BIG BROTHER & THE HOLDING COMPANY
CHEAP THRILLS
1968 – COLUMBIA
Produced By JOHN SIMON
1. Combination Of The Two
2. I Need A Man To Love
3. Summertime
4. Piece Of My Heart
5. Turtle Blues
6. Oh, Sweet Mary
7. Ball And Chain (Live)
8. Roadblock (Studio Outtake)
9. Flower In The Sun (Studio Outtake)
10. Catch Me Daddy (Live)
11. Magic Of Love (Live)
The importance of Big Brother & The Holding Company is so often overstated. Yes, they were one of the original San Francisco hippie bands. And yes, of course, the band introduced the world to Janis Joplin. But outside of the fierce talent that Janis was, this was an ordinary and unremarkable band. Their career bears that out: after Joplin’s breakthrough in 1968, she left for a solo career, and Big Brother promptly sank into complete obscurity. But for one brief shining moment in 1968, it looked like Big Brother was poised to take over the rock and roll world. That moment was Cheap Thrills. It was their second album…the self titled debut had been, despite the presence of Janis, and the fine but way to short “Down On Me”, not very good.
Cheap Thrills was the coming out party for Joplin. Three of her vocals here are essential: the cover of the Gershwin’s “Summertime”. The cover of Piece Of My Heart: (the original was by Aretha Franklin’s sister Erma). And the live cover of Big Mama Thornton’s “Ball And Chain”. The rest of the album? The songwriting by the band is weak. The playing of the band is even weaker. And producer John Simon’s attempt to infuse some energy where Janis wasn’t singing by adding fake audience sound? Cringeworthy. The album went to number one on the strength of the three Janis masterpieces: the rest is not worth having. At all. Proof that this was not a great band? After Janis left, they made two albums that I’m quite sure you never heard. But they have ridden the name for every drop of what it was worth: they still play shows, even though the only remaining members from the Janis era are the bass player and drummer.
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THE WAR ON DRUGS
LOST IN THE DREAM
2014 – SECRETLY CANADIAN
Produced By ADAM GRANDUCIEL
1. Under The Pressure
2. Red Eyes
3. Suffering
4. An Ocean In Between The Waves
5. Disappearing
6. Eyes To The Wind
7. The Haunting Idle
8. Burning
9. Lost In The Dream
10. In Reverse
It’s kind of surprising that The War On Drugs isn’t a bigger band than they are…and yet, it also makes perfect sense. Led by Adam Granduciel, this Philadelphia band put out two of the very best albums of the 2010’s. But they tend to be forgotten, as they take their sweet time between releases: since their inception in 2005, they have only five discs out. The two that are the important ones are A Deeper Understanding from 2017, and its predecessor, 2014’s Lost In The Dream. Considered by many to be the greatest album of that year, it’s rare in that it’s a throwback to earlier music without copying other styles. The songwriting is strong, the sound is widely considered good enough for an extended road trip, and it’s a smart and satisfying overall experience that works on many levels.
But that all depends on where your expectations lie. If you don’t want to hear a band from 2014 channeling, say, Dire Straits, then this may not be for you. As well, Granduciel evokes the ghosts of younger Dylan and Springsteen, which can be polarizing as well. But it’s also pretty great to know that those artists are not yet forgotten or taken for granted. Yes, some of the songs are longer than you might be used to, but when those songs are as fine as “An Ocean In Between The Waves” and “Under The Pressure”, all can be forgiven. Any flaws that can be found with Lost In The Dream are buried by the simple fact that this is a damn great set of songs. The War On Drugs may not be the household names they should be, but this album is a must have.
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BLACK COUNTRY, NEW ROAD
ANTS FROM UP THERE
2022 – NINJA TUNE
Produced By SERGIO MASCHETZKO
1. Intro
2. Chaos Space Marine
3. Concorde
4. Bread Song
5. Good Will Hunting
6. Haldern
7. Mark’s Theme
8. The Place Where He Inserted The Blade
9. Snow Globes
10. Basketball Shoes
I have admittedly not paid as much attention to music from the last decade as many others have. The reason for that is simple: I’m still trying to catch up with everything else from the past. You may not agree with that approach, but that’s what it is. I do stick my head into the newer music box from time to time, however. England’s Black Country, New Road released their second album, Ants From Up There, in 2022. The acclaim from critics and, more than that, listeners, put it on my radar. Some have hailed it as the very best album of 2022. Some have it as the best album of the decade so far, and it’s even been called one of the greatest of all time. Is it that good? Really? So, it’s time for me to see what all the fuss is about, and hope it’s not an overrated little man’s favorite like Neutral Milk Hotel put out years ago.
Well, it’s a pretty great record for the most part. It contains some fine songwriting, and a sound that is reminiscent of Arcade Fire. The moments that are on point are brilliant and impossible to ignore. But those moments come and go quickly, with the band seeming to almost fall asleep in between them. The dynamics are huge, with the quiet moments being too quiet. Lead singer Isaac Wood (who left the band after it was recorded) has a voice that borders on dull and bored. The flutes and violins are a nice touch… at times. Yes, the better songs are true highs: “Snow Globes”, “Concorde”, the closer “Basketball Shoes”. But those are offset by the annoying “Haldern” and “Chaos Space Marine”. But who knows? It may be too soon to draw judgement on this record, good or bad. Time will tell, and I believe this album needs more time to sink in.
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APHEX TWIN
…I CARE BECAUSE YOU DO
1995 – WARP
Produced By RICHARD D JAMES
1. Acrid Avid Jam Shred
2. The Waxen Pith
3. Wax The Nip
4. Icct Hedral (Edit)
5. Ventolin (Video Version)
6. Come On You Slags!
7. Start As You Mean To Go On
8. Wet Tip Hen Ax
9. Mookid
10. Alberto Balsam
11. Cow Cud Is A Twin
12. Next Heap With
Richard D. James has recorded under a lot of names, but he always seems to be at his best and more at home as Aphex Twin. Between 1992 and 2014, James released six albums under that name. …I Care Because You Do is the third of those, coming out in 1995. It followed his pair of Selected Ambient Works records, and preceded the amazing Richard D. James Album. The music here was all recorded between 1990 and 1994, and it incorporates elements of classical, hip hop, and of course techno. What always makes his works interesting is his ability to mix danceable beats with excellent melody and sounds. James does everything here, as usual, and he even painted the album art (a self portrait). A true solo artist. He can really do it all, and he’s not shy about it.
The centerpiece of I Care is easily “Ventolin”, which may be one of the most harsh sounding dance tracks of all time. The opener, “Acrid Avid Jam Shred”, and “Alberto Balsam” are highlights as well. The album has garnered comparisons to the likes of Philip Glass and John Cage, and rightfully so…James’ connection to the avant-garde side of electronica is obvious and somewhat appealing. Anyone can create a beat, but James has the gift of adding musical layers and textures to create unique music. …I Care Because You Do is transitional, but it’s not lost or stuck in the past. It’s a good enough and exciting listen, not on the same level as the follow up would be, but still a fine example of James’ gift of making tedious music listenable and entertaining.
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HARRY CONNICK JR.
COME BY ME
1999 – COLUMBIA
Produced By TRACEY FREEMAN
1. Nowhere With Love
2. Come By Me
3. Charade
4. Change Partners
5. Easy For You To Say
6. Time After Time
7. Next Door Blues
8. You’d Be So Easy To Love
9. There’s No Business Like Show Business
10. A Moment With Me
11. Danny Boy
12. Cry Me A River
13. Love For Sale
The overall career success of Harry Connick Jr. is probably much bigger than you might realize. He released his debut album in 1977 at the age of 10, and now has 26 studio albums to his credit. He records not just as a singer, but also instrumental albums with him at piano. And not just vocal albums as a crooner, but albums where he crosses into other genres. His film and television career spans 35 years. But it all comes back to the crooning side of him. And not always in the vein of Sinatra. Come By Me is his 13th album, and it’s a big band jazz album, his first of that kind in eight years. New ground? Would you believe that it was Connick’s eight album to be top 10 in US jazz? Do not sleep on the abilities of this man. He really can pretty much do it all.
Come By Me isn’t just big band standards. Most people aren’t completely aware that songwriting is also in Connick’s toolbox. He wrote five of the thirteen songs here…something Sinatra could never boast. And those songs hold up pretty well alongside classics by the likes of Cole Porter (“Love For Sale”), Irving Berlin (“Change Partners”), and Sammy Cahn (“Time After Time”). Standards like “Danny Boy” and “Cry Me A River” are in good hands with Connick as well. This is one of those albums where Connick steps outside of his crooner’s role, and reminds us that he has way more tricks up his sleeve than we think he does. Come By Me is not his best work, but it’s pretty far up the list. Definitely worth hearing from a guy with loads of talent.
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THE VELVET UNDERGROUND
WHITE LIGHT / WHITE HEAT
1968 – VERVE
Produced By TOM WILSON
1. White Light / White Heat
2. The Gift
3. Lady Godiva’s Operation
4. Here She Comes Now
5. I Heard Her Call My Name
6. Sister Ray
The Velvet Underground was never an easy band to get into. They were home to not one, but two of the most experimental and harsh songwriters in rock history. Lou Reed and John Cale were not your typical rockers. They emerged from the strange universe of Andy Warhol with songs about drugs, forbidden sex, and life on the outside of what was considered normal. White Light / White Heat is the Velvet’s second album, and the last to include Cale. Their debut effort had been drenched with Warhol’s influence, and they had been kind of forced to include German singer Nico as a member. But here, both were pushed aside, and so for one glorious moment, it was all about the blending of the twisted minds of Reed and Cale. Is it brilliant? Hell yes.
This is one of the most influential non-pop rock albums of all time, and it’s important to remember that in 1968, nobody was anywhere close to where this album went. Reed and Cale embraced noise like no one in rock had ever done before. If you’re looking for hits and hooks, look elsewhere. The Velvets, at their best, were not about those things at all. And this is the Velvets at their best. The title track is the closest you’ll get to radio ready, and the closer, the 17 minute “Sister Ray”, is the farthest. And yet, it’s magnificent. The Velvet Underground is very underrated, mainly because of their lack of pop appeal. But this is the album where they truly shone. Because they stepped outside of what rock was expected to be in way no other band had done before. This is a true classic. It’s not an easy album, but its greatness cannot be denied.
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PAUL SIEBEL
1995 – PHILO
Produced By PETER K DIEGEL & ROBERT W ZACHARY JR.
1. She Made Me Lose My Blues
2. Miss Cherry Lane
3. Nashville Again
4. The Ballad Of Honest Sam
5. Then Came The Children
6. Louise
7. Bride 1945
8. My Town
9. Any Day Woman
10. Long Afternoons
11. Jasper And The Miners
12. If I Could Stay
13. Uncle Dudley
14. Pinto Pony
15. Chips Are Down
It's okay if you don’t know who Paul Siebel was…most people don’t. But for a moment, his future looked very bright. He was a country and folk singer who was discovered in Greenwich Village in 1970. He recorded two albums for Elektra, lost his songwriting ability, and was mostly gone into thin air by 1972. But the songs he did write were kept alive for years in cover versions by the likes of Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Waylon Jennings, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and many more. He played a live show in 1978 (released in 1980) and recorded a Hank Williams cover…and that was that. Outside of a pair of interviews, Siebel slipped into normal life without stardom, retired from music. Ultimately forgotten, he died mostly unnoticed in 2022 at the age of 84.
In 1995, Philo Records released this strange compilation album. Strange because it contains all of his debut album from 1971 (Woodsmoke And Oranges), and only half of his second and last album (1971’s Jack-Knife Gypsy). Possibly because the second album was not as strong as the first. At any rate, it’s good that this music is available. The songs here are more familiar done by better known artists like Ronstadt (“Louise”). The playing is great…Siebel was backed by David Bromberg, Clarence White, Bernie Leadon, and many more. It’s best to consider this as a reissue of Woodsmoke And Oranges with bonus tracks Siebel was very good indeed, and it’s puzzling how quickly he slipped off of the musical landscape. A pretty good compilation, and a good way to catch up on a forgotten artist.
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PATSY CLINE
12 GREATEST HITS
1967 – DECCA
Produced By OWEN BRADLEY
1. Walkin’ After Midnight
2. Sweet Dreams (Of You)
3. Crazy
4. I Fall To Pieces
5. So Wrong
6. Strange
7. Back In Baby’s Arms
8. She’s Got You
9. Faded Love
10. Why Can’t He Be You
11. You’re Stronger Than Me
12. Leavin’ On Your Mind
Patsy Cline was killed in a plane crash in 1963. Since that time, there have been dozens of posthumous compilations, many of which contain more than twenty songs (I have two of those). But the all-time must have collection of her hits always has been, and always will be, this album from 1967. It has a long and storied history. Originally called simply Greatest Hits, it’s perfect at just 12 songs. It’s not only been active since the day it was released…it has always been one of THE top selling country albums by a female artist ever. As in ever. The version I have was reissued in 1988 with a new cover and the number 12 added to the title. And in 2003, Bob Ludwig (who mastered my album Standing Still) did his magic on this album, making it sound even better.
So, what’s so special about this shorter hits package? The songs are just right. So many larger albums leave off one or more of her essential songs, like “Crazy”, “I Fall To Pieces”, or “Walkin’ After Midnight”. And even though this one does omit some songs that were hits for her, it doesn’t skip any of the biggest hits. Also, at a scant 32 minutes, it’s not too much, which the longer and sometimes tedious collections can be. The fact is, this is simply the exact right amount of Patsy. Regardless of the reissues and changes made to the album, the songs have always remained the same, and that’s the ultimate strength of this set. This has ended up being the best Patsy Cline album to have, pretty much without question. A classic since the day it first came out, always and forever.
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UGLY CASANOVA
SHARPEN YOUR TEETH
2002 – SUB POP
Produced By BRIAN DECK
1. Barnacles
2. Spilled Milk Factory
3. Parasites
4. Hotcha Girls
5. (No Song)
6. Diamonds On The Face Of Evil
7. Cat Feces
8. Ice On The Sheets
9. Bee Sting
10. Pacifico
11. Smoke Like Ribbons
12. Things I Don’t Remember
13. So Long To The Holidays
So, let’s say you’re in a band, and you want to step outside of it in order to do something different and more creative. That’s cool. But what if your main band is Modest Mouse? Isaac Brock is the main man for that band, which has had a pretty great career. But in about 1997, the name Ugly Casanova started popping up around Modest Mouse circles. Brock made up some wild stories about who Ugly Casanova was, but it turned out it was just Brock trying to spread his wings outside of his comfort zone. And then, in 2002, they made their one and only studio album. Sharpen Your Teeth was the work of a supergroup of sorts: Brock enlisted players from Califone, The Black Heart Procession, Holopaw and Red Red Meat. The results are short of perfection, but ultimately listenable and interesting.
It does sound different from Modest Mouse, but it also has similarities. A couple of the songs (“Parasites” and “Baby’s Clean Conscience”) had been recorded as Modest Mouse demos a decade earlier. And of course, Brock is the voice of both bands. But the Ugly Casanova sound is a bit simpler, without so many of the layers and effects that Mouse recordings contain. In the end, though, the story of Ugly Casanova is far more engaging than the album. Not that it’s bad…Brock isn’t really capable of making unworthy music. The band (with all new personnel except for Brock) showed up to do an obscure soundtrack for a somewhat obscure
documentary in 2010. No word since about this odd spinoff band, but there is still hope.
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KRIS KRISTOFFERSON
SONGS OF KRISTOFFERSON
1977 – MONUMENT
Produced By FRED FOSTER & DAVID ANDERLE
1. The Silver Tongued Devil And I
2. Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again)
3. Me And Bobby McGee
4. Help Me Make It Through The Night
5. For The Good Times
6. Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down
7. You Show Me Yours (And I’ll Show You Mine)
8. The Pilgrim – Chapter 33 (Hang In, Hopper)
9. Stranger
10. I Got A Life Of My Own
11. Why Me
12. Who’s To Bless And Who’s To Blame
Kris Kristofferson became hugely successful in the 1970’s, which carried him for the rest of his career, up until his death in 2024. Two events made him a megastar. The first was Janis Joplin recording his “Me And Bobby McGee” shortly before her death, a recording that remains essential to this day. The second was his starring role alongside Barbra Streisand in the 1976 film A Star Is Born. At that time, Kristofferson had been concentrating more on acting while other artists continued covering his great material. In the aftermath of A Star Is Born, his label released Songs Of Kristofferson, which features songs from five of his first seven albums. The album feels like a rush job to capitalize on his peak of fame, and it unfortunately runs out of gas pretty quickly.
You’ll definitely want to hear side one. The first six songs are essential Kristofferson, and because they are from multiple albums, it’s pretty cool to have them in one place. But you may also be better off with, especially, his first pair of albums. The second half of this compilation tails off quickly. While it’s not bad, the second half definitely pales in comparison to the first. This record is more than just okay overall, but you’ll be better served with copies of Kristofferson and The Silver Tongued Devil And I. Once his film career sagged (Heaven’s Gate took care of that), Kristofferson went back to music as his full time job, and the quality of his work increased accordingly. Songs Of Kristofferson is an okay introduction to his music…but you will definitely want the early albums more.
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