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