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Although inevitably the recently released STOOGES album The Weirdness and the about to be released BAD BRAINS album Build a Nation will get more attention this year, the real punk reunion album of the year is this one. Owing more to their earlier work (much of which can be found on the Remains Nonviewable compilation, the only other Effigies release currently in print) than the more experimental stylings of their two releases for Enigma (1985’s Fly on a Wire and 1986’s Ink), it’s as if they were frozen and came back sounding just like they did in the early ‘80s. There’s good reason for this. This is three-fourths of the original lineup from that era and everything is still intact, including JOHN KEZDY’s piercing vocals and thoughtful lyrics along with PAUL ZAMOST’s jarring, post-punk influenced basslines. Guitarist ROBERT MCNAUGHTON and drummer STEVE ECONOMOU round out the mix here, proving once again that The Effigies were (and still are) the American answer to THE RUTS. Play it loud!
One of the finest Elvis shows I’ve ever attended, having seen him over twenty times over the years, this show was notable in that it’s only the second time that I’ve ever seen him in a general admission club (since 1981 or so, he’s largely played theaters and occasionally arenas and ampitheaters when his U.S. popularity was its peak in the early ‘90s). Like the first time I saw him such a setting (back in 2002 at Convention Hall in Asbury Park, NJ), Costello and the Imposters delivered a stunning, rocking set. This time, though, the set was full of little-played chestnuts from Costello’s early years. I never thought I would get to see songs like “Secondary Modern” and “Strict Time” performed live, for instance. After four (!) encores, including an appearance by recent collaborator ALLEN TOUISSANT on several songs, the marathon, two and a half show concluded with a rousing version of ”(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding”.
Others have praised this album as a return to this great band’s late ‘70s and early ‘80s glory days, but I think that’s just wishful thinking. If I didn’t have such high expectations for it, I might like it more, but as of now consider me disappointed. First, let’s start off with the positives. Producer ADAM YAUCH of THE BEASTIE BOYS gives the album the raw, almost live-in-the-studio feel of their legendary early recordings (including the absolutely smoking Roir cassette, which was recorded live at 171A), something which has been sorely missing from most of their work since then and especially since 1989’s Quickness (the last good album they made). Unfortunately, though singer HR just doesn’t have the manic intensity of their early years and more to the point, the songwriting is lacking, a problem which has also been with them for most of the last twenty years. With titles like “Expand Your Soul,” “Jah Love” and “Roll On”, I get the impression that not a lot of times was spent on the lyrics. It’s almost like Bad Brains by numbers. Furthermore, the song structures bear more resemblances to their later albums than the short, fast, punk attack I was hoping for. A few of the songs at the end attempt to make up for the lack of speed on the rest of the album, but it’s too little, too late.
When I was in high school and after I had just moved to central New Jersey when I was 16, I discovered this store right on Rt. 18 called Record Setter. I would go there every week with what little money I had back then and buy an Lp from the mostly disgarded crate of $4 used Lps they had in the back. It was mostly metal back in there, but among that stuff was a treasure trove of punk goodness, including this great album. Although ultimately I prefer 1982’s Millions of Dead Cops, I heard this one first and it made a big impression on me at the time.
Packaged in a gatefold sleeve, a political flyer is included with the LP version, concerning the Big Mountain Elders (Native American group) Relocation Resistance March.The march was held at Big Mountain, Arizona, on July 7 1986. Although much of the content is serious, concerning vegetarianism (“Country Squawk”), apartheid and racial injustice everywhere (“South Africa is Free”) and anti-nuclear activism (“Missle Destroyed Civilization”), MDC lighten the mood here by being one of the few politically-oriented punk bands that also had a great sense of humor. For instance, “Tofutti” is a cover of LITTLE RICHARD’s “Tutti Frutti” with the lyrics changed to pay tribute to vegetarian and vegan substitutes for meat and ice cream and “Country Squawk” is a re-done version of “Chicken Squawk” (previously recorded in the band’s more familiar style) in a country style, complete with yelping and actual chicken squawking alongside references to Looney Tunes characters. Furthermore, there’s silly stuff like “King of Thrash” and “Skateboards from Hell” that solidified their popularity with skaters at the time as well. Also included is a cover of THE SUBHUMANS (the Canadian one) song “The Big Picture”.
Although I initially thought this album a bit weak compared to its predecessor Blacklisted, time has shown my initial opinion to be a bit misguided. Although I love the raw, ramshackle, off-the-cuff feel of Blacklisted and I still consider it her finest work, she is in complete control of her talents on Fox Confessor Brings the Flood. A unique mix of country and soul, the songs feel more complete and on moments like “Margaret vs. Pauline” and “That Teenage Feeling”, utterly transcendent.
The Station Agent (R)
Watching this film again after several years, I’m happy to say that I still regard it as one of the finest American films of the last five years. In particular, its characters feel like real human beings and not just cardboard cutouts or stereotypes, as it all too common in Hollywood. PETER DINKLAGE plays a dwarf who is a train buff. When his friend Henry dies, he leaves a piece of property in rural New Jersey that includes an old train depot. Finn moves there with the intention of becoming a hermit, but instead he finds a talkative food vendor and a woman (played by PATRICIA CLARKSON) who is separated from her husband and whose child had tragically passed away several years before. Surprisingly, he befriends them and many adventures ensue along the way.
OK I know that I’ve mentioned this one in other recent Top 10 lists since I’ve been listening to it for months now, but it was released last week and thus I got my order. I went for the vinyl (a beautiful double Lp complete with a gatefold sleeve) and as a bonus, I got the CD version as well. To be honest, I thought this would grow on me, but so far I just don’t quite get why others seem to think it more “straightforward” than their previous few albums. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot grabbed me right away while A Ghost is Born was admittedly an album that took a while to grow on me. However, what some see as straightforwardness is something that I see as a ‘70s rock blandness that the band had previously hinted at, but never quite achieved as the last few albums had enough of an experimental edge that it kept things more interesting and tense than they could’ve been otherwise. Nevertheless, there are several songs (especially towards the end of it) that are really good and again NELS CLINE is the MVP here, his tasteful guitar playing spicing up some very spare material here.
A beautiful record from start-to-finish, Voxtrot’s first full-length shows them being just as capable of recording a captivating full-length as they have been with their brilliant run of EPs. This one is less raw and more tastefully produced than their previous work with some songs included strings and other flourishes, though one can sense a natural progression between their last EP “Your Biggest Fan” and this album. Nevertheless, I believe that this is a band that understands that the immediacy of its singles (none of which are included here) does not have to extend to its album in order to make an impression as this album rewards repeat listening. It comes out on Tuesday. Don’t miss it!
Better known as the one-time wife of MILES DAVIS (hence her surname), the one-time BETTY MABRY should be better known for her music. Credited with turning Miles onto JIMI HENDRIX and SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE and thus influencing albums like Bitches Brew and his subsequent fusion work, Davis was completely unique in the early ‘70s as she not only sang, but wrote all of her own material as well. Oh and did I mention that this is some of the rawest, deepest funk you’ll ever hear? Vocally, Davis bears more of a resemblance to MUDDY WATERS or JOHN LEE HOOKER than any of herfemale contemporaries and her lyrical directness and boldness (especially her sexuality) was really atypical for the times as well. With song titles like “If I’m In Luck I Might Just Get Picked Up”, this predates PRINCE and his ilk by half a decade (it was released in 1973). It also features LARRY GRAHAM on bass and NEIL SCHON (then of SANTANA and later of JOURNEY) on guitar.
Furthermore, this reissue contains several bonus tracks, great sound and even better liner notes by noted hip-hop and soul historian and author OLIVER WANG.
This 1974 follow-up to her self-titled debut was also recently reissued by the great Seattle label Light in the Attic. It’s perhaps even better than its predecessor with the standout track being “He Was a Big Freak”. Similar in design to the reissue of Betty Davis, the liner notes follow the story of her life and music up to the present day with the most detail covering the making of this particular album, which Betty produced herself (in addition to writing all the music as well). These reissues mark the first time that Betty will receive royalties from the sales of her music, so buy it and support. You can go here to download some mp3s first.
