Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) 1978/2012
I know Frownland said find the 2012 version, but Spotify only has the 1978 one so that's the one I'm doing.
1. The floppy boot stomp: Starts off really abruptly, then kicks into a sort of guitar-led Waits-style (I know!) boogie, like something that would surface on
Bone Machine. Good rhythm. The more I listen to Beefheart though, the more disappointed I am in Waits: he really totally ripped his vocal style off, didn't he? I mean, if Waits and Beefheart were singing I'd be hard-pressed to know who was who. I always thought Waits was so original.
2. Tropical hot dog night: Like the trumpet, sounds quite islands-ish, kind of Caribbean. Good fun. Very catchy if a little repetitive.
3: Ice Rose Is this an instrumental? Nice use of marimba maybe, plus trumpets again and some screechy guitar. Changes its rhythm totally in the middle and becomes almost another piece. Actually, for a relatively short track it goes through quite a lot of changes.
4: Harry Irene Like the sort of French idea here with the accordion, the bouncy piano carrying the beat. Sort of a twenties or thirties feel to it, also see some Beatles influences. Nice whistling.
5: You know you're a man He cuts loose on this one for sure! Great slide guitar and it's got quite a seventies hard rock feel, like something maybe Free or Blue Cheer might have put out.
6: Bat chain puller A strange song, another
Bone Machine-esque one. Pretty damn good I must say.
7: When I see mommy I feel like a mummy Sort of what I could only describe as drunken trumpets on this, rolling kicking percussion, odd little sounds, snarly guitar. I've liked everything here so far. How odd. The chorus of “Mommy, mommy, mommy” is hilarious.
8: Owed t'Alex Kind of like some sort of twisted hobo song. Play when leaving a city you hate, preferably while stowing aboard a freight train in the time-honoured style, with only a few cans of cold beans as food. Love the harmonica and whatever is making the main melody. Drumming is excellent, slide guitar fantastic, just everything about this seriously rocks. In fact, **** it... there! Royal Blue bitches!
9: Candle mambo Great song. Love the organ. Another sort of Caribbean rhythm; are those congas?
10: Love lies A real sleazy shuffle, staggering on, trumpet is cool. Might be soprano sax actually, not too sure.
11: Suction prints More super slide, then a real funk-out with added trumpet. Neat. Seems to be another instrumental.
12: Apes-ma Ok, this last one was the only sour note. Completely pointless. Just him talking to his parrot or something.
So, Love or Hate? It's three for three. I really
Love this one.