May 22, 2009 Earworm

Holy Crap! Morrissey turned 50 today.
Even holier? Jerry Dammers turned 54.

Let's wish Moz an "Unhappy Birthday" and hope that Jerry celebrates all "Friday Night, Saturday Morning". But not together.

Have a great weekend.

May 21, 2009 Earworm

The hand wringing and cries of "Sell Out" that greeted Liz Phair's fourth album, you know, the one on the major label, were stupid enough - Matrix produced tracks and all - but when you factor in that precious "indie", Matador, had already rejected her first take on a third album, asking her to create some radio friendly songs for it, the whole notion of indie credibility becomes as transparent as the emperor's ensemble. The same holds true for the Gilman Street crew and its reaction to Green Day signing with Reprise in 1993 after giving the indie label of choice, Lookout, its biggest seller with "Kerplunk". While the slick production of Liz's self-titled Capitol album was a far cry from the lo-fi noise of her debut, a chronological review of her albums to date revealed a logical progression toward a cleaner sound and a more pop sound and when your album features a song called "HWC" (Hot White Cum, the accusations of selling one's soul to the Avril Lavigne set seem a bit off. As for Green Day, they never claimed to be anything other than three nimrods making pop punk records and the transition to "Dookie" from "Kerplunk" proved to be little more than a producer who knew what he was doing.

Liz's success with Capitol - a label that had, at one time, owned 49% of Matador, by the way - was short-lived. The fault may lie in the fact that she really didn't seem to take the whole thing seriously or with the outraged parents who found their kids singing along to the previously mentioned "HWC". If "Why Can't I" is her most lucrative pop moment, her best is "Supernova" from 94's "Whipsmart"; a girly love song from, and for, those who know better. Liz's fancy may have eyelashes that sparkle like gilded grass but she sounds more impressed by the fact that he's a flying, giant friction blast.

Green Day, of course, are on top of the charts this week with "21st Century Breakdown", selling over 200,000 copies in three days and without the support of Wal-Mart, the nations largest music seller, who refuse to stock any product that comes with a parental advisory label. When pressed for a clean version of the album, the band declined just as they had with their last two releases*, proving once again, that the band recognizes that no label should trump art. I can say I love this new album but I'll toss out the song that stopped me in my tracks in '92 - "No One Knows" from "Kerplunk" - because Billy Joe's wrestling with growing up the way in which one is expected hit a nerve back then and still does.

I throw both these tracks together for two reasons:
1) I've been away for a while
2) I discovered both of these acts in the best way; from a bunch of music loving employees in a real record store. Bite me, Wal-Mart.


*Their previous albums somehow having avoided the P.A. warning

May 06, 2009 Earworm

After Baltimore's own, Here Today, were dropped by Columbia after one single, they changed their name to Vigil, signed with Chrysalis, and released the twelve inch single, "I Am Waiting". For those of us who loved Here Today, we waited to see them take off, figuring that if Kix could find a national audience, anything could happen. The idea of Jo Connor slithering across the MTV generation left me breathless but it was not to be. Their self-titled album sold enough copies to warrant the recording of a second album but, for some reason, the label decided not to release it and, other than one track being featured in the (on-screen) soundtrack to "A Nightmare On Elm Street 4", the tapes have been gathering dust in a vault and the fans who hold memories of the band dear are still waiting.

I can never hear either incarnation of the band without thinking of Bobby C. and today was his birthday so, "I Am Waiting" it is.

May 05, 2009 Earworm

I'm not saying that the Violent Femmes nicked something from Round Robin's "Kick That Little Foot Sally Ann" for "Blister In The Sun", I'm just saying that it is impossible for me to hear one without thinking of the other. However, I am saying that P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri definitely nicked something from Calypso via Belafonte when they cooked up "Kick That Little Foot Sally Ann" to feed L.A.'s Slauson jones.

Regardless, "Blister In The Sun" is a classic for a generation - and for analysis - and "Kick That Little Foot Sally Ann" is... well, catchy as hell and notable for it's Jack Nitzsche arrangement and for being a far cry from other Sloan/Barri songs.

Does anyone know how to do the Slauson?

May 04, 2009 Earworm

While critics of "A New Tide" fuss over what Gomez is or is not and should or should not be, I choose "Airstream Driver" as the Monday morning kick-off because dark storms while behind the wheel can be just that fun. And how about that Ant-like stick work...

April 30, 2009 Earworm

I've made a smarty-pants comment or twenty about Arlen Specter in the last 48 hours and I sort of feel like I should rescind them after some thought. Cries of "traitor" and "opportunist" may be appropriate but - and I note this with some dismay - his acknowledging that his jump is motivated by his chances for future for re-election are the most well thought out, reality based, and honest thing I've heard from a party who really stands by their "NO!!! WE CAN'T!" stance.

As the dirty truth rises to the top of cesspool, it is impossible not to recognize that the Republican party could not care less about the wishes of all the people who vote Republican. The emphasis on that is the people, not the representatives that now find themselves embattled within the party. I mention this because it is easy to get distracted by the pundits and spokespeople who are quick to paint a cartoon villain mustache on any of their own who go against the tide as the rest of the party of goes down with the ship. That there are moderate Republicans within the party because there are moderate republicans who have elected them seems to be a minor detail that means nothing to those entrusted with the brand. As they scamper to de-define the horrific policies of a leader whom they didn't even bother to invite to their convention only magnifies their intentions of always being right, no matter how wrong their ideas appear to the majority that have increasingly left them behind.

I respect those who stand by their beliefs - even if I don't agree - but in this instance, I'm not sure that anyone knows what is they believe. History continuously shows that the their tent poles of fiscal responsibility and small government are a charade within their hands so, with those fallacies sensibly set aside, that leaves the things for which they are not for and this is may be the root of their problem: when the only thing that you can successfully pull of is to be anti-this or that, your beliefs become nothing more than scapegoats. And when you surround yourself with scapegoats, it's only a matter of time before you not only sink the ship, but your glass house is eventually shattered by your own hypocrisy.

So, now that my wind is out of the bag, the song of the day has been "White Flag" by Dido. Not just for the perfectly Republican second verse -
"I know I left too much and destruction to come back again.
And I cause nothing but trouble, I understand if you can't talk to me again.
And if you live by the rules of it's over then I'm sure that makes sense,but..."
-but because I will always love this song even though I don't love Dido.

April 29, 2009 Earworm

Recognizing the somewhat surprising fact that Tommy James and The Shondells have had more records mentioned in the earworm than any other act, Tommy's birthday is noted with "Get Out Now". Although it was a low charter, it was their first single of their busiest year, 1968. The next single would be "Mony Mony" and, following two less than huge further releases, they would end the year with "Crimson And Clover"*.

Listening to some of the surprising records that are embraced within the Northern Soul scene, I can't help but wonder why "Get Out Now" has not been rescued from its relative obscurity...


*much to Susan Hubshman's dismay