Mar 122011
Sounds of the Hall in roughly 33 1/3 minutes!
In this week’s edition of Saturday Night Shut-In Mr. Moderator dips, almost exclusively, into the New Releases bin, spinning records he’s never before heard by bands, in some cases, he’s never previously heard. See whether Mikey likes any of them. See if you do too.
[audio:https://www.rocktownhall.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/RTH-Saturday-Night-Shut-In-19.mp3|titles=RTH Saturday Night Shut-In, episode 19][Note: The Rock Town Hall feed will enable you to easily download Saturday Night Shut-In episodes to your digital music player. In fact, you can even set your iTunes to search for an automatic download of each week’s podcast.]
That version of Tecumseh Valley you played really doesn’t do justice to the song. In the right setting, preferably with just acoustic guitar accompaniment, it’s completely devastating. Unfortunately Townes made a lot of albums with generic country-folk arrangements like this. I must say though that cutting off the ending like that didn’t help, as the repeat of the first verse at the end is essential to the way the song works.
I don’t know if this is what you are thinking, but the song faded out at that point; I didn’t fade it out early. I noticed that he re-recorded his songs frequently. I’m pretty sure the version I played is from one of his first albums; maybe it’s his first release of it, or maybe it’s the second release. I can’t remember. The song is OK, but I didn’t need 18 verses to get that story, and there was no hook. I kept thinking, with the musical arrangement, that it needed a big, cheesy hook, like the one in Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler” or the hook in Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold.” It would have set me up better for verses 12 through 18.
I’ll have to track down a solo version for comparison. The other thing I kept thinking while hearing the song is that it sounded like an outtake from the soundtrack to McCabe and Mrs. Miller. I downloaded a few more TVZ songs. They’re better than I expected and in no way offensive to play while I’m working, but they don’t go anywhere for me. He projects less personality than I would have expected, given his rep, which may help me in some ways but doesn’t give me the benefit of hanging on his voice or all-around persona, the way I can Leonard Cohen on any one of his Songs That Sound Like “Suzanne,” or a modern-day artist I like enough, like Nick Cave. On the other hand, his voice never bugs the crap out of me, as some borderline enjoyable artists can do. Thanks for listening and for your comments, no joke!
What I meant was that you started talking when he was still singing. I would never have recommended TVZ to you because it’s not the kind of thing you get into. Most people recommending his music would say to start with Live at the Old Quarter, where he plays solo in a bar to a not particularly attentive audience. When I got the CD I was playing it on a drive home from work, and this song literally caused me to pull over to the side of the road because I was overcome with sadness. And I’m not an emotional guy.
I agree that he doesn’t project personality, but that’s not what he’s about. It’s definitely not the kind of thing I’d play while working. Or driving, anymore. I don’t know if you like Steve Earle, but he recently made an album of all Townes songs, though I didn’t find it totally satisfactory either.
He may have still been singing, but the song faded out as he was singing, like the end of the vinyl version of “Marquee Moon.” I didn’t mean to step over the ending. I’ll have to listen to that live album, which has been recommended before. I usually find live albums lacking in something, especially if I want to get to know an artist for the first time. I’m sure, if I thought about it, I’d recall one live album that was a great introduction to an artist. Come to think of it, I probably bought Rock ‘n Roll Animal before any other Lou Reed album.
The Steve Earle song “Transcendental Blues” is amazing; I wish he had a few more songs I liked that much. I’ve liked seeing him play that bluegrass stuff around the single microphone with that old guy and his band. He’s not bad, and I always find him a super cool-enough guy that I’m willing to check out every couple new albums he releases.
So, if TVZ’s not about making good studio records or projecting personality, what IS he about? I sometimes ask the following question as a bit of a joke, but since you’ve brought it up, where and when is it best to listen to his music?
And I am an emotional guy, but that particular version of that particular song didn’t speak to me. Again, I appreciate the fact that the music means something to you. Every once in a while I learn something, I learn to hear with another’s ears. As I said, my first exposure to this guy has been better than expected. I thought he was going to sound like Jeff Bridges in that crap movie he won the Academy Award for 2 years ago, Crazy Heart.
Oh, and I’m curious to hear your thoughts on that PE&G song that preceded TVZ.
I actually saw PG&E play back in 1970 or so. The song by them that I remember was called Redneck. I looked it up, and it was written by Joe South. That makes sense, because the song you play here sounds kind of like that country soul thing he and Jim Ford did. Following up, I see that the song appears on Swamp Dogg’s immortal Total Destruction to Your Mind album, but I’d never made the connection before.
Live PG&E was a generic blooz band, and I remember that they refused to play Redneck, despite entreaties from the audience.
Yes, I thought of that Jim Ford stuff too. I’m a sucker for that kind of pop, so much so that I can look past the incredibly cheesy section in that song that precedes the key change. You would have to be a prime contender for seeing more “Mystery Date”-worthy bands than anyone in the Hall, no?
Another good show, of course. I liked hearing the new Mike Watt. And for clarification, Beady Eye is minus the Oasis guitarist.
Mr. Royale went to see Tommy Guerrero last week and picked up the new album, “Lifeboats and Follies.” It’s a good one. Here’s a track from it. He’s another SF native (and skateboard champ!), but this video is shot in Detroit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxxLQ1lk8GU
Here’s another one from the same album:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZ_XqPefH-8&feature=related
(Since we’re talking new music)
Cool stuff, ladymiss, and those shots of Detroit were much as I experienced the city in two trips there.