MARS
78+
1986 – ATAVISTIC
No Production Credit
1. 3-E
2. 11,000 Volts
3. Tunnel
4. Helen Forsdale
5. Puerto Rican Ghost
6. The Immediate Stages Of The Erotic
7. Monopoly
8. Cats
9. Cairo
10. Hairwaves
11. Outside Africa
12. Scorn (Live)
13. N.N. End (Live)
14. Untitled (Live)
Who says punk was invented in England? More proof to the contrary lies in the strange and short history of the American band Mars. A group of four musicians and artists got together to talk about music one day in 1975, and the band was born. None of them were trained musicians in any way, and the sound was insane. Avant-garde and experimental to the core, Mars was something that people had not heard before, and that people were not quite ready for. To this day, it takes some patience to listen to them. The album 78 (the version I have is from 1996: 78+ adds three almost unlistenable live tracks) is a compilation that includes all of the band’s studio recordings, which comes to about thirty minutes.
Is it worth it? If you have an ear for experimental noise rock, yes. Some of these tracks show a strong pre-punk sound: others (like “Monopoly”) are pretty much a mess and will leave you shaking your head. This band played live only a couple of dozen times, and from the three live bonus tracks here, their shows must have been quite the downer. But, they do carry some historical significance, and there’s enough here that’s interesting to make it worth a spin. Mars lasted only a couple of years, and although there are a few compilations out there, they all have basically the same material…this band just didn’t record a lot of songs. Try them at your own risk. Your mileage may definitely vary.
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STEALERS WHEEL
1972 – A&M
Produced By JERRY LEIBER & MIKE STOLLER
1. Late Again
2. Stuck In The Middle With You
3. Another Meaning
4. I Get By
5. Outside Looking In
6. Johnny’s Song
7. Next To Me
8. Jose
9. Gets So Lonely
10. You Put Something Better Inside Me
Stealers Wheel was never going to last very long. The songwriting team of Gerry Rafferty and Joe Egan had already split when their self titled debut album was released in 1972, with Rafferty having left to go back to his young solo career. But when “Stuck In The Middle With You” became a massive hit, Rafferty returned. And although the rest of Stealers Wheel splintered, Rafferty and Egan soldiered on for three more years before almost non-existent record sales ended their partnership. But their one huge hit, “Stuck In The Middle”, was one of the best things about AM radio in the early seventies. And the rest of this album is actually pretty good. Not great, but it does show that the pair had the goods to become a formidable partnership.
Unfortunately, there were no more hits in the band. And there was just the one here, making Stealers Wheel a bona fide one hit wonder. But what a hit it was. Inescapably catchy and a perfect pop guitar track, the song made them stars, and paved the way for Rafferty’s late seventies successes (“Baker Street”, “Right Down The Line”). This album is worthwhile not just because of that one hit, however. There are some really nice tracks here, and it’s cool to hear just how well Rafferty and Egan worked together. In a perfect world, Stealers Wheel would have been a mainstay of the decade…but their constant state of turnover and the just barely missing follow up hit determined that it was not to be. But this is still a nice listen.
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WILLIAM SHATNER
THE TRANSFORMED MAN
1968 – DECCA
Produced By DON RALKE
1. King Henry The Fifth / Elegy For The Brave
2. Theme From Cyrano / Mr. Tambourine Man
3. Hamlet / It Was A Very Good Year
4. Romeo And Juliet / How Insensitive (Insensatez)
5. Spleen / Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
6. The Transformed Man
In between filming the TV series Star Trek in 1968, William Shatner recorded one of the strangest albums ever made. The Transformed Man was intended to showcase Shatner’s abilities as an interpretive actor, but it turned out to be so much more than that. It’s all spoken word (Shatner does not sing) with strange orchestrations throughout, The concept is to pair dramatic readings with popular songs in a series of miniature medleys that allow Shatner to move from one character to another within the confines of a single track. The results are just plain weird. The dramatic readings over the music are odd enough, but when he gets to the popular song portion of each track, you have to wonder what kind of drugs YOU have been taking.
Hearing Captain James Kirk reciting Hamlet over an orchestra is unreal. But when he starts in with his own dramatic takes on “Mr. Tambourine Man”, “It was A Very Good Year”, and “How Insensitive”, it’s beyond the trippiness that any hippie band was doing at the time. The ultimate in strange is “Spleen / Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds”. Is this real? Did I actually just hear that? You did. The Transformed Man isn’t interesting because it’s a really good album…it’s not that. This is an actor out tripping the acid rock bands. His interpretations are from space. The Transformed Man is a time capsule of sheer madness, made from a place of dead seriousness. It’s one of the strangest listening experiences you may ever have, and it’s worth going down that road, if only once in a lifetime.
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HIM
TEARS ON TAPE
2013 – RAZOR & TIE
Produced By HIILI HIILESMAA
1. Unleash The Red
2. All Lips Go Blue
3. Love Without Tears
4. I Will Be The End Of You
5. Tears On Tape
6. Into The Night
7. Hearts At War
8. Trapped In Autumn
9. No Love
10. Drawn & Quartered
11. Lucifer’s Chorale
12. W.L.S.T.D.
13. Kiss The Void
HIM (His Infernal Majesty) was one of the most successful bands to have originated in Finland. Their brand of Gothic rock made them successful in a lot of countries, and although none of their albums reached the American top ten, and only one (2005’s Dark Light) was certified gold in the US, they were big elsewhere. Their first five albums went platinum in Finland, and in their home country they had four straight albums reach number one, with the next three peaking at number two. Tears On Tape was the eighth and final album by HIM, and it was their lowest seller, although it was one of those Finnish number two’s. But this is a band that was quickly running out of gas.
The better songs on Tears On Tape are the title track, “All Lips Go Blue”, and “Into The Night”. And while their sound is solid and polished, it’s pretty evident that they just weren’t feeling it at this point. The album is very well played, but there’s almost no energy behind the performances. It feels more like going through the motions than anything else, but even so, they are still good enough to make it at least a decent listen. There just won’t be anything that really sticks with you. It is my recommendation that if you want to hear some of the best hard rock that Finland has to offer, then seek out this band’s earlier work. This one just doesn’t have the energy that HIM had on their other efforts.
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MARTY ROBBINS
16 BIGGEST HITS
1998 – COLUMBIA / LEGACY
Produced By DON LAW, MITCH MILLER, FRANK JONES, BOB JOHNSTON & BILLY SHERRILL
1. I’ll Go On Alone
2. Singing The Blues
3. A White Sport Coat And A Pink Carnation
4. The Story Of My Life
5. Just Married
6. El Paso
7. Don’t Worry
8. Devil Woman
9. Ruby Ann
10. Begging To You
11. Ribbon Of Darkness
12. Tonight Carmen
13. I Walk Alone
14. My Woman, My Woman, My Wife
15. Among My Souvenirs
16. Some Memories Just Won’t Die
First of all, it’s Marty Robbins, one of the all-time greats. And while it may look like just another budget greatest hits compilation, this is one that actually gets it all right. What this disc does is simply collect fifteen of Robbins’ number one hits. That’s what the first fifteen tracks are here…number one hits, so be prepared to be impressed. And you will be. The titles may not ring bells, but when you start hearing these tracks, you’ll start recognizing a lot of them right away. These are pure country hits, by one of the very best. Robbins recorded through five different decades, and was one of country’s most successful artists before his death in 1982. And although he came from a time before the outlaw movement in country music, he stands as a large influence on the genre.
Fifteen number one records…and the last track here, “Some Memories Just Won’t Die”, was actually the last song Robbins ever recorded. It’s a fitting finale for this celebration of Robbins, who proved himself to be one of country’s greatest pop artists. Where would we be, seriously, without amazing songs like “El Paso”, “A White Sport Coat”, “My Woman, My Woman, My Wife”…and all the rest of these songs? Marty Robbins was a master of the hit single. He was one of country’s brightest lights through the sixties and seventies. And the songs you’ll find on this collection still stand up well today. Don’t forget about Marty Robbins. He paved the way for a lot of great music, and recorded a lot of great music himself. This is cheap, and great. Why not!
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THE SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES
BEHIND THE MUSIC
2001 – TELEGRAM
Produced By EBBOT LUNDBERG WITH JOHAN FORSMAN
1. Infra Riot
2. Sister Surround
3. In Someone Else’s Mind
4. Mind The Gap
5. Broken Imaginary Time
6. 21st Century Rip Off
7. Tonight
8. Keep The Line Movin’
9. Nevermore
10. Independent Luxury
11. Ten Years Ahead
12. Still Aging
13. In Your Veins
14. The Flood
15. Into The Next Sun
Big only in their native country of Sweden, The Soundtrack Of Our Lives made a small splash in America in 2001 when their third album, 2001’s Behind The Music (not to be confused with the VH1 series) received a lot of critical acclaim in this country. Unfortunately, there was virtually no airplay to be found, no hit singles, and the band was almost unheard of until their breakup in 2012. It wasn’t just here…they fared only slightly better in the UK, and they were unknown everywhere else. Except for Sweden. In Sweden, all six of their albums reached the top 20, and their last three were all number ones. Did the rest of us miss the boat with this band? It could be that we did.
Behind The Music showcases their cool alternative, almost psychedelic sound. All of the songs are in English, and were good enough to move Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher to name the album “the best to have come out in six years”, while having the band open on their 2002 American tour. Is it that good? “21st Century Rip Off”, “Sister Surround”, “Nevermore” and “Still Aging” are all fantastic tracks, and the rest stands on its own well enough to have earned this unknown band a Grammy nomination in 2003. The album is pretty easy to find if you want to check it out…I would strongly recommend doing so. They made three more albums, but never broke big except in…you know…Sweden. Too bad. They are worth a listen.
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RICHARD THOMPSON
RUMOR AND SIGH
1991 – CAPITOL
Produced By MITCHELL FROOM
1. Read About Love
2. I Feel So Good
3. I Misunderstood
4. Grey Walls
5. You Dream Too Much
6. Why Must I Plead
7. 1952 Vincent Black Lightning
8. Backlash Love Affair
9. Mystery Wind
10. Don’t Sit On My Jimmy Shands
11. Keep Your Distance
12. Mother Knows Best
13. God Loves A Drunk
14. Psycho Street
Man, can Richard Thompson play. The former Fairport Convention guitarist has made some fine records over the years, as well as some pretty spotty ones. Rumor And Sigh is one of his really good solo albums, thanks to a fine selection of all original songs, many of which are upbeat acoustic songs that sound as if they’ve been around forever. It doesn’t all work (songs like “Grey Walls” seem a bit out of place), but you can forgive that. Thompson’s baritone and English accent lends an authentic tone to the traditional sounding songs, and his guitar playing is exceptional and understated as always. This wasn’t what was flying off the shelves in 1991, but that doesn’t mean it’s not really good.
The better tracks here are worth the price of admission. “I Feel So Good” was his best selling track in America. “Don’t Sit On My Jimmy Shands” sounds like it came straight from an Irish pub. And one of his greatest tracks, “1952 Vincent Black Lightning” is here as well. “Mother Knows Best” is a true rocker, and Thompson burns the frets on this one, showing why he is considered one of the best rock era guitarists of all time. His career has been a joy to watch over many years, from Fairport to his wonderful albums with his former wife Linda, to his solo career which, when it shines, shines brightly. Rumor And Sigh is strong and almost perfect. A great place to start with him, and a great one to have.
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NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE
SLEEPS WITH ANGELS
1994 – WARNER BROS.
Produced By DAVID BRIGGS & NEIL YOUNG
1. My Heart
2. Prime Of Life
3. Driveby
4. Sleeps With Angels
5. Western Hero
6. Change Your Mind
7. Blue Eden
8. Safeway Cart
9. Train Of Love
10. Trans Am
11. Piece Of Crap
12. A Dream That Can Last
Is there such a thing as an underrated Neil Young album? I submit his twentieth album, 1994’s Sleeps With Angels. Originally intended to be a follow up to After The Gold Rush, that changed when Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain died during the recording. Sleeps With Angels ended up being a perfect companion album to his classic Tonight’s The Night. Which means that this is one dark album. With Crazy Horse in full force, Young trots out some seriously sad music…and the results are beautiful. But maybe because it’s a downer, this album gets lost in the Neil Young shuffle. Which is too bad, because there are some really incredible moments here. It’s deep, it’s moody, it’s almost a masterpiece.
Almost. Why he felt the need to include the party rock throwaway “Piece Of Crap” is anyone’s guess. But the depth of pretty much everything else is staggering. “Change Your Mind” is an almost 15 minute Crazy Horse guitar fest that any fan should love. Beautiful tracks like “Trans Am”, “Western Hero”, and “Driveby” alongside dark wonders like “Prime Of Life” and “Safeway Cart” make this a gem of an album. This is also the only album on which Young plays flute. And the closer, “A Dream That Can Last”, is one of his prettiest songs. Between this and Tonight’s The Night, it’s obvious that no one can make a sad album quite like Neil. This is one that deserves to be rediscovered.
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IKE REILLY
SALESMEN AND RACISTS
2001 – UNIVERSAL
Produced By MICKEY PETRALIA, ED TINLEY & IKE REILLY
1. Last Time
2. Angels & Whores
3. Commie Drives A Nova
4. Hip Hop Thighs #17
5. Hail! Hail!
6. The Assassination Of Sweet Lou Diablo
7. Put A Little Love In It (According To John)
8. New Year’s Eve
9. Duty Free
10. My Wasted Friends
11. Crave
12. Cash Is King
13. God Damn Shame
Been saying this for years…if there is one artist that you probably don’t know about that I would love to turn you on to, it’s Ike Reilly. In a previous life, my spouse worked for Ike Reilly’s brother, which is how I heard about him. I was already hooked on his music when I had the good fortune to see him play with his band at a private party…I’m a fan for life. This is a guy who writes songs that rock harder than Springsteen, but still retains the storytelling mastery that Bruce has. He’s not afraid of the seedier side of life, and he calls it as he sees it. Reilly is, in a way, the opposite of Bob Seger. He started off with a major label deal and released the excellent Salesmen And Racists in 2001, but his label apparently didn’t know what to do with him.
So Reilly went back to Illinois, where he has remained very popular locally, and where he has worked with the likes of Tom Morello and Shooter Jennings. Salesmen And Racists is his only major label album…everything since has been on small local labels. This album is so great. The record starts off with the line “Last Time I couldn’t make you come”, and it’s all good from there. He rocks on “Angels And Whores”. He gets hip hop right on “Commie Drives A Nova”. And you’d be hard pressed to find a better hook than on “Duty Free”. His stories are air tight, his humor is dead on, and his gleefulness in his own way of rocking is infectious. I recommend any album by Reilly, but this is the one I always come back to. This is one that we all need to hear. Hail! Hail!
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THE FRATELLIS
COSTELLO MUSIC
2006 – FALLOUT
Produced By TONY HOFFER
1. Henrietta
2. Flathead
3. Whistle For The Choir
4. Chelsea Dagger
5. The Gutterati?
6. For The Girl
7. Doginabag
8. Creepin’ Up The Backstairs
9. Vince The Loveable Stoner
10. Everybody Knows You Cried Last Night
11. Baby Fratelli
12. Got Ma Nuts From A Hippy
If you are looking for energy…this album is for you. The Fratellis (named after the crime family in The Goonies!) roared out of Scotland with a youthful exuberance that outshined the rest of the Brit Pop bands of the time, and an ability to be oh so rock and roll. Their debut album, Costello Music, was all over their native British charts in 2006 and 2007…and almost nowhere else. It made no dents in the American charts, and that’s too bad. Costello Music is a pure burst of energy, and spawned an impressive six UK hits. This is an album from the mid 2000’s that lovers of classic rock ignored while crying that rock was dead…The Fratellis prove otherwise. This is a set of songs designed to do one thing…rock you. And it does, most effectively.
The star of this show is “Chelsea Dagger”, one of the most gleefully jumping rock songs of the last many, many years. Then imagine an album built around it, and there you go. “Henrietta”, “Baby Fratelli”, “Flathead” and “Whistle For The Choir”, along with the hidden track “Ole Black ‘N’ Blue Eyes”, make this a more than worthwhile journey. The Fratellis rock is smart, loaded with loud guitars, and it’s as British as can be. Don’t let that put you off…the UK rockers have always gotten a piece of the puzzle that we Americans seem to always miss…it’s okay to keep the music of your parents alive. This band does that. With guitars and drums and some of the catchiest hooks you’ll find. This band hasn’t done too much since…but you really should hear this high energy debut.
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