Lousy Smarch Weather has squatted over us and shat one last time. Ice in the face is cute for about a minute — four hours of leading bewildered Mississippians through lower Manhattan can be quite a chore. But I ain’t complaining, it beats working.
Anyway, this is what I’ve been listening to these last few weeks.
John Adams’ “Nixon In China” may very well be the only opera in English that I enjoy. I find the music triumphant, ethereal, complex. . .sometimes all at the same time. The subject matter is nothing other than fascinating. Who doesn’t want to hear Cho En-Lai’s philosophical thoughts on trans-oceanic air travel? “News! News! News! News! News has a – has a – has a – has a kind of MYSTERY!!!!!!”
In the early and mid-90s, as the downtown jazz scene was polyglotting itself with turntables, jam rock and “world music,” there was a counter movement of straight-up, no bullshit, watered-down “hard-bop.” It was certainly the less sexy side of the coin — and the more likely to wind up as background to a car commercial — but that doesn’t mean it was totally without merit. Joshua Redman was (and possibly still is) a solid poster boy for this movement. This album does its job well. Selections were used by Louis Malle in “Vanja on 42nd St.” if that helps sell it at all.
I may not dress like it or have the hairstyle, but there was a time when I truly dug the “shoegazer” style of music. Just the other day Ann and I were out at a restaurant and The Stone Roses came on. “Oh, man,” I said. “This reminds me of high school.” Ann looked puzzled. “Really????” Anyway, My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless is great to have on when you are working on something else.
The first song on Black Sabbath’s album “Black Sabbath” is called “Black Sabbath.” It is that kind of dedication that makes them a band worth celebrating. Said track features Ozzy shouting “Oh, please, God help me!!!” and “No! No! No!” Awesome. Also, “The Wizard” is on this album and that’s one of their best tracks ever.
I am going to make a bold statement and say that “Northern Lights – Southern Cross” is the best album The Band ever put out. I know. I am a radical. Still, Richard Manuel’s vocal on “Hobo Jungle” is, if I may sound like a wuss, completely heartbreaking. I hear it and I want to lay down on the carpet face first. And I don’t even have a carpet! Listen to an upbeat track like “Ring Your Bell” and tell me that Band wasn’t, in addition to all the other diverse things they were, a fantastic funk band. Canadian funk. Who’d’a thunk?
I’m planning a larger blog posting all about 80s Jethro Tull. It is an undiscovered country for me. All I knew from it was “Steel Monkey” off of “Crest of a Knave.” If you didn’t know it was Tull, you’d ask, “what awesome band is this?” It sounds more like the Pet Shop Boys than Aqualung. Yes, this is the controversial album that won the hard rock/heavy metal grammy over Metallica. Such a scandal.
I bought this CD about ten years ago and only now am I listening to it to any point of familiarity. I also have Liszt’s Tone Poems Vol. II. I think that’s still in the shrink wrap. But I’m getting to it.
A few days ago I was walking up Steinway St. and a SUV of some sort was at a red light. As is usually the case, the driver was playing hip-hop at an earsplitting level. I was just about to roll my eyes in annoyance when I realized something — that sample — is that?? it is!! It was a rap song to the tune of “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.” A few nights later, when I had some time, I plugged some keywords into Google and discovered it was by Nas. (I also learned that Nas grew up in the Queensbridge projects, not very far from here at all.) Anyway, I downloaded the track, which kept me amused for a few listens. Then I dug up the old I. Ron Butterfly. Similarly, it kept me amused for a few listens. When Mr. Butterfly comes in after the drum solo (oy, the drum solo) with his explosion of integers (THREE, FOUR!!!) it represents a massive breakthrough for psychedelic culture. You have been led through a dizzying experience of sight and sound and are now being laid back into the matrix of time and conformity. . .just a little bit altered. Plus, dude sings like he’s doing a Bela Lugosi impression.
One day I’ll listen to one of the non-In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida songs on here.
You probably knew this already, but IB made, like, eight albums. Someone must have been listening.
Whos Black Sabbath?