Shuffle of the week #37
Published April 21, 20141. The Velvet Underground – I’m Waiting for the Man (The Velvet Underground & Nico, 1967)
Second track on rock’s all time best album. Written of course by Reed, about his main concern around that time. Blueprint for lots of garage rock songs to follow by numerous bands, thanks to Tucker’s forceful drums and the pounding piano playing by John Cale.
2. DeVotchKa – Too Tired (How It Ends, 2004)
Song from DeVotchKa’s fourth album. The band from Denver was named after the Russian word for ‘girl’ and acquired most of its fame with contributions to movie soundtracks like this album’s title track. I suspect the Greek bouzouki of being the stringed instrument returning throughout the entire song.
3. U.N.K.L.E – Nursery Rhyme / Breather (Psyence Fiction, 1998)
A muscular guitar part opens this next song, that sounds like something from Primal Scream’s XTRMNTR at first, but surprisingly proves to be a song that was written by Badly Drawn Boy. It stands on British music project UNKLE’s debut album, dominated by DJ Shadow’s production (who left the ‘band’ after this album). Other collaborating artists on this album include Thom Yorke and Metallica’s Jason Newsted.
4. Badly Drawn Boy – Summertime in Wintertime (One Plus One Is One, 2004)
A little joke from the shuffle, serving another song by Briton Damon Gough. Six years later he became a moderately successful solo artist and released his fourth album. Certainly not as solid as his debut album, but containing a couple of reasonable tracks like this one. Reminds of Jethro Tull, thanks to the nervous flute intermezzos.
5. Yim Yames – My Sweet Lord (Tribute To, 2009)
Not the first time we meet this one.
6. 13th Floor Elevators – Slip Inside This House (Easter Everywhere, 1967)
Absolute masterpiece, later covered by Primal Scream (in which mood does somebody decide to cover this song?), defined by Tommy Hall’s electric jug. Recommended for when sitting behind the wheel, without even having to drive the vehicule.
7. The Zombies – Changes (Odessey and Oracle, 1968)
Probably the most sunny sound from a British band ever, including some delightful Westcoast choirs and an intro that must have inspired some Fleet Foxes. Second album from the band, entirely recorded during the Summer of Love and featuring an apposite album cover.
8. Pacific Gas & Electric – Death Row #172 (Pacific Gas & Electric, 1969)
Some blues gospel that didn’t save on orchestration. Strings and horns are all over the place in this track containing a certain amount of criticism on the Vietnam War.
9. Cream – Strange Brew (Disraeli Gears, 1967)
This incredible funky guitar intro will probably never bore me. Did we have blues mixed with some gospel and symphonic orchestration on the previous track, now the blues is injected with a satisfying dose of psychedelia. The perfect album opener?
10. Super Furry Animals – The Teacher (Guerilla, 1999)
Third album from this Welsh rock band, released at the end of the previous century and a lost item in my collection. Somehow sounds like Elvis Costello under lots of stress. Till next time.
Shuffle of the week #36
Published March 17, 20141. Ministry – Just One Fix (Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs, 1992)
Brutal noise from Chicago’s industrial metal band. Album full of samples featuring famous movie quotes, for example Frank Sinatra’s “I wanna fix! Gimme a fix!” on this track. For those moments when you’re absolutely in no need of melody.
2. The Great Society – White Rabbit (Conspicuous Only in Its Absence, 1968)
The typical San Francisco’67 beat only kicks in after an elaborate Eastern instrumental intro, with snakes being hypnotized while the tempo grows. Grace Slick with her first band, which she founded together with her husband and brother in law after being inspired by The Beatles and… Jefferson Airplane, the band she would later join to record this song with for the second time. Live album that was recorded in 1966 and released in the aftermath of Airplane’s success. Truly recommended to people who like this latter band.
3. Fleetwood Mac – Go Your Own Way (Rumours, 1977)
California ten years later, from an obscure gig to a totally polished radio hit single. Lindsey Buckingham’s song, about his troubles with Stevie Nicks.
4. The Doors – The End (The Doors, 1967)
Travelling back again with the epic end piece of The Doors’ debut album. Molded into its ultimate version (the one that ended up on the record) after intensely touring the LA circuit and performing this song each time at the end of the gig. Covered by Nirvana, Nico and Homer Simpson.
5. Tortoise – Monica (Standards, 2001)
Nothing outstanding, but an album that’s worth to be played once a year. ‘Benway’ from the same album already came by, as it was one of the 10 tracks of the very first shuffle.
6. Pink Floyd – Let There Be More Light (A Saucerful of Secrets, 1968)
Awesome opening track, with the techno-intro being a showcase for Waters’ bass playing. Waters remained as Floyd’s main songwriter on this album, but was still clearly inspired by Barett (and, appearantly, Sgt.Pepper’s). New member Gilmour takes on the lead vocals during the chorus, and plays his first Floyd solo towards the end of the song. About time for a review of this album.
7. Animal Collective – Visiting Friends (Sung Tongs,2004)
Strumming acoustic guitars, and Devendra Banhart like he’s experimenting with a voice scrambler for the first time. Never paid much attention to this album because of the fascination for later work, from the band as well as Panda Bear.
8. Songs:Ohia – Hot Black Silk (Axxess & Ace, 1999)
Opening track from third album. Also one of the highlights, with Molina’s beautiful voice shining on this acoustic singer-songwriter song.
9. Madrugada – Hands Up / I Love You (The Nightly Disease, 2001)
Talking about impressive voices, what to say about about Sivert Hoyem? Norwegian alternative rock band that released some solid albums like this one and The Deep End (2005). And of course they released a live album with the legendary title Live at Trafalmadore, after the alien planet in Kurt Vonnegut’s novels.
10. Steely Dan – Peg (Aja, 1977)
Closing with this magnificent jazzy track from Steely Dan’s sixth and best-selling album. Of course not recorded in a couple of weeks, the guitar solo in this song alone was attempted by no less than eight session guitarists.
Shuffle of the week #35
Published February 25, 20141. The White Stripes – Little Acorns (Elephant, 2003)
Great song from White Stripes’ fantastic fourth, on which this is the traditional song with ‘little’ in its title. The famous spoken intro was contributed by American TV anchorman Mort Crim, whereupon the combo of the heavily tuned guitar and White’s threatening voice gives this track its great verses.
2. Belle and Sebastian – Dress Up in You (The Life Pursuit, 2006)
Polished indie pop from Belle and Sebastian’s seventh album, loaded with sunny melodies. The Life Pursuit reminds of all the good things that sixties and seventies pop had to offer, including great vocal harmonies and well-balanced instrumentals, like the beautiful horn section in this song. Personal favorite.
3. King Crimson – Moonchild (In the Court of the Crimson King, 1969)
Longest track on this epic album, preceding the title track on side two. The track can in fact be separated into two sections. ‘The Dream’ is a ballad with a prominent role for Ian McDonald’s mellotron (and lyrics provided by English poet Peter Sinfield), while the band completely starts to improvise on ‘The Illusion’. This is in fact nothing more than an elitist patchwork, making it the most disappointing part on the album.
4. The Flaming Lips – Race for the Prize (The Soft Bulletin, 1999)
From bearded men in a dark cellar to an explosion of confetti on main stage: the transition couldn’t possibly be more abrupt. Defining album for the band’s later sound and live performances.
5. Led Zeppelin – Heartbreaker (Led Zeppelin II, 1969)
Ultimate air guitar song, highlight on the notorious album and a crowd favorite at live concerts (including several improvisations). Interesting detail: the famous solo was recorded and added after the song was already ‘completed’, resulting in a somehow different guitar sound.
6. The Jam – The Place I Love (All Mod Cons, 1978)
From the third album of this late seventies mod revival band, with the title referring to this as well as the abbreviation of ‘all modern conveniences’, often used in housing adverts.
7. Guns ‘n Roses – 14 Years (Use Your Illusion II, 1991)
Best song (great piano playing) on the only GNR album that survived my record collection throughout the years. Never realized all these years however that it’s actually rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin on lead vocals. Stradlin had already left the band before the UYI-albums were released, after being detoxed from alcohol and drugs.
8. Radiohead – Paranoid Android (OK Computer, 1997)
Does this song need any more explanations? Maybe it’s still best described by Yorke himself, before the first time it was performed live: “If you can have sex to this one, you’re fucking weird.”.
9. Tool – Flood (Undertow, 1993)
Wow, the android perfectly fades into the guitar intro of this song. Subsequently the snoring bass tunes in and the drums brutally smash the song into your face. Penultimate song on this debut album, on my version at least, as most North American versions feature closing song ‘Disgustipated’ as track 69, after 58 silent 1”-tracks (you gotta love them).
10.
The Olivia Tremor Control – Paranormal Echoes (Black Foliage: Animation Music Volume One, 1999)
And one more nineties track to close with. Just like last time, the Tremor Control makes it to the shuffle just on time, but with their second album this time. Love it or hate it.
Shuffle of the week #34
Published February 9, 20141. Grandaddy – The Warming Sun (Sumday, 2003)
Indie pop from Modesto, California, with the voice of singer Jason Lytle (a former professional skateboarder) resembling Neil Young’s one on this track. Unfortunately, the same can not be said about the lyrics.
2. Pixies – Vamos (Surfer Rosa, 1988)
One of the Pixies’ songs that open with a monologue, from Black Francis this time, after which the acoustic guitar and pounding bass drum kick off the song for real. The first version of this song appeared on the band’s debut album Come On Pilgrim, just like ‘Isla de Encanta’ (and ‘Crackity Jones from Doolittle ) drawing upon Francis’ adventures in Puerto Rico.
3. Spirit – Morning Will Come (Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus, 1970)
Finally, seems like years ago that I listened to this. Penultimate track on the fourth and probably best album of Spirit, an eclectic rock band that was founded (like so many others) in California ’67. Released some very good albums during the late sixties, with Led Zeppelin being their support act at live gigs (Spirit’s influence is clearly traceable on later Zep records). This song at his turn reminds of David Bowie with a small touch of Josh Homme during the chorus.
4. Jimi Hendrix Experience – Foxy Lady (Are You Experienced, 1967)
King of riffs, that was also used by Jimmy Page during later Led Zeppelin gigs, when it was one of the many improvisations that would come up during the instrumental powertrip on ‘Dazed and Confused’. And of course a well-known favorite of Sir Paul McCartney, who plays it now and then after ‘Let Me Roll It’.
5. The Doors – Roadhouse Blues (Morrison Hotel, 1970)
Back to the American Westcoast with another uptempo track including shrilling guitars, while the other Jim of the ’27 club’ shouts. The Doors immediately abandoned the experimental direction from the previous album (The Soft Parade) on the very first track of Morrison Hotel, with a safe and satisfactory return to psychedelic and blues rock.
6. Queen – Don’t Try So Hard (Innuendo, 1991)
Death all over again, with Queen’s last album before the death of Mercury. No safe return to a familiar sound for Freddy however, as he tries to imitate Kate Bush here before the guitars give this track some dignity.
7. Robert Palmer – Come Over (Double Fun,1978)
That makes five death singers in a row (Spirit’s Randy California died in 1997). Funky song (Stevie Wonder will endorse that), being one of the highlights on a rather mediocre album. Palmer really shows his instrumental skills here, playing guitar, bass, drums, percussion, drums and keyboards on this one.
8. Beulah – Sunday Under Glass (When Your Heartstrings Break, 1999)
More indie rock from California, San Francisco this time. Band that was discovered by Apples in Stereo singer Robert Schneider from Elephant 6. Have to give it another try.
9. Meat Puppets – Lake of Fire (Meat Puppets II, 1984)
One of the three songs from this album that were covered by Nirvana during their legendary unplugged performance. This less polished version however creates the right atmosphere to its lyrics.
10. The Beatles – Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite! (Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1967)
Closing with the circus song from Pepper, that was played live for the first time ever last year by Paul McCartney, after he revealed it is partially his song. Henry the Horse did not speak out on the subject yet.
“You press on God’s waiter your last dime as he hands you the bill”: Aqualung (Jethro Tull)
Published January 27, 2014
Year: 1971
Genre: Progressive Rock
Preceded by: Benefit (1970)
Followed by: Thick as a Brick (1972)
Related to: not available yet
Jethro Tull’s Thick as a Brick is still considered one of the best progressive rock albums ever made. But Tull will somehow always remain a stranger in the midst of prog bands that delivered the bulk of this genre’s top rated albums during the seventies. First of all, the band certainly could not be classified within this genre from the start. The sound on their early works for example is more connected to the blues rock of Cream’s Disraeli Gears than to the pure psychedelic rock that got bands like Pink Floyd started. But eastern and classic music influences made their entrance on Stand Up (1969), a keyboard player was added to the line-up on Benefit (1970) and suddenly there was Aqualung, a record that was generally acclaimed by the era’s musical climate as Tull’s first concept album. Parents, keep your children inside!
The early days of Jethro Tull go back to Blackpool 1962, when the Scott Ian Anderson formed a band called The Blades with some other musicians. After combining performances with this group with a daytime job for five years, Anderson moved to London in the search for any success. This proved to be difficult, as his original band mates returned back north after just a couple of days. Anderson started to search for other musicians again and found Glenn Cornick on bass, Mick Abrahams on guitar and Clive Bunker on drums. Anderson himself traded his guitar for a flute and called the gang Jethro Tull, after the man who had redefined the practices of agriculture by giving us the horse-drawn hoe.
This new band released its debut album in 1968: This Was. You got to love the satirical title, as it already indicates that Anderson (still sharing the songwriting with Abrahams) was not planning to stick to the album’s pure blues rock sound. Jethro Tull would release one album per year for the next 12 years, with another 8 albums following till their last one in 2003. Such a steady rate would presume a very stable band, but Jethro Tull rather was a wobbling ship in turbulent waters with Ian Anderson as its one and only Captain and Martin Barre as his First Mate. Anderson would navigate this ship with continuously changing crew through raw blues rock and the dangerous prog cliffs before ending up playing folk in the woods.
His path was clear after Abrahams was replaced by Barre following the debut’s release. As the band’s sole songwriter, he now immediately started to change the course of the band on the following two albums mentioned above, with the distinctive flute sound becoming the band’s trademark. Their fourth album (with bass player Jeffrey Hammond joining Anderson’s ship, replacing Cornick) would definitely establish their fame as one of the world’s biggest rock acts and still is their best album, both lyrically and musically. Come aboard.
The album is opened by the title song, which is the main reason for some people to call it a progressive concept album. The song was inspired by a picture (taken by Andersons wife) of a homeless man, given the name Aqualung. The album cover gives this person a face and he does reappear in one other song here (‘Cross-Eyed Mary’) but he can’t be compared to deeply elaborated characters like Rael on Genesis’ Lamb for example. Musically the song (being one of the rare ones without Anderson’s flute) is kind of a short suite, with three different parts creating as much atmospheres. These stylistic changes might indeed point to a conversion to progressive rock although that feature can of course not be completely claimed by that genre. Or would you qualify Aqualung’s five dimensional brother ‘Aquarius’ also as such?
So Aqualung makes a cameo in the second song, called after schoolgirl hooker ‘Cross-Eyed Mary’. The flute immediately compensates its absence on the first track with a great intro, building towards a peak where Anderson’s voice kicks in. This voice sounds hoarse and perfectly matches Barre’s guitar and the pervert lyrics about the young Mary who kicks on satisfying older rich men, while the dirty Aqualung is peeping through the railings of the playground.
The two harder songs are followed by a sweet trio of acoustic songs. First there’s ‘Cheap Day Return’, a personal intermezzo from Anderson about a visit to his dad in the hospital (with the song called after his train ticket). Within only 83 seconds he totally changes the atmosphere with a very fragile voice, thereby creating the perfect intro for ‘Mother Goose’. This is my absolute favorite of the album, with Anderson walking over a fair, meeting bearded ladies and chicken-fanciers. Meanwhile the acoustic instrumentation (guitar and flute) completely melts with his voice, shaping some kind of Medieval atmosphere (this is by far the most ‘folk-ish’ track on the album). Another short song closes the triptych of Anderson’s personal stories, with ‘Wond’ring Aloud’ being a simple love song garnished with a nice string section. One more song to go then on side 1, announced by its famous laughter in the beginning: ‘Up to Me’. Although the lyrics don’t make much sense to me, it’s musically one of the best with all instruments joining forces (featuring a flute-riff) to chase Anderson’s state of mind.
I’m about to turn the record over when I notice the album’s cover featuring our spooky friend Aqualung. He’s lost out of sight for a couple of songs now, so I bury the possibility of this being a concept album. Subsequently the needle lands on side 2 and serves me an entire side with tracks treating the hypocrite aspect of religion, more precisely Christianity. It starts with ‘My God’, introduced by the acoustic guitar after which the piano and Andersons’ moaning voice create the atmosphere of a dark church where Anderson is priest, preaching about the opportunist use of the lord. After a while the soloing electric guitar takes over and the flute solo countering the Gregorian chants gives the album its progressive feeling again.
‘Hymn 43’ is very similar to this track lyrically, maybe the reason that this song didn’t require an intro, kicking off immediately. It’s a riff-based song with great piano contributions and Anderson singing more loudly now, deeply expressing his thoughts of disgust towards the church. It’s followed by another short acoustic bridge with added string section: ‘Slipstream’, telling a story about buying your access into heaven and preparing us for the ‘grande finale’ of the album.
This final starts with the classical piano intro of ‘Locomotive Breath’, probably the bands’ most famous song. It suddenly turns into a heavy guitar song, with the pounding drums adding to the created sound of a steaming train. As the title suggests this train represents life with the song’s protagonist trying to catch a breath in his rushing life. Of course all this is finished off by a flute solo. Aqualung is finally concluded by ‘Wind-Up’, another song that starts off very gentle before building towards a great climax including another one of those sweet guitar riffs by Barre. It’s a well-chosen closing song as it sounds like Anderson is analyzing the thoughts he shared on the other songs on side 2 and concludes by addressing the people that forced him to believe some ridiculous ideas during his youth: You had the whole damn thing all wrong.
Aqualung was never meant to be a concept album although it was claimed as such after its release, leading to an irritated Ian Anderson. As his response he gave prog its ultimate concept album the next year with Thick as a Brick (featuring Andersons’ former drummer, turning Tull back into The Blades ft. Martin Barre). Whether or not this was an embrace or rejection of the genre, the album became one of Tull’s best appreciated works.
Classifying Aqualung as prog is probably just the only solution to the impossibility of putting it in another determined genre. Besides, if you strengthen blues rock in such a way that it approaches hard rock and start mingling this with very melodic folk songs, you can’t be surprised that people suspect you of doing some progressive stuff out there. However, the synthesizers and excessive drum solos are kept away here, so for everybody out there not familiar with this band: don’t be fearful of the dreaded Jethro Tull.
Top Tracks:
1. Mother Goose
2. Up to Me
3. Aqualung
Shuffle of the week #33
Published January 15, 20141. XTC – I’d Like That (Apple Venus Volume 1, 1999)
Second track from a great album, bringing together the best material from the period XTC was on strike (1992-1998). Apple Venus was subsequently released on their own label and recorded in their own home-studios, with Partridge on vocals and acoustic guitar here. Very cheerful, very McCartney.
2. Robert Johnson – Hellhound on My Trail (King of the Delta Blues Singers, 1961)
Archaic cornerstone of rock’s discography, already recorded in 1936 but released in 1961 on the Columbia label. They had just contracted Bob Dylan, who had the album lying around on his couch on the cover of Bringing It All Back Home.
3. Genesis – More Fool Me (Selling England by the Pound, 1973)
Closing track on side one of Genesis’ brilliant fifth album, with Phil Collins on lead vocals. Compared to the other songs this one is rather short and very sober, only featuring Collins and Mike Rutherford on guitar. His lover may be gone, but Phil is convinced everything will be just fine.
4. Ride – Vapour Trail (Nowhere, 1990)
Closing track and only single from shoegazing band Ride’s debut album. Written and sung by guitarist Andy Bell, who would later join Oasis on bass. Good album, especially the opening track is a great powertrip.
5. Rolling Stones – Turd on the Run (Exile on Main St., 1972)
A less known track from one of The Stones’ greatest albums, that was born in the south of France while recording in Keith Richards’ basement. Richards might have begun a daily habit of using heroin at that time, his guitar really defines this album, including some country rock sound on this one. Robert Johnson also contributed to the album, with the Stones covering his ‘Stop Breaking Down’ on side four.
6. The Kinks – A House in the Country (Face to Face, 1966)
Finally, The Kinks make their appearance in the shuffle of the week. Face to Face was their fourth album (and definitely one of my favorites), on which this is the closing track of side one. It was their first album entirely written by lead vocalist Ray Davies and marked the beginning of a great period for the band.
7. Lou Reed – Satellite of Love (Transformer, 1972)
Second single from Transformer, an album I dragged across Keith Richards’ south of France last summer, a couple of months before Reed’s death. A song about jealousy, that was originally meant to appear on The Velvet Underground’s Loaded, but that ended up on Reed’s second solo album. With the ever recognizable David Bowie (also the album producer) on backing vocals.
8. The Who – Getting In Tune (Who’s Next, 1971)
Opener on side two of The Who’s fifth album and the fourth song this week with that generously packed sound from the early seventies. Not very surprisingly, this song deals with the power of music and was originally part of Townshend’s Lifehouse-project (as a follow-up to Tommy).
9. Andrew Bird – Scythian Empires (Armchair Apocrypha, 2007)
Talking about richly instrumented pieces of music: perhaps a little less rockin’, but Bird shows off a great deal of craftsmanship on this album highlight. Played the life out of that album last year.
10. Phish – Bouncing Around the Room (Lawn Boy, 1990)
Closing this shuffle just like Phish’s second studio album: with this easy going funky song, influenced by Senegalese music.
Jukebox
