What Are You Listening To?

[Music Head]

from my library (vinyl)



One of those hidden gems. Hidden in one of my boxes anyway, but you know what I mean. An overlooked artist that
made some awesome music that never reached a wide audience. New York born, bi-racial (black/Puerto Rican),
rock/reggae/soul blend that hits the mark for me. This is his fifth album and each seemed to get better to this
point. Sadly I lost touch after this. I don't know why. How about that guest roster on this one, Roy Bittan,
Brecker Brothers, David Johansen, Lou Reed, and members of the Rumour and the Wailers. Lou and Garland go way back,
pre-VU days. Started on the NY club scene and played on John Cales debut album. A lot of race related themes in
Garland's work which I guess only those of a mixed ethnic make up can be knowledgable of. Excellent cover of ? and
the Mysterians 96 Tears on here, complete with that monster organ riff. Other than that all original tunes with
great lyrics. The album reached #59 on the Billboard chart, with 96 Tears as a single, not doing very well. Rightly
so as the original was a classic in itself.

I LOVE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Innocent

Best Track - Mystery Kids

Marcellino Casanova
Little Angel from Laslow Street
Cinderella, she's a crossover
She got no father in her history
She got no good life
She got no love life
She got no future
Got no hopes or dreams
In the cool world
In the cruel world
You're a number
You're a mystery

Who are the mystery, mystery kids
the mystery kids, who are
The mystery, mystery kids
the mystery, mystery kids

I remember, it was late December
Crazy Michael, down on Jefferson Street
Johnny-one-arm, he's holding one hand
With his sister, it was bittersweet
She got no good life
They got no love life
Got no future
Got no hopes or dreams
In the cool world
In the cruel world
You're a number
You're a mystery

Who are the mystery, mystery kids
He's such a mystery kid
DOOM-DOOM-DOOM
I climb six flights
To the tenement heights
And there ain't no lights
In the darkest of nights
And the piss-stench smell
In the black stairwell
With the William Tell Overture
In the background
And across the floor
I see two big rats
In a world like that
They can't take anymore
They can't take it...

Come on let's go

The mystery kids

1) Modern Lovers ***
video - Modern Lovers - Garland Jeffreys - YouTube
2) Christine ***
live - Christine - Garland Jeffreys LIVE
3) Ghost Of A Chance **
4) 96 Tears ***
live - 96 Tears - Garland Jeffreys LIVE on "Fridays"
5) Innocent **
live - INNOCENT - GARLAND JEFFREYS *LIVE*
6) True Confessions ***
audio - true confessions by Garland Jefferys - YouTube
7) R.O.C.K. **
live - R.O.C.K. - GARLAND JEFFREYS *LIVE*
8) Graveyard Rock **
live - "Graveyard Rock" - Garland Jeffreys
9) Mystery Kids ***
live - Mystery Kids - Garland Jeffreys
10) Jump Jump **
audio - JUMP JUMP - GARLAND JEFFREYS
11) Lover's Walk **
12) Miami Beach ***
audio - Miami Beach - Garland Jeffreys
13) We The People **
live - We the People - Garland Jeffreys on "The Old Grey Whistle Test"

3's - 6
2's - 7
1's - 0

Grade - 2.5

so many albums, so little time

[CRAZY-HORSE]

VIOLENT FEMMES "violent femmes" cd,1983.

are these guys psuedo punk, folk punk or simply alternative? i dunno!
whatever....!
this is their 1983 debut album, strange but i cant find any chart entry details anywhere for this one except here in Australia, which is strange for an American band back then,IMO.
they had a top ten hit hereoff this one in "blisters in the sun", which still to this day gets regular airplay here on the retro radio channels. that song reminds me of early Hoodoo Gurus materail fromthe same era.
not a bad album, but gets a reasonable score here thanks to three love tracks.
not sure what to make of them, still have another four albums in a boxset to play yet so i guess time will tell if i like this band or just a few songs.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

worst track: confessions
best track: blisters in the sun

tracks:

1. blister in the sun ***
VIOLENT FEMMES-Blister in the Sun - YouTube live
2. kiss off **
Violent Femmes Kiss Off - YouTube audio
3. please do not go **
Violent Femmes - Please Do Not Go - YouTube audio
4. add it up ***
Violent Femmes-Add It Up - YouTube audio
5. confessions *
6. prove my love ***
VIOLENT FEMMES - PROVE MY LOVE - YouTube audio
7. promise **
VIOLENT FEMMES - PROVE MY LOVE - YouTube audio
8. to the kill **
Violent Femmes - To the kill - YouTube live
9. gone daddy gone **
10.good feeling *

3s=3
2s=5
1s=2

rating: 2.1

[SteveO]

SONIC YOUTH - A Thousand Leaves (1998)



Sonic Youth have always pleased me by their persistence and total dedication in attempting to create new sounds. This album A Thousand Leaves was nominated as Wire Magazine's Album of the Year for 1998 and it's easy to see why ! The low tempo vocals are reminiscent of Vevet Underground at times with Kim Gordon's female vocals and minimalist low key singing from Lee Ranaldo and Thurston Moore. There are loud vocal escapades from Gordon also but the theme of the album is experimental low fi rock.The instrumentation is improvisational as well as conventional and overall the album is mesmerising as well as mediative.

All Music Rating ..... 4.5/5

Sound Samples

Sonic Youth - "Proud Marie" - YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Xwoux1soKY

[URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gvba9NKEvw"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gvba9NK

Evw[/URL]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CY5IEsms6ck

Sonic Youth - Karen Koltrane - YouTube

Sonic Youth - Contre Le Sexisme - YouTube

[mtthwibrahim]

Songs About *******-Big Black

Not sure if I already mentioned this album or not. If I did, I'm certain I mentioned how ear burstingly loud it was. Really fantastic, certainly not for those with sensitive ears, however

[CRAZY-HORSE]

i only have two or three of Sonic's album...love what ive heard though

SONIC YOUTH - A Thousand Leaves (1998)



Sonic Youth have always pleased me by their persistence and total dedication in attempting to create new sounds. This album A Thousand Leaves was nominated as Wire Magazine's Album of the Year for 1998 and it's easy to see why ! The low tempo vocals are reminiscent of Vevet Underground at times with Kim Gordon's female vocals and minimalist low key singing from Lee Ranaldo and Thurston Moore. There are loud vocal escapades from Gordon also but the theme of the album is experimental low fi rock.The instrumentation is improvisational as well as conventional and overall the album is mesmerising as well as mediative.

All Music Rating ..... 4.5/5

Sound Samples

Sonic Youth - "Proud Marie" - YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Xwoux1soKY

[URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gvba9NKEvw"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gvba9NK

Evw[/URL]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CY5IEsms6ck

Sonic Youth - Karen Koltrane - YouTube

Sonic Youth - Contre Le Sexisme - YouTube

[mtthwibrahim]

I used to be pretty obsessed with Sonic Youth. Don't know what happened, just stopped being as into them. Great band, still

Anyways, right now I'm listening to Belle and Sebastian's "If You're Feeling Sinister". I don't know two or so months ago it crept up on me and is now an album I can't live without. Vitually every song is perfect

[CRAZY-HORSE]

THE CLASH "london calling" double vinyl/cd, 1979.

the clash's fourth album and a double vinyl one at that, but fits comfortably onto a single cd.
not much punk happening here, more a fusion of reggae and rockabilly with a twist of raw punk energy.
this album was voted the #1 album of the 1980s by Rolling Stone magazine a few years ago...technically it was a 1970s album, but only just, as it was released in the UK in december of that year, i guess everywhere else followed in early 1980.
not a huge hit anywhere back in the day, probably because it was a double album and priced accordingly..barely scraping into the UK top ten, and with only one charting single to promote it, that said "train in vain" was coupled with "clampdown" as a double "a" sided hit, but failed to chart in the UK...
this album along with their debut set is a must in any record collection IMO along with Sex Pistols "bollocks" album as prime examples of late 1970s British punk music.
allmusic pro's score this one as a perfect 5/5, which isnt too far off the mark IMO, sadly though, this scores lower than i thought it would here today!

I LOVE THIS ALBUM

nothing on here can be called worst, neither can i split one as a best track, just a great collection of Clash tracks!

tracks:

1. london calling ***
2. brand new cadillac **
3. jimmy jazz **
4. hateful **
5. rudie cant fail **
6. spanish bombs ***
7. the right profile **
8. lost in the supermarket ***
9. clampdown ***
10.the guns of brixton ***
11.wrong 'em boyo ***
12.death or glory **
13.koka kola **
14.the card cheat ***
15.lovers rock **
16.four horsemen **
17. im not down **
18.revolution rock **
19.train in vain ***

3s=8
2s=11
1s=0

rating: 2.4

[CRAZY-HORSE]

HUNTERS & COLLECTORS "what's a few men?" cd,1987.

Aussie indi post-punk outfit from Melbourne...
this is their fifth album i think(fourth or fifth anyway), plenty of their trademark sounds on htis one, probably the one that they 'came of age' with IMO.
always on the outer here, more of a, underground/cult following than mainstream success, album reached #16 here, four singles released, the highest charting one was "do you see what i see?" peaking at #33.
album was retitled "fate" in Europe and US...why i dont know, and for what reason i have no idea as the title is not offensive, nor is it similar to any other chart topping album title from what i remember, but whatever, a decent enough raw and edgy sounding collection of tracks, no bad ones on here IMO, the only problem is that there is little variation in the sounds recorded, but the melodies make up for that and why fiddle with a formula that they want to use?!
slightly surprised by the score, thought it a bit high so i went back and re listened to it again just to make sure and got the exact same score...never thought of this as being a great album but the score says otherwise, and the thing that bothers me most is that allmusic gives it the exact same converted score...!
sorry for the lack of links available!

I LOVE THIS ALBUM

no worst tracks!
best track: do you see what i see?

tracks:

1. faraway man ***
2. do you see what i see? ***
Hunters & Collectors - Do You See What I See? - YouTube video
3. around the flame **
4. so long ago **
5. breakneck road **
Hunters and Collectors- - Breakneck Road - YouTube audio
6. what are you waiting for? **
7. under the sun **
8. still hanging around ***
Hunters and Collectors - Still Hanging Round - YouTube video
9. you can have it all **
10.whats a few men? ***
Hunters & Collectors - What's A Few Men? - YouTube live
11.give me a reason ***
12.back on the breadline **
Hunters & Collectors - Back On The Breadline (1988) - YouTube video
13.wishing well ***
14.real world **
15.something to believe in **

3s=6
2s=9
1s=0

rating: 2.4

[Music Head]

from my library (vinyl)



Nice guitar pop with some smack. The Knack meets Ramones. No What I Like About You on this sophomore effort but
still a nice album. Michigan band formed in '77 that never equaled that song from the debut album for me. Frequent
lineup changes in those early years, with none of the original members still there but vocalist Wally Palmer. Only
five albums in the catalogue, the last in '85, before an 18 year gap for an album in 2003, and the band is still
touring. This album didn't fare too well here with a #176 showing and no singles. Guess they were hoping for
something better with that album title. Not even close. One love track for me in Stone Pony, but nothing I don't
like. No clip for that favorite.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Friday At The Hideout

Best Track - Stone Pony

1) Tomboy **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1N52XOgNdE
2) Forever Yours **
audio - Romantics - Forever Yours {Track 2} (1980) - YouTube
3) Stone Pony ***
4) New Cover Story **
5) A Night Like This **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcosmRSyjDE
6) National Breakout **
video - The Romantics National Breakout Video Clip Extremelly Rare To find ! YouTube - YouTube
7) 21 And Over **
video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6Z8j59j5h8
8) I Can't Tell You Anything **
audio - The Romantics - I Can't Tell You Anything - YouTube
9) Take Me Out Of The Rain **
10) Friday At The Hideout **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nvX6fLsQeA
11) Poor Little Rich Girl **
audio - Romantics / Poor little rich girl - YouTube

3's - 1
2's - 10
1's - 0

Grade - 2.1

so many albums, so little time

[SteveO]

I have had Andrew Bird from Chicago on my listening radar for awhile and with the release of his new album Break It Yourself I thought I would go back seven years and listen to his acclaimed album - The Mysterious Production of Eggs. This artist is very talented to say the least. The album is a celebration of various sounds from blues to folk to avant garde to jazz ! Bird has a distinctive voice that is interesting to listen to. The personnel on this album is listed as "Andrew Bird - production" so he has a hand in the music in all aspects ! I have listened to this album once and will go back to it again then! Then I'll listen to his 2012 release as reviewed on MD by Music Head.


OFFICIAL REVIEW from STYLUS Magazine 2005

Andrew Bird
Andrew Bird & The Mysterious Production of Eggs
Righteous Babe records
2005
B+

Andrew Bird’s come a long way since the self-conscious experimentation of his first albums that saw the songwriter winding his way through twentieth-century music. The type of artist that feels uncomfortably comfortable in too many genres to name, the knock on Bird has always been that while he’s obviously a savant—he may never be exactly a genius. Bird has always been able to pull out a song that fits a certain mood pitch-perfect. But a mimic, even the best one, is still just a mimic. All of that changed on Weather Systems, wherein he settled in and began to write songs that meshed and interwove with one another. An album, rather than a collection of songs, it seemed that Bird was on the verge of creating something exceptional. Andrew Bird & The Mysterious Production of Eggs just might be it.
One of the more obvious reference points to Bird is Jim O’Rourke. Talented at nearly everything that he touches, Bird wants to indulge in so many different things that it’s hard to bear down and focus on creating something that coheres into a singular and unified statement. In fact, it might be better to regard Bird’s work as more like collections of EPs brought together for release. Great EPs, mind you.
Starting with the smooth acoustic guitar and lightly tapped drums of “Sovay,” Bird sets the mood that will pervade the record’s length: a sort of laid-back ease that rarely shows much of what it is doing to the casual ear, but one that rewards the attentive one. All the better to hear the innovation in the band’s sound to vocal multi-tracking and Bird’s first forays into wholly guitar-led pop music.
That guitar is usually acoustic and finger-picked, forcefully put in the front of the mix, eagerly showcasing Bird’s skills.