Justin Hawkins won an ebay auction for a copy of the bands follow up record. It was a digitally marked advance copy of the record, and Hawkins wanted to track down whomever was selling it.

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

Givin Up - Live

Audio only for Stuck in a Rut.

The album is still available, you can get it here.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 231: The Beta Band - The 3 E.P.s

2011-07-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

By: March

Album – The Three E.P.'s
Artist – The Beta Band
Key Players - Steve Mason – vocals, guitar. Gordon Anderson
Robin Jones – drums. John MacLean – DJ, samplers, keyboards. Richard Greentree – bass.
Steve Duffield - bass
Produced By – Chris Allison and the Beta Band

Release Date – January 26, 1999

What caused me to blow off the dust? - I will 100% admit that a certain movie got me curious about “Dry the Rain”. Continue to read further...anyway, I can't tell you the last time this collection got a full play through.

Overview – This is a compilation of Edinburgh, Scotland The Beta Band's first three releases. Formed in 1996 and blending folk, rock and electronic music. Steve Mason and Gordon Anderson would work with a series of musicians and become critical darlings, but wide appeal would elude them. The band would crack the US market in the 2000 film “High Fidelity” in which John Cusak and Jack Black argue to see how many copies of the record they call sell at one time. The band would garner new fans, but never really make it as big as thought. They'd disband in 2004.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – Will break it down as put on the record. The first four tracks are from “Champion Versions”, The second four are from “The Patty Patty Sound” and the final four are from “Los Amigos Del Beta Bandidos”.

The first track is “Dry the Rain”. The slow acoustic guitar slide up with percussive raps and the smooth vocals from Mason are a perfect opener, setting the tone for the entire collection. A Dobro guitar seems to be used for slides as the verses begin. The haunting and smooth vocal delivery are what has this song as a stand out. After the second chorus the band bears down some and it gets a bit more urgent as the bass and drums grow in unison. Duffield gets to show off on the bass a little before a harmonica portion of the song, but the overall vibe of the track remains a constant and listening now its really a shining moment for the band. “I Know” is a slow building track with a harmonic bass line before a simple back beat on the drums starts. The guitar chimes lightly over the repeated guitar part. The vocal are very low in the mix, hushed and whispered. A few keyboard blips fill in with the guitar, but the song is going no where with a quick tempo. On the ep this is the shortest of all the tracks, and the band seems comfortable with what they have done to this point. The track “B+A” is next. Again a lone instrument starts the track, this time a single guitar. The bass joins, but is hesitant at times Duffield doesn't seem to want to really take off. After a bit the keyboards and drums come in. Its a lightly sequenced track, with the mood once more being laid back and somber. The track is instrumental for over three minutes before the full band seems to click in and even then the vocals are so buried they seem to just be ambient “ooh/ahh” type runs. The bass is a little higher in the mix as the song takes off and Duffield and Jones seem to really click. Hand claps add to the vibe as the bass swells and percussive instruments also join in. It gets a bit more raucous which makes it all the more fun. The last song from this first e.p. Is “Dog's Got a Bone”, another slow to build track with a soothing bass line. The vocals are easier to hear on this track and the conga and bass are the instruments that stand out the most. The vocals seem to soar more on this and the band is not afraid to allow Mason to shine a little.

The next e.p. starts with “Inner Meet Me”. The track has keyboards similar to a Steve Miller track of the 1970's and the vocals are fairly odd in their delivery. A lone acoustic comes in and after a few repeated bars on the riff Mason begins to sing. The odd vocal portion at the start is looped under, overdubbed for the first verse. Mason has a calm and pretty voice and the band seems all come in for a campfire like jam with the acoustic leading the way for percussive instruments. They have seemingly such a good time they return to this vibe once more and then they go with some echo call and response and the song wraps up. “The House Song” starts with quiet, but quickly delivered vocals. The line is put in to a loop and the line is sung over and then mashed for an overdub as a keyboard starts to swirl. This repeats for over a minute before the beat gets a little heavier and the percussive instruments begin. Greentree walks the bass line over the vocals and other instruments being played, its a tight smooth bass. It then takes a quick change and has a hip-hop feel with the bass still being very strong but more of a musical breakdown as the overwhelming theme. Live drums add even more accent at about the 3:30 mark of the track. The percussive instruments continue to be beat upon and some sound as wild as a trash can to congas. Its a fun jam the band falls in. A real fun jam. “Monolith” is the longest track of all three collections clocking in over 15 minutes in length. The track starts off with nature sounds (birds chirping etc) before a needle drops to a record and a song begins. It is a trippy start to the track. Spoken word, deep keyboard drones and a swirl back to the backing record. This continues to be the same before the drums get a bit more intense 4 minutes in, the song then fades out like a false ending to the bird sounds once more. This is the theme for the entire track. Closing out this section is “She's the One”. There is a mouth harp and the band works to get things off the ground. After a few vocal lines the guitar and drums come in. The acoustic guitar is strong and right up high in the mix which is nice. The vocals have that nice blend of deep baritone that works so well with the overdubbed harmonies. The acoustic really cuts through strongly and Mason really shines vocally. A standout track.

The final e.p. begins with “Push it Out” as Jones lightly strikes the ride cymbal. The vocals remain hushed and sound a bit eerie. The song title is repeated over the same cymbal ride before hand claps and a slow bass line begins. The band comes in more and a piano is a heavy presence as well. Gongs, and percussive instruments abound. The lyrics never change though, and it remains a constant with a nice acoustic guitar part to ring it all out. “It's Over” also starts with a strong acoustic guitar and a punchy bass from Greentree. The band does use a lot of instruments to fill out the sound rather than a simple rock band formula. There are hardly ever “drums” rather congas or the bass holds everyone together. Piano is at the start of “Dr. Baker” and as the vocals come in, fans of the band “The National” will feel right at home with the deep baritone soaring vocal. There are longer vocal harmonies as the track seems to veer off course but then swing back in with the vocals. As odd as the musical breakdowns are the vocals make up for it all. Wrapping up the e.p. Is Needles in My Eyes”. This time the bass and drums work with an organ before Mason begins. The organ is not overpowering but it is the dominant instrument on the track. This is the first track that seems to get the drums moving things forward as well. The guitar line is held back, blurting out single choppy notes

Where are they now? Steve Duffield left the band after the first ep was recorded. Steve Mason released music under the moniker “King Biscuit Time” and other names, but would also release a solo album under his own name in 2010. Robin Jones, John MacLean and Gordon Anderson formed the band “The Aliens”. Richard Greentree is working with a new band “The General and Duchess Collins”.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – I never saw the Beta Band live.

FDF Overall Take – There are some really shining moments on this collection. If you like your music semi-moody and stylistically “simple” you will really enjoy the record. There is no huge flashes of a guitar or drum solos. The band works well together and blends all those perfect moments to really capture the mood. If you like “Dry the Rain” you'd enjoy 90% or more of this collection. Well worth your time.

Links
Official page
Myspace page

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

The scene from Hi-Fidlity that sold most. (embed was turned off)
here.
Dry the Rain Live
Inner Meet Me
The House Song

The album is still in print. You can get it here.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 230: Prong - Rude Awakening

2011-06-24T08:00:00.000-04:00

By: March

Album – Rude Awakening
Artist - Prong
Key Players - Paul Raven – bass. Ted Parsons – drums. Tommy Victor – vocals and guitar.
Produced By – Terry Date and Tommy Victor

Release Date – May 1996

What caused me to blow off the dust? - I have been heavy on one “genre” the last few weeks it seems, so decided to go a little heavier. Gotta keep that broad appeal, and not get bored with what I am listening to.

Overview – This is the fifth studio album from New York based band “Prong”. Blending metal with punk and industrial the band would blend well with similar noisemakers in the early 1990's. The album would peak at #74 on the Billboard top 200 charts. Sadly this was also the beginning of the end for the band (at least in this form).

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – The opening track “Controller” opens with a big, but basic sounding drum beat. It feels a little on the “techno” side dare one say. The vocals from Victor are hushed and the bass from Raven is a little low in the mix with the focus on the screeching guitar and then buzzy bottom of it all. There is a short guitar solo that is overdubbed as the screeching continues while the buzz of the guitar remains. Parsons keeps the pace and is on task adding more of a big bottom than anything. Buzzy will be used a lot as “Caprice” follows suit with Victors guitar. Parsons keeps the drums focused and on task before Raven swirls under with the bass. Its a little slow as the vocals are sung and it is guttural howls from Victor splashed throughout. The track “Rude Awakening” has a guitar that will wake you up quickly. The heavily compressed guitar run followed with machine gun drumming from Raven is a strong opening. Once the vocals start it seems to slow down a little too much but come the chorus it gets good and rocking once more. We are deep and heavy on the bass of Raven at the start of “Unfortunately”. Victor follows suit and crunches down the guitar. Parsons really has yet to break the mode out of the standard rock tempo. There is not a lot of fills even tossed in during his drumming. The vocals are a little more rough and aggressive and the guitar riffs fell extra big on this track. “Face Value” sounds a little more towards the industrial/metal side of things. The guitar continues to crunch, the drums pummel and the bass drop bombs in from time to time. The guitar riffs are a lot more “choppy” on this track, but come around to big chords from time to time. “Avenue of the Finest” continues with the same feel. After the intro everyone slows down before Victor starts to sing. They band is big on coming back in over the top and hunkering down with big riffs and drum beats. “Slicing” feels a little more mechanic before Victor steps on the overdrive and the band hunkers down. The song has a quicker feel, but still is very much on par with the rest of the record. The vocals are a little tripped out some, but you still know this is a Prong record. “Without Hope” has the vocals start right away and Parsons and Raven join in for the big clamp down. The term “groove metal” makes sense on this track. An intro riff that would set off Beavis and Butthead comes in “Mansruin”. As soon as it started even I said “YES”. This song has a strong and tight focus on the riffs and really moves along. Parsons seems to hit them real hard, and for the first time seems to show off a little. “Innocence Gone” continues with Parsons flashier drumming which is a nice change of pace actually. Parsons and Raven shine at the start of “Dark Signs” before Parsons sets the marching tempo and Victor gives the big wall of guitar riffs that blast you right in the face. We get a little funked up at the start of “Close the Door”. It has some bigger tempo swings it seems, with some heavier “bottom” to it without being out of sorts. The album closes out with “Proud Division”. This track focuses in with the bass and drums at the start before the grinding guitar starts. Victor seems to be pushing is vocal range, but it is limited. It is still gruff and sounds like Prong. It has a bit more of the groove metal twist to it as well. A pretty solid album closer.

Where are they now? - This album was released and sold 10,000 copies during the first week. The label felt the band was not selling as well as it should and 3 weeks later the label dropped the band. This proved to be too much and the band call it quits just prior to a tour for the album. Tommy Victor would work as the guitarist for Glen Danzig with Ted Parsons and Paul Raven would join the band “Godflesh”. Since then Victor re-formed Prong with new players. Raven and Parsons would join Ministry for a bit. Sadly Raven died of an apparent heart attack in his sleep on October 20, 2007 at the age of 46. As far as Prong, they are said to be working on new material.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – I have never seen the band live.

FDF Overall Take – Sure it has big guitars, real big and they sound very good for a trio, but wow it feels VERY much the same, over and over. I am not overly familiar with their other work so I can't say if this goes one way vs. the other for their musical style. If you like the heaviness, you will probably really like it. Check a sample, if you don't like it..well then, you probably won't like the record.

Links

The band official site here

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

Controller, Audio only w/lyrics on YouTube here.

The song that got me in to the band.

The album is out of print but easy enought to still find here on amazon.com

FDF Volume 3 Issue 229 - New Fast Automatic Daffodils - Body, Exit, Mind

2011-06-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

By: March

Album – Body Exit Mind
Artist – New Fast Automatic Daffodils
Key Players - Icarus Wilson-Wright: Percussion. Perry Saunders: drums. Justin Crawford: Bass. Dolan Hewison: guitar. Andy Spearpoint: vocals
Produced By – Craig Leon

Release Date – March 1993 (US Release)

What caused me to blow off the dust? - I bought this cd ages ago for a single track. It made it's way on to a few mix tapes in the early 90's. I don't have any of their other music and always felt if I sold it back I'd never be able to find it again (this was before the internet kids). So, its been a very long time, and this week I don't think too many readers.

Overview – Formed in 1988 by punk rockers and students, Manchester, England band New Fast Automatic Daffodils (or New FADS) were quickly pigeonholed in to the “Madchester” scene. The band, who got their name from a poem, were never really part of the scene. They'd release a few eps, and this, their second full length, was produced by Craig Leon, who had produced the first three Ramones records as well as Blonde. The album would peak at #57 in the UK and the band would release one more full length before disbanding in 1995.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – The album starts with “Bong”. Don't adjust your playback devices there is no sound for the first 7-8 seconds then Saunders gets rolling across the drums. Hewison tosses a few riffs but it is Crawfords bass that stands out. The band plays on then Spearpoint comes in. He sings in a low baritone voice and the band finds the tight groove. Wilson-Wright adds some splashes on percussion so that Saunders can continue with this back beat. Hewison gets a quick run on guitar as Spearpoint continues to growl out the second verse. Spearpoint says a quick “thank you” and the percussion of Wilson-Wright takes the lead. The guitar gets a bit more fuzzy but Crawford continues his rock solid bass line. “It's Not What you Know” starts with single bass notes from Crawford and Saunders and Wilson-Wright add a bit. It takes a little “Cure” sound as the vocals begin. Spearpoint speaks the lyrics at the start and the band is big on quick big riffs and guitar scratches. Wilson-Wright gets to show off some on the bongos before a guitar solo and bass rumble over it. As the song draws towards a close there is some backing vocals for the first time. The track that got me to buy the cd is next in, “Stockholm”. A single guitar plays before the slow tempo on the congas is put down. A few bell chimes before the drums come in and Spearpoint slowly builds up and then takes off. After a run of the verses the guitar, now overdubed with acoustic and electric, adds to the fill. Spearpoint gets a bit more tense and pushes the verses forward. The band responds on the chorus with harmonies. The verses are similar in style and the song just grabs and takes hold of you as Hewison works the electric guitar in to a frenzy, before the bands pulls it back in line allowing for a short, but straightforward solo. We do a verse once more and the song wraps up. A real “Forgotten” track. “I Take You to Sleep” is slow to get started with a lone guitar working off the percussion. After a few seconds the full band comes in and it is big, full and quick. Hewison takes a quick run on the guitar and as the vocals begin it is about as fast as they've been sung so far. At the chorus there is even more urgency. The track “Bruises” opens with a cowbell and a very spacy sounding bass guitar. Even with the effects on the bass it is very melodic. They toss in some crunchy guitar and the vocals are sung a little slower, yet at the same time Spearpoint seems to be singing more. This is one of the longest tracks on the album and the band has a good “jam” towards the end with a lot of congas from Wilson-Wright. “How Much Longer Must We Tolerate Mass Culture” is a short, spacy track with keyboards and bass. There are no vocals on this track and it is over in just over one minute. There are spoken vocal styled delivery on
“Kyphos”. The track is slower with focus on the bass and percussion. The drums sound a little “electric” at times. The song sounds heavily influenced from Joy Division and Ian Curtis. It does get a little more vocally aggressive as the song progresses and Spearpoint seems to soar over the top at times. “Teenage Combo” is a throw away track honestly, 30 seconds is hardly much to do anything with, or about. There is a big bass intro on “Beatlemania”with fun hand claps tossed in. This is another very strong Joy Division influenced track. The bass is the stand out and the guitar has a good run after the verses. “What King of Hell is This?” seems to be the end of the prior track but it is a 40 second track that stands on it's own. There is a lot of potential on this and it would be great if they took this further. The vocals come right up on “American Money” and the work from Crawford on the bass continues to really shine. There is a long and noisy musical section towards the end of this percussion filled romp. We get another 1 minute song in “Missing Parts of Famous People” which, again, is sadly a throw away. Slow to build, “Patchwork Lives” begins and the bass and drums work in unison. It plods along a times and there are a lot of “ooh and ahh” vocals. The music seems to be on a delay, and almost choppy at times. Nature sounds kick off the longest track on the album “Music”. There is a heavy piano bed on this track but it is a slow to build track. It feels like it is ready to burst at times, but the band seems to sit back. It does build and there is even more percussion as it continues. The album wraps up with another short interlude “Exit Body, Exit Mind”. Sort of a down way to end and overall very strong record.

Where are they now? - The band broke up in 1995. The only real resource I've found is a wiki page on what the band is up to. Those can be less than accurate. Based off that the band all appears to be doing something “music” based these days. See the links for the Wiki page.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – Never saw the band live.

FDF Overall Take – I have to say I am impressed. This record is far better than I ever remembered. I really loved the track “Stockholm” but I guess I never paid much more attention. My loss right? Even though the band didn't get lumped in with the “Madchester” scene, if you liked that era in music, you'll dig this record. Track this down.

Links
More about the band on their Wiki Page
Myspace page

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

The longer version

The album is still in print and you can get it
here.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 228 : Cocteau Twins - Heaven Or Las Vegas

2011-06-10T08:00:00.000-04:00

By: March

Album – Heaven or Las Vegas
Artist – Cocteau Twins
Key Players – Simon Raymonde – bass. Robin Guthrie -guitars, drum programming. Elizabeth Fraser – vocals.
Produced By – Cocteau Twins

Release Date – September 17, 1990

What caused me to blow off the dust? Been working on a bunch of music based “lists” with a buddy for a few weeks. A few weeks back it was to list our favorite female vocalists. I was always drawn to Elizabeth Fraser and she was on the list right away, but I realized it had been a little time since I spent any time with a full on listen. So, here you have it.

Overview – Formed in Grangemouth, Scotland in 1979 the Cocteau Twins would create lush sounds blending gothic rock, post punk and “atmosphere”. The trio would create complex works and vocalist Elizabeth Fraser would sing “non lyrically”. It is hard to describe other than it comes down to the fact you won't care even what she is trying to say as it is so pretty. They'd release ep's and albums over their career to critical praise, but chart success would elude the band. They'd break up during the recording of their 9th studio release.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – Right from the start of “Cherry – Coloured Funk” you are stuck with the beauty of the bands sound. The guitar shimmers like water on a pond as Fraser soars over. You long to understand the lyrics, what it is she is singing, but they are hard to break down. It is not skat singing by any means, just this haunting feeling. Raymonde has a nice even bass line allowing for Guthrie to keep the guitar at the forefront. “Pitch the Baby” has a similar sound (most of the record does). The track is a little quicker tempo wise and Guthrie does a little more on the guitar, but the sound scapes just swirl all around you. “Iceblink Luck” has more of the drum programming and Raymonde has his bass brought up in the mix. Fraser sings, and her range is kept in check, but she has a nice pitch to her voice and Raymonde will compliment with a swooping loss bass run as Guthrie works the programming aspect. One of the “go to” songs on the record and in their catalog. I always chuckle during this song as I am convinced she sings about “cherry cola”. Hey, its what happens when you make up lyrics. The band has their first good “jam” as the track swells with the drums more in the mix and much more urgent. The vocals come in one more time and the song wraps up. It cools down some on “Fifty-Fifty Clown” as single note is resonated by Raymonde. Guthrie and Fraser work their way in and the song holds its own. The title track, “Heaven or Las Vegas”, follows. The guitars really have a cool early 1990's feel to them (think late 80's with the Cure's sound) but for the first time there seems like guitars are overdubbed which is a nice touch. Raymonde compliments the guitar nicely and the drum programming is basic but effective. Fraser sounds awesome on this track. As stated you are dying to understand why she is saying, but okay at the same time with not knowing. The first real “guitar” solo is a buzzy, highly compressed burst from Guthrie but the drums come back around and Fraser gives the “chorus” another run. Having a little bit of a samba feel “I Wear Your Ring” changes gears and has more of a droned out, swooping keyboard line before Fraser sings in a little lower register. This is the first track I've noticed that the vocals go in to the fade at the end. Speaking of fades we have a quick fade up on “Fotzepolitic” before the guitar hits. The bass has a neat groove to it again and that resonates for the duration. If you can say “this sounds mid-tempo” on this record “Wolf in the Breast” would find itself there. There is is a cool guitar/feedback swirl from Guthrie at one point. Musically “Road, River and Rail” the most haunting sounding but still has the shining vocals. The album concludes with “Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires” The vocals are strong and soaring once more with a big wall of guitar feel to boot. One of the longer tracks on the disc, the band chose to fade vocally to end this as well.

Where are they now? - The band broke up in 1997. The band sites internal struggles but also noted Guthrie was having substance abuse issues. Guthrie and Raymonde would form “Bella Union” and work as producers early on. They'd also release solo albums. Fraser has been working as well, providing lead and backing vocals with the band Massive Attack as well as soundtrack work (Lord of the Rings). There are rumors she has been working on a solo release as well. The band works on doing podcasts, but haven't been seen together on stage since 2007 when they accepted an award.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – I never saw the band live. There was a glimmer the band might reform in 2005 for the Coachella music festival, but three months after the annoucment they band pulled out.

FDF Overall Take – This is a late in the evening type of band. You can't put this on at a party and expect guests to hang out any longer. Put this on later, as some candles bounce in view and you'll will find the magic right away. Not something I could listen to every day, but when the mood hits there are few bands that can scratch the itch so quickly.

Links
Official Site here. Fan site here

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

The album is out of print but you can find it easily, starting here

FDF Volume 3 Issue 227: Inspiral Carpets - Revenge of the Goldfish

2011-06-03T11:07:00.005-04:00

By: March

Album – Revenge of the Goldfish
Artist – Inspiral Carpets
Key Players – Craig Gill – drums. Martyn Walsh – bass. Graham Lambert – guitar. Clint Boon – keyboards,backing vocals. Tom Hingley – vocals
Produced By – Pascal Gabriel

Release Date – October 5, 1992

What caused me to blow off the dust? - I can't tell you the last time I even really thought to put on an Inspiral Carpets CD. I can't even ever really say I was all that in to them. MTV's 120 Minutes played “This is How it Feels” and I dug that track. Looking forward to checking out this disc for the first time in ages.

Overview – This is the third full length studio album from Oldham, England based band “Inspiral Carpets”. Formed in 1983 and named after a clothing shop in their home town the band would become part of the “Madchester” scene blending psychedelic and indie rock. They'd become a charting act in their homeland as well a few countries around the world. They'd release a followup to this record, then a singles collection before being dropped by their label. The band would only have three songs crack the UK singles chart higher than 20, with the highest being 12.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – Boon is all over the keyboards at the start of “Generations” before Hingley comes up on vocals. The drums from Gill are really at the front and Boon offers some great harmonies. Walsh and Lambert are present, but we don't really hear this as a guitar and bass track. The vocals get compressed in the later verses and there are some call and response vocals but Boon keeps the track moving forward. At the start of “Saviour” we hear a lot more of the guitar from Lambert. The song is a quick romp more of bass and drum flair, there are still keyboards but the band is locked in. As the second verse progresses there is a lot more from Boon on keyboards giving a real keyboard punch. On the track “Bitches Brew” Walsh is the lone instrument at the start. Lambert comes in and plays off a piano bed from Boon. The track is a little more melodic and laid back that the prior track but you can hear a lot more of Hingley's vocal style and range. The song does get a little more rowdy but Lambert is quick to use his guitar to wrangle everyone back in check. “Smoking Her Clothes” is what you'd associate immediately to the “Madchester” sound. The keyboards just radiate and the bass guitars and drum all come together. Hingley is focused and on mark and the band seems to erupt at the chorus and the backing vocals are very strong. The band changes to a down tempo but it is only for a moment before the comes back to its fun vibe. A very strong track. Walsh is all over his bass at the start of “Fire” before Boon joins in. Gill clicks off the drums and the full band comes in. The pace is once again quick and the band seems focused and on point. Gill has a vendetta on his hi-hat and seems to hit it and rumble across his drum kit while Walsh and Lambert hammer on their strings. “Here Comes the Flood” finds Lambert on acoustic guitars and per the norm, the band seems right on task. There is no real “flash” on the song, it is pretty much a straight up rock tune. The band seems to find an extended jam at the end which is about the lone thing that really has this track stand out from others. “Dragging Me Down” has the great keyboard sound from Boon. Lambert has a guitar buzz/chime hybrid thing going on and Gill lays the track in motion. The call and response vocals at the chorus are great, and the band seems to really have a lot of fun on the track. “A Little Disappeared” is slow to open with Walsh chugging across the bass before Gill and Boon come in. The track is sung and played at a frantic pace. Gill is not flashy on the drums but he works the kit pretty well hitting them hard and having Boon do a series of runs on the keyboards over it all. The track “Two Worlds Collide” only track to crack US radio and it peaked at #8 on the US Modern Rock chart, is next. Based off the “sound” it seems like an odd choice to release to radio based of the time and the genere. The chorus is great, but the keyboards that drive the record are missing. The “Madchester” sounds you can hear in the guitar and the vocal delivery though. The crunchy guitar is back at the start of “Mystery” and Gill is all over his drum kit once more. The band locks in and takes off. Another track where the band is musically and lyrically frantic, this song moves. Lambert is alone on guitar as “Rain Song” starts and remains the lone instrument as Hingley begins to sing. It stays like this for the verse, then the band joins in, but it keeps a mellow vibe. The album concludes with “Irresistible Force”, a track that finds Lambert getting a little funky on his guitar and letting Gill and Boon join in. Hingley is distorted again on the vocals and the song has a quick tempo. A strong album closer.

Where are they now? - The band broke up in 1995 and then re-formed in 2003. They are listed as still being “active”. They have played very sporadic live dates but haven't been active (even with their web site) since 2009. The “active” band remains the same as the line up for the record reviewed here. The band has done various side projects. Two of the roadies for the band have gone on to success; one time van driver Mark Collins joined the Charlatans in 1991 and a guitar tech, named Noel Gallagher joined some band called “Oasis”.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – I never saw the band live.

FDF Overall Take – In the end I have to admit that a fair amount of this record is forgettable. Sure there are some gems, and listening reminds me of a very exciting time in music for me personally. I don't mean to slag off the band by any means and I am in no rush to “sell their cds back” it is just if I think of this “scene” I think of other bands for better or worse. If you come upon a singles collection, grab it though.

Links
Official Site is here.

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

Two Worlds Collide
Saviour
Smoking Her Clothes

The album is out of print, but you can track it down easy enough starting here.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 226 - The Replacements - Don't Tell a Soul

2011-05-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

By: March

Album – Don't Tell A Soul
Artist – The Replacements
Key Players - Chris Mars – drums and percussion. Tommy Stinson – bass. Slim Dunlap – guitar. Paul Westerberg – guitar, vocals.
Produced By – Matt Wallace and The Replacements

Release Date - February 1989

What caused me to blow off the dust? - There is a new documentary out about the band, which has gotten me to think about them a little more. When you come upon a Replacements fan you will realize it right away. I am a casual fan of theirs, growing to appreciate over time.

Overview - Formed in 1979 the Minneapolis, Minnesota based band "The Replacements" may never have experienced significant commercial success they'd go on to influence 100's of bands. Known for their drunk and erratic live shows the foursome blended punk rock with a hint of hardcore punk that would grow with the band to a more mature sound. After some line up changes and a more focused on being less "punky" they were met with mixed reactions. New fans took note, but old fans were not thrilled with this change. After releasing seven studio albums the band called it quits in 1991 after a 4th of July concert in Chicago. They have left an unrivaled legacy.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – The album begins with 'Talent Show”. Acoustic guitars and percussion instruments lay the foundation. Westerberg begins the vocals and after a full verse the band comes in. The guitars and drums are still kept in check, not fully taking over. There are hints of backing vocals and harmonies which are nice. The guitars a bit more big and in your face as “Back to Back” begins. The riffs are short and the vocals come in and Mars works the track up. Dunlap and Westerberg dual on guitars some and the song falls in to a 4/4 rock tune. Dunlap has a decent guitar solo at the right time and the band is quick to rejoin the overall feel, but he does get a second solo in the later part of the track, and then it fades out. “We'll Inherit The Earth” has a different intro with Stinson working the bass up before the guitar rings out and the vocals start. There are acoustic guitars once more and the band up to this point wastes little time getting to the vocals. After a few lines Mars hits down and the band takes off. They have a full and clean sound, with no one member really out shining the other. The band has a good moment of “clicking” as Mars, Stinson and Dunlap all swell at once, a real powerful moment. Mars clicks off “Achin to Be” and there is twang to the guitars. Sounds a little countryish actually. The acoustic guitars ring and Stinson has a nice tight bass line and the tambourine shakes and slide guitars are a nice touch. Westerberg has a nice pain to his voice that adds to the mood. “They're Blind” starts off very mellow. Again acoustic guitars are the norm and Mars keeps the drum in a “lounge” feel. Stinson sounds great on the bass giving great fills at the right time, but the focus leans on the acoustic guitars and Westerbergs hushed and laid back delivery. As pretty as it sounds this is the older and wiser Replacements and it is easy to see how fans from the early years were left scratching their heads. We get back to the rowdy rock feel as “Anywhere's Better than Here” opens. There is a yell and the band all comes in. The tempo is up and there is purpose with instruments. The band is in and out in less than three minutes and Mars must have been angry with his drums as they got a beating on this track. The band likes the slow fade ups as well and “Asking Me Lies” follows suit. What then comes out is a bubbly pop song??! Mars and Stinson play off one another and the guitars have real bright punchy sound to them. Westerberg doesn't push himself vocally so there is little strain and the bring tempo of the song is, dare I say, fun. If you were only a casual observer of the band you'd know “I'll Be You”. If found its way on to modern rock and college radio rotation. The guitars are punchy but it the bass of Stinson that will grab you. Chugging across the bottom of the track Westerberg has some nice call and response sing along moments in the chorus. This is “alternative rock” at its finest. The shortest track on the album “I Won't” is a rock-a-billy foot stomper. Stinson starts with the bass and a harmonica joins in. The vocals are gruff and impassioned, adding to the urgency. The track is a real barn burner. Keyboards are the lead off instrument on “Rock N' Roll Ghost”. A lone acoustic guitar joins in and the vocals are again hushed. The album concludes with “Darlin' One” a big, full sounding track from the start. The backing vocals add a great deal to the tune as the big guitar solo comes and is complimented by the strumming acoustic. Mars doesn't over do it on the drums, but they are big, stadium rock like sounding. The band are all credited with writing this song and they all took part for sure in performing. A solid album closer.

Where are they Know? Tommy Stinson went on to form "Bash & Pop" after the demise of the Mats. He'd play guitar and sing on that project. He would then pick the bass back up and form "Perfect". In 1998 he joined "Guns and Roses" as their bassist. He has worked with Soul Asylum and his own solo material. Chris Mars went on to join the band "Golden Smog" but his true passion is with painting. Slim Dunlap has released two solo records since the bands demise. Paul Westerberg continues to write and perform as a solo artist. He released a record in 2009

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – I saw the Replacements one time. June 21, 1991 opening for Elvis Costello at Great Woods. I had heard about the band a lot and they were touring for this very record. I recall them being very tight, fast and loud. They took an audience request for the song “Satellite” which I've never been able to find. Is that even the right name?

Links
Paul Westerberg site
A great Paul fan blog is here.
The "Unofficial" Replacements database here.
You can check out Chris Mars' artwork here.

I'll Be You Official Video

Long audience shot with a few tunes including "Asking Me Lies" from this record.

Achin' To Be (embedding was not allowed)

You can buy the cd here.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 225: The Call - Reconciled

2011-05-11T11:10:00.021-04:00

By: March

Album - Reconciled
Artist – The Call
Key Players - Scott Musick - drums,vocals. Tom Ferrier - guitars, vocals. Jim Goodwin - keyboards, vocals. Michael Been – bass, lead vocals
Produced By – Michael Been and the Call

Release Date - 1986

What caused me to blow off the dust? - A college friend of my wife actually posted something about them on facebook a few weeks ago and it got me to thinking. Sometimes I need inspiration! Thanks Dr.PGW for the reminder.

Overview - This was the fourth full length album from Santa Cruz California based band "The Call". The band had been labeless for about 2 years before being picked up by Elektra Records. The band would find success in the college radio circuit and release a few more records. They'd never have a big chart topping hit but they'd make news when then Presidential hopeful Al Gore used the song "Let the Day Begin" in 2000.

FDF Comments (aka the songs)
The album opens strong with shimmering guitar on "Everywhere I Go" and a quick back beat put down by Musick. The bass chugs along and the vocals come in. Been has a very powerful voice, which grabs the listener right away. As the chorus approaches Peter Gabriel and Jim Kerr from Simple Minds lend their support. They are not pushed any higher than the band so it is largely un noticed. Ferrier is very much at home with the jangle on his guitar and gets a quick solo with Goodwin filling the sound with keyboard fills. The vocals come back but it is just Been and the drum beat as the urgency builds to another run at the chorus. Been chugs a short for bass notes and “I Still Believe (Great Design)" begins. This song was also on the soundtrack for "The Lost Boys". The band all slowly comes in and it is a strong/tense build up. When Been starts to sing he is clear and punchy at the same time. The band is slowly building and Musick is careful to not burst out until needed and when you think it would be him it is actually Goodwin who takes off on a keyboard run. The overall vibe of the track is dark, but the tempo and mood hit you in the right spot. This was one of the two bigger songs from the record and it is easy to tell why. Been sets it up for what is to come with the powerful voice. There is a bit more of an 80's tech/keyboard feel at the start of “Blood Red (America)”. Been still leads the charge, but at first it feels a little out of place. The band is experimenting and Musicks drums seem electronic as well. Robbie Robertson from "The Band" guest on “The Morning”. We start off once more with keyboards and the guitar. Musick lays down the beat and Been begins to sing. The band sings a verse but doesn't go right to a chorus instead there is an interlude and they do a second verse. Ferrier is doing short fills while Goodwin also gets the track to gain momentum. As the chorus is sung Been seems to really push his emotion. He has a particular sound. Robertson takes off on his solo, it is not too long and he seems to really blend well with the band. They come back around an then wrap up. The track “Oklahoma” is counted off an the band sounds more in a "rock mode". Musick keeps the drum beat tight with Ferrier and Goodwin complimenting the bass from Beem. Even with three other members on backing vocals there seems to only be one with Been on this track. I could be wrong, but the harmonies are real tight and Been, once more, is really the focus point. “With or Without Reason” starts off rather dark but after a few short lines from Been the band takes off. Again, a little campy in the keyboard department but they were using the tools of the time. Jim Kerr is back on backing vocals in “Sanctuary”. Musick taps across the hi-hat with Ferrier and Goodwin adding on in parts. Kerr is a lot more pronounced on this track. Ferrier has a short solo after the first verse that doesn't distract. Kerr repeats his role a few times, but does not do much outside his one or two repeated words. “Tore the Old Place Down” is a little more down tempo for the band. Goodwin is the focus point early but Been has a nice bass fill that Music and Ferrier respond to well. Been seems less rushed vocally on the track. The album wraps up with “Even Now”. Goodwin runs down the keyboard and the bass of Been is up in the mix. Ferrier seems comfortable with his role on the guitar allowing for Goodwin to come back around. Ferrier has one of his longer guitar solos on this track, but it is still not over the top. The band rejoins and the track heads for home.

Where are they now? - The band broke up in 2000. Micheal Been died on August 19,2010 while on the road with his son's band Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Micheal had been the bands sound engineer. From what else I can find, and as always PLEASE comment if you have more info. Musick gives private lessons and plays out from time to time. Ferrier shares the name with a British race car driver so I didn't find much. Goodwin has worke with soundtracks and advertising jingles. He is also involved with the web site eggchair music, a site consumers can utilize to find music for projects.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – I never saw the band live.

FDF Overall Take - The album has not aged the best, but you need to remember the time. They are a talented bunch of guys for sure and Been might be one of the most under rated vocalists ever. Just a booming voice. They have a best of collection and casual fans should start there. Chances are if you went to college in the late 80's you already know and like "The Call"

Links
Official Page
myspace as well as Facebook

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

The album is out of print but not too hard to find. You can start here.

Video for Everywhere I Go
Live version of the same song from 1986. See the power "live"
Audio Version only of I Still Believe

FDF Volume 3: Issue 224 - Deep Purple - Made in Japan

2011-05-06T08:00:00.000-04:00

By: March

Album – Made in Japan
Artist – Deep Purple
Key Players – Richie Blackmore – lead guitar, Ian Paice – drums and percussion, Roger Glover - bass, Ian Gillan – vocals, harmonica, percussion, Jon Lord – organ, keyboards and electric piano
Produced By – Deep Purple

Release Date – April 1973

What caused me to blow off the dust? - Just in the mood for some real heavy 70's rock. This scratched that itch until I was bleeding.

Overview – Originally a double live album from UK heavy metal, progressive rock band Deep Purple recorded on their first tour of Japan in 1972. The album was recorded over three nights and various locations. The band, who were not fans of live albums, agreed to record it (for $3,000) and only planned to release it in Japan. Upon completion the bands label in the US (Warner Brothers) initially passed on it, then released it, where it went platinum (1 million sold) in less than a month.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – The first two tracks were recorded in Osaka on August 16th. A slow drone and then Lord rolling up the keyboards as it sounds like the band takes the stage. Paice works the fans in to a frenzy and “Highway Star” begins. For a live album it is mixed very well. You hear the thump of the bass drum. Glover has a strong bass line that is high in the mix and Gillan is in fine form. Lord and Blackmore are not to be outdone and the two share a sequence together after the first verse with the band coming in around them. This my friends is metal. It is that simple. Heavy, clean, tight...just some booming stuff. “Child in Time” starts off quiet with Lord and Paice playing off one another with Glover putting in a few bass lines here and there. Gillan is laid back for a bit, but don't let that fool you. As soon as you think it will be a quiet song he howls over the top in loud and long operatic like screams. The band grows around him and it changes to a marching band tempo with Lord leading the charge with a great organ solo. Blackmore then gets to show off his chops on a great blues influenced solo. Glover and Paice really keep this together though. The rumble of Paice on the drums will have you turning up the volume, and taping your feet all the harder. Lord tosses in some quick bursts on keyboards as Blackmore continues to solo. The band returns to vocals and Gillan does another operatic run before the band swallows him up once more. It ends just as chaotic as you'd expect. Arguably the bands most well known song “Smoke on the Water” follows. This version was taken from August 15th (still in Osaka). Gillan introduces the song and then Blackmore teases that famous guitar intro. The audience claps along and by the time Paice does the hi-hat beat the audience is eating it up. Each member slowly joins and Gillan takes off. Upon this listen I really noticed how much Lord works out on the organ. Sure the guitar is well known, but if you really listen to what else is going on, it is really far more than you ever may have realized. It is more pronounced as the song goes on, but at the start it stands out. As big as that riff is, the band is in top form on this track. The next track is “The Mule”. This was taken from the Tokyo show on August 17th. The best line is uttered right at the start “Everything louder than everything else”. The band starts out with a tight jam before the vocals come in. The vocals are short and the bulk of this track (6+minutes) is a Paice drum solo. This is/was a big thing for 70's metal bands so we have to remember the time. Not a slag to his playing but it is a drum solo, and those have never translated well on a live record for me personally. Again, not that it is not good, but the band was true to keeping the track available “as is” so I applaud them for that. We jump back to Osaka on the 16th for “Strange Kind of Woman”. Lord once more has a heavy hand on the keyboards and the drone of the organ shakes your bones. Blackmore has a short solo but this is really a full band effort. No one player is the go to guy so its a great track for that. Glover and Blackmore play off one another for the first time it seems though. Glover does some swirling bass parts and the band breaks it down for an audience clap along. After a jam Gillan holds an operatic note for what feels like minutes. He then signals it to end and the bands wraps it up. We had back to Tokyo on the 17th for “Lazy”. The band starts a slow jam at the start and teases “Louie Louie” it feels like the band is trying to find the right step off point. They goof around with some organ and drum tandems. Once it gets rolling it is a heavy jam. If you put this on at a cookout heads would turn around and start to bob. It hits a deep and heavy groove. Clocking in over 10 minutes it is vocal free for the first 5 minutes. When Gillan comes in he is quick and focused with the band locked in. He plays the harmonica on this track and we fall back to a 12 bar blues jam. They tease this over and over and still keep a Deep Purple feel to it. The original album wrapped up with the 19:41 “Space Truckin”. This was taken from Osaka on the 16th. The audience claps along as Lord drops these HUGE deep organ tones. Paice hammers out the 4/4 time and the band all comes in. After the usual verse the band does “space” out some. Longer drum portions, with hushed bass guitar then organ fills. We make our way around the stage it seems with each player getting some time. Part of it is wanky, but at the same time you marvel at the engineering that was done. Every instrument can be heard. From the maraca shake to the floor tom and over to the guitar. When it happened I am sure it was something to witness. The final three tracks are called “encores”. “Black Night” was taken from the 17th in Tokyo and appears in full form, vs the edited version that had appeared on a b-side. Lord is the one that sets the tone and then Paice gets it really rolling as Blackmore feeds off his intro. Gillan asks if the audience is ready and they hammer down. “Speed King” is also from the same evening and Gillan says it is a song “designed to raise a little of perspiration”. The audience is wild with the announcement and the Paice drums are just thunderous. Gillan soars over the music but Blackmore, Glover and Lord are locked in and the song is just one sonic avalanche. This is some heavy stuff kids. The encore section wraps up with a cover of “Lucille”. This was from Osaka on the 16th. The band swaps some instruments around and gets ready to get rolling. After about 3 minutes they get underway and Lord rumbles the organ with Paice hammering the floor toms and bass drum. Little Richard would approve...he'd just have to because even if he yelled at them to stop, they'd never hear him.

Where are they now? - The band is still active today. Their last studio album was in 2005. Lord and Blackmore have left the band. In 2002 Lord left the band to concentrate on other music. In 2008 he released a classical album. Blackmore was a member of the band “Rainbow” for many years and since 1999 he has worked with his wife on various projects, one being “Blackmore's Night”.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – I have not seen the band live.

FDF Overall Take – Lets get this out of the way...they are not just a band that gave us “Smoke On the Water”. As a band with 18 studio albums there are a lot of gems for a new fan to track down. This album was really an introduction to the band for me personally. The sound on this record is just mammoth. I mean HUGE. The band is made up of very talented guys. Put “Smoke” on the side for a bit and open your mind. You'll probably really dig em.

Links

Official Band page here.
myspace page
One of the better fan sites here.

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

This is an audio only You Tube for Highway Star

Also, check out Strange Kind of Woman.

A great You Tube Doc that sings the praise of the record here
As well as part 2 here.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 223 - Grosse Pointe Blank - Music from the Film

2011-04-29T08:00:00.001-04:00

By: March

Album - Music from the Film Grosse Pointe Blank
Artist - Various
Key Players - Various
Produced By - Kathy Nelson and Bill Green

Release Date - March 18, 1997

What caused me to blow off the dust? - My wife blew the dust off this one. She had a road trip she did a few weeks ago and she pulled this one out.

Overview - Soundtrack for the John Cusak/Minnie Driver film. The trailer for the film is right here if you need a refresher. The soundtrack would have mostly indie and alternative bands from the time was popular enough that a second volume would be released. Volume 1 (here) peaked at 31 on the US Charts.

FDF Comments (aka the songs)
Violent Femmes - "Blister in the Sun" - A song that you can still hear fairly often on the radio. The Milwaukee, Wisconsin, based band had actually disbanded in the late 1980's and did reform. This track, perhaps their most well known, is from their 1983 debut. It blends blistering acoustic guitars with brushed drums. An infectious groove that still sticks with fans.

The Clash - "Rudie Can't Fail" - Joe Strummer actually did the musical score for the film and perhaps as perk was able to include two of their songs on this soundtrack. This tune appeared on the bands "London Calling" record. Blending punk rock and ska they are forever credited as one of the most ground breaking and influential bands of all time. The band disbanded in 1986 and Joe Strummer passed away in 2002.

The English Beat - "Mirror in the Bathroom" - Keeping with the "ska" feel the lead off single from "the Beat" (English was added for America). The wonderful horn section is what really stands out. We swooned about this record on FDF here. The band has re-formed a few times with various members.

David Bowie & Queen - "Under Pressure" - The ever famous "Ice Ice Baby" Sample. This originally appeared on the Queen album "Hot Space" that was released in 1982. The song went to #1 and Queen would be kept out of this spot for 10 years. The bass line laid down by John Deacon could arguably called the most recognizable bass lines ever.

Johnny Nash - "I Can See Clearly Now" - Released in 1972 the single would reach #1. Nash, born in Texas, went to Jamaica to record his reggae music. A wonderfully optimistic track that gets played for various occasions. It has more of a soul sound to me personally. Nash is still alive, and although out of the spot light he scored a series of chart topping singles.

Guns N' Roses - "Live and Let Die" - One of, if not the biggest band of the late 1980's an early 90's was LA based Guns N' Roses. The song was recorded in 1991 and is a cover of the Paul McCartney song (Wings). The song was released as the second single from the Guns and Roses "Use your Illusion 1" album (and 4th single that was released from the 2 records. Shannon Hoon, late of Blind Melon fame, sang back up vocals. Izzie Stradlin, a guitar player for GnR also left shortly after this song was released. Is anyone sure what is up with GnR these days? A record decades in the making came out, but fans seemed to have turned away from the physical release.

Faith No More - "We Care A Lot" - Before the band was more well known for "Epic" this track was found on their 1985 debut. The big punchy bass stands out and the band infused metal and funk. The band as noted would become more well known (at least in the US) with their follow up and wild videos. The band broke up in 1998 but has reformed and played a few select live shows. Fans of the Discovery Channels "Dirty Jobs" may recognize this as the shows theme song.

The Specials - "Pressure Drop" - This track was released originally in 1970 by the Maytals. This version from the specials has appeared in two films, this one here, and "An Extremely Goofy Movie". The song has been covered by everyone from Izzy Stradlin to Robert Palmer, to Keith Richards. A nice mix of pop and ska to change the tempo of the collection.

The Jam - "Absolute Beginners - Released in 1981 this song is not actually found on any Jam studio album. This track was recorded close to the 1982 demise of the band. The drawl from singer Paul Weller and choppy horns make for a very strong single. US fans never really paid a ton of attention to the Jam which is a shame.

The Clash - "Armagideon Time" - The second Clash tune on the soundtrack. Sounds good along side some of the ska based tracks. A slower tune from the band, not the furious stuff the band is perhaps more well known for.

Los Fabulosos Cadillacs - "El Matador" - This track, from 1993 comes from the Argentinian based band. They have released a stream of records since 1986 and this particular song the band actually released twice to radio. It is reported that tennis star Rafael Nadal used this track as his intro music in 2010. The band appears to be on hiatus once more.

Pete Townshend - "Let My Love Open the Door" (E.Cola Remix) - Composer, guitarist, and sometimes vocalist for "The Who" Pete Townshend released this track on his 1980 solo album "Empty Glass." The song cracked the US top 10 and for some reason it is heavily used in films. It has appeared in such a wide range of films from "Look Who's Talking", "Click" and "Dan in Real Life" (and many more). The version on this soundtrack is remixed with the intro guitar, as well as the guitar that is played when Pete sings the vocals is gone. The studio version I find stronger, but this is a different take.

Violent Femmes - "Blister 2000" - A "horn" based version of Blister in the Sun. It is slowed down some and has more strings and percussive instruments. You'll scratch your head at this one. It would have been better to have put another artist/track here.

FDF Overall Take - For a movie soundtrack it is pretty strong. Blending old and new, with ska to rock there is something for everyone. Nothing you can't really find elsewhere but a solid collection worthy of tracking down.

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

If you listen to any..please check out The Jam

The Specials

A Bowie-less version of "Under Pressure" but it is "live" so it is well worth your time right here

The soundtrack is still in print. You can buy it
here if you so desire.

Disclaimer - For the most part songs listed you can find on iTunes or your local cd shop. The idea is to give you a little taste of the music. Please support the artist buy purchasing some of their work. Songs are posted for about 1 week but can and will be removed at the request of the artist, band, band management etc. If you are one of those persons contact me via the email link in the profile and they will be removed as soon as we are made aware of the request.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 222 - The The - Mind Bomb

2011-04-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

By: March

Album - Mind Bomb
Artist - The The
Key Players - Matt Johnson * (lots of guests we will get to that).
Produced By - Warne Livesey, Roli Mosimann & Matt Johnson

Release Date - July 11, 1989

What caused me to blow off the dust? - I was thinking of this band when I caught myself humming "Kingdom of Rain."

Overview - This was the fourth album release by UK based "The The". The "band" was largely an outlet for multi-instrumentalist Matt Johnson who would do the vocals, play instruments and co-produce. Even with the revolving door of other players Johnson would harness their skills and create many of the stepping stones for "post punk".

FDF Comments (aka the songs) - (The "band" varies by track so I'll point out some of the more notable players..apologies if I didn't mention your favorite).

"Good Morning, Beautiful" Johnny Marr is the guitar player on all but one of the tracks (track 2) James Eller is the bassist and David Palmer is the drummer for the entire record. There is a fuzzy spoken portion at the start. It is listed as a child's prayer and the piano begins at the end. Horns then feed in to the mix and the chat fades, but returns. We loop back to the piano and then Marr gets a few bigger notes as the song starts to take shape. Johnson sings hushed at times, but is clear and articulate. Palmer hits the drums hard, but it does not overwhelm the track. Mark Feltham plays an electronic harmonica which blends with the horns and the growl of Johnson comes back in for verse two. The band is very tight and it has a big sound to it. "Armageddon Days Are Here (Again)" feels like it will be laid back but Palmer clicks the drums off and we are much more uptempo that the opener. The drums have a particular punch to them and Johnson carves his riffs over the top. Johnson gets help on the chorus with a choir and string section. Feltman returns with the harmonica at the start of "The Violence of Truth". Palmer is punched up once more and "Wix" finds a tight groove on the hammond organ. James Eller keeps his bass line focused and the drums are also very simple, but are mixed so well they stand out. Marr gets a good buzzy solo run but it is not too long before Feltham is back. The band finds a tight jam I wish they did more with but it is still strong. A thunder storm starts off "Kingdom of Rain". This time we have acoustic guitar and a very hushed Johnson. Sinead O'Connor tandems with Johnson on lead vocals and backup. The band gets a little more urgent as the chorus approaches. The bass line rolls across as congas and bongos fill the track. O'Conner gets more urgent and her powerful voice really comes out during the second verse. A sort of rockabilly feel opens "The Beat(en) Generation". This track has the first real sing along moment with the chorus. The guitars have a nice ring to them an Feltham gets to play harmonica again for you. There are four additional voices singing on the chorus which adds to the sound. The shortest track ends there and we head to "August & September" . The piano works to get the track in motion as Johnson is restrained, feeding off the piano from time to time. The acoustic bass has a really haunting tone an the oboe and bass clarinet really fill out a very unique sound. "Gravitate to Me" is one of the songs you could pick out as a single from the record. In the credits Pedro Halemann is listed as playing "water percussion" and what sounds like a harmonica could perhaps be Johnson playing keyboards and/or Melodica? Marr has a sort guitar solo an the percussive instruments shake things up as well. The album concludes with "Beyond Love". A flugel horn opens the track and Eller comes in on bass whole Palmer is slower to get rolling on the drums. It is a slower track, but continues to showcase the full band which is a nice touch.

Where are they now? - The Band has released 8 full length albums commercially, and are rumored to have many unissued. The The works mostly with soundtracks these days. The most recent was a soundtrack for the film Tony in 2010. Matt the only full time/consistent member.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) - I have never seen the band live.

FDF Overall Take - There are some great moments on this record. Overall the band is tight an Johnson has a great idea of what and where he wants to go. Much of their domestic stuff is out of print but even with that you wouldn't have to look to far to track down on of their cds. "Infected" is on of the bands more notable songs as well. For less than $5.00 you can track this down, and it is worth it.

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

The video for "Kingdom Of Rain" here.
The Video for "Beat(en) Generation here
And "Gravitate to Me" is here.

One fun thing to note. In the liner notes the band asks that "To obtain maximum joy" that you "Play very loud, very late, very alone an with light turned down very low."

The original album is out of print, but not to hard to find, and there is a remastered version out as well. Grab a copy

here

Bah..real life gets in the way.

2011-04-15T11:10:00.000-04:00

I have nothing this week. Once again life gets in the way. I hope/plan to be back next week.

Thanks as always for stopping over. I do apprecaite any readers and your feedback!

Regards,
March

FDF Volume 3 Issue 221 - An Emotional Fish - Self Titled

2011-04-08T08:00:00.006-04:00

By: March

Album - An Emotional Fish
Artist - An Emotional Fish
Key Players - Martin Murphy - drums. David Frew - Guitars. Enda Wyatt - bass. Geard Whelan - vocals.
Produced By - Tim Palmer

Release Date - September 24, 1990

What caused me to blow off the dust? - I bought and listen to one tune of this about 2-3 times a year and figured I needed to really give it a listen.,

Overview - Formed in Dublin Ireland in the late 1980s. The band would sign to U2's label and then have this (their debut) be re-released on Atlantic Records. They'd release two more records, each failing to live up to the prior record both in fan and critical acclaim.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) - The album opens up with a terrific punchy bass right up in the listeners face. "Celebrate" is the track that sold me on the record upon first listen. Wyatt has clear, fluent notes come out of the bass. After a few bars of this great bass work Frew joins in then Murphy hits down and the band is off. It has a very bright, jingle/jangle sound to it. Whelan has a deep baritone voice that alternates from brooding to powerful. Frew has a bright ring to his guitar and the bass work remains constant. As the chorus nears it gets more urgent and the band follows suit. It all ends on a high, explosive musical moment. Just a terrific lead off track. Seriously, you'll listen again. "Grey Matter" is a little more laid back of track but the mix is high on the drums. Murphy hits them sharp and Frew and Wyatt work off one another well. The vocals are not as forced, or rushed but Whelan continues to shine with his deep voice. As the song progresses the bass and drums really feed off one another and it reaches out and grabs you. A single guitar starts up "Blue" and the first really mellow track of the album. Jil Taylor lends her voice as back up on the track (she appears on a few others as well). The band is much more laid back and Whelan and Taylor sound strong together. There is an extended harmonica section played by Earmon Murray which adds another unique touch. "Lace Virginia" has more of a focus on the bright guitar from Frew and Wyatt comes in to challenge for your attention. Whelan howls and the band works towards a more fever pace but it remains intact, rather than really breaking out. The vocal howls are a little silly as the track really grows musically, still there is little to be frustrated about on this track. Murphy lightly rolls across the drums as "Julian" begins. He plays along with Frew before Whelan comes in. We are, once more, a little laid back, but the music and vocals are pretty. The gradual crescendos to the chorus are paced well. The bass once more plays wonderfully off the guitars and drums for a solid, yet really pretty sound. Sort of soft words to use I realize, but it seems to work in this case. "All I Am" begins with a very hushed Whelan singing under the guitar from Frew. It takes close to a minute before the bass and drums join in and the track continues to be on the quiet side. It is not until the second verse does it get a little more rushed. Whelan makes the strongest case pushing vocally, but the band remains steadfast. As the song progresses it gets faster, both lyrically and musically. It really is another stand out, and right as you are ready for more, it ends. "Change" opens with Murphy rumbling across the drum kit and Wyatt really showing off on the bass. That terrific bass sound from "Celebrate" returns and then guitars and vocals start. The band is in full rock mode here. Frew chimes over on guitars and for the first time you can noticeably hear the backing vocals from the band (none is individually credited). Frew also gets the first real, "rocking" guitar solo here. After the solo the bass and drums tandem once more and the verse gets another run through. "Colours" is a much more relaxed track and Frew gets a second guitar solo here, but its more of a laid back solo, not as fast as before. The song is okay, just nothing that really jumps out at you. Wyatt rings out a few chugging bass notes as "That Demon Jive" starts. Murphy continues to hit the drums hard and Whelan seems to be a bit more gruff on this track vocally. His voice sounds a little shredded (but in a good rock and roll sort of way) Eamon Murray returns again, but this time on saxophone, another really cool variation from the bass/guitar/drums mantra. The band really clicks off one another and the track is focused and rowdy. Murphy and Frew start off "Brick it Up". Once more the band mixes the harder tracks with the mellower tempo things. Don't get me wrong, there isn't a sappy love song on here, but there are noticeable musical style differences. Just as I say/type that the band will fire off a few bars of rowdy rock before regaining composure. "Move On" is the final track on the cd. It is listed as a bonus track. It feels like a filler track honestly. It still sounds like the band, and its a song (vs some odd answering machine track or something) but it doesn't ever really get anywhere

Where are they now? - There is not a ton of information to go on. Wikipedia for example says the band is still active (with the same members) but in 2002 Whelan and Wyatt formed a new band (or seem to work with one another).

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) - I never saw the band live.

FDF Overall Take - I can honestly tell you this was the first time this record got listened to in full in probably 15 years. Swear to goodness. Anytime I pulled the cd off the shelf it was for "Celebrate" and/or "Change". There are some great moments on this record. The band was very tight and had the talent. Some of the guitars sound like they'd fit alongside the "Manchester" sound and the same time (or near future). More ups than downs honestly. If you dig the audio samples below, you'd dig the whole thing.

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

You can buy this here.

Life got in the way this week...

2011-04-01T12:23:00.002-04:00

Sorry..nothing new this week. Work got out of hand, got a new PC as well so that might cause issues w/me posting/hosting mp3s. They are not downloaded so much so I am not sure what I'll do.

I hope to be back next week...that is the plan anyway.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 220 - Stabbing Westward : Ungod

2011-03-25T08:00:00.001-04:00

By: March

Album - Ungod
Artist - Stabbing Westward
Key Players - David Suycott - drums and percussion. Jim Sellers - bass. Walter Flakus - keyboards. Christopher Hall - vocals, keyboards. Stuart Zechman - guitars, bass
Produced By - John Fryer

Release Date - February 1994

What caused me to blow off the dust? - From time to time I get in a "heavy" mood and find that the more alternative stuff does the trick more often than a straight up "metal" record. I recall at one time thinking this band was going to be big for some reason. I am sure they were not unhappy with their success.

Overview - A very early configuration of the Chicago based band Stabbing Westward was formed in 1985. In 1994 the band released this major label debut. According to the bands site in September of 1993 the band played the CMJ Music Marathon in front of 4,300 people opening for Rage Against the Machine. The bands blend of alternative meets industrial metal was a hit with fans and the band would release two more albums for Columbia records. Nothing from this album would chart, but subsequent albums and singles would crack various US play lists.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) - There is a long slow fade up to start off the track "Lost". Suycott is the first you hear, with some deep tom tom strikes and ti sounds like the keyboards and guitars buzz. Sellers is the second dominate instrument (bass) you hear. The bass line is clean, and has a real deep tone to it. The track continues to grow in intensity. Flashes of percussive chimes echo off the tom tom. By the time Hall sings his first line its very subdued. Pushed to the bottom in a dark chanting delivery until the he and the band explode, albeit only briefly as the song is nearing completion. The track sets a dark and moody tone for the record, so lets see, and listen again, to see if this sticks. I can't remember really. The track "Control" rumbles seamless from the lead off track. The guitars, bass and drums are more in sync. Hall comes in and has a more "soaring" delivery. Flakus throws in some keyboard fills at the close of the verse as they tease a chorus. Hall has a strong voice and he can hit the upper ranges with angst and not crack. Sellers gets love from the mix as the bass has a great punchy and clean sound to it, while the rest of the band wrestles with the industrial feel of the track. The guitars from Zechman are not dominant until the chorus strikes and then he hits you will a wall of compressed power chords as Hall howls over it all. The song that I always dug from this record comes in "Nothing". The Zechman lead guitar intro as the keyboard, bass and drums collide are such a heavy hit to the senses. Hall offers a more laid back delivery for the feel of the music Even the chorus, barring his higher vocal range reaches he keeps the vibe similar. The guitar riff is just a juicy nugget. Simple, but right in your ears and face. The song ends and there are some odd keyboard loops that fade up in to the track "ACF". This track starts out far more quiet and laid back. Flakus and Hall strike keyboards, but once again Sellers bass gets punchy high in the mix. As the verse begins it remains largely ambient sounds with the bass chugging out a few notes as Hall sings. After the verse concludes the second verse kicks off and the band kicks in but it quick to ease back in to the earlier feel of the record. The band seems to have found their real repetitive track, at least to these ears. Verse, chorus, verse keep the same urgency. "Lies" is another stand out track. It reminds me of a hyped up track from the film "Blade Runner". The band really fires off on this track. Suycott seems to have found the roto-toms on his drum kit, but he pummels the bass and floor tom-toms. This here is the soundtrack for a speeding ticket. Just a driving, rocking, kick ass moment. See in the download area if you don't believe me. No, I won't pay your ticket either. Just past the halfway point of the record we hit the title track and second longest track (7:43) on the record. "Ungod" is another track slow to build. A single "beep" tone shifts between the speakers as it sounds like a guitar slowly works to find its place. The single notes are more chops than notes. After a little of this Suycott and Sellers put everyone on task. The vocals start and the song works to find a real place. Nearing the three minute mark the track gets a little more urgent and seemingly more focused and then it really gets good and heavy. If you take away the beginning its really pretty great, but the beginning is what sets you up for it all. "Throw" continues the buzz saw guitars with the bass and drums being a very strong presence. Hall adds a lot to the band, he could just shout but he hits these strong operatic like vocals ranges that adds such a unique sound. Flakus and Hall add various keyboard fills and Zechman, whom always seems to have a big sound, never gets too flashy. Flakus starts a keyboard loop and Zechman blasts a few short guitar notes as "Violent Mood Swings" kicks off. The full band comes and once again the sound is nice and full. All instruments are up in the mix, no one player is any more important which is a nice way to listen. There is a wild drum effect on Suycotts kit for the final few bars of the track. Sellers lone bass notes start of "Red on White" and this is the first real "quiet" feeling song. The keyboards sounds like pianos but it wants to grow with big keyboard drones. The song seems to stop and then the vocals come in. Very hushed once more and the band teetering on exploding. Suycott is the only one that really seems to head the direction of getting loud, but it never really happens, which is actually okay. The album closes with the longest track "Can't Happen Here" (8:09) that starts with tabla (Indian Percussion) and and chimes. Its has a similar feeling to the track "Lies" in its bassy keyboard and heavy drum roll. Hall sings a few short lines but the track continues with its percussive build up. Hall gets to soar over an overdub of his own vocal track which is very strong. Just as the song seems to want to start a long fade it gets aggressive once more and then it fades to completion.

Where are they now? - The band broke up on 2002.Christopher Hall has formed the L.A. based band The Dreaming. They released their first studio album "Etched in Blood" in 2007. Walter Flakus has been working with The Clay People and Chokt. He also worked/works in Chicago rock station. David left suddenly during the Ungod tour while Stuart left after the Ungod tour in 1995. Jim Sellers and his wife have opened a natural foods market.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) - I never saw the band live.

FDF Overall Take - If you like your stuff heavy with that industrial feel you should check them out. If you are unsure of what I am getting at..think of early Nine Inch Nails...the harder stuff (not Animal) and its a pretty close comparison. Big guitars, pounding drums etc. This is/was a lot better than I recall and I almost feel bad it has sat idle for so long. Again, if you are looking for some heat...this is a strong record.

Links
Official Site

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

Control
Lies
Nothing

Tracks are from "Ungod" which you can buy here.

Disclaimer - For the most part songs listed you can find on iTunes or your local cd shop. The idea is to give you a little taste of the music. Please support the artist buy purchasing some of their work. Songs are posted for about 1 week but can and will be removed at the request of the artist, band, band management etc. If you are one of those persons contact me via the email link in the profile and they will be removed as soon as we are made aware of the request.

FDF Volume 3: Issue 219: Butthole Surfers - Independent Worm Saloon

2011-03-18T08:00:00.002-04:00

By: March

Album - Independent Worm Saloon
Artist - Butthole Surfers
Key Players- King Coffey - drums. Jeff Pinkus - bass. Paul Leary - guitar, vocals. Gibby Haynes - lead vocals.
Produced By - John Paul Jones

Release Date - March 23, 1993

What caused me to blow off the dust? - I wonder what sort of traffic the first word in the band name will bring to this blog. All that aside, there is a time and place with me and the Surfers..just felt like it was time.

Overview - The sixth studio album from San Antonio, Texas based Butthole Surfers. The band had singed to Capitol records and this was the second release for the label. The band would ride a little big of commercial success in to the follow up (Electriclarryland). The band blends hard core, heavy rock with psychedelia to create one of the most wild and non traditional music that would be heard on mainstream radio. This album would crack the Billboard top 200, peaking at 154.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) - The album opens with a blistering track called "Who Was in My Room Last Night?". After a swirling vocal of "I'm Flying...away" the machine gun drums and chugging guitar. Haynes vocals are heavily distorted and compressed at the same time. Leary gets to toss out big guitar riffs at the close of each verse while Coffey keeps everything locked in. Around this time "industrial" metal was finding small cracks on MTV and radio so this tune fits right in with its urgency. A sudden change of pace...(acoustic guitars??!) start off "The Wooden Song". It is a much more laid back affair with rolling drum fills and a very relaxed overall feel to the song. Pinkus gets to shine on the bass, with a clean few bars before Leary comes back in with a little more of a distorted guitar solo. The solo is short and to the point, so much so he replays it later in the song. Not a song you'd associate to the Surfers. The chaos comes back on "Tongue" a far more frantic intro has your head spinning. Pinkus runs some heavy effects on his bass and then Haynes comes in. His vocal style is complimentary to the music. As the song takes form he shows good sense in singing rather than screaming fills. The music actually gets a little complex and twisted between the verse. Its a very short track as well. I don't give a fuck about the FBI is sung along to a car radio as a "skit" "Chewin' George Lucas' Chocolate" starts with a car being pulled over. I'll leave the surprise as to what is said to you the listener (its not that shocking, but lets have you dust the record off!). "Goofy's Concern" has Leary using his buzzy guitar once more and the track seems to open up with a more rock feel to it. The lyrics used are the same as the background in the previous track (the band sings along to their own tune...clever eh?). Coffey continues to hammer the drums and roll across the kit as Leary grinds his guitar. "Alcohol" is another swirling and chaotic track. The vocals at the start surround the listener before the band hits down and gets things rolling. It will keep the listener on task with the heavy tonal shifts. The heavy feel from the lead of song comes back on "Dog Inside Your Body". Vocals are compressed and the band is just waiting to explode, but when the time comes Leary takes a short solo. The urgency is there on the song and it has you waiting and waiting for it to really open up but it remains in check. Leary gets a few short solos.
"Strawberry" is another Pinkus lead track. From the start the bass has a real bright and punchy ring to it while Coffey hammers out the back beat. Haynes is a little more laid back, but the track is still a rocking affair. "Some Dispute Over T-Shirt Sales" the vocals on this track are similar to the track "Jesus Built My Hot Rod" by Ministry. Haynes had sung on that track for the band and this could be some sort of homage. The music is quick and to the point, with the band using big fills. Haynes sings about as fast as possible on the track, and it really is an extension of "hot rod". "Dancing Fool", yes it is a Frank Zappa song and this is a cover of the track, but with the bands own twist. The bass from Pinkus finds a solid groove as Leary and Coffey settle in to place. Leary seems to want to hold the song from starting a little, but before you know it, the band is off to the races. Pinkus is still high in the mix and his clear bass lines can be heard slicing through the chaos. In the end, to these ears, it only shares the same song title. At the start the track "You Don't Know Me"becomes a very focused track. The band has almost a rock-a-billy feel as they get rolling. Leary has a clean and clear guitar part while Coffey puts the back beat in motion. The vocals are clear and pointed. This is a real strong track, show casing another side of the band few would realize even existed. "Annoying Song" starts with some of the most compressed and somewhat silly vocal effect on the voice (sounds like a heliumed' up chipmunk). The vocal portions are just with drums and after each the full band plays. Musically I like this song a great deal, but the goofy effect on the vocals gets old quick. "Dust Devil" swings back with that crunchy overall sound with Haynes chanting lyrics over the tight foundation laid by Coffey, Leary and Pinkus. The band gets some time to solo and run off one another. Leary has the longest and most distorted solo on the whole record here. "Leave me Alone" is another track that really jumps off the speaker with a driving back beat. Again the vocals are very compressed, live Haynes often sings through a megaphone so this could very well be the vocal trick done here. Leary gets to shine again on the solos. Coffey rolls across the drums as "Edgar" begins. Pinkus and Leary fight for attention and Haynes swirls in. Musically its heavy and driving but the vocals are more "drone". "The Ballad of Naked Man" is very different with the intro being acoustic guitar and banjo. The percussion seems to be more hand/conga based and the there are some high harmonies sung by Leary, that feel a little campy, but also add a nice touch. The album concludes with "Clean it Up"a track with someone simulating vomiting..and violently as well. With guitars and drums crashing all around. Shouts to "clean it up" and an extended spoken word part hard hard to dissect but the music never seems to change in the heavy feel.

Where are they now? - The band has been active since 1981. They have not been very active as a recording or live band over the last few years. Their last album of new material was in 2001. The entire band listed here were all early members (since 81) and only Pinkus left the band from 1994 to 2008 where we worked with a band called Daddy Longhead.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) - The only time I saw the band as part of Lollapaloosa. It was August 9, 1991. They were very early in the day (second band if memory serves me correct) and the wild stage show seemed to lack something in the daylight. Still the band was wild and fun and most notably singer Gibby had a shotgun that he kept firing over the audience. They'd NEVER get away with that these days.

FDF Overall Take - There are some confusing moments, but some really great industrial, metal fused rockers. Tracks like "Who Was In My Room Last Night" are easy stand outs and at the time of the release it was about as heavy as anything heard on commercial radio at the time. Some of it can be harder to take, but there is some good rocking moments too.

Links
Official site is here.

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

This is the official video for "Who Was in My Room Last Night?"

mp3's have been removed..

Tongue
You Don't Know Me

Tracks are from the album that you can buy here.

Disclaimer - For the most part songs listed you can find on iTunes or your local cd shop. The idea is to give you a little taste of the music. Please support the artist buy purchasing some of their work. Songs are posted for about 1 week but can and will be removed at the request of the artist, band, band management etc. If you are one of those persons contact me via the email link in the profile and they will be removed as soon as we are made aware of the

FDF Vol 3 Issue 218: Judgement Night - Music from the Motion Picture

2011-03-11T08:00:00.002-05:00

By: March

Album - Music from the Motion Picture Judgement Night
Artist - Various
Key Players -Various
Produced By - Happy Walters, Glen Brunman and Amanda Scheer

Release Date - September 14, 1993.

What caused me to blow off the dust? - Does anyone recall the movie? Nuff said.

Overview - Released in conjunction with the film of the same name. The movie starring Emilio Estévez, Cuba Gooding Jr., Jeremy Piven and Stephen Dorff as a group of friends on the run from a group of drug dealers (led by Denis Leary) after they witness a murder. All of the tracks on the sound track were collaborations between hip-hop artists and rock / metal artists. The album peaked at #17 on the Billboard 200.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) - Broken down for ease in reading both acts, the track name and some thoughts.

Helmet and House of Pain - "Just Another Victim": Of all the tracks off the sound track this is the only one I ever recall getting even a tiny nod of radio play. Page Hamilton starts with the crunchy Helmet guitar sound and the tempo falls in check with their persona. Hamilton howls the first verse and as the chorus approaches more samples become present. Helmet holds down the second verse and its a matter of "rinse/lather/repeat". After what is basically a helmet song the tempo slows to a grind and House of Pain are the vocalists. The drum beat is much more canned and Hamiltons riffs are held in check.

Teenage Fanclub and De La Soul - "Fallen" - This is a very different feeling track. Finger snaps and a much more laid back tempo. De La Soul take the lead and have Teenage Fanclub back them up. It sounds like a less "silly" version of a De La Soul track. It sounds like them, but a little more serious and focused. TF is used more as a back up band. I don't hear any of the accents in the vocals and just a light guitar and pretty simple drum beat with some percussive fills. De La Soul has some fun near the end camping it up some, but the tempo doesn't change much.

Living Colour and Run DMC - "My, Myself and My Microphone": - We are back to the "rock" on this track. Run DMC feeds off Vernon Reeds guitar prowess. This is a little more driving musically but the Run DMC lyrics are clear and strong. They are not a secondary fill on this. Rev. Run sings the second verse and there are more DJ scratches and fills. Living Color are terrific musicians (we gushed over them on Livid! here). They don't really break out, but offer a strong bed for Run DMC to craft their lyrics.

Biohazard and Onyx - "Judgement Night": The title track for the film has that crunchy guitar listeners would expect from Biohazard. Onyx has a lot more overlap on their rap vocals. Much like the previous track the band is just there seemingly as the "live track". The bass is not punishing for example and barring the distorted guitars it could be any other bed a rap act sings over. Biohazard is the first band to be "name checked" on the sound track as well. This is the first song that seems to warrant the parental advisory sticker.

Slayer and Ice-T - "Disorder": We get some rumbling drums and Ice-T gets, well..very Ice-T about what needs to be done. "War..we don't need your War" he shouts. Finally a track that feels like a mash up/duo. Each member of Slayer is high in the mix and Ice-T swaps vocals with Tom Araya. If you held this cd in your hand and read who was involved this honestly is the first track that would equal that expectation you'd imagine. It is so good they even give you a ripping guitar solo from Kerry King.

Faith No More and Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E - "Another Body Murdered" - We actually start with a solo piano on this track. It doesn't last long before Mike Patton of Faith No More starts to chant. The guitar comes up and Boo-Yaa are right underway. Faith No More is relegated to backing band status but do a strong job and push the tempo and urgency after the first verse and half. It gets a good drum tempo for rapping later with some tight instrumental breakdowns. Personally I'd have liked to have heard more of Mike Patton, but this song actually gets better as it goes and ends up being another one of the stronger tracks.

Sonic Youth and Cypress Hill - "I Love You Mary Jane": Cypress Hill make the first of two appearances on the sound track with indie noisemakers Sonic Youth. Its got the cranky single guitar build up but the haunting vocals come from Kim Gordon. This is the most down tempo track to this point. The quirky vocal delivery from Cypress Hill skip across the slow musical tempo. Cypress sings praises to "mary jane" as Kim sings in hushed tone underneath. The track gets more of a Sonic Youth feel at the end, but it is not for long.

Mudhoney and Sir Mix-A-Lot - "Freak Momma" - This track sounds so under produced compared to the others. Sir Mix sings at a rapid fire pace and Mudhoney keeps him right on task. The band joins in to sing the song title with Sir Mix and we then return to the verses. It is actually a refreshing sounding track as it feels far less "packaged" for the sound track. You could almost see this as being something done outside of a sound track "gimmick"

Dinosaur Jr and Del The Funky Homosapien - "Missing Link" - J Mascis of Dino Jnr is known as a great guitar player, and he does get to play but he holds back some. Del The Funky offers a pretty straight forward lyric and then Mascis gets to spread out some. He keeps busy on the guitar even during the verses which is a nice touch since he is great to listen to. The song fades quickly though.

Therapy? and Fatal - "Come and Die" - The big guitar from Therapy? gets things rolling and when the drums come in they feel/sound a little more canned vs being a live drum track, but that switches quickly. McKeegan and Carins of Theapy? offer up the big tasty riffs for Fatal to sing over. Therapy? offers a little on the chorus but not a ton vocally. On a later verse they do, but it is brief. As much as I love Therapy? this feels like the most unfocused track and feels largely forgettable.

Pearl Jam and Cypress Hill - "Real Thing" - The collection ends with the second appearance from Cypress Hill. The track takes a little to get rolling with big bass fills from Jeff Ament. The guitars a buzzy, but buried under the vocals. There are some DJ scratches. The most noticeable part of Pearl Jam might be, to most, Eddie Vedder and barring being mixed along with others on the chorus he is not show cased.

FDF Overall Take - I am pretty sure I bought this for Helmet, Therapy? and maybe Pearl Jam. One of the curious things, for as heavy as all the artists are there is not a ton of cursing. Some of the tracks have no questionable content at all. It is refreshing in a sense that the bands didn't need to resort to such antics. At the time this was a big deal and the genre of rock and roll was comfortable in blending these genres. Now, the record sounds almost campy sadly. It is not out and out bad, but if you buy the record for the "rock" artists chances are you'd be let down. If you stumble upon it for cheap money its not terrible, but don't pay anything crazy for it is my suggestion.

Links

This is the trailer for the film is here.

This very site has reviewed some of the bands showcased here so here is an index:

We looked at "No Code" from Pearl Jam.
Body Count, Ice-T's project.
"Vivid" from Living Colour
"Troublgum" from Therapy?
"Meantime" from Helmet
"Whitey Ford Sings the Blues from Everlast (House of Pain).
"Tougher Than Leather" from Run DMC

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

mp3's have been removed..

Disorder - Slayer and Ice T
Just Another Victim Helmet and House of Pain

The album appears to be out of print, but not terribly hard to find. You can track down various versions here.

Disclaimer - For the most part songs listed you can find on iTunes or your local cd shop. The idea is to give you a little taste of the music. Please support the artist buy purchasing some of their work. Songs are posted for about 1 week but can and will be removed at the request of the artist, band, band management etc. If you are one of those persons contact me via the email link in the profile and they will be removed as soon as we are made aware of the request.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 217 Too Much Joy - Son of Sam I Am

2011-03-04T08:00:00.003-05:00

By: March

Album - Son of Sam I Am
Artist - Too Much Joy
Key Players - Tommy Vinton - drums. Sandy Smallens - bass and vocals. Jay Blumenfield - guitar, vocals. Tim Quirk - vocals
Produced By - Michael James

Release Date - 1989

What caused me to blow off the dust? - I have been meaning to do this record, then I'll forget about it, then I'll remember...well this week I remembered.

Overview - This is the bands major label debut. Hailing from New York this foursome were embraced by the college music sect with their fun pop rock sensibilities. They'd write a few records, tour, get arrested while supporting 2Live Crew and go on "hiatus". They last performed as a band in 2007.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) - The albums opens up with some sample and "Making Fun of Bums" opens right up. The guitars and bass pop off the speakers and Vinton hammers out a quick tempo. The three singers adds a great, fun pop sound to all the tracks. Blumenfields guitar runs are quick and he will then chop the riffs right back at the right time. The track follows a pretty standard rock tempo and the lyrics are fun and funny. "Song for a Girl Who Has One" showcases the bass work from Smallens. Once again the vocals are really strong with high harmonies washing over each other. The band really shines vocally. Sure the tracks have an indie pop feel, but this is the same sort of campy rock the late 90's took over. The track has an extended harmonica portion as well, but it is not the showcased instrument until it plays the song out. On the track "Clowns" the band sings about how people are scared of them. They sing "I have yet to meet a person not afraid of clowns" and "clowns were all the bosses they had and record companies that said we're bad"). Smallens and Vinton really lock in on this track and the lyrics will have you cracking a smile. There are great acoustic guitar runs as the band sings harmonies and the bass still chugs along underneath. Great track. Vinton has the big drum intro as the guitar and bass ring out chords and "My Past Lives". Quirk seems to speak the first verse talking about all the people he was in past lives. What stands out is the music coming from the band, it really stands on its own. As the chorus comes the band gets a lot more urgent and once again having three guys singing really works for the band. The tracks continue to be quick and "That's a Lie" rumbles off the speakers. The vocals are little more pushed but still the band plays off one another very well. The harmonica returns and Quirk tells you "that's me playing harmonica" (a lie..get it?). "Hugo!" is the first track where the acoustic guitar seems to be a more prominent instrument. Smallens continues to shine on bass. Tracks like "Kicking (The Gone Fishing Song)" and "Life is Flowers" are keep the fun meter high with great big riffs and really great harmonies. I say this a lot, but its really true. This band has been horribly overlooked for what they had done. The track "Connecticut" has a real funk bass intro with off tempos tossed by Vinton. It sounds complex compared to what the band had done before this. The band sings "come on down to the edge of the woods" but Connecticut is the real title. It even samples "In a Big Country" at one point. After the sample Blumenfield gets a guitar solo but Vinton and Smallens battle one another for the funk. "Bad Dog" has the second guitar solo in as many songs and the jangly guitar continues in "1964". What still really stands out is how heavy the bass is in the mix. I don't ever recall paying this much to the bass work on the album, but its great stuff! "Worse" continues the love of the bass. Smallens gets big punchy notes whole Blumenfield and Vinton forward. Quirk always keeps the vocals on task but Smallens and Blumenfield add harmonies and call and responses almost constantly. "Seasons in the Sun" is a cover of the Terry Jacks tune done a little faster and heavier. The band shows their love to the band "The Mekons" on the track "If I was a Mekon" yet another pop/rock anthem. The album closes with "Train in Vain". It is not a cover tune. It is a piano ballad but the band sings about masturbating so it takes a fall less serious turn right away.

Where are they now? - Vinton worked for the New York police department. Smallens works as an executive in the music business (radio). Jay works in production for TV an music and Tim is an executive with Rhapsody. (Just a note some of the info I have found is a few years old..I'll update if I find better stuff..or please comment!)

You can read the band's take on the royalty issue here.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) - I did see the band twice. The first time, which I don't have a stub for but I know it was at TT The Bears and they played with Boston band "Letters to Cleo". Tim had a bondage mask on for the first few songs. He had bought it earlier in the day just down the street. They were just a blast live. The second time was February 25, 1995 at the Paradise. The band again was really strong and just crazy on stage.

FDF Overall Take - At the time I stumbled upon this record. I was working at a local record store and this came in as a promo copy. My boss (the owner) didn't care for it and due to some language it was hard to play in store. All that aside when I listen to this again today its a perfect blend of pop, punk, and just fun rock and roll. The band is tight and all of them are strong musicians. This is a real gem of a record, fun to dust off for sure.

Links
The bands page is right here, as well as a terrific fan page here.

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

mp3's have been taken down.

Clowns
My Past Lives
Song for A Girl Who Has One

If you do want to buy a record of theirs, use their web site to get the stuff, so they get the money. Do so right here.

Disclaimer - For the most part songs listed you can find on iTunes or your local cd shop. The idea is to give you a little taste of the music. Please support the artist buy purchasing some of their work. Songs are posted for about 1 week but can and will be removed at the request of the artist, band, band management etc. If you are one of those persons contact me via the email link in the profile and they will be removed as soon as we are made aware of the request.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 216: Chemical Brothers - Dig your Own Hole

2011-02-25T08:00:00.001-05:00

By: March

Album - Dig Your Own Hole
Artist - The Chemical Brothers
Key Players - Tom Rowlands, Ed Simons - keyboards, synths, bleeps and bloops.
Produced By - The Chemical Brothers

Release Date - April 7, 1997

What caused me to blow off the dust? - I am not really sure. I got in to a quick phase with this band where I wanted all their stuff and the re-mix records etc, but that lasted inside six months. I can't really listen to a full album for this style of music very often either. Its been a bit.

Overview - British based electronica duo Chemical Brothers released this, their second full length, to wide critical and popular acclaim. Released when techno/dance was working on another resurgence the band blended deep grooves while avoiding many samples that are, or were, used by rap artists. In 1998, Q magazine readers voted Dig Your Own Hole the 49th greatest album of all time. In 2000, the same magazine placed it at number 42 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) - The keyboards start with a deep drone before a deep grooved bass run starts. "Block Rockin' Beats" kicks it up a notch. Samples taken from the Schooly D track "Gucci Again" the duo locks in to a loop with the bass and keeping on the same melody only shifting up an oactive. After a bit a harder "scratched" portion begins. The beats per minute remain quite constant and the the bass breakdown comes back in to focus at the 2:30 mark before the keyboards change directions with a deeper tone. The title track, "Dig Your Own Hole", follows and the the first sample is a deep looped portion. The duo uses heavy bass, but not just on the downbeats. It seems to be a constant with the downbeats filled with other samples. Ali Friend is credited as playing "Fuzz Bass" on the track, and the "live" bass adds a strong touch. The dance party rolls on with referee whistles blasting over and the keyboards take a shimmering vibe before rolling back to the main melody. The track "Elektobank" starts without any gap. The only indication is a spoken introduction. The vocal introduction was taken from a live recording of Kool Herc from 1996. This has a more focused, harder techno drive to it. Samples phase from speaker to speaker but the underlying BPM is really starting to push them forward. There is a second vocal sample used. Its is from Keith Murray and it is repeated over and over at a machine gun like pace. With a few "explosions' placed in the sample the track begins to slow. The drum tempo slows down a great deal but comes back up as a fuzzy bass section takes over. We fade again right to "Piku". The subtle tones underneath keep the tracks blending together nicely. The beat on this track still has some heavy bottom, but its a little more playful at the same time. A scratchy record seems to play over the track as heavy keyboard runs swoop from right to left. One of the bigger tracks from the album comes in "Setting Sun". The first track that features "lead" vocals were done by Noel Gallagher (Oasis). (We looked at "Be Here Now" in the past.) Starting with what sounds like a deep "sitar" loop the music comes at you from all sides. Some of the downbeats seem very similar to the tones that the Prodigy used on "Fat of the Land". The screaming keyboard runs give it a great haunting feel. Still one of the bands "go to" tracks. Hi-hat cymbals click of "It Doesn't Matter" (realize they are keyboard based but just got with it okay?) Most of the stuff on this record feels "the same" but for some reason this one really seems to find its vibe and it sticks to it. The loop gets old and there is little variation to it. "Don't Stop the Rock" has a fun sounding 70's keyboard that blips over the heavier back beat. There is a few re-mix versions of this song that are all very strong. The blippy sounding loop locks with the deeper tempo as few other keyboard fills work their way in to the mix. After about 2 minutes though this bleepy keyboards will have you reaching for the skip button, yeah it gets to you that fast. Rolling on E at an outdoor summer festival might be one thing, but stone cold sober you'd be pretty close to killing yourself. "Get up on it like this" is a little more focused with Latin sounding drum beats and a tighter. There is more of street feel to the track with the more focused tempos. A good change from the prior track. The band uses a live bassist again on "Lost in the K-hole". This time it is credited to "Seggs" and they call it "acid bass". The bass lines are more "bent" at the start and then the fills start to sound a little like the bass players tones used in the early 80's goth recordings. The bass has some simple backing track and a spoken word vocal over dub. The second track that has full lead vocals comes in "Where do I begin". Beth Orton take the lead on this track. (We looked at "Trailer Park" some time ago.) The samples and fills are pushed to the background and Orton shines with her fair/wavering voice. It is not until the latter part of the song does it get a little more of the "techno" feel to it. The keyboards and samples are more fill than focus. The album concludes with the track "The Private Psychedelic Reel". This is a quieter song, at the start at least, than anything one the record. One keyboard plays a sequence while a second guitar/sitar hybrid begins to swell under the progression. The track kicks in to a little more high gear about the 2 minute mark and sits tight on its loop. This continues and the band works in some phase and fading techniques so the headphones will get a workout on this one. The track continues with the Indian feel and the loops are a little infectious honestly. A strong album closer.

Where are they now? - The Chemical Brothers are still active. They are on tour now (or very soon) and have a sound track score due in April 2011 for the film "Hanna"

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) - I've never seen the band live.

FDF Overall Take - A good friend of mine always said about this record "I don't think I could ever listen to a full record of techno music, but this about as close as I could get". There are some really strong moments on this record and others that will drive you (well they did for me) to lean to the skip/fast forward button. It is the nature of the genre. How complex can it really get. If I wanted to get a party moving I could toss a track or two on from this record and it would do the trick.

Links

Official band page here as well as
myspace

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

Block Rockin' Beat *Spys Remix
Setting Sun
The Private Psychedelic Reel

The album is still easy to find. You can start here.

Disclaimer - For the most part songs listed you can find on iTunes or your local cd shop. The idea is to give you a little taste of the music. Please support the artist buy purchasing some of their work. Songs are posted for about 1 week but can and will be removed at the request of the artist, band, band management etc. If you are one of those persons contact me via the email link in the profile and they will be removed as soon as we are made aware of the request.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 215: O Positive - toyboatToyBoatTOYBOAT

2011-02-18T08:00:00.002-05:00

By: March

Album - toyboatToyBoAt TOYBOAT
Artist: O-Positive
Key Players - Dave Martin - guitar, vocal, keys, harmonica, saws??!, Alex Lob - drums. David Ingham - Bass, vocals, guitar, keys. Alan Petitti - guitar, piano, vocals, keys, cello, mandolin. Dave Herlihy - Lead Vocals, guitar, tambourine, Wrench

Produced By - Peter Walsh

Release Date - 1990

What caused me to blow off the dust? - When I worked in Boston radio we'd spin these guys from time to time (it was rare) but it always had me wondering "what if"? I bought the cd and haven't spent any time with it in a long while. So, here we go.

Overview This was the major label debut from Boston based "O Positive"

FDF Comments (aka the songs)
The album opens strongly with the track "Overflow". With strong rumbling drums and bass as the guitars chime over the top. Herlihy has a strong voice and pushes his emotions to the front. As the verses conclude each guitar gets a little more urgent. The drums are pushed high in the mix and the dark feeling of the verses is then met with some strong high vocal reaches on the chorus. It is not forced, but sounds perfect. Rather than a guitar solo there is a nice piano solo as Ingham and Lob hold things in place. A strong album opener. "Decide" is still a mid tempo track but it is awash with Petitti on mandolin. Herlihy is strong once more on the vocals and gets some help from the others. The mandolin gets a good work out near the end and the band joins in the fray. Lob gets the tempo up as "Kamikaze Dove" starts to take shape. The bass and guitars all swell and a bright acoustic guitar slices over and Martin gets to add to it with the harmonica. The guitars all seem to fight one another forming a nice wall of sound,while still remaining on task. Lob keeps everyone in check with the locked in drum beat. Local to Boston the track
"Imagine That" found some airplay. Another pretty sounding mid tempo track with nice harmonies from the band as no one instrument really seems to take over. Herlihy is really in fine form showing he is well capable of being a front man. There are musicians brought in for accordion on the track so that adds some nice fill (played by Sonny Barbato). The band sounds a little heavier on "Back of My Mind". We will have focused guitar bass and drum parts but the band seems more urgent on this one. Another very strong track giving you a good full band feel. For a strong a song as it is, the band chose to not print the lyrics to this track in the liner notes of the collection. "Innernational" has a different feel as the vocals are much more choppy, almost rapped, but not really. That makes no sense I know, but Herlihy seems to chant the lyrics. The bass and drums seem more 80's retro as well. It is a decent enough of a track, actually its cool the band tried something a little different. We also get a trumpet solo from Artie Barbato. He is so strong he gets to go twice. "On To Something" has a great urgent drum intro from Lob and the three guitars all get to ring out. One might cut to the point, a second rings over the top. It is a nice extended instrumental intro. Herlihy once again really pushes himself and the band follows suit. There are strings that bring up "Hope the Boat". Lob gets more attention on the drums again, but he is just higher in the mix, there is not a lot of flash to what he is doing. "Train Station Gone" is another strong example of the biting guitars and machine gun drums. The band has a few bars before they bear down and Herlihy gets underway. The band is in good spirits it seems as they play off one another trading guitar parts while Lob and Ingham continue to keep it all on task. The album concludes with "Holding On To You" a more acoustic sounding track with the accordion adding a lot to the sound. The band seems hesitant to come in to heavy and Herlihy is allowed to really show his vocal ability.

Where are they now? - The band released a follow up to this record in 1993 on an indie label. They'd play out some shows and decided that was enough. They surface from time to time (as a band called Toy Boat) or will appear for reunion and benefits. Herlihy has released a few solo records as well.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) - I never saw the band live.

FDF Overall Take - There are some really strong moments on the record. I hate to call the band soccer mom rock, but they are pretty safe, write catchy tunes and are talented. Is there anything wrong with that? Fans of bands like Toad the Wet Sprocket, Maroon 5, and Train can hear similar styles. I could be way off here, but I think many would agree.

Links
Short Bio here and a band page here.

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

The mp3's have been removed.

Back of My Mind
Imagine That
Overflow

The album is out of print but you can track it down, starting with the link here.

Disclaimer - For the most part songs listed you can find on iTunes or your local cd shop. The idea is to give you a little taste of the music. Please support the artist buy purchasing some of their work. Songs are posted for about 1 week but can and will be removed at the request of the artist, band, band management etc. If you are one of those persons contact me via the email link in the profile and they will be removed as soon as we are made aware of the request.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 214- Deconstruction - Self Titled

2011-02-11T08:00:00.003-05:00

By: March

Album - Deconstruction
Artist - Deconstruction
Key Players - Michael Murphy - drums. Dave Navarro - guitars and vocals. Eric Avery - Bass, vocals.
Produced By - Ron Champagne, Deconstruction and Rick Rubin

Release Date - July 12, 1994

What caused me to blow off the dust? - Come on..do you need to ask. Has anyone really ever even heard of this band? I am pretty sure they only
got this record deal due to Navarro/Avery. This is what we do, we dust em off..so here goes.

Overview - Navarro and Avery formed the band from the dust of Jane's Addiction (FDF looked at "Nothings Shocking"). Original Jane's drummer Stephen Perkins was going to join the band, but went on to join Porno for Pyros (we looked at "Good God's Urge" here with Perry Farrell. The album was recorded and released to little fanfare. After the album was released Navarro would go on to join the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) - The album opens with the long single released to radio called "L.A. Song". Navarro chimes guitar over a spoken intro. He is the lead vocalist on the track and the canned drums begin to click in. The vocals are compressed but Navarro is comfortable sounding, not pushing himself too hard. Avery and Murphy sit back, but then all of a sudden it gets rolling. Avery gets the funk out on the bass and the chops of Navarro are recognizable with the fuzzy riffs. The vocals remain semi distorted but the trio seems to be firing off one another on the opening track. "Single" also starts with spoken lyrics and a single guitar as Avery does some swooping bass fills. Murphy hits the china cymbal from time to time for the "sploosh" sound and the track slowly seems to plod along. There is no real bust out moments. After a few verses the band seems to hunker down a little more and get musically focused but it feels almost too late. On "Get At Em'" the band is more in that rock feel right from the start. The drums are heavy and Navarro once again slices over the top. Avery is wonderfully high in the mix with this cannon bass fills that at times have a much chime to them as a cymbal crash. The vocals are so muffled on the track the band should have considered leaving this as an instrumental though. Navarro has a great guitar solo on the back end of the track. First time on the record he gets to spread his wings and it is welcome. "Iris" is another real strong track musically. Navarro is able to layer his guitar work. One has high chorus effects the other more of the crunch, but Avery and Murphy fill out the intro wonderfully. The track is instrumental and it really is the perfect direction for this band. The vocals are back on "Dirge" as is the big guitar sound. After the prior song it feels less focused with the growly vocal and machine like tempo of the drum. We get the guitar solo later in the track that seems to bring it back for me personally, but at the same time it is just that "little too long" version of a solo. "Fire In The Hole" is really big sounding after a quiet intro. Once again, the band seems to negate what they are trying to do with the muffled vocals. If they'd sing, without compression it might have been better. The track has great tempo changes and dynamics, but the muffled vocal tricks are starting to wear thin. Musically, per the norm, it is very strong. "Son" is the first time we hear the acoustic guitar come out. It remains just acoustic and vocal track. Return to the quicker pace on "Big Sur" with Avery hitting the bass hard. Murphy has decent, heavy chops on the drums as Navarro puts in the quick and short guitar notes. "Hope" is a quirky, funk sounding track. As the track begins it is just the drums with a simple tempo and the guitar ringing out a few notes. "One" works to get itself moving as Navarro seems to find a place with one guitar part but Avery shoves a few bass fills that don't really move the song in to a set direction. The track feels more focused in a verse/chorus/verse setting and Navarro sounds in fine form on the guitar. There are times where he knows his limitations and on this track he holds back just that right amount. The guitar part is still really great, he just is in the zone on this. "America" starts off on a quieter note, each band member slowly finding their way before the vocals begin. This track goes up and down in musical style. Sometimes heavy, sometimes somber, but always "full" if that is a good word to use. Navarro gets to solo again while Avery and Murphy continue to remain on task holding the bottom hard and tight. "Sleepyhead" has that slow climb and yes..sleepy feel to it. The vocals continue to be the weakest aspect of the album, not that they guys can't sing, its just so effect filled it is hard to tell. This is a seemingly quick song that actually felt like it could have gone on longer. "Wait For History" has the band back on the mellower side of things and it slowly builds through the verse. Again, Avery gets much love from the mix as his bass is really prominent on the track. A good stand out track. "That is All" is a quick vocal and guitar track. Nothing too crazy. The album concludes with "Kilo", a track that swells with a big guitar sound and makes me extra happy as it remains "vocal free".

Where are they now? - This was a "one and done" affair for the band. Avery was reluctant to tour but played bass in the band Garbage, with Alanis Morissette and he even auditioned for the vacant spot in Metallica. He'd re-join Jane's Addiction for a reunion tour but would leave the band again. Murphy I haven't found much on. Navarro as noted went on to Red Hot Chili Peppers (we looked at Uplift Mofo Party Plan here) and then released a solo record. He is working with Jane's Addiction once more and the band as a new album slated for a 2011 release.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) - The band never toured so there was no chance for me to see them.

FDF Overall Take - Musically there is a lot of really great stuff on here. The vocals are not the greatest but after a bit of re-listening decided that it was okay, if the band has a focused vocalist it may have taken from the output. Not terrible, but not worth paying off the chart prices for. You can probably find it in a cut out bin easy enough.

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

Here is the video for "L.A. Song".

Iris
Kilo
Wait for History

The album is out of print but you can buy it
here for short money.

Disclaimer - For the most part songs listed you can find on iTunes or your local cd shop. The idea is to give you a little taste of the music. Please support the artist buy purchasing some of their work. Songs are posted for about 1 week but can and will be removed at the request of the artist, band, band management etc. If you are one of those persons contact me via the email link in the profile and they will be removed as soon as we are made aware of the request.

Whoops.

2011-02-05T16:41:00.003-05:00

Sorry for the lack of a post yesterday. Too may snow days kept me busy shovelling and not listening as much. We will be back next Friday.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 213: Bauhaus - Press the Eject and Give Me The Tape

2011-01-28T08:00:00.001-05:00

By: March

Album - Press the Eject and Give Me the Tape
Artist - Bauhaus
Key Players - Kevin Haskins - drums/percussion. Daniel Ash - guitars, alto saxophone. David J - bass, Peter Murphy - lead vocals
Produced By - various

Release Date - 1982

What caused me to blow off the dust? - Honestly I try not to do Forgotten Disc Fridays with live records because in a sense they are a "best of" collection. I've been hearing "Ziggy Stardust" a lot as of late (and the song was never really part of studio record)

Overview -
The disc is a collection of live tracks pulled from London, Liverpool, Manchester and Paris from 1981 and 1982 as well as six tracks pulled from singles as well as an unissued track (Of Lillies and Remains). The album was a bonus to a limited release at the start, but was released on it's own a year later. It would be released again in 1988 with six additional tracks.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) - A slow build up of distortied guitars start of "In the Flat Field" before Haskins rolls across the drums and David J drops the bass line. Ash works the guitars all fuzzy before Murphy comes in. Murphy has a distinct sound to his voice. A little high, and at times stressed but his persona comes right through in his vocals. The band does mesh really well and Haskins rolling drums seem to really be the focus. Murphy indicates he is "tired" as the track "Rose Garden Funeral of Sores" begins. David J has a deep run on bass. Its a real dark sounding track as Haskins hits down on the cymbal and Ash works his guitar in to a buzzing frenzy. Even with the wall of guitar the song keeps a pretty simple tempo. Ash does a quick solo while Haskins and J keep the bottom locked in. As the song heads towards its final minute the vocals have more of a growl to them and there is a brief call and response moment, but the tempo is just locked in and keeping on task. The great tandem of J and Haskins opens up "Dancing" with a frantic drum tempo and bass rumbling. Ash plays saxophone over their intro and continues as Murphy sings the verses. Ash is not just playing a few notes, he is having a field day, just unloading. A famous "goth" band with saxophone? Yep..believe it. Ash then slings his guitar and rips crunchy chords and buzzy riffs as the song seems to end all too soon. "The Man With X-Ray Eyes" has a big bass open, more single punched notes, and Ash phases over the top. Murphy has a particular low howl to his voice on this track. Occasionally breaking character and singing almost in a funny, forced higher method. He then switches over to his deep barotone with ease and will get gruff at the drop of a hat. Haskins and J are high in the mix and keep the track moving along. If the band is well known for any one song it would be "Bela Lugosi is Dead". The 9 plus minute track that starts with Haskins rapping his sticks off the side of the drums, Ash throwing in atmospheric guitar fills and then single, big, booming bass notes from David J. This song just "smells" like Halloween, hench radio stations dust it off once a year to play that night. Murphy doesn't begin to sing until the 2:40 mark and his delivery is in a monotone voice adding to the feel. David J really holds his own, granted the bass line is not complicated but it is such an important part to the track. Ash is left to chop, and slide on his guitar and Haskins never breaks form his snare/rim beat which is a feat unto itself. The guitar from Ash is the lone instrument at the start of "The Spy In The Cab". A more electronic feeling and sounding track with random single tone drops, appearing on the downbeat. Ash is the most prominent member (outside of the vocals) on the bulk of the track, as the drums feel very canned and the bass is not present at all. We are pretty uptempo on "Kick In The Eye" for a goth band. David J once again gets to work out on the bass and Haskins keeps a tight and steady pace. Murphy is a bit more playful with his vocals doing some higher "ooohs". The band seems to lock in to a tight jam and play well off one another. David never seems to break character keeping the strong and steady presence throughout. You'll get where Interpol gets it from when you hear this tune. Haskins rolls across the toms and the hand drums resonate. The saxophone returns on "In Fear of Fear"and Haskins does his best to lay down a torrid drum pace. Once again David J really shines. "Hollow Hills" has a longer slow build with Ash playing a few short notes and David J keeping. This falls back in to the vein of what outsiders would see as goth music. Dark, brooding and somewhat intimidating. This continues on "Stigmata Martyr". David J chugs across the bass before Ash comes in like a buzz saw on guitars. A strong, stand out track. "Dark Entries" closes out the live portion of the album. The the live album is closed perfectly with all the elements that made the prior songs really stand out. Buzzy guitars, driving drums and suprisingly complex bass lines. Also noticed in the song was only the second, or third noticable track with any sort of backing vocals. Murphy shouts "Thank you...good night" and the guitar is left to feedback before the audience roars in appreciation. "Terror Couple Kill Colonel" has a very differnet sound, sounding a little more distant with its overall sound. The audience reaction can be heard more mid song (with cat calls and shouts of elation). It is a little more raw version of the band, which is actually refreshing to hear after the "cleaned up" official live tracks. "Double Dare" is yet another different source. Starting with a spoken word portion (from a film?) again the audience can be heard milling about waiting for the track to being. This is one of those tracks that can alientate casual fans as its slow, odd tempo build up might but some folks off. The bass and drums are driving, and Murphy is particularly dark sounding. Picture a dark room, lots of smoke and strobes..that *might* only be scratching the surface. Another one of the bands more well known tracks is "In The Flat Field" which appears almost seemless, but is rendered from a different single (perhaps the same show split to various singles). Haskins rolls across the drums and David J dives in with him before Ash chops across everything with his guitar. Murphy is pushing it, urgent and sounding angry almost. Again, the audio is a little shoddy. This sounds to me like an audience sourced bootleg recording. Its not bad, but it is noticable at the same time if you really listen. The guitar is a little too lost in the mix and it has a "treble" feel too it throughout. "Hair of the The Dog" is taken from the same single as "Double Dare". "Of Lillies and Remains" is listed as being previously unavailable. I am unsure who sings the first verse but it is no Murphy. Murphy does sing the second verse and chorus though. The source is still not the best, but the song has some potential with the great bass fills. The collection ends with the track "Waiting for the Man". The audience seems anxious as the band slowly gets the track going. Ash has a cleaner guitar sound and it has an almost rockabilly sound to it at the start. The audience appears to clap along, at least for a moment. This is an take on the Velvet Underground track and features Nico on vocals. Not sure what goes wrong because the song is aggressivly faded out as the band seems to be no where near the end.

Where are they now? - The band broke up in 1983. After that Haskins, and Ash formed Tones on Tail who then went to Love and Rockets in which David J joined. Peter Murphy released a few solo albums as well. In 1998 the band reformed and toured. They headed to the studio and recorded "Go Away White" which was released in 2008. On the downside, the band annouced it had disbanded once more before the new album was even released. Murphy had a cameo in the "Twilight Saga" and is rumored to have a solo album out in 2011. Ash has a four song ep currently available on iTunes.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) - I actually did see a "re-formed" version of the band on November 13, 2005 at the Orpheum in Boston. It was all original members and they hammered through a terrifc set of the "hits". Honestly glad I got to see them live.

FDF Overall Take - As any kid that listened to "different" music in junior high and high school could attest they probably went through a phase of being in to this band. Some continued, others listened to it from time to time while smoking butts in motorcycle jackets, probably with the bands logo painted on the jacket somewhere. Honestly, what is good, is really good and it is easy to understand the mark they left. On this particular collection I'd have skipped the bootleg sounding tracks and kept the focus on the slightly more polished versions of the tracks. There are a few collections available from the band now and you'd be okay in my book if you had one of their cds in the collection. This is worth it for Bela Lugosi alone.

Links -
The official Bauhaus site can be found here
Peter Murphy official site here.
David J site here
Daniel Ash official here
Keving Haskins on myspace.

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

Bela Lugosi's Dead.
In the Flat Field

You can buy the cd here.

Disclaimer - For the most part songs listed you can find on iTunes or your local cd shop. The idea is to give you a little taste of the music. Please support the artist buy purchasing some of their work. Songs are posted for about 1 week but can and will be removed at the request of the artist, band, band management etc. If you are one of those persons contact me via the email link in the profile and they will be removed as soon as we are made aware of the request.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 212 - Talking Heads - Speaking in Tongues

2011-01-21T08:00:00.002-05:00

By: March

Album - Speaking in Tongues
Artist - Talking Heads
Key Players- Tina Weymouth - synthesizer, string bass, backing vocals, guitar. Jerry Harrison - keyboards, guitar, backing vocals. Chris Frantz - drums, backing vocals, synthesizer. David Byrne - vocals, keyboards, guitar, bass, percussion.
Produced By - Talking Heads

Release Date May 31, 1983

What caused me to blow off the dust? - There are so many great records by this band. Sometimes you just need to go for the one most folks would recognize. Couple this with my past "re-look" at David Byrne thrust this upon you/us.

Overview - One of the early punk bands, New York band Talking Heads broke on to the scene in as early as 1975 playing New Yorks famed CBGB's club. This is the bands fifth studio album. The album would peak at 15 on the US Billboard charts and feature two radio singles. The band would continue to perform until 1991 before disbanding. In 2002 the band was inducted in to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They'd perform together and one of the most wonderful moments the band members thanked one another for playing "just one more time so our kids could see us do this". Amazing moment.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) - The album opens up with one of the most well know tracks by the band. A few chiming keyboards and wavering syths slowly crest before the tom toms are struck and "Burning Down the House" gets underway. Byrne is surrounded by punchy guitar riffs and short keyboard burst at first. Before the chorus Frantz continues to work the tom toms giving a deep powerful fill. The drums are seemingly electric and the synths are really in your face and rather than a guitar solo later we get a good portion of the synth and drums. The verse returns but the track has a long musical interlude to conclude with the synth and drums working in tandem. On "Making Flippy Floppy" Byrne is a little more quirky sounding and Weymouth has some strong bass work right out of the gate. The song has a quick tempo to it, but it is not "busy" sounding at the same time. The band has a fun tempo as indicated and the synths are doing the bulk of the fills. Byrne will toss in some quick guitar riffs and Weymouth and Frantz work the bottom with the bass and drums. Weymouth has about as close to a bass solo as you'd expect on a collaborative effort. Harrison continues to keep pace on the keyboard. Another real stand out in the bands catalog is "Girlfriend is Better". Deep synth grooves with hand claps set the tempo for the track. A terrific sing along chorus that is prefixed with chanted lyrics. The backing vocals are more noticeable on this track than the prior two. Weymouth has some fun funk bass fills as Harrison fills the upper layers. In the end, this is one of the longest tracks on the album with and extended synth jam later in the track. "Slippery People" also begins with a deep feeling to it. Quickly though percussion fills the speakers and Byrne gives a few real short choppy riffs. The band enlisted the help of Nona Hendryx for the deep soulful backing vocals. The track has a nice groove to it, but is a little slow tempo wise. Still a great song, but the live version on "Stop Making Sense" is that much better. The instruments work to get " I get Wild/Wild Gravity" rolling. Weymouth pops some bass notes as the synths put down heavy layers below. The song for me personally fails to really get going. Its not a bad track, it just a more somber track while not really intending to be. "Swamp" has a real fun, deep groove to it. Another track that showcases the band as whole which is wonderful. Each instrument is right there in the mix and you can tell each member is key to the whole sound. "Moon Rocks" continues with the strong back beat from Frantz and Weymouth. Byrne sings a little more laid back, but he still sounds like himself and the song. Byrne also continues with his "less than flashy" guitar work. He chops out his riffs and allows Harrison to fill in the gaps. "Pull Up the Roots" sounds very much at home on this album. The claps, the synth that pounds underneath before the pop bubble appears. The album closes out with one of the finest songs the band ever wrote in "This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)". The mellow tempo is accented with the playful keyboard fills. The guitar has the right punch and Weymouth snakes all over the bass. A terrific album closer.

Where are they now? - The band broke up in 1991 but played as "The Heads" without Byrne for a brief time. Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz were married in 1977 and went on to form Tom Tom Club which continue to write and preform at their own pace. Also, production work for both has been common. Jerry Harrison has put a producer hat on for many bands including Live, and the Violent Femmes. David Byrne is a published author and continues to work on solo material. He has won and Oscar and Golden Globe and is and avid cyclist.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) - I never saw the band live. If ever give the chance I would jump at it.

FDF Overall Take - As noted, the band has so many great songs a best of collection is the first route many could or would take. The live album "Stop Making Sense" is fantastic. They are Talking Heads, really..any one of their studio records you'll find *something* worth your time. You might find this one accessible for the strong singles.

Links

The band on myspace.
David Byrne site here.
Tom Tom Club site is here

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

Talking Heads - This Must be the Place (Naive Melody)

Talking Heads - Burning Down The House LIVE!

You can buy the record right here

Disclaimer - For the most part songs listed you can find on iTunes or your local cd shop. The idea is to give you a little taste of the music. Please support the artist buy purchasing some of their work. Songs are posted for about 1 week but can and will be removed at the request of the artist, band, band management etc. If you are one of those persons contact me via the email link in the profile and they will be removed as soon as we are made aware of the request.

FDF Vol 3 Issue 211: Tenacious D - Tenacious D

2011-01-07T08:00:00.001-05:00

Album - Tenacious D
Artist - Tenacious D
Key Players - Kyle Gass - lead guitar, vocals. Jack Black - guitar, lead vocals.
Produced By - The Dust Brothers

Release Date - September 21, 2001

What caused me to blow off the dust? - I've been meaning to get back to this record for some time. This is and was a real gem at the time, but it has been a very long time.

Overview - The duo met in 1989 and formed the band in 1994. The band would perform mostly cover tunes in their sets and were nameless until 1994. The term "Tenacious D" came from the basketball term used by the broadcasters to describe a teams defensive efforts. The band would be cast in "Mr Show" in the late 1990's and continued to hone their craft. The band would release their debut in 2001 and the album, filled with guests from Dave Grohl to Page McConnell (Phish) the album would peak at number 33. They'd go on to release a second album, a sound track for a film "The Pick of Destiny". Both were considered flops, although the film is starting to gain more of a cult following.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) - The album opens with "Kielbasa". The song is an ode to the love of a "backside". After the guys talk about a "better and warmer" sound the two acoustic guitars get to work. The lyrics are fun, funny and awful catchy. Even though the band is viewed more as an acoustic duo there is a full band feel to this track with wah-wah guitars and full drums. The first of many skits comes next in "One Note Song". Here Gass and Black write a "one note song" and "bend it from time to time. Next song..NEXT SONG. The biggest track from a commercial standpoint comes in "Tribute". A lone acoustic guitar plays before Black says "this is the greatest and best song in the world". This song would go to #4 in Australia and the slow build up about the demos, and performing the best song in world. After about a minute and half the full band comes in. The duo showcases their strong vocal ability and heavy work on their acoustic guitars. The duo does some sort of "skat" breakdown that is real fun and the song returns back and confesses this is just a tribute to the greatest song around. "Wonderboy" starts off real calm, but the drums come in and give it a hard punch. Black goes high on the chorus and we get more of a rock feel with buzzy electric guitars. Black speaks a story of wonderboy as the band continues to roll. Sportscenter still uses the line "Its Levitation Homes" during their re-caps of hoops games on a fair occasion..it came from here. We get mixed messages from the skit of "Hard Fucking" where they ask to see if ladies really like it that when, then quickly the song begins "Fuck Her Gently". A very mellow acoustic, preachy love song from Black. A message that the band wants to pass to its fans. Black and Gass really shine in the end of this track vocally. "Explosivo" is a track that starts off a little slow but quickly builds. Turns out to be the fastest sung and played track on the album to this point. The band always professed their love for Ronnie James Dio and he got his due on the track "Dio". The D want Dio to pass the torch to them. The D often would tease "Holy Diver" in a live setting to further convince the audience their love. They ask him for a cape and seprtre and the full band gets a work out. Big rock chords and driving drums shine. On the "Inward Singing" skit Black tries to convince Gass that they can cut to the chase by singing inward and outward. Black is convinced the band is only rocking half the time. The duo fights and the track "Kyle Quit the Band" is the result. Actually Black tries to fire him. A touching fun track about the joyous reunion. Another rowdy rocker comes in "The Road" a song about life on the road. It has a little country/rockabilly feel. The band does a skit about "Cock Push-Ups" and how these will help with the ladies once they are even more huge rock stars. "Lee" is another real quick barn burner of a track with quick guitars, drums and machine gun delivered lyrics..mostly just saying "Lee". "Friendship Test" is a skit where Black calls Gass to tell him he loves him and Gass can't reciprocate so that leads in to the song "Friendship". Another skit follows with "Karate Schnitzel" where Black is upset that Gass at his food. Black gives him a whack karate style and again its a perfect seg to "Karate" where they vow to pull out pubic hair...yikes. Another ripper comes in "Rock Your Socks". This track has some of the Page McConnell keyboard tones Phish fans may be familiar with. It is another rolling rocker for sure. One of the more popular skits from the record is "Drive-Thru" where the duo goes to a fast food joint and can't decide what to order. We do know a Jnr. Bacon Chee is ordered as well as a SMALL Seasoned Curlies...as well as the 1/2 coke 1/2 diet coke..oh..and some fish..cuz I'm trying to lose some weight. "Double Team" falls back to a more mellow duo acoustic number but after a few verses it gets a lot more rowdy..since the idea is Black and Gass are coming to get you. The final track on the album is listed as "City Hall" and epic track about the legalization of marijuana. The band rants and raves to try to "get this done!" The song blends each of the fun elements of the D, the spoken portions, the big guitars and the high harmonies. A "hidden" track follows after called "Malibu Nights" another fun run for Black that is over about as quickly as it starts.

Where are they now? - The D are still considered an "active"band but the band writes and performs at their own pace. Gass keeps busy writing, recording and performing as part of "Trainwreck". Black keeps busy as an actor and voice over performer for video games and cartoon series. In recent interviews Black has reported that the band is writing new material and hope to have a new album out in 2011.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) - I've never seen the band live.

FDF Overall Take - It is a lot of fun, honest. Seven of the tracks are "comedy" bits so that is a nice change. One review seemed to nail it on the head though, saying the first few listens are a lot of fun, but the replay value really only comes in playing the album for people that haven't heard it yet. That is true, as fun as the record can be it doesn't need a ton of listens. Still, when its strong, its real strong. Worth your time, but find a used copy.

Links
Official site is here and myspace is here.

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

the mp3's were taken down by the hosting site..sorry!

Drive Thru (Skit)
Inward Singing (Skit)
Kielbasa
Tribute

Tracks taken from the debut album which you can buy here.

Disclaimer - For the most part songs listed you can find on iTunes or your local cd shop. The idea is to give you a little taste of the music. Please support the artist buy purchasing some of their work. Songs are posted for about 1 week but can and will be removed at the request of the artist, band, band management etc. If you are one of those persons contact me via the email link in the profile and they will be removed as soon as we are made aware of the request.

Happy New Year..

2010-12-31T08:00:00.000-05:00

Thanks for a pretty darn good year. Look for a new post next week!

FDF Volume 3 Issue 211: REPOST!! - A Classic Cartoon Christmas

2010-12-17T08:00:00.001-05:00

Due to time and all that here is re post of the 97th FDF I wrote back in 2007??!! It was one of the more popular ones actually.

By: March

Album - A Classic Cartoon Christmas
Artist - Various
Key Players - Various
Produced By - Rich Cronin, Lee Dannay, Juli Davidson and Ted Green. Complication producer - Ed Mitchell

Release Date - August 13, 1996

What caused me to blow off the dust? - Its the holiday season.

Overview - Growing up for many of us we were relegated to perhaps a black and white tv, rabbit ears and three or four channels. Kids these days have no idea that if you missed any one of these holiday specials you were out of luck. When VCRs became the norm you could get your fill at any time. The stand out moments from these honestly pretty horrible specials was the music. Nick at Night records has released 2 volumes of music culled from these various specials. The sad part is that Vol 1 (showcased here) and Vol 2 are now out of print.

FDF Comments (aka the songs). Here is a track listing. The Holiday Special it comes from listed first, the the song, then the artists that performed them.

How The Grinch Stole Christmas: "Welcome Christmas" (no artist listed) - Sort of a dud to open up a compilation, considering "You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch" comes up later. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer: "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" - Burl Ives - More than once you hear me say, the version all others are judged by. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer: "We're A Couple Of Misfits" - Billie Richards And Paul Soles - Hebie wants to be a dentist.....Frosty The Snowman: "Frosty The Snowman" - Jimmy Durante - the classic "skat" version.. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town: "Put One Foot In Front Of The Other" - Mickey Rooney/Keenan Wynn - one of the best holiday songs. A Charlie Brown Christmas: "Christmas Time Is Here" - The Vince Guaraldi Trio and A Charlie Brown Christmas: "Hark, The Herald Angels Sing" - The Vince Guaraldi Trio - The label has sort of cashed in on this release the last few years, re-releasing expanded versions as well as remastered editions, two of the real stand outs are here. A Muppet Family Christmas: Medley: "Jingle Bells/Jingle Bell Rock" - The Muppets - The Muppets have their place, but much like the Chipmunks hearing this maybe once a year is all anyone needs.
How The Grinch Stole Christmas: "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" Santa Claus Is Coming To Town: "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" - Fred Astaire. Really the version all others are compared to. A Charlie Brown Christmas: "O Tannenbaum" - The Vince Guaraldi Trio. They spaced it out a little on the cd, but see past comments. The Little Drummer Boy: "The Little Drummer Boy" - The Vienna Boys Choir. Does anything really need to be said? Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer: "A Holly Jolly Christmas"- Burl Ives And Chorus- once again, the version all others are compared to. A Muppet Family Christmas: "We Need A Little Christmas" - The Muppets - a fair enough closer for the compilation, but I ask, why doesn't Emmet Otters Jug Bad Christmas get ANY love.

FDF Overall Take - Like many, I feel Christmas music is hit and miss. The good stuff is good, the bad stuff (Paul McCartneys Wonderful Christmas Time) is downright horrible. Thank goodness we only get inundated from a few days before Thanksgiving (late November in the US) to about noon time Christmas day.

Links -
As noted this CD and Vol 2 are out of print. If you so desire and got 20+ bucks for the first volume laying around hit up here

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

mp3's have been removed.

We're a Couple of Misfits (Preformed by Billie Richards and Paul Soles and taken from Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer)
Put One Foot In Front of the Other (Preformed by Mickey Rooney and Keenan Wynn taken from Santa Claus is Coming to Town)
Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town (Preformed by Fred Astaire and taken from Santa Claus is Comin' to Town)

Disclaimer - For the most part songs listed you can find on iTunes or your local cd shop. The idea is to give you a little taste of the music. Please support the artist buy purchasing some of their work. Songs are posted for about 1 week but can and will be removed at the request of the artist, band, band management etc. If you are one of those persons contact me via the email link in the profile and they will be removed as soon as we are made aware of the request.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 210: The Jackson 5 - Ultimate Christmas Collection

2010-12-10T08:00:00.001-05:00

By: March

Album - Ultimate Christmas Collection
Artist - Jackson 5
Key Players - Jackie Jackson, Tito Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, Marlon Jackson, Michael Jackson
Produced By - Various (Hal Davis, Mel Larson, Jerry Marcellino)

Release Date - October 13, 2009

What caused me to blow off the dust? - It is Christmas...yeah didn't come out until after Thanksgiving at least.

Overview - This is a collection made up of the original Jackson 5 Christmas Album that was released in 1970. and a second single that came from the Motown Christmas album that was released in 1973. The original was the third album the group released in 1970 and after that, they'd settle down some on recording and touring. The final few tracks are spoken holiday greetings and remixes of some of the other tracks.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) - I will pass over the greetings and re-mixes and stick with the songs.

-"Have yourself A Merry Little Christmas" - A standard laid back cover of the tune. Full of lush strings and cool harmonies. Jermaine has the lead vocal duties on this track and does a fine job. It keeps its somber pace and the rest of the group does some nice harmonies. It doesn't really break the mold of any version you may have heard in the past.

- "Santa Claus is Comin' To Town" - Still a staple to todays holiday play lists. Right from the start it is a very up tempo and Motown infused version. Michael has the lead on this and his very high vocal range balances strong with his older brothers. Jermaine has a nice bass line that is up in the mix and the band once more offers great harmonies.

- "The Christmas Song" - All the members sing at the start before. The version once more is a cut and dry version, not nearly as spirited as "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" but once more the bands vocals are the keys with the harmonies and orchestrated backing track.

-"Up on the House Top" - The hidden gem of a jam Christmas tune. Its funky with the horns and ride cymbal before the band comes in. Michael has the lead vocals and he sings with his brothers doing some strong backing vocals. Michael sings about each of the guys "wish list" items. It is a terrific, and different holiday song that should get tossed on the stale play lists. The band has a nice break down with some spoken sections before the band comes right back in. A rear jam..I can't say it enough.

- "Frosty the Snowman" - Michael has the lead vocals on the first portion, but the full band sings the bulk of the verses. A pretty standard/cut and dry version of the track. The band works deep baritone vocals to some nice higher harmonies. The band makes it their own a little later in the track which is a nice touch.

- "The Little Drummer Boy" - A pretty true to form version of the song, but it is sped up some. There seems to be more orchestral fills with hints of oboe thrown in for example. Michael is once again the lead vocalist and his brothers offer some strong backing support as normal.

- "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" - Of course it has the standard feel but the band once again makes it more their own. The full band sings the verses and Jermaine has some strong bass work the rest of the band follows suit. A pretty basic, yet still their own take on the holiday classic.

- "Christmas Won't Be the Same This Year" - The track starts off with the band members all talking about "girl trouble". Once the song starts it takes a funky bounce and is not a holiday song you've experienced. By the verse it slows down in tempo, but then quickly hits back. It has a fun vibe with its slap drums and wah wah guitar effects. It is also a very short track, over before you realize it.

-"Give Love On Christmas Day" - Another more mellow track. Michael and his brothers are hushed following a laid back drum back beat. I personally am not overly familiar with any other version of this song. Perhaps that is the reason I neither love nor dislike the track.

"Someday at Christmas" - The track teases "White Christmas" at the start before it begins. The Motown feel is once again very strong on this and again the Michael lead track is one of the strong tracks on the collection. Offering that feel and sound you'd want from a Jackson 5 collection.

- "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" - One of the most beloved holiday "novelty" songs gets the Jackson 5 treatment. The brothers join Michael in their "shock" of seeing what was cooking with Mom and Santa. Michael hits notes we haven't heard up to this point and the band breaks it down later in the track with some percussive section that sounds a little on the Latin side before going back to the tune.

-"Little Christmas Tree" - This track was taken from a later collection of holiday songs. You can hear an older, perhaps a little more weary band. Still the song has the Jackson 5 sound and feel, but some of the real magic is gone with the guys grown up.

FDF Overall Take - For a collection it is pretty strong. Filled with 8-10 second holiday greetings from each member is a little silly and the re-mixes are just "okay" but the first part of the record is strong enough to warrant your "holiday dollars" and why Christmas radio stations don't look at some other tunes is beyond me.

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

mp3's have been removed...gotta act fast round these parts!

Someday At Christmas
Up On the House Top

Tracks taken from the "Ultimate Christmas Collection" that you can buy here.

Disclaimer - For the most part songs listed you can find on iTunes or your local cd shop. The idea is to give you a little taste of the music. Please support the artist buy purchasing some of their work. Songs are posted for about 1 week but can and will be removed at the request of the artist, band, band management etc. If you are one of those persons contact me via the email link in the profile and they will be removed as soon as we are made aware of the request.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 209: Seaweed - Spanaway

2010-12-03T08:00:00.004-05:00

By: March

Album - Spanaway
Artist - Seaweed
Key Players - Clint Werner - guitar. Aaron Stauffer - vocals. Bob Bulgrien - drums. Wade Neal - guitars and vocals. John Atkins - bass
Produced By - Adam Kasper and Seaweed

Release Date - August 22, 1995

What caused me to blow off the dust? - This was a band that I was made aware of via a CMJ New Music sampler. Over the last few years I've been slowly tracking down the full lengths from bands on those cds that struck a chord with me. I actually have 2 copies of this for some reason...both have a price sticker of 1.99 on them. Musta been a heck of a deal!

Overview - This is the fourth studio album and first on a major label for Tacoma Washington band Seaweed. The band had released independent records prior to this, including one on the seminal "Sub Pop" label before going to the majors. Signed towards the tail end of the grunge movement the band was put in a rough place, selling a style that was starting to fade from the public conscious. They'd disband, but reform a few years later.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) - The album kicks off with a bang on "Free Drug Zone". Everyone is playing, there is no intro it just opens up. The vocals are raspy to fit with the music. Stauffer and Neal work in tandem on the verses and leading to the chorus. Bulgrien keeps the tempo in check, with a hard hitting, but simple back beat. The guitars are big, full of heavy chords that done over power the rest of the music. The bass could be up in the mix some, but when you are dealing with two guitars and drums it can fall by the way side. As we mention that everyone settles some and Atkins gets to run the bass down towards the guitar solo and final run at the chorus. A single guitar comes in with drums at the start of "Crush Us All". Bulgrien keeps a marching tempo before the full band hammers down. We hit full rock mode and the band takes off. Stauffer doesn't have this fancy voice but it fits the style of the music for sure. The guitars are cutting with the drums at times and we get some big cymbal crashes to put the accent on the tune. This is a pretty straight up rocker of a song. The single from the record comes in "Start With". This is one of those "pay off" songs. The guitars bass and drums at the intro are a little slow and sort of plodding. Then a single guitar goes with the same series of notes before the vocals start. The bass does a few notes here and there as the guitars begin to swell. The payoff? The chorus! When they shout "Start With!" the band fully comes in. You hear the punk/grunge sound the band was known for. The chorus is infectious, you'll sing until you are hoarse. The song has a good tempo change, reverting back to the feel of the intro before it swirls back around for another, sung at torrid pace, verse. It keeps the same formula, but it works. Great tune. "Common Mistake" keeps with the pop/punk sound. Atkins bass gets more a push on this track. The guitar line chugs along but the bass pushes the track. Easily the "fastest" song on the record up to this point. The guitar/bass and drums are working as one, a strong push on this track. The big guitars return, or continue on "Magic Mountainman". The guitars work in unison before Bulgrien hits down and Stauffer comes in. There is still a big sound, but its a little more laid back. There are really no flashy guitar solos, instead the band continues to work on an overall "big" sounds which is nice. Atkins works some bass harmonics on "Saturday Nitrous" as Stauffer jumps in. The song is a little slower at first, before it opens up. Werner strikes his guitar with a vengeance whole Neal and Bulgrien continue to be a tour de force, keeping a heavy and torrid pace. The band has a big, loud and chaotic run to close out the song. The bass and drums chug again at the start of "Undeniable Hate". The second guitar buzzes over, but the bass, guitar and drums from the first part hold things down. The band in in full rock mode per the norm. Again, steering clear of any flashy solos, the band just hammers as a collective unit. "Defender" begins with solo drum work and the bass comes up for a moment before the vocals kick off. Many of the songs really do feel and sound the same as the record passes. It is not a bad thing mind you, but there are moments when you will long for something a little unexpected. "Assistant (to the manager)" and " Punchy (the clown)" continue the same rock style. Punchy has more distorted vocals and seems less focused than Assistant resorting to heavy effects on the vocals, its also done in about a minute. The punk style guitar comes up strong again on "Not Saying Anything". You get to hear the good tandem of bass and guitar, with the bass having a good punch to it. Even though vocals have been in tandem for much of the record, it stands out on this track. The two gruff styles blend for a strong push and the track seems to gel based off the vocal delivery. The pace of "Last Humans" is right up there with the fastest on the records. The guitars are strong and once more the bass gets that cool punchy, yet "ring" to it. This is really the final song as "Peppy's Bingo" is a sort of an instrumental, guitar tone 50 second track that just winds you down.

Where are they now? - After two major label albums the band called it quits in 2000 to only reform in 2007. Not a lot has happened but on 2011 the band is slated to release a new record "Small Engine Repair". From what I have been able to find Bulgrien has left the band.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) - I never saw the band live.

FDF Overall Take - If you are looking for some great straight up rocking pop/punk with grunge tossed in there this is a band for you. The track "Start With" sets the tone. If you like that, you'll like the sound of the band. If not, well I missed out with you on this one.

Links
The band on myspace

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

mp3's have been removed.

Magic Mountainman
Not Saying Anything
Start With

The album is out of print, but it is not too hard to find used. You can try here.

Disclaimer - For the most part songs listed you can find on iTunes or your local cd shop. The idea is to give you a little taste of the music. Please support the artist buy purchasing some of their work. Songs are posted for about 1 week but can and will be removed at the request of the artist, band, band management etc. If you are one of those persons contact me via the email link in the profile and they will be removed as soon as we are made aware of the request.

Happy Thanksgiving...

2010-11-26T09:16:00.002-05:00

We will be back next week. Thanksgiving holiday here in the USA. Time with the family and all that..not as much time to write.

Thank you as always for reading..I do appreciate it.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 208: Lilac Time - & Love for All

2010-11-19T08:00:00.001-05:00

By: March

Album - & Love for All
Artist - The Lilac Time
Key Players - Nick Duffy - banjo, stringed instruments, Stephen Duffy - lead vocals and guitar, Michael Giri - drums and percussion, Micky Harris - bass.
Produced By - Andy Partridge, John Leckie and Stephen Duffy

Release Date - 1990

What caused me to blow off the dust? - This is a band where if you know them, or knew of them here in the States you really enjoyed the Alternative pop rock they did. Sadly the US market was just not ready for them. I only have one of their cds, this one, and just felt it was time.

Overview - This was the third full length release from Herefordshire, England based band "The Lilac Time". Formed in 1986 by brothers Stephen and Nick Duffy the band. The band would release pretty much an album a year in the early years. Come this album the band was set to take America and after a failed attempt at lasting support the band never came back to the US. Stephen Duffy is the key member of the band and continues to be very prolific with his writing and the band continues to write and perform.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) - The album opens with a big full sounding track "Fields". It is a song that will get a reprise and acoustic reprise later in the record. Duffy has lush vocals and the keyboards and percussive instruments all sound great. The song has a light feel to it but has a certain catchy tempo to it as well. The bass from Harris comes up strong quickly and fades back in to the mix. The band falls in to a neat sort of jam as the main track ends before falling in to a reprise that lasts just a bit over a minute. The money song (for me) comes in "All For Love & Love For All". Honestly, one listen you'll either recognize it right away, or wonder out loud why this song wasn't huge (remember this was 1990). The song opens right up with the chorus and the drum work from Giri is up in the mix. The band nods to the "quarrymen and the moondogs" before a quick harmonica riff of the Beatles "Love Me Do" is played. As the verse ends the harmonies are nice and Harris is right up on the bass and the chorus is infectious. Stephen keeps his tone while others harmonize over that. The mix never shies from the nice bass fills from Harris and Giri gets to hit his drums, but not going to wild. There is a short instrumental break down, but that great bass fill brings it all back together for another run of the chorus. Perfection..really. Acoustic guitars ring out as "Let Our Land Be The One" begins. The band doesn't waste time with getting the vocals started and Stephen continues to shine. He sings with the acoustic guitar for a full run of verses. Nick offers some accordion portions and the song keeps the slow, steady and pretty feel for the duration. On "I Went To The Dance" there is a deeper guitar feel. The chime of the guitars is gone on this one at the start as Giri works out a slow drum tempo. Come the chorus there are larger piano chords and the song keeps check not breaking too much of a sweat. A few cymbal crashes and some harmonies on the vocals offer nice changes from time to time. There are moments you really want the song to "go somewhere" but it works with its tempo and vibe. The guitar and drums slowly build up the intro to "Wait And See". By the time the vocals start they are very hushed and sung under the chug of the guitar. Giri just plays tambourine in time with the guitar parts before rolling across the cymbal to a more full sound. There are horns and a church organ that gets tweaked via some production work. Harris has a sweet bass line that goes seemingly un-noticed, that is until you hear it and realize he has just been cooking the bass line underneath it all. Giri starts to push the volume some and it gets a little more intense with shrills of trumpet thrown in for good measure. "Honest To God" has a spacy/trippy intro with guitars phasing in and out over the long, drawn out vocal notes. It sounds like a Beach Boys tune (Pet Sounds era mind you) and is over in under 2 minutes. The feel is a lot lighter on "The Laundry" as the band seems to find a better sound and tempo, it just sounds very strong compared to other tracks. The band just seems to hit a stride on this one. Andy Partridge (XTC) gets a nice turn on a short guitar solo, but its perfect length and the band quickly goes back to the harmonies. Another very strong track. "Paper Boat" is another heavily piano based song, but not really a sappy ballad either. "Skabaskibilio" is an instrumental that is just a solo piano. It is short, less than 90 seconds long and actually feels a little out of place. "It'll End In Tears (I Won't Cry)" begins with the guitar and bass playing off one another as the percussive instruments set the tone. Harris continues with his strong and seemingly under used bass parts. The song has a pop feel to it, even with the odd time signature. The chorus is the real pay off, with real strong harmonies once more. The piano returns (played by Cara Tivey on all tracks listed with piano) on "Trinity". Stephen sings solo with the piano and it sounds like bells and other percussive instruments fill in the gaps here and there. Its another shorter track and before you know it acoustic guitars are playing and "And On We Go" begins. Stephen is very strong on vocals, even when he holds back he has that certain "voice" that just tickles your spine. The piano work is extended and the acoustic guitars add a nice touch to the track as it starts to conclude. The album closes with an "Acoustic Reprise" of the opening track "Fields".

Where are they now? - The Lilac Time are still active. They go by the moniker "Stephen Duffy and the Lilac Time" now. Duffy is active in this band as well as a solo career.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) - I have never seen the Lilac Time live.

FDF Overall Take - Blending pop and rock can come with mixed results. When the band is on, there is some very strong stuff. A few too many "mellow moments" for a real rowdy album, but the pop rockers make up for everything. Worth your time.

Links
Official site is here as well as myspace.
Everything you could ever want to know about Stephen and then some can be found here.

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

The mp3s have been taken down:

All for Love & Love for All
It'll End it Tears (I Won't Cry)
Laundry

Track(s) from & Love for All which you can buy here.

Disclaimer - For the most part songs listed you can find on iTunes or your local cd shop. The idea is to give you a little taste of the music. Please support the artist buy purchasing some of their work. Songs are posted for about 1 week but can and will be removed at the request of the artist, band, band management etc. If you are one of those persons contact me via the email link in the profile and they will be removed as soon as we are made aware of the request.

Uh-oh

2010-11-12T11:46:00.001-05:00

Going to try to get a new one up today..but real life is getting in the way more than I hoped.

Thanks for stopping over..I really do appreciate it and want to always have new content on Fridays...

regards
March

FDF Volume 3 Issue 207 - Travis - The Man Who

2010-11-05T08:00:00.001-04:00

By: March

Album - The Man Who
Artist - Travis
Key Players - "Fran" Francis Healy - vocals, guitar, Andy Dunlop - guitar, Dougie Payne - bass guitar, Neil Primrose - drums
Produced By - Nigel Godrich, Ian Grimble, Mike Hedges

Release Date - May 24, 1999

What caused me to blow off the dust? - I have to admit when this record came out I was 100% smitten. I fell in love hard and fast. Sadly that affair was short lived as the band took (to me) too long to get a follow up out and when it did come out it lacked the real fun/pop to this. I tried going with them for a few more records but we are on a break. This to me is their strongest release.

Overview - This is the second studio album from the Glasgow Scotland based band Travis. The band would take their name from a character in the film "Paris,Texas". When the album came out it was ignored by radio and the critics were a little rough. On a total fluke the band played the Glastonbury Festival that was a dry day and as reported in the papers as soon as the first line of "Why does it Always Rain on Me" was sung it began to rain. After this radio and word of mouth spread. The album would be a breakout hit for the band and would earn awards in 2000 for "Best Album" and "Bet Newcomer". Success would be broader overseas where the album would go #1 (in the UK) and chart in the top 200 on 8 other charts. The blend of quirky pop love songs feel at the time Coldplay was making a strong hold on the US charts.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) - The album starts with "Writing to Reach you" a strumming guitar and a second sort of droning on. Quickly Primrose gets things in order and the vocals begin. Healy has a soft voice that is a perfect mix for the bands style. The guitars bass and drums all fall into a comfort zone and Healy sings up a register with some pleasant harmonies sung underneath. The song doesn't stray from the formula that is put out at the start during the verses. Finally after the second verse the band opens up some but quickly falls back to the tone and tempo set forth. Primrose counts off "The Fear" and sets a slow tempo and Healy chirps in to the microphone. Dunlop and Payne begin to roll the song forward as the second guitar chimes in. Once again the song is laid back and pretty but doesn't feel overly interesting. Healy is in fine voice but it doesn't jump out at the listener. Dunlop is given a quick run on the guitar but the band is quick to follow back in their place. "As You Are" continues with the hushed vocals. This time a piano is far more dominant instrument before the guitar and drums are brought up. As the band approaches the chorus Healey does open up some sounding a bit more urgent and he seems to really open up. The laid back feel of the song has is it feeling slightly quirky. There is a short guitar solo that focus on tone and some bells chime along with it before a standard sounding guitar solo comes up. For the first time the band seems to have found the volume knob, and they keep the sound up for the rest of the track. Come "Driftwood" the intro gives you a good feeling of the sound you would almost expect from the band. The guitars have a nice jangle to them and Payne keeps a solid back bass line. Healey is much more playful in his vocal delivery and the guitars are awash with acoustic and electric. Primrose appears to play with brushes on the drums giving it a gritty sound as well. The guitars have a nice full sound as well and there appears to be strings in the mix later in the track. What appears to be a sitar is struck at the start of "The Last Laugh of the Laughter". The piano once more takes a dominant role at the start of the track and Healy sings in a higher falsetto than on other tracks. The track "Turn" starts with a bigger sound before the vocals come up and the first verse if hushed. The verse slowly builds and as the chorus approaches Healy begins to soar. The guitars bass and drums bear down more and the song has a good driving urgency too it. When Healy sings the chorus he really pushes himself and the band gets in to full "rock" mode which is a really nice change. The band need(ed) to have more moments like this. Easily one of the stand out tracks of the album. The big single from the album comes in "Why Does it Always Rain on Me?". The track has a nice even tempo and the strings add a good full sound. When Healy sings the verses they are hushed and falsetto per the norm, but as the chorus comes you find yourself tapping your toes to the basic drum tempo laid down. The chorus is very catchy and Healy once more soars vocally. By the instrumental and vocal break down its easy to understand why this single ended up being so big. Acoustic guitars are dominant once more as "Luv" begins. Harmonica is heard over the strumming guitar before the bass quietly joins in. The band return to a very laid back quiet feel after the last two tracks. It keeps the same feel for the duration with the focus on Healy and the guitar. The vocals come right up on "She's So Strange" and Healy continues to be strong. As a fan of "bands" you sort of long for the full band to unload at times. They all seem comfortable in their roles and as pretty/nice as the songs are you sort of want more. A car door slams and "Slide Show" begins to grow with Healy and the acoustic guitar (shocker!) . About 2 minutes in there is a quick electric guitar solo but the band is quick to keep that all in check. The track ends and there is a lengthy silence before a track called "Blue Flashing Lights" begins. This is another rocking track and shows what the band is capable of. Sure there are acoustic guitars but the drums actually get "struck" and the bass chugs along and there is a heaviness to the song that is welcomed.

Where are they now? - The band are still active both in studio and live. The bands last studio album came in 2008. Fran Healey has a new solo album (released October 2010) and is currently touring the US to promote it. The road to get here has not been without its bumps. In 2002 Primrose dove into a shallow pool in France and broke his neck. The pressure with that as well as the bands fame nearly broke them up, and they decided to go on hiatus for a year

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) - The first time was April 27, 2000 when the band opened for Oasis at the Orpheum in Boston. It was a good show and my affair had really started to grow with the band so it was a fun/strong show. The second (and last) time was only about a month later. The band played Lupos in Providence on May 15, 2000. This show was really great I have to admit. The band was in fine form and Fran was VERY chatty and his stories actually had you wanting him to talk more. The band did covers of "The Weight" (the Band) and Joni Mitchells "River" which were just terrific. The band had a lot going for them and they showed they were great on stage.

FDF Overall Take - Okay I will admit this fully: When this cd first came out I fell in love and wanted everything to do with this band. The melody, the song writing I just loved. I couldn't convince many friends to follow suit and felt this could/would just be a band for me. Fast forwarding now 10 years this album is a big old snooze fest. Wow. Its good, it sounds good but wow its really effing boring. I started to fall out of lust with the follow up to this record for the very reason the band just wanted to be "wimps" it seemed. This is a late night record for sure, don't put this on in any rush to get a party going. If you asked me "Should I get this record" I'd honestly say "Yes", its good..but wow...just dull at the same time.

Links
Official site is here
myspace

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

The mp3's have been taken down...

Turn
Why Does it Always Rain On Me?

Bonus download - the often talked about cover of Britney Spears "...Baby One More Time

You can buy the album here.

Disclaimer - For the most part songs listed you can find on iTunes or your local cd shop. The idea is to give you a little taste of the music. Please support the artist buy purchasing some of their work. Songs are posted for about 1 week but can and will be removed at the request of the artist, band, band management etc. If you are one of those persons contact me via the email link in the profile and they will be removed as soon as we are made aware of the request.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 206 - Oysterhead - The Grand Pecking Order

2010-10-27T08:00:00.008-04:00

By: March

Album - The Grand Pecking Orders
Artist - Oysterhead
Key Players - Trey Anastasio - guitars, vocals. Les Claypool - bass, vocals. Stewart Copeland - drums/percussion
Produced By - Oysterhead

Release Date - October 2, 2001

What caused me to blow off the dust? - With over 200 of these now done I am surprised at times when I scan my shelf what I have done, and of course what I haven't. Some weeks I am just looking for something to write about..but I actually thought of this one last week for some reason..so I am a week ahead of the game..but what to do next week remains a mystery.

Overview - Originally just formed as a "jam" the band liked what came of it and decided to record. Made up of key members of three "big enough in their own respects" bands the three would form a real true to the word "super group". Each on their own is arguably one of the best at their instrument. Les Claypool made a name for himself as the front man and bassist for the punk/funk/jam infused band Primus. Stewart Copeland was the drummer for the Police, and Trey Anastasio the lead singer and guitarist for seminal jam band Phish. The three would work on tracks in Anastasios barn in Vermont, release the album and do a brief tour. The album would crack the top 50 on the charts, peaking at #41.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) - The album begins with "Little Faces" a slowly building guitar rings out a lone note before the sticcato chops of Copeland start. Claypool gears up the bass, but Anastasio is up quicker. After about 45 seconds the deep punch of Claypools bass comes out. Anastasio sings on this track and the verse is distorted and hushed as it slowly builds. Claypool comes up to sing the chorus, matching Anastasio in style of delivery. Coming out of the chorus Claypool works the bass a little more, but the band seems to be holding back some. It keeps the same formula with Copeland doing some big drum fills but its not until the end where the band feels they can bust out some. Anastasio does a quick solo, but it is so quick you'd hardly notice. The band finds an odd tempo to get "Oz is Ever Floating" started. Claypool and Copeland fire off one another as Copeland works around his kit. Anastasio has the lead vocals again on this but Claypool joins him for harmonies. This has a more "Phish" feel to it. The trademark guitar runs seem a lot more familiar and are the focus, but just as you lock in to that Claypool and Copeland seem to shout with their instruments "don't forget us" and they run an elaborate fill. "Mr. Oysterhead" is the first real time you hear the Claypool bass. It sounds real "wet" as Anastasio loops over the top. Copeland keeps basic time as it starts to feel like Claypool wants to get the bass off the ground. Claypool sings lead on this track with Anastasio adding hints of harmonies. The style is how you'd be used to with Claypool, a more spoken/chanted vocal vs. singing vocal part. After the verse and chorus Anastasio does a quick burst on the guitar. At times it feels frustrating, 3 songs in and nobody has really *exploded* liked you'd hope. The song has a fun sing along chorus and keeps your toe tapping so when Anastasio returns for a solid guitar solo you start to feel like you are going to get what you are after. At that point you realize Copeland has been filling in these odd fills at a break neck pace, all the while keeping the track in time. Claypool brings the watery bass back in before he gets a chance to solo after Anastasio. It then switches to a more slap/pop bass solo with some hard thumping at the end. Three songs in, we hit pay dirt! At the start of "Shadow of a Man" Claypool works some harmonics on the bass accented with some string pop fills. Copeland works on some percussive instruments. When Claypool starts the vocals he is not with any bass or guitar. The bass and guitar come in only after a verse, but in lieu of chorus the band plays loops and short bursts of notes. Copeland give the percussive instruments more of a work out hitting various bells and chimes as the song fades. Swirling guitar starts off "Radon Balloon" and then it gets very focused on guitar with Anastasio playing acoustic. This is the first really laid back track on the record, but Claypool and Copeland still do a lot behind the vocally lead Anastasio tune. We get a little more rocking once more as "Army's on Ecstasy" begins. Claypool has the lead vocals on this and when he has the lead he seems to be more the overall focus. The bass is up in the mix here and Claypool is all over the fret board. The bass grooves are tight, and punchy. Even with Anastasio doing a short solo Copeland pushes everyone forward and Claypool starts to pop on the bass more, before doing some cool bottom heavy runs. It has sort of schizophrenic jam but it worth the listeners time. Copeland gets to open "Rubberneck Lions" as he walks across his kit and Claypool and Anastasio ease in. Claypool takes the lead vocals on this track but does trade verses with Anastasio. The two join to sing the song title a few times (a chorus perhaps?) Anastasio gets to run a solo after the first verse while Claypool holds a tight bass groove. The first, what feels like "jam" takes place as Claypool and Anastasio feed off one another for a bit before they return to the vocals. They get a second run at jams/solos which is fun. Claypool is up and down the bass at the start of "Polka Dot Rose". With long swooping notes, he then comes in with a more punch/driven style. Claypool sings the lead and is a little laid back at the start, with a little distortion on his vocal track. Claypool seems comfortable in the groove he has found and Anastasio will splash some fills from time to time. Acoustic guitar opens a southern twangy style "Birthday Boys". I can't be 100% sure but Claypool might be on acoustic or stand up bass. It sounds a little like a campfire song. It is a nice change of pace for the record. The most challenging song to the listener comes in "Wield the Spade". Claypool finds a strong bass comfort zone, but the lyrics are spoken by Copeland. It seems to lack a strong direction. Claypool comes in singing after the two minute mark, but his style lends little to add to the song, it just remains creepy and as they sing the chorus Copeland does a few fills, but the song really feels like it can't get going. They make up for it quick on the bustling "Pseudo Suicide". A full band run with big guitar chords and drum fills. This is the song you've been waiting for I feel. The band is in full rock mode show casing the tone and sound that made "their sound". The tight drums, the soaring guitar, the funk bass, it is all here. "The Grand Pecking Order" follows and once again the band seems to take an odd direction. Sounding like a marching band tempo and Claypool singing in a quirky (well more quirky than usual) style makes it a very average track. On a high note the band closes the record with "Owner of the World". After a quick burst from Copeland the strong bass work from Claypool comes up. Anastasio is playful on his guitar and come the chorus the tandem with Claypool is nice. It just has a clear, strong sound with each instrument right at that perfect mixed level.

Where are they now? - The band has this lone studio release but did play the Bonaroo Music Festival in 2006. I had the chance to meet Trey once and I actually asked him if he ever hoped/planned to work as Oysterhead again, and he said yes he would. Since the release of this record Phish went on hiatus and came back. Trey released solo albums and toured. The Police re-formed and toured and that kept Copeland busy. Claypool has guested on dozens of records and kept busy with various projects and has also started up a tour with Primus.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) - I did see the band live on their lone tour. November 10, 2001 at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell Mass. They were very tight as I had expected. All the guys got to show off their chops and were tight and cohesive. It was a stellar evening of music.

FDF Overall Take - Being a fan of all three of the players it is easy to have your expectations set high. When the band hits on it, its top notch. There just seems to overall be more "average" moments. Perhaps the bar is set too high, but as noted the stand out tracks are REAL strong, the others seem like experiments that didn't go as planned. Still, if you are curious the record is not all that bad. The strong moments will all but make up for anything that might be weak.

Links

The band site is here.

You can also read about Les Claypool, Stewart Copeland or Trey Anastasio.

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

mp3's have been taken down.

Owner of the World
Pseudo Suicide

Tracks taken from "The Grand Pecking Order" which you can buy here.

Cool video of the band doing "Oz is Ever Floating" from Conan O'Brien here

A live version of "Owner of the World" from Bonaroo is here

Disclaimer - For the most part songs listed you can find on iTunes or your local cd shop. The idea is to give you a little taste of the music. Please support the artist buy purchasing some of their work. Songs are posted for about 1 week but can and will be removed at the request of the artist, band, band management etc. If you are one of those persons contact me via the email link in the profile and they will be removed as soon as we are made aware of the request.

New Release! - An Introduction to Syd Barrett

2010-10-25T08:00:00.002-04:00

An Introduction To Syd Barrett - November 9th!

An Introduction To Syd Barrett, a brand new collection that will bring together for the first time the tracks of Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett on one compilation.
David Gilmour, who originally worked on Syd Barrett's two solo albums, as co-producer of The Madcap Laughs and as producer of Barrett, is the executive producer for the album. Five tracks were remixed including 'Octopus,' 'She Took A Long Cool Look,' 'Dominoes,' and 'Here I Go,' with David Gilmour adding bass guitar to the last track. Pink Floyd's 'Matilda Mother' also receives a fresh 2010 Mix.

Brand new artwork, including a 20-page booklet with brand-new graphics and all lyrics, has been provided by long time Pink Floyd associate Storm Thorgerson and his estimable studio.

Born in Cambridge in 1946, Roger Keith 'Syd' Barrett was the primary songwriter, guitarist and original lead vocalist in [the first incarnation of] Pink Floyd. He formed the band in the mid-1960s with drummer Nick Mason, bassist Roger Waters and keyboard-player Richard Wright. With their groundbreaking, semi-improvised sets at the legendary UFO Club in London's Tottenham Court Road, they became the prime movers of British psychedelia.

Barrett wrote the warped pop vignettes 'Arnold Layne' and 'See Emily Play,' the group's two hit singles from 1967, as well as 'Apples And Oranges,' and the lion's share of the material - the dreamy 'Matilda Mother,' 'Chapter 24,' and the whimsical 'Bike' - on their debut album The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn. Recorded at EMI's famed Abbey Road Studios while the Beatles were making Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Pink Floyd's first album has proved an enduring classic.

Barrett contributed 'Jugband Blues' to A Saucerful Of Secrets, the band's follow-up, but his behaviour became increasingly erratic and he left in April 1968, a few months after the addition to the group of his Cambridge friend David Gilmour on guitar and vocals.

Syd Barrett's first solo album, The Madcap Laughs, was a long time coming but made the Top 40 on its release in January 1970. Barrett followed in November that year, and contains tracks such as 'Baby Lemonade' and 'Gigolo Aunt' that provided the names for two cult US groups in the '80s and '90s.

Over the last four decades, Syd Barrett has become the ultimate rock enigma. In 1975, he paid an eerie visit to his former band mates at Abbey Road while they were recording 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond,' the centrepiece of the Wish You Were Here album he had inspired. He never entered a studio again.

He died in July 2006 but his legacy lives on in the music of R.E.M., Robyn Hitchcock, Julian Cope, Spiritualized, Blur and countless other groups. Earlier this year, Faber and Faber published Syd Barrett: A Very Irregular Head, an exhaustive biography by long-time fan Rob Chapman.

An Introduction To Syd Barrett provides a handy overview of this visionary talent, this madcap genius whose star shone brightly yet burnt out all too quickly.

Here is the track list:
1. ARNOLD LAYNE Pink Floyd
2. SEE EMILY PLAY Pink Floyd
3. APPLES AND ORANGES (Stereo Version) Pink Floyd
4. MATILDA MOTHER (2010 Mix) Pink Floyd
5. CHAPTER 24 Pink Floyd
6. BIKE Pink Floyd
7. TERRAPIN Syd Barrett
8. LOVE YOU Syd Barrett
9. DARK GLOBE Syd Barrett
10. HERE I GO Syd Barrett (2010 Remix)
11. OCTOPUS Syd Barrett (2010 Mix)
12. SHE TOOK A LONG COOL LOOK Syd Barrett (2010 Mix)
13. IF IT'S IN YOU Syd Barrett
14. BABY LEMONADE Syd Barrett
15. DOMINOES Syd Barrett (2010 Mix)
16. GIGOLO AUNT Syd Barrett
17. EFFERVESCING ELEPHANT Syd Barrett
18. BOB DYLAN BLUES Syd Barrett

An interesting addition to An Introduction To Syd Barrett is the previously unreleased 20-minute instrumental 'Rhamadan.' Produced by former manager Peter Jenner, it's rumoured to include congas by Steve Peregrine Took of Tyrannosaurus Rex. It is to be offered as an extra track with the CD, via a dedicated web page, and the iTunes version of the album.

Check the video for "Here I Go Again" 2010 remix