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.

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. 

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. 

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. 

Creedence Clearwater Revival - "Cosmo's Factory" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1970 (Fantasy)

As of three-years ago, if you told me that I would even have a copy of any Creedence Clearwater Revival album in my home, I would laugh at your face. A band I neither liked or admired, but just accepted that they were on the FM/AM radio and that is how the world was at the time. Like King Crimson, I have become more open-minded about bands that I never can imagine I would have in my collection. "Cosmos Factory" is essential to me due to two songs on it. "Ramble Tamble" and their 11-minute take on Marvin Gaye's "I Heard it Through the Grapevine." Both songs are on a genius level, not due to the songwriting, but the arrangements done by the band or John Fogerty. And Fogerty does get the credit, but I suspect that the group is very much part of the sound as well. 

"Ramble Tamble" (hearing or reading the title reminds me of Russ Tamblyn, but that's another narrative) is a groover of a song. Still, it has a great, almost psychedelic guitar that is half that, and surf. It's a fantastic track. The other song of interest, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," has a bit of dark history for me. I remember camping on the beach for a week, and it was with Russ Tamblyn and his wife at the time. The dark part was not the company, but the beach itself. I was freezing in the nighttime air, and the one moment of happiness that night was my AM transistor radio. Some station was playing the entire length of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," and it was scary and intriguing at the time. I never felt so alone at 3 in the morning, and hearing this odd and strange recording. Listening to it to now brings back the memory of that beach trip, but also it's a beautifully arranged version of the song. Never have two electric guitars, bass and drums sounded so seductive. 

Big Star - "Radio City" Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, 1974/2011 (Ardent Records)

I haven't heard this album in a long time, and just tonight, I found a vinyl copy, so I thought, "OK." What's incredible is discovering how much I still love this album. The performance by Big Star on "Radio City" is energetic, powerful, and layered with guitars that pulls the listener into a concept of imagery that comes with their music. It's perfection as practiced by Jody Stephens, Andy Hummel, and of course, Alex Chilton. 

The DNA of their sound, at least for this album, is The Beatles "For Sale" or at the very least, "Revolver." But it's work that doesn't imitate the fab four sound, but more used as a platform for Alex and company to build their music on. At the time, there were a lot of power-pop bands and artists. A lot of them were good, including Cheap Trick. But I find Big Star very much on the spiritual side of the music than getting the right guitar sound, or the perfect melody arrangement. There is magic in these recordings and songs.  I think a lot has to do with the "It" quality of Alex and the band. John Fry, their engineer, really caught the essence of the sound in the studio. For some odd reason listening to this album on vinyl, it really grabbed me by the heart and head. 

The essence of Alex Chilton is here, and there is something reckless, sexy. Yet, in firm control of the material, that is his personality. I don't think there is such a thing as a 'bad' Alex performance or even album. One can like something more than the other, but his genius is to give every song he sang a distinctive quality that can only be Alex. Like hearing Bowie, or Billie Holiday, who' put a stamp on their songs cannot be imitated, Alex is in the same league as those singers. There are those who sound like students when they do this sort of music. Still, Big Star owns their material in such a manner that it is characteristic of their genius. And then there are the Bill Eggleston photos. That's brilliant, as well. 

Philip Glass - "Mishima" Vinyl, LP, OST, 1985 (Nonesuch)

One can argue that there are better Philip Glass albums out there, but I'm very fond of his soundtrack to the film "Mishima" directed by Paul Schrader. I think "Einstein on the Beach" is one of the great pieces in classical 20th-century music, but Glass can do different types of music. "Mishima" is full of beautiful melodies, and the way he builds up the tempo as if adding one pick-up stick on to another, you're waiting for it to collapse. Alas, that doesn't happen. 

The film itself is one of my favorites as well. Ever since I was a teenager, I had a fascination with Yukio Mishima, not only for his writing but for his crazed life as well. On the surface, his whole lifestyle devoted to a mixture of literature, politics, gay life, and his need to be a performer — one thing for sure he didn't hold anything back. The film captures his character, but it is also the best work on a writer creating his (or her) world. Most movies about writers are dull. Still, Mishima is unique because, due to family overtures, Schrader had to rely on Mishima's writings, and that made this film a stronger piece of art.  The Glass compositions add a sense of melancholy as well as grandness. There is even a surf guitar part in the score that is a mystery to me — one of the unusual aspects in a Glass composition ever. There are classic OST albums that stay with me beyond the film. "A Clockwork Orange, "8 1/2," and "Mishima" is right up there with my other faves. 

Henry Cowell - "The Piano Music of Henry Cowell" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1963 (Folkways Records)

Henry Cowell is an amazing composer and a brilliant pianist.  Famous for his cluster notes, and stroking the piano strings, he's to me the melodic John Cage.  "The Piano Music of Henry Cowell" is the perfect introduction to his music and aesthetic.   Oddly enough, "Aeolian Harp and Sinister Resonance" melody sound similar to The Yardbirds' "Still I'm Sad."  The closest composer I can compare him to is Erik Satie.  Both write strong melodies, but there is a genius aspect of what they both do.  Cowell is more upbeat and mixes the ugliness of cluster with the harp-like strokes of the piano wires and the beautiful melodies.   Throughout the album, Cowell announces each title of his composition as if he was lecturing in a classroom.  There is also a talk by the composer at the end of the album. Essential! 

Talk Talk - "Laughing Stock" Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, 2016/1991 (Polydor)

Friends of mine who have taste always recommended Talk Talk to me.  For years I have avoided hearing their music, not due to being put-off by the band, but just totally absorb into the music of my choice at the time.  It wasn't until Mark Hollis passed away this past month that I decided to make the leap and I purchased "Laughing Stock," which is I think was the last Talk Talk album.  

I was first introduced to Talk Talk in Reseda California when I worked at Licorice Pizza.  We got free tickets to see Talk Talk at a nightclub in the San Fernando Valley.  At the time, they had a hit song "Talk Talk" which I thought was strange that it was the name of the band as well.  At the time, it bothered me that they both had a song and a band name that was the same.  In my psyche, I felt that this wasn't right.  I have a faint memory of seeing them, and I think it was Holley singing lead, and then there was a bass player, keyboard, and drums.  Very minimal in that fashion.  They didn't leave a strong impression on me at the time.  What impressed me later is that they abandoned the new wave world into the moody jazz planet. Or I was told that by numerous acquaintances.

I like "Laughing Stock." I like it a lot.  My first impression is always to make a comparison of what you hear, and try to match it with another artist. In this case, it reminds me of a bit of  Steve Winwood / Traffic meeting David Sylvian solo recordings.  Talk Talk is more abstract than those two. It's hard to define their sound, which is dreamy and also free of electronics but use the recording studio in a manner that is like an additional musician in the band.  Which sounds like Eno, but Talk Talk work on a different type of canvas than Brian Eno.   

Six songs but it are easy to drift from one track to the next.  The appearance of the songs seems laid back, but there is actually bits of noise or extreme electric guitar sounds which for sure, does not make this music ambient by any means.  There's an electric Miles Davis vibe attached to the aural landscape as well.  The beauty of the music is that it's not easy to put into words, but as music, as one listens to it, the album makes excellent sense. 

John White / Gavin Bryars - "Machine Music" Vinyl, LP, Album, UK, 1978/1976 (Obscure Records)

Although no one will mistake Brian Eno as precisely as a pop star, yet, he is in a sense, but of course with that something extra, which is his interest in Experimental or new music.  In the mid-70s Eno started a record label, Obscure Records, to focus on modern music composers, most of them are British, and very much in Eno's social and music world.   One interesting album (of many fascinating titles) is  the John White and Gavin Bryars album "Machine Music."  

White is by design a minimalist composer, but I find labels too limiting and not very accurate in the sounds one hears.   On side one he has four pieces.  The opening cut is "Autumn Countdown Machine" which is a playful series of notes between a Bassoon, Double Bass, and Tuba that has a sound of various percussion instruments and a metronome underlining the main instrumentation.  To me, I can tell it's British because of its character.  It's a funny piece, but beautiful as well.  Perhaps it's that dynamics that gives this work such character.  "Son of Gothic Cord" is a piano piece played by White and Christopher Hobbs.  It reminds me of a bit of a Steve Reich piano work, but usually, his music is based on another culture, this I think is more numeral orientated or with a strict system in place.  It has an echo that fills the room. One thought but with four hands.  "Jew's Harp Machine" is sort of a super session with White, Michael Nyman, Gavin Bryars, and Christopher Hobbs (the Obscure house band!) all playing Jew's Harp, in a rhythmic fashion that has echo and delay (at least to my ears).  "Drinking and Hooting Machine" is a bottle blowing composition and it's eerie, and I can imagine this being heard over a rural countryside, with nothing but owls looking down on the musicians.  

On side two we have one composition by Gavin Bryars which is all guitars.  Played by Bryars, the great Derek Bailey, the amazing Fred Frith, and professional beginner Brian Eno, called "The Squirrel and the Ricketty Racketty Bridge."  A riff that reminds me a bit of White's first composition on the other side "Autumn Countdown Machine."   Four types of guitars that have separate and distinctive sounds that has a beautiful layered aural presence.  Not The Ventures or The Shadows mind you, but still a fresh piece of music.   

Obscure Records had only eight or nine releases but all of them are real gems, and it's excellent to re-hear them in 2019.   Eno should be applauded for presenting new music in such a fashion that's enticing and thrilling at the same time. 

Elvis Presley - "The King In The Ring" 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album, 2018 (RCA)

Released in many formats, this is a very recent re-release of Elvis Presley's incredible performance on his NBC-TV special from 1968.  At this point, Elvis was a figure from the past, who made too many mediocre films, and this was an approach to bring him back to contemporary culture.  Either by Elvis or the producers, they had the brilliant idea to do a set of songs unplugged and little to no sets, but surrounded by an audience.   

Covering his Sun-era recordings as well as his early 1950s RCA sides, plus a few Christmas songs (including one of my fave Elvis cuts "Blue Christmas"), he's not only back, but also to my ears has the energy of a young proto-punk band.  The Cramps came to mind when I hear this album, and it's not that weird of a comparison or aesthetic.  The sad thing is that Elvis regained his 'moment' but then lost it in the 1970s, at least image-wise.   Often bloated, but I would argue his magnificent voice never failed him.   Now, I wonder if Elvis actually had made a bad record?  Weak ones, yes, but a terrible record?  Still, clad in an all-leather outfit, and an f**K you to 1960s haircut and stance, he's magnificent. 

For one, to see him with his band is like being in a foreign country to me.  It's William Faulkner coming to life, and the happy relationship between him and the group, is very much like a small club where the membership is secret, and although he and they are human, it is still very much of a foreign culture.  But that's me, the ultimate Southern California fellow!  If The Cramps are exotic then so is "The King In The Ring."  It's a double album, of two live sets recorded for the TV special.  The idea was to film both shows and then edit the songs together for the final program.  So, as a listener, we are hearing repeated but different performances such as Jimmy Reed's "Baby What You Want Me To Do" (five times) "One Night (three times) and so forth.  Each version has its charms, and all are phenomenal.  

The band is basically the original Elvis group of Scotty Moore and drummer D. J. Fontana (playing on a guitar case used as drums), Charlie Hodge guitar and backup vocals, and two Memphis Mafia guys on percussion.  It's a superb band, with Elvis on guitar, and that remarkable voice that cuts down all sense of fakeness, yet theatrical in its presence.  Elvis was a unique artist, where his landscape turned against him, yet, among the rubble, he came out like a pauper King.  These recordings are my favorite Elvis.  It's up there with the Sun Records, but also I like them even better than the RCA early 50s recordings.   They're loose, and he's on fire.

The Walker Brothers - "Nite Flights" Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, 2016/1978 (Music on Vinyl)

To follow Scott Walker's career is like traveling on a parallel universe where things look similar but are very different than things back home.   "Nite Flights" is the last album from The Walker Brothers.  I think they realize that this road is coming to a dead end, and decided to make an album that will please themselves, but also their need to explore other sounds, yet, keep The Walkers mystique in order.   In a sense, it's three solo albums in one package, with four songs by Scott, four by John Walker, and two by their 'drummer' Gary.  The big surprise is how good the Gary cuts are on this album.  "Death of Romance" and "Den Haague" have a groove, but Scott through the production gives it another dimension sonically.  I don't know the working relationship between the "brothers," but I feel that Gary was more in tune with Scott's experimentation and sense of adventure.   The John Walker cuts are OK, but the one song of his that stands out is "Rhythm of Vision" just due to the chorus hook. 

The masterpieces here are of course from Scott, and it is a blueprint of the type of music he will do in the future.   Although it seems he dropped out of releasing music for five years until his next recording "Climate of Hunter."  A lot of listeners separate the early Scott from the current Scott, but in my opinion, I think he has been consistent ever since his early work with The Walker Brothers.  He moves slow, but his thinking and art making of sounds has been consistent.  "Nite Flights" is the first 'obvious' step into making new music that is emotionally drained, dark humor, and contained in a space.  I often think of Walker's work as a piece of sonic sculpture, and here he takes the first step to make that happen.  

The way the album is set up is that you have four songs by Scott, two by Gary, and then the remaining four by John.  So physically there are two EPs by Scott and John, and a single by Gary.  The album opens up with the Scott Walker's set, and it is a collaboration in the sense that John sings along with Scott, but beyond that, the density of the recording/sounds is very much like a solo Scott album.  I feel that these four songs were very much influenced by David Bowie's "Low," in that they are pop songs, but filtered through a relentless rhythm that gives it a Claustrophobic feel with the urgent voices of Scott and John.  Probably the most well-known song here is the title cut, "Nite Flights" which Bowie covered on his album "Black Tie White Noise.  A beautiful song that seems to belong to both Bowie and Scott.  "The Electrician" is a combination of Scott's new direction, but also his later film composing.  The string section is lovely, but it does go against the darkness of the main melody, which causes tension.  And Scott Walker is the genius of music tension.  

Bob Dylan - "Blood on the Tracks" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1975 (Columbia)

The great thing about Bob Dylan is that it's almost impossible to write or discuss him without losing the iconic stance he has on pop culture.  From day one it seems Dylan was made to be great, especially when he changed his name from Zimmerman to Dylan.  In my world, Dylan is very much the pop entertainer and more in tune to someone like David Bowie than the 1960s Folk Music scene. He used the landscape, like Bowie using whatever he read or saw, but the truth is, both characters made themselves up to be what they are - not only great songwriters but a theatrical presentation as well. 

"Blood on the Tracks" is often seen as a personal work by Dylan.  Perhaps due to his divorce or the after-effects of the separation that took place at the time of the recordings.  One can fish into the words of these songs for a clue, but I suspect that Dylan doesn't think in that manner.  A bad incident or day for him is a springboard of imagination and various narrations, and at the end of the day, Dylan wants to tell a tale that will be enjoyed, and therefore he's more of a music hall performer than a raw rock n' roll soul.  Dylan is not a journalist, but more of a short story writer, with an incredible amount of details in his narratives.  "Blood on the Tracks" as an album, can probably be made into a film, or a narrative novel. 

Oddly enough, it was only a week ago that I heard this album as a whole piece.  Before that, it is just what I heard on the radio, and there are favorite songs here: "Tangled Up in Blue," Simple Twist of Fate," and of course, "Idiot Wind." Listening to side one of "Blood on the Tracks" is similar to listening to a greatest hits album.  It's interesting to hear this work as an album, instead of separate songs.  All stand by themselves, but the mood that runs through the collection is consistent, and there is no 'loose' cannon here, it all fits like a well-designed puzzle. 

"Idiot Wind" stands out because it is so angry, or I should say the character in the song is angry, yet, the humor is very tongue-in-cheek.  One can think it's a song from a psycho killer.   On the other hand, it may be my favorite Dylan vocal.  The way Dylan sings he reminds me of Lotte Lenya, in a very Bertolt Brecht method of separating the listener from the emotion, and one hears the intelligence behind the words. The character is angry, but the song itself is not furious.  There is a distance between the character in the song and what he's singing about.  His technique makes the words sting, because of its setting.  Dylan looks at his songs like a scientist looking at an object in a test tube.  There is a strong sense of objectivity, and for the listener, it's a subjective experience, as well as presuming that the character in the song is causally commenting on the 'facts.'

A very melodic record, and oddly enough it reminds me of the softer material on the  Rolling Stones' "Aftermath."  Only in texture, not in the style of songwriting, but one could imagine the Stones doing a version of "Idiot Wind."  There's real beauty between Dylan's voice and the strumming of the guitar, and the minimalist organ.   It's beautifully recorded by engineer veteran Phil Ramone, which brings to mind Sinatra's great ballad albums he made for Capitol Records in the 1950s.   Dylan takes from the past, and he manages to twist it in the fashion of a Teddy Boy using Edwardian design to say something new.   A great album. 

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

Not the easiest piece of music by Erik Satie to find, especially on vinyl, still, this is one of the remarkable works that came out of the 19th-century.  Music historians think that Satie wrote"Vexations" in either 1893 or 1894, but no one knows for sure.  At times, seen as a joke, or at the least, exposing Satie's sense of humor.  The piece as it is written or notated is that the theme is played 840 times, which in theory, can last for 24-hours if one performed this work in a live setting.  John Cage did that and organized the first public performance of "Vexations" in 1963.

There are only a handful of recordings of "Vexations," and easier to find on CD. Perhaps that is the best medium because a CD can last for 80 minutes.  I have some of those recordings, but I'm a fan of Reinbert De Leeuw's recording of "Vexations" which lasts 26 minutes on each side of the album.  The music was recorded in 1975, and this edition of the LP was released in 1983.  I'm not sure about this, but I suspect that this may be the first recording of "Vexations."  It's a work of mystery, with no real notes from Satie, except that it should be played 840 times, and there is no mention or instructions beyond the score itself.

For me, "Vexations" is a haunting yet beautiful piece of music.  I love Satie's work, but I think "Vexations" is his masterpiece.   Simple, yes, but an exquisite melody that when played over and over again it puts me in a state where I can both think or concentrate on a work of writing (my main occupation) as well as drift off to the melody of "Vexations."   One can look at it as a Fluxus aesthetic, or a joke, but the truth is, this is remarkable music.   Sometimes a joke can expose the inner-beauty of a work of art.   

The Mandrake Memorial -"The Mandrake Memorial" Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, 1968 (Poppy)

For the past month or so, I have been reading the publication "Flashback" which comes out of the UK, and it's a magazine totally devoted to bands that fell through the cracks in the years 1968 through 1975.  Total music nerd material, and in one of the issues there is a 30-page article on a group called The Mandrake Memorial.   Failure has always been an attraction to me, especially when it comes to artists/bands that almost make it, yet fail.   I found a copy of their first album "The Mandrake Memorial" online and purchased it.  A gem of an album.

The music reminds me of Jack Bruce's work in Cream, with the vocals, but with the added touch of The Doors here and there.  A sitar comes in once in awhile in the mix, and of course, the album yells out 'it's 1968.'  One of the unique sounds that come out of The Mandrake Memorial is their keyboards.  Ofen a harpsichord, but their keyboardist, Michael Kac, was in electronics, and re-wired the instruments, in a manner of Brian Eno.  Their harpsichord sound is loud and aggressive, not played in a 'baroque' manner at all.  

The album is co-produced by Tony Bongiovi, and I gather this is his first production on an album.  He later produced Talking Heads and The Ramones.   The composition of all ten songs are by the band, and they have a dreamy approach, but the lyrics are very much of that era.  Still, I really like this record. 

Fresh - "Fresh Out of Borstal" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1970 (RCA)

In my vinyl collection, I have many oddities, and without a doubt, Fresh's "Fresh Out of Borstal" is a weird album.   Fresh was a trio consisting of Kevin Francis, Robert Gorman, and Roger Chantler, and in appearance seem to come out of a harsh British prison 'Borstal.'  In actuality, Fresh is a concept put together by the great Simon Napier-Bell, who was the manager for Marc Bolan, The Yardbirds, Japan (the band), and Wham!  This is not really a rock n' roll album, but more of a musical that never got produced.  Not sure if this was meant to go beyond this album as a concept, but nevertheless, it is probably the first queer orientated pop/rock album released to the mass market.  

The songs were written by Ray Singer, who produced early Japan, Clive Sarstedt and the mastero himself, Napier-Bell.  Although the band is listed as a guitar/bass/drums trio, the fact there are a lot of instruments on the tracks, and at times, there is a Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed-era sound, mixed with the vibes of a musical such as "Hair."   The whole album is enjoyable, but the one classic cut is "And The Boys Lazed On The Verandah."  I remember hearing this song as a teenager and thinking only one word "Wow."   For whatever odd reason, KMET in Los Angeles would play this song time-to-time.   Still, there are great string arrangements that run through these songs, such as "You Made Me What I Am."  It's a Skinhead look, but the music is not in that vain whatsoever, or even close to the early aesthetics of Slade.  Quirky London West End theater (in theory) and something that would never be a great mass success.  But for those who love the British eccentricity in the pop music world, this album goes well with the great Lionel Bart (aesthetically speaking of course). 

Gérard Manset - "Le Train du Soir" Vinyl, LP, Album, France, 1981 (EMI)

I know almost nothing about Gérard Manset, except that he's French, songwriter, artist/photographer and made some remarkable music.   I discovered him during the heights of music being on the Internet, and one could download songs/albums on various collector's websites.  I made a note to myself that I should find myself a hard copy of Manset's "Le Train du Soir" as soon as possible. It took me five years, but I found a used vinyl copy in Paris, and I think it's a remarkable album. 

People find it hard to believe, but I don't know the French language except for specific words and a general over-all menu in a cafe.  Still, I have a life-long fascination with anything French, especially literature and cinema.  French pop music was a recent discovery, perhaps 20 years ago when I came upon Serge Gainsbourg. That opened up a whole avenue of artists for me to explore and purchase for the next decade or so.  Still, even in those terms, Gérard Manset is an unknown figure outside of the French-speaking world. 

I get the impression that he's very independent minded, and is skilled as an arranger and musician.  I know he has worked with massive orchestrations on previous and future albums from "Le Train du Soir."  What makes this record so good are the songs, and although they were recorded in 1981, it sounds very 70s to me.  It also reminds me of studio minded artists like Emit Rhoades or Nillson in that there's a great deal of songcraft that goes in his work.  This is without a doubt a rock album, but it is such an album that has music history attached to its presence. 

Not knowing the language thoroughly, I'm sure there is the context within the music that is beyond my knowledge, still, on a listening experience, it's an excellent way of spending 40 minutes or so. There are six songs, including the 12-minute length of "Marchand de Rêves (Dream Merchant)," which is a series of melodies that fit in the song itself.  My favorite cut on the album is "Les Loups (Wolves)" which is a perfect build-up of melody and passion.   I'm frustrated that there seems to be no information in English about this unique artist, but alas, give me time. 

Ennio Morricone - "Le Clan des Siciliens" Vinyl, LP, Album, OST, Reissue, 2010 (Vadim Music)

Listing a favorite Ennio Morricone original soundtrack album is impossible.  His burp is a symphony of brilliance, so to choose the various sounds he made, as the best, is like commenting that a sunny day is sunny.   On the other hand, "Le Clan des Siciliens" is my favorite Morricone, and on a good clear day for my thinking and feelings, the best album of them all.   It's basically one melody that lasts for an album-length, and it's a piece of music that I never tire of. 

For those who love melodies over Morricone's more avant-garde music awakenings will appreciate "Le Clan des Siciliens" for its lushness and very sad, yet distantly romantic yearning.  Which comes to mind is that I actually met Morricone.  I was working in a bookstore in West Hollywood, and he came in to shop before his appearance at the Academy Awards later that evening.  He was going to be rewarded for a lifetime Oscar for his music.   For one, I couldn't believe I was in the same room as Morricone.  One of the fellow employees, knowing that I was a huge fan, came up to me and dragged me to meet him.  Knowing that he spoke very little English, I decided to say something grand but true to my feelings. I told him that when I die, I want the music at my funeral to be the main melody of "Le Clan des Siciliens."  He looked at me slowly and with no expression on his face said "You don't have to die."  He then whistled the entire theme of "Le Clan des Siciliens" which took about a minute or so, I think, because time stood still.  After he finished, he reached out to my hand to shake it and said: "see you don't have to die."   I look at this brief meeting as fate.  

Frozen Corn - "Frozen Corn" Vinyl, LP, Album, 2017 (IDEA)

I wish that my blog cannot only see but to feel the texture of a record cover.  Tom Recchion (friend, hero, graphic artist, and composer) designed this cover based on his ceramic dishes/artwork.  The cover is also textural to the touch, in that the images arise such as the lettering and the ceramic plates.  The budget to make this cover must have been 'forget the budget!'  The music within this great package is a trio of two banjo players and an acoustic guitarist called Frozen Corn.  Which is a good descriptive name for this band, because one can imagine that these three guys are sitting by some frozen lake, with luke-warm hobo coffee on the side, and maybe beef jerky as well.  

The thought of two banjos and a guitar plus voice(s), brings up an image of a trio of cowboys, but that is only in my imagination.  There is something hypnotic with the playing that is perfectly arranged among the other string instruments.  Also, the main singer has a voice that reminds me of a combination of Smog and a low-key Scott Walker. There are two different voices, the other has an everyman vocal, which again, reminds me of hobo activity around a fire.   It's a beautiful sexy voice that yearns as well as tell a tale.  The trio's names are Anthony Pasquarosa, Chris Carlton, and Joshua Burkett.   This album I suspect is a limited edition, just due to the printing of the cover.  Pick it up, and go outside and face the night of stars.