Category Archives: Entertainment

Classic Review: Stanley Road [1995]

Artist: Paul Weller
Label: Go! Discs

1. “The Changingman” – A
2. “Porcelain Gods” – A-
3. “I Walk On Gilded Splinters” – B+
4. “You Do Something To Me” – A+
5. “Woodcutter’s Son” – B+
6. “Time Passes” – B+
7. “Stanley Road” – B+
8. “Broken Stones” – B
9. “Out of the Sinking” – A-
10. “Pink on White Walls” – B+
11. “Whirlpool’s End” – A+
12. “Wings of Speed”- A+

Comments: I consider this the Modfahjah’s serious, yet bittersweet phase. I’ve been listening to these songs on a fairly irregular basis since about the year 2000. Collectively, they’ve never struck me as worthwhile listens… up until very recently. After seeing Weller in a live setting, I realized that the guy isn’t that bad! No, no, even more shockingly…he’s good! Of course, the sound he’s maintained over his solo career is in a faraway land from punk rock or “mod” rock…whatever that was. On this release in particular, Weller is pretty much down for anything. An extended guitar solo here and there, a soft piano-rock unrequited love ballad, an inspirational oldies power-pop number, country sounding tunes, and other goodies. Even the songs that aren’t “great” tend to flow real well with this album as a whole. The core of this album is in “You Do Something to Me,” Weller’s solo magnum opus “Whirlpool’s End,” and, of course, the gospel piano track “Wings of Speed.” I remember listening to “Wings” when I was a wee lad. I hadn’t heard anything like it. Its gospel swagger (which was something I never would have termed it years ago) was captivating. I think I downloaded it on Napster or Kazaa. That’s how much impact it had on me. It’s still such a touching ditty.

Grade: A- (90)

Hicks Vid of the Day

“If you don’t think drugs have done good things for us, then take all of your records, tapes and CD’s and burn them. Cause you know what? The musicians that made all that great music that has enhanced your life over the years… REAL FUCKING HIGH ON DRUGS.”

7″ Review: “Night Jogger”

Artist: Those Darlins and The Funstix
Label: Oh Wow Dang

Side A: “Night Jogger”- Let me first say this is a tad bit more adventerous in sound for the Darlins, which is a good thing. If you’re big into their country sound (which I am) you may or may not dig this. I mean this still retains a lot of country elements, but it’s not as evident as their previous works. Either way, I’d like to see them expand into new territory. This song has a great groove and is almost modest in a sense; just like a layed back, slick, cool song, not too wild or attention grabbing and yet you can still dance to it. The vocals are what we have come to expect from the group and they are as solid as ever. Not my favorite from them, but it’s still a good song.

Grade: 8/10

Side B
: “Funstix Party”- This is the better of the two songs: a rowdy, rockin and rollin, female King Khan BBQ number (lyrically anyway). This has a great blend of country-Darlins styled vocals with garage punk (I know I hate using the broad label too, but it really works here) production: jangely guitars, a nice little solo section, and pounding drums. It’s heavier than the A Side and in my opinion is much funner. I can picture this being a great song to mosh and sing along to live. The lyrics are humorous and licentious, which is always a pleasure- “I’ll bring the pussy you bring the dicks. FUNSTIX PARTY! FUNSTIX PARTY!” Now, that’s what I like to hear!

Grade: 9/10

Overall Grade: B+

Once again, Those Darlins will be playing in Boston at T.T. the Bears on Friday, September 17. I can’t wait! And if you are not in the Boston/New England area, then check around, since the Darlins are on tour right now and very well could be hitting up a club near you.

NEW THOSE DARLINS 7″!

Here’s the link for the new Those Darlins 7″. Hope y’all enjoy! A review will be a comin’ prolly tomorrow.

http://thosedarlins.com/promo/- “Night Jogger” and “Funstix Party” by The Funstix (this is their debut!) The Funstix are TD Members Jessi Darlin and Linwood Regensburg.

Those Darlins will be arriving in Boston, on tour with The Strange Boys and Gentlemen Jesse and His Men, at T.T. the Bears on Friday, September 17.

History Lesson Part III

“Mr. Narrator this is Bob Dylan to me.”- “History Lesson Part II” by the Minutemen.

One time somebody said to me “If you had a million dollars I bet you would use it to meet all of your favorite Rock bands like Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, etc.” I don’t know how this would work lol, but the point is like the idea of me being wealthy, meeting my favorite artists would be some sort of rare, extravagant concept. Well, it’s true Floyd and Zep are old faves of mine, but with the top bands I hold near and dear to me, I have met most of them, even if just for a few moments. I guess what I’m getting at here is that it fucking rules to be a fan of mostly underground music because chiefly it’s quality art, but also the privilege of seeing numerous fantastic performances and having the pleasure to possibly chat with the creators is not rare or foreign like it is for the Big Stars.

Mike Long Dance Videos !!!

I’m Through With White Girls from Mike Long on Vimeo.

I guess I missed out on him re-uploading a bunch of his old dance videos to Vimeo. As you know, YouTube, suspended his account indefinitely, stripping all of us of the ability to watch these highly entertaining videos.

There are several choice videos and as always I give Mike a lot of credit.

His Channel: http://vimeo.com/user238295

100 Bands to See Before I Die!

Now, I know I have made this list before and you know what I will probably make it again as I constantly discover more and more fantastic artists. As of now, these are the bands and solo stars I would really like to see before I can see Jay Reatard again haha. Here they are in no particular order except the first three. NOTE: I have never seen any of these bands, hence the purpose of this post, though I have seen some of the artists, but in different acts.

1) Adam Green
2) Cumstain
3) Natural Child
4) Shannon and The Clams
5) Atlas Sound
6) Fugazi (if that damn hiatus ended)
7) Beat Happening (see Fugazi)
8) The Replacements (if they moved on without Bob Stinson and reformed)
9) The Smiths (doubt it, but if Morrissey and the gang kissed and made up)
10) Bad Brains
11) Bright Eyes
12) Arcade Fire
13) Leonard Cohen
14) Page France (if they reform)
15) Rage Against the Machine
16) Pogues
17) Almighty Defenders
18) Big Black (if they reunited for more than just a one off thang)
19) Black Flag (if Rollins is behind the Mic, well just about anything Rollins for that matter, bu esp. BF)
20) Jello Biafra (with any band I suppose)
21) Nick Cave (particularly the Bad Seeds)
22) Simon & Garfunkel
23) David Bowie
24) Led Zeppelin
25) Les Sexareenos
26) System Of A Down
27) Misfits (If Danzig is on vocals)
28) Descendents
29) N.W.A.
30) Wu-Tang Clan (or perhaps one of the solo acts)
31) Ween
32) The Oblivians
33) The Nightwatchman Tom Morello
34) Shellac
35) Lou Reed/Velvet Undergound
36) The Stooges
37) Daniel Johnston
38) The Shaggs
39) Weezer
40) Moldy Peaches (yeah yeah if they reform)
41) Kimya Dawson
42) Alice In Chains
43) Faith No More
44) Jesus and Mary Chain
45) Lotus Plaza
46) Jane’s Addiction
47) Vaselines
48) Anti-Flag
49) Mika Miko (if they join forces again)
50) Andrew W.K.
51) Black Sabbath
52) Pavement
53) Sebadoh (that would be sick)
54) Lightning Bolt
55) Immortal Technique
56) Incubus
57) Primus
58) Stone Roses (same deal)
59) New York Dolls
60) X
61) Mabuses
62) Husker Du (I think the Huskers are long overdue for a reunion tour!)
63) Ghetto Cross
64) Old King Cole Younger
65) The Spooks (If I’m randomly in Atlanta on Halloween lol)
66) KRS-One
67) The Jam (Weller solo is cool, but not good enough)
68) The Buzzcocks
69) Smashing Pumpkins
70) R.E.M.
71) Talking Heads (please guys reunite and let’s start making sense!)
72) Devo
73) KISS
74) Cheap Trick
75) MC5
76) George Jones
77) Willie Nelson
78) Neil Young
79) Creedence Clearwater Revivial
80) Slayer
81) Mudhoney
82) Paul McCartney
83) Cypress Hill
84) Pharcyde
85) Alice Cooper
86) Galaxie 500
87) At the Drive-In
88) Vomit Squad (or just about any random Khan side project)
89) Gaye Blades
90) Bjork
91) Beastie Boys
92) The Growlers
93) Butthole Surfers
94) Necro
95) Sly and the Family Stone
96) George Clinton/Parliament Funkadelic
97) Fear
98) Melvins
99) Jesus Lizard
100) The Barbaras

Yeah, I know most of these are not exactly realistic, but what the hey. I seriously plan on crossing out each band after I see them (In less than ten days Those Darlins should be crossed off!) and in this case probably just filling them in with another artist.