June 19, 2009 Earworm

The results of recent Facebook quiz show that a majority of my friends think that my favorite movie is "Desperately Seeking Susan". It's not. Not that there's anything wrong with it. In fact, it's probably the most accurate depiction of the two worlds co-existing, and often clashing, to be found in a mainstream movie. Plus, you get Madonna dancing to her own "Into The Groove" and even the harshest critic of Madonna had to admit that it was a damn fine record. The Q-sound mix found on The Immaculate Collection, to my ears, pointlessly tampered with a perfect thing so look for the UK cd single of "Angel" if you want the real thing in digital form.

Have a great weekend.

June 18, 2009 Earworm

When Yaz announced their break up in '82, no one knew what to expect of Alison Moyet on her own but no one expected the high gloss sheen of her 1984 solo debut, "Alf", either. While it became a much loved, and played, album that seemed to be in the collection of everyone I knew, there was also a hint of disappointment that came with it. When the follow up album came with even more gloss, everyone got the clue that her label was determined to make her a pop star in any way possible. The four year absence of new product led many to believe that she, or the label, had given up or that she simply shattered into a million brittle over produced pieces. A new decade and a new single, cheekily titled "It Won't Be Long", and we finally received the record that sounded like something we'd have expected. The parent album, "Hoodoo", only made the wait more worthwhile. A Grammy nod and one more album, heavily manipulated by the label (again), and Alison finally made it clear that she had no interest in making records only to be a pop star and waited out the next eight years of litigation it took be a true solo singer.

When Thompson Twins shook off a couple of members and, after the accidental success of "In The Name of Love", realized they just might have a pop career on their hands, they set about making their third album. Tighter, shinier, bigger and better, they threw out a preview of their future, "Lies", in October of '82. Aided by a sublimely silly video for MTV and constant club play, it reached number one on the club charts and left me anxious for the release of what would become one of my favorite albums of the decade. It also started my undying crush on front man Tom Bailey, he of the pleading eyes, pouting sneer, and flirty fringe. I never missed a Thompson Twins record but I never loved one of them as much as "Quick Step And Side Kick".

Happy birthday to Alison Moyet and Tom Bailey.

June 17, 2009 Earworm

Psychopharmacology fall out, information overload, or emphatic ennui? That's best left for the listener to decide but "Restless Heart Syndrome" is currently my favorite track from Green Day's "21st Century Breakdown". How 'bout those strings!

June 16, 2009 Earworm

Today saw the release of the remastered Big Star albums, "#1 Record" and "Radio City", two legendary albums - everybody has heard of them, even if they've never heard them - that still have not reached gold or platinum status after thiry-seven and thirty-five (respective) years. As with the last cd re-issue, the two albums are combined on one disc, this time with two single mixes added for good measure.

"#1 Record" was released in 1972 just as the band's label, Ardent, was in a dispute with it's distributing label, Stax, guaranteeing that every one who read the unanimous praise from the musical taste makers would be unable to buy a copy. "Radio City" was released in 1974 just as Stax was in a dispute with its distributor, Columbia, and the same fate would befall it. A third album, shelved by the all labels for lack of commercial appeal, wouldn't see the light of day until four years later when its release followed a double album repackaging of the first two. One year and a second hand copy later, "The Ballad of El Goodo" allowed me to finally understand why everyone slammed The Knack for not being true power-pop. It's a simple song of desperate determination mercifully devoid of romanticized machismo usually running rampant on the range of The Eagles. And if, over the years, people have come to the conclusion that the lyrics are too simple, well... those were simpler times, I guess.

With all due respect and apologies to Wilco, The Bangles, Elliot Smith, and The Loud Family (to name just a few) and absolutely no respect or apologies to Counting Crows, I am not impressed with covers of any Big Star songs. The exception to that being "Holocaust" and "Kanga-Roo" by This Mortal Coil (it's This Mortal Coil for heaven's sake!) and "Thirteen" as it appeared, tucked away on the "b-side" of "Push It" by Garbage. It's easy for me to imagine Shirley Manson as the recipient of Big Star's version, a girl in a hand me down halter smoking a crumbled cigarette pilfered from her mother's purse, callously singing borrowed words to her next conquest, completely aware of her impact but not yet aware of the damage it may cause. Or, the starter version of the predator we met in "Queer".

June 15, 2009 Earworm

When old favorites attack, nothing can stop them. Not even knowing that it's not a particularly good record. Actually, I take that back: "Wham Bam" by Silver is actually a pretty good record, beautifully crafted and produced, it's the song itself that's a bit weak. But, that hasn't stopped me from playing it on a regular basis for the last thirty odd years.

Silver went as quickly as they came, never able to follow up the minor success of the one hit they got after the song was forced upon by co-producer Clive Davis. The rest of the album, filled with the band's own songs, explains why.