JUST WHAT WE NEEDED, ANOTHER BEST OF 2023 LIST: THE MUSIC

Jan. 6th, 2024 02:35 pm
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Another year, another Best Albums list. Flippy doo!!!

 

Commentary track regarding this year’s haul:

 

1. As usual, my tastes tend to lean in favor of bands and artists that have been around at least 20 years, or sound like bands from 40-50 years ago. Probably because I am old and decrepit and set in my ways.

 

2. I picked 15 as a round number, though I would say 12 of these really knocked me out, while the rest were good but standard.

 

3. It may be extra work, but I’m probably going to make the Singles and EPs categories a regular thing, since a lot of bands these days are releasing them in lieu of albums, or as stopgaps. For now, I’m just including singles that don’t have an LP to go with them.

 

4. I’ve finally decided to abandon the official ranking system – partly because it’s too much work (I mean, this thing is over 4,000 word long as it is), and partly because honestly, I’ve gotten to a stage where I’ve got 15 albums I enjoyed listening to, and does it really matter which ones are better than others? And anyway I may change my mind in a few years. If that don’t suit you, that’s a drag. Feel free to DM me for a refund.

 

dEFROG’S TOP 15 ALBUMS OF 2023

 

Algiers

Shook (Matador)

4th album from Atlanta band that’s a departure from the previous batch in that it features a lot more collaboration with other artists, the biggest names of which include Zack de la Rocha, billy woods and Samuel T. Herring. Otherwise it’s the same glorious genre-blending state-of-the-planet address that sounds like no other band I can name, only from a community rather than leader Franklin James Fisher. A little long, but it’s probably their best album since their debut.

 

Bunny X

Love Minus 80 (Aztec Records)

I’m not sure that there was demand for an Italo disco revival, but Bunny X gave us one anyway, and it sounds great. This is the second LP from duo Abigail Gordon and Mary Hanley, and it’s top-loaded with synths that conjure images of icy neon sci-fi landscapes and songs that are either SF themes disguised as love songs or vice versa (with titles referencing William Gibson, Will McIntosh and Joe Halderman).

 

Death Valley Girls

Islands In The Sky (Suicide Squeeze Records)

Fourth LP from an LA band whose first three albums I have somehow never heard, so this is my first time listening to them, which means I can’t tell you how it compares to their previous stuff. What I can say is that it’s a fairly exhilarating mix of 60s psychedelia and garage rock with messages of love, self-care and healing. We need a little more of that. Anyway, it may be derivative but in a good way. And I’ll also add that single “Magic Powers” practically does Ladytron better than Ladytron.

 

Fatoumata Diawara

London Ko (3éme Bureau/Wagram Music)

Third studio album from Malian singer-songwriter guitarist Fatoumata Diawara, who continues her direction of blending traditional Wassoulou music with western groove. This one features guest slots from Damon Albarn, Angie Stone, M.anifest and Roberto Fonseca, among others. A lot of people made a big deal of Jesse Ware making the year’s best dance record, but I’d much rather dance to this.

 

Juliana Hatfield

Juliana Hatfield Sings ELO (American Laundromat)

The third in Hatfield’s series of tribute LPs in which she tackles the repertoire of bands she grew up with. After Olivia Newton-John and The Police, it’s ELO’s turn, which perhaps was inevitable since her ONJ album included a cover of “Xanadu”. And once again it mainly works, not least because of the quality of the songs in question. Also, Hatfield’s knack for stripping down a song to its essence comes in handy here, as trying to replicate Jeff Lynne’s densely layered arrangements would be a tall order for anyone who isn’t Jeff Lynne. Also, credit for picking some deep cuts as well as the hits.

 

The Hives

The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons (Disque Hives)

The Hives return after 11 years off with album no. 6, which they allegedly recorded after their fictional songwriter/svengali Randy Fitzsimmons died and they discovered a bunch of new songs in his coffin. Which is a very Hives thing for them to say. And on the one hand, it’s more of the same, but on the other hand, I’d kind of be disappointed if it wasn’t. 

 

Missing Persons

Hollywood Lie (Cleopatra Records)

Technically this is Missing Persons’ 6th album, but it’s the first since 1986’s Color In Your Life to feature a full band (as opposed to Dale Bozzio + 1), and the first since then to feature all new original songs. And it absolutely slaps. Missing Persons always struggled to live up to their excellent debut album, and while their two follow-ups aren’t as bad as people remember, they couldn’t match or duplicate the hype surrounding the first one. The same goes for this one, but it comes a lot closer than the previous two.

 

Liela Moss

Internal Working Model (Bella Union)

I know Leila Moss from her main band The Duke Spirit, but I didn’t know she’d done some solo albums as well. This is her third one, and it sounds nothing like The Duke Spirit while simultaneously showcasing why Moss’ voice was always the key to their sound. This has a similar dynamic in that the music is good but standard electronic pop, but it’s Moss’ creative vocal arrangements that elevates it to another level.

 

Nanowar of Steel

Dislike To False Metal (Napalm Records)

8th album from the best parody metal band on the planet. If you prefer metal songs about zombie discos, dandruff, vegan pirates, immodium, metal boomer trolls, the 1994 World Cup, and hunting a Chupacabra that’s also a metaphor for COVID-19 (performed as epic flamenco metal), this is what you need.

 

Iggy Pop

Every Loser (Gold Tooth/Atlantic)

19th album for Iggy Pop, who continues to display no intention whatsoever of growing old gracefully, bless him. This is the loudest thing he’s done in a while, and even in ballad mode, his gravelly baritone speaks volumes (it also makes for one of the funniest fake adverts ever recorded). Some songs do feel as though Iggy is trying to live up to his own proto-punk reputation. On the other hand, only Iggy could get away with it.

 

Rodrigo y Gabriela

In Between Thoughts … A New World (ATO Records)

Sixth album from duo that pioneered metal-inspired flamenco, and this time they’ve come up with an album inspired by non-dualism. As you do. Their guitar chops are as excellent as ever, but accompaniment by the Bulgarian Symphony Orchestra adds some extra emotional heft to the music.

 

Shonen Knife

Our Best Place (Tomato Head)

This is Shonen Knife’s 22nd studio album in their 42-year (and counting) history. And sure, it’s more of the same – pop-punk songs about food (vegetable curry, taquitos, Baumkuchen), animals and positive thinking. But then maybe we need more of that in this increasingly demented world, so why not? This one also includes a new English-language version of one of their older songs, “Girl’s Rock”.

 

Sparks

The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte (Island)

The Sparks Brothers carry on with album no. 25, and it’s an improvement over 2020’s A Steady Drip Drip Drip, which I felt was good but ran too long and had more filler than the average Sparks LP. Most people didn’t agree with me, but hey ho. This one works better for me in terms of songwriting quality and humor.

 

The Van Pelt

Artisans and Merchants (La Castanya)

The Van Pelt are an NYC post-rock band that was active from 1993 to 1997, then disbanded. After reuniting for a few shows in 2009, this year they released their first album of all new songs in 26 years. I missed them completely the first time round, so I have no real point of reference for it beyond the album itself. But I really enjoyed this, at least partly for the dreamy guitar tones.

 

Voice of Baceprot

Retas (12WIRED)

Debut album from Indonesian all-girl metal band that essentially collects every single they’ve put out since 2018, plus a few new tracks and a live version of “God Allow Me (Please) To Play Music” with a female vocal choir. It all adds up to a gloriously ferocious and noisy whole that rocks harder than most metal bands out there.

 

HONORABLE MENTIONS

 

Emma Anderson

Pearlies (Sonic Cathedral)

Debut solo album from Emma Anderson, formerly of shoegaze legends Lush. Some of these songs were written during Lush’s 2016 reunion tour, and when the band broke up again rather than continue, Anderson decided to go solo with them. It’s not Lush Mk II, with Anderson going for a more electronic rather than guitar-based style, yet it sounds like Lush without sounding like Lush, if you see what I’m saying. So if nothing else it illustrates how essential Anderson was to Lush’s sound. And if this is as close as we’re going to get to a new Lush album, I’ll take it.

 

Kristin Hersh

Clear Pond Road (Fire Records)

11th solo album from Kristin Hersh, in which she kind of circles back to her first solo album, 1994’s Hips and Makers, which was an all-acoustic affair. So is this, apart from a couple of tracks, and while this doesn’t quite live up to that, Hersh has long since stopped wanting to prove herself to anyone. What really makes it work for me (like a lot of her records) are the vocal and instrumental textures she adds to the songs. Sometimes it really is how you play ‘em that makes the difference.

 

Ladytron

Time's Arrow (Cooking Vinyl)

Seventh LP from Liverpool synth band that still trades in glossy synth landscapes with icy vocals from Helen Marnie and Mira Aroyo. This time their sound is not as heavy and dense as their previous LP, but otherwise it’s more of the same – almost literally, as many songs sound so hypnotically similar that you have to pay attention to tell when one ends and another begins. But when you listen to then separated from each other, there’s a lot to like here, if you give it a chance.

 

Pretenders

Relentless (Parlophone)

12th album from Chrissie Hynde and crew – which does not include drummer Martin Chambers, who returned for previous LP Hate For Sale. It makes a difference, despite Hynde still collaborating with guitarist James Walbourne – this one feels like more filler than killer to me. Yet the killer stuff is quite good, and it’s grown on me since first listen. And frankly Hynde’s voice remains as wonderful to listen to as it did on the first Pretenders LP 40+ years ago, so it seems churlish to complain.

 

MOST DISORIENTING ALBUM

 

Zulu

A New Tomorrow (Flatspot Records)

Debut LP from LA band that juxtaposes powerviolence with classic soul, reggae, hip-hop and spoken-word poetry. The result is an multi-faceted album with jarring, provocative tonal shifts that aims to expand the discourse on the black experience in America. It’s not for everyone, and for me personally the powerviolence sections will limit how often I listen to this, but it’s an incredible thought-provoking experience.

 

MOST PECULIAR ALBUM

 

Pere Ubu

Trouble On Big Beat Street (Cherry Red)

19th album from Pere Ubu, whose previous LP The Long Goodbye turns out not to be their final album after all. This one is supposedly inspired by Van Dyke Parks and every song is the first take. Dave Thomas’ atonal warble and the band’s discordant improv is an acquired taste, but it’s worth checking out for “Worried Man Blues”, which opens with Thomas ordering food from a Popeye’s in Clarksdale, MI, where Howling Wolf, Muddy Waters, Robert Zimmerman and Alan Lomax are employees. They also cover The Osmonds’ “Craxy Horses” as only Pere Ubu can.

 

LONGEST ALBUM

 

Dolly Parton

Rockstar (Butterfly Records)

Dolly finally does her rock album, and of course she doesn’t just do a simple bunch of rock standards, but offers up two original songs plus 28 covers with big-name guest stars, most of which are the artists who sang the original songs. And on the one hand, it proves Dolly can pretty much sing any genre and collaborate with anyone. On the other hand, at 2 hours and 20 minutes, it’s probably a little too much Dolly. Personally I’d rather she did a rock album of all-new songs.

 

BEST ALBUM BY SOMEONE I KNOW

 

Richard Michael John Hall

A Belly Full of Light (GCA Records)

Hall actually released two albums this year, though the second one came out just before I started making this list, so I haven’t had time to sit down with it. Hall’s previous album saw him shift from psychedelic-influenced guitars  to the more relatively straightforward alt-rock sound he started with. This one starts off in the same vein, then about halfway through brings his psychedelic tendencies back to the fore, which is where things really get interesting. Something for everyone, then.

 

BEST REISSUE

 

The Replacements

Tim (Let It Bleed Edition) (Rhino/Sire)
I remember there being so much hype around Tim, and the disappointment of ‘Mats fans who heard Tommy Erdelyi’s mix and thought “What is this crap?” Having never heard the ‘Mats before, I thought it sounded fine at the time and still do. But while Tim may not have been broke, Ed Stasium certainly fixed it. The remix does give the record a lot more punch, and in some places it sounds like a totally different album (for example, I can actually hear what Chris Mars is doing on “Dose Of Thunder”).

 

BEST EPs

 

Los Bitchos

Pah! (City Slang)
In which my new favorite band of 2022 covers “Tequila” and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard’s “Trapdoor” in their psychedelic cumbia style.

 

The Budos Band

Frontier's Edge (Diamond West Records)
Third EP for one of my favorite Daptone bands, who are now on Diamond West (co-founded by leader Jared Tankel). More creepy cinematic Afro-soul instrumentals? Yes please.

 

Micky Dolenz

Dolenz Sings REM (7a Records)
Just like it says, and the only thing more surprising than the arrival of this EP is the fact that it’s actually quite good, even if the choice of songs is a little obvious.

 

Nina Hagen

Nina Hagen Sings Larry Norman (Groenland Records)
Nina Hagen’s latest LP Unity was a mixed bag for me, but I liked this EP, in which she covers two tracks by Jesus-rock legend Larry Norman: “Rock The Flock” and “UFO” – which is a very Nina Hagen thing to do, really.

 

BEST SINGLES

 

Klangphonics

“Shapes In The Spray” (ALAULA Music)

Germany’s Klangphonics are something of a novelty in that they’re a techno band that play actual instruments live, rather than relying mostly on loops. It’s good techno-trance either way. They released several songs in 2023 – this was the best of the lot for me.

 

L7

“Cooler Than Mars” (L7 Music)

It’s nice to have L7 back, especially when they’re mocking certain billionaires who want to move to Mars. I hope there’s an album to follow.

 

my little airport

“駱駝 (Camel)” (n/a)

Hong Kong’s favorite underground twee-pop band return with this single about sadness, centred on the allegedly true story of a rich man who rode a camel up to the top of The Peak. You don’t get that from Ed Sheehan, do you?

 

Loudon Wainwright III

“Just Like Buster Keaton” (StorySound Records)

In which Wainwright records an old song by George Gerdes and Marc Johnson (two of his contemporaries in the early folk scene) that has never been recorded or released until now. Worth it just for the imagery of Jesus and Buster Keaton in a friendly pie fight.

 

BEST TRACKS FROM NOT SO GREAT ALBUMS

 

The Cleaners From Venus

“The Beautiful Stoned” (Mr Mule)

This was the lead-off single for The Cleaners From Venus’s comeback album K7, and it’s so psychedelically wonderful that the rest of the album failed to live up to it for me. It’s happened to you too, probably.

 

Girlschool

“Barmy Army” (Silver Lining Music)

I love Girlschool, but their new LP WTForty-Five? didn’t quite work for me, mainly because I just don’t think the world needs anymore metal songs about partying or asking us if we’re ready to rock and roll, no matter how on-brand it may be. But some tracks are really great, and I just adore this thank-you letter to their fans. You’re welcome, Girlschool!

 

THE PLAYLIST


Wanna sample the above? Look what I made for you!





Same time next year,

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  • Current Location: Tung Chung
  • Current Music: See above
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BAD FOR GOOD: 10 GOOD WORST ALBUMS BY GREAT BANDS

May. 2nd, 2020 10:47 pm
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You can thank Bedsitter23 for this. He had been putting together a playlist of “unheard” albums, and that got me to thinking about a related category: great unloved albums by otherwise good artists/bands. You know, the duds that disappointed fans and offended music critics, the albums that just don’t make the top of the average fan list – and yet I like them a lot.

One thing I found is that it’s harder to do this kind of list these days, because lots of albums that were flops or critical failures at the time have since been re-evaluated and found to be better than people thought at the time – Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk being a go-to example. Also, there’s a difference in ratings between the established fan base and the general public. What exactly counts as a “bad” album – is it all about units sold, critical maulings, fan alienation, the weight of the back catalog?

Eventually I just decided to go with my own experience – these are ten albums that I remember fans, music critics or friends hating at the time (and in many cases still hate to this day) that I happen to like. I’m not saying these are the best works of that particular artist/band – I’m just saying I don’t think they’re nearly as bad as other people do.

In no particular order:

1. Kiss, Music from The Elder
Kiss tries to go back to its hard-rock roots and instead makes corny concept album – what could go wrong? I ended up with a tape of this somehow in 1985 (probably abandoned by a former roommate) – and at the time, my knowledge of Kiss was limited to the hit singles and their TV appearances (including Phantom of the Park, yes). Maybe it’s because I liked the idea of concept albums, or maybe I was expecting it to be far worse, but I thought it was alright – the “concept” is naff and there’s a lot of filler, but there’s also some decent songs here, and Kiss have made far worse albums before and after this, IMO. Also, Lou Reed has three co-writing song credits on this thing, so there’s that.

Name one good track: “Only One”

2. Lou Reed, Mistrial
Speaking of Lou, like with a lot of artists that started in the 60s, a lot of people dismiss Reed’s entire 80s catalog as disposable and unnecessary up to 1989’s New York. I wouldn’t agree with that completely – I think New Sensations is an underrated masterpiece – but I’m going to go to bat for Mistrial because it’s the most “80s” sounding album of the bunch. But listening to it, I think Reed transcends the 80s production issues better than a lot of his peers (Bowie’s Never Let Me Down comes to mind).

Name one good track: “Mama’s Got A Lover”

3. U2, Pop
U2 goes Eurodisco! A lot of people bag on this album, and probably for good reason, but for me it was sort of the logical next step of the musical-expansion journey that started with Achtung Baby, and it works better than people give it credit for. Like a lot of latter-era U2, it’s too long and the energy fades by the second half, but there’s some really solid songs on here.

Name one good track: “Gone”

4. Neil Young, Everybody’s Rockin’
When you’re as prolific and iconoclastic as Neil Young, the problem with picking a “worst album” is that there’s so many to choose from so it depends who you ask and at what point in his career they first started listening to him. That said, Young’s infamous rockabilly album Everybody’s Rockin’ (with the Shocking Pinks) tends to make a lot of “worst Neil Young albums” lists – it certainly pissed off the suits at Geffen Records. And, you know, I won't say it’s his best record ever, but I think it’s one of his most misunderstood albums – to me, it’s equal parts in-joke, tribute to Young’s musical influences and middle finger to Geffen for trying to tell him what music to play. As rockabilly tribute albums go, it’s pretty good. And it only runs for less than 25 minutes, so it won’t waste too much of your time.

Name one good track: “Kinda Fonda Wanda”

5. The Doors, The Soft Parade
It seems most Doors fans agree that the worst Doors albums are the post-Jim albums. No argument here. But of their six studio albums with Jim Morrison, The Soft Parade is the one that is most consistently ranked last. So naturally it’s among my favorite Doors albums. I’ll admit the title track has a lot to do with that – it’s one of my all-time favorite Doors tracks, and worth the price of admission alone – but I also appreciate that they were willing to mess around with the formula and take chances at that point in their career.

Name one good track: “The Soft Parade”

6. The B-52s, Good Stuff
This is the B-52s album you were most likely to find in the bargain bin shortly after it came out, or so it seemed to me. My assumption is that while Cosmic Thing was a huge comeback for them, it was also somewhat overproduced, and it was so ubiquitous that when Good Stuff came out, offering more of the same but without Cindy Wilson, the euphoria had worn off and everyone was all about The Grunge. But I still like to listen to it – for the most part, it’s as fun and goofy as Cosmic Thing.

Name one good track: “Hot Pants Explosion”

7. The Go-Gos, Talk Show
Not just the most underrated Go-Gos album, but one of the most underrated albums ever. The album didn’t do well commercially and a lot of people thought the band peaked with their debut, Beauty and the Beat. I wouldn’t say this is better, but it’s hard to compare them because B&TB had a bigger cultural impact and broke new ground. So Talk Show has to get by mainly on the songs, but it does just that – listening to it now, it’s enjoyable power-pop that has aged as well as B&TB.

Name one good track: “Turn To You”

8. Warren Zevon, Mutineer
This was Zevon’s least successful album, and one that tends to be near the bottom of online fan lists. I can sort of see why. It’s his most experimental album that’s miles away from the standard Laurel Canyon 70s rock he built his career on – so much so that even CMJ gave it a good review it when it came out in 1995. Accordians! Piano fights! Doomed clowns! Carl Hiassen! I love it, obviously – in fact, it’s probably my favorite Zevon album. If nothing else, it contains some of his best one-liners (“They say these are the good times / but they don’t live around here”), and only Zevon could come up with a song about the afterlife called “Monkey Wash Donkey Rinse”.

Name one good track: “Something Bad Happened To A Clown”

9. Van Halen, Diver Down
I stopped listening to Van Halen when David Lee Roth left, and it may be no coincidence that most of the Van Halen albums that make the bottom of fan lists tend to be the ones with other singers (the exception being Sammy Hagar’s inaugural VH album 5150). So while Diver Down tends to be near the top of the fan lists, it’s usually dead last if you limit yourself to Diamond-Dave-era VH. Even Eddie Van Halen has been critical of it, mainly because it was a rush job and almost half the songs are covers. But I’ve always liked it – it’s relatively more diverse musically, and VH were no slouch when it came to covers.

Name one good track: “The Full Bug”

10. Queen, Hot Space
Fans sometimes disagree which album is the worst one their favorite band has done, but ask any Queen fan, and 99 times out of 100 they’ll say Hot Space, a.k.a. The WTF Gay Disco Album. I’m the 1 out of 100, because honestly I don’t think it’s as bad as people say. That’s probably because I grew up listening to a lot of disco and funk on the radio, which I liked, so that part doesn’t put me off. And frankly, Queen’s take on club disco was more interesting musically than most proper disco acts. Besides, there are several “proper” Queen songs on it that are as good as most things they’ve done. And of course it’s the one with “Under Pressure” on it.

Name one good track besides “Under Pressure”: “Dancer”

LISTEN TO IT: Here’s a sampler if you don’t believe me.



Indefensible,

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LISTEN TO IT #116: YOU WANT IT DARKER, WE KILL THE FLAME

Dec. 27th, 2016 01:55 pm
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Well, I can’t post something about George Michal and not do the same for Leonard Cohen, who did a Bowie last month by releasing a great new album on his birthday and passing away shortly afterwards.

The title track is very apropos – not just of Cohen’s passing, but 2016 in general.



It’s a high note to go out on – even this late in the game, Cohen still had a way with words and imagery. Helping things out here are the musical arrangements via son Adam Cohen, which are in some ways the kind of minimalist background typical of a Cohen album, but with some striking variations from the formula here and there. It’s made a lot of Best of 2016 lists, and it will likely make mine as well.

Ironically, when Cohen passed, most of the media focus wasn’t on the new album but his back catalog, specifically that song, which everyone knows thanks to Jeff Buckley’s cover version (which I blogged about ages ago – note that the YouTube links are all busted). I can understand that – after all, Cohen was one of the best singer-songwriters of his time, so it’s only right to focus on the classics that earned him that rep.

My own introduction to Cohen was via – of all things – the Natural Born Killers soundtrack, which featured two songs from his album The Future. I liked the songs, but even then I didn’t realize his songwriting reputation until the Tower Of Song tribute album came out. That album is a mixed bag, but it encouraged me to check out the source, and I’ve been an intermittent fan ever since – I say “intermittent” because to be honest, not every Cohen album is a winner, and a little Cohen does go a long way for me.

Still, if you need a song, he had a tower full of ‘em.

Here’s one my favorites that that isn't that one.



I’m sentimental if you know what I mean,

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LISTEN TO IT 114-115: ASIAN POST-ROCK WILL SAVE THE WORLD

Aug. 5th, 2016 01:12 pm
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Well, maybe it won’t. But it seems the more interesting new music releases I’ve come across in the last few months fit that description.

First there’s Tricot, a math-rock band from Japan who has released their second EP, Kabuku. The angular jazz chords and shifting time-signatures are kind of standard, but it’s the multi-layered vocals that help Tricot stand out, for my money.

Here’s the lead-off single, “Setsuyakuka”:



And then you have Korean band Jambinai, which combines traditional Korean folk instruments with post-rock, heavy metal and hip-hop. The result is surprisingly hypnotic and surreal.

Here’s the closing track from their second album, A Hermitage, out now:



To defy the laws of tradition,

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LISTEN TO IT #113: WE BOUGHT IT FOR CHEAP, WE’LL SELL IT FOR LESS

Apr. 27th, 2016 11:39 pm
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The Thermals are back album #7, and the question for many fans remains: “Is it as good as The Body The Blood The Machine”?

Which is unfair, maybe, but it’s a common problem for any band that makes a defining, landmark album then has to spend the rest of their career in its shadow. That said, Thermals leader Hutch Harris doesn’t seem to be losing sleep over it. And it’s not like their post-TBTBTM output has been awful. For my money, Now We Can See and Desperate Ground are underappreciated gems, and while Personal Life didn’t quite work for me, there’s still some good stuff there.

The new album, We Disappear, is thematically concerned with how people resist the end of things, be they relationships or life itself to the point of posting everything about themselves online in a possible bid for immortality after we die, as the opening track declares.



Musically, it’s also a step forward in that The Thermals expand their sound slightly – it’s still simple three-chord power-pop with Harris’ earnest yelp, but with more layered guitars and judicious use of echo on a few tracks.

That said, it’s still basically the standard Thermals template, and that’s why – as with the last few albums – I’ll need to revisit it a few times. But history suggests this one will grow on me.

We will always exist,

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LISTEN TO IT #112: I'VE GOT IT ALL … AND SO WHAT NOW?

Apr. 15th, 2016 11:02 am
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Since the previous installment of this series covered David Bowie’s final album, it’s only fitting we should follow that up with Post Pop Depression, Iggy Pop’s final album

Well, maybe. He’s suggested he will likely retire after this. If so, he’ll go out swinging.

What fans will make of it may depend in part on how they feel about (1) the rest of Iggy’s solo catalog (i.e. is it as good as Lust For Life?) and (2) Josh Homme, who is Iggy’s musical partner here, along with Dean Fertita (of Homme’s main band Queens Of The Stone Age) and Matt Helders (drummer for Arctic Monkeys). As such, musically it bears a slight resemblance to Queens Of The Stone Age and/or Homme’s various side projects or desert-jam sessions.

But it would be a mistake to call this a QOTSA album with Iggy as frontman. It’s much more than that. Musically it’s more reflective than heavy, the sound of a guy who gave his all for the rockinrolls and lived to tell the tale. Which pretty much sums up Iggy’s career.

And of course Iggy dominates the set as only Iggy can, with lyrics that range from languid and sentimental to sputtering rage and the occasional venture into self-aware goofiness. They’re not all classics but I think several tracks here hold up against even the best of his back catalog.

All up, it’s a solid and often spellbinding album. More importantly, it’s the sound of Iggy Pop doing what he’s always done – whatever he wants, and on his own terms.

Here’s one of the better tracks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THm7TIOK8ks&nohtml5=False



Slick as a senator’s statement,

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LISTEN TO IT #111: NOT A FILM STAR, NOT A POP STAR …

Apr. 7th, 2016 01:41 pm
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It’s been a slow year for new music, mainly because most of the new releases I’ve been looking forward to weren’t scheduled to drop until the end of March or early April. So basically until this week, the only new album of 2016 that I’d heard was David Bowie’s Blackstar. Which, amazingly, I haven’t blogged about yet.

I shall do that now.

Basically, it’s brilliant.

And of course since I heard it a week after Bowie’s passing, we may never know how big an influence that will be on my assessment. But I had heard the title track the month prior to his death and thought it was just stunning, so I feel pretty sure about this.

I also liked the two songs here that were released a year ago alongside the Nothing Has Changed comp, “Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime)” and “’Tis a Pity She’s A Whore”, although Blackstar has new versions recorded with the jazz band Bowie recruited for the album. I have to say I like this version of “Sue …” more – it’s still jazzy but with a little more dramatic tension to it.

You can compare them, if you like. Here’s the Maria Schneider Orchestra version.



And here’s the Blackstar version.



And of course we all know by now that “Lazarus” was an intentional farewell song. In fact, Tony Visconti has said Bowie – who had already been diagnosed with cancer – knew this would be his last album. Leave it to Bowie to turn his death into an artistic statement.

There will always be arguments over how it compares to the rest of Bowie’s catalog, but I think it’s one of his strongest albums. And given the strength of his best work, I don’t see that it matters if it’s better than, say, Ziggy Stardust or the Berlin trilogy or whatever. It’s a great Bowie album, and it’s grand that Bowie was able to go out swinging.

So anyway, this is the first great album of 2016, and it’s hard to imagine anything else topping it.

Oh folly Sue,

This is dF
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LISTEN TO IT #110: WHAT’S IN YR REFRIGERATOR?

Nov. 27th, 2015 11:26 am
defrog: (Default)
Or, “Rocket From The Tombs is legend”.

In certain circles, anyway. RFTT is one of the few bands where people are more likely to be more familiar with the bands that it spawned after breaking up (Pere Ubu and Dead Boys) than the original band itself. RFTT Mk 1 had a rep for being a fiery force of nature onstage, and their original lifespan was so short and sharp that they never made it into a recording studio. Bootlegs of their live shows circulated for years until they finally got a proper release in 2002.

Since then, RFTT has reconvened in various forms for three studio albums, the third of which – Black Record – is out now.

I missed the first two, partly because I didn't hear about them, and also because I’m one of those people who knew Dead Boys and Pere Ubu more than RFTT. I’ve been hipped to the new one, and I have to say I like it.

I will say it’s a little disappointing in that David Thomas and Craig Bell are the only original members left, so the line-up is not quite as impressive as the previous album, which included Cheetah Chrome and Richard Lloyd. On the other hand, there’s a lot to like here, including a killer version of “Sonic Reducer” (which may be better known via Dead Boys, but it was originally an RFTT song).

I can’t say how all this holds up to the previously released stuff, but on its own merits it’s reasonably solid.

Listen to the single.



Going bad,

This is dF
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LISTEN TO IT#109: ALL SYSTEMS GO!

Nov. 12th, 2015 11:00 am
defrog: (Default)
I’ve always loved the idea of soundbites and dialogue samples in music, especially when they serve as the lyrics to a song. And if it’s NASA radio chatter, I just swoon.

So when I found out that the new album from Public Service Broadcasting – a UK duo that basically takes old documentary voiceovers and sets them to music – was centered on the 1960s space race between the US and Russia, I had to check it out.

I’d heard of Public Service Broadcasting before, but hadn’t paid much attention to them. They’re now my new favorite band, and The Race For Space is a contender for Album Of The Year.

Musically it’s a mix of electronica and rock, and while the music isn’t especially groundbreaking for the genre, it fits in perfectly with the documentary voiceovers. It’s sort of like a soundtrack for a documentary that doesn’t exist, only one that would take the kinds of chances that a real doc soundtrack wouldn’t take – like turning Russian propaganda about Yuri Gagarin into an Afro-Funk dance track, or turning a systems check into a call-and-response rock number.

Listen.



This probably isn't for everyone, but it pushes almost every nerd button in my head. I’m loving this.

Start the countdown,

This is dF 



 
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LISTEN TO IT #108: IT’S JANUARY 1ST AND I ALREADY FEEL BAD

Sep. 4th, 2015 11:12 am
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Band reunions seem to be an inevitable thing these days – possibly because there aren’t many “new” bands that are generating the same unique magic as bands that came together in the 60s, 70s and 80s, when the music business was a much different animal than what it is now.

Still, there are some bands you can’t imagine getting back together, if only because their split was so acrimonious. The Replacements come to mind. And also Violent Femmes.

Both bands have reunited in the last couple of years, although The ‘Mats have reportedly already broken up again (of course). The Femmes are still more or less together – Victor DeLorenzo did some reunion shows then quit, but Gordon Gano and Brian Ritchie have managed to keep it together enough to actually record an EP, which came out on Record Store Day.

It’s called Happy New Year. And it’s pretty good.

Try the title track.



“Pretty good” is of course a relative term – the Femmes are one of those bands who made one of the greatest and most influential debut albums of all time, then spent the rest of their career in its shadow – possibly deliberately, since Gano and Ritchie have said in interviews that they’d had no interest in doing the same record again.

Is the new EP as good as “Blister In The Sun” or “Add It Up”? Probably not. Is it better than most of Why Do The Birds Sing? An argument could be made (depending on whether you think that album is underrated or not).

But it does feature that trademark mix of angst and dark humor that the Femmes are remembered for.

If nothing else, it sports the best album cover I’ve seen so far this year. And finally we have another good alt.new year song to turn to during the holidays.

Good for / at nothing,

This is dF

 
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LISTEN TO IT #106-107: IF YOU BUY ONLY TWO EUROPEAN SURF ALBUMS THIS YEAR …

Aug. 22nd, 2015 09:10 am
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The surf/instrumental rock revival has been chugging along now for close to 25 years now – which is remarkable on a couple of levels:

1. That’s almost five times as long as the original surf/instrumental rock craze lasted in the 1960s.

2. The musical parameters of the genre are, let’s admit, pretty limited.

The first point should come with the caveat that the original surf-rock craze was far more mainstream and dependent on radio airplay. The revival era has been more underground, but the indie scene has evolved to the point that it’s possible to sustain a specific sub-genre for as long as there’s enough of an audience to justify it.

As for the second point, well, that’s why the surf/instrumental rock scene is populated with bands that sound great, and yet so similar that really, if you buy a certain number of albums (say six or seven) you’ve already got most of the musical bases covered, which I suspect is why many surf bands tend to differentiate themselves via their stage shows rather than their songs.

Still, some bands do manage to stand out musically for one reason or another. Opinions and mileage may vary, of course, but one band I’ve liked for awhile now is Los Tiki Phantoms. They’re from Barcelona, and visually they tend to go for a South Pacific voodoo look with skull masks and waistcoats, while musically they’re more Link Wray than Surfaris. It’s not a whole lot of variation from the overall genre theme, but they do have a knack for good tunes.

They have a new album out marking their 10th anniversary as a band. It’s called Los Tiki Phantoms y El Misterio del Talismán. And their kick-off single should give you an idea of where they're coming from.



Meanwhile, as it happens, another surf/instrumental band – this one from Norway – also has a new album out. They’re called Los Plantronics, and they’re going more for a 60s Mexican action-film look, with somberos and lucha masks (though not to the extreme as, say, Los Straitjackets). Musically they’re also more twang than surf, but with a bonus mariachi horn section a more diverse approach that’s influenced as much by Ennio Morricone as Dick Dale. Also, they don't stick strictly to instrumentals – they also sing when required (and when they do, it suggests The Cramps are also an influence).

Their new album is called Surfing Times, and one of the music video singles features footage of an obscure 60s Norwegian film.



The horns in this one are more Mancini than mariachi, but it’s still pretty cool.

I like both albums, but in terms of consistency, I think Los Tiki Phantoms have an edge. Then again, I do appreciate that Los Plantronics is trying to bring something extra, and when it works, it does work well.

Surf’s up,

This is dF
 
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LISTEN TO IT #105: IT’S A KIND OF BAD MAGIC

Aug. 19th, 2015 11:26 am
defrog: (Default)
MOTÖRHEAD ALERT: Motörhead is releasing a new Motörhead album by Motörhead.

Judging from the leadoff Motörhead single, it sounds a lot like Motörhead.



Motörhead: the most reliable name in rock.

PRODUCTION NOTE: It may sound like I’m making fun of Motörhead here. I’m not really. I’m a fan, and I respect the fact that Lemmy has never really messed with the formula after 40 years at the helm. Very few bands can get away with doing essentially the same thing for three albums, let alone 22.

A couple of interesting extra tidbits:

1. It’s got Brian May of Queen on one track.
2. It also has a cover of “Sympathy For The Devil” which was done at the request of WWE star Triple H.

The new album, Bad Magic, comes out August 28.

Get yr Motörhead running,

This is dF
 
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LISTEN TO IT #104: DAVE CLOUD IS IN HEAVEN NOW

Aug. 11th, 2015 12:45 pm
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I meant to post something about Dave Cloud, the underground Nashville legend known either for his karaoke performances at the Springwater Lounge or his garage-rock project with the Gospel Of Power, who passed away in February at the age of 58 from melanoma.

I didn’t actually find out about his death until four months after the fact, since Cloud’s stature as a music artist wasn’t exactly up there with, say, Lynn Anderson. The Nashville Scene covered it extensively, and he actually got mentioned in the obit sections of two British music magazines (Uncut and Mojo), but that was about it.

Anyway, while I was trying to think up a decent tribute post, I found out that he managed to complete one more Gospel Of Power album. It is out now on Fire Records.

Title: Today Is The Day They Take Me Away.

Which is the best title for a posthumous album, although it would be a mistake to read much into it. It’s named after a track on the album which was reportedly written before Cloud became ill.

Anyway, the album sounds more or less like you’d expect from Cloud: lo-fi garage with varying production values, and Cloud’s idiosyncratic delivery that always gets compared to Waits and Beefheart but is really more unique than that.  

In some ways it’s not quite as good as his previous studio LP, Practice In The Milky Way – a few of the songs are too samey in terms of subject matter (in one case, two songs are exactly the same but with different titles).

Still, it’s got a lot of great moments on it. This is one of them.

Listen.



It’s a good note to go out on. He will be missed.

BONUS TRACK: Apparently, according to the Bandcamp page, if you buy the vinyl version instead of CD or digital, you get a bunch of extra tracks. Which just makes sense. 

Get off of my cloud,

This is dF

 
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LISTEN TO IT #103: COLLABORATIONS DON’T WORK

Jun. 18th, 2015 09:20 am
defrog: (Default)
The term “supergroup” may have commanded a kind of respect back in the days when it applied to any late 60s band that had Eric Clapton in it. These days, “supergroup” is the equivalent of a warning label – what sounds great on paper may not work well in practice. Sometimes you get something truly more than the sum of its parts (Traveling Wilburys, Audioslave, Them Crooked Vultures). Sometimes you get Bad English, Velvet Revolver and Chickenfoot. They may sell well, but how many people still listen to that first Asia album?

(There’s also a question of what counts as a supergroup – I’ve seen Journey, Bad Company, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, and Foo Fighters listed as supergroups, but I’m not sure they count. It’s probably a generational thing – for people my age, a supergroup should be comprised of members of other groups that are famous and successful enough on their own. Like Damn Yankees. Or Power Station. Or Temple Of The Dog or something.)

Anyway, all of this is to say that Sparks and Franz Ferdinand have teamed up for an album. Which may sound like an odd mix, but it’s actually not. Both have a knack for social observation that you can dance to. And … well, that’s good enough reason, isn’t it?

They’re calling themselves FFS (which is both an acronym and an in-joke), and the resulting album – which apparently has been in the works for years – is a lot more than FF simply serving as the Mael brothers’ backing band. Sometimes it sounds more Sparks than FF, and sometimes vice versa, and yet it all flows more or less seamlessly.

Take the lead-off track, which honestly would be at home on a new Sparks record or a new FF record.

Listen.



So on the whole, it works rather well, though with the usual caveat that some songs are a little stronger than others. Also, opinions will probably vary based on how you feel about both bands – I know people who dig Sparks but can't stand FF and vice versa, so who knows what they’ll make of this.

For myself, I’m a fan of both bands, and I’m digging it.

Paging Mr Delusional,

This is dF
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LISTEN TO IT #102: THE YEAR’S MOST UNEXPECTED COMEBACK

Apr. 17th, 2015 10:11 am
defrog: (Default)
No, not Blur.

The Sonics are one of those legendary bands who were more influential than commercially successful. The Sonics basically invented hard loud garage rock in the mid-1960s, recorded two great albums, then fell apart.

They’ve reformed off and on over the years in various combinations, but they’ve been more active in the last seven years. The 2015 lineup features three original members – Gerry Roslie, Larry Parypa and Rob Lind – plus a rhythm section whose combined pedigree includes The Kingsmen, Agent Orange and Dick Dale.

So they have a new album out – their fifth, and the first once since 1980’s Sinderella (which for some people doesn’t really count because it only featured Roslie and was basically new versions of old songs).

As much as I love their first two albums, I admit I was skeptical that a bunch of guys in their 60s and 70s could pack the same feral punch that made their first two records so exhilarating.

Turns out I worried for nothing.

Listen to this. It’s the lead-off single (which was released as part of a split single with Mudhoney for Record Store Day).



Holy crap. It’s like the last 49 years never happened.

I also like that they opted for mono instead of stereo. Apart from keeping their sound consistent, it makes a good case that mono – at least sometimes – sounds better than stereo.

Anyway, this is easily one of the most surprising comeback stories of the year. The only way you could top this was if the 13th Floor Elevators were getting back together.

Oh, wait.

Don’t need no doctor,

This is dF

 
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LISTEN TO IT #101: THEME FROM AN IMAGINARY JOHN CARPENTER FILM

Feb. 11th, 2015 09:56 am
defrog: (sars)
You would think that the first great release of 2015 might be the new Sleater-Kinney album.

And it might well be. But I don’t have a copy of it yet.

I do however have the debut album from John Carpenter.

Yes, that John Carpenter.

Technically it’s not a debut album, since Carpenter has been releasing music for years via the soundtracks he composed for most of his films. But this is the first time he’s recorded music just for its own sake. According to Uncut, most of it was improvised along with his son Cody and Dan Davies (son of Dave, who worked with Carpenter on a couple of soundtracks) after staying up all night playing video games, until he realized they had about an hour’s worth of music done.

What you make of it will depend on three factors: (1) whether you like John Carpenter films, (2) whether you like the soundtrack music of John Carpenter films (besides Halloween), and (3) if yr enjoyment of soundtrack music depends on having seen the film it accompanies.

If you can't tick at least one of those boxes, then this probably isn’t for you.

For fans, the good news is that for the most part the music sounds exactly the way you’d expect a Carpenter album to sound – pulsing beats, 80s synths, and sinister overtones. It really does sound like a collection of themes for movies Carpenter hasn’t made yet – hence the title, John Carpenter’s Lost Themes (see what he did there?).

Listen to this. This could be straight off the Christine soundtrack.



I have to say, I dig it. But then I’m a fan of both Carpenter’s films and soundtracks. It’s not all great, and much of the greatness is fueled by nostalgia, but I’m 49, so I think I’m entitled.

If it helps, the album also comes with some remixes, although the only really interesting ones are the ones involving Zola Jesus (extra spooky) and JG Thirlwell (if John Carpenter scored The Venture Brothers …).

Turn out the lights,

This is dF
 
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LISTEN TO IT #100: ALL THE BUDOS ARE HERE

Dec. 31st, 2014 06:39 pm
defrog: (Default)
I’ve been slacking on this series, I know. But seeing as how this band is going to feature in my Top 10 Albums of 2014, I thought I’d just slip this in before the year officially ends.

It’s the Budos Band, a Brooklyn outfit that trades in instrumental Afro-Soul, but with added twang. Some people have compared them to early Chicago, which I can see if Chicago had been more heavily influenced by jazz-funk, Link Wray, Tolkien and grindhouse films.

In any case, their fourth album, Burnt Offering, is available. It’s pretty groovy, and it’s really grown on me in the last few months.



No singing,

This is dF



 
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LISTEN TO IT #99: JUST GIVE ‘EM WHISKEY CAMBODIA

Nov. 19th, 2014 10:54 am
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When I first came across The Bombay Royale, they reminded me a bit of the recent revival of Cambodia 60s rock, thanks to bands like Dengue Fever and Cambodian Space Project.

Which got me to wondering if either of those bands had any new music this year?

Dengue Fever doesn’t. But Cambodian Space Project does. It’s their third LP. And man, is it good.

It’s half covers and half original material, including the psychedelic title track.

Just listen to this.



Oh, and it was recorded in Detroit and produced by funk-guitar legend Dennis Coffey, who also plays on it.

If that doesn’t get you off, there’s nothing we can do for you.

Detroit Rock City,

This is dF
 
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LISTEN TO IT #98: WHO IS DR ELECTRICO?

Nov. 17th, 2014 09:27 pm
defrog: (Default)
As you may have noticed, this series has been a little sparse this year. For some reason, it’s been a relatively slow year for new music releases for me. Part of it is to do with budget constraints, but honestly I haven’t heard that many new releases that genuinely knocked me out.

And until recently it was looking as though this might be the first time in the history of this blog that I would have trouble filling out the traditional Top 20 Best Albums Of The Year list.

Luckily for you lot, things have changed a bit as I’ve lucked into some interesting new things, one of which is a ‘60s Bollywood tribute band from Melbourne, Australia.

No, really!

The Bombay Royale started off doing covers of old Bollywood songs from the 60s and 70s, but now basically write soundtracks for imaginary Bollywood films. Their sophomore album, The Island Of Dr Electrico, is out now, and as all the lyrics are in Hindi or Bengali, I don’t understand a word of it.

But boy is it fun – which is the whole point of Bollywood songs, really.

Listen.



Hooray for Bollywood,

This is dF
 
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LISTEN TO IT #97 / BAD COVER VERSION #61: WONKAVISION!

Nov. 10th, 2014 11:25 pm
defrog: (Default)
Leave it to Primus to do an album covering the entire soundtrack to Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory.

Some may be surprised to see Primus is still active. They were on hiatus for over a decade before their 2011 “comeback” album Green Naugahyde, which I confess I missed. I loved Primus in their heyday, but at the time I was skeptical of any band getting back together and trying to live up to their own legacy. Also, Antipop was admittedly not that good a note to go on hiatus. 

However, when I saw their new album in a music store in Stockholm, I was intrigued for two reasons: (1) the Willy Wonka film was as seminal to me as it has been for Les Claypool, and (2) Primus generally do very interesting cover versions of songs.

And by “interesting” I mean “twisted and bizarre”.

Suffice to say the album exceeds my expectations. Claypool bends the songs completely out of shape, but not to the point of making them unrecognizable. And the material suits both his musical style and his cartoonish drawl.

I think this track gives you a good idea of what to expect.



Primus has always been an acquired taste that was arguably most accessible with Tales From The Punchbowl, so I doubt this will win over the haters. But this is their best album since the underrated The Brown Album.

Or not. Anyway, it’s a late contender for Album Of The Year for me.

You can even eat the dishes,

This is dF
 
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