Hunky Dory - David Bowie (RCA, 1971)
I did a weird thing with David Bowie. Instead of starting with the albums that featured his most popular hits (Hunky Dory, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, even Station to Station), when I finally decided to be super interested in his music, I went right for the weird ones (Low, Heroes). I don't regret that, because his late-70s experimental albums are fantastic, but, honestly, it certainly didn't help develop any further appreciation for Bowie's more straightforward glam and psychedelic pop. Don't get me wrong - I still like his more classic sound (he was obviously still an incredible songwriter and musician in the earlier stages of the game), and, regarding this specific album of focus, "Queen Bitch" has always been one of my favorite Bowie songs. I just strongly prefer Bowie's more insane side. Anyway, Hunky Dory is still a great early-70s pop record that heavily nods toward psych and folk rock. I used to think "Changes" was obnoxious because you'd hear it way too much at the bar or karaoke, but, man, it is a really good song and the perfect opener. I was an idiot. "Oh! You Pretty Things" and "Fill Your Heart" sound like cheezy Paul McCartney tunes to me, but, Bowie-fied. I still like 'em. "Life on Mars" used to sort of annoy me, but, I know it's another totally good pop song. Maybe it's just a little too dramatic? Lastly, "Queen Bitch" is still my favorite song on the record. It's fun as hell.
Top jams: "Changes," "Oh! You Pretty Things," "Life on Mars," "Kooks," "Fill Your Heart," "Song for Bob Dylan," "Queen Bitch"
Whirlpool - Chapterhouse (Dedicated/RCA, 1991)
I don't know a ton about Chapterhouse. As I'm working on this blurb, I've learned that they were from Reading and only released two albums: 1991's Whirlpool and 1993's Blood Music. My girlfriend Sara tipped me off to them by sharing with me "Breather," the opener from Whirlpool. "Breather" is without question THE jam of the record with its pretty, dreamy, drawn out female vocals, catchy and chimey guitar, and completely insane drum part (still trying to figure out if its real or sampled). Nothing else on the record even comes to close to this song, but, the overall quality is still high. Whirlpool showcases some truly solid tuneage in the realm of shoegaze and dream pop, and it has me interested in checking out that 1993 follow-up.
Top jams: "Breather," "Pearl," "Treasure," "Falling Down," "Guilt," "If You Want Me"
Zenyatta Mondatta - The Police (A&M, 1980)
It's no Synchronicity, but, The Police's third LP, Zenyatta Mondatta, is pretty good. I know, I know, there are definitely some elements of it that are terribly corny, such as the title and chorus of "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" (though, I can't deny that it's a catchy tune). However, the good outweighs the bad. Mega-hit "Don't Stand So Close to Me" is still great, considering the fact that I've heard it way too many times in my life. "When the World is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around" and "Voices Inside My Head" groove in a way that I don't know The Police were capable of. "Canary in a Coalmine," for better or worse, is the most reggae moment on the record, and is unquestionably the surprise top jam here. Cheezy or not, The Police were one of the more unique bands at the time, and were incredible musicians. I will always appreciate them for that.
Top jams: "Don't Stand So Close to Me," "When the World is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around," "Canary in a Coalmine," "Voices Inside My Head," "Bombs Away," "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da," "Man in a Suitcase"
Let It Be - The Replacements (Twin/Tone, 1984)
Okay, so, I've spent time with Let It Be (not the Beatles album, but the third album by The Replacements, often considered their seminal work). It's always seemed to be on in the background, usually while hanging out with friends or something. So, I hadn't really put in the amount of focus that I typically like to with an album until these past few weeks. Wonderfully, it's even better than I had at first realized, even borderline perfect. Sure, "Gary's Got a Boner" isn't a great song, but, at least it's funny! I'm not really a fan of "Black Diamond" either, but, I love every other song. The awesomely jangly "I Will Dare" is the perfect opener, and has always been my favorite Replacements song (though over the past year, "Asking Me Lies," from Don't Tell a Soul, has given it some competition). "Favorite Thing," "We're Comin' Out," and "Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out" are bad ass, boozy rock songs, with the latter two riding the line of straight up punk rock. "Androgynous" is a piano tune that is a weird fit, but, really works as a sort of intermission. "Unsatisfied" and "Sixteen Blue" are great almost-ballads, both featuring excellent melodies and guitar chords. "Seen Your Video" is another balls-out rocker, and "Answering Machine," the hidden gem, closes things out. That song has always been weird to me, because the first time I ever heard it, I thought it really could have used drums and bass instead of being the bare bones entity that it is. But, that's also part of the charm of the song. It gives off so much energy and raw emotion with just a guitar, vocals, off-time tambourine shaking and, of course, and answering machine message. Anyway, I ridiculously just gave a quick rundown of the whole album, which was not my originally intention. But, whatever. If you haven't already listened to this record, I'm guessing you probably won't. But, you should.
Top jams: "I Will Dare," "Favorite Thing," "We're Comin' Out," "Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out," "Androgynous," "Unsatisfied," "Seen Your Video," "Sixteen Blue," "Answering Machine"
Mezcal Head - Swervedriver (Creation/A&M, 1993)
Mezcal Head, Swervedriver's sophomore LP, has quickly become an all-time favorite record. My interest in started when both Travis and Sara (again, my girlfriend) described the band as something I would love quite a long time ago. I had listened to the album a handful of times with Sara, and maybe once or twice with Trav, and I could tell that once I put in the proper amount of time with it, I would have a life-long relationship with it. Well, it's happened. Mezcal Head is an incredible album, wrongfully being lumped in with the shoegaze genre. Swervedriver hail from Oxford, but, they sound much more like an American band, perhaps from Chicago. The songs here are big and surprisingly melodic considering how technical they can get. Adam Franklin's vocal melodies are top notch (and he has a fantastic voice, to boot). The dueling guitars are the stuff dreams are made of. The bass guitar tone is thick and the parts are just right. I will say that the production on the drums does sound a bit more Brit Pop than anything else on the record, but, they sound fantastic, and Jez Hindmarsh's playing is awesomely tight and complex. Overall, I'd say that Mezcal Head is comparable to Chavez, Shiner and Hum, perhaps with even bigger production and a bit more pop sensibility. While "Duel" is definitely an all-time favorite song, in the context of the album, I had a hard time picking a favorite, so I decided to additionally share "Harry & Maggie" and "You Find It Everywhere." Now, question: Where do I go next with Swervedriver? Do I go back to their debut, Raise? Or, do I move ahead to Ejector Seat Reservation?
Top jams: "For Seeking Heat," "Duel," "Blowin' Cool," "MM Abduction," "Last Train to Satansville," "Harry & Maggie," "Girl on a Motorbike," "You Find It Everywhere"
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