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Showing posts from June, 2010

Lost Gem: "Strobe Light" - B-52's (1980)

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"Then I'm gonna kiss your tummy. Then I'm gonna kiss your pineapple. ~ B-52's ~ The B-52's are an American surf-punk-new wave band that hail from...Athens, Georgia? Yea...and they encapsulate all the best parts of the genre that make for a real good time. "Wild Planet" (1980) was the B-52's sophomore effort and it doesn't disappoint.  Mystery. Camp.  Future-Chill.   Sexyback.   It's all here.  This is left-field goodness at its wacky finest. Fred Schneider is the spastic prince that conducts this cacaphony of catchy kool with his nasal talk-sing voice...while great drumming and guitar spank create simple grooves that simply will not go away. And of course, the B-52 babes ... Cindy Wilson & Kate Pierso n ...have adapted well since leaving their own planet...The one I like to refer to as... 'Yum-Yum'. Finally, do not mistake silly, for sloppy . The B-52's are skilled. Lost Gem:-->   "Strobe L

Lost Gem: "Never In My Life" - Mountain (1970)

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"You make me feel so good... bringing me the cider whiskey." ~ Mountain ~ This four-piece New York band, Mountain ...formed in 1969... was one of the first bands marked with the tag... heavy metal. Lead by jumbo Leslie West (guitar, vocals) aka... "The Fattest Fingers In Rock N' Roll " and featuring classically trained... Felix Pappalardi (bass, piano)... "Climbing" (1970) is a must-own CD filled with sledgehammer blues rock and a coup of hippie psych. And for their first three albums, the members of Mountain were inspired and wall-breaking musicians. Kowtowing to no one. The band also earned a "must-see-live" rep ...capable of taking their album jams...and bringing it hard to the stage.. .times-two. In other words... Mountain was a tough act to follow. TOUGH!!! Felix Pappalardi & Leslie West It's sadly amazing, FM radio...for the most part...has relegated this hard working howitzer to one-hit wonder status. (y

Lost Gem: "Alcohol and Pills" - Todd Snider (2004)

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"The fame don't take away the pain... it just pays the bills." ~ Todd Snider ~ Singer-Songwriter Todd Snider ...hailing out of Oregon...appears to have more than a friendly acquaintance with every subject he sings about. Sounding like a blended mix of harder John Prine and twangier John C. Mellencamp , Todd plays the part of an Americana reporter ...with a sly fox orneriness. Lost Gem:-->   "Alcohol and Pills" ...written by Fred Eaglesmith , is a Todd Snider blistering wake up call on how NOT to solve your problems. Not preachy... but certainly personal ... ( Todd's several brushes with near-death substance abuse problems can attest to that.) And t he hook is anthemic and easy to find yourself belting along with... The Snide. Have you heard this one? Hank Williams, he came up from Montgomery With a heart full of hard-luck country songs But Nashville, Tennessee, they didn't understand him because he did things Differently then the

Lost Gem: "25th Floor/High on Rebellion" - Patti Smith (1978)

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"Desire to dance, too startled to try. Wrap my legs 'round you, starting to fly." ~ Patti Smith ~ Patti Smith is a brave bad-ass babe who doesn't play nice. Patti is the... Godmother of Punk ...a CBGB icon...and a beatnik poetess with a rock and roller heart. "Easter" (1978) is filled with classic rockers and head-spinning free-form poetry burns.  Though rarely does one hear anything but the charter song... "Because The Night" .  (A good song...but hardly the best one). The words of poetry flow from her beautiful mouth with defiance. Sometimes angry.  Sometimes with an aching vulnerability.  But always with words of truth...intent on exacting just the right emotion. Backing Patti ...are fine rollers...deliciously skilled in hammering Patti's RnR nail deeper and deeper into our consciousness. Best of all... Patti Smith lays it out...her way. And no apologies. She's real.  The music's real.  And hey, if it was easy

Lost Gem: "Divine Intervention" - Matthew Sweet (1991)

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"I don't know where  I'm gonna live. Don't know if I'll find a place." ~ Matthew Sweet ~ "Girlfriend" (1991) is filled with Matthew Sweet flavored alternative pop-rock.  A masterpiece that went against the popular grain of the  'then-sound" Grunge. It would go on to become one of Rolling Stone's...Top 100 Albums from the '90s. Sweet takes us on an emotional rollercoaster ...full-circle.  And it is well-worth the price of admish. Lost Gem:-->   "Divine Intervention" ...Turn it up and enjoy the wicked guitar tinkerings ...that create a lyrical   sledgehammer of sound. Beatle influences are hard to miss...only packing a tad bit more gunpowder. Have you heard this one? I don't know where I'm gonna live Don't know if I'll find a place I'd have to think about it some And that I do not wish to face I guess I'm counting on his Divine Intervention. I cannot understand my God I don&#

Lost Gem: "Romeo and the Lonely Girl" - Thin Lizzy (1976)

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"When the train came in it had to leave again... and Romeo pulled away." ~ Thin Lizzy ~ Who didn't become a huge Thin Lizzy fan after hearing the iconic... "Boys Are Back In Town" ? It easily reminds the heart of the young carefree days of summer ...setting our spirits aright when they've become slightly out-of kilter. I'm an even bigger fan of the late songwriter, singer & bassist... Phil Lynott ...who was only 36 when he died.  His death has been attributed, partially to an unsatiated drug and alcohol habit. "Jailbreak" (1976) holds must-own papers  filled with door-busting classics front-to-back.  This is just one of the gems. Lost Gem:-->   "Romeo and the Lonely Girl" ... Lynott was a  cool-breeze   romantic with an outsider's heart ...rhyming words like  " Romeo and Owneeo" and still sounding like Shakespeare . Add gorgeous twin guitar work from Brian Robertson and Scott Gorham ...and Li

Lost Gem: "Roll Your Own" - Fabulous Poodles (1978)

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"Well, the first time you try it  you're gonna cuss and shout. Cause the paper keeps tearin' and the stuff keeps fallin' out." ~ Fabulous Poodles ~ The London bred band... Fabulous Poodles ...released their American debut... "Mirror Star" (1978) ...during a time of New Wave newness. All good, except...the FP's sounded more like a wonderful, quirky earlier version of The Who and Kinks ...rather than the quirky newness of, say, The Jam. Who knows. They were sloppy good and wicked fun.   And the band deserved better. And finally, "Mirror Star" (produced coincidentally by John Entwistle ) ...holds up better and sounds less dated...than most of what came out during this period. Lost Gem:-->   "Roll Your Own" ...is a silly grass tune that is harmless fun. Filled with wicked electric violin (Bobby Valentino)  and blow harp (Tony De Meur) . Plenty of tongue-in-cheek snarkin'...begs to be cranked and enjoyed. Have you heard