You're Only Foolin' Yourself!

Those in the know will often give the credit (or even more often dishonor) of creating pop-metal to Montreal's Aldo Nova. While The Crüe was still a too vile to really get that title who else could it be? The rock criticism world still has not washed the stigma off that style, so why keep waiting for them to do it? I'll do it right now! I am very glad to have finally acquired it since hearing the classic "Foolin' Yourself" on Pandora this spring. Likewise, my current addiction to SCTV and The Kids in the Hall beg me to put up my first Canadian addition.

This is a great pop album. No way around it. It seems as though the Canadians are the unsung heroes of 80s metal with Nova founding the pop side and Anvil on the thrash side. Nova is a skilled guitar player songwriter, and producer whose skills have been lent to such superstars as fellow Quebecois Celine Dion and the Bon J (who clearly owe a lot to him). This is the perfect remedy for someone looking for pop metal that isn't too girly, virtuosity that isn't obnoxious, or mainstream rock that is pure. I have really enjoyed every single song on this album, particularly the aforementioned "Foolin' Yourself" and the album's hit "Fantasy." This is essential for anyone who enjoyed Be Bop Deluxe as in many ways it has the same sound, only updated for the 80s.

The themes on this album are classic pop metal: good guys gone bad after their hearts were broken, good girls one the street, and of course "Hot Love." The album is pure fun - best listened to in a red, talking, sports car if you know what I mean... So listen if you dare because this is good music. No shame in it. And if you see a vinyl copy on this around Los Angeles, be sure to let me know.


Aldo Nova - Aldo Nova (1981)

Now I'm So Happy I Have To Let My Song Outside

so I have been wrapped up lately with attempts at professional stuff and personal struggles and I am forced to do what I try so hard to avoid... re-post what I have found from the internet's best music blog - ZAMBONI Soundtracks.

So, here is Todd. A high school nerd who put together a whole album of music that could only, and most definitively be called "heartfelt." It comes from 1979 like it could come from no time else, but where, I am not totally sure. I would think somewhere in the suburbs of New York: Jersey, Long Island, Staten Island... something like that. It is clear that Todd put is all into this. He had to hire or beg the services of other and record in in a rush as the talent of his backers is arguable and their best defense is that they are playing with no familiarity with Todd's vision and their best attempt to follow it on the spot. The bass player is clearly the most lost and it seems like the drummer may just lack talent. Todd's piano is strong, and his vocals are weak - it is evident that here was a kid with the vision and the passion and hey, he did what he could, so let's give it some credit!

Regardless, you can feel what Todd is going for even if it comes from the superficial standpoint of Me = Good, Jock = Bad. Bottom line, it's like emo of the late 70s... back when that kind of thing was unacceptable. Either way, it's interesting to hear that kind of thing without the influence of the likes of hardcore and the Replacements. Rather the influences are more along the lines of show tunes and Hermit of Mink Hollow-era Todd Rundgren. Yet, still there are the topics of suicide and a-bit-too-unrequited love. There is nothing else like this. Give it a chance, as I am sure anyone who actually reads this kind of thing can relate to it. "Alone" and the title track can resonate the most while "Miracle Whip" is pure Vince Guraldi fun, and "Christ's Love Song" eliminates all the nice Jewish boy context I would assume. "Before It's Too Late," though while not one of the best songs is significant for the "believe it or not" factor of this. So, here is...

Todd - With Love... From Me To You (1979)

Am I Awake? Am I Asleep?

Thanks to a wonderful reader's comment on my article on Trees I was shown to a recent interview with the great Dane Conover which is available right here.

While I wish I could have heard more from Mr. Conover himself and not just music from Sleep Convention and his influences. However what he says is pretty great as are some of the rarer music in the program. In particlar, it was my first exposure to his first band The Puppies whose "Mechanical Beat" is featured, as well as his recent work with his wife under the name Popgems. The latter project's song "California" is just incredible and I really wish I had that to listen to on my cross-country drive here from new Jersey/Michigan. Once again it is part of Conover's uniquely SoCal contribution to the synth-pop world. The most significant, however is the original version of the Sleep Convention standout "11:00 AM" which could be described as nothing short of epic. Not only is it one of the best examples of Conover's genius, but also of Earle Mankey's - to whom Conover gives endless credit in the interview. If that masterpiece connected with you this is just as essential listening.

What's Going On and What Will Be

Sorry I've been away for a while - I have recently moved from Venice (sort of) back to Westchester and was, as a result, without home internet for a while.

Anyway, back to beeswax... Of all the great artists to bring 60s-influenced psychedelia back in the 80s none was as into the 60s Swinging London look and sound as Milwaukee's Plasticland.

I am not totally sure what that Great Lakes region city was like at the time, but it may have had a burgeoning scene along with the Violent Femmes, who I believe had some loose connections to the band. If anyone can enlighten me and out other readers on that topic, it would be appreciated. Regardless of how big it may have been it is not remembered as widely as Hoboken, Los Angeles, Seattle, Boston or other indie rock hotbeds of the time. Plasticland was no better known in the national scene though and their first self-titled album was actually released initially only on a French label. It is too bad though as their hard acid sound would have found an audience with fans of Paisley Underground or, perhaps even more so those misfit early Flaming Lips.

This album is one so in touch with the sixties that it could have only come out of the eighties that and the punk rock influence that only is apparent in the group's energy and short song lengths. Likewise, it is a bit prescient of groups like Mudhoney's use of 60s-style feedback - especially when coupled with Glenn Rehse's voice which is not too different from that of Mark Arm's. The album is structured well and from the ass-kicking opener "Alexander" it would be hard to switch to something else afterward. "Her Decay" is another particular standout and was the first I heard of the band from listening to "Jet Fighter" Radio on Pandora. Needless to say this is perfect for fans of not only 60s psych, but any kind of 80s sixties revival style, be it acid rock, garage, or even jangle pop.


Plasticland - Plasticland (1985)

She Wants Me To Come, But I'm Never Going There

Busy moving today, so no "full" update, however, this must be seen.

She's Like Fire, She's Like Ice, She'll Leave You High And Dry

A lot of people give David Roback the most credit for Rain Parade because of Mazzy Star. Their later work does not falter enough for that argument, nor is Mazzy Star good enough. His in-between group though, is the place to highlight his individual talent though.

Originally as Clay Allison, he and the Dream Syndicate's Kendra Smith collaborated on the work here, which I feel, particularly on the shared track "She's a Diamond" is better than their Happy Nightmare Baby. While it may have been in discussion of Rain Parade, Roback's famous quote "we wanted to make very quiet music," is the best description of Opal's work, more of a departure from the old band's Byrds-y guitars and hard-hitting drums than expected. What distinguishes this from the follow-ups of sorts is stong songwriter, at least some that can really shine through. Its opener "Empty Box Blues" is instantly more captivating than a lot of Roback's other post-Rain Parade work, and Smith sounds better than ever, as well. At times she even has the sound of an Old West chanteuse with a quiet shoegaze milleu. There is not much else like this, just don't let it put you to sleep... no offense.


Opal - Early Recordings (1988)

They Weren't Kidding When They Called It "Obsession"

...and that is because all the featured artists have gotten bigger and bigger over the past year and a half. While not all of them have gotten proper re-issues, their names are out there and their music is on the blogosphere. I will continue this with the Quarteto Nova Era EP. There is not much more I can add to it - Brazilian, stands up to their contemporaries, shame there wasn't more from them despite making it into the 70s. Every song is good. A friend of mine bought a copy of this extremely rare find on eBay. The rest of us can get it here.


The Quarteto Nova Era EP (1968)

I'm On a Cloud, I Must Be In A Dream

These days, a lot of attention is paid to all the classic punk groups getting back together. Many forget that the Buzzcocks did that long before and released a few albums in the 90s. They weren't that bad even!

Years ago, before the group got their fair share of the reissue game it was actually the easiest to find these newer releases. That's why over eight years ago when getting more and more curious about the band my friend Tommy made this his first Buzzcocks acquisition. What a unique one it was. Starting off with krautrock synths on the album's best track "Soul on a Rock" Pete Shelley's pre-punk forays into synth music is heard in his punk work - something absent from the Buzzcocks' classic work. Both his and Steve Diggle's songwriting is intact, creating songs in most ways similar to their seventies and eighties work albeit with a cleaner 90s production and a little more experimentation in arrangement. That being said, you can't entirely expect the same music from the same kitchen, but if your mind is a little open I think you can handle it. The title is a little bit of an indicator, but it would be a little bit better suited a few years after the group's initial break-up rather than 1999. The album is a solid one with more poppy punk songs with plus the krautrock influence the members never got to show off like their other punk contemporaries got to. The band even ventures into more dance territory on "Why Compromise?," while it is admittedly a step down from the preceding 4 tracks it is a good curiosity. This is essential for anyone who enjoyed the High Water Marks' Songs About the Ocean as much as I did. It is clear that in middle age the Buzzzcocks had not lost their greatness.


Buzzcocks - Modern (1999)

Indestructable!

While it cannot be ignored that this compilation was released within the year following Paul Simon's Graceland it is more along the lines of an underground classic. Here is the music that inspired Simon to make music in that vein and be unusually successful for a white person at it. Featuring music recorded between 1981 and 1984, these are the sounds that defined South African pop right as the time the rest of the world took notice. With its cover as memorable as the music, I had been meaning to pick it up since reading about it as a child and saw a cheap used copy at Sound Sations just yesterday. It is the perfect next stop both directly from Simon, or for those who have already ventured into the likes of the Bhundu Boys.

It is a pretty good look at South African heartland culture as well as the diverse styles heard here reflect the unique communities in which they come from complete with their own heritage and re-interpretation of Western pop. While all of it contains Western instrumentation with elecric guitar, bass guitar, and drum kits on almost every track the inclusion of tradition instruments varies for every artist and cheap synthesizers make their fair share of appearances. Structures are distinctly un-Western, but the true heart of pop is there and all of these songs are catchy. As drony and repetitive as some tracks can be they stick with the listener and are more enjoyable even to the least sophisticated ear as anything on the radio in the past 15 years. "Sobabamba" is probably the best example with its raga-esque repetition and use of microtones making it one of the most exotic, yet enjoyable tracks on this classic compilation. The rest are on the same level.


The Indestructable Beat of Soweto (1987)

Be Kind and Humour Me

With their hit "A Whiter Shade of Pale" lifted from Bach, the music of Procol Harum lives in the subconscious of the Western mind. Unfortunately fewer and fewer people know the name and even less know of anything else the band did. It's a real shame since Robin Trower's guitar style was an key influence in classic Hendrix, and there's nothing like the majesty of the piano-organ duo.

So, here is some of their best work. "A Whiter Shade of Pale" was originally intended as one-off studio project, but by this time they had become a true band still playing a unique blend of baroque sounds and classic blues-based rock. All with unusual, carefully written lyrics Procol Harum stands as one of the more distinct bands of their era, albeit an often forgotten one. While the other instruments usually get the most credit, this album's drums really excel. Fromthe first track "Quite Rightly So" they are the extra little kick that gives the album so much of its appeal. This is a dark and pretty album with the band channeling all of their diverse influences to create something totally new, as best heard in the wild "Skip Softly, My Moonbeams."

There are plenty of bonus tracks here and those are many of the best. "Homburg" - the band's second attempt at a hit and perhaps a little much like the first one is here, and as similar as it may be it's still an amazing song. However it is "In The Wee Small Hours of Sixpence" that may be the band's best all thanks to the organ of course.


Procol Harum - Shine on Brightly (1968)

Woke Up Screaming "God I Hope I'm Not Bleeding!"

I went with a recent photo for the irony. I have not listened to that much Built to Spill in a while, but this weekend after "Ze" telling me about their performance at Outside Lands they have been on my mind. Like my friend was after their set I was just a little disappointed when I saw them about four years ago. Now, a lot of that had to do with weak openers, but also because my friends who had seen them two years prior seemed to have gotten an unusually remarkable set from them featuring VERY early work.

I am one of the few that think the band got slightly weaker with each album, thusly implying that the debut is the best. In addition to having the best album and best cover it in fact has the best music. But, it has been out of print (actually, I think just decent distribution) for who knows how long? It captures the band at their best offering both the pop of There's Nothing Wrong With Love and Ancient Melodies of the Future AND the jammy epics of Perfect From Now On and Keep It Like A Secret all with classic 90s lo-fi recording. One could argue that the band may not have the chemistry they would later have as a solid line-up'ed band, but with songs and energy like this who cares? It is particularly odd this did not catch on more as its heavy guitars and playfully angsty lyrics, in addition to the band's Boise home town could have given it a grunge audience at the time. Everything just comes together in such sloppy glory and Greg Martsch's affinity for stacks of guitar tracks shines through, particularly on the simple, yet wailing "Get A Life." "Lie for a Lie," the album's catchiest and shortest song with its goofy samples and white nose tracks stands with The Olivia Tremor Control's "Love Athena" as definitive 90s US indie pop. Its line "Once in a while there's a girl I don't know in my dreams/ she reminds me of a lot of people, but she's someone that I've never seen/ and she's perfect" was the star of numerous bonding moments during my teenage years. However, the star of the show is probably "Nowhere, Nothin', Fuckup" which showcases the band's remarkable talent for jamming on something familiar and turning it into their own masterpiece while making the title a fun little sing-along. This is essential American indie rock. A lost masterpiece.


Built to Spill - Ultimate Alternative Wavers (1993)