The fall foilage has been a bit late here. Things are still green
although the trees are in varying degrees of yellows and a spotted red
among the Mississippi River. It's supposed to rain the rest of the week
so I thought I go see the changing of the leaves around Dubuque and go
into Platteville Wisconsin to find what they have for music stores.
Platteville had a very nice store called Downtown Discs in the middle of
downtown that the owner was generous enough for me to seek out the
bargains under the table and I found about seven more vinyl albums from
the 80s that were worth a look. I'm listening to an Americana band The
Black Velvet Band that made a album for Elektra in 1989 to which I'm
sure I saw the CD for about a buck elsewhere. It's called When Justice
Came and produced by Pete (Dwight Yoakam) Anderson and usually a Pete
Anderson produced album is worth listening to.
It's a task not to drive on through to Madison but the trail ended at
Platteville today and it's a 75 minite drive from home and Dubuque is
about fifty minites. Dubuque has a CDs 4 Change, a store that reminds
me somewhat of the old Relics and although they had a good selection, I
liked Downtown Discs a little bit more in terms. All goes to show that
small town Midwestville, if you look hard and long enough, you can still
find the last record store in town. And if you get up to Dubuque, for
good Mexican food try Los Aztecas on highway 20 next to the Super 8.
The portions are a bit smaller but I sat at a table that was very roomy,
and probaly could have sit about eight. In short, I think going to
Dubuque was better than the last time I was up there (about five years
ago), but downtown has about ten different pawnshops but I got there
real late so I didn't go into but one, The American Pawnshop on Central
but I did managed to find a couple things worth getting. Hell, you know
me I always find things of note. I'm a CD junky kno?
And Dubuque still has Little Caesar's Pizza too. Lucky bastards. I
did managed to find the Goodwill on Asbury and although I did enjoy
sorting through four racks of records, I didn't find anything I wanted
unless I was into Danny Davis And The Nashville Brass. Or Floyd Cramer,
or Boots Randolph.
This weeks top ten of note (with smartass comments where needed)
1. As You Go Down-The Black Velvet Band 1989 Sometimes the bargain
bins can yield some decent listening for the open mind. Such as this
band led by Kieran Kennedy. Outside of that, I don't know much about
this band.
2. Crawl-Kings Of Leon 2008 Remember the last blog to which I
wasn't going buy the new KOL? I lied and got it on the recommendation
from somebody. And for the first couple songs I thought that this might
be the best album these guys have put out yet. And then I listened to
the rest of the album. And I want my money back.
3. Ain't That Just Like A Woman-Louis Jordan 1947 They didn't call
it rock and roll back then, they called it boogie woogie and Louis
Jordan rocked harder than most of what came out in the 40s. Anyway, HP
Books had this four cd box set called Jivin With Jordan, that has the
best rocking of Jordan's Decca years. Chuck Berry did a cover of this
song in the mid 60s.
4. Sweet Louisiana Sound-Billy Pilgrim 1995 Probaly the biggest hit
from this alt country duo who made two albums for Atlantic, back when
Atlantic was signing bands left and right. Kristin Bush, lead guy
singer would later grow a goatee and go Nashville with Jennifer
Nettles which you know as Sugarland and head toward a more pop Nashvegan
sound. (gawd I need a spell checker)
5. Still Water (love)-The Four Tops 1970 RIP Levi Stubbs.
6. Hurt So Bad-The Lettermen 1969 I suppose I'm going to catch flak
on this choice but this song sounded pretty good on AM radio when the
playlist was liberal as the Crabby Top Ten. MOR vocal bands of that era
was the rage but nowadays when you scope out the vinyl at Goodwill you
see a lotta MOR pop bands that nobody wants. Mantovani, Classical
albums, Mitch Miller. Linda Ronstandt did a note for note version of
this in 1978 and got a sizeable hit.
7. The Way To Salvation-King Missle 1991 A band lead by a poet John
S Hall who sounded a bit like Albert Borchard of BOC. The band that
made three albums for Atlantic were the most rocking and best sounding.
8. Black Ice-AC DC 2008 New AC DC record that you can get only at
Wal Mart. At least Brian Johnson sounds more in tune than he did on
Stiff Upper Lip. And for a limited time you can get the AC DC back
catalog for 7 bucks and Back In Black for 9 bucks. But by now, you
should have all the AC DC albums but don't let the folks at Sony fool
you, the Atlantic remasters sound just as good and have regular jewel
cases. And as you know, I hate digipaks.
9. Ain't Living Long Like This-Waylon Jennings 2008 Speaking of AC
DC, this new version of the Waylon song sounds a lot like It's A Long
Way To The Top If You Wanna Rock n Roll. But then again Waylon didn't
care, he's been dead for over six years but son Shooter managed to graff
his voice to the 357s music. Hate to say it, although this song rocks,
most of the new Waylon Forever album isn't that great and whoever did
the oversinging on I found The Body should be banished to American Idol
Hell forever. Unforgivable.
10. Doesn't Anybody Believe -The Sidewinders 1990 and finally,
Tucson's best band ever made two good to great albums for RCA before
some tribute band sued them for rights to the name and then caught fire
ever again (although they did make one album for Atlas/Polydor and then
regrouped off and on). And The Sidewinders continue to get some kind of
Crabb airplay. Because they f'n rocked. Rich Hopkins has said that
they recorded a new album but I have yet to see it anywhere.
I wish I could get a radio show, I betcha I would be just as famous
as John Peel or Rodney on the KROQ. Course I wouldn't say too much, I'd
just let the music do the talking......
PS, I didn't make much of an effort to seek out Moondog Music in
Dubuque. I'm still a bit miffed at them for driving all the way there
and finding they were closed five years ago. Supposely they're down the
road from CDs 4 Change. Ah, maybe next time.
On the subject of most annoying songs from the Amazon blog of same name (or the most hated songs) from JC Roberts.
Basically, I dislike anything popular, because once a song becomes
popular, then you hear the bloody thing ALL ... THE ... TIME, no matter
where you go, until even just the first few notes of the intro create an
inexpressible urge to vomit profusely. Honestly, music should come with
expiry dates: DO NOT AIR AFTER (DATE/MONTH/YEAR). It's really unfair to
the artist, because it does put people off their music, and increases
the liklihood that people will simply tape the thing off the air, rather
than make a purchase. Meh, it's the music business. What are you going
to do?
Thanks JC, I thought about making a blog about most annoying songs
but I have done that about 14 times at the Yardbird's Roost so basically
my list of songs are probaly the same as the other folk. Which is why I
like to focus on the lesser known stuff, it's less played and most of
the time nobody knows who the hell you're talking about. But I did cut
short a visit at Arby's in Dubuque the other night when Sheryl Crow's
First Cut Is the Deepest popped on the box. Annoyance is what you make
of it and getting the hell out is the ultmost importance. Likewise Mr
Mister's annoying Broken Wings. Or Sammy Davis' Candy Man. Ugh, I'm
doin it again, hashing up crappy songs again........
Comments:
oooh i got 4 more cds yesterday, Dillard & Clark (2 albums on 1 cd), Gene Clark - Silverado '75, Mark Bryan - 30 On The Rail and the self titled cd by Natalia Lafourcade!