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Tripping Daisy - Get It On
May 29th, 2002 under Album Reviews. [ Comments: none ]

Released: 1994
Tracks: Blown Away; On the Ground; It’s Safe, It’s Social; Get it On; We’re Only Gonna Die
Best track: On the Ground
Tracks to skip: Safe/Social, Get it On

It’s not the greatest thing ever, but hard core Tripping Daisy fans will want to get this EP. I think the drums sound fantastic on this live recording. I wasn’t at these shows, but I did see Tripping Daisy at Trees in Dallas a few months after this was recorded and it was an incredible show. They’re a better live band than they are in the studio, and listening to this it sounds like it’d be better if you were there. Live, you’d probably dig Get it On, as it’s a great song to mosh around to. But hearing it on a piece of plastic in the living room doesn’t do too much for me. It really is a massively stupid song, and Tim Delaughter’s middle section is so grating. He annoys me on this whole thing actually. Safe/Social and Get it On (sounds like he’s saying “Donkey” instead) were the two new tracks on this, and they’re just dumb songs. We’re Only Gonna Die is a Bad Religion cover, and it’s decent, but nothing too special. The first 2 songs are the only really good things on here. I have no idea why I still own this, it’s not too impressive. For die-hards only.

Rating: 68
The Doors - The Doors
May 29th, 2002 under Album Reviews. [ Comments: none ]

Released: 1967
Tracks: Break on Through (to the Other Side); Soul Kitchen; The Crystal Ship; Twentieth Century Fox; Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar); Light My Fire; Back Door Man; I Looked at You; End of the Night; Take it as it Comes; The End
Best track: hard to choose, either Break on Through, Light My Fire or The End
Tracks to skip: 20th Century Fox, Alabama Song, Back Door Man, I Looked at You, End of the Night, Take it…

It’s interesting going back to these albums and reassessing their quality. I never really was too big on this album. I think the Doors wrote a bunch of good songs, but they never really made a solid Album. Strange Days is the closest they came, and there are still some clunkers on that one. This one, their 1967 debut, has a lot of skipable songs. OK, most of these can be skipped. I still enjoy the popular ones, but the ones you’ve never heard of (like 20th Century Fox, Take it as it Comes, etc.) are not good.

I think where the best of the Doors comes through are in the extended songs, like Light My Fire and The End. Break on Through is still very good as well, and there are a couple of average songs, but the rest are throwaways. It’s the truth. I mean, how horrible is I Looked at You? Ugh, it’s so awful. If you’re interested in the Doors, you’re better off skipping this one and getting a best-of set that has Break, Fire, and The End. The rest really aren’t that important.

Rating: 72
King Crimson - The Beat Club, Bremen - 1972 (KCCC #3)
May 29th, 2002 under Album Reviews. [ Comments: none ]

Recorded: 1972; Released: 1999
Tracks: Improv: The Rich Tapestry of Life; Exiles; Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I)
Best track: all
Track to skip: none

Hooray for 30 minute improvs! Yeah, the improv is about 30 minutes, that’s why there are only 3 tracks on here. This CD is important for serious Crimheads because it was the first commercially available live release featuring percussionist Jamie Muir. Our only other exposure to him was on the album Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (my next Crimson to review). This show (for the Bremen Beat Club) was recorded 3-4 months before the studio album. It’s interesting to hear the growth of the two songs, as well as the players from this to Larks’.

It sounds like the tape of the show was maybe slowed down or something, because sometimes the instruments (specifically violin) sound out of tune. Exiles is just average on this, they drag the tempo too much and it’s pretty lethargic. The improv is pretty cool, but it definitely takes a lot of patience to get through it all. In the 30-minute span of it, the band changes gear about 20 times. It’s pretty obvious to tell that in their improvs this Crimson was heavily influenced by what Miles Davis was doing around the same time. This is especially evident in the reaction of drummer Bill Bruford and bassist John Wetton. Fripp and violinist David Cross obscure it a bit, but Bruford & Wetton play like their trying out for Miles Davis’ group.

This CD is pretty short, but it’s a very good snapshot of how they sounded with Muir. What he does on the improv alone is enough for a good grade on this. The only mildly disappointing thing is that they hadn’t finished writing all of Larks I yet, so where the violin solo would normally come in, they just kinda stop. Very interesting to hear the progression of ideas. Depending on my mood, the ‘72-’74 Crimson is my favorite. They start out with a lot of ambition, but within the next year, they became tied for the best ‘rock’ group at the time (tied with Zappa’s ‘73-’74 band).

Rating: 88
Leonard Bernstein - Greatest Hits
May 29th, 2002 under Album Reviews. [ Comments: none ]

Released: 1994
Tracks: Candide Overture; Maria; Tonight; Somewhere; Jet Song (Boogie-Woogie); America; Mambo; A Simple Song; Times Square; Glitter and Be Gay; Psalm 108, Verse 2; Make Our Garden Grow; Fancy Free Ballet
Best track: America, of course
Tracks to skip: Tonight, Simple Song; Glitter and Be Gay; Psalm 108, Make Our Garden Grow

This is the first time I’ve listened to this one all the way through. Some of it I really like and some I don’t. I’m not a fan of classical vocals at all. Well, I like stuff if it’s like Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, but I don’t like operatic stuff. So naturally, with the exception of the brilliant America, the music I prefer on this disc is the instrumental stuff. Times Square, Mambo and Fancy Free Ballet are all very good. His instrumental music is just so much more exciting than the vocal stuff. I love all the syncopations Bernstein puts into the music. That, I love.

And of course, I think America is one of the greatest pieces every written. Yeah, there are vocals on there, but it’s all really melodic and the music is incredible. I’m not very fond of the overly Latino accents on it, but I can deal with it just to hear the melodies and the music. Somewhere was a tune that was starting to bore me, but the middle orchestral section was very cool. You know, in regards to the operatic stuff, I mean, obviously Maureen McGovern has a well-trained voice. I just think it’s obnoxious to listen to. All in all, I don’t plan on listening to this whole thing too often, but parts of it I really like. And America just rules.

Rating: 79
Frank Zappa - The Grand Wazoo
May 29th, 2002 under Album Reviews. [ Comments: none ]

Released: 1972
Tracks: The Grand Wazoo; For Calvin (And His Next Two Hitch-hikers); Cletus Awreetus-Awrightus; Eat That Question; Blessed Relief
Best track: Blessed Relief, with Wazoo and Question right behind it
Track to skip: none

OK, I have to hear Blessed Relief again. Ahhhhh. I love this song; very cool stuff. My friend Kory recommended this album to me and so far, everything he’s suggested I get has been excellent. I think this is what Waka/Jawaka should’ve sounded like. But hey, I can’t complain since we get both of them. W/J wasn’t too hot and this is the exact opposite. More Big Band stuff on this one, but the solos are lessened a bit and Zappa is more concerned with the compositions. Every song on here is good.

Like I said before, this was recorded at the same session as W/J, but it’s astounding how much better this is. It’s focused and the playing is extremely tight and passionate. The non-solo parts of the title track are pretty jaw dropping; oh yeah, the solos are too. Eat That Question has a very cool keyboard intro and George Duke is all over this one. Question is his track. For Calvin is the only vocal on the album and it concerns a time when Calvin Shenkel (artist for many of Zappa’s albums, including this one) picked up two hitch-hikers and their actions. Even though all four other tracks are great, Blessed Relief is amazing. It’s a very chilled out jazz track that always puts me in a good mood. I love listening to it.

Grand Wazoo picks the energy level back up after the disappointing Waka/Jawaka and starts off the streak of some consistently excellent Zappa albums that would last 3 or 4 years. I love this album and it’s something all Zappa fans should pick up quickly. The rest of you should consider this as well; there aren’t any offensive lyrics here at all, just good music.

Rating: 95
Led Zeppelin - I
May 29th, 2002 under Album Reviews. [ Comments: none ]

Released: 1969
Tracks: Good Times Bad Times; Babe I’m Gonna Leave You; You Shook Me; Dazed and Confused; Your Time is Gonna Come; Black Mountain Side; Communication Breakdown; I Can’t Quit You Baby; How Many More Times
Best track: Dazed and Confused, with Your Time is Gonna Come close behind
Track to skip: none

You just know this is going to get in the 90’s before I even start. At least for Zep’s first three, it’s more than obvious all are absolutely essential. Maybe IV too, but I’ll get to that one eventually.

Since the only Led Zep I own are the two boxsets, this (and the rest of the LZ studio albums) are compiled for these special reviews. Between the two boxsets all tracks on the 9 studio albums are present, just in a very scrambled order. But anyway, I used the fun Program key on my changer and programmed LZ I. It’s actually a revelation hearing them in their intended order. You get the full scope of the album and hear how huge it is. ALL of the songs are great on here.Communication Breakdown is probably the weakest, but it’s still a cool one. But yeah, they’re all great. Dazed rises above the rest and is a superb piece of rock music history. I’ll go further and say that this album IS rock music history.

Right off the bat the band shows that they’re more than just a ‘blues rock’ band by putting in folk, gospel, Indian, and psychedelic influences. Of course the blues is the largest chunk of this album, and they do it so well…I’d say better than all the rest of the blues-rock groups from the 60’s. The Rolling Stones don’t hold a candle to what Led Zep did on their FIRST album. Yes, this is an essential purchase. It’s a fantastic album where nearly every song can be heard on the radio every day. 33 years later. Wow.

Rating: 96
Spin Doctors - Pocket Full of Kryptonite
May 24th, 2002 under Album Reviews. [ Comments: none ]

Released: 1992
Tracks: Jimmy Olsen’s Blues; What Time is it?; Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong; Forty or Fifty; Refrigerator Car; More Than She Knows; Two Princes; Off my Line; How Could You Want Him; Shinbone Alley/Hard to Exist
Best track: How Could You Want Him
Track to skip: Two Princes

Drat, my tape is playing too slow. It’s pretty annoying. Oh well. Been a few years since I listened to this and it’s really good. Jimmy Olsen’s Blues is a great opener and the change for middle section is way cool. I believe that the guitarist wrote most of the songs and that’s why the band kinda faded out after their 2nd album (he left before that tour). Singer Chris Barron has a distinctive voice, not really good or bad, but the other three guys (don’t know the names) are all really good players. I guess these guys were one of the first 90’s Jam Bands and they even have the ‘Obligatory John Popper Guest Spots’ on More Than She Knows & Off My Line. I think all Jam Bands need Popper somewhere on their first CD.

More Than She Knows is a tiny drop, but the first half of this album is consistently very good. All of them are really good songs. And then comes the Big Single, Two Princes, and it’s a really bad song. There aren’t any cool parts to it, the music is generic sounding and the lyrics are DUMB. I guess it was one of those ‘video hits’. Jimmy Olsen’s and Little Miss are MUCH better songs. Off My Line and Shinbone Alley aren’t as good as the others, but they’re still enjoyable. So really except for Two Princes, this album is really good. How Could You Want Him, Forty or Fifty, Jimmy Olsen’s and Little Miss are all excellent songs. I especially love How Could You Want Him; great song and it sounds a lot like Dah-veed. It really is too bad that they couldn’t keep it together; this is damn good for a debut album. If you are into Jam Bands then you should already own this. For the rest of you, if you like good songs & good playing check it out.

Rating: 91
Davíd Garza & the Lovebeads - Local Licks Live
May 24th, 2002 under Album Reviews. [ Comments: none ]

Recorded/Broadcast: 1991
Tracks: John Lennon Song; Am I; Slowly But Surely; My Sweetheart is the Sun; Summer Song; Vases & Shoes; Interview w/ Davíd; Love Thang; Butterflies; Tara; Stay Close to Me; Tell Me Why; Communication
Best tracks: John Lennon Song, Butterflies
Track to skip: none

Officially, the Good Old Days. Man, I so wish I coulda been at this gig. This is a live show that was broadcast on the radio on a former employer of mine, 93.7 FM KLBJ in Austin. I’m not sure if KLBJ still does the Local Licks Live shows every week, but they used to and one evening back in 1991 Davíd Garza and the Lovebeads played some fantastic music at Pearl’s Oyster Bar in Austin. This show took place right after the release of Just Say Love and around the time of SXSW 1991. The band sounds really good at this show (what else would you expect?) and it’s just about the Classic line up. The core consists of Davíd on guitar and vocals, Clay Pendergrass on bass and Michael Hale on drums. Davíd’s brother Joel handles the keyboards and we listeners are privileged to have Juliana Sheffield and Gemma Vignoles on dual sexy female vocals.

There are only 2 Twang songs in the set (Vases & Butterflies) with the rest being a great selection from the early years. Davíd is singing with a lot of confidence and his guitar playing is excellent as always. I miss hearing him play acoustic like this. Everybody just sounds so good. If you know some people who trade Dah-veed stuff try to get this one. Great stuff.

Rating: 92
Halogen - Demo 1
May 24th, 2002 under Album Reviews. [ Comments: none ]

Released: 1993
Tracks: Bridged; Doubt; Flight
Best track: Bridged
Track to skip: all good stuff on this one

Ah, the humble beginnings of a great band. Most of you will not have heard of Halogen (the one from Dallas) and won’t besides what I write here on this website. A few months after guitarist Matt Talbert left Miniver Cheevy he got together with his near-constant bassist, Gary Thorne and drummer Steve Sechrist and started this group. Later they added Ben Gallman on guitar and Leslie Sisson on vocals (and occasional flute and cello) to complete the first lineup of the group. This demo was one of the first things that the band did and I still like listening to it. All three songs are very good, but Bridged and Flight are a bit better than Doubt. They later reworked Doubt; I haven’t made up my mind which version I like better. Doubt has some very cool musical bits, but the vocals (except for the chorus, which is great) and whole melody line seem not right.

I wish my copy of the tape had the tempo fluctuation-fest of San Francisco, but oh well. Flight is a cool prog/guitar rock instrumental, but the main riff is VERY ripped off from Rush’s Xanadu. I’m still totally confused by Steve’s non-consistent drumming on this song. This song is played pretty sloppy, and it just ends out of nowhere. So, as I listen through this trio of songs, Bridge is the only one that’s ‘complete’. The band had a long way to go with this, but they got better. You can definitely hear the pop sensibilities mixed in with the progressive stuff on this. The band was never really captured at their height, unless you saw a live show. For a demo this is pretty good, even with all the mistakes and tempo fluctuations.

Rating: 79
Davíd Garza & the Lovebeads - Summer Songs II
May 24th, 2002 under Album Reviews. [ Comments: none ]

Released: 1992
Tracks: Long Walk Home; Devour; Boy; Never Still; Cycles; Only Skin; Collide; How Much; Can’t Get Along; Fire Love; All Mine; Far Away Hands
Best tracks: Boy and Devour
Tracks to skip: most, unfortunately

The first 3 songs on this form one of the most classic album-openings I’ve ever heard. 3 of the all-time best Dah-veed songs start SSII off and it’s simply incredible. As stated all over these reviews, I practically worship Juliana Sheffield and she doesn’t disappoint on this album. Man, Devour is AWESOME! What a great song. I love hearing all the Austin and Hyde Park references in here. Ahh, home. Then after the amazingness of Devour, we get a solo (more or less) Juliana vocal and an even better song in Boy. Her voice is one of my favorite things in the world. I’m saying it for the record here: Juliana Sheffield has THE BEST female voice in the world. Ever. She could sing absolutely anything and it’d just melt me. She could sing a cookbook and make it sound sexy.

I had typed the question of wondering why, even two years after this came out, that most of these songs were no longer in the band’s repertoire. While sitting here listening to it, I understand why: most of these songs aren’t that memorable. I’ve loved this album for a long time, but it definitely doesn’t hold up to repeated listenings. After the Trio of Glory (first three), the only songs I really want to hear again are Only Skin & Far Away Hands. The rest are kinda boring. The songs that Juliana sings on almost save them, but even her beautiful voice can’t help lame songs. Thankfully this album ends on a very good note in Far Away Hands.

The band is definitely more of a unit on this album and they’d only get better. Anytime you hear about the ‘good old days’ of Davíd Garza, this is what people are referring to. I’d still say, as an album, this isn’t close to being the best they did, but it’s the first one of a streak where it all started to gel and Dah-veed became a Great Band. Of course this is worth seeking out for the first 3 tracks, but maybe you’ll find some good stuff in the middle of this thing.

Rating: 85

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