AIME BROCKETT
REMEMBER THE WIND AND THE RAIN – CD / Vinyl
*The Legend Of The U.S.S. Titanic*
It took me a little bit to figure out how to tackle this thing; Basically, “Remember The Wind And The Rain” is a pleasant but not particularly interesting folk album with a MASSIVE 13 minute surprise stuck right in the middle. Imagine you have just arrived at a party full of interesting characters: One wants to talk politics (Talking Green Beret New Super Yellow Hydraulic Banana Teeny Bopper Blues), one is desperately in love (Suzzane), one is suicidal (Bag On The Table). As you are making your way through these various party-goers, you run straight into the most amped-up speed-rapping over-the-top hippie you have ever met in your entire life. That hippie has a hell of a story to tell; Welcome to “The Legend Of The USS Titanic”!
In the late sixties, the original LP containing this song sold over 100,000 copies on the East Coast and was regularly played UNEDITED on FM stations. I heard it in 2001 and it took several years for me to track it down. It was worth the wait, to say the least.
“SHEEEEEEEEEIT, baby, I ain’t makin’ rope no more!”
WS
Formed from the ashes of the beloved Minutemen, this 2 CD set is proof that tragedy can stun one person (Mike Watt) and drive another to chase a dream (Ed Hurley) all at once. Everything the band had in the vaults from their run at Columbia Records is here; Their SST albums are available elsewhere. Even if you didn’t (or don’t) know the backstory behind Firehose, these songs stand out and stand up twenty-five years later. There is much sadness here but it is kept firmly in check by the joy these three are having playing together. Hearing it all in one continuous album is not nearly as overwhelming as it seems; every time I put this on it feels like meeting an old friend for an afternoon of goofiness and laughter. You’re not treading new ground, but you ARE having a hell of a good time, and that’s more than enough.
CHRISTINE LAVIN
ABSOLUTELY LIVE – 1981 – REISSUED 2005 http://www.christinelavin.com/index.php?page=cds&category=01–Solo&from=12&display=143
Recorded before her first studio album, Christine Lavin stuns right out of the gate. Alternately lilting and sad & wickedly humorous this CD is rarely out of arms reach in the House Of WS. Recorded in the same studio as “The Boxer” in front of a rapt audience, Christine is in top form. Expertly picking an acoustic guitar while leading a small band, her voice sends chills up my spine every time I hear her. Charming and cheerful with the occasion growl added for emphasis, Christine’s tone is very conversational and relaxed; She’s singing TO you, not AT you.
Alternating between originals, choice covers, and banter with the crowd, there’s not a wasted moment throughout 22 tracks. “Three Months To Live” tackles mortality in the silliest way possible, while “Amoeba Hop” mixes science and humor perfectly. “Summer Weddings” shifts the mood from silly to somber for a few minutes before “Add Me To The List” brings a healthy dose of attitude back to the proceedings.”The Bitter End” is confessional songwriting at it’s finest, hard as hell to take but impossible to not identify with. “I’m Mad” is a no-holds barred attack on a two timing lover that should be required listening for every male between 18 and 80. The cover of “Downtown” that follows is stunning; Not so much a reworking as a re-imagining, it leaves me speechless every time I hear it.
“Getting’ Used To Leaving'” is a great song in an odd spot. Placed halfway through the album, it has a curious effect; The show is only half over and Christine is clearly having the time of her life, but she is fully aware that the clock is ticking. The mood doesn’t stay somber long, though. “The Ballad Of Doris and Edmund” is hilarious but given the events of 9/11 20 years later the song takes on a bizarre twist Christine could never have imagined. “Air Conditioner” clearly lays out the conditions and expectations for a potential suitor; Guys, box fans just don’t cut it.”If I Should Call You” cuts really deep; More than a few tears have been shed in the House Of WS over this track, no joke. After the bitter resignation of “If I Should Call You”, Christine thankfully sends us out the door laughing with “Shikses, Chicken Nuggets, and Plumpettes” and “I’ve Been Living On Milk And Cookies Since You’ve Been Gone”.
This is a reworked version of the original LP with two bonus songs (the link to buy the CD is included above). Buy two! I command thee!
WS
Here it is, kids, THE REAL DEAL: Tom and Ian Spanic, a father and son roots rock combo from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and their debut LP (originally released by Permanent Recods, reissued by Rounder). I found the first 3 Spanic Boys CD’s in a thrift shop for peanuts and am actively seeking the other 5 albums they released. Sadly, Tom Spanic passed away last March; I am quietly hoping his son Ian will pick up the pieces and carry on this wonderful music. I have included some Youtube clips of their prime-time appearances on national TV in the early to mid 90’s. You can’t watch them and not smile; They look like they are actually there to fix the plumbing but somehow ended up an camera!
The crashing drums that open “Early Spanic Boys” serve as a hardcore declaration of intent: This is serious music, but seriously FUN. Telecasters twist and twang from all angles at breakneck speed while the rhythm section and Tom and Ian’s vocals whip the whole thing into a fury that never lets up. This is real music played by real guys with SERIOUS chops. After listening to this CD a couple times I had to dig out my Fender guitar and play for a bit in humble appreciation and admiration of the decades these guys spent honing their chops. There’s not a single track on here that doesn’t absolutely rip; All killer, no filler!
This show surfaced for the first time tonight; I found another upload from 11/30/1985 but it was incomplete and at the wrong tape speed so this performance from two weeks earlier is presented for your dancing pleasure. If you’re a Minutemen fan, I’m sure you have already calculated how many days and hours this show occurred before the end (I did); If you’re hearing them for the first time, I urge you to take in all this show has to offer before delving into the history. In this case, ignorance is truly bliss, if only for an hour or two. It is a hell of a show, recorded surprisingly well by some enterprising young fan. The vocals are a little low but lean in a bit and you’ll get the drift.
The set list has a really good cross section of old/new/original/cover material and everybody is at the peak of their power here. I was surprised at the dynamic shifts throughout the set; Early on they bring the volume way down and the crowd is silent, everyone is listening and digging the music intently. I regret that I never got to see them live; I regret more that nobody else got to see them live not long after this was recorded. Fate is a cruel bitch, but Watt and Georgie stormed back mightily despite having their whole world ripped away from them in one moment.
I am on my second swing through this recording and I suspect it will be played much more in the days to come. I hope it means as much to you in the future as it does to me right now.
START YOUR BANDS!
This album surfaced MINT in two different thrift stores and looked too damn cool to pass up. I had no clue who Dean Friedman was until a buddy of mine saw it on my kitchen counter along with Dean’s second album (Well Well Said The Rocking Chair) and demanded it be played IMMEDIATELY. I complied and was blown away; The song my buddy flipped over is side one track two, but we’ll get to that later. Opening with the dreamy “Company”, it is immediately clear that this is NOT standard singer-songwriter fare. Dean has SERIOUS chops but plenty of taste and restraint as well. “Beans in the bucket and love in the sheets” is one great line accompanied by Dean’s acoustic guitar and atmosphere galore. Track Two is a world unto itself, I’ll explain in a bit. Hang in there! “Solitaire” solemnly illuminates the horrible days waiting for a relationship to end, fulfilling obligations knowing full well it is a waste of time but honoring commitments nonetheless. “Woman Of Mine” is a beautiful acoustic ballad offset by desperation and despair, an interior monologue verbalized in two minutes of sheer panic.”Song For My Mother” hits so hard and close and often it never ceases to shock me even after all these years of hearing it. I have to steel myself for “Song For My Mother” or be reduced to waterworks afterward.
Side One, Track Two you ask? That would be “Ariel”, Dean’s unabashed love song to a Jewish pot-smoking vegetarian WBAI supporter in a peasant blouse (with nothing underneath!). The only way I can describe “Ariel” is that it is the direct opposite of the song “Chevy Van” by Sammy Johns. The Chevy Van driver only wants one thing; Our subjects in “Ariel” end the evening with same activity as described in “Chevy Van” but partake in a whole slew of other activities first, much to the listener’s amusement. The radio single of “Ariel” was butchered by the record company due to some politically correct nonsense that blunted it’s impact but the LP version stayed intact, thank God. “Ariel” charted twice in the summer of 1977 and became Dean’s only stateside hit; He has since had many more in England and still tours and releases new music.
Side Two opens with “The Letter”, a lush ballad that should have found it’s way into a romantic movie soundtrack somewhere but sadly hasn’t (yet). “I May Be Young” refocuses the lens from love and loss onto the struggles of young people everywhere trying to convince the “old guard” they have what it takes to change the world on their own terms. “I may be young, but I’m not that young, and with all the years I’ve got, I may have time to kill, but if you will I’d rather not..” is one of the best lines I have ever heard that sums up the constant battle between young and old. “Humor Me” and “Funny Papers” lighten the mood considerably going into “Love Is Not Enough”, a welcome calm before the looming darkness.”Love Is Not Enough” closes the album in a resigned mood, as if all the back-and-forth of the previous hour has finally exhausted any possibility of reconciliation once and for all. A gorgeous track that doesn’t tug at heart strings as much as grab them whole and shake them for any sign of life, love, or hope.
Due to legal wrangling this album is only available as a used LP but can be had for only a few dollars. Pick it up if you can find it along with “Well Well Said The Rocking Chair”, then surf over to Dean’s website and buy the rest of his catalog. Money well spent, no joke!
WS
Many years ago I was in a record shop hanging out but not finding anything worth buying. A buddy of mine threw a CD on the counter in front of me, pointed at it, and started reciting random one liners and inside jokes, all of which went way over my head. A couple other patrons picked up on the comedy routine in progress and my interest was piqued enough to throw down $30 plus tax for the mystery album. I unsealed it, handed it back to the store clerk, and asked him to play it on the store stereo speakers. Upon seeing this, every customer in the store immediately pinned himself to a speaker in anticipation. I had no idea what I had just paid for, however seeing 15 record geeks collectively turn into Nipper and Chipper the RCA dogs was worth the price alone.
The album was a Rhino Handmade CD reissue of “A Child’s Garden Of Grass” from 1971, with two bonus tracks: David Peel and the Lower East Side singing “Have A Marijuana” and David Frye as President Nixon in “A Presidential Trip”. The album is billed as “A Pre-Legalization Comedy”; Basically, it is an instructional record for marijuana smokers, or eaters, or however you get your kicks. The CD even includes instructions for pot cookies in a tiny Zip-Loc baggie! Even for non-heads, this album is a RIOT. Comedy skits, sound effects, and a narrator who always seems on the verge of bursting out laughing himself. The album is split into 13 “sessions” (creativity, physical effects, getting hung up, etc) and covers all the topics potheads new and old will need to have a successful trip. The bonus tracks are a hoot, as well, particularly “A Presidential Trip”. PIcture President Nixon attempting to smoke a joint and failing miserably and extrapolate from there. Very, very funny.
An original LP of this will set you back $400 if you can find one. The Rhino Handmade Cd’s were a limited edition but can be had for a good price if you shop around. Puff puff pass, friends, puff puff pass….
WS
The backstory: In 1989 I spent most of my free time in the basement of a local hooligan/petty thief who bought records/tapes/cd’s by the hundreds, no joke. Anything he could steal and resell was fair game no matter who it belonged to and every penny went to the local record store, it was psychotic. This album turned up in a HUGE pile of punk rock tapes Mr Demeanor came home with one afternoon. Two brothers (8 and 12 years old) and another schoolmate about the same age playing two-chord punk rock and screaming at the top of theirs about Reagan, homelessness, AIDS, hot dog vendors, and a whole host of other targets. Hearing “Homeless” for the first time was one of the finer moments of my life, I still play it for people to this day. The band (with a different drummer) recorded a second album in 1992 called C.I.A. Drug Fest. Both albums have been out of print for decades but occasionally turn up on eBay. I recommend you buy both, burn 10 copies of each, and give them away. I command thee! I have included the link to “Pizza Man” from their second album as well. There is video on Youtube of them performing in Madison, Wisconsin in 1992. Punk rock at it’s finest!
I won’t go into too much detail here, but the backstory on the brothers in this band is REALLY sad. If you dig around the ‘net the details are out there but don’t say I didn’t warn you. I loved both of these records to death and it is a shame that life circumstances screwed these kids at every turn. They made good records; They should have made more.
WS
http://www.facebook.com/lonnieholley
I eyeballed this CD on the Dust To Digital website for a couple months trying to figure out what it was; It popped up in the middle of a shopping spree for a bargain price so I took a blind leap and threw it in the cart. This is music that defies description, much like the man himself. There are rhythms and pulses but they are more felt than heard, there are melodies and harmonies but Lonnie transcends all earthly rules and regulations. One listen to “All Truth Rendered” and your view of what music is and is not will be permanently altered, I guarantee it. This is American music at it’s core, drawing from deep wells of influence but twisting those strands into something wholly different and unexpected. Make no mistake, there are sharp edges and rough corners everywhere here. If you are expecting slick polished performances or perfectly calibrated beats this is not for you. This is not music made for the radio or the car or the garden party. This is one man’s vision, bark and husk and skin left on because it SHOULD be left on, organic and whole. This is not easy listening by any means but it is important and deeply satisfying to shut off all the other distractions and spend an hour in Lonnie’s world.
I highly recommend you check out ALL of Lonnie’s work, and if you can spare a few dollars, purchase something. He’s OURS, mine and yours, and he deserves all the support we can muster.
WS
This surfaced in a box of goodies at Salvation Army a week ago. Two dollars well spent, I’d say. The strings and horns get a little saccharine at times but Harry’s voice and a killer backing band make this a winner. I spent most of this afternoon kicked back in my chair with this album on “repeat”. Opening with “By The Time I Get To Phoenix” it is clear we’re not steering away from the hardest aspects of love and loss. I gotta admit halfway through the tune waterworks were on the verge, no joke. I forgot love songs could hit this hard. “Annie-Love” flips the script but not the emotion, a beautiful lament with some added tropical flavor in the background.”Sleep Late, Lady Friend” breaks the sadness like a blast of sunshine through dark clouds but ends far too short.”Once In My Lifetime” is a tough listen; Anyone resisting the urge to seek out their high school sweetheart would do well to have person-seeking devices out of reach while this is playing.”You Time” brings a samba feel and some much needed lightness to the proceedings. I miss days like this terribly, no snark or sarcasm. They’re rare birds and they fly fast.
“In The Beginning” slows the pace down again for some heartfelt churchiness but begs the inevitable question: Where are you and why is love so hard?”A Day In The Life Of A Fool” hits too close to home for me. One of the laws of love is that no town is large enough to avoid your ex. The WORLD isn’t big enough, believe it.”When Spring Comes Around” brightens to mood again (mercifully) with a samba shuffle pulse but oddly appears to be written by someone far away from his sweetie. In love but miles apart and carefree? (Insert snarky comment here).”In The Name Of Love” testifies to the eternal condition of love permanently being a rock in your shoe.”The First Day Of Forever” whips us back to the beginning, that recognition of being driven over a cliff and enjoying the free fall despite the inevitable nose dive towards terra firma.”Each Day I Look For Yesterday” ends the ride wistfully but short and spun around like a carnival ride, looking forward and backwards all at once while trying to regain footing. If that ain’t love, what is?
An Album A Day - For Your Dancing Pleasure! 