Warren Zevon: "The Wind" (2003): 'Fending Off Death Naturally Through the Transition from Immortality'

Warren Zevon's last record was released two weeks before he died. The CD arrived in yesterday's mail.  I give this masterpiece five stars with a bullet. Nonetheless, greater minds than mine have evaluated this record. Robert Christgau has been the quintessential rock 'n' roll critict, to my mind, since I first discovered him in 1972 and way before that. Here's Christgua on Zevon's The Wind:

The Wind (Artemis, 2003) Naturally he fends off death-the-fact the way he fended off death-the-theme -- with black humor. "I'm looking for a woman with low self-esteem" is how he sums up the succor he craves, and he finishes off a painful "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" with impatient cries of "Open up, open up, open up." But "El Amor de Mi Vida," "She's Too Good for Me," "Please Stay," and "Keep Me in Your Heart" mean what their titles say. Only by hearing them can you grasp their tenderness, or understand that the absolute Spanish one seems to be for the wife he left behind, or muse that while the finale addresses his current succor provider, it also reaches out to the rest of us. Everyone who says this isn't a sentimental record is right. But it admits sentiment, hold the hygiene, and suggests that he knows more about love dying than he did when he was immortal. A-

 That's an A+ analysis, but, in my humble opinion, I disagree on Christgua's rating. This essential "facing death" record gets an A.

Disorder in the House (w/ Bruce Springsteen)

Steve Earle Covers His Mentor's Best: "Townes" : "Pancho and Lefty" (2009)

Backstage before going on at a gig with Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan explains why Townes Van Zandt's song Pancho and Lefty is a national treasure:

He's (Townes) is like a philosopher-poet. He gets to the heart of it in a quick way; gets it out. It's over, and just leaves the listener to -- think about it. 

Here Steve Earle covers this superb, truly American song.

Toots & The Maytals - "Pressure Drop" / The Slickers - "Johnny Too Bad"

The Harder The Come Soundtrack (1973) 

Toots and The Maytals

Here's a couple of cuts from The Harder They Come soundtrack that turned me on, in the early 80s, to the real deal -- reggae straight from the source: the isle of Jamaica. When it comes to my favorite deep album cuts from this record, Pressure Drop blew my mind the first time I heard the track and still gets me out of my chair to this day, over three decades later. 5 stars with a bullet!

The second cut, from The Slickers, has, to my ear, a whole different feel. And it still get 5 stars from me. Enjoy! 

The Velvet Underground -- Alternate Lou-approved Outro to Cut from "Loaded" (1970): Sweet Jane

This is is one of the only LPs I ever "borrowed" and never returned. I guess I stole it but this record was so fundamental to my late-70s-'til-now musical development, well ....

Hear what all this fuss out of me for the last four decades is about just below.

(Bye the bye, Maureen Timmons and The Cowboy Junkies do a rock solid cover of this essential song.)

Lyrics you rarely know: CCR's "Green River" (or) A Track Off One of CCR's Three Sequential Releases, that is, Their "Exile on Main St"

These John Forgerty produced, written, performed -- and undecipherable lyrics from a great, great album, are now accessible with the touch of a button from the 'net.

They are well worth knowing.

____________________

Green River (1969)

Well, take me back down where cool water flow, yeh.
Let me remember things I love.
Stoppin' at the log where catfish bite,
walkin' along the river road at night,
barefoot girls dancin' in the moonlight.

I can hear the bull frog callin' me.
Wonder if my rope's still hangin' to the tree.
Love to kick my feet way down the shallow water,
shoe fly, dragon fly, get back t' your mother.

Pick up a flat rock, skip it across Green River.
Well!

Up at Cody's camp I spent my days, oh,
with flat car riders and cross-tie walkers.
Old Cody, Junior took me over,
said, you're gonna find the world is smould'rin'
an' if you get lost come on home to Green River.

Well!
Come on home.

An Essential Album: Bruce Springsteen, and any guy with the guts to fall in love, need to be "Tougher than the Rest"

Editor's Note: My computer crashed; my warranty uncrashed it. My bad; sorry, mates; nuff said. We Are Back!

In the "official video", below, Mr. Springsteen (hereinafter "Bruce") sticks to his trademark visual simplicity. For with Bruce, as with a long tradition reaching back to Lao Tsu, less is more. The songwriter lures us back to a time -- a time in the 1950s and early 60s -- when carnival rides capture the part of our love lives now filled by the automobile back seat.

So let's take the ride with Bruce, see how the transition, for him, from supermodel wife to soul and band member Patti Scalfia (duet and harmony vocals here).

Tunnel of Love (1987) is Bruce's advice diary on the sublime finding a partner and losing a wife. In other words, life.

Tougher than the Rest is a how-to win-the-girl-with-your-blue-collar-cool track that teaches us everything we need to know about if you are gonna win that girl of your dreams across the bar:

.... Well it aint no secret Ive been around a time or two

Well I dont know baby maybe youve been around too

Well theres another dance all you gotta do is say yes

And if youre rough and ready for love honey Im tougher than the rest ...

Another Note: Personally I'm not crazy about the plodding arrangement of the studio version of the song on Tunnel of Love. Not only is this live video better, but Emmylou Harris and Everything Thing But the Girl have also done essenially definitive covers.

This song, my friend, is gonna last. And gives you a taste of why this album is essential.

R.E.M.: Requiem for a Heavyweight Band

I was listening to Lucinda Williams from her 1993 Live at the Filmore (West) yesterday morning early, watching the birds out my back door. I was on one of my reveries, this one about lyrics, Lucinda's Reason to Cry and Fruits of My Labor.

And then the news I'd caught by accident a few days earlier hit home: R.E.M. was gone.

The band announced via its website that as of September 21, 2011, the band would "calling it a day as a band". (Hilton, Robin (September 21, 2011). "R.E.M. Calls It A Day, Announces Breakup" NPR.org.)

A year ago. The end of carrying on since Bill left for his farm in 1997. And all this time I thought they might be hunkered down in a studio. The obits pile up too quickly these days

Think of it this way. We were shiny, happy people in our glory days.

R.E.M. & Kate Pierson rehearse Shiny Happy People - 1991 (for SNL)

And some of us are angry:

Orange Crush (live in Germany, 2003)

And often reflective, as I was sitting yesterday morning, having my coffee and watching the birds in the early morning light.

Nightswimming (Michel Stipe vocals, Mike Mills piano;
Undated, Live in Jool, Netherlands)

Yeah, reflective, like the mood I'm in now. Michael, Peter, Mike and Bill -- to your band R.E.M., Requiescat in Pace.

Jimmy Cliff: "Many Rivers To Cross" (1972)

Here's the incomparable Jimmy Cliff performing a definitive studio version of his classic Many Rivers to Cross, from the soundtrack album of the reggae break-out film The Harder They Come (1972).

The soundtrack album changed my life in more ways than one. When I dragged my first wife to see the film, I loved it and she hated it. You can't changed your taste, but wives, well, let's just say I still love the album and she's long gone.

So here's Many Rivers to Cross, a heavily gospel influenced song Cliff wrote in 1969.

Two Dylan Master Takes of "Tangled Up in Blue"

Bob Dylan, 1975

In September of 1974, Bob Dylan, recording in New York City, laid down the tracks that were intended to be released as his album Blood on the Tracks. But over that Christmas spent in Minnesota, Dylan became dissatisfied with the September version of the album: "I thought the songs could have sounded differently, better." (Liner notes: The Bootleg Series Vol. 1-3, p. 35). Dylan re-recorded some key tracks while in Minnesota in December. The album, with these re-recorded tracks, was released in January 1975.

Blood on the Tracks eventually came to be regarded as one of Dylan's best records. The rejected masters released later are excellent in their own right while also giving us insight into the evolution of this essential album. The two master takes of Tangled Up in Blue are a case in point.

Below are both the September '74 and December '74 alternate master takes of Tangled Up in Blue -- the December take is the one that was released on Blood on the Tracks.

Personally, this song played a huge part in the soundtrack to my life. First, it was the key breakthrough song in me coming to appreciate Dylan. I also look back fondly now on the hundreds of times I sang along with the song, scream/singing "Tangled up with you, Wendy" over the decade it took me to get over one of my college sweethearts.

But enough prelude, here are the two tracks side by side. I treasure them both and enjoy comparing them. I hope you do too. (Note: On the alternate master that didn't make Blood on the Tracks, you will hear a clicking sound near the beginning of the track; that's the buttons on Dylan's coat sleeve hitting the soundboard of his guitar.)

Bob Dylan, Tangled Up in Blue, Blood on the Tracks (1975)


Bob Dylan, Tangled Up in Blue (alternate master), The Bootleg Series, Vol. 1-3 (Rare and Unreleased, 1961-1991) (1991)

Joni Mitchell: "A Case of You"

A Young Joni Mitchell

My buddy whiteray up at Echoes in the Wind just turned me on to a new tool that will allow me to place a song I'm discussing right into a post. Instead of being limited to what I can find on YouTube, where sound quality is hit or miss at best, I've now got my entire music library to work with, with high quality audio.

So let's try it out. All you have to do is click the play button below. Before you know it you will be wrapped in the arms of Joni Mitchell's A Case of You from her 1971 album Blue, arguably one of the best albums of our era -- it's listed at number 30 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

With A Case of You Joni stripped the record down to the essentials: in this case her hammer dulcimer, her voice and her songwriting, in this song examining the ebbs and flows of a love affair. (This record is from when Joni was in her late twenties; in a more recent interview, a mature Joni says of love, 'Yea, I got that all figured out'.)

I hope you enjoy this favorite of mine as much as I enjoy having a way to let you listen to it. Just hit the play button below and sit back.

*****

A Taste of That Old Wine Will Cost You: Update on Exile Outtakes' Release

Update: 28 April 2010

Below I wrote about the impending May 18th release of outtake tracks from the Exile on Main St sessions. While visiting Amazon.com last night to do some research I discovered how the outtake tracks are being marketed. Along with alternate takes of tracks that made the original album (e.g. an alternate version of Soul Survivor), the previously unreleased material is being sold separately from the remastered original album.

You can check out the track listing on the 2010 Deluxe Edition "bonus" CD here.

Sir Mick Jagger and Keith Richards didn't get to be the two richest men in rock n' roll by accident. Hell, they were tax exiles in France when they made the record.

The Stones in Their Prime: "Plundered My Soul"

Once again my blogging mentor comes through with an grade A find -- an outtake track from Exile on Main Street (1972). The New York Times reports this song is one of ten Exile outtake tracks to be released May 18th on a upcoming remastered deluxe edition of the classic Stones double album.

From a bigger picture perspective, I've always felt the Stones have been very stingy about opening up their vaults, making this an extra special treat for me. And it comes from the vault I wanna explore most, the outtakes from the Nellcôte sessions that form the heart of Exile.

And now, since I get my wish, I'm gonna wait a while before I try to find the lyrics. It will be more like the old days, when a Stones fan had to work to discern what the hell Mick was singing.

Eric Clapton Recaptures The Fire: "From the Cradle"

*****

*****

Back in the early seventies, Eric Clapton set a standard for himself, indeed for the rock world, with his work on Derek and the Dominoes' Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (1970). This blues rock classic is unsurpassed in its heartfelt power. But on subsequent releases such as 461 Ocean Boulevard (1974) and Slowhand (1977), it appeared that churning, burning Eric was gone forever. I'm not criticizing those later albums -- the artistry was still there, but the fire of the Layla album -- a fire partially attributable to the presence of Duane Allman -- was gone.

Then, for those of us who cherished that fire, came Eric's 1994 album of blues covers, From the Cradle. For the first time, the growl was back in his voice and the blazing intensity back in his guitar work . For a sample, check out this video of Eric & Co. performing Groaning the Blues, an Otis Rush classic covered on the album. The tracks on From the Cradle have all the power of this sample from a never completed documentary, "Nothin' but the Blues", by Martin Scorsese.

From the Cradle removes any doubt about Clapton's status as a true blues master.

"Sandy, The Aurora is Rising Behind Us"

Recently I've been listening to a great old Bruce Springsteen album, one that's a very good cheer-me-up record, The Wild, the Innocent & The E Street Shuffle (1973) -- Bruce's last album before Born to Run hit and super-stardom soon followed.

It's like seven little operas, each containing their own story, their own sound and spirit, all crowned by the band's signature song in it's early days, Rosalita.

And as a happy 4th of July wish, here's a little treat from the record. Enjoy some independence wherever you find it.

The Best Lou Reed Solo Album Ever

My call on this impossible task is Lou's 1989 New York lp. I was lucky enough to see the tour, owned the original and just replaced it with a CD copy this week.

It burns even hotter now, with two decades come and gone: Dirty Boulevard, Romeo and Juliet, and Busload of Faith crack, sizzle and pop, both lyrically and musically, like a downed electrical wire on the road in a hurricane. Rob Wasserman's six string upright electric bass and Reed's relentless guitar work create a rock and roll machine in overdrive from the Bowery straight up to Spanish Harlem.

An essential.

From "Blue": "A Case of You" - Joni Mitchell

From "Blue": "A Case of You" -- Joni Mitchell




A rhythm all her own. A voice for the gods. A rock 'n' roll soul. A river "to skate away on."

"Got Live If You Want It."

Otis Redding

Hog Farm Members in Free Kitchen, Woodstock Music and Art Festival, 1969, photo (c) Lisa Law

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[Editor Epigram:] More wisdom from inside the business: essential Guest Contributor King Bishop's second helping:

Let me begin this diatribe with a statement: I DON'T LIKE LIVE ALBUMS! Most are sloppily recorded excuses for getting an album out while we write material for the next studio album. Sometimes it's an excuse to revive previously released material and hopefully give it a second chance to hit (KISS ALIVE and FRAMPTON COMES ALIVE are two phenomenally popular examples of this), but my little article is about 10 live albums that I personally find exciting. This is just my opinion, but since I am King Bishop, my opinion is gospel!

10.) MONTEREY POP FESTIVAL / JIMI HENDRIX and OTIS REDDING

Though this was the breakout performance for the most influential guitarist of the rock era and includes fantastic tunes (for example, LIKE A ROLLING STONE that Jimi dedicates to Bob Dylan's grandmother who he swears is in the audience!), the stage was stolen by the Incredible OTIS REDDING as white audiences were introduced to the electrifying performances of I'VE BEEN LOVING YOU TOO LONG, SHAKE, and TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS among others. Otis hadn't broke onto the airwaves yet, and sadly didn't till after his death. At the ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME they have a piece of the plane that Otis died in. It says OTIS REDDING on it and gave me and my wife chills.

9.) FANDANGO/ ZZ TOP

Not really completely a live album per se, because one side was studio (and strong! HEARD IT ON THE X, TUSH, MEXICAN BLACKBIRD, etc.), but the live side showcases the fun and power "the little band out of Texas " can display! One of their best!

8.) THE MOTHERS/FILLMORE 1970

Frank at his creative peak! Flo and Eddie telling the story of that famous MUD SHARK! (If you don't know the story, I'm not gonna tell you!) NOTABLE QUOTES: "Everyone in this room is wearing a uniform. Don't kid yourself!"

7.) LITTLE RICHARD'S GREATEST HITS (Okeh Records -1968 -- recorded at the Okeh Club)

This was at the height of Little Richard's revived career via TV talk shows as he tears through a set of his 50s hits and presents his over-the-top personality that makes this an absolute must! Listening to this helped create a love for 50s rock and roll that beats forever in my heart till this very day. NOTABLE QUOTES: "WANT ALL THE WOMEN SAY WHOOOOOOO! WANT ALL THE MEN SAY UGH!! OOOOOH MY SOUL!"

6.) ABSOLUTELY LIVE/ THE DOORS

Jim Morrison. A live mike. Phenobarbital. Magic. NOTABLE QUOTES: "SHUT UP!!! NOW IS THAT ANY WAY TO ACT AT A ROCK AND ROLL CONCERT???"

5.) ROCKIN' THE FILLMORE! HUMBLE PIE

Frampton was gone, Steve Mariott don't need no doctor and everything is cool...cold actually, STONE COLD FEVER! Their best!

4 (tie).) JOHNNY CASH AT FOLSOM PRISON/
JOHNNY CASH AT SAN QUENTIN

Country's first million selling album (FOLSOM), Country's first # 1 album (SAN QUENTIN) and the only man who could make country music "cool" for everybody. Cash is at full power as excellence prevails. Both albums have been re-issued with the entire concerts included and we are all the luckier for it! NOTABLE QUOTES: "COULD SOMEBODY BRING ME MY BAG FROM THE BACK? YOU KNOW....THE BAG I KEEP ALL MY DOPE..ER...THINGS IN!"

3.) FULL HOUSE/THE J. GEILS BAND

Forget that Centerfold shit! Forget that Freeze Frame crap! This early Geils release has the band at their truest as WHAMMER JAMMER/HARD DRIVIN'MAN will scorch the speakers! With minor hit LOOKIN' FOR A LOVE, the band sears through some Otis Rush and other blues greats covers that will blow you away! Highly recomended!

2.) STEPPENWOLF LIVE

This double album made GOD DAMN THE PUSHER MAN a household name! I don't believe I ever knew anybody of my age group that didn't have this album! Parents freaked as "I SMOKED A LOT OF GRASS...LORD I POPPED A LOT OF PILLS" blared through the weekly bunco club meetings and set the tone for the unrest to come! And it had a really cool lookin' wolf on the cover!

1.) WOODSTOCK

The soundtrack of a generation!! NOTABLE QUOTES: Arlo Guthrie: NEW YORK THROUGHWAYS CLOSED MAN! LOTTA FREAKS! Stephen Stills: THIS IS ONLY THE THIRD TIME WE'VE PLAYED LIVE. WE'RE SCARED SHITLESS!" [Editors Note: Stills is not kidding either; he has an ego the size of Texas and that Woodstock gig terrified him.] The music runs the gamut of Ritchie Havens, Joan Baez to Santana and the Star-Spangled Banner immortalized by Jimi! The soundtrack of a generation!!

There are many other "Live" albums that are worth noting (ALLMAN BROTHERS AT THE FILLMORE, LIVE/DEAD; AFTER BATHING AT BAXTER'S, etc.) and I'm sure you folks have your own personal faves! These are some of mine!

__________________________________
[Endnote: Thanks to my editorial staff and, again, to King Bishop.]

From Mod to Glam to Metal to Dead: T Rex Rules

When I first heard Bang A Gong -- I was, instantly, Marc Bolan's riff-rock slave -- he kept me mesmerized with that riff he coined, latter briefly gathered together again by INXS, until two tragic deaths, years apart, killed it.

Or so I thought. That's what I get for thinking -- because rocker philosopher King Bishop gonna take over. Introducing, the living legend in my own mind, newe Guest Contributor King Bishop take:

(Me): Ready King...1...2....1,2,3,4 --

[King B.:] T.REXTASY!!!! After several years of folk-rock sucess in lesser -known bands like God's Children and Tyrranesaurus Rex, Marc Bolan and Percussionist Mickey Finn broke onto the british charts in spring of 1971 with the infectious HOT LOVE.Britian fell into a mania that wasn't seen since the Beatles.Combining simple, uncomplicated chord changes, nonsensical lyrics and a complete overdose of charisma Marc Bolan exploded and domineered Britian for the next 18 months. In the states, we embraced BANG A GONG, the album ELECTRIC WARRIOR and not much else.Production genius Tony Visconti was another important factor in the sound ( as were former Turtles-Zappa -Springsteen back up vocal specialists Flo and Eddie:Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman) but the breathy, almost whispering leads by Bolan make his sound unmistakable! TV commercials and modern films have embraced Bolan as his music is still all over the place. I have always said that Marc Bolan gets away with things I would hate somebody else for doing but when he does it, it's cool! Do I understand it? Naw, just love it! T.Rex made one film, an Apple film(The Beatles Apple, mind you) with Ringo at the helm, co-starring and playing a mouse. Elton John also appears and segments were filmed in John Lennon's back yard. This was commercially released in 2005. My son, taking a college course in audio engineering was studying recording techniques taught by a former BABE RUTH bassist. T.Rex became the discussion and my son mentioned the movie BORN TO BOOGIE. No one had ever heard of it and my son became the class kingpin for not only hearing of the film, but actually seeing it! His dad has owned a bootleg copy since 1989.
(-- by King Bishop, all rights reserved; copyright Mango Turnpike Ltd, LLC, 2008.)

*****

Invasion of Cosmic American Music into the Golden Age of Hollywood

See:

Paco's Juke Box, Starting Today: An Instant Classic Covering Four Genres Featured

What Is the Most Important Event of July 1969?

Controversial, but the real, cover of the self-titled Blind Faith album (1969)

July 1969? -- no, not my 13th birthday, but thanks.

Answer: release the album Blind Faith. The tracks Can't Find My Way Home (live filmed version here) and Presence Of The Lord (audio only album version here) will live forever.

Can I get an "Amen"?

Most folks pick the first moon landing as the most important event of July 1969. Very important, I was there watching the rocket take off on the 16th, but without the two songs noted above, my life would be empty and confusing. Now it is neither.