After several more listens, this is (along with the new LCD Soundsystem and Idlewild records) currently my favorite new record. This band doesn’t need more praise (though they deserve every word of it), so all I’ll say is that in particular, “The Well and the Lighhouse” and “Windowsill” are blowing my mind right now. I also found out that they’re playing here in May. I can’t wait, that is if I can get a ticket!
This four-disc box set, originally released in 1993, contains every single note that The Police recorded in the studio and a few live B-sides as well. I’ve always been partial to the 1978-1980 era myself with my favorite album being Zenyatta Mondatta (contained in its entirety on disc 2 here), but I actually think parts of Ghost in the Machine and Synchronicity have stood the test of time much better than most other music that has massively popular in the early ‘80s and in part we can thank producer HUGH PADHAM (who also produced XTC’s English Settlement and umm, PHIL COLLINS, around this time) for that. So what prompted me to pull this out? Well of course it was their recently-anounced reunion and their performance on the Grammy Awards telecast last Sunday, which of course was the only watchable moment of the entire show. They ripped into “Roxanne”, playing much better than their trainwreck of an appearance at the 2003 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, despite STING’s inabilities to hit the same high-notes and the fact that the backing vocals were a bit off.
Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out (Unrated)
On paper, this sounds like it could be self-indulgent and frankly boring for all but the most die-hard Police fans. In practice, however, this is a fascinating account of The Police’s rise to fame up to their initial breakup in 1984. Narrated by drummer STEWART COPELAND (always my favorite member of the group, for what it’s worth), this features footage shot on his Super 8 millimeter camera that he purchased while on tour in the late ‘70s. In some shots, he’s got the camera in his pocket while he’s on drums. The most fascinating footage for fans is a version of “Next to You” that sounds like it’s played at 100 mph as well as another song in which Copeland just completely obliterates his drumset while just going nuts on it. Because of their later hits, many people tend to forget what a hard rockin’ outfit they were when they started out.
Let me put it bluntly. This record blows away the very good self-titled debut. If you liked that, you’ll love this. I mean this is just some of the best electro-influenced stuff I’ve heard in eons. In addition to a musical vision that expertly combines KRAFTWERK, early ‘80s electro and modern indie-rock, another reason I like this so much is because JAMES MURPHY writes great lyrics as well. For instance, check out “North American Scum” (video here), the great title track and the closing track “New York I Love You”.
On a bitterly cold, icy and snowy Valentine’s Day evening, Philadelphia-based Espers and Daniel Higgs (formerly of the Washington, DC band LUNGFISH) played a show for only $1 (!) at the ICA, part of an artist performance series that the museum is currently sponsoring. Higgs spent most of his set wailing on a Jew’s harp, though he played several long, free-form, ballad-style (think the long, rambling pieces on BOB DYLAN’s mid ‘60s songs like “Desolation Row”) songs as well, showcasing his otherwordly, haunting voice in the process. Not to be outdone, Espers followed it up by partying like it was 1969. A female lead singer (the great MEG BAIRD) who sounds like SANDY DENNY? Check. Druggy, hazy psychedelia? Check. Beards, moustaches and long hair? Check. This was one strange trip (sorry), but a very enjoyable one to these ears.
Long a favorite compilation album of mine, I just upgraded from my old cassette copy to a CD (thanks to Long in the Tooth, my favorite record store in Philadelphia). The highlights here include IGNITION (“Anger Means”), SOULSIDE (“Name in Mind”), CHRIST ON A CRUTCH (“Off Target”), KING FACE (“Dirty Wings”), MARGINAL MAN (“Stones on a Wall”), FUGAZI (“In Defense of Humans”) and SHUDDER TO THINK (“Let it Ring”). Some of these tracks were never released elsewhere, so this comp is handy for that as well. Not everything here works, as I could personally never really stomach the FIDELITY JONES track “Blood Stone Burn” for instance, but overall this comp has a pretty high hit to miss ratio. All proceeds from the sale of this CD go to the A.C.L.U. and the Community for Creative Non-Violence.
A great return to form after the lesser (but still quite good) Warnings Promises, this at times sounds like the record they could’ve made between 100 Broken Windows (their masterpiece and one of my favorite records of the ‘00s so far) and The Remote Part and at other times like an outtakes record from the latter album, songs like new single “No Emotion”, opening track “In Competition for the Worst Time” and especially “A Ghost in the Arcade” rank up there with some of their best songs.
Nuggets: Celluloid Artyfacts of Sixties Rock
Not a feature film, this instead was an event held by Secret Cinema at The Moore College of Art and Design. 16 mm clips from various teen-exploitation films of the mid ‘60s (an example of a title is Girls in Short, Short Dresses and The Ecstasy is Sometimes Fantastic). In addition to the unintentionally hysterical scenes, we also got to see performances from ‘60s garage bands both noteworthy (THE SEEDS,CHOCOLATE WATCHBAND) and obscure (Toronto band THE THOUGHTS, for instance). In addition, a promo clip of THE NAZZ’s great “Open My Eyes” was shown with an appearance by Nazz singer STEWKEY himself. In addition, Nuggets compiler (and PATTI SMITH guitarist) LENNY KAYE was in attendance as well, talking about these clips as well as his time as a garage rocker (under the name of LINK CROMWELL) himself and after the screening, both he and Stewkey took questions from the audience.
As I was reading the book I list at #10 this week, I also received the Rhino reissue of this underrated 1979 album (only $6.99 from yourmusic.com). It’s easy to see why this record was maligned by fans and critics at the time, as it’s easily the least punk and most experimental record The Ramones had made up to that point. It even includes a cover of producer PHIL SPECTOR’s “Baby I Love You”, a saccharine-sweet ‘60s ballad. With that said, this album is ultimately a glorious, unfocused mess that works in the end because of the strength of the material and the playing. It’s also a bridge between their past and where they would go in the future. For instance, “The Return of Jackie and Judy” and “This Ain’t Havana” blatantly reference “Judy is a Punk” and “Havana Affair”, two songs from their debut Lp. However, “I’m Affected” is basically the same exact song as the later “We Want the Airwaves” (presented here as a demo). In between, we get their version of the DEE DEE RAMONE-penned “Chinese Rocks” (great but it still doesn’t touch the HEARTBREAKERS’ superior version) and “Do You Remember Rock and Roll Radio?”, possibly the most well-known song on here and the one song on which The Ramones’ sound and the vintage Spector “Wall of Sound” are perfectly merged. Furthermore, there’s a re-recorded (and not as good) version of “Rock and Roll High School” from the wonderfully campy 1979 movie of the same name and other cuts both sweet (“Danny Says”) and harder-edged (“High Risk Insurance”). Overall, to those unfamiliar with their catalog, I would recommend getting the earlier albums first, but this is still a fascinating album nonetheless.
This is an absolutely great book on a previously unexplored subject, specifically the Jewish influence on ‘70s New York punk. THE RAMONES? Half-Jewish. THE DICTATORS? All Jewish. SUICIDE? Both ALAN VEGA and MARTIN REV are Jewish, not to mention CHRIS STEIN (of BLONDIE), LENNY KAYE and many others mentioned in this book. Despite a few minor inaccuracies (such as the claim that late ‘60s New York-based duo SILVER APPLES are German), this book is a fascinating read, especially since I’m Jewish and have been listening to punk rock since I was a teenager.
