Off the List
Rock and Roll at aughts end I realize the clock has run out on the old year, the season for lists over. A short season it is at that, and once it's over people have the reasonable expectation that it stays over until next year. But having drawn up notes on a list of favorites off the rock and roll radio, I seek a small indulgence to present it. In general what gets me reaching for pencil and paper is noisy and off the left wall stuff. And its true that the older I get the more at peace, harmony really, I am with the lo-fi-esque. It just seems more in tune with rock, blues (and most derived musics) essential nature. That whole Jay Reatard - Dinosaur Jr. approach. In new stuff or what I thought was new Ty Segall: "cents" from the cents 7", also "Can't Talk" off of Lemons. Ty occasionally is one third of the Sic Alps and is on their Slumberland "L Mansion/Superlungs" 7"
slumberland records home. I guess the rest of his stuff through 2009 is a solo man act. There was another release from Slumberland I liked; a band called Brilliant colors. The song I noted down was "Short Sleeves". From Tyvek: "Frustration Rock", and "Duck Blinds" off 2009's Tyvek lp or the Duck Blinds 7". Dan Melchoir und das Menace -- the campaign name of his current line-up -- two songs: "Willamsburg Brooklyn", and "Ghost of a flea pt.2" both singles from 2009 I believe. I think Melchoir is originally from England, Shepperton it says on this Wikipedia page Dan Melchior - Wikipedia. The Wiki page claims, he has worked with Billy Childish, that doesn't surprise me. It also lists a 7" with a song titled "Madame Nhu" -- I don't think I've heard that one. Upsilon Acrux are from San Diego or Los Angeles: the song "Keeping Rice Evil" is more art noisy than punk noisy but its hard keeping those two approaches apart on all occasions. I certainly believe that rice should be kept evil. From 2009's Radian Futura. There was Little Claw: "Frozen in the Future" from 2009's Human Taste. Don't really know much about them. They started out in Detroit. Purling Hiss: I only heard this towards the end of the year: I put a little asterisk by the song "Almost washed my hair" This usually indicates "extra chaos", which I regard as a good thing. Purling Hiss is apparently just one Mike Pollize, ordinarily from a band called Birds of Maya. Shading toward the more tuneful side of things. The Obits with "Widow of my Dreams" off 2009's I blame you. Sally Crewe & the Sudden Moves with "Black cars" from the 2009 Lp Your nearest exit might be behind you Sally Crewe herself seems to be from England, but Tommy Keene who started out in the Washington DC band Nightman is either in the band or plays with them on bass
Sally Crewe & The Sudden Moves. I once saw Tommy Keene open for the Jam.
Another category in the list; new records by older acts. I loved the cover that Shonen Knife did of Wing's "Jet." Odd because I never cared all that much for the original. That and the song "Deer Biscuits" are on the 2009 lp Super Group. Only one original member of Shonen Knife, Naoko Yamano, still seems to be with the band
Shonen Knife - Wikipedia. Also Art Brut (
Art Brut - Wikipedia ) from Art Brut vs Satan two songs: "Mysterious Bruises", and "the Replacements" ("How is it I've only just now heard of the Replacements - some of them are as old as my parents...") Probably associated with the release of a box set this year I wrote down the song "Thirteen" by Big Star certainly one of the most sublime songs you will ever hear.
In this same vein: not new perhaps, but new to me. Half Man Half Biscuit. They've been around since the mid '80s, but I only became aware of them with the song "Took problem chimp to model homes show" off 2009's CSI Ambleside. Hearing this inspired me to finally get around to reading Will Self's "Great Apes." Time well spent. Another singer I want to flag is Jeremy Wallace particularly for the song "Stephanie's Kitchen" which came out in 2004 I think. I can't really say what things his stuff reminds me of; Catfish Hodge merged with Levon Helm, Maybe? At any rate good stuff.
2009 saw two minor music mysteries vanquished. A snippet of melody rattling around in my head for years now that I could never place... Turned out to be the Cynics and their song "I saw Abba (late last night)." Also I found that the guy who does "Tie me Kangaroo down, sport" is the same guy who does "Sun Arise", Australian singer Rolf Harris. Made sense once I thought about it.
Emphasizing the random nature of any list I keep, I wrote down at one point that the radio had just played "Shangri La" by the Kinks Shangri La on You Tube. In the same manner that after a really great song I will sometimes turn off the radio for a while. With Shangri La, I close out this posting.
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