Legends – Page 13 – 7th Level Music

Rewind Review: Herb Alpert – Rise (1979)

It seems that only the legendary Herb Alpert could combine spaghetti western horns with late 1970’s synths and make it work. He did exactly that on his 1979 album Rise – his first without the Tijuana Brass backing him.

The opening track, “1980,” was originally written for NBC Sports’ coverage of the 1980 Olympics and sounds like a vision of what the next decade was going to sound like for all of us – full of futuristic gadgets and obsession over the coming new millennium clashing with old school thinking and ideals (pretty much the 1980’s in a nutshell). The title track is one of the funkiest things ever put on a record, so much so that it was heavily sampled by Biggie Smalls on “Hypnotize” (Abe Laboriel’s bass riffs alone could power two dozen hip hop records). Mike Lang’s piano work mixes well with Alpert’s expert trumpet work, and Alpert knows when to put down his horn and let his band jam.

“Behind the Rain” sounds like unused music from a Roger Moore-era Bond movie with its thrilling string and horn arrangements, machine gun-like drums, and car chase guitar. “Rotation” has this cool, quirky beat to it that mixes simple drum chops with electro-beats that are peppy yet subtle (and Alpert’s trumpet, of course, roots the entire track).

“Street Life” is sassy and brassy, with Alpert’s trumpet taking center stage throughout it while some funky slap bass struts alongside him. Speaking of slap bass, it’s even funkier on “Love Is,” a song that I’m sure was remixed for discos across the country at the time. Louis Johnson practically puts on a clinic on how to lay down a snappy bass groove. Alpert, again, smartly lets his instrument be the backup on the track.

“Angelina” brings in the Central American flair found on so many of Alpert’s records and even some Caribbean beats to boot. That south of the border sexiness continues on “Aranjuez (Mon Amour),” which also throws in disco beats and bass for good measure.

One can’t write about Rise without mentioning Herb Alpert’s nephew, Randy “Badazz” Alpert, who co-produced the record and brought in a lot of the disco / nightclub / funky touches. He helped bring his uncle’s work to even more people by getting “Rise” and other cuts into the hands of club DJ’s. It’s a classic record and worth a listen.

Keep your mind open.

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Dead Kennedys celebrate their 40th anniversary with the upcoming release of “DK40.”

Out of the hundreds of punk bands that emerged from the late ’70s punk scene, only about a dozen or so have achieved iconic status four decades later. They include the Sex Pistols, the Clash and the Damned from the U.K.; the Ramones and Patti Smith Group from New York; X, the Germs and Black Flag from Los Angeles; and from San Francisco, the Dead Kennedys.

The DKs embodied the spirit of punk from the get-go. Their very name was a shocking reminder of the collapse of the American Dream. Then again, the name would be nothing if the Dead Kennedys didn’t have the goods to back it up.

DK40, a three-CD live collection due April 26 from Manifesto Records, offers the aural evidence that the Dead Kennedys were one of the most potent punk bands — period. It features the band serving up amped-up live versions of all their classic tracks, free from the constraints of the recording studio.

Formed in 1978 after guitarist East Bay Ray’s ad in The Recycler attracted the attention of singer Jello Biafra, they were soon joined by bassist Klaus Flouride; guitarist 6025 and drummer Ted. D.H Peligro soon took over the rule of the drum chair. After gigging around the Bay Area, they soon built a reputation cemented by the release of their first single, “California Über Alles,” on their own DIY label, within a year of their formation. Over a boleroesque rhythm consisting of pounding drums, throbbing bass and jagged guitar lines, Biafra lays into then-and-future California Governor Jerry Brown and the hippy dream. The song includes such memorable lines as “It’s the suede denim secret police / They have come for your uncool niece.” With their follow-up, 1980’s “Holiday in Cambodia,” the DKs showed no signs of letting up. It offered a brutal take on the powers behind the Vietnam War, with East Bay Ray’s iconic guitar parts showing people that the DKs were very much a musical force to be reckoned with. The band went onto release their debut album, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, in 1980, featuring newly recorded versions of “California Über Alles” and “Holiday in Cambodia,” along with other classics such as “Kill the Poor,” “Let’s Lynch the Landlord” and a notable cover of the Elvis Presley hit “Viva Las Vegas.”

The subsequent releases, the 1981 EP, In God We Trust, Inc., 1982’s Plastic Surgery Disasters and 1985’s Frankenchrist albums followed. Live versions of the material from these releases are showcased on DK40. Disc 1 captures the DKs at the Paradiso in Amsterdam, Netherlands in 1982, with a 13-song set, including “Holiday in Cambodia,” “Nazi Punks Fuck Off” and “Too Drunk to Fuck.” The second disc has the DKs at Alabama Halle in Munich, Germany, also in 1982, with an 18-track set, including “Man With the Dogs,” “Police Truck” and “Chemical Warfare.” The final disc of DK40 captures the band back on its home turf, at the Farm in San Francisco in 1985, with a 16-song romp that includes “Soup Is Good Food,” “Stars And Stripes Of Corruption” and “MTV Get Off The Air.”

While the DKs continue on following lineup changes, including the departure of Jello Biafra – vocalist Skip McSkipster of the Wynona Riders now bringing the songs to thousands of fans — DK40 captures the band at the height of their youthful exuberance, with the classic lineup of Jello Biafra, East Bay Ray, Klaus Flouride and D.H Peligro.

You’ll find DK40 even more fun than a holiday in Cambodia and the band’s blistering counsel is even more relevant today. They are here to remind us, “It’s never too late to think.”

Paradiso (December 5, 1982): 1. Moral Majority 2. Am the Owl 3. Life Sentence 4. Police Truck 5, Riot 6. Bleed For Me 7. Holiday in Cambodia 8. Let’s Lynch the Landlord 9. Chemical Warfare 10. Nazi Punks Fuck Off 11. Kill The Poor 12. We’ve Got A Bigger Problem Now 13. Too Drunk To Fuck Skateboard Party (December 13, 1982): 1. Skateboard Talk+Intro Noise 2. Man With The Dogs 3. Forward to Death 4. Kepone Factory 5. Life Sentence 6. Trust Your Mechanic 7, Moral Majority 8. Forest Fire 9. Winnebago Warrior 10. Police Truck 11. Bleed For Me 12. Holiday In Cambodia 13. Let’s Lynch the Landord 14. Chemical Warfare 15. Nazi Punks 16. We’ve Got A Bigger Problem Now 17. Too Drunk to Fuck 18. Kill the Poor The Farm (May 25, 1985): 1. Darren’s Mom 2. Goons of Hazard 3. Hellnation 4. This Could Be Anywhere 5. Soup Is Good Food 6. Chemical Warfare 7. Macho Insecurity 8. A Growing Boy Needs His Lunch 9. Forest Fire 10. Moon Over Marin 11. Jack-O-Rama 12. Encore 13. Stars and Stripes of Corruption 14. Second Encore 15. MTV Get Off the Air 16. Holiday In Cambodia

Keep your mind open.

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Live: Bob Mould and Airstream Futures – Metro – Chicago, IL – Feb. 22, 2019

I hadn’t seen the Bob Mould Band in concert since New Year’s Eve 2014 at the Metro in Chicago. That was a blast, and now one of my rock heroes was kicking off my year of live music in 2019. An added bonus was meeting Mr. Mould on Clark Street a few blocks south of the venue. I got to shake hi hand and tell him thanks for everything, so the day was a win.

Opening for him were Chicago’s Airstream Futures. Unfortunately, none of the photographs I took of their set turned out well, but I can tell you that they played an energetic set of punk with pop riffs. Their drummer has impressive chops, and their lead singer had a lot of energy despite, as she mentioned, being fired from her full-time job earlier that day.

Mr. Mould and his pals, Jason Narducy on bass and Jon Wurster on drums, came out swinging with a triple threat of “The War,” “A Good Idea,” and “I Apologize.” There was barely time to catch your breath when they were tearing into “See a Little Light” and “Sunny Love Song” – a track of his new record, Sunshine Rock.

There were many moments when I thought a mosh pit would, and should, have broken out, but the crowd was mostly aging punks (like yours truly) who are afraid of twisting a knee or running out of breath in a pit (unlike yours truly). Such moments came with songs like the title track of the new album, “Hey Mr. Grey,” and “If I Can’t Change Your Mind.”

One thing Mr. Mould assured everyone of during the show was that he can still shred. He tore his guitar up during multiple songs and wowed many of us with the kinds of solos you rarely hear at punk rock shows anymore.

The encore of “Never Talking to You Again,” a cover of Sonny Curtis’ “Love Is All Around,” and “Flip Your Wig” was another sonic assault that left everyone wanting more, as a good encore should. You can’t go wrong with a Bob Mould show. He’s still putting out great music and destroying stages. Don’t miss him.

Keep your mind open.

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Review: Gary Wilson – The King of Endicott

Working as both a loving homage to his (in)famous home town of Endicott, New York and as another weird walk through the world of bedroom rock, Gary Wilson’s newest record, The King of Endicott, is another bizarre, romantic, funky, fun piece of work from him.

“Don’t be afraid when I hold your hand,” Wilson sings on the intro of the record as Captain Beefheart-like warped saxophone warbles behind him. Then “The Town of a Thousand Lights” kicks in with peppy organ and electric drums as Wilson offers to be your tour guide / date for the night in a town he finds as enthralling as Paris. His vocals are particularly happy throughout it. It sounds like he’s having a blast.

He’s having a blast on his keyboards on “The Lonely Park,” too, as he sings about taking his girlfriend (Linda?) to a quiet park before it gets too late and before she changes her mind. The walk continues on “Walking in the Rain Tonight.” Wilson just wants to hold hands with his girl (Linda? Karen?) and stroll along as smoothly as his keyboard riffs without a care. Isn’t that what we all want?

“I Think I’m Falling in Love” has Wilson wondering what’s wrong with his girl (Linda? Karen? Debbie? Sheryl?) as he sees her crying at her own reflection while he declares his love for her (from outside her room, or her house?). The bouncy beats and keys keep you upbeat despite the sad nature of the tune. “The king of Endicott is sad tonight,” Wilson sings on the title track. He’s lonely on another Friday night. He’s a king without a queen, but he never gives up hope. Wilson never gives up hope on this or any other record, really. He’s an eternal optimist, and determined to find love someday. That’s evidenced on the near-slow jam “I Don’t Want to Be Alone.”

“I Dream of My Secret Girl” could be the title to every one of Wilson’s records, or even his songs, because they all share the theme of unrequited love, being a gentleman despite heartbreak, romance, and thrilling adventure in magical lands – even if that land is as simple as Endicott, New York. Speaking (again) of Endicott, “Midnight in Endicott” is a recap is a bouncy “part two” of sorts to “I Don’t Want to Be Alone.”

“A Perfect Day in Endicott,” according to Wilson, involves him crying “a million tears” after a friend leaves town, but getting cheered up by his remaining pals after he calls them up on his new telephone and asking if they want to hang out with him (and why wouldn’t you?). Wilson’s synths on “Mary Walked Away” are positively groove-inducing. “Another Dimension” is a warped instrumental that borders on dream and nightmare.

“Where did Linda go?” Wilson asks on “It’s Summer Time.” It’s a question he’s asked for years. In this instance, Linda has ditched him during a date at the movies. He tries to remain upbeat with the pleasant weather and all the pretty girls partying at the city pool, but he’s still blue. The album ends with “Hail to the King” – a pitch-shifting declaration from Endicott’s king that fades out just as Wilson is about to give us a history lesson of the town and probably his heart. It leaves you with questions, as most of Wilson’s albums do.

Wilson is an odd duck, but he’s a romantic odd duck and that’s why us fans of his love him. His albums are the soundtracks of loneliness and hope. He’s the king of not only Endicott, but forlorn lovers everywhere.

Keep your mind open.

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Smalltown Supersound to release Erik Wollo’s “Sources. Early Works 1986 – 1992” March 29th.

Smalltown Supersound is pleased to announce the release of 58-year-old Norwegian composer Erik Wøllo’s Sources. Early Works 1986 – 1992, out March 29th. Additionally, Wøllo shares the ethereal and atmospheric “Ody to Sea.”

Listen to “Ody to Sea” – https://youtu.be/rBw8rKXHDcM

Wøllo, who has been a professional artist since 1980, has covered a wide range of styles, from rock and jazz to experimental electronic and classical music. He was one of the first Norwegian composers who adapted a minimalistic style, building a bridge between grand symphonic realms and gentle, serene sounds. His musical statements range from slowly-drifting kaleidoscopic passages to epic soaring guitar melancholy, to upbeat ever-changing sequences and compelling melodies. Possessing a sense of drama and storytelling, Wøllo has been composing and performing music for films, theater, ballets, and art exhibitions, as well as music for string quartets and large orchestras.

Sources joins Wøllo’s nearly 40-album catalogue. Comprised of 10 previously unreleased tracks, Sources was originally recorded surrounding the album sessions that spun Dreams Of Pyramids (1984), Traces (1985), and Silver Beach (1986). This was the start of a very fruitful and inspired period for Wøllo, thanks to modernized technology like MIDI and inspiration from music from all over the globe. “There was lots of new equipment coming out during these years, and this reflects the music I made at the time.” Wøllo says. “There was also a lot of great electronic music released. I was inspired by artists like Hassell, Eno and Budd. Also a big influence was Klaus Schulze after seeing him at the legendary Oslo club, Club 7 in 1984.” The spacey sounds on Sources show a clear line of cosmic excursions between Wøllo’s early releases to modern day fellow Norwegian travelers Lindstrøm, Bjørn Torske, and Prins Thomas.

Sources remained untouched, transferred from tapes that Wøllo had made years ago, before Helge Sten (Deathprod) mastered the material in his Audio Virus Lab. The collection was mostly created with a Roland MSQ 700 sequencer, in real time with several MIDI synths/modules recorded directly to either a 2-track stereo recorder or 4-track Tascam Portastudio.

“I am very happy that the album feels like one whole. I do not often look back, and I rarely listen to my own releases after they are released,” says Wøllo. “Sometimes I get positively surprised discovering new aspects of my older material. This is music made on impulse and with an eagerness to create. Not much thought was put into how it would be released. At least this is the way I remember it.”

Sources. Early Works 1986 – 1992 Track list: 1. Blooming 2. Swamp Land 3. Soft Journey 4. Under Water 5. The Near Future 6. Big Sky 7. The Movie 8. Luftreise 9. Native Dance 10. Ody At Sea

Pre-order Sources. Early Works 1986 – 1992 http://smarturl.it/sts342-preorder

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Review: Mavis Staples – Live in London

Soul / gospel superstar Mavis Staples once said that she thought London’s Union Chapel was the best place in the world to sing. I’m willing to believe her from the sound of this great, powerful album she recorded there over the course of two nights not long ago. Live in London is a strong statement about the political state of the U.S., a funky soul record, and a high contender for best live album of 2019.

Starting with the soulful “Love and Trust,” Staples rightly declares, “The simplest things can be the hardest to do.” as her killer band breaks in with a killer groove (The album is full of them, really.). The song is about how everyone, sinners and saints alike, are looking for the same thing – love. “Who Told You That” is a smoky, subtle, sexy jam. Her cover of Talking Heads‘ “Slippery People” is a standout that she’s been singing since at least the 1980’s. It’s such a downright jam that you can’t help but shake and shimmy when hearing it.

“What You Gonna Do” is a classic blues track about preparing for death. “Take Us Back” has Staples proclaiming, “I’ve got friends, and I’ve got family. I’ve got help from all the people who love me.” She’s been in the business for decades and admits that she wouldn’t be where she is without those who supported her all those years.

Staples starts getting political on “You Are Not Alone” as she sings to those isolated and afraid in places of hostility, war, and poverty. “Every tear on every face tastes the same,” she sings. That’s truth. “No Time for Cryin'” has Staples calling us to action (“I’m going to march right up to that big [White] house. We got work to do.”) and railing against gun violence and “taking babies away from their mothers” while her guitarist plays a sizzling solo.

“Can You Get to That” has a solid groove that will keep Jack White awake at night wishing he’d come up with it. Her cover of Curtis Mayfield‘s “Let’s Do It Again” is one of the best make-out songs you’ve heard in a while. “Dedicated” starts with a lovely guitar solo and drifts into a lovely song about perseverance and those who sacrificed in the civil rights struggle. “We’re Gonna Make It” is an uplifting song about overcoming financial struggles, but Staples adds an urgency to it that reflects keeping your hopes up for better times in America.

“There just ain’t no stopping me, is it?” Staples says before launching into the album’s closer, “Touch a Hand,” a song about reaching out to strangers and neighbors alike in these times of narcissism and anger.

Live in London makes you want to catch Staples live as soon as possible (like any good live album should). Do it if you can.

Keep your mind open.

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Claude Fontaine’s debut reggae / world music single, “Cry for Another,” is a stunner.

Los Angeles-based songwriter and singer, Claude Fontaine, is thrilled to announce she’s signed with Innovative Leisure (LA-based label who has worked with the likes of BADBADNOTGOOD, Rhye, Allah-Las, Nosaj Thing, Hanni El Khatib, Nick Waterhouse, Classixx, etc). Today, she shares her debut single, “Cry For Another,” a heartfelt nod to the Studio One, Trojan, and Treasure Isle records that inspired it. “‘Cry For Another’ is about the feeling when someone is slipping through your fingers, and even though you know that person may not be right, you’re still pining for more,” says Fontaine. “Possibly to remind yourself of why they’re wrong for you, or perhaps to remember what you’re going to miss.”

Watch Video For “Cry For Another” – https://youtu.be/ztHTOL_EJWM

Fontaine wrote and demoed “Cry For Another”, a track which sounds like it came out of Jamaica in the 1970s, after a living in London and stumbling into Honest Jon’s, a long-lived spot for fringe records. Recorded at Chet Baker’s legendary old studio in Hollywood, Fontaine recorded the track with a murderer’s row of session players, including guitarist Tony Chin, (Althea and Donna, King Tubby, Dennis Brown), drummer Rock Deadrick (Ziggy Marley), bassist Ronnie McQueen (Steel Pulse), and piano/organ player Jaime Hinckson (Hollie Cook, Daniel ‘Bambaata’ Marley).

Set to be released later this year, Fontaine’s debut album is a love song to classic reggae and Brazilian music, and an album honoring that feeling of finding a home away from home. In addition to Chin, Deadrick, McQueen, and Hinckson, Fontaine is joined in the studio by Airto Moreira, the Brazilian drummer whose work both solo and in collaboration—with Miles Davis, Astrud Gilberto, Chick Corea, Annette Peacock—make him an actual living legend, Andre De Santanna (Sergio Mendes, Flora Purim), Gibi Dos Santos (Sergio Mendes), Nando Duarte (Gal Costa, Elza Soares), and Fabiano Do Nascimento (Mia Doi Todd).

“I hope this record will transport people,” she Fontaine. “I want it to feel like those lost records, like it got lost in the dusty bottom bin of some world music store in London because that’s how I felt when I walked in to that record store. I want it to be its own world.”

Keep your mind open.

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Four classic remastered X albums to be released starting February 22nd.

Fat Possum Records is set to release four classic (and remastered) X albums starting next month. First up is Los Angeles (release date February 22nd), then Wild Gift a month later, and Under the Big Black Sun and More Fun in the New World on April 12th.

All four albums will be released in vinyl, CD, and digital formats. Formed in 1977, X quickly established themselves as one of the best bands in the first wave of LA’s flourishing punk scene; becoming legendary leaders of a punk generation. Featuring vocalist Exene Cervenka, vocalist/bassist John Doe, guitarist Billy Zoom, and drummer DJ Bonebrake, their debut 45 was released on the seminal Dangerhouse label in 1978, followed by seven studio albums released from 1980-1993. X’s first two studio albums, Los Angeles and Wild Gift are ranked by Rolling Stone among the top 500 greatest albums of all time. Over the years, the band has released several critically acclaimed albums, topped the musical charts with regularity and performed their iconic hits on top television shows such as Letterman and American Bandstand. In 2017, the band celebrated their 40th anniversary in music with a Grammy Museum exhibit opening, a Proclamation from the City of Los Angeles and being honored at a Los Angeles Dodgers game, where Exene threw out the first pitch and John Doe sang the National Anthem. The band continues to tour with the original line-up.

Keep your mind open.

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Rewind Review: Naked Raygun – All Rise (1985)

I was 14 when Chicago punk legends Naked Raygun released their classic album All Rise. It would be another two years before I was able to drive a beat-up station wagon that formerly belonged to my Uncle Tony to a punk rock club about 45 minutes from my house and there become aware of Naked Raygun and their cult status.

It’s easy to figure out how they rose so fast in the mid-1980’s punk scene. All Rise‘s opener, “Home of the Brave,” is an instant anthem for the Reagan era. Pierre Kezdy‘s bass on “Dog at Large” is heavy enough for a metal band. “Knock Me Down” begins with a subtle start, but soon roars to life with frantic drums by Eric Spicer and Jeff Pezzati‘s snotty lyrics about a girl he can’t shake after she’s dumped him for good. One can’t help but wonder if “Mr. Gridlock” refers to President Regan, Chicago mayor Harold Washington, or someone else. The song has a deadly swagger to it, as if it’s looking for a fight. John Haggerty‘s guitar sounds like a tuned chainsaw on it. “The Strip” moves back and forth between chugging punks riffs and Husker Du-like jams as Naked Raygun pay homage to a seedy hotel-bar. “I Remember” has some of Spicer’s wildest drumming on the album.

Pezzati’s vocals on “Those Who Move” (about speaking truth to power and freedom of information, among other things) are urgent and still relevant in 2018. Kezdy’s bass on “The Envelope” certainly pushes the envelope of the studio amps because it nearly knocks you to the floor right out of the gate. Not to be outdone, Haggerty shreds on “Backlash Jack.” As soon as “Peacemaker” starts, you get the feeling that it’s not going to be all that peaceful. It isn’t. It’s heavy, squealing, and even a bit terrifying. The album ends with “New Dreams,” a punk anthem that sounds as fresh, raw, and vital today as it did in 1985.

All Rise is classic working class punk rock by four lads who deserve to be in the same conversations that bring up Fugazi, Bad Religion, DRI, the Dead Kennedys, and other legendary punk groups.

Keep your mind open.

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Rewind Review: Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin – Profondo Rosso score (2015)

Funky and creepy at the same time, the score to Dario Argento‘s 1975 classic giallo movie Profondo Rosso (Deep Red) is a great one. Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin released this version a few years back with new performances of the classic material Simonetti made with the original members of Goblin and also with live versions and alternate cuts.

The main theme, “Profondo Rosso,” combines Simonetti’s clockwork synths with church organs, funk bass, and prog-rock drumming. “Death Dies” could fit into any 1970’s action film with its urgent piano chords, Titta Tani‘s car chase drums, and Bruno Previtali‘s groovy guitar squalls. Federico Amorosi‘s bass on “Mad Puppet” is like lava bubbling under a dormant volcano until about the three-minute mark when the tune becomes a chilling walk through what normally is a groovy neighborhood but now feels slightly…wrong.

“Deep Shadows” is bizarre with its quirky synths, Previtali’s shredding, and the rhythm section breaking the tune open into a prog-rock jam. A live version (from 2000) of “School at Night” follows, with its creepy child sing-song vocals and music box chimes, and it flows into live versions (from the same show) of “Mad Puppet” and “Profondo Rosso.”

Rounding out the album are alternate versions of “Death Dies” (from 1992) and “Profondo Rosso” (from 1990). Both are harder, faster versions. Simonetti’s piano work on “Death Dies” is especially frantic and jazzy. The version of the main theme (which is also another live cut) is even called the “rock version” and has bigger drums and guitars with a bit more distortion than usual. Plus, Simonetti goes nuts on his keyboards by the end of it.

It’s a great score, especially if you love giallo movies, Goblin’s work, or progressive rock.

Keep your mind open.

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