STEVIE WONDER

INNERVISIONS

The third in a streak of mind bending albums released by Wonder in the seventies, "Innervisions" is an incredibly complex work of art. His inner control freak shines brightly, too, as he writes, produces and plays nearly every note you hear on this disc. All at the tender age of 23.

"Living in the City" sits as the epic centerpiece of the set, telling a tale of a young man who leaves the South, arrives in New York to look for work and is framed for drug possession. Lines like "To find a job is like a haystack needle, cause where he lives, they don't use colored people." show the artist making blunt social commentary on the experiences of African American men and women, living in what is purported to be a free and just society that merely metes out unequal treatment.

Wonder explores many interesting themes that are as varied as the music. Reincarnation with an eye toward reaching the highest plane of existence fuels "Higher Ground", which also has an uplifting groove to match.



Cautionary words about drugs inform "Too High" and "Don't You Worry "Bout a Thing", which has a Latin flavor that wouldn't seem out of place on a Santana record. "He's Mistra Know it All" is notable for taking shots at then President Nixon. Everything comes off as incredibly effortless, but when you really listen, the work that went into these songs is evident in the meticulous playing and the quality of the finished product.



Regardless of labels, this is the work of a genius musician hitting his stride and pound for pound is one of the best records that he ever made. Few reach this high and so consistently hit the mark.

HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY!

Here are a couple of records that are sure to make March 17th more entertaining and your surroundings a bit blurrier. "Irish Heartbeat" teamed Van Morrison with the Chieftains, Celtic master musicians who have been playing traditional music since before your mother was born. "Irish Drinking Songs" performed in style by Tommy Makem and the Clancy Brothers, could be the ultimate soundtrack to green beer and wild revelry.

Feel free to seek out and enjoy these discs anytime. They hold a proud place in my vinyl collection.

What could be more fitting than a tribute to the beverage that gets things started? May you all have the luck of the Irish.

INTERESTING

The gentlemen pictured above are David, Bobby and Dannis Hackney who played in a power trio called "Death" in the early to mid 70's. Up to this morning, I had not heard of them. One of the great pleasures in my life is discovering music that did not find an audience in its time. I will now try to hunt down their stuff, as they were apparently ahead of the curve with their material. Please feel free to have a look at the article.

www.nytimes.com/2009/03/15/arts/music/15rubi.html

CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL

BAYOU COUNTRY

How four guys from California came to be associated with "swamp rock" is kind of funny when you think about it. Then you hear John Fogerty's distinctive vocal cords wrapped around the dirt-under-the-fingernails riff that frames "Born on the Bayou" and it all makes sense.

"Bayou Country" was the first of THREE albums that CCR would release in 1969 and it is a fantastic slab of rock and roll. Just to remind the kids of what was going on prior to the sixties revolution in sound, the group tears through a cover of "Good Golly Miss Molly" for good measure. There was never any aural hint that these guys would be taking listeners on trips involving flashing lights and multi colored imagery. Fogerty remained a consistent producer of straight ahead, melodic, yet hard hitting music.

"Proud Mary" is the monster hit in that vein here.

Timeless in their construction, these songs have had a long life beyond the period in which they were originally popular. In the early 90's, I was in a clothing store at a local mall and overheard two young girls chatting about this "great new band" that they had just discovered. One of them went on to say that, "every song they have is, like, great and I think they're called CCR or whatever."

I nearly suffered internal injuries from laughter. Though that instance more than makes the point.

So forget about the legal battles, family estrangement, quitting, disowning, death and a host of other extremely sad events that cast a shadow over the band's legacy. Bigger than all of this is an amazing body of work that they left behind in only five years as an active recording unit.

Pretty staggering when you go through a laundry list of their hits.

They were a top class live band, too.

TRAFFIC

THE LOW SPARK OF HIGH HEELED BOYS

Nothing in particular to say about this one, except that it's a very fine album. Dave Mason had exited the group (again), leaving Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi as the main composers. Laid back jazz rock is what you'll find here, with the title track winning honors as the stand out from the pack. Winwood's Blind Faith accomplice Ric Grech plays bass and scores a co-write ("Rock & Roll Stew").

Excellent disc to throw on as a soundtrack for getting things done. I'm listening to it as I write and lift 12 ounce weights. Multi tasking at its finest.

Yes, these guys were underrated geniuses. See for yourself.

CURTIS MAYFIELD

CURTIS

Prodigiously talented writer, bandleader, producer and performer Curtis Mayfield had not yet left the Impressions for a solo career when he made this record. Percussion-heavy workouts with prominent horn and string arrangements would set the tone for his work throughout the seventies. That effortless butterfly falsetto floats majestically over even the hard hitting tracks.

There is a hypnotic quality involved with the longer cuts like "Move on Up" and "(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go" and a deep, relentless groove. I would rate "The Makings of You" among the very best he ever committed to tape, with a lush background that enhances this beautiful song.

Getting a social message across also became a priority for this thoughtful musician. The layered, hard-edged funk was a perfect vehicle to voice concerns that were not commonly heard in popular music of this time. All of that would soon change, with Mayfield in the vanguard of a new movement.

Along with the subsequent Super Fly soundtrack, "Curtis" blended soul and funk in a completely different manner that was experimental, yet still very accessible. He was a great talent and a huge influence to many in all genres of music.

PEARL JAM

BINAURAL

Remaining stellar long after many of their contemporaries flamed out, Pearl Jam added this exceptional set to their spotless discography in 2000 and set off on a tour that launched 1000 live albums. Force of nature Matt Cameron propels the group in dynamic fashion, securing his position with ease and solving the exploding drummer issues that plagued the band heretofore.

Avoiding arbitrary expiry dates at every turn, there is a fine mix of power and a lighter touch at work. Vedder channels Pete Townshend in the ukulele driven "Soon Forget" with fine results. "Breakerfall" incorporates Who-like passages from two sources and you'll spot them if you're a fan.

Hard hitting one word titles fly at you with stop-start riffs and great changes. These guys put thought and melody into their writing, staying away from trendiness and giving the material a lengthy shelf life.



While "Binaural" is laid back in places, there is an underlying tension and an edge that keeps you interested. "Rival" and "Light Years" are my picks, though it's tough to play favorites with so many good songs competing for your attention. Listen with both ears to a band that has yet to make a bad record.

PETE BARBUTTI

HERE'S PETE BARBUTTI

Genius musician and "alternative" comedian Pete Barbutti logged quite a bit of time on the small screen (frequently appearing on "The Tonight Show"), though he has long been out of the mainstream spotlight. His expressions were priceless. My mom used to tune in to his short lived show, "Pete's Place", as she was/is a great fan of jazz. That's where I first saw him do his stuff. Gotta love Canadian TV.

His material was definitely geared toward musicians. The following clip is one of his classic routines, though it cuts out the first bit that sets up the gag. Either way, it takes talent for someone who plays proficiently to purposely play poorly.

The correspondence course that I'm taking (Alliterative Writing in an Economic Downturn) is finally paying dividends!

CAN YOU HEAR THIS SOUND?

Years of violent music have taken their toll on my hearing and my teen time is long in the past, so I DIDN'T HEAR A THING. The under 25 crowd will and they won't like it.

Created by Train Horns

FROM THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR

Throughout their heyday in the sixties, the Beatles would tape a year end Christmas message that was issued on flexi disc to members of their fan club. This is an outtake from the session that produced their 1965 greeting.

I was in tears laughing when I first heard this, years ago, on a bootleg that I had acquired. The poster labeled this as a "Disturbing Beatle Message", though it was certainly never intended for public consumption.

Black humor coupled with a shared left-handed cigarette produces those deep laughs, where you think that you have suffered internal injuries. It is in that spirit (and state) that the following silliness ensued.

JEFF BUCKLEY

Jeff Buckley came to my attention purely by accident while channel surfing.

Fall 1994: Terry David Mulligan was conducting an interview with him on Much Music (remember when they actually aired music?). Seconds before flipping to another distraction, I heard Mulligan state that listening to Buckley's album evoked the same feelings as those stirred when he had first heard "Astral Weeks".

Please, continue...

Based on the experience of hearing just the title track as part of this segment, I raced out to find a copy of the CD. All expectations were exceeded and for weeks it was in constant rotation. Convinced that this would be huge, I laid the disc on anyone who would listen as if it were a hot stock tip.

It wasn't

It was heartening to know that this masterpiece was created by a (then) contemporary artist. Music that aimed a bit higher, it was on par with the best of anything produced during the golden period of the sixties. High hopes were set for what he would follow it up with.

Sadly, the attention of a broader audience would only come through his untimely passing in 1997.

Nothing increases demand for an artist's work more than word of their demise. Overnight, critical evaluations became eulogies for a young man who would not fulfill the promise that was so perfectly stated with his lone studio effort.

"Grace" is powered by operatic vocal gymnastics, epic arrangements tailored for a four-piece rock group and nerve. There is also a dark and foreboding undercurrent to the writing that is slightly unsettling, though it compels you to listen. This component is balanced by the exhilaration of hearing someone pull off the impossible at every turn. Genius in a flawless, musical high wire act.

Without any vulgar attempts to copy from their playbook, the spirit and creativity of Zeppelin at their most esoteric is felt, especially with "Mojo Pin", "Grace" and "The Last Goodbye". Three covers round out the set, with a version of "Hallelujah" that surpasses all interpretations. Any other attempts pale in comparison.

I have rarely been more inspired than the first time I listened to this album and it continues to amaze.

Much ink has been spilled in praise of this disc, with nary a drop wasted. What more could be said?

SHEA STADIUM

This past week, a controlled demolition the likes of which has not been seen in New York for almost eight years, brought down the last section of an iconic venue. The pride of Flushing, NY, Shea Stadium opened for business in April 1964. Home of the Mets and Jets, it is best remembered as the site of the opening gig of the Beatles 1965 US tour that drew a record (for that time) crowd of over 55,000 people.

It is now a parking lot. Guess that people had enough with "remembering" William A. Shea.

THE PRETENDERS

PRETENDERS

Guitar tone that leaps out of the speakers, solid songs with sympathetic backing and one ex music writer with soul. All are present and accounted for on "Pretenders". Another late 70's last stab at breathing life into rock that is consistently brilliant from the time "Precious" kicks down the door until "Mystery Achievement" fades into the west.

Chrissie Hynde asserts herself with a distinctive vocal delivery and an attitude that is demonstrated simply by crafting edgy, melodic music. There is none of the fatuous posing of latter day lightweights (Pink and Avril Lavigne) here.

I keep this record is in fairly constant rotation, as it remains fresh after so many years. "Up the Neck" packs an album's worth of ideas into one tune. Light distortion colors the dentist drill opening riff which then shifts gears into glorious sounding arpeggios before changing yet again. Effort is made to hold your attention.

Energetic punkish outings like "Tatooed Love Boys" and "Precious" sit comfortably next to radio ready fare like "Brass In Pocket" and "Kid" which is one of my favorites from this stellar set. There wouldn't be a crisis in the music business if artists were releasing consistent, top quality product.

Special mention goes to the three players who pooled their talents to sonically elevate these offerings. James Honeyman Scott's guitar textures are an indispensable part of the soundscape. He also co-wrote "Space Invader" and "Brass in Pocket". Pete Farndon and Martin Chambers anchored a muscular, yet flexible rhythm section. Sadly, both Scott and Farndon became drug casulaties in the early 80's. Their input would be missed after the second album.

Expert production from Chris Thomas sands off rough edges, yet maintains a feel that accentuates the strengths of this talented quartet.

THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS

Who is responsible for the much needed drop in the price of gas?

It's always the one that you least expect...

JONI MITCHELL

BLUE

Self explanatory.

GOMEZ

LIQUID SKIN

Allowing these songs to permeate your cerebellum would definitely be one of the nicest things that you could do for your brain. Gomez came out of the UK indie scene in the mid 90's with demos that inspired a bidding war to sign them. A co-worker was kind enough to loan me this CD when it was still a fresh item and I was instantly hooked.

Writing and playing here is first rate, while the production values have moved up a notch from the low-fi feel of their first disc (the also quite excellent "Bring It On"). Best of all, they make zero concessions to trendy noises or styles, while taking care not to venture into tuneless experimentation. Melodic fare mixes with unexpected 180 degree turns in arrangement ("Las Vegas Dealer") and having three vocalists ensures variety in pace and tone.

"Devil Will Ride" encompasses every facet of this multi-talented group, showcasing tight harmonies, tricky riffs and a surprise horn interlude that doesn't interrupt the flow of the song, despite a dead stop.



Don't buy into the bullshit tags that have been carelessly applied to "Liquid Skin". Psychedelic blues was a laughable example. They forge their own esoteric sound.

Lots of information is presented to the listener, so it may take a few spins to absorb all that is on offer. Exhilarating passages are expertly woven together with the best ideas refined and made stronger because they are fed into a communal pool of musicians reaching a bit higher.

It all works, leaving an impression of timelessness.

BILL HICKS

This could be one of Dave Letterman's greatest gestures.

BEN FOLDS FIVE

THE UNAUTHORIZED BIOGRAPHY OF REINHOLD MESSNER

Commercial indifference buried this talented trio in the backyard, with an adventurous set of tunes left as their last official release. Proving again that the masses don't pay attention, Folds admitted that he took a bath on this financially and moved on to a solo career.

Ten years after the fact, most everything here stands up, brimming with melody (remember that?) and the type of risk taking that an increasingly narrow minded music industry has driven to a friendlier medium. You are here.

Avoiding the traps that makes most music so boring of late, this is loose limbed, energetic and intelligent stuff. "Narcolepsy" builds from a lone piano in the intro to incorporate Darren Jesse's splashy drum flourishes (reminiscent of Keith Moon), augmented by sweeping strings. Kicking in the door with an epic and witty statement, the pace then shifts down into 70's AM radio territory with "Don't Change Your Plans".



Virtuoso keyboards married to exceptional songs.

Those familiar with their previous two albums will find that arrangements have grown to incorporate strings and brass, though it doesn't detract from the personality of the players. All three sing and contribute distinctive instrumental passages, with the overdriven bass of Robert Sledge acting as lead guitar. Dry humor, an essential ingredient of some of their work, is muted here in favor of a more serious tone. On the disc's one disposable track ("Your Redneck Past") there is a sense of silliness which seems too far out of context to merit its inclusion here.

Everything else works quite well. "Army" is the cornerstone track, mixing wry slackerisms with a complimentary horn section that provides an adrenaline rush , pushing the song to the finish line with excitement.



This is a criminally overlooked album. Reuniting briefly to play "Reinhold Messner" in it's entirety last fall, everyone looked like they were having a hell of a lot of fun.

THE TALKING CAR

TRAFFIC SAFETY FILM (1969 remake of 1953 original)

"Hi, I'm Troy McClure! Today, I'll be teaching you the "dos" and "do not dos" of getting flattened in the street because you JUST DIDN'T LISTEN!!!!"

Nothing at all to do with music, except that the kid is played by Brian Forster who would later be the Partridge Family's second fake drummer. (They walled up the original Chris Partridge in a basement in the middle of nowhere for "talking back" to the director)

The year was 1973 and our primary school teacher screened this "fill-um" (that's how she pronounced it) to illustrate how easy it would be for us to be squished by an assortment of late 60's American cars driven by child killing maniacs. Note the evil judgement that rains down on the kid when he's put before the panel of three frightening automobiles.

A friend of the family at that time drove a '69 Plymouth Fury and I was convinced that his car was going to clear its throat and damn me to hell for not looking both ways before crossing the street.

Scariest part? The dog's excellent acting.


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