We have uncovered shocking evidence supporting the theory held by a couple of Townspeople that rock ‘n roll peaked in 1981. Our Mystery Guest calls roll for the beginning of the end and makes the most of that year’s Pat Benetar release!
Mar 252008
Mar 242008
A lot of rock nerds go ga-ga over M. Ward. A friend burned me one of his albums and I’ve heard some other songs by him. His stuff’s nice enough, but he’s a little too low-key for my day-to-day tastes.
A lot of rock nerds probably go ga-ga over Zooey Deschanel as well, probably for reasons slightly beyond her smokey singing performance in the shower scene in Elf, but not altogether unrelated. She’s cute!
If you haven’t heard, M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel have teamed up for an album called Volume One, under the name She & Him. There’s much being made about their love for ’60s AM pop, Phil Spector, Carole King, Dusty Springfield, and so forth. I’m down with all that stuff myself, as down with all that as I am the cuteness of Ms. Deschanel, so I picked up this album.
I’ve just started listening to it, but so far so good. They even do a couple of dreamy/country Beatles covers, which will be good for passing around with my fellow Beatles fanboy friends. Deschanel’s voice works for me, and Ward’s work behind the scenes hits the right buttons. What I like best about this stuff, though, is when it gets into the West Coast AM pop sound. Check out these examples.
She & Him, “Sentimental Heart”
She & Him, “This Is Not a Test”
I hope there’s a Volume Two, and I’d suggest they keep exploring that West Coast pop sound. If Cat Power doesn’t beat her to the punch, I think Deschanel’s got a chance become the next…
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Mar 242008
Before digital downloads and online stores, one had to physically visit a record store to purchase a record. If the record was really hard to find, such as an import, a whacked out independent release, or a bootleg, you might have to send money, through some complicated pre-PayPal system, to a complete stranger running a thumbnail ad in the back pages of Trouser Press. I was discussing all this with Townsman E. Pluribus Gergely over the weekend, and at this point in the discussion he grabbed the dinner table and uttered unmentionables at the memory of the hell and wad of cash he went through to buy bootleg cassettes of The Beach Boys‘ aborted Smile sessions.
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Mar 242008
I’ll keep this simple. Do you like the Marx Brothers? For extra credit, tell us why — or why not.
Mr. Moderator, I swear this is rock-relevant. I’ll explain why later.
HVB
Mar 242008
Here’s a clip from an early 1979 ABC special, Heroes of Rock ‘n Roll, which was hosted by Jeff Bridges. I’d forgotten about this special, but seeing this clip, I’m reminded of how important a tv-watching event it was when I was not quite 16. I believe pretty much the same artists who made me pump my fist triumphantly during that opening roll call made me pump my fist just now. I believe many of the same artists who made me scratch my head and say, Huh?!?! that night make me say the same thing today. There are a few exceptions.
If you’re old enough to span the initial broadcast of this special and today’s walk through memory lane, care to share your thoughts on that roll call, yesterday and today? If you don’t go back that far, feel free to share your fist-pumping vs head-scratching moments on this, your first viewing of the ancient special’s intro. If any discussion follows, I’ll be happy to share my few changes in perspective, or what might be termed “growth.”
Mar 222008
Pay particular attention to the commentary about 25 seconds into this epic match!
Mar 222008
I’ve been skeptical about Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Budos Band, and the hub of this neo-soul scene, Daptone Records. Yesterday, however, I dug out a recent issue of TapeOp that I had not finished and made myself read an article on the head of this scene, Bosco Mann? He’s also the bassist for The Dap-Kings and their producer/mastermind. He’s got a great ‘stache, but I was skeptical. In short time, I couldn’t help but love almost everything he said about his old school, decisive ways in making records.
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