Category Archives: Music

KLYAMer Shuffle: Chris

Neil Young– Like a Hurricane (1977)- not one of my favorites from NY, but still a great tune.

The Beatles– All You Need Is Love (1967)- The title says it all, pretty much sums up their message.

The Pogues– Everyman Is a King (1989)- I play this every Fourth of July.

The Shaggs– My Pal Foot Foot (1969)- Classic outisder art.

The King Khan & BBQ Show (2004)- Get Down- A fine track from this KLYAM favorite’s debut record.

Johnny Cash– Flushed From the Bathroom of Your Heart (live at Folsom) (1968)- Badass Cash! Folsom is the perefect setting for this song/album.

Alice in Chains– Would? (1992)- I’m glad we still hear kickass bands like Alice on the mainstream radio, since most of the time they (the radio stations) play absolute rubbish! Layne’s vocals are powerful here.

Frank Zappa– Are You Hung Up? (1968)- A bizarre opener to a bizarre album from a bizarre man.

Anti-Flag– Turncoat (2003)- Admittedly, a little bit too punk poppish for my taste at times, but still a decent tune.

Rage Against the Machine– War Withing a Breath (1999)- “Every official that comes in, cripples us, leaves us maimed, silent and tamed, and with our flesh and bones he builds his homes.” I often think of these words when a new official is elected to office, like Obama.

The Replacements– Careless (1981)- Old School, wild rowdy, Mats!

Who Did it Better? “Let’s Spend the Night Togerther”

Been on a bit of a Bowie and Stones kick lately, so I am really glad to do this song.

First The Rolling Stones:

Next David Bowie:

Really like Bowie’s version but I am going with the original, but I am going with the Stones version. Just a matter of taste really.

Classic Album Review: It Came From Here [1982]

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: Survival [1979]


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-

Final Pieces of Jay’s Shattered Record Club

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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NEW HUNX LP! “Too Young to Be in Love”

On March 29, KLYAM Fave Hunx and His Punx will be releasing their studio deubt Too Young to Be in Love on Hardly Art records. With the exception of the upcoming Black Lips LP, this record is the next big thing for me, I really can’t wait to hear it when it’s all ready to go. I’ve been a big fan of about half of the tracks based on their demos, so it should be a goodie. Speaking of which, here is the tracklist:

1) Lovers Lane
2) He’s Coming Back
3) Keep Away From Johnny
4) The Curse of Being Young
5) Too Young to Be in Love
6) If You’re Not Here (I Don’t Know Where You Are)
7) Bad Boy
8) Tonite Tonite
9) Can We Get Together?
10) Blow Me Away

Classic Album Review: Heaven Up Here [1981]


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+

New Wavves Single!

http://bananasmusicclub.com/post/2686099138/let-bananas-into-yr-heart-with-this-new-wavves

The new song is entitled “Stained Glass (Won’t You Let Me Into Yr Heart)” it is part of their split single with Best Coast, “Summer is Forever.” Both bands will embark on an epic tour in a few weeks including a stop at Boston’s Paradise Rock Club on Friday, February 4, can’t wait! In terms of this song, I’m not really into the whole psych dance 80s thing a la “Convertible Balloon” (though I actually liked that song). But we’ll see what direction they take with it.