Led Zeppelin - Coda

It's been a long time since my last Sunday Spins.  I got a whole lotta love for that one, which left me a little dazed and confused.  I wasn't sure where to go next. I didn't want to let my few readers down. So I put it off for a while until eventually, I was just out of the habit of writing. But I know I've got one thing I got to do. Ramble on. And now's the time, the time is now.

How was that for cramming a bunch of Led Zeppelin references into one paragraph?  I know it's cheesy, but I really enjoyed doing it. The sentiment is still true.  I was concerned about how to follow up the last blog, which was probably the most well-received (by the few people who read it) piece of writing I've ever written.  That is what caused me to put off writing the next one, at first.  Then life happened, I started sleeping in on Sundays, the recording of the podcast ground to a halt (we've started up again, and will hopefully get on a regular schedule and start releasing shows soon), and this just got put on the back burner.

A friend of mine suggested all those months ago that my next Sunday Spins be a Led Zeppelin album.  I told him that I loved the idea, but I didn't want to do something big like II, IV, or Houses of the Holy... I wanted to do an album that gets very little love (at least from what I've seen).  I wanted to write about Coda.

Here's just a little bit of background for those unfamiliar.  This is the band's final studio album (hence the name).  It's made up of unused material from previous recording sessions spanning their career.  It was released 2 years after the death of John Bonham, in part to fulfill contractual obligations to Atlantic records.  Jimmy Page has also stated that it was in response to the popularity of bootleg material being shared among fans.  I'm not going to go into detail as to which songs were recorded when and all that stuff, but if you really want to know a quick something search will give you all the information you desire.

So, without further ado... let's drop the needle on Led Zeppelin's swan song (had to get another one in there).  I present to you, Coda.

 I bought my copy of this record at a local shop that's no longer in business, and frankly, I'm not shocked or upset by that.  I was really excited when they opened, but I only went in there twice and was disappointed both times.  Anyway, it's interesting to me that at the beginning of the record it's horribly noisy and scratching, but as soon as the music starts with the first snare fill of "We're Gonna Groove" it sounds really clean.  It's almost like they cleaned all but the outermost edge of the disc.  The song itself is a funky bluesy tune that's signature early-Zep.  Frenetic drumming, bouncing walking bass lines, tons of guitar, and Robert Plant's signature howl about a woman.

Next up is something a little more interesting.  "Poor Tom" starts out with drums as well.  My brother refers to this as a Bonzo album.  The drums are definitely front and center on many of the tracks.  I wonder if that has anything to do with the fact that he passed away.  Perhaps when Jimmy Page was producing the album he subconsciously gravitated toward drum-heavy mixes.  Or perhaps it's just that Bonzo was so great that my ears subconsciously gravitate toward his playing.  But I digress.  After the drum intro, the vocals come in first, much more mellow, followed by acoustic guitars, subdued bass, and a generally chill vibe.  I really like this song.  It feels like a group just sitting around on a lazy afternoon jamming.  There's some cool harmonica work on it too.

"Poor Tom" may feel like a group jamming, but the next track - Willie Dixon's "I Can't Quit You Baby" - really is a group jamming.  I know I said I wouldn't bore you with these details, but this was recorded during soundcheck at Royal Albert Hall in 1970.  Again, it's Zep doing the blues thing that made them famous (and infamous).  At least Willie is credited in the liner notes this time. Anyway, this one really makes me miss playing in a band.  There's something really genuine about a group of people who groove together doing just that.  Although I prefer the less bluesy original tunes in their catalog, I could listen to Led Zeppelin jam out old blues tunes like this all day and be totally happy.

Side one concludes with "Walter's Walk".  It's a good song, with some interesting vocal doubling/harmonizing, but overall it feels more like an unused track than anything else on the album to me.  It's a pretty straightforward rocker that, in my opinion, doesn't really showcase the full spectrum of the band's talents.

Excuse me while I flip the record and get some more coffee... be back in a minute...

[muzak version of "Stairway to Heaven" plays while you wait]

My "5 cup" coffee maker only fills my mug twice.  weird.

The record is flipped, and it's time to fill my ear holes with "Ozone Baby".   This is another pretty straightforward song that definitely sounds like it's later in their career.  The drumming is a little more subdued on this one, as is the guitar, but John Paul Jones is laying down some really tasty bass with fatty tone for days.  That makes my day.  JPJ is one of my all-time favorites, so anytime he's laying it down I'm here for it.

"Darlene" is, on its surface, more of Zeppelin being Zeppelin... bluesy, shuffling, and about a woman.  But once again, there are some really great things going on in the rhythm section.  One of the things that I've always found interesting about Zep is that they're known as a guitar band, but for me, it's always been about JPJ and Bonzo.  Each of them is a powerhouse on their own, but when you put them together magic happens.

Speaking of the powerhouse that is John Bonham, how about a drum solo?  The highlight of the album for me is "Bonzo's Montreux".  This four-minute and fifteen-second song in which Bonham plays "Drum Orchestra" and Page added "electronic treatments" is a true testament to just how great a player Bonzo was.  I wish I had the words to describe how this makes me feel.  I want to dance, I want to bang my hands on tables, I want to sing along with the drums.  I want you to go listen to this tune right now.  Seriously... leave my site and go listen to it.  I don't even care if you come back to finish reading this.  It's that important to me.

"Wearing and Tearing" is the final track of the final studio album by what many people consider to be one of the greatest rock bands of all time.  Although recorded later in their career this song could have fit in on just about any of their previous albums.  It's fast, gritty, and energetic.  I don't know if they recorded this live in the studio or if they multitracked, but it has the feel of a band pushing each other to the limits.  There's very little in the way of studio trickery or anything like that.  It's just pure, unadulterated Rock n Roll.

And with that, the record is over.  I'm left both satisfied and wanting more.  Luckily I have shelves full of albums for my listening pleasure.  I can't wait to share them all with you.  Until next time... do cool shit.  Listen to more records.

Cheers!
-squirrel

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Skeleton Tree

Sundays are the worst. Don't let people fool you into thinking it's Monday... Monday is just an accomplice. Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest, at least God thought so. So why am I always so damn busy every Sunday? It seems like no matter what I do there's always one more chore, one more errand, one less hour in the day. And there Monday is, looming around the corner saying "you better get all that shit done today because I'm not giving you any time for yourself tomorrow!"

I guess what I'm trying to say is I don't like Sundays. They typically put me in a bad mood. Today is no exception. Before you start flaming me and saying #FirstWorldProblems, let me assure you that I know. There are people who have it a lot worse than I do... I have it pretty good, in fact. But when I think of others and their far-worse problems it just reminds me how fucked up the world is, which doesn't help my mood any. So let me focus on my own petty problems. If you just don't want to read about it, guess what? You're in luck. I'm going to quit complaining, drink my coffee, and talk about today's record.  After all, I started writing this blog to give myself a reason to slow down and relax on Sundays (you see how that worked out)... so that's what I'll do.

My squirrel mug is full, my tube amp is warm, and the lighting is just right. Today's coffee is a k-cup (i know, i know... but when you're in a hurry you do what you gotta do) called Dark Magic.  It's pretty good but a bit one dimensional. Sort of earthy with a little bite to it. It's a go-to coffee for days when I need to just grab a quick cup (which ends up being most weekdays... and Sundays).

The record I've selected today is the latest from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. It's their sixteenth studio album entitled "Skeleton Tree". The album was recorded in 2014 and 2015 in England and France, mixed in London and released in 2016. I bought it the day it came out. Apparently, the first pressing had some issues, because I ended up with two copies that skipped in the same place, but the lovely people at Indy CD & Vinyl helped me out.  They were able to do a deep cleaning on my second copy and get it to playable (but still with a couple minor skips) state. They're my local shop, but if you want to buy from them online they recently began doing that. Cool people with a cool place... I highly recommend supporting them any way you can.

I've gotten way off point... This band has been around for a long time. I think their first album came out in the mid-80s.  I first caught wind of them quite late and in a way that may surprise some of you. You may remember a movie called "Scream", which prominently featured the song "Red Right Hand".  That was my introduction to the band, but it wasn't until much later that I started to explore the rest of the discography.  Over the last few years, I have become a big fan and am systematically filling in the gaps in my collection.  I only have 4 of the 16 studio albums so far, but I'll get there eventually. At this point, I could go into the history of the band, why I like them, and what's so important about Alternative Post-Punk Art Rock, but my coffee is almost gone and I really just want to listen to this record.  So let's drop the needle.

But wait.... first I have to fold some laundry (fucking Sundays, am I right?)

The first track is "Jesus Alone" and starts off with a pulsing drone that makes me drool. This is the first point where my record skips and tries to spoil the mood for me... but I won't let it. The mood is eerie and somber.  Nick Cave comes in with a low monotone, half-spoken vocal. The only fully sung line is "with my voice, I'm calling you." The poetry of the lyrics is hard for me to describe. Lines like "You're a distant memory in the mind of your creator, don't you see" stick in my brain and rattle around until they mean everything and nothing at the same time. Toward the end, we get added harmonies on the main sung lyric, as well as some other partially sung lines.  The performance is powerful yet restrained and mournful. The drone from the beginning continues throughout, and at the end is joined by melancholy vocal swells and an eerie synth melody.  It ends abruptly and is immediately replaced by "Rings of Saturn". 

This song starts off with piano and lo-fi drums. Again Nick Cave joins in with spoken word poetry. I'm equally mesmerized and jealous of performers who can talk through their songs... the words and music separate but symbiotic. But I'm not a poet. The whole song just went by and I couldn't think of words to say. "Rings of Saturn" might be the highlight of the album for me. If you aren't listening to it already go do it now.

"Girl in Amber" is more sung than the last two songs, and Nick's vocal is pretty much all that's there. There are some sparse piano and synth string pads, but the vocal is the focal point. "The song the song it's been spinning now since 1984" and "If you wanna bleed, don't breathe a word." are some of the early lyrics that stand out to me.  Again this song is about the poetry and the eerie mood. I know I said it before, but mournful is the word that keeps coming to mind. I can feel pain in the performance, and it's cathartic. 

I have not seen the accompanying documentary "One More Time with Feeling" (it didn't play in my town... I need to just buy a copy), the name of which is taken from the lyrics of the Side A closer "Magneto". I'm really glad it's raining today. This is a rainy day track if ever there was one. Just dim the lights, pour a glass of wine (I don't typically drink wine... but whatever), and watch the rain fall.

Side B starts off with something we haven't heard a lot on this record... Percussion.  Fast but soft, with synth swells and the poet vocals that we've come to expect. "I hear you've been out looking for something to love." Here's another skip in my record.... this one does take me out of the mood. I put the needle back several times, cleaning in between, but not getting whatever is causing my issue.  It's a shame, too... this song is compelling, but the skips (there's another one just now) take me out of the moment... Sunday is gnashing its ugly teeth again. Nick Cave says to close my eyes and brace myself, so I do... we're going back to the record now.

After "Anthrocene" (track one) is "I Need You", which is a fairly straightforward song, but is a good listen and a nice bridge back to the ambient moodiness of "Distant Sky", which features beautiful guest vocals by Danish soprano Else Torp. In my mind, not many vocalists can stand up to a mourning Nick Cave, but Else gives a wonderfully heartfelt performance that makes this one a song not to be missed.

One of my only complaints about this record is that I would like some time to breathe between "Distant Sky" and "Skeleton Tree"... maybe just 2 more seconds before the slowly swung acoustic guitar and drums come in to announce the final, title track.  This is a simple song, but possibly the most produced on the record. "Sunday Morning, Skeleton Tree, Pressed against the sky. A jittery TV glowing white like fire".  Maybe that's why I picked this record. Maybe because it calms me down. It's sad, heartbreaking, and painful... but something about it just makes me feel better.

Well, my coffee is long dry and the record has spun. Thank you for taking this Sunday afternoon to listen to a record with me.  Until next time... do cool shit. Listen to more records.

Cheers!
-squirrel

MDC! Show review and Smoke Signals

Welcome to this special Monday edition of Sunday Spins.  I was pretty busy yesterday.  One of the things I was busy doing was going to see a band that I've been listening to since I was 8 years old (maybe even 4, as one of my brothers just pointed out to me).  MDC!!!

It was a seriously great night. My other brother and I got together beforehand and hung out for a while, then headed to the show.  I wasn't sure what to expect from the three other bands who were on the bill, but I was not disappointed.

First up was Fastidio, a local Latin punk band that I wish I would have heard of before now. I've been out of touch with the local scene for quite some time, which really needs to change. These guys tore it up and set the mood for a kick-ass show. I highly recommend checking them out if you get the chance.

Next was another local band. I've been meaning to see them for a while, but this was my first chance. Think Tank describe themselves as alcoholics with nothing better to do, which may be true... but they're more than that.  They're an energetic, entertaining, female-fronted punk rock tour de force. They have some demos up on soundcloud (link on their facebook page). Go listen now. I'll wait.....


I hope you enjoyed that. I certainly did. I also enjoyed the next band on the bill. They're on tour with MDC, so it's no surprise to me that they were fucking good. The Elected Officials is an anarcho-hardcore band from Austin, TX and Santa Fe, NM. I don't know what to say about this band besides they're fucking good. I know I said that already... but I want to make sure you know. I feel like political punk went out of style for a while, but if The Elected Officials are any indication of what's out there right now I'm excited. The world needs more bands like this.

And finally, the moment I had been waiting for... MDC took the stage. Dave Dictor sounded great. The band sounded great.  The energy in the room was electric as I made my way to the front of the stage (not without some slam-dance style contact with other humans... normally not my thing, but this was a special occasion). Highlights of the show for me were (of course) "John Wayne Was A Nazi" and when Sophie from The Elected Officials joined the band onstage for "Mein Trumpf".

I'm very glad I took the opportunity to nurture my inner punk rock kid on a Sunday night in October. This is a night I'll remember forever.  Thanks to all the bands, my brother who introduced me to punk rock as a young child, and my other brother who attended the show an rocked out with me.

(my other brother, me, and Dave Dictor)

Now that my coffee is all gone and I've rambled about the show, how about we drop the needle on Smoke Signals?

This album is some of the best 80s American Punk on the planet. Hard, Fast, Hectic, and with a good mix of message, fun, and humor. 

"No More Cops" starts the album off in full force with lightning fast bass lines and a lyrics about a dream world in which there are no more cops, and no need to have them.  It always amazes me that when John Lennon imagined a world with no government, no war, no possessions, and no religion it became a classic that people will sing on reality TV competitions for generations to come, but when Davey does it people get scared.  I guess it's all in the delivery. The rest of side A covers all sorts of social and political issues as well.  "Drink to Forget", "The Big Picture", and "South Africa Is Free" are some highlights to me... but I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for "Tofutti", Dave's ode to vegan ice cream (among other foods).  It's such a fun song.

Time to flip the record.  Side B comes ripping out of the gate with "Acceptable Risks" and keeps tearing things apart with "Missile Destroyed Civilization", both hardcore thrash tunes that hit on political issues that we're still dealing with 31 years later.... war, government corruption, senseless death for someone's gain... as a kid I always thought these problems would be solved in my lifetime.

Side B isn't all as in-your-face as the first two tracks. "Country Squawk" is a fun, fast, country(ish) song about vegetarianism.  Specifically not wanting to eat a dead bird. I find it interesting that the two most fun songs on the record are about vegetarianism.  Perhaps they knew that it would be a good way to present the concept, which was still a very strange thing to most people in 1986. There's also some great musicianship on display on side B, especially the instrumental title track of the album.

With that, the record is over. I know it was abrupt, but it was quite a ride. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Until next time, listen to more records and go to more shows... music is life. 

Cheers!

-squirrel

Eno & Hyde - High Life

Hello Readers, welcome to Sunday Spins on this rainy Sunday evening in October.  Tonight I will be sipping a coffee that I absolutely love and is sort of special to me.  I'm drinking Dark Matter Coffee's Get The Fuck Out Of Bed. Not only is this a GREAT name for a coffee that's bold and flavorful (yet lacks the sharp edges sometimes associated with "strong" coffee), but it's inspired by, and made in collaboration with, Martin Atkins, who in addition to being an amazing drummer and true musical success story happens to be a really awesome person. I believe it was a limited edition coffee, but if they're still selling it I suggest getting some. *****I am not sponsored by or affiliated with Dark Matter, I just really like the coffee and want to support independent roasters who are doing cool things with beans*****

But I guess we're here to talk about a record.  This week's selection is a collaboration (just like the coffee... that was actually a coincidence... neat!) between Karl Hyde (best known for the band Underworld), and the Man, the Myth, the Legend.... Brian Eno (can you tell I'm a fan?!?), who is best known for being awesome.  Seriously, though, if you don't know Eno you should do yourself a solid and check out his stuff.

Honestly, I don't know anything about Karl Hyde.  I bought this record based solely on my love of Brian Eno's work (both behind the scenes and as an artists), especially the album he made with David Byrne of The Talking Heads several years before this album.  I wasn't disappointed.  Although when I'm in the mood for Eno I often reach for one of his solo records, this one is quite good as well.  Let's drop the needle and dive in.

One of the things I really like about this album is that while it maintains the cool experimental vibe that a fan would expect from Brian Eno, it's also quite accessible. It opens on the track "Return" with guitars, drums, and bass (building upon each other in that order) playing simple rhythms, the vocal melody is soothing yet melancholy. Any Catalog listener will come to find out that opening tracks mean a lot as far as my album experience goes, and this one definitely starts out well. What I love about it is throughout the nine-minute length of the song the sixteenth note guitar rhythm never stops.  It loops through the whole songs as other parts come and go, finishing in a swirl of looping synths and new rhythms that completely change the way the song sounds and feels by the time it's over.  Normally I wouldn't spend so much time on a single song here, but the thing is 9 minutes and I was still typing.

For a listener who is less into epic pieces of experimental looping, I would still suggest certain tracks on this album. "Slow Down, Sit Down, Breathe" (track 2) is still a loopy experiment, but it's shorter and more vocal driven.  In fact, the record is broken up into pairs of shorter songs and longer songs, with the exception of Side D which contains 2 songs at just under six and just under eight minutes. I guess what I'm saying is if this album sounds at all interesting but you're unsure about committing to multiple songs over 8 minutes, check out songs like "Slow Down, Sit Down, Breathe", "DBF", or "Moulded Life" before diving into a song like "Lilac", which in my opinion is the highlight of the album.  Clocking in at 9:24, it's the longest song here, and I love all 564 seconds of it. Again, you have loops that are maintained for the duration of the tune, broken up and reinvented by other layers of instruments and voice. It seems like it would make for a simplistic sonic palette, but that couldn't be further from the truth.  This album is full of depth and movement.  Every time I listen to it I hear something new.  Right now is actually the first time I've ever listened to it on headphones, and I'm kicking myself for not doing so before.  I've shut off everything but this music and these words.  The coffee is gone, and it's just us now. "Moulded Life" is currently making me want to get up and dance... that's right. I've been chilling this entire time, but at the end of Side B, it's time to boogie.

Side C... time to crack a beer.  How did it take me this long to realize I should drink a High Life while listening to High Life?  I don't know what's wrong with me.  The album really changes for me at this halfway point.  There are elements of Fusion, Disco, and Rock mixing together, there's a song where Eno and Hyde are both crediting as Backing Voice, but nobody appears to be singing lead. The whole thing starts to feel even more experimental, but in all the right ways.  Some experiments do fail, but not these.  I'm really digging the tremolo, glitchy, almost underwater sound of this Backing Voice.... and bring on the fuzzy synths.  I can't tell if it's being programmed to sound like that or if it's an old piece of analog gear with dirty electronics (in a good way).

"On a Grey Day", the first song on the final side of the record (only released on the vinyl version, from what I understand) brings things down to a chilly slow minimalistic mood that you expect from the title of the track. Personally, I wouldn't call it sad. The calm, introspective feel is continued through the "Cells & Bells", the album closer.

This album is actually quite a journey. The harmony vocals of "Cells & Bells" (words by poet Rick Holland) are filling my ears as I reflect on the last 45 or so minutes and think "Has it really only been 45 minutes?" Thank you for coming with me this evening. I hope you give this one a spin some Sunday.

Peace, Love, and Respect.
-squirrel

SPECIAL EDITION - Damn the Torpedoes

I don't intend to post here on Wednesdays, but I'm sitting down with a Boston Lager (not coffee... this is a completely different type of post), listening to some records, and thought I should say something about Tom Petty. I, like many others, was shocked by the news of his passing, and subsequent news that he was alive, then finally confirmation that he had indeed passed away.

Right as I was typing that, Tom sang "I should have known it was too good to last"... this week has been dull of moments like that for me.

Anyway... on to the record. There's no filler on this one. I seriously like every song. Not just because of T.P. and his super-cool vocal performance and undeniable songwriting talent, but all the Heartbreakers are on point on this recording. I really can't say much else right now except go listen to your favorite Tom Petty record and remember good times.

Here are my favorite tracks on this record:
Here Comes My Girl
Don't Do Me Like That
You Tell Me
Refugee
Century City

Until next time. Do cool shit. Listen to more records.

-squirrel

Psycho Original Film Score

It's Sunday, October 1st.  It's 53 degrees, the windows are open, and I have an iced coffee with a mermaid on it (not my typical drink, but I had a gift card). For this inaugural edition of Sunday Spins, and in celebration of my favorite month, I'm about to drop the needle on a record that combines my love for music with my love for horror.  Today we're listening to Bernard Herrmann's Original Film Score of the Hitchcock classic "Psycho". In some ways, this isn't at all what I intended for this blog, but the mood struck me to listen to this record, and that is exactly what I intended... to go wherever the mood and the music take me.

When most people think of both the film and the soundtrack they think of the iconic shower scene, but there's much more here to enjoy.  The Prelude to the film starts off with blood pumping rhythms that are occasionally joined by legato melodies.  Herrmann did an excellent job setting up these contrasting elements of the score right from the beginning.  There is some beautiful work going on during the setup of the film that is often overlooked. 

Much like the pacing of the film itself (and as a horror fan I miss this about the classics of the genre), after the initial excitement, we're brought to a place of peace.  This is when our characters have no idea the horrors they're about to face.  In this case, the score begins to give hints early on that something isn't right. The Prelude comes back into play as our leading lady leaves the city. At this point, if you couldn't tell by the name, you start to realize that something is looming just around the corner. The sounds are now going from creepy and morose to frantic. The themes from the Prelude are woven in and out, including some hints toward the well-known music that accompanies the shower scene.

At the end of side 1, Marion gets to the hotel, meets Norman, and checks into her room.  Some of the best moments of the record happen here. It's creepy, but not heavy-handed. There's room for the music, the characters, and the audience to breathe a little, but we all know something isn't quite right.

Side 2 starts with what you've all been waiting for.  The strings stab and scream as Marion meets her end. The low, powerful bass/cello parts between the screams of the high strings are just as impactful for me. 

From there we go to moments of profound sadness, then anxiousness and fear. As a listener, it feels like I'm going through Norman's process as he realizes what has happened. The soundtrack tells the story, but in a different way when experienced apart from the film.

It's no surprise to me as both a music fan and film buff that a masterpiece like "Psycho" would have a compelling, beautiful, soundtrack that can tell the story on its own (if you're less familiar with the film it helps to read the song titles). It's always a great experience for me to listen to this one. If you haven't checked it out, I highly recommend it.  If you haven't seen the movie (where have you been?), sorry for the spoilers but go watch it anyway.

Happy October, enjoy your week, do cool shit. I'll see you next Sunday.

-Squirrel