Read about these guys in a magazine. I like this song. The Amazon reviews are great. The singer appears charismatic. I’m a sucker for a Flying V. And bluesy-ness.
Song of the Week – Senses Working Overtime, XTC
IGNORED OBSCURED RESTORED
Today’s SotW is from the “Restored” dresser drawer. It is “Senses Working Overtime” by XTC from the English Settlement album. “Senses…” reached the Top 10 in the UK but only managed #38 on the Rock Album Tracks chart in the US. It was released in two formats, the 4:34 single version and the 4:53 album version. Why Virgin records thought they needed to cut out a few lines to make the song 19 seconds shorter is incomprehensible to me.
“Senses…” is an impressive composition. The musicianship is amongst the best in the vast XTC catalog. The first of three sections opens with a folky “medieval” sounding acoustic guitar playing some variation on an E flat chord. Shortly it’s joined by a cool bass line. Colin Moulding plays his fretless bass with creativity and panache. I especially dig the legato slides.
The middle section makes effective use of diminished chords and acts as the bridge to the rousing count-up chorus.
The drumming is ear catching. The fills in the choruses (after the count of “5”) insist that listeners play “air” drums along with the record.
The lyrics are cryptic. Is it a peculiar love song? Is it about an insane person? It doesn’t really matter. To me it’s a lot like The Beatles (John Lennon’s) word salad, “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” The expressive lyrical imagery is way more important than the “meaning.” Thematically, the lyrics are much closer to The Beatles (George Harrison’s) “All Too Much” from the Yellow Submarine soundtrack.
Beyond the words are the way they sound. It was a creative mind game to write “1-2-3-4-5, senses working overtime.” After the count, you expect to hear 6-7 (seven) and get the word “senses” that’s a bit of a trick.
Sadly for us XTC fans, there were few opportunities to see the band live. In April 1982, just a few months after “Senses….” was released, the band played their last concert in San Diego. Andy Partridge experienced a nervous breakdown of sorts and was unable to perform in front of audiences. He retreated, Beatle like, to the studio and crafted several more outstanding albums – including Skylarking, Oranges & Lemons, and Nonsuch.
Enjoy… until next week.
BTW – Did anyone notice that everyone in the video is playing left handed — including the drummer. Still messing with our senses?
The Avalanches, Because I’m Me
What is this? It’s got a groove, seems to be taken apart until it comes together with the horns, and is cute and a joke and a good tune.
Live Supershit 666
Not really.
Saw my old friend Jason Grey today. We figured out we hadn’t seen each other for three years. He helped me out big time and happened to mention that my greatest contribution to Remnants for him was turning him on to Supershit 666.
So I looked and found this British cover band playing Star War. Every song on that little EP is a 10, so this is as good or bad as it gets. Supershit was a studio-only supergroup and this is the best and only live version of a SS666 song I’ve ever seen.
Actually it’s a little Supershitty, but it’s fun to watch the drummer. I’d be happy to play with him. I think the bass player is sitting on the couch.
For Jason.
Shinny Shin Shins
Listened to The Slider, among others, on my flight from Orlando to Phoenix. Put me in the mood to post some T. Rex.
Deciding just what to post, I stumbled into this cover by The Shins. There are a lot of bad T. Rex covers out there, but this isn’t one.
The video pushes the borders of too hipster, but slides in just under the bar.
Jens Lekman, What’s That Perfume You Wear?
Jens has a new elpee out. My first time through I was disappointed. Seemed a little pro forma Euro disco.
But in fact, after a few listens, there are some other great songs here beside Evening Prayer.
I think this is the single. There is a real video. Secretly Canadian is promoting this. Good for them.
Jens Lekman, Evening Prayer
This is an amazing and catchy new song refracted through a few different lenses simultaneously, about cancer, mortality, friendship and empathy. Plus 3D printing. Wow.
Beat Club
Here’s a band we don’t talk about. They had their moments, like this one which is their best song imho. I urge you to seek out the original, but here is a smoking performance from Beat Club. Shit, we missed a lot missing this show.
Tomorrow’s People: Open Soul
This is a recent release of a deep cut that got lost in the machine. It was discovered by an independent label, Melodies Unlimited, that saw the value in an old elpee that didn’t sell much when it was released, but people kept talking about it. According to Pitchfork, for a while copies of the original vinyl were fetching $1500.
The reason is this long and bubbling groove of a track. Tomorrow’s People were four brothers, the Burtons, on this particular day made a jam that has improbably endured. Dig it!
The Possibilities Are Endless
Don’t know how I missed this very early, primitive Turbonegro attempt at a genuine music video.
Cool in countless ways.
I guess my favorite is the guitarist on the far right in the video.
This is from Ass Cobra, absolutely a glaring omission from the Rolling Stone best punk album list (not that they would know). My vote for best hardcore album ever.