While the Mono vs. Stereo may not have the same cache as Godzilla Vs. Rodan (an analogy so nice, I've used it twice) I've listened to both Beatles box sets enough since their release on September 9th, 2009 that I've come to just a few conclusions about listening to them. The Stereo Box, in my humble opinion, or IMHO, (for those of you keeping score at home) is far superior than the Mono Box set. Granted, both have their redeeming qualities and it is fun to compare and contrast. The Stereo box is like looking at the Sistine_Chapel after the restoration they did in the 1990's, nearly 500 years after Michelangelo first laid on a scaffold. The Stereo box is like digging at the "X" on the treasure map you had as a child! While the Beatles catalog hasn't suffered the same fate as 400 plus years of Papal elections, soot, candle wax, and tourist photography as the Sistine Chapel the entire catalog was long overdue for being remastered. What? You say the original CD's and vinyl feel fine? I thought the same thing. I thought it was a revelation the first time I heard "She's A Woman" in 1988 on a radio station in Ft. Lauderdale. Then I heard McCartney's count off of "I Saw Her Standing There" to kick of "Please Please Me" on the stereo remaster and I was sold. Admit it, hearing the Beatles for the first time on CD in the late 1980's with the records sequenced as the Beatles released them was like rediscovering them. I don't care if I ever hear The Beatles songs cataloged on records named "Second Album" "65", "Meet" or "Something New" ever, ever, again. Once I heard the complete UK version of Rubber Soul I felt like I had been duped, hoodwinked and ripped off by the bastardized US versions tossed down on throats all those years. Butcher shot, indeed. And to think The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson was influenced by the US version of Rubber Soul to create Pet Sounds. What kind of masterpiece would he have created had he heard the British Rubber Soul?
The Beatles on the stereo box just jump to life. They attack the you, they attack your senses. Listen to the guitar break on "Bad Boy". Crisp, clean, and a great example of less is more. The horns on "Magical Mystery Tour" almost blow your hair back like those old Maxell cassette print ads. John Lennon's Martin guitar never sounded better. Paul's harmonies on "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" are beyond reproach. "Two of Us", "Nowhere Man", "Ask Me Why", are just a couple songs that sound great. Interesting to note, as pointed out in the liner notes, listen to Paul's harmony on the stereo "If I Fell" and the second time he sings, "vain" he can't quite get the note. The best thing is to just listen to them for yourself. You don't have to buy the box set, just pick up one of your favorite Beatles records in the remastered form.
The Mono Box is a little more sweetly packaged than it's stereo counterpart. Each record has it's own little inner "record sleeve" as well as protective outer plastic sleeve. Also, the Mono versions of this collection can only be bought as the box set. You cannot buy the CD's ala carte, so to speak. If you want the Mono versions, you have to buy the box set. Beware of bootlegged box sets that look eerily like the real deal. The versions of the mono set just sound a little, canned, if I can say that without getting struck my lightning. There are differences, different jet noises on "Back In the USSR", a shorter version of "Helter Skelter" (sans Ringo's famous "I've blisters on my fingers!") and no hand claps on the intro of "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da". "Help" sounds dramatically different in John's vocal. Paul has a scat style vocal that can be heard at the end of "Sgt Pepper's" reprise. The list goes on, I could cite probably an example or a revelation with each spin of the CD's, but those are just a few.
There are those who will tell you the Mono set is the way The Beatles intended their early music to be heard. It was the way music was released back then. "Stereo" was for a few elite music aficionado's. Kids listened to records and music on tinny one speaker systems. Even Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, as pointed out in the liner notes, was first mixed for a mono release. I can't argue with this premise of listening in the mono format. Some fans will tell you the vocals in the stereo mixes are too far in one channel, or speaker. I can see this, turn the balance on your stereo all the way to the right or left (especially on the early recordings) and you can completely lose the lead vocal, save for except maybe some echo. However, for my hard earned Beatle spendin' dollar, I'll take the stereo releases. Now, go home and crank the stereo version of "Hold Me Tight" and listen to the hand claps. It's like they are in the room with you.
Here's the stereo version of "Bad Boy" from YouTube. Now Junior, behave yourself.
Here's a little more hubris regarding record cleaning. It's very important information for us vinyl-o-philes. Also, quite frankly, I just wanted to try out my new "blog this" feature through all things Google.
I'm gonna paraphrase something I read on the Sundazed records site a couple years ago. Show me someone cleaning their records with the D4 record cleaner and I'll show you someone using Windows 3.1.
For those who know this song, has there ever been a song on more mix tapes, or in this day and age, playlists, than The Lemonheads version of "The Outdoor Type"? I say The Lemonheads version because most people do not know that Evan Dando did not write this song. It's a cover but they made it so much their own it's like Hendrix's "All Along the Watchtower" to Bob Dylan's original off of his record "John_Wesley_Harding", not to be confused with the singer of the same name above the title. Another example, how many times do you listen to The Isley Brothers version of "Twist and Shout"? Thank you. The original song was written by a man by the name of Tom Morgan.
I've listened to The Lemonheads long enough that the CD I bought of It's_a_Shame_About_Ray is one of the original releases because it does NOT contain the alterna-hit of the Simon and Garfunkel cover of, "Mrs. Robinson". I was however a little late to "The Outdoor Type". A friend of mine, Chicago musician Jim Green a.k.a "Wandering Endorphin" (check him out live. If you close your eyes it sounds like there several guitarists on stage but it's just Jim) put it on, what else, a mix tape for me circa 2001. I was immediately floored by this song. Let's give a watch and a listen to The Lemonheads.
The narrator is in the relational confessional. I see you nodding your head in identification. His girl suspects something, there's a chip in his armor of amor. It wasn't like he said he climbed The Matterhorn, it wasn't like he said he was a stuntman, or a skydiver. He's not Shackleton. He just stretched the truth a little to his, at the time, crush, about his abilities to go camping, put up a tent, build a fire, maybe even find chewing gum in a stick. He wants to get the girl. He gets the girl. Now,the fire, so to speak, doesn't start, her hands are on her hip, her eyebrow is raised, her foot is tapping . . . well? The jig is up. It's time to come clean. Who hasn't been in a similar situation in some form or another?
Another artist I've been listening to, Frank Turner, covers "The Outdoor Type". As I mentioned it's not even a Lemonheads song. As I read some of the comments on YouTube, some think it's a Frank Turner song. It's just humorous to read their disbelief when they find out Frank didn't write it. Turner, however, is a great songwriter in his own write. I'm always interested in what some of my favorite artists cover. It's like getting a secret peek in their record collection. I've come to believe that the version a person hears first is always the original, at least in their brain. It's been that way in my finite brain anyway. That's another blog entry for another day, I suppose, Cover vs. Original. Maybe not the same cache as Godzilla vs Rodan, but I digress, let's watch Frank Turner's version.
This latest entry is in regards to backlash, namely the music website pitchfork.com. It seems to me that if Pitchfork really plugs a band, gives them a 9.something on their "we're-too-cool-for-you" scale, and launch them as the next big thing, there's the inevitable backlash. I don't dislike Pitchfork, I like Pitchfork, I mean, I
have their site bookmarked,
I go to it when the spirit moves me, someone sends me a link, or I see a reference on Facebook, or something like that. It's nice to have around sometimes. Actually, my favorite pitchforks are the ones used when a posse is organized, like in "Frankenstein" or those brave souls *cough* in the posse organized for "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" My favorite artwork from that game "Masterpiece is American_Gothic. You know, the oft-spoofed farmer couple holding, what else? A pitchfork.
I'm here to say, hipsters, that sometimes Pitchfork gets it right. The band where I think Pitchfork got it right is with Girls. While that may seem like a search engine nightmare (well, the try searching the band, "The The") the name of their debut record is called "Album". What's next a song named, "Song"? Oddly enough, the two main components of Girls are two guys, Christopher Owens and Chet Jr White. It's chock full of little pop music nuggets. It's full of enough jangly guitar to make those fans of the Island years of R.E.M. smile. Well they'll smile long enough til they think of the wahwah peddle in "Stand" or about Bill Berry leaving the band and get grumpy. The song titles are either swear words ("God Damned", "Hellhole Ratrace" or "Bad Mean Motherfucker") or have a reference to a girl ("Laura", "Lauren Marie" or the ambiguous "Darling") in them. These are well-crafted pop songs with the record checking in at just around 44 minutes. "Laura" has this feel good hit of the summer feel to it, "Ghost mouth" has that 60's girl group wall-o-sound drum to tambourine sound to it. I realize it's rock critic-speak cliche to cite "Pet_Sounds" as a reference but with some of these songs the reference is apt. Pitchfork gave it a 9.1 on their ratings scale. Read more for yourself: Pitchfork Girls "Album" review.
Getting back to Pitchfork backlash. I realize there has been music backlash probably since the first lute but I think some music is shoved aside because of the hype or from Pitchfork. "Oh, that's just one of those 'pitchfork' bands", which translates for some to "they are wimpy indie rock bands with fey lyrics and dudes who look like douche bags". While, that sentiment may hold true for some Pitchfork bands or indie rock bands, not always. What if Pitchfork was around when Neutral Milk Hotel's "In The Aeroplane Over the Sea" was released? The Replacements "Tim"? What if Neutral Milk Hotel was new today and played the Pitchfork festival and not Lounge Ax like they did in the late 90's? Would NMH experienced similar backlash? Would people have tossed them aside as some sort of "pitchfork band"?
Granted, water seeks it's own level and if something is great, it'll be regarded as such despite the hype. But before you dismiss the next big thing from Pitchfork (Okay, you can dismiss F--- Buttons) some of these bands to bear a listen for yourself and are really good despite some sort of 9.something on the pocket protector scale.
Funny, as I was writing this I looked up NMH's "Aeroplane" on Pitchfork and they gave it a 10.0, seven years after it's initial release. Hmmm, Pitchfork gave it a 10.0, I guess if I'm like all the cool kids I'll have to take "Aeroplane" off of Desert Island Disc status. Bon Voyage.
In the meantime, here is Girls with "Lust For Life". Iggy, stop shaking your head!
I was recently reading Jack Kerouac's "On the "On_the_road (again). My intentions were to read the Kerouac-penned book "Big Sur" which I had never read. This was because of the recent Jay Farrar and Ben Gibbard record with songs inspired by "Big Sur". My library didn't have "Big Sur" (criminal, I know) but they had "On the Road" so I decided to read it again. Within the pages of "On the Road" were mentions of hip jazz clubs, blues clubs, artists of that ilk, and of course the travels of Dean Moriarty and Sal Paradise. A couple of artists I took note of on that giant roll of "On the Road" were Lionel_Hampton and Wynonie_Harris. I jotted their names down on a small piece of paper and stuffed it in my wallet (along with receipts and coffee stamp cards, and maybe a buck or two) until I was at a record store (the online variety or the brick and mortar type).
I eventually found a record of both of them about a month ago. While the Hampton record I procured is good, I'm not the biggest jazz fan in the world. I have a few of the classic records just to say I have them. Perhaps in time, my pallet for jazz will be enhanced. What did trip my trigger was the rhythm and blues of Wynonie Harris. This music is alive! The Omaha born singer never did get quite the fame he may have deserved but if you want a good taste of post WWII R&B, look no further than Harris. In an age when people didn't write their own songs, Harris wrote many of his own songs. Just file him under: "If the world of music was truly just, ___________ would be a huge star." One could also say that he didn't quite get the fame because they hadn't found the right handsome white guy to sing his songs. How in the blazes had I never heard of Harris before? Perhaps I had and I just never filed his name away. Then there was this guy named Elvis who covered a song Harris had sung, "Good Rockin' Tonight". You'd think I would have backtracked from there, alas, no. Then the mid-80's rock super group, The Honeydrippers sang a song Harris had also made his own, "I Get Thrill".
Another little musical 6 degrees of separation I found just recently that goes along with my discovery of Harris is that Harris' music was the part of the namesake of Bloodshot Records. Part of the inspiration of the Bloodshot name was the Harris song, Bloodshot Eyes (along with the X song "Nausea"). Here is a recent interview with Rob and Nan from Bloodshot regarding the recent state of Bloodshot and a mention of the namesake: .xpn.org
Wynonie Harris lived the rock n roll life of his day with his elaborate living of big spending, woman, and song. According to the liner notes written by Preston Love of a record I did pick up, "Wynonie Harris: Oh Babe!" on Route 66 records (a 1982 re-issue), Harris died broke in 1969 of Esophagus cancer. By 1963 he was reduced to being a bookie in Brooklyn. I'm just "hear" to just tell a little more of my exuberant music find but if you want more history look to some of the links I highlighted. However, if you want to listen to some R&B that is truly jumpin' and a great precursor to rock n roll, look to Wynonie Harris.
As promised to both of my loyal blog readers (if I have even that many), here is my Top 10 of the "aughties", which to those of you keeping score at home is top records for the last decade. Let's get started by ranking things that I really liked first. My favorites of the last 10 years.
1. The Wrens - The Meadowlands - (2003) I didn't come to this record 'til 2005 and when I did, it really took me by storm. It wasn't like I succumbed to the hype. I bought it by word of mouth, saw 'em live, then read all the praise the record got. Very deservedly so. Buy it on vinyl from the band!
2. Drive by truckers - Southern Rock Opera - (2001) Great concept record about living in the south, Skynard, and going to rock shows, among other things. It's a double CD, an opus. By the end of the decade this bit had kinda worn thin with me with DBT but this record stands out on it's own. If your in the same boat as me, give it a listen . . . again.
3. Son Volt - Okemah and the Melody of Riot - (2005) Are ya looking for a good Americana rock record? This is my suggestion and scathing lyrics against the Bush administration and the 2003 Iraq Invasion. It's a modern day protest record.
Bruce_Springsteen - Magic - (2007) Though "The Rising" is strong, I liked this one better. Great melodies, key changes, sax solos, character angst, wait, am I reviewing "The River"? A compact 12 songs on one vinyl record. Includes two of Springsteen's better songs in recent years, "You'll Be Coming Down" and "Your Own Worst Enemy".
4. Okkervil River - Black-Sheep-Boy (2005) - Like many others, this was my intro to Okkervil River. One of the more powerful songs of the decade is "For Real". Go see 'em live!
5..Gillian Welch - Time (The Revelator)- (2001) Perhaps one of my favorite records of all time. "April the 14th (Part 1)" is a history lesson onto itself.
6. The_Black_Keys - ThickFreakness - (2003) A little late to the party with this band but am I glad I found them. All their records are good so I guess this was a "just pick one".
8. Centro-matic - Love You Just the Same(2003) Will Johnson is probably one of the more underrated songwriters of this decade. Oddly, the other underrated songwriter from this decade is Okkervil River's Will Sheff.
9. The Eels - Soul Jacker (2001) Two words, "You little punks think you own this town!"
10. We'll call it a three way tie for tenth place
Richard Buckner - The Hill (2000)
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes (2008)
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights
Others bearing at least some consideration:
Paul Westerberg - Stereo/Mono
Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (someday I'll prolly laugh at this omission from my top 10)
The White Stripes - pick any record and put it on
Beck - Sea Change
Ryan Adams and the Cardinals - Cold Roses
The Roots - Phrenology
Okkervil River - The Stage Names
Calexico - Carried to Dust
By my lastfm counts (which is linked in the margins, click 'em) here are the records I listened to most via lastfm. Keep in mind, it may be a little skewed since I didn't start scrobbling til late 2005. Also, one song played on an album counts as an "album play". So if a song is included on a playlist, for example, the "album" the song is on gets a play count. If that makes sense.
Before we get too far into the month, I better do a quickie write-up of my Top Ten records of 2009. My main criteria for making such lists? What did I listen to most. Now, with any list I have creative license to change it, rearrange it, and this time next year, in 5 years, or 10 years, mock it. But as I sit here on a frigid January morning, these are my Top Ten Records for 2009. Hey kids, look for my Top Ten Records for the "aughties" in the near future too!
10. "Hombre Lobo" - The_Eels- There some people I listen to and I think, "Gosh, this guy could just wake up and write great songs." Mark Everett, a.k.a. "E" of The Eels is one of those guys. He writes dark songs about suicide that sound like sunny pop songs. They rock out on this record I prefer their mellower songs like "That Look You Gave That Guy" also, from this record. And, no, the record doesn't come in a humidor!
9. "Vulture Whale" - "Vulture Whale" - Get yer rawk show clothes on for Vulture Whale! Raw live sounding band outta Birmingham Alabama reminds me a little of early Faces. You can download their new EP for free! Check 'em out! www.vulturewhale.com/
8. "Together Through Life" - Bob Dylan - What more can be said regarding The Bard that hasn't already been said? Some may say he looks like an old wrinkled up prune but I think he's aging gracefully and if all geezer rock stars from the 60's continue to release records like this in their 60's we'll live in a good musical universe. Members of Los Lobos contribute.
7. "21st Century Breakdown" - Green Day - The hipster doofus in me tells me I can't put Green Day on my Top Ten. Well, I'm tellin' *that* guy to go to h-e-double guitar neck! Never was much of a fan, sure I'd listen to the hits, and own the best of disc, but with these last two records they've written music for people like me, fwiw. It's maybe one or two power ballads too heavy but hey, they gotta please the kids still. For those who cited references from The Who
with this record download their cover of "A Quick One (While He's Away) from iTunes.
6. "March of the Zapotec/Real Holland People" - Beirut - This is a two record set by band leader Zachary Congdon. The first record was recorded with native Mexican musicians from Oaxoca Mexico. It sounds fantastic but not like a mariachi band but not like Cafe Tacuba either. The second record is more electronic music. It works for me.
5. "Post-Nothing" - Japandroids - Here's a record released by a duo. But don't you go thinkin' they're like; Hall and Oates, Sonny and Cher and Simon and Garfunkle. Wrong 'Em Boyo! Think more along the lines of more recent duos like Local H, The White Stripes, or the Black Keys. Probably the most rockin record on this list.
4. "Veckatmist" - Grizzley Bear - Someone recently asked how you pronounce this record. I have no idea. It's hard enough to spell. Perhaps a critics darling of a record but I found it to my liking as well. Should I use critic-speak here? "Lush harmonies with Pet Sounds like production bring out the pop sensibilities in the thoughtful lyrics".
3. "At the Cut" - Vic Chesnutt - It pains me to say "the late Vic Chesnutt" but this is really a strong record. You can read a little more of what I wrote regarding his passing a couple blog entries below. His estate still has a slew of medical bills, you can donate donate here if you wish. Buy his records too. Well, *buy* all of your music!
2. American Central Dust - Son_Volt - Son Volt may not be a household name but I foresee big things from this band. Chuckle. Really. One of these days a "hat country" artist is gonna cover one of their songs and it's gonna be a big hit. Another scenario I have is that they have great fame after the fact like Skip Spence or Nick Drake. I just hope it's not posthumous for Jay's sake. Great history lesson with "Sultana" and my personal favorite song is, "No Turning Back"
1. "One False Move or I'm Gone" - Jay Farrar and Benjamin Gibbard - Great record by two dudes moonlighting from their day jobs, Farrar from Son Volt and Gibbard from Death Cab For Cutie. Jack Keruac's "Big Sur" is their muse. Outstanding.
