August 28, 2008
Numerology: Song 54, Where Are You?
A fame mosaic from Studio 54's heyday
If you look closely at Studio 54’s iconic white-on-black “54” logo, the 5—clearly the masculine of the two numerals—seems to be subtly humping the 4. And the salacious, Disco Era connotations of 54 don’t end there: Xenon, a popular but less legendary nightclub from the same period, took its name from the element whose atomic number just happens to be 54. Coincidence? Possibly, or perhaps it was a deliberate but subliminal nod toward the biggest thing out there, in the best tradition of the Sex Pistols inspiring the tweaked version of their name: Celibate Rifles. In any case, no song from that sozzled epoch actually uses a Studio 54-iented title, although several dance tracks from later decades do. “Fifty-Four,” by Sea Level, a ‘70s outfit formed by a trio of musical refugees from the Allman Brothers, came out in the heyday of disco, but it’s not clear if the title of this funky lite-jazz instrumental has anything to do with the club.
In 1972, five years before the Studio 54 opened its hallowed doors, Harry Nilsson was at his commercial zenith. Nilsson Schmilsson had yielded three wonderfully diverse singles: “Without You,”—a cover of a Badfinger song—was four minutes of Orbison-worthy melancholia; the lilting, utterly ridiculous “Coconut” had millions of people around the world humming “You put de lime in de coconut” in spite of themselves, and “Jump Into the Fire” was a thunderous slab of nerve-jangling rock ‘n’ roll that featured Nilsson’s desperate, ragged vocal and an aggressive bass line played by Klaus Voorman. “Without You,” which topped the U.S and UK charts and languished in the Top 40 for months, has since been covered by a vast swath of the musical world, including Heart, Donny Osmond, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Shirley Bassey, Air Supply, and most lucratively, Mariah Carey. (Even Nilsson couldn’t help himself from re-releasing the song, not once but twice, after he first struck gold with it in ‘72.)
And with his breakout success, Nilsson, who once caused Little Richard to exclaim, “My, you sing good for a white boy!” suddenly went from musician’s musician (Paul McCartney called a then-unknown Nilsson his favorite American singer at a late-‘60s press conference) to successful recording artist, and the Brooklyn native wasted no time in following up his commercial breakthrough with a bit of rock-star indulgence that the 70s music biz both tolerated and nurtured. “You want to record the follow-up in Africa? Sure thing, Harry. What, you say you want to include a chorus of octogenarians on “I’d Rather Be Dead” (key lyric: “I’d rather be dead/than wet my bed”)? You got it, son. As long as there’s a single.” Son of Schmilsson did contain one glorious single in “Spaceman,” which cracked the Top 40, but the rest of it was just too eccentric for the masses.
Why am I telling you this? Son of Schmillson opens with the stomping “Take 54,” in which the singer laments his lost groupie-muse with the refrain: “I sang my balls off for you baby!” Today, it still comes off as a pretty rude lyric; in the Nixon reelection year it was doubtless even more jarring. And throughout Son of Schmillson, Nilsson gives full vent to his penchant for the weird, the blunt, and the gleefully off-kilter. On subsequent records, indulging his interest in such noncommercial genres as English music hall and old-school pop standards, Nilsson thinned out his audience even more. That his best-known achievement of the late ‘70s was getting thrown out of the Troubadour in L.A. with John Lennon for heckling the Smothers Brothers says a lot about Harry’s career arc.
History buffs and fans of Canadian rock will recognize the phrase “Fifty-four forty or fight!” The slogan originated in a border dispute in the 1880s between the U.S. and Britain over what was then called the Oregon Country, and turned into a rallying cry for Americans who believed that any British claim to land south of the 54th parallel meant war. In the end, President James K. Polk accepted a dividing line at the 49th parallel, which remains in place today. The Canadian alt-rock band calling itself 54-40 or Fight never laid a claim to the U.S. market, but has the ignominious distinction of one of its songs being covered by Hootie & the Blowfish.
Like several songs on the ambiguously pronounced Drukqs collection by Richard “Aphex Twin” James, “54 Cimru Beats” has a Welsh name (Cimru is Welsh for Wales), but anyone hoping for something with a touch of the Welsh folk tradition—a fiddle perhaps—will be disappointed. Instead, “54 Cimru Beats” is a tangle of simultaneously caressing, scraping, whooshing, and pummeling sounds sewn together by an obsessive and inscrutable master’s hand—all quite typical of James’s upbeat stuff. But it’s so un-Welsh sounding it may as well be Swedish, like the Dandelions, whose single “On the 54” was featured in a Volvo ad and certainly enhanced the clothes-shopping budgets of this snappy-dressing Stockholm five-some.
Lest we forget, we have the obligatory highway song (“Highway 54” by Wayne “The Train” Hancock), an explicit rap number (the Smut Peddler’s “54” off Porn Again), “Demo 54,” a dance track from the GusGus collective with a brontosaurus-fart bass line, and the annoyingly titled “Agenht 54: The Outer Void Intrepid Sailor” from Guy Franklin of the annoyingly named Architecture in Helsinki. My vast knowledge of British fighter planes told me that the burly bass-lined “B-54” from London's XX Teens had something to do with the Blackburn B-54, a post-World War II anti-submarine aircraft, but what I could make out of the lyrics made me question this theory. So I went to the horse's mouth, and found out I was way off base. Lyricist Rob Cash helpfully informed me that the song, which has trace elements of the Gun Club's twisted psychobilly, is in fact, “a typical coming of age story…[about] six young boys in a hurry to grow up [whose] churlish sexual experimentation is witnessed by an elaborate passerby, who later gets eaten by a snake that everyone had just assumed was an odd looking baby.” I see now—it’s one of those songs.
Standing high above this assortment of fifty-fouria is “54-46 Was My Number,” an oft-anthologized, oft-covered classic of reggae featuring a laid-back groove offset by the urgent exhortations of Frederick “Toots” Hibbert and his spirited backup singers, Nathaniel “Jerry” Matthias and Henry “Raleigh” Gordon. The song’s iconic status is reflected in how often it has been covered, nicked or referenced in one way or another. To name a few: Joe Strummer can be heard chanting the title phrase in the fadeout of “Jail Guitar Doors”; the melanin-challenged toaster Yellowman vamps “64-46 BMW” in his “Nobody Move,” and this refrain was picked up in “Take 5” by Northside, leading lights of the waning Madchester scene who toiled in the shadow of an army of flannel-shirted Seattle bands in the early ‘90s, but did manage to produce several groovy dance sides. Sublime’s version of the song, “54-46 That’s My Number/Ball and Chain” mixes in touches of rap and rock, but much more sublime is “Engine 54” by the Ethiopians, prolific if somewhat unheralded contemporaries of the Maytals. (It’s not the same song, but it does seem to fit here.)
Toots & the Maytals - "54-46 Was My Number"
But the Toots version remains the ultimate. He wrote it after serving an 18-month prison sentence, not for possession of ganja, as is commonly believed, but, he says, simply for showing up to bail out a friend. While he was inside, he became fully committed to his Rasta identity, and the singles that he put out following his incarceration, including “Do the Reggay” and the immortal “Pressure Drop,” have earned a well-deserved place in the pantheon. “54-46 Was My Number” is a picture of life behind the walls, distilled down to the singular humiliation of having one’s name replaced by a number (which Hibbert made up for the song). The repeated phrase “listen what I say” serves as rhythmic linchpin, but oddly enough I hear an echo of Ray Charles’s “What’d I Say?” which also features stops and starts, call and response, and multiple release points. And like the Ray Charles song, “54-46” draws on the blues and gospel traditions, creating something joyous and danceable out of pain and injustice.
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Numerology is our pal Dave's ill advised quest to find the definitive song for every number from one to a hundred. The higher the digit, the lonelier the climb.
Previously: No. 1, 2-4, , 4 (redux), 5-7, 7 (counterpoint), 8, 9, 10/11, 12/13. 13 (counterpoint), 14/15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26/27, 28 , 29 , 30, 30 (counterpoint), 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 , 47, 48, 49 , 50, 51, 52, 53
Posted by David Klein at 07:45 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Neon Lights: My Teenage Stride
The page above comes from indie-rock lifers mag, Magnet, who love the third band on our Friday Neon Lights extravaganza (Glasslands in Brooklyn, BTW) enough to include My Teenage Stride's record Ears Like Golden Bats in their "Top 20 Albums of 2007." They are far from the only ones smitten by the sharp ties and tunes of songwriter Jedediah Smith. A brief roll call of admirers includes tasteful bastards such as Idolator, Pop Matters, Coke Machine Glow, the L Magazine, and the dearly defunct Stylus. None of this is surprising of course. What's not to love? With concise, sharply crafted songs that betray a fondness for all the great 80s record geek touchstones, it's clear that our loves are My Teenage Stride's. Postcard Records, Factory Records, Rough Trade, Flying Nun, these are the badges sewn onto the band's songwriting satchel. But as evident as they are, the songs never, ever feel rote, unimaginative, or the product of pure mimicry. MTS recalls those high-water marks because, like them, they put a premium on tight songwriting, performing exuberance, and execution, above all.
My Teenage Stride - "Ears Like Golden Bats"
The title track to last year's critic-enchanter plays rope-a-dope in its first seconds, suggesting atmospheric clouds before breaking up the quiet with an improbably sprightly bassline. Which would be motion enough even without the introduction of jangling guitars, sprinting like the Louvre scene in Godard's Bande à part. Despite the active energy, Jed's refrain is pessimistic. "You're gonna let me down," he insists. His effortless vocal melody remains trustworthy throughout.
My Teenage Stride - "Theme From Teenage Suicide"
Even better, perhaps, is this cut from the Lesser Demons EP, released earlier this year. The title would be enough to put me in mind of my beloved Unrest, but those giddy guitars are a more fitting tribute to the underappreciatd Teenbeat Records' catalog of the early 90s (underappreciated to the point that I really can't think of another current band really keeping that torch lit). Smith's lyrics are filled with the sort of non-sequitur that gets stuck in your head before you can puzzle out what it means, and the pinko "Red China and Russia look finer than gold" line is a fine example here, though the dark chorus, "She was a teenage suicide I never wanted her more!" wins the prize for macabre singability.
And check out the spiraling New Order guitar leads on the single below, which also throws in a nice vocal homage to Eno's "Cindy Tells Me" for good measure....
My Teenage Stride - "To Live and Die in the Airport Lounge"
My Teenage Stride - "To Live and Die in the Airport Lounge"
and a bonus clip, just to put it over the top.
My Teenage Stride - "They are Alone in Their Principles"
Getting excited out there? I can hardly sit still. More info here, as always.
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P.S. If you'd like a chance to win a free ticket to this jubilant concert bill, head over to the blogosphere nexus for indie-pop enthusiasm, Skatterbrain, and read up.
Posted by Jeff Klingman at 02:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 27, 2008
Retrohump: the Tastes of Being Pure at Heart
I'm a bit too consumed at the moment to switch gears into serious anthropology mode, so you'll forgive me for diverting Retro this week back towards Friday's Neon Lights show...
Bands are often celebrated for drawing on disparate influences. And sure, every now and again you get a true omnivorous savant like M.I.A. who digests the zeitgeist as a whole and molds it into a cohesive aesthetic, but more often than not, it just turns into a muddled mess. Like I distrust people who claim they like "everything," bands who don't know what they're aiming for a are a recipe for disaster. So it does the heart proud to peruse the svelte "influences" list on the Pains of Being Pure at Heart's MySpace page. Indie-pop rapture in, indie-pop rapture out. A sampling...
Teenage Fanclub - "Everything Flows"
(after a short interview for SNUB TV, 1990)
the Pastels - "Crawl Babies"
Black Tambourine - "Throw Aggi Off the Bridge"
the Ramones - "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend"
(live in Paris, 1980)
and of course...
Nirvana - "Lake of Fire"
(do I need to tell you?)
the Pains of Being Pure at Heart - "Kurt Cobain's Cardigan"
Sadly, there was no You Tube footage for this indie-pop Rosetta Stone...
My Bloody Valentine - "Paint a Rainbow"
Posted by Jeff Klingman at 07:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Neon Lights: the Capstan Shafts
A few proud soldiers in Dean Wells' CD-Rmy
What did you do today? Go to work, come home, eat a meal or two, a shower maybe, some TV, and then to bed? Well Dean Wells did those things too, but chances are he also wrote at least one killer song in addition. Recording as the Capstan Shafts, Dean has churned out as astonishing 25 albums and EPs this decade. As most all of his songs clock in between 45 seconds and 2 minutes, differentiating which is which becomes kind of tricky. These short fragments, and the prolificacy with which they are produced (not to mention their slightly British inflected tunefulness), reminds one of DIY saint Robert Pollard. But Dean's output is nowhere near as spotty as ol' Bob's was. Playing each and every instrument by himself, all of the Capstan Shafts' songs possess an immediately engaging, muscular pop craft. While a comprehensive review of his discography is pretty much impossible, here's are a few assorted gems. Listen to all of them. It'll take you, like, 6 minutes.
the Capstan Shafts - "61 Sideburns"
The song that charmed me initially, and a sure thing Dylan-runner up once Numerology hits 61. "We lived in the last genuine time..." it maintains, creating a convicted premature nostalgia for a present day that otherwise seems pretty damn fake.
the Capstan Shafts - "Magical Dance Number Scene"
Though his compositions fall in an ever-changing yet similar range of bite-size power-pop, Wells' darkly comic lyrics can cycle through a diverse series of tones is seconds flat. Take this killer creepout; "All my fragile dreams defiled/ yes, I see that she's with child/ yeah, I noticed this a while ago/ still, I want to nail her, like a routine/ used in some magical dance number scene/ waa-ooooo." You go from gently deflated to deeply disturbing, and then back to bawdily amusing in less than thirty seconds. The songs don't need to extend, because their time allotted is so richly filled.
the Capstan Shafts - "American Volume"
Living up to the titular noise, Dean brings the rawk here, with choppy riffs "charming the daylight out of the sky." But just because his amp is pushed up to 11 doesn't mean that clever turns of phrase are neglected. "I'll never turn you down," carries an elegant double meaning.
the Capstan Shafts - "Eyeliner/Skywriting, etc."
Often, the songs are such obviously engaging bursts that you don't even know what to say about them. It starts, is charming, and ends before you have much of a chance to process. Then there's another, and then another twenty more. Next month, another album appears. The Giving Tree of indie rock.
the Capstan Shafts - "Old Skull, New Mexico"
Maybe the remarkable thing about these home recordings is that Dean manages to sound organically like a living, breathing full band all by his lonesome. In this track from 2006's The Megafauna Undermined manages to sound like a slightly-soused Texas bar band to boot.
the Capstan Shafts - "The Trilateralist Told You Not To"
In which Dean works a reference to "antisocial Darwinists" (great name for a punk band by the way) into a Kinks-ian, silly tone + romantic guitar lines, stunner.
the Capstan Shafts - "A Heart That Never Flies"
As if Jeff Mangum hadn't taken a full sheet of blotter acid before putting pen to Neutral Milk Hotel lyrics notebook.
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The Capstan Shafts output has mainly been released on CD-Rs scattered by the winds and released in puny batches on various tiny labels. It's the sort of awe-inspiring body of work that would likely have found a cult audience at some point in the not-too-distant future, no matter what, but interest spiked last year when Pitchfork published this rave about a handful of the albums. Writer Matt LeMay was forced to quiver, "How can this be so good?" Despite the grace of the tastemaking elite, Dean has been reluctant to leave home and hearth. He's played only a handful of live shows ever, and all of them occurred within the borders of Vermont. Below is footage from the inaugural gig last year, in a candle-lit rural Vermont church, no less:
the Capstan Shafts - "Sleepcure Theory Advancer"
(live in Stannard Church, Stannard, Vermont, 10.06.2007)
But now, perhaps partly in gratitude for LeMay's patronage, the Capstan Shafts are venturing to New York to open for Matt's band Get Him Eat Him at the Knitting Factory tomorrow. Never one to miss such a golden opportunity, I've convinced him to make his Brooklyn debut at Neon Lights' show at Glasslands this Friday. Though the bill offers further charms, it's basically the reason I put the whole thing together. The presence of at least one band mate will allow songs like the one below to maintain their formidable rhythmic thump.
the Capstan Shafts - "Boy to Get You Nowhere"
"Would you call it somewhere if we left the state?" it asks. Yeah, Dean, we would. See you Friday.
Posted by Jeff Klingman at 12:20 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
August 26, 2008
Neon Lights: the Beets
So, as I mentioned previously, but haven't really had time to elaborate on until now, this Friday night at the Glasslands Gallery in Brooklyn is the long-awaited return of my little concert series, Neon Lights. The first band to be inducted into NL's illustrious alumni ranks alongside past performers such as High Places, Titus Andronicus, and A Sunny Day in Glasgow, etc., will be Jackson Heights' own the Beets. And no, we're not talking about the favorite band of Nickelodeon's Doug. The Beets are newcomers to the New York concert scene, though they were praised effusively as early as last June. Lately they've been sharing bills with the Brooklyn fuzzy buzz-bin elite; bands like Vivian Girls, Crystal Stilts (hey, also a NL alum.), and caUSE co-MOTION! The few songs that have surfaced suggest that they definitely belong in that celebrated company.
the Beets - "Happy But on My Way"
The far-away echo on these tracks, which I believe are from the band's recent cassette-only release (hardcore!), is so pronounced that I picture a recording session complicated by an extension cord too short to get the four-track within 20 feet of the drum kit. But the melodies are pure enough to fill the cave, or whatever enormous space the recordings suggest. There is a certain 60s garage vibe to the tracks, an evocation of bored British teenagers ready who might just jump out of their skin, if they only had the resolve to brew another pot of tea first. But instead of sullying that timeless aesthetic in grubby modern debauchery, as the Black Lips do, the Beets remain sweet and chaste. Even "No Blood"'s tale of lunch gone wrong conjures a bit of romance. "Happy But on My Way" is stuck on full-wistful as well. The title's "but" is key. Hazy melody is certainly a pleasurable place to park, but the increased rhythmic focus edges us to move on.
the Beets - "Walk on Your Toes"
This video, by singer/guitarist Juan Waters, is quite charming as well, theorizing that advances in technology might be able to rid the drum machine of its inhuman stigma once and for all. The song itself guarantees that the Beets opening set Friday will feature pop punch in addition to a smooth caress.
Check back throughout the week for songs and info on the rest of the super-stellar bill. To cut to the chase now, you can poke around here.
Posted by Jeff Klingman at 01:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 25, 2008
DNC: Onion/A.V. Club party - Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, comedians, DJs @ La Rumba | Thursday Aug 28
Ted Leo and his Pharmacists are headlining the Onion/A.V. Club DNC party dubbed "War for the White House Gala Event Spectacular". Tickets are free and can be had by email RSVP to: vip@theonion.com with "Onion DNC Party" in the subject and your full name in the email body.
Comics include: Eugene Mirman, Michael Showalter, Neil Hamburger & friends.
DJs boyhollow & Tyler "Danger" Jacobson will also be on hand.
Follow through after the jump for list of DNC events.
Previously:
Rage playing free show in Denver during DNC
Free Public Enemy concert next Tuesday - CANCELLED
Public Enemy's Boulder show is now free
Manifest Hope presents Silversun Pickups, CYHSY, Cold War Kids, Nada Surf next Wednesday
Ben Gibbard, Zooey Deschanel, Jenny Lewis, Matthew Caws, Jonathan Rice performing VIP "rounds"
Moby spinning @ The Church next Wednesday
Rock to Win - Willie Nelson, Rufus Wainwright, Cyndi Lauper, and Melissa Etheridge | Tuesday @ Fillmore
Rock the Vote: N*E*R*D, Fall Out Boy, Jakob Dylan, others??? Monday Aug 25 @ Ellie Caulkins
Creative Coalition - Black Eyed Peas performing benefit Aug 27 @ Fillmore
Etown taping - Ani DiFranco, James Taylor, 2/3rds of CS&N |Tuesday Aug 26 @ Buell Theater
One Campaign - Bono & Kanye performing private party (sponsored by RIAA) | Wednesday Aug 27 @ EXDO Event Center
DJ Jazzy Jeff spinning @ The Church next Thursday Aug 28
Bruce Springsteen & Bon Jovi to perform at Invesco Obama speech
Democratic Governors Assoc. - Big Head Todd & the Monsters | Monday Aug 25 @ Elitch Gardens
Concert for a Cooler Planet - Ben Gibbard & Chris Walla performing acoustic set | Tuesday Aug 26
Unconventional '08 & Manifest Hope - show update
Posted by Merry Swankster at 04:45 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Public Enemy's Boulder show is now free
[Beautiful Boulder Theatre]
As noted in the listings earlier, the Public Enemy show in Boulder is now gratis.
After rejecting an offer to play a free show at Civic Center on behalf of the protest group Re-create 68, rap group Public Enemy has made its already scheduled show in Boulder a free event. [Denver Post]
Posted by Merry Swankster at 04:33 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
DNC: Unconventional '08 & Manifest Hope - show update
Silversun Pickups, CYHSY, Cold War Kids, Nada Surf, and DJ Z-Trip @ 5PM for free
Ben Gibbard, Jenny Lewis, Jonathan Rice, Matthew Caws (Nada Surf), and Zooey Deschanel @ 9PM - VIPs only
Register for tickets HERE.
Note: This is an update to two previous posts (1, 2).
Previously:
Rage playing free show in Denver during DNC
Free Public Enemy concert next Tuesday - CANCELLED
Manifest Hope presents Silversun Pickups, CYHSY, Cold War Kids, Nada Surf next Wednesday
Ben Gibbard, Zooey Deschanel, Jenny Lewis, Matthew Caws, Jonathan Rice performing VIP "rounds"
Moby spinning @ The Church next Wednesday
Rock to Win - Willie Nelson, Rufus Wainwright, Cyndi Lauper, and Melissa Etheridge | Tuesday @ Fillmore
Rock the Vote: N*E*R*D, Fall Out Boy, Jakob Dylan, others??? Monday Aug 25 @ Ellie Caulkins
Creative Coalition - Black Eyed Peas performing benefit Aug 27 @ Fillmore
Etown taping - Ani DiFranco, James Taylor, 2/3rds of CS&N |Tuesday Aug 26 @ Buell Theater
One Campaign - Bono & Kanye performing private party (sponsored by RIAA) | Wednesday Aug 27 @ EXDO Event Center
DJ Jazzy Jeff spinning @ The Church next Thursday Aug 28
Bruce Springsteen & Bon Jovi to perform at Invesco Obama speech
Democratic Governors Assoc. - Big Head Todd & the Monsters | Monday Aug 25 @ Elitch Gardens
Concert for a Cooler Planet - Ben Gibbard & Chris Walla performing acoustic set | Tuesday Aug 26
Posted by Merry Swankster at 04:07 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
DNC: Concert for a Cooler Planet - Ben Gibbard & Chris Walla performing acoustic set | Tuesday Aug 26
[1770 Sherman Event Complex]
Death Cab's Ben Gibbard and Chris Walla will perform an acoustic set on Tuesday August 26 at the
1770 Sherman Event Complex for a bill called "Concert for a Cooler Planet" presented by the League of Conservation Voters.
//League of Conservation Voters
Previously:
Rage playing free show in Denver during DNC
Free Public Enemy concert next Tuesday - CANCELLED
Manifest Hope presents Silversun Pickups, CYHSY, Cold War Kids, Nada Surf next Wednesday
Ben Gibbard, Zooey Deschanel, Jenny Lewis, Matthew Caws, Jonathan Rice performing VIP "rounds"
Moby spinning @ The Church next Wednesday
Rock to Win - Willie Nelson, Rufus Wainwright, Cyndi Lauper, and Melissa Etheridge | Tuesday @ Fillmore
Rock the Vote: N*E*R*D, Fall Out Boy, Jakob Dylan, others??? Monday Aug 25 @ Ellie Caulkins
Creative Coalition - Black Eyed Peas performing benefit Aug 27 @ Fillmore
Etown taping - Ani DiFranco, James Taylor, 2/3rds of CS&N |Tuesday Aug 26 @ Buell Theater
One Campaign - Bono & Kanye performing private party (sponsored by RIAA) | Wednesday Aug 27 @ EXDO Event Center
DJ Jazzy Jeff spinning @ The Church next Thursday Aug 28
Bruce Springsteen & Bon Jovi to perform at Invesco Obama speech
Democratic Governors Assoc. - Big Head Todd & the Monsters | Monday Aug 25 @ Elitch Gardens
Posted by Merry Swankster at 03:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
DNC: Democratic Governors Assoc. - Big Head Todd & the Monsters | Monday Aug 25 @ Elitch Gardens
[Elitch Gardens]
Colorado natives Big Head Todd and the Monsters will provide entertainment at the Democratic Governors Association event at Elitch Gardens tonight. Elitch Gardens is an amusement/theme park in downtown Denver. The band will also appear at an event during next week's Republican National Committee in Minneapolis.
Previously:
Rage playing free show in Denver during DNC
Free Public Enemy concert next Tuesday - CANCELLED
Manifest Hope presents Silversun Pickups, CYHSY, Cold War Kids, Nada Surf next Wednesday
Ben Gibbard, Zooey Deschanel, Jenny Lewis, Matthew Caws, Jonathan Rice performing VIP "rounds"
Moby spinning @ The Church next Wednesday
Rock to Win - Willie Nelson, Rufus Wainwright, Cyndi Lauper, and Melissa Etheridge | Tuesday @ Fillmore
Rock the Vote: N*E*R*D, Fall Out Boy, Jakob Dylan, others??? Monday Aug 25 @ Ellie Caulkins
Creative Coalition - Black Eyed Peas performing benefit Aug 27 @ Fillmore
Etown taping - Ani DiFranco, James Taylor, 2/3rds of CS&N |Tuesday Aug 26 @ Buell Theater
One Campaign - Bono & Kanye performing private party (sponsored by RIAA) | Wednesday Aug 27 @ EXDO Event Center
DJ Jazzy Jeff spinning @ The Church next Thursday Aug 28
Bruce Springsteen & Bon Jovi to perform at Invesco Obama speech
Posted by Merry Swankster at 02:47 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Bruce Springsteen & Bon Jovi to perform at Invesco Obama speech
Rocky Mountain News is reporting Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi will perform at Invesco Field on Thursday for Sen. Barack Obama's DNC acceptance speech. Bon Jovi will perform before the speech and Bruce Springsteen will close out the night at the stadium. Solo acoustic performances for both. New Jersey remains bright blue. [Rocky Mountain News]
I scored credentials for the Invesco speech and hope to post photos of this and any other musical performances post-haste.
Posted by Merry Swankster at 02:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Denver/Boulder: Shows this week | 8.25 - 8.31
Welcome DNC delegates, members of the press and assorted ruffians. Here are your live music entertainment options for the week.
Monday, August 25
Rock the Vote: N*E*R*D, Fall Out Boy, Jakob Dylan @ Ellie Caulkins
Laura Gibson @ Hi-Dive
The Natural Selection @ Larimer Lounge
Tokio Hotel @ Gothic Theatre
Tuesday, August 26
Berry @ Larimer Lounge
James Taylor/David Crosby & Graham Nash/Ani DiFranco @ Temple Buell Theatre (Etown)
Jim Bianco @ Walnut Room
The Maine @ Marquis Theater
Willie Nelson/Melissa Etheridge/Cyndi Lauper/Rufus Wainwright @ Fillmore Auditorium
Octopus Project @ Hi-Dive
Willie Nelson @ Red Rocks Ampitheatre
Concert for a Cooler Planet - Ben Gibbard & Chris Walla @ 1770 Sherman Event Complex
Wednesday, August 27
The Black Eyed Peas @ Fillmore Auditorium
The Legend Dies @ Larimer Lounge
Public Enemy @ Boulder Theater (free)
Rage Against the Machine @ Denver Coliseum
Unconventional '08 - Silversun Pickups/Cold War Kids/Nada Surf/Clap Your Hands Say Yeah @ Andenken Gallery
Kanye West @ EXDO Events Center (not open to the public)
Moby @ the Church
Thursday, August 28
War for the White House Gala Event Spectacular - The Onion DNC Party - Ted Leo & the Pharmacists @ La Rumba
Authority Zero @ Bluebird Theater
Cory Branan @ Hi-Dive
Eudea @ Larimer Lounge
Hearts Like Lions @ Marquis Theater
DJ Jazzy Jeff @ the Church
Friday, August 29
Jana Hunter @ Hi-Dive
KYGO's Summer Chill @ Red Rocks Ampitheatre
The Railbenders @ Soiled Dove
Rocket Queen @ Larimer Lounge
Soda Jerk's Back To School Spectacular @ Marquis Theater
Tijuana Pillbox @ Bluebird Theater
Within The Chaos @ Gothic Theatre
Saturday, August 30
The Allman Brothers Band @ Red Rocks Ampitheatre
Black Market Empire @ Larimer Lounge
The Boombox @ Marquis Theater
Golan @ Walnut Room
Sunday, August 31
Al Green/Otis Taylor @ Denver Botanic Gardens
Gov't Mule/Umphrey's McGee @ Red Rocks Ampitheatre
Motel Saints @ Larimer Lounge
Reggie And The Full Effect @ Marquis Theater
Shearwater/Wye Oak @ Hi-Dive
Posted by Merry Swankster at 02:22 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 24, 2008
Video: XLR8R Interviews Hercules (or is he Love Affair?)
Here's a nice video of Andrew Butler, architect of one of the year's very best albums, the self-titled debut from Hercules & Love Affair. Sitting down with XLR8R, Butler reveals in embarrassing detail the DJ-worship of his youth, and the adolescent disco epiphanies that lead to his current success.
Hercules & Love Affair - "Hercules Theme"
Posted by Jeff Klingman at 11:17 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 22, 2008
Summer Six Pack, round 3
I spent most of the summer in a new music funk, disappointed by the quality of the releases invading my headspace, and turning to neglected records from the past to comfort me in my disillusionment. The tide seems to be turning, though I'm not sure what it's connected to. Perhaps the sustained temperate air of New York's unusually generous August? Maybe I just looked a little harder for some, and then the blogosphere rewarded me for my efforts by spitting out the rest? It matters little. As I have in all the melted months since I've been associated with MS, I offer a smattering of tracks that have kept me sane as my actual brain boiled away. ..
Best Friends Forever - "Eisenhower is the Father" (live on 89.3 the Current)
I must have seen the name Best Friends Forever nestled in the midst of a mammoth Todd P e-mail blast somewhere along the line, but I never really investigated the Minnesota band until catching some modest hype shrapnel from the dates they played in New York this week (I did not attend, but nyctaper did, and his recordings can be found here). Turns out they are pretty GD delightful. I tracked down the group's virtually ignored 2008 debut LP Romance Conflict Adventure, but I still prefer the radio session version of its song "Eisenhower is the Father" that's posted above. It's not so far off from it's studio counterpart, but the vocals of (presumed BFFs) Bri and Jes are perhaps even more casual and off the cuff sounding in a single, lazy take. It flirts with being overly cutesy, but the girls' funny travelogue/love story/presidential narration exudes both a haphazard charm and an obvious intelligence that elevates it above something awful like the Moldy Peaches. They're two lady Malkmuses overlapping each other while on the prowl. Well, at least until the song whips into a Unicorns synth-pop rave-up. Pavement + Unicorns + clever female vocalists = swoon. I actually think that ol' lefty Ike is pretty swell too.
Appropriate Corresponding Summer Activity: Savoring a reassuring breeze. Chuckling to yourself at its improbable pleasantness.
I had meant to post a few more songs from San Fransisco's Sic Alps at some recent point, but a lack of motivating enthusiasm did me in. I like the hissing lo-fi rockers, but not as much as I wanted to after reading copious descriptions of their craft. But this Throbbing Gristle cover is a pretty neat trick. "United" is one of the easiest songs to like in the industrial titans' intimidating back catalog, it's, uh, still not that easy to like. The robot blips of the original are downright cuddly compared to the detached vocals and and their off-putting delivery. Sic Alps take sounds like a large truck idling, until it takes on a surprising bit of Nuggets pep. One of the least likely feel-good experiments in recent memory.
Appropriate Corresponding Summer Activity: Strolling home so absent-mindedly that the construction work in the distance takes on a bit of a melody.
Ssion - "Credit in the Straight World"
I'm clearly a sucker for this song, having already posted it performed by two other artists. As the iconography of Courtney Love was prominently displayed both times I've seen them live, I'm guessing it's the Hole version that Cody & co. are primarily smitten with. How better to express diva worship than evoking a smoke machine obscured dancefloor? Not as mysterious as Young Marble Giants' original, clearly, but even when playing a song as straight as they ever have, Ssion manage to devilishly amuse. Once the mental image of Love in a Flashdance off-the-shoulder sweatshirt and leg warmers ensemble set in, it was difficult to displace.
Appropriate Corresponding Summer Activity: Trying several ice-cream flavors until you hit the one that makes you question your own sexuality.
Previously, Gang Gang Dance's only nod to easy accessibility was part of one song where it seemed like the band might have, at some point in their lives, heard Morrissey. This new track actually seems made for people who aren't filled by a meal made of occasionally interesting texture alone. It's name might trigger an involuntary face-scrunching, but "House Jam" is a surprisingly apt description. It's got the body movement triggers of blissfully e'd up rave number, but is looser and more playful in form than a standard 4-4 banger. As their previous style was patently unlistenable (I tried, I swear), this has to be considered a major, major improvement.
Appropriate Corresponding Summer Activity:Jamming; preferably in a house.
the Anals - "Commando of Love"
The Anals were French punks, already slipped into the past tense after issuing this debut single this June. According to a tersely worded bio on their Sweet Rot label MySpace page, half of these French duo met an untimely death. Whether that's meant metaphorically or tragically not, this is a great little cult mystery of a 7". Using lingering national angst over World War II for lyrical fodder, and some sort of relentless animatronic gorilla to play the drums, "Commando of Love" is beguilingly spartan.
Appropriate Corresponding Summer Activity: Preparing for an afternoon BBQ by laying down a base coat of grain alcohol, flaming out early.
Stereolab - "Cellulose Sunshine"
The 60s sounds I most associate with Stereolab's career are of the French, lounge, or French lounge variety. "Cellulose Sunshine" from the band's ninth full-length album, has the distinct whiff of "Incense & Peppermints" to it, however. The groove is accentuated by sly strings, though the end result, as always, is a Stereolab song. The title implies a warming glow in even the most mundane items; light beaming from the component parts of things you see every day. Though the British veterans' sound has by now become as familiar as a plant or stone in your garden path, this petite pop nugget has an inner radiance as well.
Appropriate Corresponding Summer Activity: Watching the gleam morph and recombine on the surface of a flowing creek. Ohhhhhm.
--
Previously:
- the Summer of '07
- the Summer of '06
Posted by Jeff Klingman at 12:00 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 21, 2008
DNC: Public Enemy show cancelled...
Denver Post reports the previously reported Public Enemy show has been canceled:
"While they are grateful to be invited, Public Enemy will not be performing at the Recreate 68 event on Tuesday," said an e-mail from Dan Lugo, who says he is from Public Enemy's management company.
But mass confusion is the real headline in all of this:
Recreate 68 co-founder Glenn Spagnuolo said he was going to clarify the situation and provide more details at a press conference later today.But Recreate 68 then sent out an advisory that Mad Society Productions is in charge of the arrangments [sic] with Public Enemy and referred calls to them.
"Re-create 68 was informed by Mad Society Productions that Public Enemy was planning a concert for our organization," the advisory said. "We have been assured by Mad Society Productions that a contract is signed, financial arraignments have been made, and airline tickets have been purchased for Public Enemy. At this point, we have not been told anything other than a possible change in the scheduled time."
Recreate 68 provided contact information for Ben Kaufman and Carlo Garcia of Mad Society Productions so they could address the questions about Public Enemy.
When contacted Kaufman said, "No comment. I gotta go," and hung up.
Weird.
Posted by Merry Swankster at 04:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
DNC: DJ Jazzy Jeff spinning @ The Church next Thursday Aug 28
[The Church Nightclub]
DNC Public Party featuring DJ Jazzy Jeff
Hosted by HeadCount at The Church Nightclub
9 p.m. - 2 a.m. (or until Uncle Phil throws everybody out)
Open to the public
After Barack Obama wraps up his speech at Invesco, former Will Smith sidekick/DJ will be spinning until closing time at the Church. HeadCount will have a table to register voters.
About HeadCount:
We are a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization devoted to voter registration and participation in democracy. We were created in 2004 by a group of artists, music industry professionals and fans, all determined to make sure the live music community is well-represented at the polls.
Previously:
Rage playing free show in Denver during DNC
Free Public Enemy concert next Tuesday
Manifest Hope presents Silversun Pickups, CYHSY, Cold War Kids, Nada Surf next Wednesday
Ben Gibbard, Zooey Deschanel, Jenny Lewis, Matthew Caws, Jonathan Rice performing VIP "rounds"
Moby spinning @ The Church next Wednesday
Rock to Win - Willie Nelson, Rufus Wainwright, Cyndi Lauper, and Melissa Etheridge | Tuesday @ Fillmore
Rock the Vote: N*E*R*D, Fall Out Boy, Jakob Dylan, others??? Monday Aug 25 @ Ellie Caulkins
Creative Coalition - Black Eyed Peas performing benefit Aug 27 @ Fillmore
Etown taping - Ani DiFranco, James Taylor, 2/3rds of CS&N |Tuesday Aug 26 @ Buell Theater
One Campaign - Bono & Kanye performing private party (sponsored by RIAA) | Wednesday Aug 27 @ EXDO Event Center
Posted by Merry Swankster at 04:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
DNC: One Campaign - Bono & Kanye performing private party (sponsored by RIAA) | Wednesday Aug 27 @ EXDO Event Center
[Barack: "Keep a tight leash on Kanye in Denver for me. Word?"]
Kanye West concert
Hosted by the One Campaign at and the RIAA at the EXDO Event Center
10 p.m. - 11 p.m.
Not open to the public
The One Campaign and Bono have secured the always opinionated Kanye West to perform on August 27th at the EXDO Event Center northeast of downtown Denver. The lovable Recording Industry Association of America are involved with hosting duties and doing what the do best - pissing money away in glamorous fashion. And maybe also to remind delegates that some musical acts can still make them money.
About One:
The ONE Campaign seeks to raise public awareness about the issues of global poverty, hunger, disease and efforts to fight such problems in developing countries. In furtherance of these purposes, the ONE Campaign will:Mobilize people from all 50 states and America's leading non-profit, advocacy and humanitarian organizations to expand awareness of these issues
Publish educational information about the impact of overseas development assistance and reformation of unfair international trade regimes on global poverty, hunger and disease
Raise awareness about and promote the framework of the Millennium Development Goals to eradicate poverty and improve public health and education
The ONE Campaign is organized and operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. [One]
Previously:
Rage playing free show in Denver during DNC
Free Public Enemy concert next Tuesday
Manifest Hope presents Silversun Pickups, CYHSY, Cold War Kids, Nada Surf next Wednesday
Ben Gibbard, Zooey Deschanel, Jenny Lewis, Matthew Caws, Jonathan Rice performing VIP "rounds"
Moby spinning @ The Church next Wednesday
Rock to Win - Willie Nelson, Rufus Wainwright, Cyndi Lauper, and Melissa Etheridge | Tuesday @ Fillmore
Rock the Vote: N*E*R*D, Fall Out Boy, Jakob Dylan, others??? Monday Aug 25 @ Ellie Caulkins
Creative Coalition - Black Eyed Peas performing benefit Aug 27 @ Fillmore
Etown taping - Ani DiFranco, James Taylor, 2/3rds of CS&N |Tuesday Aug 26 @ Buell Theater
Posted by Merry Swankster at 02:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
DNC: Etown taping - Ani DiFranco, James Taylor, 2/3rds of CS&N |Tuesday Aug 26 @ Buell Theater
[Temple Buell Theater]
Graham Nash, David Crosby, Ani DiFranco, James Taylor and more guests to be announced are taping an episode of NPR's Etown with hosts Nick and Helen Forster at Denver's Temple Buell Theater. Tickets are **sold out.**
Etown travels to downtown Denver on Tuesday evening August 26th for a taping during the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Hosts Nick & Helen Forster will lead a celebratory revue featuring exciting musical performances by David Crosby & Graham Nash, Ani DiFranco, James Taylor and others TBA, inspirational conversation with influential policy-makers and personalities, and presentation of the E-Chievement Award in the classic Etown format which blends music and message to build community. The program will be recorded at one of Denver's finest venues, the Temple Buell Theater in the Denver Performing Arts Complex. [Etown @ DNC]
As a nonprofit, etown's mission is to educate, entertain and inspire a diverse audience, through music and conversation, to build a socially responsible and environmentally sustainable world. etown's broadcast emphasizes human commonality and collective responsibility for building a better, more sustainable world. The show has three key elements: 1) An eclectic array of world-class musicians (two per show) perform individually; 2) Each performing artist is interviewed on stage, with emphasis on exploration of the artist’s musical roots and musical and non-musical influences; and 3) Each show includes a live interview with the show's "e-chievement award" recipient. This individual, chosen each week through nominations from etown's national audience, is typically someone who has identified an environmental or social issue at the community, national or global level, and whose efforts are very effectively addressing that need.
//Etown @ DNC.
//Etown
Previously:
Rage playing free show in Denver during DNC
Free Public Enemy concert next Tuesday
Manifest Hope presents Silversun Pickups, CYHSY, Cold War Kids, Nada Surf next Wednesday
Ben Gibbard, Zooey Deschanel, Jenny Lewis, Matthew Caws, Jonathan Rice performing VIP "rounds"
Moby spinning @ The Church next Wednesday
Rock to Win - Willie Nelson, Rufus Wainwright, Cyndi Lauper, and Melissa Etheridge | Tuesday @ Fillmore
Rock the Vote: N*E*R*D, Fall Out Boy, Jakob Dylan, others??? Monday Aug 25 @ Ellie Caulkins
Creative Coalition - Black Eyed Peas performing benefit Aug 27 @ Fillmore
Posted by Merry Swankster at 02:07 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
DNC: Creative Coalition - Black Eyed Peas benefit show Aug 27 @ Fillmore
The Black-Eyed Peas will perform a benefit show at the Fillmore as part of a Creative Coalition sponsored event. This is a private-ish event and no single tickets are available. Entry can be purchased for a cool 10 large however. (Sponsorship packages - range from $10,000 to $100,000, call 212-512-5876 for details.)
The Creative Coalition is the premier nonprofit, nonpartisan social and political advocacy organization of the entertainment industry. Founded in 1989 by prominent figures in the creative community, including actors Alec Baldwin, Ron Silver, Christopher Reeve, Susan Sarandon, Blair Brown and Stephen Collins, TCC educates and mobilizes leaders in the arts community on issues of public importance, specifically in the areas of First Amendment rights, arts advocacy and public education.
//Creative Coalition @ DNC
//Creative Coalition
Previously:
Rage playing free show in Denver during DNC
Free Public Enemy concert next Tuesday
Manifest Hope presents Silversun Pickups, CYHSY, Cold War Kids, Nada Surf next Wednesday
Ben Gibbard, Zooey Deschanel, Jenny Lewis, Matthew Caws, Jonathan Rice performing VIP "rounds"
Moby spinning @ The Church next Wednesday
Rock to Win - Willie Nelson, Rufus Wainwright, Cyndi Lauper, and Melissa Etheridge | Tuesday @ Fillmore
Rock the Vote: N*E*R*D, Fall Out Boy, Jakob Dylan, others??? Monday Aug 25 @ Ellie Caulkins
Posted by Merry Swankster at 01:45 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
DNC: Rock the Vote: N*E*R*D, Fall Out Boy, Jakob Dylan, others??? Monday Aug 25 @ Ellie Caulkins
Rock the Vote is the nonpartisan group that most people my age associate with MTV's Tabitha Soren, or wait...was that Choose or Lose? Same difference no? Rock the Vote's mission is to get young people involved in politics. For the DNC they are planning a "massive bash" capped by a concert with N*E*R*D, Fall Out Boy, Jakob Dylan and others. The requisite VIP private party promises the "hottest VIPS and celebrity guests." Yawn. Did you know that yawns are contagious? Fact.
More than 2,500 guests will experience a live concert in the world-class acoustical Ellie Caulkins Opera House. The show will feature exclusive performances and collaboration by marquee artists including FALL OUT BOY, N*E*R*D and Jakob Dylan.The party continues as 400 guests head to the official after party featuring Nick Cannon on the turntables with hottest VIPS and celebrity guests filling the room. [press release]
This Myspace page claims another Rock the Vote show is happening at Sculpture Park near the Denver Performing Arts Center on Friday Aug 29. Sculpture Park is basically the front lawn of Ellie Caulkins. I'm confused. I will update this post once I get better information.
[Sculpture Park]
//Rock the Convention
//Rock the Vote Denver?
Previously:
Rage playing free show in Denver during DNC
Free Public Enemy concert next Tuesday
Manifest Hope presents Silversun Pickups, CYHSY, Cold War Kids, Nada Surf next Wednesday
Ben Gibbard, Zooey Deschanel, Jenny Lewis, Matthew Caws, Jonathan Rice performing VIP "rounds"
Moby spinning @ The Church next Wednesday
Rock to Win: Willie Neson, Rufus Wainwright, Cyndi Lauper, and Melissa Etheridge | Tuesday @ Fillmore
Posted by Merry Swankster at 12:25 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
DNC: Rock to Win - Willie Nelson, Rufus Wainwright, Cyndi Lauper, and Melissa Etheridge | Tuesday @ Fillmore
"Rock to Win" is a concert hosted by the Human Rights Campaign featuring Willie Nelson, Melissa Etheridge, Cyndi Lauper, and Rufus Wainwright. Tickets are $98 per person for the Tuesday Aug 26 show and are still available via Ticketmaster.
The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against GLBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.Join us to celebrate GLBT equality at the Democratic National Committee Convention! The Human Rights Campaign is sponsoring a DNCC premiere event, "Rock To Win," on Tuesday, Aug. 26, at the Fillmore Auditorium, 1510 Clarkson Street, Denver, featuring long-time friend and Oscar and Grammy-award winning artist Melissa Etheridge.
"Rock to Win" will also feature performances by Cyndi Lauper, Rufus Wainwright and Thelma Houston. This summer, Cyndi hit the road for the second annual True Colors Tour in partnership with the Human Rights Campaign. This year's tour emphasized the importance of voting and participating in 2008's historic elections. The concept of the tour was conceived by Cyndi stemming from her desire to give back to the GLBT community for the love and support they have given her throughout her career. Wainwright, who is openly gay, previously performed at HRC's landmark concert series and tour, "Equality Rocks." Houston has performed at many pride events and is a tireless advocate in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Other artists and special guests who will be in attendance at "Rock to Win" will be announced in the days to come.
"Rock to Win" is also an opportunity to educate delegates, convention attendees and the Denver community about the discrimination our community continues to face and the need for fair-minded leadership that will advance critical protections for our entire community, including federal hate crimes and employment discrimination laws, equal benefits and protections for same-sex couples and an end to the discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in our nation's military.
//HRC
Previously:
Rage playing free show in Denver during DNC
Free Public Enemy concert next Tuesday
Manifest Hope presents Silversun Pickups, CYHSY, Cold War Kids, Nada Surf next Wednesday
Ben Gibbard, Zooey Deschanel, Jenny Lewis, Matthew Caws, Jonathan Rice performing VIP "rounds"
Moby spinning @ The Church next Wednesday
Posted by Merry Swankster at 10:53 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
August 20, 2008
Video: YACHT - "Summer Song"
I was actually a bit disappointed to see that DFA Records, whose braintrust have had the best ears for dance music talent this decade, had signed Portland jokesters YACHT. In his work with the Blow, Jona Bechtolt managed to craft a few winning minimal tracks, but without Khaela Maricich's naive vocals on top of them, his YACHT work struck me as simultaneously thin and smugly self-satisfied. The blatant Rolling Stones' groove jacking of single "See a Penny (Pick it Up)" was no exception. But shit, maybe I'm wrong. The debut DFA single, "the Summer Song" sounds both like a proper summer club anthem and a proper DFA single. The not-as-clever-as-it-thinks-it-is Tapeheads homage above makes me hold my reservations close to the chest, but my interest is certainly piqued.
Posted by Jeff Klingman at 07:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Retrohump: Homosapien (video) Too
Pete Shelley - "Homosapien"
Posted by Jeff Klingman at 12:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Ripping Vinyl, part 4
After many years of musical obsession completely removed from a record player, my pile of vinyl now grows incrementally, aided by the quality LP sellers of New York City. Baubles from the treasure chest will be posted here whenever it seems appropriate...
The sharp-dressed man who appears to be sitting in Adrian Veidt's office* on the cover above is none other than revered Buzzcocks' frontman Pete Shelley. By end of the 70s, the Buzzcocks were straining a bit at the creative seams. 1979's A Different Kind of Tension was the end result of a dramatic creative growth that leaped from wanking lyrics to Burroughs quoting (I guess the scope of that leap depends on your literary tastes). Despite continued growth, the 'cocks weren't charting like they used to, and as such, weren't too flush with cash. Shelley had holed up with future Human League knob-twiddler Martin Rushent and fell deeply in love with the possibility of synthetic instrumentation. Seeing diminished need for his bandmates, he got his lawyer to fire off a quick letter disbanding the seminal Manchester punks. Goodwill all around, obviously. A cloud of bad feeling may have marred the 1981 release of his first solo record, Homosapien, but the sharp pop tunes in contains are ripe for re-examination.
The album's title cut preceded the album and became an underground hit despite facing a total ban by the BBC. Their grounds were that the song contained "explicit" references to gay sex, though the meaning of that term has clearly been tightened in the intervening years. Looking at the lyric sheet now-- with its coy boys, shy boys, and cruisers--it does seem very much a statement on Pete's up-'til-then quiet bisexuality. The way he stresses the "homo" in homosapien is a clever way of reclaiming a schoolyard taunt, while affirming the basic humanity of the stigmatized. It's also a pretty slammin' synth-pop number, confirming that Shelley could write memorable hooks in his sleep. I'm certainly not the first to make this observation, but try singing "North American Scum!" over "Homosapien Too!" for an easy demonstration of the song's continuing influence.
Pete Shelley - "Yesterday's Not Here"
Of all the painfully on-the-nose lyrics in rock history, "Looking back on life, is such a retrospective thing..." has to win some sort of a prize of infamy for attempting to sound deep while saying absolutely nothing. It's so clunky and obvious an opening line that it almost becomes charming again. The rest of the track needs no rationalizations. Again, Shelley can't help but write a huge anthemic chorus, which Rushent complements and improves with energetic Moroder-lite synths.
* It's interesting though probably coincidental to note that Watchmen's Veidt takes his alias from the works of another P. Shelley
Previously:
- the Raincoats, live @ the BBC
- Linear Movement play "the Game"
- A hole where the Romeo should be
Posted by Jeff Klingman at 10:50 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack