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Long Play
'Gallowsbird’s Bark'
Written by Liberty Hardy   
Thursday, 27 March 2008

by The Fiery Furnaces
2003, Rough Trade Records

the sound: You never get a second chance to make a first impression, and with its debut album, “Gallowsbird’s Bark,”  The Fiery Furnaces hit the ground running, injecting its unique sound into the indie rock scene. On the album’s first track, “South is Only a Home,” singer Eleanor Friedberger talks/sings/chants the lyrics over her brother Matthew’s driving guitar and drum beat, while in the background it sounds like someone’s kitten is running across the piano. Eleanor actually sing-speaks the lyrics over many of the songs, her smoky voice narrating the cacophony of sounds that her brother supplies. Matthew’s guitar riffs and piano are often accompanied by static, zips and whistles. “I woulda had a asthma attack / If I seen the shark bite back,” Eleanor states in “Asthma Attack,” a catchy number with bluesy guitar and a bass line that sounds like someone is randomly grabbing the strings. “Tropical Ice-Land” would make for the coolest Bacardi commercial ever, and “Bow Wow” has the Quaaludy-feel of a theme to a ’70s sitcom. “Crystal Clear” includes a thump to rival The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army,” plus the added bonus of the chant, “Filthy, dirty, cloudy, muddy, messy, mucky, crystal clear.”
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‘Stanley Stole My Shoelace and Rubbed It In His Armpit and Other Songs My Parents Won’t Let Me Sing’
Written by Liberty Hardy   
Wednesday, 12 March 2008

by Barry Louis Polisar
1982 Rainbow Morning Music

the sound: When was the last time you dug out a Raffi album from your childhood, not because you were feeling nostalgic, but because it genuinely still rocked? We’re going to assume probably never, because “Baby Beluga” is for babies, and Raffi sounds like a cartoon dog’s sneeze. But Barry Louis Polisar is a man with a name like a truck driver and an attitude to match, and “Stanley Stole My Shoelace” is an album of catchy children’s songs you can still get behind. Think of it as “Anarchy in the Pre-K.” The only instrument featured on this album is an acoustic guitar. But, because it’s a children’s album, it’s really more about the words than the music. Polisar has a strong voice with a slightly nerdy timbre, and he uses it not only for lead vocals, but also to provide “backup singers,” who sound like a chorus of crazy housecats. He also changes his voice, à la “Peanuts,” to sound severe or admonishing when singing the part of grownups. It makes them sound dopey, which works, because, as all kids know, grownups are stoopid.
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‘Weather Report’
Written by Alan Chase   
Thursday, 21 February 2008

Image here:
by Weather Report
1971, Columbia

the sound: Weather Report was a classic early jazz fusion band that featured the super-charged Rhodes electric piano of Joe Zawinul surrounded by the driving grooves of drummer Alphonse Mouzon and percussionist Airto Moreia, as well as the incisive bass work of Miroslav Vitous and the probing soprano sax work of Wayne Shorter. The group’s debut album is a rich palette of musical colors and textures, beginning with “Milky Way,” a Zawinul-Shorter duet that utilizes soprano sax, acoustic piano and subtle recording manipulation to create an eerie, spatial sound. Later comes the pulsating samba groove of “Seventh Arrow,” followed by the lovely rock influenced ballad “Orange Lady.” The record closes with the straight ahead swing of “Eurydice.” Due to the open mindedness of the musicians and their spontaneous, collective approach, the overall sound is cohesive without sounding sterile.
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‘Son of Schmilsson’
Written by Liberty Hardy   
Thursday, 07 February 2008

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by Harry Nilsson
1972, RCA Victor

the sound: Not a single song on “Son of Schmilsson” is similar to another. Nilsson had a most impressive set of vocal chops, which he used to wail one minute and purr the next, and the album utilized almost every instrument in existence, plus a few that were improvised. The album opens with “Take 54,” a jazzy, sax-laden number that starts with Nilsson bemoaning the loss of a girl he was trying to impress (“I sang my balls off for you, baby”) and ends with a bizarre bit involving a creepy voice spooking a snoozing sound technician. Following that is the lovely tune “Remember (Christmas),” in which Nilsson waxes poetic about the past to the tune of violins and piano. Later on in the album, he spoofs the saccharine sweetness of “Remember” by again playing the intro and then belching loudly as he bursts into “At My Front Door,” a guitar-riddled rock song.
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‘The Best of Spirit’
Written by Matt Kanner   
Thursday, 24 January 2008

by Spirit
1973, Epic Records

the sound: In the sleeve of Spirit’s self-titled debut album, the playing time for “Mechanical World” is listed simply as “very long.” Actually, it’s five minutes and 19 seconds, which, by modern standards, isn’t that long at all. But, when it was released as a single in 1968, songs that lasted more than five minutes were exceptionally rare. “Mechanical World,” which appears as the second track on “The Best of Spirit,” has a bizarre stop-and-go sound, with distant lyrics that seem to drift surreally in the background. “Death falls so heavy on my soul,” Randy California sings. Later, the song builds to a climactic guitar solo that echoes the peak years of psychedelia. The greatest hits disc also includes some peppier rock songs that reflect the band members’ California roots, but all the songs are lyrically loaded with literary references and social messages. Both are exemplified in “1984,” the ominous homage to George Orwell’s masterpiece that warns of a bleak future. Songs like “Morning Will Come” and “Aminal Zoo” have a more light-hearted hippie sound, while “Nature’s Way” is striking in its soft, almost mournful eloquence. Throughout, the disc showcases a tripped-out, experimental sound that, at first listen, might now sound like standard ’60s psychedelic rock.
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‘Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.’
Written by Liberty Hardy   
Thursday, 10 January 2008

by The Monkees
1967, RCA Records

the background: In 1965, NBC brought together musicians Davy Jones, Mike Nesmith, Mickey Dolenz and Peter Tork to act and perform on its new nightly sitcom, “The Monkees.” The show was a comic take on a hip, funny, struggling band with a look and sound somewhat similar to The Beatles. Based on the popularity of the first season in 1966 and the obvious talent of the actors, The Monkees began actually recording music, releasing albums and touring—and almost immediately butting heads with NBC. The band released three albums in 1967, and by the time “Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.” was released in November of that year, it was obvious that the television producers had lost their control over the band. Trying hard to break free of its “pre-fab four” description, The Monkees injected the album with a more California-hippie influence, reflective of the band members’ surroundings and lifestyles. (Unlike The Beatles, The Monkees never hid the fact that they did drugs and loved to rock the paisley hard.)

the sound: Nesmith, who the producers had chosen to be the mature leader-type of the show, embraced the role and became a more prominent presence on “Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.” A fan of Frank Zappa and Tim Buckley and a seriously talented guitarist, Nesmith sings on a few tracks, a job usually reserved for Dolenz or Jones. He lets loose with his twangy country-blues style in “Salesman,” the album’s catchy first track, and “What Am I Doing Hangin’ Round,” a sweet banjo-infused love song. “Star Collector” proves ahead of its time, with Jones singing about a girl who fits the description of a star whore way before the label of “stalker” was given to obsessed fans. “Goin’ Down” showcases Dolenz’s talent for jazz scat singing, which he went on to display more of on later albums, and “Peter Percival Patterson’s Pet Pig Porky” gives Tork a chance to show … well, that he’s just plain weird. Sure, there are still some poppy songs about girls, but on “Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.,” they have a trippier sound and the lyrics seem a bit naughtier. While “She Hangs Out” has a chorus sounding much like a Beach Boys tune, Jones sings of someone’s Lolita-esque sister, and “Cuddly Toy” is about a girl being used and discarded, all while a piano plinks prettily in the background. It’s fun and sinister.
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‘Live From The Middle East’
Written by Liberty Hardy   
Thursday, 27 December 2007

Image here:
by the Mighty Mighty Bosstones
1998, Mercury

the sound: Formed in 1985 in Boston, the Bosstones heavily reflect the influence of earlier 2-tone ska bands, such as The Specials, Madness and Bad Manners. Comprised of all the usual band elements, plus horns, the Bosstones turn out songs that large, tattooed men are unashamed to dance around to. On its own, a Bosstones album is lots of fun, but you can’t beat a live performance. Singer Dicky Barrett has a voice like a rock tumbler, and he knows how to whip the crowd into a frenzy. Boston fans are the most voracious in the country. They love their city, and they love to hear it mentioned over and over again. Simple, fierce drumbeats accompany thick bass lines while Barrett snarls poetic.
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‘King’
Written by Liberty Hardy   
Thursday, 13 December 2007

by Belly
1995, Warner Bros

the sound: Belly’s first album, “Star,” was pop with a twinkly, fairy tale spin. The CD made Belly a huge hit on college radio and MTV and earned the band two Grammy nominations in 1993. “King,” released in 1995, has a more mature, thicker sound. Where “Star” sounds haunting and plinky, “King” grinds and kicks out catchy, jangly tunes. Gone are lyrics about dolls and squirrels and demanding frogs—replaced with a feeling of raw sexuality. “Where should I not touch? / What should I not kiss?” purrs lead singer Tanya Donnelly. You get the sense that Donnelly has outgrown her baby doll dresses and now uses combat boots to pin her love to the floor by the throat while she sings to him.
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‘Dog Years in the Fourth Ring (box set)’
Written by Matt Kanner   
Wednesday, 28 November 2007

by Rahsaan Roland Kirk
1997, 32 Jazz Records

the sound: Saxophonist Rahsaan Roland Kirk was a man of truly rare musical talents. His exceptional gifts included playing up to three saxophones at once, using circular breathing techniques to hold interminable notes, and playing flute with his nostrils. All of these feats can be heard on the three-disc box set, “Dog Years in the Fourth Ring,” which consists of 33 live and studio tracks, including original material and covers. The first disc begins with Kirk’s distinctive voice describing a whistling ring—a vivid illustration of his lifelong fascination with wind instruments of all types. He plays flute on the first song, introducing his indefinable style. Listening to the music on all three of the discs, it is not surprising to learn that Kirk drew much of his inspiration from dreams he had while sleeping. At times surreal, at others intensely passionate, and at others nearly unlistenable, the sound belongs exclusively to Kirk, an eccentric mad scientist of jazz. Although it is difficult to compare him to any other musician, Kirk paid frequent homage to his influences, covering songs like Count Basie’s “Lester Leaps In” and John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps.”
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‘The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway’
Written by Matt Kanner   
Wednesday, 21 November 2007

Image here:
by Genesis
1974, Atlantic Recording Corporation

the sound: In the first line of Genesis’ seventh release, lead singer Peter Gabriel recites the album’s title with a tense buildup that kicks off an epic hour and a half of music. “And the laaamb … lies dooown … on Broooaaadway,” Gabriel sings in the title track. The double disc album consists of 23 songs, ranging in length from 30 seconds to eight minutes, each characterized by mounting whirlwinds of sounds and words. Alternating between instrumental noise experiments and inspired progressive rock songs, the two-disc album tells the story of a young man named Rael, ostensibly based on Gabriel, who is swept into a bizarre and schizophrenic world of introspection. With dense lyrics that, at times, acquire Tolkein-esque qualities, the narrator invokes vermillion snakes, ravens and “slubberdegullions,” but also references controversial figures from pop culture, such as Lenny Bruce, Marshall McLuhan and Howard Hughes.
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‘Friday Night in San Francisco’
Written by Matt Kanner   
Wednesday, 24 October 2007

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by John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola and Paco de Lucía
1981, Columbia Records

the sound: About two minutes into this live album’s first song, “Mediterranean Sundance,” guitarist Al Di Meola unleashes a torrent of acoustic notes that leaves the audience reeling. Listening to the CD, stripped of the visual aid of actually watching him pick the strings, it is difficult to fathom that one man is producing such a rapid expulsion of notes on a normal, six-string guitar. Trying to imagine Di Meola’s fingers as they race across the frets is like picturing a humming bird flap its wings. One audience member eventually lets out a whoop of approval, and several others follow suit, as if emerging from a hypnotized stupor. When it comes time for Paco de Lucía to take his turn in the spotlight, it seems unlikely that he will be able to match his partner’s intensity. But, de Lucía manages, galloping through a lengthy improvisation while Di Meola provides punctuating rhythm support. By the time the song ends and legendary fusion guitarist John McLaughlin takes the stage to join Di Meola for a follow-up, the crowd is in a state of elation.
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‘1969: Velvet Underground Live, Vol. 2’
Written by Matt Kanner   
Wednesday, 10 October 2007

by Velvet Underground
1988, Mercury

the sound: The opening chords of “Ocean” fade in slowly, like a rising tide creeping up the shore, but soon swell into a turbid sea of entrancing music that works on you like an opiate. Lou Reed’s vocals skim precariously over the surface, sometimes off key, but always with a mundane clarity that draws listeners into the forlorn substrate of his words. The tone continues through the second track, “Pale Blue Eyes,” although the background music is simpler and less ambient. Guitarist Sterling Morrison, drummer Maureen Tucker and bassist Doug Yule later open the flood gates to unleash long noise experiments in the middle of songs like “Sweet Bonnie Brown,” “White Light/White Heat” and “I Can’t Stand It.” The second volume of Velvet Underground’s 1969 live recordings sounds, at times, like a 1950s rock ’n’ roll band playing on a tour bus as it crashes into an industrial park.
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Thriller
Written by Alan Chase   
Thursday, 27 September 2007
Image here:
by Cold Blood
1973, Warner/Reprise Records


the sound: From the funky opening guitar riff that starts this album, listeners find themselves drawn into the sounds of the East Bay area of Oakland and San Francisco. The sound reflects the rich diversity of the area—a soulful gumbo of funk, blues, gospel, Latin and jazz. The grooving rhythm section of Raul Matute on keys, Michael Sasaki on guitar, Rod Ellicott on bass and Gaylord Birch on drums blend seamlessly with the powerful horns of Max Haskett and Peter Welker on trumpet and Skip Mesquite on saxophone and flute, lending burning support to the dynamic vocals of Lydia Pense. The ensemble carries listeners on a joyously funky ride through six covers and one original song. Several additional horn players and the Pointer Sisters on background vocals add muscle to the well-crafted arrangements, which include a straight-up funk version of Jerry Ragavoy’s “Baby I Love You,” a lowdown groove on “Feel So Bad,” a soft bossa-nova version of Stevie Wonder’s “You Are the Sunshine of My Life,” a gospel-tinged version of The Band’s “Sleeping” and a funked out version of Bill Withers’ “Kissing My Love.”
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‘Fathers and Sons Soundtrack’
Written by Liberty Hardy   
Wednesday, 12 September 2007

Pacific Pictures—Asbury Park Productions & Sony Music
1992

the sound: Like most soundtracks, the songs on “Fathers and Sons” run the gamut of emotions. There’s noise, pop, blues and ballads. Welsh rockers The Manic Street Preachers had just appeared on the scene when they contributed the second track, “Stay Beautiful,” a jangly, three-minute guitar-fest that may actually document the moment in time when the music world’s tastes shifted from Great White to Stone Roses. Indy darling Juliana Hatfield makes us forget how she was pining away for Evan Dando with “Yeh! Yeh,” a fun, poppy song about hanging out on the couch with a boy.
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‘Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)’
Written by Matt Kanner   
Wednesday, 29 August 2007

by Brian Eno
1974, E.G. Records

the sound: The jerky, loping guitar part that opens the first track on “Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy),” by Brian Eno, introduces listeners to a bizarre auditory experience. The song, like the rest of the album, manages to be poppy and catchy while maintaining an unusual and, at times, downright weird sound. The first track, “Burning Airlines Give You So Much More,” is probably the most radio-friendly song on the record, with vocals that seem to glide along like the jet described in its lyrics. The second track, “Back in Judy’s Jungle,” sounds like something off of Pink Floyd’s groundbreaking “Piper at the Gates of Dawn.” “The Great Pretender” features a stalking intro, supplemented by delightfully trippy background music, ending with a resonant chirping that continues long after the other instruments have died down.
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‘The Lost Trident Sessions’
Written by Matt Kanner   
Friday, 17 August 2007

by Mahavishnu Orchestra
1999, Sony Music Entertainment Inc.

the sound: The cover art on Mahavishnu Orchestra’s “The Lost Trident Sessions” paints a fitting picture for the sound of the music on the disc. Jagged lightning bolts cut through a brilliant reddish-purple sky to strike the surface of dark mountain peaks. In the foreground, John McLaughlin plays a double-necked guitar while the rest of his five-piece band jams around him. The album is crammed with electrified instrumental tunes that produce a celestial lightshow in the firmament of the listener’s mind.
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‘Angel Dust’
Written by Liberty Hardy   
Tuesday, 07 August 2007

by Faith No More
1992, Slash Records

sound: Infused with more background noise and general weirdness (accordions, organs and ... cheerleaders), the beats on Faith No More’s 1992 album, “Angel Dust,” are harder, the distorted hooks catchier and Patton’s screeching longer than on the band’s previous smash hit, “The Real Thing.” Patton’s voice stands out among the gorgeous chaos. It’s like there are three Mike Pattons performing on the album, sometimes at the same time: Dirty Uncle Mike, who will hit on your girlfriend if you bring her by the house; screechy Aunt Mike, who is on the verge of losing her calm at any moment; and Cthulhu Mike, who shrieks like he’s being slowly disemboweled.
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‘Weasels Ripped My Flesh’
Written by Matt Kanner   
Thursday, 02 August 2007

by Frank Zappa and The Mothers
of Invention
1970, Bizarre/Reprise Records

the sound: The opening drum beats and trumpet blasts on Frank Zappa’s self-produced 1970 album, “Weasels Ripped My Flesh,” sound like a rhinoceros charging into a crowded circus tent. The song, curiously titled “Didja Get Any Onya?” sets the pace for a recording that spans an amalgam of jaggedly stitched-together styles, often in a deliberately mocking tone, fused with collections of random and sometimes irritating noise.
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