#489 - Steve Earle - Guitar Town

Honestly, not much to say here. Not to say that this is a bad album, just not glaringly great despite the appearances of Bucky Baxter (steel guitar for others such as R.E.M., Ryan Adams, and Bob Dylan), Richard Burnett (guitarist and producer for the likes of Neil Diamond, Mark Knopfler, Billy Joel, and others), and Emory Gordy Jr. who played in Elvis Presley's TCB Band.

Steve Earle's Guitar Town is the quintessential "hit the road" country album. What sets it apart is that it provided country music that even rockers could enjoy. Earle offers us some okay guitar riffs (although the one towards the 2:00 mark here sounds like Orbison's "Pretty Woman") and songs about the everyman in Reagan era 1986. The title track is arguably the album's most well known song, but "Someday" (which also reminds me of my hometown much like it probably does for all listeners) was used in the film adaptation of The Bridge to Terabithia. Little trivia for you there. That's right....all I could muster up for this critique was that it was in a children's movie. The track "Hillbilly Highway" shows early signs of what was to come later with "Copperhead Road," which brings me to my main argument towards this album's inclusion on the list. Why not Copperhead Road? Why this album on the list of the 500 greatest albums? In my opinion, this album offers nothing but some old-fashioned country, steering wheel tapping tracks for a cool summer day, but does not make for a great album. Maybe Earle hadn't dabbled in heroin yet.

This week's cover song inclusion comes to you from this guy.

-d.

Hoo Boy…..

Where do I start. Should I jump right into how a record titled Guitar Town has absolutely no impressive guitar playing? Or how the terribly corny arrangements make every song sound vaguely like a Kidz Bop version of Put Me In Coach? I get that this was recorded at a crossroads in country music. The pop aspect was coming into play and soon America would be flooded with Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson cds. But that doesn’t excuse any of the garbage I just listened to.

Synthesizer really has no place in country, especially not in a song called Hillbilly Highway. That really kind of destroys any outlaw creditability the old Sun Records gang built up. This whole mess pretty much represents the antithesis of Gram Parsons. Overly thought out, yet underperformed. Over produced, yet underwhelming. The vocals are sloppy and lazy throughout. There’s no energy and some words are practically mumbled, that is when they’re even in tune. Occasionally there is actually a decent melody, but I quickly recognize it as being ripped straight from a Tom Petty song.

My Old Friend the Blues was clearly written to be played on jukeboxes in every redneck bar in the country. I actually have a soft spot for slow country ballads, probably from hearing them a lot growing up in a farm town. But this is everything that’s wrong with the genre. Insincere and juvenile, the lyrics would only seem deep to a child or someone who has received blunt force trauma to the head. Perhaps a mule kick. Yet it’s easily the most listenable song here. Let me bring up Parsons again. Compare this to the original version of Love Hurts. Hear the difference? If not, go get a dowel rod and a hammer. No really, we can wait. Alright, now hammer that shit straight through your ears because you don’t deserve them.

I can’t stress enough the level of suck on display here. It’s like someone decided “hey, I’m gonna try to be the next Willie Nelson, except without the brilliant songwriting or musicianship or originality or taste or soul or….”. It hurts me to listen to this. I’m angry at Steve Earle. I’m angry at the people who voted this into the top 500 (especially above ZZTop). I can’t fathom why this was ranked, or even why it was released in the first place. Often when a performance is truly breathtaking we refer to it as effortless, thanks to the immense talent of the performer. This time I use the word effortless because clearly, no effort was put into the making of this album.

-TFM

#490 - Gang of Four - Entertainment!

Gang of Four; comprised of four members from England who formed while at art school in Leeds during 1977. The band took its' name from the Chinese Communist political faction of the same name; the name was just the beginning for the heavy politics GoF infused within their songs. Actually, to get some sense of what you may be delving into before even giving the album a listen, look no further than the album cover. A simple picture of a cowboy and a Native American with the caption, "The Indian smiles, he thinks that the cowboy is his friend. The cowboy smiles, he is glad the Indian is fooled. Now he can exploit him." Further social criticisms ensue on the back cover and album sleeve. You may be saying, "How are these blokes different from any anarcho-punk troup from England?" What sets Gang of Four apart from their predecessors, as well as those bands that would follow, is that while GoF's music was rooted in punk, their songs contained prominent basslines and distinguishable guitar twangs incorporating elements of funk and reggae. Ultimately, the gave the world punk it could dance to. GoF's fans include the Red Hot Chili Peppers, R.E.M., and U2 while paving the way for politico-acts like Rage Against the Machine and offering their influence to bands such as Franz Ferdinand and Bloc Party.

Gang of Four's debut, Entertainment!, is an album of criticisms, analysis, and fatigue toward society. Heavily debated upon a number of message boards, the tracks included on Entertainment! range from Marxist ideology to "Great Man theory" to social models to the problems of the everyman. These problems include, but are not limited to the working class, ideas toward leisure, and marital issues evident throughout and created by society as seen in "Anthrax," "Damaged Goods," and "Contract," while "At Home He's a Tourist" speaks to the plight of the everyman who feels alien in his own everyday surroundings. The aptly titled "Not Great Men" deals with the aforementioned "Great Man theory." Other tracks are not so obvious, such as "Guns Before Butter," which some listeners claim deals with the "guns vs. butter model" that states a country can either invest in their military (guns) or in the production of goods (butter). Other listeners, while not necessarily disagreeing, believe the song's title and criticism on the Nazi regime and ideology comes from a quote by Hermann Goering, "Guns will make us powerful, butter will only make us fat." Personally, I enjoy the line that asks, "If I'm only blood and iron / O Doktor Doktor, what's in my shirt?" This ambiguity continues on tracks such as "I Found that Essence Rare," which alludes to the naming of the bikini as well as the H-Bomb testing done on the Bikini atoll.

The track "5:45" deals with the ever-present thought process toward the 6 0'clock news in that all we ever see at dinner-time is death and destruction on the news. Towards the end of the song, repeated lines hammer home the idea that television brainwashes people and makes them drones. "Anthrax" examines the glittering stereotype of love created by entertainment which often leads to let down and depression in the real world. How can we accurately assess relationships when we are bred to believe love and marriage is what Hollywood portrays it as? This speaks volumes for the ever-increasing divorce rate, right? "Contract" also deals with this fascination in terms of the contract of marriage and what it is as opposed to what it should be, while also dealing with society's constant measuring themselves to magazines and television. This track is highly relevant in today's supermodel "I wanna be thin like them" and bored housewife "I wanna fuck like they talk about in Cosmo" cultures.

Entertainment! offers its' listeners all of this ideas and criticism while keeping our heads bobbing and our feet tapping. The album is very accessible even to those who may not lean towards the lines of The Sex Pistols or Against Me!. The music is catchy and interesting from the choir-like melodies in "Damaged Goods" to the crazy cool guitar work at the end of "At Home He's a Tourist." Unfortunately, the tracks that were added in the 1995 reissue were not as inspired, leaving you with the question, "Why add them?" Overall, the first issue is a great album. Worthy.

As promised, the cover song pick of the album. Although, not humorous like the guy yelling "Bollocks" in the last post, I picked this cover, because it shows a young high school band performing a Gang of Four song. Whether it's a good cover or not doesn't matter. What matters is that good music is still reaching the youth.

-d.

This album is what so many others have striven for, and almost none of them have ever reached it’s level. Entertainment! is angry and heavy, yet vaguely funky and great for parties. What makes it work is something a lot of bands have forgotten. You can try to sound edgy, and you can be low-fi, but at the end of the day you have to be some damn good musicians to pull it off. Gang of Four happened to be packed with four guys who could keep some of the most raucous jams as tight as hipster’s jeans.

There’s so much to love here. There is no fear of breaking conventions and it shows right away. "Ether" features bass chords and a drumbeat that seems to be looking for a new beat to accent every few bars. I feel my affection for this song grow with each listening. The next few songs are the building blocks for every rock band that has tried to be danceable since. "Not Great Men" could be on a Franz Ferdinand cd and "Damaged Goods" is a pretty obvious influence for early Red Hot Chili Peppers. None have pulled it off so seamlessly, although in retrospect OKGO might as well just become a Gang of Four cover band for how much they take from these songs.

I’m surprised "Glass" never became a hit. In my opinion the most radio friendly song here, it’s catchy and fun to sing along to. I need to really praise the rhythm section. The basslines are amazing. I can say from experience that it’s not easy to be that aggressive and stay funky. Hugo Burnham is a very underrated drummer as well. He deserves much of the credit for keeping things together when they have no business doing so.

"At Home He’s a Tourist" flirts heavily with disco but is still somehow one of the most cynical and ‘punk’ songs on the record. The completely discordant guitar solo over the last 16 bars or so is genius. There’s an obvious vein of self destruction running through the songs and it spills over into the instrumentals in those moments. It rears up again in "Anthrax," arguably the best known song of their career. The 90+ seconds of feedback that begin the song break way for a rolling train of drums and bass. Lyrically and style wise its one of the most obvious nods to their own influence, Ian Dury and the Blockheads.

I can’t get more specific about individual songs as this would be a ten page review if I did. Just buy it. If you don’t suck at life you will love this album (really hoping Danny also liked this cd). All in all, a brilliant album with such wide ranging influence that 21 years later we’re barely scraping the top of how many musicians have or will be pushed to experiment after listening.

-TFM

#491 - Mott the Hoople - All the Young Dudes

It has been a long time since the last entry. No excuses....I'm just a loser. I had actually listened to this album weeks ago, but had not sat my ass down to offer up my critiques on it. Without further delay: Mott the Hoople's All The Young Dudes. Hearing the back story of this album, and how it came to be, reminds me of the aptly titled "Bowie" episode from HBO's Flight of the Conchords. In the episode, a faux-Bow (the term I just pulled out of my ass to refer to a fake David Bowie) visits Bret in dreams to help the struggling singer get out of a funk. Hilarity ensues. On a much similar note, Mott the Hoople had been experiencing a funk of their own, but not in the Maggot Brain sense (more on that a few reviews from now). The band, supposedly, were on the verge of breaking up when Bowie intervened and offered his services on an upcoming album. Word is that he even offered to give them "Suffragette City," but the band declined. Instead, Bowie handed them "All the Young Dudes."

Upon first listen, I felt as if I was listening to a voice from a David Bowie/Bob Dylan hybrid. Ian Hunter's vocals resemble Dylan's warble along with Bowie's English theatricality. The album begins with a solid effort in "Sweet Jane" and continues to show it's impressive chops as the album continues. And what is this I in "Momma's Little Jewel?" Is that cowbell? You have my attention, you crazy kids whose band name makes me think of a giant juice box hula-hooping. Yes, I am sober. Next, we get Mott's, arguably, most well-known track, "All the Young Dudes." I won't spend too much time on this track other than to express my adoration for it. I would also like to confess I'm a sucker for hand claps. Fuckin' love 'em. They get me every time and this songs also forces me to a smile. This smile carries over on the next track whose title I unknowingly described myself as in the previous sentence. "Sucker" gives us the best of both worlds: hand claps and cowbell! What!?! Ludicrous! Not to mention the groovy riff that sounds like harpsichord (?) and strangely reminds me of a Medieval dance. Yep, still sober.

The only other song on the album I had heard prior to beginning this goddamn list is "Ready for Love." Classic rock in all its glory. It is also telling of Mick Ralphs later venture into Bad Company. Listen to Ralphs riff and try not to imagine any song off of 10 from 6. Other tracks, such as, "Jerkin' Crocus," "One of the Boys," and "Soft Ground are equally groovy, but less notable tracks in these surroundings. The album's concluding track, "Sea Diver," might actually be my favorite tune of the album. I can't quite pinpoint why exactly, but I listened to this song about a dozen times in the span of one day. Maybe it's the piano which makes me think of Ben Folds' ballads? Maybe it's the fact that I could totally picture this as the memorable track on some quirky indie movie about degenerate teens in love? Maybe it's both or neither of these? Regardless, great ending to a fantastic album. Definitely list-worthy.

On another note, I thought I'd implement a new portion to our blog. Starting now, for each review I will try to find a ridiculous or embarrassing amateur acoustic recording of a song from the album being reviewed. This post's winner.

-D.

Several failed albums into their career Mott The Hoople decided to call it quits. Members went their separate ways and word spread of the breakup. Save for the intervention of David Bowie there would be no article to write. All the Young Dudes finally pushed them up the charts and set the stage for the birth of glam rock.

Originally Bowie wanted to give them ‘Suffragette City’, but they refused. Personally I wish the songs had been reversed. All the Young Dudes makes so much more sense as a Bowie song, while Suffragette strikes me as more suited to a heavier band like Mott. Dudes hasn’t aged all that well, but is an undeniably classic song. Other songs, like One of the Boys, are the template for 80’s hair metal. Mild roadhouse blues with some great guitar licks and laughable lyrics. Pretty much what you’d expect on a Great White album from 15 years later. Except somehow better. Maybe it’s the energy, or the fact that unlike most of the bands that followed, Mott was legitimately made up of thugs and criminals. But there’s more grit and realism.

Soft Ground grinds along on a distorted organ and gain-y, overdriven bass. It just sounds mean and sleazy. Perfect song to soundtrack a movie about drugs and bar fights. Sea Diver is a really nice ballad. Usually in these cases the orchestra is useless, just holding chords in the background and never really adding anything. But this is the exception that proves the rule as this song is made by the string swells and brass fanfares.

Most of the rest are better than average Stones-esque bluesy jams. Nothing I really didn’t like on the album, but it never really caught my imagination either. Everything here was done better on their next album, Mott (which I still have on vinyl), and most of it was done heavier by Grand Funk Railroad. All in all a good album, but I’m not sure if it’s really one of the greats. Nonetheless it is an enduring classic and won’t be forgotten soon.

#492 - Pearl Jam - Vitalogy

From the initial drum crashes of "Last Exit" Vitalogy is a much welcomed blow to your musical cerebellum and that's even before you get Eddie Vedder's delectable (and at times delightfully unintelligible) warble as the greatest consolation prize of all. Just as simply as this song ends with Vedder's calmly painful admission, the quick and heavy guitar bursts of "Spin the Black Circle" kick us in the teeth. If you don't know what hyperactivity feels like, this song comes close. Supposedly, we can thank good ol' Eddie for this. According to a 2003 interview in Rolling Stone, Vedder admits that initially the guitar riff was a lot slower until he asked for it to be sped up. That being said, I think this might quite possibly be the coolest song ever written about spinning a record.

Thus begins the anti-music industry opus that is to follow starting with "Not For You." Vedder has stated that this album, specifically this song, was written as a response to the business side of music. Coming off a lawsuit against Ticketmaster in regards to high ticket prices, Pearl Jam decided to make an album establishing the stance on making music for themselves and those fans listening to it rather than ad executives, ticket sellers, and business moguls. Not to mention, its infectious riff is certified badassery. "Tremor Christ" follows and although some have said the song is reminiscent of the marching beat on The Beatles' "I Am the Walrus," I was reminded of the riff in another Beatles' track, "I Want You (She's So Heavy)." Check the Pearl Jam track at 1:16 and then give The Beatles' track a listen.

Next, one of my two favorite tracks of the album. "Nothingman," while being a wonderfully written ode, hits home for anyone who has lost someone due solely to their own fuck-ups. Vedder reached another level in poeticism when he sings, "Caught a bolt of lightning / Cursed the day he let it go." Powerful stuff here, folks. Another favorite track of mine is "Immortality." Once again, Vedder at his poetic best. This song, in my humbly offered opinion, is pure genius in all its vast simplicity.

The other tracks, such as "Corduroy," "Better Man," "Pry, To," and "Whipping are also great songs. The former two making their way onto rearviewmirrow; Pearl Jam's two-disc greatest hits collection. Amidst these tracks, falls the weird but lovable "Bugs" (Vedder and an accordion?) and the even weirder, "Hey Foxymophandlemama, That's Me." The last song on the album, it consists of creepy musical arrangements played over actual recordings from psychiatric meetings. Some may think this to be a toss-away track on the album and would even argue that the album would be much better suited had that band chosen "Immortality" as the final track, but I disagree. The track seems a fitting choice for an album created by a band that had decided to make music as they chose; conventional approaches be damned.

Fantastic album. I would even venture to offer that I think this album equals the higher ranked album Ten, but perhaps just for arguments sake. This is, by far, my favorite album thus far.

d.

I know it won’t be a popular opinion, but Vitalogy just isn’t my favorite Pearl Jam album. It’s not that I think it’s a poor album. More that it’s inconsistent. Some songs are refreshing and haven’t aged at all. Others sound like a strange attempt to impersonate bands that Pearl Jam themselves influenced. "Tremor Christ" would have been a perfect fit on Neon Ballroom, but Silverchair would’ve done a lot more with it. Meanwhile, "Nothingman" is debatably their best ballad, mostly in competition with "Better Man" (if anyone mentions that horrible cover of Last Kiss you get a cockpunch).

Some of the songs I find fault in are still solid and enjoyable. "Whipping" is pretty damn rocking, but makes me long for "Tad." "Last Exit" is, ironically, a great opener. Of course there’s "Better Man," one of their best ever. But everytime I get into a groove Pearl Jam does something to kill it for me. "Spin the Black Circle" is a nice attempt at a Dead Kennedy’s sound, but lacks the weight of DK’s anger and politics. I’m pretty sure Eddie Vedder stole most of his facial expressions from Jello Biafra as well. "Pry, To" is just a waste of my time. After a decent altpop trip from "Corduroy," you get thrown into "Bugs." Three minutes of someone thinking they’re being creative and trippy like Syd Barrett and instead just yelling and banging on instruments they can’t play.

The majority of the back half of the album just continues downhill. Outside of any songs mentioned above the only standout is the title to "Heyfoxymophandlemama, That’s Nice." I feel ripped off. I paid for a cd, not four great songs and a bunch of self absorbed experimenting. That’s a bullshit move by any band and way too many have made it. So, I have a suggestion for Pearl Jam. Remember all that time you spent telling Ticketmaster not to charge extra for the service of buying through them? How about I only pay for how many songs are listenable, and just ignore the added service of you recording what amounts to musical masturbation.

-The Fat Man

#493 - Earth, Wind, and Fire - That's the Way of the World

I’ve always had a deep affection for Earth, Wind and Fire. "Serpentine Fire" is on my short list of greatest songs ever, not to mention having arguably the hottest horn chart in recorded music history. But that song isn’t here. In this case, it’s not a bad thing. Right off the bat, you have "Shining Star," which I’m afraid a lot of you may know from the Austin Powers' series. The way the guitars interplay with the bass is impressive, at first intricate then laying back into their respective grooves. I love how the brass really hits you in the chest. Great arrangement and production.

"That’s the Way of the World" is a total mindfuck of a slowjam. The keyboard flitters about from side to side like a butterfly swooping around you. Then, holy crap…. Is that flugelhorn? I’m won over already. Pile on some nice harmonies with impossible falsetto and you get a template for where r&b was heading. We keep the laid back feel going with "Happy Feelings." These guys don’t mind experimenting as the song opens with a bass so saddled with deep chorus effect it’s almost uncomfortable. Things quickly kick into gear and you have a great summer day stoner jam. Seriously, try to listen to this without wanting to lie outside or cruise in a droptop. Probably with a bit of God’s own burning (not that any musician would condone such behavior….ahem).

Right about now I really wanted one of those tight horn blasts. I expected to hear some lips bleeding. Instead I got "All About Love." Admittedly, this is a beautiful song, at times sounding like Burt Bacharach was hanging around the studio. The orchestration is so nice, but around the three minute mark things delve into an uncomfortable dissertation on philosophy, psychology, religion and their effects on love. What? What just happened? Why do I feel like someone’s trying to jive talk my pants off? Why do I feel very dirty? Oh and now we get an acid synth solo. Joy.

E,W & F drop us off with another spacy mid-tempo number, "See the Light." It’s a very musically interesting song, but by now I’m getting pretty bored. I just don’t get why a band known for their amazing horns would be recognized here for an album that’s made up of romantic ballads and keyboard expeditions. I’d much rather be reviewing the eponymous first album or the Grammy winning All N’ All. Not bad, just a bland offering from such an eclectic group. Not my choice for their best album in the least.

-The Fat Man

I've never been overly crazy about funk. Appreciative, but not crazy. Granted, I haven't been exposed to a ton of funk either. Perhaps, hearing "Atomic Dog" one too many times has something to do with it. I can say my outlook changed after listening to this album, despite the ridicule Mike will give me for crediting this album rather than any other Earth, Wind, & Fire album. Now, I've heard "Shining Star" numerous times and I've never had a bad thought about it. Honestly, I haven't had many thoughts about it at all. Upon listening to this album, I heard it, but never really listened if that makes any sense. "That's the Way of the World" is a different story. I have a vague remembrance of hearing "That's the Way of the World" while riding around in my mother's minivan as a young and naive studmuffin. After another listen, wow...just wow. Maurice Morris and Philip Bailey are phenomenal together. Don't believe me, check this out at the 6:10 mark. Holy shit.

I won't go into intricate detail of each song. I think Mike did a sufficient job of that. Instead, as I've already demonstrated, I'll briefly discuss why I've been giving this album numerous listens. I love the track "All About Love," especially for its passionate soapboxing. While listening to this song, I thought about Andre 3000's venture into The Love Below. The spoken word part of "All About Love" had to have an significant impression for Andre throughout his songwriting, but one can also recognize the musical elements ala E,W, & F. Don't believe me? Listen to The Love Below; the entire album,not just "Hey Ya!" and "Roses." Hell, listen to all of Outkast's albums and you'll hear the influences.

Some more favorites? "Reasons" is worth a mention. I even like "Africano" a surprisingly fair amount. Unlike The Fat Man, my initial thoughts went straight to the continent of mention, not Asia. Actually, from beginning to end I enjoyed this album...really enjoyed it. Worthy of an inclusion on Rolling Stone's list, in my opinion. It makes me jealous to think I have not been to enough weddings where Maurice White provides the soundtrack for my drunken dance sequences. Although, I hope that dance doesn't resemble this one above. Then again, the one below might be welcome in certain circles.

- D.

#494 - Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual

The initial six tracks of Cyndi Lauper’s She’s So Unusual are lessons in how pop music should be made and played. These songs, more particularly “Time After Time,” are so brilliant in their composition and songwriting (er, at least, sometimes). These first six songs are so catchy that you forget you are listening to an album so engrossed in the 80’s. That is until you get to track #7 “Witness.” Beginning with this song, the album begins its slow descent into who the hell cares. The remainder of the album just falls apart, but then outdoes itself in its ridiculousness with “He’s So Unusual;” a song that appears to be a reaction to some similar song from 1929. Regardless, what these songs do for She’s So Unusual, other than bring home the fact that “Yes, Cyndi, you are unusual, we get it,” is push it to fall victim to a number of other 80’s albums with a handful of good songs and a remainder of uninspired wackiness. This album was huge in the 80’s. Lauper was an icon for any number of teenagers with a need to act out against their fathers. She was the poster child for rebellion for girls who otherwise would have been home avidly watching The Facts of Life while wishing to be Blair. I realize this album was big. Huge. But I have a hard time understanding why outside of “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” (which as a male I find myself utterly annoyed by every time I hear it) and “Time After Time” (which has been covered by everyone from Mariah Carey to The Academy Is… to The Boomtang Boys (love your Fubu jersey ya loser.) Other songs that stand up well for themselves are “All Through the Night,” (although I could do without the annoying keyboard responsible dream sequence riff) “When You Were Mine,” (rumored to have been written by Prince which would explain why Lauper appears to be singing to a woman or maybe it doesn’t) and “Money Changes Everything” (which is great solely because of sections 2:37 and 3:12 from this video). You show that microphone Cyndi and who could take themselves serious as an artist while playing that thing?

All in all, this album has a multitude of hits that have appeared to remain popular and timeless, but for all those hits Lauper lets us down with the misses that make up the album’s conclusion. Cyndi, we adore you for your creative, your refusal to fit the mold, your inclusion of Capt. Lou Albano in your videos, your contribution to the world with “Time After Time,” and your goat warble inflections which I truly believe Chris Daughtry has been trying to steal if only he could reach those octaves, but I cannot forgive you for songs 7-10, especially that bullshit “He’s So Unusual.”

-d.

As a child I had what I would later determine to be a crush on Cyndi Lauper. Go ahead and laugh. Now go watch Vibes and tell me those legs aren’t freaking amazing . An unparalleled performer, Cyndi is a machine onstage, flying from side to side she’s the metaphorical whirling dervish. Throw in one of the biggest voices in pop music history and what do you have to lose?

So there’s not much to complain about here. The classic "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" is actually thoroughly underrated for the great musicianship subtly laid in the groove. The guitar picks a reggae melody, mimicking the bassline like a hyperactive child. In a brilliant production move, it’s panned all the way to the left, while a keyboard bubbles on the right. It wraps the music around your head, adding to the songs infinite catchiness. A perfect example of great song structure that people should still be learning from today.

Since I’m on the subject of classics, "Time After Time" is really the number that will be remembered in another fifty years. The lyrics are some of the best from the period, and the deceptively simple arrangement just adds to the grace of one of pops great ballads. Less famous but hilariously more infamous is the great ode to masturbation, "She Bop." Previous to The Divinyls, ‘they say I better get a chaperone / because I can’t stop messing with the danger zone’ was by far the most graphic thing my young ears had heard on record. If only Cyndi knew what she was doing to the youth of the world….

The rest is an assortment of nice dance numbers and a few forgettable wrecks. "All Through the Night" features a great bass groove and some really pretty vocal work. Cyndi had that ability to go from singing like a Vienna choirboy to hollering on cue. Unlike most singers she never struggled to control the limit of her range, often running right to the edge of cracking and holding there. At times her naiveté shows through though, like on the typical 80’s attempt at reggae, "Witness." For the most part it’s a solid addition, but listening to her attempt to imitate a dub echo with her voice is pretty laughable.

The last two tracks are the only downfall here. "I’ll Kiss You" might as well have been the b-side to "She Blinded Me With Science," it sounds so much like Thomas Dolby just crapped out a sweet keyboard solo and figured he’d throw a song around it. So we end with "He’s So Unusual." OK, we get it, you can sing like Betty Boop. Now please stop! Right as you figure it’s just a joke thrown on at the end, a song breaks out. I wish it hadn’t. The deadpan call and response backed by Cyndi saying seemingly random things in that Betty voice just…. well, I really can’t describe how bad it is. Wait til the sax player holds a note for about 12 seconds as the beginning of a solo. That pretty much caps it.

So we have a great album with two pointless tracks that leave a bad taste in your mouth. It’s like eating an incredible meal, steak tartare and duck l’orange, then eating a McFlurry for dessert. Definitely deserving of a higher place on the list, She’s So Unusual could only have been better if "True Colours" had been written a few years sooner instead of being on her next record. By the way, this is the second review in which I’ve made a Thomas Dolby reference. Bizarre….

-The Fat Man

#495 - Husker Du - New Day Rising

Ah, to be embraced by Greg Norton’s facial hair. The band recognizable to anyone due to their bassist’s moustache has come right when I needed them. Husker Du sits in the top few hardcore bands of all time, surpassed only by Dead Kennedy’s and maybe Bad Brains or Black Flag. Sure they went a bit softer in the end, but never turned into glam pop like my 90’s Bay area heroes AFI (damn you Davey Havock!).

How so much melody can fit amongst the grinding guitars and bellowed vocals is shocking. For all my love of Nirvana, this is what they were aiming for and almost reached. Not many bands can pull off this level of rage and dissatisfaction while keeping the layered background vocals, which makes it even more impressive when they break into heavier territory like the chorus to "I Don’t Know What You’re Talking About." The album first picks up with "Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill," which they play like they’ve been possessed by The Stooges. If you told me this was originally from Raw Power I’d have to believe you. Perfectly overdriven guitars crash into a bouncing bassline. Wonderful!

"I Apologize" is practically a road map to 90’s punk rock. Nothing to say you’re sorry for here, though. The next few songs make me long for bands like Burning Airlines and Jawbreaker. Clearly, many of the bands I grew up with listened to New Day Rising and heard their own futures in it. Things kind of stumble on "Perfect Example" with the mumbled words going well into the realm of incomprehension. This is one place where Nirvana passed their teachers. No one could mumble like Kurt.

"Terms of Psychic Warfare" punches right through with one of the poppiest and catchiest melodies you’ll hear on any hardcore records. Good luck getting it out of your head. It’s one of the great things about Husker Du that they were never the least bit afraid to play a song the way they wanted, regardless of the supposed conventions of their genre. "Watcha Drinkin" could play alongside a Descendants album while "Books About UFOs" could be from the Replacements. True versatility removes the fear of experimenting. It also says a lot that this record was recorded at the same time as Zen Arcade, arguably an even more influential collection.

If you grew up with the alternative rock of the early 90’s you owe it to yourself to hear where your favorite bands got their inspiration. If you are just a fan of good music, check this out and realize how far ahead of its time New Day Rising was. We’re talking early ’85, and no one lived up to the potential shown here til Nirvana blew up in five years later. Bands are still showing a distinct debt to Husker Du today. My favorite album on the list so far, barely topping Tres Hombres.
-The Fat Man

Rise Against's 2006 The Sufferer & the Witness begins with song titled "Chamber the Cartridge" where a man succinctly informs the listener, "This is noise." Upon hearing the opening track of Husker Du's New Day Rising, I think most would agree that the aforementioned statement would be better suited at the beginning of this album. I agree wholeheartedly with Mike's critique that Husker Du were far ahead of their time. Just listening to this album you can imagine what all the grunge bands out of Seattle had been listening to in the garages with their friends. Picture Krist Novoselic arriving at Cobain's house with a recorded cassette of Husker Du and exclaiming, "Dude, you have to hear this." The rest would become rock history, if this imagined scenario did, in fact, happen.

I would agree that some of these tracks are incredibly catchy, despite their glaringly obvious alienation from radio rock. My particular favorites are that of "Celebrated Summer," "Terms of Psychic Warfare," and "Books about UFOs." Close seconds come in the form of "Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill" and "I Apologize." Pick any one of these songs and try to argue they did not have any sort of impact on the grunge uprising of the early 90's or the subsequent rise of pop-punk. Try to argue it and I'll merely scoff at you. Seriously. Pshaw.

One thing I find incredibly pleasing about this album is the intelligence of they lyrics however sparse they may be. For example, Mould's line at the conclusion of "Terms of Psychic Warfare" where he sings, "And don't feel bad the next time my memory comes creepin', You've got your own bed now I suggest that's the one you sleep in." My idol Jesse Lacey couldn't have said it better. Pure post-breakup genius. Unfortunately, some of the genius of Mould's lyrics get lost within the mumble. Said mumble was perfected by Cobain and we thank him for that. Mould's mumble got to be a bit irritating especially on "59 Times the Pain;" a song I thought would have been much better had Eddie Vedder lent his trademark warble to it.

I enjoyed the album for the most part. It's always cool to hear albums that paved the way for other artists, especially when those artists are Nirvana, Pearl Jam, etc. I disagree with Mike though when he says that Nirvana fell short to Mould's expertise. I think Cobain did it far better and far angrier, but I appreciate Husker Du's foundation. This album is legit....and so is Greg Norton.