Monthly Archives: December 2017

Song of the Week – These Days, Nico, Gregg Allman, Ian Matthews, Mates of State

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IGNORED OBSCURED RESTORED

One of my favorite artists in the singer-songwriter genre is Jackson Browne. I know, in these times when women are fighting to save themselves from sexual assaulters, coming out to pay tribute to Browne might not be politically correct. (He was accused of domestic violence against his then-girlfriend Daryl Hannah, since retracted – but the damage has been done.) I’m focused on the quality of his songs, not his personal life. Besides, he has been a solid citizen throughout his life, fighting for the environment and many other political causes that are important to him (and me).

Early in his career, his songs were recognized as gems by many prominent artists that recorded them long before he did. The list includes Tom Rush, Joan Baez, The Byrds, Eagles and Linda Ronstadt.

Today’s SotW is another installment of the “evolution” series, “These Days,” that is such a wonderful composition that it has been captured in outstanding performances by many artists.

Browne wrote “These Days” when he was about 16 years old. The first recording was done by Nico of the Velvet Underground on her solo album, Chelsea Girl (1967). Browne, who was at the time linked romantically with her, played electric guitar on the track.

Another outstanding version was laid down by Gregg Allman on his first solo album, Laid Back (1973). Browne himself said of Allman’s arrangement “that he really unlocked a power in that song that I sort of then emulated in my version.”

Allman learned the song when the pre-Allman Brothers band The Hour Glass was plying their trade in LA. His bluesy voice wrings out every drop of emotion that the song’s lyrics of sadness and regret have to offer.

Another fine version was recorded about the same time by Ian Matthews on his 1973 release Valley Hi – an album that Rolling Stone called “a sensuous delight.”

Matthews’ take has a little more of a pop feel, but still retains the song’s disconsolate sentiment.

A more modern approach was recorded by Mates of State. I prefer the live-in-studio track they cut for Daytrotter in 2006, but it’s not available on YouTube. So here’s the officially released version that was on the soundtrack to the film Wicker Park.

Mates of State are a husband and wife duo from CT via CA via KS. The simplicity of their keyboard, percussion and harmony version is charming.

Browne finally recorded his own version on his second album, For Everyman (1973). What else can I say about “These Days” other than it ends with one of the most poignant lines EVAH!

Don’t confront me with my failures / I had not forgotten them

The self reflective tone of the lyrics of “These Days” seems especially relevant as we near the year end.

Enjoy… until next week.

Song of the Week – Plimsoll Punks, Alvvays & Crash, The Primitives

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I always have a running list of song ideas for my weekly missive. “Crash” by The Primitives has been on it for a long time. I can’t really put my finger on the reason that I haven’t written about it sooner. But my inspiration to catch up comes from another band I’ve been listening to – Alvvays.

Alvvays (pronounced Always) is an outfit from Nova Scotia that’s now based out of Toronto. They released their second album, Antisocialites, last September. The SotW is “Plimsoll Punks.”

The first time I heard this burst of indie pop my mind began swirling with the antecedents that I was hearing in Alvvays sound. I heard Camera Obscura, a bit of Cocteau Twins and a super-sized serving of the Primitives.

There we go!!! I now have the connection I was looking for to include “Crash.”

The Primitives made a splash in 1988 with their album Lovely. Beside “Crash” the album had another song, “Way Behind Me,” that snatched a lot of airplay on indie and college radio stations.

Merry Christmas!

Enjoy… until next week.

Smithereens Comment

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For a long time, when I include a youtube link in my comments, it doesn’t flesh out, leaving a plain, unappealing link to click. Earlier today, the whole thing went kaput as when I typed all this in as a comment, it gave me some security error and nothing stuck at all.

So I’m doing this as a new post, lest I waste my time trying to comment again. Here we go:

I’ve always thought of Smithereens as a second-generation Hoodoo Gurus, a band I liked a lot way back when, but whose music doesn’t hold up for me anymore.

Early on in the Smither’s career, I read something that their goal was to combine The Beatles and AC/DC. A noble pursuit for sure, not that they ever achieved it. (If you want John Lennon and Black Sabbath – for real – it’s Uncle Acid.)

Got excited when I saw Tom’s title, anticipating a Smithereens cover of the original Behind The Wall Of Sleep. Oh well.

Song of the Week – Behind the Wall of Sleep, The Smithereens

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Last Tuesday, December 12th, Pat DiNizio of The Smithereens died at the age of 62. DiNizio was the main creative force behind the New Jersey based band; its lead singer, guitarist and main songwriter.

As a power pop fanatic, I always enjoyed the music of The Smithereens and was able to see them in concert back in the late ‘80s.

They had several “modern rock” hits played by progressive FM radio stations, including “Blood and Roses,” Only a Memory” and “A Girl Like You.”

Today’s SotW was another, “Behind the Wall of Sleep” from their 1986 debut, Especially for You.

The song opens with an obscure reference to Jean Shrimpton (does DiNinzio sing Jeannie Shipton?) who was a super model that, along with Twiggy, helped set of the mini skirt craze in the mid ‘60s.

She had hair like Jeannie Shrimpton back in 1965
She had legs that never ended, I was halfway paralyzed
She was tall and cool and pretty and she dressed as black as coal
If she asked me to I’d murder, I would gladly lose my soul

The woman the song was about was a girl named Kim Ernst, the bassist for an all-female, Boston based band called The Bristols.

The music is equally influenced by the British Invasion and garage rock sounds of the ‘60s. All very mod. In fact, The Smithereens recorded two albums of Beatles’ covers. Meet the Smithereens (2007) was a song for song replica of Meet the Beatles. B-Sides The Beatles (2008) was just as it says – covers of Beatles’ B-sides.

On the rarities compilation The Attack of the Smithereens (1995) the band exposed some of their other early influences with covers of The Beau Brummels’ “Just a Little,” and Frank and Nancy Sinatra’s “Something Stupid” – fun stuff worth hearing.

So long Pat, may you rest in peace.

Enjoy… until next week.

More Kevin Bacon

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Good Old Boys made me think of Waylon Jennings and Waylon Jennings made me think of my favorite Waylon song, Honky Tonk Heroes written by Billy Joe Shaver.

If there’s a morality tale in this song I don’t know what it is and I don’t much care. I particularly like when it kicks in at about 1:30 and I like even better when it kicks out with the riff at 3:20.

It’s a testament to the musical world we live in that everybody has a Johnny Cash shirt, no one has a Waylon Jennings shirt and no one even knows who Billy Joe Shaver is. (No offense to Johnny Cash – it’s not his fault.)

Good Old Boys

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Randy Newman’s first three albums are full of good songs. Songs that were hits for others, like Mama Told Me Not to Come, and songs that made his reputation as a song craftsman and satirist. But it was his fourth album, Good Old Boys, that I think is his masterpiece. Here the satire is scathing, and then the sentiment is true, and in a song like Birmingham, the two come together seamlessly.

Thinking about Alabama tonight, and thinking how in the 43 years since this great album came out, the same problems persist. Maybe things are worse.

If Roy Moore wins in the Alabama race for the Senate seat tonight (Ed. Note: He didn’t.), we should probably all sing Kurt Weill’s and Bertolt Brecht’s Alabama Song, something of a hit for the Doors back in the day, (Show me the way to the next whisky bar, oh don’t ask why, oh don’t ask way. Show me the way to the next little girl, oh don’t ask why, oh don’t ask why.), but in the meantime, these three songs from Good Old Boys will get you started:

Song of the Week – Shine It All Around, Robert Plant

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Sometimes my inspiration for a SotW comes from the media I currently follow. In recent weeks Robert Plant has been making the rounds or in the news. Music biz blogger Bob Lefsetz wrote an interesting post about Plant’s interview with Howard Stern on October 17th. You can read his post and link to the Stern/Plant interview here:

http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/2017/10/26/robert-plant-on-howard-stern/

Later a friend of mine, William McD, sent me the link to this article in The Guardian from September where Plant discusses his back catalog:

Julie Rogers – A Life In Music, Robert Plant

These two coincidences led me to reevaluate Plant’s solo, back catalog. There are many interesting and wonderful songs to hear. One that really grabbed my attention is today’s SotW, “Shine It All Around.”

“Shine It All Around” is from Plant’s second album with the Strange Sensation called Mighty ReArranger (2005). It received a Grammy award for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance.

And it has a very positive message, something the world can really use these days.

This is the land where I live
Paint it all over golden
Take a little sunshine, spread it all around
This is the love that I give
These are the arms for the holding
Turn on your love light, shine it all around

If you have access to a service like Spotify, please go back to listen to Plant’s solo repertoire. You will be soundly rewarded.

Enjoy… until next week.

Going Out In Style: Johnny Hallyday

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Johnny Hallyday was a giant rock star in France, and would show up in all sorts of French films I’ve seen over the years. Whether the movie be commercial cheese or popular entertainment, Hallyday’s presence was always electric. This guy was a real rock star.

Not that I ever listened to his albums. Like Elvis Presley, I got the sense he had some great songs, but he also recorded a lot of shlock, all the more so for the movies. So, incredible aura, but very little consideration as an artist. And this seems to be the case all over the English speaking world.

But in France? He died this week and they threw him a rock star’s funeral. Dig all the pictures here.

A few songs: