Bee Bopalulah: All Things Considered. . .

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The best guitarist ever:

Night Music: Billy Squier, “Rock Me Tonite”

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I’ve been distracted by work and haven’t been listening to much music, but last night I was at dinner with friends and started talking about the pull of the music that we loved in our formative years. Call them the teens. Maybe early 20s.

I used the example of people who loved Billy Squier when they were in their teens, and I bet they still loved Billy Squier. My friends and I hated him, of course, but it occurred to me I should listen to him again and pluck some of the glowing comments on YouTube. Here’s his biggest hit:

I was just reading the comments, however, and only a few people talked about how much they liked the tune. All the chatter was about how “ghey” the video director made Billy, and how Billy didn’t want to be “ghey.”

I’m trying to figure out why his record company would want him to make a “ghey” video to go along with his rock song. The video, made by Kenny Ortega—who worked with Michael Jackson a lot—is relentless.

And I’m not so sure my example about people continuing to love what they used to love, at least when it was Billy Squier, was a good one. And I wonder what would happen if they listened to the tune without the video.

Song of the Week – Avant Gardener, Courtney Barnett

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IGNORED OBSCURED RESTORED

Courtney Barnett is an Australian musician with a penchant for clever lyrics and a deadpan, Lou Reed like, vocal style. Her song “Avant Gardener” was on my list of top cuts in 2014 and is today’s SotW.

The song actually came out on a 2013 EP called How to Carve a Carrot into a Rose, but I didn’t discover it until last year.

Pitchfork named it the “Best New Track” of 2013 and describes it like this:

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“Avant Gardener” tells the story of a girl dragging her underemployed ass out of bed late on a Monday morning to try her hand at gardening– at which point she suffers a panic attack.

The scene unfolds like a dream: “Halfway down High Street, Andy looks ambivalent/ He’s probably wondering what I’m doing getting in an ambulance,” Barnett sings, her voice drifting through the lines in sweet speak-sing. “The paramedic thinks I’m clever ’cause I play guitar/ I think she’s clever ’cause she stops people dying.” They’re both right. Later, the song’s poor narrator struggles to get a good pull on her asthma inhaler. “I was never good at smoking bongs,” she confesses.

I think it was an asthma attack (she’s in a garden!), not a panic attack — thus the need for the inhaler — but close enough.

I’m pretty sure it’s Barnett that plays those angular guitar fills that sound like fingernails on a chalkboard (which is good in this setting). And just to make me like her a little bit extra, she plays left-handed.

Enjoy… until next week.

Night Music: No Dice, “Why Sugar”

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I am such a sucker for a killer pop tune, and this song is certainly one of those.

Delivered among the great waves of great numbers from the the Punk and New Wave bands across the pond, Why Sugar fits right in with a lot of other gorgeous songs/bands–Breathless (The Motors), and Starry Eyes (The Records) also come to mind–with vocals and guitar riffs and bouncing pianos coupled with deep bluesy growling vocals.

I bought No Dice’s album based upon the strength of No Sugar, but the rest of the disc didn’t hold up so well for me.

I guess that makes the band fall under the aegis of one-hit wonders, which is ok with me, as the one hit was a killer.

See for yourself (it is even better with headphones on).

 

Grape Ape: Wake Up Website

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The Unband were a flash in the pan, leaving behind just one album and a most excellent, non-typical rock book Gentlemanly Repose: Confessions Of A Debauched Rock ‘n’ Roller. Their album is a gem, though somewhat inconsistent. If everything was as great as the great stuff, it would be top 50 material (it may have even made my top 50 – I don’t remember). I posted their fine cover of Billy Squier’s Everybody Wants You a long time ago.

This video rocks like hell and explores several abstract themes, none of which make a lick of sense to me.

Monkeys are funny.

Steveslist: Outlaws, “Green Grass and High Tides”

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No, no, not that Steve.

Steve–as in Gardner–and I were discussing our favorite guitar solos/riffs/songs during a particularly fun breakfast or ride to a spring training game or something.

My list is usually five songs, plus a couple that bounce around the top five, and that is that.

Steve tried to think of some of his faves, but drew a blank; however, that evening, my esteemed bud sent me a list of 25 or so tunes that fit his top axe numbers.

So, I thought I would load some of them from time-to-time, starting from this song by the Outlaws,  Green Grass and High Tides.

The reason this song grabbed me from Steve’s list is that I remember the first time I heard it, on the Marin county low wattage alternative station, riding around in an old BMW 2002, I suppose. At the time, the song caught my attention: I went out and bought the vinyl that very afternoon.

The Outlaws were certainly a cranking guitar-based band in much the same vein as Lynyrd Skynyrd, save one was more rock-blues based, while the other more rock-country based (not strange that the Skynyrd made Steve’s list, too).

But, especially since Peter was noting that he was into some rockabilly–not that this is rockabilly, as the guitars are on steroids–let’s go with this!

Just a week and all the Remnants will be in New York for Tout Wars, world! Come by the drafts at City Crab in Manhattan and say hi!

Night Music 2: Wanda Jackson, “Pick Me Up On Your Way Down”

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More country than rockabilly and irresistible.

Night Music: Marin Gaye, “Sexual Healing”

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Here’s the link:

I have a friend whose wedding song was this song. At his first wedding. Not at the second. Awkward.

I think this cut is just one measure of why Marvin Gaye is so great. It’s a weak and awkward song with a decent groove and catchy chorus. Marvin makes it sound classic, like he did the National Anthem (using a similar approach).

Afternoon Snack: Wanda Jackson, “Funnel of Love”

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Been listening to more rockabilly today. More later.

Breakfast Blend: Ry Cooder Band, 1977

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On the Old Grey Whistle Test.

Put it on, enjoy! I saw this band on this tour at the Bottom Line, and a little love got so much stronger.