Flashlite #312

Chook RaceThis show starts of with Jonly Bonly – a new band out of Austin, lead by Jason Smith who used to be a lead guitarist in OBN IIIs. Dreamsalon from Seattle are back in our show. Exactly one year ago we introduced them with their previous album, and now the new one Soft Stab is out. John Schooley teamed up with Walter Daniels who played with many – 68 Comeback and Oblivians are just some of the names. Chook Race from Australia took those REM jangly guitars and reincarnated that lost sound on a new record About Time. Jeremy Morris from Lemon Clocks is back with another band called simply The Jeremy Band. And in the end we pay another homage to Kim Fowley.

John Paul Jones – On The Road;
The Tunes – Crowded Heart;
Jonly Bonly – Total Control;
OBN IIIs – Stick and move;
Dreamsalon – Lick;
Dreamsalon – Don’t Feel Like Walkin’;
John Schooley and Walter Daniels – All Around Man;
Magic Sam Blues Band – You Belong To Me (Blues Alphabet);
McGuinness Flint – When I’m Dead And Gone;
REM – Life and How To Live It;
Chook Race – Tables Turned;
Jeremy Bond – Home;
Radio Birdman – You’re Gonna Miss Me;
The Psykicks – Down The Drain;
Danny And The Darleans – Fleures Du Mal (Live in CLE);
Mick Collins and Danny Kroha – Welcome To The Cemetery Club;
Kim Fowley – California Gypsy Man.

Flashlite #311

Kim FowleySome interesting stuff today. Erotic Biljan and his Heretics from Zagreb have a new single called Discgrace and we check it out. Also, Plastic Pals out of Sweden have a new single Riding With Elvis commemorating 80th birthday of Elvis Presley, which happened on January 8th. Also, out of Sweden, we have a new garage rock band The Vanjas. From Puerto Rico, we have Los Vigilantes singing in Spanish. Volume two of Jackie DeShannon tunes performed by other artists is out and we hear some rare acetates that she made as demos back in the day. We dedicate today’s show to one of the most original and interesting rock songwriters and organizers, one and only Kim Fowley who passed away last week.

Jackie DeShannon – Only You Can Free My Mind;
The Vanjas – Friday Twist;
The Plastic Pals – Riding with Elvis;
Bäddat För Trubbel – Fakta Och Nostalgi;
First Base – That’s My Girlfriend;
Games – About Me;
Erotic Biljan and His Heretics – Disgrace;
Danny And The Darleans – Don’t Get In The Car (Live in CLE);
Kim Fowley – Bubblegum;
Kim Fowley and Ben Vaughn – The King of Saturday Night;
Ben Vaughn – She Fell Out The Window;
Jackie DeShannon – New Thoughts;
Jackie DeShannon – Love Forever Stay;
Leon Redbone – Mississippi Delta Blues (Blues Alphabet);
Nude Beach – On The One Too Manys;
Los Vigilantes – Ahi no Estoy;
Outragous Cherry – Timing Ain’t Everything;
King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard – I Am In Heaven;
The Last – Hitler’s Brother;
The Steppes – Who Needs More Love.

Flashlite #310

Sonny Vincent and SpiteSonny Vincent is back with no less than two new records. One is with his new band called Spite – it features also Glen Matlock, Steve Mackay and Rat Scabies – all star line up, and that’s how it sounds too. He also has a solo record called Cyanide Consomme. Great work indeed. Eamon McGrath finally gathered his three-song downloads into a full blown LP called Exile. We play a new rocking version of the title track. He also has an updated bandcamp website with a TON of great rare demos. We pick some in our show today. There’s a tribute out there to Bruce Springsteen’s album Born in the USA. We feature Trampled By Turtles from Duluth, MN. Another new band today is Zig Zags from LA. We say goodbye to Joe Cocker and Jimmy Ruffin.

King Khan and the Gris Gris – Born to Die;
Zig Zags – Brainded Warrior;
Sonny Vincent and Spite – Now That I Have You;
Sonny Vincent – Just Like Penguins;
Eamon McGrath – Exile;
Eamon McGrath – Empire of Open Air;
Eamon McGrath – Song For Berlin;
Afterhours – Riprendere Berlino;
Dawn Chorus and The Blue Tits – I’m Going Down;
Trampled By Turtles – I’m Goin Down;
Bruce Springsteen – I’m Goin Down;
Bassholes – Broke Down Engine (Live in CLE);
Jimmy Rogers, Muddy Waters and Little Walter – Act Like You Love Me (Blues Alphabet);
Joe Cocker – Honky Tonk Women;
Jimmy Ruffin – What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted.

Sweet Apple – The Golden Age of Glitter (Tee Pee), Doug Gillard – Parade On (Nine Mile) and Death of Samantha – If Memory Serves Us Well (St. Valentine)

Sweet Apple and Doug Gillard reviewWhen Mick Jagger was in his late forties he recorded Primitive Cool and Steel Wheels. Certainly not the highest point of his career. But, it seems that the generation of musicians who are in their late forties these days are growing up a bit slower, putting better and better records as the time goes by. Examples are many – Nick Saloman from Bevis Frond, Matthew Smith from Outrageous Cherry, Rich Hopkins… The heroes of this story, Doug Gillard and John Petkovic are in that group.

Gillard and Petkovic started back in the eighties in a band called Death of Samantha. After several underground records and an extensive touring schedule across the USA in a van, the band morphed into Cobra Verde. Then, in the nineties, Robert Pollard hired the entire band to be the new line up of Guided By Voices. Gillard then stayed with Pollard and Petkovic split with a new line-up of Cobra Verde.

Petkovic’s latest project is Sweet Apple. The first album in 2010, Love and Desparation was a rocking record, but the latest one Golden Age of Glitter shines even brighter. There are no fillers on this one. The record also features a multiple help from some super talented musicians J Mascis, Mark Lanegan, Rachel Haden and Pollard who reunited with Petkovic on several tunes (pun intended – one tune he helped with is actually called Reunion). As one author wrote about the record, it plays like an exercise in enlightened revisionism, describing Petkovic’s desire to revisit some of the long lost musical genres of the seventies. But a really disarming thing about this record is the song writing talent and enthusiasm that Petkovic clearly put into the album. You can trust me on that one – I had a rare opportunity to see the album being built up from the first set of vague guitar riffs, recording and struggle to find an appropriate cover – to the first vinyl press testing.

Gillard also had a record recently. It’s called Parade On. He is well known as one of the finest guitarists in alternative rock (whatever it is), mainly from his tenure in Guided By Voices. But even the big fans of GBV can’t name too many of the songs Gillard has written, other than one of their biggest hits I Am A Tree. On Parade On, his song writing talent absolutely shines. In a private conversation with Gillard, he confessed that he attempted to make an easy listening record. And indeed, Parade On can stand next to any Paddy McAloon’s work, but with a bit harder edge, especially instrumentally.

There are two things in common to the new records of Gillard and Petkovic. One – they are probably the greatest and the most consistent albums they’ve ever written. The two songwriters defy their age with enthusiasm for rocking and rolling, sounding more youthful than ever. Two – the records also came out while their original band Death of Samantha reunited and rerecorded their early tunes on a really cool live record called If Memory Serves Us Well. Certainly, Gillard and Petkovic are at the very peak of their careers as songwriters and performers. Perhaps one way to achieve an even greater artistic peak would be to start writing new music together. You read it here first!

Outrageous Cherry – The Digital Age (Burger) and Danny And The Darleans – Stink (Nero’s Neptune)

Outrageous Cherry and Danny and The Darleans reviewMatthew Smith is a long time fixture on Detrot rock’n’roll scene. For years, his music is very well informed with all those genres that make rock music so exciting for all of us. His band with a revolving membership, Outrageous Cherry has been proving that for the past 20 years with some 15 odd albums. This year’s album Digital Age is in many ways a special one.

First, it comes after a four year break in discography – the longest one so far on Smith’s list. But sometimes, making a longer break like that can result in a very positive result. A bunch of songs piled up and Digital Age can be heard as the most consistent Outrageous Cherry album in my memory.

Smith’s songwriting is super clever and catchy. Lots of songs deal with the modern times and even some politics. Very engaging stuff, but not overwhelming. The music contains a lot of cool guitars and vocals are drenched in powerful reverbs and phasing. The bass player Colleen Burke also did a great job on it.

Talking about Colleen, she is also in Danny And The Darleans – another really cool Detroit band that had a record recently. Just by looking at the cover, I think it’s titled Stink, but it appears title-less on some other listings out there.

Danny of course is Danny Kroha who was with The Gories and Demolition Doll Rods. He’s taking the main stage on this new trio – the spotlight is on him this time. Stink contains some strong garage rock material and it really stands out in the ambitious tune Les Fleurs Du Mal.

Stink by Danny And The Darleans and Digital Age by Outrageous Cherry are two strongest records from Detroit in 2014, which will obviously remain as one of the strongest rock’n’roll towns. Both bands contain Colleen Burke on bass and both records are recorded in mono. Really great stuff!

Billy Childs – Map to the Treasure Reimagining Laura Nyro (Sony)

Map to the Treasure Reimagining Laura Nyro reviewMaking a good tribute is not an easy thing to do. You can have the best musicians the best songs but rarely do things fall together so nicely. On Map To The Treasure things came together perfectly and I think several things contributed to that.

First, you can find jazz, country and rock musicians and singers all collaborating together which could potentially be a bit chaotic, but one important thing to have in mind – this is a tribute to Laura Nyro – you have to be chaotic.

Second, obviously everyone involved, especially the boss of this project Billy Childs, is deeply in love with the music of Laura Nyro.

Third, the whole record is a very curious combination of emotional and rational. The songs and Laura’s musical approach wasn’t just presented as a replay, but her style and arrangements are closely studied and built upon.

And forth, the record is a strange combination of different musical taste. The musicians behind this record walk a thin line of delicious madness and saccharine which make the repeated listening an excellent pleasure. Just hear Rickie Lee Jones belting out some really out of the left field vocals on Been on a Train, and compare it to a more conventional approach taken by Dianne Reeves and Alison Krauss on this record, and you will know what I’m talking about.

Lydia Lunch and Cypress Grove – A Fistful of Desert Blues (Rustblade)

Lydia Lunch and Cypress Grove reviewLast year a surprisingly uncharacteristic album came from Lydia Lunch. She and her collaborator, guitarist Cypress Grove recorded a mighty fine, moody, rock’n’roll album called appropriately A Fistful of Desert Blues. Rarely does a record title fit the sound so well. It’s a western desert blues record that can stand next to any Gun Club record and live up to it.

In fact there is a song by Jeffrey Lee Pierce on it called St. Mark’s Place. Cypress Grove had an earlier collaboration with Pierce on the Ramblin’ Jeffrey Lee record in 1992. Although, Lydia’s and Cypress’ version of St. Mark’s Place is well known from the We Are Only Riders tribute to Pierce, it serves well on the Fistful of Desert Blues album to remind us where the whole thing originated from.

While We Are Only Riders is a wonderful album, it maybe lacks some focus with so many musicians trying to find their way to express their admiration for Jefferey Lee’s work, A Fistful of Blues overcomes that problem easily by delivering plenty of originals. And there’s a cool variety to keep your attention. From dark and moody ramble of the opener Sandpit to the rocking Jericho.

Another cool cover worth mentioning is Mark Lanegan’s Revolver which fits perfectly as one of the focal points of this album. Cool reinterpretation of Van Morrison’s TB Sheets with Walter Daniels on harp makes a wonderful closer and makes you moan for more.

First Base (Hozac)

First Base reviewThe First Base LP review of any length would probably end up being too long. To state it very simply, First Base is a band from Toronto that writes simple two minute catchy melodies in the best traditions of bubblegum punk. Songs of unacquainted love, cool harmonies and unpretentious production will win your heart and have you play this record on repeat. Imagine if Ramones recorded an album where all songs were like I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend – the result would be something like First Base. First Base doesn’t want to be your dog, First Base just wants to be in your record collection. The purest fun record this year again comes from Hozac label.

Flashlite #309 – The Best Reissues in 2014

Deaf WishToday’s show is dedicated mainly to my favorite reissues this year. The two comps I enjoyed the most were Mojo’s Heavy Nuggets III and Numero Group’s Warfaring Strangers Darkscorch Canticles, as a roadmap to the new band on some cool underground hard rock from the seventies. There were some excellent power pop reissues as well. Anyway, dive into today’s show for a complete list. Also, about a third of today’s show is dedicated to songs from some cool albums which did not make our top 20 albums, but were still cool enough to mention. This concludes our year end review, and we go back to our regularly irregular programming starting next week.

Il Sogno Del Marinaio – Stucazz;
The Tunes – Fits Like A Glove;
Epicycle – Biological Reaction;
Nikki Sudden – Stereo Baby;
Josephus – Crazy Man;
The Flsh Eaters – Cyrano De Berger’s Back;
Paul Westerberg – A Few Minutes of Silence;
Grant Hart – Remains To Be Seen;
Morgen – Welcome to the Void;
Wrath – Warlord;
Amen Corner – Hello Susie;
The Wigs – 180 Degrees;
Blues Pills – High Class Woman;
James Williamson (feat Mark Lanegan and Alison Mosshart) – Wild Love;
Chris Cacavas and Edward Abbiati – Me and the Devil;
Leadfinger – You’re So Strange;
The Forty Nineteens – Falling Down;
Ben Vaughn – Heavy Machinery;

Flashlite #308 – The Best Short Form in 2014

Deaf WishNowadays, singles and eps come out in various different forms. The old vinyl and CD, but it also can be a download, a video… So, it’s not easy to navigate through this mess. So, all singles and short albums up to four songs are what I call “short form”. Todays list compiles a list of my favorite singles this year. The second half of the show is dedicated to some of the albums that I liked last year, but that somehow did not end up on the top 20 last week. Happy new year everyone!

Allysen Callery – I Gave You;
Baddat for Trubbel – Inte Varit Su Tuff;
Ty Segall – Feel;
Night Signals – Animals;
My Buddy Moose – My People;
Dan Stuart – Elena;
Deaf Wish – Cool Comment;
Obnox – Used Kids (Parts 1 and 2);
Disciplina Kicme – Samo disciplina;

Ian McLagan and The Bump Band – All I Wanna Do;
Los Puchos – Whole Wide World;
Natural Child – Bailando Con Lobos;
Electric Six – Alone with Your Body;
Jesse Winchester – All That We Have Is Now;
Jenny Scheinman – My Old Man.