On the opening track of Live At The Apollo, Fats Gonder
introduces James Brown by basically reading the setlist he’s about to perform. I
kinda wish they did that at shows back in my day. Nowadays, we can do a little
online snooping to see what some bands will play if they’re in the middle of a
tour, but for the most part the setlist is supposed to be the best kept secret
at a concert.
James Brown was the real fucking deal! Live At The Apollo
is a whirlwind. After Fats gives up the goods, James comes out and drops four
rapid fire jams. “I’ll Go Crazy,” “Try Me,” “Think,” and “I Don’t Mind,” all
clock in around two minutes. Then comes the ten minute behemoth “Lost Someone.”
Brown transforms this song into a living thing that wanders the Apollo, sniffing
all the ladies and making them scream. Panty puddles. Long live the Godfather of
Soul!
 |
| Are you sure he's dead? He might just be on Propofol. |
I was never a Hüsker Dü guy, and I was hoping that
listening to all of the band’s albums this year would help me see the light.
Zen Arcade isn't the clincher. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am a giant
Bob Mould fan… I just feel like he didn't do his best work with Hüsker Dü.
Arcade is the Dü’s second album and is rooted in the band’s
Hardcore/Punk sound. It’s also a double concept album about a boy and his dog
or a Space Invaders contest in Las Vegas or something. Musically there’re definitely some
new elements in play, but for the most part this is an 80’s Punk Rock record.
While listening to the angst filled acoustic “Never
Talking To You Again,” I couldn't help but wonder if they ever sued Jars Of
Clay for “Flood?” It’s a pretty blatant rip off.
I’m just going to cherry pick a few faves here. I liked “Broken
Home, Broken Heart,” “Chartered Trips,” “Pink Turns To Blue,” and “Turn On The
News.”
I had no idea I picked two double albums on the same day.
Adam Ant’s first album in almost twenty years is goofy and weird and
unbelievably stupid or brilliant. I can’t tell which. Some of it is new, some
of it is reworked demos from years ago, and all of it is all over the place.
I kinda liked a song called “Sausage” and I thought the
disc's best jam was “Cradle Your Hatred.”
The epitome of the disc’s weirdness is “Who’s A Goofy
Bunny?” A rollicking little number dedicated to the memory of legendary asshole
Malcolm McLaren. He was the guy that guided The Sex Pistols into oblivion.
It wasn't too much of a chore listening to this, but did Adam
Ant really need to put a double disc out and give it a name longer than the
whole thing? No.
Apparently in the Royal Navy when they used to flog an insubordinate they would often bend the guy over a cannon and that’s where the
expression “marrying the gunner’s daughter” came from. Now you know… and
knowing’s half the battle! Yo! Joe!
No comments:
Post a Comment