Random notes

It's always interesting to see what Gods of Shuffle put together. This time I sensed a Beatles theme running through a couple of the songs.

"You Can't Do That" - The Bobs (Songs for Tomorrow Morning)

Back in the '80s, long before the whole Glee thing built up a capella music into a big thing, there were the Bobs. Everybody in the band was named "Bob", like Gunnar "Bob" Madsen. Aside from their off-kilter originals, they arranged a host of covers. Their versions of "Psycho Killer" and "Purple Haze" are my favorites, but this Beatles cover is another strong version. The verses are fairly straight forward, with the band emphasizing a doo-wop groove. But the solo section features Janie "Bob" Scott riffing off the melody of "Within You Without You" before drifting into spacier realms.

"Get Ready" - Rare Earth (single)

Rare Earth stood out at Motown, in part because they were the biggest blue-eyed soul band out there. They stirred up funk, soul, and rock and had a number of hits in the early '70s: ""(I Know) I'm Losin' You", "Born to Wander", and "I Just Want to Celebrate". But their biggest hit was their cover of Smoky Robinson's classic, "Get Ready". A staple of their live shows, the album version took up a whole record side where 21+ minutes gave everyone in the band their chance to solo. The single version edits that down to a tight, three minute, radio-friendly gem. The tempo steamrolls over the pace of the original, with a solid rhythm section anchored by the instantly recognizable bass line.

"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" - The Beatles (Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band)

Ahh, the classics. The opening punch of the guitar riff, the orchestral embellishments, and the role-playing conceit -- it's a great piece of experimental music that blends a live rock sound with studio trickery, while offering a broad wink to the audience. It's hard for anyone today to hear it in historical context, so a lot of the revolutionary craziness is lost in translation. The weirdest aspect of having it turn up in my shuffle is the frustrating cut as the song sets up the flow to "With a Little Help From My Friends". Still, it brings a smile to my face.

"Revolverlution" - The Kleptones (From Detroit To J.A.)

I've covered the Kleptones, reviewing their amazing mashup album 24 Hours (review here). "Revolverlution" is less of a straight ahead mashup than a pastiche. It's a parody of Gil Scot-Heron's "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised", backed with music from Michael Jackson's "Ben". The vocals get Scot-Heron's cadence down as they twist his assertions:

The revolution will always come with fries
Because the revolution will be televised

 Producer Eric Kleptone manages to make a similar social commentary as his target material. His inclusion of Neo's closing monologue from The Matrix extends the point, but I'm still confused by the Italian version of "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious".
 
"Tomorrow Never Knows" - 801 (801 Live)
Phil Manzanera's side project from Roxy Music was organized to cover a small number of live shows. With Brian Eno and a number of other progressive rock musicians, 801 pulled material from several members' back catalogs as well as a couple of interesting covers. Their version of the Kinks' "You Really Got Me" shows a lot of Eno influence, but their jam on "Tomorrow Never Knows" takes a lesser known Beatles track into new territory. Synthesizers mutate the song away from some of its Indian roots, while maintaining the core psychedelic feel. Bill MacCormick's bass playing is phenomenal.

"Take Care of Yourself" - The Posies (Blood/Candy)

Finally, a more recent track. Compared to the other selections this time, 2010 is almost yesterday. The Posies deliver the alt-rock/power pop punch of their earlier material on "Take Care of Yourself", leaving little gap between their heyday of the late '90s and their new work. The loud-soft-loud shifts, sweet harmonies, and wordy lyrics all sound familiar. The drums stand out in particular: on the verses, Darius Minwalla leaves a couple of sweet holes that make the song stumble forward and the ending builds up just to collapse into resolution.

Random notes

Mostly older tracks came up in the mix this time. Still, it's an interesting selection.

Thunk - Jefferson Airplane (Bark)



Bark was not one of Jefferson Airplane's  most respected albums. Marty Balin left the band and they were at loose ends. One more album would follow this incarnation of the band before they transformed into Jefferson Starship. That said, Bark has plenty of fine songs on it, like Pretty As You Feel and When the Earth Moves Again, but there were some weaker moments like Thunk. It's an interesting sketch of a song with some nice harmonies. But it took itself much too seriously. Even so, I remember being amused when I was younger.

For Your Attention - Boxing Ghandis (Boxing Gandhis)

Another blast from the past, this one from 1994. For Your Attention kicks  off with a low key funk groove. David Darling does his best to channel Sly Stone as he lists all the feats he's performed just to get the girl. The production is crispy clean, with all the perfect touches: sweet horn punches, envelope-follower bass line, tight guitar fills, and soulful backing vocals. If anything, it's too polished, but it's still a solid funk jam.

Tonight's the Night - Neil Young (Tonight's the Night)



This song was Neil Young's eulogy to his friend Bruce Berry. The song begins with a few directionless notes before Young starts chanting the single line chorus. The stripped down accompaniment adds the right solemn feel. Young explains it all in the verses, sharing who Berry was and and how he overdosed. The piano solo starts to inject a bit more energy into the tune. The repetition of the lyrics is a grieving meditation. It's a moving song, as Young proves yet again the power of simplicity.

The Holdup - David Bromberg (Wanted Dead or Alive)



Frequent session player David Bromberg wrote The Holdup with George Harrison. The rollicking adventure kicks off with a badly tuned piano riff, quickly overtaken by paired guitars. Bromberg whips through the vocals with nasal goofiness, which works with the arch lyrics:

When we get your money, we'll ride towards the sunset
At Rosa's Cantina, we'll stop at the door
We'll spend all your money, just getting the nose wet
Tomorrow evening we'll be back for more

Bromberg's eponymous first album had his first take of the song, featuring Harrison and some sweet slide guitar. This version has the looser feel of a party in the studio. The track is full of great instrumental contributions from members of the Dead, including Jerry Garcia.

Would Be Killer - Gnarls Barkley (The Odd Couple)



"I've got a secret/ Something I thought maybe I could do." This creepy track is off the duo's second album. The sociopathic lyrics on Would Be Killer mesh perfectly with the spooky loop backing track. It's hard to believe that that's the same Cee Lo Green that would later dress up and sing with the Muppets, but it's a strange world, isn't it? The production is full of sweet details, like the way the drum sample is spliced to add a wicked little stutter beat just often enough to catch the ear.

Green and Danger Mouse never quite reproduced the chart success of Crazy (St. Elsewhere), but The Odd Couple has a number of good moments, including this track and Who's Gonna Save My Soul.

Punk Rock Heaven - Mary Prankster (Mata Hari EP)

You'll have to settle for the Roulette Girl version

I don't even remember how I got turned on to Mary Prankster, but her smart ass attitude and biting sense of humor made me fall in love. She often used profanity for the cheap shock on songs like Tits and Whiskey or Mercyfuck, but the tunes were tight and you could harvest enough sarcasm to fuel a couple of teenage lives from every song. Punk Rock Heaven is a wonderful bit of retro railing against punk posers ("Hippie Hell awaits you, Jack/ Unless you take that tye-dye off your back"). She name checks punk greats like the Sex Pistols and G.G. Allin and waxes ecstatic over the "authentic" scene to come. Of course, like most of her music, it's fairly tongue in cheek.

Random notes

Let's get random again, like we did last summer, Baby.

Interstellar Overdrive - Pink Floyd (Piper at the Gates of Dawn)

This is possibly my favorite Pink Floyd instrumental. The first time I heard that slipped-hand opening guitar chord followed by the throbbing repetition of bass and guitar setting up the motif, I got chills, waiting to see where it would take me. The opening section that just explores the main theme is plenty interesting. But the magic comes as the song develops into a free flowing jam. I had been playing guitar for four or five years when I heard this, but I couldn't conceive of how one creates this kind of loose energy that evolves from section to section, transforming the sound radically away from that start. Still, each part reverberates with the space theme to create a narrative feel. When the song eventually comes back to the original motif, it's a revelation.

Clap Your Hands - Greyhounds (¡No Mas!)

Years ago, I caught the Greyhounds when they opened for the Eric McFadden Trio. I liked them well enough to pick up their CD. After Interstellar Overdrive, the loose funky soul of Clap Your Hands is heavily grounded in a more human groove. The organ adds a retro touch that recalls old school bands like Sir Douglas Quintet. The choppy guitar repetition, drum syncopation, and testifying vocals slide together like a carefully constructed puzzle.

Randy Newman's "Theme From 'Sea Buiscuit'" - Paul and Storm (Opening Band)

Paul and Storm are a musical comedy duo that started with the a capella band DaVinci's Notebook. They've contributed a lot of songs to The Bob and Tom Show (among others) and they regularly tour with Jonathan Coulton. This particular track is one of a series of Randy Newman parodies on the album. The running joke is that all of Randy Newman's soundtrack songs sound more or less the same. The music is a great tip of the hat to Newman's Short People and the vocal parody is spot on. The idea of Randy Newman writing themes for Sea Biscuit, The Passion of the Christ, Scarface, and others is pretty funny. Especially since the tune is the same for each of these songs.


Reunion - Collective Soul (Collective Soul)

Collective Soul hit the mainstream with Shine and the rough demo album that spawned it (Hints, Allegations, and Things Left Unsaid). Their eponymous second album was a better produced follow up. Reunion has a sweet simplicity as the guitar line gradually accrues accompaniment from keys, backing vocals, and a rhythm section. It's a short track, but I like the sweet harmonies and reflective sound that provides a good soundtrack for a homecoming. The slide solo promises that everything is going to work out just fine.

Hot Meat - The Sugarcubes (Here Today, Tomorrow Next Week!)

Ahh, Björk before her solo career. The Sugarcubes had such a cool, outsider vibe that I really enjoyed back in the late '80s. Björk and Einar Örn Benediktsson's chemistry in the Sugarcubes was like the B-52s filtered through warped, tinted glass. Hot Meat is a slower, vaguely country Western rework of Cold Sweat from their first album, Life's Too Good. After the post punk, heavy darkness of the original, this is a whimsical reinvention.

Random notes

It's time again to stick the iPod on shuffle and see what comes up. A few wild cards, maybe? I'm more surprised by which haven't come up yet, despite the full representation in my collection.

She Is Not Dead - Adrian Belew (Twang Bar King)

In a world of deeply competent studio musicians that work in the shadows, Adrian Belew built a career using his own unique musical voice. His significant work with Frank Zappa, Laurie Anderson, David Bowie, King Crimson, and Talking Heads showed off his ability to take guitar into strange realms. Animal howls, traffic noises, and sounds of a foreign bazaar are all fair game.

She Is Not Dead comes from Belew's second solo album, Twang Bar King. It shows off his singular aesthetic: the polyrhythmic percussion and processed guitar tones create a musical complexity that is anchored to a very sentimental song, devoid of irony.

Roots, Rock, Reggae - Bob Marley (Rastaman Vibration)
I Shot the Sheriff is Bob Marley's most well known song because of Eric Clapton's version, but Roots, Rock, Reggae proved to be Marley's best charting song in the US. The laid back chank and Aston Barrett's note perfect bass line are a great introduction to reggae's rich groove.

While I really enjoy Roots, Rock, Reggae, I think my favorite track from Rastaman Vibration is War, which offers a stronger philosophical message and has elements reminiscent of Fela Kuti's Afrobeat feel.

Charley Patton Songs - Gomez (How We Operate)
I've reviewed Gomez a couple of times. I love their mix of sounds that comes from three distinctive singers and writers. Charlie Patton Songs features Ian Ball's softer, reflective vibe. His milder tone is so far from Charlie Patton's rootsy blues life, but that distance feeds the longing in his voice. This is a beautiful song of searching. The instrumental bridge has a carousel feel, with the repeated theme as a touchstone. Each spin builds the energy before it returns to the theme to define the interval.

Propinquity (I've Just Begun To Care) - Mike Nesmith (Nevada Fighter)
Michael Nesmith always seemed out of place in the Monkees. He wasn't very good at hiding his frustration with the pre-fab nature of the band and fought hard for more artistic control in the band. Left to his own devices, he settled into a series of fine country rock albums. Propinquity (I've Just Begun to Care) was demoed for the Monkees, but was never an official release (Rhino did release a demo version as part of their 2006 Deluxe Edition of The Monkees.

This version comes from Nesmith's third solo album, Nevada Fighter. The arrangement is nice; it starts out simple, with sweet steel guitar fills. Nesmith slowly layers in additional guitar parts, backing vocals, and fuller drums to match the song's theme of love slowly developing.

Cubism Dream - Local Natives (Gorilla Manor)
I covered Gorilla Manor a few years back, impressed with Local Native's smooth mix of rich vocal harmonies, shimmery guitars, and compelling complexity. I love the arrangement on Cubism Dream. The syncopated guitar line meshes with the evocative bass line behind the falsetto vocals. The loose balance is so jazzy, but the song develops more of an indie rock feel as more instruments creep in.

Serious - Eric McFadden and Wally Ingram (Alektorophobia)
Eric McFadden is one of my favorite live performers. His musical range is incredible, reaching from gypsy blues to country to hard rock to funk. We'll talk about his work for other bands (like Stockholm Syndrome, Eric Burdon's Animals, and P-Funk) another time. While McFadden almost always plays an acoustic guitar, he can make it scream and shudder if necessary. On Serious, he sets up a simple Beatlesque feel accentuated by strings. But the song builds into a heavier bridge that starts to show signs of darkness and discord. McFadden's solo is fluid as it fits the harder sound but still emphasizes the Beatles vibe.

Poltergeist - DJ MegaMax (Dark Side)
Israeli electronic artist DJ MegaMax got his start creating remixes and that shows in his songs like Poltergeist. Ambient elements decorate the song, which lays out a solid techno bass beat. Threatening vocals and trance touches raise the song above its simple club vibe to create an evocative feel. It's a short track though, I think a longer run would let the pieces sink in to make a deeper impact.

Random notes

At heart, I'm an old school album guy. About the only time I put my iPod into shuffle mode is when I can't decide what to listen to. Once something comes up that grabs my ear, I usually switch over and listen to the album. Still, I thought it would be interesting to turn on the shuffle and see what the music fates would deal me. Here's a random sampling from my collection (13143 songs right now).

Power - MC Paul Barman (Thought Balloon Mushroom Cloud)

Cock Mobster was my introduction to the clever rapper MC Paul Barman and his album, Paullelujah!. It was a long wait for his follow up, Thought Balloon Mushroom Cloud.

Like his earlier work, it's his rolling flow and quirky perspective that sells the song. Power's lyrics riff on Robert Greene's The 48 Laws of Power, but with rhymes:

Six: So, court attention at all costs
If people don't talk smack then you're a small boss
Fall across the lime light
And even when I'm wrong, I'm right.
Why fight?

You Can Leave Your Hat On - Randy Newman (Sail Away)

I've always preferred the original to Joe Cocker's cover version. Randy Newman evokes the dimly lit bedroom, with its peeling wall paper and a big man who knows exactly what he wants. The simpler arrangement of piano and vocal get to the personal heart of the song in a way that Cocker's slick R&B arrangement misses.

Burn - Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise (Blackwater Surprise)

Blackwater Surprise was the first album introducing blind street performer Robert Bradley. Paired with a younger band, the album is full of funky neo-soul anchored by Bradley's voice. The band is solid, with some good funky grooves, but Bradley's vocals are like well worn corduroy. Burn is a fairly representative track. Funky bass, bluesy guitar drive, and a nice horn arrangement all keep the tune rolling forward while Robert Bradley's vocals casually hit their mark.

Monday - Wilco (Being There)

A solid track from a strong album. Being There signaled Wilco's intention to move away from their alt-country roots. Monday lays down a retro Rolling Stones groove that lets Jeff Tweedy toss out a stream of conscious story song. Take out the horns and you can hear hints of the noisy rock that Jay Bennett would bring to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.

Poison Pushy - Stanton Moore (III)

Virtuoso drummer Stanton Moore is adept at blurring the lines between jazz, funk, and experimental. This track features Robert Walter's lush organ and Will Bernard's smooth, singing guitar. After laying down a bluesy funk groove, the tune slides into a beautiful interplay between these three strong voices as they dance around each other like gymnasts.

Epochs in Dmaj - Caspian (Tertia)

Such a contrast with Stanton Moore.. The soft beginning sets up a figure and then builds upon it. Like an underwater vista, the sound opens up with strings and echo before pixelating into the void. This track is really just an interlude between the majestic climax of Malacoda and the dense crush of Of Foam and Wave.

Manchmal Haben Frauen... - Die Ärzte (Runter mit den Spendierhosen)

Ah, I'm glad Die Ärzte came up. This German band bridges punk, pop punk, rock, and pop. Many of their tracks are as simple as the Ramones, but this one is more subtle and moody. Their lyrics are often clever (figuring them out pushed me to develop my German skills).

In this case, it's a story song about a sensitive new age guy sitting through a chauvinist lecture at the bar ("sometimes, women like a little spanking"). When he comes home to share his chagrin (and slight curiosity) with his girlfriend, she knees him in the crotch and tells him that guys like him always get what they deserve. German slapstick at its finest.