dancing to architecture

Gleich die erste Antwort auf meine (noch nicht so zahlreichen) Anfragemails kommt von einer meiner Heldinnen: Theresa K., Fotografin sovieler Musiker-/Konzertfotos, die sich in mein Hirn eingebrannt haben: Lux Interior, Darby Crash, Ramones, Blondie, etc… Sie hat sie alle abgeschossen. Sie ist das Auge hinter Punk Turns 30 und einer Fantastillion anderer Sachen im Web.

Hier ihre zehn  liebsten Scheiben (von denen immerhin zwei unter meinen liebsten 20 wären…):

1. Bob Dylan – Blonde on Blonde

(Columbia, 1966)

this is the best record ever made by anyone anywhere at anytime.  trumps everything.  its got poetry, confusion, chaos, regret, hope and love. “visions of johanna” is (the best song ever written) chock-full of imagery to fill a thousand poetry books and books of poetry analysis. pop poetry boasts no better image than “the ghosts of ‘lectricity howl in the bones of her face.”  the song is visual and visceral.  and then there’s the rollicking salvation army band sound of everyone’s fave (not mine – but everyone else’s) “rainy day women #12 and 35” otherwise known by its refrain “everybody must get stoned.”  something for everyone.  not to mention, this record inspired a whole other genre of music (outlaw country they call it these days.  alt.country once upon a time)

2.The Beatles – Revolver (UK version)

(Parlophone, 1966)

rock, pop, psyche and songs by all 4 beatles.  the peak of their career, if you ask me.  “tomorrow never knows” is pure genius with its sound efx, tape loops moving backward and forward. “she said” is a magic carpet ride of spiraling guitars droning in the way drone is supposed to work, and then there’s the pop-rock version of a bach fugue in the jangle of chiming rickenbackers and vocal harmonics of “and your bird can sing.”  perfection.

3. The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds

(Capitol, 1966)
beautiful harmonies, theremin, straightforward lyrics, complicated melodies, sweeping and flawless production of a baroque kind of pop, at once sophisticated but incredibly immediate and apropos of its time.  “wouldn’t it be nice?“  it IS.

4. The Kinks – Face to Face

(Reprise, 1966)
its quite possible this record shaped my whole socio-political outlook (slightly marxist) as it is a description and commentary of the british social structure.  from “dandy” to “sunny afternoon,” you’ve got wry intellect, colorful characters and everyday everyman situations filling the song/narratives so vividly, you feel like you’re actually in swingin’ london watching the locals.  of course, the kinks entire catalog could fill this slot.

(in case it isn’t obvious, 1966 was the best year for music to my ears)

5. Richard & Linda Thompson – Shoot out the Lights

(Hannibal, 1982)
her light, bright voice singing his dark and sombre songs… their shared angst, their love turned sour, their melancholy and ruminations on love, death and how to make the most of life weave in and out of delicate melodies atop spartan arrangements that stir your very bones and blood.  no one can communicate the feeling of “ache” via her voice like linda thompson can, and no one can write about his intimations of mortality or immortality as  richard does on “wall of death” (no, not even william wordsworth).

6. Nick Cave – The Boatman’s Call

(Mute/Reprise, 1997)
the best leonard cohen record that leonard cohen never wrote or made.  nick cave emerges as my generation’s leonard cohen meets dylan thomas in a collection of songs that basically confirms “people ain’t no good” (my fave track on the album).

7. The Rolling Stones – Exile on Main Street

(Rolling Stones, 1972)
hedonism -  parlayed through this smoky, late night jam session of borrowed blues riffs – the rallying cry of the 70s… exile on main street is the snapshot of its very “behind the scenes” true stories…  decadence, drugs, wine, women and song.  this double album features mick jagger’s best ever, near-gospel singing on “shine a light” in the verse where he sings “angels beating all their wings in time….”  it makes me feel that the devil has a soul

8. Television – Marquee Moon

(Elektra, 1977)
made me wish i could play guitar.  ten minute guitar jams in an era where the under-three-minute buzz saw fury reigned.  iconoclasts they were.  poetry at once aspirational and pedestrian (”i fell into the arms of the venus de milo“) is exalted when paired with tom verlaine’s plaintive declaratives and his searing dramatic and cinematic guitar executions.  an apt one-line description of this record can be found in the title track, “marquee moon,” where verlaine recalls “lightning struck itself.”

9.  The Faces – Ooh La La

(Warner Bros., 1973)
this final faces album balances their thoughtful and playful sides.  the face-off between ronnie lane’s dylan-like lyrics and rod stewart’s pub lad attitude is a winning combination.  opening this grab-bag of styles album with a rocking commentary on a girl friend’s boob job (”silicone grown“) could only be pulled off by the likes of rod stewart, well known for his revolving door collection of busty blonde arm candy.  but once that lad moment passes, the album really works for me with overlooked gems such as “flags and banners,” ronnie lane’s stream of consciousness retelling of a dream wrapped in the flag of america’s confederate army, and the other lane lead vocal, “glad and sorry.”  another pop treat, “if i’m on the late side” shows off rod stewart as a most capable interpreter of emotions that one doesn’t associate with his kind – The Lad (albeit a Mod Lad)… perhaps he was singing for an updated 70s version of the character “Alfie.”  closing the album is “ooh la la.”  its not a rocker, its like a pop folk music hall ditty stamped with the rock n roll of ronnie wood’s gravel n cigarettes voice.  he sings “i wish that i knew what i know now when i was younger” and its a moral for every generation… maybe a cautionary tale the ronnie wood of today should have heeded cuz it seems he may have been wiser some 37 years ago…  still… this overlooked faces album is my fave despite the superior, hit-laden rest of their catalog.

10. The Shazam – Godspeed the Shazam

(Not Lame, 1999)
been listening to this non stop since 2003 (where was i during the first 4 years of its life?).  it is brilliant and vital and essential.  like the beatles, kinks, mott the hoople, cheap trick and sometimes aerosmith (the good era – 1974)  all rolled into one guitar and harmony filled party of a record.  glorious noise made by just 3 men.  no fillers.  all filet.  why isn’t this band world famous with their name on the tip of everyone’s tongue?  they are world-class rockers on par with all of their formidable influences and songwriter/singer-guitarist hans rotenberry is like lennon and mccartney rolled into one with an ian hunter influence to boot.  what’s not to love?

a TIE for #10

10. Jack Oblivian & the Tennessee Tearjerkers – Don’t Throw Your Love Away

(Sympathy for the Record Industry, 2005)
the underground memphis garage punk legend throws the essential soul element into the rock n roll and with unequivocal pride fuses it with pop and straightforward rock n roll and still manages to keep it dirty and street real.  “flashcube,” with its brill building nod (listen to the organ part – its “the locomotion“) might be my favorite ever song that alludes to my own craft, oh and its a love song just like ringo’s “photograph” and all the others that invoke the poetics of memory and melancholy.  this is another record that flies under the radar but should be soaring at the top of every music fan’s consciousness.