Flashlite #197

Julie DoironSeveral new things today… John Wesley Coleman III has yet another record out this year, so when you add it all up together, it’s his forth this year: two solo, one duet and one with The Golden Boys (we reviewed it last week). Then we have a new band here at the Little Lighthouse, Kriz crvene fuxe from Zagreb, although the news comes to us that the band has already ceased to exists in the meantime. Julie Doiron, who used to be in Eric’s Trip is back with the new solo album. Talking about grunge, Soundgarden also has a new record. And finally, Holly Golighthly has another record with The Brokeoffs entitled Sunday Roll Me Over. We also pay a special homage in this show to Sandy Denny, who has a four CD box set filled with demos and other rarities.

Sandy Denny – Who Knows Where the Time Goes;
Nude Beach – Radio;
The Forty Nineteens – She’s Moved On;
Empire – Electric Guitar;
The Golden Boys – Older Than You;
John Wesley Coleman III – King and Cindy;
The Exploding Hearts – I’m A Pretender;
King Louie’s Missing Monuments – I’m A Pretender (Live in CLE);
Kriz crvene fuxe – Marioneta;
Eamon McGrath – Instrument of My Release;
Eric’s Trip – Listen;
Julie Doiron – Our Love;
Soundgarden – Attrition;
Ron Wood And Ronnie Lane – Just For A Moment;
Rumer – Just For A Moment;
Holly Golightly And The Brokeoffs – Goddam Holy Roll;
Sam Philips – I Don’t Know How To Say Goodbye To You;
Sandy Denny – Autopsy.

The Golden Boys – Dirty Fingernails

The Golden Boys - Dirty FingernailsGolden Boys are a five piece from Austin, Texas. The best known name in the band is John Wesley Coleman III, who is known in Austin and elsewhere not only as one of the Golden Boys, but also as a singer songwriter, stand up comedian and a trash poet. But, according to what I could find about the band, it seems that Matt Hoopengardner and Bryan Schmitz, on two guitars and main vocals, are the main driving forces behind the Golden Boys.

Dirty Fingernails is their fifth album and it could be said that it’s the most mature of them all so far. One can find a wide berth of musical genres, from power pop, garage rock and punk rock. The rhythm is fast and the sound is amplified, drum and keyboard driven. Song Outta The Dark even has some horns. Daddy’s Horsewife sounds like a hardcore punk parody. But other than that the topic is mostly love and in general.

The songwriting is very pedant, although the sound is decidedly sloppy.

Garage rocking Curtains, sounds like something that could be on legendary Spoons album Voxin’, although I would be very surprised that the Golden Boys made a conscious connection there.

The first tune on the B-side is Older Than You, obviously on the topic of age difference between the two lovers. It has an extremely catchy one guitar string riff, reminding me on Empire’s Bob Andrews, something that he would employ on Expensive Sound.

The last tune on the record We Are Young is a perfect closer, the unofficial greatest hit of 2012 in my mp3 player. It’s another song on the record about getting older, an anthem about growing up, a sort of a sister song to the Replacement’s Bastards of Young. It is definitely a standout on an album that is nevertheless excellent. With Older Than You on position B1 and We Are Young closing the record, we get a full circle on one side of the record and the topic of coming out of the age becomes the dominant one. Still, it’s not definitely not a downer. It’s a celebration, and it a fun record to play on repeat.

Technical note: the vinyl record is duplicated at the United Records Pressing plant from Nashville TN. Their prints are all over the place – some the best around, some are substandard. My copy of the Golden Boys is very well done – no complaints sound-wise although there are specked scratch patterns on the surface, which is something one just has to get used to at the United Records.

First published on rockxs.com.

Flashlite #196

Johnny PerezToday we say goodbye to Johnny Perez, who played drums in the early days of The Sir Douglas Quintet. We also play some very interesting reissues from many different heroes of this show. Tav Falco has reissued his debut album Beyond The Magnolia County recently, and the record cover includes a nice four sided description on the early history of the band from the insiders. Legendary first (and only) album by Memphis band Moloch also has a very nice high quality vinyl reissue. Beach Boys and Frank Zappa are reissuing their entire catalog and Velvet Underground’s debut from 1967 saw an extremely expanded 6 disc upgrade. Also there’s a new tribute to the same record, marking a nice 45 year anniversary. Other new stuff is Kurt Baker and his new record, as well as Austin’s Rosie Flores.

Howe Gelb – That’s How Things Get Done;
Kurt Baker – Hit The Ground;
Rosie Flores – Working Girl’s Guitar;
The Mallard – There She Goes Again;
Velvet Underground and Nico – There She Goes Again;
Dinosaur Jr – The Wagon (Live in CLE);
Dinosaur Jr – Forget The Swan;
Nova Mob – Over My Head;
Epic Soundtracks – I Wanna Be Free (As the Lizards);
Tav Falco – Bourgeois Blues;
Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart and The Mothers – Advance Romance;
Moloch – Dance Chaney Dance;
The Beach Boys – I Get Around (2012 Stereo Extraction Mix);
The Sir Douglas Quintet – She’s About A Mover;
The Sir Douglas Quintet – Texas Me.

Flashlite #195

Modern SuperstitionsHear us roar through an hour of music with the speed of light – from zesty hard-core punk to tearful country. You won’t even know what has got you. We start off with the brand new 7″ from the hard core masters from Raleigh, NC. Our old friends Double Negative are back with the thrid and fourth installment of their Hardcore Confusion series. We also introduce Modern Superstitions, a new band from Canada. Then there’s Brooklyn’s own rockers Nude Beach, who present themselves with an extremely accessible, yet uncompromising second album. Zappa’s guitarist Mike Keneally joins forces with XTC’s Andy Partridge for the new album. In the end, we shed a tear with the Sweethearts of The Rodeo.

Chris Brokaw – How to Listen;
Flasheaters – Agony Shorthand;
Double Negative – Safe Word;
Husker Du – What Do I Want;
Redd Kross – Self Respect;
The Spits – Fed Up;
The Osmonds – Crazy Horses;
Electric Six – Crazy Horses (Live in CLE);
Eamon McGrath – I Am The Deer;
Modern Superstitions – Last Nights Dress;
The Pursuit of Happiness – She’s So Young;
Mike Keneally and Andy Partridge – You Kill Me;
Neil Young And Crazy Horse – Psychedelic Pill;
Neil Young – Motorcycle Mama;
Ty Segall – Mother Lemonade;
Nude Beach – Love Can’t Wait;
Dwight Twilley Band – England;
Hoodoo Gurus – Baby Can Dance;
Sweethearts of the Rodeo – I Feel Fine;
Sweethearts of The Rodeo – What Does Love Mean to You;
Les Frères Souchet – Bye Bye Birdy Black.

Flashlite #194

TustaToday we say goodbye to one of my personal heros. Tusta was a singer of a great punk band KUD Idijoti who put out a series of three excellent EPs back when I was just starting to be interested in the underground rock. For me, Idijoti was one of the most exciting things that happened musically worldwide, although they were just a small local Yugoslav band. Unfortunately, cancer took Tusta’s life sometime last week and it shook me deeply. As if a family member died, although I didn’t even know him personally. Today show is for Tusta. We hear some his music and we also check out some of the new music as well. Cowbell is a duet from England. Electric Six have a new live record, and they visited Cleveland. Along, they brought a new band from San Diego called Little Hurricane, also a duet. And we saw an interesting new Cleveland band, Dead Sweaters. Plus Dick Valentine has a new solo record. And The Legs, Eric Oblivian’s old band, has their recordings from 2000 finally out on a record.

Kevin Gordon – Don’t Stop Me This Time;
KUD Idijoti – Maja;
KUD Idijoti – Lutke na koncu;
The Connection – Comes And Goes;
The Lemonheads – Pittsburgh;
Redd Kross – Dracula’s Daughters;
OFF! – Peace In Hermosa;
Natural Child – Derek’s Blues;
The Golden Boys – Dirty Fingernails;
The Legs – You Won’t Get Me;
True Sons of Thunder – Wood Shampoo;
Cowbell – Mississippi;
Tav Falco – Dateless Night (Live in CLE);
Dead Sweaters – Dangerous;
Electric Six – Hello! I See You;
Dick Valentine – The Termite Queen;
Little Hurricane – Sun Sets West;
KUD Idijoti – Prezivjeti;
KUD Idijoti – Ljudi kao ja.

Gentleman Jesse – Leaving Atlanta

Gentleman Jesse - Leaving AtlantaJesse Lee Smith is a fellow that hails from the Atlanta rock’n’roll scene that gave us many interesting garage rock bands in the past few years. One of the bands that started it all was the Ramones influenced quintet The Carbonas and Jesse played bass in it. He had a somewhat more complex vision on what his music should be, so he started a solo career with a rotating line up of musicians simply referred to as “his men”.

His vision was first widely exposed on an excellent solo debut album from 2008 and now we have a sequel on the second album called Leaving Atlanta. The musical spectrum Jesse took on his solo albums is decidedly power pop oriented, but also informed with the English pub rock scene and Stiff records. Indeed, the cover art of the first album is a clear nod to Elvis Costello and his Last Year’s Model.

The new album doesn’t bring much new, which in this case is a very good thing. Leaving Atlanta is a collection of extremely catchy tunes on love, loneliness and going out and partying, just like the first record. Both albums remind me a lot on the 1980 Stiff records classic Where Are All The Nice Girls by Any Trouble.

The musicianship is heavily based on the jangling Rickenbacker guitar sound and perhaps one could argue that the digital version of the album (CD or mp3) is mixed a bit too much in mid and high frequencies. But, perhaps the Jesse wanted to have a nice sound on the vinyl, which is definitely achieved. The old plastic version of the record plays great and it sounds like something recorded in 1979. On Stiff I might add once more!

First published on rockxs.com.

Flashlite #193

Nick CurranToday we review some parts of the blooming and booming new San Francisco rock’n’roll scene, lead by Ty Segall who has a new album out there called Twins. We also check out the wonderful cajuns from Switzerland, Mama Rosin, who made a new album in New York City with Jon Spencer and also have another ad-hoc project called Les Frères Souchet. Talking about the Francophone stuff, we have a new single for Perpignan’s Jack of Heart and including their potent cover of Gun Club’s For The Love of Ivy recorded live in Cleveland. We close the show with Amy Lavere and Shannon McNally with their new tour rehearsal tapes and with Lucy Kaplansky’s cover of The Beatles tune I’m Looking Through You.

Today’s show is dedicated to Nick Curran who we recently lost after two years of battle with throat cancer.

The Fall – Jerusalem;
The Modern Minds – Theresa’s World;
Nick Curran – Shot Down;
Nick Curran & The Lowlifes – The Lowlife;
Apache – Heaven Can Wait;
Ty Segall – The Hill;
Thee Oh Sees – Flood’s New Light;
Mikal Cronin – Get Along;
Rat Columns – Death Is Leaving Me;
Jack of Heart – Oscar Wilde;
Jack of Heart – For The Love of Ivy (live in CLE);
King Tuff – Screaming Skull;
Mama Rosin – Parait qu’y a pas l’Temps;
Les Frères Souchet – Umido E Denso;
Rosanne Cash – I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party;
Lucy Kaplansky – I’m Looking Through You;
Amy Lavere And Shannon McNally – Good Old Time

Flashlite #192

The ShivasNew supergroup today: David Hidalgo from Los Lobos, Luther Dickinson from North Mississippi Allstars and Mato Nanji join forces on a new album together called Three Skulls And The Truth. We have also the new non-album single from Natural Child and a track from a new LP for Suzi Chunk. The new names today are The Shivas from Portland and Forty Nineteens from LA. Famous tribute to the great late Arizona guitarist Rainer Ptacek called The Inner Flame has been reissued with some tracks missing and some new tracks. We check it all out today.

Etta Britt – High;
Dan Sartain – Voodoo;
King Tuff – Stupid Superstar;
King Louie’s Missing Monuments – I’m Gonna Love You Back to Life;
Natural Child – Mother Nature’s Daughter;
Sonic Youth – Kill Yr. Idols;
The Shivas – Thrill Yr Idols;
David Hidalgo, Luther Dickinson, Mato Nanji – Make It Right;
North Mississippi Allstars – Live in CLE;
Rainer – Powder Keg;
Chris Whitley – Powder Keg;
Bill Janovitz – Powder Keg;
Rockpile – Wrong Again (Let’s Face It);
Suzi Chunk – It’s Not Your Heartbreak;
Forty Nineteens – Magnolia Mississippi.

Flashlite #191

Hal DavidThe Dirtbombs from Detroit joined forces with Dan Sartain and Terrible Twos for a new ep release and they cover another act from Detroit on that single – a cult band called Death. Quartet from Pittsburgh, PA Satin Gum are back with their second album, which they call LP2. Mark Eitzel and Rickie Lee Jones have new solo records out. And Crusaders of Love is a new name today, from Lille in France.

In the end, we’re paying respect to Hal David, a lyricists that used to work with Burt Bacharach. Our tribute is not obvious, as we play some versions of his songs that are not notorious, so that should be interesting.

Todd Rundgren – Love Of The Common Man;
Love – My Little Red Book;
The Dirtbombs – Politicians In My Eyes;
Death – Politicians In My Eyes;
Satin Gum – How Do I;
Crusaders of Love – never grow up;
Pylon – Crazy (Live in CLE);
American Music Club – Somewhere;
Mark Eitzel – Why Are You with Me;
Dan Stuart – Gonna Change;
Jackie DeShannon – The Weight;
Rickie Lee Jones – The Weight;
The Royal Guardsmen – Liberty Vallance;
The Cyrkle – It Doesn’t Matter Anymore;
The Last – Baby It’s You.

Dan Stuart – The Deliverance of Marlowe Billings

Dan Stuart - The Deliverance of Marlowe Billings After several years of personal hell, Dan Stuart is finally back. His old band, legendary Green On Red, disbanded in 1992, and Dan tried to continue solo. After a record with Al Perry in 1993 and the first solo album in 1995, Dan disappeared from the music business.

There were many different stories and legends on what he was going through in those years, but it wasn’t until ten years later that we heard of Dan again. He first regrouped with Green On Red to play a few shows in Europe and USA (a live DVD came out of that), and then put out a record with Steve Wynn (a studio and live sequels to their legendary Danny And Dusty project) and one with the producer JD Foster (in an ad-hoc band called The Slummers). Now, Mr. Stuart is back with a masterpiece – new LP called The Deliverance of Marlowe Billings.

Apparently, Marlowe Billings is Dan’s alter ego, which he uses sometimes in his new home in Mexico. I read in Uncut that he has found new energy over there after living in New York and separating from his wife. These stories should be taken with a grain of salt, since Dan posted on his facebook that some of the claims were false in that article.

We can read poetical interpretations of this story in the lyrics of the new record, though. Dan is singing “I miss the city and I miss the lights, I miss my family all over the night. But New York’s a liar, we both know it’s true, just like your lover whose soul understands you. I’ll never go back to that cold hard ground, where everyone’s searching for what can’t be found”.

These words can be found in the opening song of the new record and they are certainly dark, but the mood of the record overall is far from being disconsolate. This is the main difference between Dan’s old record Can O’ Worms from 1995 and this one today. While Can O’ Worms is a deep dark record of a man loosing a grip of his own fate, Deliverance is a record of a man who’s back in control. By realizing that he was looking for what can’t be found, Dan liberated his soul and now, on the new record we can also find lighthearted tunes such as Gap-toothed Girl or Gonna Change – a beautiful Brill-Building sunshine pop with disarming oo-la-lah’s .

Another record that calls for comparisons is also Love’s Been Discontinued by Dan’s old band-mate Chris Cacavas, which came out in 2009 and which I pronounced the album of the year in the Little Lighthouse year end list of that season. I still don’t know what was going on in Cacavas’ private life at the time, but if I trust the lyrics, its a very honest record of a man who has recently went through a break up. One thing that is common to Cacavas’ Love’s Been Discontinued and Dan’s Deliverance can be summed up in Dan’s words: “yes, love will kill you, so why pretend”. Turn it into some really cool art and see what happens. “You can never steal this poet’s soul.” This brings me to a film I like, called Singles back in 1992. There’s a mime over there who can’t shut up and says: “love disappears, baby”.

I must also add at the end that the musicianship on this record is truly exceptional. The band backing up ol’ Dan is the Italian group Sacri Cuori and the sound is thick and full. Surely, a part of the credit for this great sounding record also must go to JD Foster. Foster and Antonio Gramentieri from Sacri Couri were also with Dan in The Slummers. It looks like the new record leaves Dan in a very healthy place and I have a feeling we can expect more great stuff from Dan and the boys in the near future. Right now, you can enjoy this disc and also see Dan Stuart who is touring Europe currently.

First published on rockxs.com.

Podcast made in Cleveland, Ohio. Syndicated by Prvi Prvi na Skali in Kragujevac, Serbia. Sponsored by Blue Arrow Records and Baby Next.