TAPES ‘N TAPES
OUTSIDE
2011 – IBID
Produced By TAPES ‘N TAPES
1. Badaboom
2. SWM
3. One In The World
4. Nightfall
5. Desert Plane
6. Outro
7. Freakout
8. The Saddest Of All Keys
9. Hidee Ho
10. People You Know
11. On And On
12. Might Long
Tapes ‘N Tapes came out of Minnesota in 2004 and had a brief period of success as a Pavement and Pixies type of indie rock band. Their debut album, The Loon, boasted a UK hit (“Insistor”) that got them into a movie or two and landed them a Coachella gig. Their second album, 2008’s Walk It Off, showed promise, but was not as strong as the debut. In 2011, they released their final album, Outside. By this time, the shine of “Insistor” was long gone, and after a middling tour, Tapes ‘N Tapes faded into complete obscurity. Outside was not a bad album, but it did show the band for what they truly were: average. It became clear that this was as good as Tapes ‘N Tapes was ever going to be, and they sounded mostly uninspired. They went on tour to support the album, then broke up. Almost nobody noticed.
The best track here is “Freakout”, which was released as a single and fell dead in the water. Songwriter Josh Grier seems to have simply run out of ideas, and that was that. “Badaboom” is okay, but ultimately, this album fails to rise above the level of average…even some clever song titles can’t save this from being almost a flatline. Tapes ‘N Tapes regrouped in 2019, but COVID-19 put an end to that idea…hardly anyone saw it happen anyway. Grier resurfaced in the Minneapolis band Gingko in 2013, but that faded fast as well. The best way to go with Tapes ‘N Tapes is The Loon, if “Insistor” is a must have for you. Otherwise, there’s not much to be overly excited about with these guys. Other bands did this type of music better. Stick with those, and let bands like Tapes ‘N Tapes continue to slowly fade away.
Link _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
GILLIAN WELCH
THE HARROW & THE HARVEST
2011 – ACONY
Produced By DAVID RAWLINGS
1. Scarlet Town
2. Dark Turn Of Mind
3. The Way It Will Be
4. The Way It Goes
5. Tennessee
6. Down Along The Dixie Line
7. Six White Horses
8. Hard Times
9. Silver Dagger
10. The Way The Whole Thing Ends
It’s important to note that the solo career of Gillian Welch has always been a duo with David Rawlings. They play on each other’s albums, and have released a pair under both of their names. Welch has been criticized for singing Americana and mountain music while having grown up in southern California. Don’t let those words fool you…Gillian Welch is the real deal. She’s become one of the greatest voices in Americana, and she routinely puts out exceptional albums that are criminally underrated. Welch and Rawlings use sparse arrangements with golden vocals, and it’s all worth hearing. The Harrow & The Harvest came after an eight year wait, which Welch explained was because they were unhappy with what they were writing. But there’s nothing inferior about this record. It’s loaded with gorgeous gems and perfect songs.
Expect no hit singles here. The music that Welch and Rawlings make is dark, and not written with hopes of big time radio play. But you can’t go wrong with any of this. There’s nothing polished about it. The songs are mostly first and second takes, with all of the dust and dirt still attached. The writing is the duo at their very best, and they are undeniably comfortable with each other. “Tennessee” is the centerpiece, with “Dark Turn Of Mind”, ”The Way The Whole Thing Ends”, and especially “The Way It Goes” as highlights. Welch’s unique vocals are perfect as always for their darker material, and the instrumentation of just guitar, harmonica and banjo is perfect. You really can’t go wrong with anything by Welch and Rawlings, but The Harrow & The Harvest is a great place to start. A perfect album, and a joy on every listen.
Link _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
GILLIAN WELCH
THE HARROW & THE HARVEST
2011 – ACONY
Produced By DAVID RAWLINGS
1. Scarlet Town
2. Dark Turn Of Mind
3. The Way It Will Be
4. The Way It Goes
5. Tennessee
6. Down Along The Dixie Line
7. Six White Horses
8. Hard Times
9. Silver Dagger
10. The Way The Whole Thing Ends
It’s important to note that the solo career of Gillian Welch has always been a duo with David Rawlings. They play on each other’s albums, and have released a pair under both of their names. Welch has been criticized for singing Americana and mountain music while having grown up in southern California. Don’t let those words fool you…Gillian Welch is the real deal. She’s become one of the greatest voices in Americana, and she routinely puts out exceptional albums that are criminally underrated. Welch and Rawlings use sparse arrangements with golden vocals, and it’s all worth hearing. The Harrow & The Harvest came after an eight year wait, which Welch explained was because they were unhappy with what they were writing. But there’s nothing inferior about this record. It’s loaded with gorgeous gems and perfect songs.
Expect no hit singles here. The music that Welch and Rawlings make is dark, and not written with hopes of big time radio play. But you can’t go wrong with any of this. There’s nothing polished about it. The songs are mostly first and second takes, with all of the dust and dirt still attached. The writing is the duo at their very best, and they are undeniably comfortable with each other. “Tennessee” is the centerpiece, with “Dark Turn Of Mind”, ”The Way The Whole Thing Ends”, and especially “The Way It Goes” as highlights. Welch’s unique vocals are perfect as always for their darker material, and the instrumentation of just guitar, harmonica and banjo is perfect. You really can’t go wrong with anything by Welch and Rawlings, but The Harrow & The Harvest is a great place to start. A perfect album, and a joy on every listen.
Excellent write up Rom. Adore this album, in fact, as you say far more eloquently than me ( or is it I?) you really can’t go wrong with a Gillian Welch album. Great artist
WILLIE NELSON & FRIENDS
STARS & GUITARS
2002 – LOST HIGHWAY
Produced By JEB BRIEN, FRANK CALLARI, TONY FASKE, ALLEN KELMAN, GLORIA MEDEL & JAMES STROUD
1. Whiskey River (with Sheryl Crow)
2. Good Hearted Woman (with Toby Keith)
3. Maria (Shut Up And Kiss Me) (with Rob Thomas & Bill Evans)
4. Mendocino County Line (with Lee Ann Womack)
5. Always On My Mind (with Jon Bon Jovi & Richie Sambora)
6. Night Life (with Ray Price)
7. Dead Flowers (with Ryan Adams, Keith Richards & Hank Williams III)
8. Lonestar (with Norah Jones)
9. Stardust (with Aaron Neville)
10. Don’t Fade Away (with Brian McKnight & Bill Evans)
11. Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground (with Patty Griffin)
12. For What It’s Worth (with Sheryl Crow & Bill Evans)
13. Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys (with Matchbox Twenty)
14. Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain (with Vince Gill)
15. ‘Til I Gain Control Again (with Emmylou Harris)
16. The Harder They Come (with Ryan Adams)
17. On The Road Again
18. Move It On Over
Oh, joy. Yet another duets album. And on top of that…yet another duets album with Willie Nelson. These things seem to grow on trees. If these albums are your thing, you might like this one. But it’s not a set that has much to be excited about. For the most part, the songs are the same old songs (“Whiskey River”, “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain”, “Good Hearted Woman”). And of course, Sheryl Crow, who spent a decade or two appearing on every album she could get her hands on, is here for not one but two tracks. There are matchups that make sense (Ray Price, Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris), along with a few that I did not have on my bingo card (Bon Jovi, Matchbox Twenty). Stars & Guitars is what these duet albums always are: a mixed bag of hits and misses. If you’re down for that kind of thing, then here you go. It’s all yours.
Of course, this album was a US top twenty hit. Why? Because it’s Willie, that’s why. It was recorded live at the Ryman in 2002, and includes good enough backing from an excellent band that includes guitarist Richard Bennett and saxophonist Bill Evans. But the focus on duet albums is always who is singing with the star performer, and like most others, this is either good or a bit cringy. There are a few surprising song choices: Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth”, The Stones’ “Dead Flowers”, and Jimmy Cliff’s “The Harder They Come”. None of which lifts this collection above the level of mediocrity. It really doesn’t matter how many duet albums artists like Willie, or Tony Bennett, or B.B. King have made…the result is always the same. Mediocre to average albums that enough folks will love to justify more of the same in the future.
Link _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
SPIN DOCTORS
POCKET FULL OF KRYPTONITE
1991 – EPIC
Produced By FRANK AVERSA, PETER DENENBERG, FRANKIE LAROCKA & SPIN DOCTORS
1. Jimmy Olsen’s Blues
2. What Time Is It?
3. Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong
4. Forty Or Fifty
5. Refrigerator Car
6. More Than She Knows
7. Two Princes
8. Off My Line
9. How Could You Want Him (When You Know You Could Have Me?)
10. Shinbone Alley / Hard To Exist
11. Yo Mamas A Pajama (Live)
12. Sweet Widow (Live)
13. Stepped On A Crack (Live)
Spin Doctors was originally a project of John Popper called Trucking Company. Popper left in the late eighties to form Blues Traveler, and the remaining members changed the name to Spin Doctors. They were signed on the strength of their reputation as a strong live jam band, and released their debut album, Pocket Full Of Kryptonite, in 1991. The record picked up speed in 1992, thanks to a pair of singles that MTV began playing regularly. Those two songs made Spin Doctors stars, if only for a short time. “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” is the better of the pair…in fact, it’s their best song. The other was an even bigger hit. “Two Princes” was a smash. Despite its repetitive and monotonous melody, it did have a solid groove. “Two Princes” made this band unfortunately inescapable for a couple of years…by which time, folks began to get burned out on the band.
The rest of Kryptonite is about what the entirety of their career has been like since. The playing is strong, but the songwriting is weak. The best of the rest is “Jimmy Olsen’s Blues”, and “What Time Is It?” and “How Could You Want Him” are just okay. Vocalist Chris Barron (who at the time, looked like he probably smelled really bad) really had no decent melodies to sing, and as “Two Princes” finally (and mercifully) fell off the charts, Spin Doctors began their slow slide into obscurity. Since “Two Princes”, they’ve been nowhere near a hit, and they’ve only managed six studio albums since. Pocket Full Of Kryptonite is their best work, but unless you’re a big fan of “Two Princes”, it’s probably not worthwhile. And if you get the European edition, it’s 20 minutes longer with three live tracks. For me…sorry. Seventy minutes of Spin Doctors is just a bit too much.
Link _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
Have you heard this, Rom? One of my new faves and a huge influence on the Alt Country scene that you love. They were huge fans of Gram Parsons and this album cover is a recreation of a "lost" Buffalo Springfield album.
I have not...it's on my list now. Thanks for the rec!!!! Seems like something I will enjoy a lot.
THE BLUE NILE
PEACE AT LAST
1996-WARNER BROS.
Produced by The Blue Nile
1. Happiness
2. Tomorrow Morning
3. Sentimental Man
4. Love Came Down
5. Body And Soul
6. Holy Love
7. Family Life
8. War Is Love
9. God Bless You Kid
10. Soon
This band from Scotland released 2 critically acclaimed albums, 1983's A Walk Across The Rooftops, and Hats from 1989. After 6 years between albums, it took them 7 years to make Peace At Last, which was much anticipated and which also fell squarely on its butt. The band had always relied on synthesizers (they are an 80's band), but the addition of a lot of acoustic guitar didn't seem to do much good here. The songs are mostly one dimensional and uninspired, and Paul Buchanan's singing is entirely sleep inducing. "Body And Soul" is the best track, while "Holy Love" is a simply dreadful attempt at some kind of synth funk.
The band waited 8 years to release another album, 2004's High, which was much better. They have done a lot of work with other artists, notably Annie Lennox and Rickie Lee Jones during their extensive off time. Unfortunately, this is the low point of their career.
Native sons is the Ryders best album. Absolutely essential listening. Great live band as well
SPIN DOCTORS
POCKET FULL OF KRYPTONITE
1991 – EPIC
Produced By FRANK AVERSA, PETER DENENBERG, FRANKIE LAROCKA & SPIN DOCTORS
1. Jimmy Olsen’s Blues
2. What Time Is It?
3. Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong
4. Forty Or Fifty
5. Refrigerator Car
6. More Than She Knows
7. Two Princes
8. Off My Line
9. How Could You Want Him (When You Know You Could Have Me?)
10. Shinbone Alley / Hard To Exist
11. Yo Mamas A Pajama (Live)
12. Sweet Widow (Live)
13. Stepped On A Crack (Live)
Spin Doctors was originally a project of John Popper called Trucking Company. Popper left in the late eighties to form Blues Traveler, and the remaining members changed the name to Spin Doctors. They were signed on the strength of their reputation as a strong live jam band, and released their debut album, Pocket Full Of Kryptonite, in 1991. The record picked up speed in 1992, thanks to a pair of singles that MTV began playing regularly. Those two songs made Spin Doctors stars, if only for a short time. “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” is the better of the pair…in fact, it’s their best song. The other was an even bigger hit. “Two Princes” was a smash. Despite its repetitive and monotonous melody, it did have a solid groove. “Two Princes” made this band unfortunately inescapable for a couple of years…by which time, folks began to get burned out on the band.
The rest of Kryptonite is about what the entirety of their career has been like since. The playing is strong, but the songwriting is weak. The best of the rest is “Jimmy Olsen’s Blues”, and “What Time Is It?” and “How Could You Want Him” are just okay. Vocalist Chris Barron (who at the time, looked like he probably smelled really bad) really had no decent melodies to sing, and as “Two Princes” finally (and mercifully) fell off the charts, Spin Doctors began their slow slide into obscurity. Since “Two Princes”, they’ve been nowhere near a hit, and they’ve only managed six studio albums since. Pocket Full Of Kryptonite is their best work, but unless you’re a big fan of “Two Princes”, it’s probably not worthwhile. And if you get the European edition, it’s 20 minutes longer with three live tracks. For me…sorry. Seventy minutes of Spin Doctors is just a bit too much.
SLY & THE FAMILY STONE
THERE’S A RIOT GOIN’ ON
1971 – EPIC
Produced By SLY STONE
1. Luv N’ Haight
2. Just Like A Baby
3. Poet
4. Family Affair
5. Africa Talks To You ‘The Asphalt Jungle’
6. There’s A Riot Goin’ On
7. Brave & Strong
8. (You Caught Me) Smilin’
9. Time
10. Spaced Cowboy
11. Runnin’ Away
12. Thank You For Talkin’ To Me Africa
13. Runnin’ Away (Mono Mix Single Version)
14. My Gorilla Is My Butler (Instrumental)
15. Do You Know What? (Instrumental)
16. That’s Pretty Clean (Instrumental)
Sly & The Family Stone during the 1960’s was a fun, exciting and commercially successful feel good story with several hits. Sly & The Family Stone in the 1970’s was none of that. After their 1969 album Stand!, they disappeared, with only one single to keep the band in the spotlight they had created. And then, in 1971, a new version of the group emerged. Sly Stone had immersed himself in drugs, and came back a changed and darker man. There’s A Riot Goin’ On would become their biggest album, but it was also the beginning of the end. Stone recorded most of the album by himself, and the sound was a strange blend of funk and disillusionment. It should have been a failure. Instead, it became one of the most influential albums of the decade. Stone made it very clear that the sixties were over and done with, and that there was no going back.
“Family Affair” was a huge hit, but the rest of the album was a stark departure from their sound. Stone utilized a drum machine here, one of the earliest to do so. The songs are dark, pessimistic, and somehow gloriously funky. By themselves, the songs don’t have the same impact as the earlier ones: as a whole, this album is a masterpiece. It was absolutely perfect for the time, and it showed that Stone’s genius was far deeper than anyone had thought. But it was also the beginning of a sad decline. The Family Stone was done just two albums and four years later, and for the most part, so was Stone himself. “Family Affair” was his last big hit, and his solo career became a sad footnote to the band’s sixties successes. But There’s A Riot Goin’ On remains a massive victory, and one of the greatest albums of the early seventies.
Link _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
is my favourite Sly & The Family Stone album. I guess that the album starts to document the decline in Sly's mental state but, out of such issues often come great music and this is a phenomenal album
I'm not going to go too much into why I love the album as you have covered it well in your previous post. It's one of those albums that works as a whole rather than as individual tracks. Great stuff
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Romanelli
Liedzeit
