Forgotten Album of the Month: They Might Be Giants

Forgotten Album of the Month: They Might Be Giants

Nowadays, everyone knows that They Might Be Giants are legends and geniuses but back in the mid nineties, their stock was declining and album sales were slowing down. But that has never mattered to the band and in some cases, they will still be able to make some really excellent music. One of those cases was 1994, as their record label, Elektra’s interest in them was falling, they emerged with what I feel is one of their best records, John Henry.

Their first record with a full-fledged band, in this case, the kickass rhythm section of drummer Brian Doherty (The Silos) and bassist Tony Maimone (Pere Ubu), Johns Flanburgh and Linnell came back after the relatively disappointing Apollo 18 with a strong collection of bathed in fuzz rock songs. Kicking off with the experimental “Subliminal,” which contains at the end, the song in reverse, the band came out with undoubtedly their funkiest single ever, “Snail Shell,” which contains a great bass workout from Maimone. With crystal clear production, the band was able to expand their ever changing music palette to include everything to an Alice Cooper tribute, “Why Must I Be Sad,” sixties surf music, the killer and almost never ending “Spy” to acapella with the group Hudson Shad, “O, Do Not Forsake Me.”

The album also contains one of their most recognizable and historical songs, “Meet James Ensor,” about a once-famous Belgian painter who eventually lost his mind. It’s interesting to note that because of interest in the song, Ensor’s profile was raised much higher than it had been in decades. Closing out the album are the double hitter of the almost punk rock “Stomp Box” and the mournful, almost lamenting “The End of the Tour,” which are two of the best songs the band ever recorded. At 20 songs, it was almost too much to take for some people back in 1994 but then again, their breakthrough Flood had 19 songs. The record was the biggest disappointment critically and commercially the band had yet experienced but over time, as people have gotten more used to several songs during their live shows, interest in the album is better than it ever has been and as more people rediscover the album, perhaps the stigma that it’s attached to will be forever lifted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6bfJIoabcE (Subliminal)
http://www.singingfool.com/Title.aspx?publishedid=298838 (Snail Shell)

Forgotten Songs of the '80s: The Clash

Forgotten Songs of the ‘80s: The Clash

The Clash were one of the best punk bands of all time, everyone knows this. But around 1980, the band began taking several detours, sound wise, some were successful and some were not. One of their best detours was dub/reggae, which peaked with the single release of “Bankrobber.”

The song begins with a slower than usual Clash intro with the band playing as one and getting a groove going right off the bat. Then Joe Strummer comes in with incredibly melodic lyrics about his daddy being a bankrobber. The song is without a doubt, one of the best Clash songs ever. But as always, it’s the combination of Strummer’s vocals and lyrics and the power and strength of Paul Simonon, Mick Jones and Topper Headon. By keeping locked in the groove and not swaying in any way, the band were able to make the song more memorable. The song’s direct message and almost swaying, reggae beat set it apart from other Clash songs but again, that’s what made the band so damn special.

Although the song was only released as a single, it’s influence has grown over the years. But unfortunately it’s not as well known as “London Calling” and “Rock the Casbah” and that’s something that needs to change.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttJBdr6eBuo&ob=av2n

Forgotten Songs of the '70s: Heatwave

Forgotten Songs of the ‘70s: Heatwave

I know it has been quite a while since I’ve done anything about the seventies but recently, I had a revelation. Listening to some old Heatwave recently, I came across a powerhouse song called “Mind Blowing Decisions,” a song from their 1977 sophomore record, Central Heating.

Unlike other Heatwave songs, this one was written by band leader Johnnie Wilder, Jr. and while he never wrote many songs in the band’s catalog, this is one to treasure. What on the surface sounds a relatively simple love song quickly becomes a look into the mind of someone who’s being torn apart by love. The main question being raised whether the man wants to stay with the woman as boyfriend or husband. Wilder’s voice keeps the song up at all times and the power of his words will make the hair stand up on your arms all the way through. With very light, almost orchestral accompaniment from the rest of the band, “Mind Blowing Decisions” is quite unlike any other R&B ballad from the time and that’s one of the greatest reasons to remember the song for weddings and any other time it would come in handy.

When the song was released as a single, the record company was busy promoting the other single “The Groove Line” and at the time, people weren’t ready to slow down the boogieing so the song never got the amount of attention it deserved. Now with plenty of time to look back at Heatwave’s career, now is the moment to start loving this song with that special someone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8ez8Nc7ZWw

Forgotten Album of the Month: Crowded House

Forgotten Album of the Month: Crowded House

This may strike some people as rather odd because Crowded House are more on the pop side of things as opposed to other bands on this blog but that’s at least one thing that makes them so special, that even a diehard alternative rock fan can dig some good Australian pop. In 1988, when they released their sophomore effort, Temple of Low Men, they were cast aside because many people found the record too dark and hard to swallow in light of their hits “Something So Strong” and “Don’t Dream It’s Over.” But on this record, frontman Neil Finn began to really find his voice and the result was a collection of some of the best written songs of the late ‘80s.

While some songs like “Kill Eye” may strike the listener as incredibly dark, it’s merely an appetizer for what else the record holds. Without a doubt, one of Crowded House’s best ever songs, “Into Temptation” is a ballad about what lies on the other side of marriage. The way the acoustic melody and Neil’s vocals come together just make the song so powerful and haunting and the fact that it didn’t become a bigger hit is an absolute abomination. Other tracks like “Mansion in the Slums” with it’s slinking horns is unlike anything they’d ever recorded up to that point but again, that’s just another one of this record’s strength.

Probably the biggest highlight of the record is “Sister Madly,” a rollicking little romp with Richard Thompson contributing the solo; taking the record’s performance and enhancing the hell out of it live, it quickly became a fan favorite. The final song on the record, “Better Be Home Soon,” which became the first single in America, is a downtempo ballad that, while a great song, didn’t really scream out ‘I’m a single,’ but in the end, it’s lackluster performance may be one reason why the record didn’t perform like it’s predecessor but over the years, it’s significance has grown and with the band making great music again, it’s about time to dig into the past to see how they got where they are now and this record is as good as any a place to start.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOenp3MUnh0 (Better Be Home Soon)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MXKZUX8XgY (Into Temptation)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-MIH843Y_c (When You Come)