1.19.13

On January 19th I listened to Patti Smith Horses, R.E.M. Murmur and whatever the fuck Fiona Apple decided to call her latest effort.

I never “got” Patti Smith. I tried a couple times. I like that she’s kind of a douche. Her version of “Gloria” is pretty cool, but she was always a little too much for me. However, I tried to listen to Horses with a fresh set of ears and I’m not disappointed that I did.

Is it me, or does this album sound like a Blondie demo? No I didn’t! I don’t remember Patti sounding so much like Debbie Harry. And when Patti is doing her talking thing her cadence is very similar to Lou Reed. New York City, I guess.

I have to admit I found myself enjoying “Redondo Beach,” and “Birdland,” all nine minutes of it. The poetry is a bit of a pill for me to swallow, and I’m shocked at how much I enjoyed “Land.” It’s a another nine minute track in three parts.

“Land” really has its moments, none of which are “Land Of A Thousand Dances.” Was Patti shooting for irony here? Was that song hip in 1975? And am I alone in thinking the WWF All-Stars own that song?

I have a new appreciation of Patti. I get this album… a little. I dunno, maybe.

If it wasn’t for Patti Smith, Michael Stipe may have never been inspired to join a band, and there might not have been an R.E.M.... or so he says.

I wasn’t into R.E.M enough to spend money on them until 1987’s Document, their fifth album. Then the next year Eponymous, a greatest hits collection, came out and pretty much eliminated the need to own the band’s first four albums.

I love “Radio Free Europe” and “Talk About The Passion.” The rest of this record I’m sure I’ve heard at various points, but nothing in years and nothing I remember.

Murmur is a fuzzy, slighty out of focus snapshot of R.E.M. Stipe says the word “Catapult” weird and “Sitting Still” is an R.E.M. song I would have absolutely loved, if I’d only spent more time with this album, back in the day!

About one minute into Fiona Apple and I almost bailed. But, I pushed through and the opener “Every Single Night,” becomes eerily relatable. Apparently, Fiona and I share some demons.

I love the passion on “Daredevil.” It’s almost psychotic. You are “all the fishes in the sea!”

Then there’s a couple talk-singing songs, “Left Alone” is a little too “cabaret” for me. “Werewolves” exudes some real pain.

“Periphery,” is not only a great song title, but I like what she’s saying on it… I think. It gets a little too rompy and the marching is annoying, but solid track.

She wins points for using the word “guff,” on “Anything We Want.” And how long into a song called “Hot Knife,” do you think the word “butter” shows up? Ten seconds.

This album is O.K. Will I ever hear it again? I dunno, maybe.