Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color

April 21, 2015 / ds barrett / 3 Comments

If Alabama Shakes debut Boys & Girls was a first shot across the bow against musical mediocrity, then Sound & Color is a full on declaration of war. Not content to merely ride the wave of being the best rock ‘n’ soul or Southern rock band to currently grace the planet, they expand and grow. It’s the kind of growth and experimentation one got from Radiohead when they leapt from The Bends to OK Computer; or in other words – WOW!

Their sound might have originally been rooted in 1960’s Memphis, but damn, they just pulled in the 70’s funk and threw it into a blender with Bacharach on the song “Guess Who.” Then they give you a trip to so-cal on “Shoegaze” and fly off to Philadelphia Soul with a twisted Gibson/Marshall feel on the song “Dunes.”

The vibe is all over the rock music landscape and Brittany Howard’s vocal are not only up to the task, but are in fact laying out a challenge to anyone else willing to stand in front of a microphone. Rather than the usual “see my vocal range” musical masturbation that gets tossed out by pop musicians, Howard uses emotional resonance to drive home the feel of the song. In fact, I’d say she has more in common with old female jazz vocalists like Bessie Smith, or male rock vocalists like Robert Plant than any contemporary to be gracing the charts of this day and age.

With Sound & Color, Alabama Shakes have shown themselves to be far more than just another rock band, they are the band you seek out and put headphones on when you listen. You will not be content to let crappy computer speakers or crappy downloads play this music; nope it is full on stereo sound with this album. Yep, I think I found my soundtrack for the summer.

Speaking of which, you can get Sound & Color in a 180 gram vinyl 2 disc set at your local record store, or a clear double vinyl set at the bands website here.

The Sky Is Crying or George Thorogood & The Delaware Destroyers risk life and limb for a good time.

April 20, 2015 / ds barrett / Leave a comment

It’s August 1985 and the news in Toronto is all about the possibility of it raining on Bruce Springsteen who is touring the biggest album on the planet – Born In The USA. Thing is, the rain arrives a day early, and the CNE Grandstand has a totally different show going on that night. George Thorogood and the Destroyers with Johnny Winter opening are set to perform.

Drew and I left from the pool I lifeguarded at in total sunshine and headed down to the Canadian National Exhibition grounds with tickets that put us only seven rows from the stage. With some sense of over geeky enthusiasm I remarked how it looked like the rain would hold off. Drew, always the master of understated sarcasm raised an eyebrow glanced at the sky and shook his head in that “you don’t know your ass from a hole in the ground” way.

Johnny Winter hits the stage and the wind picks up. His set is phenomenal as his hands fly all over the neck of his guitar. I had known he was good, but WOW! This was damn impressive. He left the stage as the sun dipped out of site in the west and some dark clouds started to roll in quickly from the south.

Thorogood and the destroyers took the stage and started rocking out right away. I wish I could remember the setlist, but it was thirty years ago. What I do remember is that about 30 minutes into the set, the sky opened up and the rain drops were the size of quarters. The wind was blowing the water right into stage.

A drenched Thorogood looked out into the crowd as his band tried to step further towards the back of the stage and hollered “Does anyone want to hear some blue?” and the crowd replied with cheers. He broke into “The Sky Is Crying” and he just didn’t stop. Between songs a guitar tech would hand him a dry guitar and into another song he would go. The crowd was having a fantastic time and no one was leaving. The band that had initially tried to find shelter further down stage came forward and challenged Mother Nature to a duel. Over 90 minutes in the rain and they just kept playing until the damn sky cleared… and then, they did encores.

By all rights, Thorogood could have stopped the show and probably should have. Electric guitars and rain don’t mix, but this “nut job” musician was committed to putting on a great rock ‘n’ roll show, and he succeeded beyond the crowds wildest dreams.

In later years my taste in music changed and George got less and less of my time on the stereo, but when people would talk about the best concerts they ever went to, this still sits as the #1.

On Record Store Day Thorogood re-released his debut album, except in a way never before heard. It was originally recorded without a bass guitar. Initially the destroyers billed themselves as “the original five-piece trio” and this record reflects that. It is a trip to hear “One Bourbon, One Scotch and One Beer”, “Madison Blues” and “Ride On Josephine” as they were done in those first recordings back in the mid-seventies.

Anyway, I haven’t found an amount issued, but it is limited and on blue vinyl. I still saw copies kicking around on Sunday, but I wouldn’t wait if you’re interested.

My Story of RSD 2015 or Insanity Blooms Eternal

April 19, 2015 / ds barrett / 1 Comment

Over ninety minutes early and the line is more than one hundred deep. The old roomy and I meet and catch up as some dude directly in front of us chain tokes his way into the sonic abyss that is Record Store Day 2015. Music geek conversations drift through the air only interrupted by my backfiring joke at the length of the line.

“Maybe everyone is here to pick up that One Direction record…”

“I am!” says the woman just two people ahead. Her boyfriend starts laughing at my dumbfounded look.

I think to myself “I haven’t actually met a One Direction fan over the age of twelve” but I hold my tongue; after all, it isn’t even 9AM and pissing people off shouldn’t happen so early on a weekend.

The line moves forward in a civilized manner, which seems rather odd considering that I’ve had vinyl literally rain down upon my head during past RSD’s. Seriously, it is an odd sensation when a bunch of seven, ten and twelve inch records start smacking your cranium. Mild pain followed by anger and a quick burst of panic because you just don’t want any of this very sweet vinyl to get broken.

As usual, there is that group of people trying to look through the bins of records while the people behind them are giving them the “pick your record and get the fuck out my way” stare. It would be amusing if I wasn’t trying to get my hands on the same record as … well, the guy in front of me who just grabbed the last Otis Redding record that my fingers were reaching for. Fortunately, I do get my hands on some of the stuff I wanted.

The White Stripes – Get Behind Me Satan in gatefold cover with coloured red and white 180 gram vinyl

The Dandy Warhols – Eponymous – first time on vinyl in double gatefold cover and white vinyl to boot

George Thorogood & the Delaware Destroyers debut without bass as it was originally recorded. Also on blue vinyl

Ride – OX4: The Best of – In glorious 180 gram red vinyl with a double gatefold cover

Yeah I missed out on Social Distortion, Joan Jett, Small Faces and as mentioned, Otis Redding, but still had a pretty good time despite the competition and jockeying for best vinyl position. I jump into the vehicle and head for the elderly mall on the west side of the city figuring maybe I could grab some of what I lost out on. When I arrive the employees are praying mallrats will finish the free coffee they had for their customers. I manage to pick up a couple of the 7 inch’s I missed out on, namely Alex Chilton’s “Jesus Christ” and the Lemonheads/Gram Parsons split “Brass Buttons” on pink vinyl.

Now, I’m looking at the clock and considering the likelihood of finding a few things at some record stores I’ve never tried before.

Do I really want to spend more?

It’s the best haul I’ve managed but the little music geek in the back of my brain is whispering, “find more… you must find more…”.

Then I remember, I have stuff on the way… other awesome pieces of vinyl in transit from places abroad.

Afterall, if you look around in the right places, any day can be a record store day. Yeah, right, who am I kidding, I’m heading to another record store.

Insanity Blooms Eternal – April 19/15 Playlist

April 19, 2015 / ds barrett / Leave a comment

“Just One Of The Guys” – Jenny Lewis

This was a 7” I had a friend pick up for me on Black Friday/RSD 2014, but I only got it yesterday. It was nice to spin.

“Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere” – Neil Young & Crazy Horse

Was having a bit of a difficult beginning to my week after visiting a cemetery to pay a visit to… well, anyway, it got me very reflective. This song and the next popped into my head.

“It Makes No Difference” – My Morning Jacket

Out of context but the sentiment and conclusions loan themselves to mourning, so I just wrapped myself in a cocoon of sad music for a couple days and rode the whole thing out.

“Like A Daydream” – Ride

RSD 2015 find. It was a glorious day and now I’m spinning it… it’s going to be another great day!

“Dumb” – Nirvana

Was reading the interview with Francis Bean last week when this song came up and was popped right into my head.

“Bohemian Like You” – The Dandy Warhols

Another RSD 2015 find, although this song wasn’t on it… just wanted to hear it after playing the earlier album.

“Stratford-On-Guy” – Liz Phair

Another interview I found myself reading, it was interesting to hear her perspective… on so many different things.

“The Denial Twist” – White Stripes

Yes! Get Behind Me Satan was released on vinyl – finally! It will be spinning later today.

“Milk Cow Blues” – The Kinks

The b-side to “You Really Got Me” which was another of yesterdays finds.

“Ride On Josephine” – George Thorogood & the Destroyers

Currently spinning on the turntable, I’ll have a full story on this later in the week.

“State Trooper” – Bruce Springsteen

What can you say about the Boss and Nebraska? Dark and desolate it leaves little room for hope…

“Brass Buttons” – Gram Parsons

Such a beautiful frickin’ tune from a soul that left us way to soon.

“Singer Not The Song” – Alex Chilton

B-side to “Jesus Christ” on this RSD release, it just smacks of sarcasm.

“No Cities To Love” – Sleater-Kinney

The only thing I bought yesterday that had nothing to do with RSD. It sounds a 1000 times better on vinyl.

“Funplex” – The B-52’s

Another fun and sarcastic bit from the band that always makes me smile.

“The Meaning Of Soul” – Oasis

I just had to slip this in for no other reason than I felt like it.

“Superstar” – Sonic Youth

You don’t realize just how creepy this Carpenters classic is until you hear the Sonic Youth version. Spine tingling!

“The Cabbage” – Teenage Fanclub

I so badly want this record on vinyl. One of my favourites!

“When My Baby’s Beside Me” – Kelly Willis

Say what you want, it’s a great song that holds its own even when it gets a little ‘countrified’.

“You and Your Sister” – Chris Bell

Because it is a great song that I just had to put in… no other reason.

Beyond Classic… Little Richard – Here’s Little Richard

April 17, 2015 / ds barrett / Leave a comment

Some music transcends genres in both its artistry and influence. It stands out as a pillar that helps construct everything that comes after. This may sound like hyperbole but when it comes to those artists in the 1950’s that built the foundations of what would be both today’s popular music and rock ‘n’ roll, most descriptions come off as mere euphemisms.

One can point at Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly and a few others and pontificate for days about the significance of these artists. Yet they may never capture the real depth and importance.

Then you have Little Richard.

It just isn’t enough to say he laid down the foundation of rock ‘n’ roll, because he works on so many more levels. It’s rock, r&b, soul, funk, and subsequently how pop music has sounded for the last 60 years.

When I listen to Richard I hear Motown and Stax a couple years before they even existed. I see Elton John’s glitter, James Brown dance and the Ramones screaming out a four count. Oh and let us not even get started on the all out performance.

This is why I say that this record is beyond classic.

Had Richard’s not left Rock ‘n’ Roll for religion immediately following this record, his reputation might very well have risen into the upper echelon of “Rock Gods”, instead of a guy standing around schlepping fast food deals for Taco Bell.

Forget for a moment that Rolling Stone has this album ranked at #50 in it’s top 500 all-time, and that it made the list of 1001 Albums you must hear before you die. The only important thing is the music itself.

This album is early rock at its most powerful and a blue print to almost every sub-genre off rock since. Yes, it is that good.

Luckily, it is readily available across all formats right now with new re-mastered vinyl editions being released just back in December 2014.

You can pick up a 180 gram black vinyl edition at your better record retailers, or a limited edition opaque orange (only 500 copies made) copy here.

#1 in so many damn ways… Big Star – #1 Record

April 16, 2015 / ds barrett / 7 Comments

History is fluid and changes with interpretation and the times that follow. So, something that was once dismissed or missed can be re-examined and pulled into the light in a way that perhaps it wasn’t before. Such was, is and may forever be the story of how Big Star and their debut #1 Record are considered.

It is one of the planets greatest rock ‘n’ roll records, and still almost no one beyond critics and hipsters has truly given it the time of day. Sure Rolling Stone has it in their 500 Greatest Records of All-Time, but that doesn’t really result in the kind of record sales and recognition that should be afforded this band.

Obviously, the information is out there, in different formats and many stories told; so I’m just going to point out a few in hopes that you see an opportunity to get yourself some great music.

First, if you have access to Netflix than you can catch the Big Star biography Nothing Can Hurt Me. It is a great examination into the history of Big Star, and also offers an awesome soundtrack of alternate takes from Big Star and their principle songwriters Chris Bell and Alex Chilton.

Next there is a new biography on Alex Chilton named A Man Called Destruction. It is pretty eye opening and well worth the read.

Finally, the one album I was here to tell you about on this day, #1 Record. While it would be easy for me to sit here heaping praise, it is easier to just point out its influence. Matthew Sweet, Teenage Fanclub, The Posies, Lemonheads, Wilco and much of the 90’s alt rock pantheon were influenced by #1 Record.

Some of the songs you may recognize from are:

“In The Street” – It became the theme song to That 70’s Show.

“The Ballad of El Goodo” – Has been covered numerous times by acts such as Evan Dando, Mathew Sweet, Counting Crows, Zeus, Wellspring and Wilco.

“Thirteen” – Picked by Rolling Stone as one of the 500 Greatest Songs of All-Time, and I’ll just add, one of the most amazing songs ever.

Anyway, your opportunity is that as vinyl goes, there have been some recently released re-masters that are available. First a little company called 4 Men with Beards was given permission to re-release #1 Record on 180 gram black vinyl. I haven’t found an exact number printed, but it must be at least sizable enough to fill demand.

The second release is a little more exclusive, Newbury Comics with permission of Big Star’s record label Ardent have released 1000 copies of #1 Record on translucent gold vinyl. Trust me when I say, it is awesome!

In fact, that is kind of my point; #1 Record is one of the greatest albums one can have in their collection. If I printed my version of the top 10 records of all time it would be among them. More importantly, if I was to take off my critic hat and just list my favourite 10 records, again it would sit amongst the top. In fact, it just might be a contender for number one.

Dear God Stop Me; But Which Band Wagon Should I Jump Upon or Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit and Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit…

April 15, 2015April 15, 2015 / ds barrett / 5 Comments

Weeks now have gone by and ‘buzz’ is still everywhere about Courtney Barnett. In one day as I trolled only those blogs that have similar interests to my own I found six people writing about her. That was without typing her name or even trying to find anything out. Once you jump into the world of both paper and online publications, well, the raves don’t stop. So I listen and find good reason for all the accolades, but now that I know, what the hell should I buy?

A quick check around and you find out that that not only has she released her stuff across several formats, but when it comes to vinyl, she has multiple versions within the same format.

Option A – Good old fashioned plain single disc black vinyl

Option B – Special Edition single disc orange translucent vinyl with a lp slipmat

Option C – Deluxe Gatefold two disc orange translucent vinyl with bonus 7”

Option D – Limited Edition gatefold cover two disc heavy weight white vinyl

Now of course your options are somewhat, but not entirely, dependent upon your geographic location. Also, your choice may be dictated to by the amount of paper in the wallet, and how quickly you decide you want it. You see, the U.S. record company only printed 100 of that double orange, but in Europe, I see some for sale. The white version is only in Australia and New Zealand and the shipping is more than the cost of the record – IF – you could find a copy.

My prediction is that buying any of the limited colour vinyl stuff now would save you from quadruple that price later if it is something you want.

The music is great, mucho sarcastic, witty and fun, but I can’t decide which version I’m wanting and how much I’m willing to pay for it…

And some things that should not have been forgotten… are Found! RSD and Husker Du – Warehouse: Songs & Stories

April 13, 2015 / ds barrett / 1 Comment

As the weeks become days and the information begins to flow, the list for Record Store Day grows, grows and grows. Things that I didn’t know I even wanted get underlined in red, and some things I had forgotten jump out at me from the shelves themselves on that very day.

Such was the case on Black Friday/RSD 2014 when I turned to see Warehouse: Songs & Stories by Husker Du sitting on a cart. I had not heard Warehouse since my University days as my “infamous roommate” was a big fan of Husker Du and Bob Mould. Suddenly my brain was straining to remember. Sure I have a CD copy of Candy Apple Grey, but, I couldn’t remember Warehouse until I saw the cover.

This might have been due to the fact that unlike other Husker Du records, it had not been re-issued since its initial release in 1987. It was if Warner had decided it wasn’t worthy of even being remembered.

Well, they were wrong. Two glorious pieces of vinyl, one coloured fluorescent yellow and the other fluorescent green sound absolutely fantastic. Maybe hindsight is leading me a bit, but you can definitely hear the development of Mould’s guitar work and song writing as he drifts towards the more accessible material he would write later with Sugar. Mould himself has stated that Warehouse might have benefited from being pared down to a single record, but it is honestly impossible to figure out where such a cut could be made.

I couldn’t find out how many of these vinyl editions were made, but it is still available. Discogs have it listed for $38.16, Amazon.ca at $55.60 and E-Bay at $28.04.

What can I say, they both look and sound great, and can still be had for a good price.

Always lookin’ good! David Bowie and RSD 2015

April 11, 2015 / ds barrett / Leave a comment

Having just written about Bowie a couple weeks back I didn’t think I’d be mentioning him again so soon, but here we are. With only a week until RSD 2015 it seems he notes another little column, so to speak.

As early as February it was announced that Bowie would be contributing two 7” singles for Record Store day in the form of a “Changes” picture disc, and a split single with Tom Verlaine on the song “Kingdom Come.” These releases are cool, but somewhat expected as David Bowie has been releasing a series of 7”picture discs over the years to commemorate the various 40^th anniversaries of his work as they come up.

However, a limited release of his first album has also popped up in the most recent North American lists for Record Store Day. However, there also seems to be some confusion. I’ve seen some web sites refer to his debut album which was recorded in ’66 but released in ’67, while others have referred to the ep 1966, which contained some early rare tracks by Bowie. It seems more likely that the ep is what is being released as the source gave far more details in explaining that it was re-mastered comes in white vinyl and limited to 2000 copies.

Regardless, Bowie fans who insist on vinyl and collectors in general should be pretty happy… if they get their hands on it. I pretty much can guarantee you that they will sell out.

Dreams of RSD past (FOUND!) and future: Social Distortion – Hard Times & Nursery Rhymes and eponymous

April 10, 2015 / ds barrett / 1 Comment

Occasionally, as you walk through your local record store, and you try to put together a coherent thought, you just see it, a record you wanted badly, but never thought you would get, just sitting waiting to live a new life on your turntable. That is how I found a copy of the 2012 Record Store Day edition of Hard Times & Nursery Rhymes by Social Distortion.

Since its release in 2011, Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes have had four different editions put out all in limited quantities. The pre-orders from their web site were yellow and limited to 1000. The next 2500 to hit store shelves were red, and the last 5000 were black.

The following April, Social Distortion released 2000 RSD editions in green and included with it a “machine gun blues” poster. The great thing is that besides being an awesome record, it still seems to be readily available at decent prices. Discogs have it listed at $37.75, but I picked mine up for less than thirty a few weeks back.

I doubt highly that this will be the case after this Record Store Day 2015 when their eponymous record is reissued. This is the classic 1990 record (that actually hit the Billboard 200) that contains the stellar “Story Of My Life.” While it was recently (2012) reissued on 180 gram vinyl by Music on Vinyl over in Europe, it is only available here as an import. That is until Record Store Day, when 1500 split colour blue and white copies hit the shelves.

It is definitely on my wish list and circled in red for high bloody priority find. I will be a disappointed record collector next Saturday if I don’t find it.

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