All posts by G. Gordon Gritty

Classic Album Review, Music

Classic Album Review: It Came From Here [1982]

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Band: Boys Life
Label: SECO

Side One
1. “It Came From Here” – A
2. “Water” – A
3. “From A To Z” – A

Side Two
1. “Happy People” – A
2. “True Believers” – A
3. “Person I Want To Be” – A

Comments: Boys Life rose to prominence in the early ’80s. You must be thinking well who’s Boys Life?  They were (technically are since according to their Myspace they’ve recently reformed) a group from Malden, Massachusetts, just a few few miles from where many of us here at KLYAM call home. According to a local magazine at the time, “their rock ‘n’ roll is inspired by the 1976-1977 generation of British punkers – most specifically the recently broken up Jam.” The Jam influence is ultra apparent on this, their debut EP. Singer John Surette’s vocals recall any number of British singers. They also bear a decent similarity to Mission of Burma and comparable post-punk rockers from the area. In fact, they caught the eye of Paul Weller, who has proclaimed himself a fan of the band. They ended up opening for The Jam a few times. Props to my dad for buying this record at one of those shows. Perhaps the band’s strength was in its saxophonist Neal Sugarman. Sugarman’s sax playing served as both a source of steady rhythm and creativity, complimenting the pulsing bass guitar. Sugarman’s fine musicianship did not go unnoticed as he has played tenor for the likes of Amy Winehouse. For a short-lived band, they did get a decent amount of notice in there. This record (I’m guessing) is a rarity but it looks like they’ve made a MySpace page where you can listen to some of their older stuff. This is a local classic.

Grade: A

Classic Album Review, Music

Classic Album Review: Survival [1979]

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Band: Bob Marley & The Wailers
Label: Island

Side One
1. “Wake Up and Live” – A
2. “Africa Unite” – A
3. “One Drop” – A
4. “Ride Natty Ride” –  A-
5. “Ambush” – A

Side Two
1. “So Much Trouble in the World” – A
2. “Zimbabwe” – A
3. “Top Rankin” – A-
4. “Babylon System” – B
5. “Survival” – B+

Comments: This isn’t Marley’s most recognizable album by any stretch, but it is ripe with politically charged and rhythmic songs. Basic, easily communicated dissident sentiments came from the mouth of Marley from “Ambush” (they say what we know is just what they teach us) to “Zimbabwe” (no more internal power struggle; we come together, to overcome the little trouble) and that’s what made the man such a legend. Survival didn’t need a “Stir It Up” or a “Could You Be Loved” to achieve greatness. There’s hardly a low point to be found on here, even “Babylon System” keeps up the groove just fine, despite being less of an immediate catch.

Grade: A-

Jay Reatard, Music, News

Final Pieces of Jay’s Shattered Record Club

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From Jay Reatard’s Official Website

The final pieces of the Jay Reatard Shattered Club are in manufacture and will be ready to be shipped in 2-4 weeks.

We had promised an original 7″ exclusively for Shattered Club members. Two days before Jay passed away he recorded two songs at home: “You Get No Love” and “I Am Growing.” They were to be his final recordings. They have never been heard before now. We have pressed these songs onto a 7″ and it will be available only to you. It will not be for sale in any shops, not given to blogs for free download, and will not available digitally. Inside the 7″ you’ll find a personal note written by Jeffrey Novak.

We had promised a live 7″ exclusively for Shattered Club members. Instead we are sending you a full live album from an incredible set at the Golden Plains Festival in Australia in 2008. This is a full-length 14-song LP, again only for Shattered Club members.

We had promised a t-shirt exclusively for Shattered Club members. Nicholas Gazin, the artist who created the images for Jay’s final tour – The Shattered Records Tour – has painted a watercolor that we are printing on t-shirts. This will only be available to Shattered members.

Shattered Club members have also received Watch Me Fall on CD or LP, and MP3s ofWatch Me Fall, the 25-song Greatest Messes: The Shattered Club Edition, The Reatards’Teenage Hate, Jeffrey Novak’s “Home Sweet Home” and Hunx & His Punx’s “Teardrops On My Telephone.” We will also be sending  MP3s of the final Shattered Records 7″ from Useless Eaters entitled “Hear/See.”

Expect more goodies at random in these packages, including test pressings, Shattered Tour t-shirts, and other items we have been saving up.

In 2011 there will be a full slate of Jay releases, including a feature-length documentary film, Reatards and Lost Sounds reissues, and a definitive greatest hits record.

Thursday is first anniversary of Jay’s passing.
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There is a link to buy a $75 subscription to the SRC and receive all of the above goodies, but it says there is no shipping to the US. Hopefully that was just an error or there will be eventually.
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Classic Album Review, Music

Classic Album Review: Heaven Up Here [1981]

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Band: Echo & the Bunnymen
Label: Korova

Side One
1. “Show of Strength” – A
2. “With A Hip” – B+
3. “Over the Wall” – A-
4. “It Was A Pleasure” – A-
5. “A Promise” – A

Side Two
1. “Heaven Up Here” – A
2. “The Disease” – B-
3. “All My Colours” – B+
4. “No Dark Things” – A-
5. “Turquoise Days” – B-
6. “All I Want” – B-

Comments: As far as influential British post-punk groups go, Echo & the Bunnymen are right in the mix alongside Joy Division, The Fall, The Cure, and so-on and so forth. Compared to most music in this style, Heaven Up Here is hardly pop sensible. Heck, Joy Division was well broken up by the time this record came out so to say that band influenced these guys would probably be an understatement. I can even hear some Talking Heads esque arrangements on the latter half of the first side like on “It Was a Pleasure” and “A Promise.” I love the passion on “Heaven Up Here”; that song is kickin’! The second side is kind of yes and no. There’s a lot to like, but some other things on the boring side. The ending is pretty weak.

Grade: B+

Classic Album Review, Music, Ramones

Classic Album Review: Road To Ruin [1978]

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Band: Ramones
Label: Sire

Side One
1. “I Just Want To Have Something To Do” – A
2. “I Wanted Everything” – A-
3. “Don’t Come Close” – A-
4. “I Don’t Want You” – A-
5. “Needles and Pins” – B+
6. “I’m Against It” – B+

Side Two
1. “I Wanna Be Sedated” – A
2. “Go Mental” – A-
3. “Questioningly” – B+
4. “She’s The One” – A-
5. “Bad Brain” – A
6. “It’s A Long Way Back” – A

Comments: Road To Ruin is a really good album. It features a fine mix of fast punk rockers and slower rock and roll.  It’s more of a ‘listener’ for me, rather than a record that contains a plethora of standout tracks. Of course, the hit was and still is “I Wanna Be Sedated” — appreciated by people far and wide. Additionally, I find myself really liking “I Just Want To Have Something To Do” and the particularly hardcore influential “Bad Brain.” I can’t say that I’m particularly floored by this record, but at the same token I can really imagine how impressionable it must have been back in ’78.

Grade: A-

Black Lips, business, interviews, Music

Joe Bradley Discusses Record Deals

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Very interesting perspective. While 360 deals do seem to be advantageous in the realm of increased publicity and opportunity, bands themselves are getting the short end of the stick by being deprived of control of tour and merchandise income. For the ‘industry’ and management companies, of course it is a win-win because they are diverting money away from the band and into their treasuries.

Classic Album Review, Music

Classic Album Review: Endless Summer [1974]

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Band: The Beach Boys
Label: Capitol

Side A
1. “Surfin Safari” – A
2. “Surfer Girl” – A+
3. “Catch A Wave” – A+
4. “The Warmth of the Sun” – B+
5. “Surfin’ USA” – A
[Grade: A]

Side B
1. “Be True To Your School” – A+
2. “Little Deuce Couple” – A
3. “In My Room” – A
4. “Shut Down” – A
5. “Fun, Fun, Fun” – A+
[Grade: A]

Side C
1. “I Get Around” – A
2. “Girls on the Beach” – A+
3. “Wendy” – A
4. “Let Him Run Wild” – A
5. “Don’t Worry Baby” – A+
[Grade: A]

Side D
1. “California Girls” – A+
2. “Girl Don’t Tell Me” – A
3. “Help Me, Rhonda” – A
4. “You’re So Good To Me” – B+
5. “All Summer Long” – A+
[Grade: A]

Comments: This was a just a great great listen. I can’t say anything really that hasn’t already been said. The only thing that sucks is changing the record after every five songs! I guess that’s the product of growing up in the digital age. As far as ‘older’ songs go, there were just so many fantastic ones on this compilation that just instantly ‘clicked’. Love when that happens.

Grade: A