David Bowie - Ouvrez le Chien (Live Dallas 1995) ISO Records

 

It was not exactly a redesign of David Bowie, but of a re-think, or a new charge of energy and thought into his career and music in 1995.  For me, this is when Bowie got back his groove, and he became fascinated with the world around him.   After hitting a creative (and perhaps commercially) dead-end in the late 1980s, he started up with a band, Tin Machine. A guitar-driven band that reminds me at times of a rave-up era of The Yardbirds. All that is missing are songs by Graham Gouldman. Still, Bowie actually filtering the great British hitmaker in supplying or co-writing songs with fellow band members that are retro in the sense of the importance of being in a band.  In a manner, it is very much Bowie losing himself as a brand being part of a band.  The truth is, Bowie has always been a collaborator with every musician he has worked with in the past. 

"Outside" (1995) was the album that gave him an entrance back to the avant-garde, and re-invent a new approach in recording that album.  For example, almost every song is written by all the musicians during the recording of that music.  If not, co-written by Eno.  It's a late Bowie masterpiece, and when he went on tour to support "Outside," he put together a new band, except for his guitarist (and co-writer) Reeves Gabriel, Mike Garson, and Carlos Alomar.  The new star of the show is bassist and backup singer Gail Ann Dorsey, who is amazing. Lucky us there are live tapes of the shows.  "Ouverz Le Chien" is a show that took place in Texas, and it's a refreshing listening experience. 

For one, Bowie does only a handful of his older songs, and they are usually not done live at the time or deep cuts in his excellent catalog of material.  What is remarkable are the live versions of music from "Outside."  In the studio, it sounds very much like work produced in a laboratory.  Here, they come off as songs of great force and grace.  He does a re-work of "The Man Who Sold The World" without the major guitar riff until the end as a quiet reminder that is faint as a loving memory.  This must have been a remarkable show to witness, but at least we have a great recording, for those who weren't there, or a few that lives with that evening as a ghost-image of a wonderful performance. 

Declan McKenna "Zero" (Sony Music)

In a crazed lockdown period in my life (and ongoing, of course), I randomly found Declan McKenna's album "Zero" on the streaming station, as well as seeing his video of his song "Beautiful Faces."  Everything is shit, yet hearing a proto-type glam artist in 2020 brought me hope and salvation.  What more can we ask from music or an artist?

Not knowing anything about McKenna, I was drawn to what to me is, a suburbian glam rock style that has traces of classic Blur thrown in the mix.  McKenna and company recorded in Nashville, and it is probably the most unlikely Nashville album ever made.  Keep in mind, I'm a Californian, so anything outside the state is a bit of a mystery to me.  Every song on "Zero" has a catchy hook and a beautiful build-up to the chorus.  If there were still hit singles being made and processed through the music business, then "Beautiful Faces" would be that song.  Instantly aware that is a classic song in the lines of Mott and Bowie's "All The Young Dudes."  As I write, the earworm chorus is stuck in my brain, and I feel it won't leave me until sudden death. 

The rest of the album is as strong as "Beautiful Faces," especially after repeated listens.   I rarely fall in love with a contemporary pop sound, and maybe this is a retro-world. Nevertheless, Declan McKenna is an artist that can go anywhere from this on with "Zero."

I'm looking forward to the adventure, but meanwhile, I'm going to play this album a few times a day, for nothing else but to see the world in a better and bright light.  

New York Dolls - "A Hard Night's Day" (Norton)

 

"A Hard Night's Day" is my favorite New York Dolls album.  The first two official Dolls albums issued by Mercury Records are excellent, but these series of demos they did in 1973, are essential listening experience.  Their mixture of classic rock n' roll, 60's girl groups, and blues, with incredible and insightful lyrics, is a combination that never fails me. 

At the time of their recording these demos, they did every song that they knew at that point. They are just important as the Velvet Underground, in that they tied in many important communities into one package.  The demos are beautifully recorded, and the performances are lively, precise (in that Dolls' manner of preciseness), and inspirational.  

Tosh's Favorite Albums of 2020

 Keep in mind these are albums I purchased in the year 2020. Some of the music is old, but it's new to me. And in no special order - My favorite albums of 2020 are:

The Bachelor Pad -"All Hash and Cock"

Ennio Morricone - "Peur Sur La Ville"

Jack Nitzsche -"Jack Nitzsche"

The Quick - "Untold Rock Stories"

Jarvis Is... - "Beyond the Pale"

Dan Penn - "The Fame Recordings"

Sparks - "A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip

Egisto Macchi - "Sud e Magia"

V.A.- "Hallucinations: Psychedelic Pop Nuggets from the WEA Vaults"

A Raincoat - "Digalongamacs"

The Preachers -"Moanin'"

Various ‎– "More Lost Legends Of Surf Guitar"

Charlie Parker ‎– "The Savoy 10-Inch LP Collection"

David Bowie - "Is It Any Wonder?"

Extended Organ ‎– "Vibe"

King Crimson ‎– "THRAK"

Vince Taylor & His Playboys* ‎– "Vince Taylor Rocks!"

Marc Bölan* ‎– "Electronic Musik"

Kenny Graham And His Satellites ‎– "Moondog And Suncat Suites

David Bowie - "Metrobolist (Nine Songs By David Bowie)" Parlophone, 2020

 

In our reality, David Bowie is Elvis Presley. Not only do they share the same birthday and both recorded songs called "Black Star," but also in death, their music is released and looked as new. Tony Visconti, a significant figure in Bowie's career and music, has done a series of classic Bowie work remixes. One may think this is nothing but exploitation or a grasp to make more money in the memory of David Bowie. The truth is, Visconti has done magnificent work as a remixer as well as the original producer of these recordings. It's an artist (as producer) going back to his canvas to clean or refresh the imagery on one level. "Metrobolist" (Nine Songs by David Bowie)" is such a work. Most of us fans and consumers know this album as "The Man Who Sold The World," but it seems that wasn't the original title that Bowie given this record. At the last moment, the label changed titles without Bowie's knowledge at the time. 

"TMWSTW" has always had a muddy sound that made the songs heavy and mono-orientated sounds. It's like someone taking a shovel of mud and throwing it in your face. My first reaction to the album in 1972 was that this is a hard rock record compared to "Hunky Dory," his next album at that time. It's obvious to a listener in the early 70s can see Bowie worked from a broad landscape of different worlds sound-wise. "TMWSTW" is a great album and will always be an essential recording from a legendary artist. Including the contributions from Mick Ronson and Visconti knew how to take Bowie to the next level. "Metrobolist" is a mirror reflection of that album but cleaned up and allowing more textures to be added for the supreme listening experience. 

Nuances show up, more than 'ah-ha' moments while listening to "Metrobolist." The vocals have a touch of more echo. Still, the drums' presence mixed to another volume is especially lovely, and hearing the layered guitars from Ronson and the acoustic guitar work from who I think is Bowie. The Moog is also clearly heard in these new mixes. When you hear "Metrobolist," I hear or more aware of the arrangements. It sounds like a work from a band (Visconti, Bowie, Ronson, drummer Mick Woodmansey, and Ralf Mace, who is credited for the Moog playing and Mick Ronson) than a solo artist. 

"The Supermen" is incredible here, with the galloping drums by Woodmansey. If you're a Bowie fan, this is a must-hear or buy. Beyond that, both albums are superb, and now both in print. The world is a better place with "The Man Who Sold The World" as well "Metrobolist." 

David Bowie - "OUVREZ LE CHIEN (LIVE DALLAS 95)"

The David Bowie estate is releasing numerous albums, both remixes (by Tony Visconti on some) and unreleased live albums. Cynics will think of these reissues and 'new' releases on the same wavelength as Bowie's one time RCA label mate, Elvis. On the other hand, that may be true; "OUVREZ LE CHIEN is a magnificent live recording of Bowie and band in 1995.  Bowie finished an ambitious album "Outside" and wanted to clear the way to focus on this record with a much more challenging but textural sound.   I love this record because there are traces of "Diamond Dogs," I think, due to the backup singing of George Simms, who gives it a Broadway feel to the material.  I suspect that he was the secret ingredient or weapon in that touring band.  The songs are newly arranged, and "Andy Warhol" is a tough piece with a beautiful melody.  A great selection of tunes with a superb band backing the master.  And on top of that, we get The Walker Brothers (Scott) "Nite Flight."  

 

Joe Meek - "The Emotional, The Cosmic & Occult World of Joe Meek (Mississippi Records)

For the past 30 years I have been obsessed with the sounds and narrative of Joe Meek. There are many compilations out there, but what I suspect is a bootleg, "The Emotional, The Cosmic & Occult World of Joe Meek" is magnificent. Not a bad cut here, and extremely well curated collection of Meek's productions, mostly from the early to mid 1960s. My favorite is Blue Rondos's "Little Baby" which is Roy Obrison magnified in the Meek surroundings into something huge and beautiful. The compressed sound of Meek's production makes it sounds like the band are in a box with tiny air holes to keep them alive. Therefore there is an aural intensity of the sound. The Moontrekkers's "Night of the Vampire" is the ultimate horror instrumental, from the creeking of a casket opening to the female screams, a superb marching riff which I suspect on guitar is played by Richie Blackmore. There is only one mega-hit on this compilation and it's John Leyton's "Johnny Remember Me," a death song bordering on Meek's sense of eros. If you look hard enough one can find this 12-song compilation online. I'm not sure what the sound source is from - CD? Master tapes? Still, it sounds good on my hi-fi. A must for the Joe Meek fan.

MATTHEW EDWARDS AND THE FUTURISTS "The First Song of the Revolution EP" (Static Caravan Recordings)

MATTHEW EDWARDS AND THE FUTURISTS "The First Song of the Revolution EP" (Static Caravan Recordings) Listening to Matthew Edwards's new EP "The First Song of the Revolution" reminds me of all the things I like about music. Music that is textured and performed with taste, precise musicianship, and a reflection of one's past as well as the present. The title song reminds me of The Lovin' Spoonful's "Summer in the City" in its intense sense of place and time. The tune is not the same, but the sense of urgency is very much of those two songs. There are traces of Jack Thackery and early Scott Walker, not due to the voice, but more of the narrative snapshot images in these four songs. Edwards is an artist who takes you to an aural sensuality pool, with the added presence of beautiful lyrics. I bring up the past a lot when I write about music, and it is because I feel I live many lives in songs, and I think Edwards has the same aesthetic or approach to music as well. He's fantastic and very much a treasured and shared artist.

The Bachelor Pad - "All Hash and Cock: The Very Best of The Bachelor Pad" (Emotional Response)

"All Hash and Cock: The Very Best of The Bachelor Pad - The Bachelor Pad (Emotional Response)

There are moments in life when one is confronted by something familiar but so beautiful. The Batchelor Pad is a band from Scotland, who released a handful of singles and one album "Tales of Hofmann." They recently released "All Hash and Cock: The Very Best of The Bachelor Pad," a compilation of their old recordings from 1987 -1991, but sounds like a solid album, not a collection of old recordings. It starts off with the song "The Album of Jack" that references "She Loves You" by the Fab Four and ends with "I Want To Hold Your Head," which lightly comments on "I Want to Hold Your Hand." In-between those two songs, you are taken on a ride through the 1960s/1970s UK pop music but never losing the touch of The Bachelor Pad's originality and humor. To define their sound, I could say they're noisy with irresistible pop melodies. Psych-rock in the most real sense, but their canvas is much larger than that.  

Listening to this compilation, I can hear various artists' presence, but not necessarily a full-end tribute. It's more like a Richard Hamilton college or a Joseph Cornell box sculpture where there are individual pieces that tie to a specific visual or sensibility, but as a whole, it becomes an original artwork. The Bachelor Pad is the same in that they are part of their influences, but the way they put their songs together, it becomes un unique aural sound piece.  

All the songs are layered with guitars, keyboards, bass, and drums, but merge into a sound that is partly Joe Meek meets classic Move (Roy Wood) when they did their early singles. The songs are written by Tommy Cherry and Martin Cotter, and both are credited for guitars and vocals. Due to the sonic qualities, I can't tell who or what guitar is playing; it all blends in such a style as an early Associates recording. They throw in the bathtub and sink, but the sound is chaos with plenty of hummable melodies. "Do It For Fun" sounds like a demented Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich song, but even crazier.   

There are no weak cuts on this compilation, but the stand out is what I believe was their last recording, and it was solely written by Cherry "Meet the Lovely Jenny Brown." The definition of this song is 'Perfect Pop." A beautiful build-up to the catchy chorus, it's a hit song that somehow fell through the cracks of time. A remarkable song on a perfect compilation that sounds like an amazing album. -Tosh Berman. 

You can get this album on their label's website: Emotional Response. https://emotionalresponserecords.com/collections/frontpage/products/the-bachelor-pad-all-hash-and-cock

JARV IS... (Rough Trade) LP, Album, Vinyl, 2020

The new Jarvis Cocker project is Jarv Is... It's a relief of sorts that he has his groove back. For Cocker to do his best work, he needs a great band behind him, for instance, Pulp. Here, he has a brand new group, and they are different from Pulp, but the robust electronics and violin are put in good use in the arrangements. The mixture of real instruments and 70's-era moogs gives it a vintage touch, but also a platform for Jarvis to shine. All the songs are co-written, mostly with Serafina Steer, who plays harp and keyboards. Emma Smith plays violin, and both the back up vocals of Smith and Steer add a lot to the textural quality of the songs. Jarvis mostly plays guitars here, and more used as a sound texture than anything else. A wonderful album.

Sparks: "A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip" Double 45 rpm 12" Vinyl, 2020 (BMG))

Sparks is the portrait of Dorian Gray.  As they go on, their music never ages, yet I, as a listener, is clearly getting older.  Their bite is still energetic, and the melodies that they make seem effortless. "A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip" is a remarkable work, due that its excellence is forward-thinking but without tainting their past.  For me, Sparks's albums are just a chapter in a long (and so far endless) novel.  Ron Mael's lyrics are the most literate in pop; in a sense, one notices the craft that goes into his writing, and then beyond that format, which makes it art.  I never think of Sparks in the terminology of rock n' roll.  To me, their work belongs to the Great American Songbook tradition of songcraft and writing.  Each Sparks album is a multi-media presentation, but for the ears.  Sitting in front of my speakers, I can see the entire show taking place.  "Lawnmower" is one of those Mael's Raymond Queneau type of songs, where the words are playful as well as adding a catchy beat.  Russell Mael's voice takes character and is clearly one of the great vocalists of the last 40-something years. 

There are no 'weak' cuts on this album.  The songs flow from one to the other as if they all belong to the same and close family.   What I do hear that is new is a sax here and there, and some songs have a loud acoustic guitar driving the melody hard.  "A Study Drip, Drip, Drip" is an exceptional album in horrific times.  May Sparks bring light to our world. 

James Brown and The Famous Flames - "I Can't Stand Myself When You Touch Me" Album, LP, Vinyl, 1968 (King Records)

First of all, one of my favorite album covers. I love the three women, and Brown in that mid-century non-existent background. Beyond that, this is an album of 45 rpm singles. When I hear this album, I hear a series of songs—still, a remarkable album. I'm of the opinion that Brown didn't make any bad records during the 1960s. Some I like more than others, but "I Can't Stand Myself (When You Touch Me) is one of the great Brown tunes—an existential existence on the sexual hysteria series of moments. The rest of the album is a consistent groove that one can play at a party, and no one is going to turn blue because of its relatedness funk. 

"Time After Time" has strings behind a horn arrangement, with a potent mix of drums, and it's a pop song, which in actuality it's written by J. Styne and S. Cahn. Oddly enough, it sounds like The Stones "Satisfaction" in parts. "The Soul of J.B." has an organ solo, which I believe is Brown himself. Solid work from beginning to end.  The album is a bridge between the soulful and funk that is Brown. 

Reinbert de Leeuw/Erik Satie - "Vexations" LP, Album, 1983 (Philips)

Album of the day: "Vexations" written by Erik Satie, and performed by Reinbert de Leauw. There are a few editions of this remarkable piece of music. This is the 40-minute version by de Leauw, but there are at least two other versions that last for 80-minutes on the CD format. Either way, you can't fail with this piece of music. Ambient by design, but in actuality, it's a very demanding listening experience. When times get tough (and it's super-duper tough now) this music doesn't exactly calm me down but makes me think in a deeper mode. It's almost another layer of the brain is used when listening to Vexations. If I was going to hit the streets, this would be the music in my headphone.

Sparks - "A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip (BMG)

Sparks - "A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip" (BMG) Streaming

The brilliant aspect of Sparks is not only their way of writing the most catchy melodies, but how they take a subject matter and make it with weight and profound intelligence. "A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip" is such a work that touches greatness with no great effort. Take "Lawnmower," for instance. A song about the love of owning and riding on a lawnmower: it's the obsession of having an object is similar to John Cheever's short story "The Swimmer," where the character goes into the pool after swimming pool to get home, which of course, he never makes it. In all cases, there is a world without Sparks, which is a very blue and bleak world indeed, and then there is a presence where you have Sparks among your favorite items, so the lawnmower is Sparks.

The songs of Ron and Russell Mael, in theory, play in the medium of pop or rock, but in actuality, I think of them as songs set as a chamber piece or a theatrical piece of staging, without the stage. When I sit down in front of a pair of speakers, or on my computer earbuds, I feel like I'm reading either a short story collection or an absurd novel of some design. To me, Sparks doesn't really have a collection of songs, but more of a singular piece of work where the songs fit into a specific format. Like their other albums, all the songs on "A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip" flow one to another in an organic sensibility as of putting peanut butter and jam together.

The sound that rings out to me on this album is the sound of the acoustic strumming guitar. The album is beautifully orchestrated with textural sounds of what sounds like un-electronic instrumentation. Or the sound of a synth that is very Moroder-like in touches here and there. On the other hand, Sparks are masters of illusions, but what I hear is beautiful oriented pop music, in its most natural existence. Perfection is an art, but for Sparks, their music is also business as usual. The big mystery is, how do they keep up their standard of excellence, for so many decades?

This is a big album full of more massive sounds. If one makes comparisons, I would think of the theatrical songs by Weill/Brecht or even Stephen Sondheim. The articulate words meet the well-defined melody, and that, in a nutshell, is Sparks' sense of magic. - Tosh Berman

The Marmalade -"Man In A Shop" b/w "Cry (The Shoob Doroorie Song)" 45 rpm Single, 1967 (Epic)

This 1967 recording of "Man In A Shop" by the British band Marmalade is my favorite record of the Trump Virus Year.   I rarely spend $10 for a single, but after hearing it on YouTube, I must have this record at any cost.  Perfection is mind-boggling when something so beautiful is in your presence.  The song is structurally textured with various melodies coming and leaving, but the hook that gets me is the backward electric guitar, trumpet, and chorus. There are two lead vocals and the song is arranged with immense skill and charm.  Parts of it remind me of early David Bowie (pre-Space Oddity) with the then-charm of baroque pop.  A fantastic record that hasn't left my turntable. 

Hear it here:  "Man In A Shop" by The Marmalade

The dB's - "Stands for Decibels" Vinyl, Album, UK, 1981 (Albion)

There is something criminally wrong when a band like The dB's are not considered to be one of the great groups that came out of the U.S.  in the early 80s.  Their good friend's REM became mega-successful, yet The dB's are thought of as an afterthought than a group of musicians and songwriters who were crucial in their time and place.  Those who know the band's music loves them.  The question is why are they not huge in their time, and more importantly why are there records out-of-print?

"Stands for Decibels" always struck me as a greatest-hits album, because that is what this record sounds like. Every other song either sounds like a magnificent A-side to a single, or a very interesting B-side.  Chris Stamey and Peter Holsapple are the songwriters in the group and Gene Holder and Will Rigby are the rhythm section.  A too-easy comparison is with The Beatles era "For Sale/Beatles '65", but like the Fab Four album, these are songs with twisted emotions and intense deliveries. Stamey and Holsapple have their distinctive way of writing songs, which makes them stand out, so one can tell which is a Chris or Peter song.  Still, this variety pack is equally fantastic in the mix that is "Stands for Decibels."   Broadly speaking (or listening) Stamey's songs are dreamy and biting in that John Lennon sense, while Peter's work is straight forward with great choruses.  Very much an underrated band, and this album is a masterpiece. 

Jeff Beck -"Love is Blue" (L'amour Est Bleu) b/w "I've Been Drinking" 45rpm 7" single, Blue Vinyl, 1968/2015 (Sundazed)

For a few months after leaving The Yardbirds, Jeff Beck was unpredictable. He could go heavy, Psych, blues, but I wouldn't suspect him doing Middle-of-the-Road music.  "Love is Blue" is a MOR standard, and to me, it's a crazy concept between him and the producer Mickie Most. Still, at its best, there is a trace of a Shadows influence, regarding how Beck handles his guitar duty on this French pop song.  The first 20 seconds must have people look at the record label to see it wasn't a mistake.  Once the guitar kicks in, it's Beck, but a weird Jeff.   On a kitsch level, it's masterful. But Beck and kitsch really doesn't really mix well. Especially when the backup chorus kicks in. Did Mickie Most really see Jeff Beck as the guitar hero for the granddad set in the middle of the swinging 1960s?

The B-side (thank god for B-Sides) is "I've Been Drinking" a co-write between Beck and his vocalist at the time, Rod Stewart. I have to imagine that this is the classic Jeff Beck Group lineup with Ron Wood on bass, Mickey Weller on drums, and Nicky Hopkins on piano.  I like the echo effect on Rod's voice and the underhanded backup vocals.  Sturdy, workman-like, but not on a genius level. Still, there is something always cool about Jeff Beck. It's in his DNA. 

David Bowie - "Is It Any Wonder?" Vinyl, EP, Limited Edition, 2020 (Parlophone)

A six-song 12" EP is another must-have if one is a David Bowie fanatic. Bowie is resembling after-life as a version of Elvis's reissues. Still, the quality is high, and I wonder if it is even possible for Bowie to make a truly bad record?  The answer is no!   The songs here are not totally new, but they are recent recordings made between 1995 and 1998, during his come back, quality-wise, after his "Outside" album and the next underrated "Earthling" recordings.    There are two songs from Tin Machine "Baby Universal" and "I Can't Read," as well as "Stay" from "Station to Station," and "The Man Who Sold The World."  The new songs (at least for me) are "Nuts,' which sounds like the technique of bass n' drums of "Earthling," but has the darker mood of a selection from "Outside." The other tune "Fun (Clownboy Mix)" is not familiar to me.   The song has a nice flow, in fact, the entire collection melts from one song to another.  

This EP is not a rehash but a fresh approach to some of his older songs or re-thought out in a manner for his electro-rock aesthetic at the time. Nevertheless, it's classic Bowie and does show the talents of Reeves Gabriel (now in The Cure) and Mark Plati.  Both contribute a lot to the mixes and their fingerprints on the work come up splendidly.   The Bowie estate is really doing a nice and thorough job in putting out these releases.  When you can, I suggest you buy "Is It Any Wonder? on the Rhino website, here: David Bowie Is It Any Wonder?

Haruomi Hosono - "Philharmony" Vinyl, Reissue, Album, 1982/2018 (Light in the Attic)

Techo-pop as perfection.  Haruomi Hosono, who is no stranger on my blog here, is a combination of Van Dyke Parks and Brian Eno.  His stance in Japanese contemporary music is vast and of great importance.  Hosono is active as a producer, songwriter, arranger, and solo artist, as well as being part of the YMO (Yellow Magic Orchestra).  There is something late 20th-century Japan that fits in perfectly with the sound of analog synths and the way music is used in public areas, such as train stations and retail shopping areas.  Often, and to this day, one can hear interesting electronic music being in the background while traveling or shopping.   "Philharmony" is the ground zero of this type of aesthetic.  Hosono has made pure electronic ambient albums, but "Philharmony" is based on pop songs done in an electronic manner. 

There's a touch of purity in its approach, but Hosono is very expressive in that framework. This album is light, airy, but with a strong sense of melodies.  At the moment it is either difficult to find, or very expensive, but I do swear that it is worth the game of searching this album down. 

Ennio Morricone -- "Le Foto Proibite Di Una Signora Per Bene" OST, Vinyl, LP, Album, 1970/2014 (Dagored)

The genius of Ennio Morricone's score for "Le Foto Proibite Di Una Signora Per Bene" is the mixture of easy listening samba beats with threatening orchestration that something bad is going to happen around the corner.  Morricone is a master of tension being built up, and then the blissful melody or beauty arrives. Featuring the eternal vocals of the great Edda Dell'Orso, this is one of the important soundtracks by the Italian master.  As I have written before, I think of Morricone as one of the great composers of the 20th-century.  Here he also orchestrated the music as well as writing the score and incidental music for the film. 

The Modern Lovers - "The Modern Lovers Vinyl, Album, Reissue, 2019/1976 (Music on Vinyl)

The first time I heard the words "Modern Lovers" was in Interview magazine, and there was an interview with Jonathan Richman, the lead lover in this band. It was before I heard any music by them, and they were a band that mostly played in the Boston/NYC area. I was equally intrigued and amazed about Richman's stance on rock n' roll as a highly poetic/romantic platform but through his unique eyes. Not precisely innocence, but one who ruled out anything negative by taking ugly and making it beautiful. If rock n' roll is deformed in the sense of its decadence, then Jonathan only sees enlightenment that is borderline spiritual. Still, there are emotional feelings in every song. The way he portrays "Pablo Picasso" as a stud-in-the-make, in it's Velvet Underground minimalism. The juxtaposition of Picasso's image as an artist, human being, and Richman is treating him like a Velvet's subject matter. His observation strength is through, and his guitar playing is glued to the Lou Reed/Sterling Morrison aesthetic. If Reed is cynical, Richman is hopefully in the most profound manner. "Roadrunner," of course, is the ultimate car and get on the highway song.  An essential album because it's a unique voice, which artists like Morrissey and others used as a springboard for their angst and work. John Cale's production is never fussy, just reporting the fact.  With Jarry Harrison (Talking Heads), David Robinson (The Cars), and Ernie Brooks supply the foundation for Jonathan's flight into the genius level. 

V.A. -"History of British Rock" Compilation, 2 x Vinyl, 1974 (Sire)

Music became a force for me during my childhood. I was nine or 10-years old when The Beatles made their appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, and the impact of that event or spectacle had made a great impression for me. I wasn't aware that there was British English in the landscape until I heard them speak Liverpool English. The Beatles, for me, besides being a great band, also were the heavenly gate to the entrance of British music culture for yours truly. The Stones came upon me at the same time as the Fab Four. However, it was the Honeycombs that made an impression on me in a very insightful manner that still gives me goosebumps when I hear their recording "Have I The Right." In 1974 when I turned 20, I purchased "History of British Rock," due that they have The Honeycombs' hit song on this compilation.

Alas, this collection brought memories back to me in the same manner as Marcel Proust's character taking a bite of the French cookie. Billy J. Kramer, The Mindbenders (great name for a band by the way), Troggs, and so forth had a magnificent presence in my childhood. Therefore even in my 20's and thinking of the present, I was taken to my childhood in a pleasant manner. The album also introduced me to new music that wasn't popular in Los Angeles in the early 60s, such as Cliff Richard's "Blue Turns To Grey," a remarkable song by Jagger/Richards and an excellent recording. Also, Status Quo's "Pictures of Matchstick Men," Dusty Springfield's "I Only Want To Be With You," and The Pretty Things "Don't Bring Me Down." Those were new songs for me. I have read about these artists in teenage magazines, but never had the opportunity to hear the songs, until I purchased "History of British Rock."

Over the years, I lost this compilation but recently purchased a copy at Rockaway Records, which was under $5. Now, the album not only takes me back to the early 60s but also 1974, when I originally bought the album. A record is not only a listening experience but also an entranceway to one's past.

Pierre Bachelet & Hervé Roy - "Emmanuelle" OST, CD, Japan, 1974/1990 (Warner Brothers Music)

I bought my CD copy of the OST "Emmanuelle" some years ago in Tokyo.  For whatever reason, it seems to be the perfect city to buy the ultimate Euro soft-porn soundtrack.   The score is by Pierre Bachelet and Hervé Roy, and it reeks of 1970's swingers' scent.   The album is a favorite of mine because it's basically the same melody played in various styles and settings.  Luckily, the melody is pretty and of course, flexible for the needs of the producer(s) of the film "Emmanuelle."  With song titles like "Emmanuelle Song," Emmanuelle in Thailand, "Emmanuelle Swims, " and the controversial "Rape Sequence," mostly due that the composers borrowed from a King Crimson composition. 

An album like this I feel can't be made in the 21st-century, not only for its eros but the focus on one theme as it is played out throughout the album and movie.  One of my (guilty) faves, and a trip back to a world that's different then from now. 

Walter (Wendy) Carlos - "Stanley Kurbrick's A Clockwork Orange" OST, Vinyl, LP, 1972 (Warner Brothers)

A beautiful icy cruel album for our brutal times at the moment (Trump Virus). Wendy Carlos, who made most of the music on this album, adopts Beethoven and Sir Edward Elgar, as well as a memorable version of Rossini's "William Tell Overture." The thing about Kubrick is that he was always two steps ahead of a lot of other mainstream artists.  Stanley's approach to using music, such as classical, is unique and bold. Kenneth Anger comes to mind as a fellow genius in using music/songs to convey the mood of the images. The soundtrack to "A Clockwork Orange" is very much not only fits the images of the film exceptionally well but also expresses the rot that is the 20th and 21st-century. This is music that reminds you of a rich past but in a bleak present. Mostly due to the skill and vision of Carlos in making something new out of old material. As I look at images of the virus and how it has affected various parts of the world, I hear this soundtrack in my head. This is the music that announces that we are fucked. 

Kimley and I have a podcast called Book Musik, and we did an episode focusing on Wendy Carlos. You can hear it here:  BOOK MUSIK: Wendy Carlos

Jazz in Paris, Vol 3 -"Saint-Germain-Des-Prés (1946-1956) 3 x CD, Compilation, 2004 (Gitanes Jazz Productions )

I love everything French ever since I was a tot and my dad took me to see a Bardot movie in Larkspur  California.  Over decades my love of Parisian aesthetic came to fruition with the music of Serge Gainsbourg, Boris Vian, Les Rita Mitsuko, and many others.  I also love French Jazz, which sometime sounds like American Jazz, but with a French twist to the sound.  In 2004, they released a "Jazz in Paris" series that is excellent.  Eventually, they then made CD boxsets with an additional book in the package.   One can't go wrong with the quality of the book as well as the music of course.  Volume 3 is "Saint-Germain-Des-Prés (1946-1956), and it's a compilation that goes beyond excellence.

Saint-Germain was the focal point of those years for writing and music-making.  Think of it as Liverpool in the early 1960s or Height Asbury in the Psychedelic Era, or NYC from the 1930s to 1970s.  It seems that brilliance was from the air and landed on the grand boulevard of Saint-Germain.

Boris Vian and some others introduce American Jazz into Paris, by releasing recordings as well as arranging tours for various Jazz artists such as Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, and others.  This collection mostly focuses on French jazz musicians like Django Reinhardt, René Urtreger Trio, and including my hero Boris Vian. 

There are also Americans such as Sidney Bechet And His Feetwarmers,  Don Byas, and so forth. Still, the magnificence of the playing and the communication between the two cultures are breathtaking. Beautiful moments of time and this boxset takes you to ground zero of French greatness.  

King Crimson - "THRAK" 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered 2019/1995 (Discipline Global Mobile)

I wrote about King Crimson's 1995 album "THRAK" a little awhile ago, concerning the CD release of this album. Listening to it again (and again) "THRAK" is King Crimson's best album. The sound of two guitars (or more overdubs), two basses, and two drummers, in other words, a double-trio setting makes the sound hard with moments of softness that is truly beautiful. "Coda: Marine 475 is like the greatest Yardbirds rave-up within under three-minutes. I have never been a mega-fan of Adrian Belew's writing, but here he shines as both writer and guitarist. "THRAK" is an accurate title to this work, because that is the overall sound of the album. 

The music is orchestral and very contained in the hands of Robert Fripp and company. Fripp is the Duke Ellington of this band, and he knows how to obtain a singular focus, while still showing each musician's character and trademark. Bill Bruford and Pat Mastelotto work brilliantly together to give loose almost chaotic rhythms to match the sweetness and mostly the harshness of the guitars. My favorite guitar albums are the first Television and Feelies albums, and "THRAK" is another excellent guitar record. 

Jeff Beck - "Tallyman" b/w "Rock My Plimsoul" 45prm single, yellow vinyl, 1967/2015 (Epic/Sundazed)

Jeff Beck always appealed to me due to his clothes sense, physical looks, and of course, his guitar playing.  There is something no-nonsense concerning his approach to music-making.  I admire that and being a fan of The Yardbirds, I feel a devotion to his time in that band.  Still, in 1968, when I purchased his album "Truth" I was disappointed in its conservative approach to rock.  I loved the craziness and wildness of The Yardbirds singles and their manic quality.  Beck, on his own, was a tad tasteful.   He had a great band, with such talent as Rod Stewart, Ron Wood as the bassist, and Mick Weller as a drummer - plus the presence of the great Nicky Hopkins.  Still, there was something missing in the mix, and I think that was due that Beck is not a songwriter.  Also, he's not a great arranger like Jimmy Page, who by the way, I don't think he's a songwriter as well.  But he knows a great tune if you get my drift. 

"Tally Man" is an interesting record/song by Beck. Written by the great Graham Gouldman, who wrote hits for The Yardbirds as well as Herman's Hermits, and produced by Mickie Most.  I believe it's Beck on lead vocals, and it's a wonderful pop song done in that Beck manner to make it heavy.  A one-off single before the album, or before he got the band together.  

France Gall - "1968" Vinyl, Album, Reissue, 1968/2020 (Third Man Records)

France Gall, a teenage singer, for whom Serge Gainsbourg wrote many of her hits. That is interesting, but France is also a great Jazz orientated singer singing French Pop. Beside Gainsbourg, her pop, Robert Gall, wrote a lot of her lyrics with various composers. On the surface, Gall sang for teenagers, but the songs were all written by men in their 30s. This is not an unusual occurrence in the world of French pop music. One of her principal arrangers is Alain Goraguer, a remarkable music figure as well. He worked with everyone from Boris Vian, to Gainsbourg and made a significant electronic soundtrack album "La Planète Sauvage." The other arranger on this album is the English composer and arranger David Whitaker. All of the above, including France Gall, contributed to "1968."

The album captures the year 1968 as if it was an early colored photograph. "1968" yells out the decade due to the exotic instrumentation as well as the balance of pure pop with something substantial. The interesting thing about following French pop music is one should not only pay attention to the headliner (the singer of course) but also equally important are the arrangers. Whitaker and Goraguer have a unique sound, and they truly put their mark on their recordings. "1968" is not only a great France Gall disc but also a crucial recording made by the French, with the help of an Englishman (Whitaker) in a highly inventive album. There are two Gainsbourg songs on the album as well. They are highly recommended. 

Vince Taylor & His Playboys - "Vince Taylor Rocks" Vinyl, Compilation, 2017 (Not Now Music)

Vince Taylor is an extreme version of Gene Vincent. He's a British subject that lived in the U.S., and then went back to London to make records, and eventually became a massive star in France. Vince went insane due to Acid and whatever else. He became a hero to David Bowie, who based his Ziggy Stardust character on specific characteristics of Mr. Taylor. Finding Vince Taylor recordings is not impossible, but a difficult journey. "Vince Taylor Rocks!" is probably the easiest to find, but also includes both his French and British recordings. "Brand New Cadillac" is the only composition by Vince, and it's a classic. Clash recorded it, and therefore their version is more known to the general public. Otherwise, Vince covered the early rock n' roll hits of such artists like Little Richard, Chuck Berry, and Eddie Cochran. What makes Vince unique is that he takes the imagery and sensuality of early Rock n' Roll and makes it into a personal statement. From the YouTube footage, one gathers that Vince was probably one of the great performers in that field of music. To me, he's essential that he is a Kenneth Anger image of rock, and fueled Bowie's imagination. But also, his recordings are a total delight. Seek Vince Taylor, and you will find bliss. 

The Box Tops - "The Letter/Neon Rainbow" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1967 (Bell)

I have to presume that this is the first Alex Chilton album, as him being a member of The Box Tops.  The blue-eyed soul of Chilton's singing plus the aural pleasures supplied by producer and songwriter Dan Penn makes "The Letter/Neon Rainbow" a real delight.  I'm intrigued by Penn's production of the album.  The orchestration is both understated and there to support Alex's vocals. I don't get the feeling that this is a band at work, but more of a singer with a remarkable writer and arranger.  I love "Trains & Boats & Planes" as well as their version of "Whiter Shade of Pale."  There is a mellow aspect to the vocals, and yet, it is hard to believe that Alex was a teenager at the time of these recordings.  Chilton had that genius aspect in that whatever he touches on, it becomes gold. Penn and Chilton are a great working relationship. 

Vanilla Fudge - "Vanilla Fudge" Vinyl, Album, LP, 1967 (ATCO)

A very popular album when I was a young teenager.  I think every other teenager in Topanga Canyon and the San Fernando Valley had a copy of Vanilla Fudge.  I didn't hate them but was very suspicious of them.  For one, it didn't seem that they wrote any of their songs and there is also an icky aspect to them, that I couldn't put my finger on.  On the other hand, I did have admiration for the album cover art.  It seems like a French cartoon, then an album cover for a NY band.  So, very much in my youth, although my friends had this album, I avoided it like it was the plague.  It struck me as being too straight, and almost Squaresville.  Not until I was in my mid-60s did I purchased a used version of this childhood product. 

What drew me to Vanilla Fudge is Shadow Morton.  I have always loved his work with the remarkable Shangri-Las and he produced the second New York Dolls album, which I like a lot.  So, therefore, and since he produced the Vanilla Fudge, there must be some worth to this album. The way it's packaged it seems to be a statement by Mortan than Vanilla Fudge.  For whom by the way, also had the worse name for a band ever in my existence. Still, side-one is like a novella, in that each song or track fits into the next one.  The Zombies "She's Not There," merges into Sonny Bono's "Bang Bang," which done by The Fudge seems to be the ultimate Existential moment. 

It dawned on me by the time I finished hearing this album, that it is a masterpiece, and somehow through my snobbish youth, I totally missed the drama that is built in this recording.  Heavy on the beat and the organ, this is not garage rock, but almost an operatic practice in doing pop music. In my youth I didn't get it (although everyone else around me got it); this is music that truly reflects the San Fernando Valley in 1967. 

Billy Nicholls - "Would You Believe" 2 x Vinyl, Compilation, Limited Edition, 2007/1968 (Immediate)

I had the CD of the original album but recently purchased a reissued limited-edition double-set, with the extra songs being demos and stuff that didn't make it on the original release in 1968.  "Would You Believe" is incredible.  Imagine the Psychedelic sounds of The Small Faces meeting The Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds," and that equals Billy Nicholls.  I don't have that much information on Nicholls, but I believe he is sort of like Speedy Keen of Thunderclap Newman, who was a pal of Pete Townshend and helped out in the studio here and there.   Billy did the same thing for The Who in the 70s and afterward.  This comes to mind perhaps Pete hires people more talented than him!

The Small Faces helped out with the production and arrangement for the song "Would You Believe," and it clearly has their sound, but Nicholls' talent doesn't disappear in the mix whatsoever.  This album is full of brilliant British musicians of its time, with great arrangements by John Paul Jones and Arthur Greenslade, who even worked with Serge Gainsbourg.  My favorite cut here is "Girl From New York," which is the perfect combination of power pop melody with heavy 60s guitar groove that is total Mod-tastic.  The album comes from the sensibility of British Mod-era music as it went into the late 60s.  This album is the perfect sound and example of what was happening at that time, especially in London.  Try to find the double-album set, with the demos attached, because they to are fantastic.  Perfect record. 

Marc Bolan - "Pictures of Purple People" Vinyl, LP, Album, Remastered, 2019 (Easy Action)

A fascinating album of demos by a young Marc Bolan that shows him off as being very influenced by Bob Dylan, and then quickly he turns his obsessions to American cars and girls.  A road map that leads to T Rex.  The great majority of the songs here are just Marc with acoustic guitar, and it is also interesting to see how he used his voice in the early stages of his career.  For the T Rex obsessive, and those who want to study how Dylan influenced many artists. 

The Associates - "Wild and Lonely" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1990 (Circa)

There is no such thing as a bad Associates or Billy Mackenzie record.  It doesn't really exist. Still, the early recordings with Alan Rankine are for sure the more artful era of The Associates.  Compare early Bryan Ferry with Eno Roxy Music, and later era of that band.  Both are still great, but very different. "Wild and Lonely" is basically Billy solo, even though he kept the band's name, it is a solo album.  It is also a brilliant pop album with a strong groove.  I think Billy was listening to Michael Jackson "Off the  Wall," in that he mixes the pop with the Rn'B in an organic manner that it seems effortless.  There is not a bad cut on the album, and why it wasn't successful either in the UK or in the U.S., is sort of an odd mystery, but more of a great disappointment.  

"Strasbourg Square" is a lush and beautiful ballad.  European to its soul, one would have hoped that Billy moved to Paris or even Berlin, but alas, a man of Scotland to the very end.  A great album. 

Duke Ellington and His Orchestra - "Nutcracker Suite/Peer Gynt Suites Nos. 1 & 2" Vinyl, Album (Columbia)

The Duke 'duke-itze' Tchaikovsky and Grieg.   Co-arranged by Billy Strayhorn, this is a remarkable work by the Ellington Orchestra.  It's a work that is re-imagined by the composing genius. "Nutcracker Suite" is a work that most of us know from the Christmas Holiday, a ballet that as a schoolchild one had to see.  It's the "Louie Louie" of the ballet world. In Ellington's version, it becomes a subtle work of beauty, that is understated, and the hint of the well-known melodies makes it more of an aftertaste than a full meal.

My favorite is Grieg's "Peer Gynt" which has beautiful melodies, and the tasteful horns with a superb percussion make this work come alive.  I'm a huge fan of arrangements of familiar music and Ellington like Jack Nitzsche's Chopin album, he presents his arranging skills as a skilled translator. 

Various - "Lost Legends of Surf Guitar" 2xVinyl, LP, Mono, Compilation, 2012 (Sundazed Music)

The classic era of Surf Music is in the early 1960s and for me, it is more about the sound of the recordings than anything else.  Everything here on this excellent compilation is from small independent labels throughout the United States.   What they have in common is a sound that is very much like Joe Meek's recordings, but also you can hear the first Roxy Music album as well.  Especially with the horn sound that is similar to Andy Mackay's work with Roxy.   Of course, there's the guitar sound, which is magnificent and iconic. 

"Devil Surfer" is by Scott Engel, who a few years later will turn into Scott Walker, and that cut is great.  The orchestration that hints the big screen vision of Scott's vision for his future.  The other piece I admire is The Menn's "Ian Fleming Theme" which captures the John Barry Bond vibe, as well as the remarkable "Pray for Surf" by The Essex.  Both are produced by John Hodge.  

The great thing about this type of music is that it's rock n' roll but filtered through an Exotica aesthetic that is all about the blue ocean, or communities near the water.  Even though the recordings could have been made in the Mid-West, it still conveys a fantasy.  Sundazed does great compilations, and "Lost Legends of Surf Guitar" is an important document that one can dream and dance to.

Roger Ruskin Spear - "Electric Shocks" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1972 (United Artists)

Vivian Stanshall is the face of The Bonzo Dog Band, but in truth, there is also the musical talents of the late Neil Innes, and then someone called Roger Ruskin Spear.   Mr. Spear played sax in the band and wore silly outfits.  One wonders what a solo album would be like from this artist (visual as well as aural).  The music is very tightly arranged, humorous (of course), and a glance back to the music hall days of Britain, but with a straightforward approach to (kind of) 1950s rock.  The appeal for me is the intelligence behind his work.  Spear knows his music history, in the same sense as someone like Roy Wood.  The fact that he has Andy Newman (of Thunderclap Newman) on piano, and two music journalists serving here as musicians.  The main cut here is "Patrick Moore" which has this great Joe Meek tribute in the middle of the song, and serves as the chorus. 

The Monkees - "The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees" Vinyl, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo, 1968/1996 (Sundazed Music)

This past 12-months, I have been slowly and carefully purchasing The Monkees' catalog on vinyl. Never a huge fan, but for sure, an admirer of their complicated work and history. The Monkees seemed to be made for a man like me, due to my age and era as a teenager. I watched every episode of the Monkees show as it was originally broadcast, I believe on NBC Network (this is from memory). Also, I purchased the first two Monkees albums, due to my love of the show. I quickly moved on to other aural pleasures, but alas, The Monkees never left! How a band that had the last grasps of the Brill Building aesthetic working for them, as well as being part of the Hippie world, and then this 'fake' band became a 'real' band. Not only that, they sabotaged their Monkees career by making the most post-punk film of its era "Head." It's laughable that the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame, so far, ignored them. Is there anything more rock n' roll and crazed than The Monkees?

"The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees is their fifth album and was made when the TV series was dead in 1968. In such a manner, this album is their version of The Beatles "White Album." In that, each member of the band produced their own songs, in separate studios, away from the others. Peter Tork, I believe, is not even on the album, except for the one song and hit "Daydream Believer." Still, when everything is falling apart, some exciting art does come up. The stronger cuts on the album are contributed by Michael Nesmith. His work here is psychedelic, with traces of drones and wild keyboard playing. There are seconds or maybe a whole minute where one would think that Tony Conrad or La Monte Young showed up at the sessions. The Davy Jones contributions are very Pop (with the capital P).  His head and soul are very much part of the London West-End stages, even as a rock n' roll figure on an American TV show and in real life. I miss Mickey Dolenz's voice on this album. He is singing on three songs, but for my taste, I feel Dolenz is one of the great pop/rock singers of his era and is still fantastic. I suspect that there is no such thing as a bad Mickey Dolenz vocal or track. 

"The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees" is very much a transitional work that is between their beginnings and their wandering years. Boyce and Hart contribute to their production (uncredited) and songwriting on two songs, and that reflects on the past. Nesmith is very much the present on this album. A strange record in an appealing manner.