Speaking of old habits, a Townsman passed along the following press release of interest to more than a couple of us with a need for more, more, more and extra money to burn! Personally, I think the real oversight in the Costello reissue market is the lack of a remastered Taking Liberties. Back in the day, you were pretty cool – at least as cool as a Costello fan could be – if you owned that one. Read on!
From:name Date: Jan 17, 2008 10:46 AM Subject: Costello’s This Year’s Model Deluxe Edition Out March 4 To: Costello Fans
Today’s news…Take care, name
DELUXE EDITION OF ELVIS COSTELLO’S LANDMARK ’70S ALBUM THIS YEAR’S MODEL PUMPS IT UP WITH SECOND DISC FEATURING PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED CONCERT
Do you boogie? Do you know what it means to boogie? You know, boogie down, baby, in your-your-your-your-your boogie shoes. Heads-a-bobbin’; sweat-a-floppin’; every musician, every dancer keying on the downbeat.
There’s nothing fancy about the boogie. You know that turkey neck and gizzard that you want nothing to do with at Thanksgiving? Meanwhile your grandparents go on about what a delicacy those parts were when they were kids. This is the state in which we find our old friend the boogie.
There are many ways to boogie. Some would even say chooglin’ is a form of boogie. See if you agree.
In honor of BigSteve, today’s Battle Royale seeks to crown the Ultimate Boogie. Let not genre, race, or geography stand in the way of your contender for Ultimate Boogie. If you’ve got a song that was born to boogie, throw it in the ring and see how long it stands! May I kick it off with the following Classic Boogie? Continue reading »
I’ve been looking forward to this one for a couple of years, since a friend turned me onto Malkmus’ last album, Face the Truth. I haven’t anticipated an artist’s next release like this one for some time. My hope and optimism are bound to let me down. Here goes!
“Dragonfly Pie”: I’m digging the rumbling fuzz guitars and the overall sinister vibe as this one gets underway. Wait a second! It’s getting light and airy, with falsetto singing and a cheap electric piano sound. Ah, back to the distorted, double-stop guitar licks and the sloppy buzzing sound. Truth be told, this is a pretty lame song, but so many modern albums start out with sloppy mood pieces. Shoot, he’s back to the falsetto-$20 electric keyboard chorus, but now he’s back to the the simplistic, mind-and-string-bending solos I so crave. Dig those analog synth noodlings. All right, ended just in time.
“Hopscotch Willie”: This song title scares me. I’m sensing a Steely Dan song of some sort, maybe by way of Frank Zappa. So far this one’s meandering along in a poor man’s Steely Dan way. The song is still young, though. There’s plenty of time for some fuzzed-out string bending. Here’s a different kind of solo, more ’70s, a bit like the solo in Face the Truth‘s super “No More Shoes”. One big difference: the slight “Hopscotch Willie” tune surrounding the solo doesn’t go anywhere. Patience, Ed, patience… Now the song has broken down to a little rickety piano and vocal section before Malkmus takes it into some almost Santana-like jamming. Come on, man, I’ve been counting on this album.
“Cold Son”: This song may grow on me. It’s a bit stilted with a smooth chorus stuck between all the jagged edges. Don’t know what else to make of it on first listen.
“Real Emotional Trash”: Ooh, the title track promises something special! It starts out delicately, the tension building ever so slightly only to get sidetracked by some pretty chord or melodic twist. I’m telling you, though, it’s going to kick any minute now. Ah, listen to those tasty guitar runs. “Daddy’s on the run…” Can you feel it building? Yeah, check out this dual-guitar climb, like the gateway to some extended Television jam. Yeah, baby! Stomp on those effects boxes, play that guitar! Blurp blurp blurp blurp goes my bong. “I’m gonna start doing something with my life, mannnn!” Now the wah-wah pedal has been initiated! Blurp blurp blurp blurp… Pick up the pace, a chooglin’ piano is playing what sounds like The Doors’ “L.A. Woman”! Malkmus is back on vocals, singing of “Frisco” and other Doors-worthy nonsense. This is what I need! Now another dual-guitar solo segment kicks in, this one in a scale that The Allman Brothers might play. I think it’s winding down. I’m fried, man. Tender section, like something Lou Reed and Robert Quine might have played on The Blue Mask. Wonder if they stuck stereo mics on a Styrofoam dummy’s head? Continue reading »
It’s tougher than it seems to make a common, bad song eternally annoying. Try it sometime. It only seems easy because Tom Cruise has managed this feat in countless Hollywood films.
In charging Tom Cruise with Rock Crimes for permanently defiling more downtrodden songs than any actor in history, we’re not passing judgment on his films, his beliefs, or his personal life. We won’t even poke fun at all the ditches in which his leading ladies have had to stand while sidling up to him.
There’s gonna be no dancing
Likewise, we’re not going to pass judgment on the songs themselves. At least one of these songs is actually of high caliber. Although Cruise typically preyed on weaker material, he was capable of bringing down classier numbers.
Here’s a song that sucks in what’s actually a good film. This song is so bad and emblematic of its time that it would be remembered as a stone-cold turd without Cruise’s involvement. However, his pool-cue moves denigrate this song beyond all hopes of simply being forgotten among a brothel full of Clapton’s ’80s skanks.
Updated at page 3 with visual-free audio files for potentially less-biased consideration! (Courtesy of shawnkilroy and The Great 48.)
Let’s stop the nonsense, shall we? You don’t really like Sparks, do you?
Perhaps you were really into Queen as a youth and needed another band that was remotely like them in your collection? If so, that’s cool. No need to explain.
Perhaps you were totally into the Ice Capades and these guys turned you onto The Power and Glory of Rock? OK, I can see that.
But plenty of critics and rock ‘n roll fans whose tastes I respect LOVE these guys. Have I had the bad luck of only hearing the likes of my man, Townsman The Great 48, rave about them on April 1? Stop putting me on, will ya.
