While I was listening to Dirt, I was trying to remember
anything about the one time I saw Alice In Chains play with Layne Staley. It
was on July 10, 1993 at the Lollapalooza stop in Barrie, Ontario. Oddly enough,
that is the last major tour the band played with Staley. All I can remember is
that he was wearing a green suit and sounded great. I’m glad I got to see him
perform at least once.
I just read Staley’s Wikipedia page and was nearly moved to
tears. It wasn't news to me, but there's some pretty gruesome details up there. It’s a horribly tragic story of a
man suffering for years while waiting to die. Layne really paid the ultimate price
for his addiction.
Dirt comes out swinging with six smash hits right out of the
gate! Then it ends with “Angry Chair” and “Would?” There’re a couple “whatever”
songs here, but for the most part this whole album is the band’s masterpiece.
“Rooster” and “Would?” were my favorites for such a long
time, but now I’m a “Rain When I Die” guy and "Dam That River."
Matthew Sweet’s Girlfriend is one of the best albums ever
recorded and I suck for not listening to this entire album for way too long!
(How many times have I said that so far this year about great albums?)
If I had any talent as a writer, I would try to gracefully speak
of the beauty of this album in a long flowing sentence that clearly and
concisely describes the obsession, longing, love, and religion that Matthew
Sweet so eloquently sings about on his magnum opus. I can’t.
I remember some hick I knew in 1991 was all shocked that I
liked this album. “You like Matthew Sweet?” she said. “Isn’t he a little too
Country for you?” It was the closest I ever came in my life to smacking a
bitch, although, she made a good point. Sweet thoughtfully oozes stories about
his divorce, comic books and beautiful women all over a genre bending collection of
songs that blur the line between Rock and old school Country music. Put a
fucking steel guitar on something and all the rednecks will come to yard,
right?
I’m getting off track here. In short, this record fills me with warmth and happiness and I fucking love it.
I don’t know how many times I have to say this! (I’ll
usually tweet it a couple times a year.) Johnny F. Marr, can you please call
Matt Johnson and make another The The record! What the fuck, already!
I saw Johnny Marr play a show with the Healers a few years
ago and he sang with a piece of gum in his mouth the whole show. The only other
singer I ever saw do that… Dave Grohl.
Alright, enough bullshitting. The Messenger is a pretty
solid offering from Marr. The first song that really jumped out at me was
“Upstarts,” with what I thought was a definite Nick Lowe vibe. “Lockdown” is
pretty catchy too. Marr has really come a long way as a vocalist. I’ll be
spending more time with this one.
Tomorrow I listen to Jane's Addiction Ritual De Lo Habitual, Beck Odelay, and My Bloody Valentine MBV.
Here's the entire March Playlist!
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