Favourites : Dinosaur Jr : I Bet on Sky

I really enjoy music where strong melody is hidden in noise.  There are lots of examples of this from Tom Waits, Husker Du and many of the 1990s Grunge Bands.

One of those bands that does this the best in my opinion is Dinosaur Jr.  I came to the band backwards.  When they were first around I was a father with a young family - a time in life when my search for new music was at its lowest ebb. So the whole grunge thing pretty much passed me by.

Recently I was encouraged to check out J Mascis's solo work and from there I started to work back through the Dinosaur's back catalogue. I now have half a dozen of their albums from their latest two and some of their earlier "classics".

I Bet on Sky is their latest album and was my introduction to them.  I love the noise on this album!

One of the first things with any Dinosaur album is always its cover. They always have a phantasmagorical element to them - slightly nightmarish versions of Dr Seuss characters!  Then when the needle hits the record you are blasted from the first chord.  The album plays well as a whole but the tracks I enjoy the tracks Watch the Corners, See it on Your Side and Don't Pretend You Didn't Know.

It is said all the time about J Mascic and it is now a bit of a cliche but anyone who likes Neil Young with Crazy Horse would do well to check out this and other albums by them.

Jouirney Through The Past ; Johnny Jenkins - Ton Ton Macoute

Way back in 1962 Johnny Jenkins was the hottest act in Macon Georgia.  He was apparently a dynamic guitarist with a great band that included a young Otis Redding on vocals.  Jenkins had a recording session arranged in Memphis at Stax Studio and Otis drove him.

After the session finished early there was still time available and Jenkins apparently suggested they record his driver.

So in the remaining time Otis cut These Arms of Mine and as far as Johnny Jenkins was concerned sadly he seemed to be history.

It was not until eight years later that he finally managed to record Ton Ton Macoute his debut album. We should be glad that he did not give up because this is a fantastic album.  It might have been lost if it did not include Duane Allman on guitar.  He plays guitar on a few tracks and  have been included on anthologies of his work which brought the album into wider view.

Named either after the infamous police/death squads of Papa Doc in Haiti or the Creole bogeyman that children in New Orleans were threatened with if their behaviour was bad.  Emphasising the link to Creole it kicks off with an inspired version of Dr John's I walk on Gilded Splinters  a tracked steeped in New Orlean's voodoo.  Other highlights are Dylan's Down Along The Cove and John Lee Hooker's Dimples (coincidentally all with Allman on them).

It is hard to find on vinyl but I did manage to track down a great copy.  So pleased I did, recommended

More Muscle from the Shoals: Arthur Conley Sweet Soul Music

Sweet Soul Music was Arthur Conley's first album. Conley was an Otis Redding protege and Redding produced this album.  Half the album was recorded at Stax in Memphis with the MGs and the other half at FAME in Muscle Shoals with The Swampers.

I recently found an almost immaculate copy of the original US vinyl pressing in a store in Brisbane.  While I had a CD version in an Atlantic Soul collection there was no way it was going to stay in that shop.

From its opening horns played by the Memphis Horns - making you think you are in for some sort of western soundtrack music  the album kicks off with the fantastic title track.  Then its into an early Dan Penn Spooner Oldham track - Take Me (Just as I am).  It is such an early collaboration that Spooner is still calling himself Linden.  There is one other Dan Penn number and the remainder were either written by Conley, Otis Redding or the both of them together.  You can see why Otis liked Arthur so much.  I can not really find a bad thing about this album and it is sad that Arthur never went on to the fame that his mentor did and hoped he would have.

But we can be thankful he left us this.   

Hard to Find : Neil Young's Eldorado

Everyone knows Neil Young's reputation as a stubborn sunnoffabitch and this ep is a case in point. Released only in Japan, Australia and NZ it is much sought after elsewhere - check out what it sells for!.
Eldorado is a teaser of sorts to the excellent album Freedom it was a released shortly after Young's return to the reprise label and he was regrowing his reputation after some erratic and underwhelming albums.

Only two of the tracks, Cocaine Eyes and Heavy Love,  did not appear in some form on Freedom. However this is a pointer to the fact that he had regained his mojo and things were on the up.

Now a collector's album my copy still has that price sticker on it!

Favourites : Jeff Klein - Everybody Loves A Winner

Everybody Love's A Winner is possibly the most depressing album I have.  And I love it!!

I have already written about how depressing songs can draw me in and improve my mood

Recently I was playing it on one Saturday at work and someone came into my office and expressed disbelief that I could be listening to anything so downbeat.

While everyone may love a winner there is not a winner in sight in the first 5 songs. Each with its own aching melody and simple arrangement.

It starts with Everything's Alright, when clearly it's not.  Have you ever heard a sadder and more desperate song and start to an album than.

This old house is burning down 

In a blaze of gasoline 

You've been writing out you suicide notes 

Since you were 13

And you say that you're sold

Through the feelings that you have

And you're sort of feeling nothing

Well that's all I ever had

Then it's straight into his "hit" California and it does not get any better.  Can he escape his problems by transferring them to you and then moving on?

there’s a buzz hanging over my head

from my broken neon halo

like a movie that I slept through

I just don’t get the point

but if I get to california

before I lose my mind

I’ll lay my burden on you

for one last time

If there is a connection between the songs other than their sadness it may just well be what he has done to Emily which there seems to be no coming back from in  I'm Sorry Sweet Emily -

All of the lovebirds are quiet tonight 

They must have all fallen asleep 

But i've got a hunger as big as my eyes 

and a promise I'll never keep

I know i shouldnt be out here

'cause no one loves you more than me

But I don't think I'm coming home tonight

I'm sorry, Sweet Emily

All of your friends are like angels

The role models I'll never be

With habits they kick like booze and cigarettes

This things much bigger than me

I know i shouldn't be out here

'cause no one loves you more than me

But I don't think I'm coming home tonight

I'm sorry, Sweet Emily

Half of me begs for forgiveness

And half of me just wants to die

But I cant resist the swaying of their hips

As they shine under barlit skies

I know i shouldnt be out here

'cause no one loves you more than me

But I don't think I'm coming home tonight

I'm sorry, Sweet Emily

I'm sorry, Sweet Emily

While this may all be too much for some,  it is for Jan, Klein is still around despite all his woes and this short track from 2010 indicates it may not have got any better as he "just wants his fucking life back:

Journey Through The Past : Nilsson : A Little Touch Of Schmilsson In The Night

After the mega success of Nilsson Schmilsson and Without You.  Harry Nilsson embarked on his lost weekend (four to five years) with John Lennon, Keith Moon and Ringo Starr.  He disappointed his label RCA by almost deliberately making anti career moves. While he called the follow up album Son of Schmilsson it lacked the humour of the earlier album and lacked an obvious hit.

His next album was A Little Touch of Schmilsson in The Night was a seemingly even more move away from his target market.  It is an album of songs from "The Great American Songbook" with light orchestral backing.  Now that everyone has done that (Robbie Williams, Lady Gaga and, yawn, Rod Stewart it does not seem the commercial  suicide that it was then.

You can pick this up for $4-$5 in second hand record shops and it is well worth doing.  The arrangements sound like they could be by Nelson Riddle or George Jenkins and the voice is in top condition. So fork out the cash and enjoy Harry's versions of Me and My Gal, It Had to Be You and Makin' Whoopee

Journey Through The Past : The Youngbloods : Elephant Mountain

I've had a Youngbloods's Greatest hits for a while - bought for the classic Get Together but I was also aware of Darkness Darkness  from covers by Tim Buckley and Robert Plant.

I came across my copy of Elephant Mountain from my favourite second hand record store in Boulder (Albums on the Hill in the University Area).  It was in good condition and well priced

Darkness Darkness  kicks off this album which is a mix of 60's folk, some experimental rock and some jazzy vibes led instrumentals.  In truth I am still getting used to this album but I enjoy it more and more everytime I play it.