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Kevin Mathews:
February,
2004
So Much Music....So
Little Time
People in Singapore were not surprised to
find out that January 2004 was one of the wettest ever recorded
in history in the island state. Some might say that after
the extremely difficult year that was 2003, the unexpected
showers signify that 2004 may indeed be better. For now, it
appears that the floodgates have opened and the blessings
will come like a tidal wave!
Musically, 2003 was rather good as is indicative from my year-list
of favorite albums, however, to continue the imagery of torrential
rainfall, the number of CDs I was fortunate enough to receive
meant that there is a considerable amount of CDs that remain
not listened to and not reviewed yet.
This often fills me with regret as I understand what it takes
to send a CD halfway around the world to where I live and
so, this month's column will be dedicated to those albums
I never quite got to in 2003, and we'll see how far we get…
Two of the best reissues last year were certainly Gene Clark's
No Other (Warner) and Neil Young's On the Beach
(Reprise) both originally released, curiously enough, in 1974.
Clark's magnum opus was a commercial flop when first issued,
a fate not helped by the fact that the recording cost exceeded
record company budgets. However, listening to it thirty years
on, it is clear that it was well worth the money spent.
Using country music as its foundations, No
Other incorporated elements of rock, jazz & chamber
pop to create a heady brew, a sonic extravaganza that lives
up to the Cosmic American Music that Gram Parsons coined to
label the nascent country-rock hybrid. Highlights include
the sophisticated menace of the title track, the psychedelic
balladry of the "From A Silver Phial," the pastoral
classicism of "Life's Greatest Fool" and so on.
On the Beach despite being universally
thought to be one of Young's finest works finally saw a digital
release in 2003 and once you soak in its myriad charms, you
will be thoroughly mystified at this long-delayed re-issue.
Anyway, better late than never, this superb album deconstructs
and dissects the West Coast rock culture of the early 70s,
and in many ways, reflects it as well. From the terror-ist
imagery of "Revolution Blues" to the winsome melancholy
of "See the Sky About To Rain," from the one-note
environmental treatise of "Vampire Blues" to the
change-adverse diatribe of the title track, you can almost
smell the fear. Any wonder why I consider the '70s to be the
best decade of rock music ever?
Jeremy Morris is one of pop's greatest secrets. The pop underground
has long been the beneficiary of not only his musical gifts
and talents but also his business acumen & passion as
the owner of Jam Records (www.jamrecordings.com),
which releases and distributes fine examples of what the pop
underground can achieve. As an artist, Morris is a jangle-pop
fan's wildest dream as his skill with a 12-string Rickenbacker
is legendary and his penchant for the inspiration of the Beatles-Byrds-Beach
Boys-Big Star bedrock. Morris' latest record - Pop Dreams
- never strays too far from the formula, with first rate powerpop
material like the Lennonesque "What Friends Are For,"
the psychedelic "I Believe," the uplifting "Just
A Song," the folky "The Actor" keeping the
attention easily.
Having said all that, Morris happens also to be an accomplished
pianist as well as a noted prog rocker! Thus it would surprise
most to discover Fruit Tree a collection of instrumentals
which features Morris at the grand piano to great effect.
Thematically focused on Matthew 17: 17-20, Fruit Tree
through its piano pieces conveys the spiritual concept of
our lives bearing fruit (good works) and bearing witness to
the people we are in this lifetime.
Like I said, Morris' Jam Records also distributes other artist's
works like Terry Eason's Elephant Garden, Brian Jay
Cline's Quadraphonic Deluxe and the Blank Pages' 45
and 33. Eason's agenda seems to be edgy 80s-styled alt-rock
with sincere lyrics and muscular guitar work. The instrumental
backing does suggest a prog rock leaning ala 80s era King
Crimson which makes for challenging listening. Fans of Porcupine
Tree will enjoy Terry Eason. (www.terryeason.com)
Cline's brand of good time rock 'n' roll is as radio-friendly
as the CD cover suggests. It is easy on the ears with sweet
melodies and dynamic rhythms dominating the proceedings. With
a twang in "Las Vegas Confidential" and "Baby's
Got the Blues," Cline keeps things basic and proclaims
loudly that old fashioned American music still holds sway
over hearts and feet. (www.brianjaycline.com)
The opening track - "1983" - from Blank Pages' new
album puts everything in context for pop fans, with equal
parts powerpop, new wave and pub rock influencing the approach
employed here. Nary a duff song or filler on display here,
45 and 33 is thirteen tight-tuned hit-single quality
songs that 80s guitar pop should not ignore.
Hold on tightly, boys and girls, as I try my hardest to give
you the lowdown on:
Sand consists of Kim Fowley and Roy Swedeen and their The
West Is Best album (Zip) is mondo bizarro rock at its
finest. (www.ziprecords.com)
Matt Elliot's The Mess We Made (Merge) is arty-farty
to a fault. Precious chamber music that begs to be heard above
its hushed tones and highly pretentious leanings. I'm sorry
but I just don't get it. (www.mergerecords.com)
Bullseye Records owner Jaimie Vernon establishes that he is
just as comfortable on the other side of the fence. These
home demos of pleasing rock and pop have been buffed to a
shine and there is enough here to suggest that Vernon should
not neglect talents such the kind he possesses. (www.bullseyecanada.com)
Psychedelic white noise is the order of the day in the re-issue
of Canadian Simple Saucer's Cyborgs Revisited (Sonic
Unyon). Yes, there is a method in their madness and fans of
Syd Barrett, John Cale and Eno (what a dream combo?!) will
groove to Simply Saucer's mechanical vibrations. (www.sonicunyon.com)
The Rambling Ambassadors are a instrumental trio whose verve
and raw rock 'n' roll abandon is evident on Avanti
(Mint) and this is the kind of unbridled late 50s based music
you might find on the soundtrack of a Tarantino flick. Rather
cool. (www.mintrecs.com)
Big in Japan? Well, from the rapturous cheers which greet
the Rubinoos and spot-on renditions of favorites like "Arcade
Queen," "Early Winter" and "I Wanna Be
Your Boyfriend" on the Live In Japan CD (Air Mail)
you'd certainly think so. And why not?! Powerpop fans need
not hesitate. (www.airmailrecordings.com)
The Shins' Chutes Too Narrow (Sub Pop) is one of the
albums of 2003. With its intelligent reading of Robert Smith
histrionics and Merseybeat dynamics, not to mention an appealing
albeit quirky lyrical sensibility. It's understated arrangements
belie the fact the genius is in the details and The Shins
have it in spades. Sophisticated pop fans should not be without
Chutes Too Narrow. (www.subpop.com)
And on that note, I take my leave as my brolly takes another
beating; I remind myself that the waters from above bring
life and nourishment and that soggy shoes will eventually
dry…till next month. Adieu!
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