Emotional Listening #47

Vee Vee - Archers of Loaf (Alias, 1995)
I think I can say with confidence that Vee Vee has become my favorite Archers of Loaf record. 1993's Icky Mettle surely has some jams, mainly in "Web in Front," which is their second best song. And, I will forever love 1996's All the Nation's Airports, which is excellent for its own reasons ("Scenic Pastures" being the main one) for getting me into the band in the first place. Vee Vee has "Harnessed in Slums," though, which is not only the best Archers song, but, is one of the greatest songs of the past 20 years. Overall, this album maintains a similar sense of urgency and intensity as Icky Mettle, but, with a slicker sound, thanks to Bob Weston's production work (not TOO slick, of course). Here, the band is tighter and playing with a little more pop sensibility, which, in combination with with their innovative and gnarly guitar work (think Pavement, but, heavier and weirder), makes for an incredibly enjoyable, original sound. I totally get it if you can't get into Eric Bachmann's voice, however, Vee Vee is great enough that one should be able to get around that.
Top jams: "Step Into the Light," "Harnessed in Slums," "Nevermind the Enemy," "Greatest of All Time," "Underdogs of Nipomo," "Floating Friends," "Let the Loser Melt," "Death in the Park"




Hermit of Mink Hollow - Todd Rundgren (Bearsville, 1978)
Todd Rundgren, baby. My first experience with him was the amazing placement of "Can We Still be Friends?" in Cameron Crowe's Vanilla Sky. It has been an all-time favorite song of mine ever since. Next came his production work on XTC's Skylarking, which is wonderfully appropriate. 1978's Hermit of Mink Hollow is my first foray into a solo record of his. First, I'd like to draw attention to that album title. It is so bad, it's good. Now we can move on to the music, which is a unique combination of 70s power pop and forward-thinking space age prog. The song structures are definitely of the pop variety, but, the instrumentation and some of the intricate twists and turns bring to mind the poppy side of, say, Yes. "All the Children Sing" is a pretty bad ass opener. "Determination" and "Out of Control" are more straightforward power pop rockers, which, I sort of wish there were more of. I would consider "Onomatopoeia" the only real misstep due to its overt childishness. But, I even have a hard time admitting that because I kind of like it? Everything comes back to "Can We Still be Friends?," as it is not only the album's best song, but, it is one of those untouchable all-time greats. Where should I go next with this guy?
Top jams: "All the Children Sing," "Can We Still be Friends?," "Determination," "You Cried Wolf," "Out of Control," "Fade Away"




Heartbreak's Got Backbeat - Six Going on Seven (Some, 1999)
This little known, underrated record packs quite a wallop. Six Going on Seven were a Boston band that existed in the late 1990s and very early 2000s. They put out three records, and as I recall, there wasn't a ton of fanfare for these guys, which is unfortunate, because they totally rule. Heartbreak's Got Backbeat was the band's sophomore LP, and I had discovered the album's opener, "Portsmouth," on some Doghouse Records/Big Wheel Recreation compilation CD I had in high school. I liked this song then, but, now I really love it, and it is the best song on the record. "How to Sell the Brooklyn Bridge" and "Reverse Midas" are almost as good, but, not quite. I've never listened to the band's 1997 debut, Self-Made Mess, or their 2001 swan song, American't (Or Won't). On Heartbreak's Got Backbeat, there is a nice mix of melodic punk and classic 90s alternative rock, with some truly memorable bass playing and a lot of awesome emo chords thrown in for good measure. The songs are super good, the musicianship is top notch, and this is totally a record worth checking out.
Top jams: "Portsmouth," "Southbound," "03:12:05," "How to Sell the Brooklyn Bridge," "New/Improved!," "Reverse Midas," "Proof Positive"

Emotional Listening #46

The Good Earth - The Feelies (Coyote/Twin/Tone, 1986)
The Feelies are THE great American jangle pop band after early R.E.M. 1980's Crazy Rhythms was a great herky-jerky intro to the band, while 1988's Only Life is one of the greatest records of that entire decade. 1986's The Good Earth is a nice bridge between the two, though it sounds more in line with Only Life than Crazy Rhythms. These songs are upbeat and poppy for the most part, though with a somber feel at times. The vocals aren't bouncy or catchy like those of The Bats or R.E.M. and have more of a Lou Reed tone, but, there are still some quality melodies. "On the Roof" is such a perfect way to open this record (sounds like definite inspiration to Yo La Tengo), and I love the chord progression in "When Company Comes." "Slipping (Into Something)" also is a fantastic six-minute jam. Without question, though, "Let's Go" is the best album's best song, as well as one of The Feelies' all time greats.
Top jams: "On the Roof," "The High Road," "Slipping (Into Something)," "When Company Comes," "Let's Go," "The Good Earth"




Who's Your New Professor - Sam Prekop (Thrill Jockey, 2005)
Sam Prekop is the lead vocalist and guitarist in one of my favorite bands of all time, The Sea and Cake, and Who's Your New Professor is his second solo album. It is essentially an extension of his 1999 self-titled debut, perhaps with some slightly more interesting sounds, and also doesn't sound that unlike the ballads that rear their heads on Sea and Cake albums. I can see how this could be boring or uninteresting to some, but, the quality of Prekop's songwriting and his level of talent easily make up for the fact that he isn't really doing anything new or different, at least for him. His solo work as well as The Sea and Cake's material has never sounded like that of anyone else, it's just that, like I said, they don't sound all that different from each other. Prekop's songs are just even more chill than those of The Sea and Cake (if you can believe it). So anyway, Who's Your New Professor is some chill, smooth tuneage; sometimes jazzy, sometimes more tropical sounding, sometimes a combination of the two. There's some great stuff here, with opener "Something," instrumental "Magic Step" and "C + F," which has more of a hip hop beat to it, probably being the best. I couldn't find "C + F" on YouTube, so, I had to settle for sharing "Something."
Top jams: "Something," "Magic Step," "Two Dedications," "Little Bridges," "C + F," "Density"




Some Girls - The Rolling Stones (Rolling Stones, 1978)
Some Girls is The Rolling Stones' 16th American full length album (which is truly insane), and I'm assuming you probably know that it was considered a return to form at the time, being considered their best record since 1972's Exile on Main St. Unlike on that record, here, the band show some restraint by only including 10 songs (which is usually a good idea). Some Girls is a pretty dirty album as a good portion of the songs tend to be about sexual relations. Now I understand why my dad always kept this record hidden from me in my young days of living at home with my parents. You know what, though, Dad? This record rules. "Miss You" is the obvious opener, and I was pleasantly surprised by how great their cover of "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)" is. "Lies" and "Respectable" are bad ass blues rock jams that would have fit in pretty well on Exile... "Before They Make Me Run" is a really good Keith Richards song, but, honestly, I've never been that into "Beast of Burden." The best song is the closer, "Shattered." It's got this nice groove that's a little more upbeat than the rest of the record, and I really like the repetition and aimlessness of it. This is the most half-assed review of Some Girls ever. Sorry. Trust me, I really like it.
Top jams: "Miss You," "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)," "Lies," "Respectable," "Before They Make Me Run," "Shattered"




Sounds of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel (Columbia, 1966)
Maybe Sounds of Silence, Simon & Garfunkel's second album, is cliche, and I am totally uncool for spending time with it lately. Well, screw you. Michigan has been in a stretch of weather that has been feeling pretty close to fall (with the exception of the past couple days), and these are some great fall jams. You know who Simon & Garfunkel are: the 60s folk duo that Paul Simon made up one half of (and pretty much wrote all the songs, right?). There are plenty of obvious classics here, and I feel like a Garden State-era Zach Braff or something, just now getting around to spending some quality time with them. I love pretty much every song, but, "Leaves That Are Green," "Somewhere They Can't Find Me," "Richard Cory" and "A Most Peculiar Man" are best.
Top jams: "The Sound of Silence," "Leaves That Are Green," "Kathy's Song," "Somewhere They Can't Find Me," "Richard Cory," "A Most Peculiar Man," "April Came She Will"