The College Crowd Digs Me

"Of Cabbages And Kings" - Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde (1967) Until I heard this album, I felt mostly indifferent about Chad and Jeremy.  Pleasant chaps. Nice vocals.  "A Summer Song" ... "Yesterday's Gone"  and all that.  But I saw them as being rather...dull.  But that was before the unlikely duo released... "Of Cabbages And Kings." (1967)  The year of "Sgt. Pepper."  The year C & J hooked a ride on the psych-train. Side one is almost perfect.  A tasty collection of folk and baroque psych.  Side two is "The Progressive Suite" divided up into 5 movements.  It is the more ambitious.  You'll hear a cacophony of instruments and sounds...from the familiar plucking of the sitar to a ping-pong ball being paddled back and forth.  And with lyrics both earnest and kinda silly, it all pretty much works.  I loved it.  Well, most of it.  A couple of songs from side two would've been better served with les...

7 Favorite  Books  I  Read  In  2018 Every book is a new book if you haven't read it yet!   And so, let us begin. Case Histories - Kate Atkinson (2005) A detective explores three cold cases that span over 30 years and finds each intertwines in unusual and compelling ways.  It's a clever mystery that's unique in the telling with a tight satisfying payoff. The Stand: The Complete & Uncut Edition - Stephen King (1978 /1990) There are plenty of apocalyptic novels on the bookshelves these days but in 1978...not so many.  In this instance, a doomsday brought on by a government SNAFU.  And just like that..." Whoomp! (There it is.)"   This is the “uncut/unedited” version filled with dozens and dozens of wonderful minutiae scenes that really don't further the story along but does make the telling of this good/evil story all the more compelling. The Stand is widely regarded as the Bob Dylan song of t...

(a 20-minute drive home) "The Fever"  - Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes / Live Performing live is how you want to meet Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes.  And  "The Fever"  is instant fodder for the proof.   He released a studio version of this song on his debut album,  "I Don't Want to Go Home"  (1976)  but it was a 'live' version I heard driving home.  The original song, however, was an early Springsteen 7 inch.  I haven't heard Bruces' version, but  Southside Johnny nails it just fine. "Who Loves the Sun"  - Velvet Underground / "Loaded" (1970) This song will always be the wonderful little sugar gem that casually strolls its way into "Sweet Jane."   The song has an early Beatles delivery, but with the tiniest hint of a needle waiting its turn to tickle the skin.  "Who loves the sun? Not everyone."  "Station to Station" - David Bowie / "Station to S...

"Tarzana Kid" - John Sebastian (1974 ) John Sebastian was the cool hippie that, had I lived in the Woodstock days of yore, I would have most tried to emulate.  He was very cool.  Very relaxed.  As if wherever he was...was exactly where he needed to be.  The friend you'd want around if you were tripping south.  And I'd borrow his warm, effortless timbre, as well, now that I'm rollin'. "Tarzana Kid" (back) Reprise label (promo) "Stories We Could Tell" - John Sebastian / "Tarzana Kid" (1974) Good stuff. Casey Chambers Follow Me On FACEBOOK

“Who's going to do  the cooking?” ~ Nellie Oleson ~ I grew up on “Little House On The Prairie.”   "Little House" was my safe place.  My calm against storms.  I've watched every episode multiple, multiple times.  And still, if I accidentally stumble upon the show when surfing the numbers, I'm quite content to just set my remote down and watch.  I loved all the characters from that show.  All of them.  Yeah, even the snotty and snooty Nellie Oleson .  She was wickedly mean and spoiled to the curd, and I loved her.  Oh, not right away.  Growing up, I despised her like everyone else.  "But just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in."  (me doing Van Zandt doing Pacino , but whatever.)  Nellie Oleson, as played by Alison Arngrim was just a whole lot of fun to watch. And think about this a minute.  While the other kids from the show were getting fan letters and gifts, Alison was actually ...

CHICAGO "HALLOWEEN" SONGS 2018 Time on my hand, I thought I would dig around a bit and try to find a few forgotten songs for Halloween.  And I found a few!  Here are 8 really scary Halloween songs from the classic rock band...Chicago. From their latest album - "Chicago 666," of course. "Feelin' Stranger Every Day" "(I've Been) Searchin' So Long (to find an ax-sharpener)" "Saturday in the Morgue" "25 or 6 to Life" "Color My Knife Wounds" "Just You 'n' Me and Plastic Wrap" "Hard Elbow To Break" "Does Anybody Really Know What Crime It Is?" "HAPPY   HALLOWEEN   EVERYBODY!" "Feelin' Stronger Every Day" - Chicago / "Chicago In The Rockies" (1973) Good stuff. Casey Chambers Follow Me On FACEBOOK

"Strip" ...by Thomas Perry (2010) 344 pages NO SPOILERS: This Thomas Perry novel was just a late summer toss read.  Nothing deep.  A story to chew on while waiting for the leaves of autumn to begin changing their clothes.  Just a quick in-and-out. The story revolves around an aging mob boss who learns his strip clubs are getting robbed and the new guy in town he mistakenly fingers for the job. A guy who just wants to eat his sandwich in peace. A guy you shouldn't poke with a stick. There are a few other characters thrown into the mix, each of variable shades of badness and stupid, and to be honest, I found these misfits a lot more interesting.  However, Perry does write some pretty good parlay betwixt them all and throws in a good twist or two to twerk the story along. But at the end of the day, it was really hard to find someone to toss my keys to and drive.  Plus, the story took a couple of louies where I would've preferred the writer ...