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March 19, 2008
RECENT ALBUMS I’VE BOUGHT / STOLEN / “BORROWED”
These will be, mostly, short.
ROBERT JOHNSON – THE COMPLETE RECORDINGS
According to every rock critic who ever lived and Eric Clapton, if aliens were attacking the planet, and the only way we could save it was by playing “Crossroads,” Robert Johnson is your man. Johnson’s story is so legendary it would probably be better if he and these twenty-three recordings never existed: born in the Mississippi Delta, traveling blues man, sold his soul to the devil, died when poisoned by strychnine-laced whiskey given to him by a jealous husband.
The hyperbole is pretty intense, but maybe deserved when you considered that all the Brit Invasion Blues guitarists modeled themselves after Johnson. In a typically overwrought passage from his (pretty great, actually) MYSTERY TRAIN, Greil Marcus writes, “When Johnson sang his darkest songs, terror was a fact, beauty only a glimmer, but that glimmer, and its dying away, lie beneath everything else, beneath all the images that hit home and make a home.” Like I said intense – the best thing he did for his legacy was die young.
So if I say I’m having a little trouble getting into his music, then it’s slightly my fault but probably more the problem of those who have promoted it. Yes, it’s neat to hear the original version of “Crossroads,” and there’s a definite “guy with a guitar singing about some woman who just walked out the door” quality to it. But as a legendary guitarist, I’m not seeing it, and this is probably because I know next to nothing about the guitar.
DESTROYER – TROUBLE IN DREAMS
It just came out and I just bought it yesterday. Didn’t even know it was coming it. As a fan of everything Dan Bejar has put out (his DESTROYER’S RUBIES was my favorite album of 2006, and his New Porno’s song MYRIAD HARBOR was my second favorite song of 2007). I’ve only listened TROUBLE once but already like it. It will not be a break through hit, but for me its candy.
MORRISEY and BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN – Their entire catalogs
God, I love Torrents!
I haven’t had a chance to listen to the Morrisey yet, but I had never really listened to Springsteen’s TUNNEL OF LOVE, the follow-up to the redunkulously successful BORN IN THE USA. It’s pretty great.
By the way, if anyone finds out either of these guys are strapped for cash, let me know, and I’ll apologize for stealing their music. I figure Boss is okay with it since I’ve bought every one of his CDs since the 90s.
BLONDIE – PARALLEL LINES
Rightfully one of the best New Wave albums; the best non-Talking Heads album to come out the late 70s CBGB’s. Debbie Harry was born to be a star. This album rocks.
SAM COOKE – THE MAN WHO INVENTED SOUL (4 DISC BOX SET)
Even though he’s mostly singing other people’s songs, he sings them better than they do. I know frak-all about soul and R&B, but it seems to me that nobody masters the “Happy Guy singing about being miserable” better than young Mr. Cooke.
Top 5 Sam Cooke songs
1. TROUBLE IN MIND
2. LONELY ISLAND
3. I GOT A RIGHT TO SING THE BLUES
4. NOBODY KNOWS YOU WHEN YOU ARE DOWN
5. GET YOURSELF ANOTHER FOOL
RANDY NEWMAN – RANDY NEWMAN CREATES SOMETHING, 12 SONGS, GUILTY: 30 YEARS OF RANDY NEWMAN
The last one I stole, because it’s out of print, and the first two I bought. More on Randy Newman later: I plan on reviewing SAIL AWAY, one of my favorite albums. His first album (CREATES) finds him with a little more instrumentation than normal and sounding a lot like Bob Dylan. 12 SONGS is justifiably awesome, and paves the way for his masterpiece, SAIL AWAY.
CLEM SNIDE – SOFT SPOT
One of the AV Club Rock Critics said this was one of his favorites. It’s the only Clem album I’ve never owned. It’s pretty good, but I prefer their other albums.
NWA – STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON
Since I lost/had this stolen this in the Great CD Wallet Losing (and/or Stealing) of 2002, I figured I should own my all-time favorite rap album, and perhaps the only rap album I like unambiguously.
CAT POWER – JUKEBOX
Joyous. She’s my favorite weirdo chick singer, and she’s coming to Musicfest. Can’t wait.
VAMPIRE WEEKEND – VAMPIRE WEEKEND
I liked Paul Simon’s GRACELAND when it came out in 1984; why rerelease it now? Oh . . .
STEPHEN MALKMUS – REAL EMOTIONAL TRASH
My latest attempt at tracking with the solo career of Mr. Malkmus. Didn’t take.
BRITISH SEA POWER – DO YOU LIKE ROCK MUSIC?
Really great. I need to listen to it some more.
| By Andytown | 09:51 AM
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Comments
Andy,
Why don't you try listening to good soul music instead of Sam Cooke?
Love,
Isaac Hayes
Posted by: Harvey at March 20, 2008 09:19 AM