Hello Friends,
Spring is here again and there's a new Sturgill Simpson record out!
Enjoy!
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Sturgill Simpson - "In Bloom" (2016)
Hello Friends,
Spring is here again and there's a new Sturgill Simpson record out!
Enjoy!
Sunday, March 27, 2016
Friday, March 25, 2016
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Black Rose: A Rock Legend
Thin Lizzy - "Black Rose: A Rock Legend" (1979) - Warner Bros.
Hello Friends,
Black Rose: A Rock Legend is Thin Lizzy's ninth record and probably their last great album.
Produced by Tony Visconti, the lineup for this record features Lizzy's three "core" members: Phil Lynott on bass & lead vocals, Scott Gorham on guitar & Brian Downey on drums, plus occasional collaborator, Gary Moore, on second lead and back-up vocals.
What can we say? It's a great line-up and great album to close out the decade!
Also, iff we weren't shut-ins, this would probably be a great album to put on before getting ready to go out at night!
Actually, there's lots Thin Lizzy music which is good "getting ready to go out" music, but probably the best example is the albums rawking opener, "Do Anything You Want To Do".
Man, if I didn't have this ankle bracelet on, I'd fill a flask, walk down to some dive bar, smoke some cigarettes, knock over some garbage cans, cause a ruckus and start making out with cute hipster girls in converse sneakers and arm tattoos.
(Oh and by "ankle bracelet" I technically mean if I didn't have Tiki T. staring daggers at me right now!)
Anyways, this "get up and go" feeling does not dissipate with the second song, "Toughest Street In Town".
After a trip down the toughest street in town, we get funky, sleazy and sticky with "S&M" about a woman of the night who is relentlessly beat by her sugar daddy. Brutally honest, like a Lou Reed song.
We go from Lou Reed to the Hold Steady on "Waiting for an Alibi", an impossibly catchy tune about a two-bit booky named Valentino who's on some epic losing streak.
Side One's closer, "Sarah", written by Lynott for his daughter, is a sugary sweet and tender ballad. Is there anything this band can't pull off?
Flipping it over, Side Two is just as good.
"Got To Give It Up" is an in-your-face straight-up rock tune about Lynott's drug use.
I've been messing with the heavy stuff
For a time I couldn't get enough
But I'm waking up and it's wearing off
Junk don't take you far
Produced by Tony Visconti, the lineup for this record features Lizzy's three "core" members: Phil Lynott on bass & lead vocals, Scott Gorham on guitar & Brian Downey on drums, plus occasional collaborator, Gary Moore, on second lead and back-up vocals.
What can we say? It's a great line-up and great album to close out the decade!
Also, iff we weren't shut-ins, this would probably be a great album to put on before getting ready to go out at night!
Actually, there's lots Thin Lizzy music which is good "getting ready to go out" music, but probably the best example is the albums rawking opener, "Do Anything You Want To Do".
Man, if I didn't have this ankle bracelet on, I'd fill a flask, walk down to some dive bar, smoke some cigarettes, knock over some garbage cans, cause a ruckus and start making out with cute hipster girls in converse sneakers and arm tattoos.
(Oh and by "ankle bracelet" I technically mean if I didn't have Tiki T. staring daggers at me right now!)
Anyways, this "get up and go" feeling does not dissipate with the second song, "Toughest Street In Town".
After a trip down the toughest street in town, we get funky, sleazy and sticky with "S&M" about a woman of the night who is relentlessly beat by her sugar daddy. Brutally honest, like a Lou Reed song.
We go from Lou Reed to the Hold Steady on "Waiting for an Alibi", an impossibly catchy tune about a two-bit booky named Valentino who's on some epic losing streak.
Side One's closer, "Sarah", written by Lynott for his daughter, is a sugary sweet and tender ballad. Is there anything this band can't pull off?
Flipping it over, Side Two is just as good.
"Got To Give It Up" is an in-your-face straight-up rock tune about Lynott's drug use.
I've been messing with the heavy stuff
For a time I couldn't get enough
But I'm waking up and it's wearing off
Junk don't take you far
"Get Out Of Here" is another Thin Lizzy megahit that never was!
And the same can be said for "With Love". Man, this album just refuses to quit!
Not ones to shy away from their Irish roots, the record ends the title track, a seven-minute suite of hard-rocking Irish standards ("Shenandoah", "Will You Go Lassie Go", "Danny Boy", "The Mason's Apron".)
A forgotten classic! Perhaps Thin Lizzy's best!
RATING: 5 Tell My Sister I'm Sinking Slow Now And Again I Powder My Nose out of 5
Monday, March 21, 2016
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Purson - "Leaning On A Bear" (2013)
Hey there friends,
Enjoy some carny-inspired psych courtesy of London's Purson.
Enjoy some carny-inspired psych courtesy of London's Purson.
And as for lead singer, Rosalie Cunningham? Well, we wouldn't kick her out of the tiki bar!
Sunday, March 13, 2016
R.I.P. Keith Emerson
Another sad day in rock & roll.
Progressive rock pioneer Keith Emerson left us on Friday.
As founding member of The Nice and the ultimate prog-rock supergroup, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Emerson was the Jimi Hendrix of the synthesizer. Part-virtuoso, part-innovator, part-mad scientist, Emerson will be most remembered for his fusion of classical music styles and hard and heavy 70's rock'n'roll.
Fun Fact: Always the showman, Keith Emerson would also engage in knife throwing occasionally onstage. His knife of choice was a Nazi Dagger given to him by none other than Lemmy Kilmister who used to roadie for The Nice back in the 60's.
R.I.P. Fingers.
Friday, March 11, 2016
R.E.M. - "Country Feedback" (1991)
Hello Friends,
I can't believe R.E.M.'s Out Of Time is 25 years old this week.
It seems like it was only a couple of years ago that my mom came to my high school straight from a trip to Sam Goody to drop off a brand new copy of this cassette on the day it came out (which also happened to be my birthday.)
A quarter of a century later, this song still tears me up.
A quarter of a century later, this song still tears me up.
Crazy what you could've had.
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Elton John - "Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters" (1972)
Probably our favorite song by Elton John.
We're pressed between this and Lou Reed's "Perfect Day" as to which is a better overdose song used in a movie.
Enjoy!
Saturday, March 5, 2016
And Now I Know Spanish Harlem Are Not Just Pretty Words to Say
Elton John - "Honky Chateau" (1972) - Uni Records
Hey there Honky Cats,
We're taking it easy tonight and enjoying some vintage Elton John on the turntable!
Honky Chateau is Elton John's fifth studio album as well as his fifth collaboration with lyricist Bernie Taupin.
Amazing fucking record! Arguably his best.
A very warm sounding record in terms of overall sound and structure. Even though the lyrical themes throughout seem to be focused on isolation, loneliness, suicide, the need for salvation, et cetera, the LP plays like a big, toasty glass of dark red wine in a dimly-lit, smoky room.
Side One kicks off with the funky & upbeat "Honky Cat", followed by the easy-like-Sunday-morning "Mellow", the tongue-in-cheekish ditty, "I Think I'm Going to Kill Myself", and the could've-have-been-a-huge-hit, "Susie (Dramas)".
Side One concludes with the familiar, but no-less-astounding, "Rocket Man". A song we've heard a thousand times on the radio, in movies, et cetera, and still think its great!
Its no Shatner, but it'll do!
Side Two kicks off with the soulful & gospel-y "Salvation", a little preachy and overwrought but still pretty good.
With a bassline reminiscent of "Sittin' On the Dock of the Bay", the acoustic "Slave" is next and features some excellent pedal steel work courtesy of John's guitar player, Scotsman Davey Johnstone.
The funky, sleazy-sounding "Amy" follows and features some excellent electric violin soloing courtesy of Jean-Luc Ponty. Boy... this album just refuses to quit...
"Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" is probably our favorite Elton John track of all time! Just a beautiful, sad & perplexing song about being lost (and alone) (and overwhelmed) in New York City. Plus we'll never get the image out of our minds of Kate Hudson overdosing in her hotel room to this song in Almost Famous!
Amazing song, really!
The album ends with the O.K. Hercules (which also might be about a cat, which means this album is bookended by songs about felines!)
From start to finish Honky Chateau is a classic of 70's rock & roll. If he plays his cards right, this Elton John guy might have a career in him!
RATING: 5 thanks the lord that there's people out there like you out of 5
We're taking it easy tonight and enjoying some vintage Elton John on the turntable!
Honky Chateau is Elton John's fifth studio album as well as his fifth collaboration with lyricist Bernie Taupin.
Amazing fucking record! Arguably his best.
A very warm sounding record in terms of overall sound and structure. Even though the lyrical themes throughout seem to be focused on isolation, loneliness, suicide, the need for salvation, et cetera, the LP plays like a big, toasty glass of dark red wine in a dimly-lit, smoky room.
Side One kicks off with the funky & upbeat "Honky Cat", followed by the easy-like-Sunday-morning "Mellow", the tongue-in-cheekish ditty, "I Think I'm Going to Kill Myself", and the could've-have-been-a-huge-hit, "Susie (Dramas)".
Side One concludes with the familiar, but no-less-astounding, "Rocket Man". A song we've heard a thousand times on the radio, in movies, et cetera, and still think its great!
Its no Shatner, but it'll do!
Side Two kicks off with the soulful & gospel-y "Salvation", a little preachy and overwrought but still pretty good.
With a bassline reminiscent of "Sittin' On the Dock of the Bay", the acoustic "Slave" is next and features some excellent pedal steel work courtesy of John's guitar player, Scotsman Davey Johnstone.
The funky, sleazy-sounding "Amy" follows and features some excellent electric violin soloing courtesy of Jean-Luc Ponty. Boy... this album just refuses to quit...
"Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" is probably our favorite Elton John track of all time! Just a beautiful, sad & perplexing song about being lost (and alone) (and overwhelmed) in New York City. Plus we'll never get the image out of our minds of Kate Hudson overdosing in her hotel room to this song in Almost Famous!
Amazing song, really!
The album ends with the O.K. Hercules (which also might be about a cat, which means this album is bookended by songs about felines!)
From start to finish Honky Chateau is a classic of 70's rock & roll. If he plays his cards right, this Elton John guy might have a career in him!
RATING: 5 thanks the lord that there's people out there like you out of 5
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
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