Work has been very busy, hence the silence.
Aside from that, we reverted the band’s name back to Stretcher Case and relaunched the website. We also pressed up 25 copies of our demo, which we’re sending out. The tracks are available in mp3 format here.
I’m also playing guitar in a Suede tribute band at Cinema Classics on Saturday March 30th. Should be fun.
I also have lots of secret undeveloped plans for expanding ‘musical taste’. More on these later.
Now Shirley Scott has died. This year is nasty that way. And my mouth is still bleeding from the dentist. To remember (or discover) Shirley, I recommend Doug Payne’s page.
Arling and Cameron and Swarte: 'Sound Shopping' (CD; ; 2000)
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I found this used for $5, which seemed a bargain. It sounds fun. I'll never be A&C's biggest fan, because I find them a bit bouncy. But this is definitely interesting. More details to come (I'm trying to actually enter things as I buy them, so please excuse the brevity of this review)
Simian: 'Chemistry is what we are' (CD; ; 2001)
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Everyone (well, one person) was talking to me about this band when I was in England at christmas. So I picked it up for 5.99. I will report back.
Ok, I'm reporting back. It's interesting. Very diferent. Kind of lo-fi, more than I expected. This was my unpolished note upon listening to it: "reminiscent of high llamas, beach boys, (esp on 'one dimension') also droney pop bands"
So, I finally finished the redesign of musical taste, and sent out an update email to all my users. I realize I must have been tired, because even after testing the email about 20 times, I still managed to insert one (temporarily) dead link, and repeat a string of text. I’m so professional! Oh well.
Ramsey Lewis: 'Maiden Voyage (and more)' (CD; Chess; 1967-1968)
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I bought this compilation for the 'Maiden Voyage' tracks, and for CD versions of four or five tracks from the exquisite 'Mother Nature's Son'. In fact, on first listen, the disc disappointed me slightly. Could it be that this stuff sounds better on vinyl? I'm not sure.
Whatever, although overall I like the production (by Charles Stepney, who as Ramsey notes could have become another Quincy Jones had he not died tragically early in the 70s), some tracks end up crossing the line for me and becoming too smooth. Stil, it's a nice disc, worth picking up for standout tracks like 'Julia', 'Good Night', 'Dear Prudence' and the soul-jazz 'Since you've been gone'.
Willie Hutch: 'The Mack' (CD; Motown; 1973)
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This is one of a growing number of high quality 'blaxploitation' soundtracks that I've picked up at my favorite CD store used for very little (in this case, $7).
This soundtrack isn't exactly mind-blowing, but it has great atmosphere. The opening track, 'Vampin', has that superb echoey tabla sound used to such great effect on Roy Budd's 'Get Carter' score. Mack's Stroll/The Getaway is also very cool - changing mood to become a tight funk track midway through. As it turns out, many of the other tracks are soul vocal numbers, which, while good, are slightly less to my taste. That said 'Slick' is really very cool, with sparkly sounds, harp, and doo doo doo vocals. The final track, 'Brother's gonna work it out', is another highlight, with a slow, quiet opening featuring snippets of film dialogue, and then a groovy funk sequence. All in all, it's not something I'm going to listen to every day, but it's nice to have.
The Musical Taste redesign is almost complete. But I’m still doing a bit of testing. The link in this sentence is to a sneak preview, especially for privileged readers of this journal.
I just took a rare peep at the current UK singles chart, to check out the teen TV sensation, Will Young. I would never slag something off without hearing it, but I’ve now heard this, and I’ll be damned if it isn’t one of the most turgid, generic pieces of nonsense I’ve ever come across.
John Cale: 'Paris 1919' (CD; Reprise/Warner Archives; 1973)
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One of two discs I received from different people for my birthday. I had admired this album since I first heard it at my friends house. Listening to it now on headphones, it doesn't disappoint. It's a mix of lushly orchestrated, introverted pop ('Andalusia', 'Antartica Starts Here'), and slightly more upbeat, jaunty numbers, with brass as well as the strings ('paris 1919'). It's a short album, but all of it sounds pretty great to me at this moment. None of the songs are especially musically complex, but the arrangements, and vocal delivery are great. There is also some great guitar work, both picked folk guitar and steel guitar.
Compilation - Julian Cope: 'Floored Genius 2 - the best of the BBC sessions' (CD; FUEL; 1983-1991)
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Hmm, so far this has been a disappointment to me. 'Floored Genius' is the name of the superb 1992 Julian Cope/Teardrop Explodes compilation, which I absolutely adore. (it would rate a '10' in this system, without a doubt). I bought this collection of radio 1 session recordings on the basis of that love, and for the b-side tracks featured, many of which I haven't heard for a few years, because my vinyl copies are not in the same place as I am living now.
The problem is the recordings themselves. The songs are rather 'bashed out', and the vocals are of a much less high quality than on the eventual studio recordings. These tracks also made me realize how much the production adds to Julian's work. I still love these stripped down versions, because I love the songs. But I can't help but be slightly disappointed by them. That said, there are some interesting oddities on here. The version of my favorite, 'Crazy Farm Animal', is completely different, with a spooky, Nico-esque organ replacing the strummed acoustic guitar.
All in all, this is for fans only, I'd say.
