LOU REED & JOHN CALE
SONGS FOR DRELLA
1990 – SIRE
Produced By LOU REED & JOHN CALE
1. Smalltown
2. Open House
3. Style It Takes
4. Work
5. Trouble With Classicists
6. Starlight
7. Faces And Names
8. Images
9. Slip Away (A Warning)
10. It Wasn’t Me
11. I Believe
12. Nobody But You
13. A Dream
14. Forever Changed
15. Hello It’s Me
Lou Reed and John Cale had last worked together on the 1968 Velvet Underground album White Light, White Heat, and had not spoken to each other for years until the memorial service for Andy Warhol. It was Warhol who had gotten the Velvet’s going, and it was Warhol who got Reed and Cale working together again. Songs For Drella is a sometimes moving, sometimes chilling, and sometimes grating tribute to their former mentor. The album is sparse, and all played by the pair: both provide vocals, with Cale playing keyboards and viola, with Reed on guitar. They play together well, and the material that works is very good, but there’s also a tension that never did go away, both before and after this project. So, while Songs For Drella is highly personal, it also tends to sound cold and impersonal.
Reed’s highlights are “Open House”, “Nobody But You”, and the very moving finale, “Hello It’s Me”. Cale’s best tracks are “Style It Takes”, “Faces And Names”, and the eerie spoken word “A Dream”, depicting Warhol (not in his own words) at his most frazzled. Warhol’s whole life is touched on, including his estrangement from Reed and the damage done to his psyche when he was shot by Valerie Solanas in 1968. Songs For Drella is a touching tribute in spots, it led to the one and only Velvet’s reunion in 1993, and cemented the fact that the pair could no longer work effectively together. This is worth a listen because of its historical significance, and you will find some fine music here. But there’s just not enough of it to make this a must have classic. A somewhat forgotten piece of the discographies of both men, punctuated by Reed’s sincere “Goodbye, Andy” at the end.
I’m a fan of both of them and in my opinion their collaboration works (like it did in VU). Also in their respective solo work there is a certain coldness which also for both is in fact an asset (just think of Fear and the whole of Berlin) so it’s not surprising that it also affects this album. And to me it works here too. And surprisingly as well: both play about an equal part here, surprising if you look at the stubborn character of both and the indeed tense atmosphere you can hear here. Most of all: every single track is great and adds up to both their legacy so this album remains one of my favorites.
Very well said. Thanks for your input! _________________ May we all get to heaven
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SIGUR ROS
TAKK…
2005 – GEFFEN
Produced By SIGUR ROS & KEN THOMAS
1. Takk…
2. Glósóli
3. Hoppipolla
4. Með Blóðnasir
5. Sé Lest
6. Sæglópur
7. Mílanó
8. Gong
9. Andvari
10. Svo Hljótt
11. Heysátan
Post rock bands like Godspeed You! Black Emporer and Explosions In The Sky tend to make music that is darker. But if you want your post rock to be lighter and happier, then you may want to check out Iceland’s own Sigur Ros. Takk… (Icelandic for thanks) is their fourth album, and there are some changes here from their first three efforts. There is a lot more guitar used here (Jonsi Birgisson uses a bow on his instrument a lot), and the vocals more are in Icelandic and less in gibberish or made up languages. The songs here are also closer to traditional arrangements. Not that there’s any rock here, nor is the music any less avant garde. It’s more like dream pop…without the actual pop. Jonsi’s extremely high falsetto vocals set the stage for a listening experience that is anything but ordinary, to say the least.
The music here is beautiful, sometimes breathtaking. You won’t understand a word, but that’s not important…what’s important are the pictures of sound that the band paints. Takk… features songs with soaring highs and pretty melodic passages, as well as a dizzying assortment of time signatures, which keeps things rhythmically challenging. And that’s the key to Sigur Ros. If you like your music to be challenging (but listenable), then this will be for you. The key to post rock is in finding ways that traditional rock instruments can make non traditional music. Sigur Ros is one of the best at it, and Takk… stands as one of their three classic albums, along with Ágætis Byrjun and the strangely titled (). Music from Iceland is definitely about more than just Bjork. If you can get into what Sigur Ros does, the joys can be many.
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If you want a real challenge watch Sigur Ros on a road trip along the Icelandic ring road during the longest day of the year. Of course on their music as the soundtrack.
If you want a real challenge watch Sigur Ros on a road trip along the Icelandic ring road during the longest day of the year. Of course on their music as the soundtrack.
Wow...I had no idea this existed. Whern I have sowme time, I'll definitely check and see what this is all about! _________________ May we all get to heaven
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POP WILL EAT ITSELF
THIS IS THE DAY...THIS IS THE HOUR…THIS IS THIS!
1989 – RCA
Produced By FLOOD
1. PWEI Is A Four Letter Word
2. Preaching To The Perverted
3. Wise Up! Sucker
4. Sixteen Different Flavors Of Hell
5. Inject Me
6. Can U Dig It?
7. The Fuses Have Been Lit
8. Poison To The Mind
9. Def. Con. One
10 Radio PWEI
11. Shortwave Transmission on “Up To The Minuteman Nine”
12. Satellite Ecstatica
13. Not Now, James, We’re Busy…
14. Wake Up! Time To Die…
15. Wise Up! Sucker (’12 Youth Mix)
When this album came out in 1989, it was cutting edge, revolutionary, and the future of music. Just a few years later, though, This Is The Day already sounded tired and dated. Today, it’s almost like a museum piece. What happened? The sound of Pop Will Eat Itself was based on the new technology of the time, technology which was very quickly passe and replaced by bigger and better things. Pop Will Eat Itself made industrial dance music that included elements of hip hop, punk, metal and disco. They relied heavily on sampling, and the album was, at the time of release, seen as the wave of the future, with the band noted as definite pillars of what was to come. And although this was their second album, they had been around since 1981. They were done by 1996, although there have been reunions.
But in 1989, this was THE up and coming sound. Heavily influenced by hip hop acts like Public Enemy, Run-DMC and especially the Beastie Boys, the music relied on samples and a vast array of layers. The highlights here are “Def. Con. One”, “Wise Up! Sucker” and “Can U Dig It”…songs that sound the least dated. You can definitely hear what all of the excitement was about, but you can also hear how what they did had such a short shelf life. They struggled to keep up, but were done by the mid 90’s. Their greatest success came in their native UK, but this was their only charted album in the US, and it only reached number 169. Three albums in the decade of the 2010’s have sold very little. For a brief shining moment, Pop Will Eat Itself was the wave of the future, but it did not last. This album is now more interesting as an artifact than anything else.
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THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS
TUFF ENUFF
1986 – CBS ASSOCIATED
Produced By DAVE EDMUNDS
1. Tuff Enuff
2. Tell Mer
3. Look At That, Look At That
4. Two Time My Lovin’
5. Amnesia
6. Wrap It Up
7. True Love
8. Why Get Up
9. I Don’t Care
10. Down At Antones
The Fabulous Thunderbirds formed back in 1974. They were stars of the Austin, Texas bar scene for years before getting a record deal and releasing their first album in 1979. The band centered around singer Kim Wilson and guitarist Jimmie Vaughan, later better known as the older brother of one Stevie Ray Vaughan. Their early albums, from Girls Gone Wild in 1979 through T-Bird Rhythm in 1982, showed off what the Thunderbirds did best: Chicago style blues with a Texas style boogie. But by 1986, the band had been together for a dozen years, bassist Keith Ferguson had already left, and poor record sales had strained the relationship between Wilson and Vaughan. Tuff Enuff is the band’s fifth album, and although it was their commercial breakthrough and their biggest seller, it was also the album on which the band seems to have lost their edge.
The title track was their only top 40 hit, making them officially one hit wonders. And their version of the classic “Wrap It Up” is quite fine. But, unfortunately, not even a pairing with producer Dave Edmunds (who replaced his own bandmate Nick Lowe, who had worked the previous album) could bring back the spark of the band’s early days. Make no mistake…this is a very well played album by a band that knew what it was doing…it’s just that the energy that this kind of music demands is beyond starting to slip away. So, while this sounds very good at a casual listening…there’s just not a whole lot going on once you’ve scratched the surface. The Thunderbirds best days were already behind them here, and, unfortunately, it shows. Vaughn stuck around for another four years, and Wilson continues with varied lineups to this day. Search out their earlier material, even though this is the one they are best known for.
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PETE KREBS & THE GOSSAMER WINGS
SWEET ONA ROSE
1999 – CAVITY SEARCH
No Production Credit
1. Johnny Come Lately
2. Sweet Ona Rose
3. Dressed To The 9’s
4. Quickly Steals Away
5. Pacific Standard Time
6. Ashes Back To Vegas
7. Thunderstorms And Alcohol
8. Analog
9. Take Me Away
10. Hey Mr. Smalltown
11. Patiently
Pete Krebs was most famously a member of the band Hazel during the early 90’s. They were a band that, despite being located close to Seattle and signed to Sub-Pop, were never included in the whole grunge thing, mainly because their music was anything but grunge (one of the full time band members was a dancer, of all things). After Hazel split in 1997, Krebs released his solo debut, Western Electric. Sweet Ona Rose is his second solo album, and it’s a surprisingly fine record. Krebs shows that he can be as tuneful and lyrically fine as anyone in a good day, and this album represents a very good day. The Gossamer Wings include bassist Ben Shepherd, who was still reeling from the breakup of his old band, Soundgarden. But enough of that…the important thing here is that Sweet Ona Rose is a gem. If you can find it.
After the horn driven opener, the title track shows you what a find this album is going to be. And while there are a few tracks that don’t possess the same level of magic, you’ll be okay with them to hear absolute gems like “Dressed To The 9’s”, the gentle yet thundering driving rhythm of “Ashes Back To Vegas”, the acoustic beauty of “Pacific Standard Time”, and the tunefulness of “Hey Mr. Smalltown”. It’s a shame that this album never got noticed, and it’s a shame that Krebs has spent most of his career in obscurity. Pick up Sweet Ona Rose if you see it…you won’t be disappointed. And while you’re at it, grab a copy of Hazel’s debut, Toreador Of Love (1993). Between these two, you’ll hear enough to know that we’ve been missing out on Pete Krebs. And in the meantime…enjoy the track below. Good stuff.
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CHICO BUARQUE
CONSTRUÇÃO
1971 – PHILLIPS
Produced By ROBERTO MENESCAL
1. Deus Lhe Pague
2. Cotidiano
3. Desalento
4. Construção
5. Cordão
6. Olha Maria
7. Samba De Orly
8. Valsinha
9. Minha História
10. Acalanto
The wealth and volume of great Brazilian music cannot be overstated. Chico Buarque began recording in 1966, and with this later album, he began searching for a sound beyond bossa nova and exploring his own take on music. Buarque has been a mainstay in the music of Brazil, with over 60 albums to his credit (he has also authored at least nine books, five plays and three films). Construção may be his best and most important album. The songs are all in Portuguese, but the themes are strong. Buarque speaks out against the military dictatorships that he had been witness to, making this a highly political record. But it’s also a beautiful album. The music here is simply lovely, a perfect example of what treasures await you on a journey into the music of his country. This is one of the greatest Brazilian albums ever made.
The title track is stunning, and alone makes having this record worthwhile. “Samba De Orly” recognizes and remembers Buarque’s bossa nova roots. “Olha Maria” is simply lovely, as is “Minha História”, while “Cotidiano” makes protest music sound so much more than palatable. His career has been long and storied, his life an artistic adventure…and it all comes back to this record from 1971. Chico Buarque, and this album in particular, can open the doors for you to artists like Caetano Veloso and Milton Nascimento and Gilberto Gil and Antonio Carlos Jobim. The possibilities are endless, and the depth of the music of Brazil is stunning. Let Chico Buarque be the beginning of that journey. This is a perfect place to start. A beautiful and marvelous work by one of the greats of music, regardless of the language.
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ALICE IN CHAINS
JAR OF FLIES
1994 – COLUMBIA
Produced By ALICE IN CHAINS
1. Rotten Apple
2. Nutshell
3. I Stay Away
4. No Excuses
5. Whale & Wasp
6. Don’t Follow
7. Swing On This
What is an EP, and why is that important here? And EP is an extended play, a disc which is longer than a single (usually 2 tracks) and shorter than an official album (usually 8 to 14 tracks). EP’s are usually between 3 and 5 tracks, although 7 is not uncommon. Which brings us to Jar Of Flies by Alice In Chains. The band was exhausted after ending a long tour that included their bass player, Mike Starr, being fired from the band for excessive drug use. They went into a studio for one week, and came out with a new bassist and seven new and very different songs. They never intended to release Jar Of Flies, but their label insisted. The result was the first ever EP to debut at number one on the Billboard charts, and the work that REALLY cemented the band as major players in the nineties music world. They were riding the wave of their huge second album Dirt, and would follow this EP with the self titled final AIC album to feature singer Layne Staley.
Jar Of Flies is a pretty depressing document. The songs are mostly acoustic based, and feature Staley’s drug infused lyrics. Staley’s descent into heroin coincided, unfortunately, with the band coming into their own musically. “No Excuses”, “Don’t Follow” and “I Stay Away” are fine tracks, but the rest are rather strange. “Whale & Wasp” is an instrumental, not something that grunge is known for, and the closer “Swing On This” is just weird. Because it’s an EP, it’s very short at just 30 minutes, and because it’s music that the band didn’t think would ever see the light of day, it’s very unpolished. There is a charm to the works of this short lived band, however, and despite his massive personal problems, Staley was an engaging singer. After the next album, he went on his way, silently spending the next six years dying. Alice In Chains made some fine music during the early nineties, and even though they were a bit overrated, Dirt, Alice In Chains, and Jar Of Flies are still worth hearing.
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FLEET FOXES
2008 – BELLA UNION / SUB POP
Produced By PHIL EK
1. Sun It Rises
2. White Winter Hymnal
3. Ragged Wood
4. Tiger Mountain Peasant Song
5. Quiet Houses
6. He Doesn’t Know Why
7. Heard Them Stirring
8. Your Protector
9. Meadowlarks
10. Blue Ridge Mountains
11. Oliver James
Fleet Foxes plays what is called indie folk. Formed by a pair of high school kids (Robin Pecknold and Skyler Skjelset) in the 2000’s who were influenced heavily by Bob Dylan and Neil Young, they had the excellent good fortune to have renowned produced Phil Ek as a friend of Pecknold’s family. He got them into a studio and onto the radar of Sub Pop records, and the rest is history. Their self titled debut album from 2008 didn’t exactly fly off of the shelves, but it was very highly regarded by critics and set the stage for their breakthrough album, 2011’s Helplessness Blues. The sound of this album is simple, quiet and mature, with a set of very good songs that will grow on you if you give them the chance to. Fleet Foxes made a great number of best of lists from 2008, and for good reason. This is a really exceptional debut album. It’s a beautiful, laid back disc that will keep bringing you back for more.
The beautiful sound of this album is best on display on the track “White Winter Hymnal”, which opens a cappella and quickly turns into a beautiful played track. “Your Protector” features flutes and portrays a sense of surprisingly mature longing and wistful beauty. “He Doesn’t Know Why” is a majestic and perfect song. Fleet Foxes is loaded with material like this, and although their next album is better known…this is really the one to have. This was a band and an album that I did not have huge hopes for, but they surprised me a lot. And if you like this, then you’ll definitely want Helplessness Blues as well. The band took a break after that and released a third album, Crack-Up, in 2017. Fleet Foxes is a band, and an album, and a sound, that is more than worth checking out. These guys are the real thing, and the treasures that await you on their albums are much more than numerous.
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