The College Crowd Digs Me

"Watchmen"   by Alan Moore (1987) Graphic Novel, 416 pages (I stumbled upon a good-sized box filled with a variety of graphic novels at an estate sale. No official count as I've just been pulling from the box when I find time to read one.) NO SPOILERS: On the surface, "Watchmen" is a murder mystery.  A small group of costumed heroes who have longtime retired and drifted apart are possibly being targeted.  One already is chewing dirt and the others are reluctantly or otherwise sharing ideas, opinions, and...memories.   However, the story digs deeper than just solving a mystery.  Like why someone is compelled to create a costume and do what they do.  The dynamics of time and friendships. The pull and push of a changing world.  And as prevalent as the violence and danger that lies within, this is a love story as well. I thoroughly enjoyed turning every page.  Both the writing and artwork are stunning.  The artwork, especially, is a MasterC...

 (4 For Friday) *   Just in time for Halloween.  A wispy, floating  ghost figure made from wire.   So awesome! *   Plain and Fancy shares a track of psych, fuzzy goodness courtesy of 1969 Muddy Waters . *   A descriptive, recurring dream shared by Echoes In The Wind while Chet Atkins picks a slightly ominous wisp. *   Well this certainly turned out much different than I expected. "Blue Collar" - Bachman-Turner Overdrive / "Bachman-Turner Overdrive" (1973) Good stuff. Casey Chambers Follow Me On FACEBOOK

"It's So Hard To Tell Who's Going To Love You The Best" - Karen Dalton (1969 - Rei 2020 ) (Folk jazz, Country blues) Karen Dalton's vocals fall in the isthmus somewhere between Amy Winehouse and Billie Holiday.  Just a  beautiful conundrum that sucks you right in.  Filled with world-weary loneliness that runs close to the bone.  The music is all atmosphere.  Dalton's jazzy-blues vocal timbre tells you all you need to know. The despair and sadness is heavy even in the lightest of moments and is not a record I'll pull out just to pull out.  But the album definitely has its place.  And it's nice knowing Karen Dalton's on the shelf when I need company and there's only me, myself, and I. "It's So Hard To Tell..." - Karen Dalton (back) Favorites include "It Hurts Me Too."   "Little Bit Of Rain."   "It's So Hard To Tell Who's Going To Love You The Best."   "Ribbon Bow."   And "Sw...

(a short jaunt) "Ride The Tiger" - Jefferson Starship / "Dragon Fly" (1974) "I want to ride the tiger. I want to ride the tiger. It will be black and white in the dead of night. Eyes flashing in the clear moonlight. I want to ride the tiger." Near the end of the Airplane, they were beginning to sound like tired individuals just backing up whoever authored the song.  Trying not to give too much of themselves away.  Not broken, but certainly cracked.  Not on this bad boy, though.  Here the band brings the noise like they've come to collect a debt.  And it's a great opening song.  By the way, that's their new guitarist Craig Chaquico dancing on the wires.  This was their "official" debut as the Jefferson Starship . (OWN) "The Black Parade"  - Willie Nile /  "Beautiful Wreck of the World" (1999) "You laugh at the shape I'm in. Drink cheap wine and have all your fun. But you'll wipe off that graveyard gri...

(4 For Friday) *   Check out the official music video from Tears For Fears  upcoming album..... "The Tipping Point."   This will be their seventh studio album. *   Everyone knows about the Great Wall of China , but what about the second greatest wall ?  "I did not know that!" (in my best Dana Carvey doing Johnny Carson voice.) *   Rockasteria takes a look-see at the Atlanta Rhythm Section's 1972 debut album. *   Actors who were  much older than the teenage character they portrayed.  "Are you shittin' me?" "One Red Rose" - John Prine / "Storm Windows" (1980) Good stuff. Casey Chambers Follow Me On FACEBOOK

"Bull Angus" - Bull Angus (1971) (Hard Rock, Prog & Pysch Rock Dust) I quite enjoyed this fantastic sample of early 70s hard rock.  Bull Angus , out of Poughkeepsie, New York, recalls moments of Grand Funk and Deep Purple, but with a little less noodling and a little more variety thrown into the mix.  Bull Angus has very much their own sound.  I'm just trying to put your ears in the right ballpark. With twin guitar leads and tasty Hammond organ, songs blaze and swirl easily.  And for 1971, this self-titled album has that hard rock energy and vibe that foretells nicely what was later to come.  There are also tasteful prog dustings here and there, but they only add heady punch to the cup without being a distraction.  Really, just good songwriting all around. "Bull Angus" (back) There are three nice tracks over 6-minutes long, but I especially enjoyed the closing track “No Cream For the Maid” and the last track on side one... "Miss Casey."   Other...

"Dead City" by Shane Stevens (1973) Paperback, 307 pages NO SPOILERS: As many know from watching "Goodfellas and "The Sopranos," there are different ranks a member of a crime family can aspire to.  "Dead City"   shows us a world where violent paybacks are the norm and loyalty is never bulletproof.  A world where nasty values and cruelty are the roads most traveled.    In this novel, we are introduced to two racket guys.  One, an up-and-comer learning the ropes.  One, a long-time wannabe climbing the ladder.  The author, Shane Stevens , gives us a story of ambition and how it can make or break a man in the dark streets.  A few are destined for power and the rest quickly learn their level of competence and settle into their own niche.  But then there are just some guys who just don't know.  "Dead City" is a fast, entertaining story...dark, depressing, and wonderfully told.  FWIW... Stephen King is quoted as saying, "One of the ...

(4 For Friday) *   The  Ohio State Marching Band's ... "Tribute To Rush"    Now this is what I call a T E A M!  You're gonna wanna watch this! *   Here's a reminder how to restart your iPhone/iPad when things get glitchy. *   Bloggerhythms discusses the last album from the late... John Prine . *   A python trap using a live chicken. "Have You Forgotten" - Red House Painters / "Song For A Blue Guitar" (1996) Good stuff. Casey Chambers Follow Me On FACEBOOK

"It put me at just the right height  allowing me to bolt myself  onto the sign.  Then they drove away." ~  Kevin VanHentenryck  ~ Every once in a very blue moon, a low-budget B-grade horror film slips through the cracks and rises above its expectations. "Basket Case" takes one left-field Louie of an idea, throws in some blood and horror and sprinkles it with some humor (intentional and unintentional), and delivers up a movie with such an earnest ploy, one would have to be a scrooge to dismiss it.  None of this film would work if we didn't care for the charmingly sweet and goofy protagonist played by the actor... Kevin VanHentenryck ...and, of course, his handsome brother Belial .  VanHentenryck , now a professional sculptor and designer, plays his character with such a good nature, we forgive all the quirks and just enjoy the bloody and horrific paybacks...one after another.  It's a cheaply made film, sure, but the film ain't cheap. The movie...

(a short jaunt) "Someone To Talk To" - The Police /  b-side of  "Wrapped Around Your Finger" (1983) "Though it's me that's on fire, not this cigarette I was stabbed in the back by that young suffragette." I thought this was an earlier Police song.  It has that unique sound we instantly recognize.  The sound that keeps on giving.   Andy Summers guitar riffing tones are everywhere.  And Holy McSchniekes, Stewart Copeland is popping and snapping and riffing in all the right places.  Pretty excellent b-side if you ask me.  Too bad it didn't make it onto their "Synchronicity" album.  I could've bumped at least one track to get this one on.  Anyway, The Police released the album... "Flexible Strategies" (2018) ...that features all their non-album b-sides. (NEED) "Greenwood Creek" - The Doobie Brothers / "The Doobie Brothers" (1971) "I can hear that southbound rollin'. Carryin' all my hop...

(4 For Friday) *   Here is a rare and very early 1975 live PBS performance of  Bob Dylan - "Hurricane." *   Has anyone tried this?   Iconic "Lego" album covers .  A few are pretty spot-on. *  Plain and Fancy revisits the album... "Santana III" (1971) and reminds us of all the jazzy psych-edged goodness that lies within. *   This was the first mobster impression everyone learned to do...thanks to Edward G. Robinson ...(and Bugs Bunny )  Robinson plays Rico, the ambitious mobster in " Little Caesar" (1931) (free Youtube) "Remember" - Greg Kihn / "Next Of Kihn" (1978) Good stuff. Casey Chambers Follow Me On FACEBOOK

"This Is Spinal Tap" - Spinal Tap (1984) (Hard rock, Psych rock, Folk rock, Garage rock) I've never met anyone who hasn't seen and loved this movie.  The mockumentary is perfect in every way.  As is the music from the band... Spinal Tap .  The evolution of the band's look and sound is so spot-on and pins the tail of numerous bands that shall remain nameless.  The album soundtrack had been on my want list for a long time, though I was never actively seeking it out.  I knew one would show up somewhere and for a good price...and it did. I found a nice copy while visiting a Hutchinson Record Swap a while back.  This particular dealer never brings very many records, but what he has is usually intriguing and always at a more than fair price.  My copy had $7 on it and when I went to pay, the dealer asked me for $5.00.  I pick up something from this guy every time I see his table. "This Is Spinal Tap" (back) Favorite deep tracks are "Rock And Roll Crea...

“Volume 2"   -  The Beau Brummels (1965) (Folk rock, Garage rock, Folk psych) From the title, "Volume 2" ...the album sounds like it might be a Beau Brummels compilation.  It's not.  This was the band's second studio album.  The band released two albums that year.  The first one had the big hits, but I think this one is the better spin.  The 12 songs, all originals, give the album a more cohesive vibe.  This San Francisco outfit has more similarities to The Byrds here.  A garagy, folk-rock sound.  A little darker, perhaps, but not without a few songs to pick things up.   After the release of "Volume 2" ...Autumn Records was bought out by Warner Brothers.  And WB really did a number on the band.  They totally abandoned the Brummel's original songwriting spirit in favor of the dreadful decision to have them record other artists' songs.  It failed miserably.  This commercial blunder caused by management ultima...

(4 For Friday) *   No, dammit!  I don't want to high-five! *   A very short, but amazing, snapshot in time.  Coney Island Freakshow and Circus .  You're gonna wanna see this. *   "Hey, we're not students. We're The Ramones."   Watching "Rock'n'Roll High School (1979) never gets old.  And Clint Howard  is always a quirk. "Now, this next step can either make or break a successful date."   Thanks a lot, Clint. (free-Youtube) *  According to Paste , The 100 Best Horror Movies of All Time .  I've seen 55 of them.  Maybe a few more, but if I wasn't absolutely sure...I didn't count it.   "Which Man Are You" - Tommy Tutone / "Tommy Tutone 2" (1981) Good stuff. Casey Chambers Follow Me On FACEBOOK