Strummer's Pop Column (lyrics, techno, ambient, blues, country)

[Strummer521]

Just a place where I'll post mini-essays and stuff when the mood strikes me. To start, a review of a single track from the album Rhymes With Orange.

"Nightshade" - Gordon Stone Band

Somewhere between shifty psuedo-klesmer and dry western instrumental stuff that could accompany a car chase across the Arizona desert highway in an 80s or late 70s movie. As with much of GSB's music, it's at it's best when the bassist takes over with a slicing bit of reggaeish stomp that Stone bluesifys over with the steel guitar. It helps that Michael Barnett is the best fiddler I've ever heard. At the age of 15, he could already make it sing and cry and fly like he invented the thing. During solos, he builds tension on the fly so quickly and tightly that it always feels in danger of careening out of the soundscape.

[Strummer521]

I was doing a thing on another forum a while ago trying to bring attention to some underrated "deep cuts" in the Beatles catalogue...

"Long, Long, Long"(The White Album)

This song cradles you softly with its sweet sincere melody and then makes you want to pump your fist when Ringo kicks in on the drums and the emotion swells. The lyrics are simple as in so many beatles songs which makes them so powerful and universal with themes like love and loss and hope for redemption that most everyone has dealt with. The guitar part is minimal but perfect and highly memorable and the melody of both the vocals and the organ are haunting and beautiful. All of these elements when added together, leave you with a song that stays with you long (no pun intended) after you hear it. It's just a shame it is a bit marred by the "experimental" noise at the end that contrasts it's beauty in an almost painfully awkward way. I think this one may be overlooked because it's not a real attenion grabber, and it takes a few listens to get the full impact, so the next time you listen to The White Album give it the attention and respect it deserves and maybe you will love it like I do.

[Strummer521]

"Run For Your Life" (Rubber Soul)

Only The Beatles could make a song about threatening to kill your girlfriend if she cheats on you this much fun. John's great voice takes the lead and blends so perfectly with Paul's adventerous soaring falsetto during the chorus. the music is minimalist or simplistic depending on your point of view but it features an early instance of George Harrison on slide guitar (an instrument he would master as time went on) and their best serving of riff rock since "Daytripper". This song in the predecessor to "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" in the vein of turning murder into a good time and from the bouncy acoustic strumming at the beginning to the na na na's at the end, you sure are in for one. But enough blabbering about it. It's one of those songs where it's hard to explain why it's so good. It just is. Ok?

[Strummer521]

The Review I promised Adidasss:

The Information - Beck

The album begins with the countoff: “One, two, you know what to do,” and it proves truly fitting. Beck knows exactly what to do and this becomes apparent as soon as the drums kick in carrying with them the airtight groove of “Elevator Music”. Nothing much is new here, as Beck spits nonsense rhymes in his too cocky to be energetic mumbling half-drawl. He’s still got that classic easygoing swagger that makes anything he says seem cooler than it would coming from anyone else, and he still has that uncanny wizard-like ability to seamlessly blend the influences of an extremely wide array of genres. His influences are usually not easily recognized, since his sound is so difficult to categorize, but somehow “Strange Apparition” winds up sounding exactly like the Rolling Stones in their golden period and could easily be mistaken for an out-take from Beggar’s Banquet or Exile on Main Street. But despite that particular song’s alt-country leanings, this disc is first and foremost, what Beck says that he set out to make it: a hip-hop album, or at least his equivalent of one. This is clearly evidenced in “Cellphone’s Dead” in which 80's synth-funk is skillfully simulated over an old-school style breakbeat. A bit of psychedelia can be found in “Soldier Jane”. From this point on the songs mostly lose their distinctiveness save a catchy chorus here (“Nausea”) and a slick bass line there (“Dark Star”). There are some nifty falsetto back-up vocals in “No Complaints” that recall the Velvet Underground, a band which Beck has name-checked as an inspiration of sorts, but pop song-craft touches like that are not enough to save the lack of accessibility and/or the lackluster material to be found on much of the album’s second half. “1000BPM” sounds obnoxious with its overzealous junkyard instrumentation and somewhat abrasively distorted vocals. It is at this point that it can safely be said that the album has devolved into a brand of off-center noise-rock that few are likely to appreciate. “Movie Theme” starts off sounding like intentional cheese which will be a waste of time, but turns into an atmospheric piece of ambient pop nicely augmented by acoustic guitars which contrast nicely with the synthesizers and drum-machine beat. This would have been a great place to end The album. Unfortunately, Beck has other plans and listeners are subjected to (or treated to, depending on the individual’s perspective) a ten-minute suite called “The Horrible Fanfare/Landslide/Exoskeleton”. Like much of this album after track four, it can’t really be said that this song is bad, but neither can it be said that it’s undeniably worth your time. Inconsistent albums like this are what itunes is for. Listeners should capitalize on this new technology by purchasing the high-quality songs on the disc (of which there certainly are a few) and forget the rest. The album itself is essential for hardcore fans and completists only. Everyone else should be satisfied still listening to “Girl”.

[adidasss]

Goddamnit!! You tricked me! It's not a positive review!
Will write a response tomorrow, too tired now.

[Strummer521]

Originally Posted by adidasss

Goddamnit!! You tricked me! It's not a positive review!
Will write a response tomorrow, too tired now.

I said it was moderately positive, and I think it is. It says that a lot of the songs are good. It's tempered. Not gushy but not overly negative either.

[Kevorkian Logic]

Originally Posted by Strummer521

The Review I promised Adidasss:

The Information - Beck

The album begins with the countoff: “One, two, you know what to do,” and it proves truly fitting. Beck knows exactly what to do and this becomes apparent as soon as the drums kick in carrying with them the airtight groove of “Elevator Music”. Nothing much is new here, as Beck spits nonsense rhymes in his too cocky to be energetic mumbling half-drawl. He’s still got that classic easygoing swagger that makes anything he says seem cooler than it would coming from anyone else, and he still has that uncanny wizard-like ability to seamlessly blend the influences of an extremely wide array of genres. His influences are usually not easily recognized, since his sound is so difficult to categorize, but somehow “Strange Apparition” winds up sounding exactly like the Rolling Stones in their golden period and could easily be mistaken for an out-take from Beggar’s Banquet or Exile on Main Street. But despite that particular song’s alt-country leanings, this disc is first and foremost, what Beck says that he set out to make it: a hip-hop album, or at least his equivalent of one. This is clearly evidenced in “Cellphone’s Dead” in which 80's synth-funk is skillfully simulated over an old-school style breakbeat. A bit of psychedelia can be found in “Soldier Jane”. From this point on the songs mostly lose their distinctiveness save a catchy chorus here (“Nausea”) and a slick bass line there (“Dark Star”). There are some nifty falsetto back-up vocals in “No Complaints” that recall the Velvet Underground, a band which Beck has name-checked as an inspiration of sorts, but pop song-craft touches like that are not enough to save the lack of accessibility and/or the lackluster material to be found on much of the album’s second half. “1000BPM” sounds obnoxious with its overzealous junkyard instrumentation and somewhat abrasively distorted vocals. It is at this point that it can safely be said that the album has devolved into a brand of off-center noise-rock that few are likely to appreciate. “Movie Theme” starts off sounding like intentional cheese which will be a waste of time, but turns into an atmospheric piece of ambient pop nicely augmented by acoustic guitars which contrast nicely with the synthesizers and drum-machine beat. This would have been a great place to end The album. Unfortunately, Beck has other plans and listeners are subjected to (or treated to, depending on the individual’s perspective) a ten-minute suite called “The Horrible Fanfare/Landslide/Exoskeleton”. Like much of this album after track four, it can’t really be said that this song is bad, but neither can it be said that it’s undeniably worth your time. Inconsistent albums like this are what itunes is for. Listeners should capitalize on this new technology by purchasing the high-quality songs on the disc (of which there certainly are a few) and forget the rest. The album itself is essential for hardcore fans and completists only. Everyone else should be satisfied still listening to “Girl”.

Kudos to you, that was one of the most artfully done reviews I have ever read. I love it.

[Strummer521]

Originally Posted by Kevorkian Logic

Kudos to you, that was one of the most artfully done reviews I have ever read. I love it.

Thanks a lot. And thanks for reading. If you happen to post a poem or review or something I'd be happy to return the favor.

[Sparky]

i liked it. I had the same mixed feelings as you, i ended up skipping through tracks more then i had hoped for. I though "nausea" was the best single on the album,just because of how "beck-catchy" it is(dont know how to define that term yet, but beck fans know what i mean) and if you using itunes i really only reccomend that and a couple other tracks.

good thing for me i didn't pay for it, though i kind-off wish i did, i heard it came with stickers!

[Strummer521]

Originally Posted by matious

i heard it came with stickers!

Indeed it did my friend. Magical stickers one could place where ever one liked.