About to Choke

Since getting my Ipod nano I have been relistening to a lot of things, and this album by Vic Chesnutt has been on the heaviest of rotations for some reason. The lyrics are silly/deep/troubling. His voice should be annoying but somehow isn't at all. The production and mix is just wonderful, with strange little sounds all over the place, very acousticsounding in a real way that I really like.

LADLE

you file me with the libertines
I fold in line
my monthly dole of magazines
beaming bistro shine
in my ladle is your plum
and my daily staple of your cutesy crumbs
of your cutesy falling crumbs

I saw you at the snazzy din-din
you made me sad that I watched
I must say you truly packed 'em in
nearly dearly debauched
in my ladle is your plum
and my daily staple of your cutesy crumbs
of your cutesy falling crumbs

in my ladle is your plum
and my daily staple of your cutesy crumbs
of your cutesy falling crumbs

ABOUT TO CHOKE

1. Myrtle
2. New Town
3. Ladle
4. Tarragon
5. Swelters
6. (It's No Secret) Satisfaction
7. Little Vacation
8. Degenerate
9. Hot Seat
10. Giant Sands
11. Threads
12. See You Around

Ghetto Bells:


Band Camp:


Robots:

Selecter

Here are the two first (and only?) albums by the Selecter, an 80's secondwave ska band who, along with the Specials, ran the Two Tone Records label. They didn't meet with as much success as their labelmates, but they were still a great band, for what they were. Distinctive for Pauline Black's great vocals, when the majority of the leading two tone ska groups had male vocals, these albums come from a very specific time and place, namely, 80's Britain. Although these albums do sound a bit dated and didn't age as well as I once expected, I still listen to them quite a bit, and perhaps so will you!!

TOO MUCH PRESSURE

A side
Three Minute Hero
Everyday
They Make Me Mad
Missing Words
Danger
Street Feeling
My Collie (Not a Dog)

B side
On My Radio
Too Much Pressure
Murder
Out on the Streets
Carry Go Bring Come
Black and Blue
James Bond


CELEBRATE THE BULLET

1. Celebrate The Bullet
2. Red Reflections
3. Who Likes Facing Situations
4. Tell Me What's Wrong
5. Bomb Scare
6. Washed Up & Left For Dead
7. Selling Out Your Future
8. Deep Water
9. Cool Blue Lady
10. Their Dream Goes On Bristol & Miami

Revalushan Rock

Ok so I figured before I lose the 10 or so regulars who never leave a message (hint hint) but do seem to check back once in a while, I'd better put somethin new up!! So here it is, point blank, without any of the bla bla, no nice lil picture: The Clash's rehearsal tapes in preparation for "London Calling", aka,

The VANILLA TAPES.

As a bonus, here is a clip with the boys running through "Louie Louie" instrumentally as well as London Calling producer, and ex-Mott-the-Hoople, Guy Stevens going bonkers with a chair.

Original Cool

Three posts on the same day, can you believe it? Quite the accomplishment for this accomplished slacker!!


This is the last album recorded by the Stray Cats on their first "run". Originally released only in Japan, it was later to reappear in the United Kingdom. Recorded in Los Angeles in early 1993, this is The Cats' tribute to early rockabilly. In the U.S. it is only available as an import, for around 70 bucks (yikes!!). Check it out, rockcats!!:

THE STRAY CATS - Original Cool

1. Somethin' Else

2. Oh, Boy!

3. Twenty-Flight Rock

4. I Fought the Law

5. Lonesome Tears

6. Your True Love

7. Be-Bop-A-Lula

8. Blue Jean Bop

9. Can't Help Falling in Love

10. Flying Saucer Rock N' Roll

11. Train Kept A Rollin'

12. Stood Up

13. Let It Rock

14. Trying to Get to You

15. Chet Ditty [Hidden Charms]

Fly Rite!!

TWO POSTS in ONE same day!!! I must be sick. Maybe I'll go for broke with a third... But don't hold your breath..


This is the second by Big Sandy and his Flyrite boys. They do rockabilly and traditional hillbilly swing, complete with Bob Will's "a-haw!!"'s punctuating the instrumental breaks.

Like the first one, this cd was also produced by the Blaster's Dave Alvin, and it was recorded at Capital studios, where Gene Vincent recorded many of his classics.

Get some sawdust on the floor and cut a rug - this is
"Swingin' West"!!!

1. Let Me In There, Baby
2. Music To Her Ears
3. You Don't Matter Anymore
4. My Sinful Days Are Over
5. Parts Unknown
6. Too Late To Be True
7. Hey Muchachita
8. Why Do You Have To Torture Me?
9. Blackberry Wine
10. Murphy's Law
11. If I Wrote A Song (About Our Love Affair)
12. We Tried To Tell You
13. You Say You Don't (But You Do)
14. A Healer Like Time
15. The New Ball

Jumpin' From 6 to 6:


My Sinful Days are Over:

Seamonsters

(from Sweetness Online)

Ok, technical problems all sorted out now. Back at ya with one of my favorite records of all time, The Wedding Present's Seamonsters. While their earlier work was punker and their latter work was some of the best pop rock ever, this strikes a perfect balance between the two. Recorded by noizemeister Steve Albini in just 12 days somewhere in the heart of Minnesota, Seamonsters is agreat cd full of texture, feedback not-for-feedback-sake, and excruciatingly personal lyrics. I read somewhere that WP frontman David Gedge's lyrics are like phone conversations with his lover, but I would say that they are more like breakup letters. Anyway, judge for yourselves:

The Wedding Present: "SEAMONSTERS"

1. Dalliance

2. Dare

3. Suck

4. Blonde

5. Rotterdam

6. Love Nest

7. Corduroy

8. Carolyn

9. Heather

10. Octopussy 11. Niagara 12. Dan dare 13. Fleshworld

David Gedge on Steve Albini:

He's a great engineer and apparently works pretty fast.
Gedge: It's weird because people say "how does he do it?" and it's very basic really, I mean it's kind of like old school in a way in that his heroes are people like George Martin and the BBC engineers. It's basically get a band, tune the drums, tune the guitar, it's all good equipment, it's an acoustically suitable room, great microphones, well-placed and he records it, and it's like, yeah it's kind of obvious really. Why change that? People spend six hours on the snare drum sound or longer and you've kind of lost the mood of a band playing together, you know?

"Bewitched":


"Brassneck" unplugged:


"Flying Saucer":

Let Them Eat Cake

Hello, you. My motherboard died last week so I am waiting to buy a new one, moving up to 64 bits and finally a decent RAM (1 giga), so all is well that ends well, but still, this blows. Anyway, to tide you over while I overcome these technical difficulties, here's a record that I managed to upload before disaster struck, the new compilation by CAKE, of old songs, covers and live versions. This version includes a bonus (how ironic) track, which is Black Sabbath's "War Pigs", the same track that opens the cd, this time recorded live. Enjoy!! Have a second piece if you like!:

CAKE

1. War Pigs
2. Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town
3. Mahna Mahna
4. Excuse Me, I Think I've Got a Heartache
5. Conroy
6. Strangers in the Night
7. Subtract One Love (Multiply the Heartaches)
8. Never Never Gonna Give You Up
9. Thrills
10. Short Skirt, Long Jacket [Live]
11. It's Coming Down [Live]

12. War Pigs [Live]

Devotion + Doubt

Hey all. Sorry about the "vacation". But i am back at ya now, with a great, great album from 10 years ago. I listened a lot to this album back in 97, when I (and possibly you too?)was in my alt country phase. This is Richard Buckner's "Devotion + Doubt", his second. As they say here, "No tiene presa mala", meaning; there's not a clunker in the bunch, imho.

His newer disc, Meadow, from 06 is more of a rock thing, and it ain't bad at all, but THIS is pure gold. A beautiful, acoustic sounding record, intimate, depressing (yay!), one of my favorite albums from that time in my life. And beautifully designed packaging, too. Buy it HERE.

DEVOTION + DOUBT:

1. Pull
2. Lil Wallet Picture
3. Ed's Song
4. Home
5. A Goodbye Rye
6. Fater
7. Kate Rose
8. 4AM
9. Roll
10. Polly Waltz
11. Figure
12. On Travelling
13. Song Of 27

If you've never heard Mr Buckner, here are a couple of live performances from 1994 that'll give you an idea. And if you like this, the album is even better:

Richard Buckner on Fog Town Network--"The Worst Way":


Richard Buckner on Fog Town Network--"22":

And some amusing RB quotes from an interview (I think he was having a bad day):

It's funny, I was just talking to someone about this yesterday. I'm working in a studio right now with a bluegrass band, producing their record. We were talking to the engineers, and one of the interns is a real young guy and he's talking about MP3s and the people behind all that, and he's like, well, these companies, they're not making any money off it. And I was like, what are you fucking talking about? You think people are doing this for nothing? If people weren't making money off this, they wouldn't be doing it, because that's the nature of the beast.Usually every night when I'm performing onstage, at some point I think, like, ‘isn't this fucking weird?’, I'm up here on a podium hollering and people are looking at me. This is a really weird fucking way to make a living. Or not, as the case may be, he adds wryly. And it is weird. You're up there facing a couple hundred people and they're facing you and you're up there hollering.. When you put it in those terms it's strange, and after doing it for nine months of a year you're like, ‘God, I can't believe this is what I do with my time.’

You know, the only reason I write is that I'm trying to figure things out in my own life. It comes from there. I'm trying to comfort myself or something.

Does it matter that your music matters to others?
No. If that matters, I think I'm in big trouble. Absolutely not. I don't give a fuck. And I tell people that too. They start telling me, ‘Well, you know, I thought this, I didn't think this.’
He shakes his head, laughing.
You know, I don't want to know this. Keep this shit to yourself! It's not important to anybody. Especially me. So keep it to yourself.
Look, if I'm talking to somebody I'm not going to be a dick and say, ‘hey, I don't want to hear what your favourite song is.’ But if people get too deep into it, I have to say, ‘Listen, this is not what this is all about. You know, take it for what it's worth and that's it. If it means a lot to you, great.

Surely there must be some songs which say something you want to say to someone else; surely there must be some people you want to hear a song and take a message from it. Buckner laughs, as much mocking as self-mocking.
I think it's kind of a cowardly way to tell somebody something you want to say to them, don't you? Like, ah fuck, give me a fucking break. Is that what you're doing, you're sending me like a secret note or something? Fuck. That's my whole problem with computers. People can get on there and write whatever they want and not leave their own name. You fucking coward! God damn. Put your name on there. If you're going to say something to somebody, so when you make these little glib nerdy-ass comments, we'll know who it's coming from, we can get down to business and see what your real fucking problem is.

Entre Casa y Babylon

Born in Spain, grown up in Paris, France, Manu Chao absorbed influences of all kinds - punk, hardcore, rockabilly, ska, dancehall reggae, flamenco, African music, RnB, etc.

Now a solo artist, this was the last album by his band Mano Negra. I first heard this when a penpal sent a TDK cassette of it to me when I was in college. This was one of my favorite albums for years.

While maybe not as palatable to english-speaking ears as to spanish/francophone ones, I think this CD from 1994 still holds up in a BIG way. Later, when I was in New Orleans and discovered all the great, unknown New Orleans 50's RnB, I found that the song "The Monkey Speaks His Mind" was not a Manu original, but a NOLA hit penned by Dave Bartholomew (which you will soon see here). Then, back here in Medellín, I discovered one of my favorite Cuban artists, Bola de Nieve (also to make a future appearance on HSR), and I recognized Bola's song "Drume Negrita" as being the original of "Mamá Perfecta"!! Talk about mindblowing!

This album was written between Paris, New York, Buenos Aires and Bogotá, after a crazy tour on a train that was transformed into a traveling circus that went from the Colombian Atlantic coast to Bogotá (and which some credit for the demise of the band).

The song "El Señor Matanza" ("Lord Massacre", kind of) was about the political/social climate at that time and still to a great extent, at this time (no matter what Prez Uribe would like you to believe). Including guest cameos from people like Fidel Nadal of (Argentina's answer to the Bad Brains) Todos Tus Muertos, and backing vocals from one Jello Biafra, you are respectfully invited for a stay at:

CASA BABYLON:

"Viva Zapata" – 2:04
"Casa Babylon" - 2:34
"The Monkey" - 2:47
"Señor Matanza" - 4:06
"Santa Maradona" - 3:27
"Super Chango" - 2:53
"Bala Perdida" - 2:13
"Machine Gun" - 4:25
"El Alakran" - 3:50
"Mama Perfecta" - 1:54
"Love And Hate" - 2:28
"Drives Me Crazy" - 3:38
"Hamburger Fields" - 3:14
"La Vida" - 2:41
"Sueño De Solentiname" - 3:51
"This Is My World" - 4:57

The video for SEÑOR MATANZA, filmed in Bogotá:

The Have-Nots: >>X<< Part 2

Ok, so finally, I was able to upload cd2 through sendspace.com! X's Billy Zoom was always one of my guitar heroes. He was the baddest of the bad and the coolest of the cool, to quote Run DMC!! I even got a guitar that was the closest approximation to his Gretsch (that i could afford), a silver sparked Silverjet. Mine is a Dearmond, sparkle blue, big bigsby tremolo.

This is Billy with his Silverjet:


This is my Dearmond without me! :

Not too shabby, buddy!

Ok, and now, what you're really here for, the music:

MAKE THE MUSIC GO BANG! CD2:

26 (CD 2) Wild Thing (7" Single Edit) (3:33)
27 (CD 2) Poor Girl (2:53)
28 (CD 2) Call of the Wreckin' Ball (2:57)
29 (CD 2) Someone Like You (2:42)
30 (CD 2) What's Wrong With Me... (3:45)
31 (CD 2) Burning House of Love (3:55)
32 (CD 2) My Goodness (4:37)
33 (CD 2) 4th of July (4:06)
34 (CD 2) You (3:30)
35 (CD 2) When It Rains... (4:33)
36 (CD 2) Surprise Surprise (2:52)
37 (CD 2) I'm Lost (2:57)
38 (CD 2) See How We Are (3:49)
39 (CD 2) Skin Deep Town (Live) (3:19)
40 (CD 2) Around My Heart (Live) (4:26)
41 (CD 2) Just Another Perfect Day (Live) (4:34)
42 (CD 2) Devil Doll (Live) (4:39)
43 (CD 2) Big Blue House (4:05)
44 (CD 2) Clean Like Tomorrow (3:58)
45 (CD 2) Country at War (4:15)
46 (CD 2) New Life (3:24)

The Haves - >>X<< Part 1

Here is the first half of the 2cd best-of set in honor of the band X, pithily entitled "Make The Music Go Bang".

"Los Angeles" was the first "punk rock" record I ever bought and they have been one of my favorite bands since, throughout all their phases. They were, I think, one of the first truly "Americana" type bands, mixing punk, rockabilly and kitsch in a way that had never done before.
I have been having a hard time uploading the second cd thru sharebee or zshare, so i think i will try it again tomorrow through a different service. Enjoy, people all over the world (and you know who you are). (And leave a message why don't you??).

John Doe, Exene Cervenka, Billy Zoom,DJ Bonebreak are:

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

MAKE THE MUSIC GO BANG! CD1:

1 Adult Books (Single Version) (3:14)
2 We're Desperate (Single Version) (2:03)
3 Angeles (2:24)
4 Your Phone's Off the Hook, But You're Not (2:25)
5 Johny Hit and Run Pauline (2:50)
6 Soul Kitchen (2:26)
7 World's a Mess; It's in My Kiss (4:28)
8 Unheard Music (4:45)
9 White Girl (Single Mix) (3:29)
10 Once Over Twice (2:31)
11 Universal Corner (4:33)
12 Some Other Time (2:17)
13 In This House That I Call Home (3:33)
14 Beyond and Back (Live) (2:41)
15 Riding With Mary (Single Version) (3:12)
16 Hungry Wolf (3:47)
17 Motel Room in My Bed (2:41)
18 Blue Spark (2:08)
19 Have Nots (4:46)
20 Under the Big Black Sun (3:24)
21 New World (3:25)
22 Breathless (2:19)
23 We're Having Much More Fun (3:08)
24 True Love (2:15)
25 I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts (4:15)



BEYOND AND BACK:


DEVIL DOLL:

Concepts in Unity

I have wanted to post this album (well, double album, actually) for a long time, since it is one of my favorite NYC salsa ouvres, a bonified classic, and pretty hard to find, I believe. It is the first of two releases from a supergroup of sorts, featuring, among many, the great Cuban trumpetplayer, Alfredo “Chocolate” Armenteros.


Recorded undubbed in just two days in April of 1975, ladies and gents, I offer you, El Grupo Folklórico Y Experimental Nuevayorquino:

Concepts in Unity:

1. Cuba Linda
2. Choco's Guajira
3. Anabocoa - Grupo Folklorico y Experimento
4. Adelaida
5. Canto Asoyin - Grupo Folklorico y Experimento
6. Carmen la Ronca
7. Luz Delia - Grupo Folklorico y Experimento
8. Canto Ebioso
9. Papa y Mama
10. Iya Modupue

P.S: you can also find this cd as well as their second cd, HERE!!!:

Los Lobos Acoustic Live

This is an authorized bootleg from Los Lobos. Live, March 2, 2005 at McNear's Mystic Theatre
in Petaluma, CA.

Here's the tracklist:

disc I (41:41):
first set

01 introduction by John Skeels 01:32
02 Canto Veracruz 02:50
03 Colas 02:54
04 El Paloma 03:42
05 La Pistola y El Corazón 04:10
06 El Cuchipe 03:41
07 Saint Behind the Glass 03:40
08 Los Ojos De Pancha 03:15
09 Porro Por Pedrito 04:21
10 Kiko and the Lavender Moon+ 04:23
11 Arizona Skies > 01:47
12 Borinquen Patria Mia 05:19


disc II (64:08):
second set

01 Llorona* 03:44
02 Sabor a Mí* 04:20
03 La Feria De Las Flores* 03:24
04 Gema* 05:19
05 Que Nadie Sepa Mi Sufrir* 03:47
06 Cielito Lindo (Huasteco)* 03:42
07 Wreck of the Carlos Rey^ 05:47
08 Ay Te Dejo en San Antonio 02:45
09 How Much Can I Do? 03:39
10 Teresa 06:04
11 Guantanamera 06:05
12 --encore break-- 04:02
13 Our Last Night# 03:15
14 Corazón > 03:33
15 Guajira 04:34

Til Things Are Brighter 3

Disc: 3

1. You’re the Nearest Thing to Heaven (#5 country)
2. The Story of a Broken Heart
3. Sugartime
4. Born to Lose
5. Always Alone
6. You Tell Me
7. Life Goes On
8. You Win Again
9. I Could Never Be Ashamed of You
10. Hey, Good Lookin’
11. I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still in Love with You)
12. Cold, Cold Heart
13. Blue Train
14. Katy Too (#11 country / #66 pop)
15. The Ways of a Woman in Love (#2 country / #24 pop)
16. Fools Hall of Fame
17. Thanks a Lot (#12 country)
18. It’s Just About Time (#30 country / #47 pop)
19. I Forgot to Remember to Forget
20. I Just Thought You’d Like to Know
21. Down the Street to 301

FOLSOM PRISION BLUES ON YOUTUBE: